Lacking Content

Did I mention my mum's inability to keep presents a secret? True to form, she came home on Thursday night after doing some Christmas shopping and promptly presented me with a box of chocolates and an iPod Touch. Then she told me she had another present for me and could she pleeeease give it to me? Hmph. Call me old fashioned but I like to have something on Christmas Day...

Anyway, after the Great XBox Fiasco of 2005, I thought I had better make good use of this iPod although if I am honest (and I know I sound ungrateful but I'm not), I didn't really want one and if I did want one, I'd have been happy with a simpler version. I don't need all the bells and whistles just to listen to music...but as a person who loves technology (although technology doesn't always love me back), I must admit, I am enjoying this iPod.

I am enjoying it so much, in fact, I fell asleep with it on yesterday and woke up with a heart-thumping start a while later to the opening strains of the Carmina Burana. I think Eminem might have been sending me subliminal messages while I slept, too because I had a song I am sure I haven't heard recently stuck in my head until I replaced it with Everclear.

Mum is so excited about this iPod business, I think I'm going to have to buy her one for Christmas...which is quite good, actually, because I had no idea what I was going to buy for her.

About those chocolates...they were my favourites and I ate them - that's really all there is to it.

I haven't done any crocheting lately, the last time I picked up a hook, I had to undo some of the Romance (another stupid mistake) and, unfortunately, the yarn broke and I got cranky and I haven't wanted to do any more...apart from that, I've been busy with a few things so I haven't had much time for crocheting.

I did receive a nice surprise when the recipients of PCS sent me a thank-you card, I thought that was very sweet of them - the first time I've ever been 'officially' (for want of a better word) thanked for an item I've made.

Optus are coming tomorrow to fix me up with a wireless modem so I'll be able to use my laptop with this connection and if mum gets herself a laptop (like she wants), she'll have Internet access with it, too.

Merry F'n Christmas!

Whoops, I know I should mind my language - sorry - but what a day! I actually did enjoy it but I am buggered. I am glad we got our Christmas party out of the way relatively early because it's only going to get busier from now on...


I don't usually like to put too many photos of me in here but after all the ones I took today, someone else insisted on taking one of me (and this is the best they could do? At least when I take photos of others, I choose the most flattering lighting and angles). Oh well. Like my hat? I'm wasn't keen on the "HoHoHo" bit but it was either this or a traditional Santa hat and I was too hot for anything traditional (that would be anything including velour and faux fur).

I usually always keep my sunnies on my head anyway so I forgot I was wearing it most of the day - I kept trying to put my keys over my head and getting tangled up, or catching sight of myself in a mirror and having to check again to see what was on my head. It was really that sort of day. I am very glad to be home and with nothing planned for tonight (like most nights) I can just relax and do whatever I want.

I probably should get some crocheting done...

A Partridge In A Pear Tree

Today is Christmas Party Day. I hope it's not too stressful but I know it's going to be fairly full-on. I've still got a lot to do when I go in this morning. The two centrepieces I made turned out quite well, according to what others have said (I am a bit critical of them but I do think they're nice, I just don't know if nice is what I was going for).

I have received all but one of the orders I was waiting for, one being the first lot of wire and beads, another from eBay being more wire and beads and one from eBay which was the 2 balls of Rowan Tapestry the seller forgot to send me initially. The one I am waiting on is, of all things, a crochet hook case. I have two vinyl pencil cases for my hooks and I wanted something a bit prettier...

I also received my Amazon order - last week, although I forgot to mention it here earlier. I bought: Amazing Crochet Lace: New Fashions inspired by Old-Fashioned Lace, Every Day Crochet: Wearable Designs Just For You, Positively Crochet and Crochet Me: Designs to Fuel the Crochet Revolution. They are interesting books with a lot of nice patterns in them but how many I'll actually make, I don't know. I think I can live the rest of my life without ever needing another scarf pattern, too. I do like a lot of the Doris Chan patterns but I don't seem to have enough of any one type of yarn here to make anything...so either I do a scrappy piece or I buy more yarn.

