Arugami hamburger/cheeseburger

Just made this cute hamburger the other day. Took me about 1 day's worth of work.

Instructions from http://nerdigurumi.com/2011/03/amigurumi-no-sew-hamburger-or-cheeseburger.html

For more info, please visit the site. The stuff below ain't complete.

I had a bit of difficulty with the instructions though, some of them was ambiguous about which loop I should use.

Surprised about the burger size too. It turned out to be a life sized burger. Heh. I was assuming that it'll be a tiny little thing from the screenshots.

Stuffing. Bought it from Daiso

I flubbed up on the cheese

Too lazy to sew/glue the cheese to the patty, so the tomato is hidden :(
The patty is a little tall though, I did 1 extra row.

Didn't use a magic circle start. Chain2 ftw
 

Hungry?

SC = Single Crochet
SL ST = Slip Stitch
CH = Chain
Join = Slip Stitch into first stitch of the same round
INVDEC = Invisible Decrease
INC = Increase (2 SC in one stitch)
DC = Double Crochet
DC INC = Increase of Double Crochet (2 DC in one stitch)
TC = Triple or Treble Crochet

Burger Top Bun
CH 2 or Magic Ring or start however you like.
1. SC x 8; join CH1 (8)
2. INC x 8; join CH1 (16)
3. SC then INC; repeat x 7; join CH1 (24)
4. SC, INC, SC; repeat x 7; join CH1 (32)
5. SC, SC, SC, INC; repeat x 7; join CH1 (40)
6. SC, SC, INC, SC, SC; repeat x 7; join CH1 (48)
7. SC x 7, INC; repeat x 5; join CH1 (54)
8. SC x 17, INC; repeat x 2; join CH1 (57)
9. SC x 9, INC, SC x 9; repeat x 2; join CH1 (60)
10. SC around; join CH1 (60)
11-15. repeat round 10 for rounds 11 through 15; (60)
16. SL ST around; switch to off-white for the “inside” of the bread join then CH1 (60)
Hook into the back loop of the previous round and work in this loop for the next round (video demonstrating this technique)
17. SC, SC, INVDEC, SC, SC; repeat x 9; join CH1 (50)
Go back to working in both loops.
18. SC x 3, INVDEC; repeat x 9; switch to lettuce green, join CH1 (40)

Lettuce
Work round 19 only in the front loop of round 18, not in both loops.
19. SC x 3, INC; repeat x 9; join CH1; (50)
Go back to working in both loops.
20. SC, Skip next stitch, DC 8 times in the next stitch, Skip next stitch, SC, SC, Skip next stitch, SC 5 times in the next stitch, Skip next stitch, SC; repeat 4 times times; SL ST and finish off.

Tomato
Work round 21 in the back loop of round 18, not in both loops.
21. Hook into the inner loop of round 18 with red yarn, CH1 and SC around; join CH1 (40)
22. SC around; switch to orange cheese colour; join CH1; (40)

Cheese
Work round 23 in the front loop of round 22, not in both loops.
23. SC, SC, INC, DC INC, TC, DC INC, INC, SC x 3; repeat x 3; join then finish off; leave a long tail for stitching the cheese down to the meat patty so it looks like it is melty. Only stitch it down once your amigurumi is stuff and finished. This will keep the cheese from curling upward too. (56)

Meat Patty
Work round 24 in the back loop of round 22, not in both loops.
24. Hook into the inner loop of round 22 with brown yarn, CH1 Sc, INC; repeat 19 times; join CH1 (60)
25. SC around; join CH1; (60)
26. repeat round 25; (60)
27. SC, INVDEC; repeat x 19; switch to off-white yarn colour; join CH1; (40)

Bottom Bun
Work round 28 in the back loop of round 27, not in both loops.
28. SC, INC; repeat x 19; switch to light brown bun colour; join CH1 (60)
Work in back loop of round 28, not in both loops.
29. SC around; join CH1; (60)
Go back to working in both loops.
30. SC around; join CH1; (60)
31. repeat round 30; (60)
32. SC, SC, INVDEC, SC, SC; repeat 9 times; join CH1; (50)
33. SC, SC, SC, INVDEC; repeat 9 times; join CH1; (40)
34. SC, INVDEC, SC; repeat 9 times; join CH1; (30)
35. INVDEC, SC; repeat 9 times; join CH1; (20)
36. SC, INVDEC, SC; repeat 4 times; join then CH 1; (15)
37. INVDEC x 5 or as many times as necessary to close up and finish off.

