Crochet New Year Resolutions

It's that time when we make our lists of things that we'll do better in the coming year. Here is my list of crochet/knit resolutions:

1. I will not buy more yarn than what will fit in my [huge] wicker trunk.
2. I will not buy more patterns either in hard copy or electronic format until I actually use at least 5% of what I purchased last year.
3. I will not tell my husband to shutup and go away when I'm counting stitches. Instead, I'll keep a notepad handy and write down the number when he speaks. Then I will respond to him in my best Stepford Wife tone until he's finished talking and goes away on his own.
4. I will not have more than 3 projects going at any given time (that's 3 in yarn and 3 in thread.)
5. I will keep my craft room neat and organized at all times.
6. I will not make another purse until I've lined the ones I've already made.
7. When I buy yarn, I will buy it for a specific project and will not buy the entire stock of the same dye lot just in case.
8. I will not spend hours looking through eBay listings just to see if there is anything I can't live without. I can live without it.
9. I will finish the 2 afghans I started last year.
10. I will nail knitting!

That's my list, what's yours? (Well, I can try can't I? LOL)

2 Days and Counting

I managed to get all of my gift crocheting done (YAY!) and now it's time to switch gears and finish all else that needs to be done before Monday. Our front yard looks like every tree in the neighborhood regurgited it's leaves on it just for us :o\, my yarn that was subdued for Thanksgiving has now retaken 1/4 of the livingroom, wrapping paper and bows are everwhere, there are half-finished gift baskets on the coffee table and we won't even talk about the laundry I've been ignoring!

So that's my agenda for today ~ getting control of my uncontrolled home! If I don't post before, have a Merry Christmas everyone!

Merry Christmas from Jose :)

When one doesn't have kids, the pets take the brunt of the "parent" silliness. So today, they were taking pet pictures with Santa at the little local mall. Of course, that meant a new Christmas costume for Jose for his picture with Santa adventure!

Since the photographer charges $30 for the pics on CD, I just brought my camera with me and took a few pics from the side. Strangely, they didn't object. Someday, I'll get my scanner working and this will no longer be an issue :P

So here is Jose in his holiday finery. I think he asked Santa for 10 bags of Pup-peronis :D



Merry Christmas to everyone from Santa and his new little Elf, Jose!

The original photo I posted did not have the Christmas goodie silhouette. That beautiful handiwork is thanks to my very sweet crochet and Pogo buddy Cris! Jose sends a great big Pup-peroni-scented smooch to you!

Almost There!

I'm nearly finished with all of the coasters for the Christmas cards. I felted a few things today (it's a secret as they are for the MCAL on CFL.) Tomorrow, I'll be finishing hubby's slippers and getting those felted so I can add the cuffs, and then it's a purse for my hairdresser followed by whatever I feel like working on!

I just love being on vacation!

Merry Christmas To Me!

I don't know about all of you other working stiffs out there, but I go to work for one reason and one reason only... money. Some folks say they also enjoy the challenge of the work, the socialization with their friends and peers. Not me. At the end of the day, it's just the money. Challenges don't pay the bills and I can socialize with my friends outside of work.

That said, I've been threatening my management for the last year that I was going to find another job in the facility unless they made it worth my while to stick around. They claimed I deserved it, but talk is cheap, ya know what I mean? I'm in a unique position because NO ONE knows what it is I do for a living. They know it's labeling systems, and they know it's global, but what that entails [specifically] remains a dark mystery for some unknown reason. So, taking advantage of that fact, I continued according to my plan of attack and it finally worked! I was told today that as of January 1st, I will officially become middle-management which will put a little more "umph" behind my bossiness ~ LOL.

So Merry Christmas to me! And a skein of yarn all around!!

Now back to my meatloaf... ;o)

It's Starting To Feel A Lot Like Christmas

We have been without a tree for a few years because our house is small and what I deemed a good tree just took up too much valuable space. Because we've been tree-less, it really hasn't felt like Christmas for a while. So this year I decided to buy a skinny tree and make the room for it. It went up today and it's all decorated :)



Yep, that's one skinny tree! LOL But hey, it adds the needed atmosphere and that's all that counts!

Merry Christmas everyone and may your holidays be blessed.

Holiday Card ~ And Here It Is!

As with most folks, I was out amongst the retail insanity on Black Friday. Surprisingly, it wasn't too bad. But our town is a bit smaller than most ~ for now. Anyway, as I was gathering my plunder, I came across the PERFECT Christmas Card to use for my doily card idea at Target. In fact, they had similar designs in red, green and white, so I bought all three! Why I didn't think of this sooner is beyond me as it would have saved a neuron or two.

