D52 - Week 1 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Kevin's bit

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Review: I predict that, throughout this blog project, I'll have more to say about the more obscure movies that everyone's forgotten about than I will about the cherished classics - just because there's not much to say about the latter that film historians haven't already said. But, since the whole point of this is to offer my opinions...
After watching it (I've seen most of it in pieces at a time but I don't think I had before sat through it from beginning to end), I don't really think of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as a movie - it's really more of a movie-length short, if that makes sense. I feel bad for knocking it, since, animation-wise, it was very superbly crafted. But story-wise, it does show that this was the first animated feature. A lot of it is padded with scenes that, while fun to watch, don't have a storytelling purpose. On the DVD is a deleted soup-eating scene, and it's explained that Walt cut it out because he felt it would slow the movie down. Really? And the washing-up scene didn't? To be fair, though, it seemed most movies in general at the time were still working out pacing and such. And being padded with songs and sight gags doesn't make it a bad movie at all. It's just a noticeable change of style if you get used to seeing Disney movies in which every single scene has a story reason.

Trivialities:

1. The evil Queen has that Dr. Evil-esque complex in which she chooses to get rid of Snow White in a convoluted manner rather than just, say, stabbing her directly in person.
2. When Snow White marries Prince Charming, that means she has to change her name to Snow Charming. Well, maybe "Princess Charming" will have to do.
   
3. Consistent with animated shorts of the time, almost all of the humor is visual. The only verbal jokes I spotted were Doc's spooneristic fumbles.

Favorite character: That turtle!
Most unnecessary character: Happy may be happy, but he has the least interesting characteristic. Also, I don't remember him doing anything noteworthy or even having any funny moments.
Overall: Don't watch any animated movie without watching this one too.

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Amanda's bit

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I have to agree with Kevin that it doesn't seem similar to movies nowadays wherein the plots are thick as Texas Toast. It doesn't make the cartoon less enjoyable but it's very funny to me to notice that the greatest amount of plot movement was during the non-scenes which were just storybook reading.

Tidbit: Did you know that each image of Snow White was rouged on the front side of the cell so that her makeup appeared more realistic? I can't even put makeup on myself. I cant imagine doing it on tiny drawings hundreds of thousands of times.
Favorite character: I agree with Kevin! That turtle was so darn cute and had some of the best sight gags!
Unnecessary character: Is it wrong to say Prince Charming? He had 3 minutes of screen time and 3 lines of dialogue. And even more... (keep reading).
Tidbit 2: In the original Snow White story the the witch tried numerous ways to kill Snow White including suffocation via corset strings, topical poison, and finally the apple. In the original story, the apple piece was dislodged by the Prince's servants jostling the coffin, and in another version, the dwarfs dislodged the piece the same way. Thus, Prince Charming could have been eliminated from the story altogether. The dwarfs could have saved her and the lesson could instead have been that it's not naive first love that saves a person but a strong commitment from friends or family that makes a life most wholesome. That could have been very uplifting as well.

Overall: I was entertained and if you get the chance to watch it (or watch it again), you should! It's fluffy, but cute and I go for that.

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Amanda's Craft
I thought I'd add a nice little craft project to add some visual interest to the project. Behold! Representing Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I give you The Apple. Whether it's poisoned or not will remain a mystery.

Cleaning House

Many Americans are familiar with the idea of Spring Cleaning. Spring is a time for new growth and new ideas and fresh activity. However, New Year's is a time for resolution and it is my opinion that Spring Cleaning ought to have a New Year's sister cleaning as well.

While it's true that in the northern hemisphere, it's an inconvenient time to have a garage sale, it still is a convenient time to set up for a garage sale. Search out the tchotchkes and have them ready when the last flake finally melts.

For me, it's less about getting rid of junk (we live in a very small apartment after all so efficiency is the name of the game) but about finishing what we started and reorganizing what we have.

Among my 2012 goals is the resolution to finish or frog all my UnFinished Objects and Works In Progress. To start this, I really do need to figure out what they are, where they are, and where I stopped. Here's one:

I just started this project a few days ago. I'm quite positive I can finish this shawlette this month as it's going faster than I could have hoped for. I'm really thrilled to be working with this yarn from BlackSheep Dyeworks. It's amazingly soft, but it has so much stitch definition (clearly not evidenced by my whack photography skills) and I have yet to split the yarn even once. The pattern is Pleiades and is quite well written so far.

