block 'n tackle knitting

Here are a few offerings from my new Etsy store postings.  I had fun taking these at the park!  (Do you like my new buzz-cut?)  ;)

I'm re-vamping my Etsy store and taking stock of all my supplies..  I want to have a very crafty winter!  I'm thinking of branching out in to some upcycling of knitted items and incorporating some cool non-knit materials into them as well.  I've been collecting junk all summer (like buttons and bits of oilcloth, scraps of pretty cloth and ribbons.. ).  Fun!  Now, to actually MAKE something with them! I'd also like to share two cool things I discovered this spring.  The first is a blog called Prick Your Finger  , which is for a yarn shop and gallery in Bethnal Green (UK).  It's given me sooo many ideas; check it out! The second is a cool new-to-me craft which is actually an ancient craft called nalbinding.   My Dad answered my plea for someone to make me some nalbinding needles, and I really want to at least try this over the winter. Soooo much to do!  I better get off the computer, now..  ;)

Mohair makes me happy, especially in the springtime.  This was quick to crochet, in a half-circle with shells to make it lacy yet warm.  This little scarflette is perfect to throw round my neck on a windy day at the beach.

Every spring I remember how lovely it is to work with and to wear laceweight mohair yarn.  I tend to find my yarn in thrift stores, so I end up with lollipop/rainbow colours, yay! Here are two shawls for spring.  The orange is a stole I mostly knit in loose garter stitch (BIG needles) and am now lengthening with a few rows of double-crochet in strawberry pink.  Yum.  Also, longer and cosier... The cucumber green shawl on the needles is going to be a triangular wrap, with eyelet lace, and probably trimmed in gold mohair crochet lace (I didn't show that yarn in the pic because the colours clashed).  I will be warm and light for the windy Victoria days and nights this summer (but must remember NOT to eat lollipops while wearing mohair haha).

Ok, I promise to stop posting pics of coffee cup warmers.  It was so cute, though! How about a free pattern? CO 36 st (worsted weight yarn) and distribute on 3 dpns rib (2k, 2p) for about 2 cm k for about 6 cm rib (2k, 2p) for about 2 more cm BO If you like, use another colour yarn to create a fair isle pattern, or stripes (just be careful to knit your pattern loosely, so you can still stretch the cuff around the cup).  This is also a great way to make wrist cuffs, and to practice colour patterning on a small scale.  It uses up scraps pretty well, too.  ;)

I upcycled! I've been looking for an excuse to combine crocheting/knitting with paper to upcycle some of the cool thingies I've been saving.. Here is a wee pouch I made that just fits business cards (or other small, flat treasures) made from a Lunar New Year Chinese lucky money envelope. Embellished with a lucky red button!

I wanted a cosy, soft hat that actually looked good on me. I had some soft, bamboo-blend yarn, and a few minutes between teaching online classes to do some stranded colour-work. I didn't want to change to dpn's. :P The result was a three-cornered, soft hat that I bound off and crocheted closed (with twisty ends). It looks great on me, but taking a pic of myself wearing it is next to impossible, so here's what it looks like off of my head..