The Best Laid Plans...

I have decided not to crochet tonight but when I get into bed later, I might continue with the PCS. As much as I want to get it finished, I kind of want a break from it, too. If I am going to crochet, I feel like PCS deserves the attention more than anything else at the moment, so while I started two doilies on Monday night (the pineapple pattern again), I haven't gotten very far. The first one is in 4ply cotton and I've done the first few rounds. The second one I started in a metallic yarn I picked up at Lincraft a while back (because who doesn't need a glitzy, sparkly, gold doily?). While the yarn appears to be as thin, if not thinner than the 4ply, I undid it and will redo it with a much larger hook size than the pattern recommends - it's quite stiff crocheted with a 2.50mm hook and I want it to be a bit more floppy.

In other news, I am back on my diet, Day 2 to be exact and I feel better for it already. It's probably all psychological but as long as I'm feeling good, I'm happy.

As part of my Plan for Healthy Eating, I have had tofu twice - something I have previously avoided on principle...and I was pleasantly surprised to discover it wasn't so bad. It wasn't great and I can't say I actually like it but it wasn't as bad as I thought - and that's a good thing. To me, tofu looks like a dirty old sponge, and it tastes kind of like how I would imagine a dirty old sponge would taste - so I cheated and bought the already 'marinated' tofu so I had "Sweet Chili Dirty Old Sponge" flavour. I'm not one for hot-spicy food but I figured, with any luck, the sweet chili would be enough to render my tastebuds useless. Another discovery I made was that the sweet chili they used for the tofu wasn't very hot but it did disguise the bean-curdiness a bit.

Tomorrow I will try my Udon noodles which I have also been avoiding because they look like big, white worms...

Another part of my Plan was to take a better multivitamin so I bought a new brand on Monday and...these multivitamins don't look like the ones I am used to. Given my luck following crochet patterns lately, I was a bit nervous that I had bought the wrong tablets. At the risk of taking this blog to a level I don't particularly want to go to, I had to read the directions twice to make sure the route was oral (because they look like they should go elsewhere) and when I was satisfied that I was supposed to swallow them, I had to read the directions again to make sure they weren't things to Make Me Go (sorry).

As part of my overall Grand Master Plan of Healthy Living, I have decided that if I am going to sit on my backside (or lay in bed, as the case may be) and crochet for hours on end in the evenings, I had better go for walks in the mornings, so tomorrow I will be up bright and early (but probably not "bright eyed and bushy tailed" - Angel can take care of that part) and I will go for a walk. I've written it in here so now I have to do it...

...And I hope I have some crochet related thoughts to write about because if I haven't got my crocheting, look what happens.

Unpleasant Scents

Blogger wouldn't let me in earlier, so I've already been up to the local post office (newsagency & Aus post agency or they wouldn't have been open) and I picked up my tickets. I'm looking forward to May 2008! I just hope I don't forget...

I wasn't going to crochet at all yesterday, I developed another stinking headache while I was at work - and, true to form, I had not gotten around to putting my painkillers in my bag. By the time I got home I was in agony so I took some painkillers which faded the headache but didn't get rid of it entirely and by 5:30 I was in bed. I don't remember what time I fell asleep but the last time I looked at the clock, it was just after 6. I woke up at 9 and then I stayed up until midnight. I did do some work on PCS during this time because I had nothing else to do! Round 52 is finished and about a third of Round 53. I might get it done before Saturday.

Some of the ladies at work are asking me about the progress and want to see it, but I won't take it in until it's finished (so they should get to see it next Monday, all going well).

Round Baby Shawl was given away yesterday to a lady at work whose first grandchild (a boy) was born last week. 4.5kg or, in the old money, just over 10lbs. Call me immature but...ouch...! Anyway, I was glad to give her RBS and she seemed very happy with it. I told her she would have to wash it or I'd take it home and wash it and give it back to her next week (she's only there once a week) but she said she'd wash it, I don't think she wanted to give it back to me. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision in the wee hours of the morning to give it to her (or I would've already washed it) and, although it was clean, in a house with 3 furry and frequently shedding dogs, dog hair has a way of sticking to everything.

Speaking of dogs, I ended up with all three in my room seeking refuge last night, as opposed to just one who usually stays with me. Not long after mum went to bed, a strange and offensive odour wafted in and started assaulting my nostrils. Surprisingly, it wasn't one of the dogs, it was something else that I couldn't define but it was definitely annoying...and then it became a bit worrying because it was a chemical smell and it was burning my eyes and nose. I decided to investigate and the closer I got to mum's room, the stronger the smell - and then I knew what it was. Denko-Rub or Deep-Heat or some other ointment along those lines. No wonder the dogs took off, they really can't stand the smell (and I can't blame them!). I am curious as to just how much mum used because, even though our house is small, her room is a bit away from mine...I'm actually amazed she could sleep.

The Home Stretch

I have finally progressed into New Territory! I finished Round 51 last night, now there are just 9 more to go - the pineapples are almost complete (Round 52 will be the very last pineapple round).


I am liking this version much better, it does look like the pattern says it should - and I have been referring to the picture frequently "just in case" (better late than never, right?).




See how the new pattern has formed between the pineapples and makes spaces that look like little angels? Or am I the only one who sees angels in it? I like thinking there are little angels in my PCS - and it's not a bad idea for a baby shawl. "Pineapple and Guardian Angel Circular Shawl" sounds just as good, if not better, than Pineapple Circular Shawl, in my humble opinion...but I'm not going to change my abbreviation, PAGACS does not 'flow' off the keyboard like PCS.

Something Different...

With nothing much else to do early on a rainy Monday morning, here are my felted bowls:

I used the whole skein of Artful Yarns "Shakespeare" and then a smidgeon of Karaoke "Bloom" to finish off the round where Shakespeare ran out and one more just for kicks. I made up the pattern (as if that wasn't obvious) and then I felted it in the sink with very hot water, a lot of dishwashing liquid and two rubber gloves - very classy! As a result of my fabulous patterning skills, Felted Bowl 1 has...a ruffle! An example of when Michelle likes ruffles...

Felted Bowl 2 was made using the KnitPicks Bare wool I received during SP9 (which I dyed with Kool-Aid). Out of all the dyeing I did and have done with Kool-Aid, this was my favourite and I think the colours crocheted nicely. I still have some left - how much, I'm not sure but I didn't use that much. I am waiting to receive two patterns in my eBay order (crocheted felt ballet slippers and crocheted felt boot slippers) and I hope I have enough yarn here to use for one of the patterns.


What's left of the pink-orange-yellow yarn, and a slightly better photo of Felted Bowl 1's ruffle.



A "bowls being bowls" sort of photo, where I have cleverly used the rollers I pulled out of my hair throughout the night when I couldn't sleep (wrongly thinking it was the rollers that were stopping me from sleeping and now my hair looks funny...) as props. Velcro rollers and felted crochet aren't the best combination, live and learn!

