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PATTERN FOR SALE: Cthulhu Toque

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on May 22, 2009 ,
On sale for just $3!

On sale for just $3!

That’s right, my Cthulhu Toque pattern is FOR SALE! :D It’s available for the low price of just $3.00 now, so if you’ve been wanting to make one of your very own, now is the time. I promise it’s easy, even for a beginner, and you’ll love the super cute results.

Where Can I Buy the Pattern?

The Pink Toque Shop
Ravelry

You can purchase from whichever site is easiest and most convenient for you :) You’ll love the way Cthulhu looks innocently over the top of your head as he noms on you. I cannot be held responsible for any problems resulting from your new abundance of coolness and popularity once you go strolling down the block wearing one of these on your head. Note: If you purchase from Ravelry you will be able to instantly download the PDF pattern from the site after purchase; If you purchase from the Pink Toque Shop, you will receive your PDF pattern via email within 24 hours of purchase via email.

All the Details

Materials
* 1 skein of worsted weight or sport-weight wool or acrylic, green
* Size I or H hook (or size to obtain gauge. Size I for sport-weight, H for worsted)
* Safety eyes, buttons, felt or black embroidery floss for eyes
* Darning needle
* Stitch marker

Gauge
Approximately 4 single crochet stitches = 1″ in worsted weight.

Stitches and Terms Used
* chain (ch)
* single crochet (sc)
* double crochet (dc)
* slip stitch (sl st)
* half double crochet (hdc)

See how easy it can be to sport your very own crochet Cthulhu toque? But Lesley, I don’t know how to crochet! Well that’s easy – you can also purchase a completed toque, already handmade by yours truly in case you don’t have the skills to make one for yourself.  It’s never been easier to get your hands on a one-of-a-kind creation that will make you the talk of the neighborhood. For serious.

I have another pattern I’d like to complete and release sometime next week, but until then enjoy your Cthulhu toques and thanks for your business :) Have a great weekend! Updates coming soon on Lucas and I’s Father’s Day sock projects…


Lucas the Knitter

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on May 9, 2009 ,
My handsome husband's first swatch. Note the garter AND stockinette stitches!

My handsome husband's first knitted swatch. Notice it contains garter AND stockinette stitching!

With Mother’s Day gifts finished up and shipped off earlier this week, I’m already thinking ahead to Father’s Day.  I’d been thinking that I’d love to knit up some socks for our dads this year, but I’m not the fastest knitter in the world so I’m not sure I can manage it in time.  I mentioned this time concern to Lucas on Thursday afternoon, who then suggested I teach him to knit so that he can help by knitting his dad’s socks while I knit my dad’s socks, and together we’d create knitted socks for our dads for Father’s Day.

My jaw dropped.

He then said, “If your new needles are there when we get home tonight, maybe we can spend the evening with them and you can teach me how to cast on, knit and purl.” (My KnitPicks interchangeable needles did arrive that night, woohoo!)

My jaw dropped again.

Not only does he want to spend the evening snuggled with me and my KP needles, he knew all of the basic terminology for the techniques he needs to know and wants to learn them!

swoon

Dare I say my husband may turn into a knitter?

My mind fast forwards to him having his own Ravelry account and uploading FO pictures and asking me what kind of yarn he should use for his next project. And shopping the LYS together. And how many more things we can knit for our future kiddos if there’s two of us knitting for them!

I think I just died and went to heaven.

Lucas knitting

Lucas knitting

When I came out of my daydreaming haze and picked up my jaw from the floor, I realized he was serious. Thursday evening I taught him the basics of knit and purl and he’s been doing really well!  We practiced again last night and I really think we’ll be able to attempt Father’s Day socks for our dads Magic Loop style. It’ll be a learning experience for both of us since I’ve only done socks with DPNs and only played with ML for the ribbed cuff of a sock before, but it can’t be that hard once I get to the heel, right?

Wish us luck! I don’t know about you, but I’m still in shock.


Ecstatic, KPG's Contest, and Knitting Under the Desk?

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on April 21, 2009 ,

Ecstatic
I haven’t even received my first KnitPicks order yet of a sock-sized DPN set and sock-sized 40″ fixed circular that I ordered a little while back (Still waiting on Canada Post!) BUT I did place my second order today already… and I ordered *takes a deep breath* the Nickel-Plated Options Interchangeable set! And here I thought I was excited about the DPN order… WOW I cannot wait for my interchangeables to arrive! I also threw in the ball winder for a little extra fun. I’m just ecstatic! This order cannot arrive fast enough, that’s for sure.