Anyway, here be the final card. The cardstock is flocked velvet tone-on-tone, so adding a red coaster is definitely in the theme. I think the gold ribbon sets it off perfectly. The colors are deeper than what the photo shows, but you get the gist.



So ends THAT mission! LOL Now on to the next, getting the tree up and decorated and get a few projects in the washer to felt.

Ciao for now!

Holiday Card ~ Part II

OK, so I'm still looking for the perfect presentation for my Coaster Holiday Card idea. I picked up some sage green cardstock and a gold calligraphy paint pen at Joann's last time I was there. It's getting better (I think), but I'm still not thrilled with it. Am I being too anal? Maybe the cardstock itself needs texture and forget the gold pen. I guess the mission continues...



On a brighter note, it's going to be a gorgeous day! Partly sunny and 73 ~ so I think I'll crochet on the porch today :)

More later,
Mini

I'm Back ~ Finally!

Geez Louise man! Well, it turned out the fan I bought was not the right size and I ended up calling Dell. After being disconnected from the tech that had already made me go through a zillion motions to prove what I told him in the beginning was true (fan no spinny, no turny), I had to call back for a second round. At least this guy took me at my word - mostly. Anyway, the part was put on order and arrived at the 'computer guy's' shop on Tuesday. Then there was the aggravation of waiting for the phone call from the 'computer guy'. Thankfully, he showed up today.

I now have insight into why it took so long for the guy to come out and fix the beast. He arrived at the house at 1pm and didn't leave until 5pm. The repair itself only took 10 minutes max. Seems my husband and the computer guy hit it off and spent the afternoon flapping gums. I highly suspect this guy hits it off with everyone he meets thereby fixing only 1 computer per day.

Regardless, now that I'm up and running again, I'm a very happy camper and will be back to posting more about my crochet freakiness this weekend :oD

Wish Me Luck!

Computers. They are a necessary evil in my life. I work with them and I live on them at home. Sadly, I ignored an obvious warning sign and my home computer died on me. I'm thinking it's just the fan on the CPU, so I'll be replacing that this weekend. Cross your fingers that that is all it is.

I feel like my right arm has been ripped off. I do everything on the bloody thing. Banking, shopping, games, chatting, blogging... I find that the last few days that I've been without it, I wander the house aimlessly not knowing what to do with myself. Now that could be a sign that I'm getting so old that if my routine is disrupted, that I can't adjust. Nah... yeah...

Anyhoo, if all goes well, I'll be back on line tonight. Otherwise, I'll see sometime soon!

More Dippin'

As I'm realizing that Christmas is closer than I think ~ at least as far as making gifts is concerned ~ I'm starting to put in some real effort into indentifying which portion of my stash will go to make which gift for which person.

That said, here's what I've been working on this weekend.

Another Fat Bottom Bag
I bought this hand-dyed cord-type yarn specifically to make another one of these. It's not quite as bulky as worsted weight, so I dropped the hook size down to H. Therefore, it will be a wee bit smaller than the last one I made. I'm only halfway done with the body of the purse at this point, but wanted to share the yarn in the worst way. This has tropical summer written all over it!



The lighting made the colors come out brighter than they actually are, but the colorway is definitely bright.



Considering I'm halfway done with the body and I've only used up a small portion of the yarn, I guess I'll be thinking up things to do with the rest. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share!

Another Scarf
I'm participating in the '15 Weeks 'Til Christmas' CAL at Crochetville. The pic below is my scarf-of-the-week. I used the Fringe Fabulous Scarf pattern for inspiration. Since my ladder yarn was bulkier, I used an N hook and only 1 strand for fringe. I also knotted the fringe as opposed to 'hooking through the loop' to attach it. The yarn I used is Allegro by Online which has been discontinued.





That's it for crocheting this weekend. Gotta get ready for Halloween and get those treat bags done up ~ I don't want to get TP'd or anything. Have a great day!

Esperanza Fire

Thursday
The Esperanza fire is burning just a few miles from where we live, I'd say about 25 at the most in Cabazon. If you ever saw PeeWee's Big Adventure, the scene where he is sitting inside the dinosaur head looking out the mouth - that's in Cabazon.

The sky is thick with smoke. In broad daylight, you cannot see the mountains that are just 1 1/2 miles from our house. They evacuated our local hospital due to the smoke coming in through the air handling systems. I work about 50 miles from the fire and it was almost as thick there.

