Hooked on Crochet

Knit Pom Pom hat

2012-01-23T21:22:00.002-05:00

I love making the ruffle hats, and wanted to try to knit something similar for boys. I used pom-pom yarn to make this little blue cap.

Once again, I experimented with the pattern and tried something new decreasing at the top. I did not intend the hat to have this open pattern at the crown. I'm not sure if it is practical, but I do think it is cute.

I'll be donating this cap to Marine Corps Kids.

More ruffled hats

2012-01-22T18:09:00.003-05:00

I love these little ruffled hats so much, so I am making a few more.

The top photo is of two of my adorable great-nieces, Ava and Emmie, wearing the hats that I knit for them. These girls are so cute, and I love them!!!

The second photo is of a similar hat that I made to donate to Marine Corps Kids. I simplified the pattern for this one eliminating the patterned ribs and modifying the reduction pattern. I probably could have made this a few rows longer, but I think it came out really cute. Thank you to my friend Sue who gave me the pink Ruffelina yarn to make these with!

I did it!!!!

2012-01-21T12:55:00.003-05:00

I set out to knit my dear husband a hat. I'm still a beginner knitter (though I think I've mastered the ruffle scarf) so this is an achievement. It's not perfect. You can see a few small holes near the top closure, but overall I'm very proud of myself.

I didn't have a pattern. I went to the yarn store to buy yarn to match his jacket. Then I talked to the wonderful ladies at In a Yarn Basket for simple cap patterns. I wanted to do something with a vertical rib, and while I know how to do that in crochet, I have no idea how to do it in knitting. Julie suggested doing a rib edging and then continuing up with the purling to create an invented rib. My question then was how to reduce at the top. She said, "bring it back when you're ready and we'll figure something out".

So, I went home and started knitting. It's a bit slow going with my eye, but the plain yarn was much easier to see than the novelty yarn (which stinks because I really want to finish the ruffle scarf that I'm making for myself!). Today I got to the point where I was ready to reduce, but since we had an ice storm and the roads are bad, I couldn't go back to the store. So..... I winged it! (Wung it?). I continued the purl pattern, and did patterned reductions in the middle of the knit sections. I didn't think it would work because I had an odd number of sections, and an even number of knit stitches, but with a little creativity, I found a way to do it.

It's still a beginners work. I wish the stitches were a bit tighter and more neat, but I like it, and more importantly - he likes it!!!

Slow go, Matey

2012-01-19T14:15:00.002-05:00

Last November I was diagnosed with a probably Central Retinal Vein Inclusion. Basically, this is a blood clot in the eye which results in some small hemorrhages, retinal swelling and distortion/loss of vision. Initially, the vision loss was very minor, but over the last two months it has gotten significantly worse. This problem is quite annoying but not horrific. While my general vision is horrible, with my contact lenses I still have 20/20 vision in my good eye.

The good news is that there are treatments, and in two weeks I will go for my first injection. I'm trying to be brave, but I admit that injections in my eye are a bit nerve-wracking. In truth, I'm not too scared by the injections themselves. I know that the doctor will numb my eye, and the hope of improving the vision makes the injections almost welcomed. The part that scares me the most is the spring clip that will hold my eye open. Thinking about that gives me visions of Clockwork Orange that just freak me out. I'm trying not to focus on that, and to focus on the fact that relief will be coming.

The distortion in the bad eye, and the huge difference between the two eyes have created some challenges - including making crocheting and knitting significantly more difficult.

As a result, I don't have many projects to share. When the eye gets painful, I put on an eye patch and do my best pirate imitation. I believe that as a pirate, I should be really good with a hook, and that crocheting shouldn't be too hard. My knitting project has been difficult though - it's hard to see the yarn and my depth perception is off.

I want to knit a hat for my husband and hope that by using a non-novelty yarn, I will have an easier time seeing the stitches and completing the project. I bought some yarn today, and will try to start that project later this afternoon. Wish me luck!

Jennifer's Scarf

2012-01-08T18:15:00.002-05:00

My neighbor Sue was nice enough to give me 3 skeins of Bernat Ruffelina. This is another ruffle yarn made in breast cancer colors, and a proceed of the sales last Fall went to breast cancer research.

Sue must have known that I was ready to start a new project and needed some ruffle yarn! I made this scarf for a co-worker whose birthday is this week. She's a truly lovely person, and I think that she'll like this ruffled pattern. I hope so!!

December Wrap Up

2011-12-31T19:15:00.012-05:00

I made a lot of knit scarves in the last two months, but did not post them because they were holiday gifts. We'll be celebrating with my husband's side of the family in two weeks, but they don't know I have this blog, so I can now post all of the gifts that I made here. They were all, for the most part, fun to make.

These four photos show the hats and scarves that I made for my sister-in-law, niece, and two adorable great-nieces. Mom and Grandma each got a boa scarf. 5 year old Olivia got a ruffled hat and matching boa scarf, and little 5 month old Cecilia got a ruffled hat. (I was working on a matching blanket for Cece, but, my intentions were stronger than my knitting skills and that project ended badly). I don't normally go for "matchy-matchy" gifts, but I fell in love with this yarn - just loved the mix of pinks and oranges - and thought that I would break the rule this time.

I used the same yarn in shades of purple to make a scarf for my sister, Iris. The colors of this yarn just scream "Iris", and while I'm not sure the ruffles are really her style, I know that she loves the colors.

Next up were the scarves for hubby's side of the family. These will be gifted in a few weeks. All the scarves are fun ruffles, but they use different yarns, so they are all unique. Some yarns were more fun to work with than others, but I'm pleased with how they all came out.

Last, but not least, were two scarves that I made for friends.

Tomorrow starts a new year which will be filled with more projects. I intend to start by finishing the project on my loom - a shawl that I am actually making for myself - and by knitting myself a ruffled scarf. I have Joie de Vie yarn (just like the green w/ blue and the purple w/ pink scarves above) in black w/pink that I bought for myself months ago, and I want to make it quickly so that I can enjoy it during the cold months.

Beyond that, I want to work on expanding my knitting skills, trying new weaving techniques, and crocheting more projects for Marine Corps Kids.

Wishing all of you a happy and healthy 2012. Happy Crafting!

Try, try again

2011-12-13T20:04:00.002-05:00

I have been making a lot of small scale knitting projects to give as holiday gifts. I'm really enjoying the knitting and have made some pretty things that I'm proud of. I'll post photos after the holiday.

I was trying to make a baby blanket for my great-niece, Cecilia, and that hasn't been so successful. I was pretty proud of my progress. This was my first large scale project, and it was going pretty well. I made a mistake fairly early on, and didn't completely correct it, but it still looked pretty good so I pressed on. Now I find that I've made several more mistakes, and while the baby won't know the difference, and my niece is lovely and wouldn't say anything about it - I don't like that it's imperfect. Cece deserves better.

So, it's time to frog. I don't think I could have finished this in the next two weeks, so better to rip it out and try for a better one to give later. Still - I'm pleased with my progress and feel like I'm learning!

Margaret's Scarf

2011-11-06T20:28:00.002-05:00

My friend Margaret requested one of the ruffle scarves. I have so much fun making them, that I was happy to knit one for her. I told her to purchase the color she wants and I'll whip up the scarf.

She chose the Katia Ronda in a beautiful deep eggplant color. This was the first time I've worked with the Ronda - it's lovely. It's very similar to the Rizos yarn that I have used, but has a delicate thread edging that adds a bit of sophistication to the scarf.

I hope she's happy with it.

Kelsey's Set

2011-11-03T17:31:00.002-04:00

I made this blanket and the two hats for my friend Amy's new granddaughter, Kelsey.

I used the Wiggles pattern that I've been enjoying so much, but enlarged it to be a bit bigger. I then crocheted two simple hats - one for a newborn and one for a slightly larger baby - and trimmed them with the wiggles pattern to match. I think they're really cute.

I hope that Kelsey and her mommy like them. I've only seen photos, but she's a gorgeous baby!

Hooked on Knitting?

2011-11-02T19:34:00.002-04:00

I didn't think I would ever say this, but I'm really starting to enjoy knitting. It's much more difficult that crochet (in my opinion), it can be incredibly frustrating, and it's very difficult to correct mistakes (which I make often), but I'm getting more comfortable with it, and starting to really enjoy it.

