happy new year (from the surliest little ewok)

Let's be honest here. We all knew the minute I made this:

that someday I would make this:

If not for my own kid, then for someone else's, but clearly at some point or another it was bound to happen.

Hey, did you know it's hard to photograph a toddler when they're watching "Yo Gabba Gabba?" There's some unspoken rule where one must not interfere with their DJ Lance Rock time. The whole time I was trying to photograph him, he kept looking over me or around me instead of at me. I might have had an easier time when photographing the dog. He did give me a different pose at one point though:

I should note that this is not my own design or invention. I saw this woman's awesome baby cowls on pinterest and had to have one right then and there, so I made one. I do not have a pattern for this; I just winged it. I do not plan on making a pattern for this because that would be seriously undermining the original designer who makes these custom order on her lovely etsy shop. Besides, hers are a million times better than mine as she has perfected the process by now. Mine took a bit of trial and error and still fits the kid a little snugger than I would prefer. Also, please note that she does not have this available as a pattern, and I don't know if she has any plans to release one. I just feel the need to put that out there. Sometimes people ask about patterns. Sometimes I have answers, and sometimes I don't. This is a case of the latter.

Anyway, back to the cowl itself.... It's a little snug. I kept going back and forth, crocheting a few rows then ripping them back until I found the right width more or less. I used Quince & Co. Osprey in Twig with the accents in some leftover scraps of Chanterelle, I really really REALLY love this yarn. It is so squishy and dreamy and knits/crochets into such a soft, dense fabric. And the colors are just so beautifully nuanced. Not that he necessarily appreciates the same things I do about it, but the kiddo seems to enjoy wearing it:

that is until he decides it's time to get back to Gabba Gabba. Then I just get his best "Bitch, PLEASE!" face as he tries to wedge himself between the TV and me:

Happy New Year, people!

mugshot

Ah, the ever-popular mugshot.... It comes in so handy when you want to make a pretty picture and highlight the lovely aspects of a handwarmer/wristwarmer, like the color and texture. It makes the world's easiest project seem interesting and attractive. I love these handwarmers because for some reason this shade of rose strangely appeals to me and because they were a quick and easy, mindless project that I was able to zone out with while watching old episodes of 30 Rock, as comforting and cozy in its concept as its ultimate utilitarian purpose. I want to emphasize the loveliness of the single crochet and the warmth of that rose and hide the fact that I accidentally increased and decreased every other round which made for Frankenseams that zig-zag along my the inside of my wrists. I want to highlight the sheen of the silk/wool blend and not kvetch about the fact that it is super-sticky yarn that did not like being ripped out. In fact, I had to throw my starting chain and the next row away because I had too many stitches and wasn't able to pull them out in order to start over again. We won't speak any more of that. Just imagine yourself sipping on something warm and tasty while wearing these warm and toasty mitts. Mmmmm, yes.... There. Much better, right? Now go make yourself a pair, because everyone needs some squishy crocheted wristwarmers. (Basic recipe: Chain stitch 29, SC into 28 and join to form a cylinder, SC for 16 rows, SC back and forth for 8 rows, join again and decrease to 24 stitches in the join row and the next, SC for 4 rows. Alter to your taste and measurements.)

my big ol' meaty mitts

I've been a little stressed out about the fact that I keep getting kick-ass, breath-taking Braxton-Hicks contractions. I know sometimes some women get them early, but it's still a little worrisome. So I need a mindless project to keep me busy and calm. Never underestimate the soothing properties of crochet, which combined with the super-simple, super-easy construction of wristwarmers make for the perfect project for this time. These wristwarmers are chunky and meaty but so squishy and warm. I love this silky wool, though it's a bitcharooni to rip. I'll probably have the second one finished tonight.

warm hands

pattern: my own basic recipe - chain stitch 40 stitches w/ an F hook (3.75 mm), join, then using a D hook (3 mm) half-double crochet a tube for 12 rows, hdc back & forth for another 10 rows for the thumb opening, then join and hdc for another 6 rows.
yarn: 1 skein of Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk
hook: Clover F for the starting chain and D for the rest of the wristwarmer (note: a Clover hook in D is 3 mm, not 3.25 mm)

