Status of Must Have Blouse

Completed - front, back, sleeves
worked in ends, sewed shoulder seams
To do - set in sleeves, sew side seams
1 row edging on sleeves, neckline and bottom edge

Wooden Hooks

I've just purchased two more hooks on eBay. The first is a very basic hook, but it is made of teak. I just love dark hardwoods! The second is another Sonshapes hook. It is a hardwood laminate that is a pretty green, then has a green flower bead, and a pink lampworks bead. It has some silver trim. Beautiful!
I am slowly making up some swatches of some fancy stitches, classic and Tunisian, with the wooden hooks. Hope to get some nice photographs soon.

Relaxing

Last night I relaxed by making 2 dishclothes in Tunisian. I used a variegated cotton yarn that is light orange, yellow and green. It looks like rainbow sherbet, very cool and summery. The first I did in Tunisian doubles, it is very loose, softer than most of the dishclothes I've made or received. The second I made in Tunisian Simmple Stitch (TSS aka Basic Afghan Stitch BAS). For this I added two yellows that I had, one bright, one pale. The patterning was almost random, with all 3 balls of yarn joined, just pick up a strand when you come to it. It made the variegated pattern much "softer". Will get one of these in the mail tomorrow for the cp exchange.
Nothing on my schedule for today. I'm hoping to finally finish the Must Have Blouse. Of course, in the meantime, I have ideas for about a half dozen new projects!

Overlay Crochet

Take a few minutes to read Dee's blog entry about Melody MacDuffee's Overlay crochet class. "Crochet with Dee"
This is one of the classes that I took at the spring Conference in King of Prussia. It was a new technique for me, but love it. We had a group of 4 or 5 of us that were working cooperatively. Great fun! Everyone's square was different, but each one beautiful. I'm thinking of adding a little to mine, and making it into a purse. That seems to be my latest infatuation! Anyway, with the bright colors it will go with almost anything I choose to wear.

"Best Ever! Show's a Hit!"

Thanks to Mr. Aaron for the above theatre quote.
The recital was great, and it was a family affair. Older daughter was stage manager, that's her profession, after all; stage manager for professional opera. Younger daughter worked lights, and danced. I worked the ticket table, concession stand, and had a lot of misc. errands, as all the kids and parents know me. When it was over, Dad helped the crew tear down, and took things back to the studio in his pickup.
Today, I got to get back to...no, not crocheting,...sewing badges on hubby's Scoutmaster shirt, and sewing badges on kerchiefs for the boys in his troop.

Recital almost here

I told you June was costuming for the recital, not crochet time! Tuesday & Wednesday evening I worked at the dance studio, and also started sewing sunbonnets for costumes. Thursday evening & this morning I finished the bonnets (7 total). Went to drop them off at dress rehearsal & was asked to stay and run curtains. So all day I pulled the ropes to open & close curtains between dances. I have blisters and bandaids on both hands. Don't think I could crochet today, even if I could keep my eyes open to do any.
Recital tomorrow! I'm working the ticket table, and then "front of house".

Interesting site

I just discovered a site that has a lot of great purses, beaded bags, totes, etc. Since I made the blue heather purse in March, I have been interested in crocheted bags. I'm working on a multi-colored thread bag for summer, and have plans for a dressy winter bag.
"Emerald Moon Creations"

Small bits of this and that

Spent Saturday working at the dance studio - picture day. Then helped oldest with putting boning in her corset.
Sunday - Father's Day, we took Dad to dinner. Then put grommets into said corset
Today was picture day again, worked 4-8:30. But to relax when I got home I made a few swatches with wooden hooks. Have 2 more planned to make. I received my latest wooden hook in the mail today, from England. It's a large Tunisian hook. Very simple, it looks like someone just cut a hook into the end of a dowel rod and stained it. It has a "Bates"-style head (in-line right?). I'm thinking that it wouldn't be too difficult to cut it into a nice tapered head, then sand it. It also has no "stopper" on the end. So maybe my oldest, who does beautiful beaded jewelry, can help me add some fancy work to the end. The hook was cheap, it'll be a good place to start exploring. After we finish the corset, and the skirt for the outfit, she's going to make some beaded stitch markers for me!