It has burned 10,000 acres at this point and they are estimating 25,000 will be burned by the time they can get control of it. 4 firemen are dead with one in critical condition. There was an RV park in the area with 400 people trapped. Some drove through the flames to get out. They survived, singed but alive.

It was moving toward Idyllwild (San Bernardino Forest) which was plagued with wood beetles that killed a lot of the trees. They are afraid that if it makes it that far, it will just take off even more.

They are reporting that the fire was intentionally started and are offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the arsonist(s). I'd call them murderers.


There are mountains there in the background. This picture was taken at 5:30pm in broad daylight from my front yard.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,225437,00.html

Very sad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Friday


Photo taken yesterday in Banning, CA at 10am. Banning is about 15 miles from us.

The fire has now consumed 24,000 acres and is only 5% contained.
http://www.towncrier.com/

Sunday
With the fire now 60% contained, the skies are clearing up and give you the feeling that life is returning to normal. For some anyway. The 5th fireman is still clinging to life. He had surgery where they removed 70% of the burned skin that covers over 90% of his body. 34 homes have been destroyed. 40,450 acres have been burned ~ way more than the original 25,000 estimate. The winds have subsided a bit and by this afternoon, there should be some humidity added to the atmosphere as an ocean breeze makes it's way in. They are estimating to have full containment by 6pm Tuesday.


There are those mountains!

Over 40 county investigators are working in conjunction with the FBI and the department of Firearms, Alcohol & Tobacco to hunt down the arsonist(s). I pity the fools when they find them. There is almost a lynch-mob mentality going on here and folks are just itchin' to find them.

I Found Them!

Short knitting needles with cables at Joanns ~ they are on order and the knitting challenge continues!

SWS

In my shopping frenzy a few weeks back, I picked up a couple of balls of Patons SWS [Soy Wool Stripes] in yummy fall colors. I decided it would make a nice man's cap and sifted through my patterns until I landed on the Stonehedge cap pattern from Crochet Garden. I lucked out big-time here because I ran out of yarn and had to go back for more and with 2 balls left in the bin, one of them was the same dye lot I was using (whew!). So here be the finished result.



This is a nice heavy hat that completely covers the ears and is perfect for those who live in colder climates than southern california. I made it for hubby so he can wear it when he's out on the ocean in his kayak netting lobsters (still waiting for the return on investment on that purchase!)

I had followed the instructions for the large size ~ as my husband has a big giant head ~ and it came down well past his eyebrows. So I frogged a few rows before I started the brim. The pattern is a wee bit on the large side. But then again, my husband doesn't have a lot of hair :D

As you work this yarn, any rubbing of the fabric while you work will cause fuzzing. So anything made with this yarn will require the use of a sweater shaver to maintain it's look. I'm not sure I'd make large items with it because of this, but for smaller items like this hat, the colors are drop-dead gorgeous and there's a wonderful sheen to it. It's definitely worth adding a few balls to your stash!

Happy Monday ;)

I'm Not Sure, But...

I think I hate knitting. I'll attempt once more and get back to you on this one...

Update
It comes down to the long needles. As long as I can use circulars, I'm ok because they're shorter. But using 10" straight needles are cumbersome and awkward to use. I know I've seen short needles with cables on the ends, now it's just a matter of remembering where... :o

Yarn Makes a Video

Parking my butt in front of a cheesy sci-fi movie with my yarn and hook in hand is a treat for me on the weekends. But finding a video filled with yarn is an absolute hoot!

Holiday Gift Cards

Work buddies. They're more than acquaintances, but spending money on a gift seems a bit much ~ and can create an awkward moment should you arrive at their desk with a nicely wrapped package ~ and giving them a card just doesn't seem enough. I have a lot of work buddies that fit this bill.

I saw some cards with knitted motifs on them and I thought they were cool. So I decided to take that idea and modify it to include a crocheted mini-doily/coaster. I still need to perfect the presentation, but here's the general idea.



I chose DMC Cebelia #10 thread in garnet for the crocheted piece as my cards will be for Christmas. A pretty deep blue could be used for a Hanukkuh card, or a maybe a dark purple for Kwanzaa. I starched it a bit so it would hold its shape. I purchased some plain white 6 1/2" x 5" cards from Michael's and glued an additional piece of colored paper to 'frame' the doily. I think I'll keep looking for a different background paper as I don't think the pink works all that well (the pic doesn't show it very well either.) Maybe something in a pearlized minty green. But anyway, you get the idea.

