I Can't Decide!

Stephanie Flynn at Rossiter Designs is giving away some really nice Celtic cross-stitch designs in January. They're all so beautiful I had an awful time deciding which one I'd like the most. I finally settled on the Celtic Sampler; I really love the knotwork.

If you'd like to enter as well the rules are posted here on Stephanie's blog.

You say potato, I say YARN BOWL!

I was having my morning browse at Craftgossip and found this awesome fabric bowl. Of course, the first thing that sprang to my mind was, "Hey, that would make an awesome yarn bowl!" (The second was that it would make a cool washable bread basket for the dinner table.)

The tutorial by Jennifer is available at Sew, Mama, Sew! I'm going to whip out my fabric scraps and try it right away since I already have the sewing machine set up for ornament finishing. (Finishing is the wrong word for it. I'm never gonna be finished.) One of these would be really cute filled with pinecones for Christmas. Or gelt at Hanukkah. Easter eggs, Valentines candies, apples in the fall...I can see it now. I'm going to end up with about a hundred of these. 

I also have a nifty idea for a variation: I'm going to get some little sew-on snaps and do snap-together corners instead of sewn. This will have a couple of advantages: they'll be easier to wash and iron and they'll be able to store flat; a particular advantage for the seasonal bowls I'm sure to make. I'll post pics (sort of, the Canon is still sickly) and let y'all know how the snaps turn out!

PS - I just realized since the pattern uses heavy interfacing I could foundation quilt or crazy quilt the top layer. Somebody stop me!

PPS - The snaps will also allow you to use the corners as a yarn guide without being tied to the bowl. Genius!

In the New Year: Trying this Again

I am unlocking the blog for two reasons. One, I want a place to stash my knitting and crocheting pictures and musings and this is a good place to do it. Two, I want my patterns to be available to the crocheting public.

Here's the deal. Comments are on, but they are being moderated. Abusive comments will be deleted with extreme prejudice and without response. I welcome reasoned debate and grammatical quibbling. If you find a mistake in a pattern please comment or email or both.

(Speaking of mistakes in patterns - there seems to be a mistake in the Kaleidoscope Beret. I'll find it and fix it as soon as I have a spare moment to pick up a hook.)

Thank you all for your support and have a very happy New Year!

Randomness

I just realized that I haven't even been keeping up with once a month posts. So here's my update, in no particular order.

1. Google analytics is really frelling annoying today. It's made Ravelry unusable and is probably going to make this post shorter than usual. I'm not even sure of what I need to do to make it stop. I did run malware/virus scans and nothing came up.

2. I'm back into the RP swing on Star Pirates. I really enjoy RPing with that crew. Collaborative writing is a kick in the pants, both in the sense of being a lot of fun, and in the sense that it gets me motivated to actually write (and even more importantly, edit).

3. I want to knit. This is inconvenient because I'm supposed to be putting a crochet blanket together for Leah's birthday (Saturday), I have a shawl half-finished (Converted Shipwreck), and I have a really cool idea for another shawl/throw. I think I need to work out a reward system with myself.

4. I have an essay sketched out on late Victorian action adventure movies. I promise It won't turn out to be a rant, I'm a better writer than that. (Okay, maybe a little rant. Just a skosh.)

5. I'm gonna shoot somebody at google analytics with a dirty sock gun. This isn't funny.

6. I will add links to this post once I get the google problem sorted out.

*wanders off grumbling*

ETA: I finally got google analytics sorted out. I ended up having to install NoScript. It makes things a tidge slower, but it's totally worth it.

Dumbest Thing Said By a TV Sportscaster Today

NHL Network reporter to Teemu Selanne: So I suppose you're aware of all 600 goals you've scored.

No, dumbass, they were a complete surprise to him. In fact, they didn't tell him about it until after he scored the 600th one tonight so they wouldn't spoil the surprise party the other Ducks players had all planned for him. Oy vey.

Congrats, Teemu. Go drink your champagne.

(I'm contemplating making this a recurring theme, but 1) I don't want to be known as that crazy chick making fun of retired athletes and 2) it's too much like shooting fish in a barrel.)

WIPs (writing style)

I don't even want to talk about the stalled fiber projects I have hanging around. I do, however, want to get some of my thoughts about what I'm writing organized.

The horror story I wrote a couple of weeks ago is still sitting. I have character backgrounds in my head, and a rough idea of some story to go forward on. I don't think it's book-quality work, however I think it may be weird enough and engaging enough for a web serial. Watch this space for details. (My life is a funny thing. I was contacted last week by one of the people that I based a minor character on. He was even weirder than the story. Go figure.)

I don't write much fantasy anymore. Certainly not the sword and sorcery type that I loved when I was younger. I don't read much of it either unless it's mixed into a volume of short stories. It's possible that The Unschooled Wizard was the last fantasy book I read, unless you count Conan. Now that I think about it The Unschooled Wizard and Conan fit into the same subgenre of fantasy, a subgenre to which I would also add Jennifer Roberson's Sword Dancer series.