Progress?

June is recital month, that means sewing not crocheting. Tuesday I hand sewed boas onto pre-school ballet tutus, Wednesday I hemmed costumes, Thursday and Friday I helped my oldest daughter sewing a costume for the Renn Faire.
Tomorrow, I work at the studio. It's picture day. My job will mostly be to help students & parents with the paperwork for pictures. But I will have little odds & ends,... pinning hems into costumes for those who didn't get their sewing jobs finished, pinning straps, pinning costumes to bras so they don't show,.....
When I get home, it's more work on the Renn Faire costume.

Today, I did get a new wooden hook in the mail. It's a Brittany hook. I've been looking at them in the stores and online, and wasn't extremely impressed. But this was a black walnut hook, and I do like the dark woods. Overall, I am very happy with the hook. It is well balanced, easy to hold, and the carving is very pretty. It does have a "Bates" head, while I prefer the "Boye" style. I did make a small swatch with the hook. It has a slight rough spot, needs very minor sanding, but other than that, it was pretty nice to work with.

The above swatch was a new stitch that I found online and wanted to explore. It's easy, and pretty, I made it in a blue baby yarn. I think it will be part of the photo session, "Wooden Hooks and Pretty Stitches". I'm thinking of photos to show off my beautiful hooks. Exploring other ideas for the photos, also.

Magazines, books, patterns,...

While many people on my groups are bemoaning the lack of crochet books in their LYS & craft stores, I found an abundance when I looked today.
First, I was at Hancock Fabric. A fabric store, big on quilting projects, but they carry only Lion Brand yarn. They had a large supply of crochet & knit booklets, and a variety of Lion products, including knitting needles, crochet hooks, Tunisian hooks (okay only 2 sizes), kitchen cotton, sport & worsted weight, bulky,...I enjoyed browsing the Homespun colors and dreaming. Homespun has a pretty purple, called Grape, that might be a future "It's all about the Purple". But not what I was looking for today.
Then went to A.C. Moore. In the yarn section they had a great supply of crochet booklets, as usual. They also had self-published patterns by the Stitch Diva, several that I've seen on the website. It was fun coming across them in a store! There were 3 current crochet magazines, Crochet!, Crochet Fantasy, and Hooked on Crochet. Then they had about a dozen books, including Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet, Jan Eaton's Crochet Basics, 24-Hour Crochet Projects by Rita Weiss, Crochet School (author?). All of these I think I've reviewed on this site before. They also had The Little Box of Crocheted Hats and Scarves. Cute idea, a box of cards that each have one pattern. You can select a small card & stick it in your project bag & go.
A.C. Moore also has a great selection of projects displayed over the bins of yarn. Lots of scarves, purses and felted items, now. I'm always a little peeved that 99% of the designs are knitted. Once in a while there will be a crocheted scarf, or felted purse. But I think they need to do a better job of displaying crocheted items. Maybe they don't have an experienced crocheter to make up samples....hmmm
Today there was a knitted scarf in ChaCha, I have an "identical" scarf that I made in Tunisian crochet.
Yarns, too many to describe, just dream, plan, design... But, they also did not have the Red Heart color that I needed.
Michaels has a better selection of yarn and thread than they used to have, but not comparable with A.C. Moore. Surprise, they also didn't have the Red Heart amethyst. Hey, this isn't an oddball item, I usually find it everywhere. I probably could have tried Wal-Mart, but how many miles can you put on a van searching for one item? I decided to use Caron's Simply Soft in violet. The color is almost as bright, the yarn is softer, but more expensive. Also, when using the large Tunisian hooks, you can actually get yarn that is too soft! People who berate Tunisian as being tight & stiff wouldn't believe this, but it can be much softer than knitting or crocheting. I made some baby shawls in TLC Amore, in a pretty Tunisian shell. Beautiful, but so soft it's almost limp. I'll go back to the Lion Baby Soft and Bernat Softee Baby.