Another Day...

...and now I have a hideous back ache to show for it! My arms were tired (and my right elbow was a bit sore) from all the crocheting I did yesterday so today I adopted my crochet position of choice - me on my bed, propped up with pillows...and it's comfortable but not exactly good for my back so now I am really feeling it.

I think I have finally worked the mistakes out of my system, and I really hope I don't regret writing that!



This is five long rounds 'post-Toad' and see how pretty and petite and correct that pineapple is?

What about this pineapple:



Spot the gaping hole where there shouldn't be a gaping hole? Yes, sadly another mistake. Let the frogging commence! It wasn't so bad that it was a toad except...



...the arrow is to show where I should have gone back to...but in reality, I lost track while I was re-winding my yarn and I ended up about a round and a half further back than that, so I had to do even more crocheting to catch up. You know, I'd be sympathetic but I'd probably also find it hilarious if this happened to anyone else...

The next time I am asked what 'level' crocheter I am, I am going to say novice!

Now I am again at Round 50, although yesterday I had completed some pattern repeats for the round and today I've stopped at the Beginning Shell. I measured it and I am at 93cms (37inches) Shell-to-Shell, so my measurement yesterday was correct for the pattern and my theory that my pineapples were adding to the diameter was also correct. I didn't realise that was a problem until later, but I've already told that story.

I'm actually really glad I undid it all and started again because with this pattern and my mistake, no amount of pulling, pinning, praying or further progress was going to 'fix' what I had done. The shells come from either side and gather at the top but when the pineapple so much taller than it should have been, there was just no way it was going to work out.

It actually took me a lot less actual crocheting time today and I have more yarn left over (as I thought I would since all those trebles eat up yarn quicker than the double-crochets). By this point yesterday, I had already started the fourth ball and used up quite a few metres - I think I will probably end up with about a round more from the third ball than I got yesterday (despite all the crocheting, I did manage to do most of the things I had planned today).

Secret Pal, I wasn't mad on the body of the shawl (the Wheat Edge one) but I love the border! I may eventually purchase the pattern and see how I can modify it so the shawl part is more appealing to me...but given my recent track-record with patterns (any patterns, it seems), it might be a while before I do that.

Manda, I think your Uncle Terry has it right and one other thing to consider when kissing toads is the very real possibility of warts. In a way, I'm kind of laughing at it already, when I ignore the ache now starting in my right hand (to join the backache) and my sore elbow...

It probably doesn't come to a surprise to anyone, least of all me, but I think I will have a good, long break before attempting PCS2...and this may come as a surprise but, despite all that has been described in the last few entries, I still love this pattern.

I'll put up some more photos tomorrow.

"Croak"

Definitely not a cute green-tree-frog frogging, - not even an run-of-the-mill, garden-variety "toading"...this was a great big Cane Toading, vile and ugly and painful...but it had to be done.

I ripped out all the rows that so seriously offended my pineapple sensibilities and it's actually kind of funny but I had almost (almost!) resigned myself to having skinny, ugly pineapples because I couldn't bear the thought of undoing all the work...but then, I like the pattern so much (you know, the actual pattern, not my interpretation of it) and I didn't want to leave a mistake-ridden version floating around on the web for anyone to see if they want to check out the Pineapple Circular Shawl...and I didn't want to take away my love of the pattern. So I went back to Round 44 and started again.

Now is probably the time to mention that, for the first time, I didn't knot my joins. I always knot and always weave (with the exception of the last several hundred ends on Floral Rug where I knotted and double knotted and snipped), some kind of fear that a non-knotted join wouldn't be "safe", but for the PCS, I thought I'd just join as I should and weave in without knots because the yarn is quite fine and I didn't want any unsightly bumps hanging around (although, looking back, bumps would've been the least of my problems!).

Anyway, I am so glad I didn't knot because that would've made the undoing a lot more difficult because I have hidden my joins in dense areas (such as the shells) but with the correct pattern, I might've ended up with joins in my chains which would be a lot harder to weave in.

So there you go, I am a non-knotting convert.

And we went from this:



To this:



And now we're back to this:





I'm still a way off from where I was yesterday but I am getting there. Still annoyed because yesterday was my dedicated crochet day and today, I have to do what I put off yesterday (so I could crochet!) and I've lost an hour, thanks to putting the clocks forward...but I'll crochet when I can and hope to continue making progress.

The pineapples still look a bit funny but now I know the pattern will pull them in to shape when I hit some of the later rounds. I just can't believe it took me so long to pick up on how wrong I was...

Secret Pal, I am sure you won't have any trouble with the pattern. I have never had any problems with American / Australian terminology before but for some reason, the last two patterns have done my head in. What other pattern did you buy?

Manda, you are definitely on to something with your "toad" term, so much more satisfying and evocative than a mere "frog".

Speaking of frogs, isn't this one a pretty one?

What To Do?

I finished Round 49 in less than 55 minutes (from "Silence" to "Wicked Game"). I figured the pineapples slowed me up quite a bit, what with the chaining and incessant counting...I didn't want to miss a stitch and end up with a shorter pineapple (which happened to me during my first attempt at pinepples, the "fruit salad doily" - my beloved mango-pineapple hybrid) but then I'd lose track and have to go back and double check my count and then, just to be on the safe side, I'd count a third time. After a few rounds of that, I figured it looked pretty good so I gave up on the counting. The second half of the pineapples have taken less time but I have more endless chaining to look forward to.

Before I restarted my crocheting earlier (at the end of Round 48), I read the pattern for Round 49 and it all made sense to me so I got started. A few repeats later, as I was feeling very hopeful that this new addition to the pattern would reduce the ruffley-scrunchy mess, I was going through the patter in my head "ch3, dc, ch...uh oh!" Australian pattern "dc" not American pattern "dc"...I had been doing trebles instead but since I had only done about 5 repeats, it was a frog that could easily have been a toad. And wasn't I feeling smug at having averted disaster?

And, a little while later, still happily patting myself on the back for picking up on my mistake so quickly - which is very unlike me (as evidenced by Sweet Pea) - something possessed me to re-read the pattern for Round 42 (where the pineapples started): trebles. Round 43: double trebles. Round 44 and beyond? Double crochets...but I had continued doing trebles instead.

Blaming the ruffley-scrunchiness on those poor, defenseless chains when the trebles are the one causing problems and, since those trebles shouldn't be there, I'm entirely to blame.

So...

What do I do now?

I could continue: the recipient won't know there is a mistake (and I will try very hard not to tell her), the wrong stitch has added extra height to the rounds (so I might hit the estimated 120cm diameter), it doesn't actually look that bad (or am I deluding myself?) and the pattern for the last few rounds has helped stabilise the ruffley-scrunchiness. I really, really, really don't want to undo over five hours of crocheting.

