Up Late Again

Okay, so 10:45pm isn't exactly late by some standards - and not usually considered such by mine, either but I am having a lot of trouble getting to bed at a decent hour these days...there is always something I would rather do than sleep, except I love sleeping! How can anything be better than that?

I have so many projects I need to start working on, some with deadlines and some 'without' but mostly gifts for Christmas, swap items and things for my Secret Pal spoilee. All I want to do is be selfish and play with things just for me or just because but that is tonight. Tomorrow, I am sure I will feel differently!

Mum seems to have spirited her items away so I wasn't able to get any photos tonight, I will have to do that tomorrow. I have a friend coming over for a visit tomorrow so I can show off my Secret Pal goodies! Once that is done, I may be inclined to unpack the box properly and start planning new projects.

I am waiting for a nice, quiet day on Thursday so I can curl up with my book ("Knitting Under the Influence") and a cup of tea and spend the day reading even though I know I should be working on the assignments due for my course (it is always so much more satisfying to enjoy the day for as long as possible and then panic and try to get everything done halfway through the night or in the wee hours of the morning, isn't it?).

I completed one of the baby booties I had 'on the hook', I forgot to take my measuring tape with me so while I was on my break at work and in the car, I couldn't tell how many more rows I needed to do ("continue until work measures 'X' cms") so I started the second bootie up to the same point and then I got stuck into the first one properly when I got home. I love the way the cotton looks and feels, the variegations have worked out quite well into good solid stripes although the second bootie has a different colour sequence, I kind of like them like that. It's my own fault from working from both ends of the ball, it started off in the same colour but then it reversed, I forgot I was going in the opposite direction but anyway, I think it will work out alright. I am not really happy with the way the finished one looks, it is not very snug or shaped, whether that is my own fault or just a quirk of the pattern I am not sure, everything always looks better in the photographs in the books...the other problem I am having is that I fudged quite a few rounds of the bootie because my stitch count just wouldn't work out right (I did rip it back a few times today) so again, I am not sure if it is a "me" problem or a pattern problem but I am positive I won't be able to duplicate what I did and I will end up with two differently sized and shaped booties. It seems to be my curse with booties!

I haven't updated my WIP list to reflect new projects but I will get around to that soon...

I received my "Holiday Gift Exchange" information from Crochetville - my partner for this is my Winter Scarf Swap partner (who was sending to me) so I will have a chance to make something for her now which is fun. I did have to resist the urge to sign up for the ornament exchange but I thought two Holiday / Christmas related swaps at once might be pushing it, even though the ornament swap was possibly less time-consuming...but also less fun, I think.

We don't usually put ornaments on our tree anymore, our tree is a fake one (like most are here in the middle of an Aussie summer) but it's got the fibre-optic lights that change colour on the end of each stem and in the 'needles'. It's cute but I did see these beautiful ones at a shop near here, they are just silver-coloured metal tree 'frames' and they look absolutely gorgeous - especially with the glass / metal / beaded ornaments. I wanted to buy one but I am still thinking about it. Crocheted snowflakes would look great on the silver 'tree'. Plenty of time to decide!

I am going to go to Lincraft or Spotlight tomorrow if I can and see if they've got anything exciting in since I was last there. I may buy some wool to practice felting with, since I have it on good authority that I may be receiving some nice wool to felt with but I don't want to mess it up. I wonder if I can hand-felt instead of using the washing machine, I know some people do it that way.

Time for work.

Cold Weather?

I did want to write this last night but I decided to go straight to bed (after 10:30 again)...tonight I will definitely be tucked into bed nice and early!

On Sunday, we apparently had our coldest October morning in 20 years and I don't think yesterday morning was much better - I certainly felt colder yesterday! My hands were freezing and I was struck by the desire to wear my lovely knitted gauntlets, even though I hadn't expected to wear them for quite a while. I had them on in the car while I was crocheting away - they were great (very warm!), I really noticed the difference when I took them off, I felt so much colder. So, Secret Pal, there you go - even though we;re heading into what is believed to be a horrendous summer, and we have bushfires raging around the country already, they have been worn and greatly appreciated!

Mum received her package from the Hubby Swap yesterday - my partner did a wonderful job and sent a beautiful shawl for mum (Seraphina Shawl, it's a gorgeous pattern). I will have to take some photos of it and the other goodies (aromatherapy socks, pretty stationary and a little crocheted face scrubber). I will take photos today when I get home. On second thoughts, I probably won't be in bed as early as I had hoped, I have to finish off my things to get them sent off...

I spotted a little fold-up fabric bag on a little wooden stand yesterday that I thought would be nice to use when I am crocheting at home, especially since my newly-wound balls are all centre-pull, so they will no longer be running away from me! I can pop them in the bag and they will stay there. $6.50 from a little gift-and-homewares shop in Kogarah. Bargain!

I have decided to re-do the "Mystery Gift" because I wasn't happy with how it was working out, I will make another one in a better yarn with a better understanding of the pattern and modify it slightly. I hope to have it re-started and finished soon so I can send it!

I think I might send a little card first just to make sure I have the address written properly and it doesn't get lost.

Happy Birthday...

I managed to do pretty well last night and stay up until after 10:30pm. So really, that makes it not enough sleep for 3 nights in a row now. I'd like to go to sleep early tonight but that would be a bit rude on my sisters birthday, wouldn't it?

What did I manage to crochet yesterday? Not much - I am still working on my "Mystery Gift" (for my Spoilee), I started the bag my sister liked but then frogged it - that yarn is so hard to rip back, I one row undone and then the yarn snagged so I just cut it. The pattern looked nice but perhaps I misread something (wouldn't be the first time!) because my second row wasn't as good as it should have been.

That is the yarn I was using for the bag, I think my sister will like the colour. The only bad side to winding all my yarn and throwing away the labels was that I can't remember how many metres there is in each ball - two of them are brand new (or were, anyway) and the littler one has been used but I think there should be enough for the bag. If not, I probably have more hiding in the containers under everything else, I do remember buying quite a few...

Anyway, she will have to make do with bought pressies until I can get this sorted out, we've decided she can have a "birthday week" as she didn't really want to do anything until Friday, so I do have a bit of time to get something sorted out.

I was given these knitted squares to crochet together, they are intended to be a little rug or blanket for a child and the finished product will be sold at a fete in November. The colours are a little bright but people use what they have, so I am thinking I might edge each square in a purpleish colour and then do a border around the whole thing. I think it will look alright when it is finished.

I haven't started back on the baby booties yet and I am anxious to get them finished, I really think they will lovely if I can ever wrap my head around the pattern and do it properly.

I haven't finished my "Hubby Swap" items, I am getting a bit worried about those as I really wanted to have them in the mail earlier than this but what can I do? I still need to weave in all the ends, which I might do this afternoon (for the beanies and the glasses case) and make one or two more things to add. Perhaps mum will receive her package this afternoon?

