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 OMG! What  a perfect first project for knitting lace! So pretty. :)

There's always a place for lace! This stunning lace shawl is a great project for beginning lace knitters.
Posted by Knitting Club on Friday, April 17, 2015

In the works.

About a month ago, my dad passed away. It was both expected and unexpected. We have a large family, and a couple of times, I escaped to my dad's bedroom for a few minutes of quiet. I've always been like my dad that way.

While in there, I examined a crocheted blanket my sister Jennifer had made him. I didn't even know she crocheted. It was lovely and thick and warm and reminded me how I had planned on making him a knitted blanket and even started on one once. But then I ran out of yarn...went through a divorce...moved a dozen times...you know how it happens.

Life gets in the way.

One of the topics that had been broached was people getting items of my dad's to remember him by. I was hesitant to take anything from that room. I felt it would be taking something away from Mom. But it occurred to me that if I had made him a blanket, I don't think I would have felt as bad taking it back. And, somehow, having an item that I had made my dad and my dad had used seemed very comforting.

But it's too late for that.

While we were up there, my sister-in-law Alice kept putting on this big, scarf thing over her head. I mean REALLY wide. My mother and sister Diana loved it, kept saying that they loved how it could go over her head too. They both wanted something like that and asked if I could do it.

Which, obviously, I can. And I realized that I have a second chance with Mom, to make her something useful and warm and that she could love. Something that she could put on and remember that I had made for her because I love her SO much. Something I wish I had done for my dad.

So I started looking for patterns. Alice's huge scarf was beautiful and appeared to be an uncomplicated pattern--it looked like a lot of Vs--but it seemed to me that the main draw for both Mom and Diana was that it was a scarf that could be used over the head as well. So I decided to start working on this hooded scarf. I don't have pictures of my work so far because I've no idea where my camera is, so here's a screen print from the pattern:

It's by Yolanda Munoz Designs.

Since I found out my mom's favorite color is blue, I'm working on this in a yarn with the color name of "Ocean." Even the name sounds comforting. Well, I guess unless you're scared of the ocean!

Anyway, so far, I'm almost done with the scarf part, which has been simple enough. I guess I'll move on to the head piece next. That is probably the only thing I'm not going to like about this: The scarf has three components that have to be sewn together. And, like most crocheters/knitters, I hate seaming. It's why I haven't made nearly as many amigurumi dolls as you'd think I would have and why my second Infinitely scarf sits in a basket completely done but unjoined.

But it's my mom, so...seaming is kind of worth it, don't you think? :)

FO: Vincent's first baby hat.

The other day, I finished a hat I was making for my son. It's nothing exciting, just a plain, blue, crocheted hat worked in a spiral in single stitch and finished off with a duplicate stitch. I finished with the duplicate stitch because I hate the way that "skip a stitch and then slip stitch" finish looks.

Anyway, it's almost not even worth mentioning because it's such a simple, plain project, but the fact is that as exhausted as I am nowadays, I'm proud that I've accomplished anything at all.

Of course, my son hates anything on his head, so I couldn't get a picture of him in it!

Not Much of an Update.

While I was still pregnant, I started working on another Infinity Scarf for my friend Jan. At my baby shower, I showed the one I made for my mother-in-law to both Jan and Lacey, and they seemed to really like it. So my hope was to make them both one.

I started Jan's before I had my son. Since I've had my son, I think I've only done a few rows. Mind you, this scarf really is quick to work up. So it's not the scarf. It's just me. I've just been that tired and busy. Obviously, winter has come and gone, but maybe I'll get the scarves done to send them by Christmas! (Since my baby shower, we have all since become telecommuters, so we no longer see each other every day at the office. The only drawback to working from home. Boo.)

That being said, I really miss both crocheting and knitting. So I'm looking at projects that are simple and quick, ones that could possibly be done during the whopping 20 minute naps my baby likes to take.

What I'm thinking of so far:

• Arm/wrist warmers
• Mug/cup cozies
• Amigurumi
• Hats
• Dishcloths

I'm leaning towards mug cozies and dishcloths, as they're the smallest projects and would possibly be quick enough to work up during my son's (way too brief) naps.

Truthfully, I used to really hate cozies, but I recently realized the usefulness of them as ways to identify your drink--particularly, when you're at gatherings with a family as large as my husband's.