I'm still crocheting and weaving, and I'll continue to do so. I think each craft creates a different look and that projects lend themselves best to one craft or the other. I don't think I'll ever get to an advanced level with knitting, but I believe that I can finally call myself a solid beginner!! Woo Hoo!

I've been working on some projects, but don't want to post pictures because they will be holiday gifts. I'll have to save the photos and post them after the holidays.

Hate It!

2011-10-27T16:49:00.002-04:00

I have been having so much fun with the ruffle scarves, that I thought it might be fun to try another novelty yarn. I was at Micheal's today with a 20% off coupon, and Pom-Pom yarn was on sale, so I bought 1 skein.

HATE IT!

I thought that this would make a really cute scarf for a kid. I don't like working with it, and I think my scarf looks like mush.

I've seen other people's scarves and baby sweaters made from similar yarns, and they were just adorable, but I am not spending any more time on this one.

Time to frog!

Another Boa

2011-10-26T17:44:00.003-04:00

This one is made from Katia Rizos. LOVE it!
These are soooo much fun to make!

Next up...

2011-10-24T21:10:00.002-04:00

My next knitting project is another ruffle scarf. This one uses Katia Rizos yarn. Love love love the colors!

And of course, I still have a project on the loom and another crochet blanket it work.

Finished Boa

2011-10-23T14:16:00.003-04:00

I just finished my Tutu Boa knit scarf. How fun! I love all the ruffles! It's long enough that you can wrap it around the neck more than once, so it can be worn long and loose for fashion, or short and wrapped for warmth.

The pattern was fun to make and super easy. I did make a few mistakes along the way, but it's so forgiving, I don't think the mistakes are visible. The one place where I had problems was in binding off. I really screwed up there a bit. I ended up doing it wrong, and then I dropped a few stitches and had a really hard time finding them to pick them back up. In the end, I know I didn't correct it fully, but the scarf looks fine.

I'm going to have fun making more of these. It was really fun!

Knitting Fun

2011-10-20T20:36:00.003-04:00

My knitting skills are still very poor, and I am making very slow progress on my baby blanket. While I am starting to like knitting, and I love the resulting fabrics, I find knitting sort of stressful.

I think that the new Boa Scarfs are pretty fun, and I wanted to try making one. This isn't "normal" knitting. You don't cast on the stitches, you just loop the yarn over the needle and start with knit stitches. It's a bit awkward at first, but then it becomes sort of zen. I'm having fun with it!

Mine is using black Tutu by Crystal Palace Yarns that I bought at The Clay Purl in Nashville, Indiana. I love the ruffles and hope I can complete this without any major snafus. And I get to use my breast cancer awareness knitting needles!

More Wiggles

2011-10-17T19:11:00.002-04:00

I completed my second Wiggles blanket last night. I really love this pattern. It's so easy, but the results are so cute. It's a great way to use up leftover yarn and partial skeins. I'm working through a lot of small balls of Caron Simply Soft and all the wiggles on this blanket are made from that yarn. The base of the blanket is a pound of yarn - I don't remember which brand.

I think these are so cute. I love that they have cute ruffles, but that the back side is smooth and still pretty. I think I'll be making more of these in the future!

WIPs

2011-10-13T21:52:00.003-04:00

I am usually a one project at a time sort of crafter, but now that I'm doing more than on craft, I find my WIPs growing. I think this is a good thing because I have different skill levels with different crafts, so the balance of work keeps me from getting frustrated.

The first photo is my knitting. It's supposed to become a small baby blanket. This project is full of mistakes - no major mistakes, but lots of changes in gauge and some mistakes in texture. This is my first larger knit project, and despite all the mistakes, I suspect to end up with a useable baby blanket. It's clearly a novice piece, but I'm clearly still a novice, and, as they say, practice makes perfect! Many thanks to the ladies at In a Yarn Basket for helping me with this project! Kathy taught me to knit and actually donated this yarn to me for Marine Corps Kids. She also helped me catch all my stitches when my interchangeable needle unscrewed and I risked losing the entire project!

The second photo is my current weaving project. This one was made with the yarn that I won at Sheep Street. The yarn is Araucania Patagonia cotton yarn in reds, and I LOVE it. When I won this yarn, I decided that for once I was going to make something for myself. I'm hoping that will be a beautiful shawl that I'll be able to wear and enjoy. I'm weaving this yarn with a simple cotton khaki colored warp. I really like the way the color presents itself, and can't wait to see the finished project!

The final photo is my crochet project. It is another Wiggles Blanket , and I'm enjoying making this. I think its such a fun pattern and makes a really cute and useable blanket. When this is finished it will also be for Marine Corps Kids.

Free Yarn!!

2011-10-01T15:45:00.002-04:00

I know you love free yarn as much as I do - especially when it's really beautiful!
Check out this contest for your chance to win some gorgeous free yarn from Darn Good Yarn!

Wiggles Blanket

2011-09-30T20:50:00.003-04:00

Just finished this Wiggles baby blanket and I love the technique! It's fun to do and has such a cute finished look! I used Deb Y's pattern.

I'm looking forward to trying other variations of the wiggle stitch. There is so much that can be done with pattern and color - it should be fun to experiment with!

I really like the way the top of the blanket is so rich and textured, but the bottom side is smooth and won't irritate baby's skin.

This blanket will be donated to Marine Corps Kids.

The perfect crochet caddy

2011-09-03T16:27:00.002-04:00

If you're a crocheter, you, like me, are probably always searching for the perfect container for all your project needs. I have my crochet bag, but hooks and scissors get lost in there. I have hook rolls, but my scissors don't fit in them.

I recently found the perfect caddy to hold my hooks, craft scissors, pen and stitch markers - and I found it in my recycling bin!

If you drink Crystal Light, the plastic box that they sell the drink mix in is just perfect. With the top snapped on, it keeps all my crochet paraphernalia in one neat container in my crochet bag.

Love it when yesterdays trash becomes today's solution!

For the twins.

2011-09-03T16:08:00.003-04:00

My cousin and his wife recently had twins! I haven't met my new baby cousins yet, but I've seen photos, and they are adorable!

I made each of them a woven blanket with matching crocheted cap and booties. For the blanket, I used a wonderful variegated cotton that I bought at The Textillery for the weft, and a bright solid pink and blue respectively for the warp. I love the way the colors mixed.

The hats and booties are crocheted with the warp yarn and trimmed with the weft yarn. I think the sets came out cute. I hope the babies like them!!!

The hat uses my Bordering on Adorable pattern. The booties used this adorable pattern. For some reason, I struggled a bit with the booties, but it's worth it because I think the design is really cute!!!

Yaar's Blanket

2011-08-18T22:22:00.002-04:00

After my last mis-shaped attempt at a blanket, I tried to make one for Yaar. The size is still a bit off, but this one is workable. I lost almost an inch in the width so the blanket seems a bit long, but since it will wrap around the baby sideways, I think it's ok.

I bought a new brighter pink and will use the same weft to make another blanket for Sunit, Yaar's sister. Hopefully, I'll have a good matching set soon.

The thrill and the agony of crafting

2011-08-11T20:14:00.002-04:00

My cousin and his wife recently had twins, so I decided to weave blankets for the babies. I found a gorgeous baby color cotton/rayon blend to use for the weft, and decided to use a pink warp for the girl and a blue warp for the boy.

I just finished the girl's blanket. I love the yarn. I love the way the colors blended. The weave looks beautiful! I totally messed up on the size though. It's too narrow and long for a baby blanket, and too short for a shawl. I'm sad.

Hopefully I have enough yarn to start over and make two small blankets - or should be wall the carriage covers? Wish me luck!!!

Yummy Yarn!!!

2011-08-11T14:49:00.002-04:00

Look what I bought today at In a Yarn Basket!!!

This gorgeous yarn is Rick Rack by Interlacements. It is a hand-dyed rayon made right here in America. This color combo is called Oceans, and it is a lovely mix of shades of blue and green.

1200 yards for $37. $37 seems expensive, but this is 1200 yards!! That's under $0.04 per yard!!! The wound skein in the photo is 7 inches across by 4 inches tall. This is a LOT of yarn! It looks like a blue birthday cake!

