My First Knooked Project!

I knooked this dishcloth from the book by Melissa Bergland Burnham

My Froggy Dishcloth.  Kneedeep, kneedeep!

from Leisure Arts #3934, Garden Dishcloths to Knit.  I want to make more of these dishcloths.  I'm getting the hang of knooking, knitting with a crochet hook with a cord attached.  I asked my sister-in-law to teach me how to actually knit with needles and she gave me a lesson.  Not as easy as I thought.  I think I'll stick to knooking for awhile.  I hope more instructions for the knook come out. Info on the knook can be found here!

Free Domestic Shipping at Judy's Ami Shop!

For the rest of May, I am offering a coupon for free domestic shipping!  Use coupon code MAYSALE2011.  A link to my Etsy store is on this blog page.   Just FYI, I have crocheted all but one of the items for sale in my store using patterns from http://www.planetjune.com/.   If you are a crocheter, check out her pattern store and shop!  If you are not a crocheter and would like me to add something to Judy's Ami Shop that isn't already for sale, let me know what it is and I will crochet it! 

Planet June Easter CAL Roundup

Again, I went nuts and crocheted just about every pattern available for Planet June's Easter Crochet-Along.  The only thing I didn't do was the fuzzy chick pattern that came with the Fuzzy Bunny Pattern.   I couldn't find a fuzzy yellow yarn!  Doesn't everyone want a fuzzy yellow yarn?

                                                      

                                             

 I love the pink I found for the fuzzy bunny.  It is Jo-Ann Sensations Angel Hair in Posy.  I gave this bunny to my 10 year old niece for her birthday.  She is nuts for stuffed animals and amigurumi.  This bunny has become her new best friend!

 

Easter/ Spring Crochet -Along Projects

Fuzzy Bunny and Lamb

Here are the projects I've done so far for Planet June's Spring CAL.   I am selling the finished items in my Etsy shop.  I'd never really done  Fuzzy Amigurumi before so crocheting the Bunny and Lamb were a new experience.  I'm glad I didn't use Fun Fur!  The Patons Divine for the Lamb and Jo-Ann Sensations Angel Hair for the Bunny worked out well.  It wasn't too hard to see the stitches and both turned out nice and furry once I brushed them with a wire pet brush.  I plan to crochet the Easter Pocket Ami and make a Daffodil or two.

Ami Easter Eggs

Easter/ Spring Crochet Along!

Planet June has a new Easter/ Spring Crochet-Along and Contest.  Click on the button to the left for details.  Yay!  I've already started on the eggs!  I think I'll work on the Easter Pocket-Ami next!  (And I'm so glad that this picture loaded on to the blog.  I'm using my "new" hand-me-down laptop.)

My ami-eggs!

Great Big Bag of Fiberfill!

Got this at JoAnn's.  10 lb. box of fiberfill!  When I opened the box, it started to "grow" and expand outside the box.  I think it's going to take over the whole house!  Arrrgh!

Experimenting with a light box

I haven't been satisfied with the pictures of my amis for my etsy shop so I asked June Gilbank of PlanetJune.com for advice. She sent me a link to her craft blog on the topic of taking better pictures. There were several links to different sources of light boxes. I decided to go with making my own. The instructions are here. I used a small cardboard box, water color paper, and a cut up white shirt. I bought the work lamp and daylight bulb at the hardware store. I like the results. I just need to build a bigger box! 8"X8" is way to small! And I need to get another lamp and bulb, and some big sheets of bristol paper.

The way I have been taking pictures- on a towel near a window.





Hamster in the light box!  No shadows!  He is a bit cramped in there. You can see the inside edges of the box.




Love birds (without their beaks yet!) in the light box!




Piggy is so cramped!  No room! But I like the lighting.



Hamster next to the light box.

Credits:  I used Hamster and Farmyard Pig patterns by June Gilbank.  The Lovebirds pattern is by Lisa Vanvikaas and is free! http://makelittlethings.blogspot.com/2011/02/nesting-love-birds.html