Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Making Stuff

March 3, 2010
By

Okay, okay, the Olympics are over.* To prove to you I did stuff other than walk around town talking to strangers and screaming my head off about sports, behold: I made some stuff, too. And only some most of it is Games-related.

First up, I embroidered. Yes I did. A friend of ours is due to have a baby in a month or so, and she asked her friends to contribute a quilt square. The theme: pirates. I used a pattern from SummerSweetStudio.

pirate parrot embroidery photo

Greg also made a square. He was far more ambitious in his rendering of a mariner’s compass. Pretty impressive from someone who swears he hates sewing, eh?

Greg's Mariner's Compass Square

I made these earrings when we were in Whistler, and I wore them pretty much every day till the end of the Olympics. The red beads are vintage glass, and I love the subtle texture on them:

Go Canada! Earrings

WARNING: Yellow ahead.**

Remember Scout’s Swag’s Olympic Medal Yarn? Well, once mine arrived I couldn’t let it sit untouched. The day after it came I cast on Amy Swenson‘s Karen Shawl. The provisional cast on bit nearly killed me, but I made it through. And I’m glad, because it would seem I’m in a simple-shawl-making mood, and I’m sure that cast-on method will come in handy.

Olympic Medals Shawl

The yarn’s totally soft and squishy, too. I’m thoroughly enjoying this project.

Finally, in a fit of uncontrollable impulse last week, I ordered yarn to make a hat like the ones the Swedish Olympic team wore. I was so impulsive that I didn’t even check with my local yarn store to see if they had the yarn right here in town (they do carry it, so if you’re in Vancouver, go to Urban Yarns!).

Look familiar?

I’m not following any of the patterns people have posted, preferring to just wing it. I’m not convinced I’m nailing it, but whatever. I’m using Garnstudio Eskimo yarn and a 7.0mm hook for fairly tight stitches.

It seems I’m back into the swing of making stuff. And it’s making me happy.

* The Paralympics are coming!

** I usually hate yellow. It’s my least favourite colour and always has been. I do love how cheery it can make things look. I appreciate yellow. I just don’t often use it. So this is like a giant yellowfest for me.

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  • http://jellidonut.blogspot.com/ JelliDonut

    Pirate=Johnny Depp. Can't help it! The parrot is very cute.

  • http://www.BethToddCreatz.etsy.com/ Beth

    Greg's square is awesome!
    Can't wait to see how your hat comes out!
    Love the shawl, too.

  • http://www.thehookandi.com plainsight

    OMG, the pirate bird is so cute! I'm glad you're branching out into Yellow. I sometimes feel like seasons have colors for me, like in the fall, I'm often attracted to red. Right now, everything I'm knitting is purple and orange. Go figure!

  • http://www.kimwerker.com Kim Werker

    Purple and orange for winter. Or… crocuses!

  • http://www.penguingirl.com penny

    I normally strongly dislike yellow too, but oh how i fell for scout's awesome medal yarn. :)

  • http://www.kimwerker.com Kim Werker

    Me too! It's always lovely when a story or special meaning changes how I see
    something, you know?

  • http://www.spoolofthread.com/ Lili

    The pirate parrot and compass are both so awesome! I didn't realize that you were married to untaped quilting talent! I wouldn't even tackle piecing like that.

    I love the Olympic medal yarn so much! I just ran over and it is sadly all sold out. Your shawl looks so cozy! I might have to find a less exciting colorway to make my own.

    I am loving the yellow right now too. I am keeping a running tally of all the yellow fabrics I've picked out for the store. For awhile there, it seemed like all of my favorites had yellow in them in some way and I had to cut back. Can't wait to see how the hat and shawl turns out!

  • http://www.kimwerker.com Kim Werker

    The yarn you picked for your shawl is stunning! We'll have to make a
    twinsies date when we've both finished knitting. (I can't believe I just
    suggested that in public. But I still totally think we should do it.)

  • http://www.kimwerker.com Kim Werker

    The yarn you picked for your shawl is stunning! We'll have to make a
    twinsies date when we've both finished knitting. (I can't believe I just
    suggested that in public. But I still totally think we should do it.)



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