Saturday 29 October 2011

HexiPuff check in!

Puff Count up, October 28 = 91.

I only managed to whip up 8 puffs this week. I did them all out of Araucania Ranco Multy. I have a whole skein with no other plans for it so will probably use it all up for puffs.

I present -- the Shish-Ka-Puff!



This is most of the puffs --- doesnt include the ones I have unstuffed yet that are waiting for little pictures to go on them.



I have to put the puffs away for awhile and get to work on Xmas and holiday swap knitting. Some of that knitting is gift-puffs though so I guess I can say I'll still be puffing, just not for my blanket! I have alot of projects to get done in about 3-4 weeks, plus a few than can be done after that too.

I have so many neat xmas projects on the go and am just dying to post pics but I just cant until the end up at their final destinations. I dont want to spoil any surprises!

Tuesday 25 October 2011

The Beehive! Hexipuff Storage

Look what I found while out shopping last night!

Behold! The Beehive!

 I think it should hold about 200 puffs. Since I'm not even at 100 yet it will take me awhile to fill it!

I finished up this little guy today. He's the Molly the Traveling Turtle pattern by Jenna Krupar (ravelry link). It was very easy, very fast and makes a very cute stuffie! I modified it to knit the head and feet 'toe up' from the ends to the point they join the body rather than the other way around. I cant wait to make a few more. This pattern is perfect for those last minute gifties.

Saturday 22 October 2011

Stash enhancement, WIPs and weekly Hexipuff check in!

I have a couple of topics for one post today --- stash enhancement, WIPs and my HexiPuff check in.

I'll start with the weekly HexiPuff count up for my Beekeeper Quilt (pattern by Tiny Owl Knits). Week 7 and I'm up to 83 puffs! That's 12 done this past week. That's also ALOT considering I also feel like I slowed down on my puff knitting and ramped up on alot of other knitting. Not bad, eh!

I only took photos of the new puffs ---- no 'group' photo this time. The past week's puff theme was Blue Moon Fiber Arts' yarn in Chestnut, True Blood and River Rocked.

I have no idea what this upcoming week's puff theme will be yet. I have a multi coloured skein of Araucania Ranco I picked up in Black's Harbour, New Brunswick a few years ago and made one puff out of it so far. Maybe I'll just see how many of those I can make this week.







I also did a little stash enhancing this past week ---- like I really needed it.  I DID! yes, I did so!

The next installment of the Dancing Dog Dyeworks' Monster Mania 2 club arrived. I think this may be the last installment for this round. Michelle is looking at MM3 for the new year. Yay! I love, love, love her worsted yarns. They are fantastic for all those monsters I love to make.

This shipment was a dual pack. A regular sized skein in the "Summer Sugar" colourway, together with a mini skein of "Pretty Pink".



I've only ever tried DDD's worsted yarn but totally fell in love with the Tropical Twist colourway that Michelle put out with a sock club during the summer. It's a great blend of yellow and blue and looks fabulous in a pair of socks! Michelle had a 'second' leftover skein and sent it with my Monster Mania pack. Big Love and ♥♥♥ to Michelle for the yarn! I can't wait for Xmas knitting to get through so I can make myself a pair of great socks with this. There's also enough on that skein to fit in a few hexipuffs, too!



Been working on a pair of Veyla, fingerless mittens (pattern by Ysolda Teague). They are made of Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere (Alpaca, Merino, Cashmere) in the Tapestry Blue colourway. These will probably be a part of my Xmas swap package for the Tiny Owl Knits group on ravelry.



I'm waffling between the Veyla's or a set of White Rabbit Wristees for the swap but my partner has some wool issues so I'm not sure I should make her something made of mohair --- since alot of people can't wear that.


 
(This photo copyright to Tiny Owl Knits)




Yarn arrived this week for these!


(This photo copyright to Tiny Owl Knits)

They are the Hopsalot bunny slipper super adorable pattern, also by Tiny Owl Knits. I really really really want a pair of these for myself but for now, these will also be for my Tiny Owl Knits Xmas swap partner. I'll finish them this week for sure.

I picked Blue Sky Alpaca yarn in a light grey for this. It is so super soft and will felt very nicely.


Ok! Lastly for this monstrous post --- another work in progress for a fellow Raveler's babe. This is the Kira hooded vest by Yumiko Sakurai. It's really a cute vest good for a boy or a girl. I'm using Diamond Yarns' Luxury collection superwash merino in a lilac and white for this. The yarn is incredibly soft and nice to knit with. I'm almost finished. Just a couple more rows to go then bind off.





I've got alot of knitting going on right now plus I also have about 7 stuffies I started this summer that I am committed to finishing before the end of the year. I just need to have them done so I can start the new year fresh .... or relatively fresh, with a minimum of wips.

I dropped out of the DDD and Dangercrafts xmas swaps. It was alright since partners haven't been assigned yet. I just won't have time with the other commitments and well, we bought a new house too! Yeah, we did! So, packing and moving right before Xmas won't leave me too much time for other stuff.

Anyhow -- that's it from me for this week!

I'll leave you with a couple shots from the cabin this morning --- we took a drive and had a cup of tea on the hill.

Catch you next week! Happy knitting.









 (Holy MEGA post, batman! I promise to try brevity next week! )

Tuesday 18 October 2011

Gnome Homes & Felted Cauldrons

I did felt up those mini cauldrons last week as well as the gnome homes.

