Crocheting presently on top of my schedule.

As you know, I completed the Crocheted Lacy Shawl ...

Which is on display at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn if you want to get a good look at it. It consists of 2 rows that are done over and over again. Even a beginner can crochet this one. I'm happy to have it done and it came out even nicer with this yarn than I had expected; Rowan 4 Ply Soft in a very neutral green. What a nice drape. And warmer than it looks too.

But now I have also finished a Crocheted Sampler Scarf. I started out with a pattern called the Aran Sampler Scarf by Marlo D. Cairn. But I changed it up a lot and added a number of other stitch patterns after doing just a few from the original pattern. I used Spud & Chloe Sweater in the color vanilla. Very Aran Style don't you think? I did add some lace to the scarf also. I want to show beginner crocheters that after learning the basics stitches (ch, sc, hdc, dc & tr) that, just like in knitting, how you combine these stitches creates the patterns & designs. So here's some pictures ...

Now it's on to a crocheted Belaro with the yarn left over from the scarf. [okay, I did have to buy more yarn to add too it ... but it'll look so nice with the scarf.]

I'm still knitting too. Honesty!

And they glow in the dark ...

Glowing Handy Spider Webs [based on the pattern by Irina Novikova a free download on Ravelry] I just used Fiber Fantasy Knitting Products Nightlights so they will glow in the dark. It's a crochet thing.

Now's the time to prepare for Halloween ...

well here in Salem, MA anyway, Ooooooo.

This has 'made my day' ...

Thanks to Knitorious for posting it!

What a great bunch of friends this couple has. As for the bride and groom; What a great way to start out a life together! May they enjoy each other, family and friends together for a long, long, long time.

Cheer them on and spread the joy!

[Additional note: check out another video worth seeing. What can I say ... I work in MIT's Mathematics Department. And I Crochet too!]

Off the track from knitting ...

Crochet and Felting sneaks into my house now and then.

It's only temporary ... although I can do all 3 at once. I still have the knitting bug but I've been sidetracked by the enthusiasm of others. Or is it because I'm so easily distracted. Everything appeals to my senses. If I could have the time ... I would even Cross Stitch. There's some sheep pictures I've been wanting so much to make and hang on my walls. *Sigh*

Well I sent off a package to a friend and since she let me know this morning that she got it, I can now post some pictures. She won the little contest I had awhile back and I wanted to put something more into the box than just the magazine I promised, as a surprise. So I dressed up one of the coffee cup sleeves for her with needle felting.

and then I needle felted a ...



Knitter's Zipper Pull.

There's a flip side also ...

Just a little something ... for enjoyment.

Don't you just love this card? You can find them at Bottman Design Shop.
She's one of Laini's Ladies. I've bought a lot of them for special occasions but this one of course, is my favorite.

One crochet project (I have another in progress) was finished this morning but I'll take pictures tonight at Community Knitting. It's a little something unexpected maybe.

I want to glow on forever!

Behind the Knitting Scene ...

I Crochet.

Finally finished the Elegant Soft Crocheted Shawl; pattern called Elegant Mohair Shawl by Margaret Hubert from Plus Size Crochet.



I didn't use Mohair though. I used Rowan 4 Ply Soft; 7 skeins in Green. It's a pattern you could use whichever light weight yarn you want really. It makes a lovely lace shawl. I'll have a picture of me taken wearing it down at Seed Stitch Fine Yarn this Thursday so you can see the fit. I'll then leave the shawl there for awhile.



In the mean time, I'm doing more crochet. This time a Sampler Crochet Scarf for a class I'm giving at SSFY in September. Once it's done I have to write it up too. So I have a lot of work to do.

I posted a package for a friend today but I can't show you a picture of what I put into the box until she gets it. She's a regular here and I don't want to give away the surprise but I MADE SOMETHING.

Do you wonder what it is?

The Final Display ...

Of the Aztec Scarf!

Looks even better on my friend, Cindy. Cute!!!

Almost shawl size on her as a matter of fact.

The yarn is Spud & Chloe Sweater and it's a Cotton Wool blend. It is absolutely wonderful to work with. So SOFT and smooth. I've already bought more to make another project. Another scarf. But the pattern will be made up by me as I go. Yup, it's crocheted and will be a Sampler Scarf for my Beginner's Crochet class in September. I better get busy on it!

Now it's back to work ... BTW, I finished the Crocheted Shawl this morning also. Blocking it now!!

It's called "fudging it" ...

But alas I got the Aztec scarf finished and blocked. The "fudging" involved my changing the directions on the finish a little.

What did I do to give myself more yarn? And how much did I have left?

First I'll show you how much was left ...

