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Tag: Crochet 2010

xmas scarves
sun 3 jan 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100103.html
Entry #1 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, )


Easy Scarves

Two for the Road scarf

Xmas Tree scarf

Yep: those were the things that were keeping me occupied for the last 3.5 months of the year. Scarves for Mom, Gram, Brother and Dad!

I had actually started the black scarf in the middle in Sept. The pattern looked fun and the directions said "Easy" and I was going to whip up four of these scarves, and be so happy with my homemade gifts that were finished with months to spare!

*scoffing* Yeah Right!

The stitches were interesting, but I had to rip them out several times over and use different sized crochet hooks... even so, the width of my poor, pathetic scarf ... had much variation. *nods* And I never did get the hang of the Lacy Grit: I had to put a normal row in between the Lacy rows. *pppbbbtttthhh*

But, yeah, it got done eventually after being abandoned a couple times to make the two Easy Scarves.

And then my pride and joy! laughs... my xmas tree scarf. Black scarf with a green triangle at both ends... the brown trunk and yellow star are sewn in. I was going to sew some blue garland and some white snowflakes... but I quickly discovered how much I hate embroidery! It's Not fun At All!

But still, I love that scarf! I made it! And I designed it! I am Brilliant!





crochet
sat 23 jan 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100123.html
Entry #2 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, )


Thanks to an email from Linda (*waves*), I got inspired to finish up a  Snuggle blanket that I had started last year:

Guinea Pig Boo on a small crocheted Snuggle blanket

I had been so stressed out this past week, and going to bed early every night... I really wanted to get something accomplished this weekend. And when Linda reminded me about the Snuggles Project, I also remembered I just had a few rows to finish up this blanket.

This one is 20x22inches, crocheted with three strings: two "Eco Cotton" white and one "Red Heart Super Saver tri-colour" called Ocean. The colour is messed up in the photo; the three colours are a pastel blue, pastel purple and aqua... it totally delighted me, but I only had one roll and I haven't seen it in the stores since. So, when I ran out of Ocean string, I finished off the blanket.

I will say that crocheting with three strings... sucks! I will never do that again. They were constantly getting tangled up and I threw my project across the room a couple times!

Now I'm wondering what my next crochet project will be. I have newsletters delivered to my email that have free patterns... but nothing has really caught my attention. Yet.

Linda is awesome, she loves rats and crocheting!
Linda at Ratpunzel :)





a Return to projects
sun 21 feb 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100221.html
Entry #3 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, )


It took me a while to "recover" from the january daily blogging. I guess I discovered chronic pain last month... and was in denial: A muscle in my back -- which I had messed up in a glorious sledding adventure -- was giving me trouble, and I didn't understand that it would be long term and thought it just needed to heal. Thusly, the blogging did not come easily, and I burned myself out.

Anyway, finally; I got going on some projects...

single cable

Whoa!

This thing, a Single Cable Scarf, said "intermediate" skill level, and I gave it a try anyway. Confusing instructions, but I got it down and now I'm cranking it out!

I am incredibly proud of this scarf! My stitches aren't perfect, but it is way fun and I can't wait to incorporate the raised stitches into my own designs.





Snuggles Project
Sat 3 apr 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100403.html
Entry #4 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, )


Snuggles Project, new web site


One of the bigger projects that I'm working on is the  Snuggles Project web site.

A "Snuggle" is a security blanket for animals who are waiting for a new home in a shelter. Snuggle blankets are homemade -- crocheted, knitted, quilted or sewn -- and donated to humane societies and rescues for the animals.

Anyway! The website got a great makeover, and I was invited to beta test at the end of february. I wonder if I was an editor in a past life, because I just love checking things over before they go live... making sure things look pretty, typos, making sure links go where they're supposed to go, random things that just aren't quite right... It was a lot of fun for my brain!

*laughs*

And then I decided to make the web site my personal project. The new site has improved social networking aspects, and I decided it would be great to develop the community there...

Ever since I started crocheting last year, I have really loved the idea of the Snuggles Project. I've only made a couple of Snuggle blankets so far... I sent them all to my favorite charity, Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary and they were so happy!

Since I am just a beginner at crocheting, there are only so many things I can make. In other words, there are only so many boring scarves I can make for my family before their smiles of gratitude start to look fake!

*laughs* So I am thrilled that I can make crazy amounts of Snuggle blankets for the animals, and everyone still appreciates them like it's the coolest thing in the world!

With this kind of motivation -- helping animals and doing a craft I enjoy -- you'd think I'd be crocheting constantly. But I don't! I have a lot of other hobbies, okay?!!

One of those hobbies being an obsession with all things Internet... :) ... Which is why I've decided to make the Snuggles Project web site one of my new hobbies! My goal there is to make a self sustaining community. I've started with basically zero participation of members, and I want to get to the point where we have active communication, on multiple topics, every day.

Definitely a long term project. Getting an online community off the ground takes time -- even with an established membership base -- and effort.

I think I'm up for it.

