Amigurumi Squid: Knit Pattern (WIP)

Since I cannot crochet anything without making a horrible knotted mess of things and I want to make a stuffed squid (I'm wierd like that), I decided to adapt this pattern for knitting. I'll be updating this entry with the complete pattern once it's written, but here's what I have so far...

This is the first time I've adapted such a pattern, so things may or may not run smoothly. Hopefully everything will work out, though.


Materials:

Worsted weight yarn
Stuffing
US Size 2 or 3 needles (something to make your stitches tight)
Buttons or second color contrasting yarn to embroider eyes
Tapestry needle
Stitch marker (optional, but very helpful!)

Abbreviations:

CO = cast on
k = knit
p = purl
s = slip stitch knit-wise
k2tog = knit two stitches together
k1fb = knit one into the front and back of each stitch (increases by 1 stitch)
sts = stitches
BO = bind off

Gauge:

Gauge isn't critical for this project. Just be sure that when you knit, your stitches are tight enough so that no stuffing shows through or can fall out.

Fins:

Make Two. Done in Garter Stitch
CO 7 stitches (I used the Old Norweigan cast on, but any cast on method is fine.)
Row 1-2: k7
Row 3: s1, k2tog, k to end
Row 4: k6
Row 5: s1, k2tog, k to end
Row 6: k5
Row 7: s1, k2tog, k to end
Row 8: k4
Row 9: s1, k2tog, k to end
Row 10: k3
Row 11: s1, k2tog, k to end
Row 12: k2
Row 13: k2tog
You now have one stitch. Pull thread through and leave about a ten-inch tail.

Body:

CO 4 stitches
Knit as I-cord: Row 1: k1fb all stitches. You now have 8 stitches total.
Divide evenly onto 3 needles and join. Be careful not to twist your stitches. The rest of this will be worked in the round.
Row 2-3: k8
Row 4: [k1, k1fb] x 4 (12 sts)
Row 5-6: k12
Row 7: [k3, k1fb] x 3 (15 sts)
Row 8: k15
Row 9: [k4, k1fb] x 3 (18 sts)
Row 10: k18
Row 11: [k5, k1fb] x 3 (21 sts)
Row 12: k21
Row 13: [k6, k1fb] x 3 (24 sts)
Row 14: k24
Row 15: [k7, k1fb] x 3 (27 sts)
Row 16-35: k27 or as long as desired.
BO in knit.
Sew on button eyes or apply duplicate stitch to make eyes according to the chart (which will be uploaded later).

Tentacles:

Make two.
CO 8 stitches on straight needles (you can also use 2 dpns)
Row 1: k7, turn
Row 2: k to end, turn
Row 3: k6, turn
Row 4: k to end, turn
Row 5: k5, turn
Row 6: k to end, turn
Row 7: k4, turn
Row 8: k to end, turn
Row 9: k3, turn
Row 10: k to end, turn
Row 11: k2, turn
Row 12: k to end, turn
Row 13: k1, turn
Row 14: k to end, turn
Row 15: k8
Row 16: s1, k2tog, k2, k2tog, s1 (6 stitches left)
Row 17: k6
Row 18: s1, k1, k2tog, k1, s1 (5 sts)
Row 19-20: k5
Row 21: k2tog, k1, k2tog (3 sts)
Knit as I-cord:
Row 22: k3
Row 23: k1, k1fb, k1 (4 sts)
Row 24: k4
Row 25: [k1, k1fb] x 2 (6 sts)
Row 26: k6
Row 27: [k2, k1fb] x 2 (8 sts)
Change to dpns and join in the round.
Row 28-??: k8
BO in knit.

We will also be making the bottom of the body and eight arms. More on that to come later.


Credits:

Original Pattern Idea: Amigurumi Squid from Crochet Me
Adapted Tentacles: Bumble Cat Toy (the wings)
Bottom of Body Adapted From: Knitting a Flat Circle at Knit Me! Amigurumi!

Feel free to use this pattern for gifts or for yourself. Please do not try to sell it or things you've made. It's alright with me if you make squids for your friends and have them pay for yarn. If you do use this pattern, please leave a comment and let me know how it works.

Projects Update

So for the HLBOES, I think I know what pattern I'm going to make for Minerva's hat. That is, if I can pull it off... it's an intermediate-level pattern with lots of cables. Fun.

Projects to Start/Finish:

• Snake for Jax! It was supposed to be done by Christmas... sorta, but I haven't quite started yet. Maybe it'll be for her birthday instead.
• Hat for my sister. It'll be a simple one, knitted in bulky weight and only one color. It's just that I have to get off my behind and start working on it.
• Mini-sock for the Reducio Mini-Sock Swap! Since I don't know what colors it'll be in, I can't exactly start that yet.
• Crocheting a squid for the Mini-Swap. Again, I have to go get the yarn or use stash yarn. Either would work, probably.
• Uhm, my socks? I fail epically at picking up along the gusset and I still haven't been able to figure it out, so I don't think they'll get done very soon.
• Tube scarf for me. This'll be my "take with me in my bag" project, as a tube scarf in stockinette stitch is very easy, just a lot of knitting.

