Friday, December 28, 2007

new Snuggly Scarves


Mom wearing her new scarf
Originally uploaded by saintlex
I know it's been forever since I last posted. Sorry. :-/

I haven't been doing anything very exciting, crochet-wise. I did, however, make a whole bunch of Snuggly Scarves (thanks again to Deneen!) in various shades of Lion Homespun. Here's my mom wearing the one I gave her for Chanukah! I believe this colorway is called Barley. I also gave one to my sister, in Tudor. I didn't know what color her winter coat was, but luckily for us, it matches! :) And I gave one to my boss, as well. That one was in Sierra; at least, it was labeled Sierra. It looks completely different from the other skeins of Sierra I've seen in the stores, though. *shrug*

Also made one for a friend and am in the process of making another for a friend. No more details on those, though, since I haven't gotten to exchange gifts with them yet. (I doubt they're reading this, but I'm paranoid!)

Friday, October 5, 2007

Check it out: my first stitch markers! :)



If you feel so inclined, please click on them to visit the etsy listing, and take a moment to let me know if there's anything else you think I should add to the listing. I'm not the greatest at advertising, and sometimes I leave out important details!

Anyway, I am really happy with them. They are cute and cheerful. Gonna make a set for myself when I get home from work.

I have a gazillion projects to work on as gifts, and yet my thoughts keep straying to that little Mei-Mei jacket in Everyday Crochet, and I keep imagining myself a new navy blue handbag (never mind that I don't even have navy blue yarn). I want a Mei-Mei for me-me! LOL. I'm such an impatient little bugger.

I've also got to work on my Anisette Vest for my cousin's wedding, to go over my little black dress. I am a little nervous about the blocking that I'll have to do on that one. I am probably going to spread it out on some towels on my bed, pin it, and spray it with water. I've read that I can do it that way. I hope it works all right. Anyway, I've got a while to go before I get to that point!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Store progress, and new projects

I am so excited!

1) The Smiling Turtle etsy store has now had its first 2 orders! :) (Both for Bernat Sox yarn...)

2) Last night, I started making beaded stitch markers. It is so much fun. I have so many great beads. I've now made a set of ladybugs, a set of Autumn leaves, and a set of butterflies with colorful bumpy beads. They will be listed on etsy soon.

Whee!

Sunday, September 30, 2007

"Everyday Crochet" by Doris Chan, and keeping track of my stash



Yesterday, I picked up a copy of Everyday Crochet by Doris Chan. I'm a big fan of Chan's designs, and this book had been calling me since before it was released, but I had been trying to restrain myself due to lack of funds. Yesterday, my will power gave out. (D'oh!)

Oh my goodness. This book is a work of genius. I'd been a little bit worried because others had complained about a lack of variety in the patterns, since they all use shells. I need not have doubted Ms. Chan--she explains exactly why that is in the Introduction! The gist of it is that she has created patterns that build off one another. They are similar in order to make it easy for the crocheter to adjust the patterns to her liking. YAY! Designing my own clothing patterns would be far out of my reach at this point, but with these patterns, I can learn to adjust sleeves, add ribbing, change necklines, etc. Also, she mentions that she's chosen to use shells specifically because they are a very forgiving stitch. They can stretch horizontally or drape nicely, making them pretty much universally flattering.

I've been somewhat afraid to take on larger projects because I've worried that what I make won't fit me (the waist could be too tight, the hips could be too tight, etc.--it's not easy to tell from bust measurement alone). I can make the clothing in Everyday Crochet without worrying, as long as I've gotten the gauge right. No clingy waistlines, and she's made it very clear how to adjust patterns for your own proportions; plus, I can rest assured that the shell patterns will be flattering.

My only complaint is that a lot of the yarns used are wool, which I can't use due to allergies. However, in the Introduction, the author encourages the reader to substitute yarn; and if the "Eve's Rib Tunic" is any indication, some of these patterns will still be fabulous in acrylic (it's made with Simply Soft Shadows!).

My favorite patterns:

-"Mei-Mei," the little jacket on the front cover, which I wasn't sure I liked at first. It totally grew on me. Cropped vests tend to look nice on me because they elongate my torso a little (and my torso needs it!). ;) The more I try to picture it on me, the more I like it.

-"Somnambulista," a beautiful little nightgown made with bamboo yarn. I plan to ask for that particular yarn for my birthday, so I can make myself one. I love the texture of bamboo yarns, but I can't afford them.

-"Jewel," a little sweater that's shown with 3/4 sleeves, which I plan to make long-sleeved if I have enough yarn.

-"Insight," a beautiful long vest.

There are also some belt patterns toward the end of the book. I may wind up making one or two of those -- they would look great with the longer sweaters, or with some of my other Fall tops.


OK, that's the end of my little book review. I've been up since some crazy hour of the morning because I couldn't get back to sleep, so I've been entering info about my stash on Ravelry. I've realized that it's a good way for me to keep track of all my yarrrrrn! I am pretty disorganized, but now I can keep track of the yarns I have without having to make my own spreadsheet or do anything equally dreary. Hooray for Ravelry! :)

Friday, September 28, 2007

Ravelry, WsIP

I got my invitation to Ravelry!

*bounce bounce bounce*

Now seems like a good time to stop slacking on the blog front. ;) Sorry I vanished for a while. I have been having health problems, and just haven't felt much like blogging these days. I have been crocheting, though.

Lately, I've made some more baby booties and some scarves that will probably be gifts. Nothing exciting enough for picture-taking. I've started some slightly more ambitious things in the past week or so, though.

I started working on the "Anisette Vest" from Amazing Crochet Lace by Doris Chan. Haven't gotten too far on it just yet, since it takes too much concentration for me to be able to watch TV while I'm doing it. ;P I am making it so I can wear it to my cousin's wedding in late October--I've got an adorable sleeveless black dress that just cries out for something like this. I'm making the vest in Mystical Creation Yarns rayon boucle in Domino, which is a black and white colorway (probably stating the obvious there!). I only have one skein, so I am praying I won't run out of yarn before I'm done!

I've also started up a pair of Fireside Slouch Socks. Don't know who I'm going to give them to yet, but I'm pretty sure they'll be a gift. I plan on making a few pairs to give to some friends and family.

And, last but not least, I've started making a little something for my sweetie. It's a surprise, and I know he checks this blog every once in a while, so I can't say what it is until after I've given it to him for his birthday on 10/19. :D I'm very pleased with the way it's coming out so far, though.

I still haven't finished my first pair of socks. Looks like the Fireside socks may become my first finished pair, instead. I'm not feeling so motivated to finish that first pair--I was never really wild about them. I hope I will do it eventually, though. Even if I don't want them, I'm sure someone will!

I picked up a copy of The Weekend Crafter: Crochet on sale a week or two ago. There's a really cute bag in there that I'd like to make, and a few other projects that look good.

There's a Lion Homespun poncho from an old issue of Crochet Fantasy Magazine that I really want to make for my mom for Chanukah. I have a lot of Homespun Mill Ends, and I don't think the dye lot varies much (if at all) in the yarn I've got that I want to use for it. Also, I may make mittens for my sister's family from one of the patterns on the Lion Brand site, also using Lion Homespun. I have a TON of Homespun! Gotta use it! :)

Sunday, August 26, 2007

crochet question

When using a pattern, if it says to "join with a sl st" and then "--- stitches" (--- being the number of stitches you should have made in the row that was just completed), does the slip stitch count as one of the stitches?

