Spontaneous Project

I am actually in the middle of knitting a cardigan, until I became really bored of it, and did something I never did before.. Started and finished (a really small) project in the middle of knitting another project - I know, so scandalous!

It's just a really cute bow!

I attached a clip to the back of it, and just started clipping it to everything!

For example... It can be a hair bow

OR ... It can be a bow tie! 

Isn't it adorable! It actually is supposed to be a lot bigger, but since I just used scrap yarn, I ran out, and had to improvise. I think it turned out alright though. Like usual. Pretty adorable if you ask me! 

I leveled up!

After I made my Game of Thrones blanket, I feel like I was always trying to find ways to get rid of the scrap yarn leftover from that project. Thankfully, I found this project pattern that seemed like a good way to say goodbye to these guys:

I chose crochet on purpose because I want to improve on that skill, and what better way to do it than to practice on yarn I don't really care about?

 

Well, first I learned the magic circle (pictured below):

And then I got treble crochet and half treble crochet drilled into my brain, and learned how to attach multiple colors, as my project soon became this:

To this (Left: back, right: front):

To finally, this:

 

I'm aware of how it looks not like a flower and sort of ragged looking compared to the Ravelry projects of this cushion. I'm also quite aware of how the colors don't really match, but I just used what I have! However it turned out, I'm still proud of it because I feel like my crochet level went up! Not to mention it was my first time reading a crochet written pattern (that wasn't only single chain this square a billion times). Hopefully it will catch up with my knitting skills!

This project is actually very fast - people were right, crocheting is much quicker than knitting (once you get the hang of it anyway). So why did it take me such a long time to finish? Well, notice how its a circular cushion? Yeah. Apparently those are impossible to find anymore. I went to every store that would potentially sell cushions, but they all just had only square cushions (squares are totally overrated). However, this realization only came about after I've already finished half the project, and I didn't want to frog it so I desperately looked even harder for a circle. Luckily for me, my mom, the expert seamstress, made a cushion for me after days of begging her to help me.

Maybe I'm an eensie bit biased, but the cushion was worth the wait. It was better than any cushion I could've found in the store since it was exactly how I wanted it to be- plain white, round, and stuffed to the exact amount that it is (well, and also that it's free)!

The last thing I learned, was seaming up two crochet pieces together with a simple slip stitch.

In conclusion, my mission was accomplished. I'm better at crochet than I was before, and I got rid of a ton of scrap yarn. And now I even have a cute cushion!

And that wraps it up!

I never like to throw away my leftover yarn, even if there's only a little bit left. I searched up what to do with my scrap yarn, and one of the ideas was to use it for gift wrapping. All of these ideas are just found under google images if you type in 'wrap presents with yarn' or some other variation of that. I'm definitely not creative enough to come up with these beautiful ideas on my own! Now that its Christmas, its the perfect chance to wrap all my presents with my leftovers! I got rid of two little balls, and made my presents stand out from all the other presents under the tree! I also saved on wrapping paper by just cutting up some old paper bags.

First up, is the present to my uncle! I got several strands of one color and basically just braided them together with strands of two other colors. It makes a nice cord, and looks very colorful and neat tied up in a bow atop the wrapped gift.

 

 

Next, is my aunt's present! It's the first time I made a pompom with two colors, and I think it turned out pretty cute, despite both yarns being of different weight which I was a little worried about at first. The pompom is about the same size as the present itself (which to help give you an idea, is about the size of a stack of scratch and win lottery tickets..)!

  

 

I found this amazing looking old Santa Christmas bag to wrap my boyfriend's present in. I wrapped it around with some yarn, then embellished it with a store bought ribbon and a handmade tassel. I think the whole package looks a little too busy, but I guess it serves as a clue that what's inside is going to be just as exciting!

 



My sisters and I chipped in for my mom and dad's gift. My sister already beautifully wrapped up my dad's gift, and so I tried my best to wrap up my mom's (pictured below):

Sister #1's present is just a series of mini pompoms tied around the present. I wonder how long that Gap bag has been sitting around the house. As far as I know, its been years since anybody has shopped there. I think this also shows how my family doesn't throw anything away that might be useful in the future.

 

Last, but not least is my second sister's gift. It's the only one wrapped up in a plastic bag. I got a little lazy with this one as I figured it'd be hard to nicely wrap up stacked presents.

 

 

Anyway, that concludes everything. Christmas is just around the corner! I hope everybody has finished buying and wrapping all their gifts. Hope Christmas didn't bankrupt anybody like it feels like it bankrupted me haha! Merry Christmas everyone!!