I did make a bit of progress on the "Mystery gift" for my Spoilee yesterday, the actual item is almost finished and then all I have to do are the embellishments. The pattern calls for something in particular, which looks great but I am not sure if I will do something different yet. I think the original idea is a bit fiddly for me, I think I can do it so I will try but if it is too frustrating, I will opt for Plan B.

I am still waiting for my Spoilee to answer the questions I asked, I hope I get a reply soon, it would just make it a bit easier for me.

Halloween tomorrow, not that we're doing anything for it - I may have to set the table up with my Halloween goodies and we can just enjoy them there for the evening. I probably should've made my sister a witch hat...

Torture

Changing the clocks isn't always so bad - in Autumn it's nice to gain that extra hour but in Spring, having to wake up an hour earlier can be horrible. I am so sleepy, I stayed up too late working on the first item for my spoilee, and now I am paying for it at "5:30" according to the clock but 4:30 according to me! It doesn't help that I went to bed at about 4am yesterday morning and got up at 7, not much sleep then, either. It's my own fault and I know I won't fall asleep at work so I will just have to see how I go when I get home.

As I was busy working on this "mystery" item last night, I have not yet done anything for my sisters present, I will have to work on it this afternoon - either I come home and go straight to bed and then wake up at about 10pm and stay up all night to work on it, or I do my very best to stay awake until as late as possible and have the crocheted part finished before I go to bed.

I can go to Spotlight tomorrow after work and get some handles for the bag and a small amount of lining fabric, as long as I have the crocheting done, the rest shouldn't take too long (famous last words? I've never made a bag or attached lining / handles).

Obviously, I had no time to work on the booties, my sister went to visit mum and baby in hospital, she should've taken my camera but she forgot and I forgot to offer it - she did take two pictures with her phone but they're not the best quality. My blanket was there, draped on the babies 'cot' and apparently all the nurses keep commenting on how beautiful it is, which makes me feel very pleased. One day I'll get around to doing another one.

Maybe I should've been crocheting yesterday instead of winding all my yarn? I used one of the balls I wound ball last night for the first time and there are no problems so far - no tangles or messes, the centre-pull strand was easy to get at and comes out beautifully. It helps a lot to have all my yarn in 'one' place (okay, four containers but they're stacked on top of each other in my bedroom - I almost ran into them when I jumped up to turn my alarm off in the dark this mornign). I can actually see what I have, which colours, how much etc and it is so much more convenient than searching in every nook and cranny, through all the plastic bags I had hanging off the door, in the cupbboard, under my bed, in the dining room etc.

I heard from my Winter Scarf Swap partner, apparently my package was returned to her as the box was damaged so she is repacking and resending which is good, I am glad they sent it back to her and I am looking forward to receiving it.

Winding, winding, winding...

Boy am I sick of winding yarn! No, not really but I have put in a marathon session today (since I obviously have nothing better to do with my time) - both my mother and sister asked me whether I slept at all since I was sitting on the lounge winding yarn when they went to bed last night (quite late) and I was sitting on the lounge winding yarn when they woke up (very early). Yes, I did sleep but not very much...the novelty hasn't quite worn off, I even wound brand-new balls!

I think I have got most of my stash sorted out, apart from the odd ball or two I am sure I will find hidden in the cupboard or in drawers somewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if I find an abandoned plastic bag around the house with more in it, either. I honestly didn't know I had so much - enough to fill four big plastic tubs (one very big, two big, one medium-big). Most of it is acrylic and 'novelty' type yarn although there are a few gems hiding in there.

40 balls of feather / eyelash yarn? My goodness, that was a bit silly of me, especially considering I can't crochet with it, so it will all be destined to become scarves for winter, knitted (plain) on 12 or 15mm needles. Maybe I will have to give some away. If I remember correctly, Lincraft was having a sale and it was all .99c per ball so I must've spent at least $30 on that particular day...

I know I should go for quality over quantity but sometimes there's not much quality to be had!

I've got some Patons "Caressa" (a mohair / acrylic blend if memory serves) in a lovely dusky pink. Perhaps that will work well for the bag pattern my sister liked. The Karaoke is lovely and I would like to use it but I think the colour is a little weak for my sister and perhaps not terribly suitable for a bag. When I finish tidying up (the mess in the dining room is awful, all the ball-bands are on the floor and there are lots of them, as well as scraps of yarn all over the place and four big containers right in the middle) I may be able to sit down and actually do some proper, fun crocheting. I am determined to get something done tonight!

This is where Internet Explorer went berserk and I lost my post, I managed to recover half of it which tells me either my posts are too long or blogger didn't think the second half was worth saving.

I have been thinking (a lot!) about the beautiful corn yarn I received from my (exceptionally wonderful) Secret Pal. It is so lovely and such a gorgeous colour, very "me", I am a fan of pink...anyway, I haven't really made any clothes before - all I've done is a few scarves, some beanies and one and a half shawls. I do love the Star-Flower shawl pattern but there are actually two very nice patterns in the book (Fabulous and Flirty crochet) one for a shawl and one for a wrap that appeal to me. I think I like shawls and things like that because they are not so restrictive, one size does fit most and I don't know if I can cope with slaving over a top or cardigan / jacket only to end up with something too small or large because I couldn't work out the gauge properly or have something that only fits me for a very short time because I have grown or shrunk (I would prefer to shrink but that may not be the case with those chocolates calling my name!). I like the idea of making something to wear but not something like a bag, the yarn feels so lovely, it really does deserve to be worn on skin. If I was so inclined, I could have the most luxurious bra but I am certainly not going to crochet one of those!

There you can see a picture of the bootie I was working on last night. It isn't the way it should be (which is why it no longer exists) but the cotton crocheted up beautifully, it's very silky but quite sturdy too. See my beautiful hook? I don't even know if it is the right sort of cotton, the pattern called for Rowan Cotton Glace which isn't available in the stores here (and was available online for $15 per ball, a bit extravagant for me) but I think this one is working out quite well and is a lot more affordable. I like how the colours have worked up but they may not be quite like that when I get the pattern right but I will still like them, I'm sure.

The underside is quite cute, also. I will get back to these at some stage tonight, I have the same cotton in a blue variegated and a friend who is pregnant with a baby boy so if I can work it all out, they will suit nicely. They are meant to have a little crocheted flower on top of the toe area but for a boy, I think a pom-pom might work.

I'm actually now working on a quick item for my Spoilee, I am still waiting for a reply to some of my questions but I don't think I can go wrong with this one (I hope I'm on the right track, anyway). It's turning out alright so far, it's quite a simple pattern. I've come up with a few more ideas for some handmade gifts which I think will work well.

To my Secret Pal: I am not much of a hand-model, the picture isn't very good - I promise I don't have such a lumpy looking wrist but I did have my watch on underneath. They are gorgeous and I am very much looking forward to the colder weather so I can wear them all the time - I may have to try and figure out a crochet variation so I can make some more.

