Lessons in Hairpin Lace

I've joined yet another CAL at crochetville, to create something in hairpin lace.


And here's a shot of it on my loom. I have absolutely no idea if I'm even doing this properly, but I was able to work up one strip of 300 loops (on each side), and pulled out some patterns I have.

There is a lovely lace stole, called Woman's Stole, from the Bates Book 17600, Discover the Excitement of Hairpin Lace - Beginners and Advanced Designs (from the 70s - unsure of publication date).

The stole pattern takes 5 strips of 300, and I will let you know if it turns out!

Beginning of Star-ghan #1

Saw this Star-ghan pattern recently on Crochetville, and I knew I'd have to make one for each of my sons. Got the pattern from Yarndiva, many thanks!

I have enough colors of Caron Simply Soft in my stash to at least get started on the first. I'll make them different so they can tell them apart (no fighting!), and they will be in coordinating colors to match their comforters.

Here's #1, 7 rounds in:

You've got to love recycling!

Here's the making of my plarn tote. It will be perfect as a beach tote or for trips to the library!

Plarn= plastic yarn, created by recycling the umpteen million plastic shopping bags from the grocery and wally-world that you probably have stashed behind your fridge or under the sink.

Not a new concept (it's been around a couple of years, and some lovely patterns have been published) but it's new to me!!!!!


It looks and feels much more like straw than plastic. This tote bag pattern courtesy of a crochetville pal, RecycleCindy.

Get this pattern for yourself here at My Recycled Bags.com.

I am about 60 bags into this thing, and need about 30 more to complete. Time to go shopping!

Sweet Pea Shawl Complete!

I whipped this baby up in just a few hours. Here's my kitchen chair, modeling it:

Close-up detail. I decided to use a baby weight yarn and smaller size hook instead of what the pattern called for. Used Bernat Baby in white and a size F hook. I also did some calculations and added 2 more shells to the beginning row.
Here's one of me, making it, as photographed by my 7 yo son. Note the flower in my hair, as he and my 8 yo also "did my hair" (undid?) moments before, staging a pink zinnia they thought I needed to wear!

Wanna peek at my Fat Bottom?

My Fat Bottom Bag, that is!

Wish I had a good photo to show you, as you can see, the ones I took don't do it justice. This handbag is the most functional I have ever made or even owned. It holds SOOOOOOOO much in it, and I'm not kidding!

I will begin making my second Fat Bottom Bag (here on out, referred to as FBB), and will do a better job at taking photos after it's done. I need to make a decision on what yarn to use (ahem, that I already own) and what fabric I will use to line it. This is a bag you definitely want to line if you plan on using, and I've heard you need no more than 1/2 yard.

Note: Made first bag with Lily Sugar 'n Cream in Buttercream Ombre, and took a bit over 2 balls to make.

Live and learn, though, because after carrying around my wallet, coin purse, makeup, hairbrush, digital camera, cell phone, bottle of H2O and 2 (count 'em) Nintendo DS Lites, on our recent trip up to Michigan, the thing is about as stretched out as my belly! Photos of belly not an option.

I've joined in another CAL at crochetville for FBB #2. Join me if you don't already have one of these babies in every color of the rainbow! Come on, you know you want to.

Catching up!

Wow! It's been 10 months since I last posted here! No doubt, I've been busy working FT and lots of crochet. I've gained a lot more crochet experience over the last year. It seems my hands are always hooking on at least one project at a time. I've made so many items, for myself, for gifts...I can't even recall them all to mention.

Looking back over some of these posts, I can also tell you that I have frogged quite a few!

The CAL sweater I was making, featured in earlier photos...well, I did finish it, but because of my choice of yarn, I looked like ELMO wearing it. It was frogged.

The Orange Slice motif sweater didn't make it. It's not frogged, but it's in a bag somewhere. I wasn't keen on gauge back then :)

Now that I am not working FT and am preparing to go back to school in September, I would like to lurk less and blog more. So, that's what I plan on doing. I'll be back soon to post photos.