I think this yarn will be perfect to weave for my nephews tallis (prayer shawl). I don't need it for 2 years, but nothing wrong with being a bit early. I have several other projects cued up to weave, so I won't get to this immediately, but I'll post pics when I start working with it. I think its going to be awesome!

Free Pattern - Pooper Scooper Bag Caddy

2011-07-29T14:56:00.002-04:00

When you get a dog, your need for plastic bags goes up. They have business to do, and we have to clean up after them. I keep a stash of plastic bags and Lola’s leash by the front door, and every time I take her out I grab a bag or two.

I generally stuff the bag or bags into my pockets, but then I thought – I crochet! Why not make a little caddy to carry the bags that will hang from the leash. In just a few minutes and a bit of scrap yarn I was able to make a cute caddy.

I use standard grocery store plastic bags to clean up after my dog. The small caddy easily holds 2 bags. If you use smaller bags (like from the newspaper) you can probably fit 3-4 bags in the small size. The larger size is still small enough to hang from the leash, and will easily hold at least 3 grocery bags. This keeps my pockets free, and helps to ensure that I always have bags when I need them.

Supplies:

¼ inch elastic

Thread and sewing needle

Small amount of crochet cotton (I used Sugar ‘n Cream – ¼ skein is more than enough for one caddy)

G Hook

For smaller caddy.

Cut 2 pieces of the elastic to 2.5 inches each.

Sew edges together to form elastic loop

Row 1: Crochet 20 SC stitches into one of the loops so that the yarn covers the loop. Join

Rows 2-9: Chain 3 (counts as first DC). DC in each stitch around. Join with slip stitch.

Row 10: Holding the second elastic loop behind your stitches, SC around catching the elastic in your stitches. Join with slip Stitch.

Row 11. Chain 40. Slip stitch into last stitch in row 10 to create a loop handle.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

For Larger caddy.

Cut 2 pieces of the elastic to 3 inches each.

Sew edges together to form elastic loop

Row 1: Crochet 25 SC stitches into one of the loops so that the yarn covers the loop. Join

Rows 2-10: Chain 3 (counts as first DC). DC in each stitch around. Join with slip stitch.

Row 11: Holding the second elastic loop behind your stitches, SC around catching the elastic in your stitches. Join with slip Stitch.

Row 12. Chain 40. Slip stitch into last stitch in row 10 to create a loop handle.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

A great visit

2011-07-26T20:39:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I got to meet my new great-niece, Cecilia, and to visit with her big sister, mom and nana. I hadn't seen them all in almost a year, so it was great to have some quality time together and get some yummy Olivia hugs.

In the photos you can see baby Cecilia with her new hat and her new Stuffy Bear. The bear is bigger than Cecilia, and probably weights more than she does.

Olivia seemed to like her new stuffed bunny. She is such a gorgeous child and I always love visiting with her.

You can also see Cecilia snuggling with her mommy, Olivia laughing with her Nana, and a photo of the nursing cover that I made for Jessica. I am not good at sewing so I'm glad the seams don't show in the photo, but the design of this cover is a good one.

Hope to get a chance to see everyone soon. As Olivia would say, "I love my peoples!"

Olivia's Bunny

2011-07-22T17:48:00.002-04:00

I'm planning a quick trip to meet my new Great-Niece Cecilia. I believe I've already commented on how gorgeous she is, but just in case you missed it, here are some more photos of her and big sister Olivia.

I made Cecilia a stuffed bear, but couldn't possibly bring a stuffed toy for Cece without bringing one for Olivia! This is Olivia's bunny. I'll leave it to her to name it. I used this pattern to create this bunny. While I think the bunny is really cute, I did not enjoy making it. It was truly a labor of love. There are a lot of single crochet stitches in bunny, and it took me several tries to figure out how to get the feet right (although once I got them I realized the problem was really me and not the pattern - I just struggled with them for some reason). Hopefully Livie will like it, and that makes it all worth while!

Loop Stitch

2011-07-18T20:00:00.003-04:00

A few years ago I tried to follow a crochet pattern that called for the loop stitch. I struggled with it, and never mastered it. Since then, I've always avoided pattern requiring the loop stitch. I watched several tutorials on You Tube, but none of them made the stitch workable for me.

Then today I found these easy instructions. They are not really different from the other tutorials I've followed, but for some reason, these instructions made it make sense. I'm making loop stitches, and they are actually looking even and plush!!!

If you've been struggling with Loop Stitch, try these Crochet Me instructions!

Cece's Bear

2011-07-15T22:34:00.002-04:00

I just finished Cecilia's bear. I think she's sort of funny looking, but that's a good thing in bears. She's big and huggable, and hopefully, Cece will love her!

I'll leave it to Cece and her parents to name the bear.

Bear embryos

2011-07-13T19:07:00.003-04:00

Five years ago I made Stuffy Bear for my great-niece, Olivia. Stuffy was one of my first stuffed animals. While I was making him, I had no faith that he would turn out well. In the embryo stage he looked like an eggplant. Then I put a face on him and he sort of looked like a baby harp seal. In the end he turned out pretty cute. Olivia loved him and slept with him every night until his stuffing just collapsed and he turned into a flat pillow with a face.

Now Olivia has a baby sister, Cecilia, and I would be a bad Aunt if I didn't make a bear for her too. I tried to use fluffy yarn (similar to what I used for Stuffy Bear) and it was impossible to work with. I couldn't see the stitches, and the bear ended up with a large bulge in an unfortunate location - totally inappropriate for a baby! I went out and bought some Baby's First yarn by Lion Brand. It's not fuzzy like stuffy bear, but it's soft and pink.

As I worked with the yarn, I realized that the new bear was going to be larger than Stuffy. She's also rather lumpy looking. I began to despair as the bear developed a lumpy belly and a pointy head. I was ready to give up, but my husband told me to go on. I frogged the top of the head, reshaped it to be a bit more round, and sewed on the snout. I still wasn't thrilled, so I decided to give her her face. Tada! Now she's cute! All she needed was a face!

I have to still make her arms legs and ears, and I'm out of stuffing. I hope to buy some more stuffing tomorrow and get this bear done in the next few days.

Then, if all goes as planned, I can go visit Olivia and meet Cecilia and deliver this bear in person!

Today's lesson....

2011-07-11T18:51:00.003-04:00

... I don't like sewing. I'm not good at sewing, I don't have the patience for sewing, I don't enjoy sewing. Furthermore, I've reached the age when threading the eye of the sewing machine needle - even with my reading glasses - is a difficult challenge.

I wanted to do some sewing today. I had big plans.

First, I wanted to sew my last failed weaving project into a small purse. I managed to do that. Then I purchased a small piece of fabric to line the purse with. Sewing the lining was a disaster. It pulled, and caught and was ruined. So, alas, this little purse has no lining. I don't know what to do with it now. I'm thinking that it might be ok for a child - though I wouldn't have made it in black for a little girl - so I may donate it to Marine Corps Kids for one of the older girls.

Then, I wanted to sew some nursing shawls for Marine Corps Kids. A few months ago some fabric was donated, and none of our sewers has claimed it yet. I thought I could make some nursing covers with it. I found a few patterns on line that looked simple and figured I could do it. It is simple - and I could do it, but I took shortcuts. I didn't properly iron the fabric first, and that would have made hemming so much easier.

Anyway, I finished the shawl. It came out ok. One of the patterns I found uses overall clips for the neck strap. Figuring that with clips I would only have to sew one strap instead of two, I decided to use the overall clips. I had a lot of trouble attaching the button. I had to call in my husband and his tools. He finally got the button to snap over the fabric, but it was too heavy for the cotton and ripped a hole in the cover. :( Refusing to waste donated fabric, I sewed the hole up, found a traditional button that would fit in the hook, and attached that.

In the end, I have a useable nursing cover. I love the design - it uses a small piece of boning in the top hem so that mom has a small window to look down at baby without sacrificing privacy.

This flowered shawl will be going to Marine Corps Kids.

I want to make at least one more to give to my niece who just had a baby girl. This time I will use this pattern which uses D rings instead of the hook. It will mean I have to sew one more strap, but I think will be easier in the end. If I take my time and iron the hems before sewing, I think it will be an easy pattern.

