Paper Flowers Crochet

Trellis Scarf (Knitted)

2008-03-14T05:41:00.000-07:00

I generally avoid novelty yarns because they seem kinda gaudy to me. But the one thing few crafters can resist is a sale :). I picked up 9 balls of Lion Brand Trellis with the kimono pattern in mind.

I decided to try a big needle scarf while I was at it. It turned out to be a great practice project. Trellis is a ladder ribbon yarn, meaning there are two strands of nylon held together by bits of ribbon. It takes some getting used to. Sometimes the needle goes between the strands or picks up two loops. I liked the size 17 needles - very light. The hardest thing to adjust to was people asking "what kind of needles are THOSE?!"

The scarf made a nice birthday gift. I hope it's long enough. I used my height as a guideline for its length and the recipient is taller.

There was so much yarn left over that I made a cat-sized scarf and left the tails hanging off. Need to get a photo.

WHOOPS

2008-03-03T12:06:00.001-08:00

I couldn't make this up if I tried :).

This was back on Valentine's Day. I had completed the back panel of the Glamor tunic and was referring to it while working the front. I set the fabric on the end table, forgetting all the tea candles DH had lit in the living room. Next thing I know, the room's warm ambiance got a bit brighter than usual. I started yelling "FIRE!" and upended my quart-sized water sipper bottle on it. Fortunately, that put it out and nothing else was damaged. I mopped up the water and picked up the burnt cotton. (Good thing it wasn't synthetic!)

As you can see, the fabric was a total loss. It's funny now, but it wasn't at the time. That was weeks of work. I resumed working on it the same night. I'm using a 2700yd cone, so running out of yarn wasn't an issue. The undamaged panel became the back again and this time I took the chance to add markers to save counting rows later. I'm already on the front panel, working neck shaping.

Hat & Booties

2008-01-31T13:13:00.000-08:00

Hades has frozen over.

My husband asked me to do a hat & bootie for a baby shower (not mine). He picked out the colors. Pattern is Bernat Cottontots hat & booties and I'm using the brand-name yarn for once. This cotton has an interesting feel. It's almost like a big Q-tip.

This pattern drove me BANANAS. My main complaint is the hat. Are the long-sc's supposed to line up or not? When projects are worked in the round, the joins travel, creating a diagonal seam. I adjusted the pattern to make the rows appear to line up. You can see they aren't exact. A good pattern photo would've been extremely helpful.

The booties are cute, but there were a lot of strings to weave in. Hope that doesn't make them uncomfortable to wear.

Overuse problems

2008-01-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

THIS is what can happen when you crochet too much. If you look closely, the pointer finger is so swollen that I can't bend it. It's a bit hard to tell from the picture. Notice how the knuckle looks flat and unwrinkled compared to the other knuckles.

Glamor by Grace

2008-01-20T11:40:00.000-08:00

Ah, my first purchased pattern book. Well, technically a bookLET. Finally, a pattern where I wouldn't change a thing. I love the sleeves. (Dear Patons, Please don't sue me. You're too awesome.)

I'm using a cone of blue sport weight cotton from Maggie's. Now I'm a little fuzzy on the actual weight category of "sport." I had to drop to a smaller hook and crochet tightly to match the gauge. I'm happy just to match the gauge, though. It's the weakest area of my ability and I've been wanting to work on that.

This one is going to be a while.

Cool Crochet

2008-01-20T10:54:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, my de-stashing efforts were hindered by a Wal-mart clearance sale. Among other things, I picked up three balls of Bernat Cool Crochet - two in tie dye and one in denim. One ball that small is enough for something small ie. a scarf, a hat. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any patterns I liked. I tried freeforming with the tie dye and didn't come up with anything. I wanted to do something fashionable with this silky, shiny yarn.

Then, I caught the Knitty Gritty show on mixing yarns. You can mix different yarns as long as they have one color in common. To determine needle size, you add up the suggested needle sizes of the suggested yarns. Cool Crochet takes size 5 knitting needles or an F crochet hook. 3.75mm x 3 strands = 11.25mm. That's about size 15-17 knitting needles or a N-P crochet hook.

