I got to that “close enough” nexus before the weekend so the new design is now live. I drew the graphics myself and am pretty happy with it. Still need to tweak a few things and update some things but changes will be minor. I’ll be publishing a pattern soon too since it’s been a while… not sure of what… any ideas? Looking for a quickie but a goodie that hasn’t been done seventy bjillion times already. Leave a comment with your suggestion!

Since I’ve started making more accessories and things outside of the amigurumi realm, I’ve branched out into different fibers. While I still feel that unmercerized cotton is the best option for amigurumi, I’ve developed a fondness for wool, especially chunky single plys in bright transitioning or splotchy colours. Of course the cost of most luxury yarns, handspun or hand painted is more than I am willing to pay, but a true DIY girl at heart, I couldn’t help but want to figure out how to do it myself on a budget.

I read up and found that protein fibers (animal hair like wool, alpaca, mohair etc) can be dyed effectively with food safe colouring using Koolaid powder, food colouring or icing colouring, if there is an acid present to bond the dye to the fiber. That option was way more attractive than chemical dyes because I have a tiny kitchen and wouldn’t be able to store a dye pot and utensils, nor would I want to have to buy a dye pot and separate yarn dyeing gear. Armed with the gobs of information found here I set out to dye two balls of Stitch Nation Full O’ Sheep yarn I got on clearance with a mixture of KoolAid and regular liquid food colouring with lemon juice to bind the dye. I used the hand painted method outlined here for the colour changes and heat set the dye by putting the yarn in a steam basket over a pot of simmering water for 30 minutes instead of using the microwave since my microwave is tiny. Once it was steamed, I rinsed it but the water ran completely clear, which meant all the colour was absorbed into the yarn. I hung the hank outside in the sun to dry for a few hours and then it was pretty much good to go. Clean up was a breeze and I didn’t stain or destroy anything, which means this is pretty klutz proof.

I’m really happy with how it turned out, bright and fluffy and not felted at all. I will definitely be messing around with other colours as soon as my order of Wilton’s Icing Colours and Little lamb yarn gets here. It really worked out to be a good deal even though I used KoolAid which is pricier than food colouring. The yellow was food colouring and the other colours were KoolAid and as you can see, straight food colouring did as good of a job so I’ll be sticking to that in the future. Price breakdown:

Yarn: $8 (2 balls of 155 yards each)
KoolAid: $5
Food Colouring: $2

$15 for 310 yards of rainbow yarn I had fun making is an awesome deal compared to $9.99 for 95 yards of Crystal Palace Mochi Plus yarn (what I was thinking of buying even though the colourway wasn’t really exactly what I wanted) which would have added up to $30 for the same amount of yarn. Plus it makes the thing I make with this yarn, a little more mine, which I love.

Minds, prepare to be blown. I’m not entirely sure, but I think this pattern may cause the universe to collapse or create a rip in the space-time continuum… it’s that epic. If I have inadvertently triggered the apocalypse, my apologies for those of you who will surely perish, but clearly it had to be done. I regret nothing.

In it’s very own “Pimp my Ride” putting things in things style splendor, I present to you the amigurumi crochet, crochet hook… an amigurumi plushie of a… crochet hook. I know right? I made him an E hook, which is my preferred amigurumi hook size, and the same size I used to make him even. I’m not too sure what I will do with this little guy, maybe hang him from my rear view mirror or create an altar to the awesomeness of crochet. As with all my patterns, this pattern is a freebie of course. Hookers rejoice!

Click to get the Amigurumi Crochet Hook Pattern

I’ve gone off the deep end… those of you who care only for amigurumi will have to forgive me. My interest in not-amigurumi has increased, while my desire to continue making just amigurumi has dwindled. I have dabbled in practical things that while perhaps cute or quirky, don’t really fit with the theme of my website, and was left to wonder what to do with the patterns I whip up. It would be a shame I think to not post them just for the sake of maintaining an amigurumi theme, and I don’t have the time to build and maintain another site. So here you have it… a lacy Nerdigurumi cowl, based somewhat on the classic shell stitch.

This cowl was made with Kroy Sock yarn, a fingering weight wool and nylon yarn made by Paton’s (Spinrite), in the Clover colourway. I needed only one ball (125 metres) to complete the cowl. The yarn is a teensy bit itchy for my tastes but it’s definitely fine for net to the skin wear, and it’s light and easy to work with. The colourway ended up looking pretty awesome and has an earthy, fall Bohemian vibe to it.

Click to get the Crochet Lacy Sock Yarn Cowl Patter

I was making basic double crochet granny squares for a baby blanket but eventually my interest petered out and it became one more projects on the stack of partially completed. I didn’t think I’d really ever get around to finishing it so I turned it into a strip of granny squares to wrap around a telephone poll on my street.

Nine squares with 2 rows of single crochet border was perfect and stretched so tightly around the rough, weather worn wood that I am certain that thing isn’t going anywhere without being cut down. I used my usual unmercerized cotton yarn in 4-ply worsted weight, a combination of Lion Cotton, Bernat Handicrafter Cotton and Lily Sugar & Creme, and a 4mm crochet hook. The pattern was a slight modification of the standard double crochet granny square. We’ll see how long it survives before the anti-graffiti yahoos that run around slapping beige paint over ever speck of street art they come across, cut it down.

Mark your calendars people, a pattern for something that isn’t a toy! My awesome boss is having a baby and she has a great sense of humour… that combined with my urge to make stuff that’s not as complex or intricate as some of the amis I have made, has sent me off in a baby stuff making bender that’s been somewhat of a delight. So many of the patterns for baby stuff are on the frilly, boring, not as cool as I’d like side of things, so I am once again, blazing my own trails and making things I think up and feel like as I go.

I watched a lot of futurama when I was working on these and I can’t say the lovely Leela wasn’t a teensy bit inspirational.

Click to get the Crochet Cyclops Monster Baby Booties Pattern