Saturday 31 October 2015

Happy Halloween

I gave bribed the bunnies with a lofty and I got to take a few pictures.


Want to see some of the Halloween-y things I am making?



 I made a small ghost from Simply Crochet magazine, don't remember the number though, I plan to make more in scrap yarn and make a garland or something....
M and I have this cumbersome duvet cover that was broken, after mending it but making the hole too small to fit the duvet in I decided to repurpose it. It is now our Halloween table cloths;) I just ripped it in the pieces I wanted and we now have four table cloths and a spare thing that I draped over a chair. Our house is looking very festive.

This is my dentist yarn. I have bought some more as prizes for going to the dentist, would you believe I had four cavities one on each side so the dentist recommended we took them one each time, good thing too because last time I had to have five shots of painkillers, I shudder to think what would happen if I did all teeth at once, I would have 30 shots:O

This will turn into a table runner. the pattern is free from red heart. I hope I will have enough yarn, and maybe next halloween it will be finished,

Picture from red heart.

Some other things I did to make the house more festive was to use some paper and make appropriate figures and mount them in the window. When the light is on you can see them as dark shadows on the windows. I thought that looked rather fun. I found that idea on the internet, as well as my next one.


Idea number two also involved paper, a rather inexpensive way to make some festive sights, I made a ghost and a skeleton face on some of our sliding doors. I loved this idea and we have had it like this for the past week. I like to decorate after the seasons, but tomorrow I am taking it all down.




Oh, and my first knitting adventure is finished! I made a pair of socks! They are almost identical, they fit the recipient and I have yarn to spare! Now there's another gift done in time for Christmas, and I finished within socktober too. 
I have started my next pair already, I will master this knitting of socks skill.


Tuesday 27 October 2015

My continuing Knitting adventure

I have done it! With lots of help I have managed to knit a sock! And it fits M snuggly on his foot.

My next goal is to make one with lots less help and without any added stitches. 
( I started with 56 and ended with 59, I have no idea how I managed that, but at least I didn't loose any.)
 And I don't have to finish by the end of Socktober, just Christmas;)

Look! They look rather smashing when worn.
And Mimle thinks they smell weird, daddy's feet usually stink more, these socks are practically odorless.

When not worn they look a lot less like a sock and more like something monstrous that resembles a sock but not quite. Valmin seems to think so too.

 In other news, I am preparing for Halloween. I had a party last weekend with my friends and I made these cool coasters. I also decorated and made a small ghost, I want to make more ghosts and make a garland. I hope to have another Halloween post ready later, but I really liked this pattern, the yarn were leftover yarn from my aunt, Sandnes Duo and some thick wool embroidery thread. We al dressed as witches and watched Kiki's delivery Service and Sweeney Todd, I love both movies. :) I had fun well into the morning with a cozy breakfast. The bunnies I think had as much fun, they got lots of treats and pets and the don't really like guests, but my friends are OK. ;)

On Halloween we are going to another party. I wonder what I'll dress up as then...


On Sunday M and I were invited with by a couple and went to see the Martian, I liked it, although the 3D effects hurt my head and the boys behind us were thoroughly obnoxious. Space and the sea are indeed equally frightening to me and I would not like being stranded by myself at all. 



Wednesday 21 October 2015

My knitting adventure


On Ravelry in my rabbit-group the ravelers there decided to do a knit-along because of Socktober and knit socks. Most of them are good knitters and are making beautiful socks, I and a couple of other forum-members are starter knitters and we were encouraged to join too, so I did. I started a sock!
My friend *Kio kindly said she would help if I needed in house help and went out with me to buy yarn. Sock yarn I have learned need a bit of nylon to help with the wear and tear of walking.
I bought green and purple.
Then I started. The internet and forum members said I should cast on 56, and I did, and I managed to make it in the round as well, later I learned I had done so in a very round-about-way, but hey, at least it was round! And unlike in my swatch I didn't loose or add any stitches! So far so good. But then, I had come to the dreaded heel. So I asked my friend if I could come over after my dentist appointment, and she and her dog met me and we walked over. She showed me how to make a heal whilst simultaneously make a sock with the purple yarn, she only cast on 44 stitches I think it was and I think that is what I will do next time, because that means on our feet for two socks you only need two balls of yarn! 

But look! I have a heel!