Now let's move on to, oh dear. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. This was supposed to be finished back in 2010. Can you really blame me though? Look at all those ends! It's a nightmare! What was I thinking? I hate weaving in ends and seaming. This one will be a chore, but even though the little girl is a little bit bigger, I still think it's large enough and will eventually be nice enough that she'll still get some joy from it.
And this? I don't even know WHAT it was originally supposed to be! It's pointy at one end, and it's clearly some sort of stuffed item. A mouse's head? A rotten turnip? An armadillo? I don't think it was originally supposed to be an acorn, but I think the shape and color fits, so that's what I intend to finish it into.
What other sad lonely little projects will I find while tidying up?

Day 363 and Protection

It's about stinkin' time it started getting cold around these parts! It's making me worry about global warming all over again. It makes me glad I've become adept at making neck protection. Yet, with all this neck protection, I often overlook the other parts of the head that need protecting. Oh sure, I've got a hood and a ninja mask and a couple of snug cowls that could double as headbands, but this time around, I made a cowl that could really stand up on its own. In fact, I begrudgingly added a pucker when I realized I probably couldn't see over the top of it. At least I'll be warm!

Day 361 and the Popped Collar

Evenly spaced increases make this scarf fan out around the shoulder area allowing it to stand up straight and stay around the neck without tying or wrapping. This is particularly good for people who don't like a lot of bulk or tightness around the neck and yet still want full wind and cold protection.

Size L hook
Heavy worsted weight yarn
Tapestry needle

Chain 100.
Base row: SC into the second chain and the next 38 chains. 2 SC into the next chain. SC into the next 21 chains. 2 SC into the next chain. SC into the next 39 chains.
From here on, the pattern recipe relies on your ability to recognize the increase from the previous row. Take a moment to look at your stitches and identify the double V going into 1 stitch.
Row 1: Chain 3, turn. Work DC into the second and every following stitch to the increase from the previous row. Work DC into the first and 2 DC into the second of the two increase stitches. DC into the next 21 sts. Work 2 DC into the next stitch (this should line up with the first of the increase stitches from the previous row) DC into every stitch to the end.
Row 2: Chain 1, turn. Work SC into every stitch to the increase from the previous row. SC into the first and 2SC into the second stitch. SC into the next 21 sts. 2 SC into the next stitch (which should be the first part of the increase from the previous row). SC into every stitch to the end including the top of the turning chain.

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the scarf is as wide as you'd like. I choose to make a stripe near the end for interest, but this could just as easily be done anywhere and on every row if you so chose.

Day 360 take 3 and Finally

After all of these days and all of these scarves and all of these experiments, I think I've finally come up with my absolute favorite go to scarf for last minute gift giving. It's unisex in design (though colors could sway it one way or the other. It's thick enough to be warm but not so thick that it's uncomfortable. It's incredibly easy and fast, but has just a little bit of interest, yet isn't so very interesting that someone with very conservative fashion sense would be turned off. It also can be as inexpensive or as lush as you choose depending on the yarn. I think this would be a winner for anyone.

I went with acrylic for mine. I like the easy care and the low price point. Wool would be excellent and cotton would work great too. I think I would probably avoid nylon/rayon shimmery things as I think there would be so much drape as to look limp and unappealing.

2 or more colors of worsted weight or aran weight yarn Choose something lofty for best effect.
Size L crochet hook
Tapestry needle

Base: Chain any number you want. Mine had 145 chains.
Working into only the back loop (not the back bump) DC into the 4th and every following chain.
Cut the yarn and pick up a new color.
First round: Make a slip knot and place it on the hook. Yarn over the hook, pull up a loop through any random stitch on the first color. Complete a DC as normal. DC into every stitch. *Now you make a corner by making 2 more DC into the final stitch, DC once around the post, DC 3 times into the underside of the same stitch. DC once into the underside of every following stitch.* Repeat from * Cut the yarn and use your needle to heal the single stitch seam.
Every following round: Make a slip knot with the next color and place it on the hook. Yarn over the hook, pull up a loop through any random stitch on the previous round. Complete a DC as normal. *DC into every stitch until the corner stitch. 3DC into the corner stitch.* Repeat from * Cut the yarn and use your needle to heal the single stitch seam.

