Tuesday, October 28, 2008

What was that?

IMG_7691

Pssst.

Hey, do you hear something?
...something like the click, click-clacking of tiny claws

...or the snick, snick of miniature masticating mandibles?

Shhh! There it is again.


IMG_7692
IMG_7693
IMG_7697

Boo!

Meet Lola... the lavender lobster!

IMG_7647
IMG_7644
IMG_7648
IMG_7653

"Lola" or Knit Lobster by Molly Lincoln
SWTC Karaoke 50% Soy Silk, 50% Wool (109 yards / 50 g per ball), ~0.5 balls of the color "Bloom"
US 2 (3.0 mm) Knitpicks Harmony dpns
US D (3.5 mm) crochet hook (for chained antennae)

I had been wanting to try this pattern for a while, and I'm glad I did - it's pretty entertaining to make the pieces and put them together! I worked the pattern essentially as written, except I changed the last part of the claw pieces. Here are my changes:

Where the pattern says “Now work an icord for 6 rows using the 3 live sts remaining. Row 7: k2tog, k1. Row 8: k2tog” I did the following instead:
-Pick up 1 st on each side of remaining 3 live sts = 5 sts.
-Work a 5 stitch icord for 3 rows.
-Next row: still working as icord, K2tog, k1, K2tog = 3 sts.
-Next row: still working as icord, k2tog, k1 = 2 sts.
-Next row: still working as icord, k2tog = 1 sts.


Although no numerical gauge is given for this pattern, I think my gauge was a little too tight and my row gauge was a bit wacky because my lobster seems shorter and plumper than the original. This also may have had something to do with the fact that I, in retrospect, overstuffed Lola. I had some difficulty pulling the legs through the body - a slightly looser gauge would have made that easier - and my overstuffed arms/claws were somewhat resistant to the process of being formed into multiple segments.

Despite these issues, I love Lola anyway :)

I think she looks a bit like this "white" lobster.

296-9604_IMG.jpg

As usual, I enjoyed working with the subtly color-changing Karaoke, which I've used several times before. It was challenging to execute some of the m1's (make 1 stitch) on the small needles with this worsted weight yarn, and the single-ply broke on me (I pulled too hard) the first time I tried to tie a length of yarn around one of the arms to try to get the segmented look.

Here's the rest of what happened when Lola introduced herself to Bug:

IMG_7661
IMG_7684
IMG_7674
IMG_7663
IMG_7662
IMG_7664

As you can see, they're getting along smashingly :)

Happy (almost) Halloween!

IMG_7359

26 comments:

wildtomato said...

Ah, I love seeing new relationships blossom. I can feel the Lola + Bug love.

Anonymous said...

Do you ever not have awesome Bug photos? Love!

The A.D.D. Knitter said...

Impressing Bug is one thing, but what about Moana??

Sarah said...

Yes, I agree with Heather -- is Moana jealous and upset about not getting her own lobster?

YarnSnob said...

Your post made me howl with laughter!!! Very funny!! Bugs has really taken a liking to Mr Lobster! Yes...Moana needs a lobster too

Anonymous said...

What a cute lobster and he matches Bug's eyes.

Cabbage said...

Ha! Your cat montages are always great :)
Nice lobstah!

Anonymous said...

Very cute! I'm glad a Bug and a lobster can live in such peace. Great yarn choice, glad you overcame the difficulties!

Oiyi said...

I love the lobster. I have that queued for a while now, but haven't had the chance to knit it. I am a New England girl so I have to make it.

Anonymous said...

So unfair - first an octopus and now a lobster! I really need to get on the ball. That is so fun!

Madge said...

Is that a rock...rock...rock lobster?! Heh. Bug plus lobster equals funny.

Happy Halloween!

Ewe-niss said...

Yeah! I get to show my daughter another one of your 'cat being tormented' photos :-)

I still say, "sleep with one eye open."

Christie said...

Bug is the most awesome cat in the world.

schrodinger said...

cool lobster!

Ally Jay said...

So very cool. Much nicer than the white lobster.

handknit168 said...

the lobster is very real that I want to eat it for lobster is one of my favour seafood.

Laural said...

Haha! I LOVE it! Great work.

Linda said...

Lobster looks great, it looks like Bug gets on just fine with him!

Kara said...

Love the Lobster Attack on unsuspecting kitties!

Knittymuggins said...

Lola's Lovely!!

Happy Howl-o-ween!

knittymuggins

Elizabeth said...

You're crrrazy. :) That's a cool lobster, though... Love the purple.

Beth said...

Love Lola and Bug together!

Anonymous said...

I think Lola turned out very well, and she *does* look like the white lobster! That must have been tricky with the worsted on such small needles, but she looks worth it.

Anonymous said...

OMG, this is hilarious! And Lola is too cute!

Anonymous said...

There's nothing wrong with short, plump, overstuffed lobsters. Pass the butter...

Rebecca said...

You know, I've never thought of knitting a lobster before. I recently commissioned my mom to knit (yes, KNIT!) a pizza for my daughter. I saw a felted wool pizza on www.naturalpod.com and decided my daughter would want one. I am not sure if my mom can actually do this or not; her skills aren't too advanced. Now that I think of it, it would probably be easier to simply sew a pizza out of felt rather than knit a pizza and then felt it. . . .

As you can tell, I don't know much about knitting. I'm glad I found your blog, though!