Little Can Be Big

Yay!  My computer is well again; the new LCD cable was just what it needed.  It was such a little bit, but it caused me big troubles.  In honor of the little bits, I am still knitting tiny baby bunnies.  

Hint, Hint

A few months ago, my younger brother sent me a link in an email about crocheting an Android figure. I filed the hint idea away for future reference for gifting. Fast-forward to the news that he was about to finish his degree, and I knew I needed to get out a hook and some green yarn.

I did not follow any patterns for this, but just looked at the shape of the Droid mascot and put my experience in crocheting amigurumi figures into play. It was a fun, simple, little project, and one that I am pleased to give my brother in honor of his graduation. If only getting a good photo of this little creature was as easy as crocheting it. Seriously, you would not think that this would be such a challenge, but it really was.

Pointless Arguing

I finally got around to making the polymer clay weapon for death, and he is complaining. He says it should be bigger. He says I should have made it sooner. I told him it is not a good day to bother me about this. I said that we can re-visit the issue later, but that I am going to bed. He said it would be easy to fix, and that it would only take me a few minutes. I explained to him that it is a bit more involved than he understands. He pouted. I told him that everything is fine, even if it does not feel that way right now, that it would be unhelpful to get in a state about all that needs to be done, and that we will get it straightened out when we can.

Some Assembly Required

Like all amigurumi, at this point I am so close, and yet so far.













Oh, ForForksake, (why, yes, I do quote Mr. Jefferies when appropriate) I have 24 magnets, rather than the required 28! Is that store open right now, and if so, do I feel like going there right now?

He's Not to Blame

However, just in case, I got this brain-munching maniac out of my home. After hearing how much my brother enjoyed Zombieland, making this birthday gift seemed like a--wait for it--no-brainer. I gave him his present Saturday evening at the party. We were hoping for a marshmallow fire, but our abundance of rain put that off for another time.

I am pleased with the finished Corporate Zombie. I took my time and worked a little bit each day. I thought that I had red felt for the dripping blood, but think it turned out for the best that I had to embroider it instead. The assembly and embellishing details took the most time. They are also what made it something I feel good about giving as a gift. It is a painstaking undertaking, but worth it.

Throughout the creation of this creature, I more closely studied the book containing the pattern, Creepy Cute Crochet. It is a good little book, filled with interesting characters to crochet, as well as some helpful information for making them. I also saw that the perhaps the editing process took more from the book than it ought to have. For example, it states on the back cover, "...more than 20 unique patterns for totally loveable zombies, ninjas, Vikings, vampires, aliens, robots, and even Death himself." Well, amongst the 21 patterns, there are no Vikings.

If the author had been allowed perhaps a dozen more pages, this volume would have been outstanding. Still, there are ways to access information that I think should have been in the book. Over on the website, she offers expansion pack patterns that can be made if you already have the book. I think I want to make The Valkyrie. There are also great tutorials, including this one to help with hair. I definitely needed that help. The book could have really used this additional information. I am just glad that I did a little search and ended up at the author's site. It made all the difference, and I finally put that old hairpin lace tool to use.

Just Duckie

I reached up amongst the brown paper sacks, and pulled down the selection for March. Nestled between the perfectly pine green yarn was a slip of paper. I will be knitting a Nancy Bush pattern from her 2001 release, Knitting on the Road! Yes, for the psc, I am knitting a nearly decade old pattern with the readily available Knit Picks Essential sock yarn, and I have never felt less exclusive. I love it! I can only hope I love knitting my New England socks as much.

It will be nice to have a more portable project. Sometimes I am just not up for a 574-stitch round. They will also help to satisfy my yearning for new lace. Still, socks are not a shawl. I think I know what the next lace will be, and I am OK to wait for it.

For today's photo offering, I give you a poor snapshot of the latest amigurumi. This went to my niece at the birthday party yesterday. It went over well, as did the ninja for her brother. Tomorrow will have a more entertaining picture.

Death and the Ninja

I finished the first two amigurumi creations from my new book. These were fun and easy to make. The ninja is going to a nephew for his birthday. Death still needs a sickle. When I pick up a toaster oven, I will use it to bake polymer clay accessories. I do not know why I never thought of that for the eyes, but it will be perfect.

Anyway, I also finished the amigurumi tiger I started last year. I forgot to take a picture of it before giving it away. I will endeavor to remedy the photo situation, soon. There are plans to get together with the family this weekend for a birthday party.

Speaking of birthdays, I know I need to crochet an amigurumi critter for my niece. She will feel hurt if her brother gets one for his birthday, and she does not. I just need to figure out which one I think she would like the best. I am thinking that perhaps the vampire queen, sheep, or maybe a turtle would be right for her. No, I am not in the habit of giving a present to siblings of the birthday child. This niece and nephew is a twin set.

Next up--dishes and laundry. Of course, the spinning wheel is singing to me, beckoning me to spend a bit of time, telling me to not set the timer.

Newness

My sister has a new puppy called Lucy. She seems like quite a sweetie.













I have a new book. I do not think you can call any of the critters in it sweet.

That's a Tiger By My Toes

I like the feel of my Red Brick Road sock, but I am not thrilled with the look of it. The mock cable does not show up well with this yarn. I will knit it a bit more before I decide whether to rip or not. The alpaca is so nice and soft, but it may work up better in a different stitch pattern.

I have also been working on an amigurumi tiger. Now that I have the head and all of its details finished, I should be done with this soon. Sewing on the stripes has not been my favorite part of this, but it is turning out to be so cute. I keep looking at the other Chinese Zodiac critters, and I want to make more.

Well, I need to finish up for the night and switch to weather-aware mode. They are predicting possible bad stuff for the middle of the night. I am going to make sure we have the volume up on the weather radio. I am operating on the theory that if we are prepared, nothing will happen. Also, I am hoping that we have earned some credit with all the recent power blips of late, and our electricity will stay on through it all.

Finding Emo

Last Friday was my younger brother's birthday. As is our family's habit, we have not decided on a time to get together for the event. It will probably be rolled together with my birthday later this month. There is more to celebrate. He recently graduated from UCLA (local funny). In honor of his accomplishment, I made this little owl for him. I love the little amigurumi critters, but crocheting is a bit hard on my hands.

Thanks to the magic of Ravelry and watching friends' queues, I found my next amigurumi project, but it would be one I needed to make right away, too. I told my hands to suck it up and bought this pattern. I knew that I needed to make it for my younger brother as soon as I saw it. My brothers latch on to a word or phrase and then beat the living daylights out of it as they use it at every turn. My younger brother is most decidedly enamored with the word emo.

I hope that he finds this gift to be funny. If he fails to see the humor, at least he will have an emo kid to keep him company.

If I'm Lion

When I last laid down the amigurumi baby lion, I had finished the head, embroidered face details, and completed and attached the mane. Then it sat and waited for me. I thought about it occasionally, and thought that the project was doomed to remain unfinished when I put it away out of sight. As my nephew's summer break was over, I decided the time had come to complete it.

Robuddy played Zelda while I finished crocheting. At one point, he was swinging the lion limbs by the yarn tails left on for sewing. The closer I got to finishing, the more interested in the project he became. He offered suggestions for colors when I crochet the daddy lion to go with the son. He pointed out that a baby lion would not have a mane. He wished for a crocheted tiger. He thanked me.