Crocheting craze - A book!

I've just started learning how to crochet, and been doing a bunch of arugami. They are just so cute!!! Yet useless. Heh.

Came across this pattern on Ravelry, and I guess it can be more useful than most...: http://craftyiscool.blogspot.sg/2011/08/first-friday-free-pattern-and-big.html

Basic instructions:
Key:
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
FLO: crochet into front loops only
BLO: crochet into back loops only

Book Cover:
R1: With E hook and yarn, ch 15. Sc into 2nd ch from hook and next 13 ch (14)
R2-13: Ch 1, turn. Sc into next 14 st (14)
R14: Ch 1, turn. Sc into FLO of each st (14)
R15: Ch 1, turn. Sc into BLO of each st (14)
R16-27: Ch 1, turn. Sc into both loops of each st (14)
* You will now crochet along the outside of the book cover to make a clean rounded edge.
R28: Work 2 more sc into the last st of 27, turning. Sc into next 26 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turning. Sc into next 13 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turning. Sc into next 26 st along edge, work 3 sc into last st, turn. Sl st into next 12 st, fastening off at last st. Weave in ends.

For the rest, and more professional looking pictures, please take a look at her blog.

This little book took me about 3 hours I think. Wasn't really timing it. I flubbed up on the inner cover and pages though. Should have measured it out more before cutting. Or maybe I just suck for cutting stuff. Heh.

The creator stitched messages into the pages, but I'm not sure how to do it while keeping the knots and stuff hidden though.

Initially I wanted to glue a magnet inbetween the cover and the lining, but unfortunately I couldn't find a magnet at all. Where do they sell these things???

So now I'm thinking of just sewing a safety pin along the spine. At least it'll be somewhat useful for the recipient as a decorative object!

Still, all in all, very simple! Thinking of doing it again for my friend's wedding. A white book this time... and afterwards, a red book! Like Mao's little red book. Hehe.

Dreamhost

Ok so I finally got a hosting provider, and I have a coupon! $50 off for new signups. Just plug in ANGEL50 when you register.

Time to go populate my site .....

Useful link for iPhone dev

http://networkpx.blogspot.com/2009/09/compiling-iphoneos-31-apps-with-xcode.html

Sharing Printers on Windows 7 (0x000006d9)

If you are trying to share a printer in Windows 7 and get the error 0x000006d9, check your system services. If your Windows Firewall service is off, turn it on and try again.

Worked for me when I tried to share a printer. I guess W7 was trying to add a rule to allow the printer to be accessible but as the service was off, it couldn't modify it and hence couldn't share it out.

How to compile freaking php on my mac.

./configure \
--prefix=/usr/local \
--with-apxs2=/usr/sbin/apxs \
--with-ldap=/usr \
--with-kerberos=/usr \
--enable-cli \
--with-zlib-dir=/usr \
--enable-exif \
--enable-ftp \
--enable-mbstring \
--enable-mbregex \
--enable-sockets \
--with-iodbc=/usr \
--with-curl=/usr \
--with-config-file-path=/etc \
--sysconfdir=/private/etc \
--with-mysql-sock=/var/mysql \
--with-mysqli=/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config \
--with-mysql=/usr/local/mysql \
--with-openssl=shared,/usr \
--with-xmlrpc \
--with-xsl=/usr \
--with-pear \
--with-libxml-dir=/usr \
--with-iconv=shared,/usr \
--with-pdo-mysql=/usr/local/mysql/bin/mysql_config \
--with-gd \
--with-jpeg-dir \
--with-png-dir=/sw \
--with-freetype-dir=/usr/local \
--with-mcrypt=/sw

http://www.malisphoto.com/tips/php-on-os-x.html
http://diymacserver.com/forum/topic/leopard-iconv-and-php5

Changing ideas

Yes, it's been a while since I last penned here. There are several reasons ... too lazy, the tools are not available when I want to do it, it's all on FB already ...

But well, I guess I better put something here too :P So my loyal readers can read.

