For a long, long, LONG time...well, at least the last six months, I have been very good at limiting my crochet projects to one at a time. It was really great motivation," finish this Red Heart Super Saver hat, and THEN you can work with the yummy bamboo and wool blend sweater."
Then, came my trip this weekend.
I had not seen a friend of mine in the midwest for close to four years, so when a small financial windfall came my way, I booked the second soonest flight out there to see him. Unfortunately, my current project "Mad to Attempt Plaid" Bag is WAY too bulky and unwieldly for the confines of a puddle-hopper plane. Digging through my stash, I found two balled skeins of Lion Brand Wool Ease in a soft, rosy color. Each skein had been worked into something at one point, and then frogged, I figured I'd give it the dignity of having a finished project to reside in, and maybe be able to cross a Christmas present off the list.
Like so many before me...I have fallen from the wagon yet again.
At present, the rosy plane hat is sitting 3/4 of the way done, and most likely will be frogged again, the bag needs one more piece to be completed before I begin on the surface crocheting and felting....and I have precious little interest in working on both. Thankfully, there be ghostly programs on the tube tonight, so I might be able to work on some of it.
g.o.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Still Alive
This is purely to just make myself post something.
Post.
Post.
Post.
After languishing atop my stash pile, which doubles as a No-Man's-Land for partially finished, and abadoned projects, I have finally lined the Sari-Silk purse I completed in April or May. My handsewing skills leave a great deal to be desired, but I do intend to make it a point to add more finishing details to my projects.
The sewing machine actually behaved tonight, and I threaded the bobbin with only one, small, meltdown. Other than that, it was an absolute gem. The possibilities grow more and more by the hour, it'd be nice to start making my own clothes, even if its just for novelty.
g.o.
Post.
Post.
Post.
After languishing atop my stash pile, which doubles as a No-Man's-Land for partially finished, and abadoned projects, I have finally lined the Sari-Silk purse I completed in April or May. My handsewing skills leave a great deal to be desired, but I do intend to make it a point to add more finishing details to my projects.
The sewing machine actually behaved tonight, and I threaded the bobbin with only one, small, meltdown. Other than that, it was an absolute gem. The possibilities grow more and more by the hour, it'd be nice to start making my own clothes, even if its just for novelty.
g.o.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
All Epics, Do Indeed, Come to an End
After an eventful summer, the project that encapsulates it all is FINALLY complete. At about 6:30 pm, est., I snipped the last end of yarn for the afghan from hell. Fittingly enough, I was in the middle of watching The Two Towers, courtesy of basic cable- talk about epic meeting epic.
Once the blasted thing was being crocheted together, it was far too big to carry about to continue working on, so I have two smaller projects in the finishing stages that were my breaktime crochet at work. And since I seem very adept at choosing projects that in hindsight seem terribly poignant, the amigrumi I am finishing for a 4-year-old's birthday gift is a personification of Death.
Lighten up, he's a very spooky little kid, much like I was at so tender an age. The idea came after I heard him talking about a commercial for a "...singing skeleton man" and I instantly knew he was referring to The Nightmare Before Christmas. Since said former little student was so fond of my crocheting, especially my prototype toys, it seemed very natural to combine the two. Henceforth, the spooky child will be receiving the dvd of TNBC and his own vaguely morbid toy. His brother, whose birthday is only a week earlier will most likely get a grey newsboy cap and a copy of the musical Newsies- I do my best to encourage the arts when I can...that and I'm REALLY sick of him singing songs from the High School Musical series whenever anyone asks him to sing. I'm pretty sure Zaquisha Efron and crew are what they pump through the speakers in Hell.
Well, back to work.
g.o.
Once the blasted thing was being crocheted together, it was far too big to carry about to continue working on, so I have two smaller projects in the finishing stages that were my breaktime crochet at work. And since I seem very adept at choosing projects that in hindsight seem terribly poignant, the amigrumi I am finishing for a 4-year-old's birthday gift is a personification of Death.