I have already misplaced my Amazing Crochet Lace book or I guess I already would have ordered the yarn I need for some projects, it's probably just as well - maybe mum has hidden it from me!

I was correct in my prediction for the Necklace Number Three, I ran out of wire and I don't think I've got enough beads to complete it anyway, I'll have to order more wire and beads but it's not urgent. Provided the company doesn't sell out of everything I need, I can wait...and this from a person who hates waiting? We'll see how long it lasts.

Time for me to make myself as beautiful as possible before work.

The End..

...of SP11! Spoilee e-mailed me to say she had received her package so I e-mailed her back and The Great Reveal commenced. Or something. Anyway, my Pal was Louisa (curlytoot) and she was a Very Good Pal and I will look forward to seeing whatever it is she does with the yarn I sent her and keeping up with her blog. I feel very satisfied, SP11 was fun, I enjoyed it and I had a good Secret Pal and a good Known Pal. What more could I ask for?

On to other things...

K and I are in the midst of preparations for a Christmas Party tomorrow which, hopefully, will go off without a hitch. I had to decorate two trees yesterday and, while I seem to be missing the Martha Stewart gene (the one that lets you cut cakes evenly, set tables nicely, fold clothes in an intricate and complicated way, or otherwise do all those perfect 'finishing touches' etc), I am actually quite pleased with how the trees turned out (today I attempt "table centrepieces").

My little silver tree has been added to a bit lately and I have another package of baubles to put on there and some tinsel, I might do that tonight. I am definitely not from the "less is more" school of decorating and silver tree is a bit scrawny and pathetic looking. I'd like to say I'll pack silver tree up after Christmas but...after having it up for a year, we'd probably miss it if we put it away. Still, I think I should take it down and undo all the decorations and start again next year (and do them a bit better).

Speaking of Secret Pal, and I was, I never did show the project I crocheted for Louisa:








"Cold Shoulders", attempt 1, using Karaoke (5 balls I think) that I received during SP9. The item that really made me understand the importance of blocking!

Hankie Pankie

I was glad to wake up this morning - I kept dreaming my car had been stolen and I was trying to get to work without my car! I checked on Frank and was very relieved to find him safe and sound in the driveway. We got a fair bit of rain yesterday evening and last night, so I was hopeful all the spiderwebs and dust and grubbiness had been washed away but no such luck! I was embarrassed when I dropped my car off for a service after work, it's absolutely filthy.

Another thing I got yesterday (along with wet) was my Crochet Australia order and I'm very pleased - I started my first #30 (European #50, apparently) thread project and it's turning out much better than I thought it would. I'm attempting a hankie edging, just a very simple one but still, I feel enormously proud. #30 thread and a 1.25mm hook.

I'm making the pattern up as I go along and I am not sure when it will be finished - strictly speaking, I could've finished it after Round 3 but it was a bit on the plain side so I wanted to try and jazz it up a bit in the next round. That is an idea I may come to regret but the good news is, I have another three hankies to play with and I only need one really nice one to show. The others I can give as gifts (and yes, I do know people who would appreciate a crocheted-edged handkerchief). It is not turning out exactly as I envisaged it but never mind, I am having fun.

I looked at my edging patterns and there were quite a few I liked but I couldn't make heads nor tails out of the patterns after I read through them. They just didn't make sense to me at all.

Secret Pal, I am really looking forward to seeing your PCB, how exciting - round 25! I do like that pattern a lot, I will start my one soon.

If the weather is alright tomorrow, it looks as if I may be a passenger during a Very Long Drive for work so it's quite possible I can make some good progress on two of my projects. Of course (because I get this opportunity every so often, although not for as long as tomorrow), it's very likely I will make many mistakes because I am not paying enough attention and then when I get home, I will have to undo it all. Note to self: be extra careful!

A few of us from work are going out next Monday night as a pre-Christmas thing, since C will be going away until almost Christmas, so I need to get Sweet Pea washed and pulled into shape (as much as it can be pulled into shape). That is one gift I am really looking forward to giving, I do think C will like it. I haven't finished anything for K yet (just a few stitches for that Crinoline Doll Tea Cosy that I just don't feel like touching) but I have a bit more time for hers. I think I will scrap the doily idea for her, as well - I've come up with something better.

