Sew I See!

Pattern: "Marion", by Grace Fearon Thread: DMC Baroque (size 10) in "Ecru" Hook size: 1.75mm Click here for my Ravelry project page. The designer now offers (as an additional, separate purchase) a full-project video tutorial (which streams through Facebook, I believe) for people who can prove they have bought the written pattern.  I haven't seen it and don't plan to purchase it, but I imagine such a video would be useful for crocheters who have trouble working from written instructions or who are apprehensive about following an advanced pattern on their own. My project notes: What an excellent doily design! The texture is amazing and the written pattern detailed. I enjoyed making this from start to finish. This is not for a beginner (unless it’s the most adventurous, determined beginner in the world!), but if you take it one bit at a time, I think it’s less challenging than it may look. Just be sure to read the pattern carefully, count your

I finished "Marion" a while ago, but simply never remembered it needed blocking until nighttime, and I prefer to do my blocking when there's plenty of daylight and I'm fully awake.  Last week, I finally remembered at an appropriate time, so the FO post for that should follow shortly. Otherwise, I've been sewing more crumbs again.  It's slim pickings in my crumb box.  The box is by no means empty, but there's not a lot of variety, so I'll probably stop again, before long.  Time to work on something more structured and let the crumbs accumulate a bit.  Even without as much variety as I'd like, it's still fun to see what you can make out of practically nothing.  (The seams didn't all meet in that star block on top.  I need practice!  --But since this is super casual scrappy/crumby piecing, I'm not that bothered.  It's plenty good enough for my crumb quilt.) My current crochet project is also scrappy.  It's something star

(Squeezing in as many mysterious abbreviations as possible in that title field... ;o)) First, I have way too many photos of the latest finished objects-- the "window quilts".  Here they are after quilting, but before washing. I straight-line quilted them on my sewing machine.  This is the most densely I've ever quilted anything bigger than a pot-holder, I think.  It was sometimes a struggle to maneuver through the limited harp/throat space, even with such a relatively small piece. The backing is just the same cream sheet I used for the carpenter's star "window quilt" I made before, and the binding is a solid golden yellow. Here they are after washing and drying. First, the valance/runner.  (I don't think I got the whole thing in any single photo, but this is the gist of it...) The first photo was taken with a flash; this is how the valance generally looks when the light inside is brighter than the light comin

As promised, I'm back with some photos of the finished and blocked crochet table runner .  The light could've been better (or I could've bothered to use the tripod), but they'll do. Of course, now that I look at these photos, all I can see is the incongruity of my blocking-- the wobbling lines-- but, again, it will do.  I do  think it looks nice on the table, especially when I'm not staring directly at it, looking for flaws.  ;o) The pattern was designed by Kazuko Hayashi and was published in a Japanese book ( Beautiful Pineapple Crochet Lace ).  Though there are some instructions in Japanese only, I think the chart was clear enough to follow without that extra information.  (The book appears to be out of print...) Since I wasn't sure about the required yardage and wanted to be sure I'd have enough thread, I used one of those huge  "jumbo" balls of Aunt Lydia's Classic Crochet in the "Natural" color (ecru/cream).  I ha

There's something new on the blocking mat!  It's a thread crochet table runner that I started back in April, so it's been a while in coming-- though to be fair, I haven't worked on it non-stop since then.  (It's only felt that way, sometimes!) My blocking job's not perfect, but it'll do. It's a pretty design, and I'm happy with my results, but I wouldn't want to make it again.  All that back and forth of crocheting rows (rather than rounds, which I prefer)!  The separate strips that require multiple "pep talks" to get started and finished!  The joining of the different elements!  The edging!  This was definitely a "product project" rather than a "process project"-- meaning that I kept crocheting more because I wanted the finished product than because I particularly enjoyed the process of crocheting it. Once it's dry, I'll try to get some good photos without the blocking mat and all the