Use completely different colors for every round if you wish. The base row will need about 28 yards. Each following round will use up about 50-55 yards. You can even do this with just one color. The pictured scarf is only 3 rounds and almost 4 inches wide coming in at just under 6 feet in length. Every round will increase both the width and the length by 2 rows.

You could also use this concept for a very nice throw blanket. Change the beginning chain to 30 and go to it. It will naturally take many more yards and many many more rounds, but you'll be able to follow the pattern recipe exactly as written.

Day 360 take 2 and Christmas!!

Yes, Christmas day. The day and indeed the season when it becomes okkay, nay, necessary to wear horrifying sweaters, silly hats, tacky jewelry and green and red together and in equal portions. I think nearly everyone has encountered this colorful weirdness that seems to only pop up during this time of year. I of course had some variegated Christmas colored yarn that had been languishing in my stash and now seems the best time to finally use it up.

Nothing too spectacular here.

1 skein worsted weight yarn in Christmas colors (held double throughout)
Scrap amount of white worsted weight yarn (held double throughout)
Size N (10 mm) hook
Blunt tapestry needle

Chain 101.
Begin with Xmas yarn:
Row 1: Single crochet into the second and every following chain.
Row 2: Chain 3, turn. Double crochet into the second and every following SC
Switch to White:
Row 3: Chain 4, turn, Treble crochet into the second and every following DC as well as the top of the turning chain.
Xmas colors again:
Row 4: Chain 3, turn. Double crochet into the second and every following TC as well as the top of the turning chain.
Row 5: Chain 1, turn. Single crochet into every DC as well as the top of the turning chain.

Weave in and cut all the hanging ends of yarn and wear proudly on Christmas and for much of the month of December.

Day 359 and Function

It's always funny to me when I wear something that happens to have a lot of holes in it because there is inevitably someone who is convinced that there is no way something with holes can keep you warm. It's always very hard to explain the physics of it, but holes really can keep you warm.

Have you ever seen insulation before it's put into the walls? It's very lightweight and very squishy and not at all dense. If you were to shrink yourself down a little bit you would see that it's layers and layers of fiberglass with lots of air in between. The air holds onto heat (the heat that comes from your own skin) and keeps it close to you. While solid fiber would keep you warm, the air held in place does the same thing without the bulk.

I also find that a thick scarf can be pretty stiff so the big holes I've added to the center (a filet crochet hole worked over 2 rows) serves as a very comfortable place to fold over a shawl collar.

Day 358 and Twizzles

The cutest little not pompoms you ever saw dangle at each end of this skinny scarf. Whenever I make a skinny scarf I try to make it longer than usual so that it can be wrapped around the neck at least twice unless it's just for decoration. This one is definitely fluffy and deserves to face the storms.

It's a simple length wise scarf in double crochet except for the twizzles which are super easy to add as you go. For each twizzle chain an additional 10 stitches at the end of the row. Double crochet 3 times into the 4th stitch and 3 double crochet into each of the following 6 chains. At this point you should be lined back up to continue the plain double crochet section of the scarf.

Mine is only 2 thick rows wide, but yours could be as big as you want it to be! There's plenty of room to add a twizzle at the end of every single row if you wanted to. I only had about one third of a skein of Homespun by Lion Brand held double on a size P hook. I didn't count the chains but I stopped at the 5 foot mark. Go crazy with yours! :D

Day 355 and Pinch

Oh gosh... 10 days to go... oh geez.... Oh... oh...

Is it strange to feel like a habit has formed? I'm not sure what I'm going to do with myself when New Year's rolls around and I don't require myself to have a finished project every single day. How will I cope??

Here I was trying to use up a small bit of leftover yarn. I wasn't sure how long the yarn would last and had to frog the entire scarf twice before I came up with this one. I left some spaces of just chain stitch and on the final row double crocheted over the chains in to the very first row of stitching which pinched the fabric into pretty little puffs. The scallops are rather pretty and face framing. I'll draft this quickie pattern out sometime soon, but for now, I need to head to the workplace.

Day 354 and Addition

I'm getting way down to the end of my stash, the end of my project and if we're being completely honest, the end of my ideas. I'm sure they're in there and there are plenty of them, but pulling them out rapid fire is getting to be a problem.