Tunisan sampler shawl progress

I'm having great fun with this sampler shawl, I've worked in a lot of different stitches and stitch combinations. I can't use all the great stitches because of the different pattern multiples. I am working with 60 stitches, which gives me a greater possibility than a lot of other starting chains. 60 is a multiple of 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 15,...
Some of the stitch combinations would definitely show better on a smooth worsted weight yarn than they do one the Homespun. But then again, there are no glaring "That stitch combination is hideous, pull it all out."
I am about half way through the width of the shawl. I'm now trying to decide if I should continue looking for new stitch combinations, or start working the ones I've already done, in reverse order.

I'm also working more on the Must Have Blouse from 24 Hour Crochet Projects. It's a simple stitch pattern in mint green sport-weight yarn. Very relaxing.

Sewing Month - Rather Off Topic

Well, it's that time of year... dance recital is the end of June, so I spend the month sewing costumes.
At work, I sewed white boas onto the very small tutus of the preschoolers. Slow process, but when the curtain goes up on those little girls, the entire audience has a quiet aahhh! Also, I had pants to hem. At home, I'm sewing badges onto Hubby's Scoutmaster uniforms, summer camp time. So I've done very little crocheting, or even planning. I have helped daughter with chaining, and single crochet. She decided today that she could make a dishcloth!
I would like to get started on the 2nd "It's all about the Purple" afghan, to be donated to be raffled off as a fund raiser for the dance studio. We were hoping to display it at the show to raise interest before the ticket selling actually started. I'd have to be a super fast crocheter, as the show is just 2 weeks away. I have several more costumes to hem, daughter would like me to finish sewing her corset and skirt for Renaissance Faire, and I will be working picture day at the studio, along with the weekly tutoring sessions.

Mail call!

I've gotten some goodies in the mail recently and didn't rave about them! What's that all about? I bought a new wooden hook on eBay. It is a very light wood and on top there's a blue bead with a pink rose. It's as pretty as the others I've bought.
Today, my portfolios were returned from CGOA. These are the two 3" binders which contain the swatches, and the answers to the questions for the Masters Program, Basic Stitches. Included is a note that say "You will have follow up from the CGOA Education Committee Chair in a timely manner." Can hardly wait for the results!

Spent most of today helping another crocheter with a pattern. I got to play a lot with yarn, hook and scanner!

Hey, today my oldest (22) asked me to teach her how to crochet a bookmark. We worked for a while on chaining, and making singles into a ring. Then we watched a movie together, and she practiced her chains.
So in one week, one asks me to make her a garment, and the other asks me to teach her! There's hope to pass on the skills directly.

Latest shawl project

Today I started on a new shawl for the shawl ministry at church. It is a Tunisian Sampler that I am designing as I go. The shawl is being done in a gorgeous Homespun that is shaded purple and white. I got this yarn online for $2.99 a skein! Let's see if I can remember, or locate some info. on where I got this great deal. I also ordered some beatiful green Homespun at the same time. Future shawl,...I also recently bought some bright yellow Homespun. It looked so summery, I just couldn't pass it up. I need a break from the off-white, browns, oranges, navy blues, and other fall & winter colors.

PS I had to read back several months to find that Homespun at $2.99 a skein. It was purchased online at this site "Smileysyarns"
It's still at this price, and a lot of pretty colors...The green is called Cyprus, the purple, Honolulu, the yellow I bought was Lemondade, but they have a pretty yellow called Inca,...hmmm That Everglade seems to be calling to me "I'd make a pretty shawl."

Pictures added to Photo file

I just spent an hour or so adding some pictures to my Photo file on the Tunisian Crochet Group at Yahoo. It was a new "computer learning experience". I had to locate the pictures on Picasa2, export them to My Pictures on my hard drive, then at my Photos folder on Tunisian Crochet I had to click add photo, and locate that particular picture on the hard drive, then upload.
Later, I need to explore further and get some of these pictures on this site. I added other photos using Picasa2 and Hello. But, the Hello has been "cranky" and won't let me sign in . It tells me to check my network connections, and I don't have a network!
Hope to add more pictures here soon.
If you're interested in Tunisian Crochet, this is a very informative and friendly group. Check it out here "Tunisian Crochet Group on Yahoo"
You might also be interested in the Easy Tunisian group, this is Tunisian worked on large hooks - L, M, N and P. "Easy Tunisian Crochet group on Yahoo"

Lion Brand yarn & business women from Afghanistan

Today's mail included a Lion Brand newsletter with an interesting article about the Business Council for Peace. Business women from Afghanistan spent three weeks in the US learning how to improve their business practices. This is a great article, read it soon, as a news article it may be not available on line for long.
"The Visitors from Kabul"

Design

While traveling to the post office today, I started thinking about crocheting.
I had an idea to combine classic crochet, Tunisian and broomstick lace.

