What am I watching...?

Hey, what am I watching this year?  For funsies I'll even break it up by network and give you the start date (if known)

ABC:

Marvels Agents of Shield (Sept 29)
Castle (Sept 21)
Scandal (Sept 24)
The Muppets (Sept 22) *new
Marvel's Agent Carter (?)

ABC Family:

Baby Daddy (?)

NBC:

Grimm (Oct 30)

CBS:

The Big Bang Theory (Sept 21)
2 Broke Girls (2016)
Supergirl (Oct 26) *new
Mike and Molly (2016)

Fox:

Bones (Oct 1)
New Girl (2016)
Sleepy Hollow (Oct 1)
Scream Queens (Sept 22)

HBO:

Game of Thrones (2016)

The CW:

Arrow (Oct 7)
Supernatural (Oct 7)
The 100 (2016 - grr)
The Originals (Oct 8)
iZombie (Oct 6)
The Flash (Oct 6)
Jane the Virgin (Oct 12)
Legends of Tomorrow (2016)

SyFy:

Continuum (currently airing)
The Expanse (Dec 14) *new
Childhood's End (Dec 14) *new
Killjoys ( next summer?)
Bitten (?)
Lost Girl (currently airing)
Haven (Oct 8)

History:

Vikings (2016)

Starz:

Black Sails (2016)
Ash vs Evil Dead (Oct 31)  *new
Flesh and Bone (Nov 8) *new - limited series
Outlander (2016)

FX:

The Americans (2016)
The Bastard Executioner (currently airing) *new

AMC:

Into the Badlands (Nov 15) *new

BBC:

Orphan Black (?)
Sherlock (2016)
Call the Midwife (?)

MTV:

Awkward (currently airing)
Faking It (currently airing)

TNT:

Rizzoli and Isles (?)

Amazon:
Transparent (Dec 4)
The Man in the High Castle (Nov 20) *new

Netflix:
Jessica Jones (Nov)

Busy, but still crafting...

Summertime is usually a slow time for crafting... it's hot outside and the kids are off school and want to be entertained and of course there's vacations as well.  But rest assured, I've been busy in the crafting department as well.

Since my last post I had a spring trade show... not much to say about that, but I'm really looking forward to the December 7 Christmas trade show that I've signed up for.  So far it looks like those will be my only 2 shows for the year so I'm hoping to start working up more product for that show and for my Etsy shop.

I joined an 'Around the World' swap and made a mini-Chrisie that I sent on.  The swap involves hosting a revolving group of mini's and showing them around and making them presents and whatnot.  Unfortunately my mini has been 'lost' as it's currently stuck at a swap person's house that's having personal problems and not moving the mini's along.  One of the members of the group has made me an Angel traveller and is sending her on to the next person so we can continue the fun.  Hopefully my mini comes back to me eventually.

I've started unravelling sweaters for yarn... and I made a shawl from the first one.

And I've been knitting!  I'm just making dishcloths right now, but I've signed up for a few Craftsy courses that should help me make the things I want - hats, toys, socks, garments etc.  I'm really enjoying making the dishcloths though, it's a perfect travel project.

I also entered a couple of things into the local Stampede Fair this year.  I won a first for my shawl and a third for my sea turtle.

I also had a custom order for a cactus rattle... isn't it cute?

And my most ambitious project to date was a cardigan for my mom's birthday.  I was only a day late!

PlanetJune has released a few really cute patterns in the last few months that I'm looking forward to getting into the shop and show.  So keep an eye out for that too!

Other things I'm working on include a Mystery Crochet Along for a shawl... a Test Along for a felted bag... a tutorial for Filet Crochet... and a toy for my new niece or nephew's room.

Now it's time for Christmas crafting!

Thinking about Spring!

Even though there's still snow on the ground (and more on the way I'm sure), I'm starting to think ahead to spring.  I have a trade show booked for May 4, so I'm trying to get lots of fun spring and Mother's Day appropriate items.  Here's a few things I've made so far...

I hope to have a warren of bunnies ready to go and lots of little things that kids can give to their deserving mothers.  :)
The bunny, chick and egg combo is currently in my Etsy shop... custom orders with any breed/colour bunny, different pocketami, other egg colours.  www.etsy.com/shop/chrisiemerriman

Plastic Bags to Yarn = Plarn

I haven't blogged in a while, but I thought this might be worth passing along.  My lovely mother-in-law was very interested in what I was working on yesterday... plarn.

Plarn is when you cut up plastic bags and basically make them into yarn.

There are lots of places online to get tutorials on how to make your own plarn, but here is the process I used.