A Productive Evening

I sat down in front of "Cold Mountain" at 8:30pm - it's now 11:46pm and I have just stopped winding all my yarn with my very nice new yarn winder! I think I got just under 30 newly wound balls and that's out of about 25 existing balls that were partially used and / or a bit messy. I did make quite a mess, myself, especially when I encountered some pretty tight tangles in the yarn, I ended up just breaking the yarn and leaving the tangled bits until later...I just don't have the patience tonight.

It's been loads of fun although I must say I listened to most of "Cold Mountain" and didn't get to watch very much of it, which is fine because I didn't really want to anyway, it was just what was on TV tonight...

I must be careful, I think I will get a bit obsessive-compulsive with this winder but it should help me get my 'stash' under control and be able to store it all a bit more neatly, I have plastic bags everywhere and they're getting a bit out of hand. I've got some plastic containers that I will (hopefully) be able to squeeze a lot into and keep it all tidy.

I finished the glasses case and I am not happy with how it turned out, I just have a few ends to weave in and a bit of an edging maybe? I don't think it needs it now it's done. I need to make some kind of closure, either with the yarn or maybe velcro or a snap closure, I'm not sure yet. It looks alright and I think it will do the job it's intended for quite well, it's just not exactly what I had in mind.

I tried to make the baby booties, they're more like little slippers and they are so sweet (from "Essential Crochet" by Erika Knight) but I didn't end up with the right number of stitches so I frogged it. I don't know why the pattern is confusing me but it is and I keep modifying it as I go along and then forgetting what I've done, which means it would be an act of God for me to get a second one that matches! They do look lovely in the cotton, although it's a bit thicker than it should be, especially for a 3.5mm hook. I made a 'prototype' last night with some of the Spotlight "Basics" and a 4.5mm hook and it turned out okay although a bit too big.

The wooden hook is lovely to use, it's very smooth and slides through the yarn very nicely!

Those beanies are quite quick to make, done in the round so it's only the very last few rounds that take up a bit of time, I followed the Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker "Boy Beanie" pattern although I did add a few extra rounds. Probably a couple of hours work all up, about six for those four?

Still Excited!

I am about to use my very beautiful wooden 3.5mm hook to start a pair of baby booties. I do believe our friend who was expecting has actually already had the baby! My sister sent an e-mail at 2:40pm and apparently she had her baby at 4:13, it sounds as if that was a nice, quick labour but I am not sure exactly when it started.

I must say, I'm more excited about using my lovely hook than I am about the baby being born - but I've known she would arrive for months so I suppose the novelty of that has worn off. I'm a crocheter, I have my priorities straight!

I am also currently working on the glasses case, I started it today in the car and managed to get about half done, I am making a plain rectangle in the grey-variegated acrylic I used for one of the beanies, when it's the right size, I will fold it up and seam the sides and put a border around the open edges and leave it at that. I used my brand-new project bag today and got some very nice compliments when people saw it. It's very handy, too, a very good size for using in the car!

I will have to get to work on the bag for my sister but all I want to do is look through all my goodies again. For the first time, even if I don't have the exact yarn called for in the book (Fabulous and Flirty Crochet, not Fun and Flirty as I have been telling everyone - and they are fabulous patterns), I have yarn of the same quality (if not better!) than what the designer has used. It feels good!

I am still giddy over all that I received, I have tried all day to explain to anyone who will listen just what a bounty I got and I think even those who don't really understand the concept of "Secret Pal" get the message. I want to invite all my friends over for a show-and-tell session but then I think they may find that a little weird, so I may have to bring them here under false pretences.

I am waiting to hear back from my spoilee, I have bombarded her with questions so I may be able to pass on this wonderful feeling. Supplies of that calibre are definitely limited here but I am sure I can come up with some things to make her happy. I think there will be a few hand-made goodies but I am certainly going to be selfish and I am not going to use any of my beautiful yarn. I don't think I will share it with anyone! I will use my hooks for whatever projects I can and I hope to use the patterns.

Perhaps my lovely Secret Pal (who obviously knows more about this than I) can tell me if I should wind all my hanks into balls (with my yarn winder, of course!) now or wait until I start a project. What do you do? And also, if you are interested in seeing what I make you will have to keep coming back or when you are revealed (you will be revealed, right? Intentionally, of course) I will keep you updated.

I must say, I am terribly curious! I think the name on the customs slip is a surname, but maybe a fake name? It could be a given name and it could be male or female, I just don't know. It wouldn't be hard for my spoilee to work out who I am, especially once I send her something and she knows where I'm from but I am hoping that doesn't happen.

I am terrible at keeping secrets, as soon as I make something, I want to post it which is why I have not really provided the link to this anywhere but for Secret Pal...and I will not enjoy having to wait until the end of the Secret Pal to show pictures of whatever I send to my spoilee but I will somehow manage...

I think you have created a monster, Secret Pal! I am frightened to taste the chocolates in case I have to beg you for more! And I certainly won't have enough yarn to make a top that fits me if I eat all of them myself...

Anyway, I had better finish this glasses case and then get started on those booties, so I can post some more pictures and maybe start that bag for my sister.

Back to the Beanies!

After all the excitement yesterday, I forgot to post a picture of my almost-completed beanies...they are done except for the pesky ends, I always leave the ends until the very last minute.
I heard from my Hubby Swap partner and she said her items have been mailed off (yesterday) which means two things: I get to go back to the post office, I am becoming very friendly with the guy in there and I had better get my backside into gear with her hubby's items! I can't just send him four odd looking beanies...can I?

No, I still have to get the glasses case done, the remote cosy and then I will try and find something train / tram related or Salvation Army Brass Band related.

Hi, Secret Pal - it's 5:30am and I have assignments to get done for today, clothes to sort out and school to attend...yet I am finding it very hard to resist the big box o' goodies on the dining table - I want to unpack everything again and just look at it all. I'm tired because I stayed up far too late last night looking through the pattern book, there are some great patterns in there (I have my eye on the Moroccan Slippers first of all!) and I can't wait to get started.

I think...because it is my sisters birthday next week (yikes), I will have to make her the bag she asked for (and try to get it done by Monday). The Karaoke should do the job! I'm not sure what the yarn you sent me will become but there are lots of other gorgeous patterns in there.

Speaking of Secret Pals...I will have to get a package off to my spoilee, too - it doesn't seem fair that I can have all this fun and she has to wait for hers. I am at a bit of a loss, though, I have some ideas but I will have to keep thinking.

My Bounty!

Quite an image-heavy post! I will be sure to photograph the pen and Halloween card (which I found in the pages of "Knitting Under the Influence" so at least I know I put it somewhere safe) and also the See's chocolates when I open the box.

I showed my sister everything when she got home from work and she was suitably impressed, (she is usually quite hard to impress, especially when it comes to craft or crochet related items). I did manage to get a quick peek at the patterns in the "Fun & Flirty" book over her shoulder and she has already requested one (a bag). I am about to go and look through it myself, perhaps the Karaoke will make a nice bag?

A Heartfelt Thank-You

Watch this space - I have a lot of photos to take and a fair bit of writing to do!

In the meantime, I hope a heartfelt thank-you to my Secret Pal will suffice.

