Music Talk: Kimo Watanabe
If you haven't listened to him, you hafto. HAF TO! he sings in a laid back, soulful, local boy style with only uke accompaniment. And when I hear him, I feel I'm home. I'm in the exact place I want to be. My heart actually swells and sighs, and rocks languidly in a hammock when I listen to his songs.
And after downloading just 3 of his songs, I CAN'T FIND HIM ON ITUNES ANYMORE. It's tragic! Like when you LDR boyfriend suddenly stops writing or calling.
Where are you Kimo Watanabe?! I must have more! Think drooling, bloodshot-eyed, strung-out - okay, don't think that. I just miss you, that's all... :l

Okay, I just found him!! He has a myspace page and a podsafe music network site selling a few of his songs. Guess who else has a myspace page: Jake Shimabukuro!

Socks!
Been working on socks for my dad, what with the weather being cooler lately. Everybody could use more socks. Also I felt bad that the only handknit socks he owned and apparently wore all the time, are this garish pink grey and blue color. Cute on a girl but lots silly on my dad.

This is the first sock. It is a beautiful brown Regia stripe color in an Eagle wing pattern. Full info. to be posted upon completion. The red heel and toe are because my mom complained she wouldn't be able to see the sock on their wood floor.

And I think my sister's received her bunny, so here is the original posting.

Amigurumi!
Lately, I've just been working on crocheting critters. Big critters. Little critters. Bookmark critters. The bunny got a lei. Another in the works. Bunny, I mean. Small fighter dudes in the works. I'm having so much fun making other people's patterns I haven't given a thought to working on stuff for my etsy shop. (awww, do i haf to?) It's probably because acrylic stuff is the most readily available and affordable fiber for me to work with. I keep wanting to order a plethora of wool from elann.com or knitpicks because those sources are affordable, but as they are not right in front of my nose and under my fingers, the other stuff gets picked up faster. I felt Red Heart Soft yarn. It is a lot softer than the regular Red Heart. Comparable to Caron Simply Soft, but little heavier, still worsted. Until RH Soft, Caron SS was my acrylic amugurumi fiber of choice. That may change. Have this farm mat I would like to try after this spate of amigurumi are out of my system. Just wanna knit the fields, grass squares, sew um together, and then make the sheep (SHEEP!) and cows and things that go on top of it. Forget the kids, I'll play with it!

You Tube!
Have you seen this awesome phenomenon?!! It blows my mind that I can learn the twisted german cast-on in real-time from someone NOT IN THE ROOM. For any craftser or do-it-yourself-er, the possibilities of learning things via video with the easy accesss of the internet are endless! Endless I tell you! I am so excited about this! Of course I'm gonna search for knitting stuff, but my husband can look for survival techniques, my kid can search for clay crafting, anything! More prurient learnng opportunities run through my mind as well but it's the online yarn manipulation knowledge that I will mostly peruse. Ya right. Really!

BATTERY!
I have been having trouble with my digital camera's battery pack. It keeps acting like a baby and needing recharging after every few pictures. I think I need to replace the charger or the battery itself, maybe both. So, every time I want to take a picture I have to pop that sucker into the recharger. Gets kind of distracting to posting after a while.

Just finished one side of socks for my Dad. It is in this beautiful Regia brown multistripe...with these horrid red strip parts - the heel and toe. By itself, this red color is okay, but combined with earthy browns, it just doesn't work. The reason I've added this bizarre color element is at the request of my nearly blind mother who claimed she wouldn't be able to locate brown socks against the brown wood floor in order to wash them. To which I told her just tell him if he wants the socks washed to put them in the dirty laundry area. Sounds simple, no? But you know men...So it's got red. In. It. The pattern is absolutely beautiful, particularly for a man's sock.

In other news, sent my friend in D.C. this crocheted turtle bookmark. There seems to be something wrong with the pattern because it is not symmetrical. Bought pattern also from Crochetroo. Cannot find on etsy still, to ask about that. I love the use of beads in crochet.

Also, trying to teach my 5 year old to crochet. She kinda learned to knit one day when I thought she was watching too much tv, but hasn't practiced much in the past few months. Instead of her learning to crochet, she decided to become the jewelry designer and I became...the poorly paid labor! So she created the beading order and I dutifully crocheted these large pony beads on to this cotton and rayon twisted yarn we bought at WalMart. We discussed costs, pricing, and profit margins, as my hubby encourages her to start her own business and work for herself so she can control her time. Aside from the slave labor part, it was kind of fun.

I get so engrossed in other people's sites I forget to post my own! Or run out of kids-not-pestering me-needing something-fighting with sharp instruments-time.

