Designing a Banana Slug: a peek into the process

April 16, 2012

Right now, I’m in Santa Cruz, CA… tagging along with the hubby who has a conference to attend at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

In case you didn’t know, the UCSC mascot is a banana slug:

It’s not a fierce mascot, but a darn cute one. I, personally, am a lover of snails and slugs, so I just couldn’t help but to design a crocheted banana slug for the occasion:

How did I design a banana slug… you may wonder? Here’s how it went:

The sketch

When I’m designing a plushie, I want to make sure that I’m not copying anyone else’s design… and that my design is different enough from existing designs so that it’s clearly my own.

In the case of slugs, there is one undisputed queen of crocheted slugs, and that’s Cheezombie.

image from Cheezombie’s Etsy Shop
Cheezombie’s slug is characterized by a big mouth, eyes on stalks and a distinctive tail shape.

Fortunately, the sketch I had in my head of a slug was quite different:

My idea for a slug had no mouth, buggy eyes and separate antennae. Different and adorable- it was time to get crocheting!

As an aside: I don’t always sketch before I start crocheting. In this case, I had an idea in my head and got straight to work. I just drew this sketch for you to see… I’m so terrible at drawing that making a sketch rarely contributes much!

Starting to crochet

I started crocheting the pieces according to the idea I had in my head… and came up with a guy who was pretty cute:

He was cute… but had two problems:

  1. He was a bit front-heavy, meaning that he’d topple forward unless positioned very carefully.
  2. He just didn’t look… well, slug-y enough!

What to do?

Then it hit me… he needed a foot-ruffle!

The finished slug

I added a foot ruffle, and was very pleased with the result!

The ruffle allows him to sit nicely without toppling, and added that extra slug-i-ness I was looking for!

I loved him so much, that I made a ‘normal’ slug color as well:

Look out for the pattern!

That was a little peek into my process: a little sketching (sometimes), then crocheting and adjusting until it comes out right!

Get the pattern here.

Best,
Stacey

Tips for Knitting Wingspan

April 12, 2012

Have you heard about Wingspan by Tri’Coterie? It’s a trending knitting pattern on Ravelry recently… and I’m seeing it pop up everywhere!

I just finished knitting my first one and I’ve cast on for a second. It’s no wonder it’s a popular pattern… Wingspan is both fun and easy, and it’s a great yarn for showing off long color-repeats.

In this post, I’ll share a couple of tips I’ve learned… so you can get started on one for yourself. (trust me, you want to!)

Choosing a Yarn

This pattern is fabulous because it gives you the option of making a fingering, dk or worsted weight scarf… meaning you have lots of yarns available to choose from!

My personal favorite is to select a self-striping or gradient yarn. Yarns with long colorways will give you a shawl where each wedge is a different color (more or less), resulting in a gradient-effect across the entire piece.

Some yarns with long colorways are:

  • Almost any Noro yarn: try Taiyo or Silk Garden Sock for fingering weight or Taiyo, Kureyon or Silk Garden for a worsted weight.
  • Zauberball (Fingering)
  • Knit Picks Chroma (available in fingering or worsted weight)
  • Play at Life Maki Yarn (available in a wide range of fingering weight options)

I’ve also seen some lovely versions on Ravelry knitted up with yarns with shorter colorways, or even in a solid color. Doing this makes the ‘wedges’ in the shawl less defined, but still results in a beautiful shawl. Check out all of the projects and see what strikes you!

How to skip using a traveling marker

I like to knit on the go… and so adding and removing a traveling stitch marker every row was too much for me. Fortunately, you can easily go without using one.

To accomplish the patterning for Wingspan, you basically want to turn 3 stitches before the last time you turned on the previous row. Fortunately (since the pattern recommends not wrapping before turning), you’ll see a giant gap in your work where you previously turned (the red arrow).

So, all you need to do for your current row is turn 3 stitches before that gap (at the blue arrow), and bye-bye traveling stitch marker!

