Tag Archives: Crochet

back to it!

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Huzzah, huzzah! The spring infant sets I’ve been working on are complete and ready to ship out as soon as I get paid! I feel like the last couple weeks I’ve focussed on little more than basic housekeeping/mommy duties and cursing at the Homespun yarn I used. But this morning I was back to my usual routine and it felt great.

I did laundry, changed the sheets on all the beds, tidying up… Boring stuff I guess, but stuff that feels great to get done. I also tried to clean a little in Jake’s room. My word, the lair of a 9 year old boy can be a curious place to visit. His shelves are so cluttered with Lego sculptures, sport trophies, Lowe’s Build & Grow projects, and Lord knows what else. I didn’t get very far — it’s a project I’ll just have to save for another day.

Not too much else is new. My parents came down yesterday and we enjoyed a visit with them. We have a couple more family visits coming up, but overall February looks like a pretty tame month (!). January was jam-packed so I wouldn’t mind a slower pace. And maybe a little snow ;-)

{ta-da!} finished crochet bunny set

bunny set

Oh boy, I sure hope the rest of these hats & diaper covers hook up easier than this one. This was a project wrought with frustration. The original pattern I purchased was not very good. I’m working with a yarn I don’t love (Lion Brand Homespun). And I feel stressed to get this whole order done.

hat

With that said, I am pleased with the final product. I might need to make a Cabbage-Patch sized set for Laura’s baby :-) I really love the diaper cover. The shape came out just right (in my opinion) and I made it one-size-fits-all. All you need to do is tighten the cord around the baby’s waist to get it to fit. Remember — these are photo props, so it just has to stay on for a little while. But I do think this would hold on well unless it’s an especially squirmy baby!

diaper cover-front

diaper cover-back

I feel like the hat is a little on the big side (even though I followed the pattern — see this is what I get! Should have just hooked up the beanie I’m comfortable with). But I’m sending this to my friend today and he can let me know.

For now, I am taking the day off from crochet! I need to tidy up the house and I’d really like to quickly sew a new camera strap cover for myself. Happy Friday!

bunny hat sneak peek

I’m so close to finishing up my bunny set! I just have to crochet the inset for the ears and then sew everything up. This has been a really frustrating project to get right. I read and combined and changed around so many different patterns that at this point I feel like it’s my own design. (I mean, let’s get real here – how unique is a basic hat and diaper cover?) Since I have to make 9 more of these, by the time I’m done I just may write up the pattern to share with you all. (Unless I’m totally sick of them by that point, LOL!)

You may notice my book in the background. Today I’m linking up with the Yarn Along hosted by Ginny at Small Things. She invites her readers to share a project and their current read. Drew gave me a copy of A Flight of Angels for Christmas after we met Rebecca Guay (the artist behind this beautiful work) at NY ComicCon in the fall. She is an amazing fantasy artist and we had no idea who she was until then, but when we started looking through our Magic cards, we found a few that she illustrated!

Hopefully I’ll finish up both of these tonight!

holiday crafting

I thought I’d give you a peek into my crochet basket so you know what’s keeping me from blogging. Any guesses? Elf hats!

Last week a high school friend asked about knit newborn hats for photo sessions (he and his wife are photographers). After I hooked up this sample, I sent him a photo to get his thoughts:

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He liked it and asked me to hook up nine (!) hats ASAP.

I’m 1/3 of the way done, which doesn’t sound like much but I think it’s pretty good since I’m not a fast crafter! Hopefully I can crank the rest out and get the lot mailed out early next week. After that I might put a few in my neglected Etsy shop. We’ll see.

“shrugging” on this project

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Earlier this week I cast on for the “Midwest Moonlight” scarf from Scarf Style. It’s a pattern I’ve had flagged literally for years. However, when I picked up the knitting needles again, I soon remembered why I haven’t knit in a while: it takes forever compared to crochet. So… what to do?

Do I keep plugging along at this? Earlier this morning I stopped by Old Navy because they have a super-duper sale going on and I bought this adorable tank for under $4. I love the picot detail!

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It looks great as-is, but I think it would be sweet with a little crocheted shrug or sweater. They actually were selling crochet shrugs right next to it, but the smallest size they had was still too big, plus it was in awful shade of olive. But I think this blue would look great as a little cardi, don’t you? I have quite a bit of this yarn, so I am thinking of starting a shrug using another skein. (Just in case I don’t like that either and want to go back to this scarf at some point — you can see how fickle I am when it comes to this stuff.) Good thing I’m not into making jewelry. I’d probably spend all my time on wire management because I’d change my mind on projects so often!

I need to just commit to one project and finish it. Right now I have so many unfinished blankets and garments in my closet that it’s embarrassing! Please tell me I am not the only one, LOL!

afghan update

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This is one sad looking little afghan, isn’t it? Sigh… so much for my goal of one square a month! I really need to get back on track. Honestly, now I’m not even sure I like the blue so much. But I’m just going to keep on going. I can always redo a square if I need too later on. My mom is crocheting the same pattern, but in just one color and she is so far along and it looks so pretty! She didn’t like a few of the squares in the sampler, so she substituted other squares that fit. I might end up doing the same. A couple sets of instructions  are very confusing. I’ll either save those for last, or not do them at all. Well, I’d better get hooking!

counting down to spring break

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Happy Friday! I can’t believe that it’s finally spring vacation! The boys have not had a break since Christmas (unless you count snow days), so they’re looking forward to their break, which starts as soon as school ends today. I have some fun activities planned, but they have to remain top-secret. Sometimes I leave my blog up on my laptop and since they both can read… well, I don’t want to spoil the surprise.

Yesterday my parents came down for the day. The boys didn’t expect to see them so that was another surprise. I got so much done while my mom played with Laura! Of course, as you look upon my dirty countertops in the above photo you wouldn’t think so ;-) I picked a few daffodils yesterday to brighten up the kitchen. I figure that if I don’t pick them, the deer will eat them so I might as well enjoy them! And I snipped a few forsythia stems, as well. I love yellow!

Speaking of yellow, here’s the Clapochet I’m working on right now. I don’t know… I think it just seems a little boring. Some of the other projects on Ravelry seem to mimic the original Clapotis a lot closer. What do you think?

clapochet

clapochet

Also, as I was cleaning up my work last night I found one huge, glaring mistake. I don’t think I can just come to peace with it and move on (because it looks incredibly sloppy). So, if I’m going to rip it out anyway, maybe I should just try another pattern. I think that the One Skein Summer Wrap might work (and it should hook up quickly). I think I might have to try the Clapochet in a different yarn. I like the pattern, but… the weight just doesn’t seem right.

Well, there are certainly worse problems to have. Maybe this afternoon I can give the Summer Wrap a go and get back with my decision.