Pics of custom requested beanie

Here is a pic of the hat I made for the person mentioned in previous post. Now I just have to get it in the mail and send it out. Punxsutawney Phil said we had 6 more weeks of winter so I have time.

Ambitious projects

No pics today but I did finish a custom requested beanie for my youngest brothers' baby's Mama. I've decided to put a project on hold. I wanted to make some hairpin lace fingerless gloves, like these Hairpin Lace wristlets-gloves

I decided I was going to use bulky chenille. Least to say, it's not working out so hot so I think I'll just use the panels I made and turn them into a pillow or something. I still want to use chenille and have some thin chenille to work with. I also got some new yarn over the weekend, suede yarn. If I had more money, I would have bought all they had, which wasn't very many. I was not at a hobby, fabric or yarn store by the way.

At the moment, I am working on a small bag using the pink oval shaped Kniffty Knitter loom. I bought this for my daughter as a christmas present and well, she hasn't touched it or the yarn I bought her. I guess maybe she's not interested in this stuff anymore. She still hasn't finished the scarf she started, she mentioned something about being boring. I don't find the repetitiveness boring, relaxing for the most part. I can work on these looms while listening to music, watching tv or a movie. Maybe if she sees me making things other than scarves, she'll be more interested.

Oh, that reminds me, I still need to finish the pillow. I bought the pillow insert and I think I know exactly what material I'm going to use, just need to measure, cut and sew. That also means, I need to clean off my sewing machine table, it's very clutterd and you can barely see the machine. Oops! :)

Hairpin Lace 2

I've sorta finished the small neck scarf I made with the hairpin lace tool. I used bulky chenille. I made 2 panels of 140 loops per panel(70 loops on each rod) and only encountered one issue, I need longer rods when working with bulky yarns. This really does work up quickly and I can do it while sitting in front of the TV. I thought about taking one of my cross stitching loom things but realized that would make the loops to wide, even if I used the biggest crochet hook I had for the center, it still wouldn't be long enough. So now I'm looking to make my own hairpin tool. I want it to be adjustable but long and i'm thinking perhaps dowel rods would work or some thin metal rods like the ones I got with the tool I have but longer. We'll see how that goes.

Here is a few pics of my 1st hairpin lace piece. I need to make a scarf pin for it or find one. It's small, a neckkerchief.

Hairpin Lace

Over the last several months, if you can't tell, I've been into knitting and now into crochet. I've seen hairpin lace and felt very intimidated by it but upon further investigation, seemed simple. Over the weekend I stopped in at Joanns to see what was on sale, what new goodies they might have and possibly pick up some more yarn and use my 50% off coupons.

While perusing through the net for crochet flowers to finish my hat, I once again came across StitchDiva.com and hairpin lace. Once again, the curiosity was piqued. Walking around Joanns, fingering the yarns, wishing I had more money, I spy a hairpin lace tool, it's not expensive, not on sale, WOOHOOO! I can use my coupon. I also used my other coupon on a zippered knitting needle/hook case, which I love.

I was able to finally try out my new tool yesterday. The directions that came with the tool, were eh on being helpful. So with tool in one hand, crochet hook in the other I pull up StitchDiva and read then watch the video and have the AH HAH! moment. I start on a strip of 100 loops. I make 2, 100 loop strips and today I joined them using the "cable join" method, which is super easy. I have one test strip done and ready to start on another test strip to trying out other pieceing/finishing methods before I get started on an a hairpin lace pattern.

Here are pics of my test strip








I used some left over varigated purple yarn that is probably 15-20years old give or take 5yrs.

Finished Crochet hat

I FINISHED! I'm very proud of this little hat.

crochet update

Ok, I got past my frustration block on the crochet flowers. It was me for not recognizing the mistake in the pattern directions and the pattern maker for making the mistake when writing them. I had my co-worker help me out and she spotted the mistake and then everything kinda fell in place. Last night I made a flower and 2 leaves and then with the left over yarn I was able to make another smaller flower. The hat will have 2 flowers instead of one. Here are some pics of the current progress, minus the 2nd flower.

Frustrated

I'm trying to make some crochet flowers, simple ones, just a couple of layers of petals, no biggie, right? WRONG! I can read a basic pattern, I understand a majority of the stitches but for some reason I can't seem to get making a flower. I know how to make a crochet ring. I've even gone so far as trying to understand the concept of the "magic ring" by reading and watching youtube videos. I don't know if it's just because my current stress levels are in the red or what, that i'm just not "getting" it. I can get the 1st part, for a very simple 5 petal flower it's going to the next level of adding more petals that I just don't seem to be getting. I read and reread and compair pattern instructions and still, nada. UGH!

I am determined to get this so that I can finish the hat that I'm working on. I just need 1 flower, no bigger than say a golf ball in size. I don't have much of the vintage varigated yarn left. Yes, I bought this yarn some time back in the late 80's to early 90's. I don't know if you'd call it vintage or not, it's got to be atleast 15yrs old, give or take a few years. In fact,I have quite a bit of yarn that I've had for atleast 15yrs or so.

Well I won't give up, i'm going to get this so I can finish the hat.