CrochetPoet's Stitchity Wickets

That Lovely Scarf

2009-10-06T11:11:00.006-05:00

The CAL Scarf Along is Coming Along

I've gotten to the point now where I'm working on the lace inset that joins the two motifs together. It's going to be slow going as I have to have the piece on a flat surface to join the two strips with the lace. Working at my computer desk and eager to get it completed. I took some pictures of the first segment of lace, this will be what I repeat up the scarf, joining the two motifs to each side of the lace as I go. I had to fold up the motifs strips and used chip clips to keep them from getting in my way as I have to turn the work with each row. They look cute holding the crocheted pieces.

I've got a picture of the lace inset piece, closer up so you can get an idea of the stitching of the piece.

I have a LOT more pictures but they're just repeats of what you're seeing here, and I think it would be too boring to just keep showing you pictures of the same thing over and over.

October Fest

October is a strange month. The weather is just now starting to turn cool, but it's definitely not October cool. A good friend and I have decided to try and yard sale this month in an effort to get rid of a whole lot of junk we've collected, gathered and carted around for far too long. We set up this past weekend and did fair on Saturday. Sunday was a very slow day however. It wasn't until we were in the process of cooking steaks on the grill for our dinner that we started getting many customers and from then, throughout our attempt to have our dinner we had customers, LOL. Guess they must have smelled the steaks cooking! We're going to try and yard sale each weekend this month, hoping we can get most of our stuff sold off because we really don't want to have to store this stuff through the winter. We have only touched maybe 1/5th of the stuff we need to sell, the rest of it being stuffed into the loft and back half of my shed and we had to get the stuff we had out this past weekend out of the shed so we could get it cleared enough to get to the rest of the junk. Now, the stuff that didn't sell last weekend is all crammed into my smallest bedroom so we can spend part of this week digging out in the shed in order to get more junk out for this weekend.

My Next (already started) Project

I ran across a beautiful shawl pattern on a yahoo group I belong to. It's called the Wisteria Shawl and was posted in the group as a crochet-along that occurred before I joined, but I think it's beautiful and so dug out some size 3 thread I had stored and started one. I did take a quick picture of the first bit I've gotten completed (worked on it while we were yard selling this weekend).

The picture really doesn't do the thread color justice, it's a much more vibrant shade, almost a salmon color. I think it's going to turn out great!

That Bedspread is Finally in my Room

I finally got moved back into my master bedroom and got to put the red and white afghan I made on my bed, which is thrilling to me because now I've gotten the room together and it looks great and it's the most peaceful place to sleep, or lay and read, or watch tv in now. I still have to switch my clothing out of the other room and put it into drawers and closet, but I'm working on that this week, and hoping that by Christmas time I've gotten everything out of the other room and have it set up as my crafting room. I can hardly wait till I can settle in there and crochet, or sew, or just read!
As you can see, my beagle likes the afghan too!

I placed the bed under the window because I like having air on me when I sleep.

Love this picture in the room.

This picture isn't quite as ideal a fit, but I needed another large picture for the wall by the bed and wasn't liking what I was finding out there, so when I ran into this one I thought it would go fairly well, and it certainly looked much better than the ones I'd seen up till then so I snapped it up.

Finally, Fall

2009-09-28T17:36:00.008-05:00

Wow, today it turned fall here. The morning started out breezy, very breezy and cool. It's stayed cool all day and the winds have kept on coming. I think we're supposed to have at least a couple more days like this before the rains hit us again. Have to use this time to get my lawn mowed...one of the last mowing of the season I am sure. So in the spirit of the change of season I found a site full of images that epitomize the turning... http://tiny.cc/STbLu

It's also Yom Kippur. I'm not Jewish but I wondered what the holiday was about and so I found out at Wickipedia. http://tiny.cc/dwIzv Good ole' Wickepedia, always there to 'splain things. So, it's supposed to be a day to atone, or a day of final "judgement" of how you've spent the time since Rosh Hashanah in atoning for your sins against both God and your fellow humans. Interesting that not only is it a day of fasting a prayer, but traditionally there are six things that should be avoided on this day:

No eating and drinking
No wearing of leather shoes
No bathing or washing
No anointing oneself with perfumes or lotions
No marital relations
No dealing with money [with an exception of games which use play money]

I also find it interesting that the vigil doesn't actually begin until sundown of the holiday and carries through until sundown of the following day.

Openwork Shawl Update

On a crochet note, I finished the Openwork Shawl and took pictures. I love the way it turned out but haven't as of yet decided on another yarn to make a second one in. I thought I had a yarn in mind but turned out not to be a good choice, so....onto another choice, once I find one that is.Front viewRear view

The Peacock Tracks Scarf Mystery CAL Update

I have finished the first strip of 24 motifs in the shawl. Have one more to complete and then we'll be sent the audio for the lace strip that goes in between the two motif sections. I am looking forward to finishing this and seeing how beautiful it is all in one piece.

I hung this strip from the door so I could get it all into one shot. This gives you an idea of the length.

Here's another shot of the strip, a little closer this time.

One thing about this pattern that has come up and affected everyone one participating is the fact that the little "ring" that the "feathers" fan out from doesn't seem to want to lay well at all. So we've all been trying to find work through to fix the problem and I've been playing around with some different things, trying to work this out. I think I have come up with a fix, though I'm not going to actually put it on paper and present it to the CAL group until I've gotten through this second motif strip, to test out my changes. Here is a closeup of one of the motifs that I made with the fixes.

Latest Project
I've gotten 3/4 of the way through another scarf, the Trefoil Scarf which has trefoils all around the outside edge and then trefoils down the center. All I have left to complete is the 37 trefoils that go down the center strip of the scarf. Now, each of these have to be made individually and then attached to the scarf and given my penchant (or lack of) for sewing I'm probably closer to 1/2 done than 3/4 because it will take me so long to get those 37 trefoils placed and stitched onto the scarf. I'll be sure to post pictures when I've got it finished. I may have to keep this one, rather than try and sell it, such an intensive labor of love deserves my admiration daily I do believe.

I also managed to get my rather ungainly button box straightened out over this past weekend. I sorted and divided them all by color and into divided cases so that next time I want a button for a project I can simply go to the color family I'm looking for and start sifting through what's in there. I do have some unsorted ones left in a tin, but the cases were full and so there wasn't room to put those buttons in. I will just save them for adding to after I've used up a bunch of the buttons.

A Room of One's Own
Now that I finally have my home back to myself I have decided that I want to get rooms straightened out and set up, one room I'm going to turn into a craft room, where I can keep all my crochet and sewing supplies, equipment and tools. Additionally I think I'll have enough room to find a nice comfy chair to place in there so I can sit in there when I want, watch tv and crochet. I also am looking for a decent table to set the sewing machine upon so that I've got ready access to sew when I want or need to. So, on the list of items I will need for this room is a table, a nice chair for sewing in, a comfy loungy chair to crochet in and at least one bookshelf, perhaps two for crochet books, magazines and patterns. I already have a trunk to place my material in, crates which store the crochet yarns and threads. I will place some of them into the closet, and some will stay out at the end of the room by the closet, with the material trunk beside them. Of course you'll all get to see once I am finished. Can't keep me from proudly showing that off you know!

The other room I've decided to place the computer back into. I have it in the living room presently and while I like it out here, I think I would rather have the extra space in the living room and since I've got the smaller room, might as well set it up in there. Then of course, I'll have to have another bookshelf to put in there, just because it's going to be a study.

Notice if you will there won't be a spare "bedroom". I think I've learned my lesson on having room that others can occupy on me. It never seems to work out, and more than that, I usually end up getting royally screwed in the process so I have come to the conclusion that if I don't have an extra bedroom, no one will be tempted to occupy it. If I have company well....they can either sleep on my couch, or in my bed and I'll sleep on the couch. HAH!

Stage 4 Complete

2009-09-21T08:18:00.007-05:00

Well, I finally received instructions for Stage 4 of the Mystery CAL scarf and have completed that segment. I think it turned out correctly, but I also think I'm going to pull it all back out and remake the entire motif (because, stage 4 does indeed complete the motif) before I continue on to make the remaining motifs required for this segment of the CAL. I think, if you take a look at the motif closely you can see where it's not quite symmetrical, the picots on one side don't really match up to the picots on the other, and they're supposed to. I know the beauty of crochet is that it is hand made, so nothing is ever going to be exactly the same, and while I understand that, I also think that they could a little more closely resemble each other. Besides, by pulling it out and restarting it I think it will give me a more complete idea of how to make the entire motif in one step, rather than in the 4 steps it was broken up into during the learning process. Isn't it amazing how we're just never satisfied?
I think this picture gives a much better indication of the true color of the yarn I'm working with. Isn't it just the yummiest color? The CAL instructor has given us 2 weeks to finish up with this section of the CAL before he's going to post the next segment. The reason for this is to give all 270 members who signed on for this venture time to finish the first 2/3 of the project, which is two strips of this motif repeated 23 times to make 2 separate strips with 24 motifs. Apparently for the next portion we are going to learn some sort of lace motif that will be placed between these two strips to complete the entire project. I think it's going to be gorgeous once finished, and of course, once I get a strip complete I'll be posting pictures for you all to see.

I learned recently that my daughter has decided to do something really special for her 21st birthday. She's planning a trip to Amsterdam to celebrate this monumental event in her life. I am both pleased and puzzled by this choice. I like that she wants to go abroad and possibly get an idea of how other cultures live, and how attitudes in Europe are so different than in America. I am aware that a short week in a foreign country isn't quite the length of time necessary to get a real idea of how another culture lives and thinks, but I'm hoping some of it will come through for her. Of course, first we'll have to get through the fog of intoxication that I'm sure she'll stay in throughout the trip, since marijuana, or more correctly in Amsterdam, hashish, is legal (and most likely the entire reason for her decision to go there in particular). I'm a bit puzzled though by this decision since she and her husband don't have enough gathered together in life yet to even have gotten themselves into a place to live, being still dependent upon the kindness and tolerance of friends and family members to put them up for a time here and there. I suppose being transient like they are makes it much easier to pick up and go wherever they choose at a moments notice, but it also has to make life more stressful and less fulfilling. But I have to keep reminding myself that people's values are their own, and not necessarily mine, or anyone else's. I can't help thinking though that one of the first things a person should be focusing on is getting someplace, some space, they can call their own. Their little spot, their safe place, place of refuge. I don't know, maybe that is entirely my own frame of reference, and my own idea of how life should be operating, but then again, I see more people following down that road than taking the other, and enough people following that course that I suspect it isn't just "my" take on how life should be functioning, or how one should be functioning in life.

Now, I have almost completed the Openwork Shawl I posted pictures of last time, and once complete I'll make sure I show it off. I'm using Caron's Simply Soft acrylic yarn for this first one, with intentions of making at least two more in varied yarns to see how differently they look and drape when made with different materials. The Simply Soft is working up nicely, it's a lovely shade of green called Soft Sage and it does make the piece what it is I believe.

I'm trying to get these things completed and then considering switching off to make some smaller projects, small purses, hair accessories, things like that because a friend and myself have booked a booth for a craft fair in November and my friend keeps telling me we need some items to sell that aren't so large, and expensive, as the shawls and she seems to think if we have some middle of the road items that we'll sell them quickly, for there are people who will be attending who can't quite come up with the money for larger items and they'd probably spend if there were items that were more in their price range. I suppose she's referring to children, and young adults/teens who have limited resources and would be more apt to purchase an item in the 2 to 10 dollar range than one that cost considerably more. While I can concede this, I also have to say I think most of the people who will be attending this craft fair are going to be adults who will have no problem purchasing the larger items and that if we focus so much on smaller items we might be losing out on sales we could make with larger items. I'm willing to give this a shot though, just to see what happens. Since this is our first year with this craft fair I'm curious to see what does sell, what appeals to people and I'm thinking that learning this will give us a better idea of what items to focus on for next years fair. I am also thinking I'd like to have a great amount of shawls put together for spring, and try to market them to the finer shops here in town for sale at Derby time. I think that shawls and stoles and even shrugs will appeal to the crowds that come into town for the Derby, and this being a once a year event, if our items go over well this year we'll have a better opportunity of selling in the following years. I also tend to think we'll be able to sell the items for more because of the out of town crowds who will be coming in, and because of the nature of the event. It's a time of year when people are partying and having a good time. Money is flowing and I think people will have no problem purchasing once they get into town and see our lovely items. Heh, guess I'll keep my fingers crossed on that one.

Since we had such a cool summer it seems that everyone is predicting we'll have an even cooler winter, in fact, a cold cold winter so I've been trying to decide if I want to make at least one of my dogs a sweater for the cold weather. My smaller dog likes wearing clothing. Not sure about the larger one as I've never tried to put anything on him. But, him being 10 and pretty settled in his ways I am more apt to believe he'd fight something new like a sweater being put on him. So, I'm thinking perhaps he'd enjoy and appreciate a pet bed to snuggle up in on those cold days. I'm also thinking well...then I'll get the opportunity to try several new things as I'm working up items for the animals. I will get to work with wool yet again, something I don't do much of, by crocheting a dog sweater for Honey the beagle. I can experiment with T-shirt yarn crochet by making a pet bed for Baby the older and try out fabric strip crocheting by making a pet bed for Honey the younger. Heh, nothing like feeding your desire to experiment while pleasing your pets at the same time.

Today I went a visitin'

2009-09-16T21:33:00.005-05:00

I went to visit a dear friend of mine today. I don't get out often, and when I do I have to really pace myself because of the back injury. A few hours of driving, walking, and such and I'm wiped out; totally. My friend lives across town and so we don't get to visit one another much anymore and today I made plans to just go sit out at her house with her and spend some time catching up. It was great, I took pictures of her plants and her dog, Heidi, a Schnauzer, who is getting to be an old lady. Heidi is a wonderful, rotten, sweetheart and my friend is just a wonderful sweetheart, no rottenness about her. So we caught up on where our lives were at, talked about our kids and what they're up to, ate a spot of lunch and just hung out. It was grand fun and I tell myself I need to do more of that, but trying to visit all the wonderful friends I have would keep me hopping, and in constant pain so I have to settle for taking a day here and there, preparing myself and then going and spending some quality time. The times in between we catch up with one another via telephone, but there's something inherently satisfying about seeing one another in person that you don't really get from phone conversations.

When I finally got back home I was indeed wiped out, and am very nearly ready to put myself to bed early this evening. Hehe, I'm hurting from standing and moving more than I normally do in a days time, but I'm really warmed in the heart from having had time with my friend. I did manage to get a picture of her and the dog. I keep telling myself I am going to take one of her and I together but I keep not doing it. It's funny how you're always the one taking pictures so you never seem to end up with pictures of yourself with your friends and that's something I miss having in my photo albums.

George & Heidi

On a crochet note-
I received the 3rd audio tape for the CAL tonight and have managed to get that completed. Here's the latest image...

I also have on my hook a shawl project designed by Doris Chan. I just love her work, it's so lacy and delicate, and yet simple. I can usually whip out one of her shawls in an evening. I happened to order some books from a book site online, saw this book entitled Crocheted Shawls on the Go and without even having had the opportunity to look it over first, I ordered it. Well, let me tell you, it's the best thing I've done for a very, very long time. There are 21 patterns in the book, all crochet, and I at least like every single one of them. In fact, I love at least 17 of them and have plans on keeping my little fingers busy for a while with this book. I took a picture of the pattern and of the progress I've made on my own project up till now and so I'm sharing both with you this evening. Can't wait to see this completed. I think I'm actually going stash diving and going to come up with at least two other yarns to make this pattern twice more...with a bit of a twist to each.

Here's the picture of the pattern in the book. Yummy!

This is my project, 6 rows in. It has the sc foundation chain and I'm beginning to love this more and more.

Here is a close-up of the yarn. I'm using Caron's Simply Soft in their sage color. Simple yarn, and even though it's not anything like the yarn called for in the pattern (texturally at least) I think it's going to turn out stunning.

Scarf CAL Part 2

2009-09-14T20:47:00.003-05:00

Well, we received the second set of audio files for the next stage of the scarf project. I was totally excited, sat right down and worked it up. So...without further adieu I present pictures of this second segment:

I'm so excited, think this project is going to be scrumptious when I get it finished....and warm, and just in time for the cold weather season.

Scarf CAL

2009-09-13T08:49:00.006-05:00

I got up late this morning to find we got our first set of audio instructions for the CAL. I was thrilled, sat down immediately with my yarn and hook and started. It didn't take very long to complete that first stage, in fact, it took so little time I'm anxious for more, lol! Now I know patience is a virtue, but it's one I don't happen to possess and so I'm all geared up to be crocheting on that scarf and I'm done, until I get the next set of instructions. Waahhh, pout, pout!

So, thought I'd share pictures of the first stage, completed, with you all this morning.

Here's a shot of the first stage, taken as it lay on top of my kitchen table. I think the red underneath shows off the details of the piece.

Here is another shot of the piece, laying atop a plain white sheet of paper. I think this shot gives you a better idea of the actual color of the yarn.

Now, for this project I needed a fingering weight yarn that wasn't acrylic. I have a very small assortment of fingering weight yarn in my stash, but it's all acrylic or acrylic blend so I got to go shopping. This particular yarn called Palette had 50 or more different delicious colors to choose from and I had a hard time making a choice. I will definitely end up back at the Knit Picks website ordering some more colors of this yummy fiber.

So, now I'm simply waiting for the next audio installment of the CAL to arrive for download and looking through my stash to come up with something else to work on in between installments. I have so many choices that it's hard coming to a final decision. Ever have that problem? I've been trying to look through my stash and just let something in there jump out at me. It hasn't quite worked yet, oh, there have been some things that have murmured or whispered my name, but nothing yet that has been so bold as to demand I pick it up and work with it. Guess this will dictate that I next start perusing patterns and see if any of THEM call to me. LOL, such a quandry.

Late Night Endeavors

2009-09-11T22:05:00.003-05:00

Ok, so, I sat up tonight watching an old Frank Sinatra movie and playing around with some crochet work. I say playing because I have already frogged what I accomplished due to it not turning out correct. I am not sure if it was me, or the pattern, or a combination (though I'd bet my life it's a combination), but it wasn't coming out correct and I just had to give up for the evening.

With the CAL just around the corner (starts Sunday) I don't want to get involved in too intricate or time consuming of a pattern, and so I played with this pattern and a yarn I liked to see if it would work gauge-wise. I think it will and I really like the yarn and think it will work most excellently with this particular pattern and so I'll shelve this lil' project until after the CAL is over.

Since I don't traditionally work with lacier weight yarns I think I'm going to have to pay close attention to this Peacock Scarf pattern, and moreso because it's going to be given in bits, via audio files. I'm excited about starting the project but I also don't want to put too much else on my plate and get myself overwhelmed. That's a sure-fire way to end up with unworked items gathering dust in the corner. I still have a couple of those...lol! I guess I'm doing good, I only have a couple of PIGs that I absolutely don't intend to pick back up. Need to get busy frogging!

As for PIGs that I have temporarily shelved, well, I only have four of those so my determination to finish all those tossed aside projects has paid off over the last couple of years. I had at least a dozen when I decided to start focusing on them. Let me tell you, there's a definite reason they were all gathering dust...some I just didn't like the way the pattern was looking as I worked it up, some I got bored with or found too frustrating (when you frog the same item 4, 5, even 6 times it gets waaay old, and the yarn starts looking pretty gnarly), and some I just let slip through my fingers, stashed them away and forgot I had them going.

One of my major aims has been to use all those odd afghan squares I have managed to collect through the years. Having pared down and through various colors I ended up with a bunch of different red ones and a bunch of different blue ones so I decided to make a red granny afghan with those red squares for my bed. I took the squares I had and made a bunch more to go with them, dividing them into equal portions of granny squares and sampler stitch squares. I then edged each with a round of sc in black, joined them and edged the whole piece in a nice wide border of black. I turned out beautifully, it's big enough to act as a bedspread for a full size bed, or a coverlet for a queen sized bed. I'm so proud of it, and love having it spread out on my bed.
Here's the finished coverlet.

Some of the individual squares when I was trying to decide layout.

Some more of the various squares, close up.

Here is the piece just after joining all the squares together with a round of sc around each.

Now onto those blue squares which are all different sizes. This poses quite a challenge, but I think I have an idea....forthcoming. Until then, tah folks, and happy crocheting.

Oh Man, It's Been so Long

2009-09-11T06:21:00.005-05:00

Well, it's certainly been quite a while since I've been on. I have to say I have no real excuse. Yes, life has been busy but I've had time, just no incentive I suppose. I have made many many projects during this time down, just haven't been "up" for posting onto the blog. I will try to correct that and add new photos of projects I've worked on since the last posting, so that you can all see what I've been up to.

Well, I have joined a crochet-along that starts the 13th of September. It's a mystery crochet along that's based upon receiving audio files. Now I'm a bit curious to see how this will work out, listening to instructions and creating from them. I guess I'll find out just how good my audio retention is. This is a group project and has grown to over 250 members. Wow!! That's a huge amount and one I hope isn't an obstacle for the moderator. I'm very excited, and all I know at this point, besides the membership number is that it's audio, a mystery in that we're going to receive partial instructions as we go along and that it's a scarf called Peacock Tracks Scarf. Wow, it's going to be fun!!

I got to pick and order some yummy yarn for the project because I didn't have anything in my stash that would have worked (or so I told myself, lolol). I ordered some Peruvian Highland wool from Knit Picks called Palette in a color called Ash. It's a little bit darker than I had imagined it to be but I think it is going to be wonderful once the project is completed. My yummy yarn!!

At any rate, the drape of the scarf is going to make the piece wonderful even if the color doesn't. Here is a picture I took of the yarn, and of my practice yarn swatch. The pattern calls for dtr and trtr crochets and we were all advised to practice them so they would be smooth and pretty stitches for the project. So here is my swatch, with the dtr and trtr stitches.
The lovely swatch. I think the dtr and trtr stitches turned out pretty decent; uniform and not too natty looking.

I hope to be posting a bit more frequently than I have been to date. I'll be back later to update you all on some of my projects. Till then...happy crocheting!

Ah...finally back

2008-11-09T15:28:00.004-05:00

Wow, I've finally made it back to my blog. It's been so long I almost don't know where to start catching up.

I managed to get an invitation to my daughter's wedding despite our estrangement. I thought I'd post pictures of the wedding on here so you can all see my lovely daughter. She wore black (go figure). A beautiful crocheted halter and skirt (not crocheted by me of course). It was rather unusual, they had been planning a larger formal wedding then decided last minute to just tie the knot before he entered the army. They chose a beautiful historic location out in the woods and even though it was the dead heat of August they looked great. I on the other hand almost wilted before it was all over.
The bride and groom.
Here they are with the pastor, receiving their marriage certificate. You can see a little more of the dress. Doesn't she look happy?

