Time to pop in for a brief update post!
Cheerful Afghan--
No real progress since last time. I've started a block-- the Crocodile Flower square-- but I set it aside "for a moment" and just haven't been able to work up the enthusiasm to pick it back up, again. In fact, I've gone so far as the carry the basket of yarn and WIP out of the living room and into the craft room. This is a Big Deal. (g) If a WIP is no longer in the living room, it is officially in hibernation mode. Someday I'll get the urge to finish the afghan, but for now, it's not even on the back burner; it's cooled off, packed up, and in the back of the fridge, hidden behind the pickles and baking soda. Fortunately, yarny works-in-progress don't spoil and turn into moldy science experiments. ;o)
Unraveling Sweaters--
After unraveling those wool sweaters (see last entry), I thought I was taking a break from sweater deconstruction. However, the unraveling bug bit again, and I found myself pulling out a shoebox of partially unraveled 100% cotton sweaters. After a few evenings of that, it became obvious that I have quite a lot of cotton to use up. Someone remind me not to buy any more 100% cotton sweaters to unravel in the near future, ok? Even if they're just a dollar. First, because I have so much already in stash. Second, because I really kind of hate crocheting with the stuff. It has its uses, but it just hurts my hands! Which brings me to...
Cotton Basket--
We have this sideboard (or cyborg, as members of this household call it) in the breakfast room. It has doors on each end, but in the middle there are three open shelves. For a while, I've thought that I'd like to have baskets to fit (if not completely fill) one or more of these shelves. Why not crochet a basket from some of that cotton I already have on hand?
That's what I'm working on now. I'm holding together four strands of the reclaimed cotton and crocheting a rectangle for the bottom of the basket. It's not going to be as deep or as wide as the shelves, because they are so huge. (They're about 18" deep and 19" wide.) I'm sure that any basket in those dimensions would be very floppy-sided, crocheted in this yarn. Even if I used 8 strands or more, it might not be sturdy enough. But I might try it anyway... Or even look into crocheting with strips of fabric. If only it didn't tire my hands so much to crochet with cotton and fabric! I love the look, hate the process.
Anyway, I'm not going to let my work so far go to waste. Either I'll use the basket in one of the shelves or I'll find another place for it. ...But first I have to finish it, and that may take a while. (Pictures to follow, someday.)
Secret Project--
Before I let myself by swept away in a whirlwind of cotton unraveling and crocheting, I was working on a small-scale secret project of the sort that hurts my hands to make and is generally just not very pleasant. Still, the results will be cute, and since I've come this far, there's no turning back. I need to have it finished early next month, so my vacation from it will have to be brief.
Thread Crochet--
I'm also working on a larger-scale thread crochet project--which doesn't hurt my hands and so has been much more enjoyable. I'll post more about it some other time, when I have photos to share. It may take a while, though...
Non-Crafty Stuff--
I've been devoting less time to crafty pursuits lately because of a couple of outdoor projects.
First, we're in the process of insulating and drywalling our new garage. It's a very slow process, at the moment. I try to help when and where I can, but at the moment (putting the drywall on the ceiling), I find myself just standing and "supervising" a lot. (g) I help Donald (my husband) get the drywall in place, fetch tools and screws, and help him see where the studs are, but while he does most of the work (i.e. getting up on the ladder and handling the drill), I'm somewhat at a loss for things to do. It's a bit dull, to tell the truth. I want to be nearby to help when I can, so there's no wandering off too far, yet most of the time my presence isn't really necessary. I'll be glad when this part is done! (When we work on the walls, I'll be able to help more, I hope.) We're trying to get the drywall finished before the worst of the summer heat sets in, but it feels pretty summery already, some days!
The other outdoor project? Just trying to get "stuff" done before the dreaded heat and humidity kick into high gear. I still need to spread a mountain of mulch, transplant a crepe myrtle, plant some seeds, monitor seeds already planted (and then transplant them to flower beds, pots), etc. Oh, and I'll have to deal with about a million weeds that are growing here, there, everywhere. Also, this year we're trying a raised bed with some tomatoes and maybe a few other vegetables. Our last attempt at tomatoes was a dismal failure. Some birds fixated on them. Maybe we'll have better luck this time.
Phew. By comparison, a little stiff cotton yarn should be a walk in the park!
