My major project...revealed!

Well, I promised you all the juicy details on the "teaser" pics I've been showing, and here they are! But first, a few more "teasers" to pique your curiosity some more :0)

Here's an especially lacy, spiral scrumble, with a hint of fuzzy green. Hmmm...what could it be?


Here's a bit more of the picture. Any ideas yet? No?


Here's the project from a different angle. Getting the picture yet?


By now you should have some ideas..:0)


And one last peak before I reveal all.....


Have you guessed yet? Yes, it's my entry for the CGOA (Crochet Guild of America) Design Contest held in NH at the Knit and Crochet conference July 24-27 ! (Sorry about the partial pics. I couldn't fit it all in the lens :0) I promise when my entry is returned in the next couple of weeks that I will try to get better pictures of it:0) and it's ribbon.



It's called "Tranquil Ocean" a free form look at life under the Sea.


Did my mention of a ribbon catch your eye? Are you curious yet? What did it win?!... Well, as a matter of fact, I was informed that it won "People's Choice Award" !! I was so shocked you could have knocked me over with a feather!

My 9 yo daughter told me this has to be hung on the wall along with it's corresponding ribbon :0)

I'm really glad I purchased Myra Wood's book "Creative Crochet Lace: A Free Form Look at Classic Crochet". It showed me that free form isn't scary after all:0) Now I can't wait to do more of it!

Playing with Free Form

This has been a busy summer so far. The new boat is fantastic and has been taken out on the lake every chance we get! My husband has definitely gotten his quota of Bass, Walleye and perch. The weather has been cooperating nicely:0) Rainy days, best for hubby to fish and sunny for the days when we invite friends to the sandbank islands for a day at the beach.

This free form scrumble I did for the "major" project I told about earlier (don't worry, the time has almost come for me to reveal the juicy details:0) reminds me of the waves on the water on a windy day.



This one almost reminds me of a crocodile's eye! Can't you just picture him, eye watching you as he swims with his head just poking out of the water!

This scrumble was a particularly pretty one. Very lacy looking. It reminds me of a swirl in the sand at the beach.
This little guy was supposed to be a bit more 3-d for my project. Unfortunately, he ended up looking more like the ones you find flattened on the side of the road! He might make a cute sea life coaster though. I think he needs some googly eyes :)



I've just recently taken up free form crochet. I was always hesitant to try it as I thought there were certain "rules" you had to follow. Then I purchased Myra Wood's new book "Creative Crochet Lace" which explains free form in such a fun and easy to understand way, that you can't wait to grab your hook and yarns and start playing! She really makes you look at crochet in a whole new way.

My first published pattern!

This is a baby afghan I designed when one of my best friends had a baby 3 yrs ago. I finally mailed it the beginning of this year! By the way, Sydney LOVED her new blankie :0)


Last year I decided to submit the pattern for publication and was accepted by none other than Jean Leinhauser and Rita Weiss for their new book "Afghans for All Reasons & All Seasons", published by Leisure Arts, November 2007! (ISBN - 160140672X - Item no. - 4422, "Spring Flower" baby afghan) I modified it slightly for the submitted version. www.leisurearts.com

This was my very first published pattern!

I designed it to have no sewing. I love crocheting, but dislike having to sew everything together after. It could also be made in brighter colors for an older child's room.

Hats

This is a beanie I designed a couple of winters ago. I made several for my daughters in various colors and styles. I also made over 3 dozen to donate to their school to be used by anyone who didn't have a hat or had forgotten theirs. This was a mauve one I made with a simple white border. My daughter still wears it...even in the summer!

Grocery bag finally finished!

I finally finished my Mom's grocery bag. Here it is. It does look a lot different from the last picture. The reason is I had to frog the last couple of rows, as it was ruffling terribly :0)
It's only a small bag, but does stretch considerably. You can fit a fair amount of groceries in it.

I even have enough yarn left to make at least one more bag for her. :0) The final design ended up with ch3's instead of ch 2's for the body of the bag. I made short handles as well. I learned the hard way on a bag I made for myself, that the handles will GROOOOOW! You can end up with your arms really high in the air trying to keep the bag off the ground:0) Lol!

Using up more "scrap" yarn

I'm on a kick lately, trying to use up yarn that I bought for whatever reason and now don't know what to do with it. I bought this to make my Mom some potholders as her kitchen is in red and white. It's "Eco-fil - Earth friendly recycled yarn". Only problem is, when I read the label later, it is part acrylic. NOT suitable for anything hot, as it will melt.

I finally decided to make her a couple of small mesh bags, suitable for grocery shopping or maybe to store her onions and potatoes in. I will make it so it can be hung up to allow air to circulate.

I started with a 2 rnd circle in hdc, then did (hdc, ch x, sk x sts, hdc) around. (the ch x and sk x is due to increase rounds). After the first round it is ch x, hdc in ch x sps. After it is large enough, all subsequent rounds will be (hdc in ch 2 sp, ch 2, hdc in next ch 2 sp). I hope to get 2-3 small bags out of this ball of red yarn.

What do you do when...?

What do you do when you buy a yarn you think you like the color of, only to get it home and think "What was I thinking?"

Well, I bought 2 balls of "Red Heart - Cotton Twist" in a limey/sagey green that looked kind of light olive green at the time. They were on sale. Only, when I got home, the more I looked at them, the more I didn't seem to care for the color.

Hmmmm.... What to make? Well, I thought of a tank top, but not enough and do I really think I would wear it? Especially considering I don't care for the color.

Next idea, hat? Nope, too soft. Scarf? No. No stitch I tried really did it justice. Nothing I would wear. (remember, I don't like the color). Not enough for a lapghan even. Hmmmm.... No stitch pattern really worked to my liking.

I finally decided on a really simple bag. I started with a circle the size I wanted in hdc. I tried every type of mesh stitch I could think of to no avail. Finally I decided on (hdc, ch 1, sk 1 st, hdc) around, then (hdc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, hdc in ch 1 sp) for as many rounds as I wanted. I then did a strap of 5 hdc across long enough to reach the bottom slacked, then decreased to a point, and sewed it on the bottom, but over top of the other side so it kind of helps keep it closed.


The opening will get a draw string of some sort when I find something suitable.

I'm still not keen on the color, but the bag does look nice :0) It just may make a nice gift some day.
And the best part is? I used up all but the last couple of inches of the yarn! Yay!!

New toy

Finally! I have time to update again! Summer is turning out very busy. Youngest dd has soccer games once a week and practices once a week. Hubby loves fishing, so lots of our time is spent on the water in our boat, or shore fishing. It didn't help me find any time when we unexpectedly traded in our old boat for a new one :0) (I say unexpectedly, but really, hubby has been debating the issue for the past 2 years, and researching the last several months) With errands to run taking in the old boat and picking up the new one, transferring trailer plates, Insurance, etc and, of course, trying out our new toy!...I didn't get time for much of anything! How does this relate to crochet, you ask? Well, it just so happens, that the new boat has a huge glove compartment in it, cavernous enough to hold a good sized bag with my crochet in it! :0) YAY!! There also happens to be lots of room and areas for me to sit and quietly crochet while hubby fishes and the kids play. Perfect for everyone :0)

Here's a picture of our new toy.


It's even covered so I can still crochet even if it's raining :0)