Friday, October 31, 2008

Two Posts in One Month...


it must be a record, lol! I've been keeping busy. I finished a hat and scarf of my own design. It's done in Bernat Camoflage in the color Renegade. It's a simple half double crochet pattern that of course, dopey me didn't write down as I did it. I'll have to do another one to see what I did so I can post it.


As I said in my last post, I've been doing some little items in crochet, since I'm a very slow knitter. I started this baby bib in Lily Sugar n' Cream, and then realized it wouldn't look right. So I turned sideways to get more length. I'm not sure if I left enough room for the neck, but I think the ties are adjustable enough there should be good coverage. I also crocheted a burp cloth/wash cloth to go with it. I need more practice designing baby bibs, though. I plan do have several done within the next couple of weeks.

This scarf is done in Lion Brand Homespun, in the color Colonial. I've been on a roll of half double crochet lately, and this is done lengthwise.


This is a dishcloth done in a single crochet ribbed stitch. I figure the nooks and crannies may make a better dust cloth. I'll have to make it longer and a bit wider to be a dust mop cover.

I love vintage pattern books. It's so much fun to see what fashion trends were and how things have changed, or not. Many designs, raglan sweaters, some baby items, haven't changed much. I've found many at church or charitable garage or book sales and in a used book store that's not too far from my house. I started a baby sweater from one of the books I bought, and I'll post photos of both the sweater and the booklet. I've also started to knit an afghan from a Coats and Clark learn to knit book. Photos will be forthcoming.

Monday, October 20, 2008

I Have a Lot of Yarn...



and I didn't know how much until I started to photograph it all. I used to keep an inventory in a notebook, but never updated it as I moved skeins around, sold some on Ebay or used some in a project. Since I'm a member of Ravelry, I thought I'd use their "stash" section to make it easier than thumbing through a notebook with several crossed out areas where I actually did update, that are difficult to read. I also would buy yarn if I came across clearance yarn in a store, like the Bernat Berella "4" I got in Michaels for $0.99 a skein, or a great deal like Lion Brand Baby Soft for $0.99 a skein that you see above that was in Ollie's Bargain Outlet. I also bought more since I never seem to have enough of the yarn I need for a particular project. Usually I have some yarn I can use, but since I bought it a few years ago, or even a few months ago, the dye lot I bought are no longer available. For example, when I did my cousin's blanket, I had some Baby Soft in my stash, but it wasn't enough. I had to buy enough skeins in the same dye lot to complete the project.

For this sweater, I had five skeins of Red Heart Soft Baby in my stash that I wanted to use for a baby layette. This pattern is designed by Gayle Bunn and is from the Coats & Clark book "Beautiful Babies". I wanted to make a blanket to go with it, but I didn't realize that the skeins from different dye lots. Thankfully, I had enough of one dye lot to complete the sweater and hat, but not enough for a blanket also. The hat worked up quickly. I loved the fact the sweater was done in one piece with the sleeves attached, since I hate sewing items together. Heck, I still haven't seamed up the baby kimono I did earlier this year from that same book. I had a little difficulty with the sweater edging. I left off the buttons, because I just don't like buttons on a baby sweater. I'm too paranoid that the baby will somehow get the buttons off and swallow them.

I also buy yarn in anticipation of a new project. I bought several skeins of Lion Brand Jiffy Thick and Quick for a sweater I saw in an old issue of Knit It magazine and it's been sitting in the closet for a while. I'll get to it, eventually, but other projects rear their heads and get in the way. This has happened before, and there is some yarn that I don't remember what project I wanted to make with it.

I've been doing a lot of little, quick projects, like baby bibs, potholders, and the like that I'll share in the coming days. I have a craft show coming up in November and I want to get an Etsy store open in time for some Christmas shopping.