Crochet and Away

Hi Knitters,

I didn't realize when I spontaneously crocheted a couple of washcloths for the holidays, both Christmas and Valentine's Day, that I would be starting on a new trail, or at least a little detour off of my usual Knitting Only route.  I learned a few basic crochet stitches a few years ago mainly as a means to finish some of my knit projects.  Sometimes a crochet edging is the only thing that will do to add the finishing touch to a handknit.

I was really happy when Margaret asked me to teach a couple of beginning crochet classes at GYC.  I was also quite nervous.  I certainly don't have the same confidence in my ability to crochet as to knit.  I could picture the ladies who paid good money to learn from a skilled instructor stumping me in the first few minutes and after two verrrry long hours demanding their money back.

My fears turned out to be groundless.  Possibly because most of GYC's  customers are extremely nice but also because I could sense how happy they were to be learning a new skill.  We had only just enough time to cover the basics -- chain stitch, single crochet, turning, weaving in ends, and a simple picot edging.  The two hours flew by and I was more than tickled when they asked if I would be teaching more classes because they wanted to learn more.  I also realized that I had better learn more if I was going to teach more.  

What I now know about crochet has been self-taught from library books and trial and error.  I decided I better check my techniques with others more skilled than I.  Thank goodness for Youtube.  I love Youtube!  I have yet to type in a single stitch or skill in either knitting or crochet that has not yielded several helpful videos.

I also searched the stacks of Amazon reading dozens of book reviews.  After much research I ordered these two books:

The one in back is called The Complete Photo Guide to CROCHET.  I think it is going to be my go-to book for all things crochet for years to come.  It seems to be very thorough and the photos are wonderful.  After a large instructional section, there are pages and pages of stitches.  I think if I could only choose one book this would be it.  There are A LOT of books to choose from.

The other book is Beyond the Square: Crochet Motifs.  I love granny squares.  This book goes way beyond squares and has patterns for 144 different shapes of motifs.  I especially loved the several hand-illustrated pages showing all kinds of creative uses for the motifs.  I am picturing a scarf of dozens and dozens of hexagons in every color of the rainbow.  Another project to add to the list........

Here's just a couple of the motifs that caught my eye.  I am envisioning a Christmas tree loaded with one of each of the 144 motifs in gorgeous shiny jewel colors starched to hang as ornaments.

The ladies in the last class asked if I would teach a class on how to crochet a hat.  Margaret gave the go-ahead so I am in how to crochet a hat mode right now.  Nothing in my stash jumped out so I stopped in at GYC yesterday to pick up some inspiration yarn.  As usual, after much wandering, I ended up back at the Spud and Chloe cubbies.  I bought these two skeins of "Sweater" in Firefly and Splash.  Love the color names.  I think Spud and Chloe would probably be the most fun place in the entire world to work.  I dream of a visit there.  I dream of a wall of bins in my studio filled with every weight and color of Spud and Chloe....................

Firefly is beautiful don't you think?  The theme for Martha Stewart's show today was happiness.  Everyone is the audience wore yellow.  They looked beautiful.  Sunny and warm and.........well, happy!  Apparently wearing yellow, seeing yellow, being around yellow lifts one spirits.  Not surprising.  

 Happy Knitting (and crocheting), Josey

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy V-Day Everyone,

Finished my crocheted washcloths just in time.  Since Margaret asked me to teach the class on beginning crochet I am wanting to learn more and more and found myself this weekend on Ravelry faving lots of crochet patterns.

Bought some of the most wonderful soaps from Route 66, the kind that come in loaves and the salesperson slices off an inch from the one you pick and wraps it in recycled paper.  I found out that when you add a bar of soap to a washcloth it is called a "spa set".  That sounds so much more special than a washcloth and a bar of soap.

Here are two "spa sets" for a couple of my Valentines.

I especially love working the edging on the washcloths.  The stitches line up so neatly and give it such a finished look.  I taught my class on Tuesday the techniques for making picot edges.  They loved it and have requested another class to learn more.  I'm still fairly nervous about teaching and worry about whether I am doing an okay job so when the students ask for another class it makes me very, very happy.

Started my cookie baking way to late.  I never get as many made as I would like and I didn't get them done in time to mail off to anyone, but I did finish enough to deliver to some friends and neighbors who I want to appreciate today.

