I've been working away.

I still have a lot to do before the craft sale next month. I kind of feel like I just don't have much to offer. I'm also working on some more cotton flowers that need to be dyed, I just haven't had the time... not that it takes all that much. What ever, me

so while working on the sale, I have also been working on the shop.
I have had a request for a baby cocoon. I haven't made one for over a year and I'd been nervous that it just wasn't going to work out being that I was rusty. I decided that I would make it bigger than the ones I've made in the past, that way it will be usable for a while longer than the first month or two. so I am still nervous. I really hope it wasn't a mistake to make it the size I did.

but it turned out all natural and beautiful, simple but boutique. maybe that's just me...


So last week I had mentioned the pumpkin hat I made after making the baby pumpkin hat. I finally got around to photographing it.


I really hope that someone will buy it. it's nice to be appreciated ;)

low humidity = happy hooker

:)

finally I feel like I can break out my hooks again and get to hooking once more.

three days ago the humidity was in the high 80s. it was so miserable, drowning would have been a happier experience.

but the wind blew and the humidity floated away and I was happy again and eager to get something made...

I go through my technique phases. I sometimes love Tunisian crochet so much and then other days I just want to get back to the basics. but I saw a ear warmer/head band the other day. it was knitted and I love it, but I am so terrible when it comes to knitting so Tunisian has been my favority favoritest. I get to fake knit and the result is not exact, and maybe not quite as springy, but it looks good and it makes me happy.



way back a couple of years ago I made a beanie that I was really happy about (still am) but nobody else felt the same about it. I had it at a couple of craft sales and I had it listed in my shop and no one wanted to give it a loving home.
at one of the craft sales there was a girl who tried it on and really loved it, but she wanted a longer hat, not a beanie.
so since nobody loved it the way that I do, I decided to introduce the beanie to some more yarn.

I turned it into a cloche. now I really really like it and have listed at crocheteveryday.
but this is probably what is going to happen... someone will buy it and I will have a moment of sadness in which I will have to make a run to Hobby Lobby and buy more yarn to make one for myself and one for each of my daughters.

what I've been doing with the cooler weather :)

Long Winded and Picture Heavy ~ just so you know

I've taken a little time and learned a couple of new "stitches". I have seen the crocodile stitch before and I've loved it, but it has never really made me think 'crocodile', it's more like dragon to my mind. so I learned how the basics of this stitch worked and I fiddled and once I felt comfortable with what I was doing... voila, dragon scale mug cover



once I had it finished I made another one and had them at my desk and I caught a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye. it was upside down and looked like a lotus flower and so was born
the lotus flower mug cover.

I really like cables. some days more than others. I also love a cold drink in the summer. along with this comes the condensation and that is so annoying. I have been making water bottle sleeves for the last couple of years... but just for myself. I can't be the only one who has this problem. In fact I KNOW that I'm not. I used to work with a woman who would freeze her water bottles every night and then have ice cold water all day at work. her solution to the condensation was to put a tube sock on the water bottle. okay, good idea, but there must be something prettier than a sock.....

wouldn't you know it, there is something prettier than a tube sock.


next I figured I should make a present for my friend who is having a birthday in a couple of days. something quick to have it in the mail so she would get it in time for her day.


I decided to revisit the lotus. this time no buttons to close it, it is continuous rounds. I don't know if she will like it. I hope so, but I guess if she doesn't ever use it I'll never know. ;)


then I figured that I would love to do more of the sleeves... for the shop and for the craft sale this fall.
so I really want more than one or two different varieties. most water bottle sleeves and mug/cup covers tend to be so plain. I really wanted to make one last year that looked like a sweater. so I then thought why not do cables like all terrific sweaters have. My favorite sweater that I wore until it had holes that I could no longer patch up had those wonderful classic cables.
after learning how to do cables in tunisian crochet, I had wished that I had waited a day or two to send Jen her present. I would have made something more like this






well, there's always Christmas and maybe by then I'll be good enough at this to make mittens

some progress, but only just

yeah yeah, Gondor wasn't elvish... I know, but I can't help myself, elven lettering is just so enchanting.

I'm totally proud of myself for making this work. but aside from how much I am chuffed that I got this section to look like it should (meaning I can tell that they are elven letters) I have had such a ridiculous time with this section. I started it and got half way through the letters and had to rip it 3 times - all.the.way.back.to.the.beginning!
I've told my daughter that she better love this blanket more than all forms of expression. :)
she assures me she will


next step, Tree