How Silly Am I?

I'm an idiot, I didn't think to post a few pictures of my very first granny square blankets, did I? They will brighten up my blog a little...







I started this one after a friend of mine finally helped me understand granny squares, this was my very first crochet project and she gave me the white and blue yarn to use, then I got home and continued with yarn out of my own stash...I wouldn't have used the white and blue to start with...

The yarns used are all different (I am lucky they crocheted well together), I can't remember the hook size (probably a 5.00mm) and two rounds of double crochet (sc) and then an eight treble (dc) shell border (the extra trebles in the shell gives it a slight ruffle which I like).





This one was made as a gift for a dear friend, I really love that pink...Patons Tasman 8ply (pink) and Patons Caressa 8ply (white). Two rounds of double crochet (sc) and a five treble (dc) shell border.

Edited 30/9 8:57am to fix layout problems.

Fruit Salad Update

Just a quick update on my mango-pineapple doily, I have completed three of the six pineapples and it looks so nice, I am really proud of it. I will have a few ends to weave in and it does need a bit of blocking (some of the stitches need to be pinned open) but it is a lot better than my first attempt (the black one).

I should get it finished tonight, before I fall asleep or early in the morning.

I've downloaded the images on my camera to my computer, so I have some space to take more photos. I'm not really happy with the scarf photos but since I have sent them off now, there's not much I can do about it. Perhaps my swap partner will be able to take some pictures of what she has received and maybe someone can take a picture of her as the model, I would like to see how her scarves look on her! Pooky doesn't do them justice...

By jove, this blog is boring without pictures! I will get a cupcake photo up as soon as possible!

Winter Scarf Blues...

Some of the other participants are receiving their items from the Winter Scarf Swap and they're posting pictures of these huge packages full of delightful items! There's candles and candy and potpourri and lip balms, lots of scarves, etc - and I didn't send my partner so much...I did write in the card that I wasn't able to fit much in the box but hey, I could've bought a new box, couldn't I? I will have to get another package together and send it...

The good news is my mango-pineapple doily is progressing well except I think I have crocheted the beginning of the pineapples too tightly, it seems as if it wants to turn into a little bowl - if that does happen, then I will just starch the darn thing in a bowl shape. Too much work to undo, there's lots of picots (and now I know why everyone always groans when they're doing a pattern with lots of picots...).

Nothing else to report except I bought some more beads and stickers (etc) yesterday so I am trying to organise my RAoK wishlist info and get some packages sent out next week...

Secret Pal 9

I've signed up for (and been confirmed as a participant for) Secret Pal 9. So exciting! I didn't see myself on the participants list but I won't panic - it must take a long time to go through everything and update all the necessary pages...

I think it will be a bit easier for me than some of the Crochetville Swaps (which I do love!) because there is no theme as such - and I will be able to blog-stalk to get info from my "Pal-to-spoil"...

Anyway, we'll see how it goes.

I bought some printer ink and photo paper yesterday, which is a Very Good Thing - I had almost completely run out of ink, so no pattern printing was occurring! I took a photo of my bear wearing one of the scarves for my Winter Scarf Swap partner - I wanted to send it to her in the card but couldn't...can always post it when she receives her package.

I also want to print some photos of my finished projects, so I can put them in a project scrap book or album (size, yarn used, pattern changes etc) to keep track of how I'm going.

I almost forgot! I was busily making the Halloween cupcake last night, I think I was on round 4 and I had it all nice and beautiful when my hook broke! Disaster! I had bought some hooks from Lincraft, just colourful plastic ones in a packet that were cheap (and looked nice). They were also very light to hold but not as smooth to crochet with (I am using cheap, squeaky, acrylic). Obviously they aren't very strong, I wasn't crocheting exceptionally tightly or anything like that. Luckily I found my aluminium 4.00mm to keep going with and now the cupcake is completed except for the joining, beading and stuffing (just the crocheted parts are done).

That's about enough early morning excitement for me, have to get ready for work...