I recommend knitting one wedge by following the pattern before attempting working without the traveling stitch marker. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll only to add one marker every time you finish a wedge… much easier to manage!

The Cast-On

For this pattern, you’ll need to cast on stitches to the end of a piece you’re already working. Since there are already stitches in action (with yarn attached), your cast-on choices become more limited (for example, using the long-tail cast-on would require a second piece of yarn).

For this part, I use the Cable Cast on. It’s a simple way of adding stitches to a piece you already have. Check out KnittingHelp.com or consult a reference guide (like The Knitting Answer Book) to find out how to do it.

Have you started yours, yet?

It’s a fun, easy and portable pattern. I’ve just cast on for my second… a fingering weight version where I’m using up all of my leftover sock yarn pieces to create a rainbow effect. I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

Best,
Stacey

Knook (knitting with a crochet hook): is it worth learning?

April 5, 2012

Have you heard of the Knook (pronounced ‘nook’)? It’s a very clever hook/technique that allows you to form a fabric that looks like knitting by using a special crochet hook.

While it’s a very interesting idea, it requires learning new stitches (not crochet stitches or knit stitches), so isn’t exactly a short cut for learning to knit. I’ll show you know knooking is done, then chat about the pros and cons, so you can decide whether you’d want to learn to knook, or would rather just learn to knit.

How to knook

The knook is a crochet hook with an eye at the non-hook end (exactly like a locker hook, if you’re familiar with one) accompanied by a nylon cord. I haven’t seen knooks for sale alone in the store, so you’re probably best off grabbing The Knook Beginner Set, which comes with a variety of hooks, cords and a beginners book. Videos about how to knook are available on the Leisure Arts Website, and they’re pretty clear and easy to follow.

You begin knooking by threading the cord into the eye in the hook. The first row is done by crocheting a single chain, nothing tricky!

To Knook the first row, you insert your hook into the chain stitches and pick up your working yarn… similar to how you would work in Tunesian Crochet. Then, you slip all of your loops onto the cord:

To continue, you use the hook to pick up a new row of stitches, inserting the hook into the loops that are now held on the cord. Whether you make knit or purl stitches depends on which way you wrap the yarn around the hook.

The fabric looks pretty impressively like a knit fabric!

The Advantages of Knooking

The advertisement is true: you can accomplish a fabric that looks like a knit fabric by using only the knook (crochet hook + cord). For crocheters, there are some big advantages:

  • If you’re already familiar with using a crochet hook, the movements will feel very natural, most likely making the technique easier to learn.
  • The first row is done by crocheting a chain, so there’s no need to learn a cast on.
  • Stitches remain on the cord while you’re working, so there’s less danger of dropped stitches (but see my exception to this in the next section).

The Downsides to Knooking

There’s no doubt that it’s a clever tool, but there are some downsides to learning knooking, especially if your goal is to make knitted items that you’ll see in patterns:

  • You need to learn how to wrap the yarn to knit and purl- these aren’t the same stitches that you already know from crochet.
  • A fair amount of translation is required if you wanted to make an item from a knitted pattern. There are knooking books available, but you’d be limited to that small selection of patterns.
  • The stitches are kept on a nylon cord with no method of securing the stitches. If you were to toss your knooking in a bag, you’ve have oodles of dropped stitches if the cord came out.

Is it worth it?

I’m going to start with an interesting statistic that I’ve gathered after years of teaching knitting and crochet. Knitters, when first learning crochet, typically do no better than the rest of the novice crocheters. (sorry, knitters!) However, crocheters, when learning to knit, typically learn much faster than newbie knitters!

Crocheters already know how to tension the yarn, hold things in their hands, and all they really need to learn (in order to knit) is how to pass a stitch from one needle to another. In my experience, with a good teacher and when learning to knit continental (i.e. holding the yarn in the left hand, which is how a crocheter holds it when crocheting), crocheters have a fairly easy time learning to knit.

So, if you’re deciding whether to learn to knook, it’s important to think about your goals. Do you want to knit socks? Learn to knit. Do you want to knit sweaters? Learn to knit. Do you just love the look of knitted fabric and want to make small projects? Maybe knooking is for you.