I'm going to post this on the Marine Corps Kids site. For any sewers out there - this is a great item to donate to Marine Corps Kids. I think any nursing mom would love to have one of these covers.

Big Sister, Little Sister

2011-07-11T12:11:00.003-04:00

I just finished these two crocheted hats for Olivia and Cecilia. Olivia is my 4.5 year old great-niece, and Cecilia is her newborn little sister. I haven't met Cecilia yet, but I hope to meet her really soon.

The hats were made with cotton yarn using the Petite Purls pattern. The flower fabric and buttons on the two hats are the same. I hope they're not too big for the girls, but if they are they'll grow into them.

As you can see form the photo, Olivia is very happy being a big sister. She's an absolutly beautiful girl - both inside and out! I may be a bit biased, but I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that she's a living doll. Little Cecilia looks just like Olivia did when she was a baby. Two gorgeous girls!

Making lemonade of lemons

2011-07-10T18:54:00.002-04:00

Sometimes the best of plans fall short. I bought some beautiful yarns that I thought would all work together to make a gorgeous scarf. I warped up the loom and started weaving only to find out that I was wrong. One of the yarns that I chose for the weft was overpowering the warp yarn, and the whole thing looked bad. I wove about 6 inches, then unwove the whole thing to try plan B.

Plan B involved using the same yarn for the warp and weft. That actually looked great, but I didn't think I would have enough yarn to finish the scarf, so I decided to do stripes. After weaving about another 6 inches, I hated that too, and unwove the whole thing again.

Then I wove the yarn with just a few thin black stripes. Didn't like that but decided to do just a few stripes on each end and keep going. I liked the fabric that I was creating, but quickly realized that I didn't have nearly enough yarn to complete a scarf.

I searched my local yarn stores and the internet, but the yarn I needed seems to no longer be available.

Ok..... plan C. I wove as much as I could. It seemed to be enough to fold into a small purse. So I decided to end what I had, continue to make a thin strap, and then assemble into a purse.

Well, I stared weaving just the first inch of my warp to create the strap, and it looked horrible. The weave was messy and uneven, so I gave up on that as well.

In frustration, I cut the whole thing of the loom. That's when I realized just how much warp yarn I was wasting. I saved the long strands to use as contrast yarn in a future project. The small piece that I created is just enough to sew into a small purse. I'll but some black cord from the craft store to use as a strap, and that will be that. I don't think this is something that I would use, but I'm sure that there is someone out there somewhere who might like it.

Here's what it looks like now. I'll post a photo later when I get it sewn into a purse.

My Loot!

2011-07-10T16:30:00.002-04:00

Last weekend a friend and I went to Sheep Street for their open house. I love going to Sheep Street! It's a wonderful local yarn store on a working sheep farm. We got to shop all the lovely yarn and visit the barn to see the sheep and the alpacas.

They were having an open house and a silent auction to benefit the local humane society. They hoped to get $600 in donations for the Humane Society, but ended up with $1100 to donate!

I was a double winner! In the silent auction I won a gorgeous hand-made shuttle for my loom, AND I won a door prize for a $25 gift certificate! My friend, Lynne, also won two items in the silent auction.

We went back there today to pick up our loot. I used my gift certificate to buy some absolutely gorgeous Araucania Patagonia cotton yarn in reds. I'm going to weave this into a shawl and keep it for myself! I can't wait to work with this yummy yarn! It's so soft and beautiful and I just LOVE the color. They call it Reds, but it's really shades of pink, salmon and brown. I think it should be lovely to weave with!

The shuttle that I won is really beautiful! It was handmade by Couch's Little Workshop. It's a new business and they are obviously still working on their website, but they seem to do wonderful woodworking! I'll be checking back on their website to see more about them.

It's very rare that I win anything, so this was a big thrill! I can't wait to work with my new shuttle and yarn!

Love it!

2011-06-21T00:17:00.003-04:00

I'm having so much fun weaving again, that I got the shawl done tonight! I love the way it came out! The photos don't show the colors well, they are non-traditional, so people will either like them or hate them. I love the colors, and the way they blend, but mostly I love the soft drape and the texture of this fabric. The yarn is so wonderful to work with!

I think this will make a great nursing shawl - it is tight enough to offer privacy and light weight enough so as not to smother the baby. The size ended up being fine.

I have another skein of the yarn (this only took 2 skeins) and I was planning on weaving thin strips to make a neck strap and adding boning in the center to make it a more traditional nursing shawl. Now that it is finished, I'm think I'm leaning towards not adding straps. While the straps might make it a better nursing shawl, it would make the fabric useless once the baby is a bit older. Left this way it can later be used as a small shawl or a toddler sized lap blanket. I think I'll sleep on it and decide tomorrow.

In the meantime, I love that I'm weaving again! I'm having so much fun and can't wait to start my next project.

I'm really happy with how this shawl turned out.

All warped up and ready to roll!

2011-06-20T14:06:00.002-04:00

I warped the loom this morning, and started to weave my new project. I have a bad feeling that I may have made this s bit too small. I looked at sewing patterns for nursing shawls on the web, and used a size that I found there, but I think that I should have gone larger. Oh well....nothing to do now but weave and see how it ends up.

I think that the color combination of this yarn is something that people will either love or hate, but I can't understand why anyone wouldn't love the texture of this woven fabric. I adore the way this yarn weaves up - it is soft, light-weight, and subtle with such a beautiful drape. I love the sheen and texture of the yarn. I think that this is going to be a gorgeous piece of fabric when I'm done!

Next project

2011-06-20T00:23:00.004-04:00

Part of my motivation for finishing my chenille scarf (which I really like!) was that I've bought yarn for several new projects that I can't wait to work with.

Two years ago I wove a shawl using Ester Bitran Canela in bronze and peach. The yarn wove so beautifully, and I really loved working with it! It made a very fluid light-weight fabric that draped wonderfully! I've wanted to work with the yarn more, so when I saw it on the clearance rack at In a Yarn Basket I grabbed the last 3 skeins which were in the green/pink color scheme.

About two years ago I wove some nursing shawls. My niece told me that she would like one if and when she had her second child. Well, daughter number 2 is due next week! I'm not sure I'll have this shawl done before the birth, but I'd like to get it to them as soon as possible.

I can't wait to see how the colors face up when the yarn is woven into fabric. Hopefully I'll be able to post a photo of it soon!

I finished!!

2011-06-19T23:53:00.002-04:00

I've had this scarf on my loom since last Fall. Work was busy and life was crazy, and I didn't touch it for months. Then last week I started weaving again, and tonight I finally finished it.

Working on this reminded me how much I love weaving, and I'm not sure why I was off the loom for so long.

This scarf is made from a beautiful multi-color chenille yarn. It is a very dense weave and has made a very warm thick scarf. I like it because it can be worn long, wrapped around double, or pulled through itself in a knot style.

Weaving in the Wee Hours

2011-06-16T03:01:00.002-04:00

I haven't done any weaving in many months. I started a chenille scarf.... I don't even remember when, and it's just been sitting on the loom. So tonight, after realizing that sleep was going to elude me, I started to weave again.

Now I remember why I love weaving. It's so relaxing!

This is a simple weave - nothing fancy. I'm using the same variegated chenille for the warp and the weft, and the colors are striping beautifully. This yarn weaves so tightly that it's going to take some time to get this project finished, but when it's finally done, I think it will be a beautiful, soft, warm scarf!

Of course the fact that this has been sitting on the loom for months has not deterred me from buying yarn for planned projects! I have yarn for 4 additional projects that I would like to make waiting in my stash! So now I'm excited to finish this scarf so I can move forward with my other projects!!!

Pink Cables

2011-06-08T02:18:00.002-04:00

I just finished my wide cable blanket. I used my formula for a cable blanket but modified it to use wider cables. I really like the look of the wide cables. My intent was for this blanket to be a bit longer, but I ran out of yarn - therefore, it's a square blanket which will be good for a carriage or car seat cover. I edged the blanket in a fun puff-stitch edging that I found in Around the Corner Crochet Borders. I had never tried this border before, but I really love the look of it! It's not too lacy for a baby blanket, but it offers a really pretty multi-directional pattern.

I was pushing to finish this blanket as it is for my my new great-niece who is expected in a few weeks. I have a few more things I would like to try and make for her and her mom, so I'm glad to be able to move onto some other projects. I have some things in mind that I would like to do in weaving and knitting.

