1

Aug

Still busy, but almost done!

Posted by   Published in Blog Stuff, Uncategorized

Hello Everyone,

I was hoping to be all caught up by now, but you know how things are when you are remodeling, they never go the way you expect them to go! But I know that by the end of this week, it will be all done and life will go back to normal again.

I wanted to add a note letting everyone know that there will soon be new stuff being posted!

► Merrilee, I can’t get my sewing machine to work, so I am having to do the lining by hand.

► I will soon have pictures of my new flooring to post!

► I will soon have a new Knook review with new pictures!

► I am still planning on writing more about Tunisian soon, putting it side-by-side with the Knook, but this time knowing what I am talking about!

► After going through Tunisian, the next step will be Filet Crochet!

So, stay tuned for all the cool stuff that will be coming up soon! I just need to get the home settled before I can concentrate on the blog again.  :)

Stay cool and see you all soon!

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28

Jul

Busy days…

Posted by   Published in Uncategorized

I know it’s unusual for the blog to go with no posts for so long, but I’ve been working on some updates around my home and it’s taking all of my time and energy! There are a couple of crochet projects I’ve been working on as I sit down to relax in the evenings, and I will be posting about them tomorrow.

One cool project to look forward to is a Chess Board Knitted Wrap I have started using the Knook! It’s still pretty small, but I will take some pictures and post it tomorrow evening.

I hope you’re all having a wonderful week!

1 comment

26

Jul

Amazon Widget Added to Blog

Posted by   Published in Blog Stuff

Well, since I keep posting about books and our blog is now available on Kindle, I thought it might be a good idea to add a widget to the menu on the right so that you can easily find these items if you want to buy them.

The widget is now available right under the “Categories” menu and lists some interesting items, including this blog, books mentioned as patterns used for projects posted here, and things like Tunisian hooks. I hope you find this useful.

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26

Jul

I was going to post that we reached 3,000 views last night…

Posted by   Published in Blog Stuff

But I missed the window of opportunity because we’re over 3,100 now!!

Wow, thanks so much to all Crazy Crochet Blog viewers. You guys are awesome!

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26

Jul

Forgotten Cats Ad on News Journal Tomorrow!

Posted by   Published in Animals, Charity

Well, you get an early preview here!  Just click on the image below to view it larger.

Forgotten Cats News Journal Ad (07/27/2011)

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26

Jul

Poll: Today is all about doilies!

Posted by   Published in Doily, Poll

2 comments

26

Jul

A Doily Break!

Posted by   Published in Doily, Projects

Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies by Leisure Arts

 
So, today, I decided to take a break from the ordinary (i.e.: granny square purses and the Knook).
 
I also looked through my projects-to-do list and saw that I owe my mom a doily and a table runner, so I pulled this awesome book I had been meaning to try out and started working on the doily!  You may be asking “What’s up with all the Leisure Arts stuff?” to what I’d reply “I’m a HUGE fan of their books and have TONS of them around my place!” And this is one of them.
 
The doily I am working on is actually the main one from the cover, and I got 9 rows done so far, so not a whole lot, but moving along. I am posting below a few pictures of what I have so far.
 
 
 
 

Doily - 9 Rows

 
 Of course, if you are going to work on something like a doily where each row is different and numbers do matter, you need to use a counter. I have some knitting counters that I will sometimes attach to the work with a large safety-pin, or a cable holder, but my favorite one is this table top counter. The real trick for using counters is to have a standard behavior using it. Whether you change the row number at the beginning of the row or at the end is irrelevant, what really matters is that you ALWAYS do it at the same time. I, for one, always hit the counter when I finish the rows. If you don’t always do the same, you will often find yourself looking at your counter and wondering which row that number actually is. It can be very confusing.
 
Doily in Progress

As you can see on the picture above, I am still at the very beginning of the doily. But, so far, so good. I am enjoying the pattern quite a bit, the stitches are fun to work with, and the pattern instructions is nice and clear. It’s true that when you work with something like this, you do need to pay a lot of attention to what you’re doing. But when it’s a fun project, paying attention isn’t difficult because you are anxiously watching as the doily develops at each row.

 
 
Another cool thing about this project is that I am using my totally cool  Boye Interchangeable Head Crochet Set for the very first time! I know, call me old-fashioned, but I had always just used the regular steel hooks when working with thread until today. And, to be honest, I would have never bought the set if it hadn’t been on clearance at JoAnn’s when I went in for a class. The price was so good that I just had to get it. Yeah, teaching at JoAnn’s can cost you a fortune!
 