For attaching the doily to the card, I used a double-sided removable tape. Let's face it, cards go in the trash after the holiday is over. I made sure it was acid-free just in case my recipient decides to leave the card in tact (you never know.)

Anyway, I thought it was a nifty idea as I could make a different doily/coaster each year and my work buddies get something they can use on their holiday tables to make them more festive :)

More later, Mini

Jose

Hi, My name is Jose. I'm 3 years old and I live with Mini and her husband. I came to live with them about a year ago. They take care of me and take me on car rides all the time. So, (sigh), I tolerate it when they try to dress me up. This is me in my fairy wings that we got at the Renaissance Faire last spring. Nice, huh?



Then there was the board shorts and the straw hat when we went to Pismo Beach. Thank God, they don't have a picture of that! This is my latest torture, a hat for Halloween. I guess it's supposed to be witch legs coming out of my head. My ears didn't fit in the ear holes. Stupid hat.



OK, I've had enough! This thing is coming off! Don't you have a yarn sale at Michael's to go to today?



Don't get me wrong, I'm very thankful that I escaped the shelter and I love both of them dearly. But geez leweez man! Do they have to waste money on this crap?! I live in fear of what's awaiting me for Christmas :\

I'm going to go hide under the bed for a while.

Jose

Playing with Marbles

As I've mentioned many times before, one of my current fave yarns is Marble by James C. Brett. I worked up some super simple wristlets in it ~ playing around mostly to see if they could become Christmas gifts. I think they came out good enough to rate as a giftable item if I couple a pair with a scarf. Maybe... or maybe I'll just keep 'em :oD

These are the colorways that I used ~ Berry (my favorite), and so far, the One-Skein Scarf in the green/pink/blue (can't find name).



Doesn't the green/pink/blue colorway remind you of an English garden? I just love how this yarn works up!



Here is the super simple pattern for the wristlets (aka, tube with a hole): H (5.00mm) hook

Note 1: Turning ch does not count as the first stitch. You will be stitching in each stitch. This will make for smoother, straighter edges at the top and bottom.

Note 2: Add or delete rows to fit your hand as needed. I wear a medium size glove and 13 rows worked well.

Ch 31. (ch 36 if you like a fold-over cuff)

Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn. (30 or 35 hdc now and throughout)

Rows 2 - 13: Hdc in back loop of 1st hdc and in each hdc across, ch 1, turn.

Working through back loop of Row 13 and beginning ch on opposite side, sl st in first 10 sts to join upper portion of wristlet; then sl st in next 5 ch on the back side only to make the thumb opening; skipping 5 hdc of the front side, pick up to continue joining both sides and sl st to end. Finish off and weave in loose ends securely.

That's it~ like I said... a tube with a hole!



Ciao for now!

WIP & Plow, Plow & WIP

Those WIPs are still calling, but of course I had to work with some of the yarn I bought in my shopping frenzy. I've been looking for a pattern for a man's scarf that a real man would wear, (non-GQ type), and they are sorely lacking. Most are so plain that I'd spaz out from boredom in about 5 minutes. So, I mucked around and came up with a simple, yet decent pattern that I think will work well as a Christmas gift. I used 2 hanks of that yummy Silky Tweed yarn I picked up and it is oh-so-soft.



It's comprised of nothing more than alternating rows of dc and sc. The edging is simply a single row of sc ending with a row of reversed sc. The finished dimensions came out at 4 1/4" wide x 64" long.

I also finished up a couple of charity items ~ a baby blanket, sweater and cap. The blanket is made with Paton's Melody. The sweater and cap are done in Bernat Softee Baby.



And finally, I finished up a few 12" afghan squares that are going to a fellow grouper in need, as well as, my Halloween swap at CFL. Whew! There are still a few WIPs left, so I'm going to get back at it. My goal is to have as much of them finished this weekend so I can move on to other projects.

I've also put myself on yarn restriction until I use up at least 50% of my stash. That should put me out shopping again sometime in late 2007 - LOL!!

Ciao for now,
Mini

Yarn Shopping

It all started because my hair appointment was mis-scheduled for next Saturday. There lied the danger! My favorite LYS is just across the street, JoAnn's is in the same shopping center and across from them is a Big Lots.

From the LYS, I bought some neat hand-dyed yarn to make another Fat Bottom Bag, some silk yarn that I'll use to make scarves for Christmas gifts, some Noro wool and the SNB Nation book.