The rings.

I've been busy crocheting baby things all summer and fall. I don't have pictures to post yet but rest assured I will post them as soon as I go recover them from my friend's computer.

A good friend of the family was having a little boy in October. The shower was beautiful and I swear I've got pictures, just have to get them loaded onto my computer so I can show them off.

Since then I have been busy making baby things for my brother's first grandchild, due at the end of January. I've got lots of things made, but no pictures taken as of yet. They will follow though, I promise you.

Outside of that, little else has been of noteworthy interest. I got moved back in and almost have everything where I want it. My sister has since moved in with me, been a bit over a week now. It's a huge adjustment for me and I'm sure for her as well. She works nights and sleeps during the day so things are going pretty well so far. Ah, the honeymoon period! :)

Ok folks, I will return with pictures in hand (or on computer as the case may be). Till then, take care.

Popping In

2008-06-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Well, how to recap the past few months? Hectic? Oh yes! I'm still not back in, but the house is almost ready. It's time to start comparison shopping and I have no idea how I'll accomplish that and still move what items I've salvaged from the inferno back in as well. But, I'm grateful it'll be happening soon. I've missed my space, my peace and my routine.

On a good note, I've been keeping busy lately crocheting baby items for a shower. Once I get settled back into the house you just might get a peek at all of them.

I also had a great time experimenting with mobius wraps. I made two of the same color lacette yarn and they exquisite.

Soon (hopefully) I'll be back to regular blogging, until then people, take care.

Update

2008-02-26T07:42:00.002-05:00

I thought I should let people know why my blog page has sat idle for so long, and why it will probably be the condition it remains in for a time. On January 29th I had a house fire which put me out of my home for at least three months. The dogs are fine; they as well as myself were unharmed but the fire destroyed most of the interior and a whole lot of contents. I've spent the last month trying to sift through the wreckage, talking to insurance agents, talking to contractors and trying to be "at home" outside my own home. Funny, you never realize how comfortable you've become in a place until you can't go back. At least that has been my experience. I am hoping the restoration/remodeling people will be finished with the place by the end of April and then I can start refurnishing my home. I was told that I could get most of my personal information off the hard drive of my computer and so will have to attempt something like that once I get another computer. For now I'm staying with a very good friend and using her computer so I can get on to check mail and roam the net but I'm not sure how often I'll be posting here. Not sure either if I'll be able to post pictures of my completed projects either. I have to obtain a new camera first and that's essentially one of the last things on my list of things to do at this point. So, if I can manage all the juggling you'll get posts/pictures/updates...if I can't then at least you all know why. I will be back though, to post and show off, LOL...I have made myself a new updated crochet supply case and I'm dying to show it off. I used the pattern for the case written by Sally V. George found here but tweaked it to accomodate more supplies. It's a little bulky but it holds everything very nicely without being too cumbersome. I promise pictures as soon as I can manage it. Until I see you again, Happy Crocheting!

Delays, Decisions & Delimmas

2008-01-21T04:52:00.001-05:00

Finished Seraphina
Well, new pictures of old projects. Completed the Seraphina Shawl so here's the picture of the finished project. A friend of mine is modeling it for me.
Here is the shawl spread open so you can see the "wings"

And another shot of it wrapped around. This angle really shows the stitch detail don't you think?

Fleecing Shrugs
I also have another of those fleece shrugs completed. This one is a print fleece with a sleeve and collar insert made with Simply Soft Turquoise yarn. Again, a shot of the front so you can see the collar

and a look at the back which shows the lovely print of the fleece.
These shrugs are snuggly warm as well as pretty.

Doily Delimmas
Now to reach quite a while back in my blogging and bring up an old project that I had some problems with. I made a cute doily called the Cluster Stitch Doily. The project was frustrating me because I kept having to frog the last few rows, over and over again so I put it up. Well, about a year or so later I picked it up and went back to work on it. I discovered at that time that I didn't have enough thread on the core I had so I went into my stash and pulled out what I thought was a match. Now, I of course got the wrong thread (and eventually learned a valuable lesson in mercerized vs. non-mercerized threads) and once the project was completed there was enough color/texture difference in the two that I felt I needed to do something with the doily. I thought I'd either dye it or stain it with tea or coffee. So, up the doily went again until I felt like fooling around with changing the color. After a bit of research I decided to dye the doily with Kool-Aid rather than stain it with tea or coffee. I hadn't yet learned that mercerized vs. non-mercerized lesson else I would most likely have just given up on the whole thing. I chose a grape color thinking it might just come out a lovely lavender which would make the doily very pretty indeed. What came out was a partially pink product that looked like this:

I was dismayed to say the least (this is when I figured out the whole mercerized vs. non-mercerized thing mind you-- a valuable lesson for the future). After letting it dry I decided to leave it as it was and try to pass it off as a deliberate action on my part, lol! I know with Kool-Aid dyeing you have to set the color and for that you need vinegar so I rinsed the doily again and let it soak in a vinegar solution, then laid it back out to dry. The finished product came out like this:

Now I realize setting the color drained a lot of it from the thread and left a subtle difference in shades between the white and the pink, but I kind of like the end product. I've got it put up again and am mulling this over thinking that I can either leave it as is (after another washing of course to determine if the color is going to fade any more or stay as is) or redye the project, hoping for a deeper shade of pink on the part that took the dye and for a resistance to the dye on the part that didn't take the color. Ah...I can see this is going to be my last doily for a very long time!

Out With the Old

2007-12-31T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today I'm saying farewell to a year that slid by so quickly I could barely keep up with the days as they passed along. I got a lot of crochet accomplished this year. Producing unique and beautiful items had the effect of bringing me a great deal of satisfaction, pleasure and sense of accomplishment. What a nice legacy to leave behind.

I finally made the number one spot on my HQ page of free links this holiday season. I am committed to continuing to add links to the page because I like having all those free options in one place.

Over the holidays I didn't get a lot of crochet accomplished. I whipped up some coasters as a last minute gift that I never took pictures of. Guess that means I'll have to make some more just so I can show them off. They're gorgeous coasters and the pattern works up really quick. I finished another One Skein Scarf from the pattern in the Happy Hooker's Stitch 'n Bitch book. The link for the pattern can be found in my last post where I was showing off the Yellow Buttons yarn project. This one is done with Jewel Box Amethyst yarn.
It made a very long scarf.
A detailed shot of the neck
A close-up so you can see the beautiful colorway.

Another project I've ventured into with a crochet friend are Fleece Shrugs with crocheted details. I have pictures of one, constructed with pink fleece and trimmed in a pink print boucle yarn.

Front & Back

Close-up details of the collar Back
Front

The last thing I've worked on for the year is Christmas related. I started it on a whim after Christmas because I wanted something quick and easy to work up. I saw this pattern for a Snowflake Doily and loved it. Instead of using the size 50 thread and size 12 steel hook to obtain a doily 7 1/2 inches in diameter I used some R.H. Holiday yarn and a size F hook to create a centerpiece 25 1/2 inches around.

So my new year starts with the unfinished Seraphina's shawl and Zen scarf that have been occupying space in my Progress Bors all month. I'm hoping the ushering in of 2008 will give me the incentive I need to pick both projects up and complete them before the end of January. We'll see, sometimes these things have a time frame of their own, to which I am not privy.

I hope this coming years brings new inspiration to all my fellow crafters out there, indeed even new inspiration to those who choose other forms of creation and relaxation.

Projects Gone Wonky

2007-12-12T18:52:00.000-05:00

Well, not sure what's going on with the Progress meter here, but it's gone wonky on me and I don' t know why. Perhaps it's just my luck, perhaps it knows I'm a computer moron and has taken this opportunity to screw with my head. I've tried a couple of simple things with no luck. *Sigh* I will try adding another project to the mix and see if it straightens out then. Bear with me folks I'm a much better talker than programmer.

I wanted to share pictures of the round shawl now that I have it completed. You remember the one I said I was making from a vintage pattern I found in an old Mon Tricot magazine that I picked up at the local Thrift store? Well, it took a bit but I finished it and I think it's gorgeous.Here's a picture of the shawl in progress. I have gone through two of the five cluster sequences of the project. It turned into a huge round lovely shawl but I could only get a photo of it folded, with my friend holding it against a sheet and draping it over her back in order to get a good picture of the color and detail. At least this project didn't go wonky on me.

I still have the Zen scarf in process, haven't bothered to pick it up and work a stitch because it's so tedious that it's been boring me. Hopefully I'll get back to it soon and finish it up.

Meantime I've discovered the joy of making the One Skein Scarf from the Happy Hooker's Stitch 'n Bitch Book. I had a couple skeins of this vintage yarn called Buttons that was a pretty yellow with flecking that seemed perfect for this project. The end result:

Lovely scarf; the pattern is easy and works up super fast, in about three hours.
Here is a close up shot of the yarn with the colors flecked throughout.

I'm working on a second one using this pattern with some Jewel Box yarn in an Amethyst color.

O.k., So He's Got Me Hooked

2007-12-11T00:07:00.000-05:00

Poor Me!
I wanted to share with you a special thing I got to capture today; a picture of my dog Baby at his "best". I had a friend stop by this evening and both Baby and Honey were yammering away wanting attention. Honey, being younger and less well behaved usually gets the attention early on while Baby waits patiently. Once Honey has had her fill then Baby wants his turn. Now, tonight my friend was busy talking to me about something important and wasn't paying attention to the Baby boy, he started whining in the most pitiful manner and so I told my friend she should give him some lovin' just to shut him up for a bit, lol. Well, she called him over, he jumped up on the couch beside her and sat there, soaking up the attention. He just happened to turn and give one of those pitiful little whimpers and I laughed, grabbed up my camera and got him to look my way long enough to snap a shot of him at his "hammy" best. Now, isn't this the most pitifully ignored puppy you've ever seen?

My sadly neglected Baby.

Onto Projects
I have to say I've been lax in finishing up projects but finally tonight I forced myself to sit down and finish the Farpoint Topper I started back in October. I posted pictures which will show up on my progress bar, but I'm going to post the picture here as well because I think the top turned out so beautiful and I want a picture that will stay on the blog after I've gone on to other projects. This was really a simple project, worked from the book Amazing Crochet Lace by Doris Chan. By the way, I absolutely looooovvveeee this book. Every project in it is something eye catching. I have only worked two of the projects so far, but I've intentions of working almost all of them, eventually! So, the Farpoint Topper:

I finally picked up the Seraphina's Shawl that I started in the Cozi Yarn and frogged repeatedly until I had to put it down for fear of messing up the yarn. It's such a beautiful colorway of yarn it would have broken my heart to mess it up, so I put the thing up for a bit until I felt capable of tackling it again. I've gotten probably 60% though it now and I'm quite pleased with the way it's turning out. I've draped it over my shoulders a few times checking the length and I just love it, so soft, cuddly and warm. I may have to keep this one for myself; we'll see.
Front side View of the back

A closeup of the beautiful color, called Evening Jewels.

Twas the Week Before Thanksgiving

2007-11-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

Lamby Pie?
I've decided to make my dog a rug/mat thingy to put in her doghouse. This will of course be made of wool and so I went stash diving for what little 100% wool I have yesterday. I think it will be a very colorful mat but I don't think she'll mind that it's pieced together since it will make her doghouse warm and cozy. It looks as if I'm not going to have enough yarn for this project and so I am going to have to start thrift store shopping again in the hopes of picking up odd skeins. Normally this wouldn't be an issue but at the moment my budget doesn't have any room for yarn. I've been happily eating away at my rather largish stash for projects and up to this point it's presented no problem, I always seem to be able to find something to substitute with for a pattern. But this particular project calls for wool and only wool and since finances are so tight I am hoping that I can scrounge up the amount I need from thrift stores. It stinks to be strapped financially.

Progress over Perfection
I've been lazily working away on the Round Shawl and enjoying the process of working it up. It's also given me an opportunity to work with a vintage pattern as I got this particular one from an old copy of Mon Tricot. The pattern is fairly open ended with instructions and I'm not sure if this is common for older patterns or not. I have worked some older patterns but not all that many and the ones I have worked were fairly detailed. This one takes you in detail through a certain point and then leaves off with the classic repeat rows xxx except for [these exceptions] and while it's a really simple pattern it leaves a few questions that I've had to answer by taking a plunge into unfamiliar territorty and just doing what I think is called for there.

Outside of some freeform purses and a few very simple patterns I've not done a lot of branching out on my own. I tend to closely follow a pattern and when I veer off from one it's usually because I've made a mistake in reading the pattern. This is something new for me, to make determinations about a piece on my own. So far it seems to be working out just fine, if it weren't I guess I'd just be frogging and reworking in a different way.

On another note I've been fascinated with Ravelry, trying to get around this rather huge site/community, learn how to use it, take advantage of all it has to offer a crafter and participate in the community at large there. I had an episode last week that drove me insane with progress bars. I'm no computer whiz, not even close. I'd classify myself more in the computer moron catagory and most of what I accomplish on here is very painstakingly won. I wanted to put up progress bars on my blog from my ravelry page so my readers could see the projects I'm currently working on and preview pictures of them as they progressed. This called for inserting java code into my blog and the code was a nightmare for me. I apparently didn't have something right and kept having to insert, delete, insert, delete for the better part of this past week, frustrating me no end and taking time away from my crochet projects. Well, finally with the help of three people from Ravelry I accomplished this task, the code works and does everything it's supposed to do so I now have progress bars that show off the wips I have on the hook. Yah!!

Stash Acquisition Syndrome?
A rather nice event for my week, I went to pick up a drop-leaf table from a local freecycler (beautiful hardrock maple table, but that's another story altogether) and she happened to be a fellow needlework enthusiast. I discovered this because I saw some knitting magazines stacked up beside the table when we got there for pickup. I commented on this, asking her if she knitted and telling her that I and my friend who was with me to help with the table crocheted. She was thrilled at that prospect and warmed right up with the information that she predominantly knitted but had learned to crochet a few years back as well as creating other forms of needle arts. It was nice meeting a fellow crafter because I only really know my friend, here in town. I know a lot of people from online but not many in person here and I miss the fun of sharing things with others in town. I would like to be able to meet up once a week or a month with other enthusiasts and have a session of crocheting, chatting and camaraderie and it disappoints me that I haven't found that here in town. I have seen these set up for knitters but not for crocheters and while I know I'd be welcome at a knitting session I feel like I'd be the "odd man out" and would rather have a group of us who do the same thing, so we're all on the same page. But, I digress...anyway, this lady gifted me and my friend with crochet magazines that she was going to have to get rid of. We were thrilled, we not only got a number of new sources for patterns and inspiration, we made a connection with someone who understands our passion.

Scarf Saturday

2007-11-10T09:04:00.000-05:00

Saturday mornings were made for sleeping in and this seems a bit early to me to be up, though my dogs usually dictate the time I rise and today has been no exception. They actually let me sleep in today so I guess I shouldn't complain about it seeming early, lol, even if it does.

Thought I'd start out today by posting the rest of the completed crochet items I'm trying to catch up on showing. Sometimes it feels like I get a lot of crocheting accomplished and sometimes it feels like I'm getting nothing accomplished and I can only judge the number of projects completed in retrospect. It didn't feel like I did all that many projects until I started showing them off (and having to snap photos, download and upload and all the business of creating on this blog). Now, I'm no prolific crocheter by any means, so it is more that the busy-ness of creating and showing off everything makes it seem like I've got more accomplished than I actually do.

That said, I've a lot of scarves left to post pictures of this time.
Two are freeform, made with Yarn Bee Frosting that I had an odd skein of in my stash.
This is a lovely colorway of pinks and purples with a bit of beige and white flecked through it. The scarf is simply constructed, a bit wide and a bit short. It's cozy, soft and warm around the neck.

This next is a lovely colorway called Gold.It's a long skinny scarf that, unwound, trails the floor when draped over the dressmakers form.

I used a couple of Bernat patterns and substituted yarn I had in my stash instead of using the yarn required by the pattern. I'm sure this changed the project slightly, but I fail to see much difference, perhaps the scarves are a bit "skinnier" than those pictured in the patterns.
This scarf is made from a pattern entitled Cashmere Motif Scarf on the Bernat web site. I used a vintage Columbia Minerva acrylic yarn entitled Performer from my stash because I just love the color. It looks minty to me, though it's titled Lt. Green.
Here's a close-up shot of the motifs.

This next pattern is entitled Alpaca Scarf to Crochet on the pattern and listed elsewhere as Alpaca Gem Scarf. The yarn I used makes a definite difference in the look of this scarf, which turned out not nearly as full looking as the product pictured on the pattern.The yarn is another vintage yarn entitled All Seasons. It's a sport weight variegated yarn in the color, Hazel Bark.

Here's a close-up of the yarn so you can see the variegation in it as well as the details in the motif.

I decided to make the Zen Scarf with the only mohair yarn I have in my stash, a lovely magenta color of unknown origin. I'm even guessing that it's mohair, but whatever it is, it's a lovely yarn and I've been saving it for something special. I thought this Zen scarf was special enough to use the yarn for, and while it really is, I have to say it's a tedious project and seems like it's going to take me six months to complete. I guess it's the pattern of the pattern itself that makes it so tedious, I'm not quite sure. I just know I can only do a few rows at a time before I have to put it down. I also have to make sure I work it so that I can put it down at a certain point in the sequence so I can keep track of where I am with the pattern.

Another project I've got in process is the Farpoint Topper from Doris Chan's Amazing Crochet Lace. I love this project and have all the panels made, just have to put it together and do the finishing stitches and it will be ready to show off (and to wear)!

Now one form of crochet that I've been interested in trying is called Broomstick Lace (sometimes known as Jiffy Lace). I haven't done it yet, have accumulated some of the needles but haven't set myself down with instructions and attempted. In reality you really don't have to have special needles, in fact, it's called Broomstick Lace because when it was first introduced the "needle" used was just a sawed off broomstick (sanded down at the cut end to prevent snagging mind you). You can still use something as simple instead of hunting down the needles. You can also use one of your larger sized knitting needles, or any sort of dowel you can find as well.

For those who know nothing here are some sites that explain the technique and offer instructions. One is at Crochet Cabana. Another can be found at Serendipity Crochet. Yet another tutorial can be found at GrittyKnits. All are excellent tutorials but your personal style of learning may dictate which site you prefer.

Once you have the technique down, here are a few patterns for your enjoyment.
Broomstick Lace Afghan
Another Broomstick Lace Afghan
A girl's Summer Romper
Wristlettes
A Hat at Crochet by the Hook (just love Dot's site)
And a couple of scarves (The Red Scarf) (Jiffy Lace Scarf)
Hopefully if you're interested in trying this technique there's enough here to not only get you started, but to allow you to explore the various levels of difficulty inherent in creating projects with the technique.

I think it's a lovely looking technique and have seen so many patterns that I would like to try and make that it's been like trying to avoid the sirens call to finish up projects I've got in my basket first before I attempt it. Now I'm off to finish up those projects hanging around in my basket so I can break out the broomstick needles and start trying myself!

Rave, Revel & Ravel

2007-11-05T00:19:00.000-05:00

Just over a week ago I got my invitation to join a new group called Ravelry, a place for fiber artists and enthusiasts to bring their particular interests into a community with others who share those interests as well as others. I have to say I'm a bit lost over there at this point, but I think once I figure out how to get around and get things accomplished I'm going to like this group a lot. The possibilities it offers seem endless.

The My Notebook area offers tabs that allow me to do everything from cataloging my stash, projects, hooks and books to keeping track of friends and groups and future projects. Having my stash catalogued for instance will make it a lot easier when I'm contemplating new projects because I'll be able to tell at a glance if I have the proper yarn or an adequate substitute for any given project I am interested in creating. The site gives me added opportunity to hook up with people I already know online and a chance to meet new people from all over.

There are groups of every sort you can join, forums where you can interact, get questions answered, keep tabs on what others are doing and learn in every area you might have an interest in. I've started a group in the hopes of getting to know more local fiber enthusiasts and possibly getting together for meetings and crochet time together. Who knows? While this new venture is taking a lot of my time at this point, (there is soooo much to learn yet) I believe it will prove to be extremely beneficial for me. I'm hopeful that before too long I'll be bopping about the place like an old hand.

I have more projects to show off as well.

This past spring I posted pictures of some bucket hats I had made, loosely based on this Basic Bucket Hat pattern. I stated then that I wanted to adorn them because I thought they looked too darn plain. It took awhile but I finally trimmed them and have pictures to crow about.

Really liked this lavender hat but I thought it needed something more. I made this flower chain from a pattern I found online here using some Sinofina a friend picked up at Hobby Lobby and gifted me with.

Now, here is the same bucket hat with the flower chain but in brown with a salmon thread I picked up at the thrift store one day.

For this blue bucket hat I wanted to do a little more so I created a freeform leaf chain and made individual flowers from the flower pattern and stitched them on at random around the leaf chain. Turned out really nice I think.
The white and green are both Sinofina thread.

I had a couple leftover balls of some trellis yarn laying around that I wanted to use up and so I freeformed this shawl. Pretty simple, but just lovely looking. The trellis yarn always seems to make even the most basic things into something special.A view from the front.

And now the back.

November Already?

2007-11-03T12:02:00.001-05:00

Oh my, I cannot believe I let the whole month of October slip by without posting an update or two. I hope everyone had a good month.

I have a friend who decided Halloween was not just for kids and went out trick or treating herself. Now, I am not sure I think it's exactly a kosher thing for a grandma to be out trick or treating but, it made her happy and didn't hurt anyone and there are far worse things in the world she could have been doing. To her credit she had her husband sit home and hand out candy while she went out and I can only imagine how people reacted to the site of this gray haired granny holding out a candy bucket.

I have worked sporadically on projects this past month and will post a few today and catch up as I can with the rest of them.

I have some scraps of novelty yarns that have been building up in a bag and decided to try to put some of them to use making scarves. I used the Lion Brand pattern for the Christensen Skinny Scarf to make these:
This first was made with a combination of boucle, Boa, a variegated sport weight acrylic, Galaxy and Jewel Box.

Here's a close up to show the details.
This one used some brown acrylic, Homespun and Disco along with some Galaxy.
And the details.

Now this one used Jewel Box, Disco, some brown acrylic, and the boucle.
Now here's a close up of the colorway.

I also used this Shawl Cape pattern, the actual paper flyer was offered by Hobby Lobby stores last year, to make two different looking items.

This first is made with a boa yarn like the pattern calls for.

