Sunday 28 April 2013

4KCBWDAY7 Looking Forward

So today is the last day of knitting and crochet blog week, this has been very fun.  It's been super good for getting me off my butt and actually post.

A year from now I want to be finished all the project that I'm currently working on.  Which I feel like it's a reasonable thing to accomplish.  Some other goals for next year is to learn how to do plan pooling and how to knit socks which is something I've been wanting to do for years.  I also want to continue spinning my own yarn.  I'm really enjoying it, and its kinda cheaper to buy fibers than yarn. I'm going to post picture of my spun yarn once I'm done.


So thank you to eskimimi makes for planning this week, it was super fun, and I loved reading the other blogs people where doing.  I'm looking forward to next year.


Zoe  

Saturday 27 April 2013

4KCBWDAY6 A Tool To Covet

Happy Weekend,

So today its to talk about a tool that's your favorite.  I have problems picking my favorite, this applies for absolutely everything. Psychoanalysis that as you want.  Anyways my favorite tool can fit into a convenient ziplock bag. 

Here it is all laid out. 


My favorite tools are:
-a set of double pointed needles( I'm using two of them for a project so they're not in the picture)
-set of cable needles
-tapestry needle
 -crochet hook

My crochet skills are still developing and I've used this hook for every crochet project I've done.  I
 love the feel of it and its very reliable.


Here's my needle I use to finish all my work, to bring the ends of my yarns in.  I "borrowed" it from my mom, and again I use it because it's reliable.  


This cable needles I got in this cute little wool shop I found in Ottawa.  It was like 2 dollars and it's been great for cabling, it comes in 3 sizes for different types of projects.  I love them, and they also work really well to keep my hair up.  You get kinda creative when your trying to study late at night and your hair is poking your face.  


So here's are my favorite tools, I love them and they've been very good to me.  

Last day of knitting and crochet blog week tomorrow, 

See you then 

Zoe 

Friday 26 April 2013

4KCBDAY5 Something A Bit Different


Day 5 of Knitting and Crochet Blogging week, so for something a bit different 


THIS IS MY HAUL
whattttt..........

Sorry, not sorry, for the Lizzie Bennet Diary's reference, if you haven't heard of it you should check it out on youtube and cancel any plans you had for the weekend.  

So today I went to the Creativ Festival in Toronto, which was supper fun.  It was really busy and it was nice to see so many crafters in one location.


I got a couple things but over all I think I showed high levels of self control, I could have gotten a lot more.  I mean a lot....

Also here's some pictures of stuff I saw at the show....





 

So now to the haul....

First thing I got was a drop spindle,  with starter fibers.  As you can tell I started using already, it is my first time trying it, and I think I'm doing pretty well.   I got this set containing the spindle and two colors of fibers for ten dollars from the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners, which is a organization that works with guilds and stuff throughout Ontario.

 



Next I got this beautiful 80% merino 20% soy (yeah i didn't know you can make yarn out of that) blend from Farmable Fibres, for 3 dollars.  The lady that was running the both was fantastic and so nice.  If I can I will totally buy from her again. I also learn that yarn is being made out of bananas and corn, which is super cool, plus the banana fibers were super soft. 


 After the show I went to a tent sale at this yarn store in the downtown core of Toronto, I can't remember the places name but its has so much yarn, and so inexpensive.  I went there last year and I got about double this, so I showed so much control in there,  I ended up with 14 balls for about 30$, so a little over 2 dollars a ball.

Anyways I hope this counts as something different, I was busy today and almost forgot to post, but I'm over half way through the week I want to finish it. 

Always,
 Zoe 



Thursday 25 April 2013

4KCBWDAY4 Color Review

Today is all about color.  When I'm knitting I would like to say that I use all type of colors to suit every mood and occasion.  But that wouldn't be true, I love bright colors.  When people ask what my favorite color is I reply rainbow because I can't pick one.  

Although my knitting and crocheting might say different, I think back my the projects I've worked on in the past year.

I've been knitting with red and blank a lot recently. It started last year with a hat for my friend, I had a lot of extra yarn, to I knitted a hat for myself that I've posted pictures of before, then I made matching mittens and now I'm currently knitting a matching scarf.  I want to take pictures of but it's still in a box somewhere in my house from moving on Tuesday.

Here's a brief summary the colors I used a lot of this year.  

Emma Stone inspired hat tuque , mohawk tuque, and cabled tea pot cozy.

I noticed I kept to the cooler more autumn colors, like the oranges and dark greens.  The colors are more subdued then I expected.  But also grey's where a really popular color that I worked with, grated none of the stuff I did was for me.  That's much more subdued then I really planning on this year. 

Totoro, Hedgehog, and a alpaca scarf for my mum. 

Here's a really quick picture of my some of my stash:
  
    The colors are varied but I feel like I'm missing more oranges and yellows.(the yarn in the top right is green, the camera made it a lot lighter).   Lucky I'm going to the Creativ Festival in Toronto tomorrow, so I'll have the chance to buy all the yarn that I want, and become broke.

All for now,

Zoe

Wednesday 24 April 2013

Infographic 4KCBWDAY3

Day 3 everyone!!!

Today was to do a infograph of your chose.  I almost forgot to post so here's a really quick infograph I made of the types of projects that I work on, when I'm knitting or crocheting.


As you can tell I've made a lot of scarves, which I now noticed I didn't spell right, oh dear. 
At the beginning I knitted scarves because it was easier but after it was for other people and I did start doing never fancy work with them.  I also did hats mostly to match my scarves and because I really enjoy working with the circle needles.  

Thats really all for now 

See you tomorrow 

Zoe 

Tuesday 23 April 2013

4KCBWDAY2 A Mascot Project

So today's post is a extension from yesterdays post.  Where I mentioned that I am part of house monkey.  Today's post is to be a talk about a mascot, for me, my mind jumped to a knitted sock monkey.

Photo from plainliving on Flickr 


I've always had a strong affinity for monkeys, they parts of the root of my blogs name (chipmunks + monkeys = chipkey).  So now I want to knit a sock monkey in the colours of a chipmunk.   I'm going to have to do a little bit more planning and see where this pans out. 

 Can you see it?

Oh if you have the time you should search on pinterest sock monkeys, it's very cute, and there's some really cool stuff on there. 


See you tomorrow,

Zoe 

Monday 22 April 2013

4KCBDAY1 House Cup


Day one:
So today is my last exam of my first year of university which is really exciting.  It’s also going to open a lot of time to work on more project and post more. For the next week I’m going to try to post every day as part of “Knitting and Crochet Blog Week”.  Day One’s topic is House Cup. 

I feel like I’m part for House of Monkey cause I’m always trying to challenge myself in my work, it shows mostly in my knitting projects.   In the past year I taught myself how to cable, entrelac and how to knit mittens.  Which is all awesome and I’m hoping to expand more of my knitting and crafting skills.    


I also kinda relate to house of Bee because I can “flit from one interesting project to the next”.  I have a lot of unfinished projects laying around my house.  But I feel that every knitter or crocheter have that problem, and would relate to that statement strongly. 

Anyways that’s all I really have to say on the subject, I hope you enjoy Knitting & Crochet blog week.

Zoe   

ps sorry its short and i don't have any pictures, I'm moving tomorrow and I had an exam this morning, so I'm keeping it short and sweet.