Food Frenzy

See how much I love cupcakes - and how they would invade my life if I let 'em? I decided a cupcake banner would be just right for my page - adds a bit of colour, at least. I started to make a Halloween one (chocolate cake with orange icing - because chocolate and orange is a marvellous flavour combination!) but I made a mistake - I was doing my back post trebles as front post trebles (and vice versa), so I will have to start again. I am only four rounds in, so I am not too worried...never done front or back post stitches before I made the first cupcake so I am happy to learn new things.

I have decided to either crochet a cupcake every time I want to eat one (or any sweets) or try my hand at crocheting all different types of food. Who doesn't love crocheted food? I think it would be fun and I am just silly enough to display my crocheted edibles all over the house, especially in the kitchen...

I started the next round of my mango-pineapple doily, it is slow progress but not too bad, if I can get through these few final rounds of the center, I can start working on the individual pineapply bits...I think two Halloween doilies, 1 packet of Halloween Goodie Bags, 2 sheets of pretty Autumn stickers, 1 Halloween cupcake, 1 card, 1 birthday card and a birthday cupcake will be a nice little swap package - but then I get 'swap anxiety' and worry my items will be awful.

It doesn't help that the first package received (already!) was chock-full of excellent goodies (including but not limited to: stitch markers, a pumpkin bracelet, a pumpkin pin, 2 pumpkin potholders, 1 candycorn potholder, 2 trivets, a halloween bowl [with candy], a tote bag, a crochet hook case, stationary, body wash and lotion). I feel like anything I can send will pale in comparison - I would love to send a haul like that but the postage costs would definitely kill me (or perhaps bankrupt me).

I did start a dishcloth in a lemony-yellow colour (quite nice) but the pattern, as simple as it is, just keeps messing up. I don't know, I would want to get my items sent out in about another week at the latest, I want them to arrive before Halloween (preferably around the time of my partners' birthday).

Don't get me wrong, these swaps are awfully fun but since these are my first two, I just want to make sure I am sending nice items. I am not an experienced crocheter, don't have access to amazing yarn or heaps of patterns so I am just muddling along as I can.

Anyway, back to the hook - I've got deadlines!

Random Acts of Cupcakes...

I came home after posting my Winter Scarf Swap items at the post office (I think it cost me about $13 for 466 grams, 7-10 day delivery which wasn't as bad as I had feared) and I found my very first "Random Act of Kindness" in the letterbox! I received a beautiful card from Kelly in Virginia with a bit of advice on how to keep my hooks organised until I can find a nice hook-case. It really made my day and I am delighted to receive it. I'm going to put it in an album for my cards...

I will post a picture when I download what is currently on my camera (all my swap goodies).

Speaking of swap goodies, I made a crocheted cupcake to send to my Halloween Swap partner - as I wrote previously, her birthday is in October and while I can't send her a proper birthday cake, I thought a crocheted cupcake might suffice.



I think my cupcake is a bit prettier, although slightly more wonky I suppose. It has an enormous red pom-pom 'cherry' on top and some sequin and seed-bead 'sparkles' with pink icing. I feel like making some Halloween themed ones to send, too, since I am not progressing well with my mango-pineapple doily (I keep falling asleep!).

To be honest, the patterns available are quite simple, so I am considering doing a whole cupcake-tray of cupcakes with elaborate icing decorations on top (rosettes, sprinkles, swirls etc) and sticking them on a plate in the kitchen - I've got a beautiful two-tiered cake display plate (Foley) that is just sitting in my cabinet, I think it will look much nicer with cupcakes on it.

I haven't finished the presents for the friend who will be receiving the floral baby blanket, not long to go until her baby shower (two weeks) and I haven't done anything else. I would like to make some small toys and maybe some booties / hats etc...I will have to start working on those - at least I will be able to post pictures!