One main factor is that the knook is a product manufactured by one company… so you only have one hook style available to you and a limited selection of pattern books. Both crocheting and knitting have available lots of different hooks/needles to suit your particular style, and patterns made my thousands of designers. In order to invest time in learning to knook, you’ll have to be sure that you’re happy being limited to the options available.

I have spoken with some people who love that the action uses a crochet hook, and much prefer knooking over learning to knit. Wonderful! I’m happy whenever someone finds what works for them!

But if you have a hankering to knit… I’d recommend giving knitting a try!

Best,
Stacey

How to take great photos with white backgrounds

April 3, 2012

How to take Great Photos with White Backgrounds - tips from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

Last week, I told you my top 5 tips for taking great photos. This week, I’m going to go into a bit more detail about how to get photos of items with plain white backgrounds.

Mastering ‘the white background’ is an easy way to get professional-looking project photos. This is how I take the photos of my stuffed animals for my website, skeins of yarn for my stash and small items that I’ve knitted/crocheted.

So, let’s see how to do it, step-by-step and without fancy equipment!

Step 1: Grab a piece of posterboard and find natural light

Last week, I showed you my setup: a piece of white posterboard taped to a box in front of a window:

The setup really is that easy!

What if you can’t find natural light? I’ve found this great tutorial on how to build a light box for $10, which might work for you. I’ve tried it, and while the box is easy to make, the lights that you need to cast a natural-colored light are pricey. If you use plain desk-lamps, you tend to get a yellowish tinge to your photos. So, trust me when I say it really is easiest to use a window- even if it means you need to take all of your photos at 1pm on the weekends.

Step 2: Use the Macro setting

We’ve all seen out-of-focus pictures like this:

Eep! What a disaster! Do I need a better camera? No!

I’m a big believer that you don’t need a fancy camera to take decent photos… you just need to read the instruction manual and know how to use the features that you have. Every digital camera has a ‘macro mode’ (with an icon that looks like a flower), and that’s all you need to get the photo in focus:

Isn’t that much better? You’ll want to use macro mode to focus on items that are close to the camera. No fancy camera needed.

The photo is still a little dark, though…

Step 3: Fix your exposure

Notice how the previous picture, while in focus, is a little dark? You need to increase the exposure (light) level. There’s two ways to do this.

Change the exposure settings on your camera. Most basic digital cameras do this… just read your manual! Here, I took the same photo with a higher exposure on my camera:

Edit the photo to change the exposure settings. Let’s say you’ve already taken the photo… you can also change the exposure in software like Photoshop or PicMonkey (which is free!). Here, I changed the exposure by photo-editing:

As you can see, both of these techniques get pretty similar results, and make a big difference!

Step 4: Crop or paint corners

Cameras, because of the curve of the lens, tend to leave photos with some darkness in the corner. For a totally white background, you’ll want to either crop the photo (cutting the corners out altogether), or use photo editing software to ‘highlight’ the corners and remove the darkness.

Here, I’ve cropped the photo:

And here, I’ve highlighted the corners:

Step 5: Show it off!

Look at your fabulous photo! Show it around, proudly!

You can see Wendi’s simple setup for taking photos here.

Best,
Stacey

A (mini) guide to selecting fiber content in a yarn

March 29, 2012

Have you ever knit a beautiful alpaca scarf and said, “Gee, I like it… but I didn’t know it’d be so warm!” Every yarn fiber has different properties that make it soft/warm/itchy. So, it’s worth learning a bit about the fibers before starting a project!

It’s impossible to give you all the info you need to know about yarn fibers in one little blog post… in fact, whole books have been written on the topic!

For more information about how fibers and properties of the yarn (single ply, thickness, etc) affect your final project, I highly recommend The Knitter’s Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn. There’s also a fabulous section all about fiber properties in The Knitter’s Life List – definitely worth getting if you’re looking for more info!

