FO: Finally!

This afghan is finally done and I am so glad! Yellow is not my favorite color and I just wanted to get rid of this last "Pound of Love" yellow I bought when I worked on a baby afghan for a friend. The stitch is a very simple HDC (two HDC in one loop, skip one loop, repeat) using a G hook. It was made for Project Linus and you can see the PL label already sewn on.

The edging is a faux Reverse SC using an H hook. Instructions for this were sent to the Crochet Partners discussion group by Jean Leinhauser. Very easy and very fun! You get to twirl your hook around in a circle just like a baton! I choose white for the edging because the afghan was SO yellow!

WIP: Christian Michael's Afghan

On my hook is an afghan for Christian Michael, my sister-in-law's grandson. Better get it done soon so he will still be a baby when it arrives! It is made with Red Heart Supersaver in light blue using an H hook. The pattern is a very simple 2 HDC in one stitch then skip one stitch all across.

Life, Crochet & Priorities

So far, I am still working on the afghan shown in the January 30th entry. Making very slow progress because other priorities keep intruding into my crochet time! We are doing some DIY renovating in the guest bathroom and it is really a lot of work. The wallpaper is off, the walls are primed, the old vinyl floor is up, a couple of walls are partially painted to see what the color would look like, and the toilet comes out next so we can finish the walls and floors behind it. Currently, we are sanding the floor to get the rest of the glue from the vinyl off. Well, back to work.

WIP: Latest Afghan

Even though my yarn stash is still not low, I bought some more yarn to start this afghan. The sale at A.C. Moore called to me! The pattern is called "Harmony" designed by Denise Black from the book "Great Big Crochet Afghan Book" by Needlecraft Shop.

The yarn is my favorite Red Heart in colors Warm Brown (#0336) and Aspen Print (#0305). The varigated Aspen Print happens to have a color that is just like the Warm Brown so it seems like a good match. The hook is my green J hook (as opposed to my red J hook).

This pattern uses a Front Post Triple Crochet stitch that was much easier to learn than I thought it would. The FPTRC every two stitches makes a "window" through which the Aspen Print shows through. Nice pattern.

FO: Project Linus Projects

Just a few of the projects completed for Project Linus -- 3 afghans, several hats, and a scarf/hat combo. All helped use up some of my stash yarn. Still have quite a bit of stash left over but will keep working it down! I'll be glad when the baby yarn is gone. I made a blanket for a friend who had a baby and I must have been afraid of running out because there sure seems to be a lot of it left over!

These afghans also gave me the chance to try using some Fray Check liquid to keep the ends from coming out. Seems to work all right but it also seems to leave some hard scratchy spots. Will have to try to use less.

FO: Hat & Scarf

This week we took a quick trip to Baltimore and this hat and scarf are the result of a few hours work. The yarn is Red Heart TLC Amore in color Plum (#3534); the hook is size G. It is a beautiful yarn to work with -- nice and soft. Both hat and scarf are all HDC (half-double crochet) and it was very fast. No pattern for the scarf -- just crocheted until it was long enough and put the slit in just at the right spot.

I had 2-6 oz. skeins on hand "just to try" some time and this was the time. I love working with the yarn though it is a little expensive. Maybe when it goes on sale AND I have a coupon!

Cakes from Yarn Winder

Here is a picture of what a "cake" looks like from my Royal Yarn Winder. It is a cylinder shape so it doesn't roll around and pulls from the center very nicely.

When I wound my own yarn, I pulled the yarn so tightly it usually became odd after a while. The yarn winder does a great job of keeping the yarn loose enough not to ruin it but tight enough the cake stays together. I love mine!

WIP: Queen-sized Bedspread

About 5 years ago, I started a queen-sized bedspread and continue working on it over time. It is nearly done; only about 6-8 more inches left on the bottom. I plan on creating box corners so it becomes a fitted bedspread.

The yarn is Red Heart "Linen" #o330 and I'm using an H hook. The stitches are the Half-Double Crochet and the Slip Stitch. It is an easy pattern and the only problem has been the sheer size of it. Difficult to manage in my chair or on the couch. I've recently draped it over the dining room table and crochet while standing. Since I am very short, I can lean over the table and rest on it while hooking. When I turn the corner (so to speak) I walk around to the other side of the table and continue. Rather than turning the bedspread, I turn myself!