Here is a close up of the boa yarn. Isn't that pretty?

For the second shawl cape I substituted some Phentex novelty eyelash yarn that I bought on sale at Big Lots last spring. The color is white, but white doesn't begin to explain this beautiful colorway. I also tweaked the pattern a little so it turned out quite differently from the first project.
Here is a close up
I think the color is gorgeous.

Slow Going

2007-09-20T08:32:00.000-05:00

Now, I would have thought that with the weather cooling down that my crochet work would have picked up significantly but it seems to be the opposite instead. I have only finished a poncho that I made using thread and am almost done with a Firefly Scarf project; also thread. It's essentially done, I just decided I want it longer than the pattern calls for so I haven't "tied" off yet.

Here is the poncho, it actually calls for Bernat's Cool Crochet thread but I have this cone of wine colored thread that has a glimmer to it and I thought I'd try with that since it seems the same size as the Cool Crochet. It's a lovely color and has beautiful drape in the finished project. It was
just a slow process for me. The color doesn't really come through well with this camera. It's actually a deeper, redder color more like this.

The Firefly Scarf was a pattern picked up from Annie's Crochet Pattern of the Day promotion so I cannot offer a link to it. Annie's tends to repeat their offerings so if you missed it this year it will be back next year I am sure. I will tell you though, the stitch is what makes the scarf what it is, that is a double love knot stitch. Here's a picture of the almost finished project. I am using another thread on a cone I picked up at the local thrift store and a size I hook. The project calls for it to be 54" long but I want it longer and I have a ball of the thread that I pulled off the cone and decided I'd go until the ball runs out. I have another inch and a half of rolled thread to go so the scarf is going to be extremely long as opposed to how it is supposed to be. I would venture to guess it will end up 70 or 80 inches long. Here's a picture of it in progress.

Here's a close up of the stitch pattern. Just lovely isn't it?

Even this scarf has been slow going, mostly because I somehow kept not picking up the last stitch at the end and would have to frog over and over again. I finally have managed to work on it without losing that last stitch and it's been going quite well since.

Perhaps the reason these projects are taking so long is that I've been working with thread and I don't normally do thread projects. I'd like to believe that rather than the alternative which is that I've just gotten burnt from too much crochet and can't seem to focus to get things completed. LOL!!

Well, life is what it is and if I need to slow or even stop, the hooks and yarn will be there when I come back. The really good thing about this craft is that the hooks and yarns are patient and uncomplaining.

I have several more projects picked out that recently came up on the web and I am excited about them so maybe that will be the incentive I need. I also have decided to make a paperback carrier for my sister for Christmas and have pulled that pattern out. Haven't picked out yarns yet for any of these projects but I will soon.

So many projects, so little time!
Till next time, happy crochetin' folks!

2007-08-27T13:22:00.000-05:00

Seems like this month has slipped by before I could catch ahold of it. The heat and humidity kept most of my crocheting to a minimum, outside work to almost nil except for the obligatory mowing as I had to and trying like mad to keep the tomato plants watered enough to keep them alive. I have harvested a few tomatoes, they're starting to ripen three or four at a time which works out great for me, I have a couple and have some to share as well.

The projects I did accomplish this month were worked mostly late nights, when things cooled enough to be holding yarns. I have several photos to post so I hope you enjoy looking at them all.

Ribbon yarn shawl for toddler.

Details of edging.

Peach hat using up leftover yarn.

Child's poncho, also using up leftover yarn.

Picot Wrap I made from a pattern for a Picot Lace Shawl. I worked the pattern according to directions and apparently they were unclear as to the decreasing of each end so I ended up with a rectangle, and since I was already ten or twelve rows into it I decided to keep it rectangular and came out with this.

I also worked a couple of the Flamenco Wraps up using cotton 4 ply yarn rather than the ribbon yarn. The first one I made came out a little short because the chain five triangular section wasn't as long as it came up using ribbon yarn. So, the second one I made I switched to a chain seven triangle and it worked out wonderfully.

The pictures didn't come out as clear as I would have liked, I think because of the colorway of the yarn itself.

Here's a close up of the flower closure that is used in the pattern. It's hard to see but I really liked the way it came out. It looks a lot better in person than the pictures show.

The second Flamenco Wrap is more clear in the pictures, again I think due to the colorway. As you can see it came out considerably longer due to the increases in the chains of the triangular piece. Lovely!

A closeup of the details of the back triangle edging pieces.

I used a button by itself for the closure on this wrap. I liked the color of the button, thought it went well with the colors of the yarn.

I loved the look of Caron Feathers yarn and loved the free pattern for the shawl that was made using the yarn but didn't have enough yarn for the project. I did however, have quite a bit of Frenzy yarn and since I am trying to use up yarn (rather than purchasing more for a particular project) I substituted the Frenzy for the Feathers in this shawl. I like the way the piece came out, although as usual, I goofed something up and the shawl came out with angled ends rather than blunt, straight ends. Go figure, lol!

Here's a closeup shot so you can see both the yarn and stitch detail.

Beating the Heat

2007-08-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

Dog Daze
With temperatures soaring into and through the 90's and humidity levels rising to make it feel more like 100+ I can say the dog days have truly come to Louisville. Air pollution index is in the hazard range for at least the next three days and probably longer. Next week the temps are expected to soar even higher.

Needless to say all this heat has been slowing down my creative juices and so I'm not producing with the frenzied enthusiasm of months prior. I have a few new projects completed to show you today, and up until the day before yesterday I was having a hard time finding anything to inspire me. I did however find some inspiration and will show you the results of that as well with this posting.

Fried Green Tomatoes
On a good note, my tomato plants are thriving despite the heat, although as of yet I've not had any tomatoes ripen. But oh boy, when they do! Have numerous tomatoes, most of them still small but there are six that are getting what I like to call "eatin' size" and if it weren't for the heat and humidity they would be in danger of becoming fried green tomatoes. LOL. Now, fried green tomatoes are traditionally a southern delicacy and something I didn't develop a taste for until I became an adult. Even now, I only eat them once a year, or once every couple years. For one thing, fried foods are not allowed on my diet and for another, it's a hot, sweaty, messy job in the dead heat of summer.

Since this heat has hit, I've been utilizing my crockpot in hopes of keeping the heat at bay, or at least to a minimum. I cooked up a mess of black beans and have been living on black bean tostadas, nachos and tacos for the last few days. I also make quite a few pasta salad type dishes because they can be prepared at night, when the temps are down, cooled in the fridge and left as long as necessary. They are also a lovely cool relief to the heat. Of course there are also the inevitable fresh salad greens (oranges, purples and reds as well) and fresh fruits that summer crops proffer but with prices soaring the way they have the last couple of years I have to be creative with my meal planning and have found I'm not eating as much of this as I would normally. But, with only one person to plan/cook for it's difficult to purchase all the fresh produce that a salad requires and then try to get it eaten before it spoils. I try, believe me, but one can only eat so many salads in a days time.

Ok, enough about food. Even though it's one of the great passions of my life (cooking it as well as eating it) I started this blog to report to you all about my crochet endeavors (well, mostly anyway) and so I'm steering back to that subject for now.

Creative Stewing
As I stated earlier, I hit a slump with my crocheting. It started after I finished my first Seraphina Shawl which I made using Bernat yarn in an Antique Rose color. I had a few problems with it, but overall it went very smoothly and turned into a beautiful piece.

Since it turned out so wonderfully I thought I'd make another one using the Cozi yarn I had made the shawl with from my earlier posting. Well, after frogging over half a dozen times I had to put the piece down for fear of ruining that lovely yarn. I was sorely disappointed because I thought that Cozi yarn would make a beautiful shawl, and that's what prompted the slump. After frogging the shawl and putting the yarn back into my stash I simply couldn't find anything that excited me enough to start another project.

I tried stimulating my mind by making a couple more Daisy Charity Squares

Next I used a bit of scrap yarns to make some scrunchies, all the while looking over patterns and trying to come up with something that would give me the surge of creative energy to begin a new larger project.

None of these endeavors were stimulating my creative juices; even flipping through patterns on the internet, pattern books and magazines didn't seem to help. I picked up some thread and made a couple bookmarks in the meantime.

Fan Bookmark Fan Bookmark
Still nothing.

FANcy Fantasies
Finally, I happened upon a link in one of my newsgroups to a new pattern to add to my HQ page and this was the inspiration I needed to start myself crocheting again. I saw this pattern and just fell in love with the piece and decided to make one in the size the pattern called for, another a bit larger and even have been given the impetus to attempt this same pattern in an adult size. How I'll accomplish that task I haven't quite figured out, but I'm going to give it a whirl. Oddly enough this project too is a fan, of sorts. It's called the Imma Fan Poncho and here's the first one I completed in R.H. worsted weight in a mint color.

I have a second in a purple color almost complete. It's the next larger size than this one. Don't have pictures for you yet as I haven't completed it. Those will have to wait for my next posting.

Raves

2007-07-19T10:38:00.000-05:00

I have completed the rectangular shawl pattern made with Caron Cozi yarn. The pattern is here: Easy Shawl and as my pictures show, I didn't put the fringe on the ends. I simply finished the end the same way the beginning started, with dc's in each stitch and chain sp across. I tend to not like fringe on items anyway and especially with yarns like Cozi because it seems like a waste of yarn since it unravels so easily and the "fuzzy" part tends to come off the main thread without any provocation. Here are pictures:
A front view
The back
A closeup shot that gives you a good view of the colorway that runs through the yarn. This picture is a lot lighter than the yarn itself is, but it does a great job showing how the various colors are mingled throughout.

Since I always like to have small projects to occupy myself while I am working on larger projects. I usually have a scarf or square laying around. This square was completed while taking a short break from the Seraphina Shawl I'm working on at the moment. This square is a charity pattern and I asked for and received the pattern with the understanding that I would make a square and donate it to the organization that the designer had created the pattern for. Needless to say I put it off, tucking the pattern away in my archives and giving it very little thought. Even after I was "reminded" via a couple emails I just let the ball drop with it after reading the email. Shame on me!
So now, I've decided I've got this square done and while I'm working on the Seraphina Shawl project as I need to take breaks from the piece I'll start and complete this square in several colors and ship them all out to the charity organization. Sort of like paying interest on the time the pattern sat around collecting dust. I'm sure the lady who runs this charity could use all the squares she can get and so if I send in two or three or more that will more than make up for my laziness.

Now the Seraphina Shawl is my first and I am finding it fairly easy to work up. I put off working this shawl up because I had read so much about how confusing it was to work the pattern sequence so I'm pleased to find it isn't as confusing as some people make it. I did choose to make this first one with a ww acrylic yarn because if I had to frog it tends to take repeated frogging a lot better than some of the "fluffier" yarns in my stash. I thought once I had the pattern down then I'd consider what other yarns I could pull from my pile to use. I found one error in the pattern writing itself but I was able to correct that with little effort on my part. The only other problem is that because of the way the pattern is written up you don't get specific counts on the number of shell repeats per line. You end up repeating the same 4 line sequence over and over until the shawl is the size you want and so I found that I had to pay attention to my project or else I'd put a shell in where I was supposed to do a pattern increase. Just a little confusion, nothing I couldn't figure out after a round or two of ripping, lol! No pictures yet, but they will be forthcoming as I complete the project!

I do have to say, this year I was able to pick up some tomato plants from a fellow freecycler and had several survive and thrive. They're doing so well I just had to show them off. I know it's a bit of a late season for the tomatoes, and I'm getting my first fruits on the vine now and as you can imagine, driving myself insane with anticipation. Yummmyyyyy, fresh tomatoes in my salad,

BLT's, mmmmmmmm!

I'm actually quite pleased with the way these pictures turned out, they make my yard look WAYYYY prettier than it actually is! I have decided that if this effort pays off next year I may
enlarge my garden bed and plant peppers, onion and some lettuce to go along with the tomatoes. Salad fixin's for a summer treat. Of course I always get ahead of myself and start thinking of all sorts of things I can do, herbs, carrots, heck, melons, strawberries. But whoa, have to keep reminding myself I can only do a little bit of gardening, weeding, etc. because of my bad back so I have to pick and choose where things like that come into play. Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce and maybe a little onion. I will consider an herb bed but not in the middle of the garden, hmm, maybe in my front flower bed (where there aren't really many flowers anyway). It's a low light location so I'd have to do a bit of research on what I can plant there. I like the possibility of it though. Ah well, enough to do dealing with this season for now. Let next year take care of itself.

Hope you're all keeping cool in this weather. Until next post, happy crocheting people!

Details, Details

2007-07-13T09:40:00.000-05:00

Since several people have asked me about the joining on this latest afghan I thought I would show some pictures that give a bit more detail of the stitching around my squares as well as the edging. It's quite simple really, just chains that join in the middle but it gives the afghan a beautifully lacey effect.

Here is a close up of four of the squares joined with a medallion in the center.

Two squares joined together and the edging of the entire afghan.

A close up of the edging that surrounds the entire afghan.
This was done with 5 rounds of chain three and the last round of chain 5.

Another close up of the edging that goes around the entire afghan.

A close up shot of the edging that surrounds each square.

This was a process of figuring things out as I went along. I started with the chain 5 edging around each square and just played around until I found a number that fit for the squares.
Since I was winging this I ended up not making allowances for the "center" of the chain 5 edging which left a hole in the center. I filled that hole with granny medallions that I stitched into the hole. I edged the entire afghan with chain 3's because the chain 5's I was using to do my square joining was going to create too much ruffle as the edging. I did 5 rows of the chain 3's and then went back to chain 5's for the last row of edging.

Summer Projects

2007-07-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

A quick update to show off the completed afghan, plus a couple other projects I've finished up. I think this turned out even better than I thought it was going to. Of course this afghan was "winged"- I had some of the squares, hurried up and finished the others and then used a simple chain stitch to join them. I added some round medallions to the big holes between joinings (told you I was winging it) then did a chain trim around in the same yarn I used for the medallions.
I think I have a buyer for this afghan. She's supposed to pay me the 25th of this month and I'll be jumping for joy when I see the money. It's the first project I've ever tried to sell and the woman didn't even bat an eye at the price I quoted. Makes me think I should have quoted higher, lol! No, really if she's willing to pay what I asked for, I'm pleased as punch to sell it to her.

As you know, I was working on a freeform project with a boucle yarn. I showed a picture of the work in progress with my last post. I'm happy to say I finished that project and so here's a picture of the completed shrug I was working on in that lovely boucle yarn.

This last project is made with Cozi Sapphire yarn, using up leftover skeins I had in my stash. I think it turned out really pretty.

Currently on my hook is another Cozi yarn shawl, this one is a rectangular shape and I'm using the color Evening Jewels. It's a beautiful mix of black, dark blue, turquoise and purple. I've slowed my pace with projects a bit due to the heat of summer. I also have other projects working out in my yard that keep me from picking up the hook as much as I was. Still adding completed projects to my craft fair stash, just not at the fervent pace I was before.

A Little of This, A Little of That

2007-06-27T11:19:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems that the hot weather has kept my crocheting to a minimum and so there aren't all that many things to show with this post. I'm working slowly on finishing up a scrap project I started over a year ago. A granny square afghan that I had been collecting squares for is finally coming together. I finished up the squares necessary, then started edging and joining and am at this point with it now:

I have seven more squares to add on and then I'm making center medallions for those holey spots you see in the picture, in pink. Will edge with the pink and then finish a trim row in the soft white. I hope it turns out to be as pretty as I think it will be.

Another scrap project I finished but am not nearly as pleased with is this purse. I'm not sure if it's because what I had envisioned for the project had to be modified due to running out of the fancy yarn I used or if it simply just isn't what I wanted at all but I consider this one of my failed projects (I'm sure there will be many of those in my future). Not sure yet what I'll do with the thing but for now it's going into my finished projects box.

On a sunnier note, here's a picture of a project I started yesterday. This is going to be a shrug once it's complete. I love the boucle yarn that is used for the project and working with it isn't all that bad, probably because I'm using such a large hook which makes it easier to get through the yarn. I really am pleased with this one so far though and hope that it turns out as nice in the finish as I think it is going to at this point.

Here is a close up of the project so you can see the yarn. Now isn't that pretty?

I hope you are all finding creative ways to beat the heat, and enjoying your summer. Till next time, happy crocheting!

2007-06-13T10:29:00.000-05:00

Summertime has hit without regard to my crochet plans. My a/c unit is out and so I've been living with the heat which until now has been surprisingly low in humidity. Anyone who lives in this area knows that humidity is perpetually high but for some reason it's been relatively low. Until this week that is. Tomorrow temps will hit the 90's and the humidity is going up the scale and without a/c I'm sure I'll be a wet sticky mess around 6 p.m. each evening through the rest of this week. Ugh!

I've been crocheting but not producing. Working on using scraps up at this point and I've a surprise project that I can't show or speak about yet. Not until it's complete. This has been my major project for the last two weeks and when I get finished I'll post pictures. Outside of this project I've done very little other crochet. Made a cute little bookmark, freeform out of scrap yarn and have plans on using up other scraps in this same manner. Just not working on anything prolifically at this point.

A quick picture of the bookmark for you all:Now isn't that cute? I started with the white "flower" in the center, found in my box of scrap yarn, then used other scraps and even a bead making it.

I've been adding links to my HQ page and have now reached the landmark of 2nd place on the site's listings for most number of links. I have a long way to go before I hit number 1 however.

Pictures

2007-05-27T10:17:00.000-05:00

As promised, I have pictures of the items I finished.

Bookmarks first. Here is the butterfly bookmark.

Here are two Starflower bookmarks.

I have also finished two Fleur De Lys bookmarks.

I also made the Dandelion Handbag using a skein of vintage yarn called Spun Snow carried with a white kitchen cotton. I lined the bag with a satiny material. I haven't decided if I want a flower on the bag or not, so I'm calling it finished for now.

Here are a couple more Rasta Hats I've finished.

I've started and frogged a couple more bookmarks, starting to get bored with doing them and I've still got a MAM one on my hook. Once I finish it I'll put bookmark making on hold and move to flowers in preparation for completing the finishing touches on those hats I made.

The wrap is moving along slowly. I am finding that I have to work on it late at night when the temperature has cooled down, otherwise I'm sitting there sweating all over it as I'm crocheting. These warmer temperatures have their benefits and drawbacks. What I've found odd for this area is the lower humidity which helps it feel ten degrees cooler than it actually is. Guess the summer heat will hit us soon enough and I'm certainly grateful today that it's not sweltering.

How difficult do we make it on ourselves and those around us when we can't find gratitude for whatever we have, wherever we are in our lives? I have found that no matter what I have or don't have, I am always provided what I need. I live a very simple life and perhaps this explains that circumstance but I think it's just that a life of faith, a real, authentic life lived in the moment brings peace to our souls. So I don't have a villa in France but I do have the ability to appreciate what I am offered, if it's just as simple as a day spent at the river's bank, sitting out with my crochet and my dog with the company of a friend.

A Few Things to Wrap Up

2007-05-23T16:22:00.000-05:00

I figured out what configuration the bricks embedded in my yard were in, a half-circle. I haven't dug them out yet and there are considerably less than I was hoping for so I'm going to have to rethink the usage of them.

I've had no luck with the tomatoes, they died and now I want to rush out and pick up some and maybe get green peppers as well. I have the spot cleared in the yard, need to lay out top soil and border the bed, then plant. Instead of tomatoes though I'll be moving my lilies to that bed. Still, I may end up getting a couple tomato plants just because the thought of garden fresh tomatoes is tantalizing and I'd already gotten my hopes up by picking up the starts that have died. Fresh tomatoes are the best!

On a crochet note, I am currently working up The Wrap for myself for this winter. I have a hard copy of the pattern, picked up from WalMart I'm sure. It's been on my list of things to do for quite some time I just hadn't figured out what yarn combination I wanted to make it with. I really like the pattern done in black Fiesta and R.H. super saver but since my ideal here is to use up what I have in my stash I just wouldn't let myself go purchase the yarn specifically for this project. Ironic that I'll go pick up some yarn from a sale bin and add that to the stash but rather than buy for any project specifically I'll pull out the determination card and force myself to either try and use from the stash or not buy, lol, and let me tell you that's a difficult thing to do indeed, not buy yarn! Anyway, I happen to have a load of R.H. Heather in Purple Heather and so I ran upon it again in a stash trolling spree and decided (this time at least) it was the perfect yarn for this particular project and so out it comes. I had to rip it out and restart because the N hook the project calls for was larger than the N hook I pulled from my supplies. Funny thing is, I did a swatch before I started and it seemed to come out right but it sure wasn't working up right. So far I'm enjoying, it's an easy pattern, works up lightening fast and I should have it completed inside a week I believe.

As filler projects for times I want a break I've been working with thread to create bookmarks to add to my craft fair stash. I haven't taken pictures yet but I promise they'll be posted soon.

My nephew graduates grade school tomorrow night. He called to invite me to the graduation. Seems like the kids grow up all too quickly. I wish I'd thought to make him something. I doubt he'd really appreciate a bookmark or scarf, lol! He's really into wrestling these days! Ugh!!!!! I swear here and now there won't be a "rasslin'" afghan made though I do think I'll be starting one for him soon that will see him off to college.

Ah, I also made a purse that I'm quite pleased with and promise with the next post to have pictures of all the little goodies that worked their way off my hook this last week. Till then, happy crocheting all!

Playing Catch Up

2007-05-17T18:02:00.000-05:00

My latest creations in crochet. I've been busy making Rasta Hats, hoping to find a market for them in one of the local specialty shops here in town. I have two finished and more in the works.

These are done in traditional colors and ww yarn. I plan on making some in other shades and some in non-traditional colors as well. Here's hoping there is a market and they sell like hotcakes.

I made a Half Moon Shawl using Jewel Box yarn. It's small but very cute.

I made a couple triangle shawls done freeform. This one is made with a pretty pink ribbon yarn.

The other triangle shawl is also made freeform using one of those lovely Fuzhio yarns I purchased on sale at Hancock's. It's a lovely ocean color and so soft and cuddly.

I picked up some tomato plants today from a local Freecycler who had extras. Have some planting to do on them tomorrow. They are beefstake tomatoes, look healthy and I just love fresh garden tomatoes. The lady had so many of them that what I took was only about 1/6th of what she was giving away. I plan on sharing the plants with another friend of mine who also loves tomatoes. Afterall, how many tomatoes can one person eat at a time?

That's about it from my little corner of the net. I hope to have more Rasta Hats to post by the end of the weekend.

How Wonderful is the World Wide Web?

