The Hook and I

If you read Robyn’s blog or the Craft blog, you’ll know by now that Norah Gaughan has a new blog. Isn’t it great timing that, in cleaning out my studio, I discovered I have not one, but TWO copies of her much acclaimed book, Knitting Nature?

You can win my spare copy.

Leave a comment here on my . . . → Read More: Knitting Nature Contest

I’m cheating on my current crochet project with some mindless knitting with stash yarn. Due to a few nights of movie watching and some waiting in line today, I’ve made pretty good progress on this vest, which I’m making to throw on in the house when its cold.

I’m having fun playing with the concept–a simple . . . → Read More: Garter Break

When I first met Cat Bordhi, she was deep in the process of creating her new book New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book 1 She had projects from the book and ideas were already brewing for future books in the series. Her passion for knitting socks (knitting any unusual shape, really) is contagious. I took more . . . → Read More: Book Review: New Pathways for Sock Knitters, Book 1

Creating crochet fabric with straight even edges is a skill that often challenges beginners. If you don’t start and end rows in the right place your rectangle can take on just about any shape (amoeba, perhaps?). Last night, I discovered my edges were too straight. By working straight edges, I created a “tight point” in what . . . → Read More: Starting over…

First the crochet.

One of the things we recovered from my mother-in-law’s house after she passed away was this blanket. It’s wool oversized grannies made in natural colors of chunky yarn. It’s heavy and warm. I love the big blocks and simple color combination. I don’t know if she made it, she was a highly skilled crocheter . . . → Read More: Crochet and Gagging Amoeba

Here’s the final stitch pattern from my yarn battle yesterday. While I was frustrated at not quickly finding the right stitch pattern, I have to say, I loved working with the yarn. It’s Fil de La Mer from Tilli Tomas. It’s 70% silk and 30% Seacell (which is a combination of lyocell processed wood pulp and . . . → Read More: How the swatch was won

I’ve been struggling with a swatch all morning, and I’m having a hard time letting the yarn speak for itself–I keep imposing my ideas, which are not working. I’m taking a break, and I’ll come back to it later.

Yesterday, I did get a start on organizing the buttons.

There are so many, it will take a long . . . → Read More: What the yarn wants…

In the spirit of the big online push to buy handmade this year, as well as my hope for less consumption overall this holiday season, what did I do? I went shopping. Namely to the DC Craft Mafia’s holiday craft festival. It was a lively, friendly event, with some beautiful things, but not a lot that . . . → Read More: Handmade Holidays

Originally published on Crochet Me, the Cool Warmth scarf set has been reformatted as today’s Craft Magazine Pattern Podcast. You can also subscribe to the podcast via iTunes.

Technorati Tags:crochet, free pattern, scarf, craft . . . → Read More: Cool Warmth: Craft Pattern Podcast