And although 56 stitches might be a bit much, since apparently my feet are thin, they do fit and don't fall off. So now all I need is to make it long enough and then there is the toe left. But honestly do I really need toes? (I think I might run out of yarn you see, but Maybe I just have to find some leftover yarn from somewhere and make a funny looking pink toe?)

I am crocheting some presents as well. Here are a stripe blanket made mostly from leftover yarn, and a sitting-mat to take with you when going on walks, also made from scraps of wool, although I need another ball of red after all. But neither is finished, the sitting-mat I had as a travel project and that is from waiting at the dentist for two appointments, I hate the dentist, so I got a present for being good and going. Two balls of orange yarn that I will make into a table runner for Halloween, maybe not this Halloween though. And yes, I DO have plenty to do that has a to-do date, that I am not currently doing, but I am sure with some frantic crafting about at the last minute will get finished like always, right?

These guys agree.
And sonce I haven't been that much home lately they have been walking at my heels all day and I have no idea how many times I have almost sat on them. I think they prefer it when I am home.
But whilst I am going out later for a meeting with my friend their bundad will be home with them, and he better not sit in the study!

Friday 16 October 2015

Friday finishes

I have another two finishes, I had to wait for my trusty model to come home from work so I could take some pictures.
But here they are:

Exhibit A:
My third ever knitted hat, it is finished at last. And I found out what pattern it was too. It was indeed Tristan from Drops.




Exhibit B:
I crocheted a hat as well. Pattern from here, which is also where I found this awesome bobble beard. I know my bobbles are not perfect, but it was a good exercise and I might need to make more.
Both patterns had to be altered a little by me because my yarn was a bit too small, but no worries, I think it looks good anyway.
 although the finished result resembles less like a beanie and more like a bucket hat, might need to practice more crochet hats, I think it looks ok. Crochet hats are hard when you are not the best in crocheting in the round and don't have the specified yarn from the pattern.

M is rocking the inmate look, or maybe is failing at trying the hipster look?

Regarding my knitting adventure, I haven't really done anymore of that even though we are halfway through Socktober already, and all the rest of my secret things on a deadline has been put at the bottom of my yarn bags while I finished and started a few more crochet blankets, oops, and I think I need to make more hats... But they might be for Christmas, the started and finished blankets,  and they are stash busting blankest, so I am doubly allowed.

Sunday 11 October 2015

Bunday and more photos


I L O V E this shot, I am contemplating using it for Christmas cards this year, since I have no time to make cards AND presents this year...

Mimle and Valmin are adorable as usual, and no bunny looks naughty but angelic, I know pictures can lie. 
I am starting a knitting adventure (more on that later) and Mimle the little thief keeps trying to pull one of my knitting needles off, and I am not yet such a proficient knitter that I can salvage stitches lost.
Valmin these days have started taking his treat and running the other way so that our little thief won't be able to steal from him, sometimes she succeeds.
They are definitely more naughty than nice.

Friday 9 October 2015

Photo an hour October

I know this photo an hour thing has been going around the blog world, and I am not quite sure who started it or what the rules are. But my friend and I decided to do photo an hour as a sort of diary of times where we do things together.
Todays excursion went first to a rather gloomy place and then the fun started, but what is with all these words? I'll let the photos speak for themselves as this is a photo post after all.


6. o'clock
I never really went to bed, so I started my day at six. Bunnies were running about, but you never get a good photo of that do you? So here they are in a pause.


7. 
I am knitting fervently, hoping that if I encounter a problem I could take it to *Kio to see if she could help, but in the end I didn't need it and I managed to finish my hat! But because of that there was no time for breakfast, oops.

8 o'clock
And as I am getting ready, this is the face I get when I was in too much of a hurry to give treats.
Not a happy Mimle.

9.
Waiting for the bus, this is todays outfit, my new lovely blue coat, these days I am loving dark blues, matching wool pantyhose and a light purple/pink dress and not matching shoes. Oops again.

On the bus with a bunch of older ladies, I am guessing they are all going to the same event, I wonder what so early in the morning.

10.
One of the main reasons today was the day we planned to go out. I had a dentist appointment. I hate the dentist. Luckily for me, he didn't really do anything today, unluckily for me, I have to go back, three times.... Oops.

