Not tired of it yet…

My youngest son (Jared) asked me last night if I get bored doing the same thing over and over. He was referring to me crocheting. I told him that I only get bored when I’m about half way done with a project and so I start looking around for what’s next.

I’ve been having some back spasms this week, and luckily only had to go to the salon on Monday, so I’ve had lots of time to rest and ice the back. I thought it was the perfect chance to finish the color blocks throw I’d been working on since some time in September. I FORCED myself to just do it. And last night I finally got that darn thing completed. It even took a turn in the washing machine (I’d accidentally gotten some peanut butter on it).

I call it my Lucky 13. Each strip has 13 blocks and I’d really planned to do 13 strips, but couldn’t muster up the will to do those last 2. It’s a good size for a lap throw measuring 45” X 47”.

I went to my local library branch looking for some books on crochet and picked up this book

and was quite intrigued by the motif on this hat

and so I grabbed some yarn and struggled through the directions.

  I had a tough time with some of my slip stitches so I guess I need more practice. I’d like to do up 3 more and make a pretty pillow using them.

I’m hoping to get Jared’s ripple finished some time in the next week.

I set a one foot ruler on it to give you some perspective on the size. It’s 59” wide and is just about 47” long so far. It needs to be long enough to cover my six foot tall 14 year old. I’d be further along if I could just pay better attention. I’ve undone at least 10 rows throughout this. I just undid 3 1/2 rows last night when I realized I had one set of increase stitches off by one stitch and had thrown the rest of the pattern off.  I’m using Susan B’s Easy Ripple pattern.

Oh, see those lovely pots that my yarn is in? Those are hand made by Jacob. He’s in his second year of ceramics class and there are some really great things coming home lately. I’ll have to gather them together and take some pictures to post soon.

I guess I’d better get hooking so I can start my next project.

For the love of crochet

I have a new passion. It’s crochet. I’m not sure why it took me this long to find out that I would absolutely love it. I remember learning to make a crochet chain as a youth. And that’s about all I could make. I mean, how much fun is it to have a bunch of chains laying around?

Lucky for me, I would sit in the salon break room with Alicia and watch her crochet project after project. One day a couple months ago I asked if she would teach me how. Soon after, my sister Suzee came over and gave me some pointers to make crochet easier… and now I’m totally “HOOKED”.

My first project came about from my practice stitches. It turned into the longest scarf in the world. The edges weren’t even and my tension was terrible. But I loved doing it! And that meant that I wanted to know more about it. Enter GOOGLE. I found some fantastic blogs and tutorials. It was total Eye Candy for me. I happened upon Attic24 and almost drooled over her work. Her most current project was her Granny Stripe blanket. I really wanted to try making one. Happy Birthday to Jacob because he was the proud recipient of my first official crochet blanket.

I had a terrible time making my edges straight, but it was such a joy to make. I learned a lot during this project.

Here is a photo of the blanket during the making stage. Elvis gave his stamp of approval by flopping down on it.

Even before I finished it, I was looking at what to make for my next project. I picked up a little booklet from Joann craft store with 10 afghan patterns.

I got to learn some new stitches on this one. It’s a lap blanket size afghan.

Now I’m almost finished with a crocheted bag that Lucy from Attic24 shares a how to. It’s to hold my traveling crochet projects. I’m not in love with the variegated yarn I chose and plan to do another, but next time in many different colored yarns and change color on each row (ala Lucy Bag).

 

In case anyone is wondering what to get me for my birthday this Monday, I would LOVE to get yarn. And lots of it. Thanks :o)