How Many Yards?

The answer to the question of how many yards is 1,533 and my arms felt everyone of them. I don't have a swift and as I couldn't hold the skein and wind the wool winder at the same time I had to ball up the Grignasco Merinosilk laceweight by hand using the back of my PC chair to hold the skein. I feel like I have done the hard work before I even start the crochet. I still have another two skeins to wind up - but not today.

When I got rid of my shop I tossed my mother's swift away as at the time wool wasn't skeined any more. Our swift came from the era when all wool came in skeins. I could kick myself now as it was a far better crafted one than one I could ever buy now. The wood was all polished, with an intricate criss crossing pattern and it even had a wooden screw to tighten the umbrella type shaft into a table clamp. If only we could turn back the clock and retrieve things that we have thrown away in the past thinking we would never have a use for them anymore. My mother also had an electric cone winder as she had industrial knitting machines. That went the same way of the swift. I would have kept a lot of the stuff if I could as I am a bit of a hoarder but I just don't have the room.

My ex husband still says that I have enough hoarded stuff in the house and anyone would think that a family of 4 lived here and not just me. He never did understand the need to have a stash of wool , patterns and needles and knitting and sewing machines if I wasn't using them everyday. When I think back to when I was married my home stash fitted into one bin bag. Thank goodness I worked in a wool shop! The whole shop was my stash LOL. Before I was married we lived behind one of the wool shops and all I had to do was open a door in the hallway and I was in the wool shop. I could browse patterns and wool to my hearts content even at midnight! Best time of my life.

The scarf that is blocking is from a Doris Chan pattern. Sweet Lorraine from the Interweave Crochet Magazine Fall 2008. I used two balls of Rowan Tapestry to make it. I will take a better photo when it has dried from it's blocking.

Poppy came to help me this afternoon by sleeping near my feet as I wound up the Laceweight. She usually pays me a call at the weekend. She deserted me ,however, when Julie shouted that there was a pig's ear treat for her. She is funny little soul. She knows exactly where I keep Buster's treats and stands and barks under the drawer. I rang my son today and he asked me if I would have Buster next weekend so I will have a bit of company from Friday eve until Sunday afternoon.

I am not sure if I will start the Laceweight shawl tonight as I have Knit Club tomorrow night and I won't be able to concentrate on anything that fine as the lighting in the pub isn't that great and I think that I will need to concentrate until I get used to the pattern stitch. I think that I will start something simpler for the Kings Arms Knit Out tomorrow. I hope that my niece doesn't forget me this week. I have to text her in the morning to remind her this week.

Interweave Crochet Summer 2010

These are some more photos from the Interweave Crochet Summer 2010. I haven't taken photos of everything just the garments I think are the most interesting. As usual there are just a few that I will crochet for myself. It's not so much that I don't like the other garments I just feel that they are not for my age group or my fuller figure.

I like the little pink Marilyn Twin Set by Sarah Barbour. Well I like the jacket. The top is too flimsy for me to wear. It has a low back which fastens with gaps between the buttons and would show a bra. It is crocheted in quite fine wool but on a 3.50mm hook so that isn't so bad.

The Agora Totes by Lisa Soutendijx are not something that I would make for myself but they are very pretty for someone younger to make and use.

A lot of people on Ravelry have said that they like the Helena Jacket by Margaret Hubert. It is based on styles from the 1880's but it's not for me as being fuller figured I don't like any extra width across my shoulders. I suppose that it could be made without the gathering at the sleeve head.

The Cool Wave Shawl by Sheryl Means is in Tunisian crochet. Maybe one day I will get my tension correct with Tunisian and make something like this.

Even though the Charlotte skirt is by one of my favourite designers Doris Chan
the style isn't for me. I think that it's a young persons style. It's too openwork for me. I know that it is meant to wear over a skirt but I am so clumsy that I would get hooked up on everything as I passed by.

The green Mirth Sweater by Annette Petavy looks like it could be a useful addition to anyone's wardrobe. Not sure that it would suit my body shape but on anyone slimmer it could look great.

I have the same feelings about the Cowslip skirt by Bonnie Paul as I did about the Doris Chan skirt. Lovely on someone young and slim but as I am neither of these things sadly not for me.

The Forest Reflections Shawl by Lisa Cleveland is very pretty. It is crocheted in fine wool but once again a large hook is used. I am sure that it would grow quite quickly on a 5mm hook. I can see myself making this when I am Christmas present crocheting.

The Moth Wings Shrug by Mimi Alesis is very pretty for a teenager or a young lady. Although I can admire it I can't wear anything so small and snug fitting. I can think of a few people who it would really suit.