Update: It's now been about 4 hours since I received my package and opened it up. I am still flabbergasted and just completely blown away! I did manage to take photos, except I misplaced my beautiful Halloween card and I can't remember where I put it (bear in mind, I manage to spread my things from one end of the house to another) - I have been exceptionally careful to put everything else back in the box, nice and safe until I can clean off a shelf in my cupboard for all my beautiful goodies. They deserve their own shelf, away from all my acrylic!

The photos are terrible, as usual...they don't do justice to the items I received.

1. "Knitting Under the Influence" - Claire LaZebnik (a novel, signed by the author) and a matching measuring tape, so cute and far better than the one I am using.

2. A lovely "WIP" bag, just the right size to carry my smaller projects, hooks and patterns which is excellent and will be a welcome change from the freezer bag I usually chuck in my handbag. It is compact and well-suited to the carry-along projects, bigger ones are usually kept at home.

3. Four beautiful crochet hooks, three are wooden and one is bone. They are "I", "H", "J" & "E" (5.5mm, 5.00mm, 6.25mm, 3.5mm if I read the labels correctly).

4. A box of See's Candy (chocolates), I haven't opened it yet and I didn't get a good photo of the box but I am very much looking forward to trying some of this famous See's that I have heard about. A whole pound of Secret Pals' favourites picked for me! (I will definitely share these, mum loves dark chocolate).

5. A wool winder which will be very useful, especially considering the following items...

6. Seven hanks (I think that is what they are) of beautiful pink 100% corn yarn, "Cornucopia"- it is lovely and silky-soft.

7. Three hanks of a beautiful soft merino wool, "Malabrigo". My Secret Pal said that the colours were picked especially for me and they are truly beautiful colours, very hard for me to photograph properly but it is gorgeous and I will try again tomorrow in the sunshine if I can...

8. Five hanks of "Noro Cash Iroha" - a silk, lambs wool, cashmere and nylon blend. Another one that is hard to photograph, it's a beautiful dark colour that showed up nicely with the flash.

9. A lovely Halloween card and Halloween pen, cute and cheerful and just lovely.

10. "Fabulous and Flirty Crochet" - a book which is full of beautiful patterns, I am going to sit down with it tonight and maybe pick some projects for all my gorgeous yarn, I think I will start by finding something for my Karaoke!

11. A gorgeous pair of hand-knitted "Ribbed Gauntlets" in the most beautiful yarn - Blue Heron Rayon metallic "Blueberry" - truly they are amazing and I can not wait to wear them! I have had them on and off throughout the afternoon...

I don't think I have forgotten anything but if I did, who could blame me when I'm faced with such an array of amazing items?!

I would say my Secret Pal has truly outdone themselves and I am truly grateful for everything I received, I wouldn't change a single thing! I called a friend of mine this afternoon and told her she had to come over as soon as possible so I could show her everything I received, I didn't give her many details because I didn't want to spoil her surprise but it was hard not to blurt it all out. I did tell her the box weighed 7 lbs 3 oz so I am sure she is racking her brain trying to think what is in it.

She is not currently a crocheter or a knitter but she has seen some things I have made and received for swaps and she has been just as excited as I am. I did teach her how to make a granny square and she can knit, just hasn't for a while. I think seeing all this might just encourage her back into it!

Another reason to thank my Secret Pal is for choosing such amazing crochet-related goodies, like those beautiful hooks, the pattern book and yarn which is suitable for crochet (some of them I find are just too difficult for me). I can definitely see all the effort you put in to choosing these items and I really do appreciate it.

Now blogger is being difficult with the images.

Surprises!

I love surprises - I heard from my Secret Pal (who is very kindly leaving me comments! Hi Secret Pal!) that there is a package this close to arriving. I am excited and looking forward to seeing what is inside, it feels like Christmas - but even better because I know Christmas is coming up as well!

I should also be receiving my Winter Scarf Swap items at some stage and I am looking forward to that package, too. I do know (or hope?) I will have a pink scarf of some description but perhaps I have been thrown off the scent with a deceptive clue? Who knows!

I will still consider myself a lucky lass!

My leg is still sore although it was better when I woke up, I think working all day didn't give it enough time to recover. I've got a few days off now, so I expect to be fighting fit after a nice rest...and if I'm not, well I will panic and work myself up into a terrible state. Just the usual!

Due to being in a slightly better frame of mind (and having a leg that wasn't quite so sore), I did feel like crocheting this evening. I wanted to make something for a birthday-girl (whose birthday is tomorrow) and I managed to put it off until about two hours ago which could have been a bit disastrous but at least it gave me the motivation to start and finish a project.

The intended recipient is a lady I met through work (in a broader sense) and she is very nice and I thought she might appreciate a hand-crocheted item (as opposed to a 'foot-crocheted' item, I suppose?).

Anyway, I bought a Leisure Arts edging book (at the same time I bought the Christening Ensemble book - can't remember if I mentioned the edging one before) and it has some lovely borders, worked top to bottom so they can be made as long as necessary for the item. Of course, I didn't actually (and still don't!) have anything which requires an edging but that's beside the point. I do have an awful lot of 4ply cotton so I thought I would find a pretty edging that would look nice by itself and turn it into a bookmark, so that is exactly what I did!

I did have some trouble with the pattern, because it called for marking stitches and I was too lazy to hunt up a safety pin or a scrap of yarn and then I promptly forgot exactly where those stitch-markers should be when it came time to crochet into or around those particular stitches. All that aside, I think it does look quite nice and will be a good gift in a card for her.

I would've happily made something a bit bigger (I was thinking the Star-Flower Shawl would be a lovely gift) but I don't want to go over-the-top, either and I thought this bookmark was a nice compromise. Making anything as a gift is always a bit risky, and clothing or accessories like a shawl are quite personal items.

I was considering giving it a bit of a wash and iron but really, it was a brand new ball of wrapped cotton that was in my clean hands for a relatively short period of time. I don't think it needs ironing, either. I shall decide in the morning, as I will have to get it to her tomorrow at some stage. The ends are still loose so I tucked them under the bookmark for the photos (note to self: weave those ends in!).

These are pretty much exactly the same photos except one with the flash and one without. The first one is without (probably would have gone without saying but I felt I must say it) and it shows the pattern a bit better. The second one (with the flash, of course) is more accurate for the colours.


Mum put a new table cloth on the table and I don't think it is a very good backdrop to my projects! She probably thinks this will stop me from leaving them on there...

I did take some photos of my beanies, too - I will post them in the next entry.

No Crochet

I haven't had much time to do anything today. I did try that Christening gown last night but I had trouble making sense of the pattern - it was late and I didn't spend a whole lot of time on it, just thought I'd try a motif or two for the band of the dress. Anyway, I will get back to it when I feel like it.

I have a sore leg and I don't know how or why it happened but it is very painful and it is worrying me - I've had it for two days (or about that, anyway) so I am not much in the mood for crocheting at the moment.