Hat Attempt #2 - One thumb up, One thumb down

2011-05-29T15:17:00.004-04:00

This was my second attempt at a knit hat. It was my second project using double points and my first trying color changes.

It was a great learning experience. I learned that I really do hate double points. Please - if someone has a simple hat pattern that does not require the use of double points, can you point me in the right direction?

I did fairly well with the basic knitting in the round. My gauge wasn't perfect, but for a 3rd project, I thought I did pretty well. Following the pattern for the color change was no problem and I was happy with that part of the work. If I do this pattern again, I won't change to double points until after I do the color change part. The reductions don't start until the color changes are done, so I'm not sure why I had to change needles so early.

Up until the reductions, I was very proud of my progress. Then the problems started. I seem to knit very tightly, so I had a lot of problems controlling all the needles during the reductions. It was hard to work the needles in for the reductions. More than twice I dropped a needle and had to pick up stitches and re-load them onto the needle. I did that fairly well, but I definitely made mistakes there. Then when I got to the last three rounds, it become impossible to work. My stitches were so tight, and I kept dropping them, and I never got to reduce all the way to the end.

In the photo the cap looks pretty good, but there are holes in the top where I fudged the reductions. I could probably use a crochet hook to weave in some green yarn and close up the holes, but I don't think this hat is actually wearable.

So thumbs up for the learning process and thumbs down for the finished project.

True Confessions

2011-05-29T13:25:00.001-04:00

I never ever thought that I would say this, but.......

I am enjoying knitting. It is starting to feel natural to me, and I like the feel of the fabric.

I am still a super novice, but I do think that this is something that maybe I can be good at with practice. I might even find that I (gasp) enjoy it more than crochet - we'll see.

2011-05-27T13:37:00.002-04:00

I finished my first knit hat!

I did really well with my gauge on the knit in the round part. Got a bit confused when I switched to the double points. I know that the very top of the hat isn't right, but it's definately wearable. I liked working in the round. I need some help figuring out the double point part. That got difficult and confusing.

Many thanks to Kathy and all the ladies at In a Yarn Basket for teaching me to knit!!

Knitting 101 - Take 1

2011-05-20T20:58:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I took my first knitting class. I have tried in the past to teach myself to knit, and never had success, so I finally signed up for a class. It was fun!

The class is two sessions, and I'll have the 2nd session next week.

Our learners project is a wash cloth. I have never completed a project with so many mistakes in it before! I wasn't going to finish this so I could rip it out and re-use the yarn. Then my husband reminded me of when I was teaching myself to crochet. I was on an airplane, and trying to teach myself to make granny squares. I didn't quite get it, and my first attempt looked like a snail. With a little practice, I mastered the granny square and quite a bit more in crochet. So, now it's time to try and master some basic knitting.

I was actually doing quite well with this project and was pleased with how it looked. Then I mistakenly switched mid-row from knitting to purling. When I realized my mistake, I started to tink. That's when it all went wrong. I dropped a whole bunch of stitches, and when I tried to pick them up, they unraveled. I grabbed a crochet hook and tried to save the piece, but I never got it quite right. Despite the disaster, the front of the work looked ok - the back, not so much.

I'm not happy with the lack of consistency in my tension. There are several obvious mistakes that may not show in the photo, but are quite evident when looking at the piece. Somehow I have a loose stitch in the middle. I tried to pick it up, but there was noplace to take it - that's why you see the pink stitch marker in the middle of the work - I just grabbed the stitch so it wouldn't run.

So...... my first piece can not be called a success, but it was a great learning project. I hope that practice will get me closer to perfect, and that someday I will look fondly back at this little project and smile.

Finally!!

2011-05-14T06:27:00.003-04:00

I went back to my first cable hat pattern, and tried again using the Red Heart Eco-Ways yarn that I used for the cable blanket. This time I got a hat that I actually like and think can be worn! It came out a bit smaller than I hoped for, but it will be fine for a newborn. I'm going to send this along with the cable blanket and the larger hat I originally made to my friend who is expecting soon!

In other exciting news, I finally am taking a knitting class! Today and next Saturday I will have a Knitting 101 class at my favorite yarn store, In a Yarn Basket! I honestly don't think I'll enjoy knitting as much as I enjoy crochet, and I suspect I will never be an advanced knitter, but this is something I've wanted to master for several years, and I'm glad I'm finally doing it!!

Cabled Hat

2011-05-13T15:43:00.002-04:00

I've been having so much fun making cabled blankets, and was looking for a Cabled Hat pattern to coordinate with them. I found Bro's Cabled Beanie (available for purchase through Ravelry) and purchased the pattern. I love the look of this cap with the cabled brim.

I made mine with a thinner yarn than called for, and I'm not thrilled with the way it turned out. I tried doing the cable as the pattern called for, but it wasn't working for me - probably because my yarn choice was wrong. Instead I modified the cable to use four stitches instead of 3. I do like the cabling method used in this pattern. It is flat on one side and more appropriate for a hat than the cables I normally do, but somehow mine lost the feel of a true cable. It's an interesting pattern, but it doesn't read to me as a cable.

The next problem that I had was with joining the brim to the cap. Perhaps my brim was a bit shorter than it should have been, but when I stitched the 2 pieces together, the hat lost it's elasticity at the join. I don't think that's a good thing for a hat.

Finally, I thought this was going to make an adult size hat. Mine ended up being child size. Again, this is all my own fault and probably happened because I used a thinner than called for yarn.

I love the ook of the hat as designed, but am not happy with my version of it. I'll try again using a worsted weight yarn and following the cable instructions exactly, and maybe I'll have better luck.

wider cables

2011-05-07T23:20:00.002-04:00

Decided tonight to play around with a wider cable. The sample pictured is a cable done 6 stitches wide instead of 4. I like the wider look. I did everything the same as for the smaller cable, but did a triple for the front and back post stitches. I'm going to try a blanket with the wider cable and see how that works.

Another cable blanket

2011-05-07T20:01:00.003-04:00

This is another cable blanket that I made for a friend who is expecting. I really enjoy making the cable blankets. It's no so complicated as to require a lot of counting and detailed attention, but it's not monotonous and boring. I think the results are pretty.

I made a little cap to match. I didn't cable the cap because I don't think it would be comfortable for the baby to lie on, but I would still like to try another cabled cap pattern to coordinate with the blanket.

Cable Hat

2011-04-29T22:11:00.002-04:00

Since I'm enjoying making cable blankets now, I wanted to find a pattern for a cable hat to go with them. I found this pattern online, and loved it! Today I tried to make a hat using this pattern and the green yarn I used for the ivory and green cable blanket.

The pattern is a bit tricky, but I think it's beautiful. Unfortunately, the yarn I used is a bit too thick to be practical for a baby hat. I think I got the basics mechanics of this hat down, but the finished product is thick and stiff and, in my opinion, too bulky for a baby. I will certainly try this pattern again, but next time I'll use a baby yarn that will be nice and soft and yield a hat that a baby can actually use.

I did want to share the pattern, though, because I really think its beautiful.

Cable Blanket

2011-04-26T19:50:00.003-04:00

Well after a LONG time of not completing many projects, I finished a cable baby blanket. I used my formula, but changed it to include 7 cables instead of 5. My intention was for this to be an ivory blanket, but I ran out of yarn and couldn't find more, so it is half ivory and half dark green. It actually looks better than I expected - I thought the color change would be silly.

This will be donated to Marine Corps Kids, and I'm about to start a few more for some friends that are expecting.

Spring Cleaning

2011-04-10T22:38:00.002-04:00

It's time to do the spring cleaning, and for me that includes finishing up the crochet projects that I started and never got around to completing.

I blogged several times about the hexagon blanket that I made for my niece's baby. Now that I know that the baby is a girl, I finished the blanket with a row of pink crab stitch. I like the way it completes the blanket edging quite much. I also made a little baby cap to go with the blanket.

Then I finished this little blue cotton cap. I made the cap, but never got around to finishing the brim. This hat will go to Marine Corps Kids.

I'm still working on the stuffed bunny for my niece, and also on a cable blanket for my friend's expected grandbaby.

It feels good to be hooking again!