KPG’s Contest
My friend Karrie over at KnitPurlGurl is having a contest that started yesterday, and you won’t want to miss it! It’s a Curbing Bag Kit giveaway from ADHD Knitting/Straight Jacket Knitting, and it’s fabulous! The winner will receive the pattern for the Curbing bag, will get to choose the color scheme of yarn they want to have sent to make the bag with, and you’ll also receive some coordinating fabric and a pack of magnetic snaps. The contest is running from April 20 – May 4th, so be sure to get over there and enter! *drool*

Knitting Under the Desk?
Oh, and … do you knit under your desk at work or school? Regardless of whether or not you do so sneakily or not-so-sneakily, you’ll want to check out THIS blog: Knitting Under the Desk! There’s also a Knitting Under the Desk group on Ravelry which is growing quickly, so be sure to check it out! I am SO making the Blueberry Waffle Socks free pattern suggestion on today’s post. Awesome!

Have a great day!


Cthulhu Crochet Toque PATTERN for Sale!

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on April 19, 2009 ,

So my original Cthulhu crochet toque design I made up at the end of last month is now for sale! It’s up in my shop AND Ravelry for purchase and download. How exciting is that? My first pattern for sale. If you purchase at The Pink Toque Shop, I’ll be emailing out the PDF pattern within 24 hours of receipt of purchase. If you purchase on Ravelry, you’ll be able to purchase and instantly download.

Buy An Original Cthulhu Crochet Toque Pattern in MY SHOP
Buy/See An Original Cthulhu Crochet Toque Pattern on RAVELRY

Not sure what the heck I’m talking about? Read the post about my Cthulhu toque here. :)

I’m a little sad to admit that my KnitPicks order of sock-sized DPNs and a suitable 40″ circ for magic loop sock knitting still hasn’t arrived, though it’s not any fault of KnitPicks… it’s just sitting with the Canadian Postal System! UGH! To keep me from stalking the Canada Post website to see some change or update on where my order is now that it’s crossed the border, I pulled out two great sock knitting books my mom

look at me go! my first sock

look at me go! my first sock

bought me for Christmas last year — Getting Started Knitting Socks and I Can’t Believe I’m Knitting Socks. Together the books are amazing, as the Getting Started book goes into lots of details about the “how” and “why” in construction of socks, and then I Can’t Believe I’m Knitting Socks shows the basics using every kind of sock knitting method out there: knitting on DPNs, magic loop with one circular, knitting with 2 circs, etc. They were really handy visuals. Friday evening (After I freecycled a large box of yarn in the basement that I wasn’t using to a kind woman who will be using it with senior citizens), Lucas and I sat down to watch a movie and I followed the books line by line and came up with my first official sock!  I just used my size US8 DPNs and sport-weight yarn and didn’t worry about gauge since I just wanted to practice constructing the various parts of a sock’s anatomy.  It worked! I did it! It really wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be, and I REALLY can’t wait for my KnitPicks order to arrive now!


Adventures Knitting in the (Urban) Wild

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on April 10, 2009 ,
Knitting in the (Urban) Wild.

Knitting in the (Urban) Wild.

It’s finally spring in Calgary! Though I may be jinxing its existence by the mere suggestion that spring has officially arrived, I can’t help but proclaim my happiness that the seemingly neverending snow seems to be behind us.

Yesterday I had to go downtown in the middle of the day for an appointment. Lucas also works downtown, and by the time I was done with my appointment and had snagged some lunch, I had a good hour and a half to spend before Lucas got off of work. I decided to hang out downtown until then so we could train home together and that way I could enjoy the sunshine. It was such a gorgeous day I decided to take some knitting with me. That’s right, I said knitting! As I mentiond in my previous post, I’ve been itching to knit instead of crochet lately, even though my crocheted hobo bag isn’t quite finished. More on that later. Anyway, to get back into the knitting groove, I took my US size 8 16″ Takumi bamboo circulars and some pretty Petal Pink wool in my knitting bag on my trip downtown. I decided to start a toque for myself using the perfect knitted hat formula.  I really enjoyed finding a sunny spot in the middle of downtown to knit while I waited for Lucas to get out of work. It was SO refreshing and peaceful, even with the sounds of the city buzzing around me. I LOVED it and the weather was perfect. And Tim Horton’s was just diagonally across the street from me. Heaven!

Have A Nice Day!

Have A Nice Day!