But the two fantasy stories I have bouncing around in my head don't fit into that category. One is a oddball combination of Shadowrun (post-awakening magical world without the anarchy) and coming-of-age that would probably fit best as a Young Adult novel, though I am trying to avoid angst in favor of more interesting conflicts. The other is...well, it's not fully formed yet, but it's a feminist take on the old prince marries girl stories. No, strike that -- not feminist, humanist. I want to write a fairy tale where the main characters have enough good sense to be disagreeable at times, and to fight the roles they're being forced into.

Romeo Falling is as it has been -- constantly in the back of my mind. It's a sort of incorporeal worry stone; I take it out and run it through my mind to distract myself from being worried or stressed. The title, which it has borne for almost ten years, has to go. It in no way describes what's happening. What's falling is Carly, the main character, and I don't know that she ever really hits bottom (though she repeatedly thinks she does). I dislike (due to overuse) the phrase "down the rabbit hole" and I'd rather think of freefall in space, though that metaphor for what's happening to Carly falls apart quickly. The most frustrating thing about that story, though, is that I have the entire thing outlined, which is usually the hard part for me. It's the writing that's proving problematic.

And that brings me to the work that I'm avoiding now by writing this blog post. I have never written a hard science fiction story. Correction, "Cold Dawn" is clearly hard SF, even if it happens to be 40K style. Cyberpunk has been more my thing, and borderline SF/fantasy. Psychers appeal to me, as do netrunners. I haven't the faintest idea how to write an alien. As of this story I'm trying anyway. What's more, I'm throwing the whole book of hard SF issues into it: FTL travel, colonization of other planets by humans, first contact, wars...you name it, it wants to be there. The work in this one will be the research. I have to decide which rules to bend to make it plausible, I have to map out alien psychologies. On top of all that -- wait for it -- I have three groups of characters I want to follow. It's a Game Master's nightmare and I'm doing it to myself. (Though it can't possibly be as bad as having a character set on a suicide for which an entire audience wants to lynch you because they blame the GM. At least I hope it won't be that bad.) Oh, and I need a linguist, because I sure as hell am not going to be able to make up convincing alien names. Maybe I'll just make 'em all speak Portuguese.

Okay, enough avoidance. My brain has wandered off to a planet that Terra has colonized for farming, and my fingers are cold from typing in front of a draft. I'll write if I find work...or if I find a plausible story in this drek.

Cheers,
M

Quote of the Day

Almost anything carried to its logical extreme becomes depressing, if not carcinogenic.
     ~Ursula K. LeGuin in the introduction to The Left Hand of Darkness

Pattern: Kaleidoscope Beret

This is an adaptation of a pattern from one of my favorite crochet blogs: Yarncrazy Crochet World. I love Chris's block patterns; they are beautiful, complex works of art. I have swatched Kaleidoscope Blossom a couple of times now and this time it wanted to be a hat. (This may have been influenced by the fact that I've been wanting a beret/tam/slouch type hat for a while now.)

The pattern is basically the same through round 7; I removed the color changes and the dimensional petals. Those directions are reposted here with her permission. The rest of the pattern is of my own devising.

Note: 3 January 2011 - Round 7 had an extra stitch that made the entire count come out incorrect. I have edited the pattern.

Kaleidoscope Beret

Supplies:
Approximately 3 oz. worsted weight #4 yarn (Pictured is Red Heart Super Saver in Medium Purple)
H (5.0) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge:
1st 3 rounds in pattern = approximately 2.5"

Size:
Women's Medium (approximately 21-22")

Special Stitches:
Sc Dec (single crochet decrease): Insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, insert hook in next stitch and pull up loop, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook, sc dec made.
Dc Dec (double crochet decrease): Insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, insert hook in next stitch and pull up loop, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook, dc dec made.

Pattern:

Ch. 4, join with sl st to form ring OR begin with Magic Loop technique.

Round 1: Ch 1, 12 sc in ring, join with sl st in first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same st. (Ch 3, sk next sc, sc in next sc) 5 times. Ch. 3, join with sl st in first sc. (6 ch-3 sp)

Round 3: 5 sc in each ch-3 sp around. Join with sl st in first sc. (30 sc)

Round 4: Sl st in next 2 sc (this should put you in center sc of the 5 sc group). Ch 1, sc in same st. (Ch 4, sk next 4 sc, sc in next sc) 5 times. Ch. 4, join with sl st in first sc. (6 ch-4 sp)

Round 5: (Sc, 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, sc) in each ch-4 sp around. Join with sl st in first sc.

Round 6: Ch 4. *In next ch-3 sp (dc, ch 1) 5 times. Dc between next two sc, ch 1. Repeat from * 5 times. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of beginning ch-4.

Round 7: Sc in first ch-1 sp. Working in ch-1 sp between dcs, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next ch-1 sp. (Sc in next ch 1 sp, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, (3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, 2 dc in next ch-1 sp, sc in next ch-1 sp) 5 times. Join with sl st in first sc.

