Prayer shawl revisited

A couple of weeks ago, I finally completed the comfort/prayer shawl that I was making for a friend who was diagnosed with lung cancer. We were at a BBQ together, and she was happy to get out and be around friends. I told her that I made something for her. She was speechless when she received the shawl. I told her that every stitch was stitched with a prayer and good thoughts for a quick recovery. I told her that soon it will be chilly and it will come in handy. I also told her to wear it when she is going through her chemo treatments. She was so thankful.

This past Friday I received a call from her. She said that she was wearing the shawl and realized how much work went into the shawl. She was again, so thankful. She said she was also getting a lot of compliments on it when she wore it to the hospital clinic. She sounded so well and had good spirits. Carol is a very spiritual person. In fact, she owned a metaphysical store. She is using a lot of guided imagery during her radiation and chemo. She believes that her recovery is not only based on medical treatments, but also a mind, body and soul perspective. She is very wise. Sending positive energy and get well vibes to you, Carol.

Winter scarf swap

Finally, my swap package arrived at Donna's (aka sewnsew from Crochetville) door step. The theme of the swap was to make a winter scarf. I chose this great pattern from Crochet Me (More about the latest on the Crochet Me site). When I think of winter, I automatically think of a warm cuppa coffee or some tea. So, I included a nice mug and some flavored coffee and an assortment of tea. I also included some candies goodies for her girls, some cotton yarn from Knit Picks and a Quilter's tote that would of course be great for toting around WIP. Donna really liked all the stuff....and I am thrilled. I think the best part of any swap is when your partner gets the gift. I think it is even better than getting my part of the swap. Although, I am excited to get mine!!!

The online magazine Crochet Me has totally revamped their website and it looks great. It is more of an interactive site with forums and more of a community feel. Mosey on over and check it out. If you are ever in search of a some really awesome patterns, check out their pattern page. It is so much easier to search it now that the site is in a new beta mode. Jeez, between Crochetville, Ravelry and now Crochet Me, when will I ever find time to crochet????? ;)

Fingerless Gloves

I have been wanted to make a pair for a while now. I just could not find the right pattern. Believe me, I found plenty ones that I would have loved to knit...but that is not gonna help me. Finally, I came upon a winter glove pattern on Bernat's website. As I was making the glove and tried it on as I crocheted....I thought they would look great....unfinished. I left off the rest of the glove and made fingerless glove. They came out perfect for what I wanted and they will also come in handy when I am driving and at my sons bus stop, sipping coffee.
I used the new Bernat Softee Chunky Twists. I loved it. It is 100% acrylic, but acrylic has it's place too. It is a bulky weight, so these gloves took no time to crochet up. I loved how the ribbing showsup on the cuff. Sorry about the unfocused picture, but didn't realize it until after I uploaded the photos.

Rainbow Blankie

Finally, I am finished with my son's rainbow blankie. I have been working on this blanket on and off for about 6 months now. I would do it in spurts...have a go at it for a while, then completely forget about it. My husband would comment every time I started a new project. "What about A's afghan??? Don't you think he would like to keep warm this winter. He would really love it from his mom."

This blanket is made out of Red Heart yarn. When asked what color he wanted, he said "ALL" the colors. So, I choose a bunch of colors and called it The Rainbow Blankie. I was surprised because after I washed it, I was expecting it to soften up. It did not. Hopefully with some wear it will soften up. It is of my own design. It is done in a single stitch....one block at a time. To tell you the truth, I don't know if I want to make another blanket that has to be sewn together in pieces. I single stitched them together with a navy blue yarn. You can't tell by these pictures, but they are a bit uneven. Thank goodness I picked a recipient who does not pay attention to detail.

Yarn review

Moda Dea Vision

Basic Yarn Information:

Fiber content 65% Wool 35% Acrylic
Skein yardage/weight 155 yards, 3.5 oz, 100 g
Recommended hook size/gauge I
How many ply? 2 (I think)
Manufacturer's suggested retail price and/or actual price $4.99
Name and/or URL of store where you purchased yarn AC Moore http://www.acmoore.com/
Any other places you know of where yarn can be purchased That is the only place that I have seen it so far.

Care of Yarn:

Washing Hand Wash in cold
Drying dry flat
Any special requirements
How does yarn/project look/handle after being cleaned? TBA
Did the color run when washed? TBA

Yarn Characteristics:

How easy is it to crochet with? What about ripping out? Smooth, forgiving yarn after frogging.
Any stretch? a bit
Does it produce fuzz/lint? none
Does it pill? not yet
How does it wear? So far so good
How does it reflect light? Saturates the light
How does it look crocheted? Beautiful
Are any other yarns similar or identical? One of the best Wool/acrylics blends I have used so far.

Project Specifics:

What did you make with the yarn? Scarf and mittens
What hook size did you use? j
Are simple stitches best? How do complex stitches look? Does not show stitch definition.
Describe drape of finished project This project had wonderful drape...not stiff at all.
What other types of projects would this yarn work well for? Winter apparel like scarves, hats, mittens, slippers, shawls
Is there any project this yarn would not be suited for? Cooler weather garments. Too warm.

I really was pleasantly surprised that this yarn worked up so smoothly. It never split. After just working with Noro Silk Garden (Silk, wool), I liked working with Visons much more. Visions had a much softer feel to it and worked up better. Not a perfect comparison because they are made out of different materials....but this is my assessment.

September 11, 2001

We will NEVER forget.

International Crochet Day

That is right....on September 12th, 2007 is the first annual crochet day. SO, I am spreading the word. Jimbo and some others on Crochetville started this. Some people are adding posts to their blogs about the holiday to spread the word; we have folks who are organizing crochet lessons on that day; we have several who are doing special crochet projects for charity; we have posters being made for a church group; we have greeting cards being made; we have a commitment to ROAK (Random Act Of Kindness) someone who has yet to receive one; we have word of mouth promotion. The Mascot for this "holiday" is a nekkid sheep. How cute!

As for my crochet world....I joined the winter scarf swap at Crochetville. I went out and bought all this new yarn for the project. I can not for the life of me make a straight scarf. It should be the easiest of all projects. I have been using stitch markers and everything. Since Sunday, I have started to crochet 4 different scarfs. Did you ever have day, or a couple of days in a row, that you feel like you don't know how to crochet right? I feel like I have never crocheted before. I really don't know what my problem is. UGH. Back to the drawing board. Maybe I should start crocheting dishcloths again. They look straight up and down the sides. HUMPH. A little project that makes me smile because I finish a project in just a sitting or two. Where is my cotton yarn.?.....(rummaging through yarn baskets frantically!!!!!!)