Lighten up, he's a very spooky little kid, much like I was at so tender an age. The idea came after I heard him talking about a commercial for a "...singing skeleton man" and I instantly knew he was referring to The Nightmare Before Christmas. Since said former little student was so fond of my crocheting, especially my prototype toys, it seemed very natural to combine the two. Henceforth, the spooky child will be receiving the dvd of TNBC and his own vaguely morbid toy. His brother, whose birthday is only a week earlier will most likely get a grey newsboy cap and a copy of the musical Newsies- I do my best to encourage the arts when I can...that and I'm REALLY sick of him singing songs from the High School Musical series whenever anyone asks him to sing. I'm pretty sure Zaquisha Efron and crew are what they pump through the speakers in Hell.
Well, back to work.
g.o.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
So Much For Prolific Blogging
As of right now, I'm giving myself grand amounts of kudos for neglecting the blog for an entire month...but what an eventful month it was. In addition to massive upheavel at work, a visit south to L'Drake and the complete scrapping of my vacation plans, my car has decided to ruin its own record of 6 years as a fantastic piece of transportation technology.
The AFGHAN FROM HELL is vaguely starting to resemble a blanket now, I have one more row to slip stitch together length wise, and then comes the fun fun fun task of repeating that for the fifteen rows of the width. As uphill a battle as its been, especially trying to find ways to move it from place to place as I work on it, I'm growing strangely proud of it. I never used to think of myself as a patient person, I'm one of those people who avidly WATCH the food as it cooks in the microwave, telling it to "hurry up," but as I look on this sprawling mass of looped and twisted yarn, I'm reminded that not only can long strands of fiber change.
g.o.
The AFGHAN FROM HELL is vaguely starting to resemble a blanket now, I have one more row to slip stitch together length wise, and then comes the fun fun fun task of repeating that for the fifteen rows of the width. As uphill a battle as its been, especially trying to find ways to move it from place to place as I work on it, I'm growing strangely proud of it. I never used to think of myself as a patient person, I'm one of those people who avidly WATCH the food as it cooks in the microwave, telling it to "hurry up," but as I look on this sprawling mass of looped and twisted yarn, I'm reminded that not only can long strands of fiber change.
g.o.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Knit, Apparently, Doesn't Happen
In the weeks since my last post, I've taken on a massive stash busting project. Going back to my roots as a crocheter, I have busily been whipping out dozens of granny squares to demolish my store of acrylic yarn, and hopefully make an only moderately hideous afghan that can grace the back of my living room sofa for generations to come. Its been nostalgic, looking at the remants of yarn and remembering the initial projects I made with them.
It has also been probably the biggest, single pain in the a@* that I've undertaken in a LONG time. Not even including the potential carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive movements...the damn thing EATS yarn, though, OF COURSE, its not my stash yarn that the AFGHAN FROM HELL consumes in epic amounts. No, its the gray Red Heart Super Saver that I've purchased to border each square. So far, I've worked through 8 balls of 12 purchased...and I REFUSE to buy more. I know, I know, why complain about the cost of Red Heart some of you might say, but 2,928 yards of yarn should be MORE than enough to complete one, single blanket.
After two weeks of working on but one lonely project, I've got fiber craft wanderlust. Its July, and so far, I have made scant progress on my knitting, the one New Years Resolution I made. Today, I was determined to at least work out the rudiments of increases and decreases, so that when I finally can afford to sign up for a knitting class, I'll have some idea of what to do. Well, the only additional wisdom my bamboo needles hold, besides knit and purl stitch, is that I could perform an inexpensive DIY lobotomy.
In the words of my pirate ancestors, arrrgggghhhh.
I must go...the blanket is hungry.
g.o.
It has also been probably the biggest, single pain in the a@* that I've undertaken in a LONG time. Not even including the potential carpal tunnel syndrome from the repetitive movements...the damn thing EATS yarn, though, OF COURSE, its not my stash yarn that the AFGHAN FROM HELL consumes in epic amounts. No, its the gray Red Heart Super Saver that I've purchased to border each square. So far, I've worked through 8 balls of 12 purchased...and I REFUSE to buy more. I know, I know, why complain about the cost of Red Heart some of you might say, but 2,928 yards of yarn should be MORE than enough to complete one, single blanket.
