Projects this Weekend

The weekend has started, I'm happy. I hope I'll get some knitting done, I have also planned a trip to IKEA tomorrow. But these are my seven main knitting projects this weekend:

From top to bottom, left to right:
- I want to start a winter scarf, probably for myself 
- I have a custom order for an 18" cushion cover, so I'd like to get one finished (have to make 2)
- Start a new stocking (has to match other stockings in the family, a bit of a challenge)
- Only sew on the hangers for the Mr and Mrs stockings pair, probably my last for a while
- Start the second sock
- Finish the reindeer stocking and possibly start the next stocking (part of a custom order)
- and a nice and easy plain pair of socks which I will be knitting on the bus tomorrow (unless the promised weekend of summer happens, then it might be too warm, one can dream...)


I will post an update on Sunday, maybe. 

Why Knitted Socks are better... (1)

The list is endless and I have more Blog posts dedicated to this absolutely non-controversial topic in mind. 

1. Knitted socks are fun! Fun to look at and fun to wear. Who wants to wear boring black socks? Colourful socks are good for the soul. 

Polar bear stocking

I've been working on this polar bear stocking this weekend, it's basically finished (just needs a loop at the top). Polar bears came out really sharp looking, and I like the two rows of polar bears. Also, it was easier to knit it without a name there (I didn't have to pay so much attention) though it took just as long. 

It's for an Etsy order, though if the customer doesn't like it, I will list it as a regular stocking. There are 3 more to be done in a similar style (if the order comes through). 

Projects progress

Well, I made some progress over the weekend, but not as much as I wanted: 

I finished the stocking, which is great, and I also finshed the little ringbearer pillow. I crocheted a few more rows of the blanket (my favorite project at the moment). But I got held up majorly with the thick stocking (I finally ripped it back), then a grey-yellow stocking which looked like Halloween, so I ripped it as well. Then I exchanged purple for yellow and I'm doing a MR and MRS set now. I hope I'll finish these. No progress at all one the celtic knot pillow and the sock. I might do a few rows of those now. The weekend isn't over yet!

Current Projects

From left to right:

Caramel Celtic knots cushion cover
Red, white, green double-double knit stocking on 6mm needles
Red, white, green Tristan stocking
White and Yellow: Two ringbearer pillows
Purple lace-pattern sock
Green ringbearer pillow
Purple and turquoise lace scarf
Zic-zac crochet blanket 

Maybe I'll post on Sunday night what progress I made... I'll probably start more projects, I'll never learn...

Making videos is so easy!

I still can't believe how easy it is to make videos for youtube using Animoto (http://animoto.com/). 

1) Choose (and look for) your photographs. (This is the most difficult step!)
2) Open animoto.
3) Choose style of video.
4) Upload photos (only a few for the free version). 
5) Add text or change the music, change the pacing of the slideshow (optional)
6) Preview
7) Make any changes
8) Produce

Then Animoto will notify you when it's ready (usually straight away). 

To post the video on Youtube:

9) You have to have a youtube account
10) Go back to Animoto, look at the video, top right hand corner there's a drop down menu, choose 'Export video'
11) Export to youtube
12) Allow access

Then it takes a few minutes and the video is in your activity feed in youtube. Now you can make a few edits (search engine optimisation), i.e.

13) Change header to something people would search for
14) Change the video description (as detailed as possible, with a link to your shop, if applicable).
15) Add tags to the video, repeat words from the header and description
16) Change the thumbnail picture if you want.

That's basically it. 

This website is free to use for 30 seconds videos. Then there's a subscription which is 30$ for a year. I wanted to show off my knitting-skills in longer videos, so I bought it. 

Here are some of the videos I made:

 

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/Warmth

http://www.etsy.com/shop/ghostgap

This was my first video, it's still the most popular one, with over 300 views now!

 

5 Christmas Stockings: The snowman, the rocking horse, the train, the reindeer and the penguin

I have recently finished a custom order for 5 Christmas stockings. It only took two months... Granted, I took my time, went on holidays twice and only knitted one per week that I was not on holidays. But still, if it takes that long later in the year, I won't be able to handle many orders. Though I'm very happy with the results:

The train, the snowmen and the rocking horses are completely new. This is the first time I used four colors. 

Here's a video I made about the process:

These kind of stockings (not exactly the same ones) can be bought in my Etsy shop: 
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Gigi82Knits?section_id=10061735