Irish Lace Choker WIP

I've taken on yet another project that I may never get the chance to wear.

Why does this thread have to be so beautiful?

Colors of Love Finish

My miniature "Colors of Love" granny square blanket has taken a place of honor atop the bench for my piano.  Perhaps I should make a pun about 'the key to my heart...'

Crocheted things are definitely that key.

Choker Finish & A Crash Course in Photography

Now that I finally have batteries for the camera, I asked a certain family member for a few photography tips, and they've made all the difference.  I can finally share my excitement over this lovely finish!

I do have a confession, however.  I don't own anything yellow or orange to wear it with!

(This item has been listed for sale on Craigslist.)

One of Those Days

We all have those days when we feel like changing up our routine a little bit.  For me, today was one of those days.

Instead of crocheting, like usual, I spent my day baking.  The entire apartment smells like pumpkin and chocolate, thanks to the numerous cookies now littering the table.

Life feels good.

Everyday Life

It's amazing just how much touches like these become a part of everyday life.  The apartment is slowly but surely becoming our own, filled with things that make it clear this is our little place in the world.

I'm glad.

Memorials

It's already been eleven years?  Time goes by so fast.  I haven't got a specific memorial project planned, but maybe you all can do something special with this motif in memory of those who died on 9/11/2001.  Closed meshes are colored, open meshes are white.  For best results, use against a white background.

I'd love to see what you all can do!  E-mail me pictures of memorial projects made with this and I might even feature them in a post.

Sewing Patterns Repurposed

My sewing pattern collection consists of impulse purchases.  All of them.  When I was younger and had money for such things, I would always find my wallet a little lighter when I saw something particularly pretty.

Now that I'm older and more sensible, I find myself wondering how I'll ever use them all... and then it hit me when I saw this video from Ira Rott.  Cutting and sewing is wonderful and all, but crochet is my real passion. I hope to get started on making an Irish Crochet cloak as soon as possible!

Ah, Memories... (+Yet another free filet grid)

When I found this, it sure brought back memories.  This lovely little creation was the first doily I ever made.  It was my experiment with Filet Crochet, a double-mesh with a larger hook than I normally use these days.  I call it the "handkerchief doily," and it's also the first time I used Microsoft Paint to create a black-and-white grid pattern for Filet.

Combine it with the doilies and Irish Roses made and given to me by Great Aunt Lilly, and it still adds that perfect decorative touch.

A USC2 hook and size 10 thread were used when I first made this doily.

Tiny Butterfly Experiment--Continued.

I've decided.  My little butterfly motif will be paired with a lovely heart-pattern hdc-mesh filet choker.

The bright colors are a little strong for Autumn, but Spring will come along before we know it.  Besides, the latter half of the year has always been much too cold for my tastes.  I need a bit of sunshine like this to get me through Winter, don't you?

I thought about adding some yellow Irish Roses, but it seems to me like three motifs might be pushing it.  Guess we'll see, hmm?

"Thank You" Projects (+Snowflake/Holly Border Pattern)

I try to make a point to work on something as a thank-you project whenever someone gives me yarn.  At the moment, my list includes a filet tablecloth(or table runner, depending on how long my baby yarn lasts) for my great aunt, a pillow for my great aunt, and an as-yet-undecided project for Aunt Suzie.  Aunt Suzie is a fashionable lady, so I've got a general category to work with: clothing and accessories.

While I contemplate what to do for that, here's the progress I've got on the tablecloth/tablerunner:

Soft leaves that also form the icy snowflake border, and a small berry between each set.  A perfect border motif.  I'd know-I made the pattern myself for that purpose.




 





Here's a little more detail on the filet motif...

And here's a little three-month-early Christmas present for you all.  I put 15x15 squares between the motifs on my project, and used a USC2(2.75 MM) hook with Red Heart Baby Yarn.

Have fun!

The Colors of Love (Granny Square Blanket WIP)

Recently, my grandmother gave me the task of fixing an old granny square doll blanket. Fitting, right?  So, I got to work figuring out exactly how it had been originally made and mimicking it until the blanket was 100% good as new.  It inspired me to start making one of my own...

I looked in my yarn stash, and found this.  It was a Christmas gift from a family member, but I've been saving it in case a project came along that would really make it shine.

Clearly, this is that project.  Don't the squares just look so vibrant?








I'm almost giggling like a little girl.

Finally, some detail! (+Free Filet Crochet Pattern)

As I promised almost a month ago, here's some more detail on the filet lace on those curtains of mine.

Isn't it just so gentle-looking?  I just love pink and white!  Of course, I'm one of those people who loves practically everything.  I guess you could say I'm sort of like a dog that way, hmm?  "A walk in the park?  My favorite thing!  Chasing my tail?  My favorite thing!"







I have a lot of favorite things.  Just living in such a beautiful world never really ceases to amaze me, and everything I see is always so much more vibrant in reality than it is in my memory.

These are the filet charts I created (using Microsoft Paint of all things).  For the size seen on the curtains, size 10 thread and a size 6 hook are used.

Forgot to Nag.

I still need to grab the higher-quality curtain photos from a certain family member.  You wouldn't think things like that would be so tough to remember!

On another note, my birthday was September 1st, and darn, do I feel loved.  Sixty dollars in cash, a huge bag of yarn and thread found in the back of an aunt's closet, a gift card, and Hercules on DVD.  Somebody remind me to make something Hercules-inspired one of these days.  I love that movie so much.

I of course made sure to put some of that money to good use, and bought myself a nice set of crochet hooks for use in threadwork.  When I got home, I was really itching to try it out, and grabbed some orange-and-yellow thread from the big bag.  The result:  A tiny butterfly, which I promise I'll give a higher-quality image of as soon as I remember to nag!

It's shown next to my new set of Boye crochet hooks.  I love that they're interchangeable heads!  I tend to crochet a lot in the car on the way to pretty much anywhere(I'm not the one driving), so having something to put them in instead of just stabbing whatever yarn happens to be closest to me is a big improvement.  That isn't to say that stabbing the yarn can't be fun too, of course.  It's just a little sad when you start needlessly being mean to inanimate objects, is all.