Thanks!! :)

Friday, August 24, 2007

Creative Limits Meme (thanks, Deneen!)

1. I have no interest in the following activities:
Tatting, woodworking (only because of a sawdust allergy!), felting (wool allergy), spinning, pottery/ceramics with "real" clay as opposed to polymer clay, lampwork, glassmaking, soap making (again due to allergies), cross stitch, rug hooking, most activities involving really big equipment and/or fire.

2. Would love to try these things:
Wire crochet, bead crochet, sewing, metalwork, fashion design, furniture painting, cardmaking, watercolor, brush painting. Eventually, maybe knitting and embroidery.

3. I do or have dabbled in these things:
Crocheting, beadwork, wirework, polymer clay art, painting (both oils and acrylic), drawing, tiny bit of sewing.

4. Love it! These are my things:
Crocheting, jewelry making, and painting (though I haven't had studio space for a long time, so I haven't done any real painting in years).

Sorry I've been away for so long.

Wasn't crocheting much for a while there!

I have now finished the baby blanket for my youngest niece, and given it to her. My sister liked it very much. :) I didn't take a picture once it was done, because I was short on time and camera batteries. It looks just like the previous pictures, though, only now it's a big square. ;)

My socks are almost done!! I pretty much just have the toe and heel left to do on my second sock. I'm going to finish it within the next few days and post a pic of the finished pair. YAY!

I have now won a whole lot of yarn from the Mystical Creation Yarns ebay store. *drooool* I hadn't bought any yarn for a while, and they have some great deals at the moment, so I treated myself. I have no idea where I will put it once it arrives. I think I need to crochet myself a bigger apartment! *giggle*

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Tunic trouble

I feel like maybe I'm just not destined to make that tunic. I got a few more rows into it, and I realized that it's coming out too small and I'm going to have to frog it.

I checked my gauge a whole bunch of times before I started. I tried a lot of different hook sizes. The closest I got seemed to be with a J hook (instead of an I hook), but now I don't know if I'd need an L or M; I had tried testing my gauge with both before, and it had seemed too big. *sigh* Too much work and nothing to show for it (except about 8 rows of too-small tunic, which I will be frogging--not right away, though; it's too depressing).

Friday, July 27, 2007

slump-o-rama

I just read a friend's blog, and she mentioned being in a crochet slump. Well, I have been in one lately, too. I started my tunic, and I'm only about 5 rows in (though I spent plenty of time trying to start it and screwing up--wasn't sure about the gauge at first, or about what size I should be making). No other progress made on anything.

I haven't felt much like crocheting lately. Don't know why, though my neck and shoulders have been achey, which I guess doesn't help. Also, I've been distracted by Harry Potter. ;) After having seen all the movies, I finally caved and decided to read books 6 and 7. I'm in the middle of 7 now.

I managed to get The Michaels Book of Needlecrafts the other day at a bookstore for $5. I was really happy about that, since it was on my wish list anyway, but I would still have paid more if I've ordered it from Amazon--and this way I got to look through it. There isn't too much in there that I want to make (some of it's really silly), but there's an adorable kids' hat that looks like a fruit or vegetable top (Xmas/Chanukah present! Yay!) and a really pretty tote bag made from Lion Incredible. I'll skip the furry arm warmers, though. :P

Also, according to one of the customers on Amazon who reviewed the book, there's a good article on yarn substitution in the "Knitting" section of the book (which I otherwise might not have looked at, at all!). Hmmmm.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Tunic envy ;)

Deneen made the tunic from the pattern on the Lion web site that I've been eye-ing for a while. She shortened it into a tank top instead of a tunic. It looks fabulous.

I feel inspired. I am either going to start on this or the Abydos vest tonight...

Thursday, July 19, 2007

bookishness

Got 3 crochet books from the library today: "Crocheted Socks: 16 Fun-To-Stitch Patterns" by Janet Rehfeldt and Mary Jane Wood, "Cool Crochet" by Melissa Leapman, and "Easy Beaded Crochet" by Carol Meldrum. I am in big trouble now, because I want to buy all of them. :P I am especially enamored with "Cool Crochet," which I wasn't expecting myself to be. Most of the projects are either Intermediate or Advanced level, and I think I can do Intermediate at this point. They are just lovely. The patterns I would like to make are mostly for sweaters, and a few are for bags. *sighhh* :)

I am going to see how I feel when it comes time to return them all. If I can't live without 'em, I'll buy 'em. I'm a bit short on funds at the moment. Well, not exactly; but I've bought a lot of books lately, so I don't feel that the purchases would be justified!

The other day, I picked up "Amazing Crochet Lace: New Fashions Inspired by Old-Fashioned Lace" by Doris Chan. WOW. Beautiful patterns!

I can't wait to try the "Farpoint Topper" (top left) and "Abydos Vest" (both pics on the right side), among other things. I've even ordered the yarn for the "Farpoint Topper" already (Lion Incredible, purchased via ebay, of course! I got it in Copper Penny; the original was done in the Autumn Leaves colorway).

I also recently got "Crochet from the Heart: Quick Projects for Generous Giving" by Kristin Spurkland, which has a lot of really cute projects in it that promise to be quick to make (the hats are my favorites!). And I got "Stocking feet" from Annie's Attic, by Janet Rehfeldt, which I don't exactly recommend (but please click the link to see my scathing review! Muahahaaa).

Other than that, I am almost done with the cuff of my second sock (6.5" out of 8" finished). It's about frickin' time. ;P Sock progress has been soooo slooowww. I am looking forward to trying some patterns from the "Crocheted Socks" book. Socks seem to be harder on me than other crochet, though, perhaps because I need to concentrate harder due to the smaller hook size? I don't know. I'm only using a G hook, but the way I crochet, that's pretty darn small (yeah, I crochet pretty tightly). Especially with the back-loop-only cuff thing. That's annoying. My next pair of socks will not have this sort of cuff. Haven't decided yet if they'll be made from a book pattern, or an Internet freebie. :)

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Sock yarrrrrn!

I now have a decent amount of sock yarn that is not Bernat Sox. :) Whee!

Here it is:

sock yarn

Mmmm...2 different colorways of Cascade Fixation (no actual color names on the labels), and Panda Cotton in "Picnic." I LOVE the Panda Cotton. I just got it yesterday. I stopped by a local fabric store that has yarn, and was very pleasantly surprised to see that they had it in stock! I had never seen it in person before. It's nice. Soft, too! (And expensive. *gulp*) ;)

They also had it in the colorway that I recently purchased from an ebay seller who'd put it on sale, "Chocolate Almonds." I was not disappointed with what I saw! It should be arriving soon.

Also, I don't know if this link will work, but I ordered the Annie's Attic "Stocking Feet" book on ebay. The patterns look really cute.


And no, I still have not finished my first pair of socks! LOL. I finished the cuff of the second sock the other day, only to find that I'd missed a stitch somewhere...it started out wide and got narrower, and looked really bad. D'OH! I tried to frog it, but Bernat Sox doesn't lend itself to frogging, so I had to just start over. That's OK--it'll go quickly once I actually get a chance to sit down for a while with it. :)

My sweetheart and I are going to a music festival today. I am so excited! I haven't been to a music festival in way too long. I am really big on folk festivals. This one's not all folk, but that doesn't bother me at all! The "biggest name" who will be there is Shawn Mullins, but we're mainly going to see Jonatha Brooke and to hear some musicians we've heard of but haven't heard before.

