Whole Wheat (almost) Artisan Bread

I'm giving the Whole Wheat recipe a try but I did tweak it a bit.

Only 6.5 cups total flour 2 of which are unbleached white flour and I only used 1 table spoon of yeast. Since I used less yeast I'll need to let it rise longer.

After 4 plus hours the dough had barely doubled. So I did a trick my daughter shared which she learned from Alton Brown. I boiled some water in my tea kettle then poured the hot water in a pan and put it in the oven. Then placed the rising dough in the oven. In an hour the dough had risen even more but not quite as much as I'd like. So I will add vital wheat gluten to the recipe next time. Use the same measurements for everything else.

I cut off about 1/3 of the dough to make a small round loaf. I don't have a picture to share because the bread was gone before I had a chance. I used the same dough to make cinnamon rolls and they were delish.

I did get a photo of the light wheat bread I baked up last night that was done in time to have a bit of bread and jam and an attitude adjustment before bead.



I made some pita bread with the same light wheat dough. I was so fun to watch them puff up on the pizza stone. It was like magic. I made pita bread!

Just to remind you that I was originally the fiber star related to yarnish fiber that is. I leave you with Sarah the Sleepy Ninja:



My son embroidered the eyes then went off to play with her. When I found her to take the picture she was holding a sword which explain how Sleepy Sarah (free pattern is on Ravelry if you are not a member you should be!) became a Ninja.

Katamari

I made this for my husband for his birthday this year. It's pretty fun. He actually doesn't play the video game that this comes from. It was sufficient geeky enough that he liked it. I want one for myself in purple. It can hold my hooks and needles



Specs:
Leftover TLC Essentials and Red Heart from the stash and and 28 ceramic magnets.
Katamari is a free pattern you can find online

Finished Object Friday

This little Doggie was in Crochet Today! Dec 2006/Jan 2007
Doggie really didn’t take long to make but I got frustrated with sewing the ears on they just didn’t look right. So I let it all sit for a few weeks and finally finished her up. It still doesn’t look as good as I like. The main problem was I put eyes in too far out and maybe a bit high. Otherwise I think she looks very cute. I crocheted a collar and added a flower too.


Meet Valentino the Amigurumi of love. I got to test this for Clare on Crochetville. He is just so sweet! My son decided he needed a scarf so we made one for Val. I think he has stolen my heart but do me a favor and don’t tell dh. He might get jealous;) You can find the free pattern here.



Fish from the Great Barrier Reef bookmarks designed by crochetroo. Check out here etsy shop here.


Fan bookmark also designed by crochetroo and it's free on her blog here.



Crinoline Lady bookmark. I followed a pattern from an old magazine that I can't find any more. She's supposed to have an arm reaching up to her bonnet but without the pattern I decided against freeforming it and left her armless.



Shell bookmark is my own design.


Pineapple bookmarks is from a pineapple motif in Crocheted Lace through Pictures by Yoko Suzuki


Australian Reptiles of the Land - bookmarks and motifs. I didn't do the lizard yet but you can see the snake and the gecko. Another pattern by crochetroo here.


Star flower bookmark made from a free pattern online I can't find anymore.


Heart bookmark, I used a free heart motif pattern here, then added the chain tail and tassel to make a bookmark.

Swappin'

I've been hanging out on another craftin' board called Crafster. I just finished my first swap over there. The Teeny Tiny swap.

I sent this wee thread bear to my partner across the ocean. It's a crocheted Monique thread bear you can get the pattern here. I used #20 thread to crochet the bear shawl.





My partner sent me the little beaded coin purse which is now on my key chain and is perfect to hold some change when I need to pay for parking downtown.




I'm signed up and working on some things for a crochet swap. I'm making things to help make crocheting more fun to support the crochet habit so to speak:) So I've been doing less crocheting and more sewing. Since I've been having so much fun sewing lately I joined an apron swap so I'm going to make an apron for someone else and they are going to make one for me.

That's all for now. Thanks for looking.

It's an Amineko

I've wanted to make one for so long ever since I found amigurumi. I finally finished one today.


Meditating


Taking a nap

Amineko means crocheted(knitted) cat - ami is crochet/knit and neko is cat. It's designed by a Japanese artist who has graciously translated the pattern for us not Japanese speakers. You can find the pattern here. The original Japanese page here.

I use my E size clover soft touch hook ( Japanese hook too) and ww dk green Redheart Supersaver, and ww light green TLC Essentials. I need to add a few xtra rows to the legs and maybe the arms to get the right length. I tend to crochet short on gauge although no row gage was recommended. The next one I might go up a hook size and see the difference it makes. I thought I would get a tighter fabric using an E hook.

I forgot too mention...
The pattern suggests you use pellets in the body, feet and hands. The weight of the pellets help it sit up and hold it's positions better. I sewed up little bags of pellets for the feet and hands and a large one for the body. The rest of it stuffed with poly fiber fill. You don't stuff the legs or arms so they are "bendable." I need to work on my pellet bag design and/or need to insert the bags before I finish crocheting the arms and legs because they were a pain to get in.

One thing I can check off my WIMS!