My Next Project

I can't remember if I posted in detail about the books I bought at Spotlight on Friday? I bought Leisure Arts #2882 "Christening Ensemble" and it's got some gorgeous items in it.

I am going to try the Christening Gown for my friend (the recipient of the Floral Baby Blanket) and see how I go, but I won't be using the size 10 thread and 1.65mm hook the pattern calls for - I think I will use 4ply cotton and a 3mm hook because I want it to be big enough for a 3-6 month old baby (the pattern is "newborn" sized).

I want to get started right away but I don't know if I should, since I have a few other projects to finish off and I really must get started on Christmas items - it will be Christmas before I know it and I'll have nothing made to give anyone...so I'll bolt out the door to the shops on December 24 and spend a fortune buying silly trinkets instead. Not a good idea!

I've got half of the fourth beanie finished, got to finish the rest tonight and then I am not sure if I will still try and make 5+, maybe I am all beanied out? I wanted to get the swap pieces finished and in the mail by Wednesday but it doesn't look like I'll meet that deadline, either.

I suppose I should stop writing here and get my bottom into gear and finish off that beanie...

When Sleep Interferes...

The beanie count still stands at three...and a bit! I started one earlier and got about two and a half rounds done but that's all. I might be able to do some more, since I am now wide-awake and it's 10pm, I fell asleep this afternoon and didn't wake up when I wanted to wake up so I overslept and, of course, woke up just to be awake all night...

Very frustrating.

On the other hand, I may just decide to go back to bed and forget the beanies for tonight...or maybe I will watch the TV and get some crocheting done. I really haven't decided yet. I guess it all depends on what's on TV...

Obviously I had no chance to take photos so I still have to do that, too.

Good Results (all around!)

I had a very productive night in front of the TV this evening. I managed to complete the initial beanie and two more. Three beanies! I got stuck into them while I was watching the 2nd Tri-Nations test (we won!) and then continued while I watched "Serenity" so I did end up missing more of both than I actually saw but I am getting very good at just listening to the tele. I'm not a very skilled multitasker when it comes to crocheting...

I will try and get some photos tomorrow, I think I'll make two more beanies - they are all variegated so far and I have one ball of "Basics" in a colourway I haven't used yet and heaps of 8ply acrylic in solid colours so I might even be able to sneak in a solid blue and a solid brown as well as the last variegated (which would make six - excellent)...and then I can get to work on the other items. I thought I was working on the eyeglass case from the wrong angle - I was trying to make a pouch the width of a pair of glasses with an opening at the top but I think I will try a more traditional design - like an envelope. I'll see how I go but I do think that will be a better option and look nicer, too.

Apart from that, there's not much else to report.

More Beanie Madness!

I've started another beanie - in the same yarn as the original one (because I like the way it looks, and I think the blue and brown together are good - especially for someone who's favourite colours are blue and brown)...

I decided against double-stranding because I don't want to end up with a beanie that is too stiff or thick, so I just moved up to a 6mm hook and so far it looks okay. I've got about another 9 rounds to go but if it works out well enough, I've got a few more to make.

This is one I made using a modified version of the "Boy Beanie" pattern in SnB:HH - I increased quickly at the top and did some extra rounds but it ended up smaller! I didn't do the extra rounds around the bottom and I did double strand for the contrast sections so I think they stopped it stretching enough.

I thought it did look nice, though so I will try a similar combination with the bigger hook but I will not double strand the contrast section...I was too lazy to cut my yarn and weave in the ends but I will do better for the next one.

I hope Esta's Hubby likes what we end up with. I did try making a glasses case last night but it is miles too big, I think it wants to become a little bag or pouch except I don't think that's very 'manly'. I shall keep trying and see what I end up with, I'd like to get these in the mail by Wednesday next week.

On the side bar, I've added a "RAOK" and "Charity" 'counter' so I can keep track of those. I may donate these two earlier beanies to a charity, preferably one for children because (as I keep saying) they are rather small.

Random Acts of Kindness

I sent off my first "RAoK" today and I must say, I feel very happy having done so. Five balls of 4ply cotton and one sheet of scrap-book embellishments / stickers and one fairy colouring-in book and one sheet of stitckers for the little one. $8.80 Australia-wide postage cost in the satchel, with an estimated arrival date of Monday or Tuesday. Not bad! I am looking forward to hearing the package has arrived.

What else? Oh, I spent too much money at Spotlight again this afternoon but since I withdrew the money yesterday when I was shopping and didn't spend it, I thought it would be alright to splurge again. Not everything was for me - in fact I bought some of the things for the RAoK, some "Zhivago" (the same as the navy scarf yarn) for a shawl for my teacher as a 'thanks for being a great teacher and merry Christmas' present, we will finish our course soon so I thought it was fairly fitting, and some more "Basics" yarn for the Hubby Swap items I am still struggling with. I may try double-stranding the beanie with a larger hook, keep your fingers crossed for me!

That's about it for now, I'm sleepy and I think I will end up going to bed fairly soon (even if it is early - I do need my "Nanna naps"!).

Good Enough To Eat

Some 'arty' shots of the Birthday Cupcake I sent to Lene'. I suppose it would make a good pincushion but I like it just as a little decorative accent. I thought it turned out rather well, the sequins and beads look good but that pom-pom cherry was perhaps a bit big. Oh well. The yarn I used for the 'icing' was better for the cupcake than the yarn I used for the sponge-cake bit, that crocheted up a bit loosely and fuzzily - incidentally, MoMo-slash-MiMi is made out of the same pink yarn because I liked the way it crocheted for the icing...
So there you have it, all my Halloween Swap items, sent and received! - apart from the ones I forgot to photograph, of course...

Done and Dusted!

I heard from my Halloween Swap spoilee and I am so glad she is doing alright - she has been sick and I was worried about that but I think she is on the mend now. She received her items and seems very pleased with them, so I am very pleased and I can post pictures now.

I am sure everyone was just on the edge of their seats, waiting to see what a "mango-pumpkin-pineapple doily" looked like...right?

This is the black doily I made to begin with, it almost sent me blind (I'm sure I've said that before?) and there are so many mistakes - the joining in the middle was wrong, I must've split the stitch when I went in and that is why it's a bit odd looking.

The clusters gave me absolute hell, I was supposed to have 40 in the last two rounds of clusters but I ended up with 87 (I'm sure I've said that before, too!) which is why I thought it would be better to leave off the very last round because otherwise there would be no way it would lay flat...it still has a tendency to ruffle, especially since it was folded but it will lay smooth and flat, it just needs to be tamed into submission a bit...

And below the black monster, we have have the famed fruit salad doily, in all it's one-short-pineapple glory. The angle isn't the best, I suppose but it did turn out quite well, I liked it a lot - and the cotton felt so much softer than the black (although I do think they were the same brand).
And then, we have the group shot of all the items I sent (although not all the items I sent because I was missing my aneamic-pumpkin 'box' but, as you can see - I have managed to include the birthday cupcake, the halloween cupcake, the card, the stickers, the goodie bags, 'washcloth' and earrings! I didn't show the bookmark, birthday card or keychain, either. I am sure I sent those, I must confirm!