The Lodestar Tunic with it's granny squares reminds me of the 60's for some reason. Again I like it, but not for myself. I think once again that it's a young person's style.

The black Peaseblossom Tunic is a lovely lacy garment by Kristen Omdahl. As it is long enough to cover up my wide bits it is a sweater that I can wear. With the right clothing underneath it I think that it would suit all ages.It is crocheted in fine wool but with a 3.25mm hook. Very Pretty.

I have missed out a few things. There are another 3 sleeveless tops and a tunic. A Victorian style bracelet with ribbon threaded through it and some different samples of afghan squares. There is an article on double ended crochet and some table mats to make if the technique is mastered.

The cover shawl I showed you a photo yesterday so I have not repeated it today.

Buster has now gone home. My son and daughter in law called for him this afternoon. They had their other dog with them so Buster was happy to see her and glad to have someone to play with. I still have some knitting to finish off before I house clean tomorrow to rid the house of dog hair. I don't feel like starting that tonight. I have a bed to remake s that's enough for now.

I doubt if I will start any of the fine crochet tomorrow as I will be cleaning and then going to the Kings Arms Knit Club later as my niece has very kindly offered me a lift. The lighting in the snug is quite dim and I can't concentrate on a new pattern and chat at the same time so I will take something very easy with me tomorrow.

Wish That I had an Extra Pair of Hands

I got my copy of the Interweave Crochet Magazine Spring 2010 today in the mail. Hence the blog title. Don't you just love it when magazines turn up as you are never quite sure when they will arrive so it is always a surprise when they do. I will show you more photos from the magazine tomorrow but the front cover is enough to set me off drooling. It is, of course, by Doris Chan and I can't wait to start it.

This is why I need an extra pair of hands as there is still a lot to crochet on my niece's black cardigan although I did crochet 100 grams last night. I still have half of the body to crochet, long sleeves and the closely crocheted band which take ages as it is crocheted through the back loops only.


The shawl has turned out well but if I made it again I would choose slightly finer wool as it doesn't drape as well as the red one did. Nice pattern though and very easy to make. Once you get past the first couple of rows there is only one pattern row to repeat. I added a shell edging as I thought that it looked a bit unfinished on the pattern.


Today is still a lovely day although not quite as nice as the weekend. I did manage to totter up to the village to get a few bits and pieces. I was going to call into the shop that delivers my newspapers to pay my overdue bill when I met my paper girl and she offered to take the money there for me so saving me a lot of extra walking. I saw her on the way back home and she told me that she had taken it in for me and explained that I was overdue because my knees weren't so good. There are still some lovely teenagers around. They get a bad name in the press as I think the press like to print all of the bad things. I am lucky with my neighbourhood children and teenagers. They are all very polite towards me and say Hi and wave to me when I sit near the window crocheting.

I must get the whip out and make myself crochet faster tonight instead of nodding off over the hook as I am prone to do of late. Sign of old age - taking half hour cat naps during the day and early evening! I blame my new painkillers as I used to stay awake more before I started taking them. Still they are a necessary evil. It's either them and nodding off or being in more pain.

I saw a funny sight on the way home from the village. A neighbour's Boxer dog fast asleep on a mini trampoline. He looked very comfy sleeping there in the sunshine and didn't even flicker an eyelid when I walked past. It's a dogs life!

Interweave Crochet Book Summer 2009

After waiting with anticipation for the latest copy of Interweave Crochet I must admit to being slightly disappointed with this issue. There is only a couple of things in it that I would contemplate making. The general reviews on Ravelry are more positive than my thoughts so I guess as usual it is personal choice. It wouldn't do for us all to like the same garments otherwise life would be pretty boring.

For me the front cover Summer Peony by Julia Vaconsin is a possible although I would ditch the awful hook and eye fastenings that look really amateurish. The Aragon Tunic by Robin Chachula is another possibility but for me not in the clashing colours. I think a single colour or at least more toning shades would be my preference. The dresses may look nice on someone slim and the same goes for the beach sarong and the gored skirt. Usually I am a big fan of Doris Chan but I am sorry Doris I cannot see those cafe style curtains anywhere in my house. If you click on my blog title it will take you to more photos from the magazine on the Interweave Crochet site. The bustier top is pretty again for someone slim and I like the retro cardigan although I would have to adjust the neckline at the front as it is obviously too high as the model had to fold it down.

Last night I finished the 24 squares for Kath's sweater and then read the pattern and discovered that I have to make 4 more squares a bit larger for the sleeves. I was looking forward to starting to assemble them today. Ah well.