I think I like many are sometimes folly to the idea that inspiration comes out of thin air. While this is certainly true once in a while, it's much more common to be inspired by an outside source. I've made plenty of items inspired by nature, cities, sports teams, the yarn itself, my geeky interests, other people's patterns (always credited! :D), and goodness knows what else. This time, I thought I'd let experience inspire me.

It's nearing Christmas the traditional gift giving season for Christians and secularists alike and it's a perfect time to unload my stash. As I was organizing my giant pile, I start coming across scarves that I don't even remember making, but surely I mist have because I stored them all together.

Quite a long time ago I made a scarf using rings of T-shirt and used a rectangle of crochet sewed into a tube to hold them all together and prevent them from tangling. Quite a long time later, I made a scarf that was all chained loops and the loops were each attached to the next by one single crochet stitch. By coincidence, I happened to come across them at almost the same time and thought OH! This... plus this.... equals.... THAT! It just goes to show that sometimes you can be your own inspiration and there's nothing wrong with that at all.

oh stuffnfluff, that picture is stinky....

Day 352 and Travels

I wonder where my stash comes from sometimes. I know some of it has been gifted to me from very generous people who just want to see their unloved yarn find a good home where it will be used and made into interesting things (and that's very flattering in and of itself). I know some of it comes from garage sales, thrift stores and recycled yarn. I've even been known to buy it new once in a while!

What I'm wondering is where all the rest of it comes from? Every sometimes, I'll be digging through the stash and find a scrap ball of yarn that I have never ever seen before. I'm not saying my memory is perfect, but when I find something distinct, one would think I'd have a memory of it.

This scarf was made from just such a scrap ball of yarn. It was slightly glittery, slightly variegated, slightly fuzzy, and felt like wool. I paired it with a couple of creamy colored yarns and made a traveling filet stitch in the center to make sure it lasted as long as I could get it to last. I wish so very much that I knew what the brand of yarn was because I would certainly buy some if it. Alas, I believe it will be a mystery forever.

Day 350 and Taupes

Some colors names are just too darned vague to pin down. I gathered up a bunch of my taupes and made a nice spongy cowl with bobble bits. It's soft and it's comfy so if they taupes don't match, I'm not bothered even a little bit. Let the mismatched things match, says I!

Day 349 and Shimmer

Novelty yarns have their place, but some yarns sit on the very border of novelty land. Anything with a thread of metallic bits often balance carefully here. This scarf uses Vanna's Choice Glimmer and definitely earns my seal of approval. Granted, I'm a really laid back and easy to please knitter. Some of the yarns I've worked with in the past year and what most folks would consider pretty darn gross. (We're talking 30 year old Orlon gross) I always assume that there's a way I can make a yarn work. If it was as heinous as all that then it wouldn't be on the market.

Vanna'a Choice (And keep in mind I haven't worked with any of Vanna's yarns just yet) doesn't come close to the heinous scale. The metallic bits aren't intrusive and aren't sticky and tinsely feeling as some tend to be and really does show quite a lot of shine despite the lack of it in my less-than-professional picture. I used a couple of baby yarns which happen to be the same weight to lessen the sparkle, but if I had had 3 skeins of Glimmer I feel confident in using it!

Here's the recipe:

3 skeins of Vanna's Choice Glimmer (They can all be the same color or you can use different colors. I think this would look pretty amazing with silver, gold, and platinum)
Size N Crochet hook
Tapestry needle.
Chain 111 and use the pattern "Hardy Edge" from Crochet Edges and Trims: 150 Stitches. Cut the yarn.
When you've finished the edge, turn the scarf so the chain edge is at the top. Start a new yarn and slip stitch into the available chain bump working rows 2-4 of the pattern. Cut the yarn.

Weave in all ends.

Don't be alarmed by the gigantic open lace! The hook and yarn combination makes a soft fabric that easily squishes up around your neck to provide nice warm layers.

Day 344 and Mint Chip

I thought I'd expand on the woven effect a little bit. In this collar I used an icord instead of scrap yarn and zigged it back and forth with each row. I used an interesting frog with a long loop so I could hook it onto itself instead of having another frog piece on the other side. Maybe it's just me, but I think loops are much easier than buttons. I'm sure it's just a personal thing.