Because I've had problems before with colors being discontinued when I needed another skein or two, I over-purchased the yarn and still have about 12 skeins of RH #0330 in the Super Saver size. There is still the edging to do and I haven't chosen one, yet. Jean Leinhauser's book "50 Crocheted Afghan Borders" by Leisure Arts will be my inspiration.

FO: New Totebag

Finally, a new post. I wanted to wait until I had something finished so here it is. Patti Jo Kemp from the Crochet Partners list had a totebag that I loved. She sent me the pattern (which she improvised from) and that was my guideline, too.

This was so easy to do (single crochet all the way for me) and came out really well. The yarn is Red Heart "Warm Brown" #0336 and Red Heart "Painted Desert" #E300. The hook was size G. I reinforced the bottom with some plastic canvas and the handles with some leather shoestrings.

WIP: Granny Square Vest

Making this vest reminds me how much I dislike joining small crocheted pieces together. I love the look that these vests have but if only my mother lived close enough to do this for me -- like she doesn't have her own projects to take care of!!!

The yarn is Caron One Pound Midnight Blue #546 and a Susan Bates hook G (4.25mm).

Anyway, I need 56 squares about 3.5-4 inches each and I have just over 30 finished. THEN they need to be blocked; THEN they need to be joined; THEN the vest will need to be edged...

FO: Caron Jewel Box Drawstring Bag

This is the first purse/bag I have ever crocheted and it came out extremely well! My husband was even impressed and played with the pulls a couple times. An old CD will fit perfectly in the bottom to give it support.

This pattern came from the Caron yarn site and can be found in the free pattern area. Two changes were made to the pattern once I got started: 1. I added another round to the bottom and 2. the top row was done in half-double crochet just for a change. The pattern was very easy to follow and I finished it in about 4-5 hours over 2 days.

Rather than using the thread suggested at the Caron site, I used 2 threads of Lion Brand 'Pound of Love' white #100 from my stash and my favorite red Boye J hook (6.00mm). After weaving in the loose threads on the pulls, it will be ready to use! Now, which CD should go in the bottom... software? music? computer game?

WIP: It's red!; FO: 8/10/2006

This WIP is going to be a shawl. The yarn is Homespun Candy Apple #375 and the hook I'm using is a plastic Susan Bates N (10mm); the stitch is a single crochet (sc). The Homespun is difficult enough to work with that I choose a large hook and a simple stitch. The color just glows!

It will be long enough to toss each end over my shoulders. This will cover my arms but leave my hands free enough to crochet or read. All that's left to finish is a few more inches of shawl plus some fringe.

Update on 8/10/2006: Finally finished and it is warm and just right! The fringe is just long strands of the Homespun tied onto the edge. Each end has a knot in it because this yarn will fray!

WIP: Yarns don't match!

You can see my WIP started below. I have gotten far enough along that I'm ready to tie on a new skein -- but they don't match! The label on the Caron pounder says "No dye lot" (in 3 languages!) but the new yarn doesn't have the same sheen as the current yarn. None of the Caron Soft Sage at Joann's matches, either!

What if the yarn I have already used is the mis-match! Hope this doesn't become another frogging project!

Update on 6/26/2006: Joann's had a new batch of Caron Soft Sage and today I found one that seems to match the original yarn. Thank goodness! I was ready to SIU (see acronyms at right) and frog it. Now I can get back and finish it!

Update on 7/4/2006: Nope! Not a match at all when I finally joined the two colors. Bought a third one which really seemed to match in the store but the light must be really bad at Joann's. So the project is back on hold.

Update on 9/20/2006: Wrote to Caron and explained the situation (folks on Crochet Partners recommended this) and they sent me three (count them -- 3!) skeins of matching Soft Sage yarn. Customer service is still alive and well in America! Haven't frogged the original afghan, yet, or started on a new one with the matching yarn but it won'd be long!

Essential Book

When I started crocheting again in my adult years, I had forgotten quite a bit of what I'd learned as a child from my mom and grandmother. I am left-handed and most examples I could find were for right-handers.

A book that saved my mind and lots of time is "Left-handed Crochet" by Regina Hurlburt (ISBN: 0-42-23590-9). My copy was published (and probably purchased) in 1979 and I use it several times a year.

Let's see, do I pull the yarn through all the loops or just the first two... ?