Here's a couple pics of the cauldrons. I love them! They will be perfect for my Tiny Owl Knits Xmas Swap. I'll fill them with chocolate and mini yarn skeins!



After felting, I also put the finishing touches on one of the gnome homes last Thursday since I wanted to give him away to one of the girls at knitting on Friday night. I did his face and beard according to the pattern but after a few hours of humming and hawwing over it... I found I just wasnt satisfied so I added alot more hair and am so happy with the way he turned out after that!

The first pic is the 'before modifications' shot and the other two are after.




I have 3 more of these guys in neutral colours to put the finishing touches on. They're for the swap also.

Then I had a brilliant idea. These are just so cute and adorable and really great for DPN holders or even pencil holders. I LOVE this pattern! They are highly customizable both size-wise AND theme. I already have a bunch of new plans for these in the shapes of sock monkey, giraffe, owl, bunny, bear, elephant, panda, and so many more animals Plus, MONSTERS!  They will be great for swaps of all kinds. I just need to find the time to get going on them but the hexipuffs keep sucking me in!

Saturday 15 October 2011

HexiPuff Check In, Week 6

For a week I was supposed to be slowing down on the puff making I actually made more than I thought! 10 puffs this past week so my total is up to 71 now.

I was working on a theme for the week -- I only knit fuzzy puffs. Fleece Artist Peter Rabbit and Rowan Kidsilk Haze.





Tuesday 11 October 2011

WIP: Another Owl

Been working on this one for a few months now, since July. Using the Lucy's Owl pattern by Rachel Gallagher-Miller, which I did technical editing on. It knits up such a cute owl. I have two half finished ones on the go.

This one is made of 100% angora yarn -- which is gorgeous, soft, cuddly and awesome but is also a big pain in the butt to work with because it sheds and I end up with little hairs in my nose, my mouth, my eyes and all over my clothes.

He sure will be cute when he's done though! Just have one leg left to knit up.

Monday 10 October 2011

Owl Puffs & felting gnome homes

Today was turkey leftover day and recover from too much turkey day! I got alot of knitting done!

Whipped this cute little Owl Puff up in no time at all.


He's the Owl Puff pattern by Jenna Krupar (aka RetroLemon on Ravelry). Only uses about 25 yards of yarn, a set of 12 mm safety eyes, some felt and a teensy bit or 'beak' yarn. Really fast, really easy, really cute!


Finished up the knitting on my 4 Gnome Homes and 2 Tiny Cauldrons (both patterns by Stephanie Dosen aka Tiny Owl Knits), and between a combo of hand and machine -- got them all felted. They're drying now. Tomorrow I need to pick up shirring elastic and then I can put all the finishing touches on.





I've also been working on a little hoodie for a friend's baby using the Kira's Hooded Vest pattern by Yumiko Sukarai and I have learned that I suck at seaming. Truly. Even after looking at videos online my attempts are atrocious. I'm going to ask for some help at Threads tomorrow afternoon when I go to knit for the afternoon.

Here's the yarn I'm using. It's superwash and supersoft merino wool.


Sunday 9 October 2011

Long Weekend

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada which means a long one --- and family and a big turkey dinner and pumpkin pie! Yum!

It also means lots of time to knit!

I put aside the hexipuffs to get to work on my TOKmas swap knitting. Knit up a few mini cauldrons to be felted and am working on a few Gnome Homes. They are all so adorable -- I can't wait to felt them and see how them turn out.


Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Canadian friends!

Saturday 8 October 2011

Hexi Puff check in, week 5 !

Week 5 = 61 hexi puffs!

Those ones with the safety pins on them are waiting for pictures to be duplicate stitched on them. I like to do that before I stuff 'em.





This week, my favourites are the sparkly ones made of yarn received in a swap, plus the fuzzy ones made of Rowan Kidsilk Haze and the rustic, textured ones made of Noro Silk Garden sock yarn.

I've recalculated the Puff-Math, also.

Pattern says I will need 384 Hexipuffs to make a 3x4 foot quilt but I'm thinking I'd like something in the range of 6x6 or 7x7 feet. I laid out my puffs and fit 30 into a 1 foot square. So, apparently after calculating the puff-math, I will need 1,470.

I think this will take me about 5 years to make!!

I joined the Tiny Owl Knits Xmas swap and plan on joining the Dangercrafts Xmas swap, plus I have a bunch of baby knitting and xmas knitting to do --- so Puffing will definately slow down for a bit, besides what I can do on coffee breaks at work.

Thursday 6 October 2011

FOs: Sausage Dogs!

So, I finished up my swap package for the Dancing Dog Dyeworks' First Anniversary Puppy Secret swap! It went out in the mail to Lily-Lemon on Ravelry last week and arrived yesterday. She sent me a message saying she loved everything in the package and that it was one of the best swap packages she'd ever gotten! Awww! *blush*

I sent her the 5-pak of Sausage dogs, each done in a different DDD colourway. I used Anna Hrachovec's Sausage Dog pattern from Mochimochiland. They turned out fantastic! I also knit her doggie Tuffy a little bandana out of Zombie BBQ yarn. I made the pattern up as I went along -- the idea behind it is that it has a sleeve at the top to slide onto Tuffy's collar rather than tying it around her neck. I also sent some gummi candies and a small Fox themed bag and cards I found on Etsy. Also, since she'll be making a Beekeeper Quilt eventually too I sent her a couple mini yarn skeins -- all of yarns from or dyed in Canada. I'm glad she loved her package!

Now, pics!