Every autumn, I tell myself I am going to make myself a pair of fingerless mitts. And every autumn, I don't for whatever reason or another (usually out of sheer laziness). This time, inspired by Katherine from gather here and a whole slew of awesome crochet wristwarmers out there, I started one before I even knew what I was doing. That might explain why I had to rip my first one, which was too big and floppy. These are *just* a little snug, and if I had to do them over, I might give myself a couple of extra stitches and definitely use a much bigger hook when crocheting the starting chain. As they are they fit fine, but they're a little hard to get on quickly. They might stretch a little with time and use, but we'll see.... They're the perfect thing for this in-between weather, and they keep my hands cozy while I work.

more spontaneous projects

For some reason, I felt compelled to crochet some wristwarmers recently. This yarn called to me. It's some Blue Sky silk/alpaca blend, and it's been hanging out in my stash for ages. I would keep coming back to it, squishing it fondly until I finally knew what it must become. I actually finished the first warmer last week, but it was too big and floppy so I ripped the whole thing out and whipped up a new one using less stitches. So it's one down, one to go. Hoping to knock that out in the next day or two.

potholders galore!

I spent all day at Adrian's today with Maryse, Stacie, and Cheryl sorting potholders for this year's Great Potholder Swap. Dude. Just, dude. There were so many gorgeous potholders! Thanks to everyone who participated! You folks really outdid yourselves this year! And thank you all for the chocolates and other delicious snacky treats. We are all about the snacky treats. You guys rock!

And huge thanks to Adrian for being the hostess with the mostest! As always, she was beyond fabulously hospitable with tons of food and drink and presents. She is truly the sweetest, and her mailperson is wonderful for coming to pick up all those packages on Monday. We had a little over a hundred packages total. It was such a great afternoon hanging out with friends, laughing and eating tons of cheese while admiring some super-awesome crochet. Perhaps we'll do it again next year.... We'll see about that next year, though. For now, we are pooped! Hope you all love your potholders. I will post about the ones I got in the swap tomorrow or Monday.

done-donedonedone-dooooonnnnne!

I will sum up my potholder experience in a haiku:

Candy-colored hues
a pretty pattern to make
Ouch! I've got clawhand

So hooray for the potholder swap! Thanks to everyone who participated this year. In a few days, I'll be getting together with Adrian, Maryse, Stacie, and Cheryl to sort and send all the potholders. I can't wait to see everything you folks have crocheted. You are all awesome! Also, huge thanks to Maryse for letting me take a peek at this book so I could crochet these pretties.

Oh yeah, as far as the details go:

pattern: Lacy Potholder from Kyuuto! Japanese Crafts: Lacy Crochet
designer: Sachiyo Fukao
yarn: Aunt Lydia's Crochet Cotton - size 3
needles: Clover Soft Touch steel hook, size 2 (1.5 mm)
modifications: none

I did things a little backwards with this post, but dude, my parents are in town this weekend and I am exhausted. So exhausted I am writing run-on sentences and feeling okay with it. On a blog. On my blog. The horror! Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

potholder progress

As the deadline for the potholder swap approaches (March 27th - yikes!), I am in full-on potholder production mode over here. I am so excited to see what everyone's come up with this year. So far, there's been some beautiful stuff over on the rav group. Can't wait to see them all in person!

Of course, I went with a fussy-ass design, but I love it. It's just taking me a little longer than I expected it would what with the size 3 crochet cotton and the #2 hook. And to think I went bigger than what the pattern calls for. Heh.

Now here's a question for you. The pattern calls for a button as an ornament. Should I add a button to each potholder, or should I leave them as is? I remember last year Erin - putasockonit added buttons to her potholders, and it was such a brilliant detail. It worked beautifully. So I'm wondering if I should go for it? I'm looking through my buttons, and I see a few things that would fit. Hmmmmm....

getting to it

As many of you may know by now, the great potholder swap of 2010 in well underway on Flickr and ravelry. I'm so inspired by the beauties people are whipping up in both groups. I have finally decided on a pattern and have started my potholders, and I do not want to stop. I'm gonna go with this momentum! It's potholders away over here this weekend!

the blanket, it is DONE!

pattern: Flowers in the Snow blanket
designer: not sure, but there are two excellent tutorials available at Yvestown and Solstrikke
yarn: Berroco Vintage
needles: Clover Soft Touch hook, size D/3mm
modifications: I followed the instructions on Solstrikke, substituting a slip ring for the initial chain you would loop through for a tighter center; used the 3 DCs at the corners when joining in the white, as per Yvestown; I crocheted 3 rows of DCs for a border.

