Friday, March 30, 2012

FPsc or hsc, mysterious stitches?

Just another video from my collection on You Tube.  This one works with the Solstice Arrow Hat and the Front Post Single Crochet or FPsc, also known as hsc or horizontal single crochet to me.  I gave it that name as I have discovered that stitch by chance.  Thanks for stopping by.

Kitchener Stich Grafting

On a Friday with a lot to do an in need of some stimuli, a little of Mountain Dew does the body good, lol. A small demonstration of the Kitchener Stitch.  I hope you find it useful. Thanks for stopping by!

Figure 8 Cast On

This is a simple video aiming at helping other do a Figure 8 Cast On.  Sometimes it takes a different approach to teach it and it always helps to repeat. Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

A Mosaic of a Hat

MosaicPhilosof
Well this is the Hat that I am working on.  This is the Philosopher's Hat .  I made this hat during the first West Coast Men Fall Knitting Retreat of 2008, at Point Bonita.  It is now that I am able to recreate this hat, and it is a fun hat, with optional Rounds, to make it more or less festive.  I will be working and testing the Baby Hat .  I am also working on a Teddy Bear Pattern  in the round. 

Those two Patterns will probably be published after April 7th, which is when my sale ends.  Remember that I am raising money to pay for my registration.

I have a Sale running until April 7th, just use the link provided here and you can purchase any of my patterns listed through the link for 50% off. I am trying to get money raised for the MFKR 2012 Registration for me. CLICK HERE

I am also working on a video that deals with the Kitchener Stitch grafting technique. Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

A Fundraiser For me to attend MFKR 2012

 If you happen to drop by my Website , I have a Fundraising Sale on my Store Pages running until April 7th, 2012. If you want to take advantage of 50% off on  PDF Patterns ,  Click at the Contact me button on the sidebar for the Coupon Code. You will help me Raise Money for the Knit-Crochet Camp Registration for ME, for the West Coast Fall Men’s Knitting Retreat 2012 (Dumas Bay, Washington State), and get great patterns as well. At the end of the sale I will let you know how much was raised.  Any extra Revenue not related to the Ribbons Pattern, will be donated to the Scholarship Fund for the MFKR 2012. The Ribbons pattern is on sale as well, but while the sale is on, 100 % of it’s net proceed goes for charity.


I have a Sale running until April 7th, just use the link provided here and you can purchase any of my patterns listed through the link for 50% off. I am trying to get money raised for the MFKR 2012 Registration for me. CLICK HERE
  At any rate if you have any problems, feel free to contact me.

Thanks for your patronage,

Crafty Andy

Monday, March 26, 2012

"Daniel " A Fair Isle Hat

May I present you my First Fair Isle Pattern.  "Daniel" A Fair Isle Hat
DanielAFairIsleHat (29a)


“Daniel“  A Fair Isle Hat.  Easy to make, with plenty of ways to start or finish it. Using knits and purls for ribbing you have options. This is a basic Fair Isle hat , that will get your feet wet into the world of Color Stranding. You can play around with the size by using different yarns and needle sizes.  You  will have “floats” (carried yarn) across the back of the work.  Floats need to be relaxed, otherwise your hat will be too tight. The hat shown is 8 inches tall and 22 inches wide unblocked, the infant hat is 12 inches circumference and 5.5 tall.  Daniel was named with the help of Gina Hooten.  Thanks to my friends James Herbison and Joe Wilcox for their suggestions and proof reading. Thanks to Naomi for helping me with the Picture Selection



DanielAFairIsleHat (3)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Kauni Hats in the making

kaunihats (1)
So the weekend caught me knit testing the second adult hat and the baby hat on this new  Fair Isle (Colour Stranding) pattern that is bound to come out some time this week or next.  I never thought much about Kauni yarns until now.  I can tell you that this is fantastic yarn for hats.  I made my second Adult size hat with a total of 40 grams of yarn.  That my friends is fantastic.  From two skeins of this yarn you can make 4 to 5 hats easily. Hope you enjoy the arrival of spring 2012 and thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Hats 2012 in motion

hats2012
It's hats galore I take.  I love making hat and this year , there are two hats in the works and there are three hats on the back burner.  You see some green on the picture, is a hat for the fall.  The ideas are in my head.  There is a hat in black and white and the far right hat is another pattern in the works. I have a name for the black and white, the other two need names.  It is Saint Patrick's day and is almost time for the gym.  I am wearing my favorite green item on Saint Patty's 2012. Thanks for stopping by!
SaintPatty2012

Monday, March 12, 2012

Tapestry Crochet WIP 2012

TapestryCrochetHat
It is amazing how these hats all look the same on the inside, but turn them around and the view is different.  I am working on my next hat to be published, it is the most asked about Hat I have in my collection, The Philosopher's Hat.  I am almost done testing the crown and will be testing the Head Band  soon.  This hat came to life at the 1st Men Fall Knitting Retreat in 2008.  Sometimes the hats I make are like drawings are to a design.  Sometimes I make patterns while making the hat, but most times I make a Hat and then create the pattern.  It is gratifying both ways, just different.