Yesterday Buster arrived for the weekend and I noticed that Julie next door was attempting to cut some branches off her trees as she said they were stopping the sunlight coming into her lounge. We then had a hilarious afternoon trying to lassoo the branches to bring them down low enough to cut as neither of us is good on ladders at heights. We kept the neighbourhood amused for a while. Julie also cut the privet hedges and so it took us ages to sweep up all the privet leaves. She trimmed the little bush and some low hanging branches from the tree at the front of my house as they were both getting a bit out of hand so I now have a dustbin full of greenery. The local council gives recycling bins to people without gardens and yet my street which has front and back gardens does not have them. When I had transport I used to take them to the tip to the designated green bins but now I have to put them in the dustbin.

My knee is hurting after hydrotherapy but I will attempt to walk Buster some time today but first it's a bit of housework and a shower. Buster has taken his ball outside and is lying in the grass relaxing after his breakfast so seems pretty happy at the moment. I don't like to walk him for a little while after he has eaten and risk giving him an upset stomach.

Purely for decoration purposes

More photos of Kristin Omdahl Floral Circular Wrap now that it is off the blocking boards. I feel that it should have a label attached to it saying for decorative purposes only. I have tried it on but will need a bit more practise or a couple of safety pins before I attempt to wear it in public. I gave up trying to take a photo of myself wearing it. It's hard enough trying to take a photo of one's own back with a web cam without having the shawl sliding off my shoulders before I could press the button every time I got it into a good position to show the centre circle. I will have to be very careful when I wear it not to pass anything with a hook on it, a doorknob or a dining chairback.

My copy of the Interweave Crochet Summer 2009 has arrived but I have not yet had a good browse. I will take some photos or post a link to some projects tomorrow.

Last night I undid the first front of the baby cardigan as I was not happy with the way that the cables didn't show up. Ambermoggie you were right when you said it needed the purl stitch to make the cables pop out. Sylvia said that she had changed the pattern also so when I started the second front and saw the difference so I undid the first front and have re started it.

I managed to crochet 2 more squares for Kath's sweater on the bus and whilst waiting for my turn in the hydrotherapy pool. I think the total is 17 now so not many more to go.

I am not sure that the hydrotherapy is doing much good. The instructor we had today was not as good as the one that I had last week.There were only 3 in the pool today so in theory we should have got better instruction than last week when there was 4 of us. Apparently it depends which day I go as they change the instructors about day to day. He is going on his holidays for 3 weeks so I won't be getting him next week so I hope to get the lady that I got last week as I felt she was far more instructive and made sure that we were doing all the exercises correctly whereas he kept chatting in the pool and didn't really watch what we were doing. This week I took my knee strap for the walk home so I made it home OK.

I am going to make a coffee, hang out my washed swimming things and take a look in my new crochet book but no starting anything until I have finished off my current 2 projects.

Woodland shawl edging

I have managed to recover a bit of my crochet mojo after losing it for a couple of days. I am attempting to make the Woodland shawl as shown in the front cover of Interweave Crochet Fall 08. The main part of the shawl has worked out fine although its shaping looked a little weird until I realized that the flowers of the edging sit between the pointed increases at the sides. I started the edging and unripped it so many times last night I gave myself a headache. I am determined to master the flower edging as it looks so pretty. I searched on blogs and Ravelry and I seem to be the only one who is struggling. Black Dog has made a really lovely version of it and says how lovely this edging is! Perhaps it will all become clearer today in daylight. I do struggle somewhat with the terminology and style of pattern writing of the US designers at the best of times. My previous misunderstanding of Doris Chan's patterns are legendary and well documented in my blog.

The hat is another hat in James C Brett's Marble Chunky and is once again destined for Sarah. A girl can never have too many hats when faced with the prospect of losing her hair through chemo. The pattern is a free one that I found on the net
http://www.yarncat.com/snowboarder_skullies.html

As you know from my blog ( and Ambermoggies blog) it is Breast Cancer awareness month and we are all doing our bit to help promote it and raise funds. My blog friend Zuleika has put tempting 10% offers off her finished items on her blog plus she will be making donations to Breast Cancer from sales. If you click on the title of this blog page then it will take you to her blog.

I need to do some food shopping today so perhaps the walk will blow the cobwebs away and prepare me for another try at the shawl's flower edging.

Thanks Zuleika for my wonderful patterns

I have said this before and no doubt I will say it again - I have got some great friends. Maybe there is something about knitters (and crocheters) that binds us together but I can honestly say that I have never known such friendship and camaraderie since I joined knitting clubs, Ravelry and online blogs and met the circle of people I am proud to call my friends.

Today the postman rang and I got a parcel from Zuleika (click on title for her blog) and she had sent to me not only 2 boxes of Pattern a day crochet calendars but her copy of Interweave Crochet Fall 08 which she knew I had been scouring the net,without success, for. I was blown away by her generosity. I was like a kid at Christmas I didn't know which to look at first. I will make really good use of the patterns Zu. Many many thanks for them.

