Sunday, April 24, 2011

Two finished projects and a new play project

I finished the Simple Spring Swing Cardigan and a personal creation I call Amore' Peplum Top.  I had some problems with the Swing Cardigan so I added some embellishment in the form of crocheted flowers and embrodiered stems which went along with the spring theme and also the wooden flower buttons.








My second completed project was actually begun months ago when I was struggling with the TLC Amore' yarn that I had purchased from Herrschner's back in Nov 2010.  I completed a shawl with the yarn that worked beautifully and then struggled with several patterns.  I completed a split sleeve top out of the black but the Lt. Thyme green that I made the shawl out of just did not work with any of the patterns I choose.  Amore' is a very soft drapy yarn that tends to grow.  I finally began a top that I designed myself but was not really thrilled with and therefore the project sat uncompleted for several months.  This week I took it up and completed it quickly and am kind of pleased with the finished project.  It is crocheted.  The top portion is completed in sections; back, front, and both sleeves.  This part is then joined together.  The yarn is then joined to the bottom circle of the top and worked from the top down.  Initially the number of stitches is decreased for approximately 2" and then increased again.  At the very bottom I changed from single crochet to double crochet for a little more lacey look.  Since the neck opening was a little larger than needed which caused my bra straps to show I added the two ties made from simple chain cords.  I can untie the cords to get the top over my head and then tie them to prevent bra straps from showing.










Also this week I got in a marvelous new DVD that has given me all storts of ideas and the incentive to begin some new techniques.  The first one of these is from designer Lorna Miser.  On the DVD she shows how she used a game spinner to choose which of 12 strands of yarn and which of several stitches to work up a sample swatch of the yarns.  The yarn she used was a special handdyed yarn that she was featuring at a yarn show.  I took her idea to begin making a scarf.  I chose twelve yarns from my stash of left overs and place each on in a hole around a styrofoam plate.  I punched the holes in at where the numbers would appear on a clock and the spinner is like the hour hand.  At each dash I wrote a number from 2-8.  I also chose stitch patterns and wrote those next to the number.  With this method no matter how many scarves I or other people make no two will be alike.  Here is my work in progress on the first one.










I also got my yarn bowl this week from Ned Corron and it is wonderful to use.  It is holding the yarn for my next diagonal baby blanket for Choose Life of North Alabama.  I have the blanket a little over half way done.  It is blue and white stripes (the yarn just naturally stripes) and I will use a blue and white varigated yarn to make the hat.  

The another one of the DVDs I got in covers designing your own projects particularly clothing.  I have sketched out some tops I might like to try making.  I also made my Duct Tape dress form to use in fitting and designing my own clothes.  I will also use it to alter my clothing as I continue to loose weight. 

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Knit two, rip out one.

This week I started the Kollage market bag tote kit that I purchased from Teresa at Hook-A-Frog.  Got about 1/3 of the way done and discovered that I had misread the instructions so had to unravel most of it.  When I get that I got the yarn all tangled up and made a royal rat's nest which took almost a full day to unravel.  Now I have almost completed the bag (down to the handle).  It is fairly easy pattern once you understand it and therefore think I will make several out of Lilly's Sugar'N'Cream cotton yarn for the Fall Mission Marketplace.  That means that this summer I need to make a bunch of hat and scarf sets in local school colors, i.e., Auburn, Alabama, UT, Bob Jones & Sparkman HS; several Market Bags, and hopefully Barbara and other will make some prayer shawls, afghans, and lapghans.  Will also make some regular hat and scarves maybe of nice lacy ones in lovely varigated and solid colors.  Then I will also have to make Christmas presents for Karen & the kids.  Would be nice if I had time to make everyone a sweater or at least Karen and the great grandkids, maybe Jen.
The Tote (Mine is more of an apricot/orange color)
And this is the Scarf Kit I also purchased from Teresa  it is also a Kollage Kit
Next week, once I have finished the tote, I'll start on another baby set.  Have some Jo-Ann's Sensations yarn in blue and white that I will use to make a couple of blue & white sets for little boys and that will give me a total of 10 sets to take to Choose Life.  I did finish the lace prayer shawl I was working on and I have a good sized collection between what I have finished and the bunch that Barbara Macksey has made.  She crochets such lovely lacey shawls and she does about one a week.  I am sure Ted will be surprised and pleased.  I have also found a simple pillow pattern to make a few more pillows out of yarn scraps (left overs from other projects).  Then it will be time to start on all of the stuff for Mission Marketplace.

Friday, April 8, 2011

A New Sweater

Here is the sweater that I finished this week.  It is made with Dark Driftwood Naturally Caron Spa which is a yarn that is 75% Microdenier Acrylic and 25% Rayon made from Bamboo.  It took 9 skeins. 

Now I am working on a Red Heart pattern, Simple Spring Swing Cardigan made with Red Heart Eco-Ways yarn which is a recycled yarn that is 70% Acrylic and 30% recycled polyester and the color is Fern. 

Monday, April 4, 2011

Another busy week

Last week I finished all of the baby hats to go with the baby blankets that I had made for Choose Life of North Alabama.  I also started a new sweater in the Red Heart Eco-ways recycled yarn that I finally got in last week.  I had ordered the yarn from Herrschner's back in January and it has been on backorder all of this time.  It is a lovely shade of green called Fern Green.  The pattern I am using is a Spring Swing Jacket from RedHeart.com.  I am also almost finished with the crocheted lacy jacket I am making with NaturallyCaron Spa yarn.  It is a bamboo blend yarn and I just love the feel of the new bamboo yarns they are so soft.  This will be the second lacy Spring jacket I have made with this yarn.  I also started a lacy shawl for the prayer shawl ministry at church.  It is a lovely varigated yarn by Caron (Simply Soft Paints) in a blend of blue, aqua, pruple, and charcoal.  The pattern is called Shoreline Lace Shawl and the color of the yarn is Oceana.  The pattern looks like riverlets or wavelets of water flowing along a shore.  Hope this next week will be as productive as this one.