I tried designing a pair of crocheted wristwarmers. I'm still working out the fit. Since crocheted material doesn't stretch much, they'd have to be just big enough to fit over my hands. I'm trying to stay away from knitting here. I think a little compression would be good support for my hands.

UPDATE 3/14/08: It took me a while to decide what to do with this yarn. I experimented with several ideas (wristwarmers, hat, love knot scarf) and frogged them all. This yarn is a lot bolder than it looks. Its sheen makes it very eye-catching. I wanted to utilize its effect without having it completely overpower all the other colors it would be paired with. So I wound up trying a scarf on size 17 needles (bought for trellis project). A scarf is always a nice accent. Now I just have to figure out what to do with it. If paired with dark colors, it would only look brighter. If paired with more blue, it'd be like "HEY LOOK AT THE BLUE FAIRY!! WANT TO BE A REAL BOY?" (What is it with me and blue anyway?)

Felted Kitty Snuggle

2008-01-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

A while back, I noticed my 1 year-old cat Yozhik sometimes slept in his buddy Boris's bed. There were a few fights, which led Yoz to move into the laundry basket. Pet beds are kinda pricey. As Boris is a large cat, we invested in the deluxe small doggy bed - around $30. I decided instead to get Yoz a basket and make the padding myself. I bought a tall maize basket at AC Moore (on sale) for around $4.50. Josie doesn't really need one. She almost always sleeps on my bed.

Yoz has a habit of swiping my fisherman's wool. The skein looks as big as he is, though it only weighs 8oz. As part of my new destashing initiative, I decided to make this my first felt project. The basket measures around 10" x 15". If we assume the snuggle will shrink by 30%, then the width should be 15". I made it 16" just to be safe. The length is variable. I'm just eyeballing it. I added a second skein and am almost finished.

The cats have been supervising this project. They seem to like the wool texture. I can't let them play with it much as there's a choking risk with Boris. Yoz is clearly the biggest fan.It's as if he knows. He gets into the basket and rubs his paw pads on everything. I think he appreciates the height of the sides. If we put the completed basket somewhere out of the way, he can hide and peek over the sides. That's my little wussboy.

----

OK, the actual crocheting is done. I've been debating whether I still want to felt this. I tried leaving the blanky out and the only one who showed interest was Boris. I guess we're felting then.

Dishcloths (Knitted)

2008-01-15T08:21:00.000-08:00

Normally, I don't do dishcloths because....I don't have a use for them. I have this magical box under my countertop that washes all my dishes for me.

This is part destashing and part knit practice. I had a lot of cotton left over from the summer tank tops.

V-neck top (knitted)

2008-01-14T14:15:00.001-08:00

Not long after the Bamboo top, the design bug got ahold of me. I dragged out another mill end bag (Caron Simply Soft? in lavender) and decided to repeat the Bamboo pattern, except with some changes. The first to go was shoulder seams. I don't like the bulk of mattress stitch seaming. I made it one piece, starting at the bottom rear of the garment, forming a neckhole as I went and continuing down the bottom of the front. I also made it a lot longer.

As you can see, I'm new to design. There's hardly any shaping and the shoulders are far too broad. Maybe the shoulder thing would be less noticeable if I added sleeves? I'll also need to add a border to the bottom to curb the infamous stockinette curl.

Say 'hi' to my little helper, btw. This is Josie. I think she's trying to tell me to make her a snuggle.

Rectangular Granny Afghan

2008-01-14T12:59:00.000-08:00

The shawls were a hit. My husband asked me to use the exact same design and materials in a bedspread-sized afghan to give his mother for Christmas. I started it in early November. It was the biggest afghan I'd ever made. Early in the project, it seemed to be coming together so quickly that I thought I was ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, the nature of the work is it seems to grow exponentially in the beginning, but appears to grow slower later on in the project. The bigger it gets, the longer it takes to complete a round. I miscalculated the timing and wound up scrambling to finish it in secret after she arrived for her visit on 12/17.

