New Year's Resolutions

My resolutions for this year are

1- to bust at least half of my yarn stash
2- to finish up all my UFOs
3- to make Christmas gifts for everyone
4- and to try to write in my crochet journal at least every other day, preferably every day

Doily

Finally starting to feel like crocheting again. In the spirit of the season, I whipped up this festive little doily for "Moses" my new Croton 'Bush on Fire' plant. Yes I named the plant :) It only took me a few hours in spite of the fact that I kept ripping out rows I didn't like so I could try something else. I just made it up as I went along. All the crochet pattern books that I have and of course I don't use any of them. But to be fair most of my craft books are still boxed up.
Sorry there is no pattern. At least not yet. Maybe I can try to write it down later if I have the time. I used some scrap gold metallic thread to try to stay in keeping with the holiday season.

I'm back...

Wow such a long time since I've been here. Seriously thinking about starting this up again or at least trying to crochet some. SO much has happened recently. I can't seem to get my bearings. Feel like everything is out of control. Got married in June. Bought a house in August. Got pregnant in September. Pretty much going to be a necessity that I quit work this coming June when the baby arrives. Otherwise I'll pretty much be working just for the daycare fees. Beginning to feel very overwhelmed and more than a little depressed. I need something else to concentrate on other than panicking over the way my life has turned upside down. Think crocheting is a good outlet and this will keep me accountable in a way. Sat down this past weekend and crocheted a doily for the new plant on the kitchen table. Felt pretty good while I was working on it but didn't have much sense of accomplishment. Think I'll post a pic.

Finished a Few and Started a Few

ORANGE TIDY TOTE *pic coming soon*
Bernat Softee Chunky Twists "Tangerine Twists"
Pattern from www.bernat.com/home from their limited time "Home" collection advertized in Family Circle Easy Crochet Magazine Spring/Summer 2007
Hook G
You can never have too many crochet bags! The perfect size to carry my current WIP.

SPARKLING ROSE SHRUG
Patons Brilliant Yarn "Sparkling Rose"
Pattern from 4 Stunning Crochet Shrugs
Hook F
Yah! Hobby Lobby finally replenished their Patons Yarn Section! So it's finally finished in all it's glory!

BLANCO LACE

Sinfonia Yarn "Blanco"
Pattern is my own design!
Hook G
Just something I whipped up one weekend. I had just an vague idea of what I wanted it to be when I started. Just made it up as I went along. Not too shabby, huh?


A ROSE FOR MOM SACHET
Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet Thread
Pattern from Crochet! Magazine May 2007
Hooks 5 and 7
Of course, I had to make my wonderful mother something for Mothers Day. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

I've been wanting to try some different types of yarn for some time, so a lot of my recent projects are more of "testing of the yarn" projects.

The Patons Brilliant yarn... I like how both the Abydos Vest using Patons "Gold Glow" and the Shrug using Patons "Sparkling Rose" turned out. Both are very pretty. And very glittery. :) The yarn does seem a bit scratchy when worked up tightly though. Definitely like it better when worked up loosely as in the previous Abydos Vest pattern. Using a H hook made a big difference in the feel of the finished outfit. I love how stretchy the finished items are.

The Bernat Cool Crochet... Absolutely love this yarn. Wish it came in a more variety of colors. It's so soft and would make lovely baby stuff. I'm on a cotton kick, now that the weather is warmer and acrylic is just too warm to wear right now. ;)

Bernat Softee Chunky Twists... Love the way this yarn looks. Definitely can see some future projects for this yarn. Love how bright the colors are too. Love how the crocheted bag turned out.

J&P Coats Royale... A cotton size 3 thread. Next WIM project is a bolero made in warm teal.

Abydos Vest

Finally got around to taking a pic of the "Abydos Vest" I crocheted last month. Pattern was from "Amazing Crochet Lace" (there are some absolutely gorgeous patterns in this book!) and done in Patons Brilliant Yarn.

It was a little tighter than I would have liked but I really love this yarn. I'm in the process of crocheting a shrug from "Four Stunning Crochet Shrugs" in Patons Brilliant 'Sparkling Rose'. The yarn crochets fairly easily for how it's woven (not sure if thats the correct term for it). The way the fibers are wound makes it very elastic but doesn't make it too difficult to crochet with. The "Abydos Vest" was crocheted loosely using a H Hook and the "Sparkling Rose Shrug" is being crocheted a little tighter with a F Hook. Both ways work up very quickly and easily.

I tried to pick a small project for the few balls of the Patons Sparkling Rose my fiance gave me for Easter, but I miscalculated slightly ;) on how much I would need and now Hobby Lobby is out of stock of the sparkling rose at the moment and I need one more ball to finish the last sleeve on the shrug. It's driving me crazy being so close to finishing and not being able to wear it. It's so pretty... At least so far it is.

April Crochet Projects

Didn't get as many projects completed this month mostly 'cause they were more involved/ time-consuming items. But here we go...

Wanted to make a few summer tops to wear this summer. So far I've completed the Striped top from Drops (pattern can be found at www.garnstudio.com ). I used some of the Sinfonia cotton yarn I was gifted for Easter. I love the feel of this top it's so very comfortable.

Also finished "Romance in White" from the Easy Crochet Magazine p.42. Used the yarn the pattern called for: Bernat Cool Crochet. The only adjustments I made to the pattern was to use a white ribbon for the "drawstring", instead of crocheting one. The ribbon and little pearl buttons were the perfect touch.

They both worked up quickly and I really love how they turned out.

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The Blue Sweater of Evil...

After it has destroyed yet another lovely evening of pleasant crocheting in a long, drawn-out fiasco of destroyed lovely evenings, the Blue Sweater of Evil has been delegated to the Not-Right-Now (NRN) correctional institution for an undetermined amount of time.
After multiple accounts of frogging, and many mis-trials due to insufficient evidence, it's petty misdemeanors have escalated into the final criminal act of having the long sleeves attached wrong side out! The ensuing flurry of cussing caught the attention of the FBI (Frogging Bureau of Investigation) which resulted in it's aforementioned incarceration.
It was reported last evening by the local TV stations that the Blue Sweater of Evil was frogged. This information was premature and incorrect. After serving its term in the NRN correctional institution it will be released to hopefully live a life of productive usefulness. However, this will remain to be seen.
;)

I've Been Crocheting Like MAD!

I ordered enough yarn online to make two sweaters and a bag a few weeks ago, but the some of the yarn was backordered. Since it wasn't going to be delivered in time for Easter weekend, of course I had to make a trip to Hobby Lobby on Saturday. Had to have something to crochet during my time off ;) I contained myself and just bought enough for a cute little dress.
And low and behold, I woke up Easter morning to a giant basket of yarn! My fiance has never actually bought me yarn before now. He's definitely a keeper!
And the yarn I ordered online came today!
I've been crocheting like mad!

Cute Idea

I had a cute idea for a sweater done in mini granny squares, but it is giving me fits trying to develop a pattern to match what I saw in my head. I've frogged it so many times. Don't want to scrap it, but I just can't get the sleeves to do what I want. I love how the body of the sweater turned out. It's perfect. Just can't seem to get the sleeves how I imagined them. I hate not to use the extra skein of yarn that I bought a few days ago specifically so I would have enough yarn to do long sleeves. Especially since that was the reason I was making the sweater in the first place - to use up some of the yarn from my stash. Now I'll have more yarn in my stash than I did before I started this sweater. Hmmmmm...

Well, one way or the other it's going to be declared finished this weekend. Even if I have to leave it sleeveless. Which is looking more and more likely :)