Vera's Crafty Blog

The Scarves Have It!

A Month of Crochet

It hadn't dawned on me so much that March is National Crochet Month until someone noticed that I had been crocheting a lot lately and asked was that the reason why.

Wow!  I suppose I have.  Perhaps, I've been celebrating subconsciously.

More FOs

My Quick Feminine Scarf is done.  The project lives up to its name.

Love it and the Silky Merino Malabrigo it's crocheted with--Mmmmmm!

...and I have enough yarn left over for another one.   How sweet is that?

I also finished the Tunisian Lace Ascot.

It turned out very nice, and I'm a new fan of the Organic Cotton that I've had in stash for the last couple of years.  Once you get going, the pattern is nearly mindless.

Lori's Doily Quest

I'm so impressed.

Lori is on her Self Imposed PK Doily Challenge in which she will crochet all 153 Patricia Kristoffersen doilies.  At the time of this post, she has completed her 44th doily. 

Lori's work is so off the charts.  I love her use of color, and to take on all of Patti K's doilies just tremendous.  Check out some of her work here and cheer her on.

Go on girl! Go on!

Triple Threat

Three posts in four days!  I must be butter because I'm so on a roll.

Yes, I made that up just now-- groan.

Doily-Licious!

Violaine Update

I forgot to mention in my last post, that the Violaine pattern is now available in sizes XS-M.  The pattern for L & XL will be out soon.

   

I should mention that the top isn't quite finished in the last photo, so that is string you see.

I'm so glad I got to test crochet such a cute little top, and I'm even more proud that the designer really read my notes and made all the of the adjustments I suggested!

I wore mine to work today, and got lots of compliments.  I want to make another one in olive green Berroco Comfort.

I also failed to mention in my last post that I ordered the new Patti K. book, Exquisite Doilies. 

Long time readers of VCB know that Patricia Kristoffersen is my favorite doily designer because her doilies kick A#@!.  I haven't crocheted a doily in a while, and I need to clear up a few projects, but I plan to start on one soon. 

I like that if you buy her books directly from her website, she signs and dates them, which is so cool to a Patti K. geek like me.

At the time of this post, I'm leaning towards the creme one, Elizabeth, to be my first one, but that's subject to my whims which have been all over the place as of late.

A Moment of Jason

The Jason Taylor DWTS obsession is a go!  Here's the video from last night.  I appreciate your indulgence because this is just Week 2.

How hot is that!?! Mambo-Licious indeed.

Crafting by Eyesight

"You're just eating by eyesight..."

Is what my mother would say when we kids would stuff ourselves with candy and other goodies and try to eat more even when we were full. We wanted everything we saw.

Lately, I've been feeling that way about my crocheting and knitting. 

Between Ravelry, magazines, blogs, and my LYS, I have so much on my hooks and needles and so much more that I want to make so much, I'm way beyond stuffed.

Haekelbeutel

I finished another Haekelbeutel.  It's my Crayola Box Bag.

I like the finished bag better than I though I would. I added another some red to break up all that yellow, and I slip stitched the squares together instead of sewing them.

Now, I'm working on one for Pam in return for lining the bags for me.

She likes blues and greens.  I thought the variegated Magicline was too much, so I broke it up with a little Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Robin Egg Blue.  I'll have the squares done soon.

Cabled Baby Hats

I knitted these hats  for a set of twin girls born earlier this month.

Aren't they sweet? I love this hat pattern.  I think this may be my "go-to" pattern for baby hats.  I also love, love, love the Berroco Comfort--so soft and easy to work with.

Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

You'd think with the arrival of  spring and the end of scarf weather here in Charleston would stop me from making scarves, but I said--No No No!

Here's the Tunisian Lace Ascot from the Spring, 2008, Interweave Crochet.

I used some Blue Sky Organic Cotton that I had in stash.  It's a surprisingly easy pattern once you get started, and the BS Cotton works up great!

BTW, I think this issue of Interweave crochet is one of the best I've seen.  I like this, and this, and I have the yarn for this.

Quick Feminine Scarf

My Malabrigo madness hasn't dimmed.  I got some Silky Merino, and started the Quick Feminine Scarf from At Home with Crochet.

I adore pineapple crochet!

In this photo, I'm at the halfway point.  I did add and extra pineapple, but I'm not sure if I'll keep it.  Let me tell you that the Malabrigo Silky is just yarn heroin!  Hope it doesn't turn me out.

One Row Handspun Scarf

I think many of you know that Patrick spins.  You also probably know that I've never made anything from all of the yarn that he's spun.

Until now...

This is the One Row Handspun Scarf from Yarn Harlot.  I'm using some Corriedale he spun a well over a year ago.  The yarn is thick and thin, but easy to work with, and Pat loves the rustic look of the scarf.

In Queue...

I currently have 60 projects in my Ravelry queue which borders on embarrassing, but here are a several projects I really want to start soon.

Here's the Scotty Vest from Dream in Color.

I know that vest weather is on it's way out, but I have three skeins of DIC Fatty in Dusky Aurora for it, and it should go quickly.

The Sideways Cardigan on the cover of the Spring/Summer, 2008 Vogue Knitting is more season appropriate.

I fell in love with Yosemite from the Spring, 2008 Knitty.

Super cute.  Great for Charleston, and I should have the yarn soon.

Little Box of Socks

Has anyone noticed that I haven't worked on a sock this year?  Amazing!

That will change soon because I got my hot little hands on this...

The co-author, Beth Parrott, who lives here in Charleston is one of the most talented and generous knitters I know, and I'm so excited for her.  I even got to test knit the sock in the lower left hand corner.

