Addicted to Ravelry

I was just going to find some ideas... but the best way to learn something is to find a project that motivates. I found the Fireside Sweater. I love the cables and it will be my 2nd ever sweater.

I used yarn from carblanket, something I crocheted a few years ago, and didn't notice the bleaching of the yarn until I was about 2/3rds finished. Oh well. That's pretty much the only way I'd keep something I made. I did end up buying more yarn but really I just didn't want to go anywhere for the first few hours I started this.

 

 

 

 

These are the buttons I made. The plastic is perfect.

  

I did a slight variation on the pattern by using a different knot. A woman who works in my building said she liked my sweater before finding out I'd knitted it! Ah! I still don't think I'm a good knitter but I plan to have a whole lot of awesome sweaters by the time I do.

This worked?!

My buttons are thicker on one side and barely look like the coins but it worked! 

 

 

Drilling holes into plastic makes a mess. The plastic starts to heat up and melt onto the drill bit. Then you have to scrape it off when it's cooled. Very annoying.

Sewing them on. I was surprised that this worked. 

Making a hat...

I have the top part down, I just need to find a pattern for the rest. Get well soon Dixie!

Counterfeiting Buttons

I'm knitting a sweater that needs 5 buttons but I couldn't find any I liked at the fabric store. But I do have some Irish coins from a trip and I think I can make my own buttons by molding and then casting the coins. The same way I copied the bonefolder. 

I used a putty mold which comes in 2 colors you knead until even. Then press the coins and wait 20 minutes. I mixed the liquid plastic and then cast. Too many bubbles! Redo! Remold then cast again. After it solidifies pop out and sand off the excess. Crap, sanding takes too long and I need a lower grit. Take misshapen coins to the cement patio and use that to get the extra off. OK now notice all if the coins are thicker on one end. Oops with the molds, is there a teeny level I can buy?

Paint! Multiple layers then sand off enough to show the designs. Punch holes for sewing. Profit. If anyone uses this method to counterfeit coins, seriously, is that the highest denomination you can come up with? Good luck ransacking candy machines.

That did not just happen!

I waited in an exam room for close to an hour because they were behind from a triage earlier. I had a book so I wasn't bored but I dropped the bookmark and leaned over to pick it up and knocked my head into this thing. Something small and metal came off and hit the ground and I had a few decisions to make. Picking it up I tried to figure out where it came from but had no idea. Should I admit it to the doctor? Or put it near the thingy and hope they figured it out? Why the hell does stuff like that happen to me? In the end I told the doc but he didn't know where it went either. I was saved by them not seeing it happen or the absolute embarrassment right after. Thank goodness for the wait.

Mini Maker Faire!

I volunteered. I wanted to do some hands on stuff but I ran out of time so instead I stood by the soldering irons and made people sign liability waivers. I met a mom with 2 boys named Calvin and Hobbes and yes I asked her about that... another mom had some kids wearing Chewbacca backpacks and I told her I have the Yoda one and then I said I was late getting to the faire because I had been watching Star Wars Despecialized (the original with no extra crap) and she said she'd find it online. Another couple and I talked about our favorite episodes of Community, I can't remember how it started but we ended up cracking each other up trying to decide the funniest one. The flash back was a strong contender. 

 

This is a solar powered music player.

 

Art Cars: Teeth and a Yellow Submarine

 

I have no idea.

 

Teeth. My suggestion was that next time every 50th person who gets to close has the teeth bite down killing them. The element of danger always entertains.

 

The fiber optic jellyfish. It lights up at night and I'm looking for a good picture of it.

 

The kid cardboard arcade.

 

 

More arcade.

 

The BYU Mars Rover picking up a ball.

 

A cat yurt, large scale because why not make it bigger?

 

I'm not entirely sure what this guy was doing but I fully support the making of cardboard monsters.

 

The robot skeleton which talks to you and follows you when you walk by.

 

 UofU engineering showing off some 3d printing. 

A teeny Dalek 3d printed by Make SLC. They got way too excited when I correctly identified it.