A slighter closer-up of the items, mainly the fruit salad doily and those wee little earrings - they are so cute, I really did like them. Apparently my spoilee is a bit of the mind her mum will like them, too so I might have to see if I can get another pair and send it over.

This is a rather terrible picture of the black doily, it shows all the fold marks where it wants to ruffle but it does look a bit better than the stark one above - and who doesn't like to flood their blog with useless pictures, anyway?

I really hate the way these pictures end up in the layout with the text!

Anyway, there you have most of my Halloween items sent to my lovely swap partner, Lene'!

Beanie Blues

Hi, Secret Pal! Sorry I missed that comment until now. The Karaoke is still untouched...in fact, I'm not entirely sure where I put it! I will wait - I am very excited to hear something may be on it's way to me. The Hubby Swap at Crochetville is not as exciting as it may sound (I wish it would be that easy to get one but then I haven't got one to swap, to begin with)! The Hubby Swap was originally for all the people who participate in swaps who have a spouse who gets a little envious of the packages (and never gets anything for him/herself), so the Swap was to spoil that special someone. I nominated my mum because she does deserve a bit of spoiling. If you aren't a member of Crochetville with 40+ posts, the swap forum (along with a few others) are hidden.

And back to my regularly scheduled update!

I will have to check my last post to see when it was. Oh yes, well after all that, I decided to make a beanie for my Hubby Swap pal - I bought a ball of Spotlights' "Basics" on Sunday when we were there, it's just an 8 ply acrylic but it was in a nice colourway - dark brown, black and a bit of turquoise thrown in. I thought it would be suitable since I was told his favourite colours are brown and blue and it might crochet up nicely into the "Boy Beanie" pattern from Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker. So at 4am yesterday morning, I started the beanie and I finished it a bit after 5am. It turned out quite nicely, although I didn't use a contrast colour (I didn't want to weave in all those ends!) - and...it's a bit small. It was supposed to be 20 inches (stretches to 24) but mine is actually 16 inches (and probably stretches to 20, if I'm lucky). So I asked my partner if her husband had an abnormally small head (which would be the very best of luck) and I was told? He has an abnormally large head. Well, I am not an expert on the size of men's heads but 61 inches for a hat? Seems large to me! At least I can console myself that I got the numbers right, even if they were the wrong way around...

It's actually a little small, even for me - I did use the right hook (5.5mm) but the yarn was probably too thin. I have started another one using the same hook and a slightly thicker 8 ply and I also increased a bit more...but I don't think I am ever going to get a beanie big enough. Should I still send them? I don't know, I don't want to waste time making beanies but they are relatively quick to crochet and I know he would wear them, if only they would fit.

















I was going to try and make five beanies, one eyeglass case, one "remote cosy" and send a few little 'interest related' knick-knacks, too. Now I don't know what to do...

Do you like the pictures? The last one is just the original size close-up of the third image. They're both outdoor pictures and I thought were best for colour accuracy. As you can see, it's quite an open beanie because the yarn was a bit small for the hook, but I think it still looks alright.

Star-Flower Shawl 2

Not the best pictures but you get the idea, see how beautiful and neat (relatively, of course) that edge is? As I mentioned, I'm not too happy with the bigger hook but it seems to be working out okay. If I have enough yarn, I will definitely add the same ruffled edging as I did on the smaller version - and I should have enough, I've got almost double the amount but I am not so good when it comes to guestimating!

I was going to work on it some more yesterday but as I didn't, I might get back into bed and keep going with it...

I'm Always Right

Was I right or was I right? I was right! I received my Halloween Swap Package yesterday when I got home from work. My wonderful partner, Danielle / coolhockeymom sent me some truly beautiful items:

A crocheted Halloween bag, a crocheted Halloween bowl / basket for the table, some crocheted doilies (1 orange one and 6 mini orange and black ones which I think are gorgeous), chocolate (Halloween chocolate, no less! I will now be able to taste what peanut butter is like with chocolate), coffee (I do love my coffee), an "Angel" keychain, a beautiful candle that smells like baby powder (which I love the scent of), a "Wisconsin Cow Tour 2006" card, a little skull necklace, a magnetic notepad (we will have no excuse to forget things when we go shopping now)...and...two very gorgeous "Nightmare Before Christmas-ish" Halloween "dolls"!


Isn't everything fantastic? It's true that we don't celebrate Halloween here, as a rule, but I know it would be my favourite holiday if we did...and this year, I'm going to celebrate it and make use of all my wonderful Halloween items! I will probably then make more and keep celebrating it every year...

Those dolls are just gorgeous, a bit macabre I suppose but I do love them and I will have to find a nice place to display them all year 'round...

All the excitement must've worn me out a bit, I fell asleep early and then only woke up an hour or so ago (1am). I haven't had much of an opportunity to continue with "Star-Flower Shawl 2" but I have some current photos...no, I can't seem to upload them properly. I will have to make a new post, just for the shawl update.

Another Shawl?

I started a new "Star-Flower Shawl" last night, I'm using the purple & blue colourway in the Moda Vera "Lusso" - it's quite pretty. I don't have a 7.5mm hook, or if I do, then I can't find it...so I'm using an 8mm and it's maybe 3 inches wider at the top, not a huge difference considering I've gone up a millimetre and a half. To be honest, I am not sure I like this yarn with a bigger hook, I think the 6.5 was the right size for it, this shawl is turning out quite loosely and a bit sloppy but I think it will look alright when it's done. The weight of it should pull the stitches down and make it sit nicely. I haven't taken photos because I am lazy.

I haven't heard from my Halloween Swap partner, which is okay because I am not necessarily expecting to - the thing is, though - I wonder if she's alright? She's been quiet on Crochetville, too. I know she wasn't well a bit earlier, so I hope that is not keeping her away. If it is, then I do hope she gets a bit of a cheer up from her package which should arrive soon.

My other Halloween Swap partner (the one sending to me) just contacted me because she is worried I haven't received my package yet. I said maybe I'd get it today and maybe I will - but with the postal service, who knows? I would be happy to receive it today...

And I just took a few (poor) pictures of my current shawl-in-progress - it's just that little bit wider so I can't get a proper photo of it flat. I did notice that I am much better with my decreases at the end of each row and I acually have a nice, smooth edge so far. I have probably jinxed myself and will stuff up but I hope not! I will get the pictures posted this afternoon when I get home...

Star-Flower Shawl Finished

Yay, it's finished! Time for pictures...

















Excuse the messy dining room...

As usual, my photos don't seem to do justice to the shawl, I love the way it turned out and it looks very pretty just 'off-the-shoulder' which is how I will probably wear it. I think I'll stick with the brooch closure - except maybe not that particular brooch (even though I do think it's quite striking with the shawl, it will depend on what else I wear it with, I suppose).