I grew a little bored with this project because of the repetition. I couldn't improvise or do any detail work really.

MIL loved it. She says when she's back in Latvia she'll wrap herself in it and think of us :).

Bamboo Top (Knitted)

2008-01-14T10:06:00.000-08:00

Yes, she can knit. Or could, anyway - about 18 years ago. My paternal grandmother taught me when I was in the 5th grade. Between dropped and twisted stitches, it took me a lot of stitching, tinking (frogging) and re-stitching before I finally finished that first scarf. I didn't even like how it looked. That's when my mother offered to teach me to crochet.

I had found a mill end bag of Bernat Bamboo at AC Moore and decided to make their tank top. It was certainly an experience. Fortunately, by now I had learned how to use a crochet hook on mistakes and dropped stitches. When it was done, it actually fit (unlike the top I designed). One problem: it was too short. I used a crochet hook to add a shells "border" until the top was a more suitable length. The seams are bulkier than I'd like. I do like the drape, though. Clothing crocheted of worsted yarn can come out kinda bulky. This has a nice stretchy feel to it.

Oh, and I took this opportunity to practice continental knitting. It was tricky, especially with 12" straight needles weighed down with fabric. For a while, I knitted Debbie Stoller-style with the left needle propped against my arm. Eventually I started to get the hang of it. It really is faster and easier to switch between knitting and purling. To me, English knitting still feels more natural. I try to make myself knit continental because in theory I think it's better for me.

My one complaint is the yarn. Bernat Bamboo sheds LIKE CRAZY. Every time I worked with it, the shirt I was wearing would be covered in pink fuzz. The ends love to unravel. I used Russian joins to avoid tying knots. Care is a huge pain. I washed it in the gentle cycle and let it air dry. Three days later the stupid thing was still wet. That rules out Bamboo as a summer garment yarn. There is no way I'm working with this yarn again. Besides, it's expensive - like $4.99 for a teensy little 1oz ball.

Half Granny Shawl

2008-01-10T14:18:00.000-08:00

Boy, it's been a while since the last post.

Last July, a friend was diagnosed with cancer and I made her a prayer shawl. Pattern used was the Half Granny Shawl and the border pattern used is the one from the Caron Simply Shawl. Main color is Caron Simply Soft and the border was done in RH Super Saver.

I made a second one with the same materials, except a simpler border. I wore it a few times, but got tired of holding it. Maybe I can attach a button.

Crisscross V-neck Top

2007-08-08T06:40:00.000-07:00

I like the current fashion in tops - empire waistlines, long hems, V-necklines, if not all at once. Having not seen any crochet patterns for this style, I decided to (attempt to) make my own. Mine combines all of these ideas, along with the V-neck made up of two fabric pieces that overlap. Instead of making the neckline really low and wearing a tank under it, I'm going to raise it by making the overlap more pronounced.

First, I chained on enough stitches to fit my waist and dc'd in round to form a tube that reaches from the hip to just under the bust. Then, I inserted two rows of sc to mark the hemline. (I'll decorate it later.) From there, I continued in dc until the bottom of my armpit. Now begins the first strap. I found a way to create the pronounced slant needed using decreases and stitches of varying heights. I've got that worked out. The part where I'm struggling is the armhole. I've been fitting, frogging and re-fitting to figure out how to create a clean armhole. If worse comes to worse, I can add sleeves. I just want to get this right before moving on.

Update 1/11/08: I did finish this and it's very cute. Unfortunately, I made it a tad too loose-fitting. I'll take a photo on the hanger and post that.

Second Track Day Tank

2007-06-17T07:12:00.001-07:00

The second cone of Peaches'n Cream is denim blue and white. Now weary of the Beth, I went with a different style of tank: Banana Bay. It looked airy also, yet with a higher neckline.

