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So I’m pretty sure I told you I was doing a Whedonverse Swap, but I’ve sent my package and it has been received. I’m pretty thrilled with what I made and it was tons of fun to do. So here’s what I sent to my partner, Craftster use FaerieCyn:
One thrifted long-sleeved tee + acrylic paint + fabric medium = Buffy tee! I’m pretty please how this came out. I freehanded the B.
One thrifted tee + acrylic paint + fabric medium + Freezer paper = Dr. Horrible Tee! I made a stencil for “Horribleness” and hand painted “I have a Phd. in”. Here’s a close up of the words:
In retrospect I might have used a color that would show up better, but I was amazed how well wax paper worked as a stencil. I’m never sure if that’s what people mean by freezer paper, but I cut out the letters and ironed down the stencil and it stuck to the fabric pretty well.
I painted this Sunnydale High logo. I was going to make it into a notebook but then it didn’t fit and whatnot. So I just put it in a frame. This was lots of fun to paint since I don’t usually paint. And I think it came out pretty well.
Felt/hot glue Browncoats pin! I whipped this up pretty quickly. I may make one for myself to stick on a knitting bag or two. I like pins.
Tiny Willow with her tiny computer! I used patterns from Teeny Tiny Mochi Mochi (the groom with some mods and the computer).
I used a variety of sock leftovers and crochet cotton. I think they are super adorable.
My favorite piece is the one I did first, this cross stitch:
I really love cross stitch. And Buffy quotes. And Giles! Look at Giles:
I found a pixel set of Buffy characters (here and zoomed in until I could see individual pixels. Then I cross stitched that, with some slight mods. I basically adore how Giles came out and now I want to cross stitch all the quotes with Buffy characters. So yeah.
For more Whedon goodness, the gallery is here, though mine was the first package received. Sooooo yeah. I like Whedon things.
You know, I really don’t mean to go off the radar for weeks at a time. Anyway, I’m working on things. First up, socks:
I frogged the blotchy socks I was working on before (they were coming out too small) and restarted with the Carousel Sock pattern from the latest Knitting. The structure is really interesting and holds my interest for the entire sock. Plus you only have 12 stitches at a time, so that’s nice.
The next project is a Hexagon Petal Tee from the IK Spring 2011 in Tahki Cotton Classic. I’m making it for a WWFY swap except, as I have more than enough time, I received two back issues of IK, Inspired to Knit, and Whimsical Little Knits Two. Because you can never have enough knitting books, right? Right.
I’m sure I will have a full WIP post about this last project if for no other reason than I’ve restarted the damn thing five times. Apparently I have trouble with charts. IDEK.
It looks like this now (plus a few more rounds if I haven’t ripped it all out in frustration/inability to count when you read this):
Oh, and also, I bought a Kindle Fire. It is amazing and I’m currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, which I got through the library. Excite. Also, it’s fantastic for knitting patterns and charts.
I received a package from my Futurama swap today! It is completely awesome and you should all be totally jealous.
Bender-inspired chapstick cozy!
With bonus chapstick! How did she know I am completely and hopelessly addicted to chapstick?
Two AMAZING ATCs. One has Fry’s/the Devil’s opera written on it (part of it anyway) and the other has URL and “Mama said Spock you out” which is one of my favorite lines and I keep meaning to cross stitch it.
Hypnotoad painting! Ahh, I love it! It’s already up on my wall, so Hynotoad can silently judge me while I’m hanging out in my room.
And finally, a completely bitchin’ cross stitch of the crew. Clearly we were on the same brain page with the xstitching. : ) Here’s a closer picture:
It’s completely awesome and I have it set up on a book case. My room is seriously not big enough for all the fantastic art I want to display.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TWISTEDTRUTH. You rock. You completely rock.
My partner, TwistedTruth, received her package yesterday so I can FINALLY post about the completely awesome things I made her. I have been DYING to show you guys this stuff since I started. I am completely thrilled with everything I made. So here’s what I made:
First, the card:
Paper cut out, gold cardstock and black sharpie, covered with mod podge. Seriously, you guys. I need to do this paper cut out/pod podge delio more often because I really enjoy it and the results are usually pretty good.