After two weeks of working on but one lonely project, I've got fiber craft wanderlust. Its July, and so far, I have made scant progress on my knitting, the one New Years Resolution I made. Today, I was determined to at least work out the rudiments of increases and decreases, so that when I finally can afford to sign up for a knitting class, I'll have some idea of what to do. Well, the only additional wisdom my bamboo needles hold, besides knit and purl stitch, is that I could perform an inexpensive DIY lobotomy.
In the words of my pirate ancestors, arrrgggghhhh.
I must go...the blanket is hungry.
g.o.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Lots of Finishing...Not Alot of Pictures...
This past weekend, I drove down to the old college town of Roanoke/Salem Virginia for Drake's 23rd birthday. Per his request, I made him a crocheted Chuthulu doll. Originally, I planned to use the pattern from "Creepy Cute Crochet," but I ended up making up another pattern on my own....hmmm, I'm noticing a trend. What really drove me to it was my desire for a more tentacle-y looking dark lord, overall, I was pleased with the outcome.
Behold...the DARK LORD CHUTHULU!!!!
THE DARK LORD COMMANDS YOU!!!!
I also finished my sari silk purse...its HUGE. I think it may have eaten Mary Poppin's bag, perhaps even Mary Poppins herself. The lining still needs to be done, hopefully next week sometime, YAY payday. While down south, Drake and the TEENAGERS (the quasi-youth group he ministers to) bore witness to the awesomeness that is the bag. One of them made the comment that we'll all just have to go to an amusement park so that we can take turns schlepping the bag.
New projects include a grey shawl I'm making for me...just because and the start of Sherin's wedding blanket. Officially, Sherin and Sam are supposed to get married sometime next summer...but with the shennanigans at work, she's pushing to move up the date...so, best get cracking
Behold...the DARK LORD CHUTHULU!!!!
THE DARK LORD COMMANDS YOU!!!!
I also finished my sari silk purse...its HUGE. I think it may have eaten Mary Poppin's bag, perhaps even Mary Poppins herself. The lining still needs to be done, hopefully next week sometime, YAY payday. While down south, Drake and the TEENAGERS (the quasi-youth group he ministers to) bore witness to the awesomeness that is the bag. One of them made the comment that we'll all just have to go to an amusement park so that we can take turns schlepping the bag.
New projects include a grey shawl I'm making for me...just because and the start of Sherin's wedding blanket. Officially, Sherin and Sam are supposed to get married sometime next summer...but with the shennanigans at work, she's pushing to move up the date...so, best get cracking
Sunday, June 1, 2008
A Great and Adventagious Day
In addition to today being my baby sister's 15th birthday, it also marks a tremendous day in my crocheting odessey.
I finished my first garment.
The pattern is from Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. The "Cupcake" Sweater, designed by Laura-Jean Bernhardson. I opted to use a bamboo and wool blend, rather than the cotton yarn the pattern originally called for, a choice lovingly provided for me by my great-aunt Maybelle. I used the pattern directions for a 40 1/2" bust circumference, and still ended up with the measurements for a 35"ish bust due to the nature of the yarn. Overall, I am very pleased with the result...then again, if it resembled a sweater of ANY sort, I would have been happy. Fortunately, it looks more like the pictures in the book then not, which only makes me even happier.
g.o.
I finished my first garment.
The pattern is from Stitch and Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. The "Cupcake" Sweater, designed by Laura-Jean Bernhardson. I opted to use a bamboo and wool blend, rather than the cotton yarn the pattern originally called for, a choice lovingly provided for me by my great-aunt Maybelle. I used the pattern directions for a 40 1/2" bust circumference, and still ended up with the measurements for a 35"ish bust due to the nature of the yarn. Overall, I am very pleased with the result...then again, if it resembled a sweater of ANY sort, I would have been happy. Fortunately, it looks more like the pictures in the book then not, which only makes me even happier.
g.o.
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