I played with the the yoke idea. I first made it narrower and more curved like straps. After these photos were taken, I frogged a few rows, leaving two rows of shells.

I also added a subtle border across the bottom and made a matching hair scarf.

This one has been worn to the track. It is absorbent, but looks and feels a tad bulky. I think I still need something lighter for the track - maybe bigger gauge, bigger holes. It gets so miserably hot there.

Water Bottle Holder (pattern incl.)

2007-05-30T07:06:00.000-07:00

Update 5/26/08: I've been using these for my personal water bottles and they stretched A LOT. The smaller vversion could probably stretch to accommodate a quart-sized bottle.

During my Berroco Beth weekend at the track, I was lugging around a quart-sized personal water bottle and got tired of carrying it. I threw together a very basic bag to carry it around in. It's also useful for smaller water bottles, sunglasses, keys and other things.

A size G hook was used.

1. Ch3, sl st to first ch (or your preferred method of starting in round).
2. Ch2, dc 13 in loop - 14dc.
3. Ch2, 2dc in each dc around - 28dc.
4. Ch2, 2dc, (dc, 2dc) around.
5. Ch1, sc around.
6. Ch5, sk 2 sts, tr in next st. (Ch2, sk 2 sts, tr in next st) around. Ch2, join to 3rd ch of starting 5ch.
7-11. Repeat row 6.
Strap: Ch80, sk 6 tr and join to next tr. Fasten off tightly.

Faster Variation
7. Sl st 2. Ch5, tr in next sp. (Ch2, tr in next sp) around. Ch2, join to 3rd ch of starting 5ch.
8-11. Repeat row 7.

Smaller version
1. Ch3, sl st to first ch (or your preferred method of starting in round).
2. Ch2, dc 11 in loop - 12dc.
3. Ch2, 2dc in each dc around - 24dc.
4. Ch1, sc around.
5. Ch5, sk 2 sts, tr in next st. (Ch2, sk 2 sts, tr in next st) around. Ch2, join to 3rd ch of starting 5ch.
6. Sl st 2. Ch5, tr in next sp. (Ch2, tr in next sp) around. Ch2, join to 3rd ch of starting 5ch.
7-10. Repeat row 7.
Strap: Ch75, sl st to opposite sp. Fasten off tightly.

Track Day Tank

2007-05-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

My husband attends motorcycle track days. A track day is much like a race, except it's actually a one-day class and the riders are students mixed in with advanced riders. There are three groups (beginner, intermediate, advanced) that rotate use of the track: 20min on/40min off during the day. Spectators aren't allowed, so anyone walking around without leathers or a headset is generally a rider's family member or friend.

I like to go along to be supportive and help set up the camp. It's usually very hot out and we're outside from sunrise to dinnertime. I read in the SNB crochet book about rayon and cotton being good materials for warm weather, so I decided to start making tank tops. Originally, I wanted to match Janis's racing colors. Due to a past crash, he's between paintings and suggested I match his street bike instead: an orange and black 2007 KTM Super Duke. I bought a matching shade of orange yarn and have a few ideas on the drawing board.

First, I attempted to make a simple tank using Super Saver. I chose the Berroco Beth in lavender. There were a few initial problems: no instructions for a size 12, matching the gauge, determining my actual size. I went through several "drafts" of the top and ultimately made several alterations to the pattern.

Changes:
1) My gauge was too big. The pattern calls for 18dc = 4" using a size F hook and my swatch was 14dc. That meant I would have to go down a size to to match the gauge. Well, the suggested hook size for worsted yarn is an I, which is a full 2mm bigger than an E. I didn't want this thing to take forever. Instead, I went up to a G and decided to figure out the gauge from there.

