Out With the Old

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

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

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.