It's a Bear and Rabbit - Oh my! - NaBloPoMo#20

I took a break from my holiday hookin' to finish the rabbit and make a bear.



I used my original pattern: It’s a cat, it’s a dog, bear or rabbit. I tried something different with the the bear. I followed the pattern as is, but I used a dk weight yarn and a G hook. The bear is about 1/3 smaller than the Rabbit. I think the bears eyes need some bulking up so they stand out more. Over all I really like how it turned out.



Still suffering from cold symptoms but feel good enough to sit up and crochet a bit. I'm making some things for the kids. Shhhh...Don't tell.

What I have been up to....

Instead of blogging I've been crocheting and doing my best to keep my house in order which has been a blessing. The kids and I have been playing games and hanging out with friends. So I have not had time for blogging not to mention that words are not coming easily to me either.

I thought my loyal follower (s) might like to see what been on my hook(s)

I gave this doily to my friend Tara last night for her 30th birthday. She liked it:) phew! This is doily #7 . I made it with #10 Opera thread in wood violet. Doily #6 is still a secret until I can give it to the intended recipient.





I made this Purple Puppy for her son who also turned 1year old yesterday. Yes mom and son share the same birthday.



The Purple Puppy is my own pattern that I re-worked from the cat pattern I designed when my daughter wanted a crocheted cat doll. I'm re-working this pattern to share for a Crochet Along (CAL) for members of the of the Crochet Guild of America's online group. I've improved the written pattern and added some elements so you can make a cat, dog, rabbit or bear. I'm hoping others will get even more creative. I think this pattern can adapt to just about a pirate or a monster perhaps. One member on the list wants to make skeletons.





A few days ago I finished this book mark. It's my second completed protect done in #20 thread. All of the doilies I have made were done using #10 thread which is not quite 1/2 bigger than #20 thread. I have to use a much smaller hook too. I just might go blind!

I used a coaster pattern by Patricia Kristoffersen my favorite doily designer. The coaster should have been about 4" in diameter using #10 thread. #20 thread made the coaster a perfect book mark motif at about 2"



I have completed a few other things that I will share soon but if you want a sneak preview just take a through my photo gallery.

Bear and Purse

My son has a little friend down the street who was having a birthday last weekend so he asked me to make her a little teddy bear. He contributed lots to the overall design of the bear.

He had me sew on a little pink heart for the bears belly (I don't have a picture of that sorry!) He also requested I make the bear a scarf and mini purse. Then I made a purse for the little girl to hold the bear in.

I was able to make this with everything I had in my stash in honor of use what you have. I am trying very hard this month to NOT buy any more yarn or craft stuff.

I have not succeeded very well though. I couldn't pass up a crochet book I found at half price books a few days ago for only $5 and a pattern for some fun book marks.

I haven't bought any new yarn for 3 weeks now!

Lulu - the spring time bear

Lulu just came out of hibernation to enjoy the lovely spring weather we are having in Kansas.

I used a F hook and brown Red Heart Super Saver yarn. Her flower eyes are made with #10 cotton which I crocheted with a #4 steel hook. She is sporting the freeform thread experiment has a sarong. I used embroidery floss to make the nose.

I may have stuffed her too much because there are larger holes than I'd like on her body. Overall I like her look. I read somewhere that the stuffing does relax and most sites to say to stuff amigurumi fuller than you think so I'm giving that a try although I'm not sure I agree.

I made her following the Amigurumi dude pattern in the Crochet Me spring issue. You can see more photos of Amigurumi inspired dudes here.

It's Spring!

More amigurumi! I love spring and flowers. I have been making lots of flowers for a flower swap on Crochetville and was inspired with making flowers and the amigurumi I've been doing. I plan on adding the pattern for these little flower dolls here soon and some of the flower designs I made for the flower swap.

Get the flower doll pattern here

Neopet Amigurumi

Neopet Amigurumi
Originally uploaded by sammimag.

Here's my first try at making something from scratch. I found this Neopet toy lying around yesterday and decided to make something inspired by it.

It turned out much smaller than I intended. So when I make it again, I will make the head much bigger and the body slightly bigger. I will likely use a lighter color felt for the belly.

Bunnies

I keep making amigurumi. I can't seem to stop myself. I think these bunnies are the cutest things. I need to get more yarn so I have a greater color selection. I have lots of ideas of things to make.

A few more critters

Meet Rasta the Happy Critter, he likes to listen to music and relax. He's a happy guy and his favorite thing to do is laugh.


You have already met Lila. I finished her friend Corbin Jr. yesterday his body, arms and legs a bit bigger than Lila's. My kids just love them. Corbin Jr was all wrapped up in a homemade sleeping bag last night on the night stand next to my son.

I'm a bit disappointed that I'm still getting holes where you can see the stuffy :( What's the trick to avoid that. I especially get a holey look when decreasing. I did find that if I don't decrease in the same place every time it's not as noticeable but I can still see it.

Meet Lila

Lila is a Baby Critter I made from How to Crochet Adorable Amigurumi by Carolyn Christmas Savage. I will need to alter the body pattern by adding extra stitches and use a smaller hook because the multi-colored yarn was much thinner than the blue.