I've been making an effort to work through some of the backlog of UFOs (unfinished objects, to the uninitiated).
I finished the "Rustic Shawl" and even weaved in the tails, though I've yet to photograph it. (I haven't blocked it, either, but I'm not sure I'll bother... It's definitely a casual-- one might even say "rustic" ;o)-- shawl, and if/when I ever wear it, I think it looks fine as-is.) I'll try to take photos soon.
Then I picked up a project that has been in hibernation since the summer of 2013-- the "Ruby Cardiff Cowl". I'd crocheted it on the plane ride across the Atlantic. When I got home, I put it away, and though I've thought about it from time to time, I didn't want to get it back out, because the next thing to do was to decide how big it should be and whether to cut the yarn or keep going. In the end, I added a few more rounds, but I'm still not sure it's the ideal length. In any case, it'll be wearable. There are ends to weave in, then it'll be ready to photograph, too.
The most recent UFO to come out of hibernation is the "Cozy Cottage Popcorn Pillow".
I'm getting close to finishing the front, and I think the back is just a plain square. There are instructions for the back in the pattern, but if they're not for a plain square, I might just not follow that part of the pattern!
The popcorn stitches are fun to make, and I enjoy the texture they add to crochet.
The yarn is a very soft cotton reclaimed from a ($1) thrift store sweater. Beige is kind of boring to work with, but it's a perfectly serviceable color-- particularly for a cushion cover.
Luna was posing prettily when I got the camera out to take that quick snapshot of the pillow cover, so of course she had to have her picture taken, too. (They're a bit grainy, because we're keeping the curtains and blinds mostly closed against the crazy-hot sunny days of mid-July.)
Serious Luna:
Smiling Luna:
I've been keeping an eye on a couple of summer mystery crochet-alongs (MCALs) for afghans. I'm feeling tempted, but there are already three hibernating afghans on my list of on-going projects. (They are the scrappy granny square afghan, the "Simply Soft" hexagon afghan, and the blues-and-greens sampler afghan.) Technically, I should probably just work on one of those until the mood passes. And yet-- for some reason-- I've jotted down the yarn requirements for one of them and have been thinking through the contents of my acrylic stash... There's plenty of yarn there. Just a matter of taking the plunge...
If anyone else is interested, here are links to the two crochet-alongs in question:
Julie Yeager's (or JulieAnny's) "Summer Mosaic" Mystery'Ghan 2015
Go to her group on Ravelry for more info, or here's a link directly to the pattern page.
If you act fast, you can join this MCAL and get the pattern (with updates) for free!
I participated in her past two MCALs and had a lot of fun with them. This year's pattern is written for a bulky-weight yarn, which is something new. It sounds like quite a few people will be using worsted weight, though. The resultant blanket will be smaller, of course, but most afghans can be increased in size by adding motifs and/or wide borders.
The teaser photo is gorgeous. I love the scrumptious yarn she's using, but if I were to participate this year, I'd stick to stashed yarns. (Too much stash and too many other things I'd rather buy with that money...)
Melinda Miller's "Mrs. Ghan" MCAL
Go to her group on Ravelry for more info, or here's a link directly to the pattern page.
Again, if you "purchase" (free with coupon) the first clue early enough, you'll get the subsequent clues for free, too.
This one's described as a "full-sized feminine afghan", which sounds very interesting... (I love feminine afghans!)
I've crocheted at least a couple of this designer's blocks in the past and enjoyed them-- and if you're not familiar with her work, you can browse her designs on Ravelry to get a feel for her style. (Actually, if you're not worried about seeing spoilers, you can sneak a peek at MCAL participants' results from following the first clue, since the CAL has already started. Just go to her group's forum and find the thread that's labeled for spoilers.)
Well, back to the pillow cover!
I finished the "Rustic Shawl" and even weaved in the tails, though I've yet to photograph it. (I haven't blocked it, either, but I'm not sure I'll bother... It's definitely a casual-- one might even say "rustic" ;o)-- shawl, and if/when I ever wear it, I think it looks fine as-is.) I'll try to take photos soon.
Then I picked up a project that has been in hibernation since the summer of 2013-- the "Ruby Cardiff Cowl". I'd crocheted it on the plane ride across the Atlantic. When I got home, I put it away, and though I've thought about it from time to time, I didn't want to get it back out, because the next thing to do was to decide how big it should be and whether to cut the yarn or keep going. In the end, I added a few more rounds, but I'm still not sure it's the ideal length. In any case, it'll be wearable. There are ends to weave in, then it'll be ready to photograph, too.
The most recent UFO to come out of hibernation is the "Cozy Cottage Popcorn Pillow".
I'm getting close to finishing the front, and I think the back is just a plain square. There are instructions for the back in the pattern, but if they're not for a plain square, I might just not follow that part of the pattern!
The popcorn stitches are fun to make, and I enjoy the texture they add to crochet.
The yarn is a very soft cotton reclaimed from a ($1) thrift store sweater. Beige is kind of boring to work with, but it's a perfectly serviceable color-- particularly for a cushion cover.
- - - - - - -
Luna was posing prettily when I got the camera out to take that quick snapshot of the pillow cover, so of course she had to have her picture taken, too. (They're a bit grainy, because we're keeping the curtains and blinds mostly closed against the crazy-hot sunny days of mid-July.)
Serious Luna:
Smiling Luna:
- - - - - - -
I've been keeping an eye on a couple of summer mystery crochet-alongs (MCALs) for afghans. I'm feeling tempted, but there are already three hibernating afghans on my list of on-going projects. (They are the scrappy granny square afghan, the "Simply Soft" hexagon afghan, and the blues-and-greens sampler afghan.) Technically, I should probably just work on one of those until the mood passes. And yet-- for some reason-- I've jotted down the yarn requirements for one of them and have been thinking through the contents of my acrylic stash... There's plenty of yarn there. Just a matter of taking the plunge...
If anyone else is interested, here are links to the two crochet-alongs in question:
Julie Yeager's (or JulieAnny's) "Summer Mosaic" Mystery'Ghan 2015
Go to her group on Ravelry for more info, or here's a link directly to the pattern page.
If you act fast, you can join this MCAL and get the pattern (with updates) for free!
I participated in her past two MCALs and had a lot of fun with them. This year's pattern is written for a bulky-weight yarn, which is something new. It sounds like quite a few people will be using worsted weight, though. The resultant blanket will be smaller, of course, but most afghans can be increased in size by adding motifs and/or wide borders.
The teaser photo is gorgeous. I love the scrumptious yarn she's using, but if I were to participate this year, I'd stick to stashed yarns. (Too much stash and too many other things I'd rather buy with that money...)
Melinda Miller's "Mrs. Ghan" MCAL
Go to her group on Ravelry for more info, or here's a link directly to the pattern page.
Again, if you "purchase" (free with coupon) the first clue early enough, you'll get the subsequent clues for free, too.
This one's described as a "full-sized feminine afghan", which sounds very interesting... (I love feminine afghans!)
I've crocheted at least a couple of this designer's blocks in the past and enjoyed them-- and if you're not familiar with her work, you can browse her designs on Ravelry to get a feel for her style. (Actually, if you're not worried about seeing spoilers, you can sneak a peek at MCAL participants' results from following the first clue, since the CAL has already started. Just go to her group's forum and find the thread that's labeled for spoilers.)
Well, back to the pillow cover!