She will have a book signing at Knit sometime soon when the shop gets more books.  I'll probably have Beth sign a second one to give away in an upcoming blog contest so stay tuned!

Isn't crafting by eyesight fun?  I'm still stuffing myself.

An Interview With the Bobfather & Frecklegirl

There's a great interview with Casey and Jess, the creators of Ravelry, on Episode 4 of a great podcast, Y-Knit.  It's lots of fun and has lots of insight about Ravlery which went over 100,000 users a few days ago. Do check it out.

Dancing with Jason

At the time of this post, Dancing with the Stars just ended.  I'm not much of a reality tv show person, but had to see if the hottest man in the NFL, Jason Taylor, could dance, and he didn't disappoint.  He was absolutely fabulous, and the judges gave him 9's.

Here's a video from last week. 

I voted for him, and you should too!

Ma Violaine est Fini!

Violaine Back, originally uploaded by vhanna26.

I got the extra yarn I needed and some adorable buttons to finish the top.

The above photo shows the back view of the top. Overall, I'm very pleased with the top. It was easy to crochet, and I enjoyed testing it.

The only mod I made was to make the buttonloops larger to accomodate the buttons.

I need to get my notes to Sylvie soon.

Test Drive

Road Map

As long as I've crocheted, I've never tested a pattern for someone, but I had to give it a try when I first saw this top on Ravelry.  I volunteered to test a size medium, and the designer sent me the pattern.  It's called Violaine, and it's designed by Sylvie of Chez Plum.

Stuck in Park

At first, I wanted to use some Dream in Color that I had, but thought the color--Flamingo Pie--was too close to the color that the designer used.  I wanted some Malabrigo, but my LYS didn't have enough of the color I wanted (there were more colors, but I was stubborn), so I ended up with Berroco Comfort.  I really like this yarn. I had knitted some hats with it, and thought it would work for the top.

Drive Time

I started on Sunday afternoon. 

The pattern is easy to follow, and surprisingly, I got gauge with the suggested hook since for, some reason, it's harder for me to get crocheted gauge than knitted.  The Comfort is great to crochet with.

Cruising Right Along

Here she is a little before I start the shell pattern.  Yes, I still can't seem to take an in focus self-portrait.

The thing I noticed quickly with testing a pattern for someone rather than just picking up and crocheting is that I'm experienced enough to assume things and to fudge around it something doesn't work as written or if I make a mistake. 

This time, I took a lot of time to make sure the stitch counts were correct that that things would make sense as written without making assumptions. 

The shell portion worked up super fast...

and I finally got Patrick to take a photo of me in the nearly finished top. I'm loving it.

Out of Gas :-(

The reason the top is nearly finished is that I ran out of yarn a little after I finished the shells, and I need to finish up things for the trim.  I'll pick of another skein of Comfort at the shop tonight as well as a couple of buttons, so she should be completely done soon.

Trip Notes

I'll send my notes to Sylvie, and I'll start on another Violaine.  I'd really like to make it in olive green and add some of my own mods.  It's a nice pattern, and worth getting your hook up for.

Springing Foward

The Madness Continues...

I'm still in the grips of Ravelry's Malabrigo March 2008.

Here's my Amanda Hat.  It's so soft and cute.

I also finished another Capitan with Malabrigo Chunky in Rich Chocolate--My Chocatan!

I love these buttons.

Yes, they are Camel buttons, but they are perfect for the hat.  I don't smoke, never smoked, and hope to never take it up. 

So kids, please don't smoke; it's only a button.

PSA over.  My buttons still rule.

Crocheting also rules.  I finished the Anne Scarf yesterday.

It's so pretty in the Malabrigo Pink Frost worsted. I'd like to make a shorter one in a Chunky weight.

More than Malabrigo

Someone asked me was I only working with Malabrigo this month.  I hadn't planned to do so, but I pretty much have.  I am test crocheting a pattern with Berroco Comfort--photos next time, and I'm working on another crocheted purse.

I also want to make this dress

Isn't it fierce? (yes, I wrote fierce, but it really is the right word under the circumstances).  It's the 1930's Inspired Gown by Blue Sky Alpacas.  I'm going to crochet a shop model for Knit.  It's too gorgeous.  They should have the pattern soon.  I'm looking foward to making this.

Spring is Coming! Bring it On!

The weather has been weird, and both Patrick and I have suffered through ugly stomach bugs, and such, but the time has moved forward an hour, and that's the first sign of Spring for me.

It warms my heart to see sunlight at 7 pm.  It really does.

I keep hearing these verses in my head.

In springtime, the only pretty ring time,

When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding; .

Sweet lovers love the spring

...and so do I.

Malabrigo Madness

Hello March

This month, KH is going all Rainbow Portrait on us.

BTW, I want to thank all of you who send me HK links and things.  I even got into the Woolgirl HK Sock Club because of you!  I'm so excited.

Keep the links coming too.

Malabrigo March Madness

This month on Ravelry is Malabrigo March in which hundreds of knitters and a few crocheters in the Malabrigo Junkies group are holding Knit Alongs, Crochet Alongs, and just about any other along to promote this lovely yarn.

Of course, I'm doing my part.  Here's my Capitan Hat made from Malabrigo Chunky in Velvet Grapes thay I made this weekend.

I also started an Amanda Hat with some left over Malabrigo from my Ms. Bluejeans cardigan.

Next on deck is The Easy Flame Lace Scarf in Malabrigo Laceweight.

I haven't forgotten crochet during the madness.  I want to make this scarf, and I'm working on another Haekelbeutel.

I'm not so crazy about the colors on this one. They remind me of a Crayola crayon box, but I think they will grow on me.