I am halfway considering bringing my sock to work on. Heheh...I doubt I'll get a chance, though. When I am listening to live music, I don't usually want to concentrate on much else!

Oh, also, I made it to KUTI on Tuesday night! There were so many people there I hadn't met before. It was nice to meet all of them, if a little overwhelming. :) At least 3 of us were working on socks, and if I remember correctly, I think 3 of us were working on our first pairs! How cool is that?! The others were knitting, but I won't hold that against them. ;)

Saturday, July 7, 2007

the yarn cake, and things I'd like to make

I now present to you my very first yarn cake ever!
my first yarn cake ever

And a view of the top:
my first yarn cake ever - top view

*sigh* So happy. :)

Meanwhile, there is an ever-growing list of things I want to make. Among them:
--socks, socks and more socks
--more Mary Jane booties!
--adorable "Famous Designer" hat (maybe in Olive and Fuchsia? Haven't made up my mind yet)
--color-block pillow
--a very light, mesh mini-shawl or stole with special Blue Heron yarn
--Need For Tweed bag
--Seafoam Vest (still haven't gotten around to it)
--Lacy Leaf Cocoon, even though the largest size may be too small for me
--Four Seasons Bolero
--Tunic (without the pockets)

And there are a lot more in the magazines I have, but I'll be nice and stop there. ;)

Yarn cake! (And some other stuff.)

As of 2 days ago, I am "officially" back at work, which makes me very happy. :)

On to the crochet-related stuff! I got my yarn ball winder in the mail a few days ago, and finally tried it out last night. Ooh! YARN CAKE!! :D It is so exciting. I want to post a picture of my first yarn cake--perhaps I will get to it later today. I took out this skein of variegated turquoise and dark blue sport weight yarn from MCY (also a gift from my fiance--yes, he IS the best ever). I put it around the backs of two chairs, set up the new yarn ball winder, and cranked it up. ;) It was easy! What a wonderful surprise after dealing with so many tangled yarn "muppets."

I am still working on untangling my other MCY yarn (the cotton chenille one), and it seems to be coming along quicker than expected. I cant wait to make that one into a cake, too. Heheh! I am now obsessed with yarn cakes. Well, at least I won't gain any weight from it (sorry, I had to go with the bad pun there).

I found a whole lot of Lion Suede on sale the other day, including some in Ebony, which I had never seen on sale before. ♥ I bought enough to keep some, and sell some on ebay. ;) I do have yarn in my ebay store, if anyone wants to check it out. Right now, I just have a bunch of auctions for Lion Boucle (in blueberry, rose, and parfait colors) and Bernat Sox in 4 different variegated colors; but I got more Bernat Sox to sell because I was able to get it cheap, and it seems that lots of people are looking for it. Same with Lion Suede. (Heck, there are certain colors of Lion Suede I'm still looking for--I don't have any in rose, ecru, or marine blue (at least I think that's what the blue is called), and I only have one skein of taupe and am sort of fiending for more. Haven't found the right price yet or the extra money, though!)

I am debating getting some Lion Trellis in "Night Life" to sell (yes, I have a source, and I'm not telling!! LOL), since some recent auctions for it that I've been tracking have gone very well. I really don't have the money to get it in the first place, though. Argh. I don't know.

I'm enjoying this ebay "side job" of mine--can you tell? :P

Not much to tell about WIPs, since I really haven't gotten any farther than I had the last time I posted. I've mainly been concentrating on untangling the cotton chenille. It is so pretty--I can't wait to use it! It's a beautiful mixture of purples and browns. Yum.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Tangled yarn, and missing KUTI

My fiance bought me some incredible Cotton Chenille yarn from Mystical Creation Yarns a while back. As a crochet novice, having never worked with a skein like this before as opposed to a store-bought yarn ball/skein of inexpensive yarn, I totally messed up the ball winding process. Now, I am stuck with a pretty tangled skein of really gorgeous yarn. :(

I ordered a yarn ball winder the other day, so I'll have that soon; but can it help me with a tangled skein of yarn? Can anything? I've spent hours already trying to unwind it; it seems like I unwind about a foot (or maybe a yard, if I'm lucky) of yarn per hour. *sigh* I don't want to just give up, because it was a very special gift and I love the yarn so much. Buying another skein wouldn't be the same. But I can't spend forever trying to untangle it, either!

Any advice?

I've become a pretty solitary crocheter these days. My health problems have gotten somewhat better now that they've been diagnosed and I'm on meds, but that just means that I make it to work for a few hours if I'm lucky. I keep thinking I'll be able to go to KUTI meetings, and then I just don't feel well enough.

Today, I didn't even make it to work...but if I had, I probably would have been too drained and sick afterward to go to the meeting. *sigh* I miss the group. I want to be a part of it again. I am lonely. And crotchety. Wahhh.

I am still working on the baby blanket and the socks. Slow going these days. That's due to a number of things: being extremely tired, having another hobby that takes up a lot of my time, having to spend a lot of time listing things on ebay, and trying to work again. The blanket's within an inch or two of getting to its desired length, though; then I will just have the hood left to make, if I decide I even want to do that. I really like the thickness of it and think it would make a good playmat, so I'm not sure I'm going to bother with the hood. I might do some purple edging, though.

As for the socks, I'm not done with the cuff of my second sock yet. It'll go quickly when I really get down to it, though. I'm just easily distracted these days.

Friday, June 29, 2007

YARRRRRN - acquisitions and, um, de-acquisitions?

I went yarn shopping yesterday. Bought too much, as usual; but oh, was it fun. :)

I finally got my hands on some Lion Chenille (not Thick & Quick, the regular chenille). I am dying to make the vest pictured on the label--so much so, in fact, that I want to make it in all 4 of the colors I bought! *giggle* I will have to see how the first one goes before I really decide to do that, of course. I'm going to start with the red. I don't wear red very often, but this particular shade is so beautiful.

I got many other yarns, too. I bought a good deal of Lion Boucle, which I am now unsure about using because I didn't realize at the time that it was 20% mohair. Argh. I could probably work with it, and probably make something that wouldn't be worn right next to the skin...But I don't think "probably" is good enough. I did find a cute sweater in a back issue of a crochet magazine that I might like to make from it, though. And there's a capelet that uses it as trim that I really like. (I'm not sure I particularly like the capelet, but the trim is awfully pretty!) I guess I won't make a decision about that yarn just yet!

I am considering selling a lot of my Bernat Sox yarn. I am a spoiled brat and don't really want coarse yarn on my footsies. ;D If I sell some on ebay, perhaps I can justify buying something a little nicer. I don't know, though...I've been ebaying a lot, and trying to save that money. I won't sell all of my Sox yarn, of course; I'll probably still want to make some socks out of some of it, since the colors are very pretty. And maybe the socks I am working on now will turn out to be more wearable than I currently think they are.

I'd really love to get some hand-painted sock yarn. Yum.

Oh, I found another sock pattern! It's in the Dec. '06/Jan. '07 issue of Crochet Today! I bought the magazine for a buck at a yarn store a few months back. Well worth it, I'd say.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

baby blanket 6-28-07


baby blanket 6-28-07
Originally uploaded by saintlex
I am almost done!! :) Just a few more inches to go.













