I am SO in love....

Last night on my way to the weekly Yo-C meeting I stopped by A.C. Moore. It's been awhile since I've been in there because it's such a long drive and because we just got a new Hobby Lobby closer to home. While I was browsing over the yarn selection trying to decide what I needed and what I ABSOLUTELY had to have I ran across 'Country' and 'Spa' by Naturally Caron. I've been eyeballing this yarn on their website just waiting for it to come out. They have the most beautiful colors in both lines and the free patterns on their website are very trendy and beautiful. Most of the time seeing something online is no real indication of how it really is in real life (could I use the word real or really anymore in one sentence, I mean really! HA). This was no exception! First I picked up 'Country' because I saw that it came in my favorite color -Olive Green- except they called it Loden Forest. OH MY GOODNESS!!! I am not even playing! It felt absolutely amazing. It's 75% Microdenier Acrylic and 25% Merino Wool. I would have never guessed. I couldn't feel a trace of wool and yet it's so much softer than acrylic. It's machine washable and machine dryable and it has a 12 ply cable. Then after an aisle clean up from all the drool that had accumulated on the floor I picked up 'Spa'. It is 75% Microdenier Acrylic and 25% Bamboo. It was even softer than the 'Country' yarn! I stopped Ms. Maria, the lady working in that department, and asked a hundred questions..."How does it hang?" "Does it stretch?" Most importantly "Does it split?" Ms. Maria says, it hangs very well with very little stretch, and NO the yarn doesn't split. I'm SOLD but I walk away because my stash is already OUT OF CONTROL and I have no idea what I would use it for. I continue on to find what I actually do need. I have SELF CONTROL! I grab a skein of Vanna's Choice in Beige to use as a skin tone for my Amigurumi Doll and I head toward the door. Unfortunately for my stash I pass by the Naturally Caron 'Spa' and 'Country' again and grab a skein of Loden Forest in 'Country'. I'm going to use it to make a swatch to see if it would work appropriately for a cardigan I'm wanting to make. I knew I wouldn't leave until I found what I needed and what I ABSOLUTELY had to have.
(Seriously, check out their website if you haven't already: www.naturallycaron.com)

I headed on to the Yo-C meeting.

The meeting went really well last night. I worked on my doll and got almost a full leg finished. It's going a little slower than I thought it would but I did have to start over on it a couple of times. We talked about charity projects coming up and our super secret Christmas gift. We got some pattern hand-outs that I'll have to get crackin' on and Joanna and I discussed hand carved hooks. I've decided I simply must have a hand carved crochet hook. My collection just will not be complete without one. Maybe this yarn group isn't such a good idea-afterall, they are only encouraging my addictive habit! But I guess that is the point....

What an unproductive night!!

Have you ever had one of those days/nights where nothing you worked on seemed to turn out right?? Well, last night was one of those nights for me! I admit, I've got so many projects lined up that I was already feeling a little overwhelmed about which to work on, so that probably made matters worse. Plus I have this annoying hang up where I feel like I have to finish something every time I sit down. So, having been working on a stashbuster afghan all week I wanted something else to work on...something where I could see actual progress. I decided to work on a new cap pattern I recently purchased. The pattern is really quite simple. It's starts ... ch3, 12 puff st in second chain from hook...but for the life of me I could never fit 12 puff sts in that tiny chain. I attempted it again-then my chain was too big and I had a big fat whole in the center... "RAIN DROPS KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD...THEY KEEP FALLING ON MY HEAD" Okay so that would never work as a cap. After a third try I put it aside and decided to work on something easier.

I started on an amigurumi traffic cone...okay I realize how stupid that sounds but whatever. It's super cute. Plus, I work in the parking industry so it all works out. I could decorate my office with tiny, cute, smiling amigurumi traffic cones.....Awwwwww! Yeah, I know. SO ANYWAY, I start the bottom piece in simple SC...nope. I can't even keep that straight. I start the cone and it's too freaking small for me to get my hook in. I put it down and start back with my wonderful stashbuster afghan because that is something I can handle...something that requires no thought at all. After one motif I'm tired of that and attempt the traffic cone again. At about 10:45 last night I completed him. I still think I missed some rows or something because he's kind of short and stumpy but he's still really cute.
If you're interested in the pattern you can get it for free here: http://www.aliciakachmar.com/blog/craft/safety-cone-to-the-rescue/

More finished projects

In honor of the 2008 Olympics Ravelry.com started their own Olympics of sorts. A competition of yarnwork if you will-called the Ravelympics. I decided in true Olympic spirit to join the WIP Wrestling event in order to finally complete a Brown and Red Afghan I've been working on FOR-EV-ER! I figured the Ravelympics may be the only thing under the sun that would get me motivated to finish this horrible, horrible project. I started this afghan back at the beginning of the year. My full intentions were to stop at 4 squares and use it as a shawl. After several people looked at my 4 measly squares they thought it would be better suited as an afghan, so I obliged-having never made an afghan before. Bad idea. I'm a real impatient person. I'm in to instant gratification. Everyone that crochets/knits/whatever knows that afghans are far from instant gratification. I started out all GUNG-HO but that eagerness kind of dwindled down after several, several months went on. So, I signed up for the Ravelympics and with a new found excitement I set out on my project....and finished it!!! I crocheted this using a 6.00mm hook and Red Heart Soft Yarn in Red and Brown (De-Dah-De). Okay I don't know the technical names, but whatever. Now my only problem is deciding what to do with it. I can't decide if I should give it away, try selling it, or keeping it for myself. I'm not really a fan of how it turned out. I guess with me working on it for so long I just got tired of the colors and the pattern. It turned out to be a whoppin' 63 inches square! What do you think I should do with it???

