A little too far this time, maybe, but I can't help it!!!!

http://www.destructoid.com/this-custom-made-yoshi-scarf-is-awesome--168071.phtml

Look at that.

If that is not one of the coolest, geekiest things I've ever seen on this planet, I have no clue what is. To be quite honest, it wouldn't be that hard to replicate something like that. The scarf is obviously crocheted using two circles for the head with a couple easy bits attached to it. All I need to do is nail the size of it (which maaay take a while) and it's brilliant! YES!

Friends, this is why being a geek is so worth it.

Love. My Life.

Sushi!

I've obviously got too much time on my hands. Then again, I did promise Izzy I'd make these, so I'm done with a handful of these for now. Most likely I'll put magnets on the backs of these and stick them on the fridge. Maybe I'll make a few more of these....

The wonderful world of projects...

So I've gotten myself wrapped up with a huuuuuge handful of projects while I'm home, waiting for my applications for school to go through. Yaaaay, transfer apps. But either way, here's the To-Do list of projects:

Shannon's headband:

• Finish weaving in ends
• Sew togetherpieces

Liz's katamari:

• Go to AC Moore and buy Poly-fil
• Stuff katamari
• Assemble

Michelle's "perpetually lost" hat:

• Design pattern on graph paper
• Check gauge
• Make the darn thing

Wyko's deck box:

• Double check measurements
• Find ideas for construction
• Find materials to line the inside with (cardboard? plastic?)
• The lid: button, magnet, or velcro (probably not the best idea)?
• Make a two-color design
• Crochet pieces
• Construct, fix anything that needs fixing...
• Send off to Ohio!

Buddha's katamari

• Create the rest of the body and nibs
• Construct

Heather's katamari

• Ideas for colors?
• Crochet
• Construct
• Get reimbursed for magnets

Sushi magnets!

• Knit the last three rolls, wasabi, and ginger
• Find a glue gun, glue magnets
• Distribute!

Crochet ripple bag... done!

I've done it, I've finally finished my crochet bag! *happy dance*

This thing took longer than I expected, but that was mostly because I got distracted watching the Olympics while doing it. And since I'm not so good at crocheting without looking down, there were a lot of pauses. (Did anyone else see Kim Yuna's short program last night? HOLY CRAP! YAY!)

But it's finally done! I can now finally get started on those Katamari I was planning on giving people for birthday presents. YAY!

Next project: make a deck box as Wyko's 21's birthday present... I'll have to design that one, it's not like it's all that hard to make.

If anyone wants to make this pattern, I found it on Ravelry, but here's the direct link for people:

http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Accessories/LW1562+Knit+and+Crochet+Ripple+Bags.htm

My Personal J-Pop Takeover

I'm a musician first and foremost, despite the fact that the majority of my posts so far have something to do with knitting and crocheting. What can I say? I'm sitting here filling out semester transfer applications while bored out of my mind. I try, nay, NEED to keep myself preoccupied some way.

But every night I sit down and while reading through MyLifeIsAverage, listen to some of my favorite J-Pop/J-Rock. Now don't get me wrong, I'm classically trained. I love getting to sing opera. I love being able to perform some of the best opera overtures known to man (Il Guarany? Andrea Chenier? Anyone?) "Defying Gravity" gave me chills all over my body when I went to see Wicked. But I can't ignore my inherent Asian-ness. So here's my top five choices in songs as of late. This list, I guarantee you, will change in the next month entirely.

Red Faction by MELL
Uploaded by tigreblanc45. - See the latest featured music videos.

Knitting vs. Crocheting

Over the past couple weeks, I've been trying to learn how to crochet again. I've managed to make a katamari and start, restart, restart, and restart again on a bag for myself. And oddly, I haven't given up on the crocheting bit yet... huh. Go figure, I'm obstinate that way. Though lately, I've gotten myself into weighing out what I like and dislike about both. So here's my not so epic list. I guess I'll edit it later.

Knitting...

Pros:

• You don't have to look down while doing it, making it easy to watch TV while making a scarf.
• (So far) it's easier to count stitches.
• Knitted work has an aspect of stretchability.
• (So far) knitting patterns are a lot easier to understand.
• There are only TWO basic stitches. Granted there's a lot of slipping and etc that you can do, but generally, those are rarely complicated and usually self-explanatory.