Wool

Ah, our friend wool! We’ve all heard of it, and for a lot of people, wool has a bad reputation for being itchy and allergy-causing. While there are some folks with a genuine allergy to wool, wool-allergies are pretty rare. Chances are, the person has a sensitivity to coarse wool fibers. And who can blame them… no one likes an itchy sweater!

If you were made to wear a wool sweater in the 80’s as part of your school uniform (like my poor hubby), you probably have horrible nightmares about the itch factor… but fear not! Not all wool is itchy!

Different sheep breeds produce wool with different (staple) lengths of fiber and courseness. Coarser and longer fibers (in general) are scratchier, but more durable and water-resistant. Shorter fibers (heard of Merino?) are oh-so-soft, but prone to pilling and need to be handled more gently.

In general, wool needs to be hand-washed (because too much agitation will cause the yarn to felt). However, there are some ‘super-wash’ wool yarns available on the market: yarns where the wool fibers have been treated to prevent felting. These super-wash yarns are a great choice for baby items!

If you want to use natural fibers for an amigurumi project, wool is a great choice for any of my patterns.

To try:

Alpaca

An alpaca is a cousin of the llama, and some breeds have incredibly soft fiber. Alpaca is warmer than wool, but has a tendency to be a little bit prickly.

Alpacas come in a wide range of colors, and the yarns available on the market reflect this wide color range.

To try:

Cotton

You’ve heard the song, right? The fabric of our lives…

I totally love cotton! Some cottons are incredibly soft (there are different breeds of cotton just like there are breeds of sheep!) and items made from cotton are lightweight and cool, partially because of cotton’s ability to absorb water (and sweat). However, cotton is much less elastic than wool, so it’s best to select projects designed to be made with a cotton that take into account its lack of elasticity.

Cotton naturally comes in a range of colors, although commercially produced yarns in the tans and greens are becoming harder and harder to find due to a difficulty in sourcing the raw product.

Typical cotton production requires a very heavy use of pesticides, so organic cotton yarns are worth investigating.

To try:

Silk

Yummy! Silk is made from the cocoon of a silkworm… a single thread can be hundreds of feet long!

Silk is incredibly soft, takes dye amazingly and has the superb ability to keep you warm when it’s chilly and cool when it’s hot.

Traditional silk production involves killing the larvae inside the cocoon, which is necessary to unravel one continuous thread of (highly desirable) silk. ‘Peace Silk’ is made by letting the larvae emerge from the cocoon before harvesting the silk threads. This results in shorter threads, but a live silkworm.

In yarn, silk is often blended with another fiber (like wool) to produce a yarn with a combination of elasticity and shine.

Other fibers

Oh, I’ve hardly scratched the surface! There’s yarn from bison, possum, corn, soy, banana silk… even crab shells! And each yarn fiber has its own exciting collection of properties!

So, even though I haven’t had time to chat about them all, I hope I’ve encouraged you to give a different fiber a try… and have given you a little more information that you can use before starting your next project!

5 Easy Photography Tips

March 27, 2012
5 easy photography tips from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

If you’re like me, you’re a crafter… and NOT a photographer! But, you still want to take nice photos of your completed projects for your blog or to share on Ravelry. Help is here! In this blog post, Stacey and I share share 5 easy photography tips you can use to take lovely project photos, without lots of fancy equipment.

No fancy equipment needed!

The most common misconception about taking nice photos is that you need to have a super-fancy camera to do so. But you don’t! You can take fabulous pictures with a point-and-shoot-camera and having a few tricks up your sleeve. Nowadays I use my phone for all my photography.

So, what are these photography tips? Let’s get started!

Tip 1: Use Natural Light

I can’t say enough about the fabulous sun! To take beautiful photos, you want to find a well-lit area that’s not in direct sunlight.

For outside photos, this means picking a time of day that’s not noon – directly in the sun means lots of glare and harsh shadows. For best results, choose a day that’s slightly overcast. Those clouds filter the light and make everything perfect.