My baby girl turns 4

2011-04-08T17:24:00.002-04:00

Since my last post about the dog a lot has changed. First of all, we changed her name to Lola. We believe that she was abused by her former owners - perhaps not physically abused, but we think she was not given a lot of love and was yelled out. She's very fearful of men and she gets scared easily. It was suggested that we change her name so that she does not associate it with the way she used to be treated. She's a sweet girl so we thought Lola suited her well.

She is our darling. Tater the cat is not in love with her yet, but they are tolerating each other as well as we could have hoped. Lola ignores Tater and he deals with her. If she gets too close he hisses at her, but we haven't had any altercations.

On Tuesday I took Lola to school. We had a great trainer named Deb. She said that Lola doesn't need training - she's a good dog and well behaved. What she needs is to be more assertive. Lola is very attached to me and very fearful of others. We're working with her to overcome her fears - this involves a lot of hot dog treats with Lola seems to enjoy tremendously!

Today is Lola's fourth birthday! For the occasion I bought her a birthday hat (which she wasn't thrilled with but tolerated for a few photos) and baked her a peanut butter delight cake which she liked very much!

Relay for Life

2011-04-05T10:43:00.004-04:00

Pardon me. I don't usually use my blog to promote personal causes, but this one is near and dear to my heart. Almost everyone has been touched by cancer, either through their own personal battle or through someone they love. Too many of my own family members and friends have fought cancer.

This year I am volunteering on the planning committee as well as participating in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life because I want to make a meaningful difference in the fight against cancer.

If you would like to help, there are many ways you can:

1) Look for an event near you and sign up to participate.

2) Sponsor my participation with a donation - every dollar helps and is appreciated!

3) Purchase a luminaria for $10 in honor or memory of a loved one. The luminarias line the track after sunset during our luminaria ceremony.

Thank you so much for your support!!

The life of a dog....

2011-03-21T17:48:00.003-04:00

Well, owning a dog is a LOT more work than owning a cat. Roxie is a very very sweet dog, but she does have her issues. Apparently she suffers from abandonment issues. She has claimed me as her "person" and wants to be at my side always. Right now she's lying happily at my feet doing what she does best - unfortunately that's sleeping and farting.

She's very loving and gentle. She let us give her a bath yesterday and now she feels and smells good. She has not bothered the cat (well, Tater finds her mere existence bothersome, and is annoyed that she insists on eating the cat food). She loves to snuggle and give big wet sloppy dog kisses. She doesn't bark, or snarl (except at really big dogs when we're out walking). She can't be left alone though.

For the first week I felt like a prisoner. When I was home, I was locked in our bonus room with her, or had her on the leash at all times. It must be like having a new born baby (only not as hard) - some days I didn't even get to shower! I bribed both Roxie and Tater with chicken, and they now can be in each others vicinity without me having to worry. Roxie ignores Tater, and he growls at her if she gets a little too close. They both vie for my attention. I often find myself petting them on either side of me. Perhaps this will be good upper arm exercise?

The problems start when we have to leave Roxie alone at home. The first time I left her alone in her crate, she managed to break out. I don't know how she did it, but the great Houdini dog squeezed herself out of the corner of the crate. We zip-tied the crate and figured we were ok.

Last Thursday we went out for a green beer with my friend Maryann. Since she was being so good, we left Roxie loose. MISTAKE! She found a pie pushed back on the counter and ate it, leaving sticky strawberry-rhubarb yummyness all over the floor. She also ripped apart a bag of clean recyling and spread that throughout the house. She had quiet the evening.

On Saturday night we again went out. Hubby worked all day and I met him for dinner before he had to go and work all evening. I had plans to go to a party. We left Roxie out. After dinner, hubby went home to change his shirt. Roxie had pulled down the bread basket, ate the bread and shredded the plastic all over the house. In all the excitement, she also had a little accident. Brian cleaned up the accident, left the mess for me, put Roxie in her crate and went back to work.

When I got home, Roxie met me at the door. She fought like the devil to get out of her crate, somehow busted out of the back of it, squeezing her big body through the crack, over the night table and out to freedom. Everything on the night table was on the floor, and the mini-blinds on the window did not survive her struggle. This was very upsetting.

Of course Roxie didn't mean to be destructive. She was just scared. So..... hubby zip locked the entire crate, we're working with her on separation training, and hopefully she'll calm down and know that when we leave her we'll always come back.

Except for the breakouts (and the farts) she is a really delightful doggie. I'm sure we can get through this as a family. I just hope she feels comfortable sooner than later.

On other fronts, I am slowly working on the crochet bunny that I started. I keep messing up the decrease formulas, so it's taking longer than it should, but hopefully it will be cute in the end.

Meet Roxie

2011-03-12T19:56:00.003-05:00

My last blog post was about a really bad day and about losing my baby boy, Bogey. We are still broken hearted about how we lost Bogey, and doing what we can to make sure that others don't board pets at that veterinarian.

Life goes on, though, and today, quite unexpectedly, we brought a new member into our family. Meet Roxie. Roxie is a 72 pound bundle of sweetness! We started our day with no intention of adopting an animal, but when we say Roxie, we fell in love with her. She is a 3 year 8 month boxer mix. She has the sweetest disposition - she's just a big ball of love.

Tater is less than delighted with his new "little" sister. Thankfully Roxie does not seem overly interested in Tater, but the site of her sends him under the bed. We're crate training Roxie, and she's very good about staying in her crate, so we'll be able to introduce them slowly, and hopefully soon they'll be fast friends. Let's hope so anyway.

So welcome to our family, Roxie. We already love you and we're glad to have you!

A really horrible day.

2011-03-02T13:22:00.003-05:00

So.....
Monday - Tuesday was the worst 24 hours I've had in years.

We went on vacation last week. It was nice. It was our 5th anniversary on Saturday, and this was to be the honeymoon we never got to take.

We were going to have someone come into the house to watch the cats. Bogey has been sick and had chronic diarrhea. We decided to board the cats at the vet so that Bogey would be watched and could get IV fluids if he dehydrated.

We got home on Sunday afternoon, and picked up Bogey and Tater first thing Monday morning. When we got there we asked how they did in boarding. The vets office said that they did well. We asked if he had been given fluids, and they said that there was nothing noted on his chart so he must not have needed any. They brought the cats out in the carriers and we took them home. When we got them out, Bogey was half dead. He was totally dehydrated. He was skinny beyond belief, and he couldn't walk. His back legs just dragged behind him. He tried to go up the stairs and I helped him. He just lay and drank water for a long time. He couldn't even stand.

Brian and I both had to go to work. We called the vet and questioned them, and they said the cats did well. Brian wanted to know input and output for Bogey; they said the vet would call back. The vet didn't call. Finally I called the vet. They were very defensive and said that Bogey did fine and that his disease was manifesting itself and that I could bring him in to discuss end of life options. I asked why he wasn't given fluids and why his decline wasn't noted on his file, and they said that they watched him and didn't see any problems. They also said he didn't have diahrrea, which means that they lied or that Bogey never had a bowel movement all week.

Brian came home and worked from home in the afternoon, and Bogey was not doing well. Brian laid down, and Bogey just laid next to him. His back legs didn't work at all anymore. Brian called a different vet and they gave us an appt for 8:30 Tuesday morning.

We stayed up with Bogey all night. He had no strength at all. I had to touch him to check if he were still breathing. He cried out a few times when he got uncomfortable, but there wasn't anything we could do.

We took him to the vet in the morning. We were both crying. He was totally dehydrated. His temp was dangerously low and his weight was down to just 4.8 pounds. He lost close to 2 pounds in the week he was in boarding. They didn't even notice. The new vet said we could put him to sleep or we could immediately give him fluids and then run all kinds of blood work to see if there was something we could do to help.

Brian and I decided he was too sick to go through more tests, and we put him to sleep. It was horrible. This is the 3rd cat that I've had to put down and the 5th pet that I've lost, and it was unbearable. He was neglected at the first vet and he suffered unnecessarily because they didn't care enough to look at him. He was almost 16, and he had a long good life, but he died terribly. We felt so helpless. We're so angry and so sad. It's just unconscionable that a veterinary office could neglect an animal so badly.

When it was over, we had to go to work. We both felt like crap after being up all night and crying so hard.