2) Deviating from the pattern's gauge meant I had to do some serious algebra to recalculate the stitches needed to make the garment while keeping the repeating border pattern. I finally sorted it out and started work on a size 44". When the back panel was finished, I started the front. It looked like the wrong size and this was certain when I tried it on. It was half done and far too big! I took up some slack and repinned the pieces. When I laid it out, my measurement was 37". I recalculated the gauge, frogged both pieces and started work on the second draft. As I was working, I realized my bra size is a 38, which means this is going to be tight. I didn't want it to be tight. It's meant to hang a bit loosely. Yet another frog. Now what?

3) With size uncertain, I didn't want to have to complete half the pattern before I could try it on. That meant working in the round and more math. It made more sense to work in the round, though. The border runs along the seams, so you can't take it in if it's too big.

I measured some of my t-shirts and settled on 41". Well, my next attempt wound up being a 44" again. I adapted the pattern again and the next size down turned out to be a 39". Because of the border, that was the best I could do. It was smaller than I'd intended, but seemed to fit. I went with that and it did fit. By then, I'd removed one segment of the border pattern, which threw off the top border and strap width. Eventually, I made it work.

Finally, I had a workable tank top. Now I just had to make it with an appropriate material. Rayon was nowhere to be found. The crochet list recommended Sugar'n Cream and Peaches'n Creme (different brands). I wound up stopping by Wal-Mart later that day and picked up two cones of Peaches'n Creme. Even with Sugar'n Cream on sale at the craft store, it cost about the same and I wouldn't have to weave in ends. (Plus, it turned out Peaches'n Cream is hand-dyed right here in NC.)

Given my inexperience, I started with the color I liked least - a pastel hombre. It Using the lavender tank as a guide, it worked up fairly quickly. After it was done, I discovered the bodice was shorter I'd intended. I had wanted it to be on the short side to allow it to hang straight when I sat. When I tried it on, it looked good, though. I like it better than the longer version. The color worked up nicely with patches of color like little flowers.

I can't wait to wear this to the track. The border pattern has holes running along the top, bottom, and up the sides under the arms. This should allow for venting. I love the feel of the cotton - like baby powder. Now we just need to some shorts to match...

After these photos were taken, I wore the multicolored one to the Road Atlanta track. From the time I first put it on, the straps were all over the place. I finally realized I'd ignored the pattern instruction to sc around the edges, thinking it was just a decorative border. I went back and sc's around armholes and neckline, working the stitches and corners tigher around the neck area to keep the straps up. I left the bottom alone. It's a double-base chain, which I believe can act as its own border.

Future Project - Hairpin Lace Dress

2007-05-10T07:20:00.001-07:00

I am in love with this dress. I already bought a hairpin lace loom and a huge cone of sport weight cotton.

http://www.stitchdiva.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=SDS-034

Seed Stitch Top

2007-05-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

Bored with the cardigan, I started a simple top for myself. My first choice was the tank top from Weirdmirror.org. Unfortunately, if my math is correct, the largest size has a 26" waist. Must be European sizing :P. Then, I found a simple t-shirt type pattern designed in my size. I'm using dark green worsted weight yarn.

My first question was "What is a seed stitch?" Google and Google Images turned up very little information; mostly patterns and knitting directions. The knitting directions called for a row of "knit one, purl one" alternated with "purl one, knit one." So two different size stitches alternate both horizontally and vertically. It makesan interesting texture. Not that the green shows it very well.

About ten rows in, I realized this top was about five sizes too big. I checked the pattern for gauge and found THERE WAS NONE!! After much stitching and frogging, I gave up and started editing the pattern. Given the amount of time wasted already, I went up to a K hook to save time. I separated the front and back of the top into separate pieces to make the top adjustable. I also made the ribbing as separate pieces to allow better measuring of the top's width. From there on, I couldn't seem to leave the pattern alone. I left the sleeves off and formed armholes instead.

As I was finishing the shoulder of the second piece, I decided this thing reminded me a bit too much of Stuart Smalley from SNL. Oh well. It was just practice anyway. Maybe someday I'll find a use for all this cheap green yarn and turn it into something else.