Ecoyarns

I had a quick look through "Yarn" magazine at the Post Office when I was there on Friday and I saw an ad for an online yarn store, Ecoyarns so I browsed through yesterday to see what they had and maybe what I could buy. I found a great range of all the yarn I am desperate to try - soysilk, bamboo, corn, silk etc - I haven't seen any of those stocked in the shops I go to (Lincraft and Spotlight) and I wasn't very keen on ordering online from an overseas store because the postage costs would be horrendous. I filled my cart with a good variety (one of each type in a colour I thought would be good) but then I couldn't checkout. I was so unhappy, there is definitely something wrong with my computer! I contacted the store-owner and got a reply with the details I need to fax my order, I think I will do that tomorrow.



How much is too much or not enough? I think one of each is not really sufficient, I should probably get a few of one or two, so I can actually complete a project - but I don't really know what I will want to do with them. Maybe some boring scarves for Winter? Some shawls / wraps for Christmas gifts? Squares to make a blanket for mum (I want to try the Monet Afghan). I haven't really though much about clothing, other than a shrug...I could make a nice handbag with some of the yarn, I'm sure.

I wish I could physically touch and see the yarn before I order, maybe one will tell me what it wants to be?

Halloween Swap Banner

I made a banner for the Halloween Swap @ Crochetville - this is what I came up with:




It's not really fancy but I thought it was cute and it's Halloween-y, which is what I was after. It adds a bit of to the page, since I don't have many images on here yet...

Quick Update

I have finished the black doily entirely and started a new one (a mango-coloured pineapple one - very fruit-salady). The black doily's ends are woven in, it's been washed and pressed and is now folded up inside the big envelope I bought to send my Halloween Swap items in. The space inside is being shared by the black doily, some goodie bags, some stickers and a birthday card for my swap partner. She mentioned that her birthday is in October so I will have to try and get a non-Halloween themed birthday present in there, too.

I bought the envelope (actually it's more a 'padded cardboard bag' than an envelope) from the Post Office yesterday - and I bought a little box to post my Winter Scarf Swap items in but the box is a bit too small. I can just about fit both scarves and the card but when I add the little teeny spool of thread there are problems. I imagine I will be taping the box shut fairly securely, I'd hate for it to burst open and my partners' Winter Swap goodies getting set free. I was going to try and find some of the strawberry tea I like and put a little packet in for her but I don't know if I will be able to squeeze it in. It doesn't really matter because I discovered the cost is quite reasonable for a 500g or less package to the USA (I might be over the 500g though), so I can send another one when I ferret out some more things to add.

I wonder if I can make a bookmark or two, to stick inside the cards? Maybe a bit beyond my skill level or I can try sending a pretty granny-square but that's fairly useless unless they have others of the same size to make a blanket...

This swap business is a lot of fun but a little intimidating, too. I can't wait until everything is sent and received, so I can post some pictures. My blog looks incredibly boring with all the writing and no pictures!

Anaemic Pumpkin

My doily is complete! I am so happy it's finished, just two ends to weave in - and it's staying beautifully flat and I haven't blocked it or ironed it yet. I'm not sure how I should send it, maybe I need to tack it to a flat piece of cardboard so it doesn't get scrunched up in the mail? It will need to be a fairly big piece, my doily measures 12inches / 30.5cms - two centimetres bigger than the pattern stated but since I added so many extra double-treble-clusters, I am not surprised.

I tried to make a little pumpkin 'jar' or trinket-box last night, it turned out okay except it doesn't look like a pumpkin. My sister told me it looked like a Morroccan jewellery box...I used my anaemic-orange (which apparently looks like gold) and made a green pom-pom for the lid and added a little leaf. Anyway, I think it's cute even if it's not pumpkin-like. Maybe if I fill it full of lollies it will still be worth sending for the Halloween swap.