11.
On the train.
The leaves are now mostly yellow or orange and the wind is cold. But no snow yet so that is good.

12.
Lunch, at McDonalds. We were hungry and didn't want to walk too far so we sort of went to the first place we found. I like hamburgers and chips, but next time let's try to be healthier, ok?

13.
Shopping!
No surprise there? The Asian section has exploded, we need to go back another time and see if there is any other fun things there. Wonder if they have any Japanese Tv-series?

And look, more art.
 There was a full wall of this. We love books. 

14.
And here we are at glazed and amused (we keep calling it glazed and amazed which sounds so much better) with the second important task for the day, pick up the cups we made at my hen-do.
Guess which one is mine?

15.
On the way home, by bus. We just made the bus as well, lucky, so we could use the same ticket as we did when we took the tram to pick up the mugs.

16.
My new yarn came in the post so we picked them up before going back to my place to fawn over it. I really adore Drops yarn. Oh, and we bought some Sandnes yarn too, to make socks, because *Kio said she would teach me.

17.
Home alone, and really tired. Almost asleep, so I try to keep busy multitasking. Playing some tapped out. Look at those purple bunnies, fitting?



18.
I have no picture of because I fell asleep. Oops.



19.
M is home! And I got sour cream porridge and we watched some X-files.

20.
Is friday, so here is some of my candy for the weekend, in the bowl my friend E2 gave me, I LOVE this bowl and use it every weekend. I have a matching mug too. Yay.

21.
Tired again, I have no idea what I have been doing these past two hours except procrastinate going to bed since it is so boring and I am too tired to go to bed, M is busy nerding and Mimle is not amused. Think it is time to just capitulate and go to bed, but better finish up this blogpost first, which is what I am doing at almost eleven...

Good Night


Wednesday 7 October 2015

Bunnies, flowers and hats in Socktober

M got flowers from work. This is one of the two vases we got from our wedding. I like it, and I love the flowers, I wonder how long I can keep them alive. 

*

 I want to show some of the hats I made this year, two were finished, but never really had a proper Tadah moment, but the last I had to redo several times, I am still not completely happy with it, the top looks a bit funny, but the yarn is too tired of frogging for me to try again, so I decided it was done too.

This knitted hat has been done for almost a year now, poor thing and never got a proper tadah post, but here it is finished. It is a tiny bit too small for M, but he wants to keep it anyway. (that is the trouble with making things and using myself as a model because I have a tiny head, and I thought I had made this the right size.)

This hat was finished several times, but first it was too small and then it was too pointy and weird looking, it is still a bit pointy, but M claims he likes it that way. This is crocheted in reflective yarn. If I ever find the pattern I used I'll let you know. 

Now it won't matter if M forgets to put his reflectors out from his jacket pocket when walking home from the bus. (Yes, it is that dark here both in the mornings and evenings already)


I found the pattern here in this Norwegian blog, she makes lots of hats and has decided to give hats for all birthdays this year.

It is supposed to look like a cat, and it does, on boyfriend! It is a bit too long on me so the ears won't show properly. So I guess I need to make another for myself? Because M refuses to wear this, maybe my curly haired friend could wear this though. I'll ask.
 This too is made of reflective yarn so that one is very visible for cars. 

I have another started knitted hat and one crochet hat, the knitted is in deep trouble because I have no idea what pattern I used. I am guessing either garnstudio or some other easy Norwegian hat pattern, but since I am such a newbie at knitting I have no idea if the patterns I am searching for is the same I started. So I might just ask someone who knows what they are doing to see which pattern is correct... It is the same as the blue and grey one, do you think it it this pattern?
But when that hat is done I am so doing the Socktober kal on revelry! I need some sock yarn though, because shockingly I have none...
But October has just started so I should be able to finish a pair of sock right? Are socks much harder than hats?

Bunnies have been really lovey-dovey after their ordeal at the photographers.
I think it did them good, I am sad M is back to work because the time we had together felt too short, we haven't really had a proper honeymoon yet.

Sunday 4 October 2015

Bunday

Since it is Bunday what better than to show some bun-pics?



At the photographers we brought familiar things like the IKEA-bed and crochet blanket from home  and edible things like herbs and pellets and then props for funny shots like the wedding bouquet and flowers.
Mimle as always went straight for the edibles while Valmin thinks less with his stomach and more with his heart and was not enticed by food.


So Mimle stole his bit too, as usual.