Saturday, May 3, 2008

My Purple Shawl-Scarf


When I made this one, I also imagined it to be much bigger. Life tought me that it isn't such a wrapping shawl, and I use it more as a scarf.


It is what it is, and we love it (:


It was knitted in a simple crochet shell stitch pattern. you can actually find it here. After trying to knit this pattern as it is (without sucsess in putting it together...), I decided to just make it as an open triangle shawl. And that's the way (A-ha, A-ha) I like it.



Monday, April 21, 2008

Oh My Bag

Well, I just came back from a first date, and set down to write about this bag (no, I don't think he is the one :).

I've been making this one for about 2 years, I think. I finished it yesterday, and I'm not sure yet if I like it, but I'm sure I'm glad it is finished.


Two years ago I found a pattern to a bag from granny squares with those flowers coming out of them. I made some tries and decided to leave the flowers out of it, since they weren't that beautiful.

I followed the pattern, put the pieces together and got a tiny Japanese bag. I unpicked it and decided to add squares in order to put together a larger bag.

I won't bore you with the details but I think I've done it about 3 times...

Towards the end one of the yarn balls ended and I had to use the samples I made in the beginning, with the flowers.

Then came the lining part. Since I don't have a sewing machine, it took me about half a year to bring my self to deal with it.
And now it is finished...

By the way, I'm sorry for all the outdoor pictures, it is not because I think this is my works natural place or something, it is just because my little house has not much light in it, and it is hard for me to get the colors right in the pictures.

Friday, April 18, 2008

My Best hat (till now)

Now that you know Tova, I can tell the hat story.
In one of my yarn searches, I bought one pack of this lovely yarn:



I often do so - buying one pack of yarn I like, without any purpose or knitting plan. What usually happens is when I eventually decide what to do with it, I need about 4 packs. And there aren't any to find. No where.

So, this time I actually chose something that could have fit the amount of yarn I had. A hat.



This yarn is so thick, that in about an hour and a half I practically finished it, and started straggling with its visor, for something like a week or two...

Eventually I was so happy with it, that I didn't care that it's not really flattering me... but, the winter in Israel is not that cold. So the next day I had to give in to the fact that wearing it to work will be pathetic. And quite hot.

I left it at home. Unprotected. When I came home from work, it became clear that Tova liked it too.

There it was, my beloved hat, chewed up and filled with dog hair and saliva.

I refused to give up. Went to 3 yarn shops till I found that yarn. bought 2 packs of it, knitted it once again and once again straggled with the visor. It's not the same, but I do love it. And after all I do love Tova. I just pay attention of keeping my hats inside my closets...

Note: next time, try to comb your hair before modeling hats dear... thanks (:

Sunday, April 13, 2008

My Amigurumi Birds

About a year and a half ago, I had my amigurumi season.
I was really excited about those cute fellows, and spent hours trying to find cool patterns.


After knitting 4 and a half creatures, I understood that if I want to keep my hands, I better let them go. This tight knitting left me numb...



So, here are my 3 birds, which I loved very much. I gave them all away as presents, but I'll always have the memories (:


Saturday, April 12, 2008

Tova

Now's the time to write about Tova.


Tova ("Good" in Hebrew) found her way to my backyard about 4 years ago. She was the best dog I've ever met, and I thought she has lost her way home.
When I went out that evening, she was waiting for me outside, walking me to my car. When I came back at night, she was sleeping on my doorstep.

It's time to mention that I live alone in a 1 bedroom house, working from 09:00 to 18:00.
It's also important to say that Tova weighed then about 26 Kg.



After a few days that passed with me trying to find her owners, or a new house for her, I came back from work, and she wasn't on my doorstep, Nor anywhere around the house. It turned out my landlords called the municipal stray dogs' service, and they came and took her away.

I cried for the whole evening. Next day I bought a collar and a walking strap, and went to take her home. She didn't look sad or uncomfortable, it seemed that it was clear to her that I'll come. She was just waiting for me.