Speaking of swaps (I was!) - my Winter Scarf swap items are all ready to be sent out, I think I will add some crochet-thread and a few more bits and bobs, I just have to be careful I don't get stuck paying an enormous amount of postage (eek!). My Halloween Swap items are getting there, I've got the doily and the "not-a-pumpkin-jar", I did start a dishcloth last night but I made a mistake in the pattern so have to frog it and redo (my foundation chain is a few ch short!)...um, what else? I bought some nice Autumn-y stickers to throw in the box and a packet of 10 Halloween Goodie Bags as well. I do still want to make a scarf (knitted, though) and a special picture but we shall see...

Too Many Mistakes!

I'm so happy! I've got three-quarters of the current round to finish and then one more and the doily is done. Yay! At the moment, I've flattened it out on the placemat and it's actually staying fairly flat, which means it might just work with a bit of pinning and blocking. We shall see.

I discovered I had made a mistake at the beginning of the last round when I was almost finished and I thought I'd just leave it but then I noticed another one (same mistake) a bit further along and I thought I couldn't really leave two in there, so I frogged it back and started again. It looks alright although not terribly lacy like a doily should be - either there is a msitake in the pattern or I just can't read. Maybe a bit of both? Instead of the 20 or 40 repeats I should have had, I think I have 120!

After I finish this, I am not sure if I should do another one in the pumpkiny-yellow thread or if I should try a dishcloth in the microfibre. I don't know if microfibre is really suitable for a dishcloth...it feels nice.

I have to get my scarves packaged up and posted this week, I was hoping I could do it this afternoon but I feel a bit mean just sending two scarves - I wanted to add other things in, to make it a bit more fun. I do have some crochet thread I can add in but I haven't decided yet.

Anyway, I had better get back to my doily...I will post pictures of my projects as soon as they are received by my swap partners. I haven't 'advertised' this blog at all but I don't want to risk them stumbling upon it and seeing their items.

Almost There...

I finished the next two rounds of my doily last night, then got a little bit of the next one done. I think I may have made a mistake with the pattern - actually, I think I've made a couple of mistakes. I have too many clusters on each round, the pattern says I should have 40 by this stage, but I had 40 less than half way around. I thought I had started off with too many stitches but the third round is right, so I don't know how that happened. I may have also made a mistake when it is treble cluster then 3 - 4 - 5 chain, (consecutive rounds) I think I did 3 - 4 - 4 instead. It's getting ruffled again but I refuse to frog it, I was going to end it after the last round because it actually looked nice the way it was and I thought it wasn't worth continuing but I'm going to finish the pattern and see what I get. It's very hard to see my stitches with this black cotton, so I am not surprised that there are a few mistakes.

I must try and get my Winter Scarf Swap items in the mail today - I can pretty much send them both as they are but I did want to throw some goodies into the box, too - I just can't think of what to add. I might send the scarves with a card and leave it at that...

I want to get my Halloween Swap items in the mail by the end of the week, too - but I haven't even completed one item! The swap is either 2 - 3 smaller items or 1 larger item. I picked 2 - 3 smaller, and I will have two doilies (I hope), a dishcloth, maybe a bookmark or something else quick and simple, and then maybe some pom-poms and crocheted flowers in Halloween colours so my partner can use them...then I would love to send a spider or something (crocheted) for a bit of fun but the closest I have to a pattern is an octopus. I wonder if an octopus can be slightly rearranged to make a spider? If I made the leg placement 4 on each side, not one all the way around, it might work. I suppose even if I just send two doilies, my commitments are met but they're not really Halloweeny.

That being said, if I ever finish this doily, I will be very cautious about what pattern I start next - something I can't mess up! Hopefully whatever I choose will be a wee bit quicker, too...

Doily Madness

I got home from work not long ago - I've been looking forward to sitting in front of the TV and crocheting madly to finish my doily...even though I don't think it will turn out right, I hope it will...

I think I have probably over-crocheted these last few weeks, even if I haven't got a whole lot to show for it, I do spend quite a lot of time just starting patterns or squares etc, and now my right wrist is giving me trouble. This does happen periodically (even if I haven't crocheted for ages andit started before I crocheted anyway), so I know crocheting isn't entirely to blame, I just think I might've caused a flare-up. I hope I can finish my WIPs without too much pain.