On the other hand, the pattern is all wrong. My pineapples are not sweet and plump, they are elongated and kind of ugly. What if these trebles-instead-of-doubles mean I don't have enough yarn left to complete the rest of the shawl? I'm no good at calculating things like that so I don't know!

This is why I didn't want to give this one away! If this was the one just for me to keep, I wouldn't worry about it - I like ruffles, remember? But this one is meant as a gift, it should be perfect - or as close to perfect as I can crochet, which is really not perfect at all...but even my peculiar brand of perfection doesn't include unintentionally changing the whole pattern and ruining the nicest bit about it...or does it?

Pineapple Progress

I just finished Round 48 - so 11 more to go and I'm done, done, done! I am so close I can almost feel the finish, although I am sure I won't feel so close when I get back to it. I've almost finished the fourth ball of yarn and I don't expect I will use all that much of the last, although I am not really sure.

I started it this morning with 11 repeats of Round 46 done and then I finished off Round 47. It took me from "Bang Bang My Baby Shot Me Down" to "She's Like The Wind" to crochet a round and almost-two-thirds (which works out to be...approximately 1 hour, 23 minutes & 49 seconds) and then to complete Round 48 it took me...1 hour, 3 minutes and 40 seconds (from "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" to "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" but give or take a song or two, I had a break somewhere in there). Just in case anyone is interested, the photos were taken during "It's Raining Men" (I should be so lucky) and I'm writing this listening to "Words".

I am a bit concerned about the ruffled edge - I can't seem to escape ruffles! I don't know why this has happened, except to think maybe the finish of the pineapples will pull it all into shape (I will be optomistic until the bitter end)...the yarn is an acrylic / nylon blend so I don't think blocking will help me but when it's all pulled out into shape it does sit flat, it's just the chains need to be pulled into place or else they just scrunch up. I don't know what to do about it so I'll wait and see (and maybe cry).

Time for some photos now, these are a bit better than the last lot because I've got daylight to help me out and I've kept the files at a bigger size, for a bit more ruffley-scrunchy detail.





I like this photo because it shows off the 'other' pattern, from the increases on either side of the double-treble-relief stitch, or whatever it was called in the pattern - dtrF (double treble relief forward).

A wonky, unfinished pineapple.

Three wonky, unfinished pineapples...

It's about 93cms (37inches) wide now although I believe it's potentially quite a bit wider (the scrunchy thing again)...and even though I do like this yarn and I think it's nice for baby blankets, if the pattern doesn't fix itself, I will have to try the next one in a natural fibre so I can force it into submission!

Some Enchanted Evening

I got very little crocheting done yesterday - after work I did some shopping and since some of my shopping was done for my 85 year old friend, I phoned her when I got home and asked when she'd like me to "deliver her purchases"...and she was keen on it being last night so I went to her place. She's literally just "down the road", it only takes me a couple of minutes to drive there and I enjoy spending time with her.

While we were having a chat and a cup of coffee, it started to get a bit stormy and everytime I said I had to go, she told me to wait until the storm died down...but there came a time when I couldn't put it off any longer - yes I enjoy her company but I wanted to get home, maybe squeeze in a bit of crocheting and then go to bed. I should've left a lot earlier than I did because by the time I turned out of her driveway, it went from being a fairly steady sort of rain with a lot of thunder and lightning to some kind of torrential downpour with the thunder and lightning right on top of me. Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20!

I have never in my life, not even as a passenger, been in a car in that kind of storm. Talk about poor visibility, all I could see was a tidal wave of water hitting my windscreen - getting home last night was the longest three minutes of my life. The only intersection I have to cross from her place to mine is a fairly busy one (14 lanes of traffic) and I was on top of it before I realised the lights were out, I couldn't see the car in front of me let alone any traffic coming from the sides but I did make out the cars coming from the opposite direction so I hoped they could somehow see better than me and got across.

I didn't want to pull over for a number of reasons, the main one being there are massive trees everywhere and I thought I had better chance of avoiding one of them coming down if my car was moving and not parked under one (and may I say, even though Frank isn't as fuel-efficient as a littler car and even though I have trouble reaching the pedals and I probably need a cushion or two [which I am resisting!] and even though I kind of can't see over the dashboard...I am really grateful I was driving a big car last night because I think a smaller car would've been carried away by the current!).

I almost missed the turn into my street, judging it would be where it was simply because I knew where it should be - not that I could see it. My street has quite a few dips and ditches which generally fill with water during heavy rain but the rain last night was coming down so quickly and so heavily, water was building in places where the incline usually keeps it fairly shallow - there wasn't time for it to run off before the water started building up so I was pretty much driving through fairly deep 'puddles' even at the crest of a hill. I almost missed our driveway, too, but finally I was home. The five metres I had to run through to get to the door was long enough that I was drenched before I got inside. I don't think my bag will recover and my hair needs some intensive blow-drying therapy before I leave the house. I look a bit more of a fright than usual this morning!

And that was my evening and quite enough excitement to last me for some time! As a result, I didn't have much time left for crocheting and I only got half a round done (Round 44) of PCS but still, it's progress! I'd like to try and get it finished this weekend so I can start some other things, namely a few of those Christmas presents, but I think that might be wishful thinking. I'm going to try anyway.

I need to finish ES3 (and ES1!) but...I am seriously considering scrapping ES3 and, as I said, making a blanket from squares - or even just changing the yarn because the Enchanted Slumber pattern is pretty and it works up quickly (no joining!), I just really hate the yarn I'm using. And I hold Peter Pan "Wendy" entirely responsible for that (the yarn I am using for PCS)! I have this idea, rightly or wrongly, that round blankets / shawls are perfectly alright but there needs to be a rectangular blanket, too. Given that PCS is bigger and rounder than "Round Baby Shawl", I might give RBS to someone else...

Secret Pal, to answer your question: the pattern for the Pineapple Circular Shawl is available from CrochetAustralia and it's $AU4.55 (which is not much for a pretty pattern). I don't think they do a .PDF or e-mail version but I don't know (it wouldn't take long to get to you, through the mail anyway). I think a version in worsted weight yarn would be very nice and I hope to see it if you do make one.

...and while I would like to think I'm a crocheting machine, that's hardly the case, I think I just have too much free time on my hands!

(And if Frank is still dirty, after the rain we drove through, I think I'll scream).

Is It Wrong...

...to love pineapples* as much as I do?

Not only did I manage to finish Round 39 this morning - I got Round 40 done before work as well! I continued crocheting this afternoon and I am just under half way through Round 43. I finally got to the pineapples in Round 42 but there's still a fair way to go. I am into my fourth ball of yarn, so I am over the midway point in terms of Rounds, Diameter & Yarn. Yay!

I have also worn a 3ply-sized groove into my index finger...

Talk about shocking photos - this is without the flash to try and show the pattern, and the start of my beloved pineapples...



These are actually pretty accurate in terms of colour but they don't have a lot of detail.

