Third Time's A Charm

they say the the third time's a charm, and that's the truth. i've had it happen twice so far with yarn and the projects they turned into.

#1
i had some fuzzy black Rainbow boucle yarn that wanted to make a wrap with. first i tried the crochet version of the Wingspan (it's a Ravelry download). but the yarn was so fuzzy, i had to diligently count and keep track of every single stitch - no thanks!

so next i tried the Snowdrop wrap, which i'd made before. nope, still couldn't really see the stitches, so that wasn't the right wrap for the yarn either.

finally i decided to just make my own again, and used a variation of my own Shoulder Wrap i made last year. i first chained 251, for 250 hdcs across for my first row, and realised that was going to be huge, so i took it down to 200. from there, row 2 was to ch1, hdc across, creating a mesh. row 3, i worked it so i would hdc into the space, and separate the stitches with a ch1. sometimes a the beginning of the row, i would chain 2 and then hdc into the space, or i'd ch1 and hdc into the first stitch, and create the hdc-into-the-ch1-space that way. when i got to 25 rows, i decreased each row in the first two and last two stitches, and worked that way for another 25 rows and then called it done.

here's the result~ and it's fuzzy and comfortable too!




#2
i wanted to make the Wingspan since i saw it. i like the asymmetricalness of the wrap, it calls for all single crochet stitches, and it's a rather simple pattern to master. first i tried it with some wool yarn, but that was making the fabric too stiff. i wondered about using hdcs instead?

i found a yarn that would have made a wonderful fabric - but you've already read that story above.

after some more searching, i discovered Jo-Ann's Sensations Breeze yarn, it's soft, thin, and made a nice drapey fabric! it was like it was perfect. and as i've said, sometimes the yarn picks the pattern. i bought two skeins, and started a different wrap on one skein, but then after several rows, i got curious and started the Wingspan on the other.

and several rows after that, it became clear the Breeze yarn wanted to be made into the Wingspan. my own version had seven wings, and the first and odd-numbered wings were made with the hdcs i'd wondered about (obviously, it worked out wonderfully). the second and even-numbered wings were made with the single crochets. it created some symmetry to an asymmetrical wrap.

Remote Cozy

Our couch liked eating our remotes, so i used up some stash yarn to make a cozy that drapes over the back of the couch. and now our couch is very hungry, since we don't feed it the remotes any more....

A Sweater & Cozy Wraps

i recently made a sweater for J. she picked out the yarn, Caron's Simply Soft Simply Pink. and it really IS soft.



i just finished a Mobius wrap. it worked up rather interesting, as after a few rounds i no longer joined the rounds, but just made it a huge spiral. and when i'd gone around one full time, i was actually opposite where i started, according to my green and orange stitch markers. it was an interesting, very neat learning experience. and again, my panther is showing it off.



i also made a petal wrap. this is out of Loops & Charisma, and is very warm and cozy.

Those Ruffle Scarves....

you know the ones that seem to all over the place? i made a few:



i made one for M:

and one for J:

the panther is modelling mine:

not a ruffle, but pompom yarn!

Accessories

so now that the HollyDays are over for another year, i've made some other things.

like rainbow gloves

(they're actually a little bulky and awkward.)

but the mittens are comfy~


the sweater is cozy and warm



the sparkly bag and cellphone case are shiny


and the cute snowman is cute on my collar when i'm at work


prices vary; email me at trystan830 at gmail for current prices.

HollyDays - Gifts for the Girls

it's difficult making something when your kids are still awake! and then they go to bed at 10 p.m.! let's just say that they knew some of what they were getting. heh.

i made a lot, so i'm just going to post all the pics.

for J:
a cactus, cause she jokes about taking one to Prom

a pair of green handwarmers/fingerless gloves

an olive Punch Buggie (aka Volkswagen Beetle)

a cozy hat (she picked out the yarn)

a Bomb Bird from Angry Birds

and a pig (with the mustache) from Angry Birds

the pig without the mustache i made for M.


for M i also made:
Stitch! because she just loves him

a pair of purple handwarmers/fingerless gloves

(they don't really look purple, but they are!)
a Death Star. heh.

and the Red Bird from Angry Birds



prices vary; email me at trystan830 at gmail for current prices.

HollyDays - Gifts for Others

continuing on... i made a Phanatic for my friend F for Chanukah~




and then i surprised her mom with one!




i made a scarf for my boss:


i made a tapestry panel for my friends T & R~


and my friend Bodge asked for Groke

and Snufkin:



prices vary; email me at trystan830 at gmail for current prices.

HollyDays - Christmas with the Extended Family

we go to my inlaws on Xmas, and here's what i made for everyone:

scarves for my sister-inlaw M

and my mother-inlaw


a hat and tea mug cozy for my sister-inlaw T


and the mug inside the cozy has a "T" on it as well.

my brother-inlaw loves Taz, so hubby suggested i make him one~


and then he asked for a Sylvester for himself! hee!


prices vary; email me at trystan830 at gmail for current prices.

Floppy Hat with Brim pattern

Floppy Hat with Brim
i made this hat after i tried making one from a pattern i found online. but either it was my yarn, or my doing double crochets instead of the single crochets called for in the pattern, i couldn’t get the first few rows to lay flat…. so i tweaked it a little, and used the original pattern as a guide as to how the rows should go. please enjoy making this hat, for yourself or others, free or paid; but please do not sell the pattern.


*K hook
*chunky yarn, i used weight 6.
*worked in spirals, and rounds are not joined, use a stitch marker to keep track if you need to.
*US terminology
*BLO = Back Loop Only, FLO = Front Loop Only
MR = Magic Ring. there is a great vid tutorial at Planet June.

1. dc 8 into MR - your chain doesn’t count as a stitch. Close the ring with 1 sc, then dc into the same stitch. (9)
BLO for Rounds 2-9.
2. 2dc in each around (18)
3. 2dc in each around (36)
4. *dc in next 2, 2dc* 12 times (48)
5. dc around (48)
6. *dc in next 5, 2dc* 8 times (56)
7-9. dc around (56) (if you want to make a longer hat, add more rows here.)
10. FLO: *dc in next 1, 2dc* around (84)
11. Both Loops: *dc in next 6, 2dc* around (96)
12. hdc in first, sc around (96)
13. sc in next 3 or 4 stitches before sl st in next and finishing off.

this of course is made to fit my head. you could add another increase round after Row 6 if need be, and then adjust the rows and stitch counts accordingly.

this pattern has not been tested. please feel free to let me know of any corrections or typos by leaving a comment, or PMing me (trystan830) on ravelry.

Potpourri of Amis

B got a new cell phone in July, and then another new one in August. don't ask. anyway, i made him a cover for it


one of the Crochet-a-Longs i participated in was to make a "Munchkin."


remember my post where i made K-9? i made him a TARDIS to go with it. it's a good thing the TARDIS really is bigger on the inside!

Shoulder Wrap

i didn't pay attention to when i started this, only that it took maybe 7-10 days, (i guess?) and i finished it last night. it's a very soft yarn, and i really like the way this turned out. click on the pictures for a slightly larger version.

the pattern is my own design.