Tova and I share a room. It's not easy, but she is the best dog I know.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

The best scarf ever

A year ago, at the end of winter, I decided to make a leftover scarf.
I chose a squere pattern that fitts multicolors, and started making quick squers from all the yarn leftovers I had.



What can I say, I love colors, and I love this scarf... it came out too long, and too thin, and it tends to roll up, but I don't care about a thing. I love it!!!




Please excuse me for all the photos... I just love it (:




P.S. - the only thing I didn't like about making it, was hiding the yarn ends. I hate it! But it was worth it, cos' I love it !!!

Saturday, April 5, 2008

A Small Triangle Shawl

My visits to yarn shops usually take hours. I find it so hard to decide, that I'm just standing there. For hours. Usually I really don't like yarn stores salespersons. they make me feel like I should hurry up. Don't have much money, so I'm usually buying the cheapest yarn at the store, and the choice of colors is the important part.

The sad part is that after hours of choosing colors, I get home and find out that once again I bought a pink or a purple yarn.

And it usually doesn't fit much to any of my clothes...


This triangle shawl is from my favorite yarn color. And I can't find any more of it.
The pattern for it is taken from a Russian knitting booklet I found on the net. for copyright reasons I won't upload it here (self-righteous me...).



This pattern is being started from the wide side of the triangle, which means it's size are being set when the first line is being knitted. obviously, it came out a bit small to my opinion. BUT I love it, and usually I'm wearing it to my neck, as a scarf.


And I love it, love it, love it !!!

Friday, April 4, 2008

My theme scarf

This is my theme scarf. Made in a crochet waves pattern I combined from several patterns, after having some tries done.


It all started when I've searched for a beautiful scarf pattern for my scarf lover friend, Zohar's birthday. I looked for the perfect scarf for her and I found it. It was this knitting waves scarf on moonstitches blog. I didn't have the book for the pattern, didn't have the yarn for the lovely colors and didn't have the energy for knitting. So I set for a few days and tried to find alternative crochet wave patterns, and bought 10 kinds of changing colors yarn.


As you can understand, my main problem is not my slow knitting – it is the decisions I need to make, and my being satisfied from the pattern. Of course I didn't make it on time, so eventually I made her a scarf with a totally different pattern, but at list I got it done on time (and Zohar was the happiest girl on earth…for a day).



Now, I was left with tones of changing-color yarn, and the motivation for waves. A week later I decided on the following pattern (sorry, for the crooked diagram I sketched...).


I saved this one for my self, and I have to say it has been the most fun pattern I ever crocheted.

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Ella's blanket

Well, I don't have 2 little children yet, but I have a new nephew, named Ella. Obviously she is the cutest baby ever...

I was thrilled that I will have some baby to knit to when she was born, around 3 months ago. But when babies are involved, being a slow knitter can be very frustrating.
Against bad luck, I didn't do anything before her birth, a fact that had placed me in a race against time.


First I tried to knit her the prettiest sweater ever. I swear it was! maybe one day I'll get a picture of it to prove it (note: NEVER give a knitted present before taking some good pictures of it !!!). I tried so hard to make it in the right size, that it was too tight... I don't think it has been worn more then once. So sad. I also made a matching hat, but I'm guessing it fitted for about 2 days...


So, for her 3 months birthday, my brother and his wife throw a big event. I decided for this one, I'll get it right. So I went for a blanket, so I won't get problems with size. I chose the colors carefully, and knitted vigorously, knowing hiding the loose ends will be a killer (the choices one makes knowing it ain't that smart and knowing he'll pay for it...). The event day arrived, and I still had to hide the loose ends. I worked on it the whole day, and didn't make it on time.



So, I brought them the present only yesterday, being about 3 weeks late... everyone were very nice to me, said it's very pretty, but we all knew in our harts that summer will be here in a few days, and till autumn, Ella will be too big for my pretty blanket.

I also know in my hart that all my loose ends will appear in a few days also, since I'm crappie on hiding them...