At the last measurement (the end of Round 42), it was just on 80cms in diameter (32inches). I have 17 rounds to go - I think my predicted final measurement is still accurate - I might even get just over 114cms considering the double-trebles add a bit more height...but then again, I might not. At any rate, it's big enough to be a bit cumbersome to keep on my lap while I'm crocheting.

I really, really like this pattern. It's not bad progress for two-and-(almost)-a-half weeks but I am not the World's Fastest Crocheter so I have put a lot of hours into it. I worry if I get stuck into other projects now, I will put this away and not get back to it in time.

I definitely won't mind doing this pattern again (not even finished and planning the next one, never mind all the other 'to be started' items...) but I am going to take my time with PCS2. It's not as if I'm making it for a purpose other than just to have one because I like the pattern and I'm going to be sorry to give this one away if I don't console myself by starting a new one...

Manda mentioned a stitch pattern in the Encylopaedia of Crochet that I looked up and thought was interesting - but along the way I saw a few other patterns that appealed to me, I wonder what I can do with them? I wonder if I'll ever get around to doing anything with them, too. Along with everything else, I am considering starting another blanket with squares. I'm quite keen on making squares, they're quick and convenient to carry around...it's just the joining and weaving in the ends that is putting me off.

In other news, it's raining and I am over-the-moon delighted, my car might just get a bit cleaner (or it might just end up covered with mud instead of dust - the last bit of rain didn't help much). It's been so dirty that I have almost been embarrassed to drive it but considering the state of most of the others cars on the road, I am in good company.

* That would be the pineapple 'stitch' I suppose. I can't say real pineapples or crocheted pineapples appeal to me on quite the same level.

I'm Making A List...

...and checking it twice. So, about those Christmas presents - I don't have that many to make. Only a few close friends are going to get crocheted gifts, other friends & colleagues can have bought presents.

Sweet Pea Shawl & Fat-Bottom Bag
4 x 4ply doilies (2 cream, 2 variegated)
1 x shawl (still undecided on pattern or yarn)
1 x "Crinoline Lady" table runner

That's about it, unless I can think of someone else who I can crochet for. I'd like to make something for mum but she is a bit fussy, so I'll have to keep brainstorming.

Two of the four doilies are going to be the Pineapple 4ply pattern I like - I can make one in an evening so they are nice and quick. I might even go so far as to make three of them (one cream, two variegated) and then I just have to pick another pattern for the other cream one - or I might try two other patterns, I'm not sure yet.

The Crinoline Lady runner is going to be a bit tricky, the pattern calls for thread (and, by now, my aversion to thread should be obvious) but I don't know if I can make it in the 4ply. I think I'll probably try it in the 4ply and see how much bigger it ends up...I might have to go with the thread version, but at least it's a 1.5omm hook - and we know I'm going to use a 1.50mm hook for the Knotwork Socks anyway, so I might as well get used to it.

There are two other patterns that appeal to me for a gift for K, "Crinoline Doll Tea Cosy" and "Porcelain Doll Tea Cosy" - I think the Crinoline Doll one is prettier so I think that is the one I will make. She likes fussy, girly, old-fashioned things (and there's nothing wrong with that!) so I think the doilies, runner & tea cosy will make nice gifts for her Christmas and Birthday presents...and, to be honest, I just really want to make that tea cosy so I'll use whatever excuse I can.

About my day yesterday, I got hit with a headache at about 8:30 in the morning, while I was at work and I didn't have any painkillers with me so it just got worse and worse and worse...if it was any other day, I think I would've gone home but we had some compulsory OH&S / Fire Safety training to do so I stayed.

By 4 o'clock, I felt beyond dreadful so I headed straight for the painkillers as soon as I walked in the door. They kicked in relatively quickly and an hour later I was headache free. I was tired and worn out though so I went to bed after a little while and slept for about 10 hours with a slight break in the middle. As a result, there was only a teeny, tiny bit of progress on PCS (about three-quarters of Round 39). There's not much point showing photos because it still looks about the same, maybe just a wee bit bigger. A new pattern is starting to emerge (still haven't hit those Pineapples yet!) but it's not really obvious. I'll try and get some more done tonight and I'll take some photos. I might actually see if I can finish Round 39 now...

I'm Looking Forward To...

...a cooler day today. I was buggered when I got home from work yesterday but it's not supposed to get so hot today.

Another round of PCS has been completed! Funny how the night before, they didn't seem to take so long but last night, it just went on and on and I thought I'd never finish. I am looking forward to finishing this, so far I think it's coming along quite well and if I can just keep it relatively mistake-free, I'll be delighted.

I heard from Spoilee and the package I sent has been received, she seemed pleased with what I sent so that makes me happy. In particular, it seems she likes the gift I made for her and I hope she posts a photo because the few I took are all quite bad.

I wonder if I should start my next Short 'n Sweet (pink) or if I should try and get a few more Christmas presents out of the way? Speaking of presents, I'll have to sit down and write a list of what I want to make and who's getting what (and what I need for it all) because I am not organised for Christmas yet. I'm still trying to recover from last Christmas...I can't forget the two birthdays right after Christmas, either.

I wonder how long it's going to take for my yarn swift to arrive - and when it does, will I be able to use it? I don't like my chances, I seem to have troubles with my yarn and I don't know if a swift is going to fix those problems. I'm willing to try at any rate! I might just order yarn already wound when that is an option but it just looks so much nicer when it comes in hanks. I probably won't get it for at least another week.

A Good Night's Sleep...

...does wonders for my mood - even though I didn't really have a good sleep last night, I am over my sulk from yesterday. I made some good progress on PCS last night so that has put me in a better "crochet frame of mind"...I'll get back to PCS in a minute but I figure I had better show off little Sweet Pea, since it didn't turn out badly as a shawl, just not exactly the way it should have turned out as Sweet Pea. I do think C will like it and that's the main thing with a gift.







The colours have come through fairly accurately, I will try and get a photo with it being worn because it actually looks a bit nicer on a body than it does flat on my bed.

It hasn't been blocked but I will do that this week, I'm not expecting miracles but it's worth a shot.



The pattern made by the increases and "dtrF" stitch (double treble relief forward) is becoming obvious. No more dtrF's, I'll be starting the pineapples soon instead. Last night I did the rest of Round 34, and then all of 35, 36 & 37, I haven't started Round 38 yet but I'm quite pleased I got as much done in as little time as it took.



I'm reluctant to boast about there being "no mistakes" because when I was giving myself a big pat on the back for not making any mistakes a few days ago, I noticed I had made a mistake in the previous round but I managed to correct it. I'm pretty sure there aren't any glaring errors but I don't want to jinx myself.



It's just about 70cms in diameter now, which is about right for where I'm up to - I do not have a mathematical brain but I guess if it's meant to be 120cms when it is finished and it is 60 rounds in total, each round is 1cm wide and because it is circular, each rounds adds 2cms to the diameter. I am getting just under 2cms and if I times the measurement I've got per round by 60, I end up with about 113.4 which is pretty close to the predicted 114cms based on the gauge from the first five rounds.