Then a cross stitch bookmark:
I used the pattern that’s located here for the Professor then sewed some red felt on the back. My partner does a lot of ATC swaps, so I figure this could be a fabric ATC if she wanted.
Then I did some drawings, which isn’t a thing I usually do because I generally consider myself non-artistic. But I can copy an image pretty well:
Colored pencil and sharpie on card stock. My partner said she likes Pazzuzzu, the professor’s gargoyle. I thought this was a cute scene to sketch. I left the color testing on the side because I find that sort of thing interested, but she can trim it off if she likes.
Next is a somewhat more ambitious art piece:
Sharpie on card stock. Based on this toadily (yes, I went there) bitchin’ image here which is, of course, based on this iconic Obama poster. I am completely, utterly thrilled with how this came out and I am considering making another for myself. Because seriously, I’m toadily (yes, again) chuffed with it.
Last and not least (greatest, actually) is the pis de resistance, this fantastic stuffie:
It’s a knitted Robot Devil! Made in recycled wool. A pattern I made up as I went and which is probably entirely too complicated for me to want to write up. He has cardboard in the larger shapes and 18 gauge wire in the limbs so they can be posed. He doesn’t sit up very well but I think it’s a pretty good likeness.
Look at his little fingers!
I can’t wait to see what my partner makes for me but I’m so excited about the things that I made that getting stuff in return is just icing on my crafting cake.
So that mohair wrap sweater I’ve been working on? It’s totally finished and in the mail to its owner.
(The recipient is bigger than me so I’ve got Elizabeth II on a larger setting.)
Pattern: Airy Wrap Around Lace Sweater by Stephanie Japel from Fitted Knits
Yarn: Knit One Crochet Too Douceur et Soie held double
Needles: US 11/8 mm straights and a 10.5/6.5mm circular for the sleeves
Mods: Added a slit in one side and made one front wrap shorter, as requested.
I really like this sweater a lot, and the fabric the yarn made is super soft and nice. The sweater’s recipient seems to like it thus far; I hope she likes it when she actually gets it. It was actually really fun to knit and working on 8 mm needles made it seem to fly by. It actually took about a month, but I was knitting other things at the same time.
Incidentally, this makes sweater number one for the year. And yes, I’m participating in the 12 sweaters/12 months challenge on Ravelry again this year. I made it to ten last year. I’m thinking I can probably make 12 this year but I probably don’t need 12 sweaters. Maybe I’ll make some for other people/swaps. I probably have 12 sweaters I want to make for me though.
I really think I might make a version of this sweater for myself out of some recycled merino/angora/nylon/cashmere. I’ll probably make a few changes (make the body longer, forgo the cables, full sleeves, more stitches for the fronts for better coverage. I think I’ll have enough yarn. And I really love wrap sweaters.
YOU GUYS YOU GUYS YOU GUYS! I received for my Doctor Who swap and it is the BEST THING EVER and you should all be jealous. SERIOUSLY.
!!!!!! Tiny Ten!!!!
He stands on his own! His glasses are removable! He has shoes! AND LOOK AT THAT HAIR. He has the most adorable little cowlick thing that Tennant rocks. I made some ridiculous noises when I pulled this out, let me tell you.
But also there were stitch markers! That are adipose!
Also, remember that Weeping Angel I crocheted?
I’ll make a proper TARDIS one of these days but for now, the note card was a perfect stand in.
So basically, I incredibly love dragonflyducky/Kerstin, and she is the best ever. (Seriously, did you see his little hair?)
For more Who crafts, the gallery is here.
As I’ve mentioned before, my love of a fandom is cemented when I craft for it. Well, I recently participated in a Doctor Who swap on Craftster.org. It’s a OTT thing swap, wherein you make one tiny thing based on the theme. I am super super proud of what I made. (dragonflyducky, if you haven’t received yet, no peeking!)
