still stitching along

I only have about 10 more rows before I finish the main portion of the lion curtain. I'd like to get it finished so I can put the summer curtains up, so I am hoping for this weekend. It has taken longer (of course) than what I expected. Part of the reason is I don't usually do a filet type pattern, so I have to be careful about the positioning of the stitches. And of course, I've had to rip out a few rows along the way, standard operating procedure;)
But it is interesting to "stretch" the crochet muscles with something new. I learned that using a highlighter instead of a pen to mark where the stitches are is much more readable. I had been using a pen to mark up the rows, but sometimes I couldn't tell where a stitch belonged. Yes, I did make a copy of the chart on the copier at work, enlarging it so it would be easier for me to work the pattern. I don't think it's a violation of the copyright law as it's only for my conveinence and I'll throw it away when I am finished. At least, I certainly hope it isn't because I just admitted to the world I did that.

I always underestimate the time it will take me to complete a project. I'm not sure if it's just wishful thinking or poor planning on my part. There are some days I come home from work and don't crochet. It's incredible to me, but it's true. And when I was _much_ younger, I had a combination of more time and more speed. I'd crochet on the bus going to and from school, at lunch, during study hall. I even had a few teachers that would occasionally allow us to crochet in class. That practice is frowned upon at work, as I'm supposed to be typing all day. Since I still haven't learned to crochet with my feet, I got to concentrate on transcription.

Here's a site you may (or may not) want to check out. It's called "What Not to Crochet". They generally use designers' patterns, so not to pick on any individual person. They have been having a field day with the free "Annie's Attic" pattern. If your feelings are easily hurt, you probably don't want to look at this site. Another piece of personal advice is even if I see a pattern there by a designer I know, I don't tell her (it's generally a her). Friends don't direct friends to sites where their hard work is being ridiculed.

I check it almost every day. If I'm not crocheting whatever item it is, I smile. If I am crocheting what it is, I laugh. I bring this up because the current "what not to crochet" (June 16) resembles a vest I made for my mom many years ago. Mom's vest was only waist length, worsted weight yarn - but get this, I used purple varigated yarn. (My mom's favorite color was purple, she wanted it that way.) If it still existed, I'm sure it would be featured on that site. But my mom, proving she was better than Beaver Cleaver's mom*, wore that vest to work. Whether she took it off and hid it in her locker as soon as she got in the door, I don't know. I did go with my dad a few times to pick her up and she was wearing it at that point. Would I have worn it? If it was big enough for me, yes, I would have. Seeing that photo reminded me of that latticework vest from about 35 years ago and it made me laugh. It also made me appreciate my mom more because she wanted to look her best at all time - and she wore that.

Here's the site: http://whatnottocrochet.wordpress.com/


*There was an episode where Beaver bought his mom some sort of bright colored blouse. Of course, she promised to wear it to the bridge club meeting and didn't. Who would have guessed
that the hostess would have the little brats from school (of which Beaver was one) comeover and sing a song. Of course, Beaver found out and was heartbroken. I forget the ending of that, perhaps Beaver decided to get his revenge on mom by dressing as a beatnik or something.

something a little different

I'm not a lamp person - my mom was, my grandmother is, but I don't get that excited about lamps. My DH usually picks out the lamps. (I'm also not much of a furniture person - I have been known to drag bookcases that were set out for bulk trash into the house. However the last one I dragged in, the "Roach Radisson" was not well received. As you can tell by the name, the roaches loved it.) And when I think of crochet for the home, I think of things like aghans, potholders, maybe a pillow.

But luckily for me, not everybody is like me. Here's a like where a very talented designer took on crocheted lamps - _not_ lamp shades but lamps
Click here: Inhabitat » Blog Archive » CAI STOCKING LAMP

To me, it doesn't look that difficult to make. (If course, I never tried it;))You could probably use a pattern that would be used to put over a Christmas ornament or maybe 2 doily patterns, sewn together. You could also go by the name "stocking" and make it like, well, a stocking. It would definitely be a different look for a room. If it ever got on one of those home design shows like "Trading Spaces", I bet it would be a huge hit.

Check it out

a new site

This vendor was at the recent Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. She was lovely to talk to and also had some great stuff. I couldn't decide on what yarn to buy, but I did buy a few cards and the mug that says "Seize the yarn". The photography is _beautiful_. Their online store opened for business on May 31, they are having a 20% off sale until June 15. (Sorry I didn't post this earlier). No, I get no kickbacks, no yarn, no reimbursement, but I just wanted to pass along the very cool yarn they have.
Here's the site:
http://www.autumnhousefarm.com/

I think you will enjoy looking at their products. They also have a bed and breakfast, workshops and various photographs for sale.
_enjoy_




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I'm not a lawyer

and I don't play one on tv, but I have thought of the defense for the woman who stole all that yarn. Insanity, pure and simple. If she gets a judge (or jury, depending on how they do it) that isn't into crafts, the judge/jury will automatically think she's nuts because they won't understand why she wanted all that yarn. However, if she gets yarnies on the jury, she may be in a bit of a pickle. I would ask "How in the world did you manage it?" and "What were you going to make?" and, most important, "Did you make sure the dyelots matched?";)
Part of the reason she "got away with it" was because she gave the appearance of a "grandmother" type, so I guess grandmothers don't steal. And I guess the clerks just figured she really _did_ forget her checkbook. That would never work for me, even though I have handed a grocery store discount card to a clerk to charge my purchases to (the clerk was _not_ amused). I'm definitely forgetful, but I guess I look too shady to be able to pull a stunt like that off.
The lawyer could toss in some stuff about hormones (the PMS defense worked for some women) and how this distorted his/her client's mind between what is right and wrong. I hope the woman does not get any jail time, because though she commited a felony (I think it's a felony), if the yarn was given back to the store unused, there was little damage done. Maybe the yarn shop should hire her to watch out for the other customers. Obviously, if she pulled off this caper, other folks could, too. And perhaps they would give her a discount on the yarn.

I don't know if my defense would work. But I do know if I were her lawyer, I wouldn't wait while she went out to her car to get her checkbook to pay me.






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