Some things finished

Today I made a traditional Sunday excursion to visit my friend Malike and her kittycat, which was also a first outing for my Daybreak (links to the pattern at Ravelry). It's the first pattern I've ever purchased and the second time I make the scarf. Easy to memorize yet not boring, very versatile and oh-so-pretty, I wouldn't be surprised if I made it a couple of more times over the years. I am surprised that the biggest size is not that big after all, but I'm happy with it even though I was expecting a huge massive scarf to wrap around my face. There's nothing stopping anyone from making it bigger, of course.

Also featured: one cake-shaped pin cushion, box of crackers and drill

 Blocking has never done as many wonders as it did this time making the scarf bigger, softer and drape better. Of course, I did have help.

In the back: Pulla, aka the little monster. In the front: Kölli, aka 6,5 kilos of brains.

 
Apologies for the picture quality, but somehow the lighting is not all that good around here on February midnights. Which is why, since I was actually going outside for a change, I took my camera with me. Behold: scarf in action!

Oh right, the yarns: one black skein of Austermann Step, and a little less than one skein of Noro Kureyon Sock. The yarns have very different textures, which miraculously is not a problem AT ALL.

You may notice that in addition to the scarf (and a cowl which is probably my most useful knitted item ever) I'm wearing a hat. It is my own brainchild with fleece lining and the added warmth of crocheted, scalloped flaps. They work wonderfully, by the way, except that I can't hear a thing. Not always a bad thing.

The flaps do not quite lie flat but I'm too cold to block them.

While I was at it, I took a picture of a wall hanging I made for Malike. Now, this is not my idea, and I just now tracked down the original at Crafster. This is my version, however. The font I'm pretty sure I found on www.freepatternsonline.com, but I can't find it anymore. The border I designed myself.

The reason why I'm hunting down the specifics is that I have the grid lying around just waiting to be shared. If you click the picture below and then save it on your computer it should be plenty big enough to work from. Knock yourselves out!

Yes, cross stitch is cool.

By the way, the owner of those paws in the photograph above would like you to know that he has so far only vomited on the bathroom floor.

Malike REALLY loves her bathroom floor.

Inspirational power chords

Weeks ago I visited a local flea market and I had my eyes on some old notice boards for 2€. I didn't buy one in the end, but the thought of making an "inspiration board" haunted me, so I picked one up today. They were all still there: boring, worn and unwanted.

Also pictured: flea market frames, piles of shit, Unelma the headless doll, syphilis and a melodica.

I removed one edge by repeatedly hitting it with a hammer, pulled the board out and painted the frames with cheap-o acrylic paints I had lying around. Two layers of brown and one black.

While the paint was drying I cut a piece of fabric a bit larger than the board and ironed it. I was too lazy to hem the edges so I folded and ironed them instead. Then I stapled the fabric on the board with my housemate's kick-ass stapler.

Then I just slipped the board back into the frame, showed the hammer to the missing edge again and put some nails on the wall. Yay!

Now I can pin up pretty pictures with notes saying things like "finish new website" "knit commission hats", "start a crafting blog" (oh wait, I did that already!) and "write your goddamn dissertation, bitch!".

Encouraged by this success story and the fact that I miraculously found some dowel rods I also decided to make myself a spindle, but more on that later, i.e. when I know if it's going to be a complete disaster or not.