Hook and Needles: Knitting and Crochet Blog (cool stuff, techniques, and things I find)

Sorry for not writing in such a long time, but the end of the year is usually the worst time for me at work (I teach). I hope that during my absence you had a great Christmas and a festive New Year!

So I know I should have posted my list for Santa before Christmas, but who cares, I still want this stuff. I figured I shared with you some of the things I’m saving for, and some of the things I know I’ll never buy, but wish I could afford.

1. Knit Visualizer: It’s a software that helps you build knitting charts. I sometimes get patterns with only written instructions, and with this I would be able to convert them into a handy chart. Also, I could post designs of my own (if I had any).
   Price: $185 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: None.
2. Ball Winder: This handy device helps you make balls of yarns out of skeins or big yarn messes. At my LYS the owner is very gracious, so she has one and lets everyone use it (even if you didn’t buy the yarn there!)
   Price: $40 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Very likely (a friend game me some gift certificates that I plan to use to buy it.)
3. Umbrella Swift: It works in conjunction with the ball winder. You wrap the skein around it, and then use the ball winder to turn it into a handy ball.
   Price: $75 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Very low (as long as I have a husband with two hands and the ball winder, I’ll be fine).
4. Colorful stitch markers: I’ve made my own stitch markers, but kishcrafts’ stitch markers are such fun. I love the dessert and sugar skull markers.
   Price: $12 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Somewhat likely (but deciding which one to get is the hard part).

I’ll buy a lottery ticket later today…

Nibbler with cape, shoes and diaper

Sorry it took so long, but I thought I had written down what I did, and if I did, I can’t find it. So I’ll do my best to recreate my steps here. If you were able to make a Nibbler (that pattern is here, by the way), I’m sure you’ll be able to overcome any omissions or error in the following patterns (and if you see any, let me know).

For all parts I used yarn of the same weight as you used for your Nibbler, and a hook a size bigger (I used 4.5mm for Nibbler, and a 5mm for the garments).

Cape

Cape

The cape is done back and forward (turn at the end of every row) in double crochet.
ch 30
Rows 1 to 8: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 29 (30)
Row 9: ch 3, dc 27, dc 2 tog (29)
Row 10: ch 3, dc 26, dc 2 tog (28)
Row 11: ch 3, dc 25, dc 2 tog (27)
Row 12: ch 3, dc 24, dc 2 tog (26)
Row 13: ch 3, dc 2, dc 2 tog, *dc 3, dc 2 tog* 3 times, dc 2 (18)
Rows 14 to 18: ch 3, dc 4 (5)
Row 19: dc 4 (4)
Rows 20 to 22: ch 3, dc 3 (4)
Row 23: dc 2 tog, dc 2 tog (2)

Repeat rows 14 to 23 on the other side of the cape. Weave in loose ends. To make the cape look better, slip stitch all around the edge.

Diaper

Diaper with flap forded to front

The diaper stats at the top, and worked down in a spiral of single crochets. The flap is worked back and forward, turning at the end of each row. The top folds inward about 6 rows to make the diaper looked bulkier.

Unfolded diaper (you can see where the rows started)

ch 60, join to work in the round
Rows 1 to 12: sc all around (60)
Row 13: * sc 8, sc 2 tog * all around (54)
Row 14: * sc 7, sc 2 tog * all around (48)
Row 15: * sc 6, sc 2 tog * all around (42)
Row 16: * sc 5, sc 2 tog * all around (36)
Row 17: sc 6 (or as many to cover the gap between the legs), Turn
Rows 18 to 22: ch 1 (counts as your first sc), sc 5 (6 or whatever number you are using)
Row 23: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 3, sc 2 in 1 (8 or your number + 2)
Row 24: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 5, sc 2 in 1 (10 or your number + 4)
Row 25: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 7, sc 2 in 1 (12 or your number + 6)
Row 26: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 9, sc 2 in 1 (14 or your number + 8 )
Row 27 to 30: sc 14 or your number + 8
Rows 31 to 40: ch 1, sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 stitches, sc 2 tog
Rows 40 until the flap is long enough to fold under the top: ch 1, sc 4

Weave in ends. You may want to slip stitch around the edges.

Shoes

Shoes (left pic shows where the foundation chain is)

The shoes are done in a similar fashion as the mouth piece in Nibbler. It starts with a chain, and you work around the chain to make an ellipse. The shoes start at the bottom of the shoe, and end at the opening. Measure the shoe as you go to make sure it’s fitting (you may want to skip row 7).

ch 4
Row 1: sc 2 in 1 on second chain from hook, sc 2 in 1, sc 4 in 1, sc 2 in1, sc 2 in 1 (12)
Row 2: * sc 1, sc 2 in 1 * all around (18)
Row 3: * sc 2, sc 2 in 1 * all around (24)
Row 4: sc all around through back loop (24)
Row 5: sc 7, *sc 2 in 1* six times, sc 5 (18)
Row 6: sc 6, *sc 2 in 1* four times, sc 4 (14)
Row 7: sc 5, *sc 2 in 1* three times, sc 3 (11)

Weave in loose ends.