Crochet Fantasy Magazine

My daughter brought in the mail a few days ago, and told me I had a new crochet magazine. Since Crochet! had just arrived, I figured it was Annie's, but it was the summer issue of Crochet Fantasy. Wait, I didn't subscribe to this, maybe it's a free sample,hmmm. Wait, they were talking about it on CPlist, so I decided to check it out on the website, and signed up for a subscription.
DD#2 asked if I could make the sweater vest on the front cover, it would be perfect as a cover up on her cruise. Well, she's never wanted me to crochet something for her before. She hates when I sew for her, as I required her to try it on regularly. Well now she's asked, so I have to make it for her, right? Only she's leaving in about 36 hours, and don't know where to find the beautiful ribbon used in the pattern, and it's broomstick lace, haven't done that in years. Then she moves her leaving time up by 24 hours. Well, there's a project for the future.
The Crochet Fantasy magazine was great. Along with the pattern for the sweater vest in broomstick lace was a complete article, how to do basic stitches, simple projects of dishclothes to practice the stitches, and more complicated patterns - the vest and a cap worked in the round. The magazine was stuffed with great patterns, articles and ads. This subscription is a keeper!
"Crochet Fantasy homepage"

What's happening? - crochetwise

Truthfully, I've been very busy with all kinds of non-crochet things, so most of my crochet stuff is relegated to thinking about crochet and crochet projects.
Both of the girls are home (for a few days), one's leaving tomorrow for a cruise to Mexico. I can only dream! And if I'm going to dream - in the summer issue of Crochet Fantasy "Come join Susan Huxley and Crochet Fantasy on a 7-Day Western Caribbean Cruise aboard Carnival Cruise Lines. April 30, 2006" It's only $938 for Inside Stateroom and $1038 for Oceanview! And that includes 3-days crochet workshop.
Susan's books include Crochet Aran Sweaters, More Crochet Aran Sweaters,
Crochet Sweaters: Simple Stitches, Great Designs "Crochet Sweaters on Amazon"
It's also available at my favorite online book store "Crochet Sweaters on Alibris"
Today's Crochet: Sweaters from the Crochet Guild of America " Today's Crochet on Amazon"
I can't afford this dream on 3 part-time jobs. I'll have to get moving on applying at Michaels to teach crochet. Then maybe get some of those designs published.
Hey, I'm dreaming big here. It's so much fun!!

Wooden hooks on eBay

I bought another wooden hook on eBay. It is a Blackbird hook, canary wood with a lampworks bead. Hope to have pictures up soon.
And here is the one that got away. I was bidding on this Sonshapes hook and was the high bidder for more than a week. I lost it in the last 45 seconds. Oh, the tears, I really wanted this one. "Sonshapes hook"

Organizing

I've sorted yarn into 6 more large tubs, and labeled the front of each. They are smack in the middle of the living room, until we can clean up some space in the basement. A footlock and 4 tubs have already made their way down. But, wouldn't you know, while sorting yarn I found things that go into at least 3 of the tubs that are already downstairs. So, now I have to take a large bag down, and finish sorting.

I've frogged an "exploration". I was trying a pineapple doily pattern to see how it would look in worsted weight yarn as a round afghan. Pretty, but not quite the look I was after. Maybe when I have more time to play, I will try it in a sport or fingering weight as a baby afghan. In fingering I have 10 skeins of mint, and 10 skeins of lilac that don't have a specific plan, yet. I have a pattern for a round baby afghan in fingering, and another in sport weight yarn, I'm hoping to make one of those up as an item for the county fair.

Looking for great reading in a blog? Check out the Crochet Dude "The Crochet Dude blog" I think I laughed myself silly reading about the yarn safari. He has some published patterns for sale, and quite a few free patterns. My favorites are the Ginko Bookmark, and the Pentagon Dishcloth.