Sun's Out

The Sun by ZackLoup

I am constantly surprised by the sheer quality of Art that there is available on the Interwebz; my own total lack of skill just makes my awe greater.

I was searching for just the right depiction of XIX The Sun because of this post, to reflect the actual sun being out today, the topic of my post, the words on the Finished Object, and my satisfaction - and there it was, this beautiful fox created by ZackLoup. If you scroll through their other cards, one of my favorite creatures, the Wolf, features (as it does in their name) ... this is definitely a deck I'd back if it came up on Kickstarter. Thank you, ZackLoup.

I was looking for the perfect card to celebrate the completion of an overdue project - it was supposed to be a Christmas present for Titch, a popcorn 'word' blanket from designer Jody Pyott.

Yes, last Christmas, not the one before. Or the one before that. I only have one longterm UFO, and this wasn't it - I was derailed by a seasonal retail job which I loved, but the hours were tiring and left little time or energy for crochet.

Anyway. This project had Issues. Firstly, color choice - wanting several yellows that all needed to complement each other meant testing the customer service at the Wool Warehouse: the lovely lady who answered my call physically ran up to the actual warehouse to check that the colors I'd select would actually go together: and she was right. 

Secondly, my first time working with Scheepjes Colorcrafter DK yarn - I'd wanted to try it for a while since it's arrival on my radar as it has a great color palette. It is soft, but I found it splitty to crochet with even with a larger hook than recommended. It does wash well so far.

Thirdly, I had gauge issues. Major ones. In a blanket like this one needs the blocks to be very uniform, and using a few different sizes of hook was necessary for me to achieve that. It also highlighted that I cannot handle row gauge: width was fine, height .... not so much. I'd chosen to make it in DK rather than Worsted or Aran, as I wanted a smaller FO than stated in the pattern - but because of the aforementioned row gauge it came out smaller than I wanted, which meant I needed more words, that I had to create the charts for myself ... uncharted territory, ha-ha. And it was also not the right size for Titch's new truck, a MAN rather than a Mercedes.

BTW, that's a whole other discussion. Suffice it to say, the MAN is more Melania than Michelle, rhinestone than diamond, cod roe than caviar. Her one redeeming feature is that she bears the name of a beautiful angel baby.

But I was too close to the finishing line to quit. Having plenty of yarn left meant I could add a generous border ... I completed it yesterday while watching Dwayne Johnson as Hercules: quite apt, don't we think ?

 And here is the result of my Labors:

 

SAL Wednesday : Intervention

Tarot of the Magical Forest

I have been absent because I have been feeling very low and dejected, owing to a combination of circumstances - not least of which was completing Mini Diva's Wilde cardigan and being quite unhappy with the result. I might be brave (or resigned) enough to post about it on Friday.

My MIL is our Secret Santa recipient this year, and I determined to make her a gorgeous cardigan. After overcoming such obstacles as picking the color (I took advice from two of my SILs, so I have others to blame if it is wrong) and measurements (again, a devious SIL achieved this - you may admire and envy my foresight, see previous brackets), spending hours searching for exactly the right yarn in terms of weight, color etc to find it and then discover JUST before I clicked the 'buy' button - thank the gods - that it was handwash only .... as I say, all this was overcome, and I selected 9 balls of Sirdar Wool Rich Aran in 'Powder Blue' at what I thought was a really reasonable cost of £43.

So, given the (reasonable yet expensive-for-me) cost of the yarn and for whom it is destined, I spared no effort, and did this:

No, it's OK, I'll wait while you pick your jaw up from the floor.

Yes, it's another swatch. The third in as many months, at least. 

Is it a sign that I am irrevocably doomed to a sensible and unexciting future of being an Engineer rather than an Artiste ? 

Might there be hope for me yet to go back to those freewheeling days of yore when I cared not a snap of my fingers for gauge, where I revelled in the thrill of living right on the Raggedy Edge, when we did not know if something would fit until it was actually Put On.

Oh yes - the swatch results: I got 19 st x 24 rows on 4.5mm needles when the pattern requires 18 st x 28 rows.

What do you mean, did I do another one on different size needles ? 

Are you CRAZY ? 

I'm too busy swigging gin and waiting for you to do an Intervention.





Pop over to Gracey's, to see what else is going on in the mad dash to Christmas .....

Ambition: Chapter 2

Whimsical Tarot

So Monday seems to have rolled around rather quickly. Maybe too quickly. But you can see below that I have been super-productive during that past week, even if Auntie Fashion's blankey has been languishing in a corner, unloved and in desperate need of more yarn.

In line with last Monday's new project post, we did indeed start as planned. I have continued on, as my frustration threshold is, naturally, higher than Mini Diva's - she expects to be able to accomplish a new skill perfectly within minutes; I allow myself a few hours ...

All the granny squares in the ''200 Crochet Blocks'' book by Jan Eaton are made with a 4mm hook and DK yarn, and measure 6 inches square. Mine, also made with a 4mm hook and DK yarn, have varied from 7 inches to well over 9. What we have here is a failure to communicate I mean, achieve gauge: important if you need all squares to be the same size so they won't look too crazy when joined together: you can only count on the borders to correct so much wonkiness, not all of it. More's the pity.

I have down-sized to a 3.5mm hook, and I think the firmer fabric - as well as being closer to the size needed - actually looks as well as feels better: frankly, loose and floppy aren't really qualities I seek out in any area of my life.

All these squares have been rated in the book with 1 hook, meaning they are suitable for beginners. And my friend Denise has recommended me ''Granny Square Love'' by Sarah London, which I got from my library, and have started the relatively simple and unambitious project of a cushion cover: 

This project is also confirming for me that I hate I have terrible trouble big issues I find it challenging to be random: I like order, I like patterns, I like a certain predictability and structure. I like a - dare I use that most filthy of four-letter words ? - Plan.

So the whole 'use-up-the-tons-of-yarn-leftovers' idea might not be much of a goer. Just sayin'.

And then - as if the Universe and Mags knew that today was wet, cold and grey - the postman delivered this:

Beautiful jewelled blue Wollemeise, all the way from Holland. DH, knowing this was in transit to me, was hoping a few Stroopwafels might have fallen into the package (yes, Mags was his original wafel Pusher); but he will have to try this delicacy instead:

 

I shall tell him it's dog treats.

What do you mean ?

Of course, after he's eaten them. Need you really have asked ?