Bikini Top/Bra

2007-05-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

I found a pattern in a book for a string bikini. Unfortunately, it wasn't available in a C cup. Irritated, I set to modifying it for a REAL American woman. I changed the neck straps to one piece (isntead of ties) and made the cups larger. Ultimately, I made the cups a little too large and had to stitch them together instead of using a string. I think it works better, though - more privacy and support.

When I tried it on, I didn't like the way the neck strap dug into my neck. I worked out a crisscross pattern across the back to add more support. It still wasn't very comfortable and probably needs an underwire to fit properly. it was a fun attempt, though.

Yes, I took a photo. Why do you ask? :)

Mother's Day Potholder

2007-05-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

With Mother's Day coming up, I wanted to think up something to make that was appropriate to the holiday. My mother is already getting a bracelet (you're not reading this are you, Mom?). That left my paternal grandmother, who is a seamstress and artist among other things. She probably doesn't need an afghan or basket and given the timeframe I wanted to do something small and with a real-world use.

I settled on a potholder. The motif is green and white blocks in alternating rows of 8 and 17. The number is significant. Nana has 8 children, 17 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. It was tricky to sneak the 17th stitch into the grandchildren row, but I made it work.

As I worked this, I found the colors started to run together like a deranged checkerboard. I added rows of sc in black between them and worked a ropelike edging in black (see Crochetkim.com). The finished project had much bolder colors than I had intended, but it was still cute.

Grandma was sick on Mother's Day and I haven't seen her. Maybe I'll save it for her birthday.

Cell Phone Cozy

2007-05-01T12:22:00.000-07:00

Normally, I don't do cozies. Sorry, ladies. They are redundant and downright silly looking. However, I decided to try to make a cell phone case as my phone kept falling out of its holster.

I started to work a pattern and wound up modifying it. I liked the way the bottom was worked. You start with 12sc, then instead of turning, continue down and work across the underside of the row. A few rows later, I misplaced the pattern. I did some frogging, chose dc instead of sc and adapted the size to fit my phone, which is a SLVR. (Yes, it's flat.) I left out the X-stitches, not being able to remember how to do them. As I reached the arrow keys, I decided to start leaving holes to allow access to buttons. For the screen, I worked a sort of tic-tac-toe so that the screen would be partly visible while still protected. I finished with a tuckable flap and a little loop to attach the bag to things. I forgot to include a hole for the AC adapter, but I can still plug it in between the dc's.

I liked this design because I can turn on the phone's iTunes feature and play music without having to remove it from the case first. Unfortunately, I didn't get around to adding a clasp and my phone fell out the first time I wore it. I also need to repair the belt loop, which is already loose. This project is in danger of being frogged.

Shoulder Bag

2007-05-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

I wasn't planning to design my own handbag. I planned to attend the Southern Women's Show, which was last Saturday. Thinking of my heavy little purse, I wished I had something with a long strap that I could throw over my head and not have to mess with. The next thing I knew, I had dragged out the off-white Caron 1lb-er and was working a flat square bag. I started to work a design row of squares, but at that point it was intended to save time. Unfortunately, the bag was not ready in time for the show. I finished it later that evening, making the strap long enough to be worn diagonally across the body with the bag hanging low near my hip.

I added a sc border around the strap, but both the strap and the bag continued to stretch. I've decided I don't like this bag anymore and intend to frog it for the yarn. Some of the detail is interesting. One of the design rows is a diamond motif I came up with.

Drawstring Bag

2007-05-01T08:25:00.000-07:00

I made two more handbags. One was the CD drawstring bag from Jpfun.com. The pattern sample was worked in pastel blue and pink. I felt solid black was more fitting for a handbag. It worked up quickly - maybe an evening. My favorite part was the CD. Fearing the bag would see worse days, I went ahead and melted the CD in the microwave. The bottom of the bag smells a bit, but who would bother to sniff the bottom of a handbag?

The only thing I don't understand are the little holes worked by the pattern. Wouldn't your pens fall out? I've been using it to carry around crochet projects. The bag is tall enough to hold a 7oz skein of yarn. If I pull the drawstring tight, it will hold the skein while I pull the yarn from the center.