Things have pretty much changed since the ideas of last time. I remember last time, it was pretty much absolutes. The future partner must be a virgin! He must be this! That! Etc.

But reading SG Brides changed my mindset. It doesn't really matter whether he did It or not, it's still the same person regardless. I remember I was quite shocked actually, that many people are getting it on without getting married. (Yes I guess I'm a prude >_>)

Looking back too, while in Converscient, I was pretty satisfied (to use the term loosely). A job, doesn't pay much, but it was okay, not many big complaints, go back everyday play wow. That's fine really. Some time sooner or later I'll earn enough to afford a car.

Well that was the idea then. Things changed after going to muvee. I think it was due to a number of reasons - older (and hence more mature? lol), meet different people (the people I mixed with in Converscient were chiefly my peers in age).

The different people I met taught me different things, and somehow awoken the hunger. The wtf am I still doing here? Why am I not getting HIS pay? Why do I have to save money to afford this? Why can't I expand my income so that I can afford this?

I met SG and YJ the other day. I guess you can put us in the 'losers' category. (Yes, I'm not burning with self righteousness by saying I'm not in the grp). Amongst us we have people who have never dated, people who only had 1 partner and refused to try again, people who aren't excelling in their careers, people who are sitting on their bums waiting for stuff to happen, people who just accept everything that comes their way, people who don't fight.

It's kind of sobering, thinking about this. The only time is now. Do you want to live an average life? Look back upon it at your deathbed and realise that you didn't do anything at all. That you were a person of no consequence? That in a blink of an eye (on a cosmic scale), you were nothing. Friends say a few things about you at your funeral, and that's it. Life goes on. Nothing happened.

This is probably putting it a little too harshly. Unless you're a true hermit, most of us touch people everyday.

Well, at least I'm glad I realised this, and also realise the need to climb out of this cesspit. I don't know what to do about the people I know who are still like this. Do they know? Do they know and just ignore this? Do they know, and do nothing about it? Do they defeat themselves by telling themselves that they don't amount to anything?

Are they really comfortable with the idea that they are alone? Do they not think of whether they should find someone? Or just sit and wait? Jiang Ziya diao yu?

For some people, things happen easily for them. For others, they have to fight for it if they want to have it. Just because you don't have it now doesn't mean you're not destined to have it.

I came across this little gem when I was reading my (now) favourite site: www.cracked.com

One of the most common reasons we procrastinate is fear that the end result won't live up to the "perfect" idea in our heads. Think about the writer friend of yours who has never actually written anything, because they're "waiting for the right idea" for a book to come along.

This is why people wind up living in their parents' basement--waiting for the perfect job, the perfect girl, the perfect friendship--before committing to anything.

And here's what one of my friends had to say about it:

You don't figure out the right way to do something without making mistakes. And nobody's perfect.

It's almost better knowing how something sucks and making due rather than for waiting forever for it to be perfect.

Why are some people I know so afraid of failure? I'm afraid of it too, I know. I'm working to remove that. It's okay to fail. It's better to have tried, and failed, than not to have tried at all. Rather than sit staring at the closed door wondering what's on the other side, or fearing about what's on the other side, just wtf open it! Open it and deal with what comes out from the other side. It could be good, it could be bad. Whatever it is, it will make you stronger. You will learn from the experience (Well of course you can choose not too...)

Alongside with the realisation (that I hang out with losers), is that I have to make other kinds of friends. Friends who have the same kind of mindset. I only know four so far. Need to find more.

This doesn't mean I'm not a loser, nor am I saying I'll ignore nor think any less of the 'loser' friends that I have, but, birds of a feather flock together. Friends influence your way of thinking, what you do, and can give good advice.

Sigh. I dunno. I wanted to send all this and then some to my friends, but... well really. Is there a point to it? If you hold yourself so small, should I bother to hold yourself for your true worth? If you can't even see the beauty in yourself, should I even bother to tell you how beautiful you are? Should I bother to drag a boulder up a mountain? A boulder that doesn't even want to go up in the first place?

Doesn't seem like it's logical hor. But it's quite sad to see people wasting their time like this...

Not like I'm not wasting my time ;) I do do that sometimes... :P

I found this blog while stumbling, http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2007/03/21/why-some-people-almost-always-are-successful/ it seems pretty good. Nice posts. Check it out.