For inside photos, I use a spot next to a window that has loads of light flooding through. So I don’t get harsh shadows, I use a couple of pieces of foam core to bounce the light around.

Here’s a shot of my “tall” set-up. I use this set-up to photograph stuffed animals from the front.

A Peek at My Photography Set-Up - Shiny Happy World

It’s just two pieces of foam core taped together to make a hinge so I can stand them up.

When I shoot a flat lay (looking it everything from straight above) I do the same thing, just with shorter pieces of foam core so I can see over them.

A Peek at My Photography Set-Up - Shiny Happy World

I stand on a step-stool to be able to shoot straight down.

Tip 2: Use White Posterboard for the ‘Clean’ Look

I used to think that I needed a photographer’s tent and all sorts of fancy equipment to get that fabulous white background, but now I know that you don’t!

Here’s how Stacey uses a white piece of posterboard, propped up against a wooden box that she found by the side of the road.

Using the posterboard allows you to get a white background for photos like this. . .

pyramid of crocheted rainbow guinea pigs

I prefer to have colored backgrounds like this. . .

So I use a large sheet of paper the same way Stacey uses the white posterboard. I pins my paper to those foamcore light bouncers.

Tip 3: Get a Tripod

I said ‘no fancy equipment’… but Stacey highly recommends this Joby Gorillapod Tripod.

She loves it for two reasons. The first reason is that the Gorillapod is magnetic and has bendable arms, which means that she can stick it on a stop sign/pole and take self-portraits.

But that’s not all! A tripod is also really useful in low lighting. When there isn’t a lot of light, the camera lens needs to stay open longer to get enough lighting… meaning that any shake of your hand will make a blurry photo. By having a tripod, you can be sure that the camera stays still, and take photos even when your natural light is fading.

Tip 4: Take Lots of Photos!

Stacey once snapped a great photo of a friend’s dog and an owl she crocheted.

Her friend was so amazed! She asked, ‘How did you get him to sit still like that?’

And Stacey’s answer was – she didn’t. She just took oodles of photos until she got a good one!

A lot of people seem to think that a photographer snaps the perfect picture and carries on their merry way. In reality, even professional photographers take tons of photos, and only later pick out the best ones. So do the same thing! Take a ton, and weed through them later. It increases your chance of catching that perfect shot!

Tip 5: Edit your Photos

It’s totally okay to edit your photos after you’ve taken them!

Photoshop is the professional standard, but it’s expensive. There are lots of other options! I use GIMP (which is like a free version of photoshop) and there are lots and lots of apps out there to choose from.

I edit almost every photo I take. Even when I take a photo on my white posterboard, I often have to up the exposure a little bit to get it to a true white. Or, in the case of the dog photo (above), Stacey snapped a great picture, but had to crop it so you wouldn’t see the garbage cans on the side.

It’s free, only takes a few minutes and turns your pictures from ‘nice’ into ‘wow’… so try a little editing!

Give it a try!

I’d love to hear if you do any of these photography tips already, or if you’re giving one a try today! I hope to have convinced you that you don’t need fancy lights or a thousand dollar camera to take great project photos!

A plan for organizing your yarn stash!

March 25, 2012
A Plan to Organize Your Yarn Stash - from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

Every knitter and crocheter has one… it’s called a ‘yarn stash’. And, if left unchecked, your stash can quickly turn into an unkept mess that just seems to keep on growing (on it’s own, of course!). But don’t worry! I’m here with a step-by-step-guide to organize yarn and get your stash under control.

Finding yarn in your stash is the key to using it

How many times have you bought yarn for a project… only to later discover that you had a very similar yarn at home? That’s because if you can’t find a yarn quickly and easily, you’ll forget that it’s there.

So, organizing your yarn so that you know what you have (and know how to get to it) is key. I’m not going to go into details about a specific organizational system (bins vs. shelves vs. baskets), because you have to find what works for you.

I am going to show you how to go through what you own and get your yarn under control.

Step one: drag it all out and sort it

Now, I know that some of you with larger stashes are rolling your eyes right now. But seriously, how can you know what you have unless you actually get it all out and look at it?