Here's a close-up pic of the pattern:


blanket pattern close-up

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

first finished sock


first finished sock
Originally uploaded by saintlex
WOOHOOOOO! I finished a sock! :) Didn't take all that long, either--I just hadn't been working on it for a while. I'm not totally thrilled with it. The cuff is a little big, and the seam at the toe isn't great (I think maybe I made the sock just a little too long?). But my mom and my fiance think it's pretty, and some nice people on Flickr do, too. ;D

Guess I'll just have to make another one to match!

I don't think these will be the comfiest socks. I realized, in the course of trying these on, that Bernat Sox isn't the most comfortable to wear. I'll wear them anyway, of course. (Proudly!)

I have a TON of Bernat Sox yarn, so I'll use it and like it, dammit. Heheh.

Here's a pic of it on my foot:

first finished sock on foot

Sock progress and blanket progress

I finally picked up my sock again tonight. I am now almost finished with the first one; I just have the heel and a little bit of the toe left to do. I am pleased to report that it seems like it will fit! :) I've been trying it on at all its various stages. If it does fit, let's hope I can make one that matches. Heheh.

I am not overly impressed with the Bernat Sox yarn I've been using. Yeah, I know, it was cheap. It's probably not the best quality stuff in the world. But the center-pull skein keeps getting all tangled up in itself. I can't get the other end of the yarn to stay awaaaaaay from my WIP! Grrr.

I am also still working on the baby blanket. It's getting close to being done. I had no idea it would take this long! Anything for the baby, though. ;) I got to hold her for a while the other day. ♥ ♥ ♥

I confess that I have been terrible at keeping up with others' blogs lately. I've been selling a lot of things on ebay (mostly jewelry-making supplies), and trying to take care of some health problems. I hope to get some good reading time in soon.

Monday, June 18, 2007

I am such a happy swapper. :)

My first swap was completed today--I got my book in the mail (Encyclopedia of Crochet! Yeah baby!!), and she got her yarn in the mail today, too! :) What good luck. We both sent our packages out on Saturday.

I am verrrry happy with my new book, and can't wait to try out a whole bunch of new stitches. I hope my swap partner is happy with the yarn.

And I'm in the middle of a swap with someone else. I'm giving her a whole bunch of jewelry findings and beads in exchange for a knit & crochet book and (what else?) YARRRRRN. :D Some cotton sock yarn that sounds yummy, and violet Fun Fur! Whee!

I like this swapping stuff!!

We saw my sister's new baby the other day. She is beautiful. (As are all of my sister's children! I am not kidding--they have the most gorgeous kids. I may be biased, but wow, they are cuties.) My sister and brother-in-law loved the booties I'd made, and my sis says she'll take a picture of the little one wearing them. I can't wait to see those little feet in the little booties. Awwwww.

I will definitely be making more of those booties. I can't help myself.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Swap update! :)

I am swapping those 2 skeins of Araucania Nature Wool for Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet. Yippeeeee!!!

It's not a yarn ball winder, but it is a book I knew I would buy eventually, and one I've been drooling over for a while now. ;)

No one seems to be jumping at the rest of the stuff I have to swap, so I guess I will probably try to sell most of it on ebay. *shrug* It gets tiring selling stuff on ebay, though. All that packing and shipping. Hopefully, I will make enough money for it to be worth the trouble.

I went out with my sweetheart tonight, and we happened upon a copy of Total Crochet Fashions by Gayle Bunn while at Wal-Mart (I had to pick up a few things, and of course I had to stop by the yarn section while we were there). ;) It looks like a good book. Have any of you read it/seen it/tried any of the patterns? It got good reviews on Amazon, and it has some nice-looking things in it. I put it on my wish list.

I had a crisis last night--I couldn't find my G hook! ARGHHHH! I got a new one today, but it's a plastic one and the one I can't find is aluminum. I don't really have a preference, but I'm afraid the plastic one will break--it's so thin! Well, hopefully I will find the other G hook soon, and then I'll have 2 of 'em. I should probably have a spare of every hook size. I am way too good at losing things.

Tomorrow, we finally get to see the baby! I am so excited. We were supposed to go last weekend, and then my fiance got sick, and I was worried that I might have what he had and that the baby might catch it if we visited. This weekend, neither of us has anything contagious. *knock wood*

Sorry I haven't been commenting lately. I need to catch up on my reading. :)

Thursday, June 14, 2007

swap swap swap swap

I have a TON of stuff to swap. As far as yarn goes, it's just the Nature Wool and a skein of Lion Wool Print in Majestic Mountain; but I'm also trying to unload a ton of jewelry-making supplies.

If you want the details, please click here. :)

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Before I forget...

Two groups on Flickr I wanted to post about.

Free Knit and Crochet Patterns - pictures of people's FOs made from free patterns, with links to the patterns! What a great idea.

Yarn Bouquet - pictures of how people have decorated their living spaces with yarn! Lots of fun. I'm still trying to think of something clever to do and post. It would have to be some kind of wall hanging, since it's not like I have any free surface space in my li'l studio. (Though I do have some ideas for temporary yarny decorations that I could post. Heheh...)

yarn for sale or swap



I bought this Araucania Nature Wool (color 47 - turquoise) at a yarn store not long after I first started crocheting. I was just thinking about how pretty it was, not about how I can't wear wool and how no one I know can, either, and how crocheting with it would probably make my fingers itchy. D'OH!

Now, I would like to either sell or swap it. I'd ebay it, but I'm reluctant to do that because I think this yarn deserves better! ;) If you'd like it (I'm giving those who read this blog first dibs), let me know how much you would be willing to pay for it, or what cool non-wool yarn you'd be willing to swap it for. What would be especially great would be if I could swap it for a functional yarn ball winder.

After this post has been up for a bit, I'll probably also post this in some LiveJournal communities; but like I said, first dibs to you folks!

Not much else to report here. Still working away at that baby blanket, which is now more than halfway done.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Successful yarn shopping in RI, and my new jewelry blog

While my fiance and I were in RI, we found this amazing yarn store called Yarns at Lace Wings. Oh my goodness. They had really nice yarn, at prices I could actually afford! I went bonkers, as evidenced by the photo. ;)

The purple tweedy yarn in the box is Tatamy Tweed. The photo didn't quite capture the color, which is a gorgeous mix of warm purples. I got enough to at least make a shrug. :) The other yarn in the box is Debbie Bliss Cathay. It was on sale, so I bought all that was left in these 2 colors! Should be enough to make something nice and stripey. In fact, I'm kind of wondering if the spiderweb cardigan would work in 2 colors, since I think I have enough to do that. We'll see.

Outside the box: the sparkly stuff on top is Berroco Jewel FX. I got 2 skeins of 2 different colors (more sale yarn, so that's what they had). SHINY! To the right of that is this AMAZING rayon boucle yarn that my beloved fiance bought for me (in a very sneaky manner, I might add!). I don't think any photo could ever do it justice. It's made by Blue Heron Yarns, and I think the colorway is called Sandstone? Anyway, I will have to figure out what I want to do with 212 yards of it. I want to make something I can wear, but 212 yards isn't enough unless I do a scarf or shawl (which I might), or mix it with another yarn.

