Thursday, January 27, 2005

The Mysterious De-Stash

Back when I had money, I bought yarn almost every day. Now, I've started five projects in the last week and had to frog them because I ran out of yarn. That is the most frustrating thing. I've tried to make the Open Fan Cardigan from the Interweave magazine twice, and no luck-I even ripped out a poncho for the yarn. I can't wait to have spending money again! Where did all the yarn go? I had baskets of it, waiting to be played with, and suddenly there's just a few big rolls of nasty Red Heart, and tiny little balls too small for anything but flowers-and I've gpt plenty of flowers.

The weather here in Fredonia is, as my darling Michael puts it-"an icy tundra." The wind howls between the buildings and it is amazing how many layers of clothing it can disregard-a "lazy wind"- doesn't bother to blow around you, goes right through instead. I've tried making four different hats and nothing keeps it out!

Still, I'm on the edge of a few different things being done, and I'll have pictures and patterns up...I tried making a tiny crocheted kitten, and it's the first time I've ever been stumped. I'll give it one more shot.

Remember if you're looking for something I made, it'll be on the free patterns page-black button at the bottom.

Saturday, January 15, 2005

Fleurs

I think the reason some of my projects moulder in the basket, half-done, is because I never really wanted to do them in the first place...just felt like I was supposed to be designing something. Well. No more of that.

I got a halter top from that Groovy Crochet site done, although I added a few more squares at the bottom and I'm wearing a tube top under it. I am not currently daring enough to wear it bare.





And I made myself a new scarf. My old one, a big old Light and Lofty thing, was fast becoming a raggy cat hair attractor. So I picked the stitch out of the Vogue Dictionary of Crochet Stitches (weird how they don't give them names..I'd call it the Tangle Shell), made up the flowers myself, and made a random loopy edging. I wanted more flowers, but ran out of the pink. It's an enchanted forest sort of thing, and perhaps will counteract the rest of winter.







I also got into my very very first swap on Craftster. We're making mobiles! So I've got to design some creatures for that...mail-out is Jan 31, so it'll be ready soon.

Sunday, January 9, 2005

Victory Is Mine

I've been out of the circle for a while here, and I'll tell you why: because I've been buried in a pile of 1970's knit/crochet magazines. Such a treasure is mine because my boyfriends' dear mother has been an enthusiast of the craft since that day, and has saved ALL HER STUFF. And I mean ALL of it. Patterns, magazines, probably yarn.....and she let me borrow it! (Gave me a knitting lesson, too, bless her patient heart.) And in this mass of loveliness I found the perfect sweater pattern-it's easy, quick, and involves grannies without complete tackiness. Behold:



It took me two days of work and it only got a little bit tedious. It's worked from vertically from the center out to the sides, so it's stretchy, and it's in a big v-stitch. This one is from McCall's Sweater Book 1975. It's a magazine, not a book, and has a lady in a big gray sweater coat on the front. It's also online for free! http://web.archive.org/web/20011203111937/www.cei.net/~vchisam/groovy/10-11.html

So I exhort you all to ask any veteran crocheters you know if they still have pattterns hanging around. These things must be preserved! Fix them up and use them and pass them on!



Before the two days of sweater-making, I started and stopped half-a-dozen design projects or so, which will get finished sometime....the only thing I really completed was this vine panel here.

I started it for a sweater, that's the green one in worsted weight; but I quickly learned that your first sweater should:

1. Be from someone else's pattern. You don't know what you're doing.

2. Not be in godsdamn single crochet. It is not worth it.

But it would still be a nice sweater top if I could finish it. The panel itself could be used for so many things. I made a bookmark out of thread, as you can see; and it could be an edging, or whatever. It can be as long as you want it to be. I'll post the pattern in a bit. It's random, not repeating, that's the only way to get that asymmetrical vine look, but the principle can be taught.

I have a half-finished Chinese New Year Dragon, and a few squares of an Irish Rose Scarf done. So those will definitely be up, too.

Oh, and my Nonnie asked me to design her a 2-D flying pig for her door, and he turned out adorable, but I forgot to take a picture. I'll make another one and post the pattern. He'd make a good potholder if you were inclined to burn his poor little tummy. But mostly he's a door hanging.



P.S. My artistic brother just started up his own blog about his 3-D stuff, and I bet if you beg him really hard, he'd consider making a few gratis blog banners. Because college doesn't give him enough to do. =)

http://pointlessmalarchy.blogspot.com