It's done! And I am relieved & overjoyed. I feel like this is the best thing I have ever made. Normally, my attention span is not up for this kind of project, and if I set it down, I drift away and start something else, totally forgetting about it until a friend asks about its progress be it a few days or a few months down the line. I'm glad that I became kind of obsessed with it because now it's done. And I love it! And I can move on to other projects knowing that this blanket, intended for our Feisty fetal friend, is ready and waiting for our little one's arrival in just a couple of months. I can now happily cross that off my list. Woohoo!

I am pleased with the finished dimensions. It turned out larger than I originally intended, measuring 39 1/2 x 44 1/2 inches. That's great, though, as it makes for a more versatile blanket.

I'm also satisfied with the border I used. Plain and simple, but it fits the bill nicely.

I seriously cannot get enough of photographing its bright, joyous colors. Also, how demented am I that I kind of want to make another one of these blankets in a Chuck Close kinda way? I think this motif lends itself perfectly to that breakdown (and build-up) of color. If I do go through with this plan at some point in the future, please remind me not to use Vintage again. While it blocked out beautifully, and the colors are great, it was so splitty and annoying to work with. I need something with a different ply and an awesome assortment of colors. I think I've got plenty of time to research yarn before I go through with this endeavor. This is about all the blanket I can do for now.

almost

These are the last progress shots of the blanket because come Sunday I hope to have the border crocheted, the woven-in ends all clipped, and the blanket itself blocked and ready to go. Unless I give in to that crazy part of me that kinda wants this to be slightly more rectangular and make it 10 x 14 squares instead of 10 x 12. As it is, it measures 32 x 40 inches. That should be fine for a baby blanket, right? Are baby blankets okay in a slightly more square format? Or should I make it more rectangular? I'm just making myself batty, aren't I? I'm being cuckoo-bananas about this. Right now, I think I'm going to call it done and get started on that border. After all, there are about twenty other projects on the needles waiting to be finished, and I haven't even started my second Ravelympics project yet. Gah! And that's not even to mention the quilts, much less the few work orders I have yet to finish. So much to do before I pop.

24 more

We're at the last two rows. My circles are done (with a couple to spare - apparently I overshot it), and I am now attaching them to the blanket. Once I'm done attaching those guys, I'm doing to crochet a border around the whole thing and call it done. Woohoo! I'm in the home-stretch now!

potholder swap 2010 - get yr hook on!

We're doing it again! Adrian, Maryse, Stacie, and I are hosting another potholder swap. Wooo!!! Wanna join? Check out all the details on our flickr group or join us on ravelry and come play along. Let's get hooking, people!

I'm going to get my crochet cotton tomorrow. Cannot wait! I think this time around, I am going to use a finer gauge and make something kinda fussy/ vintage inspired. This is going to be so much fun!

size matters

The blanket is now 8 squares x 8 squares, or more specifically, 28 inches square. I was hoping to get a couple of rows in yesterday, but it turned out to be a ridiculously busy day. I was too tired out at night to even think of crochet. I'm trying to make up for lost time today. I'm thinking of making the blanket 10 x 12 instead of 8 x 9 now. At 28 inches square, even with a border I don't think it will be big enough. I'd rather err on the side of caution and make a larger blanket than a small one that I have to stretch the bejeezus out of just so it comes close to the dimensions I originally intended. So I need to make 40 more circles today. Gah.

flowers in the snow, oh how they grow

Six rows in, and I love this so much. I only have three more rows to go until I decide whether to add another row & column or call it done and crochet a nice border around it. I hope to maybe get another row in tonight. I've gotta say, I'm impressed with the yardage I'm getting from the Berroco Vintage. One hank of the white (Mochi) gets me four rows, which makes me more than confident that I ordered enough yarn. My only problem with the Vintage is that it's very splitty. I'll be zooming along crocheting and suddenly I pull only half a strand through the needle and have to rip that stitch and gather the yarn together for a second attempt. I prefer to zip along without this kind of distraction. The colors are great, however, and it is machine-washable, which is the main reason I decided to use it for this project.

Right now, it's a little puckery, but I'm thinking maybe the yarn will stretch out a bit after the first wash. I've heard that Vintage relaxes a bit after a soak. It has occurred to me that if that's the case, then I may just go with the border once I finish the 9 rows and call it done. Heh. Fingers crossed on that one.

starting out

I'm two rows in and loving the process. It's nowhere near as fiddly as that scarf that shall not be named (not that I have a name for it other than "muffler 5.6" anyway), and it is going pretty quickly. The final width, however, is 28 inches - 4 inches shy of my original goal of 32 inches. I'm just going to piece the whole thing together and then figure our how to proceed. Maybe I'll add another row & column. Maybe I'll just crochet an extra-wide border around it. I'll cross that bridge when I get there. (That phrase is one of my favorite clichés - like, seriously, what are going to do when you get there and find there's a bridge to cross? Turn around and go back home? I think not. You cross it. Derf.)

