Finished Projects: Avatar Aang

For the past few weeks I've been crafting like crazy, but unfortunately due to the fact my laptop was away getting its fan replaced I didn't really have the ability to post my projects. I was using my mom's computer for most internet things, but I didn't have my program to touch the photos up a tiny bit with resizing and whatnot. However, my computer is back now and I have the ability to post projects again!

It's Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender! I'm a big fan of the cartoon (and admittedly entertained by the movie, but definitely not in the way it was intended to be entertaining if it was intended to be at all) and my friend had been trying to get me to watch it for AGES. Unfortunately, it took years for me to finally watch it because it was a Nickelodeon cartoon. I did finally get over that issue, and for that friend's birthday I made her this doll. The clothes were a little more complicated than I had thought they would be going in, but considering I pretty much free-handed them, I think they turned out pretty well.

Personally, I'm a big fan of the ears.

Time Traveling Yarn Stash

This quarter has been way crazier than I could have ever dreamed. Japanese kicked my butt every single day (even when I didn't have the class), I had more homework than I knew what to do with, I had a job, I attempted to have a social life, and I just did not have as much time as I thought I would to actually finish a project. I'm still working on that Gryffindor scarf and that doll I started last summer, and I've started to make some Harry Potter Christmas ornaments.

Despite the fact I don't really have any projects to post, I do have a video! Admittedly I meant to post this video a few weeks ago, but I just now edited and posted it. So, here you go!

Past Projects #1

I had been hoping I would have finished my current project in a more timely manner to be my second post on this blog, but I've run into a few complications with moving back to college and getting ready for that, in addition to getting stuck on a few parts of the doll itself. I would show a bit of the work in progress, except it's for a friend's birthday and she knows my current project is her birthday present. Since I'd rather the doll be a surprise, the post about that one is going to have to wait until I finish it.

However, I do have a good collection of past projects that I'm proud of. Since I can't show off this friend's birthday present yet, I guess I'll have to show of the present I gave her last Christmas.

For those of you that don't know who this is (either because you won't touch anime with a 10 and a half foot pole or because of the not-so great picture quality) it's the lovable creature (monster?) from My Neighbor Totoro. I did start out by using a pattern (this one) but I tweaked things a little as I went because I apparently have an aversion to following a pattern exactly (or really, following one at all). It is a good pattern. Which, is rare for a free, online pattern (but what do you expect when it's free?).

Here's a little "detail shot" of the leaf on his head. Honestly, if you've seen the movie you know why that's there. Best scene in the movie, in my opinion.

Hopefully, I'll finish my friend's birthday present here soon. I've got some other ideas for future projects, including a rug for the apartment I'm about to move into, a Katniss Everdeen doll from The Hunger Games, and maybe I could attempt a Halo Spartan doll? I feel like the two doll ideas could be more complicated than they're worth, but I'd like to attempt them at some point. Of course, knowing me I'll barely get people's Christmas presents done in time let alone complete extra projects!

Let the crafty chronicling commence!

My mom taught me how to crochet at an early age, perhaps too early. My motor skills were barely capable of manipulating those silly hooks, and my attention span could only last a row or two before I abandoned the "project" for my beloved Pikachu trapped in my Gameboy Color. Not much has changed since those days in terms of my video game addiction, but much has changed in terms of my crafting abilities (and addition to that as well!). Especially with amigurumi (which technically is the Japanese "style" of crocheting animals, but it's been expanded to refer to crocheted toys in general) and general doll making. My first attempt, created sometime last October or November, was... interesting.

Look at the embroidery on that mouth! Excellent jagged lines! And the safety eyes! And the odd shaped head due to my inability to count! Yes, lets just say my skills have improved since then. The following is the latest doll I made. This one was made (without a pattern!) for my friend's birthday.

Part of what I enjoy about crocheting and learning new skills is getting to compare how I'm doing along the way. So, I have decided to start this blog to chronicle my (hopefully) growing arsenal of yarn and other craft related skills. Such as the fact that I have been teaching myself how to knit, although the only thing I've knitted so far is half a Gryffindor scarf. If you're interested in my creations, feel free to follow/bookmark/whatever it is you use to follow internet things. I'm hoping to update this at least once a week, with works in progress, finished projects, peeks into my yarn stash, and tutorials if you want them.

Side note #1: The inspiration for the title (and subtitle) of this blog comes from a science fiction show from the 90s called Babylon 5. There's a scene in which a character says, "We are star stuff. We are the universe made manifest, trying to figure itself out."

Side note #2: Sometimes my video game and crafting addiction collides, such as when I crocheted a pikachu (again, without a pattern, I have a thing about patterns). I plan on creating more geeky video game related crafts :)