Frogging

So, the pattern for the ribbing on the Kobo Cover surprised me.  And I ended up frogging my first attempt, because it was out of proportion to the cover.  I'm onto my second attempt now, although I suspect that the variegation of the wool is going to make this look less impressing than it might otherwise.  I'm still not entirely convinced that I won't end up frogging the second attempt at the ribbing and doing it entirely differently with no ribbing at all.

We'll see.

ETA: Frogging for second time.  GF has given me a good idea for how to alter the pattern for a much nicer finish.  Always assuming I don't entirely ruin the yarn while frogging.

An in-the-middle project

Which, technically is an in-the-middle of an in-the-middle project.

Actually, I really should do a photo of the TARDIS, the Loriblankeet (whose recipient has now been born: his name is Eddy) and the Kobo cover, so that you can see the project within the project within the project :-)

But yes, my very-current project is a cover for Chez Stutters' new Kobo Touch, purchased because we both love our 2nd gen Kobo's, but said 2nd gens are getting old in Tech Time, and JB's had a really good sale on the Touch last weekend.  But the Touch is smaller than the 2nd Gen, by enough that our cases just didn't fit.  And I don't like my Kobo bouncing around in my handbag getting scratched.  So I started a cover, using the pattern that I first tried to use for my iPad cover but abandoned.  It's pretty much all in DC, and with the first iPad cover, that just annoyed the hell out of me.  With this one, I kind of love it.  It makes a very firm fabric and I think will make a great cover for the Kobo.  A fully DC fabric would be too much for most projects, but for this one it seems perfect.

What I Am Up To Wednesday

My current big project is a TARDIS blanket.  (See here if you're a Ravelry member.)  It's based on a

picture I found on Pinterest, and is intended to be a Christmas gift for the son of a friend.

For the windows, I'm using a crappy, sale-price acrylic+sequins yarn that is a pain in the bloomin' neck to do anything with, and once this project is done, I'm never ever using it again. (Panda Mimosa, for the record.)  I've finished the first window, and will be putting off starting on the second window because I hate that yarn a LOT.

I'm working on the side pieces at the moment,  It's a lot of work.  My other half keeps telling me that various friends will be demanding their own TARDIS blankets once I finish the first:  Tell 'em they're dreamin'.

Meanwhile, I made a hat. I really rather love my hat.  And I'm proud of my hat.  And the pompom I added to the hat.

For project notes: I finished the hat.

Why I love Eurovision

On my Facebook, there were at least two people asking versions of "why on Earth would you watch Eurovision".

Here are a few reasons that I've been watching Eurovision every year since at least 2000, and probably longer than that:

• The Politics.  What first captured me years ago the first year I watched Eurovision was undeniably the politics - the way in which certain countries will always vote for others, or against others.  The year that the UK got no points from anyone and I watched in horror because it was just a little humiliating.
• The Awesome - it's just - fabulous.  I love it.  The special effects, the nutty, just the willingness to be awesome and fabulous.
• The rare use of French - this year only France and Belgium gave their points in French.  I'm sure it used to be used more when I started watching.
• The enthusiasm.  There's no self-consciousness, as there would be if this were Australia.
• The sense of community.  Along with knowing that a lot of Europe is paying attention to this, there's the slight nuttiness of Australian fans, of getting #SBSEurovision trending globally, of knowing that around Australia  people are enjoying the craziness.

Basically, it's just really fabulous fun.  

The anatomy of an iPad cover

The finished product.

It is seriously awesome to have finished this project.  I've changed patterns once, tried multiple times not to create ouroboros with my foundation chain, and have discovered the vital importance of consistent ply.

When M came home with a work-supplied iPad, her existing iPad became kind-of-mine.  And I wanted a cover for it, because I was using an old IKEA cushion cover as a case (because we replaced the covers this year with new ones.)  And it seemed right to try to crochet a cover.

I started with a redheart.com pattern in dc (all references in this blog to UK terminology unless otherwise stated) using my original Carnival acrylic yarn.  I tried, I really did, but once I didn't want an all pinkish-blueish-purplish cover and changed yarn, it turned into a disaster.  Plus, the DC just took far too long.  (I'm shallow, I know).

The original attempt, just prior to frogging.

So I changed to a different pattern, one found on Pinterest, and that one finally worked - due in no small part to using yarn all of the same ply (all leftovers from the Annablanket).  I had initially thought to call it a "Bunheads inspired" project, but that disappeared with the Carnival yarn.  I bought an awesomely big button, sewed it on, and it's all done.  It took a little time away from the Annablanket (although that's finished now too (apart from blocking)) but given the protection the screen needs, the cover was necessary.  And I'm not entirely ruling out the idea of surface crochet or decorative flowers at some point in the future...

What I am up to Wednesday (on Friday)

My (vague) plan is to rotate WIAUTW posts between my three blogs.  Last week was the Book Blog, this week we're here at Chez Stutters, and next week it will be the Discernment Blog.

So:

Crochet-wise, I'm on R43 of 56 for the Rainbow baby blanket and it actually feels like a blanket on my lap when I'm working on it.  I worked another two or three motifs of the Croydon Square blanket on the weekend.  Think I've still got at least three of each yet to do.  And as you would have seen, I finished my first crochet project ever, a beaded star tag for my gym bag, influenced by the TV show Smash (which thanked me by having an incredibly depressing episode on Sunday.)

I have also bought wool for three more projects: Christmas decorations for the end of this year, a Christmas present for the end of the year, and my first attempt at a crocheted stole.

Today my own personal copy of Jan Eaton's Encyclopaedia of Crochet arrived in the mail, along with my copy of the Just Bento cookbook.  M and I are trying trying trying to get back into being organised and I'm hoping part of that will be the reemergence of my bento habit.

Tea blending: Assam with T2 Spi Chai

I was poking around the T2 website in past days and found the suggestion of blending Assam with T2's Spi Chai.

Now, I happen to have been drinking more Assam of late, because over Christmas Twinings was selling 100 Assam Bold tea bags in a really nice tin, and Chez Stutters being Chez Stutters, naturally we bought it for the tin.  But I've been enjoying the tea, as well, and will probably keep getting it, perhaps in loose leaf form, once I've finished the tea bags.

Having read the suggestion of blending, however, I decided to give it a try - particularly because our Spi Chai has essentially gone unused since it got too hot for Chai.

The website says it's best without milk, but I don't believe that any tea is best without milk, not really.

That said, it's a beautiful blend, and I recently bought more Spi Chai so I could keep making my wonderful Assam/SpiChai blend.