One more order to receive this week and another new technique to try...with lots of projects on the go and no photos, these seem to be very boring blog entries. I'll try and get some things finished ASAP and post photos.

Ultimate Crocheted What?

My routine has been screwed up all week, thanks to a sleepless night last Sunday, I hope I'll sleep well tonight. One week I can handle but any longer than that and I'll go crazy.

Robyn had the same problem contacting Spoilee so it's not just me, I feel a bit less like an e-mail criminal now - how offensive to tell me I've been blocked due to complaints! Unfortunately, since Spoilee has not received my e-mails, the last package will not be exactly as I would like it, I was waiting to get some answers about things to purchase / make for her but I will just go with what I already have. I don't think she'll mind, I think I've spoiled her pretty well based on her survey and earlier e-mail discussions.

Secret Pal, glad to hear PCB is progressing well - I'm looking forward to when I can see your progress. Don't worry about being late, that's another thing I can look forward to.

I had a great morning yesterday, mum and I went shopping and we bought some Christmas stuff - I got the dogs a stocking each and I am going to fill them with pig's ears and liver treats and things like that - Angel found a pig's ear and has been in love with it for about a week (it keeps ending up on my bed).

I forgot to take CDTC with me but I did buy two teapots, one is a plain white Maxwell and Williams one - a 2-cup infuser pot and the other is a "Tea for One" set (the pot sits on top of the cup) in a pattern I adore and I have quite a few pieces of the set so I decided I'd get it for me. The cosy fits the M&W one okay, it's not spectacular but it'll do (...it fits the Tea for One set a little better but I don't feel like parting with that one).

After that, I took a quick detour into Lincraft to check the stock for some projects I have in mind but I was dying to go to the loo so I couldn't concentrate. I did end up buying a ball of "Hot Socks" which is Lincraft's brand of sock yarn, it's superwash wool and nylon and it actually doesn't feel too bad. I don't know how sock yarn connoisseurs would rate it but it seems okay to me. One ball is 420m which seems to be enough for a pair of crocheted socks - so I started Ultimate Crocheted Socks. I am using a 4.00mm hook (larger than the pattern calls for, due to my tendency to crochet tightly) and I have completed Toe Foot and am currently in the midst of Gusset. I estimated 20 rounds for Foot but I had to do 30, so obviously I am still no good at estimating. I much prefer the extended single crochet (for the foot) than the single crochet (for the toe), I had my doubts that the toe section would fit over my incredibly broad and stumpy toes but the foot pattern seems to have pulled it into shape a bit (but not enough for my liking). I'm doing these as written for the small size but once they're done I might be able to work out any modifications for future pairs. The first thing I will change, if I can work it out, is the toe. I noticed in the pictures, her toe looked a bit square, narrow and a wee bit...ill-fitting? Mine does, too! I'm not sure if I need to adjust the starting chain length, use a bigger hook or if I should work in extended single crochet for the toe as well.

Back to the yarn, it was $13 which I thought was pretty good, considering I don't have to worry about postage costs or currency conversion and, as I said, if one ball can make a decent pair of crocheted socks, it's better than spending $10+ US per skein when I will need more than one - and possibly more than two. Tofutsies yarn is almost double the price ($24.95) through Ecoyarns and with only about five metres more. Still, maybe one day I might try the Tofutsies. Live2Knit has 75% Superwash Merino & 25% Nylon 4ply yarn for $13.70 but only 187 metres so I am happy with "Hot Socks".

I like the colours in the yarn but the colour repeats are a bit short for my liking.
I have been crocheting a Mystery Project with the Tapestry, the yarn colours are somehow not "me" but growing on me, I think it's crocheting up very nicely but it is definitely not the yarn for Lorna so I am glad I made her the Moda Vera capelet. I would still like to make her another, fancier shawl in really nice yarn but at least she will have one for Christmas and it will keep her warm and comfy when it starts to get cool.