To the right of the Blue Heron yarn is Berroco Boho Colors. I have been drooling over this stuff since I first saw the Java Jammie pattern on the Berroco web site. :) I don't think it was on sale, but I want my Java Jammie, goshdarnit! ;D The light green yarn directly to the left of the Boho Colors is a ribbon yarn by Artful Yarns. I'm a little confused about what it's called. The price tag covering the labels says "Cinema 193" and "Norman Bates." The dark green yarn directly below it is a ladder yarn, Berroco Mosaic FX.

Finally, the yarn in the plastic bag is an adorable eyelash yarn from Sweden called Funny, made by Pelsgarn (or is it the other way around? I somehow doubt that the company's name is "Funny," though).

I also bought some pretty buttons and some stitch holders, not pictured.

Then we went to Joann. Boy, was I askin' for it. :P Needless to say, I am now beyond broke (gotta love credit cards). I bought the box in the picture there, and I found the yarn I'd been looking for for the Snuggly Scarf! It was indeed Corinthian, and they had 5 skeins that looked just like the one I'd bought to make my scarf. I snapped 'em up. A pic is somewhere in the near future; right now, my camera's batteries are recharging.

I also bought a lot of beads. I used to make a lot of jewelry. Then I stopped. Now I've started up again, mainly because I am tired of wearing the same old stuff. ;)

If you'd like to see the beaded earrings I've been making lately, please head on over to my handmade jewelry blog at smiling-turtle.livejournal.com.

I also moderate a community over on LJ about fair trade/ethically made beads and jewelry supplies, which I started a long time ago when I first realized that most beads are made by people working in the worst kinds of conditions. If you bead and are at all concerned about such things, hop on over--I just posted a list of suppliers of good fair trade beads. It's a good start, even though the list hasn't been updated in a long time (but I did check the make sure the companies are still around!).

Losing patience with Flickr...

The deal with Flickr: you pay $25 to get a "pro" account and store as many pictures as you want, or you get a free account and you only get a certain amount of storage space. That much, I'm OK with. What I'm decidedly not OK with, is the fact that your old photos "disappear" to make room for the new ones. You don't have a choice as to which ones get "archived" (meaning no one can see them but gee, they're still on the site somewhere and you'll just have to take their word for it).

Are there any free, reliable image hosting services that don't do this crap, but that also do the image resizing for you? (I really like the fact that Flickr makes your images into different sizes for you while still keeping the original.) I don't need unlimited image hosting, but I do want to select which of my photos are kept and which ones are not.

Apart from the fact that I don't have an extra $25 right now, I wouldn't choose to spend it on image hosting if I did. (YARN! Need YARRRRRN! And BEADS!) ;D

Friday, June 8, 2007

black crocheted flower brooch with Czech fire polish beads

Here's the flower brooch I made to fasten the sash for my bridesmaid outfit for my friend's wedding, which was last Saturday. It was a big success (the flower, AND the wedding!). :D


I made the flower with Caron Simply Soft in black, using a pattern from the Lion Brand web site. I sewed the beads on afterward, since I had a limited amount of time to make the flower and didn't think it would be so great to experiment with bead crochet right then. I used Czech fire polish beads. At first, I thought they looked too much like little bugs; but the full effect wound up being very nice. I'm sure I'll get to wear it again, especially if there's any sash-fastening going on. ;)

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Back to work, baby blankie, and a request for flower patterns

My Meez is knitting at the office. *giggle* I've been sick for a while, but I made it in to work yesterday afternoon and will be doing the same today. I won't actually be crocheting at work, but my Meez can get away with it. ;)

I am almost halfway done with the blanket for the new baby. It's a very easy pattern, but it takes a while. It will be a very warm blanket, which I guess will be more useful in the winter...though it would also make a good playmat. It's nice and thick. It's going to have a hood, but who cares if it's a hooded playmat? It's all good.

Tomorrow, my fiance and I are heading out to RI for the wedding of one of my best friends, in which I am a bridesmaid. Before we go, I need to have made a black flower brooch to fasten my sash (our bridesmaid outfits have cute sashes) and a pair of earrings to match the necklace I'm going to wear. The earrings will be easy--I already know what I'm going to do--but I don't know about the flower. *gulp* I've never tried one of those before. I'm not even sure which pattern I should use. I'll be using Caron Simply Soft, and I want a flower that will be about 3 inches in diameter.

Any suggestions for a pattern that would yield that result?

I'm gonna sew beads onto it afterward (I'd start crocheting with beads, but I don't want to do that with a first attempt, since I won't really know how it'll look till I'm done).

I had to miss last night's KUTI meeting. I'd had every intention of going, and then it turned out that the air conditioner repair guy could come fix my A/C sometime around 7 PM, and I had to go for it 'cause it's been HOT in my apartment. I stopped in at our meeting place at around 6:15 and didn't see anyone there yet, though evidently there was a group member in line buying her dinner. D'oh.

It's just as well that I didn't see her, though, 'cause I would have hung out and talked for a little while...and meanwhile, the A/C guy was already at my place! He'd forgotten to take my cell phone number with him, so he was there waiting when I got home at about 6:30. He did a great job with the A/C (and didn't charge much!). YAY!

Sunday, May 27, 2007

My mom, wearing birthday scarf and birthday earrings!

Look, it's my beautiful mother, wearing...the birthday scarf! Yes, today was the day. Not her birthday yet, but the day we celebrated, since her b-day is in the middle of the week.

I made her earrings, too. They were made with sunstone and gold-filled beads. It all looked so good on her!







Here she is workin' the scarf-as-sash look:
Mom with scarf as sash

Here she is with little ol' me, wearing the scarf loose. It looks pretty this way, too:
me and Mom (wearing b-day earrings and scarf)

And finally, the earrings, for your viewing pleasure:
sunstone earrings for Mom

Friday, May 25, 2007

I put hearts on them.


baby mary janes with hearts
Originally uploaded by saintlex
I just could not help myself! :) Ooh, I can't wait to see those little baby feet in 'em.













I found instructions for the heart appliques here: Suzetta's Heart Motif

A pair of Mary Janes!


baby mary jane - pair
Originally uploaded by saintlex
Yay, I finished them! :) I am still thinking about putting some kind of tiny applique on them (a heart or flower or something), but I should probably work on the baby blanket instead. I'd really like to have it done on time.

Baby Mary Jane!


baby mary jane
Originally uploaded by saintlex
I was thinking about the baby booties last night. The one I'd been working on was coming out nicely, but it was big and thick and warm-looking, and this baby is being born in the spring. I realized that it would probably be a better idea to make something the baby could wear in the spring and summer.

I started looking for patterns, and I came up with one for "Fake Mary Janes." I couldn't resist!

I whipped this one up pretty quickly, though it took me a little while to get the hang of it. The pattern calls for an I hook, but I had to use a K hook, and the sole still came out to only 3 inches (the pattern says the sole should be 3.5"). I am a fairly tight crocheter, and I guess the designer crochets more loosely than most? I don't know what's "normal," or if there is any such thing. ;) Anyway, I am sure the second Mary Jane will be even easier to make. :)

This is Caron Simply Soft yarn; can't remember the color name, but it's more purple than it looks in this picture.
These baby Ugg boot booties are the cutest things I've ever seen.

I now know what to make my youngest niece for the holidays! (I'm mainly posting this so I don't forget, and so others can see the pattern...)

