I made these for my Star-Wars-crazy sons.  More pics at my blog,  here and here.

'nuff said. 

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More pictures: http://ax174.blogspot.com/2006/01/every-girls-crazy-bout-sharp-dressed.html

Chicken's bio (warning - pop-up ads): http://chickenforallseasons.tripod.com/

Tychus hat pattern: knitty.com/ISSUEsummer05/PATTtychus.html

Where can I buy a beginner's spinning kit (drop spindle) or beginner's needle felting kit

- in Toronto, or
- online from a Canadian retailer?

I know there are lots of places in the States to order from, but the import duty we have to pay is always so high.

(This is cross-posted on the City Guides boards.  I thought I'd post here because I've had no responses on the other board.)

Does anyone know where I can buy:

- a beginner's spinning kit, or
- a beginner's needle felting kit

in Toronto, or online from a Canadian company?

The latest Martha Stewart Kids magazine has a feature about making simple plushes with cloth and fabric markers. 

I know this is probably insane, but I thought, "What a great idea!  Now I can make some kawaii sensei ornaments!" 




In case you're not familiar with martial arts, aikido is the Japanese martial art that Steven Seagal popularizied.  The instructors are called senseis, and they wear long, flowing hakama (pants) over their dogis (white top and pants).  The reason these plushes are probably a nutty idea is that senseis are not cute or cuddly in any way - all are freakin' tough and some are like boot camp sargents (for example, if you come to class even a half minute late, it's 50 sit-ups and 50 push-ups for you before you can join the others).

More details at my blog: http://ax174.blogspot.com/2005/12/weekend-crafting.html.

These eggs are based on the Funny Pink Bunny pattern posted about  here.

The instructions for the Head makes a perfect egg!

This idea was posted some time ago, but I'm not sure if the swap actually took place.  I was reminded of it because of the Knit/Crochet Book Swap, here.  I think it could work the same way: you post the FOs you're willing to trade (maximum of 3 because of shipping costs, but you would get back as many as you post), and the organizer compiles a list from which you can submit your top 5 choices.  Then the organizer would let you know what to send to whom.  Only problem is, not sure what to do if there are flakers.  We have some time to think about it though if people are interested, as I wouldn't be able to organize until January.  Comments?

This is sort of cheesy looking, but that's why I like it!  It's a knitted dollar-store Christmas stocking with its foot and cuff cut off, then stuffed, with the ends sewn together.  I wrapped a hank of yarn around it and stabbed it with two chopsticks.  The loop at the top is from the stocking too.

 

[EDIT:]

What do you do when a non-knitter asks you to make something knitted?  How do you decline nicely?

It really bugs me how people think knitting is fast and easy, like sewing.* I recently had someone - a friend no less! - ask me to knit her a dog sweater and "generously" offered to pay 10 measly bucks. 10 bucks! That would just cover the cost of the pattern, never mind the yarn!  When I tried to explain that to her, she assumed that I was just trying to think up excuses not to do it.  ARRRGH!  Is there a better way to convey to muggles that knitting is time-consuming, and not easy, or should I just think up plausible lies from now on?

* EDIT: I don't mean to suggest that all sewing is fast and easy, but only that it is relative to knitting, e.g. knitting an elastic-waist straight skirt is much more time-consuming than sewing one, because with knitting you are making the fabric.

I'm tempted to try handspinning, a la Pluckyfluff (see the book here), but wanted to know:

   what can you make with handspun yarn?   

It appears that, unless you want to spin forever, there wouldn't ever be much of it, and whatever there is would be really thick and slubby.

So what do you do with it after it's spun? 

If you've ever made something with yarn like this, please post the FO - I'd be curious to see how it turned out.