Blocking a la Yoga Mat

I really have become a little obsessed with doilies.

There is this blog that solidified my giant doily idea.  Her designs are GREAT.

This pattern I got here.

I used Hobby Lobby I love this Yarn in Rose and a H hook.

I'm blocking it to pull it's shape out a bit.  It seems a bit on top of itself and a bit small.

Hmmmmm.

Now we wait.

***6 hours later***

I just checked and it's dry.  I used the cat's GETAWAYFROMTHAT! spray bottle full of water to wet it.  It wasn't what I would call totally soaked, but... it did take 6 hours to dry.

It held it shape really well.  :)

It's 28.5 inches from tip to tip.

Anyone wanna buy it????  :D

Lil Chevron. Part 2.

I'm going to get this right.  I finally got enough sleep that I could make a simple one dip chevron pattern.  Don't ask me why that was so difficult.  

I picked up a couple more Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread.   I've got the gray and now the warm teal and plum. From the Fashion 3 collections.  

Also, I'm currently experimenting with the photographic lighting.  We are in the basement for another few weeks.  So I will soon be able to take MUCH better photos.  Please excuse this for now.  If I'm still taking horrible toned photos in a month, call me out.

I want to participate in the crafty shows we have going on around town and I think that these little guys would make cute necklaces.  

Here's my super complicated Chevron pattern that took me days to figure out.  (sigh)

Ch13 plus 3 for the first DC
turn and dc into the 13th ch
dc into the next 4 ch
dc decrease over the next 3 chains
dc into the next 4 ch
2 dc into the last ch

Here I still have the second half of the dc on my hook because I'm going to switch colors.

Switched.  

Do the same thing as the first row.  
Ch3 and dc into the same stitch as the ch3 (increase)

dc into the next 4 dc
dc decrease over the next 3 dc
dc into the next 4 dc
2 dc into the last dc (increase)

You are increasing on the ends because we need to make up some of the stitches we are losing when we decrease in the center.  It makes the shape a nice "V" and still gives a nice flat side.

Switch colors and repeat this row.

You can do this forever.  I decided to stop here.  I sewed in my ends.  I felt like I could have more control over the tension of the edges if I sewed them all in instead of carrying over.

Looks a little wonky, huh?  As a larger project these curves are just fine.  It's often the beauty of crochet.  But this is a small lil thing and I want it to be perfect.  At this point I'm going to stretch it a bit and pin it to a piece of cardboard.   Then blot it with some Mod Podge.  

Much cleaner lines....  

Stay tuned.  

Amineko!!!

Here are a couple little dudes I made last month.  They were custom made for a friend of a friend that I am now Facebook friends with :)   One to match her Siamese and one cause the blue is cute.  

The bows were just something simple I added just cause aw.  

Buddies4lyfe.

Comfy cozy in there box.  

Technicals:

The Siamese was made with Vanna's Choice Lion Brand yarn in Taupe Mist and Deborah Norville Collection in in black.  Vanna apparently doesn't make any black.  I try not to mix yarns but these fit together perfectly well.  He is a bit smaller than the blue guy because of the yarn.  Its a 4 but seems smaller to me than   a regular worsted weight.  Blue was made with Red Heart Super Saver Aruba Sea and White.  This is the only project I will use Super Saver on because its sturdy.   I used a F hook on them both and each took me about 6-7 hours.  

Cute Hook Holder

I have a serious weakness for bags, bins, boxes, and buckets.  Anything that I can fill with *stuff*.  

I found this lil guy at Micheal's yesterday.  You know that aisle of junk that you just need?  It's half off right now.  

So after spending hours making an awesome hook case, I decided to transfer everything over to this $1 gem.  

I really like change and I needs lots of it.  Cute huh?

This is also good so that Violet can't get into it.  The old one was fine but she would grab, run and yell "no!no!no!" while laughing.    With this one I'm sure will do the same, but now I don't have to say it too.  

I've got - an entire set of hooks (minus the H that is stick in an afghan at the moment), measuring tape, darting and normal needles, safety pins, stitch markers, fabric scissors, everything else scissors, and my favorite pen.

Embroidery Floss as Yarn

I've been really interested in making statement jewelry with yarn.  I've also been obsessed with chevron and ripple stitches ( like most of the craft world at the moment).  

The problem I'm seeing with the yarn that is at my disposal is that there is no gradient of color.  It's dark blue, light blue.  Nothing smooth.  However, embroidery floss has this beautiful gradient.  

Tonight I gave it a try.

I used this pattern from my handy dandy crochet stitch bible.  The difference is that I add 3 dc.  So it went more like this :  VIIII^^IIIIVVIIII^^IIIIV.  Get it?

I used a 1.9 hook.  justalilguy.

I'm not sure what to do with him.  Or even to use him for anything.  I redid the pattern a few times and it still just isn't looking right to me.  When its this small its hard for me to see.  It's 3 inches by 1.5 inches.  Smaller than a business card.

It seems that I need to make some swatches......

***A FEW HOURS LATER***

I couldn't stop feeling like I didn't accomplish this idea today.  So I made this one.  The colors!

It's weird how one side of the circle is bigger on the inner and outer but the middle seems fine.  Hmmmm.