Cheerful Afghan--
No real progress since last time. I've started a block-- the Crocodile Flower square-- but I set it aside "for a moment" and just haven't been able to work up the enthusiasm to pick it back up, again. In fact, I've gone so far as the carry the basket of yarn and WIP out of the living room and into the craft room. This is a Big Deal. (g) If a WIP is no longer in the living room, it is officially in hibernation mode. Someday I'll get the urge to finish the afghan, but for now, it's not even on the back burner; it's cooled off, packed up, and in the back of the fridge, hidden behind the pickles and baking soda. Fortunately, yarny works-in-progress don't spoil and turn into moldy science experiments. ;o)
Unraveling Sweaters--
After unraveling those wool sweaters (see last entry), I thought I was taking a break from sweater deconstruction. However, the unraveling bug bit again, and I found myself pulling out a shoebox of partially unraveled 100% cotton sweaters. After a few evenings of that, it became obvious that I have quite a lot of cotton to use up. Someone remind me not to buy any more 100% cotton sweaters to unravel in the near future, ok? Even if they're just a dollar. First, because I have so much already in stash. Second, because I really kind of hate crocheting with the stuff. It has its uses, but it just hurts my hands! Which brings me to...
Cotton Basket--
We have this sideboard (or cyborg, as members of this household call it) in the breakfast room. It has doors on each end, but in the middle there are three open shelves. For a while, I've thought that I'd like to have baskets to fit (if not completely fill) one or more of these shelves. Why not crochet a basket from some of that cotton I already have on hand?
That's what I'm working on now. I'm holding together four strands of the reclaimed cotton and crocheting a rectangle for the bottom of the basket. It's not going to be as deep or as wide as the shelves, because they are so huge. (They're about 18" deep and 19" wide.) I'm sure that any basket in those dimensions would be very floppy-sided, crocheted in this yarn. Even if I used 8 strands or more, it might not be sturdy enough. But I might try it anyway... Or even look into crocheting with strips of fabric. If only it didn't tire my hands so much to crochet with cotton and fabric! I love the look, hate the process.
Anyway, I'm not going to let my work so far go to waste. Either I'll use the basket in one of the shelves or I'll find another place for it. ...But first I have to finish it, and that may take a while. (Pictures to follow, someday.)
Secret Project--
Before I let myself by swept away in a whirlwind of cotton unraveling and crocheting, I was working on a small-scale secret project of the sort that hurts my hands to make and is generally just not very pleasant. Still, the results will be cute, and since I've come this far, there's no turning back. I need to have it finished early next month, so my vacation from it will have to be brief.
Thread Crochet--
I'm also working on a larger-scale thread crochet project--which doesn't hurt my hands and so has been much more enjoyable. I'll post more about it some other time, when I have photos to share. It may take a while, though...
Non-Crafty Stuff--
I've been devoting less time to crafty pursuits lately because of a couple of outdoor projects.
First, we're in the process of insulating and drywalling our new garage. It's a very slow process, at the moment. I try to help when and where I can, but at the moment (putting the drywall on the ceiling), I find myself just standing and "supervising" a lot. (g) I help Donald (my husband) get the drywall in place, fetch tools and screws, and help him see where the studs are, but while he does most of the work (i.e. getting up on the ladder and handling the drill), I'm somewhat at a loss for things to do. It's a bit dull, to tell the truth. I want to be nearby to help when I can, so there's no wandering off too far, yet most of the time my presence isn't really necessary. I'll be glad when this part is done! (When we work on the walls, I'll be able to help more, I hope.) We're trying to get the drywall finished before the worst of the summer heat sets in, but it feels pretty summery already, some days!
The other outdoor project? Just trying to get "stuff" done before the dreaded heat and humidity kick into high gear. I still need to spread a mountain of mulch, transplant a crepe myrtle, plant some seeds, monitor seeds already planted (and then transplant them to flower beds, pots), etc. Oh, and I'll have to deal with about a million weeds that are growing here, there, everywhere. Also, this year we're trying a raised bed with some tomatoes and maybe a few other vegetables. Our last attempt at tomatoes was a dismal failure. Some birds fixated on them. Maybe we'll have better luck this time.
Phew. By comparison, a little stiff cotton yarn should be a walk in the park!