Also, this weekend I finished my first amigurumi project!!! I made an Owl. I named him Hootie McHoot-Hoot. I crocheted him using a 4.00mm hook and Yarn Bee Boulce Traditions yarn. That yarn was a sheer nightmare to work with on amigurumi. Of course I knew it would be that way but being the realist that I am, I wanted to find the most life like colors and textures for an owl and this is what I came up with. The white and brown part of its eyes, its nose, and its ears are felt then I used screw on safety eyes. I plan on making several 'baby' owls to go with Hootie. I also have a list of other amigurumi projects lined up. I'm super excited about the way this turned out!!

Well, I guess I'm off to work on my next project.

I joined a knitting group-but I don't knit

Last night I went to my first ever knitting group meeting! Okay, so technically it's not a 'knitting' group but rather a yarnworks group because there were a few other hookers there besides myself. This was a pretty big step for me since I'm a little reserved but I've really wanted to join a group for awhile now. I mean, it's nice to just have someone understand your obsession with yarns and crafting. Seriously! My yarn bag goes EVERYWHERE with me. Sometimes I really feel pathetic. If I know ahead of time that I'll have 10 minutes to crochet...a hook and yarn goes with me. I can't help it. I try to, honestly, but it's just what I do. I have so many WONDERFUL projects lined up and so little time to do them all. In 10 minutes you can really accomplish a lot...especially if you have several 10 minute slots through out the day. Besides, you never know when you'll get stuck in a traffic jam, an elevator, a bathroom...Ha! Seriously! Well, not seriously about the bathroom, but you know, it's better to be prepared for these type emergencies.


The meeting went really well last night. Everyone was nice and very welcoming. There were so many talented people there. I really enjoyed looking at their current projects. I started an amigurumi owl. It will be my first amigurumi project ever so it's exciting. They even gave me a gift for being a first time attendee. It's a little tote with a skein of cotton yarn and a bamboo hook. I used the hook today and I love it. It's a 4.00mm. Generally, I use the larger hooks. My fav is 6.00mm but this hook is perfect for the amigurumi project I have going on and the ones I have coming up. So THANKS ! I really appreciate the gift. I certainly hope to attend again soon. They meet once a week.

The afghan in the picture is one that my grandmother made me as a wedding gift 5 years ago. She made it in fall colors because those are my favorite. I keep it on my bed and use it everynight. Recently my grandmother gave up knitting and crochet (except for the occasional knit dishcloth). She was diagnosed with dementia a little while back and she said that crochet and knitting gets on her nerves now. I'm afraid this may be the last afghan and I get from my grandmother so I'm thinking of preserving it or at least hanging it on a quilters rack. My husband's grandmother made an afghan in the exact same colors and I hope to one day inherit that. Then of course, I'd definitely have to make one in the same colors and have a set of 3. I just think that would be really neat thing to do. Crocheted afghans make a wonderful heirloom.

Prayer Shawl Ministry

Here is a picture of my most recently completed prayer shawl. This is probably my favorite prayer shawl that I've done. I think the colors worked out really well together. I used LionBrand Homespun in Russett. I also used a novelty yarn in a beige color that I got on sale at Michaels. I can't remember the name but it is absolutely WONDERFUL! It's regularly $5.00 for 50 grams which is a splurge for me. Anyway, I bought a couple of random skeins of this when I saw it on sale with NO IDEA what I was going to do with it. I decided since it wasn't really enough to make a scarf that I would use it to accent my prayer shawls. I love it. I think next time I catch this stuff on sale I'll make a fuzzy trim on a hat or use it to make a neck warmer.

I crocheted this PS with a 16 mm hook using alternating rows of SC and DC so that it's really drapey. If you aren't familiar with the Prayer Shawl Ministry I suggest checking out their website at http://www.shawlministry.com/ . I have found this to be the perfect way for me to minister to others in need. I'm very reserved and quiet. I don't like a lot of attention. This ministry allows me to spend time alone in prayer for someone while crocheting. Then, I either deliever the shawl and a card to the recipient myself or have someone else deliever it for me. You can give a PS to anyone for any occasion, really. PS are most commonly given to those who are sick, expecting surgery, in pain, or someone who has experienced a death in the family. They are also given to nursing home residents and taken to hospitals and cancer facilities. You can also use PS for joyous occasions such as the birth of a new baby, adoption, or graduation. Check the ministry out and if you don't have one at your place of worship, why not start one? Or you can be a Prayer Shawl Ministry of One and donate to other prayer shawl ministries or to your local Hospice. The possibilities are endless and so are the blessings that you'll receive.