Day 343 and Lazy

Did I fool you? I've done a woven scarf with scraps before, but no! This is not woven! I crocheted the whole thing. I could have crocheted a mesh and then woven each of the strands through, but I didn't think I had it in me today. I've done tapestry crochet before and if you aren't careful the yarn that is supposed to be hidden inside the stitch can show through. I decided I'd use the folly to my advantage. I thought I'd be lazy and cheat my way to a woven look and I'm not ashamed ;)

Scraps of heavily textured yarn for "weaving"
Size M hook
TLC Amore held double (Main color)(any worsted or light worsted will do)
Tapestry needle

Cut as many scraps as you plan on using head of time about 5.5 feet for each length. The number of strands you should use for each row can be any number you like, but I used enough strands that when held together, they approximated the width of the chain created with the main color yarn.

Throughout the pattern, for every single crochet stitch including the very first and very last of every row, catch the scrap yarns inside the stitch as follows: Insert hook, pull up a loop, position scraps against the main fabric (or chain on the bass row), reach OVER the scraps to catch your loop and finish the stitch. Once again, this method of catching the scraps happens on each and every single crochet stitch throughout the pattern.

Chain 101 using main color.
Base row: SC into second chain from hook. *Chain 2, skip 2 chain, SC into next chain* repeat to last chain, Sc in last chain.
All following rows: Chain 1, Turn. SC into first stitch *Chain 2, skip chain space, SC into next SC* repeat to last stitch, SC in final stitch.

Repeat the second row until the scarf is as wide as you'd like. I had less than half a skein of amore and still was able to make a 6 inch wide scarf. If you'd like a longer scarf, increase the beginning chain with any multiple of 3.

Cut your scraps ends evenly or artistically as you please. Cut the main color and sew in the loose ends of the main color.

Day 342 and Mimsy Porpington

Why the weird name!!?? I was inspired by the gigantic victorian neck ruffles. Because this is a very light color it's a little tricky to see the ruffles, but they are in fact vertical and do not lie flat against the rest of the otherwise simple collar. I remembered John Cleese wore something similar as a ghost in the Harry Potter movies and thus the namesake.

Basically, I made a very simple double crochet cowl with no shaping. When I had the width I wanted, I cut my end and wove them in. Then I started a new bit of crochet. This time I made three double crochets around the post of a stitch near the center as well as the one next to it. I chained 1 stitch, rotated the cowl, and worked around the post of another set of stitches. I kept mine lined up for this scarf, to make nice symmetrical ruffles.

Day 341 and Scatterbrain

SO I thought yesterday's scarf was fun to make and I figured I do another one with a twist. This time I pulled all the strands out as a loop and I deliberately used variegated yarns. The result is a massive hodge podge of colors. It's bright, it's wacky, and I love it!!

When doing the loop technique though, I need to mention that it's important to do one final row of basic single crochet. Otherwise the loops on that last edge can get all stretched out and strange looking the way a ladder in otherwise even knitting looks.

Day 340 and Big Bird

Here's a weird technique. If you've ever made loopy fabric by using your thumb to hold some extra yarn out while you make your stitch, then you can do this. It's all made with single crochet, but with three strands of yarn held together. When making the loops ONLY hold out one yarn. In this case, I used the yellow fluffy yarn every single time, but for an interesting effect, you could pull out a different yarn for each stitch.

Day 338 and Bear Hug

I don't think I've done nearly enough cute childlike scarves this year. I thought the yarn combination here of one fuzzy mohair and one smooth yarn made a nice furry, but not overwheling texture. It looked like a big fuzzy animal. A couple claws at each end and that fuzzy animal has his paws around you!

Awwww, so cute!

Day 334 and Test Strip

I've done plenty of scarves using scraps, but most of them are just a jumble so no one yarn sticks out. I've also made scarves using a single stripe of a yarn which is certainly interesting, but you can't tell what the yarn is like by itself when done this way.

This time around, I thought I'd really give each yarn a chance. It's still a scrap scarf, but by separating each texture with something smooth and nondescript, you get a better feel for each type so that you might be interested in using it for something more substantial.

If you're really lucky, you might live near a yarn shop that lets you sample yarns! If that's the case, this is an ideal scarf to make. Use a size P hook and either buy the contrast yarn or bring it along. Something like this takes only an hour or so (and I for one can easily spend much more time than that in a yarn shop!).