I got to work and then was told that I was being let go. I lost my cat and my job in a two hour span. It really was a bad day.

Inappropriate

2011-01-30T15:22:00.002-05:00

My attempts to make Stuffy Bear the 2nd, are not going well. I'm using a very fluffy plush yarn, and it's impossible to see the stitches. I'm crocheting blindly, so even though I'm counting my stitches, they're way off. My first attempt ended up with a large "bulge" in it. Let's just say that the resulting shape of the bear is inappropriate for a child's toy!

I started again, but my stitch count just got messed up. Because you can't see the stitches and the bear is crocheted in the round, it's almost impossible to frog it and start back in the middle.

I think I'm going to have to call this attempt a failure. Looks like I need to shop for some other yarn to make a cute not-x-rated bear with.

Remember me?

2011-01-09T18:19:00.002-05:00

It seems like forever since I've written on this blog. That's probably because it seems like forever since I've crafted. My new job has me working some looooong hours, and during the holiday season those hours increased, so there wasn't much time for crochet, for weaving, for blogging, or for doing much besides work, eating and sleeping!

I'm hoping to change that now, and would like to rekindle my passion for crochet and weaving.

I do have good news. My niece is expecting her second child! That means that the hexagon blanket that I recently made will soon have it's baby! She plans to find out if the baby is a boy or a girl, so when she does, I'll add an edging of pink or blue and then it will be done. It's fun to have a new baby to craft for. I bought some yarn and hope to make a teddy bear for the baby. I just printed out the pattern that I used to make Olivia's (the big sister) teddy bear, and I'm going to try to make another for the new baby. I forgot how complicated that pattern was, so I hope I don't get frustrated!!! Wish me luck.

In any case, I do want to get back into my crafting. It used to bring me so much satisfaction! I'd like to make more things for the expected baby and for my great-nieces Olivia, Ava and Emmie. Hopefully the craft bug will infect me again!

It's finally finished!!!

2010-10-17T19:45:00.003-04:00

It's taken months, but I've finally finished my hexagon baby blanket!!!

This project has become my Knitwitz project. I go to a Sunday morning knitting/crocheting group (Knitwitz) every week, and that's the only time I have worked on this blanket for a very very long time. I think I spent longer working on this blanket than anything I've made before. This morning I finished the white edging and it's more or less done!

I'm planning to give this blanket to my niece for her second baby who isn't yet conceived (unless someone has something she wants to tell me!) so it will be some time before this blanket gets its baby. Once I know if it's a boy or a girl I'll add one row of pink or blue single crochet to finish it off.

I think it's cheery and warm and look forward to seeing it around the baby!

Published!

2010-09-19T09:53:00.003-04:00

My "MZ Cap" has been published in the 2011 Crochet Calendar! This is my first published pattern. How fun!

Baby Sweater

2010-09-01T20:57:00.002-04:00

Tonight I sewed the seams on the baby sweater I made on the car trip last weekend.

It seems like so long since I completed a decent sized crochet project! Working 52+ hours a week is not conducive to crafting. The car trip last weekend was a long one for a sad event, but it felt good to finish a real project.

This little sweater will be donated to Marine Corps Kids.

New project

2010-08-30T21:04:00.002-04:00

Long hours in the car this weekend gave me enough time to finish a cute baby sweater. Well, it's almost finished - I still have to sew the underarm seams.

I'll get the sweater sewn and photographed one of these days. Still working on the hexagon blanket and have a chenille scarf on the loom. Too many hours at work leave not enough time to craft!

still crocheting hexagons!

2010-08-05T20:05:00.002-04:00

I haven't abandoned my hexagon baby blanket. This is a project that I seem to work on only during my Sunday knitting group. Therefore it only gets about an hour and a half of my time each week. It's growing though, and soon it will be complete. Then I'll edge it in pink or blue for a finished blanket.

Georgena's Scarf

2010-07-22T15:59:00.003-04:00

Today I finished the silk scarf I was working on. I just love the way the colors worked up with this yarn!!!

I went back to In a Yarn Basket to show Linda how her yarn worked up, and bought some amazing pink/purple chenille! Can't wait to start a new project with that!

OOOH!

2010-07-17T19:54:00.002-04:00

Started weaving with my new yarn! I just love the colors!!!!!

Today's Yarn Purchase

2010-07-15T20:45:00.002-04:00

I stopped by In a Yarn Basket this afternoon with the intention of buying some Mango Moon Recycled Silk. Instead, I got an amazing deal on another brand of Sari Silk yarn purchased from owner Linda's private stash! This is a recycled silk spun with worsted weight wool. I'm in love with the bright colors in this yarn, and can't wait to start weaving with it! I probably won't be able to start a project until Sunday, but I'm looking forward to working with this lovely fiber!!!

Sarah's Tallis

2010-07-04T16:33:00.002-04:00

I finished weaving Sarah's Tallis. I just love the rich colors of this fabric.

I'm annoyed that I made a few mistakes, but I think the rich color helps to hide them. I hope Sarah is happy with the finished shawl!

My next project

2010-06-20T17:30:00.004-04:00

My friend Sarah will become a Bat Mitzvah in August, and asked me to weave her tallis (prayer shawl). I'm thrilled to make this for her! We went shopping at In A Yarn Basket, and Sarah selected some gorgeous silk yarn for her tallis.

The warp is Louisa Harding Mulberry Yarn in Midnight which is a gorgeous shade of royal blue. The weft is Mango Moon Recycled Silk in multi jewel tones.

I think that these two yarns are going to work beautifully together! I also love that the Mango Moon Yarn is a socially responsible product:

Mango Moon supports the NGO Organization N-WEG to help women who have been rescued from abusive situations. The women who come to the shelter are able to use their spinning and knitting skills to rebuild their lives, while continuing to care for their children. Proceeds provide a safe shelter, health care, education and the dignity of financial independence.

I just finished warping the loom, and have woven just a few passes of the weft. I think the shawl is going to be very pretty, and I hope Sarah will be happy with it!

Digital Woven Scarf

2010-06-20T15:36:00.002-04:00

I finally finished a project that has been on my loom for over 2 months!!! This skinny scarf was woven with Crystal Palace Yarns Puffin in Dotty Blues. It's a very simple project that I should have finished in a few days, but between my foot surgery and then starting a new job, this project was neglected. Today I finished it, and I like the way it looks. It has a pixelated digital feel to it that reminds me of a Tetris game.

I also love the yarn. It's not a traditional twisted fiber, but thin strands of polyester fleece that are very soft and warm.

I'm not ready to start my next weaving project which will be a prayer shawl for my friend Sarah. She selected some gorgeous silk yarns for this project, and I'm excited to work with them!

Back in the saddle

2010-06-08T19:25:00.002-04:00

I haven't blogged much lately because I haven't done much crafting. I'm still working slowly on the hexagon baby blanket, but haven't completed anything on the loom. I did edge about ten baby blankets for Marine Corps Kids, but didn't photograph them before sending them off.

My friend Sarah asked me to weave a prayer shawl for her, and we went to buy the yarn today. She selected some beautiful Mango Moon Recycled Silk for the weft and a beautiful royal blue silk for the warp. The yarn is so beautiful - I can't wait to start weaving!!! I'm off to finish the little scarf that I have on the loom so I can start working with the silk!

RIP Gailya

2010-05-26T11:26:00.001-04:00

A bright light has been extinguished. Rest in peace, Gailya. I will miss you.

Sad News

2010-05-20T20:45:00.001-04:00

Those of you who have followed the Marine Corps Kids blog will be familiar with the name Gailya and the beautiful quilts that she has made and donated to Marine Corps Kids. Gailya has been one of our most prolific donors making many dozens of gorgeous quilts for the babies.

Recently Gailya underwent some very serious surgery, and her prognosis is not good. Marine Corps Kids will be losing a wonderful donor, and I am losing a beloved friend.

Through our work with Marine Corps Kids, Gailya and I have become dear friends. I can honestly say that I have come to love Gailya, and that knowing her has enriched my life. Her enormous spirit and her unbelievable generosity are qualities that I would like to emulate. She is truly a remarkable woman.

I hope that all the babies that received one of Gailya's quilts will feel a bit of her glorious spirit, and that the love that she put into her quilting will touch all the Marine Corps families that received her gifts.