From JoAnn's, a new standing yarn tote and some RH to make some 12" squares to help out another person in another group make an afghan, some Angel Hair yarn and 2 sets of purse handles - 1 wood, 1 bamboo.

Then I got an itch for Big Lots. (After all, why stop now?) If you don't have these stores in your area, they buy large lots of discontinued or overstock items. I get the itch for this store about once or twice a year. When I walked through the door, off to the left, I saw yarn - they never have yarn! They were selling Bernat Galaxy for $1 a ball. I bought 30.

Needless to say, everything is still in the trunk of my car...

:oP Mini

WIPs Running Amok

You know what I mean. Those 10 different projects you started because they sounded good at the time but then you quickly lost interest and just piled them up thinking you'll get to them later but then later turns into weeks, then [possibly] months? Well, I'm clearing it all out so I can shift my focus to fun, wintry Christmas gift crocheting :) Here are a few I finished off last weekend.

August HH Swap. This was a choice of either an 'autumn' item or a Halloween item. My partner preferred something she could use throughout the fall as opposed to something specific to a holiday. So I worked up 4 of my favorite Patricia Kristofferson coasters in fall colors and made up a little gift basket for her.












One Skein Scarf. My CFL and Pogo buddy Cris was raving about the one skein scarf in the SNBCHH book and I decided I needed to check it out. She was right! Very cute and a simple pattern that I ended up using as a stress reliever for my minions at work (one expressed an interest in learning and not being one to pass up an opportunity to share our obsession...) So we ended a bit of a stressful week with a little relaxing, quality crochet time at work :) Can it get any better than that?



I'll be posting more soon as there are more WIPs to finish! ;)

xoxo,
Mini

Not A Stitch Diva

Many of the crochet blogs that I read belong to those who aspire to have their original patterns published. I guess I am not one of those. I crochet because I enjoy it, not because I want to become the next stitch diva. Now I'm not doggin' these folks, whatever floats your boat and more power to ya! It's just that I have always found that once I put a price tag on my work, I suddenly detest it and all joy is gone. Not that I haven't also had these thoughts - and it always sounds like a good idea at the time - but it always turns sour for me. It must be that rebellious bone that I grew as a teenager and never quite got rid of. Once it resembles anything close to a job, it falls into the "I'd rather be doing something else" category.

But if I did want to aspire to be the next stitch diva, it would be Patricia Kristofferson that I'd hope to emulate. What that woman can do with thread! She is my hero.

I much prefer to give my work away. I'm hobbit-like in that I love giving presents ~ pretty wrapping paper, crafted gift baskets, fancy trims and inside, something I made just for you. No one else has it. That is where my joy is. That and collecting yarn, hooks and patterns ;)

So etsy and ebay away comrades, I'll stay right here in my nest of patterns and yarn agonizing over what I'm going to make next. My feet will be up, the tube will be on and I'll be in 7th heaven!

Ciao for Now!

The Lost Doily

This is a pattern that a fellow grouper had lost years ago. I'm assuming it was published once-upon-a-time, but no one was able to locate it for her. Armed with a photo of the doily, I re-engineered the pattern and the results are below. Should anyone know the publisher or copyright status of this pattern, please let me know. Otherwise, I assume that my interpretation is the only one that exists.



Size
Approximately 10 inches in diameter

Materials
1 ball DMC Cebelia crochet cotton, size 10
U.S. Steel Hook No. 7

Gauge
Not critical (see notes at end of pattern)

Doily
Ch 6, join with sl st to form ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3, 23 dc in ring, join with sl st to top of ch-3.
Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, (ch 6, sk 3 dc, sc in next dc) 5 times; ch 3, dc in first sc. (6 loops)
Rnd 3: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, ch 6, sc in same loop (ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 6, sc in same loop) 5 times; ch 3, dc in first sc. (12 loops)
Rnd 4: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, (ch 6, sc in next loop) 11 times; ch 3, dc in first sc. (12 loops)
Rnd 5: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 6 sc in same loop, [(ch 6, sc in next loop) twice; ch 6, sc in next loop] 5 times; ch 3, dc in first sc. (18 loops)
Rnd 6: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, (5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop, ch 6, sc in next loop) 8 times; 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop, ch 3, dc in first sc. (9 shells, 9 loops)
Rnd 7: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop) 8 times; 5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, 5 dc in next sc, join with sl st in first sc. (18 shells)
Rnd 8: Sl st in next 3 dc, ch 1, sc in same dc, (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 6, sc in next sc, ch 6, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc) 9 times; ch 6, sc in next dc, ch 3, dc in first sc. (9 shells, 18 loops)
Rnd 9: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, (ch 6, sc in same loop, ch 6, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 6 sc in same loop, ch 6, sc in next loop) 8 times; ch 6, sc in same loop, ch 6, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, ch 6, sc in next loop, ch 6, sc in same loop; ch 3, dc in first sc. (45 loops)
Rnds 10 & 11: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, ch 6, sc in next loop around ending with ch 3, dc in first sc. (45 loops)