I'll leave this for now and get stuck into the doily...

Floral Baby Blanket

This is a picture of my first major finished project. It took me two weeks of almost nothing but crocheting in every non-working hour.

I used square 2, from "99 Floral Motifs to Crochet", a 5.00mm hook and 5ply yarn (Patons acrylic).

The colours didn't photograph all that well, but you get the general idea, I suppose.

I will be giving this as a gift to a friend who is due to have her baby (a girl) at the end of October. She's having a baby shower at the beginning of October, so I must weave in all the ends before then!

I put a lot of work into this and I am really pleased with how it turned out. I'll be making one for myself (using a larger hook, only one or two colours for the flowers and different yarn) when I have the time.

What Is A Dishcloth?

The days have slipped by very quickly this weekend. I went shopping yesterday at Spotlight and I bought a few little pattern books (two doily books and one dishcloth book), some cotton yarn (4ply), "Aunt Lydias" something or other (microfibre), two small hooks, two pom-pom makers, some safety pins (to use in lieu of stitch-markers) and some eyes! Eyes for my soon to be made stuffed toys - oh I also bought a 1kg bag of stuffing. I had a lot of fun yesterday. I was very happy to see the huge range of cotton and thread they had in stock, although I fear the wool and yarn will be limited during the Summer months.

I started making a doily in black cotton, to give as part of the Halloween swap. I don't like working with this cotton, I don't know if it's the brand or just the nature of cotton but it is terribly stiff and difficult to crochet. I bought two different brands (black and orange of each) to see if I might end up with a preference. I hope the other brand is a bit softer.

My doily is not turning out that well, my stitches aren't as even as they should be and I have made a few mistakes. It's starting to ruffle rather severely, I hope ironing and pinning it out will make it sit flat but I begin to fear that it is too ruffled to fix. If so, I will send it as a jug cover or something I suppose. When I finish this one, I will try a different pattern in the orange...and then I thought some orange and black flowers and orange and black pom-poms would be fun to send, my partner can use them to decorate any items she wants...

I wish someone could explain the purpose of 'dishcloths' - I am not sure if they are used to wash the dishes, dry the dishes, hold the dishes etc. I find it very confusing. I truly don't understand why someone would want to crochet or knit a dishcloth...here, we just buy chux or things like that but I am sure there was a time when commercial products weren't available and people did crochet or knit dishcloths. Is it a tradition thing, that they are still made and used in the US? Really, I haven't got a problem with them, I just want to understand exactly what they're used for and why...I will try and make my partner a dishcloth from the book, too.

I am going to post my Winter Scarf Swap items early next week, I was going to put some "RAOKs" in the box, too, but I think it would be better if I sent those seperately - more fun that way...I wonder how much the postage will cost? At least the RAOKs can be sent surface if they have to be (no deadline).

I am having absolutely no luck with my coat-hanger cover which is very sad because I would really like to make them for gifts (and myself) but never mind, I will eventually resort to knitting if I have to. The fabric rug for my floor is also on hold while I work on these other projects - plus the second baby blanket I am making. I will get back to them as soon as possible, but I don't want to be late sending my items for my swaps.

I really must upload the pictures I have taken of my projects. Maybe when I get home this afternoon...

Jiggly Eyes

I can't remember the last thing I wrote about. Did I write that both scarves are now complete? They are, except for 6 ends I have to weave in on the ruffle scarf. I love the way the ruffle scarf turned out - I am planning on making lots more. It took a few hours from start to finish, probably between 3 - 4 (maybe a bit more or less). The only problem is that the yarn does, as my mum says, 'bite'. The mohair feels a bit prickly against the skin but it isn't that bad. I don't like 'biting yarn' but I can put up with this one. I hope my swap partner likes it, I would be happy to keep it myself but that's not in the spirit of swapping, is it?