Thursday, May 24, 2007

WsIP: bit of a baby blanket and boxy baby booties

How was that for alliteration?! ;P

Here's a pic of the baby blanket I'm working on for my newest niece, who has yet to be born:
bit of a baby blanket
It's Lion Pound of Love yarn; I'm making this with the hooded baby blanket pattern from the label. It can also be found on the Lion web site.

And some baby booties I started working on today--I've only got one about halfway done:
baby booties in progress
The yarn at the top is a stitch marker for the instep. They're gonna have cuffs and pompoms. The pattern is from Vogue Knitting "Crochet Basics" (see sidebar if you're curious). I'm using Caron Simply Soft and an F hook (the pattern calls for a G hook and sport weight yarn).

And just for fun, here's the Lion Homespun yarn in Candy Apple that I received yesterday.
Lion Homespun yarn in Candy Apple
Isn't the color gorgeous? Not what I'd expected, and nowhere near as soon as I'd expected it, but very nice indeed. (I think it will make a lovely poncho for my oldest niece. I even have the pattern picked out!)

And another update!

Now I'm not sure if the "mystery color" of Lion Homespun is indeed Mexicana, or if it was a skein of Corinthian that just came out looking different from the others. I've done a lot of Google-ing on this very important issue, and it appears that many items made out of Corinthian come out in colors very similar to my beloved snuggly scarf.

Hmmmmm.

In other crochet-related news, I've been working on a "Pound of Love" hooded baby blanket for my newest niece, who should be arriving any day now. I am not even halfway done! *gulp* Luckily, it's not my only gift for the baby. ;) I bought a really cute gift set with little short-sleeved bodysuits and socks to match. I'm also going to make some easy baby booties.

Yay!

I am still working on that present for a friend of mine...looks like it may not be done by the date I was aiming for. Arghhhh. She may just have to wait. That kind of sucks. But the gift is taking longer to work up than I'd expected.

And there is another friend for whom I'd really like to make a gift, but that one will definitely be late for it's intended occasion. Well, we'll see how all this works out. After all, I do still have that spiderweb cardi to make for myself, and my 2 bags to work on, and my socks!

I also really want to make a black crocheted flower brooch (I'm planning to sew some beads onto it, too) to fasten my sash with for my bridesmaid's outfit for my friend D's wedding. The outfits are so cute--long turquoise skirts, black sleeveless tops with sweetheart necklines, and turquoise sashes. And I'm making my own jewelry. I already have a necklace I made that goes perfectly; I'll just need some matching earrings and the brooch, and I'll be good to go.

UPDATE: Lion Homespun mystery solved

Turns out it's a discontinued color called Mexicana.

Anyone know where I might find some? :-/

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Lion Homespun confusion and an ebay seller rant


snuggly scarf
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
Here, once again, is the photo of my lovely "snuggly scarf." It was made with Lion Homespun, and I could've sworn the label said the color was Candy Apple. I received some Lion Homespun Candy Apple yarn that I'd ordered in the mail today, and lo and behold, Candy Apple is just plain red. (Very pretty, but not at all like the colors in my scarf!)

I have been looking everywhere, and have seen no other Lion Homespun yarn that looks like this colorway. The closest are Corinthian and Fiesta, but they aren't nearly pink enough. When I purchased the skein that this scarf was made from, it was the last one of its kind left at Michaels.

Does anyone know what color this is? Is it discontinued? If there is any possible way I can get my hands on it, I would really like to. I want to make a scarf in these colors for my grandma, since it looked so good on her when she tried it on.

I did buy some Lion Homespun in Fuchsia, which is close but without the orange and green mixed in. I guess it'll do for Grams for now, but I so want to get more of this yarn.

On a different (but related) note, the ebay seller I bought the red yarn from was really mean. The listing (and all of her listings) said the yarn would be delivered within "48 business hours." Um, OK. This is ebay. Ebay runs 24/7.

Next thing I know, it's been 2 weeks and the yarn isn't here yet. I send her an e-mail, and she explains that 48 "business hours" means 6 days, because the "business day" is 8 hours long. Uhhh...not on ebay, the last time I checked.

But it gets worse, because it was obviously NOT sent within 6 business days. It was sent via Priority Mail and got here today. That means it was sent on 5/18, at the earliest. It was purchased (and paid for) on 5/8.

I e-mailed the seller several times, and each time she was completely unapologetic. I wound up leaving negative feedback, and she left negative feedback for me, and I wouldn't really care except that she said I "refuse to understand English." WHAT?! Just because I think her whole "48 business hours" thing is misleading, she accuses me of not understanding English?! I'm an editor, for @#$%'s sake.

*sigh*

OK, sorry for venting. I just don't like mean people.

8 random things about me

Maven "unofficially" tagged me, so I figured I'd give this a shot. ;) Seeing as how this is a crochet blog and I try not to let it overlap with the personal too much, it's gonna be a bit challenging! Here goes.

The rules:
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names
4. Don’t forget to leave them a comment and tell them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My eight things:

1. I'm a messy person. (If a messy desk is a sign of creativity, what does a messy apartment mean?)
2. I have a phobia of crowds.
3. I rarely crochet when I'm not watching TV.
4. My fiance and I were finishing each other's sentences as soon as we met.
5. We met online (so yeah, we started finishing each other's sentences before we met in person!).
6. I make beaded jewelry, and used to make polymer clay jewelry as well (I'll probably take it up again at some point).
7. I was on HGTV's "Crafters Coast To Coast" (now known as "That's Clever!") a few years ago, demonstrating how to make a polymer clay turtle necklace and polymer clay heart charm bracelet. They still air the episode sometimes.
8. I have had a "thing" for socks long before I started to crochet. I have lots of fun socks.

I now tag anyone else reading this who feels like posting 8 random things about herself/himself. Have fun. :)

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Meez, take 2.

My meez got the knitting needles! YAY!!! :) Now she is happily knitting away on the sidebar of this blog. I gave her a starry background to celebrate.

She's dressed just like I am today, except for the necklace--which is just like one I've been intending to make for a while. I have the beads (they're made out of turquoise-colored shell) and everything.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Me make sock.


sock 5-20-07
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
My progress so far. I don't think I like the cuff so much. I thought about frogging it and trying a different pattern, but I've been working really hard on this, and it looks so goshdarn cute in the picture. ;) I'll just keep going, and try a different pattern for the next pair.

It has occurred to me that the "Summer of Socks 2007" does not actually start till sometime in June, and I have other projects that are gifts I really should be working on...so many WsIP, so little time. (I mean, I've had A LOT of time lately; that's why I've started so many things! But I'm planning to be back to my regularly scheduled 9-to-5 work life soon. Very soon. *fingers crossed*)

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Meet my Meez.



She is sad because she cannot have knitting needles like Deneen's. (They don't have a crochet hook option, so knitting will have to do.) She's just hangin' out in her messy living room (much like myself!), with nothing to do (unlike myself). ;)

You can help her, though! Just go create your own Meez. When you go to save it and create an account, put in "yarrrrrn" where it asks if another user referred you. I will then get points, which I can spend on knitting needles! Yay! C'mon, you know you wanna. :D

UPDATE: I am now supposed to have "coinz" with which to buy stuff, and the web site says I don't. I'm working on getting this fixed. Meanwhile, my Meez is VERY upset, as you can probably tell. (She is also upset because all her shirts appear to have a hole in the right underarm...)