Just letting you all know that there may be progress shots of this in the coming days. There may be a lot of 'em. They may bore you. I am obsessed, however. My blanket - I loooooooooooovessss my precious blanket....

blanket or bust!

Omg! Yes! I am there! I have 72 circles done, plus some extras (for a total of 88 circles). I'm starting to join these as squares now, and so far, it's going faster than I thought. I may just have a finished blanket in the next couple of days. Let's see, though. I may be overestimating my abilities/quickness here. Also, there is the fact that the squares are a little bit smaller than I thought they would be, which means the overall size of the blanket may be smaller. That's not a bad thing, but it means that I may have to add another column and row to get the size I was originally aiming for - 32 x 36 inches. Anyhow, I am obsessed with these. It's blanket or bust, people!

more beginnings

I'm doing it. I am starting that blanket. You know, the one I have been gushing about here, there, and everywhere. I know I said I would begin once I finished my other crochet project, one I have set down for far too long, but you know what? I tried. I honestly gave it a good go. I brought it with me to Stacie's one afternoon, and all I could muster was joining one of the squares to the rest of the scarf. I just couldn't sink my teeth into it. I'll pick it up another day. I promise. For now, I'm going to focus on this blanket. Besides, I've got a little bit of a time-restriction/ deadline with this one whereas the scarf is for me so there's no rush. I'll get it done when I get it done.

It feels great to crochet again. I totally forgot how fast it goes and how wonderfully squishy and dense the resulting fabric is. And playing with all these colors feels like coloring with a brand new pack of Crayola - the possibilities are ripe and ready. For a while, I was considering joining the Giant Granny crochet-along on ravelry. I was seriously tempted since it looks like so much fun and people are whipping out some beauties. I've been meaning to make this blanket for a long time, though. Now's as good a time as any to finally do it.

The tutorial I am using for this blanket is this one here. There's another excellent tutorial over here which is pretty much the same thing. Six of one; half a dozen of the other, really. I think one uses a couple of extra stitches at the corners of the squares, and one has you chain 4 for the center ring as opposed to the the 5 stitches the other recommends. Really, you cannot go wrong with either tutorial. The only change I made was that I used a magic ring instead of the chain for the center ring because I prefer a tighter crochetnus. That's just me. Heh. Also, I charted it out. I work better with charts than with written instructions. I'd be happy to share the chart with you all once I spiff it up a bit. Right now, it's a mess of scrawled symbols but still perfectly intelligible to me.

I've only got 18 circles done so far, but the night is young, my friends....

hooked on a feeling

pattern: The Modern Vintage Potholder (coming soon)
designer: Maryse
yarn: Tahki Cotton Classic
hook: 2.5 mm (size C)

I was finishing up my potholders for the swap the other week while my friend Beth was visiting, and every night as we chatted, I furiously crocheted, cursing myself for waiting until the last minute... and maybe-just-maybe cursing crochet in general. Ahem. I may have even said to her, "If I never crochet another potholder again, I will die happy." I may have cackled deliriously and flipped off my stack of crochet books.

Yet when Maryse mentioned she needed someone to test out her gorgeous pattern for "The Modern Vintage Potholder," I jumped at the chance. Part of the reason why is because I adore Maryse, but another is that I love that pattern. That, and clearly, I still have crochet on the brain, even if I swore off it in a fit of frustration.

Maryse is going to make the pattern available soon, so drop by her blog for more details.

strange inspiration

I gotta say it - I LOVE graffiti for the great palettes that the writers use. I am so inspired by the colors and the shapes. Since we moved up here, I've come to realize that it's one of the things I miss the most about NY. That and our friends. And the subway. And all the great food for cheap. And the museums. And... let me stop now, since really, the list could go on and on. But yeah, back to this place, the here and now. There are little spots here and there, namely by the train tracks, that are covered with gorgeous explosions of forms within chaos and riotous color. I love it, and clearly it feeds me all sorts of ideas about color combos.

So I am still playing around with different patterns for my potholders for the swap. So far, I am kinda liking this one Japanese pattern. Let's see how it all comes together, though. Also, I like working with wool. However, I am still not totally sold yet. I better get croch-et-ing.