Wednesday 30 June 2010

Crochet Basics: Starting out, SC, HDC and DC

The cold weather has made me into a knit and crochet freak lately. I've joined up to Ravelry and have been amazed by all the wonderful patterns and creations from it's members. I highly recommend signing up there.

All the yarn talk has made me want to try my hand at more crochet, but I need to practice more first. I'm still going to try the amigurumi poo, but before that I needed a refresher on all the crochet stitches you see written in patterns. It's been so long since I've crocheted that my set is all dusty :P

Abbreviations 
SC = Single Crochet
HDC = Half Double Crochet
DC = Double Crochet

Here's a great video from Kim Werker that I think will help a lot of you that are starting out in crochet - It certaily helped me.


Friday 25 June 2010

DIY Amigurumi: Poo Toy


Here's a cute amigurumi pattern from Naida's Crochet - Crocheted 'Poo' - I'd like to try and make this one just because it's so cute.


Edit: Thursday 29th July 2010

I've finally taken a pic of my first attempt at a happy poo! I'll admit it's really dodgy looking (I should've used brown yarn but I only had the Pink at the time, plus the tension was all over the place, so you can see the stuffing too!), but I know it will be better next time I make it :P

Wednesday 23 June 2010

DIY Knit Project: Open Top Beanie


After getting my hands on some super bright yarn yesterday I got a bit crazy with my circular loom and made an open-top beanie. I don't know if there is a proper name for these - it's just what I have called it. The great thing about these beanies, is you can stick your hair out the top of it, or even roll the beanie if you want to use it more as earwarmers. Admittedly, my version with this yearn is a bit on the loud side - but I think it would work well in any colour you choose.

It's basically a tube - but it's nice and warm!

You'll need:

1 x Knitting Loom (I used 'Crafter's Choice' Yellow Loom with 36 pegs)

...and 50g 8ply yarn in a colour of your choice

Instructions:

  1. Cast on the first round: Create a slip knot and put it onto the first peg. Then continue to do e-wraps around till you get to the last peg.
  2. Circle the loom using Twisted Knit Stitch for 2 more Rounds. Making these first rounds like this will make your brim - I like it this way so it rolls up, but feel free to add some purl if you prefer it to sit flatter.
  3. Next, e-wrap the loom twice (i.e. e-wrap each loop on the loom, then go around again). You should now have 3 loops on each peg.
  4. Use your hook to lift the bottom 2 loops over the top loop. Repeat to complete the round.
  5. Repeat step 3 and 4 until you reach to desired length for your beanie. I have done 24 rounds. In the last 3 rounds, I tightened the tension a bit to make it a bit smaller at the top.
  6. You will notice that this technique will produce a less flexible, but more closely knit finish. There should be quite a thick texture to it (see pic below)
  7. Cast off the loom.
  8. Enjoy!

Tuesday 22 June 2010

Nikki's Hooded Scarf Pattern

With all this cold weather upon us, I have dug up my knitting bag (full of unfinished projects) and decided that I needed to make myself a hooded scarf. I found this free pattern from Nikki, In Stitches and it has inspired me to try making one. I would still consider myself as a beginner in the world of knitting, so the pattern looks a little intimidating to me - What I need is a plain pattern but I haven't found one yet. If anyone finds one let me know!

How cool is this? I want one!

Of course, the project gives me a good excuse to get more yarn, so I trekked down to my local kmart got some acrylic (I have several balls of beautiful wool, but I don't feel worthy of using it until my skills get better). I got:


3 x 100g 8ply Acrylic Yarn (Navy Blue, Fuschia and Red/Orange/Yellow Mix)


...and one massive 400g ball of Rainbow Mix - I couldn't resist the bright colours in it - reminds me of those rainbow paddle pops I used to eat when I was a kid (only, it's much brighter and you can wear it without getting in trouble!)

Wednesday 16 June 2010

Rainbow Cupcakes!



I came across this recipe today and it made me smile! I need to go and get me some food colouring - I can't wait to try it out! If you guys try it out let me know!

Saturday 12 June 2010

WWKIP @ A Coffee And A Yarn

I was able to sneak out of my shop for 5 minutes to check out WWKIP Day at A Coffee And A Yarn - Wow, I am impressed. These fabulous ladies were all decked out in fabulous knitted wigs out the front of the knitting cafe:

Ok - this was their zany pose for me. Here's a 'normal' shot for you:


Good on you ladies! It's great to see Knitting in Public! I love it!

I went inside and had a chat with the host of this wonderful KIP (Ellie, owner of A Coffee And A Yarn) to find out a bit more about her wonderful knitting cafe. The beautiful yarn she sells is mostly from Australia and mostly wool (no acrylic here!) or wool/cotton blends. And, it's the good stuff - No cheap crappy stuff.

You can find beautiful Alpaca wool too :D And if you're a fan of kits, she has them too! There are kits for knitting kids beanies, gorgeous tea cosies and much much more. You could spend ages in there looking and feeling the wool alone, and better yet, you can enjoy a great coffee at the same time!

And if you love knitting and crochet books they have a nice selection of them too, along with everything else you need for your project - such as crochet hooks and stitch holders.

Check out the massive vase of knitting needles by the window!! Ellie also sells some gorgeous wooden knitting needles from Tasmania that have little polka dot wooden mushrooms on the ends (I know, I should have taken a photo but with all the excitement I forgot!).
 
Well, there's my coverage of our local KIP - I wonder how the event is going in other parts of the world. I'd love to know. If you have any coverage, send me the link or add it to the comments!

Friday 11 June 2010

World Wide Knit in Public Day


During 12-20th June, the world will be celebrating World Wide Knit in Public Day! If you love knitting then you should join in the fun and go to your nearest KIP (Knit In Public) day or better yet, host your own!

Up the road from my shop, at 'A Coffee and a Yarn' (a new knitting cafe at 413 King St, Newtown) they will be hosting a KIP (Knit In Public) day tomorrow from 10.30am! Unfortunately I'll be working tomorrow but I'll take some knitting with me and knit in my shop. If you see me knitting you'll now know why :P

Check out the World Wide Knit in Public Day website for more details!
http://www.wwkipday.com

Thursday 3 June 2010

Welcome To Craft Salad


I've always loved anything crafty. And I know I'm not alone. There's a lot to be said for handmade items. There's something about the way it feels, the time, creativity and thought put into it, and sometimes even the little imperfections that make it just a little more special than something that's made in a factory.

This blog is dedicated to exploring the world of craft, and I hope to share my love of the handmade with you all. Subscribe and join me for the ride.

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