2007-05-09T21:32:00.000-05:00

Crochet Intellect Levels
Being such a novice at crochet it seems there is so much to learn about the craft that I'm not sure I'll get it all done. LOL, especially if I want to do any actual crocheting! I'm learning some basics and some intermediate concepts. I can do most stitches but I'm still struggling with yarn substitutions and with counts for various stitch patterns. I can follow to a tee, I just don't always know how to create from scratch. There are many sites I utilize in order to figure things out that I need or want to get done, and while I'm still wishing for a Crochet Stitch Bible and the Encyclopedia of Crochet I am quite happy with the options for solutions offered on the internet.

My HQ Page
This is partly the reason I started my HQ page. The other part is that I like having a centralized place where I can go to hunt patterns down. I have tried to categorize items into subsections; some of them are sparse and some are stuffed. The categories therein contain some duplicate links and some that are undoubtedly misfiled. For instance, I have tended to place most children's clothing items within the baby section and leave the kid's sections for older children's and teen's patterns. So if you utilize my page there are several hints I can give that might help your searches. One thing I have tried to do is keep the link as close to the actual name of the pattern as I can. This way if you know the name of the pattern you can do a search (Ctrl + f to bring up the search box) on the page itself. A hint, in order to search the actual page you must make certain that your cursor isn't in the search box on top of the page; this can be achieved by clicking on an open space prior to pressing Ctrl + f or by bringing up the search box and then using your mouse to click into the search box that appears at the bottom of the page. Some items are duplicate filed so if you're looking for plastic bag purse patterns you can find them in both Purses & Bags and Plastic Bag Crochet. I have also decided to leave dead links on the page and at the top I give an explanation of how to use the Wayback Machine to explore these dead links.

On my page are several links I utilize often when I'm trying to substitute yarns for projects. One place I really like is Yarndex because it makes yarn substitutions so much easier. There are some yarns that aren't listed but this site has a pretty comprehensive list. Another similar site for discontinued yarns is Vintage Knits. The Caron site also has a substitution chart for the yarns they carry. There are also several sites for substitution of threads. What comes to mind immediately is the old Crochet Partners substitution chart and the new blog, What Wheat Wrote that gives detailed information on thread comparison and substitution. Both are invaluable resources for the thread crochet enthusiast. Additionally there are a couple articles that offer information on various aspects of yarn here and here.

A Farewell to Yarns

2007-05-08T11:16:00.000-05:00

Finally, time and energy together at once, took my pictures and have new goodies to show you all. I followed the events throughout Derby but had my own activities to attend to. I had an exploratory procedure done and will have results in a couple weeks.

So, having gotten snagged on a particular scarf I was making I ended up doing some other things, then finally finishing the scarf and a few more items and now we're up to today, which has me working on another shawl in that lovely Dynasty Fuzhio yarn I bought at Hancock's a few weeks ago. I ended up having to go back and purchase more of the ribbon (actually more like shoestring and just lovely to work with) yarn I bought in order to finish one of my new projects.

The scarf that snagged me up started out as the Flamenco Wrap triangular scarf. which I think is a gorgeous pattern but since I knew quickly into the project I didn't have enough of the railroad yarn I was working with I decided to just use the stitch pattern for the main piece and make this.
I finished the shawl off with an edging of alternating sc and a cluster of hdc,dc,dc,hdc. Put a quaint little touch to the shawl and I think it should do well at the marketplace. Had one lady exclaim that she loved the ribbon yarn and wanted me to make her a tunic in the same yarn. I will see this week if she's serious about the project, then give her an idea of cost. Not sure I can even find the yarn at a decent enough price for it to be affordable for her. I certainly don't want to do the work for free and I know how much yarns like these cost full price. We'll see. As you might suspect I will have pictures of the Flamenco Wrap at a future point since I haven't run across the right yarn for it in my stash yet.

Outside of some pink/black mix I have officially consigned all the railroad yarns I bought several years back to the scrap yarn bag. It's funny, with as much yarn as I have stashed here in this house I will miss this railroad type when it's gone. It started out as a bit of a hassle to work with and I was using it as a carry along with worsted weight yarns. I graduated to working with the yarn alone but it's always a bit tricky because it's so easy to miss the strand on the other side with your hook.

I worked up a couple more of those bucket hats with a smaller hook. I still haven't begun playing with decorative touches for all of them.

The most fun item I've worked on recently is The Golden Evening Wrap from The Little Box of Ponchos and Wraps. I used one of the yarns from Hancock's that I bought, in fact, had to go back for a bit more and I ended up buying the last three balls of it they had in the bin and have two balls and some of the third leftover. Heh, guess I'll have to find a small purse project for that yarn. It's turned out just wonderfully and I think it's overall the best project I've made lately.
The front of the wrap.
The back
The yarn used made the item bulkier than what is called for in the pattern but I think it's such a lovely colorway that it made the piece look like spun cotton candy. I can see this pattern working up with a variety of different yarns.
Here's a close up of the tie front.

The days have turned sunny and warm finally and I've been taking my work out on the back patio and letting the dogs run in the yard. Because I have two diggers and because one of my diggers is living outside now I've discovered a ring of brick buried in my yard a few inches down. I have intentions of digging it all up to see what was there; probably a flower bed. Might be enough bricks to do something like a fire pit with. I like the idea of finding and reusing something already at the house to make something else.

I recently participated in a CAL with a group I'm in. I whipped up this Solomon's Knot Shawl in one day! I suppose I should have gone with a larger starting chain since I didn't put the fringe that is called for on it.

Another bag I whipped out last week from another pattern found on the web. This one is called the Drawstring Cotton Bag and I used some balls of Sugar n' Cream cotton for the project.

Now that I've played catchup, I'll give you a sneak preview of the current WIP. This is another shawl, worked in a simple pattern and I love the way it's turning out.

Thunder, Buckets and Tuckered Honeys

2007-04-26T21:29:00.000-05:00

Thunder Over Louisville
Last Saturday was Thunder http://www.thunderoverlouisville.org/, an event that marks the beginning of a time like no other here, when suddenly the spotlight shines upon the people of this otherwise small town, sleeping quietly at the river's bend. The hometown hospitality comes out, neighbors and strangers mix at events, in the bars, at the track at dawn, watching the horses exercise. Even here sadly much of that neighborliness has disappeared but Derby time brings it out in people and the convergence of the masses suddenly fills the streets night and day. Whiskey, horses, women and parties. Charity events ranging from the hilarity of the Bed Races http://tinyurl.com/2s58zf to the semi-formality of the Barnstable Brown party, http://tinyurl.com/3bxwge abound and rhythms of musicians on Waterfront Park http://www.kdf.org/documents/festavillefilliesprogramad.pdf occur almost daily throughout the two weeks. This is commingling of rich and poor, middle class, hip hop and rock and blues, out of towners, south enders and east enders all caught up in a feverish anticipation which culminates in the greatest two minutes in sports. There are many celebrities, many more people who though not celebrities are within the same socioeconomic class and living similar lifestyles and it is amazing how much money flows in such a short time. Amazing also is how the town fills, swelling by two or three times itself and on the whim of weather can sell out of almost anything in two days. I've seen a time when you couldn't buy a coat in Louisville because the usually warm spring turned bitter, many times when you couldn't rent a room and I've even seen times when umbrellas were like gold nuggets and as hard to find but that's just the way it is here in our town, you just never known what's coming around the corner, or down or up the river. Some links to various events:
http://tinyurl.com/2uczyd
http://tinyurl.com/2rgnmz
http://tinyurl.com/37pctx
http://tinyurl.com/2s986n
http://tinyurl.com/33mezg
http://tinyurl.com/2nsbqz

Now Onto Crochet
The past few days I've been busy making small items, thought I would share with you all just what I've been up to.

I haven't decided yet what to trim the blue bucket hat with, leaning toward a flower and while I like the picture of the rose hat with the ribbon around it, I'm not so sure I like the actual look of it in person so the ribbon as trim isn't a solid deal yet. I made another bucket hat in purple tonight, smaller than these two. Just haven't photographed it yet. The orange yarn is something that sat around here for a long time before it finally became a scarf. I have a bit left and I'm contemplating what to make with it. Something to go with the scarf I think, just not sure yet if it will be a hat, or possibly wrist warmers.
Here's a close up of the orange scarf. I just love the flecks of red orange and purple in the fuzzy yarn.

Honey Pie
My Honey pie tuckered herself out the other day and climbed up on top of the blue pillow on the couch and got comfortable. Apparently sleeping on the pillowtop wasn't as comfortable once she'd gotten into a rumbling slumber because the next time I looked here she was in all her glory. Of course I couldn't resist memorializing her funny, rather awkward comfort.

Another Shawl

2007-04-24T13:48:00.000-05:00

I finish another shawl the other day. This one is called Lightweight Jewels Shawl and I used the Jewel Box called for but finished it a bit differently than in the pattern. Not that much differently really I used the same finishing stitch that goes across the top but took it around the entire shawl before doing the second row across the top. The pattern uses fringe and I don't like fringe on most things and for the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would use Jewel Box or any other chenille type of yarn for fringe since you have to knot the ends of each strand to keep them from fraying away. I think it turned out great.
Here is a close up of the stitching
The front

and the back
Now here's a link for the pattern http://tinyurl.com/2cr5ak

Celebrate Earth Day

2007-04-22T09:49:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of earth day I thought I'd use my posting today to explore some of the ways in which crochet either has already been or has become an earth friendly craft.

There are several options in organic materials such as soy, bamboo, linen, hemp, cotton, silk and animal fibers. These can be made even more earth friendly by using organic farming methods in the growing raising stages.

Looking around on the web I came up with several places that cater to organic fibers. I will focus today on those organic fibers that are grown rather than raised. Please keep in mind that I in no way endorse any of the companies or sites that I've posted. I simply thought my readership would like to have some links with which to check out the various options.

First stop is a place that sells organic Tussah yarns. Tussah are silk worms that live in the wild. Their silk is gathered after the worms have emerged as moths. This method is kinder and friendlier than traditional silkworm production which incorporates the destruction of the silkworm that chews on the mulberry leaves in quite a nasty manner. Traditional silkworm cultivation calls for the destruction of the silkworm before it emerges from the cocoon by boiling or baking. So you can see that Tussah cultivation is truly earth friendly, no killing, no boiling, and no chemicals. The yarns come naturally colored with earth tones that, depending upon what the worm has been eating, range in color from beige to brown.
http://www.aurorasilk.com/shop/tussah.shtml

Another option in yarn is bamboo. You can find them here:
http://tinyurl.com/mc7nu
http://tinyurl.com/yqo7yh
http://tinyurl.com/22bn42
Bamboo yarn is made by processing the bamboo grass stalk and combing the fiber strands from the plant. In addition bamboo yarn is naturally anti-bacterial, breathable and cool, and acts as a natural UV blocker.

Hemp yarn is another alternative that is natural. You can find this product in many places today, including:
http://www.aurorasilk.com/shop/hemp_yarn.shtml
http://www.lanaknits.com/usayarn.html
http://www.handknitting.com/s.nl?alias=&whence=
http://www.yarnmarket.com/knitting/Hemp_for_Knitting-635.html

Linen is another natural fiber that is used to make yarns. Linen yarn is made from flax fibers and may be the oldest textile material in the world. Linen has a high natural luster and natural color ranges between shades of ivory, tan, or grey and when prepared properly, has the ability to absorb and lose water rapidly. Sources for linen yarns include:
http://tinyurl.com/yqmo4v
http://tinyurl.com/236d3h
http://tinyurl.com/sk6om
http://tinyurl.com/2z3pn5

Soy yarn is an environmentally friendly fiber made from tofu manufacturing waste. Soy protein is liquefied and then extruded into long, continuous fibers that are then cut and processed like any other spinning fiber. You can find it here:
http://tinyurl.com/3apsax
http://tinyurl.com/34caey
http://tinyurl.com/33lk2r

Cotton yarn is a more familiar and accessible fiber for crochet. The trick is to find cottons that are environmentally friendly, that have been grown and dyed organically. Some sources:
http://tinyurl.com/2ehnyj
http://tinyurl.com/3blj4z
http://tinyurl.com/2jbbna
http://tinyurl.com/2kkotd
http://tinyurl.com/3bgzl7

There now is a brief overview of various organically grown fibers/yarns. I'm sure there are many more sources out there, I just happened to come upon these and chose to use them. I'm sure if I were to try and incorporate more of them I could be at this all day. I hope you all will consider trying some of these at some point. I have yet to do so myself, but have plans on trying a few, especially the soy and bamboo yarns. They sound so yummy!

Quick Project

2007-04-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

Whipped this up last night. It's from a pattern here: http://tinyurl.com/2hrtmb

I used a Phentex super bulky yarn that I got on clearance. It's a beautiful chenille type named Rose. I found it extremely easy to work with and the pattern only took a few hours to make from start to finish.
Here is a closeup of the yarn. I hope you can see the flecking that runs through it.

That's really it for the day. I'm working on another shawl using Jewel Box yarn. Hope to have that finished and ready to photograph later today. I hope everyone is having a great Friday. Till next time, ciao!

Three Projects, Two Complete

2007-04-19T11:15:00.000-05:00

I've finished the Illusions shawl! Here's a picture.
First, the front:
As I said, I used 3 skeins of RH Light & Lofty in Salt & Pepper that I bought on sale three years or so ago. It's been just sitting here and when I saw the shawl pattern at the Bernat web page I immediately thought of this yarn. I think it turned out to be very lovely. It's a very thick shawl and will keep whoever ends up with it toasty this winter I'm sure.

Next a good picture of the back:
You can't tell from the picture but the pattern is a repeat of a row of v-stitches followed by a row with three dc clusters. The stitches are placed in the space between stitches on both of the pattern rows and it ends up with an alternating lacy and cozy effect. I am going hunting for another yarn to make another of these with because I like it so much.

I have stitched up the sides of the cell phone pouch and now am trying to decide on handles.
After some reflection I've decided that the clothesline is too thick for the pouch so I'm trying to come up with an alternative to that for the handles. Haven't made a decision but when I do I'll have pictures of the finished product for everyone to see. For now, here are views of the pouch open and closed. You can see in the picture where the pouch is open that I left an opening for the antenna because the pouch is so close fitting over the phone.

Last night I was sitting around after I had finished tucking in the ends on the shawl. I was trying to come up with ideas on handles for the cell phone pouch and decided I needed to keep my hands busy so I whipped up a little cotton bag. It was a fun project and didn't take much time so I may make a few more of these in the kitchen cottons I have stashed away.

What are you up to?

2007-04-17T08:58:00.000-05:00

I'm in the middle of two projects at the moment. I'm working on a cell phone pouch, have the body completed just trying to figure out how to finish it off. I'm leaning towards using some yarn covered clothesline as the "side" seams as well as the handle. Decisions, decisions!! LOL!!! The other project is a simple triangular scarf using the pattern from the Bernat website called Illusions. I'm of course not using the Illusions yarn but rather using up some Salt & Pepper Light & Lofty yarn by Red Heart that's been sitting in my stash pile for three years now! Here's the link for the shawl pattern:
http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=224

Ever Notice How Quickly Plans Go Awry?

2007-04-16T10:07:00.000-05:00

Seems like life is keeping me hopping these days. Staying so busy I am finding it difficult to make the time to post on here! Busy is good though, and I have been busy working on crochet projects and running errands. Errands are just no fun but the crochet is.

I worked on a roll brim hat and matching purse most of last week. The hat came from a pattern from the Lion Brand site, the purse is constructed using the roll brim hat as a model. I wanted a purse that imitated the shape of the hat and not only was that effect achieved, I think it turned out stunningly. I used three strands held together, one was a worsted weight acrylic in country blue, the second was a NoBo yarn in a turquoise with eyelash and speckles of colors attached and the third strand was a variegated eyelash. The handle is clothesline that I crocheted over with the three strands. I found a button that mimics the effect of the color "bumps" in my button box and used it for the purse. This picture gives a good shot of the button. While it's not an exact match I think it works really well.

I also worked up this shawl from the Galaxy Shawl pattern at the Bernat web page. I used the lovely color called Pluto. Pattern link: http://www.bernat.com/pattern.php?PID=1080

In addition I also managed to eek out one more square for the pastel granny afghan I'm working up. My progress is very slow but hey, there are no deadlines on any of these so I can afford to take my time. This is especially good since after I finished the last square and stashed it with the others that I have done, I discovered that they are all different sizes anyway. I thought they were all eight inch squares. Nope! Some are eight inches, some are seven inches and there are even some that are six, six and three quarters, seven and one eighth. Oh boy! I can see that I'm going to be adding rows to many of them and just praying I can get them all to turn out the same size.

Two New Projects FInished

2007-04-11T09:27:00.000-05:00

Two new projects that I've completed and will post pictures for you to see today. I've been swamped with other responsibilities and had no time to sit long enough to write a posting for some time. I've also been a bit too busy to do a lot of crocheting which is why there are only two projects completed to show today.

The first is a wrap I made using the Havenly Wrap pattern found at Bernat's website. I have posted the tiny URL link for anyone interested in checking the pattern out. I used some WalMart NoBo yarn that I had purchased a while back. It's a lovely yarn that combines a soft twist and eyelash and a metallic all in one strand. http://tinyurl.com/2d989b

Normally I don't add fringe onto anything but this piece seemed to call for it. While adding the fringe I picked out another pattern and started it. Turns out I finished that pattern before I ever finished attaching all the fringe onto the wrap. Can you tell I don't like doing fringe? LOL

This next item is made using the Caprice capelet pattern found on the web page for N.Y. Yarns.
http://www.nyyarns.com/free_patterns/caprice5.pdf Now, of course I didn't use the Caprice yarn called for in the pattern. Instead I used a peach yarn that I picked up at the thrift store some six months back. I loved the feel and look of this yarn and had no clue what I could use it for when I bought it, but when I saw the pattern for the capelet I thought of that yarn immediately. I think it turned out beautifully even without the blocking that is necessary for it to hang just the way I'd like.Here is the front view. As you can see it does need blocking. Here is a back view of the capelet.

Odds & Ends

2007-04-03T10:58:00.000-05:00

Crochet Confessions
The other day when I picked up yarn at Hancock's I forgot to snap a photo of this particular yarn. It's a colorful 100% nylon ribbon yarn by Dynasty called Thailand. I thinks it's a really pretty combination, reminds me of Creamsicles, although technically Creamsicle would only be orange and white and this yarn is much more colorful than that.

I must confess I intended to make my mom a rosary for her birthday. I picked out some beautiful spirit beads and hematite and a lovely nylon cord to make this for her. Needless to say it got stuffed into my WIP's bin and forgotten. Well, not so much forgotten as just put aside I suppose. Anyway, I never did make the rosary. However, my friend and crochet buddy (who also beads) took the project and made it for me. I did make the rosary pouch for the rosary. Hehehe, the easy part you understand. So, since my mom isn't internet savvy we'll just keep this between ourselves. I am going to try to side-step taking credit for making the piece, but I really don't want to admit that someone else made it either. I made her a bed jacket for Christmas and it was too small. I picked out the same yarn and started another jacket for her in a size that I hope will work. I've gotten the main piece finished and have been waiting on her to come for a fitting before seaming it and adding the collar and cuffs. The rate it's going she may be getting it for Christmas next year! LOL, that's what I call a two-for-one!

Odds & Ends
While surfing the internet last night I stumbled upon a site that I found interesting. It's titled The AntiPattern http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-pattern and while not exactly crochet related it seems relevant. I know I'm constantly working on "designs" that go wrong with an end result that is more of a problem than the solution I had intended it to be. This seems to be the tenet of what the AntiPattern is all about.

On that note, I got to thinking I'd not seen any postings lately from What Not to Crochet http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/ so I wandered on over there to see what they'd been up to lately. Apparently not much going on in crochet gafs these days as their latest posting is a Satyr mask from the 1970's. Right beneath that was a posting that did catch my eye and one I feel doesn't really deserve a top spot on the site. It's a crocheted headband and purse set for a girl that uses those doll faces that are often bought for potholder and blanket baby projects. Now, I see nothing particularly scary about the items and I think were I still a little girl I'd be thrilled to have them. This is called dropping the ball in my humble opinion, choosing something that truly doesn't belong there, and doesn't live up to the reputation that this site has so carefully crafted. I think there are a lot worse items out there that could have been chosen over this little girls' set. Take the horrid Hamburger dress for instance; http://www.joykampia.com/fashion/hamburgerdress.html
now there is something truly ugh inspiring and much more befitting of a posting on the infamous page.

Off the Hook
I have just finished up the pattern called The Incredibly Versatile Giant Snowflake. http://www.crochetme.com/the-incredibly-versatile-giant-snowflake
I made this using RH Soft Baby in a Pink Pomp and a size N hook. It came out lacy and beautiful. I still need to wash and block it but here's a picture since I just couldn't wait.
I'm now on my next project and hope to have a photo of the completed piece for everyone really soon. Until next time, happy crocheting everyone!

Stash Busting Spree

2007-03-31T11:01:00.000-05:00

Thought I'd share some of the items I've recently completed. After playing with the new yarns and rifling through patterns on the internet and in my pattern stash I've been hit with inspiration and gotten a few more things completed for the craft fair box.

Starting with the Fuzhio yarn I purchased recently at Hancock's Fabrics, I hit upon a triangular scarf pattern I liked a lot and created this with the Russet colored yarn. It's very simple, but then that was what this soft, luxurious yarn called for.

Next thing is a simple chenille and flag yarn scarf. I had one ball of some NoBo black/white flag yarn that has been sitting around forever. I carried it along with some black chenille and worked it in a very simple dc/filet stitch pattern. I think it came out lovely. This picture is very small so it doesn't give really good detail but the scarf is very open and so soft. I imagine it will be one of the first things to go at the craft booth this year.

For this next piece I just grabbed a Q hook and some balls of Eyelash yarn I had laying around. It's totally off the top of my head, I made a chain, then started crocheting and ended up with this cute little shawl. What I like most about it is that the way I made the piece (hdc's with chains in between) gives the yarn enough room to drape slightly.

My next FO is the Hipster Scarf, a pattern made by Sandy Scoville, found in the book 24 Hour Crochet Projects. I made this using some leftover IRoss trellis yarn I had laying around rather than the Choo Choo called for in the project. After all, the whole idea here is for me to be using up my huge yarn stash. I'm talking really huge too; so huge I'm embarrassed to talk about it in actual quantities with anyone outside of my inner crochet circle (aka, my crochet buddy). But, I digress; this project didn't take nearly as much of the trellis yarn as I thought it would and so I've still got two balls of it in the same color to contemplate over for another project. That's two balls of THAT particular color mind you, I've got some of it in other colors too. Yup, stash!