Gailya, thank you - for your generous donations to Marine Corps Kids, but mostly for being my friend. I love you.

Still here

2010-05-15T17:06:00.002-04:00

I haven't blogged much recently, but I'm still here.

I've been busy edging blankets for Marine Corps Kids. I've made many, but sent them out so fast that I didn't take photos or blog about them. I feel good knowing that the kids have them.

I also started a new job this week, so I need to get used to some new working hours. This will make my time for crocheting and weaving more precious.

I'm still working on the hexagon blanket, and want to make some more blankets for Marine Corps Kids.

RIP Scooter

2010-05-08T16:07:00.004-04:00

This morning we had to say goodbye to our cat Scooter. He had sudden onset kidney failure, and the vet didn't think that he would recover with any quality of life.

The decision was hard because his illness came on rather quickly, but we know we did the right thing in putting him to sleep. We're sure going to miss him though.

Scooter was not the easiest cat to get along with. He was demanding and cantankerous. He liked to have things his way and would try to bite when things didn't go according to his plans. He could be a brute and a bully with the other cats, and he was moody with us. He had spirit though. He got mad, but he also loved big.

I'll miss the enthusiasm with which he greeted us when we came home. I'll miss the way he demanded snuggles when he needed them, but left us as soon as his snuggle needs were met. I'll miss the sound of his meowing when hubby left the house and seeing Scooter run to greet him when he returned.

I know that Scooter had a good life. He was loved, and he gave us a lot of love in return. Goodbye my fuzzy little beast - I'm going to miss you more than you know.

Slow but Steady Progress

2010-04-26T20:09:00.002-04:00

Still working on the pastel patchwork baby blanket. This has become the project that I work on in between other projects. Someday it will be done, and I think it will be very pretty.

The revised Cap Sleeve Tunic

2010-04-24T19:39:00.002-04:00

This is my completed Cap Sleeve Tunic. The top of the vest follows the pattern exactly, but the end result was too short to fit me. I added the raspberry band, the lower section and the button to make this wearable. I think the end result looks nice.

It almost fits. I think if I lose just a few pounds it will sit nicely at my waist.

For this project I used Blue Sky Dyed Cotton in Shell with Blue Sky Worsted Cotton in Raspberry for trim. I love the large wooden button. It was expensive, but it's so pretty!

The Fix

2010-04-24T17:23:00.002-04:00

I'm not willing to give up on my Cap Sleeve Wrap project. The vest came out too short for me to wear. I don't know if this is because I substituted the yarn in the pattern for a worsted cotton, or if my sizing was just off. In any case, it's not wearable the way it is, so I needed to get a bit creative.

I purchased more of the yarn in a darker shade, and I'm adding a band of color at the waist with a button, and then another band of the base color. My hope is that this will add enough length to allow me to wear the vest, and that the button closure (I purchased a really beautiful large wooden button) will enhance the overall look.

I'm working on the bottom section which I must finish and then sew on, and we'll see what I end up with. Hopefully it will be a workable fix.

Recovery Project

2010-04-21T16:09:00.002-04:00

While recovering from my foot surgery I slowly worked on a cap sleeve vest for myself. I've never crocheted something wearable for myself, and this was a cute pattern, so I was excited.

FAIL. It didn't really fail. I easily followed the pattern and the vest looks good, but it doesn't fit. It's too short, and because it was worked over the shoulder, I'm hard pressed to make it longer without changing the direction of the stitches.

I'll take a photo and post it later when I clean up all the loose ends, but it just won't work for me. Luckily, the surgery did work, and ultimately that's more important!

Off the hook, on the crutch

2010-04-12T17:25:00.002-04:00

Haven't been doing much crafting these last few days. I had foot surgery last week, and have been layed up in bed. I'm doing really well, and seem to be healing on schedule, but crocheting in bed with my foot elevated is more awkward than I expected.

I think I'll be doing a lot of crocheting once my stitches come out and I have a bit more mobility. Until then, I'm sleeping a lot. I should be back to crafting and blogging soon.

Connie's Hug

2010-04-05T10:46:00.002-04:00

This is a shawl that I just finished. It's for my sister-in-law, Connie. I think it's the prettiest fabric that I've created yet! I hope Connie likes it too!

This was woven with Ester Bitran Hand dyes Canela in Bronze/Peach. The yarn is stunning! So much sheen and texture. I had one skein tangle and had to throw away most of it, which was very annoying, but the yarn was truly amazing to weave with, and I love the finished work!

Another Nursing Shawl

2010-04-01T09:37:00.003-04:00

This is another nursing shawl that I wove for Marine Corps Kids. I used Lion Brand Homespun for the weft again, and this time used a vanilla colored chenille for the warp.

It's very soft and I hope one of the new moms will enjoy it.

Braided corner square

2010-03-30T16:13:00.003-04:00

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

2010-03-22T16:00:00.002-04:00

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!

2010-03-20T10:41:00.002-04:00

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

2010-03-19T18:15:00.003-04:00

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

2010-03-19T16:21:00.002-04:00

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

2010-03-15T12:20:00.002-04:00

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

2010-03-10T18:12:00.003-05:00

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

2010-03-09T15:46:00.002-05:00

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

2010-03-08T17:42:00.003-05:00

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

2010-03-05T21:04:00.003-05:00

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

2010-03-01T20:43:00.003-05:00

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.

Stash-busting granny

2010-02-28T17:08:00.003-05:00

The two hexagon blankets were supposed to deplete my stash of Caron Simply Soft. Unfortunately, my stash seems to be greater than my life expectancy. I keep crocheting, but I still seem to have years worth of yarn!

I started this quick giant granny to used up much of the stash. I've already been able to use several smaller balls of yarn, and am making a dent in some of the larger skeins - and the granny pattern is so fast! I just started this and it's a decent size already. Of course the rounds get bigger as I go, and my progress will slow, but I'm determined to use up some of this yarn before buying more for a new project!

Lia's Blanket

2010-02-28T13:44:00.002-05:00

I just finished weaving this little blanket for baby Lia.

It was very challenging to complete, but I think it turned out quite pretty!

I used Bernat Baby Jacquards in berries and cream. I love the way the colors mix! It's winter though, and the yarn was plagued by static electricity. It was difficult to weave and finish because the yarn kept clinging to itself. I'm glad I didn't give up. I have baby Lia likes it!

Patchwork Blanket

2010-02-28T12:05:00.002-05:00

I finished my hexagon patchwork blanket this morning.

I did a simple double crochet border in lilac. I considered doing a second color for the border, but thought it was best to keep it simple and finish it in a baby color.

This blanket is warm and snuggly. I'll donate it to Marine Corps Kids.

Motifs are done

2010-02-25T20:34:00.003-05:00

I finished all my hexagons! Now I just need to figure out the border. I think I'll do a simple DC again. The blanket is so busy, it doesn't need a fancy border.

Still working

2010-02-24T18:55:00.002-05:00

on my patchwork Hexagons. I like the way this looks, but for some reason it feels like it's taking forever!

In a previous post, Marni commented and asked for the pattern for the hexagon. Instructions can be found here. The instructions are for the 4-color version, but it's simple enough to complete the pattern in a solid color.

Sunshine

2010-02-21T18:16:00.002-05:00

Ghost of Ghost's Yarn Tales sent me this award. I love reading Ghost's blog and seeing all the fun projects she is working on. Thank you, Ghost for this fun award!

I'm supposed to share the award with others, and when I get it all figured out, I'll come back and do that.

No name set

2010-02-18T20:22:00.002-05:00

I don't have a name for this set. I made it for a specific baby in mind, but it turns out that is doesn't match her nursery, so......... this set will probably go to Marine Corps Kids instead.

The blanket was woven from Araucania Knitting Fever in Ranco for the warp and Cascade Heathers 220 in Iris for the weft.

I love the way the colors play with each other in the weave.

The little cap was crocheted to match in the Araucania.

I stand corrected!!!!

2010-02-15T10:45:00.002-05:00

My Octagons are really hexagons!!!!

I do know the difference between octagons and hexagons, but when I was searching for patterns, I searched for both and found so many. Then I kept saying octagons while I made and blogged about hexagons. Sorry for my boo boo. My 9th grade geometry teacher would hang her head in shame.