Hello! It's been quite a while...

I took some time away from crochet again, and now I'm back. Or trying to be, anyway. I've had some seriously frustrating crochet "issues" lately.

First, there was the lovely Java Jammie. I've been wanting to make one of these for years now. Literally. I had the yarn, so I finally gave it a shot. The first few rows looked weird, but I kept going...and it was coming out really cute! Then, I realized I'd screwed up around the flowers and hadn't increased where I was supposed to. So much for that ever fitting a coffee cup. I frogged it...and haven't been able to get it started the right way since!!! :(

The problem: Rnd 1: Work 1 sl st in each ch around.

A row of slip stitch? How's that work, exactly? Seems like, in my case, it doesn't. Did the designer really mean sc instead? Or am I just missing something? HELP! (Please?!)

Next, I tried to work on the Zen Scarf I'd started and left to hibernate for a while. I got it started up again, or so I thought; but it kept coming out wrong, with really strange edges. I ended up frogging it because I just couldn't figure out how to continue the pattern the right way. I also didn't like working with the pattern very much. It was incredibly difficult to keep track of which row I was on (I suppose I should've been writing it down, or checking the rows off, or something; but I hadn't when I'd started out, and maybe that was the entire problem). Maybe I'll try it again sometime, but for now, it's in the frog pond.

Then, I tried to make a Tunisian Lace Ascot. That didn't work out, either. I think maybe Tunisian crochet is not my thing. I eventually got the first row done, was all excited, and messed up the second row and couldn't figure out how to correct it without starting over. Then I couldn't even get the correct number of loops on the hook again.

GRRRRRRAAARRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHH.

I have finally decided to try out a Queen Anne's Lace Scarf. I hope that turns out to be easier; it certainly is pretty. (No working pics with the pattern, but there are a ton of projects with pictures on Ravelry.) I want to make it using some beautiful Handmaiden Double Sea Silk yarn that I bought last week in Toronto at Lettuce Knit, while my husband and I were on our (delayed) honeymoon. :) (Honeymoon was fabulous, by the way!!)

I hope the QAL Scarf is a quick project, too, because I will soon be starting graduate school and probably won't have much time for the yarny goodness. *sigh* We'll see, though; I may still be able to fit in my crochet habit somewhere, now that I've picked up my hooks again.

Zen scarfy, holiday wishes, and random ramblings

Happy holidays!

My holiday cards didn't get sent out, as usual. I always start out with the best intentions, and then...nothing. I didn't even mean to send a lot of them, just a bunch to good friends. Oh well. :(

I frogged and re-started my Zen scarf today. I wasn't happy with the tightness of my gauge. It didn't look right to me, and my hands and shoulders were cramping, so I decided to loosen it up a little. I kept the same hook size but am coaching myself to crochet a little more loosely so my body doesn't hurt while I'm doing it. I think it looks much prettier now. I am really enjoying working with the purple Patons Brilliant, mainly because I just like to look at it! It's so shiny! I have about 5 skeins of it in light blue, too. Not sure what I'm going to do with that yet.

I would really like to make a Divine Hat next. Not with Patons Brilliant, though! Maybe with Simply Soft or something. We'll see if I get sidetracked or not. ;)

I finished my holiday gifts (well, all except 1, which I can't find the yarn for--how aggravating is that?! I know it's in my stash somewhere--or at least, in the apartment somewhere). I want to show off, but I can't until after they've been given to my friends, since of course I want them to be surprised.

It's been a while...

Things got crazy with wedding planning, so I had to stop crocheting for quite a while. *gasp* Now that I've been married for a little over a month (yay!), it's definitely time to pick up the hooks again. (The wedding was FANTASTIC, by the way--and I am now married to the love of my life, which of course makes me very happy.)

I'm working on a few small holiday presents, which I'll have to keep secret for now. I am also working on a Zen scarf for myself in Patons Brilliant, in dark purple. I'm not so wild about the way the pattern's working out--I'm afraid I may be screwing up a little somewhere. It should still be pretty, though. I mean, how far wrong can I go with sparkly purple yarn?! :)