Day 9 - 16 Months and Plush Assessment

Today is Joe and I's 16 months!! Pretty insane, eh? He's working pretty late tonight so we've planned for our little dinner thing to be tmw. But it's OK, I still love him. We don't always do the dinner thing (we don't always remember the date!), but 16 sort of blew us away a little I think. So we'll celebrate the crazy bigness of the number.

Ok so I got home a little later than usual yesterday, turned on Cartoon Network and started on the lower half of the plush.

There are plushes (and you see a lot of these because they're easy) where you have the front shape and the back shape, which you sew together, stuff and maybe do some details - a face, for example.

With hindsight, this sort is really the sort I should have had a go at for my first try at plushing. But nooo, I had to design a pattern with PARTS. And I had to basically dive right into it without any serious planning done. But enough about that.

I glanced at this tutorial, but again, didn't really look at it the way I should've. My main problem being fitting the parts inside and then sewing so that it looks presentable, namely using the slip-stitch. I made a big boo boo but will hopefully re-do that area over the weekend. Wish me luck!

**Midday Edit**

OK! So I thought I'd wait a little while to learn how to knit, but I've just found out two of my friends are interested (and, like me, have no clue), so we've decided to start our own little knitting circle! I've been directed to Knitting Help, and am told it's a fabulous resource for knitters, beginners or otherwise. Yay!

Day 8 - Loud String of Obsceneties

Ok. Yesterday evening I raced home from work to get my first plushie done and my bedpost knotched. However, I wasn't aware of my first big assumption - done.

4 hours into it I was really, seriously kicking myself and my overly confident expectations. So I've compiled a little list (my first tutorial, if you will) of how not to make a plushie, first or otherwise.

1. Don't do it on the floor.
2. Gather absolutely everything you need before you start so you're going getting up and grabbing things throughout (this made much more difficult when not following rule #1).
3. Don't get ahead of yourself and choose a pattern/style more difficult than your known ability.
4. Don't try to have dinner at the same time.
5. Don't friggin' wing it.

Possibly shittiest tutorial ever?

Now, these may seem like really common-sensical sorts of things, but I've got a pretty firm head on my shoulders and I messed up big time. I don't even think I'm halfway through. So onwards tonight.

The best thing about the whole thing is that hopefully, my mistakes will remain mistakes and not become repeat-mistakes.

Day 7 - Tools

When I went over to Joe's parents' for dinner his dad mentioned something about a Bowring Street for fabrics and things. So yesterday I searched it online and found out that it was in Jordan, and that it sold fabrics and things.

So I raced over after work (in case it was like Pottinger Street and closed when the sun began it's decline) and discovered...!!! A total of 3 fabric stores. And they weren't even in the market. They were at the beginning, before the market ended. And the market? Pajamas and socks, the whole way through. I was so disappointed. I went into one of the fabric stores and enquired about needles and thread. I was told on #93 AAoossteen Sitireet (it turned out to be Austin Street). Rejoice! Needles, thread and squillions of ribbons and buttons. Everything dirt cheap, too.

When I left the little shop, I saw Pilkem Street. Rejoice! I'd read that there was a yarn store there, and lo and behold, there was! I love it when the internet doesn't lie. Because you'll find on many, many occasions, a lot of the information you find there (especially addresses) is a load of horse shit.

And I finally found crochet needles! And the yarn there is gorgeous, but they're really posh brands, so we're looking at around 40 - 60 bucks a ball.

And then! The icing on the cake, I found a store right by where I live that sells better thread and, ANNNDDD, embroidery thread, for, omgomgomg ONE DOLLAR A ROLL!!! Now, it's not like DMC or anything like that, but the colours look vibrant, and it's not like i'll be searching for exact colours to go with my non-existant colour charts anyway. Bliss.

So now what I'll be doing is trying to get the hang of designing soft toys. Ones for more than 3 pieces coming together at one point. I think you know what I'm talking about. We'll see how I go and I'll upload stuff when I get the chance.

Day 6 - Fabrics!

Some fabric sites I ripped off of Whip Up:

eQuilter
Fat Quarter Shop
Repro Depot
Cia's Palette
SewZanne's Fabrics

My favourite is Cia's Palette.

And one I found (very good)

Kitty-Craft Japanese Zakka & Craft Shop

So I didn't go to Western Market yesterday, as I arrived in Central with only an hour before Joe got off work and I didn't want to walk all the way to Sheung Wan and find that I only had 15 minutes before I had to start heading back. It occured to me this morning that I could've taken the MTR, but we'll not speak of this.

I instead checked out Lee Yuen Street West, basically one of the Central lanes. It was all right! The first store I went into had this beautiful designer fabrics, really clean cut designs and in my favourite colour combos (light pink, brown and green). I got a yard each of a spotty design and a stripey design, but they were quite pricey at $150/yard. But oh well.

The second store I went to seemed quite good, less swatch books and more of the actual stuff. But the two men running it gave me the screaming heebyjeebies, so I didn't stay long.

I bought a little bit of felt at the third store, to experiment a little with teddy bears. Joe asked why teddy bears never had asses, but I thought the did, especially the ones made for sitting. But apparently he meant the never had ass-cracks. So I'll probably try make him a nekkid bear. Nekkid from the waste down, the accentuate his nekkidity.

Day 5 - Fine..

So on Saturday I went to PageOne and bought two books, one being the Crochet Stitch Bible and the other being forgotten. It's at home on the sofa, but for the life of me I can't remember the title.

On Sunday I went with my mum to Sham Shui Po, to the fabrics market, where EVERY SINGLE STORE WAS CLOSED. Mum and I were aghast. You'd think at least ONE store would be open, to get the sunday business. There turned out to be ONE store, and it was shit.

So we looked around for beads, mum got some, I got one, and then decided I would try again on my own one day that wasn't Sunday.

Came across this really helpful site with pictures, adresses and phone numbers for plenty of yarn stores in Hong Kong. It is: here.

Will put in and update a links list with neat-o sites I've found.

I still need crochet hooks. Arfgh. But am going to check out Western Market after work (and after washing the car - euch!).

Day 1 - I Gotta Fever...

In keeping with my so-far-observed pattern of aging compared to that of my friends (it being that since highschool ended, every half-year that goes by equates to 7 years for me, resulting in super-acceleration to old-maididity), I've quite recently had itchings to sit by a fire with a cat on my lap and knit soft, warm things. For my grandchildren. While wearing a large, cozy shawl. That I knitted.

There are some logistical problems to this, well, dream of mine. Firstly, I don't have a fire. Secondly, the cat's still afraid of me. Thirdly, I don't know how to knit.

What's absolutely not helping are all the crazy-fantastic craft sites out there, making intricate quilting look like an afternoon's activity, for when you're feeling a little hungover.

The future for me, looks grim. What I can only do is enlist the help of my mother and Joe's mother to help me. Already I have a date with mine to go into Sham Shui Po to ge fabric hunting. She's picking up some crochet needles for me (that's the one thing I can do), and I'll bring along some patterns so she can give me pointers.

I am determined to be a master at all things crafty.