You can’t just say, ‘oh, I know what’s in that bin’… because you probably don’t. So get it all out.

Now that it’s out, sort it into piles. You’ll have to pick categories that make sense to you. Mine are: yarn for ‘real projects’ (i.e. yarns I have multiple skeins of), yarn for one skein projects (usually pretty sock yarn), yarn for custom stuffed animal orders (worsted weight yarns that are partial skeins), scrap yarns, and yarn to get rid of.

It’s important to be honest about your piles. Yarns only make it into my ‘scrap yarn pile’ if it’s a partial skein that I would actually use to make a scrap afghan. Nothing under 20 yards. No laceweight. No eyelash. Be honest with yourself!

Now these piles may take up your entire living room. I know it’s scary… but you’re after something better!

Catalog, wind and store

Now that you’ve divided your yarn into piles, resist the temptation to just put it back on the shelf!

Is some of your yarn tangled? Were you able to see it in its old storage space? If not, it’s time to rethink your strategy. Here’s what I do:

Catalog

Of course, we all fantasize about beautiful shelves that allow us to store pretty skeins in full view. But, many of us don’t have that kind of space, and need to use bins or boxes. So it’s important to take note of what you have.

I love the ‘stash’ tool on Ravelry – it allows you to list the yarn that you have and even list it ‘for sale or trade’ if it’s a yarn that you don’t want anymore.

Wind

If your yarn is in full skeins, then it’s probably behaving itself without getting tangled. However, if you have partial skeins, they have a propensity to get themselves in knots.

I have a Lacis Ball Winder that I use to wind partial skeins into cakes (see a how-to-video, here). When wound, the yarns stack nicely, and lay in a bin without getting tangled.

Store

NOW that your yarn is neat and cataloged, you can put it back on your shelf!

Make plans

Sure, your yarn looks neat… but don’t stop there! Do yourself a favor and make plans with the yarn while it’s still fresh in your mind.

When I’ve gone through my yarn, I like to match yarn with projects. That way, when I’ve finished a project and am itching to start another… I already have one (that uses yarn from my stash!) set up. That keeps me from buying more yarn on a whim.

For example, I have 10 skeins of this yarn in a color that just doesn’t flatter me at all:

My plan is to over-dye the yarn in brown and knit a Buttercup. If I didn’t make the plan, I would probably just leave that yarn languishing!

Weigh your yarn for project planning

If you have partial skeins, it can be hard to know how much yarn you have- making it hard to plan a project. A real help is to weigh your yarn. I have an inexpensive digital scale that I use to weigh mystery bits of yarn. By using the information on the ball band, you can calculate the yardage… and plan a project!

Enjoy!

Phew! That was a lot of work… but now you can sit back, knit, and enjoy your beautiful stash!

Want tips for organizing and decluttering your whole craft room? Wendi has a great post here.

How to use a ball winder

March 20, 2012
How to Use a Ball Winder - a video from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

This post contains affiliate links. That means I make a little commission if you buy something after clicking through. All affiliate links are marked with an *.

Today, I’ve put together a little video to show you how to use a ball winder.

What is a ball winder?

A ball winder* is a handy device that allows you to make neat center-pull yarn balls (also called ‘cakes’). They’re a great alternative to hand-winding yarn, and contrary to popular belief, aren’t terribly expensive.

About the Lacis Ball Winder

Specifically, I’m going to show you how to use the ball winder that I own, the Lacis Wool Yarn Ball Winder*. Why this one?

In my opinion, this is the best ball winder for the at-home crafter: it’s inexpensive and very reliable. You can read my full review about the winder, by clicking here.

However, I’ve read some not-so nice things about this winder in online reviews: saying that it doesn’t work properly. Unless the reviewer received a defective model, I think the problems experienced come from improper installation/usage of the ball winder.

So, I’m going to show you how to install, tension and use the winder… and you’ll be a happy camper!

The Video

To view the window in full-screen mode (which is probably easier to see), click the icon in the lower right corner of the insert.

