The Annual First Bee Day 2016!

Remember last year's First Bee Day?
This year it's much earlier! I hope this little bee knows what she's doing flying out so soon!

Our garden really starts to look like sprig is just around the corner:

Few days ago I dug one of my unfinished projects - My Wedding Stole:

I started it in 2013 and was planning to wear it on my wedding in July 2014. However when I finally picked my wedding dress it no longer matched. On top of that, it was a really hot summer!

So.. I decided to frog my stole's remains and go for something easy yet gorgeous looking. And I found Banana Leaf Shawl pattern. Unfortunately my lovely husband showed me how to add my card to PayPal account... now I can buy whatever I wish without asking him for help. Clever move, honey! 

It's quite straightforward and easy to do without looking into pattern. I'm using Drops Lace for this in natural white and 4mm needles. Believe it or not but this part took only 7 grams of my 100g skein:

The pattern will surely pop out when it's blocked! Also it's so soft! Almost like Tiny Tina's fur!

I hope this time I will have enough patience to finish this - I need to have it so bad! In fact, I'm getting back to work right now.

Have a nice afternoon! 

Gosia

Knitter's block.

Is there such a thing? You know, like writer's bock? I'm pretty sure there is...
...and I'm in the middle of it :(

Since my last post (three weeks ago) I managed to set up pockets and ALMOST finish ring cables in my Creamy Cardi. If it wasn't for Netflix I probably wouldn't knit a single row. But since we finally got it in Poland I have a reason/excuse to knit every evening.

I made it longer than the pattern said. 

Otherwise I would end up with pockets starting somewhere here:

I should be getting to ribbing pretty soon. I think I will go for tubular bind-off again, because I used it on collar and I absolutely loved it! Yes, yes, it takes a lot of time to complete but effects are great - no flaring and whole thing stretches just right. 

Doing Kitchener stitch over 195 stitches? Sounds like fun!

Yesterday I went on a train trip to Katowice with my hubby. Voluntary this time! We ate delicious burgers, finally went to see Revenant and had a really good time. 

And look what I took out of a slightly dusty project bag:

I'm just two double corners away from completing it! I... CAN... DO... IT! 

Also I still have some weeks left until it's new owner is born - my friend is having her baby girl in May :)

Maybe my knitter's block will go away? I can feel this tingling in my fingers! Time to knit!

Have a nice afternoon!

Gosia.

Creamy Cardi Returns!

In my last post I mentioned my Creamy Cardi as my biggest failure of 2015. I can't see a better way to start a new year, than correcting that mistake, and restarting the whole project.

Here I go (again)!

Since I'm a lazy person, and lately I don't have much time to spare I decided to knit straight from my unfinished sweater.

I know, I know, I should frogg it and let the yarn straighten. But that exceeds my patience!

This time I picked a pattern from Ravelry, one of several I got from Christmas giveaways. 

It's Chance of Snow by Elena Nodel. I love how detailed instructions are! It also covers a wide range of sizes. I chose S2 and am hoping for a comfy, snugly cardi. 

Also, I went down one size using 4mm instead of 5mm needles. My first cardi's fabric felt too loose and therefore uneven. 

Now just look at those cables!

This is how far I got in ten days:

It's really hard to show how it fits around my arms while taking a selfie... Believe me when I say - that's a nice fit!

There's not much going on in my crafter's life right now. Maybe except a funky Twiddlemuff I made for my grandma. You can read more about it in pattern from Warrington Hospital:

In last week temperatures returned to more friendly -2 to +3°C, but before that we had -15°C at night! This of course attracts dozens of birds to our feeder... and one very persistent, but luckily lousy, hunter:

He's been visiting for last three years, but haven't caught a single bird. But just look at this determined face!

I feel a need to add few rows to my cardi. Can't waste that!

Have a nice evening! 

Gosia. 

PS.: Hasiok&Friends is celebrating it's first birthday! I'd like to thank all visitors, especially those who managed to read my post this far. You're the best!

2015

Happy New Year!

I couldn't bring myself to go out today and take any pictures, because winter has finally arrived. After warm, sunny Christmas we now have windy, dark and cold days.

I guess it's time to look back at my last year's work. Here we go:

In 2015:
I added 31 new Ravelry projects.
4 of them are still WIP.
I also started countless side projects, which never even reached my Ravelry notebook.

Judging by this chart, amigurumi is still my favorite craft category! :)

My husband decided that the Best Project of 2015 Award goes to..

No surprise here - BB-8!

If I were to choose my personal favourite I would probably go with Harby the Reaper:

... or BB-8 :)

The one that made me feel really proud was Box-o-Gnomes:

And finally.. one I would like to forget about is my Creamy Cardi, In fact, today I decided to restart this one using smaller needles and totally different pattern. I think this counts as a New Year's resolution, doesn't it?