I bought two new cookie cutter from CopperGifts.  They have over 2000 cutters and if you buy something from them and review it you get 10% off your next purchase.  Customers also submit photos of their finished cookies so when you click on the photo of each cutter you can see several samples.  I love that.

I use lots of pearl dust.  It makes the cookie just a little more festive and special and it also has the added benefit of concealing some of the little unavoidable little imperfections. 

More goodies from Copper Gifts.

 This is what happens when the icing is too thin:

 This is what happens when it is just right:

Love the new stencils I bought from Culinery Stencils.  They worked really well but Tim had to help me hold the stencil still while I wiped the icing across with a little spatula.  The first few times were a little messy but we got it.

 

Happy Valentines!

And Happy Knitting, Josey

Snowed In

Hi Knitters,

Are you snowed in today?  This is what it looks like outside my front door:

See our Big Blues still sitting there?  Even the garbage trucks didn't make it into our neighborhood.  However, I did see our neighbor's Smart Car go tooling right by this morning.  I was impressed.  Who thought a Smart Car could tread where our garbage trucks dare not? Hmmmm.

Here's the view out my back door:

But a big heartfelt thanks to my friend Melissa for brightening my view indoors:

Missy knows I adore hot chocolate.  She also knows that Williams Sonoma is my favorite store and that I can't go to the mall without wandering through every aisle at WS marveling over their wondrous array of everything gourmet and kitcheny.  I've seen their peppermint hot chocolate and vanilla marshmallows for several holiday seasons and I've even bought some of the pretty canisters as a gift before but never for me.  That's the sweet and wonderful thing about friendship, isn't it?  We gladly buy something special -- something we would never buy for ourselves -- if we know that it will bring our loved one a little happiness.  Thank you Missy.  You've always had a gift for giftgiving and I thank you.

Kind of rings a bell, right knitters?  We'll splurge on that special yarn and spend hours happily knitting away on some project, and gladly part with it thinking about the joy it will bring to its recipient and yet have hardly a single handknit item in our own closet.  Today I realized I didn't even own a knitted hat!

Back to the chocolate.  It didn't disappoint.  The mix is not a powder, it's actually little flakes of smooth as silk chocolate (I know because I ate a spoonful).  It leaves no dark residue at the bottom of your mug.  Every bit of the chocolatey goodness goes right to your tummy.  The peppermint flavor is light and not overbearing.  The marshmallows are each wrapped in their own cute little packet (Not very environmental I am afraid but keeps them remarkably fresh tasting).

The marshmallow has enough substance to melt very slowly leaving a smooshy little lump of sugary goodness for a finale.  So..... if you have ever wondered whether or not that pricey WS hot chocolate is really all that, or if you have bought it for a friend but never treated yourself, I can tell you it rates five stars on the yummy scale.  But I would still probably never buy it for myself.  Thank you Missy!

By the way, if you are wondering about the Christmas dishes still on my counter on Feb 2nd don't judge me too harshly.  I love the warmth and cheer the bright red adds to our kitchen and I put them up with reluctance.  Tim says "Why don't you just leave them out all year?"  But then I would miss the specialness of getting them out the day after Thanksgiving each year -- they mean the Christmas season is here in our house.  Just like everything, it's the not having something for a good while that makes the having it so special.  

Oh, yeah.......I just remembered this blog is about knitting...

Finished the crocheted Valentine washcloth with the chain stitch heart and picot edge.  

I spent my snowed-in day yesterday making videos -- one to demonstrate getting started in crochet and two others to show how to make the chain stitch heart and the picot edge.  I am headed to the Mac Store tomorrow (roads allowing, that is) for my lesson on I-Movie to learn to edit and add titles.  We'll see how it goes.  You'll know it went well if I post the videos this week.

Tim just headed outside to shovel.  The chances of making it to my Mac class just went up.  He's wearing the hat I made him for Christmas.

I used Susan Anderson's pattern "Modern Rib Hat."  I made the same hat for my son-in-law last year out of Cascade's Eco yarn and it came out larger and sloucher.  Tim's hat is more form-fitting.  It's made with Cascade's newish yarn Cash Vero.  It's a wool/cashmere blend, similar to Debbie Bliss Cashmerino -- very soft and pleasant knitting.   Tim says it is very warm and not picky at all.

Hope you all enjoy your snow days.  

Happy Knitting, Josey