Braided corner square

I love this square pattern! I found it recently on the web and need to go back and find where I found it so that I can post a link. The square is a simple granny with "braided" loops in the corner that interlock on top of the square. I think it makes for a really interesting pattern! I'd love to make an afghan (or a baby blanket - let's be realistic, I don't have the patience for a full sized afghan) from this pattern!

Woven Homespun Shawl

This is another nursing shawl that I finished for Marine Corps Kids.

It was woven with a brick-red chenille for the warp and Homespun yarn in Sierra for the weft.
I love the way these colors combine and want to make another similar shawl to keep for myself.

I knooked!

I just finished my first attempt at knooking! I can't believe how fast and easy it is compared to knitting. I can master the basic stitches in knitting, but my work is sloppy and my tension a mess. With knooking, you hold the piece similar to that in crochet, so the whole process felt so much more natural to me. I was able to complete a wash cloth in less than 2 hours.

This was made with all knit stitch. I used kitchen cotton, and I'm amazed at how textured and soft the fabric feels.

Now I have to master the purl stitch. As with real knitting, that stitch feels very unnatural to me, and is awkward to complete. If I can master it, I should be able to complete some neat "knitting" projects using the hook!

Knooking

I just read about Knooking on Sandie's blog Crafty Corral. Thank you for posting, Sandie! Until now I hadn't heard about knooking, and I think I'm going to love it!

There is a blog with instructions on Knooking here. Basically, it is simulating knit stitches with a special crochet hook that has a "tail". I took an old corded tunisian hook, cut off the stopper at the end of the cord, and tried a few rows for fun. I'm using a huge "M" hook, so the resulting work is very loose, but the stitches are even! This is something I could never accomplish in real knitting.

I'm so excited to try this! It seems that it's easier than Tunisian crochet and a fast way to create knit stitches!

I'm off in search of a real knooking hook. Very excited about this new way to crochet!!!

On the Loom

This work in progress is what's currently on my loom.

I warped the loom with a brick-red thin chenille. The weft is Lion Brand Homespun. I LOVE the way the colors are mixing! The new fabric is warm, rich and textured!

I really don't enjoy working with Homespun on crochet projects. I bought many skeins in this color to make a sweater, and hated working with it so much that I frogged the entire thing. Homespun is absolutely delightful to weave with though! The texture in the yarn places itself between the warp yarns, and creates such a delightfully textured tight weave.

The last few projects that I've woven were baby blankets that took up the entire width of the loom. I found them very difficult to complete. To do wider projects, I have to hold my arms out in a very wide stance, and it's physically uncomfortable for me. This project is a thinner shawl width, and I'm really enjoying the feel of weaving again!

Rainbow Dreams

Just finished weaving this blanket which will be for our new great-niece when she arrives.

For this blanket I used Plymouth Yarn's Encore Colorspun in Very Bright. I love the way the colors mix in this. When I warped the loom, the yarn reminded me of Fruit Stripe Gum, but when I started to weave, the colors blended so nicely - I love it.

Knitting or Crocheting Under Cover of Darkness

Saw this article on the web, and thought it was cute.

WEST CAPE MAY— Someone is spinning quite a yarn over this shore town.

Dubbed "The Midnight Knitter" by residents, someone is covering tree branches and lamp poles with little sweaters under cover of darkness.

Of course the writer of the article needs to get a few facts straight. How can a "Midnight knitter" be practicing "guerrilla crocheting"?

In any case, it involves pretty little things made of yarn, so it's all good. Wish the article had included some photos of her work!

Joining

I started to do the last round and join the "centers" that I had made for the new hexagon blanket. It is so much faster to work this way! Building up a supply of centers, and then working on the joining is much more efficient than creating each motif as I go.

This has been a really relaxing project. I have a lot of crocheting to do before it will be done, but creating the centers allows for a sense of completion throughout the process.

I like the way the baby colors blend. The only color I question is the dusty rose, which looks MUCH darker in the photo than it does in actuality. All of the colors in this project are actually soft baby pastels.

Centers

I'm working on another crocheted Hexagon Motif baby blanket. I'm starting by making a bunch of centers, then I'll do the final row to shape them into hexagons as I join them. For me the work is faster this way and a lot less tedious.

Color Explosion

Tonight I warped the loom and started working on another baby blanket.

I thought this would be a bright plaid, but it looks like it's going to turn out looking like splotches of color. I think it'll be fun when it's done.

I'm also working on a colorful crochet project - another hexagon baby blanket.

Stash-Buster

I finished my stash-buster granny blanket.

The camera changed some of the colors. The outermost round is actually a very bright grape-purple color - not blue, and the light color around the center is a pale lilac.

I was able to use up a lot of my Caron Simply Soft yarn with this project. I think it made a cute carriage cover.

This blanket will be donated to Marine Corps Kids.