Potholder Swap = Super Fun

Who knew!?! Never in a million years did I think I would become so entranced with crochet potholders but entranced is exactly what has happened. This was such a fun swap and I already can't wait for next year's swap! I sent my five potholders out into the world and got five totally fab potholders in return.

my potholders - side 1

my potholders - side 2

groovy potholders that I got in return

MY POTHOLDER STATS:

PATTERN: African Flower Hexagon (Ravelry link)

YARN: Tahki Yarns Cotton Classic 

HOOK: 3.75mm (F)

Ossessione

Finished Object - Noro Striped Scarf

Not much longer after finishing my Noro striped scarf, I became obsessed with crochet. So why not combine my two obsessions??? One can never have too many Noro striped scarves!

NORO STRIPED SCARF STATS
PATTERN: I followed Brooklyn Tweed's specs
YARN: Noro Silk Garden, colors #275 & 267
NEEDLES:  US 7/4.5mm

WIP - Noro Crochet Ripple Scarf

I'm just using a traditional ripple pattern for this Noro crochet scarf which I'm doing the long way to showcase the Noro stripes. It started slowly with the first row taking forever with all those chain stitches to crochet into but once that was done, it's all been going very quickly since. It really helped that I put in removable stitch markers for every ripple repeat while doing the initial chain. Otherwise there is no way that I would have managed it. I know I would have missed a chain somewhere.

And I can't believe how much faster I can crochet compared to my knitting. It makes me all the more eager to finally get a handle on knittting continental instead of English. It's so much fun when you get things done!

Baby Steps: Coasters to Potholders

African Flower Hexagon Potholders

It looks like I might be catching the crochet bug. I recently became entranced by all the groovy potholders on the Ravelry Potholder Swap group and decided I wanted to join in all the fun. Naturally I waited until late in the game to get started on mine so I'm not quite sure I'll be done in time in which case people will either be getting potholder gifts in the near future or I'll save them for next year's swap.

I'm using my leftover Rowan cotton from the coasters I crocheted recently and using a free pattern I found on Ravelry that seems to be quite popular - the African Flower Hexagon. This seemed like a good second project - a bit more involved than the coasters but not so much so that I'd get overly frustrated. I did make several mistakes on my first potholder (the brown and purple one) so I'm calling that one my "first pancake" and will probably keep it for myself. I do love the color combo but I messed up the stitch count here and there. Nothing major but not quite swap-worthy.

My LYS is having a free crochet class this weekend so I think I'll take advantage of that to refine my negligible skills. Oh, and maybe buy some more yarn...

Noro Otaku

"Otaku" is a Japanese word that generally refers to anyone who is geekily obsessed with something. Initially the word referred to young men obsessed with manga and anime but the word has now come to be used for just about any kind of obsession and I'd say us crazy knitters can easily fall under this umbrella. And seeing as Noro yarn is from Japan then I say all the more reason to be a Noro Otaku!

Noro Striped Scarves - wide version on the left and newer, improved narrower version on the right

The thing about these Noro striped scarves is that once you start it is incredibly difficult to put the project down because you can't wait to see what the next color combo will end up being. I chose a skein of very neutral greys and browns and combined it with a skein of bright colors. But unexpectedly the brights occasionally become neutral when transitioning so the stripes aren't always well defined but I'm really liking the subtle shifting here.

I actually started this project a while back and got almost half way done when I decided I was making the scarf too wide considering how dense the fabric is in this thick yarn with the one by one ribbing. So I put it on hold for a while and just started again on a narrower scarf and again I find myself in a Noro haze. Just can't put it down...

HomeGrrrl

Way behind on my blogging... So here's some catch-up from a xmas gift I made for my friend Janel who moved into a new home last year and needs all the cozy stuff that makes a home a home. I've hardly done any crochet before and this is the first actual finished project I've completed with crochet. It's all been little swatches here and there but this was a super simple project and definitely gave me the bug to do some more.

Crochet Coasters

I didn't follow any specific pattern though I used this video on YouTube to get started and roughly followed this Summertime Coaster pattern that I initially found on Ravelry.

I had a lot of fun picking out the colors at my LYS. It's all Rowan Handknit Cotton which I think worked out perfect for this kind of project and comes in a bajillion colors.

These were fast and fun and make a perfect gift if I do say so myself!

Beret Mania & Malabrigo Love

I finished this Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret (Ravelry link) a few weeks ago and have actually been getting good use out of it here in chilly Southern California. Don't laugh, it's been getting down into the forties here and while many of you have been suffering far worse, this is definitely knitted accessory weather!

Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret

And what better than to snuggle with some Malabrigo yarn which I think may be my very favorite yarn ever. I've now used their lace yarn, their sock yarn and this was my first time using their worsted yarn and I absolutely love them all! So soft. Such great colors/dying. And compared to other luxury yarns, the price is pretty reasonable as well. It's all good!

While I've been wearing this beret nearly every day, I also just finished another one tonight which is blocking right now so photos and details yet to come on that one.

And yes, two berets constitutes "mania". Plus I've got several others all ready to get started. It's official, I'm hooked on berets. Pourquoi pas?

STATS
Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (free pattern on Ravelry)
A little more than half a skein of Malabrigo Worsted in the Vaa colorway
U.S. sizes 10 & 11 needles (Knit Picks Options, 40" circular, magic loop method throughout)

Waylaid and Whisper Cardi

Just as I was plugging along full-steam on my knitting I ended up giving myself a pretty bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Life can be cruel. So I stopped knitting all together for the last two months or so and have just started up again but very slowly for now. No marathon sessions...

Whisper Cardigan - front to back and all tied up

In the meantime, this is a sweater I knit up over the summer before I resurrected my blog. It's the simple and fun Whisper Cardigan by Hannah Fettig (Ravelry link) from Interweave Knits Spring 2009. I knit mine in super soft Malabrigo lace which is one of my very favorite yarns. It's a lot of stockinette which makes this a good relaxing knit and a very quick knit.

STATS:
Whisper Cardigan from Interweave Knits Spring 2009 (Ravelry link)
2 skeins Malabrigo lace in Cuarzo
U.S. sizes 2, 4 & 7 needles