I think I will try the next shawl with a 7mm or a 7.5mm hook, I don't know how big the difference will be with the big hook but I used just over 3 full balls of yarn for this one (just a little bit of the fourth, to finish the edging) and I have 6 of the other colours...and I don't have to make a wide edging if they are bigger. Perhaps I should just try the 7mm and see how I go.

Bargain Hunting

I went to Spotlight after work today, I left a bit early because I thought Spotlight closed at 4pm but it actually doesn't close until 5pm on Sundays. That's always good to know.

I did run out of yarn for my shawl last night, most of the way through the border. The yarn I'm using is Moda Vera "Lusso", I'm not sure of the colour name. I originally bought my 'stock' for $3 a ball, reduced from $7 and I was quite willing to buy all the yarn they had but the Voice of Reason (aka mum) told me not to go overboard because I didn't actually need it. Of course I needed it - it was on sale, I need anything that is on sale but I conceded the point and only bought 3. Anyway, I was a bit grumpy with myself last night because I really didn't want to pay $7 again and it has been that price every time I've been since but today I was able to pick up another 3 balls of the colour I am using (for $3 each) and 6 each of two other colours for two future shawls. I was very happy with the price, as you can imagine!

I also bought the first item for my Secret Pal 9 package for my spoilee, I hope she likes it and finds it useful, I have a lot more to buy but I am not sure whether I'll group it together and send as one package or send a few smaller packages. A lot depends on the cost of postage but I figure I'll either be posting littler packages more frequently or bigger packages less frequently, it may all work out the same.

I had better get back to work on this shawl, it's finished now but I have to weave in the ends and get some photos taken.

Shelle's Patterns

Since I managed to fix my computer and can now use things like PayPal, I decided I would 'splurge' and buy some patterns. Shelle has some gorgeous patterns, I have had my eye on "Coat of Many Colours" and "Whisper of Elegance" for a while now but I don't remember thinking about "Star Flower Shawl"- perhaps I didn't see it when I was looking before?

At any rate, I ordered (and very quickly received!) those three patterns and I am now quite happily working my way through "Star Flower Shawl". I have made some mistakes but they are not any fault of the designer...I think my yarn is all wrong, too but it does look so pretty crocheted up. I've had the yarn for ages but didn't know what to do with it (sound familiar?) so I decided it would be a shawl. It's a lot smaller than Shelle's measurements (30 inches wide instead of 55, so quite a dramatic difference) but I think it will still work nicely. We shall see.

I took some photos of the yarn and also a picture when I had done the foundation chain and part of the first row so I will upload those a little bit later.

I can't wait to go shopping and try making the Coat of Many Colours, I think I will still use pink for the body of the jacket (boy, do I love my pink!) but I am not sure if I will go multi-coloured for the sleeves...

Shawl Update:

I have been working on this shawl now for the better part of the day, I started it at about 11am and it's now just after 6pm. I feel as if I have been crocheting the whole time but I've taken plenty of breaks (to read, eat, watch TV, have a cup of tea etc) and I have the actual shawl done, I am just working on the border. The worry is that I will run out of yarn before I get it wide enough, which is not just a possibility but a certainty - my shawl was far too small, it would've only been suitable for a child.

I did follow Shelle's pattern and I am using a 6.5mm hook (I think that is the size called for) but I think the yarn wasn't right for the pattern, I should've increased the foundation chain and ended up adding about 10 rows. I think I may have unintentionally decreased a bit early a few times, too and ended up narrowing the shawl much quicker than I was supposed to. This is all okay, I just hope I can get to the shop and buy more of this yarn fairly soon or else I am sure I will move on to other things and leave this as a WIP for too long.

I am trying to increase the size by adding a fairly wide (it'll go as long as it takes until I get a good sized shawl) border, so far it is ruffling slightly but I don't have a problem with that at all - I do love ruffles and the body of the shawl is nice and flat, so I think this will drap beautifully when worn (keep your fingers crossed for me).

Ready for some pictures?

This is the yarn I am using and I think it's lovely, it's actually very soft and quite sparkly. There is one main 'thread' which is the coloured bit (variegated, as you can see) and two sparkly threads (one is the gold and the other is a very sheer pink, not too sparkly but it adds a bit of pizzazz). This photo is quite an accurate representation of the colours. The coloured thread is flat, like a ribbon and it looks bulky but it crochets quite nicely on the 6.5mm hook.


This is the "beginning of the pattern" picture (quite obvious).

A close-up of the edging, I suppose there isn't much definition there but it's kind of like a modified shell made from chains, since it is of my own design, I don't have to worry about sharing the specifics but there really isn't that much to share (round 1 - chain a few, round 2 - chain a few more, round 3 - chain, treble, chain, round 4 - chain even more etc). I think it's quite pretty with the shawl.
This is a close-up of the actual shawl stitch pattern, apart from one mistake against the edge, that's how it looks the whole way through. I think this shawl would benefit from being blocked because the yarn has quite a bit of 'stretch' and the stitches are folding in on themselves but I don't know if I want to risk it - I quite like it being stretchy and relaxed, rather than pulled taut. Once again, it's just a case of deciding when it's done!

Floral Baby Blanket Update

Before I forget, I received a very appreciative, "full-of-thanks" e-mail yesterday from the recipient of the Floral Baby Blanket I made. I was very pleased to hear from her and she seems to be delighted with the blanket ("Grandma" apparently is, too).

It would've only taken a few minutes to send that e-mail but in doing so, she has made me very happy and I feel like the tremendous effort I put into it was not a waste. I will enjoy making some more things for the baby before and after she arrives.

To Fleuri or not?

Hi to my Secret Pal - I am going to start expecting comments on every entry if you keep it up (which is not a bad thing, I don't think)!

I'm going crazy trying to figure out what I will do with this Karaoke Bloom yarn...it's really driving me up the wall! I desperately want to make something out of it, I hate just having such pretty yarn and not doing anything with it. I was considering this Fleuri purse, I think it's pretty but I'm not really keen on the shape, I would prefer a square or rectangular bag with those pretty petals - and I don't know if I've got enough yarn, anyway. I wouldn't mind trying to felt it but I think I'd rather not risk ruining the yarn or the project, I am sure felting is a lot of fun but I can probably cope without doing it for a while - or at least, not doing it with my gorgeous Bloom.

I got my Halloween Swap items out, and I found that horrible 'lidded pumpkin' before I posted the package. I took everything out to show a friend, put everything back in (or so I thought) and then finally sealed the envelope - I had been holding off because I was sure I'd forget something. Sure enough, a minute or two later, I noticed both cards (the birthday card and the swap card) still sitting on the dining table - had to rip the package open and put them both in and then I forgot to reseal it with sticky-tape, so I hope it stays shut in transit.

The good news for tonight is that I found my Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker (thankfully) and will soon start on one of the beanies for my Hubby Swap partner, I haven't got any yarn yet (and I am certainly not going to use my Bloom for a man!) but I may be able to go shopping on Saturday. I should've gone tonight but I am too lazy...I have to find some other suitably 'masculine' patterns, I believe an eyeglass-cozy and a remote-cozy were requested. I will do my best.