UPDATE 3/20/08: I somehow broke the CD. It was impossible to replace the CD without frogging the entire bag, so I just tossed it.

Stuffed Sheep

2007-04-13T07:43:00.000-07:00

Some friends gave me two balls of Bernat Lulu in off-white and asked if I could make a stuffed sheep. They were half-joking at the time. I did a lot of searching on the net and settled on this pattern.

Working with extra-soft eyelash yarn is no picnic! I had to start over three times. I used stitch markers for every stitch on row 2 and still wound up having to correct the number of stitches. I got a little bored toward the end and never sewed the pieces together. One too many stuffed animal UFOs going on.

Market Tote Bag

2007-04-05T09:35:00.000-07:00

I've been using grocery bags and gallon size ziploc bags to store my open projects and hiding them in the kitchen cabinet. I wanted one big bag that I could throw everything in and end the crinkling forever. This is the largest tote bag pattern I could find. It's on Lionbrand.com (you will need a login). Obviously, red was not my first choice of color. I chose beige. The gauge is HUGE. I had to use a K hook to get it that big. Photo coming soon.

I started it the night before and had it almost finished for Easter Sunday. I still used the bag to carry around the personalized afghan & bunny to show relatives and friends. A few complimented the bag itself. Two asked if I could make them one.

I do like this bag. It's plenty big enough to store all my open projects (they don't fit in the storage bin). I had so much yarn left over that I made two. The one thing I'm not particularly thrilled about is the time factor - 5 hours. It was hoping it'd go faster. Here's a similar pattern I found that looks faster: Onion Sack.

Ultimately, I made three of these. The first one seemed to take a ball and a half of Super Saver, so I tried to make another using the remaining yarn and another skein. I had to narrow the handle a bit to finish. I'm using one sack for yarn storage and the other for sewing supplies.

The third bag I made on request for a friend. Halfway through, I grew restless and started trying to think of ways to decorate it. The next day, I asked her permission to put her initials on the bag and she agreed. When I started graphing it, I realized I was far enough into the project that I would need to allow the letters to reach up into the handle. It came out really good. I put the initials on both sides. When the bag is carried, the initials are visible from the front and back.

Spring Green Cardigan

2007-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

This pattern was featured on Annie's Attic sometime around March and is credited to Crochet! magazine*. It calls for Blithe yarn, which is made of real camel hair. You can guess how expensive that is, particularly when one needs 10 balls of it. A friend suggested using Bernat Baby as it is also fingering weight. I chose blue.

After various hurdles, I worked about 15-20 rows of the back panel. I finally grew bored with this thing. I have so many ideas and not enough time to complete everything. This project by itself would take months, if not years. Any ideas for 10 balls of baby blue fingering weight yarn?

* - Also seen on Freepatterns.com. Knock yourself out.

Personalized Baby Afghan

2007-04-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

After the floral afghan, I wanted to try something a bit more challenging. I chose to do the Personalized Baby Afghan in lavender*. Both colors are Red Heart Super Saver. It was my first experience with graphing. Once you get the counting sorted it, it's actually not that hard. The main part of the afghan took two weeks. When it was time to do the edging, I chose the optional extra-girly lacy edging. That took me almost another week, making it just shy of three weeks total. (*- It's actually a very pale lavender. I'm not much of a photographer.)

Close-up of edging:

The pattern called for three balls of the main color (lavender). I had enough left over that I chose to make a matching stuffed bunny. I used the Best Bunny pattern, only 60% bigger. I'm starting to get weary of stuffed animals, so I rushed through this one and the resulting Mr. Foofoo is not entirely proportional. That's probably what makes him so adorably silly.

Sumo Piggy

2007-04-01T18:40:00.000-07:00

Early on, I resolved not to do a lot of cute stuff. When I saw these, I nearly bust a gut laughing. I asked my husband for a second opinion and he thought they were funny too. So, i decided to make my first stuffed animal - a Sumo Piggy. I actually saw this weeks ago. It took me a while to find the right pink.

