it's hip to be square potholder

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I can't get my mind off of this tunisian entrelac crochet.
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And because of that -- all other projects have come to a stand-still and I am putting together combinations of colors. And more colors. Aaaaaand more colors.
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My yarn stash is in our basement & I do most of my crocheting upstairs, so after about 14 trips up and down the steps of decision making....

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Do I like these 3 colors?

No.

How 'bout these 3 colors.

No again.

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I finally came upon a combination of three colors from my Sugar 'n Cream bits & pieces of cotton thread.

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And what better thing than for this entrelac patchwork block to become a potholder?

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I think I'll finish the back with one-colored square of entrelac and single crochet a border around the edge.

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Wow. I can finally fill my kitchen drawer with cheery, bright & simply made potholders. Something our drawer is in desperate need of.

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beginnings of a doily on my lap

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I am paging through my stack of books that I received for Christmas and I found something extra-special in this book:

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Using my 7 steel hook and Lydia's Bamboo crochet thread & Mary Werst's EXCEPTIONAL pattern -- and phew! this doily is rated EXPERIENCED -- I. am. stunned. that I am able to decipher this words-only pattern.
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It is already so gorgeous and I have about 27 more rounds to go.

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So with pets & patchwork on the couch, I have the perfect project for this cold, gray month of January.

entrelac checkerboards & books

My entrelac checkerboard scarf is finished! Wow. I am amazed -- yes, completely amazed -- that this came from my crochet hook! It is unlike anything I have ever done with hook & yarn and I simply love the whole tunisian entrelac technique.

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Ordering this booklet was key in trying to get the whole triangular edge, but once I was able to visualize this in my head and then get that message to my hands -- oh! the combinations and blocks I am going to make........
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And I must have a one track mind. Or maybe crochet is the only thing I talk about.

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Here is a pile of books I received from my family at Christmas time. Unbelievable is the only way I can describe how I felt (and yes, I even leaned over and kissed my 22 yr. old nephew -- not once, but twice -- for buying some of these for me.)

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Oh, my family gets me.

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And that just makes me giddy when I see aaaaallllll of these beautiful pages to page through.

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Thank you, thank you family!

toboggan hat

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As a kid I remember the thrill of riding a toboggan down a snowy, slippery hill. The frigid wind would whip right through me. Oh, the warmth of the hat that was pulled way down over my little head.

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Fun, fun memories of when I was younger. And now with our middle child -- altho, can you call a 14 yr. girl a child?! -- asks for a warm hat, I wonder when she puts this hat on to slide down a snowy hill, will she too will look upon these moments as fun, fun memories?

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So, I run through the crochet patterns that are filed in my head & I immediately picture the Toboggan Hat found here:

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Crochet That Fits -- Mary Jane Hall

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I dig out scraps of yarn from my stash and pull a vibrant blue that matches her winter coat exactly. And she loves this skein of multi-colored cotton yarn I still have and waaaaaay on the bottom of my gray yarns I find this tiny bit of bulky gray & white yarn for the border. The pattern calls for only one color yarn, but she was very specific about wanting stripes.

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So we improvise with multi-weighted/multi-colored yarns.

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Perfect.

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And her smile said it all.
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And when your kid smiles at something you have done -- well that's the making of a very good day.

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crimson & snow

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Crimson & snow. How appropriate.
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The colors of this Bernat Satin yarn that I am using for this crocheted entrelac scarf are called:

Crimson & Snow.

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And looking around outside I see examples of crimson & snow everywhere.
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These entrelac blocks are crocheted with an H hook (and next time I will use a larger hook -- maybe a J or even K so these edges don't curl so fiercely....)
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Now to crochet the rest of these cascading blocks into a wearable scarf and think of some nifty way to finish off the edges. Read ---> no curl!

plaid diamonds

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Plaid diamonds. That's what this reminds me of.
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Only it's really entrelac. And as confusing as the technique appeared at first -- it becomes reeeeeeeeeeally addicting once you get the hang of it.

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Perfect and precise directions are from this book. And the photos that go along with the directions are exceptional to aid those of us --ahem --who are visual learners.

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I had 2 tiny bits of scrap yarn in my stash that I used to see if I could even do this. And now that I am thoroughly smitten with this tunisian-type crocheting, I am going to do more.

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The stitch used is actually a tunisian simple stitch (or afghan stitch as it is called in the book) and after searching a million different places for a tunisian how-to, I found this from CrochetSide to be so, so helpful!

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This is the backside -- and in my very limited grasp of knitting -- it looks so much like...well...it was knitted.

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So now that I am thoroughly charmed by this tunisian-type crocheting, I am going to do more.

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I can see a scarf in a red and white plaid.

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Hmmm. Time to check my stash.....

irish crochet coaster

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Intricate lace not only intrigues me -- it instills in me a passion & desire to recreate it. And irish crochet is one of those delicate, yet gorgeous laces that just leaves me breathless.

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One of my past issues of MAGIC CROCHET (Oct. 2002 -- issue 140) includes a crochet pattern for an irish crochet coaster.

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An added bonus? It is shown in Christmas colors.

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Perfect.

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So using my size 5 crochet hook and crochet thread that I purchased from the thrift store, I made one little irish crochet coaster that seemed so well suited for this one little, vintage Christmas figurine.

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