Patrick's Technicolor Dream Squid

My brother bravely went yarn shopping with me over Christmas back home in Ohio and out of the whole store picked up this skein of yarn (Noro Silk Garden). It took me awhile to decide what to make with it, but I feel this is suitably bizarro.

Dear Elena,

What’s the difference between crocheting and knitting? I get asked this a lot, probably because I’m surrounded by science boys who ask with a slight sneer after I correct them. (See “What’s the difference?” Hutko 2008. personal communication.)

But Elena, since you asked, here’s an oversimplified rundown with some inherent bias and images lifted from the lion brand yarn website.

One stick or two?

Crocheting uses one “stick”. It has a hook at one end that is used to grab the yarn and pull it through a loop.
Knitting uses (at least) two “sticks”. They have pointed ends used to… grab the yarn and pull it through a loop.

OK, that didn’t sound very different. What do the stitches look like?

The simplest crochet stitches look like knots. When finished, you have a very dense fabric. This is great for toys and bags and such.

Knitting stitches, on the other hand, will look like v’s. Are you wearing a sweater, or a t-shirt, or socks? Look closely and see if you can find the v’s. Knitting produces a stretchy fabric, great for socks!

Which is easier to learn?

Dude*, you just have to try both. Most people like one better than the other. I think young fingers would have an easier time juggling one hook to crochet, but I do know that in the olden days, Waldorf schools taught knitting before reading!

Here’s what you do. Tell your Mom or Dad to take you to the Mosaic Yarn Shop, in Bonomo's Plaza, 880 University City Blvd. You can pet the yarn and talk to the people there who I am certain would be more than happy to get you started.

*Yes Elena, your NorCal birthright entitles you to the vernacular use of “dude.”

Ennui-ed Scientist

I'm not so much a mad scientist as I am one trapped in a perpetual state of ennui... but looking at the base ingredients for this latest creation, I paused.

It looks like a mad scientist at work....

But the end result is a perfectly normal 8 legged cephalopod stuffed with catnip and love who enjoys hanging out by the liquid nitrogen tank.
(I tried a few eerie shots with fog billowing up and around while filling a dewar, but you couldn't see the 'pus.)

Spring Greetings!

Here's a scarf I finished a while ago and decided to photograph because I was wearing it... It's crocheted with Trendsetter aura, the most beautifully impractical novelty yarn of them all.

Last Funky Bunny

Seriously, this is the last one. It's the third one I've made and I am starting to think they might be conspiring against me. If I build and disperse this evil army of deceptively cute rabbits, can't they bide the time quietly sharpening their always growing fangs, waiting for the perfect moment to rise up and take back these hippie polluted woods? How am I to traverse campus calmly, knowing that at any hour, day or night, they may lie in wait to destroy their maker. Last funky bunny. Ever.

Hot Paddy's Day

Here's a finished project made from my St. Patrick dyed skein of yarn. I desperately needed a pot holder, having been reduced to pulling things out of the oven with an old t-shirt. I used this pattern and was really pleased with how the striping developed. Yea me.

Stitches from the Heart

I'm going to visit a friend in San Francisco at the end of the month and believe it or not, she lives a mere 2 blocks away from ImagiKnit, an infamous Bay area yarn depot. I was checking out their inventory online to prep for the pilgrimage and saw they were an official drop off site for the charity Stitches from the Heart.
I hate going empty handed, so I'll be working on some infant and preemie hats to take with me. Feel free during this season of birth and renewal to crochet or knit along and share your stash with a chilly baby.

Dyeing for St. Paddy's Day

I have an Irish sounding name and all of my male relatives are named Patrick, but our actual Irish bloodline is a bit skimpy. For this reason, every year around this time, I enthusiastically overcompensate with mass quantities of artificially colored food and drink. This year, I am extending the dye to yarn and came up with this skein that I absolutely adore. It's a worsted weight cotton, with enough time to become something cool by Monday.

Consumer Electronics for Me

The tax refund went towards the purchase of a new laptop (right). My old one (left) was dying, not so slowly, and my work was suffering. The old one has been to meetings across the USA, as well as several international destinations, like China and the absolute farthest location from land on earth in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Farewell, good Dell, you have served me well.

Mr. Funky's Bunny

An Easter-time pal for my grandma, pattern from Mr. Funky Super Crochet Wonderful.

Lord of the Dance

As part of the ongoing St. Patrick's Day preparations, I present to you... Patrick, Lord of the Dance.

Don't send a lame St. Patrick's Day eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Baby Bobcat

I don't have any finished crafts today, just a few UFO's that aren't hardly worth photographing, so how about we ponder the existential importance of baby bobcats. Aren't they cute? Not as cool as German giant rabbits, but a close second.