Newly Finished Projects (Pictures Soon?):

• Fair Isle bag I made for my sister! I am most proud of this one because it took me forever to finish it, though most of it was telling myself to finish the lining.
  
• Wine cosy I made for my grandmother. This one was just a major pain because the yarn was more difficult to handle than what I'm used to.
  
• Two hats as Christmas gifts.
• Almost a plethora of washcloths... I still want one for myself, so that's what I'll be knitting while traveling today, probably.

But that's all for now! See you all later.

Hanukkah Socks

In regards to LavA's post over at the Huffle Sock KAL, I'm attempting to do my first real chart design... so hopefully it'll work out okay.

I looked around on ravelry and I found there really wasn't much there in the way of Hanukkah socks... hence verifying what LavA said.

I've never done much designing before and I'd really like to work with a dreidel motif for this project.

And no, I've never made a pair of socks before. So it'll be an adventure. I'm making a pair of green and grey House socks for me. Slytherin socks! Woot!!!

And no, I'm not Jewish, either. Nor do I celebrate Hanukkah. I just think this would be a totally awesome project to undertake.

If nothing else, it would be a good lesson in charting patterns.

As an aside, I'm happy that my little RAOK arrived safely. I got a note from Andromeda today. ^_^

Away

I haven't updated in awhile, but I've finished the Fibonacci striped bag I made and I'm going to be statrting a plethora of Christmas gifts for people... including two for a certain someone. Unfortunately, things in life are conspiring against me and I won't be able to knit much over the next week or so because of school committments and the like.

So that's where I've been. If you need to reach me, either leave a comment here or if you're on ravelry, you can contact me through there as well.

Mr. Fibonacci, I presume?

So Mr. Fibonacci is my new hero. Not really, but numbers are quite pretty and I'm now knitting a Fibonacci stripes bag for myself. It's in royal blue and light purple, worsted weight yarn and I'll post the complete pattern here when I'm finished.

Materials
-US 7 Needles
-Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Red Heart SuperSaver Acrylic) in 2 Colors - MC and CC
-4.0mm Crochet Hook
-Tapestry Thread
-Lining for Inside of Bag

Abbreviations
CO: Cast On
St st: stockinette stitch
MC: main color
CC: contrasting color

CO 48 stitches in MC.
*St st 2 rows.
Change to CC.
St st 3 rows.
MC st st 5 rows.
CC st st 2 rows.
MC st st 3 rows.
CC st st 5 rows.
Repeat from * until bag is desired length. For my bag, I repeated the pattern 3 times.
For the last time you're doing the CC stockinette stitch, do only three rows, bind off on the fourth row. Bind off loosely in pattern. Repeat.
This will be the outside of your Fibanocci bag.

For lining the bag, you will need two pieces of fabric. I like to use cotton. Wash the cotton according to the machine instructions and you'll sew the fabric onto the inside of the bag. Make sure the Vs on the stockinette stitch are pointing towards the outside.

Swaps

So while Andromeda is the HoH for swap, I'm going to be working on the Tri-Wizard Tournament, so that should be a lot of fun and I'm actually quite excited.

I'm also excited because I'll get to do HSKS7 this year and return for another term. Now I'll not only be more experienced as a swapper, but also as a knitter and so I won't have to be so inventive with my patterns for the handmade object. I'll actually be able to take a pattern (maybe from the wonderful book Dagmara gave me?) and use that.

In other news, I finished the child's size hat and I already put it in the collection bin. It turned out rather nice. I'm thinking about putting the pattern up online for anyone who wants to use it. It's a basic beanie pattern with a bit of colorwork, which is what makes it fun. The colorwork is originally done in one contrasting color, though it could easily be adapted for two.

Anyways, I should go soon. It's time to start the day and I'll get the pattern up later. It's a very fast knit.

Hats, Hats, Hats

For the HLBOES, Andromeda and I had a duel and we each had to make a Dobby Hat. I made hers in Gryffindor colors and she made mine in Slytherin colors. I recieved hers in the mail today, along with a gummy snake and a set of US size 8 circular needles, perfect for working on another SPEW hat whilst my Fair Isle projects take up my other set of circulars. ^_^

Just a personal note, but I think those colors are some of the ugliest two I've ever seen together. I am not meaning offense to people who happen to like orange, but orange doesn't seem to go well with light blue/purple/whatever that color is supposed to be.

And I don't know what that means for the HLBOES HoH duel, but I guess we'll have to wait for Grandma and Pren to decide that. And I hope Andromeda likes what I put in her package, too. :)

So I think I shall be starting a second SPEW hat, similar pattern to my first one, only I'll be donating it locally this time. We're having a local warm clothing drive at my school, so I think it might be nice to knit something for them.

And now I am off to knit and watch a movie... and I'll be knitting while watching a documentary with some friends tonight. I just need to keep my hands busy or else I'll start chattering, which would be utterly rude. I'll probably end up taking my Special Olympics Scarf to work on.