So, it appears I've been busy, which is a good thing. I prefer to call it being hit with inspiration even though I know it's just the perfect excuse to keep from doing housework. But, like writing, when inspiration hits you gotta run with it. And who wants to do housework anyway, right?

In between creating combinations and following directions to complete some projects and reduce some stash I also have spent time surfing the net, keeping up with the emails from various groups I'm in and adding links to my HQ page. In one of those mails this link got posted and I thought it was so interesting and darned cute too!

There is an actual competition going on so I urge you all to place your votes!

Late Report

2007-03-27T22:57:00.000-05:00

Today's Completed Projects
Tonight I put two more scarves in the craft fair box. One is a mile a minute style I worked up in a bouclé yarn and the other an attempt at the Peek-a-Boo Skinny Scarf pattern from the 2007 Crochet-A-Day calendar.

Thrift Stores; Creative Financing for all your AS needs.
Not many of the thrift stores around town carry yarn. There's one that is pretty close to me that carries a little yarn and sometimes has patterns. At the one closest to my home I've been told they carry yarn sometimes, but they keep it behind the counter and you have to get there the minute they open up and I'm just not into fighting little old ladies to get in the door at nine o'clock sharp. There is one store though, for some reason they seem to get ALL the yarn in town and they carry 95% of it at one particular store in an older neighborhood. I went there Monday because I was in that area of the city and being Monday, their stuff was 25% off. Whenever I get downtown I try to stop in there if I feel up for the jaunt and though I was hurting I was not totally worn out and it was still early in the day and it was Monday after all and 25% off, who can argue with that? Sure enough, they had yarn. They had more pattern books there than they normally carry but most of them were mixed crafting books and I didn't want to take the time to thumb through them all to see what crochet patterns were there so I focused on yarn. I picked up almost all the rug yarn they carry for my crochet buddy who has been amassing it to make a rug for her mother. I also found a roll of poly cord in a pretty gold color that she was excited about. Something about trying a purse with it.

For myself, I found a skein of red worsted weight to add to a scrap granny project I'm saving yarns for. I'm planning on doing a red/white/pink themed granny. I found the bouclé that I used for the mile-a-minute scarf above. I picked up a country rose and a winter white worsted weight because the price was too good (especially with 25% off) to pass it by. I also found 3 pearl 1 1/2" buttons to add to my rapidly growing pile. Guess we'll need to add BAS (button acquisition syndrome) to the growing list of acronyms because I'm always scouting the thrift stores for buttons for projects. After paying $5.00 for one button in the size I needed at a fabric store I decided to start looking for buttons on the cheap as well.

That's all the current from this crochet addict's life. Tomorrow my friend is stopping by and we'll be doing some listing of items on EBay (yes, there will be some yarn listed there; specifically a bunch of Bernat Galaxy and some Phentex boa yarn so if you're interested email me and I'll let you know where to go look). I hope all is well in your little corner of the net tonight. We've just had thunderstorms move through and so this girl is ready to go sleep in the rain.

Stash Designs

2007-03-27T09:26:00.000-05:00

I think life has finally settled down enough to be able to actually devote time to a post today (here's hoping anyway). I wanted to show you all pictures of the recently completed Skipping Stones Afghan. I finally tucked the ends in Sunday night and got out this morning to get pictures. This afghan was both easy and difficult. The pattern, the stitches used and the sequence of the pattern were not particularly difficult; the part that got me was that it wasn't something I could work on with my mind off on other things. I had to use markers to keep my stitch count correct and found it too easy to mess up the count even with them while trying to watch television as I crocheted. I frogged this poor piece many many times before I finally got it finished. I am grateful that I decided to use good old R.H. yarn because I'm positive most other yarns wouldn't have been so forgiving of the frogging. This particular pattern is one I've had in my WIM's folder for as long as I've been back crocheting. I just hadn't found the yarn I wanted; was looking for a nice bulky weight in vibrant red which is actually what the pattern itself calls for and more importantly (since I tend to make patterns in whatever colors I actually want to use) my absolute favorite color. I am just tickled with the outcome of this endeavor.

I've been reading a lot lately about how crocheters' design. It's fascinating to see inside the minds of people whose works I am creating for myself now. I am, as you know, a budding designer but so newly into the venture that I am in awe of some of the creations I'm seeing published these days and quite certain I'll never be able to come up with such delightful and intricate items like this crocheted halter dress http://www.medidit.com/free/sleezy.html or this crocheted lace dress http://www.interweavecrochet.com/projects/crochet_LaceDress.pdf.
As with all thinking processes, people approach the idea of crochet designing from many angles. Some people are visual, some are textual. I like that not everyone does it the same way. Would be a boring crochet world then for sure! It also assures me that if I keep learning and working very hard at it I will eventually begin some of this type of processing myself. Maybe then I will get bold and begin designing skirts, dresses, shrugs, jackets and other intricate items. Makes me a bit impatient with the scarves and scrunchies that I'm currently drumming up, but then I've always been the sort of person who wanted to run before walking. I love how some people just play with different yarns, or pick up a particular yarn and ponder on it, or pick up hooks and ruminate over them and how yet others sketch something out in their minds or on paper. The results are exploding attitudes about crochet within the general population who sometimes tend to want to impose the cliché umbrella image of little old ladies crocheting shawls and air freshener covers. I'm sure many of you remember the air freshener commercial that did such an injustice to crochet as an art and a craft insulting crocheters everywhere! How awful to think that the masses have such attitudes about our incredible craft.

I have been a bad bad crocheter again! I suppose if I actually HAD any of that jelly yarn http://www.3dimillus.com/ around someone would have to give me twenty lashes with it. I imagine it might actually hurt . My best crochet buddy and I went to Hancock's Fabrics the other day and there were two bins of yarn marked down from $5.99 to $1.20. Needless to say that resolution on no yarn buying until I cleared out my stash went out the window yet again. I ended up with such yummy yarns that I've just got to share the pictures.

Stormy Thursday

2007-03-22T11:45:00.000-05:00

Sleeping in the rain is a favorite pastime, have I mentioned this already to you all? I love to lay snuggled in the warmth of covers and listen to the rain hit glass and shingle, the impact making a variety of sounds contingent upon the direction and strength of wind, the type of raindrops (some are fatter and some sleeker you know. Some are refreshing and some pellet the exposed landscape), and the type of storm going on outside. There are light showers that seem to replenish; the worms come up from underground, the birds dart and flit in the puddles as drops plop; fat, happy drops warm with summer's season. I like the sound of wind in a dangerous storm, how it crashes against the window; a madness frustrated with impenetrable force. Each storm is unique and so taking time to experience them all is important you know.

I upgraded to Firefox 2 last night and added some perks to the upload. I am really enjoying one called Stumble Upon. It brings up various items, scraps, snippets, and puzzles based upon your preferences and continues to hone what it offers based upon your response to what you're shown. Interesting concept and sure hold my attention for a while. I've already brought up some magnificent (and I mean stunningly, awesomely, take your breath away magnificent) pictures of tornadoes forming and dispersing. I've been sent a site that allows you to make kaleidoscopes. If you upgrade to Firefox 2 I highly recommend Stumble Upon as an add-on to your browser.

Picked up the Skipping Stones Afghan once again. Yet another project that I have three or four rows left to finish off.

Lacy Crochet Shawl

2007-03-21T14:53:00.000-05:00

Finished the body of the shawl late last night. Tucked in the tails this morning and took pictures for everyone to see. Here is the long view with the shawl thrown up over the shoulder on the other side of the dress form. I think it turned out exceptionally well and intend to make another one really soon. My intention is to use different colors of the ribbon yarn but I may just switch the type of yarn altogether to see if I an produce something that looks entirely different.

Here is a view of the back of the shawl:

Another view, this time a close up so you can see the lovely ribbon yarn I used. The wrapper on the yarn said IROSS and it's a 100% nylon yarn made in Italy. I think it's gorgeous and this particular combination is vibrant. Here's hoping someone loves it as much as I do since I'm trying to sell it (although I could as easily keep it for myself, lol)!

As I stated already I am not a very prolific or fast crocheter. Seems like it takes me forever to get things made and I wanted to start another of these shawls immediately but with the back pain I've got going on I've learned to pace myself. Hoping to get another going here in the next day or so. Like I said I may go through my yarns and pick something other than ribbon yarn to make the next shawl with. Since I'll be using the same pattern I don't want to end up with two products that are too similar. I think the idea of selling items at a booth is to offer the patron something no one else has. Even in a different color.

The other day I was perusing someone's flicker page and admiring their completed items when I discovered they also had some things for sale. I went looking and sure enough, bought. I got two broomstick lace needles, one really fat one and one that's a bit smaller. I blogged earlier about being interested in trying broomstick lace and then ran across these needles so cheap that I couldn't resist 'em. I also picked up a few pattern books, a couple were rug making booklets and I am going to love going through them as well. I have been saving material so I can try my hand at rag rug making and am hoping the leaflets will have some tempting patterns for me to try.

Rainy Monday

2007-03-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

I believe rainy days are meant for sleeping and crocheting. Today I've picked up a shawl and am working on it, as well as updating pages and generally goofing on the internet. The shawl is done in a beautiful ribbon yarn (picked up cheap at Big Lots of course), the pattern is called Crochet Lacy Shawl and can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/ysd9fm
This is another item I'm putting in the lot for the craft fair. I'm hoping it will go over well because I think it's lovely. I plan on making one more in a different color. My aim for this fair is to have a variety of items and if I make duplicates only making one or two in different colors or yarns. Original fashion items are sure to appeal to the crowd of high school kids that are bound to be at this craft fair. The fair is held at a local high school and has been in place for more than twenty years. In addition to the teens there are a lot of older folks who come to this event every year. I am going to try and appeal to them with the afghans I make and some other items like potholders and placemats as well as Christmas items. Since this is our first year my friend and I thought we'd try a variety and see which items sell the best and put our focus there for next years' fair.

The Wearin' O' the Green

2007-03-17T10:39:00.000-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! For all those who are Irish I know it is a hugely significant day. For all who aren't, this is your day to BE Irish! Now we all know it's the day you wear green, drink green beer and party like crazy, but what truths actually lie behind the celebration of this day? What is it's significance?

St. Patrick was a real living man, born in the latter part of the 4th Century. It is believed that he brought religion to Ireland, thus ending eons of paganism on the Fair Isle. St. Patrick's Day began as a day of both spiritual renewal for the person and prayer for missionaries worldwide. For those who would like more information you can find some here: http://www.st-patricks-day.com/index.asp
here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick's_Day
here: http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm
and here: http://www.history.com/minisites/stpatricksday/

For those interested in the celebration of the day, including crafts, food and festivities you can find a lot of information here: http://www.kidsdomain.com/holiday/patrick/
and here: http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/stpatty/fun.htm

Now onto us crocheters who also have specific traditions, celebrations and items that we like to make and/or receive on this greatest of all Irish holidays. I'm providing several links to crochet patterns that are particularly Irish. Now first we will look at various squares for afghans, beginning here: http://www.karpstyles.com/crochet/shamrock1.html where we find a traditional granny square turned Irish. This link takes you to an afghan stitch square done with the shamrock: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Shores/4536/crochet.htm
and another square: http://web.archive.org/web/20021201122029/http://www.crochetpartners.org/Patterns/CPpat200.html
Here we have a pattern for a Shamrock Quilt Afghan: http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/TV%20Projects/Shamrock%20Quilt%20Afghan.htm

As for pins there are so many it's hard to choose just a few. I will post a few here but if you'd like to see more of them you can find them on my HQ page under Holidays: St. Patrick's Day. http://www.myhq.com/public/c/r/crochetpoet/
Pins:
http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/shamrockpin.html
http://crochet.about.com/library/blshamrock.htm
http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/107/f107003fourleafclover.shtml

We also have those miscellaneous Irish related patterns as well. http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/march4.html
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa031503.htm
http://www.cm-crafts.com/cloverbookmarker.htm

Last, but certainly not least is a pattern I've had in my WIM's collection for a very long time. I keep putting it aside as I cannot at this point afford to purchase all that wool to make this lovely item. Go to this link: http://www.freepatterns.com/list.html?cat_id=340
scroll down to the Irish Cape and Scarf Pattern, click on download pattern and then you will be prompted to log in or join. Joining is free; if you're already a memeber you just log in and download the pattern. The downloaded pattern gives a full front view of the cape. It's absolutely awesome.

This is by no means all the Irish/St. Patrick's Day related patterns out there. I have quite a few more on my HQ page and I'm sure there are even more that I haven't gotten posted on my page. Do a google search if you don't find what you're looking for. Most of all, enjoy the day and don't drink too much green beer!

Sneak Peek: One Complete, One Progressing

2007-03-16T18:47:00.000-05:00

Today I finished off the messed up shrug that was an experiment gone bad a few weeks back. Since I had frogged this shrug so much it caused the yarn I was using (Jewel Box) to separate and the resulting piece wasn't all that pretty and didn't match the skirt very well. I had decided to scrap the shrug as a go-along with the skirt but was going to keep it and finish it off to use as my personal shrug for around the house. My old one is getting pretty ratty. I'm wearing it now, it is very comfy even if it isn't elegant looking, lol. Here is a view of the shrug completed and below, a view up close of the edging.
I am also posting a few shots of the draped bed jacket I am working on to replace the one I made for my mother at Christmas (it didn't fit her). I had intended to have the project a little further along before posting for you all but something came up at the beginning of the week that made crocheting almost impossible for me until today. So I got to start the other side of the main piece on the shrug today. Once that is finished I'll sew up the sides and start on the cuffs and collar. Even though I'm doing this project for a second time exactly as I did the first one (outside of just making the overall project a little bigger). I really don't mind because this is such a wonderful pattern to work.
Normally, once I work a pattern I move on to something else, so making this one more than once is unusual for me. I also plan on making another for myself, but that will be later this year.

NuMei and Others

2007-03-15T16:53:00.000-05:00

For some folks purchasing crochet materials isn't a financial challenge though I can't say I know many who have enough disposable income to let go of 20 or 30 dollars for a skein of yarn. At least not in person. LOL I have been told they are out there though. Out there sort of like pixies or fairies or trolls under bridges if you ask me.

For the rest of us NuMei (http://www.numei.com/index.htm) is a wonderful and reasonably priced alternative to some of those higher end yarns. I was looking for a reasonable ribbon yarn to use for a project from Doris Chan's new book, Amazing Crochet Lace when I stumbled upon this on sale at NuMei. It's called Fluid ribbon yarn and the color I chose is Italian Plum. You can find samples of the colors here: http://www.numei.com/fluid.htm
I fell for it right off and the price is so reasonable ($13.90 for 10 balls) I was able to purchase enough to make the project I had in mind at about a third (or better) of what it would have cost me at any of the other sites I had looked at and even in the stores I'd been searching in. They have a variety of yarns with prices beginning in the $8 to $10 dollar range and going up from there. Mind you, this is for packs of ten balls per pack. It's definitely making it hard for me to curb my YAS this season!

A friend of mine and her girlfriend raided the local thrift store today and she came by to show me her loot. She is picking up odds and ends for a scrap yarn afghan and today she found exactly what she needed. LOL! Bear in mind this is a friend that I hooked on crochet. I actually think it was the combination of her other friend exposing her to it (and nagging at her for years to try doing it) and me exposing her to the possibilities and endless projects she can do if she just learned to crochet. After watching her friend for years and me for a couple she succumbed. Guess they should post signs up not only at stores but at crocheters homes as well warning of the possibility of addiction by osmosis!

Another site I frequent is Smiley's yarns. They have a $40.00 minimum which isn't hard to do because the prices are so great you can't stop yourself from filling up. I cannot count the number of times I've gone there and just blown my yarn budget in a couple hours of browsing. http://www.pagelinx.com/cgi-shopper/loadpage.cgi/smileysyarns/ezshopper?user_id=8600-20070215&file=index.htm
I love this place! I've never had a problem with any of their products and their shipping is lightening fast.

For yarns, those are my two usual suspects although there are other places that I keep an eye out for great sales so I can splurge when they occur.

Playing Catch (up)

2007-03-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

It's been a pretty busy week so I've not gotten to the blog to post things. Playing catch up now, if I can manage to get it all into one blog posting and if not, I'll simply split and make several postings till I get it all caught back up!

I've been busy trying to complete projects that I promised myself I'd get finished this spring. So far I've managed to knock off a few of them but had problems with that Cluster Stitch Doily I started two years ago. Kept having to frog the darned thing because it just wasn't working up right. Misread the pattern and had to have help with that (thanks yet again Nana Carol because you were so right about what I was doing wrong). Then ran out of the thread I was using and had to find another ball. I finally have it completed and have yet another problem with it. I am trying to view this as an opportunity rather than a problem. When I had to use new thread it of course didn't match up with the old thread. Of course! I don't know if you can see it in the picture, it's barely visible but it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. Rather than fret over the whole thing I'm going to use this as an opportunity to try something else I've wanted to try with crochet- dying. I'm going to turn the white/off white doily into a different color. Just haven't determined as of yet what I'm going to use to dye with. I have always wanted to play around with Kool Aid dying but not so sure I want to use it with this doily. I am leaning more toward using onion skin or tea or coffee and altering the color by shades rather than a dramatic color switch. Since the doily is just slightly off in color I feel that turning it into a subtle coffee color would be just the thing for it. I'll definitely let you all know what I decide and of course will post pictures once I've completed the project.

I have also picked up a Draped Bed Jacket project that is in my stash of PIGS. http://tinyurl.com/2wbnjy I made one for my mom at Christmas and it didn't fit. I took measurements and am making another in the same color and material (she just loved it) that I used for the original. I'm half finished with the main portion, which would be about 1/3 finished with the complete project.

Yesterday was my nephew's birthday. We had a party at a local pizzaria that caters to kids. You know, the type with the game rooms, separate party rooms and buffet. Well, they have the best pizza (in my opinion) in town and although we didn't book a private party room, we had a great time. My nephew just turned 11 and is into all that wrestling stuff. I think it's hokey, but hey, I'm not an 11 year old boy! We had a great time. Every gift he got was wrestling related too so that made him extremely happy.
Wrestling cake with Harley Davidson candle. When you twist it, the candle makes the sound of a Harley starting up.
Presents are great!

Cake is good too!

I've been working on projects for the craft fair that my friend and I are entering into this fall. I've completed a few more scarves. I started working on this beautiful shawl but had to frog that because of tension problems. We are trying a few different things for the craft booth. Scarves and hats, scrunchies and barrettes and shawls will be the staple items. My friend does beadwork and will be making some jewelry as well. I also intend to add various projects as I work on them through the year. Already have a shrug, a couple afghans and a top and jacket to put in. I'm also thinking some Christmas-sy things might go over well. We've talked with a couple people who have shopped this craft fair regularly over the years and from what they've told us most anything we make will go over. I'm sure hoping so because our game plan is to have a few of this and that and a bit more of staple items.

We also plan on having available two albums for people to look through. One will contain her works and the other mine. I am hoping this will prompt some orders for items, either items people see in the albums and like, or orders for items they have in mind that they feel we could make. We will also have business cards on hand as well.

Sweet Sixteen?

2007-03-05T21:07:00.000-05:00

I tried yet again yesterday to work on the dratted doily. Finished up row 24, then onto row 25. I was almost done with row 25 when I found again, I'd missed stitches! Had to frog again! Today I managed to actually get all the way around row 24 again. I'm on row 25 now, will let you all know how that turns out.

Today my friend's daughter turned 16. Man I remember being 16, and what a difficult age it was. I remember my daughter turning 16 as well but of course she was so out of control by then that it wasn't a very memorable experience. I mean, how memorable could it be compared with court dates, juvenile facilities and locks inside my house? Seemed more like I spent her 16th year just trying to keep my belongings inside my home and her shuffled from juvenile facility to court to juvenile facility to court, etc. Awful! Now my friend doesn't have quite as much going on with her daughter as I did but, as with any 16 year old, she does have attitude, mouth and defiance to deal with. God bless all us single mothers because we surely need it. I feel for my friend, but at the same time I can see that the problems going on with her daughter are a lot more in the range of normal than what I experienced with mine. I guess we both can only wish they grow up and have one just like them as payback! Awful!

On a different note I would like to delve into another technique in crochet that I've never tried. Not that I have time to try it yet, but it's something that interests me and something I am definitely marking on my list of things to do. There are a lot of different types of crochet, filet, Tunisian, hairpin lace and while the only one I've any experience with is hairpin lace there is another that intrigues me - Broomstick Lace (also known as Jiffy Lace or Peacock's Eye). I've seen some beautiful examples of it and I'm intending to try it one day soon. Here is just one example: http://www.crochetcabana.com/specialty/broomstick_lace_jiffy_lace_.htm
This particular example is an afghan square but you can use the technique to make an entire afghan: http://web.archive.org/web/19990421030629/www.ioweb.com/creative_corner/878508109.html

To look at it you would think it's very difficult but I've been told it's really not that hard. I will let you know when I do try it whether that is the case or not. Meantime, here are a few links with tutorials on how to make it: http://members.aol.com/sbaycgoa/techbrom.htm
http://www.crochetcabana.com/specialty/broomstick_lace_jiffy_lace_.htm
http://www.keyway.net/crafts/bslace.htm

Now that you have seen the finished product and have access to learning how to do it, perhaps you'd like to try out some patterns other than the afghan and afghan square:
http://www.medidit.com/free/scarf.html
http://millemakes.wordpress.com/tag/work-in-progress/scarf-in-broomstick-lace/
http://www.crochetkim.com/patterns/babydress.html

I hope if any of you try it out you'll post to let me know how it goes.

Various and a Sunday

2007-03-04T12:44:00.001-05:00

Gotta love those lazy Sunday's. I know I do. At least I do when the dogs aren't getting me up at the crack of dawn to take them outside. This morning they did get me up, but afterwards I went back to bed. Too tired to stay up. I honestly tried, I just couldn't seem to keep awake so I conceded defeat and got a couple more hours of rest. I must have needed it because I don't remember a thing.

My crochet cohort and partner in craft booth adventuring was over the other night. She'd managed to pick up some barrette backs for crafting at a really good price and decided to make barrettes to add to our line-up of craft items. She's only just started working with crochet threads and had some but not many odds and ends and I have oodles so we rooted through and found the ones with just a bit of thread left on them for her to take to make the flowers and such for the barrette backs. I knew I had a lot of thread but sure didn't realize I had amassed so much of it! I sent her off with all the odd balls and partial balls of it I had in various colors and some size 20 and 30 threads that I had as well. I'm curious now to see what she comes up with in the way of decoratives for those backs.

