pineapple rose garden & an exceptional finish

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And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley
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Such warm & wonderful thoughts as we begin our wintry thaw. And what better way to usher in the springtime than to crochet.......oh! I know......

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....a doily!

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Why, of course -- can't stray from the obvious.

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I am using this book:

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and crocheting the Pineapple Rose Garden topper.
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Size 10 crochet cotton and my size 5 steel hook.
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The topper begins with this pretty rose in variegated pink hues. And believe it or not, I am learning a lesson about tackling crochet projects rated as EXPERIENCED -- because these are something I would have never attempted before.
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Duh --take one step at a time. One teeny tiny direction at a time before rushing into the next stitch. Because you see before, I would always read the entire row and groan inwardly that there was no way I could ever understand this, much less attempt it with hook & thread.
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For example:
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Rnd 28: Slip st in next FPtr and around post next FPtr,

ch 4, work FPtr around each of next 5 sts

3 dc in next ch-2 sp, work FPtr around each of next 6 sts,

work Split FPtr, * work FPtr around each of next 6 sts,

3 dc in next ch-2 sp, work FPtr around each of next 6 sts,

work Split FPtr; repeat from * around; join with slip st

in fourth ch of beginning ch-4.

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What?!

In my previous life (ha) I would glance at the whole set of directions and k.n.o.w. there was no way I could ever crochet that row. But then the aha! moment came and I starte to read just one tiny section of the phrase -- worked it -- then moved onto the next phrase -- worked it -- and oila! progress & more importantly -->success!

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Yes, I know. Slower than most, but because I finally got that through my thick head, I actually completed for-experienced-only-crocheters EXCEPTIONAL doily!

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And the flowers -- from my husband for our 19th wedding anniversary. Perfect combination, don't you think?

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exceptional

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This is Mary Werst's Exceptional doily that I started awhile ago from this book. The dense-ness of the stitches is so totally unlike any doily that I have ever crocheted.
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I love that.
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And I also love this exceptional January snow that seems to intensify the sky with a blueness that is so vibrant & jewel-like.
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This is the view from our front yard -- yup, very blessed indeed.

And so thankful that so many years ago a lovely lady took the time during my lunch recess to teach me how to crochet doilies.

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I am using my # 7 steel crochet hook and my very, very favorite crochet thread, Aunt Lydia Bamboo Crochet Thread, size 10.

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My husband is under the very sad, mistaken notion that doily-love is only for grandmas from long, long ago & teases me that he is going to list me as 'Doily Dawn' in my obituary.

But don't worry -- I will properly educate him into becoming passionate about doilies strewn all over the house.

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Hmmm. I wonder what he'd think about a lovely crocheted edging on .... say... some of his clothing?

Ha.

I'm kidding, of course........

....but if anyone has the perfect pattern for masculine edgings, let me know.

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fudge brown chatelaine

Main Entry: chat·e·laine
Pronunciation: \ˈsha-tə-ˌlān\
Function: noun
Etymology: French châtelaine, feminine of châtelain
Date: 1845
a clasp or hook for a watch, purse, or bunch of keys

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Not only do I love the way the word 'chatelaine' just seems to roll off my tongue -- I also love the delicate image it conjurs up. Dainty & feminine. And serving a purpose.
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This fudge brown chatelaine will not be used as a clasp for keys, watch or purse, but rather it is to be used/worn as a simple pincushion.
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Using size 10 crochet thread I crocheted a basic granny square for the back of this chatelaine.

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And the top? A gorgeous flower granny square (this has to be my most favorite design for a granny square!)

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.(Addendum: it comes from one of my most favorite books: Beyond the Square Crochet Motifs by Edie Eckman)

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Yes. I just love, LOVE the petals on this.

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And to compliment the brown, I found scraps of cottonwood bandana fabric for the inside.

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I sewed up the sides and added a bit of poly-stuffing.

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And crocheted a simple cord so it can be worn around the neck & then encased the whole chatelaine with a seam of single crochet around the edge.

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Simple. Delicate. And very useful.

hip to be backed

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Talk about sturdy.

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Using my J afghan hook, I finished my 'hip to be square' potholder. And wow. The sturdiness of this Sugar 'n Cream cotton & layering 2 layers of tunisian -- well, this will be more than heat-resistant for taking warm things out of our oven.

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And I love the look and feel of using this loooooooong hook. A hook big enough for the *BFG.

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*(Our kids get such a kick out of this

literary favorite -- and whenever we

come across something super huge,

their response is always ---

"Wow, that's big enough for the BFG.")

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At first, I was intimidated by tunisian. I mean! That hook! That wonky way of keeping stitches on the hook. Forward Pass. Forward Return Pass. ??? (Yes. You can count on me for looking at something and figuring it is way too hard -- so why even try it.)

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But thank goodness, the intrigue of of so many beautifully made things is motivation enough for me to stay-on-task. And the absolute satisfaction of being able to do something I deemed way too difficult.....

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....well, that is always a huge hurdle for me.

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One I'm glad I can finally get over. Because feeling those stitches emerge -- that is a definite sort of tactile satisfaction. And of course -- just the simple beauty of doing.

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THIS describes it perfectly.

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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!