Lovely Weekend

This past week, I received an email from the SNB message board about an event happening at the LA Country Museum of Art. This group called the Machine Project took over the museum grounds with installations, performances, music...all sorts of cool stuff.

Of course I went for the crochet birds.

A woman named Cheryl was giving instruction on how to make some crochet cute birds. She hung a bunch of them up and it inspired people to sit down and try to learn to crochet.

I taught gf as best I could, and she picked it up really quickly!

As we as there, I tried to help a few people with their birds and even taught a woman who was trying to make a hat cast on correctly. It was a lot of fun an a really neat event.

The yarn was provided for those who wanted to make a bird, so I was expecting some 100% acrylic or cotton. I was surprised at what she had for people to use. I picked some pretty Rowan Kid Classic, since I hadn't tried before. What a great yarn. I would like to try it again...once my self-imposed yarn embargo is lifted.

Here is my finished bird hanging on the line. I was thinking about leaving him there, so I wanted to be sure that he had a Superstarra distinction. I grabbed some yellow yarn and threw a quick star on his side. Gf decided to liked him so she claimed him.

Pretty cute, huh?

Well, I'm about to hit the road and go see my Uncle...thanks to everyone who is sending him good vibes. I really appreciate it!

Punk...Bunny.

So I mentioned earlier this week that I was almost done with a crochet cute project. I also mentioned that since I was so close, I probably wouldn't post an WIP pictures. I figured that a Super Happy Crochet Cute would want to make its debut when it was completed. Oh, how wrong I was.


It seems Punk Bunny [from Amigurumi: Super Happy Crochet Cute] didn't appreciate me deciding when and how he would make his public debut. His very punk attitude permitted him from really caring about what I thought. "It's more punk to take an unfinished picture than to take one when I'm all complete. I'm not going to follow this WIP/FO-whatever rules. You don't own me!!!"

I bet if he had a foot he would have stamped it.

So I gave in, I was about to take his official picture when...

"I don't have any FREAKIN' ears?"

Someone isn't happy. It seems that it was totally punk to take his WIP picture before he realized that he didn't have the very attributes that make him a bunny rabbit. Like ears. A fluffy tail. Legs to hop around on. He could be a monkey, a bear or mouse for all he knew.

Very uncool. Very Unpunk.

And then somebunny lost his temper. The next few pictures are not for the faint at heart.





My warning to you...never piss off a Super UN-happy crochet cute.

Getting Back On That Horse...

Interesting...
Interesting...
Interesting.... Interesting....

It seems that when I'm trying to be interesting, that's the exact moment I feel the least bit interesting.

There's got to be something...

Nope. I got nothing.

Well I am en route to finishing a crochet cute project, but I don't want to spoil its cuteness with WIP pictures. I think I should have it done this weekend if I keep plugging away at it.

I've also been thinking about what to start next. I should start on one of gf's Habu sweaters...I believe they are both stockinette, so that might be a good choice to get me back in the saddle. I haven't visited my queue in a while, so maybe I'll find that absence has made my heart grow even fonder. Y'think?

Well that's about it for now. I'm going to run along and try to get a few things done...make a master plan...figure out how to take over the world and maybe decide on what to eat for lunch.

See ya!

4706 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone! Today marks the beginning of Year 4706! And it's the Year of the Rat! Since I was born during a Rat year, I am really looking forward to all the wonderful things this year holds. The picture above was taken at the entrance to Chinatown. There is a big parade and festival this weekend and I really want to go.

Gung Hoy Fat Choy! Chuc Mung Nam Moi [thanks for the new phrase Vy]!!! Happy New Year!!!!

In a fit of forgetfulness, I left my cupcake makings under my desk yesterday. That meant no finished crochet cute cupcakes. That meant no Valentine decorated wire tree to brighten my day at the Tragic Kingdom. It's all better now though. Here's why...

I was writing out a card for my sick Great Aunt when I thought it would be so cute to crochet her a cute little pink heart to enclose in the card. So, I Ravelled up a crochet cute heart and within 5 minutes I was done. Then I decided to make a few more...for me. I can see how little projects like these are so addicting. Not only is the satisfaction of a FO almost immediate, there's the rush of using up all that waste bits and pieces of yarn!

An almost fully decorated Valentine Tree! Now I just have to finish the 5 crochet cute cupcakes I started and it will be 100% done. The hearts could use a good blocking, but one thing I don't have at my desk is a travel iron.

And of course, I needed something to work on last night during Project Runway. So I grabbed a ball of red GGH Bali and started Flo. I love the look of the moss stitch edge, but it is sloooooooow going. The sweater is knit on 6's, but the instructions say to knit the moss stitch bottom edge on 5's. My knitter's intuition was going off big time. I want a loose comfy cardigan and would hate the bottom band to be too clingy. The other thing that was concerning me was the fact that the front bands were knit at the same time as the sweater body...on size 6's. Not that anyone would be able to tell the difference between the size of the stitch on the button band and the bottom edge, but it was really buggin' me. So I quieted the voice by just deciding the knit the whole thing on 6's. Of course then the knitters intuition started saying that I wasn't following the instructions and I would mess it up, but I quickly quieted those voices. Let's hope I was right!

Stress Cupcake

Before Christmas, I decided to decorate my cube. I've taken everything down except for my little wire Christmas Tree. It's still winter, so snowmen are still appropriate, no? Regardless, I've been dragging my feet...it's so cute, I wish I could just leave it up. Then I thought, how fun would it be to decorate it for different seasons? Ohmygosh, that would be so cute!

So last night after voting, I planted myself in front of the TV to watch the hours and hours of election coverage. I was too stressed out/excited to seam Patti [besides I need time to do it, so it might wait until the weekend], so I grabbed some leftover Mainline from Mom's Lapshawl, a pattern and look what happened!

Backstory

Pattern: Quick Cupcake
Yarn: Knitpicks Main Line
Hook: Size F
Exposition: This pattern is so cute and really easy to follow. I lost my place a few times [when I got more interested in tv than what I was doing] but was able to frog back a few stitches and find my place.

I can see why acrylic yarn is recommended for the crochet cutes. This yarn is cotton/wool and it did get a little wonky with the stuffing. Even more reason to get down to mom's house!

I'm not the fastest crochet-er, but in one evening I was able to make 5 cream cheese frosting tops [actually 6, but I ran out of yarn for the decorative edge], one red velvet cake bottom and one vanilla cake bottom. I'm going to finish up these 6 and hopefully get another 6 done so I can have a full dozen. MmmMMmMmMm...I love cupcakes!