I seem to be cursed with the doily project I've been working on. Each time I get that accursed row completed I end up having to frog the dratted thing because there's a mistake in it. I'm talking four times now, I've reworked the same row. I understand now why I put the thing down for two years. I have a plan for finishing it though which goes something like this. Each day when I start my crocheting I am going to pick that doily up and work on it first thing. I feel this will enable me to work on it when I'm fresh and can pay attention and am hoping this will allow me to finally complete the row properly, and hopefully complete the last three rows left on it after that. Yes that's right, I'm on row 24 of 28 rows on this doily. Have been stuck on row 24 since I put the thing down two years ago. Have frogged row 24 four times now. I know the poor thing is going to need a thorough washing once I do have it complete.

It's been almost enough to make me want to donate ALL my thread to my friend! Almost! I do have a project in that stack of PIGS that is thread and there are balls of it earmarked for the project. The very same balls that came with the project to begin with. You see, that particular PIG is a project started by my mother a long time back and one she never completed. I have a total of 53 squares in the bag and a bunch of the thread she originally bought for the project left. Unfortunately I don't have the pattern for the squares. I will either have to find something to turn those 53 squares into, or else go on a hunt for the pattern so I can make more of the squares. The thing with it is though, I don't know what she was intending to make with it so I am not sure I'll ever actually complete the intended aim of it. I do know I'm going to make something with them all. Don't know what yet, haven't given it more thought than to just count the squares and see how much of the thread is there, and there are a BUNCH of balls of it there so if I do end up making more squares I'll have all the thread I need. Luckily the project is white so there isn't going to be an issue of color fading (maybe an issue of yellowing due to the age of the thread). I am confident that I can always bleach the completed project back into conformity if I find that necessary. From this picture of one of the squares though, I don't think any bleaching will be necessary.

One final picture that I just couldn't resist posting is of my dog Honey. I caught her the other day sleeping in this position. She looked so comfy and I just couldn't figure out how the heck she could be. I snuck off to get my camera and by the time I had it ready to snap the photo she was aware I was there and watching me. She just couldn't move, sort of like that sleep state where you're aware of everything around you but you are paralyzed and unable to do anything about it. I just laughed and laughed. Gives new meaning to my nickname for her - Honeybutt!

Thunder over Louisville (and rain, and lightening and maybe tornadoes too)

2007-03-01T10:52:00.000-05:00

Finished the curly scarf. I think it turned out great. Used Caron Jewel Box in Garnet color. The picture doesn't really show the richness of the yarn, but this closeup does give a good idea of the color mix in it. I have more Jewel Box in different colors so I'll definitely be making more scarves like this one in those colors.

Rain came through last night, bringing a change in temperatures, a warming. Temperature wise, it's just wonderful outside today. Balmy, fresh smelling, like the whole world got washed clean overnight. There is a price for this warmth though, unfortunately. We are under a tornado watch for the entire day. We also are supposed to have thunderstorms off and on all day. I'm trying to focus on the gorgeous warm weather though and not think about the threat it also poses.

After finishing off the scarf last night I picked my doily back up and began working on it again. The problem I was having with it was resolved thanks to some sage advice from Nana Carol. It seems to be working out exactly like it's supposed to and I'm hoping I can finish it up today and get it blocked soon. I just wanted to say a public thank you to Nana Carol for her help. I am usually able to figure out problems with patterns on my own but this one had me stumped big time and so her explanation of what I was doing wrong came just in time for me.

Since I have amassed a large quantity of threads I'm keenly interested in doing some doily projects in different colors. Leaning toward some of those lovely colored flower doilies I've seen. I've never attempted one, heck, I don't even attempt doilies often but I have so much thread I just wanted to see what I could do.

I've also been looking at painted doilies with an eye towards trying one of those soon. For those who aren't familiar with this technique I'm posting a link for you all to see what it is: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/dennymare/multicoloreddoily.jpg
Here is another site with images of them: http://new.photos.yahoo.com/lighthouselady517/album/576460762324131962
They are so stunning. It's a pretty simple technique, using thread or embroidery floss (separate the strands). You start in one color and as you go around the rounds you replace threads individually with either a new color or a different shade thus gradually changing the color/shade as you go through the rounds of the doily. Ferosa Harold has put out a book on this technique with her own doily designs. You will find a copy of it here if you are interested in learning more about it: http://www.anniesattic.com/crochet/detail.html?prod_id=19131
There is also a lady who has taken the time to find doilies that will work well with this technique. You can find her list of doilies here: http://www.crochetville.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-7764.html

Projects that can't be ignored

2007-02-28T17:31:00.000-05:00

Since I last posted I've been working on more scrunchies and scarves and I also pulled out this shrug project. I finished it yesterday and here are the pictures for you all to see.

I just love this shrug, it's so soft and cuddly. The pattern was very easy, from the book 100 Crochet Projects by Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss. I have to say those two are some fantastic designers. I've worked more patterns they have created than any other designer who crochets. Their instructions are always clear and there are very few errors in them. I highly recommend the book, and the two women's patterns. I made the shrug entitled Simply Shrug. I used Red Heart pounder worsted weight acrylic in Light Purple held together with an eyelash yarn I picked up a few years ago when Target was clearancing it out ($.25 a ball!) in a purple that is just a shade lighter than the acrylic. I am thrilled with the way it turned out and very grateful that someone was willing to model it for me. It's definitely a bit too small for me to model. Now I'm intending to make one like it for myself. I did make a couple of changes to the pattern, for purely aesthetic reasons, nothing that affected the pattern itself.

There are so many wonderful projects in that book alone I don't know how I'll get to every one of them.

Spring is now three weeks away; I know I'm ready for it. I'm sure many of you are sick of winter and feeling the same way. Even though we haven't had much snow or even all that much cold here, it's been wet, wet, wet which made for a miserable, muddy winter. Hooray for Spring, please hurry with all your sunny days and new growth. I think it's probably a tossup for me as to which I prefer more, spring or fall. Though all the seasons have their good and bad points, for me, there's something really special about spring, all the trees budding out, flowers springing from the frozen tundra and even the rain in spring somehow feels different. Of course, fall is a fabulous kaleidoscope of color and crisp smells and it's as compelling as spring, but the difference for me is that spring brings hope while autumn is a harbinger of death and decay. The death of season, the death of summer, the passing of yet another year.

This past year I treated myself to a hairpin lace loom large enough to work some of the newer fashion projects. I made a few items with it, intent upon learning how to do it well enough to work a particular project I had in mind. Well, that fell through, I did try the project in a test run first, with a less expensive ribbon yarn and just didn't like the end result enough to use the more expensive ribbon yarn I'd purchased to use. I ended up using the ribbon yarn in another project which I was quite pleased with. I've made nothing else with the loom either. I do have a few more projects in mind using the loom. Something to look forward to as I plod along on all these unfinished PIGS I have vowed to clean out this year. I've been very diligent about getting them done and I'm proud of myself for my stick-to-it-ness. Of course, being so proud of myself I just have to reward myself for it as well and so, even though I haven't done that yet, trust me I have it stored away in the back of my mind. I am just waiting till I get a few more of those projects cleared out first.

The Skipping Stones afghan is one of those PIGS that is almost complete, just waiting on a trip to Wally World to pick up the extra yarn needed. I have plans, pattern, and material bagged to make a crucifix as well. It's going to be a gift for my mother on her birthday this year. I really need to get off my duff and get that going because I've never done anything like this project before and her birthday is only a couple months away. If I run into trouble with it I certainly want to have enough time to work through the problems and get it done.

I have vowed that once I get everything caught up I'll not let myself get so behind again on projects. I have vowed that once I start a project I won't put it away, I'll plug away at it until it's complete. I have every intention of doing this, but I won't chisel that in stone either. LOL
That's a sure fire way to throw a cog into the wheels!

Ok, off to finish this scarf, and then perhaps the doily I set aside (yet again). I needed a break from it once I ran into a problem with the pattern and now that I've been given a suggestion on how to resolve the snafu in the pattern I need to focus on it again. It's four rows from done! Four seems to be my magic (stalling) number. Seems each project I work, once I've gotten to the point where I'm four rows or rounds from completion I end up putting it up. A year later I find it in a bag, stuffed in the back of my project closet and so this year I resolved to change that and having changed the arrangement (meaning I took all the projects out of the closet which is a back of the mind mentality for me) and put them all into my line of sight (in the rolling cart right beside my favorite crochet chair) they're all sitting there in that cart taunting me to come finish them up.

Coffee Time!

2007-02-24T09:00:00.000-05:00

I just love Saturday mornings. I'm loving them even more now that the dogs are waking me up at 7 a.m. because they hear people moving about outside. I have to look at it like this, I could hate it and gripe and complain but they'd still wake me up at 7 a.m. (or whenever they hear people outside) so I might as well make the best of it. So, get up, take them out, make coffee and sit, sipping coffee, catching up on email and various other readings (blogs, books, magazines, t.v. guide, last Sunday's paper). It makes the early morning more tolerable when I've been up way too late the night before and I actually love the early morning when I've had enough rest. When it warms up it'll be even nicer, sitting outside with my coffee while they run around.

Now, I'm sure many of you have dealt with interruptions from family and others when you're counting. I don't really have anyone speaking to me when I count so it's easier to get through those periods in my crochet. I do however have three muttleys who think they're my kids (who am I kidding, they are!) and they like to interrupt. They don't actually have a favorite time for it (like when I'm counting), they do it any time. Anytime they feel like I've not given them their fair share of attention, petting and cuddling that is. Honey, the beagle is only 22 lbs. Small for a beagle but a very vocal and spoiled brat is she. Now, when she's wanting attention and I'm not giving it to her, she just crawls over everything and into my lap. So often she's climbed up in the middle of my crochet project and trapped me. I can't move because she's pinning the project in my lap and if I move I'm going to be pulling out stitches. So, helpless, hanging on to that last stitch and the hook, I'm trying to fight her off my lap while she's trying to lean up and lick my face. It's a sight, an oh so frustrating, infuriating, hilarious sight!

I've wheedled the Skipping Stones afghan down to three rows. I was down to four but had to frog as my count was off, so I'd spent the second half of last week reworking to get back to where I was and then started on that fourth-from-the-last row. It worked around pretty nicely, then I began the third-from-the-last row and lo and behold, I ran out of yarn! AAARRrrgghhh! I feel so like Charlie Brown sometimes! You know, nothing ever goes right. So, I've had to lay the afghan aside until I can go back to the store and match up the yarn. Luckily I used R.H. so it should match up pretty easily. I hope! In the meantime, it's back to scrunchies and I think I'm going to work up some scarves. I may bring out the shrug and start that, but I just hate to start it when I haven't got that afghan out of the way yet. I'd set my mind that that's how I was going to work it. Finish one PIG before starting another and now, well. They say in life (and crochet) you should know nothing is ever written in stone and you should anticipate that and expect to have to make adjustments. I'm such a person of routine though that I hate getting things set inside my head, and started in that direction and then have to change it in the middle of things.

The thought though, of spending the weekend on just scarves and scrunchies isn't very appealing. I like having a larger project and those smaller ones to break up the routine of the larger. Ah well, life is unexpected and that should be part of the beauty of it that you can appreciate. Unexpectedness! Learn to go with the flow I suppose. Something I'm not very adept at doing, but learning none-the-less.

Scrunchies Galore

2007-02-22T13:28:00.000-05:00

In one of my recent postings I mentioned that I was working on a skirt and shrug project. The skirt was made with Jewel Box yarn using Caron's Openweave Skirt pattern. I was making a shrug with the same yarn in the same stitch pattern to go with it. Well, I had reported to you all about having to frog and re-frog the project. I should have started out with a ww acrylic I suppose because I frogged that Jewel Box way too much, the strands ended up separating and the resulting shrug just wasn't of the quality to match the skirt. I have abandoned the project, am taking the skirt as just a skirt and will attempt the project again perhaps, at a later point. This time though I'll be sure to use an acrylic yarn. I have learned a valuable lesson in the endeavor though, and this was worth messing up the yarn for. So, any further experiments I make will be done first in an inexpensive acrylic and worked until I'm satisfied I can make the object in the (delicate) yarn of my choosing. So, I have a picture of the finished skirt that I am posting for your viewing pleasure.

I've been busily working away at scrunchies, throwing them into a bag as I go. I'm using a few patterns that I particularly like but am mostly doing freeform on them. I'll post several of the pictures here for viewing and then tell you about a particular one that I made.

This one I'm calling the dream weaver scrunchie because it looks like a dream weaver to me.

This scrunchie is made from
some of the same ribbon yarn, but worked differently.

The next two are free handed just like the two above. I'm rather enjoying just playing with different combinations of stitches. This is a simple one worked with a worsted weight acrylic held along with an eyelash yarn.

This next is worsted weight in pink with a ladder yarn held with it.

These are only a few of the ones I've made so far, but some of the more interesting or unusual ones. I've also come up with another that I just love. It's sooo simple and just in time for spring.
In fact, I call it the Spring Ring Scrunchie. Now for the pattern.

Spring Ring Scrunchie

Materials
Scrap acrylic yarns, one in green the other in assorted colors
Size G hook
Coated ponytail bands

With green, sl st onto ponytail band. Ch 1, sc in start. Sc, ch 1 across placing about 29 combinations on the band. Sl st to first sc.
Ch 5 trc in next ch 1 space on band. Working around the band in the ch 1 space, trc and ch 1 around. Join with sl st to 4th ch of ch 5. Fasten off, waeave in ends.

With second color, sc around band in ch 1 space. *Trc around post of trc, trc again around post above 1st trc made, trc again around post above 2nd trc made. Sc in band in next ch 1 sp.* Repeat from * to * around. Once you come to the first trc "flower" you sl st, fasten off and weave in.

I hope those instructions are clear. Enjoy making them. I'm going to make a bunch more for Easter I think.

No Anchors, No Chains

2007-02-20T23:53:00.000-05:00

I have a past, but it is not a past rooted in familiarity, extended family or geography. I am a person with no roots no early memories of American culture. No Elvis, no Ducktails, no Airstreams, no Saddle Shoes; no television, no belonging and little close kinship. There is No sense of family on Daddy's side and burnished early memories on Momma's side her sisters, all married, some with children already then and an aunt and uncle who were sharecroppers, working the land for another man.

That was the old log cabin. I remember my aunt pumping water from the well right off the door around back at the kitchen. They kept a huge tub to bathe in, pulled it right out into the kitchen, behind a screen. My aunt heated water on top of this huge stove. Aunt Samantha was a farmer's wife, the best cook I ever met. She ran two huge kettles that she poured into the pan, mixing with buckets of fresh pumped well water. I would sit at the table, watching her bustle between stove and pump, screen door banging as she went out with her empty bucket that time when we stayed overnight the first trip back through this area of the country. She'd start out with as much of that hot boiled water as she could, adding just enough cold for Melville to tolerate and he took his soak and she put on more hot water. We kids were lucky, as her niece and nephews we got our own bath in it long before Melville got in from the barn. I thought it odd at the time and sad in a way because she and Melville couldn't have kids and she wanted them so, you could just tell in the way she loved on you. I wanted to jump in her arms and tell her I'd be her girl and just stay there, because what it looked like didn't matter, it made you feel like you'd been well hugged. Later, she and Melville were blessed with a daughter, after they gave up trying to have one.

My daddy was a traveling man. He liked to see new places and he liked to drive. I think the journey for him was every bit as fascinating as the destination, perhaps better so every time we travelled it was by car. We'd ride in the backseat, and sometimes (and my favorite cause I could stretch out) I'd lay in the floorboard. I used to climb down there and lay beside the drive shaft, my legs tucked under the seat in front, a bit of a trick but comfortable for a bit, I could lay there and have my legs stretched out cause when I couldn't stretch them they started getting cricky and hurt. Long journeys Momma and daddy took turns driving, Momma usually during daylight and Daddy taking over long up till about midnight or later. Finally he'd pull up to a motel, quietly pay the room and tumble us all into the bed together, he and Momma in the other one, us four kids in various stages between slumber and wakening, flashes of the activities relaying the information that we needed to clamber up all together there in those cheap motel rooms. Just long enough, sleep till morning then Daddy'd get up and go gas the car, refill the coolers, lunch stuff packed and iced, soda's replenished and he'd pick up a favorite breakfast of doughnuts and milk. for us all while Momma set about the task of getting us ready to ride again for the day.

Later, mostly, we took day trips to the same areas to visit my cousins and aunts and uncles; trips which my daddy would map in his head each time he made the drive learning the lay of the countryside. He took us every single route he could find until familiarity of it bored him and he began exploring, veering off the arteries to explore the tar, and gravel and dirt between my momma's family home and ours. I believe in all the traveling he ever did, my daddy never really did find a place he felt really comfortable in.

I believe Daddy's granddaddy re-invented himself in Huntington when a gentleman of reputable note died there. Strange to find two men in the same town with almost exactly, first and last name, who are unknown to one another. Stranger yet that same name showing up elsewhere in the country prior to his Granddaddy's arrival in Huntington, and a certain marriage there of a man by the name and a woman by the same name the same day his granddaddy married his grandmomma. The dead gentleman, old money for generations, the once land owning family now bereft of wealth and land, a name alone surviving, a tombstone carved in granite at the back of the most prominent cemetery in Huntington, headstone epithets of those whose kinship's twined and intertwined. There is no kin in this lonely place for me. Where or whether there is any kin anywhere outside of Huntington on that side of the family is something that I may never know. My great grandparents and my grandparents are both buried there though in a different cemetery in another area of town.

Wants and Needs

2007-02-19T19:09:00.000-05:00

Temperatures warmed up before sunrise. The snow melted off quickly, leaving behind thawing, muddy ground and puddles. The day was balmy, cloudy and errant like the soft iris gaze from a young child's eyes. Something you could lose yourself in. I've had a time getting the dogs out without having them come back coated in the mud. Only Honey will hold still to be wiped down (and that's only because she's so small I can actually hold her). I usually pen them up in the kitchen until they dry and then try to brush the dust from their paws.

I've learned, like I am sure most of you have, that Leisure Arts was sold to the company who owns QVC shopping channel, Animal Planet and the Discovery channel. I believe with this news an era has ended. Leisure Arts is one of the big names in craft patterns, having been around as long as I remember and believe me I can remember a long time. From the time I was old enough to see the slick pages (my mother crocheted) I would look at the lacy patterns with wonder. The effect was spun silk to my young eyes. The books, pictures and pages; a dream life it seems now, another set of social values, seemingly more genteel, a time when America had leisure, so long past it is being forgotten. I am hoping that this new venture will begin an era that can proclaim with as much pride its right to own the publication's title. That result would be a positive one. So many magazines have shut down production, and even the women's magazines don't seem to put much emphasis on crafts anymore, especially crocheting, that we crafters are feeling the effects of this demise through fewer paper sources for patterns. Outside of books. What are some creative ways you locate patterns?

This is my personal approach when wanting/needing patterns. I have to be frugal with my choices and so I try to get the best deal I can get for what I'm looking for when I do purchase, and I shop smart. I utilize the library and local booksellers, looking through the books before I decide which ones I really want to buy. I bargain shop the sales at Hobby Lobby and WalMart and sometimes I can find patterns and magazines at thrift stores. I shop on eBay. I have to confess though, 98% of my projects are from internet patterns. I have shot my budget for the next 6 months on all things crochet so I'm trying to be good and just use the stuff I have here for now. There's always something calling from the store shelves, but I am resolute.

So, since I have this stash and all the patterns, and now the new delicious yummy books I got I'm content. I'm still learning how to crochet clothing and am by no means a professional. I'm still learning how to gauge and figure yardage and fit garments and a thousand other things. I've got some beautiful yarns that I've put back for garments for myself, once I've mastered this necessary knowledge. Then I plan on making myself some spectacular items. Right now it seems like that time is a long way away, but I'm trying to be patient. I think it's worth waiting for.

While I love making afghans I find many of them take so long that I get bored with them and switch to other projects to give myself a break. You can take some afghans along as projects, mile-a-minutes, granny squares and motifs come to mind immediately. Eventually they get too large to carry or you finish all the separate pieces and you have to put them aside as a carry-along project. So you start a new project to carry along; the process continues. At first it's just one project, one bag, and you work on scarves or hats or dishcloths, afghan squares, whatever you chose, one at a time. Once bored with always carrying the same project, you start to find other patterns to carry along, some are a bit larger, some smaller but they're chosen and carried and worked on for specific reasons such as the amount of time you have to work on the project, whether you'll be sitting or standing, or which one you need done the most, worked on to keep our minds from over-thinking itself, our fingers busy, focused and why? Because we have a need. It's more than a want, it's a need because it's something that you have to do to feel your soul. Succinctly, there's the difference between wants and needs.

Before you're aware of what's happened you've got PIG's galore. You've got the project sitting there that you work on when you're in your Crochet Chair. You've got the projects you have at your chair to work on when you need a break. You have a project you keep in the bedroom to work on, the den, maybe even the kitchen or bath. You've got all those carry-alongs. Like rabbits they keep multiplying in direct proportion to the depth of your need to hook. Now this certainly calls for some sort of storage solution and so you just have to have a container, or two, or three; something to get them all up and off the tables, the couch. the corners of your living room. Acquisition of storage containers, however they are obtained makes this a fully blown official addition you know. You might as well accept the fact, surrender to it, you're hooked!

Snow, Snuggles and Scrunchies

2007-02-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

It kept snowing yesterday until mid-evening then tapered, leaving a soft carpet world behind. The streets stayed really clear until the sun set and then got icy in patches. The neighborhood roads of course got blanketed and ignored by the salt trucks leaving us all to fend for ourselves. It's lovely, the dogs had a blast out in it yesterday, I don't need to be anywhere today and so I'm enjoying what will be the one snow I wanted for this season. By next weekend temperatures are supposed to be almost 60, but what do those meteorologists know anyway? It's a science that calls for a lot of anticipating and contains enormous opportunity for miscalculation, somewhat like the science of medicine. Hey, why do you think it reads on your doctor's office door "practicing medicine"? LOL

Last night I sat up watching a bit of t.v. and later, listening to The Sound and The Fury on cd, crocheting on my Skipping Stones afghan. I layered that by switching over to scrunchies and a scarf for variation. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning, managing to come up with two scrunchie patterns. I'm not sure that I can say they're original because I haven't done a check yet. I didn't use anyone else's idea though so if they aren't it's purely coincidental. I am going to post the patterns here with my pictures for now. I hope you all like them.