Now you are ready to play with your compelete Lord Nibbler!

All hail Lord Nibbler!

If you follow the Techknitting blog (which you should), you’ve seen this video. Otherwise, I’m posting it here, too. It is a stop-motion animation from a machine knitting group in Montreal. It’s just amazing!

Nibbler from Futurama

One of my favorite characters in Futurama is Nibbler. He’s Leela’s voracious, fuel excreter pet. I couldn’t resist, so after a lot of trials and errors, I crocheted an actual size Nibbler.

My amigurumi Nibbler

I knew that many of you would like to make your own, so I took notes, and wrote them up as a pattern. If you try to make it, keep in mind that this is not an amigurumi for beginners. You need to be a somewhat experience crocheter. It is made of many parts, so it will also take some time to make.

Download the pattern here

I’ll soon be posting the pattern for the cape, shoes and diaper. I just have to transcribe my notes.

PS: If you find any errors, let me know.

Update (Nov 26, 2008): The pattern for the cape, shoes and diaper is up.

The kids have come and gone, and as usual, we have tons of candy left… I promise I’ll take it to work on Monday and give it to my students or leave it in the reception area. I already have a tommy-ache from eating candy all night. I really just don’t learn…

I know this post doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, but it is. I wanted to share some pictures of my pumpkin (I didn’t want to spend too much time carving it this year):

My pumpkin on the porch

My pumpkin lit

And some pictures of Raffi wearing his brain slug. I had the intention of training him to wear it, but I didn’t… Taking the pictures before him taking the slug off was a battle (lasting 20 minutes), but I’m way more stubborn than Raffi when it comes to taking pictures:

We tried holding him for the pictures

Here he thinks he is getting a cookie

Here he is tired and trying to hide under the kitchen table

Is this doggy abuse? Probably… But it’s his fault for being too darn cute!

Every year I knit at least a couple of hats for my husband, this year I decided to crochet him a beanie (which ended up being more like toque). I find crocheting faster, and he likes the hats to be thick. The following is my recipe for beanies. It’s not exactly a pattern, because you can adjust it to fit your head size, and yarn weight.

Crochet hat with brim

Before you start, measure the intended head. You want to determine the rim’s width, so place your tape measure around the head where the rim of the hat would be (probably going from above the eyebrows to the nape of the head). Write the number down.

This hat is done in double crochets, each row starts with a chain of 2 (or 3 if you prefer), and ends with a slip stitch to join the last double crochet with the top of the chain you started with.

You’ll make the beanie in the following steps:

1. In a magic ring, or in the first chain of a chain of 2, single crochet 10 stitches.
2. Crochet 2 double crochets in each single crochet on the first row (20 stitches).
3. Continue increasing 10 double crochets in each round until you reach the rim width you calculated at the beginning.
4. Double crochet all around (no more increases) until desired length.

If you are not sure how to increase 10 double crochets in each round, here’s an example of how to increase all the way to 90 stitches (that’s how big my hubby’s head is),:

• [dc 1, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (30 stitches)
• [dc 2, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (40 stitches)
• [dc 3, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (50 stitches)
• [dc 4, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (60 stitches)
• [dc 5, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (70 stitches)
• [dc 6, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (80 stitches)
• [dc 7, dc 2 in 1] 10 times (90 stitches)

You may need more, or less, depending on the head circumference, and yarn weight.

If you find that you are at the point where the hat it too narrow, but adding another increase row will make it too big, then increase only 5 stitches, instead of 10 on the last row increase. And if you have to choose between the beanie being a little tight, versus a little loose, choose a little tight, the beanie will likely stretch over time a bit.

If you want to add stripes, just make sure the slip stitch at the end of a row is made with the colour of the next row.

For my husband’s I made it longer to add a brim (he likes being able to unfold the sides of the brim to cover his ears), and to make it even warmer, I lined it with polar fleece (if you are going to line your beanie, make it a tad larger.) If you want to learn how to do this, check out Techknitting’s articles about it (How to line a hat, headband style, with Polar fleece, and Fully lining hats with polar fleece).

If you prefer doing the hat in single crochets, you can, just do your increases by 6, instead of 10. It will take longer, but the fabric will be tighter.

I hope this helps!

That's me modeling the hat (it's to big for me!)

The other day, in one of Ravelry’s forums, someone asked for a good way to add embroidery to your knitting. I did a quick search in Youtube, and I found this awesome video on how to chain stitch and wrap stitch:

And if you don’t crochet, and the hook intimidates you, you can use a needle:

I haven’t tried on crochet, but I bet it works just as well.