Beginning of Shell Groups
Rnd 12: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, * 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop; (ch 6, sc in next loop) 4 times; repeat from * around ending with ch 3, dc in first sc. (9 shells, 36 loops)
Rnd 13: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, * (5 dc in next sc, sk 3 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop) 3 times; repeat from * around ending with ch 3, dc in first sc. (18 shells, 27 loops)
Rnd 14: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, * (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc) twice; 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop, (ch 6, sc in next loop) twice; repeat from * around ending with ch 3, dc in first sc. (27 shells, 18 loops)
Rnd 15: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, * (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc) 3 times; 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop, ch 6, sc in next loop; repeat from * around ending with ch 3, dc in first sc. (36 shells, 9 loops)
Rnd 16: Ch 1, sc in loop just formed, * (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc) 4 times; 5 dc in next sc, sc in next loop; repeat from * around ending with sl st in first sc. (45 shells)
Rnd 17: Sl st in next 3 dc, # (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc) 4 times; sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, turn;
Sl st in next 3 dc, (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc) 3 times; sk 2 dc, sl st in next dc, turn;
Sl st in next 3 dc, (5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sc in next dc, sk 2 dc) twice; sk 2 dc, sl st in next dc, turn;
Sl st in next 3 dc, 5 dc in next sc, sk 2 dc, sl st in next dc. Finish off.

Next 8 Shell Groups
Attach thread with sl st to 3rd dc of 1st shell on right side of shell group. Repeat Rnd 17 from # to complete. Finish off and weave in all ends.
Rnd 18: Attach thread to any sc between shell groups, ch 1, sc in same st, sc evenly around, join with sl st to first sc. Finish off, weave in ends.

Gauge Notes
The doily I made used approximately 2/3 to 3/4 of the ball of Cebelia. This is roughly 190 – 215 yards to complete the pattern. If you use a different brand, be sure you have enough of the same color in the same dye lot.

I crochet rather tightly and this pattern produced a bit of a ruffled piece, but I was easily able to smooth out during blocking. Should you crochet on the loose side, I would recommend the following changes:

Rnd 1: Ch 1, 24 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc.
Change all instructions from ‘ch 6’ to ‘ch 5’.
Change all instructions for ending loops from ‘end with ch 3, dc in first sc’ to ‘end with ch 2, dc in first sc’.

Enjoy!

Interpretation copyright 2006

Well, here we are at my blog

I should have my head examined for starting anything else that requires maintenance. I already have a website that I don't maintain. But, what the heck? I need something to do while I rest my wrists from crocheting ;)

Speaking of which, I have far too many WIPs. I must have started at least 10 different projects in the last month, most of which no longer hold any appeal for me. So after I finish my latest exchange item, I think I'll take some time to go through everything - patterns, yarn, WIPs and all and decide what goes and what stays. Maybe I have too much crochet clutter to be able to focus on any one thing. Too much distraction. Yeah, that's it! LOL

Here's a pic of the last thing I made for myself. Had I not been leading a crochet-a-long, I probably wouldn't have finished it either! It's made with Marble by James C. Brett and I am jonesing big-time for more of this yarn! The pattern is a freebie I found on line: Blue Jeans Shawl



For you LOTR freaks, yes, that is Sam's and Bill the Pony's head just above the shawl. Another one of my obsessions - Sideshow Weta sculptures of LOTR characters.



This is the Fat Bottomed Bag from the Stitch 'n' Bitch Happy Hookers book. I made it as an exchange item for my chucklebuddy Cris at Crochet for Life! I didn't have the good sense to take a picture of it before I sent it on, so I had to snag it from her blog (so lame, I know). Anyway, I made it with Bamboo yarn from South West Trading Co. in Parrot which I thought worked really well! Cris made it look even better with her nice photography :)

That's all the rambling for now. I'll post again when I am better organized.

Ciao Babies! Mini