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2012/01/16

DIY: Amigurumi Tangerine

[NOTE: If you live in Lithuania, and want me to make one like this for you just write a comment under this blog post and we'll make a deal about it. ;} ]

Hello people! This is my first post in 2012, I hope you had a nice celebration, made (or not) some New Year Resolutions to yourself and are happy to start a new year, new opportunity to try something new and improve yourself! ~~

I decided to make a new DIY tutorial since I made a cute Amigurumi tangerine today. >w< The thought about making a tangerine went from the hate my boyfriend has for tangerines. XD So I decided to troll him a bit and make one. ＼(o￣∇￣o)/

EDIT: I gave him this tangerine yesterday and he was so surprised! He kept giggling about the fact that I made it because he hates them...hahaha. XD

Tangerine

Use a so called 'snail crochet', meaning that you shouldn't connect rounds with slip stitches.

Abbreviations:
sc - single crochet
st - stitch
ch - chain
hdc - half double crochet
dc - double crochet
sc2tog - single crochet 2 stitches together

Make a magic ring and crochet 6 scs.
Round 1: Make 2scs in each st. [12sts]
Round 2: Make 2scs in every second st. [18sts]
Round 3: Make 2scs in every third st. [24sts]
Round 4: Work with sc in each st. [24sts]
Round 5: Make 2scs in every fourth st. [30sts]
Round 6: Work with sc in each st. [30sts]
Round 7: Make 2scs in every fifth st. [36sts]
Round 8: Work with sc in each st. [36sts]
Round 9: Make 2scs in every sixth st. [42sts]
Round 10: Work with sc in each st. [42sts]
Round 11: Make 2scs in every sixth (again) st. [49sts]
Round 12-13: Work with sc in each st. [49sts]
Round 14: Sc2tog every sixth st. [42sts]
Round 15: Work with sc in each st. [42sts]
Round 16: Sc2tog every sixth st [36sts]
Round 17: Work with sc in each st. [36sts]
Round 18: Sc2tog every fifth st. [30sts]
Round 19: Work with sc in each st. [30sts]
Round 20: Sc2tog every fourth st. [24sts]
Round 24: Sc2tog every third st. [18sts]
Round 25: Sc2tog every second st. [12sts]
Round 26: Sc2tog in every st. [6sts]

Don't forget to stuff it. But don't stuff too hard!! Because you want to make a little fold like this:

Fasten off when there's 6sts left.

Leaf

Chain 16.
Sc in third chain from hook. Sc in next chain, hdc in next 2 chains, dc in next 4 chains, hdc in next 2 chains, sc in next 4 chains, 3sc in last chain.
Opposite side. Sc in next 4 chains, hdc in next 2 chains, dc in next 4 chains, hdc in next 2 chains, sc in next chain, slip stitch in last chain.

Leaf credits goes for: FreeCraftUnlimited

Make a cute smiling face (preferred a Japanese one), attach a leaf and enjoy your cutie amigurumi tangerine!! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Spreading inspiration, Rinatsu ☆＾▽＾☆ My Twitter | My Facebook Page

2011/11/25

DIY: Slouchy Winter Hat (very warm)

[NOTE: If you live in Lithuania, and want me to make one like this for you just write a comment under this blog post and we'll make a deal about it. ;} ]

Another DIY blog post for all you crocheting lovers! ヾ(＾∇＾)

After I finished my new not-yet-shown-to-you-all warm cardigan I decided to take a break from crocheting or anything since I'm quite busy nowadays..buuuuuut..my boyfriend gave me an idea to make a winter hat. I, once again, gained inspiration and got so enthusiastic that I started searching for a pattern right away. I actually found a really nice slouchy hat pattern online here: http://www.caron.com/vickiehowell/patterns/urban_jungle/urban_jungle.html
But once I started crocheting it, I saw that it's really..not winter hat at all. .-. It's full of holes and it's more like an accessory or a spring/autumn hat, not for keeping warmth.. (｡･_･｡)σ

I kept searching and searching but it was so useless that I ran out of patience. (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ So I opened my oldie book and searched for a good pattern myself! So this is what I got. You can actually say that it's my first work that I made just from my own head and inspiration! (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Slouchy winter hat side view

(oh yeah, you can notice difference in this photo, I'm not blonde anymore, I'm actually a redhead now but flash makes my hair kinda brown. (>ω<＊)ﾉﾉ)

Here's a pattern for this hat:

I also thought about those girls (or maybe boys? haha) who don't understand these kind of patterns so here are some explanations:

For the very start I just knitted a simple stripe about 53cm long and connected it to make it round. After that I started making pattern from above.
I kept repeating everything till the hat were about 28cm long.
For the ending I used advices from Vickie Howell's slouchy hat pattern.
Also, if you aren't sure how to make those puffs, please visit Vickie's pattern too. The only difference is that you need to make puffs from single crochets all around (as it is shown), not just from one single crochet. ☆ﾐ(o*･ω･)ﾉ

Winter Slouchy hat back view

Winter Slouchy hat pattern close up

This hat is soooo warm!! It took me few minutes to take these photos while me wearing it but it made me sweat right away haha. ( ﾟ▽ﾟ)
Well, it took me about 4 days to make it and I'm really happy with my finished work. I think it looks perfect, so my boyfriend does. (ﾉ´∀｀*)ﾉ

Happy and warm winter! (─‿‿─)

~Rinatsu~ My Twitter | My Facebook Page

P.S.: If you are having trouble seeing squares instead of cute emoticons, then please visit my older post and download Japanese fonts. Since most of the symbols I used are supported by them. ^-^

2011/11/05

Home made Pocky!

As a non Japanese or non Asian person being crazy about East Asian culture and living in Eastern Europe I have quite a lot of difficulties trying Asian dishes or buying Asian stuff (especially when I don't use online shopping stuff). But I'm really happy that Japanese food is getting more popular in my country so I can eat sushi whenever I want. ^-^

But sadly there aren't many opportunities to get food made not in restaurants but just sold in shops. So one day I tried searching something that I can make myself at home! I'm not really into cooking so I though this will be kind of a challenge to me. :D So I accidentally stumbled into this Lithuanian website. Believe it or not but I tried making Pockies and they went out quite good!! I can't really say if it is a lot different from real Pockies since I only ate them once and I know that there are a lot of different tastes. Buuuut here's a photo of my Pockies! ^^

I also had recipe in my previous blog on WordPress BUT...then I realised that it isn't worth it because I had more and more troubles trying to make it. Dough was really sticky, almost half of it has been thrown away... :/

Anyways, enjoy another photo of my cuties and bye bye to my current pocky recipe. XD

Actually I have found another recipe for pockies but I'll stay silent for now since I'll have to try them first. I'll inform you as soon as I have cooked something new! ^-^

Have you tried baking pockies or any other Asian goodie? Let me know in the comments, put a link to your creation photo or blog post!~ (^-~)/

Rinatsu~

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