I snapped a few pictures of my adventures knitting in the (urban) wild (which I’m sure looked very odd to random passers-by, but hey… I’ve seen stranger things downtown before.) and was pleased that THIS picture (to the right) in particular harbored a little secret message. See if you can find it. (hint, check the bus message.)  It just made my day!  And what a wonderful day it was, truly. THANK YOU SPRING, for finally arriving.

So back to my knitting itch. I’ve been determined to figure out DPNs without tears, and I’ve also been wanting to learn Magic Loop, so socks it is. I ordered some KnitPicks needles this past week — my first KnitPicks order ever!! — and am eagerly awaiting their arrival. Like, soexcitedIcanbarelystandit eager. After reading some threads on Ravelry, I’ve decided to go with the nickel plated needles, and while I’m lusting desperately over the KnitPicks Options Interchangeables set, for now (and to be sure the nickel plated is the best for me) I just ordered one set of sock-sized DPNs and a fixed 40″ same sock-sized circular to match. Today we went to Michaels to use some of the coupons I’ve been hoarding, and I picked up some simple sock yarn for use when my order arrives. Did I mention I cannot wait?

DPN Practice Success

DPN Practice Success

In preparation, I’ve been browsing tutorials and YouTube videos to see if I can get the hang of DPNs with the US size 8 Takumi bamboo DPNs I have collecting dust in my needle bag. Two hours and many videos later, I finally found a video that made it all click: How to Knit Socks Part 1: Working with DPNs by Dorret. While its quality may not be as clear as the KnittingHelp.com video or some of the other YouTube videos out there, one key part that made the lightbulb come on was how Dorret showed to move the yarn down to the end of the needles and flip it around after casting on. In the other videos I wasn’t understanding how to start the join and get going once I had the stitches divided evenly on the needles. I’d get my stitches divided up and then be at a complete loss as to how the demonstrator was getting started. Something about Dorret’s video made me suddenly get it. It was a Hallelujah moment for me, to be sure. I think I’m finally ready once my KnitPicks sock DPNs arrive. And if that doesn’t work, I’ve got the option to go Magic Loop. Socks WILL be looming on the horizon, one way or the other!

Happy Easter weekend :) And OH! Happy Bobmas Eve as well!*

*wth is Bobmas? The anniversary of when Ravelry was conceived.


My Craft A.D.D. is Taking Over!

Posted in Knit & Crochet , on April 7, 2009 ,

Does anyone else have craft A.D.D.? You think you’re absorbed in a project, but there hiding in the back of your mind is another project… one that keeps whispering your name.  Then when you’re supposed to be focusing and working on your current project, you can’t stop your mind from floating back to the possibility of this other project, how it will look when it’s finished, what supplies you need…  it’s been like this for me all week.

I know that I learned things backwards; I learned to knit first, then learned crochet and have been pretty much doing crochet-only projects since. But I’ve recently been wanting to get back into knitting projects, and of course I’ve already got an idea or two in mind. Once I learned crochet I found working things in the round to be so much easier than fiddling with DPNs, but recently thanks to some support and information on the Ravelry forums, I am feeling confident enough to try the Magic Loop method… and maybe even to drag those DPNs out of hiding. The problem is now that I feel confident that I can achieve this, all I want to do is get started. I won’t let myself begin yet another project, though, until I finish what I have “on the hooks” as I’m worried my current crochet project will just never get finished. *ahem* like that crochet sweater I started months ago. The poor side-to-side cowl neck sweater is still sitting on the back burner because I’ve let myself start something else. I am determined to finish it, though!  Even if it means I won’t be wearing it until next winter. ;) I know that there are many people out there who have lots of WIPs at once, and so I know it’s not a bad thing, but I worry that if I give my craft A.D.D. an inch, it’ll take a mile. I guess I just hate the idea of too many unfinished projects lying around. I must stay strong!

And that brings me to the elusive “something else” that I am working on currently: a crochet hobo bag. And not just any hobo bag — a felted one of my own design. It was time for a new purse and this will be my first felted project! I didn’t really want it to be of my own design, especially with it being my first time felting, but I can’t seem to find just what I’m looking for already. I know that to felt the bag it needs to be around 25% bigger than I want the finished result to be (give or take a little) and because I couldn’t find a (free) pattern for a felted hobo style bag that I’m dreaming of, I’ve decided just to wing it. I’m getting a little nervous, though, as the sides take shape — it seems really big. Maybe too big? I just hope it felts up as planned and ends up being about the right size in the end. I won’t know until I try, right? And what better way to learn than to just jump right in. Wish me luck!