It took me a while to decide what I wanted to make, and I finally decided on an embroidery. And it’s great:
(It says “The angels have the phone box.”)
Check out those o’s! They’re so neat and even! For the angel, I found a picture of a Weeping Angel, then traced it from my monitor onto some tissue paper. Then I taped the tissue paper to a sunny window and traced the design onto my fabric. Yes, it was quite a few steps. Yes, it turned out awesome.
I also made a completely awesome card/bonus art thing.
The pieces were individually cut out of cardstock and glued down. There are a couple of pen lines but the majority is just bits of paper. The whole thing is coated in mod podge, giving it a sort of artsy feel. It’s kind of amazing. You may recall I made a similar card for my BSG swap. It’s a somewhat time-consuming process but the final product is so cool. I should do more art-type things.
I’m also currently involved in a Futurama swap, a hat swap, and I’m still working on the mohair sweater for WWFY. I like swaps. Also, yes, I’m a huge nerd. : )
So I finished up that second pair of Baby Fan Mitts. They look exactly the same as the first pair:
I believe I’ll be mailing them today. I also finished up the grey mitten part of some sharks, so I rewarded myself by casting on for a new project (more on that later).
GPoY stands for Gratuitous Picture of Yourself. GPoC stands for Gratuitous Picture of Cat (says me). I think I introduced Stretch a week or so ago. This is why he’s called that:
He sleeps on his back, spread-eagled. Frequently in the middle of my bed, making it awkward for me to get into. I’ll let him though since he usually sleeps snuggled up next to me, and that is super cute.
Today Tomorrow is November 1st. That means the beginning of NaNoWriMo and also NaBloPoMo, which I will be attempting this year. I’m actually working now which might make things difficult (especially for pictures), but I’m going to do the best I can. So look for new posts every day this month! First up: A knitted thing.
Pattern: Baby Fan Mitts
Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Rosehip, about half a skein.
Needles: US 4/3.5mm
Mods: None, knit exactly as written.
I made these for a WWFY swap (along with a second pair I’ve started) in return for two skeins (different brands though) of wool/silk yarn and a skein of baby alpaca yarn. Which I have pictures of. Tomorrow! For additional blog fodder.
Anyway, happy November (tomorrow)! Anyone else doing NaBloPoMo?
ETA: I’m dumb and published this post instead of saving it for tomorrow. So um, yeah. Happy Halloween! Have some candy. See you tomorrow for NaBloPoMo.
So Monday’s Halloween but people celebrate on the weekend cause they have jobs and stuff. Unfortunately, I’m doing nothing for Halloween. Well, I’ll be knitting. And watching science fiction tv (finishing up Charmed and starting Torchwood next I think). And drinking. Cause I’m a grown up, that’s why.
So I’m bummed that all my friends are three hours away so I have no one to celebrate with. Maybe I’ll wear cat ears and sit on the porch with some candy. Maybe I’ll dress young and go trick or treating. *shrug*
Anyway, things are going slowly on the knitting front because I’ve been volunteering full time. I have substitute orientation on Tuesday, so after that I’ll be actually getting paid for all the work I’ve been doing. Which will be the exact same time commitment but I’ll have some money. Which I’m going to need if I’m going to move next year (and I am).
Here are some things I’m working on:
Lace Ribbons Pullover in mohair for WWFY. Possibly a long-term project.
Fingerless mitts which I’m sure I’ll finish up quickly. Also for WWFY and in EL Silky Wool.
And this sweater. My mother picked it up at the thrift store today for me to unravel, which I’ve started doing. It’s a very loosely spun thick/thin single in a nice blue. Some of it will probably get knit into an Urchin hat, but much of it I think I will attempt to respin into a thinner more even yarn. It’s a ton of yarn as-is and would probably end up as twice as much of an even 2-ply dk. So that’ll be nice.
Do you guys have any plans for Halloween? Tell me in the comments so I can live vicariously through you.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 