:D

Oh, by the way, I'm rift vegan at the Snuggles Project. :)





Yay Crochet!
sat 24 apr 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100424.html
Entry #5 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, , )


I have not been crocheting very faithfully this year. For the past few months, I'm only working on my scarf project on the weekend, or even every other weekend! Sheesh, like anything's going to get done at this rate!

But! I have finally finished the scarf!!

Keeping them warm!

(That's Polar Baby, Happy the elephant and Sea Biscuit the pink sea horse, modeling!)

And that's the finished scarf! It is a Single Cable Scarf, with ribbing on the ends. It is made with Caron's Simply Soft Eco string which is 20% post-consumer recycled soda bottles! The colour is called Denim Wash.

I am so proud of myself for finishing because it's my first "Intermediate" crochet project! The directions were difficult... especially since I have a hard time following directions ("wouldn't it be better this other way?" heh). But once I understood what was going on, I zipped right along without having to read the directions all the time!

Well. "Zipped" every other weekend, that is! heh. I started the scarf mid-feb. oof.

I had planned to make a  Snuggle blanket next. A new pattern. I've got a general idea of what I'm doing, but I couldn't find step-by-step directions. So I have a little bit of trepidation.

Which means I might not start right away. sighs.

But! I've found an interesting site that has a whole section of Vegan String!

  Vegan Fibers at Earth Friendly Yarns

How cool is that? Some are insanely expensive. But it's all for fun, right, and you can't put a price on fun.

heh. yeah, keep telling yourself that when your hobby starts costing the big bucks!





little crochet
mon 26 apr 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100426.html
Entry #6 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet,)


Sunday night I started working on this:

about half done

Eventually this thing is going to turn into a Diagonal Crochet Hotpad. It's a test run, so I am actually following the directions.

What has intrigued me about this pattern is that it is double thickness. I'm thinking it will make a great  Snuggle blanket!

So my next run is going to be a lot bigger. (The diagonal on this one is only about six inches.) With solid colours, maybe a couple different bands of colour.

And I'm going to use a different stitch. Maybe even a double-crochet stitch, which is way holey for a Snuggle blanket, but at double thickness, it might just be perfect. We'll have to find out!





Something for Me
sat 4 sept 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/100904.html
Entry #7 of ? on this page (tagged: crochet, )


In the evening, just before I go to bed, I try to ask myself "What little thing can I do right now that will make my day more fulfilling or meaningful?"

Sometimes I will write a postcard. Do a bit more in my paper journal. Read a specific book. Play with Boo the guinea pig. Colour with my copics for a few minutes.

Quite often in the last couple of months, the answer is, "oh, just go to bed now... you need your beauty sleep!" *laughs*

A few weeks ago, the answer was a vague "you need to make something for yourself." Unfortunately, I had so many projects for other people going on, I could not even consider a personal project. And still more unfortunately, those projects were mostly _stuck_ and not moving forward.

Caron Paint Spring Brook

But then I figured out that I wanted to crochet myself a scarf, and I have this most beautiful multi-coloured string of moss green and pale green and blue-green and hydrangia blue.

I started on my scarf, regardless of the other projects.

and miraculously I suddenly felt like working on the other projects as well! A couple of them are done and out the door! And my scarf is almost finished as well... got to be the fastest I've ever crocheted!

So Yay. I think I am back in the creating business.





Crochet!
sat 9 oct 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/101009.html
Entry #8 on this page (tagged: crochet, )


This book arrived in the mail from Amazon this week:

The Complete Idiots Guide to Amigurumi by June Gilbank

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Amigurumi and I am so excited!! Mostly due to the extreme cuteness of the hamster book cover. :) But I'm really happy to have a whole book to read about crochet...

I have never attempted any amigurumi (pronounced as ah-mee-goo-roo-mee, a Japanese word which means "Crochet/Knit stuffed toy.") The patterns are in the round, and that has intimidated me a little. Plus Magic Ring and Invisible Decrease? yikes!

But this book explains all, and I will be churning out little crochet animals in no time!

well. maybe.

  Planet June Blog The author's site! I've been subscribed to her feed for a while and she is always coming up with new and *unique* plant and animal patterns that are so incredible! Her newest project includes some scarves and stuff.





crochet
tues 9 nov 2010

Permalink: http://www.static8.com/journal/2010/101109.html
Entry #9 on this page (tagged: crochet, )


Did a few minutes of crocheting yesterday. I've got about 4 or 5 hours of work left on this scarf I'm making, but at the rate I'm going, it'll be about two months before I'm done! ha!

Actually that's how it's gone all this year... I've only completed two small  Snuggle blankets, and the current scarf is my fourth.

I've kind of just lost my interest? well. not my "interest"... I've lost my Enthusiasm.

And I thought that the amigurumi book would re-invigorate me. But then I got annoyed when I read the chapter about stuffing.

Humph, ya know?

But then again... it's _almost_ chilly enough to start wearing the scarf that I made for myself! That might get me working on my current scarf project again!

hers and his, single cable scarves





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