I spent a fortune at Lincraft this afternoon, I bought yarn (some acrylic for my amigurumi patterns), some novelty / fluffy for coat-hanger covers and something indescribable with pretty colours for whatever I think I can use it for and a bit of thread.

I also bought some jiggly eyes (sew-on ones, because I couldn't find safety eyes!), some jingle-bells (to put inside crocheted 'blocks' for friends babies on the way), some stickers (to send as part of the Halloween swap - autumn leaves and autumn coloured flowers, not exactly Halloween but close enough, I hope).

Speaking of the Halloween swap, I found out who my partner is today - the swap 'mom'. Eek! No, I think it will be okay but I was hoping to send her some PMs and tell her my ideas to get some feedback but I can't do that now. I want to make some practical and pretty items she will be able to use whenever she wants, so I'm thinking a Halloween colour scheme (black and yellow-orange) but not necessarily Halloween themed (like severed fingers etc). I'll try and make some little Halloween items as well, though...just was thinking maybe a nice bag or scarf that she won't have to hide away for the other 50-odd weeks of the year.

I also bought some fabric strips to make a rug for my room in (when I say rug, I mean for the floor). We have tiled floors and they get terribly cold but the rugs I have aren't suitable with the doggies around and I can't find what I want elsewhere so I thought I would try crocheting one. Now that I have started, I realise I will need way more strips than I bought but I will just have to go back and buy some more when I finish these ones. They weren't expensive and the rug looks nice so far...I will put it next to my bed, so I don't put my poor bare feet onto icy cold tiles when I get up (my socks usually come off when I sleep). I chose two colours, pink and black - both fabrics have white on them, white dots on the pink and white shapes on the black.

I did take some photos of things to post but haven't uploaded them yet, I will have to go back and edit all my posts and add in the proper photos when I have more time.

All Sequined Up

My scarf is finished! All the sequins are on, ends woven in etc. I just haven't washed and blocked it yet. I'm a bit nervous about doing that, I don't want to end up with a ruined scarf but I feel it would be rude to send it unwashed. I don't know, I will just do my best and see what happens.

I started the ruffled scarf from "Essential Crochet" (Erika Knight), I'm using the lovely silvery-grey mohair blend that I edged the other scarf in, I'm about three-quarters done with it but I think I may do an extra round of treble, to make it more ruffled. Another wait and see moment. I started it about an hour ago, I'm using the wrong yarn and hook...and, um...d'you think I checked my gauge? Of course not, but it clearly states in the pattern that the gauge is not essential. My type of pattern! I've never checked my gauge...never needed to so far, will have to start if I try other patterns.

Speaking of patterns, I purchased and received some patterns this evening. Amigurumi ones, very cute! I want to try those but haven't got the right yarn yet. It's awful not having a stash to delve in to, I do have some but nothing suitable, a lot of feathery ones which I can't crochet with, no matter how many attempts I make.

I wonder how I am supposed to post pictures? I really don't know. I will have to look into that. Oh I think I just worked it out.



The Crochetville Winter Scarf Swap button, isn't it cute? I will have to put it somewhere else, but for now I will leave it here.

Reams Of Ribbons

I went shopping after work and bought heaps of beads and a few rolls of ribbon and other bits and pieces. The beads aren't terribly fancy, just a few different sizes and colours...I'm sequin-ing the scarf (for the Winter Scarf Swap) now, and I think it's turning out quite well. It is very hard to make the placement look random while still being even - I don't know if I'll be able to stop, or if I'll keep trying to 'even it up'. My swap partner might be in danger of receiving some sequins embellished with a bit of crochet, instead of a crocheted scarf embellished with sequins! Either way, I hope she likes it. I'm very nervous about that! I've tried to make her a scarf I would be happy to receive myself and that's the best I can do...