With proper installation and usage, I think you’ll find that your winder works like a dream!

Here are handy links to all the posts about yarn. . .

Return to the main table of contents for Let’s Learn to Crochet Amigurumi.

Move on to the lessons for the basic crochet stitches.

Happy stitching!

A Yarn Lover’s Guide to Sydney, Australia

March 10, 2012

Looking for yarn shops in Sydney, Australia? Then this guide is for you!

I’ve spent a fair bit of time in Sydney, and it’s a beautiful and walkable city. I’ve picked four areas of town that are fabulous for walking around and sightseeing – and they also have some of the best yarn shops in Sydney! In this guide, I’ve included yarn stores, craft stores/markets and shops where you’ll find yarn and exclusively Australian wool products.

I’ve sketched some maps… but you’ll want a ‘real’ map as well, since mine aren’t terribly detailed.

Ready? Let’s get started!

The CBD

The CBD (Central Business District) is what Aussies call their ‘downtown’. On any trip to Sydney, you’ll likely find yourself wandering through this district of beautiful buildings and shops. Subway stations are plentiful, but if you’re making a special trip, then Town Hall is probably your best bet for the yarn shops.

map showing yarn shops in Sydney, Australia - the CBD

1. Morris and Sons, 50 York St. Morris and Sons is a cross between an LYS (local yarn store) and a big box store. They have a couple of stores nationwide and their own brand of (reasonably priced) yarn. They also carry loads of imported fine yarns and have a table for sitting & stitching. Click here to read a full review.

2. Lincraft, 68 York St. Lincraft is comparable to a JoAnn’s or Hobby Lobby in the US: lots of craft goodies, and mediocre (but cheap) yarn. You may not find much yarn worth putting in your suitcase, but it’s amazingly good fun to look around at all the supplies. It’s stocked slightly differently than an American shop (for example, you’ll find a hat-making aisle and kangaroo scrapbooking supplies), so I doubt you’ll walk out empty-handed.

3. Darling Harbour Souvenir shops. Walk west along Market Street, and you’ll head over to Darling Harbour, which is full of souvenir shops. I wouldn’t usually recommend going to these (usually junky) shops, but this is where you’re most likely to find scarves and hats made from possum yarn. Possum yarn is unique to the Australia/New Zealand region (mostly from New Zealand, where they’re an introduced species threatening the native wildlife), and is incredibly warm and soft. It’s very difficult to find the yarn, so a lovely possum scarf might be your best bet.

Other sights. The Queen Victoria Building is the main ‘place to shop’ in the city. Wander a little further to Galleries Victoria and stop by Kinokuniya– a fabulous Japanese book store with an unbelievable selection of craft (and knitting and crocheting) books.

Walk north up George Street, and you’ll end up at our next stop…

The Rocks

map showing yarn shops in Sydney, Australia - The Rocks neighborhood

The Rocks is sorta touristy, but sorta artsy and hip… and it’s one of my favorite districts in town.

1. The Sheep Shop Okay, you’re going to be mad at me, but I don’t actually know the name of this place! But, it’s a genuine sheepskin store, not some wacky souvenir shop. It’s on the left, and you’ll see it as you’re walking up George Street from Circular Quay (pronouced: Circular KEE). This shop occasionally stocks possum scarves and accessories (see point 3, above) and lots of wonderful sheepiness. Come here for the real thing.

2. The Rocks Market. The market is held every Saturday and Sunday, and is a great source for handmade items. I haven’t yet seen a stall full of handspun yarn, but it would fit right in.

3. Craft NSW, 104 George St. This store is a lovely place full of work made by local artisans. I can’t guarantee it will always be in stock, but I’ve spotted some great local handspun yarn for sale. Click here for a complete review of the shop.

Other sights. Hands down, The Rocks is the best place to have your photo taken with the Opera House in the background. Just walk up to the water and you’ll see what I mean (it’s where I took the photo above). This is also the home of The Museum of Contemporary Art, which is worth a visit if you have the time. On the food scene, you’ll want to check out Pancakes on the Rocks (for yummy crepes) and The Rocks Cafe and have a Kangaroo Burger (the tourist favorite) or a plain ‘ol burger with a slice of Beet (the Aussie classic).