Cons:

• To be able to make whatever you want, you need to own a lot of materials. And I'm not just talking yarn. There's straight needles, ranging from sizes from the tiniest needles to these large honkin' things. No, you don't need everything, but if you need to buy a pair of needles every time you find a different size for a pattern, it gets expensive. And don't forget circulars. With circulars, you can't get the cheap stuff, the cables like to pop with those, and that makes for MESSY KNITTING. Hateful.
• Gauge. Simply a pain. The stretchability of knitting makes it so that gauge can be incredibly... hm. What's the word...? Finicky. Granted, having stretchability might be desirable, especially if you tend to knit tightly, but still. Gauge is a pain.
• Knitting can be much more time consuming. Knitting a scarf with single stitches can take a heck of a lot more time to make than if you were just doing straight up double crochets with a hook.
• Double. Pointed. Needles. They are the BANE of any knitter's existence. Does anyone here tend to knit tightly? Raise your hand. (This is the part where I proudly raise my hand here...) DPNs will give you nightmares, especially if you knit tightly. So grab those heat packs; trust me, you may need them later.

And now to my more recent hobby...

Crocheting

Pros:

• The cost is much cheaper. I don't even want to know how much I spent on my bamboo knitting needles (including the cost to replace the ones I broke by sitting on them... whoops...) but I bought an entire set of metal crochet hooks for- get this- $7.85. That's. It. Cheaper by far, and you don't need any fancy circular needles to make circles, just learn how to work in the round.
• Crocheting is so much faster. I don't know why it is. I've been knitting for what feels like ages and I can still crochet a scarf faster than I could knit one.
• It's easier to get a consistent stitch once you've gotten past the challenge of the initial chain. MUCH easier, in fact.
• There are so many shaping possibilities with crocheting that you simply cannot pull off with knitting. The sniffer quality of crocheting really makes for a lot of fun and creativity in designs.
• Crocheting hides ends well. As long as you're careful about how you go about it? There's little to no use for a yarn needle.
• Hand in hand with the previous point, colors are a breeze to switch in crocheting. Where in knitting you have a million ends to weave in, crocheting has the beauty of being able to hide the ends as you go along, saving so much more time in the end.
• Once you get started, crocheting is incredibly easy.

Cons:

• Maybe it's the OCD in me, but crocheting often times means not being able to look up, which means not being able to watch TV while crocheting (at the moment. I'm still fairly new in this endeavor.) Hooks have the tendency to catch individual threads in the yarn, and, if not fixed, it can make your crochet-work look sloppy and messy.
• Crocheting tends to come out stiffer. While yes, some people like it stiffer (that's what she said...? Sorry, couldn't resist the urge), it also makes blocking more difficult.
• Crocheting seems to use more yarn. At least, that's my current guess, because I've run out of yarn so quickly in making just one bag that I did a bit of a double-take.
• Crochet patterns are a pain in the butt to understand, in addition to there being more than just the basic stitch. And the stitches can be confusing. ("Wait, if I put the hook in here, then I count... but... I chain two and then... wait, but then do I put it in here or..." Watch as I proceed to throw my crocheting at a wall...)
• Crocheting is harder to start with than knitting... maybe. I know plenty of people who started with knitting who say knitting is easier. I know plenty who started with crocheting and will say crocheting is much easier. (Guess which team I'm on.) The initial chain, the grip of the hook- it's all incredibly confusing to start with. And coming up with an even initial chain? Forget it for the first couple projects. I literally spent days doing nothing but chaining to try and get a good start, and let's just say my hands were in pain after doing it (though not nearly as much pain as those godforsaken double pointed needles caused me...)

Granted, that's all just my current stipulations. I'm still fairly new at crocheting and this list will change by tomorrow once I start making the second half of my bag again, I assure you. But that's what's on there for now. So when you choose, choose wisely.

Ladies and Gents! Finally... KATAMARI!

I'm gonna say it right now, this was probably the single most painful creation as of late. Not only was I working with a smaller hook that I'm used to, I had to redo this due to my own stupidity. Still, I've been vowing to make this darn thing since forever, and I finally got it done! I'm so proud of myself! The carpel-tunnel is telling me otherwise, but just LOOK at it in all its glory! It's a KATAMARI. So awesome. So made of win.

Considering this is the second thing I've ever crocheted, I'm quite proud of it! There's obviously a few things I'd fix here; some of the spacing isn't nearly as nice as I would've wanted it to be. I think what I'm going to do next time is instead of following the instructions on the nubs, I'm going to put the two halves together first and then place the nubs along the seam. Secondly, I'm putting in the magnets next time. I should've bought expensive magnets like the instructions said, but go figure, I'm not the brightest bulb on the planet. That and I'm perpetually broke.

If anyone wants me to make one for them, I'm more than willing to! The only catch is that you're gonna have to buy the magnets yourself, those are not the cheapest thing on the planet. That and I'm gonna need a little bit of a break first to fend off the carpel-tunnel in my hands. Ow... ow... ow...