Ugly Christmas Stocking

So, I know Halloween hasn't even passed yet, but I have lots of scrap yarn that I wanted to use up, and two of the colors happened to be red and green. Soo, I decided to knit this Christmas stocking pattern. I did end up using up two scrap colors, but it was gray and black rather than green or red .. I still have lots of scrap yarn to knit away!

Well, personally, I think the stocking itself turned out pretty ugly.

I didn't even bother making a collage for this as I think looking at it from one angle is enough. As you can see, you basically just knit one giant sock. But the way you're supposed to make the heel is so different from when I made my sweetheart socks, and personally, I think it doesn't look as good. Maybe it is made differently because it isn't meant for wearing. Whatever the case, even though its ugly, I can't wait to put it out during Christmas once Halloween passes.

Knitting with Toothpicks

Good news! First of all I finally finished off the baby light brown yarn I bought waaay back then (you know, the one ball of yarn that wouldn't run out even after knitting a scarf, gloves, mitts and a bookmark?).

 

 

That's right, I incorporated it into a birthday card for one of my close friends! If you couldn't guess from the picture, their birthday is coming up soon. (Now I just have to think of a good present for her too ...)

 

Anyway, I made it after seeing it as part of a post on an article about what to do with your leftover yarn. For anybody wondering, its simply 1 x 1 ribbing. I think it looks adorable with the toothpicks acting as its needles. In actuality, the needles were the size US 0 ones I bought from the dollar store that I always wondered what I'd use it for. It was definitely strange using such skinny needles. It almost felt like if I pushed it a little too hard, the needles would just either snap or bend. The yarn itself is pretty light weight too, but even that felt like it was too bulky for these needles. Together it created the cutest itty bitty ribs though! But back to what I was saying before.. I'm definitely glad I got rid of one ball of leftover yarn from my stash!

 

Stylish Bookmarks

This day began with the frustrating realization that one of my crochet hooks has gone missing. It especially irks me that it is missing from a set so that its absence is so noticeable. I searched high and low until I came to the unfortunate conclusion that I won't be seeing it again permanently. I think the next time I'm in Wal-Mart or Michaels though, I'll just buy myself a whole new set and donate this now incomplete one to somebody who wants it. Because I woke up to the thought of crocheting, I decided to brush up on my crocheting skills. Besides the very basics of the basics, my crochet level is no where even close to my knitting level (which makes perfect sense since I only have one project that is actually completely crocheted - and only single crocheted at that. Two projects if the border of the blanket counts I suppose).

I decided to crochet bookmarks because its quick and easy, and I can focus on one specific skill at a time. If I screw up, it isn't as big of a deal, since its only a bookmark and can be easily scrapped. Also, I have these tiny tiny little balls of yarn that I desperately want to use up. They're way too small to make anything else useful, but also too big that I can't toss them without feeling guilty. (You can see my other dog, Ellie, in this picture who is looking sad because she thought I was taking a picture of her, and she hates having her picture taken.)

Well, I learned that crocheting isn't very intuitive for me. After the finish of my bookmarks, I seriously doubt I can actually follow a written pattern. I can read it just fine, but I just can't seem to figure out how they want me to do it - which is why my bookmarks all followed video tutorials on YouTube instead. I discovered I can do all the skills it requires, but I just don't know when or how to apply them when left to my own devices with a written pattern.

The first bookmark I made was a flower:

With this, I learned how to double crochet, how to make a tassel and how to slip stitch. I'm keeping this one for myself since it was the first one made, therefore, a little more special than the other ones.

 

The next one I made is this intricate lacy bookmark:

I learned how to treble crochet with this project, and how to make what the robot sounding lady in the video calls a "pekoe" (like the tea? I have no idea). This bookmark is so pretty! I gifted it to my second sister, who - lets say - was a little ungrateful, haha! She kept insisting that it wasn't a real bookmark, and just a random crocheted piece. But come on, anything can be a bookmark, right? Well, I forced her to use it anyway by sticking it in her book that she's reading, ha!

 

Edit: I'm so dumb sometimes. It was Picot! And I learned that already during the making of my border, which I obviously forgot to do since I was following along like it was my first time ..

 

The third bookmark that I made was a star!

I attached the yellow lining on the outside myself just to make it look a little more colorful. I learned how to do a double half crochet with this bookmark. This one was given to my eldest sister. Oh my goodness though, the brown yarn that I made this bookmark with just does not run out. If you remember, I've made a scarf and hobo gloves with it already, and now this bookmark. Still, I have a tiny ball left. I'll have to be even more creative I suppose.

 

Anyway, that's it for now. After these little projects, I'm thinking of doing a long term project again. But who knows! I'll see what catches my eye next!