Sleeeeepy

But I have energy enough to say that this motif totally takes me back to grade 5 when I desperately wanted and got a pair of pink and purple Adidas running shoes.

Or maybe they were Adidas-esque running shoes. Faux-didas, if you will. That's quite possible given the economic climate at the ol' homestead in the 70s.

Whatever the case, they were pink and purple and I adored them. Which is why to this day I still get a little thrill when I see those two colours paired closely together.

July 31, 2009


I also had an Adidas bag. I kind of hated it, but feeling sooooo cool carrying one around kind of made up for it.

It's beginning to look a lot like...

...uh, well, Christmas.

And I know it's early for that. I do. But I'm all about listening to the spirit and going where it moves me. Creatively speaking, anyway. I can't help it if has moved me straight into the Christmas season in the middle of July. S'not my fault.

And so consequently the last few days have been about snowflakes and Christmas and all things frosty.

I was partly spurred on by my desire to attempt the last snowflake pattern again, only this time using proper crochet thread.

Crocheting with crochet thread is not for the faint of heart, it turns out. It's tiny. It's almost like crocheting with really thick hair and a safety pin, but once you get used to the feel of the web-like thread and the impossibly tiny hook, it's really no different than any other kind of hooking.

As long as your eyes hold out all the way to the end of the project, of course. And thank God I've attempted this before 40. My eyesight is already waning, so who knows how long I'll be able to hook with such wispy little tools.

Lord, that's depressing. But, also, that's life.

July 27, 2009


If you look closely you'll be able to see that this snowflake, the same pattern as the one I made on Sunday, is definitely finer and daintier.

And because it's just not Christmas without a little greenery, here's a wreath photo frame.

Well, that's what it's supposed to be. I imagine stiffener is supposed to be involved here, as is using the correct type of yarn/thread, but I opted for this pale green Moda Dea Beadnik, complete with seed beads and shot through with a sparkly little thread you probably can't see in this photo.

So my wreath is larger than the pattern intends, but still frame-size. And, I think, quite pretty all on its own.

July 28, 2009

Boy, I could go for a Terry's Chocolate Orange right about now. A stocking-toe staple in our house.

Snowstorm in July

I recently rediscovered a Leisure Arts Christmas crochet booklet I bought years ago, and I'm utterly enchanted by it. Snowflakes, angels, tree ornaments, runners, stars - you name it, it's in there. All done is crisp white crochet cotton.

Yum.

I have yet to experiment with authentic, uber-fine crochet cotton - the yarn I used for this motif is Patons Grace, which is very delicate, but not as fine as crochet cotton - but so far I'm pleased with the results.

There's no "wrong" in hooking when you make your own rules.

July 26, 2009


This would make a pretty present topper, but I can also see a string of these tumbling across a wintry window pane...

Big 'n little

I thought it would be interesting to crochet the same motif using different weights of yarn.

So I did.

The sage green motif is hooked in a worsted weight yarn (which shall remain nameless because it's a pretty crappy, cheap sort of yarn), and the smaller white one is worked in Patons Grace, which is a lovely, delicate cotton.

No bias here. None at all.

July 23 & July 25, 2009


I still like the sage green one - the cheap, crappy yarn isn't a total waste - but I know there's much yummier yarn out there. Much yummier indeed.

A flower for my Mom

My Mom celebrated her 69th birthday today (which still has me in shock since I think I have her stalled somewhere around 45), and so I crocheted this flowery motif in her honour.

It is nowhere near as beautiful or as sweet as she is, but it'll just have to do.

July 24, 2009


I love you, Mom. Happy, happy, happy birthday!

Frosty...

Frosty and a little messy.

I clearly need to invest in some fabric stiffener before I make any more snowflakes. There's nothing more pathetic than a floppy snowflake.

Unless it's a billion of them stacking up on my driveway...

July 22, 2009


The only person I know who likes to shovel snow is my Mom.

Yeah, I know. Insane.