I love these swaps, I find them a bit stressful (there's a deadline, after all) and a bit nerve-wracking (I have swap-item-anxiety) but they are a great opportunity to try different things. If not for the Scarf swap, I probably wouldn't have made the ruffled scarf because I would've thought it was too hard but I thought I'd try anyway, and I love it. I will be making lots of those for next Winter, as soon as it starts to cool down in Autumn, I am sure I'll be churning them out. I finally bit the bullet and tried those doilies for my Halloween Swap partner, too - I like doilies but never thought I'd actually be able to make one (even if mine aren't in thread).

I'm having a nice e-mail chat with my "Known Pal" (my spoilee) - I've got some ideas already but just basic ones.

I had a lot of trouble with blogger last night, I will see if this will post now.

Shh

A Secret Pal Post! I received my Pal info yesterday (I think) and I must say, my Pal is a naughty girl - she very rarely updates her blog so how am I supposed to know what to send? I will just have to go off her questionaire answers, which I suppose will be enough.
I did send an e-mail to confirm her address and let her know I was 'out there' but I'm really at a bit of a loss, never having done this before.

MoMo-slash-MiMi got a good response on Crochetville which is great, I like that the people there are so friendly and rarely a post goes by without nice comments. I have a few more MoMo's to make, one for a not-yet-born baby boy and one for a not-yet-born baby unknown (either male or female, I would hope!)...I am not sure if I will make them both, though, since they are going to the same family, perhaps I will make one MoMo and one other Roxycraft pattern - I dearly want to start Radley!

I'm still undecided as to what my Bloom will become, perhaps I should bite the bullet and buy Daphne as well - surely 10 balls will be enough to make a blanket or something? I really do want to try some purses or bags...I am resisting the urge to spend big at Amazon!

So what's on the hook at the moment? I've still got my rag-rug going, but I haven't touched it for a while - I'll have to go back to Lincraft and buy some more fabric strips - I can't believe I forgot the last time I was there...I also must get started on the Hubby swap items, I haven't even bought the yarn or looked at patterns. If I could just find my Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker book, I'd at least have the beanie part slightly sorted.

I have to start on Christmas presents, too - a few doilies, a shawl (of some description), maybe a rug, bags - I don't know!

My Halloween Swap items must be posted today, I have missed the deadline for arrival before my partners' birthday but hopefully the package will get there before Halloween. I still can't find that rotten little 'lidded pumpkin' - I don't know where I put it! I usually keep everything together but I know I took it to work to show people and definitely brought it home...it's where I put it when I got home that has me stumped.

I suppose that is it for now, who knows what today will bring? Perhaps I'll be able to do a bit of shopping?

Edit: I just noticed my Secret Pal has left some comments for me, how lovely! Shows how observant I am, I never look for comments because I haven't made this blog known to anyone, really...

Hi Secret Pal,
Thanks! I didn't know there was an exhibit at Sydney Museum, if it ends soon I am probably out of luck, I will have to look into it.

MoMo Goes to Karaoke

I came home from work yesterday to a much-anticipated package in the mail box. My Karaoke "Bloom" had arrived! It's really rather strange, I can't describe it well at all but it is soft and not scratchy - it feels almost like a thick baby yarn...maybe there's a bit of silkiness there, too but I don't know. The colour is lovely, the variegation is really quite strange - it almost looks as if the yarn has faded in the sun (which I know it hasn't, that's just the impression I got when I looked at it).



Now it's in my hot little hands, what will I do with it? I think it would make a lovely shawl but I imagine I would need a bit more than 5 balls of it (they are only little balls - 50grams, 100metres), and the shawl would probably be better as an Autumn or Winter item because I imagine it would be fairly warm...

Perhaps a bag? I really would like to try felting something...but I am reluctant to use this to practice on! There are some books at Amazon that I have put on my wishlist: felting, bags and purses, scarves, wearables etc. I will have to think about it and decide if I need to purchase more patterns or if I can make do with what I have here and what's online...

Anyway, I don't have to use it straight away - I am sure it will last for a few days or weeks while I decide.

In other news, I have finished "MoMo-slash-MiMi" - I finished sewing the seventh leg on the way to work yesterday and then I did the last one on the way home. I embroidered a mouth in the middle of writing this and I think she's turned out rather well. I haven't made her hat yet but I am not in any great hurry for that. A lot of the people who saw her in progress yesterday thought she was lovely, so that's good - I might try to get a few more done or I might just decide to try some of the other Roxycraft patterns I have. I am completely in love with Radley (the Giraffe) but I'm not a fan of the usual Giraffe-y colours. Perhaps a pink Radley would also work well?

As you can see, I did change the legs a lot (I did extra rounds after the first decrease, another decrease round, more rounds, stuff and then dc together, two decrease rounds, finish off). I am not a seamstress, which is why I had trouble sewing the legs on but I think they are alright, they shouldn't fall off...I did a very simple little mouth and I think it looks okay. I wish I had plain black eyes like the pattern picture showed, I think they would look a lot nicer than these orange and black ones (they look like they are teddy-bear eyes!) but I couldn't find any others when I went to the shop.

Books and Patterns

I did promise a list of crochet books and patterns I own and this is it...I may have left one or two out, I do have a couple of older books (I found them at used bookstores and St. Vinnies, I think).

Crochet Books:

SweaterBabe.com's Fabulous & Flirty Crochet - Katherine Lee - Thanks, SecretPal!

Stitch 'n Bitch Happy Hooker

Simple Crochet - Erika Knight

Essential Crochet - Erika Knight

Adorable Crochet for Babies and Toddlers - Lesley Stanfield

Too Cute Crochet for Babies and Toddlers - Cynthia Preston

Crocheted Socks! - Janet Rehfeldt and Mary Jane Wood

24 Hour Crochet Projects - Rita Weiss

Leisure Arts Booklets:

Our Best Afghans A - Z (#3014)

Snuggletime Baby Afghans (#75004)

Christening Ensemble (# have to find it)

Baby Booties (#75019)

Baby Layettes and Afghans (#75027)

Layettes (#75012)

Delightful Doilies (#75024)

Dishcloths (#2077)

99 Granny Squares to Crochet (#3078)

99 Floral Motifs to Crochet (#3000)

Pineapple Doilies (#75013)

20 Beautiful Edgings (#3194)

Thread Crochet (#75002)

Other Patterns:

Patons "Twinkle Toes"

All of the current Roxycraft Patterns except Winston the White Lion

"Star-Flower Shawl", "Coat of Many Colours", "Whisper of Elegance" - Patterns by Shelle Cain

Doilies to Crochet in 4ply Cotton - Vickie Moodie

"Instant Expert" Crochet

Annie's Attic "Precious Baby Booties"

"Celebration Days" (Panda & Cleckheaton) Vol. 2

Note - yes, I do like baby items and afghans but the frequent purchases of these patterns is mostly due to the fact that they are the only ones Spotlight stocks...I am resisting the urge to buy the 629 doily pattern books remaining...