Mosman

Mosman is sorta like the ‘well-to-do’ district: filled with lovely shops and beautiful cafes. To get to Mosman, I’d recommend the ferry from Circular Quay (even though buses do run): it’s a fantastic view of the city!

Mosman is also home to my one of my favorite yarn shops in Sydney: Mosman Needlecraft, 529 Military Road. It’s a well-stocked shop with lots of goodies – and I always like checking out the needlepoint (a rarity in the US)! Click here for a full review.

Other sights. I happened upon in.cube8r Gallery on my last trip there: it’s a great gallery filled with work from local artisans. There was even an amigurumi artist – steal my heart! It’s also worth having a walk up and down Military road, and maybe down a street to get to the water. Beautiful.

Newtown

Newtown is the district right next to Sydney University, and so has a ‘college-town’, hippie feel to it. It’s also home to Sydney’s newest yarn store – A Coffee and a Yarn, which makes it well worth the visit.

I like to walk into Newtown from the city because my in-laws live nearby (City Road turns into King St), about a 45 minute walk end-to-end. If you’d prefer, take the subway to the Newtown station, placing you right next to the yarn shop!

map showing yarn shops in Sydney, Australia - The Newtown neighborhood

1. A Coffee and a Yarn. This shop opened last year and is as much like an American LYS as I’ve seen in Australia. Classes, tables for sitting, nice yarn and even a coffee bar!

2. The Granny Square. If you’re walking in from the city, you’ll see two yarn shops on your right (one picture, The Granny Square). They weren’t open when I was passing by, but if you’re on a yarn adventure, you might want to make the stop!

Other sights. I love Newtown for its yummy Asian food… and almost every noodle shop you stop into is wonderful! It’s also the place to find some rarer cuisines, like Nepalese food.

It’s your turn!

Planning a visit? Already been? Let me know if you spy any new yarn shops Sydney! I’d love to hear how your trip went!

How to tie a knot in amigurumi

March 6, 2012
How to Tie a Knot in Amigurumi - a tutorial from Shiny Happy World and FreshStitches

It’s another Tip Tuesday! Today, I’m going to show you, step-by-step, how I tie a knot in my amigurumi to secure limbs.

My preferred method of tying knots in amigurumi is to attach the limbs to the body before the body is stuffed, so that you can tie the knot on the wrong side of the work.

How to tie a secure knot

You don’t want your animal’s arm/leg/whatever to fall off, so it’s important to tie a secure knot. Here’s how I do it:

The knot begins after you’ve already done your sewing of the limb to the body. Once you’ve done that, pull your yarn (already on a tapestry needle) to the wrong side of your work:

Insert your tapestry needle (from right to left) into a stitch of the body. I like to pick a stitch close to where the yarn has been pulled through to the wrong side, so that there isn’t extra yarn flying around:

Now, pull the tapestry needle with your left hand (not all the way!), and stick your right index finger in the loop that forms on the right:

Insert your tapestry needle (from left to right) into the loop that the index finger on your right hand has been holding open:

Hold onto the tapestry needle with your right hand (taking it out of the loop it was holding), and stick your left index finger into the new loop that has formed on the left:

With your left hand, pull on the loop. This will cause the old ‘right-side’ loop to shrink:

You’re almost there! Now, insert the tapestry needle (from right to left) into the loop that your left hand is holding:

Now, you want to pull the knot snug. Pull the yarn (you can remove the tapestry needle if you’d like):

And you’re done!

It looks a little complicated at first, but once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature! And this trick results in a firm and secure knot… gotta love that!

Here are handy links to all the posts about closing up the stuffing opening and fastening off in amigurumi. . .

Return to the main table of contents for Let’s Learn to Crochet Amigurumi.

Move on to the lessons for attaching parts.

Happy stitching!