Friday, May 18, 2007

Sock help?

I have been working on my first pair of socks. Well, right now, it's just part of one sock. ;) Anyway, I've been trying to work with the pattern for In Your Shoes Ankle Socks from Crochet Me...and I'm having some trouble.

I made the cuff, which looks great. After some deliberation, I managed to sc 2 rounds of 36 stitches each around the cuff, though I was quite confused because it didn't say whether to join the rounds or not (I slip stitched them together; dunno if I was supposed to).

Now, however, it says to "sc across front half of tube." Following the pattern as I have been, I started my rounds of sc at the back seam after slip stitching it together so I wouldn't have to cut the yarn. I thought that was what the author meant...but now, the only way I can think of to crochet 18 sc across the front of the cuff is to cut the yarn and start sc-ing the front part. The pattern doesn't say anything about whether this is what I'm supposed to do or not.

To make matters worse, the author, Pam, appears to be MIA. Her blog link doesn't work, and I haven't found a current one anywhere. I did find someone else who seems to have made socks according to the pattern, so maybe I'll try asking her my questions?

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

boxes 'o' yarn


box o yarn 5-16
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
The package I got yesterday from Smiley's! Hooray! That's the RH Symphony up at the top. The 5 "columns" of yarn on the left are all Bernat Sox; the 2 "columns" on the right are Bernat Handicrafter Cotton.

So very very exciting!








And nine balls of Lion Trellis that I got for a steal on ebay:
lion trellis
I was so excited that I ripped the box! ;D

At long last, some pictures.

I just uploaded a whole bunch of pictures to Flickr, so I guess it's time for some show & tell. :)

Here's my work so far on the Spiderweb Cardigan (crappy yarn and all):
spiderweb 1
The yarn has a tendency to split, so there's some funky stuff going on, but I still think it looks pretty. If it continues to work up like this, I think I may come out with a decent sweater. :)


This is a bag that I'm working on. Nothing too fancy. No real pattern, though it's loosely based on this.
rectangle bag


And another bag:
donnell bag - flat
That is my work thus far on the Donnell bag. (Click here if you'd like to see another pic of mine.) I will post a picture or two when it's finished, of course.


I have more pictures to post, but I'm saving them for other entries. Yes, it's another Image Bombardment Day, courtesy of Alexis. Enjoy! Hope your connection is fast...

Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Smiley's Yarns makes me all smiley!!

Remember that load of yarn I ordered from Smiley's Yarns that I posted about just the other day? It's already here! Granted, it didn't have to travel far--they're in Queens, NY--but I am so very impressed. And overjoyed. The Bernat Sox colors are only OK, in my opinion, but it was cheap and now I get to make socks. :)

The Red Heart Symphony yarn is nice and fuzzy and should work well for the capelet I want to make with it.

The Bernat Handicrafter Cotton? YUM. Will have to make some nice things with it. I have some good colors for stripes. Hmmmm.

I have been working on the Spiderweb Cardigan from my last post. It took me a relatively short time to realize that my gauge was actually WAY smaller than what the pattern called for! Frog time. Ribbit. I am going to try using my K hook instead of the H. I even wanted to try my L hook, after what people have said about too-small armholes; but I can't find it! *gasp* I'll just have to see what happens with the K. This pattern is going to be quite the experiment for me. Maybe not the best choice for my first sweater, but I love a challenge. ;)

nice yarn versus...

Yesterday, I decided that I really wanted to make this sweater from the spring 2007 issue of Interweave Crochet:



I had already known I wanted to make it, but I had thought I would bide my time. Suddenly, yesterday, it became "Now now NOW!" Oy vey.

I did not own the amount of sport weight yarn called for in this project, much less the amount of fancy-schmancy sport weight cotton yarn called for. So I made a deal with myself. After spending some time at last night's KUTI meeting (which was lovely, but I had to leave early 'cause I wasn't feeling well), I decided that, if I could find suitable yarn for the sweater at the Wal-Mart across the street for $10 or less, I could make the sweater.

Imagine my excitement when I found sport weight Red Heart "Baby Soft" yarn, and enough of it only cost me 7 bucks! Sweet, right?

Not really.

The yarn is crappy. I mean, maybe it's OK for certain other projects, but it is not soft (funny that), and of course it is not at all cotton-like (100% acrylic). I am making the sweater out of it anyway--it's my first sweater, so I may as well use a very affordable yarn because I may well screw it up. And if it turns out right, it will still look pretty, but it won't have anywhere near the same nice drape that the cotton would.

*sigh*

I am considering getting enough worsted weight cotton yarn for the sweater and just using a smaller hook, but I'll see what this one comes out like first.

Are there any affordable, easy-to-find sport weight cotton yarns out there? I haven't seen 'em, but that doesn't mean they're not there... ;)

Monday, May 14, 2007

I am really, really, really BAD.

I just got an e-mail from a friend on the KUTI list about the Smiley's Yarns Manhattan Sale. Well, I don't get into Manhattan much--parking there is horrendously expensive, and train tickets + subway tickets = ouch as well. Add to that the fact that they don't take credit cards at the sale, and that I hate crowds, and it's pretty easy to guess that I won't be there. ;P

However...I decided to check out the yarn sales on the Smiley's Internet Yarn Sale site, seeing as how I had clicked on over to their main site anyway. OOPS!

$56 worth of yarn later, I'm feeling a little silly. And a little guilty. And I GOT LOADS OF YARN AT ABOUT $1.50/SKEIN (including shipping). So I'd say I'm also feeling a lot of happy. *giggle*

They have Bernat Sox yarn on sale for $1/skein, and it's the only cheap non-wool sock yarn I know of. I'd been searching for it for a while, but now it's even more important seeing as how I've joined up with the Summer of Socks 2007 sock-along. ;D (By the way, you should all join up if you haven't already, so I can see what lovely socks you make! I've never made a pair of socks before. I'm so excited.)

Anyway, I got a whole lot of sock yarn, a bunch of Bernat Handicrafter Cotton (I've been wanting to try that out), and enough Red Heart Symphony (a synthetic mohair-like yarn) to try out at least 1 pattern I really like that calls for mohair.

WHEE!

The doctor I'm seeing on Friday had better get me feeling better real soon, so I won't have time to spend quite so much money on yarn. *gulp*

Sunday, May 13, 2007

A cool link

These folks are crocheting a coral reef.

Happy auntie-ness for me, and happy Mother's Day!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! Hope you're all having a great day with your moms/kids/whomever. I am going to see my mom and my grandmother in a little while. :)

Yesterday was my nephew's birthday party, so my fiance, my mom, my grandmother and I drove up to Rockland County to my sister and bro-in-law's house. It was loads of fun. And here's the crochet-related part: I finally got to give Kristy her hat! And ohmygod it looks so adorable on her. And not only that--she loves it! :) :) :)

I was expecting that she might not like having it on her head and so might not like it or something, but she is already pretty attached to it. We put it on her yesterday, and she took it off after a little while, but you couldn't take it away from her without her bursting into tears! Awwww! And she doesn't seem to object much to having it on her head. We got a good picture, which I would post except for the fact that my sister has Internet privacy issues, so I should respect that.

I will probably post it as friends-only on my Flickr account, though.