I am having a bit of trouble uploading this post but that's okay because I forgot to mention my progress on the Sweet Pea Shawl. There is no progress! I finished the first row and went to start the second - and realised I had misread the pattern and the first row was all wrong. I did the shell stitch I do for blanket edgings instead of the shell stitch the pattern actually called for! My only excuse is that I started it while looking at the pattern and then took it in the car with me...without the pattern. Obviously I didn't memorise what I thought I had. Never mind, I couldn't frog it because the mohair snagged on itself, so I just cut the yarn and I will start again when I am finished my other WIPs...

Lumpy Wrists

I've pretty much finished my scarf for the Winter Scarf Swap. I did want to add some sequins, beads and maybe a fringe or tassles but I don't have the right beads, the sequins looked a bit odd and I didn't like the fringe I tried. I may buy some different beads and sequins tomorrow and see how I go. The actual scarf itself is complete as it is, it's just whether or not I want to continue. I like how it's turned out, a bit wide and a bit dense but not too bad - the only thing is, I used such a simple pattern that my partner could easily have made it herself and I think the fun of a swap should be receiving something that you wouldn't be able to make (or wouldn't spend the time making) for yourself. We shall see.

I started the Sweet Pea Shawl from Happy Hooker, I have completed less than half of the first row but it looks okay. I'm using a mohair blend yarn and a 6.00mm hook (the pattern calls for a 5.5mm hook and some kind of cotton yarn, I think). I didn't do a gauge swatch but when I measured one of the shells, I was only a little bit smaller than what it should've been so I think that's a good sign...

I am terribly sleepy and I must go to bed fairly soon, I have so many projects I am working on or considering working on - so much to do and so little time in the day. I wish I could crochet all day but then I would never get anything else done. Besides, I have a bit of a lump in my left wrist joint (I don't know how to describe it) and it may be because I have been crocheting too much, I will see if it's gone in the morning. It isn't painful but I do often get pain in my wrist and I think there's a weakness there that is made worse by excess crocheting. I'd rather crochet in moderation than have to stop for days or weeks against my will...

I am participating in the "Winter Scarf Swap" at Crochetville. I bought some yarn today from Lincraft (terribly expensive and not much variety!) - a lovely dark blue-grey colour, 50% acrylic, 50% tencel. I wanted to go for something more luxurious and preferably not acrylic but this yarn felt so lovely and the colour was nice. My swap partner has a few restrictions so I had to choose something I thought would suit.

So I've been crocheting all afternoon, evening and night and I've almost got the body of the scarf completed. I tried to follow a simple pattern I have but the yarn just wasn't having it. It looks nice but it splits, I'm frogging 80-90% of each row because I keep splitting the stitches. I switched to a very simple pattern, extremely simple - I 'made it up' myself - just endless rows of double crochet (Aus terminology), it looks so boring and it's a bit wider than I would personally like...I don't know, I hope my partner will like her scarf!

I bought a beautiful silvery-grey mohair that I was going to double with the dark blue but that didn't work out, either, so I am going to edge the whole scarf with the mohair and then sew some silver sequins to the bottom few inches of each end. I think it will look nice but it's just not coming together for me right now. I have to be fairly quick with this project because I am sending internationally (from here to the USA), and I want to make sure it arrives by the deadline. I'm not sure how long it will take, so I want to post it as soon as I can. If I finish this one quickly, I may just be able to make another scarf (probably a knitted one) and send that, as well. That way, at least my partner can feel I did put the effort in.

In the beginning...

To keep up with my crocheting, I decided I would start a blog. I've never had a blog before...online journals but never a blog. I don't like the way the word "blog" sounds. Blog. Anyway, now I've got one.

I have been busily crocheting these last few weeks, I made a floral baby blanket for a friend of ours who is due at the end of October (with a girl), started a new floral baby blanket (a 'lazy' version, not quite as fiddly but maybe not as nice, either) for a friend who had a baby a few weeks ago...joined Crochetville, and am participating in the Winter Scarf Swap and the Halloween Swap - so just working on the scarf now. I will see how this goes and then I will try and add some pictures...