Year of Ami, week 4, D is for Dodecahedron!

D was a difficult one for me. I don't know why. Except I don't want to make an ami dog of any kind (nothing against dogs, you understand, it's just not me). Also, I'm trying to do stuff that makes me happy, stuff I've been considering a while, but haven't gotten to.

There is this very cool dragon, but he has many parts to sew together. Have I mentioned before? I don't like having to sew stuff together.

Sure, I sew fabrics together, and I enjoy that. But I figure, if you're creating the "fabric", custom making the shapes, why should you then have to sew them together? So many things can simply be joined together as you go, or stitches could be picked up. I did this baby blanket once, a sort of 4-square design. The pattern actually wanted you to knit all 4 panels separately, and then sew them together. Even though the knitting was to be all in the same direction. I could see doing that for the width, because knitting across an entire baby blanket means you have to use a circular needle, because straight don't come that long. But for the length? Please, why would I need to bind off in one color, and cast on for a whole new square, just because I'm changing colors? So I didn't. I also used the circular needle, so there was no sewing anything together. It still puzzles me why they wrote the pattern that way.

But I digress.

I'm such a math geek, I couldn't resist a math-related ami challenge. So, I've selected this awesome Dodecahedron, made in sock weight yarn. I have some leftovers, which I hope will be enough. Yes, this means tiny needles (size 2) and fine yarn, but it's still a quick knit. All that cool stripey color business is the yarn - it's self-striping. Mine is a calmer palette, but it will still be stripey like that.

And get this: they also have the pattern in crochet! I love when that happens. I'd considered another D project in crochet, and started hunting up the yarn I needed, but then I saw they'd added the crochet Dodecahedron, and I was sold. They suggest a size E hook, but I'm thinking a smaller hook size would be better for this, just to be sure it's tight enough. I would have guessed a size C for that weight of yarn. I'll let you know what works best for me.

In case you're wondering, neither of these has to be sewn together. Really. You start at the base of each point, and work to the tip, then the next point is partly picked up (or worked into)and partly cast on (or chained), so the sections are joined as you go. Genius!

If you need some cute self-striping sock yarn, Joann has Sensations Soles and More, which comes in great colors, at a great price (you can't buy that online from them, you've got to go there), and one ball is more than enough for both of these. (or you could ask me nice, and I might let you choose from my sock-knitting leftovers)

Think what a cute baby toy this could be, with maybe a jingly cat toy inside?

What are you waiting for? Get those hooks and needles out, and get going!

P.S. You could do this in any yarn, really. Just choose appropriate-sized needles/hook, and go from there. For instance, if you had some of that Red Heart SS in Rainbow, which is such a cute colorway, get your G hook or size 7 needles, and start stitchin'. Seriously.

*update* pics of my own creations added after-the-fact