No Sweat Has The Wrong Name Today

I finally got around to taking photos of me wearing the No Sweat sweater from the Doris Chan Everyday Crochet book. On a day like this the sweater's name is wrong. Five minutes inside that sweater and I certainly had hit boiling point. The James C Brett Marble DK is quite thick for a double knit so the sweater has turned out quite a firm fabric. I will be glad of it's warmth once the weather turns colder.

See how it flatters my beautiful sylph like figure? I am joking of course. I tend not to look in mirrors these days because of the weight that I have gained so it still comes as quite a shock when I see photos of myself as my mental internal picture of myself is quite different. I only use small mirrors to do my hair and make up when I go out. I try to avoid the full length mirrors wherever possible.

This morning I switched on Facebook and was online at the same time as my internet friend Bev in the US. She was having a sleepless night so we had quite a nice chat. For her it was 2am but for me it was breakfast time. We have exchanged e mails for some time but it's still nice to have an interactive chat via the net. Technology still amazes me. It's not long ago that the only contact I had with people in another country was via airmail letters that took 4 or 5 days to get to their destination.

I have finished the back of Big Leg's aran cardigan and I think that I will press on knitting that before I start another machine knit cardigan for him. After the end of this week I think that it will be back to something for myself or make a start on my scarves and shawls for Christmas.

I had 2 e mails yesterday saying that Amazon has posted off two more of my pre ordered things. One is a book by Drew Emborsky and the other is the 2011 Crochet a day calendar which usually has some great gift ideas in it. I heard on the grapevine that this might be the last edition of the calendar so of course I had to buy it. You know what I am like for crochet patterns. I have got to the stage where I would describe myself as a crochet pattern addict. I could say crochet pattern collector as that sounds a bit less weird. Hopefully they will arrive soon and I will have something to put on the blog tomorrow and the day after to make up for the fact that I knit slowly and so the baby's aran cardigan won't grow that much over the next 2 days.

Today the sun is shining but it was like that yesterday before the rain lashed down. As I got up early ( well for me it was early) I did some washing and it is line drying at the moment. I do prefer to dry my clothes in the fresh air and also it is cheaper than constantly using the tumble dryer. I have to switch that on in the winter so in the summer time I try to economise.

Crochet Today Sept/Oct Issue

I didn't get any wool deliveries today but I did get my copy of Crochet Today Magazine Sept/October issue. As per usual with Crochet Today I find that there are to many nick knack patterns and not much that I will actually crochet. This issue I like the Tailored Blazer by Mati Lynn Patrick on the cover but I would make it with long sleeves as I wouldn't wear anything that thick with a short sleeve.

The grey Everyday Cardi by Robyn Chachula is one that I definitely will make. It has very neat raglan type shaping and could come in useful over a fine sweater in the winter.

Although I like the red Perfect Pullover by Drew Emborsky I feel that a whole sweater made from around the post crochet is more suited to someone slimmer and not someone my size. This stitch does make a rather bulky sweater.

As I am past the age where I bother with Halloween the hats are of no interest to me. I don't think that the UK goes as mad over Halloween as the US does. Personally I am an old misery at Halloween. I don't open my door after dark to anyone unless I am expecting them and I don't want to encourage all that sugar consumption with all the candy bars.

The cushions throws, pot holders and afghans are things that occur in most editions of Crochet Today. I am sure that some people will find them interesting but they don't inspire me. Once again a crochet book with only 2 things that I would make. The upsetting thing is that I have heard that the new edition of Interweave Crochet has 7 knitted items in it. OK I have heard that they have crochet edgings but that is not what I buy a crochet book for so I will feel cheated when that book arrives. I always look forward to Interweave crochet coming as there are always things in it that I like. Now my chances are reduced by 7. On Ravelry lots of people have complained so I do hope that the magazine takes heed and doesn't add knitting on a regular basis. There are dozens of knitting magazines and so few crochet ones that I do feel annoyed that they have to diminish the crochet patterns in favour of knitting trimmed with crochet. As usual crochet has been relegated to second class craft just when I thought that times were getting better for us crocheters.

I am crocheting away on the No Sweat pullover but this time I am sure that I will need to buy at least one more ball of wool. I am doing my usual trick of crocheting the sleeves before the body is completed and I will have used 4 balls when the second sleeve is finished. There is no way that 2 balls will finish the rest of the body so I had better go online and buy another ball or two. As it is Bank Holiday and the post won't arrive until Tuesday I will crochet all of the wool up before I order any more.

I am thinking of getting my simple DK and chunky machine down from the loft. Yesterday my Foster Carer friend got a phone call that the little one that she had for 14 months has come back into the foster care system and he arrived back to her last night without many clothes. It is all hands to the needles for him but it would help if I could run up a couple of plain cardigans or sweaters quickly so that he can have some woollies to wear.