114cms is not too shabby! I think it will be a very nicely sized and snuggly shawl and I have decided when I lift my ban on yarn buying, I will buy another 6 balls of this yarn and I will start one to keep for myself - it can be the project I work on between other projects, no "deadline" so no stress with it. Speaking of the yarn, it is acrylic & nylon, it must be the nylon that makes it feel so nice (and the finer ply probably helps, too), each ball of this yarn costs over triple what a ball of the stuff I'm using for the Enchanted Slumber blankets costs - and they are 100g balls compared these that are only 50g. You get what you pay for...

I sent off another package to Spoilee on Friday, she might get it today or tomorrow. I hope she likes what is in there, I had a lot of fun getting it ready. I'll send another one before the end of SP11, I've got everything for it already but I might add more.

That's about it, time to get ready for the first day of another working week. I don't know where the weekend goes - and I don't know what the predicted temperature is for today but it feels like it might be another hot one.

Down in the Dumps

I think the manic phase is over! I hate everything I've been doing lately, I can't seem to follow a pattern without making a mistake and everything I touch knots, tangles or otherwise ends up in a big mess.

Instead of continuing with crocheting my Pineapple Cricular Shawl on Friday night, I spent two hours detangling the 4ply silk. I ended up cutting the yarn but didn't lose any, just wound the beginning bit, cut and detangled then started to wind the rest of it - by hand. I now have another huge tangle but it should be easier to sort out when I can face it again. I don't know when that will be.

Over the last few days when I have attempted to work on PCS, the yarn kept tangling. I am nearing the end of the ball and it seems to have all fallen in on itself and wound it's way into a bit of a birds nest. It got a lot worse not so long ago so I broke it off and I think I am not even going to bother with what's left, I'll just start a new ball. I am going to give this away when I finish it - if I finish it - there's no point in me keeping it for myself and, typically, I am back to hating all the other blankets I have made so this will go some way towards making me feel as if I'm giving something 'worthwhile'. Of course, I've got a little less than half the entire pattern to do and four full balls of yarn to use so it's very likely I'll stuff up and hate this when it's done, too. I can console myself with the thought that at least I am consistent.

I'd like to start my Knotwork Socks but given that I can't follow a simple pattern, it's not as if I'll be able to follow a more complicated pattern like the one in the book and I really don't think I can face any more tangles - particularly not if they involve 900+ yards of lace-weight merino!

I fringed Sweet Pea and, of course, all my fringe is uneven and the whole shawl just looks blah. The problem is that it tapers too dramatically, and it goes from wide top to the bottom point too quickly - all my own fault...

That's about it, I might keep crocheting or I might just put myself into bed, pull the covers over my head and sleep until tomorrow. Of course, since it's ridiculously hot today, I'll cook if I have the covers anywhere near me, let alone over my head, so I can't even enjoy sulking.

Felting is Fun!

I didn't end up doing much winding when my friend was over, we started winding some 4ply silk I had dyed with Kool-Aid a long time ago (back in February!) and it is all a mess. I think I got the first metre or so done and then it started to tangle in the skein and we managed to undo it from a pretty major tangle to a small tangle but it is still tangled. It's probably my fault, my hanks never look the same after I start mucking around with them. I'll have to try to sort it out myself because there's a bit on the winder and until I fix it, I don't want to take it off and wind anything else.

As a result of all the time we spent fiddling with this yarn, we didn't get started on the fringe for the Shawl.

I crocheted a roundish shape with the Artful Yarns "Shakespeare" that I wasn't sure what to do with and then I felted it. Now it's drying in a 'kind of bowl shape'. I hand felted it, so it's a bit wonky and kind of odd looking but I like it. I used up all the yarn and then borrowed a scrap of some Karaoke to finish it off. I am waiting to receive two patterns for felted slippers and then more felting fun will ensue. I would like to make some more bowls but I will have to refine my pattern a bit...and maybe some other felted items that I am trying to work out, we shall see. I want to use up some of the yarn that I have but I haven't actually got a lot of feltable wool - I've got enough to get some things done and that's what I'll start with.

I have done a few more rounds of my dear Pineapple Circular Shawl, I am still trying to get to the end of these repeats but now I am on the last round so when I get back to it, it won't be long until I start the "new" pattern. I'm using 3ply which is equivalent to "sock / baby / fingering" yarn according to CrochetAustralia. Worsted weight is apparently equivalent to about a 10ply (10-12), with 8ply being slightly finer (light worsted / DK weight). I find it all very confusing sometimes.

All the shopping I've been doing lately and I have consistently forgotten the very last little piece I needed to really finish off my Secret Pal gift, I need a bit of ribbon but I can just use a crocheted chain which I think I will do, since I want to get the package sent off tomorrow - I was aiming for yesterday but I couldn't find my post 'satchel' - found and addressed, now waiting to be filled and sent. I am actually going to be very happy to send off some of the yarn I have bought for SP11, it'll make room for a bit more down the track.

Happy Birthday, Chris.

Back To Circular Pineapples

My Pineapple Circular Shawl is progressing again, now Sweet Pea Shawl is 'finished'. I have enlisted a friend to come over and help me add the fringe tomorrow. She can wind and cut and I'll attach it. It's good to have friends.

Although I have put my yarn buying on hold for the time being, I keep finding non-yarn-crochet-related items I must have - like patterns and other bits and bobs. I decided to buy a swift because I have a lot of lovely yarn in hanks which means I can't use it unless I can convince someone to hold the hank for me while I wind it. After the last hour-long debacle, mum has been reluctant to offer her yarn-holding assistance, so I've asked the friend who will help me with the fringe for Sweet Pea tomorrow if she will also help me do some winding. She wasn't too keen initially but then I explained to her if I am left to my own devices with lace-weight merino, she can spend the next 6 months detangling it all. She detangled some 8ply cotton for me a while ago, even though it was only a little tangle, it took her quite a while so she would rather help me tomorrow than face the prospect of undoing a mess involving 900+ metres of lace-weight yarn.

Anyway, that is why I decided to buy a swift...but it won't get here straight away, so that is why she will have to help me tomorrow.

I 'found' my first Enchanted Slumber - it wasn't lost but had been put away safely - and absence must make the heart grow fonder because it's nicer than I remembered (give me five minutes and I'll probably dislike it again). I have about half the last round of edging to do so it shouldn't take me too long to finish, once I find the pattern and figure out where I am up to.

I think I will do the same edging for Enchanted Slumber 3, even though it is fairly yarn intensive, because I don't think I will be able to evenly space my double-crochets for my usual border along the sides. Speaking of ES3, I did a few more rows last night and...I don't like the way the yarn feels. I can happily crochet with acrylic provided I have not also been crocheting with nicer fibres because the difference is really unsettling. The acrylic I am using is pretty awful in terms of feel and texture but it looks okay. The solid colour is quite soft and not too bad texture-wise but the variegated is really quite horrible. Oh well.

