An Apple A Day...

...keeps the doctor away, as long as it is not in an appletini.

My mother recently bought a set of stemless martini glasses as a gift for an aunt of mine. Here's what they look like:


By yarnmonkie

They are for drinking Appletinis. Just reading the ingredient list makes me shudder. The drink is made with a slice of a granny smith apple in it. *shudder, again* I offered to make a coaster set to go with the gift.

After some flailing about with the yarn and teaching myself a new-to-me stitch, I got what sort of resembles an apple slice. I ended up making a set of 4 of them. Here are come pictures.

Made with Red Heart (lime green color, not sure of the exact color name), aran and Red Heart Softs brown (for the stems). on an acrylic g hook using trc, dc, hdc and sc.

One coaster:

By yarnmonkie,

One with the glass:

By yarnmonkie

For the record, an appletini is that exact color. Eww, eww, eww!

Mala Beads and How to Store Them

Over 10 years ago, I bought a set of mala beads from a Monastery in Tibet. Which was no small feat then, because you just couldn't hop online and buy them like you can now. My beads came with a small carrying pouch, which I never liked because I literally had to twist the beads into a small ball to get them in there. Over years and moves, I lost the pouch, but was able to hang onto the beads. They usually sat on my dresser or jewelry box. It dawned on me that I could make a new pouch for them. While digging through my yarn stash in search of a yarn that just called out to me, I found part of a skein that is a mohair/wool/acrylic blend. Very fuzzy and quite beautiful. I don't recall the brand name of the yarn.

SC on a bamboo h hook. 8" long x 3 " wide (closed). Simple chain tie closure. SLST around to make the shape.

Closed:
By yarnmonkie

Open:
By yarnmonkie

I made a bit of the beads stick out so you can see where the flap and pouch opening is.

Open/Inside:
By yarnmonkie

My beads are the longer 108 bead ones. That's why I made such a long pouch. I only have to loop them once to put them in. Here's a image of the beads out of the pouch.

By yarnmonkie

Of Pot Holders and Trivets

Over the past two months, I've been working on a set of potholders for my parents. Six pot holders to be exact. They were made holding two strands of cotton yarn together and single crocheting on a h hook. After making one or two, I was ready for a break. I think that's why it took me so long to make them all.


By yarnmonkie

Then, with the left over yarn, I made a set of three trivets. The went much faster. I made the set of three with in an hour. They are DC on a I hook.


By yarnmonkie

These were so easy to make. I would have no problem making more of them.

Triangle shawl no. 2, update

I decided that the shawl wasn't going to work and pulled it all out. I started it over again, adding several more inches to it. I finished it, again and it still seems small. I'm adding the boarder to help it out. I'm at a loss as to what to do about it. The yarn is so springy, it draws up no matter what I do. I'll finished it and get her opinion about it. I'm not going to weave in and tie anything off until she likes it.

*frustrated*

Triangle shawl, number 2

This is my second triangle shawl this month. My grandmother asked if I could make her one. She offered to buy the yarn. How could I refuse?

She bought Red Heart Light and Lofty in Cap Cod Multi.


By yarnmonkie

I started on it tonight and finished the main part of the shawl. For the life of me, I can't figure out why it seems so small. I think it is because of the yarn type...maybe. It might be because the last triangle shawl I made was 7 feet across. I'm going to add a boarder on the two sides to beef up the edges a bit. If all else fails, I'll pull it out and start again. I'm pretty sure the boarder will help.

Here it is ready for the boarder.

By yarnmonkie

one closer up:

By yarnmonkie

Done on a q hook. I'm doing the boarder on an n hook (which is what is in the picture).

Learning intarsia with the Punisher

Two of my favorite things are crocheting and comic books. I never really thought to try to crochet anything from the comics I read before. But, while taking to a friend, it hit me. I could crochet that! That being the Punisher's logo:


By yarnmonkie

First, I had to grid it and work out how to do intarsia crochet. Grid was finished this morning, a quick try or two on the intarsia process and I got started.

I ended up with this:


By yarnmonkie

Not the best, but pretty good for a first try. I think it would have been better had my printer not flaked out on me and not wanted to print black ink. Hard to do a black and white grid in shades of gray. I'm going to try again, different Punisher logo just because the he has the best logo out there.

Baby gifts for the military baby

A friend of mine recently had a baby. I decided to make her a little something. I didn't want to send her the whole light blue and yellow deal like you see in most boy baby gifts, hand made or not.

Her husband is a military man...what could I make....? Then it hit me. Camouflage baby! I doubt she'll get a gift like this.

First up, the blanket:

Red Heart Multi in camouflage, Caron pound skein in black, h hook. 6 granny squares, slst together and edged. (DC, SC, SLST)


By yarnmonkie

I decided to make a small bear for the baby. She also, has another child, a bit older. I couldn't leave him out. The smaller one is for the baby, larger for the older child.