I am still working on my First Knit Fair Isle Hat for sale, soon to be published.  Life is busy and I am enjoying my creative endeavors.  Once in a while I read a book, but then I have time to weave and spin. Thanks for stopping by!

Friday, March 09, 2012

Hiya Hiya 000-000 0.7 mm

This babies are small and very delicate. This is a pair of Hiya Hiya circular needles on size 000-000 (6) Zeroes, you got it right. I got them from http://eatsleepknit.com  They are joined by a very delicate thread which I will say is some kind of fishing nylon. It looks strong, the needles actually look like a good set of needles. My review at this moment is that I like them. I will make a swatch with different yarns and see how they come out. That is an American dime and an American quarter used for scale purposes. They say the are made out of steel. Well until I work with them during this weekend I can not tell you what they knit like. They feel very delicate, but nonetheless are strong and flexible. I did not know they made knitting needles this small. I know there are scientific and medical instruments even smaller. Until later with swatches, thanks for stopping by!
SixZeroHiyaHiya

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Testing 123 , Kauni Yarns

I have never made anything from this yarn, until I decided to design a hat with it.  I got it at Stitches West, and there was a lot of hovering around the skeins.   Kauni is one of the most excellent yarns I have seen. I just like the texture of it, how easy it fuses when you want to join. It is light. I just made a Fair Isle hat,(which will be published soon), with a mere 50 grams of the stuff. Yes you heard me right, you got 150 grams of Kauni in a variegated version and a Solid and you can make 5 wool hats. The hat is light like a feather.
Weavingends (3)
So what else could I do, retest the pattern by knitting the opposites now and see what a wonderful combination is going to be.  I have to say I am in love with this yarn. In my opinion it is a good investment. Stay tuned to the pattern next week.  Thanks for stopping by!
FIWIP

Saturday, March 03, 2012

The Design Bug


I enjoy designing patterns, but I work at my own pace.What does that really mean? It means I work as inspiration strikes me.  There are times when my  mind gets a designer's block and I need to work it mentally. I am not a designer for company deadlines as that cuts my inspiration like nothing.  Talking about inspiration, there is something coming out soon, it is my first published design by a by yarn company in Tapestry Crochet, but until it comes out it is a secret indeed. 

On another note I am hoping to have a new design for a hat for Malabrigo yarns, but that has to reveal itself to me .  I will have the idea and submit it to them, then we can chat a bit about it. In the meantime I will see what it is I want to do with the Arroyo Malabrigo yarns.  There is a local Yarn Store which I used to go often, It is the best store in the area, but I can tell you I am not visiting it for at least a year.  Yep they have upset me to the point that I don't care if they exist or not.  I will buy my yarn from other places, but you will not get my money until I get over my being upset with you.  More Over I believe I may buy back my patterns and get my samples back, but I rather go to another store which I think will appreciate my art more.  We shall see, at this time anger is talking and I don't really allow anger to color my actions. When I stop being upset I will really make a decision, but for now I am not stepping into that store.
Skylight
Sometimes you get inspiration from the akashic records, believe it or not. It is said that the world of ideas is were all the ideas are and we grasp them as we tap into it.  I have been blessed with  two hat designs and a Teddy Bear to design in the next month or so.  Above is a hat that has charts and is a fun hat to make, to your surprise and mine is KNIT.  It is a  Fair Isle Hat with a folded brim, I am hoping to have the design within the month of March 2012.
WIPODP (1)
Then you have the Teddy Bear which I am designing I have done the body and the legs , I am really liking the pattern a lot and it is what I wanted to do. 
changecolorFPdc 
Here above is the hat that I am working on Tapestry Crochet, it will be an amazing hat, but I will start on it next week, maybe Wednesday.  

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Triad and Gloves for the IPAD, Tablets

TriadCards
These are cards that are for playing the game  from the series.  I have not opened them yet, but I got some extra ones for a gift.  I am in a swap and I hope my swapper is not reading this, but it is a BSG Ravelry Group and these are Triad Playing Cards. If you are in the group you need to keep complete silence or I will have  the Centurions go and pay a visit to you. I want to learn it myself. The cards and the gloves I got them from one of my favorite online shops http://www.Thinkgeek.com
Gloves
The gloves are fantastic and you can use them to work on your phone or tablet while they are on.  Imagine when you are out in the cold and your phone rings.  Or you are home and is a bit cold and you want to use your tablet. This is fantastic, I got a pair for me and one for Michael.  I also got some stainless steel thread from another company to do something with my other gloves. Thanks for stopping by!

Almost two years without blogging August 2020

Life can be a bowl of strawberries when cheries are not available.   It has been almost two years since I have been in this blog.  I have s...