Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Making Stuff

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.

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?

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:

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.

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!).

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.