Finished another bunny for youngest. Added flower necklace after pic.
Pattern: Lion Brand freebie
designed by one of my favorite amigurumi designers roxycraft!
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Hook: F
This is the first time I've used buttons for eyes. Since it is not going to a baby I figured was ok. Kinda cute. Haven't bought thouse safety doll eyes yet. Those really make amigurumi look so kawai!

Another bacteria. Waiting to see which of my family members will make a request. Otherwise, goes in the nonexistent-but- really-should-have- standby-gift cache.
Pattern: Knitted Bacteria by loxosceles
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: size 4 dpn

Fish are for bookmarks!
Pattern: (off etsy but cannot find link now) Crochetroo designs from Australia - Queensland rock -pools and beaches
Yarn: sock yarn in stash
Hook: don't remember, sorry. Did bunch in a crocheting frenzy one day while kiddos playing outside.
Loved using a bead in the crochet, even if it was only one each.

Hints for my ister's birthday present...

Previous post with picture has been temporarily removed as it gives it away! To be reposted after she receives gift.

Knitted bacteria lady has kindly sent me her site address for any interested in also trying. Thanks!

Also working on thing for Sis's 20 something birthday but bogged down by pattern errata...

More Bacteria!!

These for the children of two nurses. My husband kept the pink one. They are so fast and easy to knit! The kids are still patiently waiting for theirs.

Newly gifted:

knitted bacteria!!
pattern: Knitted Bacteria by Beth Skwarecki of knitty.com Nautie fame (her blog no longer features this pattern, sorry, folks)
yarn: mostly Caron Simply Soft
needles: size 4 dpn
These were SO FUN to make! My husband wanted them as soon as he found out what they were. He has requrested a bunch for his nurse friends' kids.

and

Flower Power bracelet from crochetme
yarn: Lion Brand Microspun and Sugar n Cream for flowers
hook: F
notes: The bracelet turned out too long but doubled it could easily become a ponytail decoration or baby bracelet. I could have used more contrasting colors to bracelet to make effect more striking.

and

It's a giant insect thing!
pattern: Phil from Jungle Bugs by Melissa Mall
yarn: Red Heart - the thing is actually blue but the flash makes it look purple
hook: G
Red Heart is stiffer and slightly thicker than Caron Simply Soft so I used the hook called for in the pattern versus the one size smaller hook I usually use. Another fun critter to craft. Another covetted by hubby and kids. A winner! Of course, another gifted away, to my kids' great disappointment. I've promised to make more for said offspring but you know, it's hard to see the fruit of your labors tossed about, left on the ground, kicked, sat on, forgotten, and all those things you know the gift recipient will probably do as well, but at least I won't have to pick it up, put it away, or clean it!

I think this is a mag knits pattern. In Lion Brand cashmere. The baby recipient apparently enjoys it. I am happy. The other pics of her are SO cute! It will fit her for a while. Good, considering only gets cold enough to wear a hat for maybe two months out of the year over here.

I wanna knit myself a sweater but by the time I start thinking about it and trolling for yarn and pattern, the cool weather will be a distant memory before the sleeves are even cast on. Ah, but that cascade 220 sale at ben franklin got my juices going. Found great cabled bag pattern requiring only 2 skeins of cascade AFTER the yarn sale was over. But there goes my excuse to buy even more yarn. It's a beautiful bag, don't you think?! And it was FREE! Click on image to go to her webpage.

There is this sweet little boy I know who is expecting a new little sister next month. This is for him.
Pattern: Oli's Baby
from anapaulaoli.etsy.com
Yarn: Red Heart (!) Supersaver No Dye Lot buff for baby
Hook: F for baby, G for hat and diaper

I wanted it completely machine washable and dryable for easy care. Also created a birth certificate to go with it. Made one for my daughter and she definitely needs a mini daiper bag to keep the baby's things together. Also added straps to hat cuz kept falling off!

Picked up some supplies today because of Ben Franklin Craft Store sale. Oh my gosh! It was packed! I stood in line with my things for half an hour! Good thing I had stuff to work on. Sewed the purse handles I was planning to purchase on, sewed up one side of the purse, and started sewing the velcro onto the diaper of the second baby I am working on for oldest daughter.

And Cascade 220 went on sale for $5!!!! I picked up some beautiful brown for a sweater for my husband for when he travels to mainland on business. Cambridge Jacket by Ann Budd in Interweave Knits Summer 2006 issue. (Pic is of sweater not hubby, although he is juicy!)

Not enough skeins so gonna check tomorrow to make sure had enough of same dye lot. The bubblegum pink color beckoned but I couldnt reach it.