Seeing red

I always find it amusing when I use the wrong weight of yarn for a motif. I mean, the wrong weight for the project for which the motif was intended.

In this case, it was a sweater. This motif, along with shaping half motifs for the neck and waistband, was the main part of a lacy summer pullover pattern I found in the most recent issue of a new crochet magazine from the UK whose name escapes me (I could go downstairs and check, but right now I'm entirely too lazy for that much activity. Stairs? Seriously?).

Anyway, the point is, when I used Red Heart Super Saver instead of the Sirdar baby DK the pattern called for, I created a motif whose scale is so off that the sweater, if I was to make it, would fit a Sumo wrestler. With room to spare.

But since I'm only making the one motif and have no intention of making a lacy floral sweater for a giant, it's all good.

July 21, 2009


I can't get the picture of a lace-clad Sumo wrestler out of my head now. Can you?

All you need is love

My Beloved turned 40 last week. It's a hard number for a lot of reasons, but even more so, I think, when you've faced the kind of challenges and losses that we have. Men with far fewer struggles have wigged out far more than he did upon reaching the big 4-0.

In truth, he was just a little quiet. A little contemplative. And yeah, a little sad.

And I totally get that. I'm not there yet, but I'm following closely behind (thisclosebehind, as a matter of fact). And I know all too well that life hasn't brought us to the place either of us thought we'd be in right now.

We were almost there. Almost. Once upon a time.

But we're here instead, in this other place that we're still trying to get used to. And accept.

But we're here together. And I love him more now than I ever have, even when he's a little sad and a little quiet. And a little wigged out at turning 40.

Which all has absolutely nothing to do with Saturday and Sunday's motifs. It just needed to be said, I thought.

So I did.


July 18, 2009


This, done in the right weight of crochet cotton, is an earring. Or a doily, if you use the yarn I did.

July 19, 2009


Sort of peacock-y, I think.

Don't tell anyone, but I totally did this square incorrectly. It should have a wave pattern, but I changed yarn colours too soon. And mine looks peacock-y instead.

Hanging on by a strand of yarn

This has been one hell of a week; ups and downs like a proverbial roller coaster. And I'm absolutely spent trying to cope with the happy and sad, the certainty and uncertainty, the light and dark.

Thank god for wine and yarn. And fuzzy little kittens. And fuzzy old cats, too. And people that love me.

Yeah, especially them.

July 16, 2009


Wobbly and bobbly. Kind of like me. Only a little more organized and mathematically correct than I am, I'm afraid.

July 17, 2009


Variations on a theme. God love the Granny square, in all its incarnations.

No mean feat, this sort of multi-tasking

I managed to complete this square while refereeing multiple cat squabbles, watching TV and drinking tea.

At least I think they're cat squabbles. It's entirely possible that old kitty is a bit of a drama queen and just makes a grand, hissy show of playtime, getting baby kitty in trouble in the process.

So hard to know. But for the sake of old kitty (who, at 13, is equivalent to 68 in human years), I have to err on the side of caution and break up the squabbles to give her a little rest every now and then.

Which, of course, totally interrupts crochet time.

But I was the one who so desperately wanted baby kitty, so I shall shuttie.

And referee and crochet and watch TV and drink tea.

July 15, 2009


Any mistakes and/or imperfections we shall, of course, blame on the kitties.

I've been a bad blogger...

...but a good hooker!

Having five missing squares hanging over my head and not enough time to catch up was bugging me, so I found a small, simple flower pattern and made a whole little bouquet of make-up flowers.

I know it's probably sort of cheating, but since I make up the rules in these here parts, I'm going to give myself a pardon. And a pat on the back for finally, finally, finally catching up!

July 10, 11, 12 and 13 plus the missing 5 motifs



Oh, and July 9...


It's definitely one of those "looks better in real life" type motifs.

Two fer

So here's Jan Eaton's Alhambra, which I think must be Spanish for "slightly misshapen and a little lumpy".

