The lizard creeps home

Way back in the middle of 2007, I started making squares for the Lizard Ridge afghan. About six months later, I finished knitting my 25 squares (I was going for a 5 x 5 blanket), and three months after that I spent a weekend crocheting ten of those squares together. Then I had visitors staying with me, and I had to clean the laid out squares off of the floor. They've been sitting under my table ever since.

That is, until this weekend. After 12 hours of crocheting yesterday, and another 4 today, it's finally done.



Pattern: Lizard Ridge afghan, from Knitty
Yarn: Noro Kureyon, many skeins in many colorways (I've long since lost track), on US 8 needles. Crocheted together with leftover Cascade 220, and border done in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in periwinkle, all using a J hook.
Notes: I love the colors.



It's really nice to see the whole thing come together, especially after so long. But I may never pick up a crochet hook again after this; 16 hours over the last two days has just been too much!



And I even managed to finish it before another winter has ended, so I can get some use out of it this season!



I can hardly believe it's done. But it's now in place on my sofa, waiting to be snuggled up in.

Toes up!

My first pair of toe up socks, and I'm kind of in love.



Pattern: Coupling, from Knitty
Yarn: Fleece Artist Sea Wool in Marine (less than a skein) on US 1.5 needles



For me, the steps I used and the pattern and the yarn were essentially the perfect combination. I used this Turkish cast on for the toe, which I loved, and which didn't require short rows. I used a picot bind off on the cuff; I had originally used a decrease bind off, which looked gorgeous, but I couldn't get the sock over my heel. The picot gives enough elasticity to get the sock on and off. And in between was this complex looking, but actually quite simple lace pattern. This pattern also uses a heel flap construction, which I much prefer to a short row heel, so it's been pretty win win all around.



And I love the yarn. Fleece Artist Sea Wool is one of my new favorites.



This was a really enjoyable and satisfying project, and I'm really pleased with how they came out!

why can't my fat be as cute as this?

I wasn't planning to do more Doctor Who knitting right away, but I needed a quick project and I had a friend (who's a fellow Who-vian) who needed a little cheering up. And this was the result:



Pattern: Adipose, by mazzmatazz (pattern removed from the internet after dispute with the BBC)
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in white and a tiny bit of Paton's Classic Merino in black, on size 6 needles
Notes: I had this pattern saved from before the dispute and have been wanting to knit it for a long time. It's totally adorable.

If you don't know what an Adipose is, they're aliens from a season four episode of Doctor Who and are essentially fat-based. Here's what they looked like on the show:



And here's the one I made hanging out with some friends:



I think I need to make another one for myself!