Ze Bag is Done

So after a solid week of crocheting away, I finished the bag I started last week. And it is all kinds of awesome.

I loved working with this pattern. I get bored super easily with single crochets over and over again. But this pattern was constantly moving, so I never got tired of it.

The one drawback to this pattern is how much yarn it takes to complete. The ravelry page says it takes 900 - 1000 yards of yarn. Ugh... But if you don't mind it, you can totally make it a scrap bag. I just went into the yarn cabinet and grabbed all the yarns I had that kinda went together (except that blue/yellow on the bottom, don't know where that came from....) and went to town with it.

The other great part about the bag is the strap. Its thick and continues the bobble pattern so it doesn't hurt your shoulder and it goes with the bag seemlessly.

Now I am off to bake all afternoon. Wish me luck with my Grandma Kolberg's wicked hard gingerbread recipe!

A new, new book

So I decided I really didn't like the Interweave book. The only pattern I really liked, I could get for free at Crochetme so what's the point of owning a book of patterns you'll never do.

So I went back to Barnes and Noble and bought this book:

It's full to the brim with great new stitches, really handy techniques and amazing projects. I have loved every minute of working with this book. The patterns are super easy to work and they, from my experience thus far, have had no problems.

The other thing that I love about this book, is how beautiful the pictures are. I just love looking through it at all the pretty projects and stitch swatches.

I'll be honest, I bought the book for the Alpine Cable hat. I've seen it on Ravelry, but I could never get the pattern because it was in this book. But the pictures online were so beautiful and I have always wanted to work it. Plus Lisa Naskrent and Crochet Garden always have the most unique patterns that are I am always drooling over. (Too bad Whole Foods doesn't pay me enough to buy all the patterns I want...)

Well I did and I am soooo happy to announce that this is a GREAT pattern. Its GORGEOUS, its new and its different. I'll put up pictures when I'm not in the middle of Eastern Idaho without my camera.

I'll also post pictures of the Slip Ring Aran pillow. Another great pattern. Its uses the front post double crochet and a popcorn stitch, with a worsted weight yarn so its a thick, with great texture. I'll put up some pictures of that too.

Anyway, I'm going to post more, I have A LOT more yarn and a lot more ideas for projects. Plus, I'm not enjoying salt lake so maybe if I lock myself in a room full to the windows with yarn I'll be happier.

Keep on hookin!

photo from DRG Publishing and BarnesandNoble.com

Sólás Caomh

So this is my current project. Its a baby blanket designed by Jodi Euchner.

This blanket is intense, I'm not going to lie. To undertake it, you'll have to be well versed in front and back double post chains, and it would be best to have played with cables in other patterns first.

Once you have a good grip on the stitches though, this blanket works up fast and easy. Its a really fun pattern to work. Plus, Jodi makes gorgeous blankets, and this blanket will not let you down.

I went on the less expensive side of yarn for this project with Lion Brand Wool Ease. Each blanket takes 6 skeins, and with the pricey stuff, I could have ended up spending waaaay too much money. I like Lion Brand, and I ain't no snooty yarn freak. Ok, so I am a snooty yarn freak, but I still really like Wool Ease.

My plan is to have 4 of the baby blankets sewn together to make one enormous to blanket. Two panels are Avocado green and two are Forest Green Heather.

With a border of Zinnia around all the panels. I think the Zinnia give the whole thing a little bit of a contrast, but its only a single crochet border so not a huge splash of red.

Right now I'm 50% finished, having 2 panels done (as seen with Poe the cat on top of them). The only problem I'm having at the moment is once I finish blanket, I have a really hard time picking up my hook to get another one going. And then I distracted by a pretty new skein of yarn and forget about it.

Oh well, its always good to have a project in your yarn basket right?

photos of yarn from lion brand.