I just love my crochet patterns. I can sit and read them like other people read novels. I have already got the cover shawl on the Interweave Crochet in my plans as a present for someone. There is a lovely scarf pattern by Doris Chan in the magazine that I think is simply gorgeous and I can see that being in someones stocking this Christmas.

I finished the pink crochet premature baby blanket and started another one in peach but I am going to unravel it as it is too small and has lethal holes in the shell pattern that could trap an unwary tiny finger. I think I will stick to the closer stitch pattern.

I made the hat in the photo today for Sarah. It is James C Brett's Marble Chunky. I just love that wool as it's so soft.It has turned out to have more gaps in the pattern than I would have liked but could be worn over a headscarf or a skull cap to get around that. As I have mentioned before she is just beginning her fight against Breast Cancer and may possibly lose her hair with chemo. She is being very positive and humorous about the whole thing, joking about choosing her style of wig and 50 ways to tie a headscarf etc and so I thought that I would make her a selection of hats. I am unable to help out in other ways, shopping or housework etc due to living so far away from her and having no transport these days. I am still banned from wielding a hoover but I could have whisked a duster about if I had lived nearer. My thoughts are with her.

Kathy - you asked about crochet baby blanket patterns on the net. I have used a lot from Crochet Central and Bev's baby patterns which also includes premature baby sizes. Lion yarns have lots of free patterns for knit and crochet. You have to join but it's a free membership.

My Interweave crochet mags have arrived

My Interweave crochet magazines have arrived today from Pavi yarns. I have only browsed the pictures so far and not inhaled, pawed and slobbered over any instructions as yet. Interweave seems to like motifs and there are an awful lot of projects containing them in each book. I am not a lover of motif crocheting. It's not the crocheting I don't like it's all the joining together especially the granny squares with multi colours! There are quite a few projects per book that I like so I think it was money well spent. I just hope that my niece's eyes don't spy something in motifs that she likes! There is an article by Carole Ventura on Tapestry Crochet plus an article in each by Doris Chan covering shaping crochet garments. I don't think that she covers the thing that I struggle with the most which is the way she writes down her raglan shapings. I have read other peoples comments on Ravelry who have struggled but some write that it was the easiest garment they had made. I suppose it is all to do with the way we read her instructions and whether they make sense to us or not as in my case. The jumper on the front cover is one of Doris's wouldn't you just know it. My head will be spinning once again. The mags are full of adverts for lovely garments but as it is a US magazine it is a lot harder to send for them by post etc. I am still very much a novice at buying from the net. I surprised myself with ordering from Pavi. I have only ever ordered from Amazon before. I am OK if it is straightforward and I know that I can trust the site (ie someone has used it and recommended it) and it tells me in pounds and not just dollars.

I did a bit more on my secret project last night. I have to keep my mind occupied as at the moment it is alternating between utmost despair and homicidal tendencies towards certain members of staff at Salford Royal Hospital. I have an appointment with my GP on Wednesday to try and sort my feelings out. I keep bursting into floods of tears when I am not even thinking about what has happened. I would also like a re-check on my urinary infection to make sure that it has gone altogether and not still lurking unknown in my bladder to rule me out of the next operation date. I am very prone to these kind of infections. I do try to drink enough water but I am guilty of not drinking enough which doesn't help.I am also experiencing shoulder and neck pain which is making my arms and fingers tingle. I thought it was my carpal tunnel syndrome from my left hand but now I am not so sure as I never had pain and burning sensations in my neck and upper back when it was my right hand. Whatever next. I am falling apart bit by bit!

Today I am doing some cleaning which will more than likely result in strong back pain tomorrow. It has to be done though. Buster sleeps with me (you try persuading him that his place is not next to me on the bed) and so I have mohair bedding despite putting a throw over everything. I have to keep changing and washing it. If I was ever lucky enough to pull a guy and get to the bedroom bit then he would finish up looking like a Yeti if he got a bit sweaty!

I have the same problem with the sofa and chairs in the lounge. I have tried buying him different kinds of dog beds but they are a waste of money as he still sleeps on the furniture. I tried in the beginning to make him lie on the floor but it was like emptying the bath with a teaspoon so now I have given in and let him do exactly what he wants. Again I have throws to wash a few times a week. I will wear out my washer soon. I think I buy the same amount of washing powder that a family of 4 would use.

Buster keeps watching me and trying to comfort me when I am upset. This is the face I got today when I was telling him mum wasn't in the mood for taking him out just yet.

off to peg out the washing. Anyone got a spare line? My 3 are full already. Hope something has dried and then I can peg out more.