This purple one should look familiar, it's made with leftover yarn from the slipper project I posted yesterday. This one is from the pattern Super Fast & Easy Scrunchie. I like this scrunchie because it can be made with any type of yarn and an appropriately sized hook. Works up quickly and looks great. I'm doing these for a craft fair a friend and I are setting up in this year. We are focusing on simple patterns, scrunchies, scarves, small bags, shawls, slippers and ponchos because we think they will sell well at this craft fair. It's held yearly, is well known and attended, hosted by one of the local high schools. We figure items like these will appeal to all the students that attend and to a lot of other people who are Christmas shopping. In addition to items like these we plan on adding in whatever items we crochet this year that aren't tagged for ourselves, or for presents for others. I have a couple items already that I plan on putting in there.

This next scrunchie came about because I had just this little snippet of colorful yarn left from a ball that I'd already used part of in making the 2+1 scarf pattern I created. It was a ball that was found in a bag of yarn purchased at a local thrift store and I really love the colors. Would love to know what type of yarn it is and if it is still available to purchase but I suppose that will remain a mystery. By the way, if you happen to recognize the yarn, please, please, pretty please, contact me and let me know what it is.

Cross Over Scrunchie - So called because of the technique used to make it.

Materials needed: Small amounts of any leftover yarn, Size H hook, coated ponytail band.

Sl st onto band, sc around the band until it's fairly full making sure to end with an even number of stitches. Sl st into the 1st sc. Ch 3, trc into back of band between 1st and 2nd sc on band. Trc between 3rd and 4th sc on front band. Continue working trc's, switching back and forth between the back and front of the band, moving in progression around the band (for instance, the next trc would go in the back of the band between the 5th and 6th sc and the next trc from there would go in the front between the 7th and 8th sc) until you come to the ch 3 at the beginning. Sl st into the 3rd chain. Snip and weave in tails.

The third scrunchie is called the Swirly Scrunchie. It's made using Lion Brand Chenille in black. The color makes it hard to see details in the picture but I've tried to get as much detail as I can.

Swirly Scrunchie
Materials Needed: small amount of chenille yarn, size I hook, coated ponytail band.

R 1: Sl st onto hairband. Sc around band making sure to end with an odd number of sc's. Sl stitch into the 1st sc on band.
R 2: Ch 1, sc in 1st sc, *ch 3, sk 1 sc, sc into next sc*. Repeat from * to * around. There should be one stitch left on the band from round 1 that is neither skipped over nor has a sc worked in it.
R 3: *Ch 3, sc into skipped st on R 2* (the open stitch under the ch 3) in front of the hairband. Repeat from * to * around band.
R 4: Ch 3, sc into the left over sc from R 2 on the band, ch 3, sc in each sc at beginning and end of each loop. Alternate each sc from front to back around the hairband, working the stitch into the sc's from R 2 and R3. This places a stitch into the front of the sc's from R2 and the back of the sc's from R3 between the two rows and fills in, creating three rows of chain threes in a swirly effect.

I hope the directions are clear, if not please feel free to email me and I'll try to explain. Remember, I'm a newbie at pattern writing and so it's all a learning experience for me.

Fuzzy Slippers on Saturday Mornings

2007-02-17T13:24:00.000-05:00

Again this year, every time we hear the weather and they predict snow we haven't gotten it. Leave it to the meteorologists to finally give us an official, coming down hard, looking like it's gonna stick around this time snow. It never fails when they tell us it's going to pass us by this time that we end up with it, and here it is, snow! The kid in me loves to see it piling up on the lawn, loves to get out there and roll up a snowman, taste it on my tongue and make snow angels. Then I'm done with it, spring can come. LOL

I've even seen it snow in July. How many people can claim something like that? When I was a child, my family lived in Germany and there it snowed in the middle of summer. We woke up that morning and when we looked out our window the whole world was white. It was stunning and my brothers and I quietly dressed and snuck out the window to play. In winter there we would build snow tunnels . The snow piled on the fencelines was high enough for us to burrow and pack and create space as tall as we were to play in. I've not seen many snows like that since I moved back to the U.S.

Yesterday, after posting and leaving the computer a feeling of release came over me. It broke for me what had been a period of limbo, where I had been feeling as if my life were stuck and I was unable to do anything about it. I suppose it came partly from the realization that my daughter truly was on her own now and I could change the direction of my life, moving from what it had been as mother and provider into a new era of self-discovery. Now, suddenly I'm not responsible for anyone but myself and while that is a freedom within itself there is also the question of just exactly who are you now? I suppose all of life is actually a process of leaving behind and moving forward, but when life shifts suddenly from one phase to another it has a bit more impact than a gradual shifting does. This is, I suppose, why tragedies are so difficult for people to cope with. You're suddenly thrust from one reality to another, more devestating one. From one end of the spectrum to the other, gradual as opposed to swift and devestating as opposed to empowering or enriching. I am anxious and eager to grab this new phase by the horns and ride it with everything I've got.

So I suppose you might like to see the snapshots of my slippers, which are on my feet right this very moment. I used some scrap Red Heart colors, a light purple strung along with a darker one that had flecks of other colors in it. I think they turned out great! First set of adult slippers I'd made since I started crocheting again. I'm thinking they may be a great item for a craft fair.

Today I'm working on my afghan and making scrunchies.
That's the plan at least. As soon as there's enough snow piled up out there I'll probably bundle up and head out. I may not be able to roll a snowman anymore but I think I might try a snow angel or two!

I like Saturday mornings, they're my lazy time of day. I most often get up early and then allow myself a nap later in the day. I use this time sitting here reading email, crocheting or sitting and reading a book, drinking coffee. The dogs take turns napping and playing, the birds are chirping outside my window. In warmer weather I open my blinds and let the morning sun into my front window. I have a piece of art glass hung in my window that has beveled edges which throw rainbows across my floor and walls and the effect of it is soothing and peacful for me.

I suppose that is how your home should be for you though, soothing and peaceful. After the whirlwind life of raising my rebel daughter, I can feel that peace and serenity permeating my atmosphere again. I have missed that so much.

Tough Love

2007-02-16T10:27:00.000-05:00

My daughter turned 18 yesterday and today I fulfilled my last official act as mother to a minor child. She had a court date (don't ask, she appears to like trouble) that I was ordered to bring her in for. Of course, her being 18 and out of my house I have no control and couldn't force her to go to court. I showed up anyway, thinking that the responsible thing to do. Let the court workers know she'd turned 18 and that she wasn't there with me. She did finally show, 1/2 an hour late. I asked the attorney if he needed me to be present now and he indicated he didn't so I left. My daughter and I are estranged and so I sort of waved and walked off.

A huge part of me felt like going somewhere to celebrate, I've been responsible for all her antics since she turned 10 and started trying to get wild (yes, 10). I've had court dates and programs and counseling and more court dates, in town, out of town and also had to drive out of town to pick her up from treatment and juvenile facilities several times. So, today was a huge red letter day for me. I am no longer legally responsible for her behavior, she gets to actually pay the piper herself from now on. I must admit, I'm a bit curious about what happens today in court, but I wasn't sticking around to find out either.

Tough love is about the hardest thing you'll ever have to practice with your child. It's a mother's natural instinct to protect her child and to go against that to try to teach that person they need to be responsible by stepping out of the way and allowing them to pick up the pieces of the messes they made for themselves, isn't easy at all. Still, I don't feel I'd do her any favors by not at least trying to teach her there are consequences for her behaviors and actions. Even if she doesn't believe me, and she doesn't learn it from me, I know I tried and that is as much as I can do.

On to crochet things. I finished my slippers from the Crochet-along I was participating in. They fit perfect and look so cute. Nice and toasty warm as well. I also managed to get a bit more done on the afghan project before bedtime last night, so maybe it will be finished over the weekend and I can post a picture of it as a finished object. Then I get to pull out the shrug I'd started and had to frog. I was making the shrug with a ww acrylic and a feathery wispy eyelash type held together. I had two different colors of this eyelash that would work with the other yarn, one was a variegated with the color of the acrylic in it. The other was a solid color same as the acrylic. I started the shrug using the variegated and decided I didn't like it, so I frogged and put it up until later. Now, I'm going back to it, using the solid color eyelash and I think it's going to be beautiful when I am finished. Pictures will ensue!

Yesterday I promised to get a picture of that dirt cake up and today I am fulfilling that promise.

Hope springs in unexpected places

2007-02-15T13:10:00.000-05:00

This morning a young man I've never met gave me a gift. Rarely do you find someone who is genuinely interested in helping you, who treats you with a level of respect that seems to be a discarded quality within society today and I feel fortunate that this particular gentleman crossed my path today. It warmed my heart to know that yes, there are still people out there that are willing to go out of their way to help you.

Zoey again had to play when we went out this morning, but this time she wanted to jump from ice slick to ice slick, pouncing and breaking through the ice. She's three and I've never seen her act this way before, as if she suddenly discovered how to turn nature into a game for her personal amusement. So we went around the yard and pounced on patches of ice, her sliding and me just chuckling at her antics.

I seem to be in a frogging mood this last month because everything I've touched I've had to frog, and not just once either! Im reworking the shrug, reworking the last four rows of the doily and of course the afghan project is getting it's share of time as well. I am beginning to think I may need to abandon all three of them and pick up something else for a bit, but then I am so stubborn that I am determined to finish these projects up before I pick anything else up again.

The party went over well, my friend just loved her cake and was surprised her daughter took the time to decorate and even managed to make a banner with the toilet paper. Guess teenagers aren't totally self-absorbed all the time. I'm hoping she'll bring the photo she took of the cake so I can post it up for you all to see.

Off to crochet and relax. I hope you have a great day whatever you have in mind.

Silent Morning

2007-02-14T11:30:00.000-05:00

Well, we had some lovely snow blowing when I took the dogs out this morning. The ground was sprinkled with it and there were flakes of varying sizes twirling in the wind. The dogs discovered ice skating on a patch of frozen mudpuddle that formed when the temperatures dropped so suddenly after the rain yesterday. It was funny to watch them step onto it, skid slightly and then lunge and slide to the other side. Zoey broke through as she neared the outer edge, which stopped her in her tracks to give the slick surface a quizzical look and dip down, nosing to figure out what had just happened. Honey soon followed behind Zoey, pouncing and sliding across the surface, nose dipping and daring even to taste the frigid, muddy water. Later, Zoey wanted to sit and watch the flakes fall. I stood as long as I could stand it in the cold before cajoling her back in. There's no dragging this one, she's too big for me.

Thus began my morning. Hope you are all having a great one yourselves.

Too busy Tuesday

2007-02-13T13:20:00.000-05:00

Well, slept late and then got up in a hurry. I am making dinner and cake for my friend tonight for her birthday. I decided on sweet and sour short ribs and cabbage and it's now bubbling on the stove. I decided to go with the poor girl's party theme so the cake is dirt cake, ice cream is rocky road and all her presents have been second hand store finds. Her daughter is going to decorate with toilet paper streamers while I've got her out of the house this evening. Sure hope she doesn't read this blog page before tonight, hehehe. I already caved and gave her her presents so tonight is just dinner and cake/ice cream. I'll get a picture of the dirt cake up later, it's chilling now and I won't put the flower in it until right before I deliver it over to her house. It's sooo cute though. It's my first dirt cake, sure hope I did it right.

Guess my mid-week deadline on that afghan is going to get pushed back to end of the week now. Should have gotten myself up earlier today but oh well. Guess I needed sleep more than I need to finish the afghan. So many projects, so little time.

I'm involved in a CAL on a group I belong to. We're making slippers and I'm hoping they turn out as nice as they look like they're shaping up to be. One can never have too many pairs of slippers you know.

That's about it for the day, off to stir my pot and get things together for this evening. Have a good one all!

Happy Birthday, Mr. President

2007-02-12T10:23:00.000-05:00

It's Abraham Lincoln's birthday. Lincoln was a man whose ideals have influenced me throughout my life. When I was young, I was taught Lincoln freed the slaves, he reunited a divided country and that he was honest. These qualities were an ideal I set for myself, to be honest, upstanding and willing to do what I felt was the right thing to do, despite all outside opinion, and despite the consequences. I read many biographies about him as a child. As I grew I learned much more about the man, about his personal life and his politics. I learned he did write the Emancipation Proclamation but that eradicating slavery was more a political move than any sort of moral dictate. That in order to usurp and undermine the Confederate Army he freed blacks from slavery, thus yanking the bottom out of the Confederate states financial base. It was a disappointing illumination that the man I so admired had ulterior motives for doing something that I grew up thinking was an act of honor. I learned he suffered from a severe depression all his life. I wonder many times what else this man might have accomplished had he had treatment for that depression. I admire what he did, I am just not so sure anymore that his motivation for doing such was as honorable as I had thought. I do feel however this person was the right one to come along at the time because it was necessary for the United States as a country to get beyond slavery and the slavery mentality. I know we don't live in a perfect country and that slavery in many senses of the word still exists today. What is different, and better is that now the slavery that is present is not directed toward a group of peoples. What is pitiable is that slavery is a concept that exists and is directed toward the working class and the poor because we are all enslaved by the great gears of government. With that I'll turn my soapbox right side up, refill it with the yarn it held until now and store it back with my stash, hehehe.

Speaking of yarn, I've so rightly resisted temptation lately that I cannot believe myself. While the boucle listed in my latest acquisitions isn't the last acquisition it was the last larger one I made. I haven't bought anything else except some yarn I purchased at the thrift store and some I purchased to give to a friend for her birthday. My friend was tickled to get the present I put together for her. I was thrilled that she liked it so well.

The thrift store purchase was something I hadn't expected and so I shot my yarn budget on it and am trying desperately to be good and not buy anything else the rest of the month. I ran across some cones of beautiful yarns and was so tempted that I bought most of what was there, bypassing some other ww acrylics that I'm always picking up to add to that stash. All are thin yarns, most acrylic or acrylic blends but oh so beautiful (these pictures don't do them justice). I can't wait to get my fingers in them, though for now they're simply put up, awaiting my determination as to what I'm going to turn them into.

Now, since I've been down and in pain I said I haven't done much crochet, only working a little at a time on the Skipping Stones Circular Afghan that I've wanted to make myself for years now. It's not finished by a long shot, but I thought you all might enjoy a glimpse of the work in progress.I am really excited about this afghan, love the color and love the way it's working up. I'm sure it will be a finished object by mid-week. Then on to the next project. All of these, by the way, are from the PIGS pile I've promised to clear out this year. The next is a shrug from the book 100 Crochet Projects.

Well, I hope that my morning report has livened your day at least a little. I know Mondays are so dreaded and sometimes dreadful and so I think offering something that's a bit of fun is a good way to break that monotony. Until next post.

Surfing on Sunday

2007-02-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

Good Sunday all! I'm still experiencing pain so the post will be short and lite today again. I'm happily working on the afghan when I have a few moments (not sticking to it long though as it makes my back hurt after a few minutes). I'm also learning to do a bit of crochet standing up as well. LOL, hope that doesn't affect the tension of my stitching.

Since I haven't been up to much there's no crochet related news regarding my projects to post here today and so I thought I might spend some time with you on a virtual tour of crochet related oddities and odd sites. I ran upon this site some time back and did a cyber tour, found it quite interesting, unique and amusing so I thought you all might appreciate this as well. http://www.flickr.com/photos/84445194@N00/sets/72157594283523784/detail/

This link leads to a site called the World Famous Crochet Museum. It's quite an interesting place with all sorts of crocheted items to peruse. http://www.sharielf.com/museum.html
Now with all that time on your hands wouldn't you come up with something just as interesting?

Next on our tour we'll go to the Monster Crochet site. Whether it's a serious discussion or a light hearted haphazard plan hatched with zeal this site seems to always have something to sink your teeth into. You might ohh, you might be disgusted or turn away, but you'll always find something here that you can bring into any conversation. http://monstercrochet.blogspot.com/

For our closing commentary we will go to another odd site that gives more than descriptive details pertaining to crochet and those items that people dream up from who knows where. This site tends to lean a bit toward the sarcastic, but only in the most seriously entertaining manner. I believe the jests are meant more to amuse the audience than they are to be taken as an insult to the original designer, though you have to admit, some of the items presented make you shake your head in wonder. http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/

Now you have it, from the furthest reaches of the net, some of the more interesting, if not more well known, sites that are relevant to crochet. Happy surfing!

2007-02-07T00:05:00.000-05:00

The snow has missed us this storm it seems. I suppose there's enough time yet overnight to bring it in, but somehow I doubt we'll see it now, or this year. It's a shame because I love a good snow. Just one, then spring can come.

I have been struggling today with pain, not sure if it's related to the medications I'm on, or if I've pulled a muscle but I'm sure I'll be finding out really quickly. When this sort of pain sets in, I can't sit to crochet, or even be on the computer all that much so posting will be brief bursts to touch bases with you all. Needless to say, the yarn gets put away as well. I haven't figured out yet how to crochet in a prone position and that's where I spend most of my time when I feel like this.

I also go through phases where I have insomnia late at night. This is most often when I spend time crocheting or reading, but sometimes I have to focus and write because it's spilling from my head and either it needs to be recorded or it will be gone. That quickly.

I believe I have gotten an answer to the dilemma I have with the doily and am going to pick it back up asap. Pics will ensue.

Hope you're all staying warm wherever you are tonight. See ya next time.

2007-02-05T19:28:00.000-05:00

Today I got a whole row complete on the doily, discovered an error in the pattern so I am at a standstill. I put it up last night, thinking maybe I was just tired and reading the pattern wrong. Nope, there's definitely some decreasing missing there and I'm just not so much of a wiz that I can look at it and say, ok, I'll do this instead. Yeah, on some projects I can do that, just not with thread. Anyway, it's now tucked back into the cart, pending a response to my plea for help.

Now I'm attacking the Skipping Stones afghan because it's something I've wanted to make for myself since I started crocheting again. I want it in exactly the color used in the pattern, my favorite shade of red. It's also something that I don't have to pay quite as much attention to and that gives my head a break, short and sweet and hopefully back to finish the doily in the next day or two.

So, like much of this country today, it's bitter here tonight and having that afghan in my lap is just an added bonus. Well, here's to keeping warm and busy through it. Don't forget to bring along that sense of humor because we may just need it before this cold snap snaps.

Peeking my head up through the crowd, did we all survive?

2007-02-04T22:40:00.000-05:00

Ah, Sunday, it's all over and life can go back to normal. We all agree the game was, well....a game. My question is, how much crocheting did you all accomplish with all that solitude? I have said before, I'm a slow crocheter and I'm forcing myself to finish the doily so I worked on it all day, and it takes me all day to do a row and a half, so...I'm still at three rows to go, since I found a mistake and had to frog yesterday. I'm looking at the pattern and beginning to wonder if there isn't a mistake in the directions for this upcoming round. Check back, I'll relay the information I find.

Ok, so part of my self has promised itself that all the PIGS will get cleared out this year and that henceforth I will never allow this unruly overgrowth again. Ok, it's a good goal to have at the very least, keeping in mind that I'm making a huge distinction between WHIPS and PIGS because there is a very major distinction between the two, although on the surface they might seem the same thing. You see, WHIPS are those projects that one has assembled together with intention of starting and PIGS are those projects, already started, that have been tossed aside in boredom, frustration, haste, etc., perhaps forgotten about. I feel it's a nice thing to put together projects that you've gotten in mind to do for the year. For instance, I have been making afghans for each member of my family (I have a lot of them). I plan two to three of the afghans each year, purchase all the yarn, copy the pattern and put all that together for when I'm ready to start the project. This qualifies as a WHIP until I begin the project. Once begun, when it's put aside for any reason and not worked on I refer to it as a PIG.

The beginning of this year has found me with WHIPS ready to start and many PIGS to clear out and I've promised myself to finish what I've started before beginning anything else, after all if one cannot stick to the task at hand imagine what else one will be running around in circles trying to accomplish. It's always a scramble, a fight in which I begin with all intentions of picking out those plastic bags and completing what's there and indeed I've finished two purses and a scarf from the lot of them but, still, so much left to do. Then, after going at it gung ho I begin to feel I should be rewarded for being so good and getting all these projects cleared out, so I eventually let myself start one of those oh so tempting projects (probably the Kimono coat I'm salivating over). So it's rotating movement of projects in and out of the roll cart (My PIG Cart) and to and from a couple Avon boxes (afghans projects are usually gathered or stored in them once you get so much bulk). but as with any other crochet addict, I am at my best in the middle of this whirlwind.
WHIPS:
1. rosary - I've intended this as a gift for my Mother's birthday
2 crochet twist wrap for myself.
3. crochet shrug
4. Kimono Coat-Me, ME, ME!!
PIGS:
1. Skipping Stones Afghan
2. Soft Sage Jacket
3. Pastel Squares Afghan
4. Reds granny afghan
5. Scrap squares afghan
6. Freeform blanket
7. Squares in thread
8. Cluster Stitch Doily (89% complete)

Well, that's it from my little corner of the net tonight. Hope your fingers have been as busy as you want them to be. Till next time, happy crochet!

Pre-Superbowl Prep Saturday

2007-02-03T14:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Saturday afternoon all. Fresh off the heels of Groundhog Day where we were promised that Spring is just around the corner (let's hope that is the case), we've little time to gear up for that Greatest of Days, where grown men sit around all day and swill beer, hootin' and hollerin' and generally actin' like men do on Superbowl Sunday. How many of you are ready? I've got all my PIGS in a plastic roll cart right beside my best chair, Ott lamp at attention, waiting, and everything else I need close at hand because, by golly, I'm ready for the onslaught. I have five channels to choose from, strike one for the game and I've four left. I'm thinking rather than try to keep flipping through (studiously avoiding the game) I may just hang it up and throw on Winamp for the day. Some sort of background noise that's appropriate, that can settle at the back of my consciousness and leave me free to pay attention to what I'm doing with my hook. I'm the sort of crocheter that has to pay attention most of the time.

Ok now, on to better things. I promised a while back to provide a pattern and picture for the scarf I created that I am calling the 2+1 Scarf. The reason I'm calling it that is because this scarf is more a process than an actual pattern. The process is a simple 1,2. You chain however many chains you want for the scarf's length then single crochet back through that chain. Switch colors and do two rows (any stitch that will fit your length), switch colors again and do two rows, switch yet again and do two more rows (again, you choose any stitch pattern you want with this project). Finally you switch colors for the last time and work a row of single crochets. That's it, snip, weave and wear!

I've taken another break from the Jewel Box skirt and shrug project, but do have pictures of the finished skirt to share. It's the Caron's Simply Soft Shadows Open Weave Skirt pattern, made using Jewel Box Obsidian yarn. Gorgeous ya think?

Well now, I did another quick scarf project as the filler between projects when I put the shrug from the Jewel Box project down the first time and I'm currently finishing up a doily as my filler for this next down time with the Jewel Box project.