I bought something else which is quite unnecessary at the present time but I have plans. And I will need this item for my plans - so there will be a time when it becomes necessary. I am looking forward to that time but I won't write any more about it until that time comes.

Back to the Pineapple Circular Shawl, I am mostly finished the second ball of yarn (by mostly, I mean I know it's getting towards the end but there's a not-too-shabby amount left) and I am up to Round 31. Round 34 is the end of these infernal shell repeats and then I start a new part of the pattern. At the end of Round 54, I should have 300 loops of 5ch.

I'd love to be able to calculate how many trebles I will have done when I am finished but I am just not that clever. I will get some photos tomorrow, I'll try and squeeze in a bit more crocheting during the day if I can because nothing says "dedicated and loyal worker" like crocheting during working hours...

(I haven't actually come across any pineapples yet, I don't think they happen for a few more rounds)

A Sweet Mess

The last lot of beads, waiting to be crocheted into "something fabulous" (I can always hope...).

Technically, can we call these "beads"? They haven't got any holes! I should write to Quality Control and demand compensation!


This is just a glimpse of dear ol' Sweet Pea. This was many, many rows ago.

I decided last night (with a grand total of 4 shells to go) that I hate it. Why? I did the pattern all wrong! Note to self: when an American pattern says "double treble" it does not mean the "double treble" that you have been doing for what feels like fifty-million shells. I really must remember to switch my brain from Aussie terminology to American terminology. I did wonder why my Sweet Pea looked fairly "squat" in comparison to the photos I've looked at but I thought it was all an issue of blocking. Blocking will help, I said to myself. I am sure blocking will help but I'm just not sure if blocking will help enough...

Truly, I'm an idiot and my crochet hooks should be taken away from me until I can learn to follow a pattern.

All that being said, there's no way on God's green Earth that I would undo it - I've finished with the crochet part and I've woven in all the ends (including all those extras), I just have to add the fringe. I'll just give it to C like I planned, no doubt with an explanation on "why it's not as nice as the pattern" even though C has never seen the pattern. I must work on this compulsion to point out all my mistakes. I'm not really good at taking compliments, especially when I know where all the mistakes are.

The yarn does have a grey/blue sort of tinge but it's more purple than it looks in the photo above, I think the beads are actually a nice match, even though they are a different colour - I think they add a bit of depth to it. I'll get a proper photo once I've added the fringe and blocked it. I'm not sure if I should add the fringe before or after blocking, I'll probably do it before so once it's dry, it's all done...then I'll pack it away (and probably forget where I put it) until a bit closer to Christmas, December at least.

I ended up with three extra beads when I finished and an unopened packet, so if I can work this Fat-Bottom Bag out, I might see if I can add some beads under the handles, I think that would look very nice...and this time I'll try to do the pattern properly.

I still want to get to my "Cold Shoulders", too. I don't know if I'm going to like the mohair, I think it obscures the pattern and it'll probably obscure all my stitches, too. I do like the way it looks in the book.

I'm going to send my second package to Spoilee this week, I have received all my yarn orders for SP11 so I won't put it off any longer. I'll send the gift I crocheted, too, instead of waiting for the last package. I have enjoyed this round of the Secret Pal. Speaking of Secret Pal (hello!), I saw some roving at Lincraft (of all places) - just a few blobs in a packet, but I think I'll pick some up next time I am there and practice spinning with my spindle. I don't imagine it's very good quality but to practice with, it should be fine.

Sweet Pea Continues!

Bright and early on a Sunday morning and I've already been to Lincraft (and bought their remaining stock of these particular beads - 3 packets worth, if I need more [and I dearly hope I don't] I'm screwed) and had breakfast-or-lunch, which was a very nice kebab - even though I shall probably regret it for the rest of the day. 11am might be too early for a kebab, even for me...

Kebabs are things I think need to be eaten in the privacy of ones' home. While I don't look elegant when eating at the best of times, it is particularly hard to look elegant eating a kebab and, once you add garlic sauce into the mix, well - let's just say I prefer to be near a sink and a roll of paper towels. I've washed my hands but I think I will wash them a few more times before I get back into my crocheting. It's probably for the best, C doesn't mind garlic but it's hardly a suitable scent for something called "Sweet Pea".

I am feeling very proud because, although I examined and then picked up and placed four skeins of 4ply baby yarn in my basket, I put them back and didn't buy them. I'm also feeling a bit disappointed, because I do want to make that baby cardigan and I need those four skeins if I am to do so...still, I'll be making the 6-month size and it won't be needed until next Winter, so it isn't an urgent project and therefore, I do not need the yarn today. That's what I keep telling myself.
Now I have the joyful task of cutting my yarn (again) and adding more beads. I've already given myself two extra ends to weave in, I really hope two more is as far as it goes.

I wonder if I've ruined the 'functionality' of the Shawl by adding all these beads. I personally don't mind sparklies and beads and glitter and sequins on my day-to-day clothes (I think there is a magpie perched somewhere on the branches of my family tree...) and I don't think C minds, either but now I start to think of it, I just worry that I've turned a nice, pretty and useful item into something that is (in my opinion)nicer, prettier but possibly not as wearable (for people other than me)? I don't care if she just wears it at home after she's been swimming with the kids or whatever, as a bit of a Summer cover-up - and I'll be sure to tell her that, so at the very least, she can get some use out of it.

I would like Lorna's shawl to be a bit more substantial, so I probably won't make her one using this pattern but I did look at some blue beads to add to her shawl when I make it (after I figure out the yarn and the pattern I'll use). I definitely want hers to be functional and more for warmth, a Winter item really but now I'm thinking...can I make two shawls?

Yes, I know. I am my own worst enemy. I am truly in a manic phase at the moment, I wonder how long it will last? I better just enjoy it.

I've been crocheting on and off all day (mostly on, with frequent breaks and a short nap in the middle) and I've finally "hit the hump" where it goes from really, really slow and tedious to a few stitches and turn. I love the few stitches and turn stage, it means I am almost finished! Despite being a teeny, tiny bit sceptical of the speed of this Shawl (as stated by the designer), if I didn't have to stuff around with these beads, I would've had it finished a long time ago - and since I only started it yesterday, I think I would have to agree that it is a very quick project to crochet. I am a bit cranky about having to cut the yarn on the first ball because I think I could just about have finished it on the second ball without another join if I didn't need to do that but never mind. I am almost finished the second ball and then I will go back to the first ball and hopefully that'll be that. I'll need to dig into the third ball to fringe it and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it won't use that much yarn for the fringe so I can have as much left over as possible to do the Fat-Bottom Bag. I'm a bit annoyed that I have to restring all these beads yet again but I am not game to just do a few, I will do what is left on the yarn at the moment (about 35 I think, which, according to my calculations is just about right - which probably means I will end up a few short at the end but I am going on faith here...).