So why the secrecy with these new projects and ideas? Well, I got it into my head that I might try and enter a few items into the Sydney Royal Easter Show next year. There are 8 classes I 'could' enter but I am undecided as to which ones I will enter, so I thought I'd try a few things and see how I go before I have to apply. I don't want to jinx myself by going into great detail with what I make until I get them made.

To be honest, I am a bit confused, one of the classes is "Creative Crochet" - Exhibitor's Own Design, I now assume that means exhibitor's own design whereas I initially thought it was "Exhibitor's Choice" which meant I could exhibit any project I wished. The other thing that confuses me is that it states that items can't be washed (except for quilt-y things) but there's a Doilie Class ("Doylie") and really, most doilies I know need to be blocked and pinned out - does that count as washing? I had planned on making items only with natural fibres just so I could block them when I was finished because I do think it makes the finished item look better, particularly when my stitches have a tendency to spring up and I usually end up with a smaller item than I want...I thought appropriate 'finishing' would be high on the list of desired attributes for a project. It's all very strange!

One part of me is telling myself not to bother because I can't compete with other crocheters who are probably all very accomplished and used to entering in shows but then there's another part telling me it's only $10 to enter an item in so what have I got to lose (who asked you anyway, Dignity?), it gives me something to achieve and it's a challenge I think I will enjoy...

Anyway, I am going to get back to my Ultimate Crocheted Socks and see if I can have one finished today. After I get the pair done (aren't I ambitious?), I'll revisit "Amazing Crocheted Socks" and see if anything appeals to me, now I know I can get 400+ metres of sock-y yarn locally and without breaking the bank.

Swifty-ness

Remember this yarn? Specifically the 2ply silk...



I have had a lot of fun with my swift, I showed it to mum and I could see her relief, she is probably thanking her lucky stars she does not have to help me with my yarn-winding any more - and I don't blame her.

I don't know why I chose the 2ply silk to wind because I have no project for it but it worked out really well and I am feeling ready to tackle some of the other hanks I have, particularly those I do have projects for! I am kicking myself that I didn't wait until I had a swift to try winding the 4ply silk because it is still in a mess...but if I didn't get myself into that predicament, I probably wouldn't have bought a swift so it all works out. Eventually I will get it into order...just not today.

I know it's bright and maybe there's a bit too much colour in it but I think it looks really nice all wound up:





Now I just have to work out what I am going to do with it!

I have spent some time looking at the yarn I have, not all of it but just one of my containers and I found some yarn that would be nice for a little capelet / shawl, I haven't got as much as I would need for a Seraphina (well, I do, but only if it was for a Very Little Person) but I think it will work nicely as a "Cold Shoulders". It's Moda Vera "Wisp" which is soft and sparkly and very snuggly, I've got white, light pink and dark pink so I started with the white and then changed to the light pink, I may use the dark pink to edge it. I'm using an 8.00mm hook and it feels a bit like a broomstick. This is not really intended for her to wear out, just something to keep warm and snuggly while she's at home. I am happy with how it is turning out.

I have also wound the skein of MCY "Breeze" and two skeins of the "Lilac Rose" - I thought the yarn had partially felted in the skein but it turned out to be a stretch of unspun fibre, not much but a couple of inches. I will have to cut it out when I crochet with it but I'm not too worried. Both LR skeins have, strangely enough, differed greatly in size so I am not sure what the other three will be like...

...and the pink lace-weight Merino is all ready for the Knotwork Socks, as soon as I have a moment (or a lot of moments) to attempt the pattern.

Lavender Lady

Just a quick post before I go to bed - I got a few rounds of the Crinoline Doll Tea Cosy (CDTC) done last night and then I continued it this afternoon. It's a really quick pattern, I am almost finished with one side and then I have the other side, the lining, the ends and the finishing touches...then it's done. Okay, so it sounds like there's a lot left but the crocheting part is actually quite quick, I haven't spent much time on it.