So, that's what's up with me these days. Projects and more projects.

Snow Crochet

2007-02-01T23:51:00.000-05:00

Winter has finally come to my area and I'm cuddling up in a crochet mood. The weather forecasters started out predicting a goodly snowfall which has dwindled over the last few days to more like a smattering. Disappointing as I love to have at least one good snow a year.

Do you ever find that you've got way more projects in your head than you've got time to do? Sometimes you think you'll never get everything done that you'd like to do. Or even that you'd like to learn. When I get done with a project I always have that "take a breath" moment where I don't crochet, I simply relax, look through patterns and consider which projects I want to add to my list. Then I start to feel guilty about adding more projects because I have all these other projects that I need to finish which brings on a sort of paralysis and I can't pick up projects that are in need of finishing but won't allow myself to start a new item. The paralysis lasts sometimes only days; the longest it lasted was about three weeks. For the last couple of years I have been forging on and starting new projects, finishing a few of the pigs that I still had sitting I have a doily I set aside two years ago with eight rows to finish on it. How bad is that? I picked it up and now have four more rows left to finish. My New Year's resolution was to get all those pigs cleared out and so I've tried to focus on getting them out of the way before I will let myself start anything new.

I have also been doing a bit of stash busting, using up stash to just make scarves, hats and small bags. I'm planning on splitting the cost of a booth at a local craft fair with a friend and selling my crochet there this fall. Stash busting projects are
earmarked for the craft fair.

I tried telling myself I wouldn't Buy any new yarns until I'd used up some of what I have, but oh, the temptation has already been too much. I went to the thrift store the other day and picked up a bunch of cones of beautiful yarns. The largest cone is a royal blue and black chenille looking yarn, not thick, very fine but gorgeous. I also got a burgandy acrylic, a cone of Serenaide, a cone of white acrylic and a small cone of light blue acrylic. I bought a bag of yarn that contained some ww acrylics in pastel colors that I'd been looking for to use on the granny afghan project I posted pictures of the squares for in January. Inside that bag I found two small skeins of Red Heart cotton in a burgandy color. How old is that yarn?!? I never even knew Red Heart made cotton! It will go nicely with a partial cone of variegated that has a burgandy in it. This cone is a particularly difficult color combination to match up with any success. Really I've TRIED to be good but that old YAS bug has me by the tail. So, cold weather coming in will help me with all these condundrums because it's too cold to be out looking for yarns, I can cuddle up and get some projects out of the way and begin new ones soon.

It's a Dog's Life

2007-01-26T11:47:00.000-05:00

Good Friday! For some of you that would be TGIF but for me Friday is just another day. I've picked the shrug back up and worked on it a bit. Seems this project is going to take a lot longer than I had originally thought. But then, I'm not the fastest crocheter around and this item is a going out on a limb, make it up by the seat of your pants thing anyway. Besides, even with all this time on my hands I simply cannot sit for too long at a time. In the meantime I've finished a scrap scarf, another new pattern that I will post soon for you readers (with pictures). I call it the 2+1 Scarf.

I think I've finally gone bonkers and probably need to be hauled off to a padded cell somewhere to start basket weaving (which sounds like fun, just not in this context). I acquired Miss Honey, the beagle I mentioned in my first post and I always seem to get attached too easily, but it's done now and I've had her shots and spay and everything else taken care of and bought a few items and of course crocheted her the cutest collar/scarf and crocheted her a doggie sweater as well. Well, you didn't think she'd escape THAT did you?

One thing I can do with Honey that I can't with my other dogs is take her with me. She loves riding in the car, will hang ten in the window all the way down the road. I worry about that though because I don't want her slipping or flying around in the car should anything happen so I went car seat searching. The local chain store had nothing of course, the pet store had a few selections but nothing that worked for me. Besides, the prices they wanted for their items! Oh my! Time to surf! After much perusing I finally chose and ordered a pet carseat/carreir/stroller. Yes! A stroller! And Pink at that! Well, we shall see if I like it half as much when it arrives as I did on the website when I ordered. LOL! I'll be sure to post pics.

Hankerings - Stash & Yarn Acquisition

2007-01-21T16:36:00.000-05:00

Introduction

My hobby has, of necessity, been fed through what I like to refer as The Poor Woman's Guide to Crochet. Through the Grace of God and a deeply held conviction in faith I have never been unable to do whatever I chose to be doing. Life is a simple act of faith and if you can grasp how just being given the next morning can be proof of that faith, then you will truly live. Meantime, it takes a lot of paying attention in order to do it all. It takes making the effort to go that extra step, it means just having enough faith to keep putting one foot in front of the next, to walk into that thunderstorm and know that while you may not escape the rain, you will survive the drenching.

My blogspace today will entail explaining how I continued to create within the realms and confines of poverty, or lack of time, or whatever reared it's ugly head for the day. My Labels area will explain any acronyms and terms that I think need clarification so if you are unfamiliar with a term check there. Outside of that, any other terms or anything else you might need explained, feel free to contact me via the Comments link at the end of each posting.

Hankerings
Stash & Acquisition

The topic recently came up about yarn stashes and how creative we crafters get in finding places to keep ours. Living alone means that I don't have to be creative in hiding it from any One in particular, but I still have to give thought to where it will sit. How will it function, where is its place in the house, or how will I function, interact with it? How best to create an environment where it's accessible for me, readily at hand without looking so. A large part of creation with fiber is compelled by a desire for the tactile and whether we are touching lives as mothers, as artists, as women or as crocheters, be it acrylic, fur or cotton slub the need is as pressing as the next breath, because it's a deep passion that infuses our souls. In part, it is definition of ourselves.

Crochet is a part of our history, a tool for our sanity, a space for our individuality and stash is one of the tools of our trade, just as the musician has instruments, the painter canvas. It's a rite of passage into our actively creating selves. I thought I might share with you just a bit about my own stash. I started with no stash, just buying yarns needed for patterns I picked out. As those projects got completed I took the leftover yarn from them and tossed them all together into a crate and stash was born.

Shortly after I started crocheting again I ran into a few women who had quit, or had daughters who had quit and had yarn they handed down to me. I gratefully accepted this boon and added it in, found I needed a larger crate so I replaced the smaller one with three of those large Dollar Store, put-together-yourself, cardboard boxes, using the original smaller crate to hold my project yarns as I worked.

For the next couple years I happily worked from this acrylic stash, making scrap afghans, scarves and hats, and various small projects I whittled down half of the stash, then my mother, no longer able to knit or crochet, passed along all her yarns. Well now I was in a spot where I either had to come up with more tubs, or something as useful. I chose to transfer my yarns into Avon boxes because I have a friend who sells Avon and I could get the boxes free. They're wonderful; just wide enough to take the length of a skein of RH, oblong, not too big, not too small, with lids. They stack nicely and you can write the contents on the outside so you know what's there. I heartily recommend them and urge you all if you have that source available to you to utilize it. You won't be sorry that you did. Once again, I happily transferred materials and made a space in my study where I could stack the boxes. By now I'd accumulated about 12 boxes, all of it donated acrylics that I'd sorted and tried to box by colors.

I hadn't at that time acquired the dreaded YAS, but it wasn't to be much further behind. I fell in love with a few patterns from the Internet (where I get all my patterns, eh, make that 98.7% of my patterns, there again, the poor woman's way to acquire materials) that called for yarns I hadn't any familiarity with and thus began a yarn quest which took me to yarn lust. Making a special trip out to the yarn stores in town, I went through the couple in my area and noted the yarns, petted the yarns and cooed over them. At the time I could only look with envy; I didn't have disposable income for such luxuries.

Being the sort of person who hasn't money for luxuries, I would scour the discount shops in my weekly cycle, sometimes I would find acrylic worsted weights at discounted prices (which I bought gladly), but nothing else. In challenging my skills I would find patterns via the Internet that offered me the chance to learn a new technique or stitch, or that gave me the opportunity to learn a new type of crochet or try patterns that called for various yarns, but I could only go so far in these, I certainly couldn't substitute a worsted weight for a bulky chenille. I just bypassed the cute ponchos and thick sweaters and delicate lace tops with a wistful sigh.

My downfall came when the closeout stores finally started carrying the novelty yarns, then both novelty and specialty yarns as they began receiving them in closeout lots. Suddenly what was unattainable became a temptation and an opportunity to let my imagination out to play.

That simple stash stacked in the corner of my room has slowly evolved until today it incorporates a closet stacked full of fru fru yarns packed away in cardboard boxes, content marked many times over. A spare room (eventually destined to be the craft room) holds a couple tubs and some boxes filled with acrylics of various types, a few old suitcases with thread and a crate of plastic bags earmarked for yet another project as soon as I collect enough of the ones I want. Of course, meantime I'm collecting them all so I can practice with colors that I don't particularly want to use when making my own bag!
My current workspace gives easy access to the closet of yarns and has a 4 drawer filing cabinet of which only one drawer holds patterns printed from my Internet searching. An armoire, with several overnight cases full of items to aide my craft stashed beneath, is filled with supplies, tools, books, a few WIPS, and my cotton yarns. Beside the armoire is a plastic wheeled cart containing PIGS and beside my lamp and chair, right in front of my end table is a large tub and a small one with yarns that I'm pulling from for a project. Eventually those will end up back in with the other tubs in the aforementioned future craft room.

Now you may think this is an awful array of materials, but though I think that myself most of the time, I so often find myself looking for something in particular to make a pattern and cannot seem to find just the right item in there that it speaks to the relative deficiency of my hoard. Never enough yarn. Never enough time!

I have to say, at least I know where things are since this transition in my stash has been a recently achieved, albeit transitory, goal. I also managed to find a craft box, wicker, rectangular box on slender legs that I settled in front of the filing cabinet and a vintage vinyl-wrapped box on rollers, actually a sewing box but I'm using it to hold projects. It does double duty as a footstool. Once we set up the craft room, and the sewing machine, we will see if its use shifts since it has racks that hold spools of thread. I somehow doubt it because it's just the right size for me to elevate my feet while crocheting. So relaxing!

Such an interesting life, given to reflection, creation and wistful imagining

2007-01-15T09:35:00.000-05:00

So, I discovered today that the technique I dubbed "Loose Ends" is actually called Magic Ball. It's an interesting and colorful technique; my friend loves the "back" side (the one without the tails) maybe more than she does the right side. I find it one of those fascinating and interesting things to do, but there's a part of me that needs more symmetry in my creation. For information on the technique you can go here. http://world.std.com/~kcl/kmagicball.html

The rain is still coming down, weather channel keeps telling me it's almost over, some heavy downpours periodically today and then a waning tonight. I will be grateful when it's over because, though we may get cold next it won't be freezing rain and we've had nothing more than snowflakes this year so overall it's been a mild winter. Still with the rain comes the aches and pain therefore today I've plans to nurture myself, having started already with heat, and intending to go through stretching, hot soak, stretching again and then the radiant heat device.

The dogs are restless, they've been kept in too long by the rain. They dislike having to stand in the sopping grass, they're only going out for bodily necessities so they have become whiny with me and raucous with one another, especially the puppy.

I've finished two more squares on the pastel afghan. Have been giving some thought on how I'd like to put it together. I was thinking I might like to do a lacy weaving of each square with the others. This would produce an airy, delicate piece with the light colors. I was also considering using the flat braid method (http://members.aol.com/lffunt/flatbraid.htm) even though if I make it that way I'll need to make more squares. This will create a more solid piece, that will still have some delicacy due to the method of joining used. Wow, so many ideas, so little time to put it all into practice! I've already collected more patterns than I would use in two lifetimes and enough yarn to last me at least fifteen years I do believe and yet, I still want to finger it or thumb through it, pick it up and bring it home!

With that thought in mind I'm off to reheat the pads wrapped around my back, finish reading mail and then stretch and start that hot bath water. I hope your day is lovelier than mine, that you stay warm and content for today. I hope you enjoy the links in todays journal, let me know what you think on that afghan. You can leave comments at the link beneath my entries, so you can actually tell me why you think I should use either method I'm considering, or even a totally new method. I'm always open to suggestions.

Sincerely,
CrochetPoet doing peachy keen and not floating down the river yet!

Crochet, travel and staying up late

2007-01-14T03:05:00.000-05:00

Tonight I sat up late, let the rain drench ground already sacrificed, watched a couple movies with a friend, crocheted and considered myself lucky to have such great company.

She crocheted on her blanket. She's making one of those Loose Ends afghans. You know them, the kind where you take the leftover yarn and tie the pieces together. She decided she wanted to make one and is now planning to give it as a gift to her daughter's friend.

I sat and worked on a bucket purse, finished it. It's actually a piece I did, that I had to redo. A bucket purse done with chenille and Boa yarn. My friend is going to line it for me. Then I tried to go through and refile the patterns I'd drug out, all the ones I'd completed, and all the ones I didn't think I'd be making this time around.

I take crochet very much like I do writing. In waves. When the urge hits me, I have to be thinking, working on something. I find myself distracted, deep inside my head, constantly, constantly thinking. I feel a sense of urgency to be at the keys or to feel the hook, and an excitement that leads to insomnia. I believe that all creation and creating demands from us, both as people and as artists. We effect social consciousness with the action of creation and for some of us, this alone is enough reward.

My crochet goal for this spring is to clear out ufo's before I can move on to some items for myself. I don't have that many ufo's which is a very good thing for my nerves. I'm itching to move on to these new projects, but if I do this before I've clearned out those pesky ufo's well, then I'll have no room to place the new pieces as I finish them out. I've recently acquired a few new books and I'm wanting to make at least a dozen of the patterns for myself. It's strange to think about making clothing for myself and I realize that for the first time I get to think about only myself when it comes to the patterns unless I choose to make something for another person. For the first time, I get to think about only me when it comes to everything in my life. I've never felt so selfish in my life. I've never BEEN so selfish. This is a whole new morning, when I finally have that opportunity to come full circle back to the woman. I am not sure I've quite grasped that yet.

Tut, tut, it looks like rain...

2007-01-13T13:51:00.000-05:00

Today is a lazy day. It's pouring cats and dogs periodically outside, the back yard is starting to swim away, the weather is still tolerably warm and all this combines to make for a day when I should be sleeping to the rhythm of those raindrops as they bounce off the metal cage of the air conditioner still hanging in my bedroom window.

Instead I'm here, comparing cell phones and wondering first if I even want to give myself this headache, and second if I even need a cell phone. I seem to have gotten along fine without it for 47 years, why do I suddenly feel the need? Ok, I got rooked into my first one, and still don't know how to utilize all its functions. The thing is, you see, I really got spoiled on being able to pick it up and call, whomever, from wherever I happen to be at that time. It's not that I make many calls with it, it's just nice to have if I want to use it. Another of those services that modern society has afforded us, that while making life seem more simple, and freedom more at hand in reality just ties one down tighter, what with people having access to you at every turn you can't avoid whomever you wish these days. Modern life seems to have its drawbacks, just like those good old pioneering days did, it's just that they are different delimmas.

On to better conversation. I'm able now to post a picture of the 7" square I created and have dubbed the Sunup Square (mostly because of the color yarn I was using). I am also enclosing a pattern for anyone who would like to try it. I don't care what you do with the pattern, outside of selling it or claiming it as your own work. I think I really would just be flattered that anyone liked the square enough to want to copy it.

Here goes the pattern:

Sunup Square
Size: 7"
Materials used: G hook, small amount of ww yarn.
Ch 6, join.
Row 1: ch 2, 15 dc in chain, join at top of ch 2, turn.
Row 2: ch 3, trc in same st at joining, *ch 1, skip 1st st, 2 trc in next st, , ch 1, skip next st, 2 trc in next st, ch 2, 2 trc in same st (corner made)*; repeat from * to * twice, ch 1, sk 1st st, 2 trc in next st, ch 1 sk 1st st, 2 trc in next st, ch 2, join to top of chain 3, turn.
Row 3: ch 3, 2 trc in corner sp, *+ ch 2, hdc in next sp twice, ch 2 +, 3 trc in corner* repeat * to * twice then repeat + to + to next corner. Join at top of ch 3. Do NOT turn.
Row 4: ch 3, trc, ch 2, trc in corner, *+ ch 2, hdc in space, ch 2, sc in next sp, ch 2, hdc in next sp, ch 2+. 2 trc. ch 2, 2 trc in next corner. Repeat from * to * twice, then repeat from + to + once, 2 trc, ch 2 in next corner, join w/ sl st to top of ch 3. Turn.
Row 5: sl st into space , ch 2, hdc in next sp, *3 dc in next 2 sp, 2 hdc in next sp, sc in each trc, 3 sc in corner sc in eatch trc, 2 hdc in next sp* repeat from * to * 3 times, join w/ sl st to top of ch 2. Do NOT turn.
Row 6: Sl st into first hdc, ch 3, *dc in each st across to corner, dc, ch 2, dc in corner, *. Repeat from * to * around, join w/ sl st to ch 3.
Row 7: Repeat row 6.
Row 8: ch 2, *hdc in each st across, hdc, ch 2, hdc in corner*. Repeat from * to *, join w/ sl stitch to ch 2.

Honey, I'm home!

2007-01-12T23:23:00.000-05:00

Went this morning and picked Honey up from the vet. I've been beagle sitting since. She's feeling a bit puny, but i do think she'll be bouncing about in a couple days. I've just got meds to keep feeding her until she gets better. The biggest chore though is keeping her from roughhousing with the other dogs.

I sat last night and created a square that I've dubbed the Sunup Square for the pastel afghan. Will have pictures and I'll even post the pattern soon as I test it for accuracy. Woo...my first pattern, (at least, the first that's actually written down and going to be tested). I just love the creations I'm seeing in crochet these days and itching to create my own. Patience, I tell myself, I'm still learning, which I suppose will be ongoing as long as I crochet, but I'm thrilled that I've begun to understand how to write patterns.

There's really little else to say, today was one of lethargy, pup-nursing and relaxing and I didn't even pick up a hook! I have done so much this past year though that I was ready for a short break. Lol, it's funny that taking a break now means that I'm sorting yarns and getting ideas, looking through patterns, looking for new books at the library to check out (my tried and true method of deciding which crochet related books to buy), and sifting through patterns I have on hand, trying to decide which one I'll do next. I need to sit down and plan a list of presents for next Christmas and start working. Hey, I already told you I have a huge family!

Till next post...
Peace.
CrochetPoet

Days Past Epiphany

2007-01-11T11:28:00.001-05:00

Well today is the first post in a first endeavor to give voice to this creator and her soul. What impassions this writer, poet, mother, woman, artisan, girl-child, princess, bread-earner, spirit, sprite, fiercely independent woman fluxes with the growth or stagnation of body, mind, spirit and soul. The expression of these facets is ordered by a combination of circumstances and generational history. Until recently my focus, my resolution was to circumvent the generational disease, to take that history, release, relearn and produce a set of dynamics as a family legacy with sense of place and sense of value and to leave that to my children and live it myself. Sometimes we live the dream, fulfill the design, sometimes we fall short but through it all I firmly believe we are giving ourselves hope, vision, and inner peace; a sense of final resolution for our souls.

With this post I find my life shifting into a new phase; a major shift that offers me the opportunity for self-discovery, maybe for the first time since I was a young girl. I find myself pretty much, completely free. I have time and space, have moved a few steps from the wolf's door and feel that I actually have options now. The feeling is simultaneously thrilling, releasing and scary and I am embracing it with all my energy.

Today I had to take my newest little girl to the vet for spaying. I am missing her already and keep remembering how scared she was when she was taken. I pick her up tomorrow and while I know it's not really a big deal I just keep thinking about her. I have two other dogs, but Honey is the baby. She's a little beagle, a rescue, 7 months old, smart as a whip, eager to please and just a baby doll. Her favorite position is on her back in your arms, snoring away. She lays there belly-up, with her bottom legs splayed and her forepaws perched and when she wakes up, she snuggles into your chest, looks up at you with those clover honey eyes and melts your heart.

I have one other smart as a whip dog. He's a mix of Husky and Pitt Bull, black and white, sleek and lean, all ears and feet; that's Baby. He's the only dog I've ever chosen for myself. I got him at five weeks of age; picked him from a litter a friend's dog had. He was the runt of the litter, the whiner and the only one that wasn't like his brothers and sisters. My friend's daughter carried him around from the time he was born, playing with him, talking to him and just loving him up. She called him Marshmallow. He's now over 7 and getting to be an old man but can still run like the wind which is exactly what he does whenever he gets the chance. He's dug holes all around the circumfrence of my fence so I have to keep him on leash or chain when he's outside.

The third, Zoey, is another rescue. She's got a huge square head and the personality of a Lab, the fuzzy undercoat of a Chow, along with purple markings on her tongue and the brindled coat of a Pitt. Overall, she's beautiful. She is funny, thinks she's a lap dog as does Baby, lol. Her favorite pasttimes are drooling on your leg as she's getting her ears scratched.

So, those are my children for the immediate future. Any plans I make have only the three muttketeers to dictate them. I spend a lot of time at home right now, and that gives me a great deal of time for one of my many passions which is a very good thing because this passion takes a great deal of time to create. That is crochet. I learned as a young child to crochet and knit, did it a few years then moved into sewing and gave up the needlework. Some 25 years later I picked up a crochet hook again, because one day at work I found a pattern for a Christmas tree skirt and I loved it. I ended up making six of those skirts that year. Hey, I have a large family!

This past year I've begun crocheting clothing and though I'm still basically following patterns, I'm learning the art of designing while learning to make the clothing pieces. My most recent clothing project is Caron's Open Weave Skirt. I have the skirt completed, it's done in Jewel Box, Obsidian, according to pattern. I am creating a shrug to compliment the skirt, in the same yarn with the same stitch pattern as the skirt. It's given me fits for about three days and so I frogged for the last time, put it up and am taking a hiatus from the project. Will post pics as soon as I finish the piece. Meantime I've been working on creating squares to add to some pastel squares I'd collected from various exchanges, with the intent of turning them all eventually into an afghan. I also have a collection of blue squares that I'm accumulating, aspiring to create a blue granny and two more UFO's that are hand-me-downs from my mom, a box with small grannys (approx 3x3) some in white, some in white with flowers atop, that will eventually become a lapghan and a bag of thread motifs that I haven't gotten to consider long enough yet to figure out what they'll become. These are just the large UFO projects, there are plenty more on my shelf. We'll save those for a different post.

I'm going to close out with a couple shots of the pastel squares and save photos of other items for later. I certainly hope you've found this a refreshing and interesting read and perhaps a bit of inspiration for your own craft. Happy crocheting all!
Peace.
CrochetPoet