Because it couldn't be my fault that it's weird looking. Noooooo.

July 8, 2009



And, to complete the day's weirdness, here's an odd little flower from Suzann Thompson's Crochet Bouquet book.

I say "odd" because of the colours I've used, really. The samples in the book were much less strange. But I love this yarn (I used it for a square very early on in the Odyssey) and thought it was time to bring it out again.

Regardless of it's suitability, apparently.

July 6, 2009
(because I missed the 6th, which means now I'm officially only 5 behind again, as long as I actually complete another square today...)


Hopefully the neon of the flower distracts from the messiness of the square...

Now, as for the Canadian flag pattern, it's pretty simple:

I used medium/worsted weight yarn and a size H/8 hook.

I can't actually remember how many stitches I chained to start, but I can tell you the rows are roughly 4.5 inches long. Each red section is 2.5 inches wide and the white section is almost 4 inches (can you tell I made this up? Could I possibly be more inaccurate?).

The entire flag is just shy of 9 inches wide, and the leaf is embroidered with the same red yarn as I used for the red sections of the flag. I just eyeballed it.

I hope this helps! I think the purse idea is fabulous, willet5, and I'd love to see samples! Poke. Poke. Poke.

Christmas in July

I guess it was all the Halloween talk a few days ago, because I've now motored all the way through November and have arrived at Christmas' front door with my red, white and green square.

It could also be the fact that the Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Premiere is this weekend and I'm a little excited, having wrangled an invitation to an exclusive ornament club members only shin-dig first thing Saturday morning - before the store even opens!

Shut up. It could be worse. At least I'm not on crack.

July 7, 2009


The bad news is that having missed Sunday and yesterday, I'm now back up to 6 missing motifs. All good intentions, gone.

Le sigh.

P.S. For the sweet person who asked about the Canadian Flag square, I'll post the instructions tomorrow!

Colourless. Mostly.

I found some cheap, white acrylic yarn in my stash the other day, and for some reason I just can't stop using it. It was one of those huge bargain balls that you normally save for crafty-type projects that don't require quality yarn. But the thing is, for a cheap yarn it's remarkably soft and appealing.

Maybe it's because white is the trendy new garden shade this year and I've been subliminally influenced by its snowy charms. Or maybe it's because I'm too lazy to dig for a new colour and there's still soooo much left in the big bargain ball. Or maybe a little of both.

White is such a clean slate colour. I think that's part of its appeal too. It doesn't belong to any season or celebration - it's just pure and clean, with a zen-like soothing power.

And anything that soothes me is worth its weight in gold.

July 2, 2009


"Seville", another Jan Eaton design.

July 3, 2009

This square is from an afghan pattern that I found in one of my Mom's old "How-to-crochet" books. And when I say, "old", I mean it. I'm thinking we're about the same age, the book and I. Circa 1970.

July 4, 2009


This little flower is actually part of a Christmas afghan (the snowflake portion) which I'll probably never get around to making. Although one never knows. Technically I've started, right?

Bonus motif

Okay, not really a bonus - more of a catch up really. Now I'm only short 5. Which is not bad after more than 6 months. If I do say so myself.

And I do.

The patriot

I'm not really a flag waver, per say. I think I'm like most Canadians in that respect. I love my country for its freedoms and beauty and peace-loving nature, but I'm quiet about my adoration.

Except on Canada Day when I plant a small flag in one of our hanging baskets or window boxes and crochet stuff like this:

July 1, 2009


Happy 142nd birthday you gorgeous old girl, you.

Trick or treat!

As I predicted, Tuesday's project also came from Jan Eaton's 200 Squares book. This time in the form of a gothic square.

The word gothic has me skipping all the way through summer's long weekends, past September and into October where Halloween is waiting for me. Halloween, with with its deep orange yarns and candy corn stripes and warm, woolly afghans.

And chocolate. That too.

June 30, 2009


But first, I suppose I should give at least give a little bit of attention to Canada Day...