I am a very happy auntie! I am also soon to be an aunt again--my sister's 4th child is due in 3 weeks! How exciting. I am planning to crochet at least one present for the newborn--I'd better get a move on!

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Donnell bag

I just couldn't resist anymore...Tonight, I started working on the Donnell bag by Daphne Mah. (And yes, that's a link to a free pattern!) :) I have a pound of Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn in "Lavender Ice" that I bought mostly for that purpose (the pattern didn't say how much cotton yarn I would need, so I got a pound to be safe, and because it's so darn pretty).

Well, so far, it's adorable! I'm almost halfway done already, so I guess you could say it works up quickly. I had to teach myself front post double crochet (fpdc) for the pattern. I did screw up on the math somewhere (or Daphne Mah did, but I'd bet more money on my messing up the numbers! d'oh), but the bag looks the way it's supposed to; I don't think anyone would be able to tell unless I pointed it out.

If this turns out as well as I think it will, I may have to start making them as little gifties for people. Heehee!

The super-talented Ms. Mah also has a whole bunch of other original free bag patterns at the bottom of this page, as well as a page of links to other free bag patterns on the Internet, many of which don't work. :-/

I bought some black Caron Simply Soft today so I can experiment with making a black flower brooch to fasten the sash that's part of my bridesmaid outfit for a friend's wedding. I've found some great crocheted flower patterns out there. I plan to sew some sparkly beads onto it (I'm still not feeling quite brave enough to try crocheting with beads).

Thursday, May 10, 2007

the scarf, too much free time, and giving to charity

The birthday scarf for my mom is coming out so well! It's even prettier than I'd anticipated. It's artsy and sophisticated, much like my mother. ;) I will probably post a picture when I'm done, since I doubt she will happen across this blog. She's somewhat Internet-savvy, but doesn't spend much time surfing.

I will try to get a pic of me modeling it. Heehee. And if I can, I'll get a pic of my mom modeling it after I give it to her; but I don't know if she'd have any privacy issues about it, and she doesn't like the way she looks in pictures. (She's not that photogenic, but I'd never post a bad one of her. Of course, she'd probably think it was bad anyway...LOL!)

I absolutely must get back to work on a present for a friend (actually, a few presents) that I will have to give to her in about 3 weeks. It's not exactly a quick project.

Luckily--OK, very unluckily--I have a lot of free time lately. *sigh* I've been sick and unable to work. My boss and coworkers have been great about it, but I love my job and want to be there, even if it means I don't get to crochet all day. ;) Couldn't get in to see a doctor who can treat me till May 18th. I hope that will do the trick, so I can get on with my life. In the meantime, my days have consisted of watching lots of DVR-ed shows (mostly Law & Order) and crocheting--not so bad, except for the severe stomach pain. Owwwww.

But that's the end of my whining about it, for now. I have loads of cute projects to make. Also, I just found the Helping Hands, Loving Memories blog, which has inspired me to join up and make some crocheted items to give in honor of my dad. (He passed away last year.) Don't know what to make yet. It'll have to be some relatively simple stuff, so I can crank out a whole bunch of 'em. ;)

Hmmm....Actually, the hospital near me has this group called "Knit Wits" (at least, I think that's what they're called!) who sell items they've made to raise money for the hospital. That'd be neat. I could make whatever I want. I could do lots of cotton potholders. I make the best potholders. And some scarves. And whatever else I feel like adding to my repertoire. I think I'll try to contact them.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

birthday scarf

Last night, I started working on a cute little mesh-y scarf for my mom's b-day. I'm using Zitron Polo yarn, which looks like this close up:



It's pretty lightweight (sport weight, I think), and I'm using an N hook and doing some single and some double crochet. I may post a pattern for it when I'm done, even though it's very simple. It would be my first pattern ever, and that would be exciting.

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

uh-oh

Today I went to Michael's and went on a total yarn binge. I mean, I am almost embarrassed about it. Almost. ;) I was in severe need of retail therapy.

Got a lot of Lily Sugar 'n' Cream cotton yarn. There are a few things I want to make out of it. Mostly bags. 3 in particular. Heehee. They actually had the 1-pound Sugar 'n' Cream skeins, which I'd never seen before (I bought 2); and they had the little balls of it on sale, 4 for $5. I love that stuff.

I bought a "Pound of Love" in yellow to make a shrug out of (the one from the "Happy Hooker" with the little ruffles). I bought some Patons Grace to try to make a pair of socks--I don't know how it works as sock yarn, but I've had such trouble finding affordable non-wool sock yarn that I just said "screw it" and bought the stuff. I got the color Rose, even though I'd been planning on making multicolored socks. The color was calling out to me for some reason. Probably because a) it's beautiful and b) it would match a lot of my spring clothing.

Got a ton of Red Heart Super Saver for various projects, one of them being the Seafoam Vest from the latest issue of Interweave Crochet. And I got a pillow form for either the Lion Suede pillow I've been planning to make for a while, or the Chenille Thick & Quick pillow I've been planning to make for even longer. ;) Also got some snaps and buttons and ribbon, all for specific projects.

So while I went wild, I didn't exactly--almost everything I bought, I bought with a specific project in mind. That is unusual for me. I think it's a step in the right direction, despite the fact that I spent way too much. :P (I did get a lot for my money!)

I am planning to make my mom a b-day present. I want to make her an open-weave spring scarf with the beautiful sport weight yarn I bought in Montclair. I only have 1 ball of it, so it'll be a fairly skinny & short scarf, which should be fine since it'll be a fashion accessory rather than a neck warmer.

I have been sick lately and have had far too much free time, so this was a much-needed yarn-buying spree. Gotta keep myself happy. Or at least, happy till I get my credit card bill. *groan*

Must make PRETTIES!

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Lion Suede and more Lion Suede


Lion Suede shawl
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
I'm making this shawl from the pattern on the Lion Suede yarn label. It's very nice, but won't quite lie flat. Will have to look into blocking it when I'm done--I haven't had to block anything yet, so I know very little about the process, especially when it doesn't involve an iron (the label says not to iron the yarn). We'll see if I can actually get myself to wear a shawl. ;) I've always thought they were for old ladies, but I guess that's not so if one is into crochet? Anyway, it's pretty! And soft. Yum.

I also purchased some Lion Suede a while back that I'm going to use to make a pillow. It matches the rug in my living room perfectly. (I live in a studio, so it's really the only room...heheh...)

Check this out!


lion suede for pillow

Not bad, eh?

furry eyeglass case


furry eyeglass case
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
Here it is: my Lion Suede and Lion Fun Fur eyeglass case. :) (Pattern is on the Lion web site.) This is definitely the silliest thing I've made. It was a little difficult to slip stitch together; the Lion Suede actually broke at least once because it was getting tangled up in the Fun Fur! But it came out fine. It's not terribly useful--it's not that easy to get my glasses in because they get stuck in the holes--but I don't care, 'cause it's fun.

My boss told me it looks like a porcupine. :D

I made a ruffle for the hat!


kristy hat - ruffle
Originally uploaded by saintlex.
I finally jumped in and made a ruffle for the sun hat for my 1-year-old niece. (No, I still haven't seen her since I made the hat. That's scheduled to be remedied next weekend at my nephew's 4th birthday party.)

It is so cute! I hope it fits her. I am concerned that it may be a little too big. We shall see.