I still have some variegated yarn that I got for Christmas that I plan on using for such a project. Because of the coloring on this, I'm looking at some of the "plainer" patterns. Not exciting, but I just need to get my hands moving again. I already have a dishcloth pattern I really like. I'm thinking I'll stick with that.

First, though, I must finish this scarf...

FO: Boo the Bee

While I have more technical knowledge than the average person--I have an Associate degree in computer programming--I am unlucky when it comes to getting wireless routers working properly. So last summer, when my husband Jim and I bought our computer, Jim's best friend Phil and I worked out a deal: Phil would set up our wireless network, and I would crochet him an amigurumi bee to give his baby nephew, who was due in September.

Incidentally, one of Phil's hobbies is beekeeping, which is why he wanted to give a bee-related gift to his nephew. I mention this not because it's really relevant; it's just a cool hobby to have. For real, how many beekeepers do you know?

Anyway, I browsed patterns on Ravelry. Jim, Phil, and I decided that the Boo the Bee pattern was definitely the cutest. I modified the eyes to be more baby-friendly, as I was paranoid about the eyes coming off and becoming a choking hazard. Honestly, I was leaning towards not doing the bendable antennae either, but Jim and Phil won that round. I just made sure to tell Phil to let the parents know what was in the antennae--and I stitched those things on all mad-crazy tight.

Did I mention I'm paranoid?

At any rate, I did finish Boo in time. The pattern isn't too bad, but I got all tangled up making those eyes. To be fair, stitching/sewing isn't my thing.

You know what also isn't my thing? That stupid jog when you have stripes and you're trying to crochet in a spiral. I ended up using the invisible join to "level" the stripes out a bit. Check out this video on how to do it:

.

 

It's more time-consuming, but the point is for it to look nice, not be finished in the quickest manner possible. And I have to say, it was worth the extra effort.

 

 

Without further ado, here's some (bad) pictures of the final product:

 

One day, I'll learn to take better pictures with this camera. Oh, well. At least I'm happy with the way the bee came out!



FO: Bellflower Infinity Scarf: AKA Lori's Christmas Scarf!

Okay, it's been a while. There's truthfully not been a whole lot on the crafty front. Now, you'd think there would be because the big news since my last post is that I'm expecting (next month! Yay!), so you'd think I'd be making a lot of cute baby stuff, right?

Wrong. I haven't made a-one.

Since the last post, I did make another cthulhu, an amigurumi bee (requested by my husband's best friend Phil for his baby nephew), and an infinity scarf for my mother-in-law. The last is the only one I have a picture of:

My beautiful and awesome mother-in-law Lori, modeling her infinity scarf. :)

 

 

Unfortunately, as you can see, the picture is tiny, so you can't really see the scarf very well. The pattern can be found on Ravelry; it's the Bellflower Infinity Scarf.

 

If you're looking for something quick to make as a gift, I highly recommend this scarf.

 

The Pros: The scarf is quick to work up (once you've figured out the first couple of rows), and the pattern is easy to memorize with just enough variation to make it interesting.

 

The Cons: The seam is ugly, but it's hidden behind the wearer's neck, so it's really no big deal. The first couple of rows can be a little confusing, too.

 

Tips: It helped me to read it aloud and draw out the stitches to see what it was supposed to look like. After that, because I ALWAYS get my chains confused and start miscounting once I begin working in the base chain, I placed stitch markers where I needed my hook to go. Interestingly enough, this tip has saved me so many headaches and was orginally suggested by my husband, who does not crochet.

 

Also, someone on Ravelry posted these instructions to make the last row "straighter" and therefore easier to join. At the end of doing the 4th row repeat, chain 3 and turn. Then do this: 

sk 1st dc, dc in next dc, ch 1, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk ch-1 sp, sc in next dc, ch 1, sk 2 dc , dc in next dc across, do not fasten off.

Slip stitch as pattern indicated.

I wish I could find the person who suggested this. It worked like a charm. As soon as I find the person whose page I got this from, I'll come back to credit them!

 

 

 

 

Happy Anniversary to ME!

Today, my husband Jim and I are celebrating our one year anniversary. Per usual, Jim demonstrates how well he knows me by placing this among my gifts:



Amigurumi Knits by Hansi Singh

The funny thing is that a couple days ago, I was thinking about how there is so much crochet amigurumi, but not nearly as much knitted ones. I wouldn't have thought much about buying this book, until and I flipped through it and thought, "Why not?" After all, I've yet to attempt anything beyond scarves with knitting. Maybe this book will help me knit myself out of this self-inflicted rut!