Speaking of resolutions, there are few others I made:

• Keep my blog alive for another year (actually it all started as my resolution last year!)
• Finish Ten Stitch Corner Blanket before it's owner is born... May is coming so soon!
• Get my stash in order!

They all seem more or less doable, maybe except the last one. But 75% success rate should keep me satisfied for another year.

So... have a nice year! :)

Gosia.

...Star Wars all the way!

Just a quick post today.
We went to see new Star Wars yesterday. My hubby in his All-Terrain Awesome Tank and me holding our very own...

...BB-8!

I made this sweetest of droids almost a month ago. It is improvised from top to bottom and I'm not really planning on releasing the pattern.

Antennas are made from pipe cleaners and I trimmed the fluff excess :)

That's all for today because I'm busy with Christmas preparations. Today I'm making pierogi for my family.

Have a nice afternoon!

and (of course)

May the Force be with you!

Box-o-Gnomes.

Time goes by so quickly when you have an "adult life"! Work-home-work-home... And just like that first part of my internship just comes to an end! I wanted to give my coworkers a nice goodbye present, which happens to also be a Christmas gift.

Since I needed something to work up quickly I thought of...

A Box-o-Gomes!

As you can see I took time to give each gnome an original outfit and different mustache/beard style.

How to make your own Box-o-Gnomes?

\

You'll need:

• Yarn: I used Yarnart Etamin (sold in skeins of 30g): red, beige, green and grey - 1 skein of each color should be plenty for at least 12-18 gnomes.
• Crochet hook: I used a 3mm one, my gnomes are 6cm/2,5inch tall. Use a hook that fits your yarn.
• Stuffing material: I prefer using polyacrylic filling from pillows.
• Black acrylic paint/safety eyes/black beads
• Small scraps of grey felt.
• ... and a box.

Gauge is not important.
Do not join rounds.
Numbers in brackets () indicate number of stitches after each round.
Abbreviations are in US crochet terms.

sc - single crochet
hdc - half-double crochet
inc - increase = sc2 into next sc
dec - decrease, I strongly recommend using invisible decrease!
BLO - working in back loops only

HAT (with red yarn):
1) sc 6 into magic loop
2) sc 6
3) *inc, sc* around (9)
4-5) sc 9
6) *inc, sc 2* around (12)
7-8) sc 12
9) *inc, sc 2* around (16)
10-11) sc 16


HEAD (beige yarn)
12) sc 16 - back loops only
13) sc 16
14) sc 7, popcorn st* into next sc, sc8
15) sc 16

*popcorn stitch - make 5 hdcs into next stitch, pull hook out, put hook through the first of 5 hdcs and drag the working loop through.

BODY (alternating between green and grey yarn)
16) *inc,sc7* around (18)
17) sc 18
18) *inc, sc2* around (24)
19) sc 24
20) *inc, sc3* around (30)
21-22) sc 30
23) *dec, sc3* around (24)
24) *dec, sc2* around (18)
25) *dec, sc* around (12)
26) *dec* around (6)

Fasten off  and sew remaining hole.


Paint on, embroider or sew on eyes.

Totally professional painter's kit.

Cut out a desired mustache/beard shape from grey felt. Sew on just below the nose.

Hulk Hogan & hipster!

© Copyright M. Machowska - Escherichia,  December 2015 
© Copyright for pattern remains with the designer. Intended for personal use only. Not for commercial use.
Please do not sell items made with this pattern. Unless it's for charity – feel free to do that :)

Pdf available on Ravelry: here.

Have fun creating you own gnome army!
And a nice afternoon!
Gosia.

Christmas preparations start... today!

It's December already! Weather resembles early springtime, but you can tell holidays are just around the corner.

Today I promised to help with decorating my workplace for Christmas (isn't paediatrics the best?).
I made one blue owl from pattern by Moji-Moji Design... and I decided it shouldn't be lonely so I made her a little sister based on the same pattern.

Then I wanted to make one of those lovely half-circled birds I saw on Lucy's blog. Being to lazy to check out the exact pattern I decided to improvise. How hard it could be, right?

Well.. instead of an adorable birdie I ended up with a rare specimen known as a Failbird.

What a lovely plumage!

Despite his general quirkiness he seems to get along with my owls very well:

Speaking of preparations for Christmas I decided to clear my conscience.

6 years ago I made I promise I didn't really keep. I was supposed to make a Vault Boy for my classmate. I couldn't find a pattern then and my improvisation skills were far from good.

Last week I started to play Fallout Nev Vegas again and suddenly I remembered!

I found a nice Vault Boy pattern by Bryana Amaro. It's a shame to admit that actually fulfilling my promise took me less than two hours.

But hey, better late than never, right?
I also made some special, VERY SPECIAL preparations for the Star Wars premiere. I'll share them soon!

Have a nice evening!

Gosia