The little porcelain half-dolls are gorgeous, they're a bit pricey but I have the pattern now and plenty of 4ply cotton so all I need for future Crinoline Doll Tea Cosies are the dolls themselves. I am definitely going to make one for me at some stage. I don't know when but I will do it (maybe when I do the next PCS)...I'd like one in pink and I know another friend would love one in blue but that's about it. I guess these are the sorts of things you either love or hate.

My progress! It doesn't look very exciting flat like that but the top is done and part of one side, I preferred working in the round but that is not a technique that lends itself well to creating openings for handles and spouts so I'm doing rows now. The two sides will be joined at the bottom eventually. The ends will be the death of me, I wonder if a solid colour version would look as nice or if the variegated cottons would work? I'll do anything to escape these infernal ends!

Even though I hate gauge swatches, I'd like to check if I'm on track for sizing but there's no gauge / tension guide. Hmph. I am trying to make the four-cup size but I know I have a tendency to crochet a bit tightly so who knows what I will end up with (do they make 3-cup teapots?)? I pulled out a small teapot of mine to test it on and it does seem to fit properly so far - I hope I don't suddenly remember this teapot is a two-cup teapot, I will have to measure it tomorrow to be sure.

K does have a teapot (at least one and possibly more than one) but this is meant to be more of a display piece because she, like me, just uses the kettle and teacups - we don't seem to bther with teapots much, for one person it doesn't seem worth it. Maybe this will inspire her to play Big Ladies more often. Anyway, I might feel compelled to add a teapot to her Christmas gifts if I find a pretty one in the right size and at the right price...

This next photo shows the half-cosy and the Doll in place, over an upside-down bowl because the handle of the teapot (a little rosebud, partially visible above) interferes with Doll sitting flat and, as she is not attached to Cosy, I don't want her falling off and breaking:


And now we have a photo purely to show off Doll, she wasn't my first choice but - as my first choice wasn't available in the lilac and the lilac was something I didn't want to compromise on (purple is K's favourite colour) - she is the one I ended up with. Anyway, she (a bit like Maurice) must've grown on me and I'm very happy with the whole project overall.

So there you have it - a bit wordy but quick to write, so I wasn't fibbing at the beginning. I've got more for tomorrow but I'll probably forget half of it before then.

The Emperor's New Clothes

I'm glad I bought a fully-clothed Barbie - it will be a long time before I make her something to wear. My CrochetAustralia order came in and I had a look at the pattern - I think it might be quicker for me to crochet my own wedding dress and quite possibly cheaper, too. I was thinking I would use this thread but that was before I knew I'd need 4000 yards of it. Yeesh, that's a lot of thread! Particularly when you compare it to the Viceroy Butterfly Shawl which is in size 10 thread and requires about 1500 yards (or something along those lines). Maybe I will try that pattern with the metallic thread instead of the Dress...

I also received the Crinoline Tea Cosy pattern and items, it seems straightforward enough for me - but things are not always as they seem. I have half of K's present 'organised' now - the Cosy and a pattern book (Crocheted Jug Covers - another Vicki Moodie one) and the other half will be some thread, a few steel hooks and the Crinoline Runner. I will work out the thread I want to buy for the Runner and put an order in again soon, even if I don't buy any for the Wedding Dress.

Secret Pal, I am looking forward to seeing your "PCB", I hope you are better at reading patterns than I am! I am sure you will be very happy with your blanket when it is done. I am reminded of a question I have been meaning to ask - to adapt a pattern from a finer yarn and smaller hook, to thicker yarn and a larger hook, how do you convert the requirements? I can't work this out - (and even if I did, I'd get it all wrong) but I'd like to know because I think I'd like to do my next PCS in a thicker yarn but I have no idea how to work out how much I will need.

Speaking of Secret Pal, yahoo is telling me it can't deliver my e-mail to Spoilee because my IP address is blocked - I don't know what's going on there but it is Very Frustrating! I will keep my fingers crossed that it's just a glitch in the system...if I don't hear back in a few days, I will ask the Hostess to contact her for me and find out - at least we're heading into the last of SP11 now so it's not too much of a disaster but I did have some questions I wanted her to answer for the last package.

I think I can get a start on Crinoline Cosy before I go to bed.

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 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 - 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...