Start with flattened plastic bag

Cut off handles and bottom

Fold and cut 1.5" strips

That worked out, didn't it?

Knot together

Make smallest knot possible so you can work over it

Roll into ball... 3 bags made this much plarn

Current size of project... about 20 bags so far

I'm still working on the bag, but it should be an interesting experiment.  Google 'plarn' and you will find tons of different things made with it.  Including sandals, which I thought was interesting, but I don't think I'll be trying.  So far, I think I'm going to try to make different bags.  I think plarn would make nice beach bags, market bags and laundry bags.  I'll post an update when I'm finished my current bag.

If this works out, I might send out a call to my friends to bring me their unwanted bags... some of the big projects can take over 150 bags.  :)

The Ravellenic Games

The Ravellenic Games are a just-for-fun yarn competition through my favourite site Ravelry.  You compete in 'events' such as "Scarf Hockey" and "Homestuff Hammerthrow"... making the appropriate items during the games and receiving virtual medals.  It's a fun way for over 12,000 people to knit, crochet, spin and dye yarn together.  It runs concurrently with the Olympics... July 27-Aug 12.

You can also be on a team.. I'm on two teams.  Team PlanetJune and Team Vaginal Fantasy (bookclub).

Here are my finished items...

And here are the medals I won...

The only thing I didn't get to finish was my Tunisian Purse... but my main goal for that was to learn the stitches and I did, so I'm still happy.  I'll finish it eventually.  :)

So I've been a busy bee this past month or so trying to get ready for my first trade show and then to get my first big design finished to enter into the Stampede Visual Arts showcase.

PlanetJune's Ravelry group has a Crochet-A-Long or CAL every month where people make things according to the theme chosen that month.  In June it was a free-choice of all of PlanetJune's patterns, and it was extended to July 15 because we will be doing another CAL-type thing with the Ravelry Ravellenic Games (a just for fun competition that runs during the Olympics) from July 27 - Aug  12.

So, I made a ton of things during this month... my items will probably make up almost half of the CAL entries this time around.  I'll link or share PJ's blog post when it goes up later in the month.

Anyone who is on FB or Ravelry with me knows the trade show is all I've talked about for the whole month of June pretty much, so here's the final result...

I had 70 items total for sale, and I sold 5.  But, I consider it a success and it was a fun day, so I signed up for the August 4th show.  At least I'll have lots of stock ready!  I had a couple of requests for things I didn't have, so I'll be making a few more things and hopefully those people will swing by the table again.

After that was over I turned to my biggest challenge yet, to design my own project.  I settled on an octopus because it's kind of steampunk-y, which I like and I have ideas to add accessories to it during the Ravellenic Games for my VF Team (book club).

The deadline for the design was July 10, so I really only had a couple of days to make it.  I'd sketched and had plans in my head, but it's hard for me to visualize without actually doing it.  So I just started... and I frogged (ripped it out to the start)... and started again... frogged... started... frogged... started and finally found a shape I liked.  Then I moved on to the arms.

That took a few tries too... but once again I settled on a shape and went from there.

I made a few arms, and eye sockets and then started on the 'easy to design but really hard to execute' suction cups.

I pinned them on at first, but it was a little stabby.

So I started putting them on kind of free-form.  And when I realized how long it was taking me to make them and sew them on, I put them on a lot more sparsely.

At this point it was the night before the deadline and I was feeling the pinch (and the stiffness in my hands and wrists from overuse)... but once I put those eyes in and pinned it together there was no going back.

I wasn't able to put as many suction cups that I wanted to, but I think she turned out pretty good.

Octavia the Octopus is now in the hands of the Stampede people, being judged and readied for the showcase.  I saw so many gorgeous photos that others have entered into the show... there is some stiff competition in the photography section.  But there was only 11 entries (when I dropped mine off ) in my section of Fibre Arts, Original Design, so that's good for my chances to win something.  :)

But at the very least, I am very proud of myself for making this and that's all that matters.

If anyone is interested in designing crocheted toys, I'd recommend June Gilbank's The Complete Idiot's Guide To Amigurumi ... it has great advice.

So, on to getting ready for my next trade show (August 4, Grandstand Room, Stampede Grounds), doing a few items that people have requested, and waiting to see if I've won anything.  :)
Oh, and getting ready for the Ravellenic Games... I'm team co-captain for Team PlanetJune.  I have decided to learn a new (to me anyway) crochet technique called Tunisian Crochet... it should be interesting.  And I have a shawl to complete for Team VF.

Trade Show Prep

I'm working hard to prep for my first official show... here's what I've come up with for my Made To Order sheets.

Also, here is a look at my business card.