What's that? One and a half inches perhaps. You see what's left of the CC. Well I started out with the correct gauge, but I think I loosened up as I went along and I just used up the yarn quicker that way. Not enough to notice any difference in the scarf though. But it goes to show you need to check your gauge more than once and more than twice as you work on your project. Sometimes you're more relaxed than other moments and that can change your gauge as you work. Did I learn my lesson? [probably not; you'll hear about it again I'm sure.]

I solved my yarn shortage by switching to a smaller hook for the border and crocheting two rows together every once in awhile. Why the c2tog? Well it prevented a ruffle effect that I noticed was happening when I was making the border twice before. So I solved that problem at the same time I was trying to extend the yarn.

Here it is blocked. I'll have a friend take a picture of me wearing it tonight.

Note that it's 2 sided. I don't consider it a 'right' or 'wrong' side because each side is it's own texture and pattern. I love it! The colors are not only a wonderful contrast but different from what I usually wear. Got to "step out of the mold" once in awhile right? You bet.

Remember that Glow in the Dark Yarn, Night Lights?



It's a Spook Pin! It'll be down at SSFY on display and for Mazie to wear at Halloween. You might see a little blue in it ... but that's just the fabric glue still wet. I hadn't let it dry completely yet when I took the picture. BTW, this yarn glows a green color in the dark. Spooky! As for the pattern ... well, I made it up as I went along then glued it to black felt and cut out the felt just a little beyond the ghost. Sewed a pin on the back.

I have plans for more delights from this yarn ... so stay tuned.
Ooooooooooo

Oh Jiminy Cricket ...

I hate getting to almost the very end of a project with only 12 or 20 inches to go and ... I run out of yarn!



Do I frog back and take out one set? Actually I did that already because I was short by one whole side of the scarf. So I frogged back hoping it will block out to 60". If I frog another pattern set, it'll be even shorter. Hate to do that with a scarf. So what happened here? My gauge is correct and I have lots of the CC left over. Just not the MC. The patterns calls for 2 of each.


Did I perhaps get cheated on the yardage in one of the MC skeins?

Argh!!

Once in a Lifetime ...

After 10 years of marriage ... we're still smiling and 'In Love'!



What more can I ask for?

Where am I at on what I'm doing these days?

Before I go on & on about either knitting or crocheting, I want to announce our 10 year anniversary today. DH spent yesterday afternoon with his oldest daughter and I came home to see this package sitting on the table ...



"This is for you, but for TOMORROW," said my smiling sweetheart. "I bought it myself," he said. I love this guy. He was so proud to have this for me to open up tomorrow (well today).

I'm taking him out to dinner tonight. To our favorite restaurant, Finz!

I've been working on 2 WIPs this past week. Not missing in action, but sometimes I feel like I'm missing. The Crochet Shawl is continuing to put me to sleep on the commuter rail into work & on the way home too. But I have only one more skein left to go. I'm ready to be SO DONE with this! I'm going to let Courtney of A Yarn Tale at my LYS (the new owner) put it on display since she has the book, Plus Size Crochet: Fashions That Fit & Flatter the pattern is in. If you're new to crochet; this is a perfect project for you but note that there is an error in the pattern. It's missing a 'chain 2' in the second row after doing the 5 dc shell. But easy to make once you know about the missing chains.



Of course I had to start another project. You know I'm a "starter" right? But this one I will finish by next week. I'm doing it for Seed Stitch Fine Yarn to put on display and help promote the new yarn line by Blue Sky Alpaca. It's called Spud & Chloe. It's a Cotton & Wool blend. Has the smooth feeling of cotton but not the scratch of wool. The flexibility of wool and the warmth without being too warm. Does that make sense? If you don't care for wool around your neck, you won't feel it in this yarn. I love working with it!

The project is called the Aztec Scarf by Amy O'Neill Houck. Now this is an Intermediate crochet pattern. I plan to give a one day 2 hour workshop on this scarf in November. Come join me!



And last but not least ... Glow in the Dark Yarn?



What do you suppose I plan to do with this?

Creativity muddling my mind ...

Is that my excuse for taking so long to finish my Maxine Hat?

After all; I gave her a shave already and she's dry.



And there she sits waiting for me to come up with embellishments. Some fluff to give her style and her own personality. But the ideas and designs are just whirling around in my head. Nothing concrete has been implemented yet.

Okay, I know I've finished some stuff first; the Debbbie Bliss Shawl and the Wedding Garter ...

...

But whatever made me pick up the crocheted shawl from my Missing-in-Action Basket? The most boring project on the face of the planet.



Am I avoiding the challenge of living up to .... THE Felt-tea Farm Tea Cozy?



Oh the pressure!

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