Just a couple of rows and I'm done...got a lot of other stuff I should've done today, too but now it's 9 o'clock. Oh well...

Sweet Pea - Take 2

I have had a great morning, I spent lots of my hard-earned dollars (as usual) but I got some nice things. I stopped in Lincraft to begin with and bought three packets of purple shell type discs to put on the Sweet Pea. Three packets equals 120 'beads' and I thought that would be sufficient but I don't think it will be so if I have to, I'll go back tomorrow and get another pack. At $2.99 per pack, they are hardly expensive. I've never beaded anything before, certainly not while crocheting as well but I strung on about 79 of them to the yarn I am using because I thought I'd rather have too many on the yarn than not enough - 79 because I put two packets on but one of them looked a bit strange so I didn't bother with it. If I need one more and that is the last one, I will use it but otherwise, I'd rather not.

Back to the point, I am adding one 'bead' to each double-crochet between shells on all the shell rows and it's turning out quite nicely. I did add that extra row of double-crochets after the foundation chain and it looks so much nicer, I am really quite pleased with it.

I might give it to C before she goes away (at the beginning of December) or I might wait until Christmas, her birthday is in early January, so I thought I might give the Fat-Bottom Bag another try (I bought the handles while I was at Lincraft, too). I don't know if she will want a 'matching' bag to the Sweet Pea, but I think I might have enough yarn left over to do it in this purple. I don't really want to buy any more yarn for it, so if I don't have enough, I'll use whatever I can scrounge up from my stash. She can use the bag a lot more than she might want to wear the shawl.

I had a lot of trouble with the original Fat-Bottom that I tried, as well as not having the right handles, it was a lot smaller than it should've been and I couldn't work out how it was going to somehow turn into a bag. There are a couple of corrections that I discovered when I went looking for the Short 'n Sweet corrections but I don't know if those couple of errors would have caused my bag to turn out so badly. I'll try it with the corrections, of course, and I'll use the right weight yarn this time, too.

Another friend from work has her birthday on the 31st of December. She is not one for wearable items, like shawls or bags but she is a doily person, so I might make her a few 4ply doilies as a present for either her birthday or Christmas and then buy her something for the other. If I don't get organised, Christmas will be upon me and I'll have nothing done. I think another lady at work would like a Sweet Pea, she has commented on some of the bought shawls I've worn this year and I know she likes green...and then there's my Boss. I have no idea what she likes, which poses a problem for gifts in general, whether I crochet something for her or buy something for her. I'll ask one of the ladies at work who knows the Boss quite well, she might be able to shed some light on the gift issue for me.

That's enough of a break for me, back to the Sweet Pea go I. I'll get some photos later on.

Update: I've been working on the Shawl most of this afternoon, I haven't really made as much progress as I would've liked, positioning the beads is taking a bit of time but it isn't too bad. It looks as if I'll be at Lincraft tomorrow morning, as I only have 49 (or so) beads left and I've got lots more to do (Who knew I couldn't count?). I think I'm at the 8th repeat, so 10 more to go. The real problem is that I have hit a 'bump' in the yarn and the beads won't go over the bump, so I will have to cut the yarn and restring the beads. It does look quite nice so far and I am actually liking the weight of the shawl. It's just the impatience getting to me at the moment.

I measured it and I'm a bit off the width (51inches as opposed to 58inches) - I probably should've used the 6.00mm hook but, to be honest, I think it's wide enough. Blocking should help, too, although I don't know where I will be able to do it, maybe the dining table or my bed...I think I will err on the side of caution tomorrow (unlike today) and buy a few more packets, anything left over I can use to make some earrings or adorn the Fat-Bottom, there are lots of possibilities.

Sweet Pea - Take 1

I had a really good day at work yesterday. Thursdays and Fridays are always potentially stressful as I am by myself, whereas Mon - Wed, there are two of us. The workload doesn't decrease for me, which is where the potential for stressful days comes in, but we are creative with our scheduling so it isn't usually so bad. I don't mind being busy. Anyway, I was going to do a bit more on the PCS while I was on my lunch break but I didn't end up getting a lunch break, so PCS is exactly the same as it was when I last posted.

I fell asleep when I got home from work, and then I woke up in the wee hours of the morning, so I started the Sweet Pea Shawl sometime around 4am. I couldn't start on the Knotwork Socks because I haven't been able to wind the yarn yet. Anyway, back to Sweet Pea - well, it's a disaster! I chained 202 with a 6.00mm hook because I didn't want to have a too-tight foundation, I wasn't sure if I'd continue with the 6.00 or drop down to the 5.50mm (the pattern calls for the 5.50mm) but I did the first few patterns and decided the 5.50mm was the way to go. Maybe my eyesight wasn't so good, the light in here is horrible, or maybe the chain was too long for me to work on it properly in bed (I don't know if that might have made a difference but it sounds like a good excuse to me) because I ended up twisting the chain and it looks dreadful. Big loops formed where I went into the chain to work the pattern and it's all higgeldy-piggeldy and I hate it...so I am going to undo it all when I get home this afternoon, and I am going to ch 202 and then I am going to dc in each ch across and then I am going to start the pattern.

The loops aren't really the problem because they do happen (these are just particularly big and unsightly), it's just when I add in the twisted chain, I might as well start over. I did the first row and then a bit of the second, since it is worked from the top down into a point, the first row is the longest - once I get attempt two out of the way, I should be right.

I do like the cotton, it feels nice and soft crocheted up - it will be pretty and comfortable as a shawl.

I am meeting a friend at 10am and we're going to do some shopping, I think I might look in Lincraft and see if they have any pretty beads which will fit on the yarn but I'll check the pattern before I go and see where I can place them easily and how many I need, I might not find anything I like but I do want to try. I don't want anything too 'ostentatious', or the shawl to be too heavy to wear comfortably. If my Sweet Pea does turn out nicely, it'll probably be a Christmas gift to the friend I am going shopping with, she's going away in early December, so it should make a nice addition to her holiday / Summer wardrobe.

Time for me to go and get ready, I am sure the shopkeepers and sales-people cry when I leave...

Pleasant Surprises All Week

This will be the last 'received yarns' post for a while, unless someone feels like sending me some, because I am not buying any more for a while...we'll see how long "a while" is, I'm not entirely sure myself!

So yesterday I came home to an eBay order which I was waiting on, and it was from "Mystical Yarn Creations" - the yarn looks good (to me, at least) but I have heard some not-so-flattering things about it...but also a lot of positive things, so I was willing to try but felt a bit wary. The postage was a bit slow but not excessively so and I ended up with the amount of yarn I ordered and the colours are accurate compared to the Auction photos so I haven't got anything to complain about.

I bid on four of these but only won one (I hate Dutch auctions sometimes) - I would've liked enough to use to make "Lorna's Shawl", as blue is her favourite colour and I thought the colours in this were particularly nice. Oh well - anyone have some ideas what I can do with one skein of this?