Round 8: Sl st in next 4 dc. (Sc dec over next 2 dc, ch 6, sk next 6 st, trc between next 2 sc, ch 6, sk next 6 st) 6 times. Join with sl st in first sc. (12 ch-6 sp)

Round 9: Ch 2 (does not count as dc, now and throughout). 9 dc in each ch-6 sp around. Join with sl st in first dc. (108 dc)

Round 10: Sl st in next 2 dc (this should put you at the center of the 9-dc group). (Sc in next dc, ch 5, sk next 4 dc, dc between next 2 dc, ch 5, sk next 4 st) 12 times. Join with sl st to first sc. (24 ch-5 sp)

Round 11: Ch 2, 5 dc in each ch-5 sp around. (120 dc)

Round 12: Sl st in next dc, ch 2. Working in back loops only dc in same st and next 2 st, (dc dec over next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc) around to last 2 st, dc dec over last 2 st. Join with sl st in first dc. (96 dc)

Round 13: Ch 2, dc in same st and next 3 st, (dc dec over next 2 dc, dc in next 4 dc) around to last 2 st, dc dec over last 2 st. Join with sl st in first dc. (80 dc)

Round 14:  Ch 2, dc in same st and next 2 st, (dc dec over next 2 dc, dc in next 3 dc) around to last 2 st, dc dec over last 2 st. Join with sl st in first dc. (64 dc)

Round 15: Ch 2, dc same st and in each dc around. Join with sl st in first dc.

Round 16: Begin ribbing. Ch 2, fpdc in first dc, (bpdc in next dc, fpdc in next dc) around, ending with bpdc. Join with sl st in first dc.

 Round 17-18: Ch 2, (fpdc around fpdc, bpdc around bpdc) around. Join with sl st in first dc. At end of round 18 finish off. Weave in thread ends.

More photos:

Pattern: Firefly Hat

This is a pretty little winter hat I designed for my friend Firefly, who lives in Wisconsin and has cold ears right about now. It's being modeled in the photos by the lovely and talented Mr. Octo.

Firefly Hat

Supplies:
Approximately 3 oz (135 yd.) Bulky #5 Yarn (Pictured is Lion Brand Jiffy in True Red)
K (10.5) crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge

Gauge:
4" = 13 sc & 15 rows

Size:
Women's Medium (approximately 21-22")

Special Stitches:
Dec (decrease): Insert hook in stitch and pull up a loop, insert hook in next stitch and pull up loop, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook, dec made.

Pattern:

Round 1: Magic Ring, ch 1, 6 sc in ring, join with sl st in beg sc.
OR
Round 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st in beg sc.

Round 2: Ch 1, sc in same sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (9 sc)

Round 3: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (12 sc)

Round 4: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 2 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 3 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (15 sc)

Round 5: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 3 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (18 sc)

Round 6: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 4 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (21 sc)

Round 7: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 5 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 6 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (24 sc)

Round 8: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 6 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 7 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (27 sc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 7 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 8 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (30 sc)

Round 10: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 3 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 4 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (36 sc)

Round 11: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 4 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 5 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (42 sc)

Round 12: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 12 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 13 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (45 sc) 


Round 13: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 13 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 14 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (48 sc)

Round 14: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 14 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 15 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (51 sc)

Round 15: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 15 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 16 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (54 sc)

Round 16: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 16 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 17 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (57 sc)

Round 17: Ch 1, sc in same sc and next 17 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 18 sc around, 2 sc in last sc, join. (60 sc)

Rounds 18-26: Ch 1, sc in same st and each sc around, join. (60 sc)

Note: The rest of the stitches are worked in the back loops only. This produces the texture around the band of the hat.

Rounds 27-28: Working in BL, ch 1, sc in same st and each sc around, join. (60 sc)

Fasten off after round 28.

Placing Left Earflap :

Row 1: In 8th st from center back join with sc, sc in next 12 sc, turn. (12 sc)

Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 11 sc, turn. (12 sc)

Row 3: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 8 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (10 sc)

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 9 sc, turn. (10 sc)

Row 5: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 6 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (8 sc)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 7 sc, turn. (8 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (6 sc)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 5 sc, turn. (6 sc)

Row 9: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (4 sc)

Row 10: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 3 sc, fasten off. (4 sc)

Placing Right Earflap :


Row 1: In 18th st from left earflap join with sc, sc in next 12 sc, turn. (12 sc)


Row 2: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 11 sc, turn. (12 sc)


Row 3: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 8 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (10 sc)


Row 4: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 9 sc, turn. (10 sc)

Row 5: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 6 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (8 sc)


Row 6: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 7 sc, turn. (8 sc)

Row 7: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 4 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (6 sc)

Row 8: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 5 sc, turn. (6 sc)


Row 9: Ch 1, dec in first 2 sc, sc in next 2 sc, dec in last 2 sc, turn. (4 sc)

Row 10: Ch 1, sc in first sc and next 3 sc, fasten off. (4 sc)

Edging:

Join with sc in BL of first sc at center back. Sc in BL of each sc up to earflap, working dec in corner of earflap join. Continue sc around earflap, woring 1 sc in end of each row and 2 sc in corner sp. Sc across bottom of earflap, 2 sc in corner sp, 1 sc in end of each row. Work dec in corner as before.

Sl st in BL of sc around front of hat. Work edging on second earflap as before, sc in BL of last sc, join with sl st to first sc, fasten off.

Weave in ends and block gently to fit.