While I love Boye hooks and think they are the best in the world (I really rave about them to my students), the concept of an interchangeable head just didn’t feel right to me. And having heard stories about them not working so great and coming apart or snagging the thread, I had just discarded the idea completely until the day I decided to buy this set. Once I bought it, the set just sat with my crochet stuff for months, until today, when I finally decided to give it a try. I had my regular hooks by me too, I was just going to try it real quick and put it away. And, at first, I did have a problem with the little part in the center unscrewing, but it soon started working without problems and I decided to continue using it.
 
Doily in Progress

Anyway, if you know me, you know that I started crocheting with thread, making doilies, so working on these are so much fun to me, and it brings a somewhat cozy feeling.

 
The volunteer whose shift started after mine today saw my barely started project and was talking about how people used to take doilies for granted when they were kids because everyone had a grandmother, or aunt, who crocheted and there were always doilies around the homes. She was mentioning how sad it is that these days, we mostly find only the made-in-China doilies and it’s just not the same thing.
 
To me, besides the cozy feeling of being back in my childhood, doilies remain something fascinating. They are so pretty, so delicate, and when you look at them from the distance, they look awesome and very different from what they look like when they’re in your hands. That, and the combination of so many different stitches and techniques that are used to get the effects, make doilies a wonderful project when you want to take a break and just relax while you allow your project to entertain and fascinate you.

 

 

4 comments

25

Jul

All right, tell me what purse you like best!

Posted by   Published in Poll, Projects

If you still haven’t seen all 6 Granny Square Madness Purses, well, shame on you! No, wait… I meant, click HERE to see them.  :)

Once you have had a chance to check them all out, let us know which one is your favorite!

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25

Jul

Et voila! Purse #6

Posted by   Published in Granny Square Purses, Projects

Purse #6

This is Granny Square Purse #6, and I really like it! One of the cool unique features in this purse is that it has different colors; one side is in a blue/purple tone, and the other side is in a brown color. I also love the shape of this purse, and it is the first purse in this group that has wooden handles, rather than my usual crocheted shoulder strap.

Purse #6

 It was the fastest purse to make so far, and I like the versatility that the colors provide. It’s almost like having two different purses. Like the ones I made before, the granny square used on this purse is from Leisure Arts’ 99 Granny Squares to Crochet book, and it was made using Lion Brand’s Homespun yarn, and I used 4 different colors. The variegated blue/purple and the variegated brown were leftovers from previous purses, and I added the creme to give a matching border for both sides. The black was actually a last-minute decision (and I was really glad to have a skein sitting around!), made when I realized I was going to have to use black handles, rather than the brown ones I intended to use. Interestingly enough, the black ended up giving this purse a striking contrast that really made it look great!

Purse #6

Purse #6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My initial idea was to use a larger wooden handle that would be big enough to go onto the shoulder. But once the purse was ready for the handles, I realized it would look much better with these smaller handles.

Purse #6

Purse #6

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So, there you have it! Purse #6 and, I have to say, my favorite one at the moment. Of course, that changes pretty quickly, but I just love the look of this purse and how easy and quick it was to make it. 
 
In case you haven’t been around the blog much, make sure you take a moment to check the other purses from this project:
 
Click HERE to check out the other purses from this project!
 

2 comments

24

Jul

And here is Granny Square Purse #5

Posted by   Published in Granny Square Purses, Projects

Purse #5

I know, it took me long enough, right? But somewhere between all the meetings and the huge Knook distraction, purse #5 sort of moved to the back burner.

So, without further ado, here it is! Made using the granny square triangle from the Leisure Arts’ 99 Granny Squares to Crochet book, and using the usual Homespun Lion Brand yarn, this is a very cute purse.

It is on the smaller side, like Purse #1, and it can be used either as a purse, or as a mini laptop, iPad, or eReader cover. I still need to add the button, but I don’t have it at home and didn’t want to wait until tomorrow to post the pictures. Since I never added a picture of Purse #2 with the button added, I will probably create a new post with the finished purses soon.

It can also be used as a sleeve for the electronics mentioned above by folding the strap and putting it inside the purse.

Here are more pictures, some with my mini laptop in it.

Purse #5 with a mini laptop in it 

As you can see, this would be a nice and cushy sleeve for your electronic equipment if you wanted to carry it inside a purse or hang it on your shoulder with the strap.

Purse #5

And, I am glad to announce that Purse #5 also carries Naomi’s seal of approval!

 
 
 
 Here are some more photos.
 

Purse #5

 

If you haven’t yet, please check out the other purses!

Please click HERE to check out the other Granny Square Purses!

 

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