By yarnmonkie

The bears were made form a pattern bought from Roxy Craft. The larger bear was on a f hook, the smaller on a d hook.


By yarnmonkie

When you have the bears on a blanket you can barely see them. Almost like they are camouflaged or something...

Trade Squares for July

Here are my 4 8" x 8" trade squares for the month of July.

The first picture, the square on the left has rows of fringe on it. it didn't come across in the picture.


By yarnmonkie

I love the fringe look but it was tedious to do on a small hook (h). I would do it again on a larger one. Maybe a n hook.

The one on the right in both pictures were done on a n hook. The ones on the left were both done on a h hook.


By yarnmonkie

Spot of tea...?

I have a thing for tea. I love tea. I love to crochet. Why not crochet tea?


By yarnmonkie

MMMM, tea! Tea is always good with lemon in it!


By yarnmonkie

Made on a f hook, caron pound of love (dark purple), red heart softs (brown), red heart sport (yellow), red heart super saver (off white and flecked off white).

It took about 2 hours to totally complete. That was with a lot of trial and error.


By yarnmonkie

Everything is removable, including the cup's saucer. I didn't think to get a picture of the saucer separate. The tea is just a circle of fabric, propped up on some stuffing. I will sew it in eventually, when I decide if that's how I want to keep it.


By yarnmonkie

Now, if I could only make a tea kettle...

Tea Bag Holders/Cozies

I'm never exactly sure what to call these. Tea Bag Holder? Is it really a cozie? A pouch? They hold several wrapped bags of tea and have enough room for a few packs of sweetener if you like. My first one was smaller and I sort of had to stuff everything in there. These are bigger, a bit more stretch to them, room for more tea!

Here's my first one. This one is mine! ALL MINE!!!

By yarnmonkie
By yarnmonkie

Inside are 3 bags of tea and 3 packs of 'Sugar in the Raw'. I carry it in my purse for 'Tea Emergencies'.

Here are the two made last night. The pink-multi one is 5" tall by 4.5" wide and quite roomy. It has a button loop on the end of the flap. The purple/pink one is 4.5" by 4.25".

By yarnmonkie
Open views:

By yarnmonkie
By yarnmonkie

I'm using Bigelow tea bags because they seem to have the largest outer wrappings. If Bigelow tea bags fit in there, pretty much any other kind will fit.

MONSTER SHAWL!!!!

It all started out innocently enough. I wanted a nice big shawl for myself. Something airy, lacy, pretty. I had the perfect yarn. I started out making one using a pattern using the Solomon Knot. I worked on it steady for days before I realize I had no idea what I was doing. Yes, it looked pretty, but it wasn't what I wanted. I pulled all my work out and started again. HDC on a Q hook, decreasing on each end as I went. I usually never measure what I make, while making it, unless it needs to be a certain size. This is my downfall. While sitting I chained until I though it looked long enough. Draped it across my shoulders, liked how it was and started out to hooking. This was on Friday evening. Today (Sunday) I finish up, slap on a boarder and am pretty please with myself. Then I try it on. It's long, alright. Past my finger tips on both hands. I'm 5'7", the mid point of the shawl comes mid calf on me. I finally get out the measuring tape (the big one) and have my husband help me measure it. Finger end to Finger end, 7 feet. Mid point to mid point, 7 feet. O_O WOW. That's one big shawl. A MONSTER SHAWL!!! I love it, though.

Here's a picture folded, so you can see the stitching, boarder and all of it in on image.


By yarnmonkie

Here is one stretched out. I couldn't get far back enough in my kitchen to get the whole thing in the picture.


By yarnmonkie


The yarn was bought in a bulk unknown bag. I don't know what it is or who makes it but I love it and would like more of it. Now, if it would just get cool enough for me to wear it.

Goals for the year

Last night, as I was looking at my basket after basket of yarn, I decided that I needed to stash bust. My problem is that I love to buy yarn. Even if it is just one or two skeins. Now, I have so much yarn, I don't know what all I have. I do know that I own more Fun Fur than any one person should have.

My goal is to stash bust, at least some, before I buy any more yarn. I'm hoping to make a few small projects that I can give out a gifts for the holidays. I'm sure I can do that.

My ideas so far:

• Cozies/Holders (tea, purse items, etc)
  
• Scarfs/Hats/Small Wearables
  
• Amigurumi!
  
• Bags/Purses
  
• Swiffer Covers
  

I'm sure this list will change as time goes on. These pretty much can all be done with one skein. Some I will be able to make several per skein.

Also, as a note for myself:

Write up Swiffer Cover Pattern and Barrette Holder Pattern.

You can see a running list of my monthly goals/projects on the right hand side of my blog. If you are reading on a RSS feed, click the link with in the post to get to my blog.