CFTC MAKEALONG - dyeing yarn

I'll be joining a knitalong, or actually a make-along organised by Sarah from the Crafts from the Cwtch blog (if you don't know here blog already, you should really check it out). The mak-ealong will be for both crochet and knitted shawls, so everyone can join.

The idea is to challenge yourself. For example if you (mainly) knit you should try some crochet and vice versa. Or try a pattern that kind of scares you, because it is full of new techniques.

When I started this blog, I mainly crocheted. After seeing so many nice knitted projects, I learned to knit. I have been knitting for quite some time now and made some knitted shawls. I think it is time to make my first crochet shawl.

I want to go for a simple pattern and challenge myself by adjusting it and dyeing the yarn myself. So I'll go with the half granny square shawl.

Maybe add some tassles or nice edging, I'll figure it out as I go.

I ordered some merino / cashmere undyed yarn and experimented with foodcoloring.

Pretty pleased with the results :-), so time to cake it and to start swatching! The make-along starts the 1st of may, so if you want you can still join!

One a day - joining the fun again!

Hello lovelies,

Just a quick post to join the fun over at Carole's place. She is organizing a One a day link party again! The idea is that you pick on of your projects that seems a bit hard to get finished, mostly bigger projects that need to be done one bit at a time. A great way to get the project (finally) done is to finish one little piece everyday. For example a row of a crochet blanket or a knitted square. Hop on over to the Gingerbread girl blog for more details and for other participants :-). 

My One a day project will be the never ending Beekeeper's quilt. I started this at the end of 2011 and the goal is to get it finished before the end of 2012. I started off great and knitted many puffs every week....

....

But somehow they got lost behind when crafting time became scarce. At one point I even didn't have any sock yarn left to make some. So last week I finally ordered some creamy sock yarn that I could dye in my own color combo's. 

Doesn't look like much yet no does it?

Aaah, that's much better.

Making these little cuties!

The best part of making hexies, having a basket full of squishe soft little bundles of joy to put your hands in. I just want to eat them!

Which brings us to a total of 96 puffs! My oh my, I still need so many more and I can't wait to see this project grow! I still have so many ideas like making some with embroidery or little beads on them! 

Malabrigo = Yarn heaven

Yes, I'm in love with this yarn. Do you remember me rambling about what to do with my Malabrigo yarn? Thank you for sharing your thoughts about what to do with it, it was helpful! I bought the yarn for socks and in the end I changed my mind. This yummy yarn is going to be worn as a scarf:

This is also my WIP wednesday project to share with you all. 

The pattern is called Favorite Scarf Ever by Lisa Bruce and can be found on Ravelry for free (isn't the internet a wonderful place?). 

The yarn I used is of course the Malabrigo Sock yarn and I use my new knit pro circular needles size 3.5mm. They knit like a dream. 

Anyone else ever used malabrigo? It's my first time and although it's far from cheap, it is really worth it. 

Of course the Beekeeper's quilt is been growing too, I made 7 (hooray!) but I send 3 all the way to Canada for a hexipuff swap! If you want to join check the Tiny Owl Knits forum here. I can't show pictures since I want it to be a surprise for the receiver so I will show a few that were just made for me:

Do you like them? 

Can't wait to get a full basket of these little squishy guys. Thanks for stopping by, see you all next week!

Edit: It is Wednesday, so you can now check the other WIP Wednesday projects at Tami's Amis!

One a day 9: Hexipuffs around the world

Hexipuff count: 58

Pattern: the Beekeeper's quilt

Yarn: too many to mention

Tuesday is always a bit about hexipuffs here at Crea in the City, but today it was all about hexipuffs. 

I made 6 puffs this week.

Made from soft dyed merino yarn and I have some hand dyed mini skeins on the needles:

But what makes this Tuesday so special is the little package found in the mail this morning, all the way from Stamford! I didn't expect any mail, so it was quite the surprise. 

Then it hit me, the Tiny Owl Knit Hexipuff around the world swap!!!! I participate in a hexipuff swap on Ravelry. The idea is that a package with 5 hexipuffs travels around the world. When you receive the package you take a number of hexipuffs and replace these with hexipuffs from your own stash. And so I had to choose some puffs....mmmm, it was a hard decision but I picked three:

I really like them and look at the little ducky! There was also a little bag of lavender, I couldn't just let it be and it had to be mine. Mmmm, lavender. This is going to fill a hexipuff for sure. I did find out my hexipuffs are pretty big, I might need to make some with less stuffing. 

Well, I'm off to pick/make some puffs of my own to put in the package!

PS: I'm not sure if there will be a post today, but on the older post on the Gingerbread Girl blog you can find some more blogs that participate in the One a day group. 

One a day 8: Hexipuff addicted

Hexipuff count: 49

Pattern: the Beekeeper's quilt

Yarn: too many to mention

I made 6 hexipuffs this week and frogged one (it was white and therefore died/dyed *haha*), all made with yarn dyed in my kitchen. It is so much fun that I don't want to make any other hexipuffs! To come up with some color I get inspired by so many things and I thought it would be nice to share them.

Inspired by one of my favorite blogs, she uses a lot of wonderful blue and green and lives in a place with a lot of those colors nearby *jealous!*. 

Who doesn't l♥ve the food and the song by Jack Johnson

My favorite flower: tulips. Doesn't the color make you want to eat it?

Check out Gingerbread Girl for more One a day projects.

Sunday Bliss is...

....Staying in bed and allowing the dog to join, which only happens when I need to change the sheets.

Reading a 40 year old book from my Mom's collection, can you guess which book it is? 

 ♥ Dyeing yarn ♥

Making a mini skein *so soft, grin*

Knitting with the dyed yarn

♥♥♥ Wish you all a wonderful Sunday too! ♥♥♥