Scalloped Capelet after blocking

I have finished blocking the Superior capelet (well shawl in this case) and it is ready for my sister in law's 70th birthday. Her birthday is in danger of getting slightly overlooked this year as her daughter, my younger niece, is getting married 2 days afterwards. I wanted therefore to make her birthday a bit special so I will be buying her a present as well as presenting her with this shawl.

I can only thank Teresa (Skeinfest on Ravelry) for getting me the booklet Superior crochet so quickly in the US, and her husband who posted it to me from the UK, therefore making it possible for me to make the capelet. But for her I would still be searching for ways and means to get the pattern to the UK. I do get annoyed sometimes when I see wonderful patterns and then see that the stockist does not post outside the US. It's annoying to have to search online for other ways of getting my hands on certain patterns. Surely there are enough crocheters in the UK who buy patterns to warrant US companies posting to the UK or at least pointing people in the direction of a stockist in the UK who will import them for sale here.

Now all I need to do is decide on what I am going to be wearing for the wedding and make myself either a shawl or an openwork crochet cardigan that will take me through from the 4 pm wedding until the evening.

I started a knitted baby cardigan last night and have done the back and two fronts. Hopefully I will finish it by tomorrow so I will have something to photograph for tomorrow's blog.

I hesitate to say this but my cough seems to be improving. Shh I dare not say this too loud as I rejoiced once before and then it came back again a few days later. Fingers crossed everyone.

Scalloped Capelet finished

This is the Scalloped capelet from Superior Crochet, a booklet by Filatura Di Crosa, featuring designs by Doris Chan and Kristin Omdahl. This capelet is unmistakeably Doris's design. I made it with 5 balls of Sublime Kid Mohair and as it was slightly thicker than the wool specified on the pattern the capelet (or shawl as I am not going to link it together under the arms) has turned out slightly larger. I do crochet slightly slacker than tension and usually use a smaller hook to compensate for this but on this project I used the specified hook which probably accounts for it turning out a bit larger. Now it is blocking it is more of the size of the Blue Curacao. I think my sister in law will love it as it is very light and airy and yet I think will be warm because of the kid mohair.

I am starting next on some knitting for babies. I have a new 8lbs neighbour. A little girl called Megan who I want to make a bit of something for and one of the Noras is a foster mum with a new foster baby so he needs a cardigan or two.

The shed got Freecycled yesterday. A guy came with a Land rover and loaded it in so by this weekend it will be residing in someone else's garden. I think Freecycle is a great idea. The shed was old but had some life left in it. I didn't want it anymore and he did so we are both happy. If you are not a member of Freecycle and want to get rid of any unwanted furniture or household items then I hope that you will join and let someone else make use of your unwanted goods for free.

Doris loves her pineapples

I have started the Scalloped Capelet from the Superior Crochet booklet. There is no mistaking who designed this. It has to be Doris Chan as she loves her pineapple design so much. If you read her blog though she says that they always remind her of little fishes.

I am making this with Sublime kid mohair Shade 025 and am still on my second ball. The capelet does go a lot wider in a similar shape to the Blue Curacao shawl so I imagine that it may take a lot of the 5 remaining balls before I finish it.

I took my crochet with me to the hospital today but didn't get much done. It was for my bone density scan and they took me out into the car park to be scanned in a van in a matter of minutes after I arrived. It wasn't one of those scary thread you down a tube scans I just had to lie on a bed whilst a small overhead scanner passed over me around the hip area. Apparently that is the best place to scan on a lady to see osteoporosis. The technician was quite enthralled by my back as she had never scanned anyone with pins and a plate in their back before so she asked did I mind if she had a closer look. I was quite comfy so I laid there with my feet propped on a big square cushion whilst she ooed and aahed with the other technician over my metalwork. At least I know she did a thorough job!

Vicky has updated the Naked Knitting Calendar page today with a lovely photo of herself. Lisa and Francesca. If you click on the blog title you can read all about the fun that they had on the first photo day. I only hope I look as gorgeous as they do when it's my turn. I suspect that I will need the whole shawl that is covering the three of them just to cover me!

Superior crochet and more hats

I am not blowing my own trumpet with the title Superior Crochet. It is not a description of my crocheting talents but the title of a new booklet called Superior Crochet with designs by Doris Chan and Kristin Omdahl. There is a fantastic shawl on the front cover (click on my blog title to be taken to Doris Chan's blog site for a view) which I would dearly love to make to wear at my niece's wedding in April if my crocheting skills will allow.

Needless to say the pattern is available in the US but one of those that are so hard ,if not impossible, to order from the UK. I had asked my friend Vicky to be on the alert for a site that stocked it as my ordering from the US skills are practically zero and my brain freezes over at the mere thought of Paypal etc. I have only just mastered ordering online in the UK! Anyway, I digress as usual.I was thinking that I would never get the pattern in time to start it for the wedding when a fellow crocheter from Ravelry, whose husband is coming to the UK on a visit, has offered to get a copy for me in the US and post it to me from the UK when he arrives. I will, of course, be paying the cost plus postage. How kind is that.

I never cease to be amazed by the kindness of fellow crafters. We are a wonderful band that sticks together and helps each other whenever we can. I can't think of any other band of people who do so much for each other. I think there is something about the art of crochet and knitting (plus other crafts) that brings out the best in people. I know that Ambermoggie will support me in this one. I was amazed by all the support I received from my knitty community when I had my spinal operation. I had such a show of love and help that really helped me get through it all. Thanks to you all ladies (and gentlemen) you know who you are so I won't name you individually but I still thank you for your kind thoughts and gestures.

I managed to squeeze another hat out of the Rowam Little Big wool. I used the oddments left from the single coloured hats and made one with a 2 row colour change which I think looks quite nice. I then used the oddments left from my cream crochet hat to make one for me to match my bought scarf. I found that my crochet hat was a little on the short side and didn't cover my ears properly so today I added another row of crochet rib to the bottom.

I am hoping that my steroids will start to work soon. They may already have had some effect as although I did wake up coughing quite a few times last night I did manage to get some sleep which is a bonus. I am hoping to be well enough,snow permitting, to get to the Stitch and Creative crafts show at the G Mex tomorrow with my friend Jennifer. Unfortunately the show has the reputation of being less for the knit and crochet people and more for the card making and cross stitch brigade. I just hope that there will be enough to keep this crocheter/knitter happy.