She's Crafty!

And yes, yes you should be singing the title of this entry as the Beastie Boys in your head.

I've been working on a crocheted pillow for CoasterGirl for the last week or so. It's a medium-sized project, I guess, and I wanted a little instant gratification. So, I took a night or two out to crochet a cotton bath puff.



Isn't that just the cutest little thing? I modified this pattern by Priscilla Hewitt by eliminating the last round to make it a little less bulky, in the hopes that the cotton would dry out between showers.

What's that you say? What about my knitted scarf for my class? Oh, it's turned into just a really long practice swatch, with different stitch patterns and techniques at varying intervals. I'll be taking it out and salvaging the yarn for something else after our class ends, I imagine. I found some nifty yarn that I'm planning to knit into a scarf once class is over. And the teacher gave us a simple, cute knitted shrug pattern we can work on once we learn increasing and decreasing next week.

And then there is this adorable lacy cropped cardigan on the cover of the latest Crochet Today! magazine that I really want to make for myself. So many projects, so little time! I think I may be a little obsessed.

Hooking Redux

I finished CoasterGirl's shrug late Wednesday night - I really like how it turned out. It fits her fine, as long as it's over a tank or a thin shirt. I was a little worried about that, because the pattern is for a girls' 5/6, and she's definitely a 6, almost a 7. I think this project would be even better in a mercerized cotton (rather than acrylic) in a fun color - maybe a variegated pink or purple. I may wait until I get her a new spring dress, then pick a complimentary color and make a second shrug.

I got such a boost from completing a project! It's gotten me all excited about crochet again. In fact, I went out and bought a book and a crochet magazine with lots of great patterns today. So many great projects, so little time! I found a listing for a local yarn store in the next town over - I can't wait to go check it out.

But for now, it's back to practice, practice, practice on the knitting. I can tell I've gotten better (or at least more consistent) - my stitches look more even, and I'm getting quicker, too. Looking forward to class on Monday.

W. thinks I'm weird.

I'm a "Happy Hooker"!

All right, settle down. NOT that kind. I'm talking about crocheting...you know, with a hook?

My mother and grandmother taught me to crochet when I was a little girl, and though I've started (and stopped) several projects over the years, I've never really completed much besides some potholders and washcloths. Oh, and about 8 squares of a 48 square afghan. Ha!

Over the past few months, I've noticed that several of my imaginary computer friends are avid knitters, and I've thoroughly enjoyed seeing their beautiful finished projects. Inspired, I asked W. for knitting lessons for Christmas, and last week was my first class meeting, where I learned to cast on and to "knit". On Monday night, we were supposed to learn to "purl", but alas, the teacher was not feeling well. So. Now I have approximately 40 rows of a very boring, single color knitted scarf.

I joined Ravelry, an online networking site for knitters and crocheters, and as I was browsing patterns, saw the cutest little pattern for a little girls' shrug. I started looking at the pattern and thought, "Hey! I could do that!"

So here I am, knitting abandoned for the moment, working on a crocheted shrug for CoasterGirl.

I don't love the yarn, but it's a skein from that never-finished afghan that's been sitting in my bedroom closet for years, so it was free. If I like the way the pattern works out, and CoasterGirl likes it, I'll get her to help me pick out a "cooler" yarn and make her another one.

Thanks to Ginny, who kindly posted her pattern for free on Ravelry.