I bid on and won four of these, so that should be enough to make a shawl for Lorna (I am leaning towards the Seraphina shawl pattern because I think it's beautiful but I haven't decided 100% yet). I quite like the colours in this yarn but I am just not sure if it is right for the recipient, I need to think about that a bit more...

Today I came home to my other two yarn orders, one for Spoilee and one for me:



This is the cotton I purchased to make some more Short 'n Sweets and a Sweet Pea Shawl. The green and pink are for the Short 'n Sweet (and the purple for the Sweet Pea Shawl, obviously). I have been working on the Pineapple Circular Shawl a lot this afternoon and I finished one more repeat and I wanted a break, so I thought I'd start the Sweet Pea Shawl. Imagine my chagrin when I remembered I had left my copy of Happy Hooker at work. I was very sad, so no Sweet Pea yet. I don't know where this cotton rates on the scale of cotton yarns but I'm happy with it.

I decided to continue with the PCS, and this is the current progress:

It is about 48.5cms in diameter thus far (19.4inches), I think it was about 40cms when I measured it last night, so not too bad but still a long way to go.

I checked this morning and found I do, in fact, have a 1.50mm steel hook. I don't know how I got it or when, I may have bought it or it might have been given to me...because I have never had any desire to use a 1.50mm hook before. But there you go, I have no excuse not to start those Knotwork Socks tomorrow night - except my reluctance to wind 900+ yards of lace-weight merino. To err on the side of caution, I decided to buy some more steel hooks today while I was shopping (at the whopping great cost of about $1.60 each) so I bought one each of these sizes: 1.75mm, 1.25mm and a 1.00mm. I think I would have to be a bit mad to want to use the 1.00mm hook but I guess "never say never" is right.

That's about it, more tomorrow - either the start of the Knotwork Socks (or a tale of woe relating to winding lace-weight merino) or the Sweet Pea Shawl.

No Pineapples Yet

A bit of progress since I last wrote - the Pineapple Circular Shawl has grown, slowly and almost surely. I managed to get a good amount of crocheting time in today at work (which is not as risky as it might sound) but half of it was wasted when I realised I had made a big mistake. I had already made a little mistake which I was able to salvage the next round (completing half a shell instead of a full shell in the previous round meant I had to then work a full shell into the middle treble of the half shell, instead of in the chain space between two lots of three trebles) because I didn't want to undo all my hard work. Imagine my horror when I noticed a round and a half later that I had done something I wouldn't be able to salvage about four rounds ago and would have to undo it all anyway. That'll teach me!

I have trouble visualising sizes, so when the size estimate says "approximately 120cms in diameter"...I had to get out my measuring tape and check what 120cms looked like (48inches). It's actually quite a lot bigger than I expected and I think that estimate is a lot bigger than it will actually be...I then decided to check my gauge (about 20 rounds 'too late') and I was half a centimetre off (8.5cms instead of 9 for the first five rounds). If that carries through the whole pattern, I assume I will end up with something about 114cms in diameter. I could be entirely wrong, I guess I will find out when it is finished.

(After I wrote the majority of this entry, I continued with my crocheting - finished one ball and started the next one for the "PCS". I managed to wind this one without any problems or tangles, I might be getting better at it! One down, five to go...)

In other news, I received another eBay order today - two more orders to go, hopefully one tomorrow and one Friday, or both tomorrow if I'm lucky. I have yarn coming out of my ears and I think I might have to start a few other projects in the next few days. I don't have to count the yarn in my 'stash' if it is being used, do I? I've really gone a bit overboard with the purchasing lately...I guess I should try to limit myself by not buying any more until I've completed some of those projects I've got waiting. I think I'll try those Knotwork Socks on Friday, but I had better check that I have a 1.5mm hook because I don't think I do.

My Secret Pal Gift was dry last night so I took it inside and it has turned out very nicely with my 'budget blocking' - the stitches are stretched out, so it's a better length and isn't as 'sproingy' as my stitches tend to be (see the Short 'n Sweet, which I will try blocking over the weekend). I think I'll post this and some other items to my Spoilee next week.

I'll take some photos of the new items and progress tomorrow.

Another One!

First of all, I was appalled by how ugly the colour was in those pictures of the 8ply merino - I have retaken the photos in the kitchen (the light is better) and uploaded them so the photos in the post are more accurate. Those colours were awful and definitely not true.

I received another order today from one of my eBay purchases - my lace-weight merino, mohair for my "Cold Shoulders" and a skein of something interesting for my Spoilee. I haven't worked with mohair before and I'm not really sure about it but this looks nice and doesn't feel itchy. I am worried that I didn't order enough - the pattern calls for three and that is all I bought. I probably should've been a bit cautious and bought extra...

I had better give lace-weight knitters and crocheters more respect, I somehow didn't realise how thin it would be. I've got some two ply lace-weight silk which I have dyed a myriad of ghastly kool-aid colours somewhere (and despite what I just wrote, I actually like it!) but I guess I viewed it more as a thread rather than a yarn. Does that make sense? Anyway, this merino is lovely, so soft and the colours are beautiful but I am feeling very, very intimidated. I can barely handle a 3ply yarn with a 3.50mm hook, how will I cope with this?




Speaking of being intimidated, here is my progress on the Pineapple Circular Shawl - after 16 rounds:

The rounds are starting to take me a while, although I guess I am not the fastest crocheter at the best of times. I am ashamed to say it but I don't want to work on ES3 at the moment, this yarn is nice and soft which makes the other yarn feel a bit stiff and scratchy...or more than a bit.

To put it into perspective, while the lace-weight is quite fine, it's not that much finer than the 3ply I'm using for the blanket, not as big a difference as between the 3ply and 8ply anyway. It's the hook size that worries me, I think the pattern calls for...a 1.50mm - and I have to make two and they have to be fairly similar (I know they won't be exactly the same if I do them) so I'm feeling a bit nervous. I also have to wind the yarn into balls and I am dreading the mess I will get into (I managed to tangle the 3ply while I was winding it, too, which is why I only did one - but since I've barely made a dent in it, I'm sure it will be a while before I need the second one, let alone all 5 remaining).


So that's about all the fun yarn-y related stuff I have for tonight. Still waiting on 3 orders, two for me and one more item for my Spoilee. I missed the boat with the SP11 "Flash Your Stash" competition but that's okay, I don't have the energy to get all my yarn out and take photos but I might do that this weekend, I think I will come across things I have forgotten about.

I'll try and make a dent into what I have and then I might buy some more Karaoke in some of the colours I have had my eye on for a long time now. Speaking of Karaoke, I haven't checked my Spoilee gift today, it is probably not dry yet because we had rain last night, I'll check it in the morning and bring it inside if it is dry enough.

That's about it from me tonight, my crocheting is calling me - and it is impatient!