WIP: Basketweave Pencil Case (Update #2)

So after watching House and Gilmore Girls last night I pretty much finished the knitting portion of the pencil case. I have yet to bind off because I'm not sure if I want it this length or not. I forgot to make button holes along the way and don't particularly understand nor want to put them in now. I'm going to line it and hopefully add a zip but that means I have to get one first of all. Once I get a zip I'll bind off.

For not that much work, I like the way the Basketweave looks. It actually looks pretty cool on the back too.

iPod Cozy (Updated)

Mmm buttons.

So I wanted to put a button on my cozy and remove the super-long cord/ribbon that I used to tie it closed with.

WIP: Basketweave Pencil Case (update)

So I've done several repeats of the basketweave pattern from the book but I'm getting a stockinette border along one edge that is not in the image of the pattern in the book. I've double and triple checked to make sure that I'm following the pattern correctly and I am but despite the border not being in the image in the book, it's most definitely in my knitting.

I know I can still work with it but still. =S Is this supposed to happen? Hmm...

WIP: Basketweave Pencil Case

They call me mellow yellow...

I have leftover yarn from my Gryffindor scarf that I want to experiment with. I tried cabling but the results were so terrible-looking I ripped it all out. Instead, I've opted to try the Basketweave Rib from Knitting Over the Edge.

So far, so good.

Nintendo DS Lite Case

The softest acrylic you could find

My brother has a lovely Nintendo DS and asked me to knit him a case. There was no way I could refuse a chance to work on my purls.

Note: I have yet to take a picture of ze finished project.

Recycled Silk Scarf

Because I couldn't refuse a good cause

Our school held a Fair Trade day where they sold goodies that would help out those in need. There were knitted items, hand-made cards, jewellry, and yes, you guessed it, yarn.

As I was scanning a table my eyes grew wide as I saw colours upon colours wound together. I looked at the skeins of yarn in amazement. Realizing that I really didn't know how to knit well, I moved on but came back, asking the price and what it was. To me it looked like the colours of India - rich and beautiful with no colour missing. It turns out that it was recycled silk - made from the scraps of saris in Nepal. Wow I thought.

I left the tables of the day aching for the yarn that I didn't bother to get but I did have a pamphlet telling me where to get some. And so, my friend and I set out to the International Boutique ready to get me some yarn. And so I did.

One of the volunteers running the cash showed me a shawl she was knitting on big needles out of it and even though I hadn't knit much, I decided to take one skein. I'd make it into a skinny scarf, knit tightly so that I could see the colours flow.

I took it home and decided I would tackle it after exams had ended. Before my exams had finished I attempted to wind it into a ball but the mess that followed was simply unbelievable. I somehow managed to get it tangled beyond belief. It killed me to see it like that. I put it away for a week or two, unable to bear the eughness of it.

On New Year's Eve I sat in my room and untangled. And untangled s'more. And s'more. And s'more.

Within the hour before midnight I sat in front of the television with my parents and began to knit my scarf. In fact, I knit into the wee hours of the morning, bringing in the new year with yarn and resolutions on knitting. A week later I continued the scarf in class and sooner than later, it was done and I had committed myself to learning and practicing more and more.

iCozy

Mother of Purl

Feeling up for some more knitting after pouring through books upon books from my local library, I decided to bring some leftover yarn to one of the most ridiculous Monday morning lectures I've ever attended. I was inspired by the pages upon pages of forums on Craftster filled with various cozies for mp3 players, cameras, cell phones - you name it. Seeing as how I had recently got an iPod I thought I might as well make a case for it. (Note: I also have a case for my iPod that's always on it but I thought it'd be safer in my bag both surrounded by yarn and silicone.)

At the time I didn't add a button and so instead used red cord that would tie it but I think I'm going to change it soon to a button.

It was my first attempt at purling and I must say, stockinette stitch looks so professional.

Hopefully in the morning when I remove the cord, add a button and take a picture, it will look less like my iPod is suffering from albino.

Gryffindor Scarf

Love at First Knit

Being a fan of Harry Potter and all, I could simply not live without a Gryffindor scarf. Even here in the muggle world I had an urge to share my love for magic and so I decided that I'd have to get a scarf. The only scarves I could find were online and beyond my budget and so it occurred to me one day, "I must learn to knit!"

I bought the yarn back when Lewiscraft was still around to bring some d.i.y. to the malls one cold October in 2005. I intended on getting it done for Hallowe'en but that was not the case. In fact, the yarn sat in my room until March of 2006 when I realized that I really had to get around to using the yarn. That same March, my family decided to drive to Florida for Spring Break and so I borrowed Lisa's lovely copy of Stitch 'n Bitch and kept at it until I could knit. I came back from the trip ready to show my pals my scarf but ... no. It appeared that instead of making a scarf I had made some sort of strange sweater or bag but not a scarf. I had increases and dropped stitches all over the place. I decided that as painful as it was, I'd have to rip it all out.

Desperate to get my scarf underway I found how-t0-knit videos on D.I.Y network online and tried and tried until I got it. Half way through the Gryffindor scarf (which I was making up as I went) I ran out of yarn. Ahem. So much for that.

I began university in the fall and my friends were going to dress up. I thought that I might as well do this whole Gryffindor thing. I went out to the closest place I could find with yarn - sadly, Wal-mart - and found the closest match to the yarn I had and knit away until the wee hours of Hallowe'en.

My outfit:
Robe? Check.
Wand? Check.
Badge? Check.
Scarf? Check.

It was good times. From there, my love for knitting began.

So, you'll notice in this photo how it's all wavy because my edges are NOT STRAIGHT. My only excuse is that it was my first project and for some reason didn't think that I needed to pull tight on the ends to make them straight. Believe me, my knitting is now straight. I promise. I also found out by looking at my scarf now that I don't like acrylic because it doesn't block. Despite hearing that a long time ago I still blocked it before I wore it and it was much straighter then. It clearly bounced back into shape. Enhhh.

Crafting

I am by no means an amazing craftster but that's not the point. I enjoy crafts because it's a way of expression. I'm sure other crafters know that it's a really nice feeling to put something together with odds and ends and have a finished project that can be worn or used that costs you 10x less than what it would in store or is so unique that you couldn't find it in a store. Some crafts take little to no time at all and some take days upon days of work but whether or big or small, the end result can still be outstanding.

I'm going to post random things that I've done over the past while and hopefully I'll continue my knitting, scrapbooking and random other things to fill the Internet with my lovely little junk. (Check it out! - Ahem. Not that I listen to Black Eyed Peas or anything.) It'll be my crafting diary that I'll use to track my progress and eventually, I expect to see amazing things on here. (We're talking years from now.)

Ta ta.