I have one partly completed except for the thong outfit. I bought the fabric, but don't know how to sew. We'll see.

Sumo piggy has threatened hara kiri if photographed without proper attire.

Stuffed Bunny

2007-03-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

My husband asked me to make a bunny as a gift for his mother. We chose the "Best Bunny" from Lionbrand.com (you will need a login to view the pattern) and a matching purple basket. I had to order this yarn online - couldn't find it anywhere. Now I have a ton of it left over. A second bunny is partly completed.

I also made a bunny in lavender to match the personalized baby afghan. That one is a third larger.

Field of Flowers Baby Afghan

2007-03-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: I got a thank-you note!

When I chose to make my first intermediate baby afghan, I was drawn to this pattern because of its theme. The Evanescence song "Imaginary" references a field of paper flowers. I ignored the yarn suggestions and started the afghan without making a swatch. I had to keep frogging and starting over because from the pattern I couldn't figure out how many sides the pieces had. The first time, I wound up with 12, the second time four scrunched together, then six. Ultimately, it took 2-3 weeks. And yes, I did wash it after Josie slept on it.

Zoomed in view.

Special thanks to the Kitty Assistance Crochet team. Josie personally tested this afghan for snuggleability during the creation process. (It was washed afterward.)

Boris helped too.

Cat Toys

2007-03-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

After a failed attempt at making a dishcloth, I demoted myself to cat toys for a while. After a few weeks, I could crank one in under ten minutes - anything except the curly one. I don't particularly like making those. No matter how loose the chain is, it's always too small.

I now make catnip mice for the local no-kill cat shelter. In case anyone's interested, here are the patterns (from left):

Peanut's White Mouse
Peanut's Little Yarn Things
Curly Cat Toy
Spider Cat Toy

Handbag

2007-03-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

I made the Jewel Box Drawstring Bag. I chose black ("lapis lazuli") as it was still a purse. Though I've worked with "funny" yarns before, working with black is tricky in itself because you can't easily see what you're doing. It was also my first project in round. Being unaware of the existence of stitch markersat the time, I used matchsticks to keep track of stitches. It didn't take long - maybe two days.

Sorry, no photo. I gave it as a birthday gift before I thought to start a blog. It came out well, though I forgot to hide the endoff string.

Preemie Caps

2007-03-13T18:27:00.000-07:00

Obviously, it's not my first project ever. For years, I've thought about making hats for preemies in the hospital. I bought a ball of white baby yarn, a size F hook and started going.

The first cap I made was Barb's Seamless Crocheted Baby Hat. I was baffled at first when I wound up with a crocheted rectangle and instructions to "end off." one of the first things you learn about pattern writers is they're VAGUE. It's universal. Anyway, I finally finished it after the field of flowers afghan and sent both to my cousin Dan and his wife Kim after the birth of their daughter.

The second cap was Bev's Crocheted Baby hat - in SC. It was working fine, though felt slow in single stitch. Then my hook went missing and I semi-abandoned the project, intending to buy a hook set later on. I did several months later, but I never finished the hat.

First post

2007-03-13T18:24:00.000-07:00

I've known how to crochet (and knit) since grade school. I've made a few things over the years.

I'm not sure precisely when I decided to get back into crocheting. Last fall, I saw my cousin Sarah knitting a multicolored Christmas stocking on double-pointed needles. I also read online about Latvian knitters and the intricate mittens they were making for the NATO summit. I asked my husband's mother* to bring some when she visited and wound up with a beautiful matching hat/scarf/glove set. (What do you mean "no photo"?)

When I started crocheting again, it was more the work itself I was drawn to. I'm a restless spirit. Having a hook and yarn in my hands gives me something to occupy myself and not worry about anything. It puts me at ease. I can get a lot of zen out of a 7oz skein.

* - Latvians don't use the word "mother-in-law." Too many jokes.