Following A Pattern. Exactly.

Okay, not quite up to working *and* daily updates, so it'll be M,W,F (I hope) this week and next. Sorry 'bout that! (I figure most people either have final exams, are grading final exams, or are dealing with someone doing either or both, or are on Summer Vacation - so sporadic updates won't really be noticed just yet. Okay, totally not, but it's what I'm telling myself so I don't beat myself up about getting sick.)

ANYway, for Charms this month, there's a challenge to Follow A Pattern EXACTLY. You know me - I'm not good at this. But, at this point, I'm working on my sixth American Flag Potholder, I've figured out most of the tricks to making it look good within the "specifics" of The Pattern. And I think I can make it EXACTLY according to the pattern. First, I actually have The Actual Yarn Called For By The Pattern. I'm not 100% certain, but this may be a first for me! Here are my ball-bands for proof.


Then, I'm falling onto "or size needed to obtain gauge" - I'm a really *tight* crocheter (the opposite of my knitting!), so I actually had to kick up to a 6.50mm hook to get gauge. But that "or size needed" means I can do this, and still be following The Pattern EXACTLY.

As silly as it sounds, I actually have to count every row to make sure I've got 36 stitches across. Something about stitching into just the back loop throws me off, which doesn't make sense, but is what's happening. Sigh. Anyway, this is what I got done during lunch today.

Starting chain, exactly 37 stitches long. Woohoo!


... and the first five stripes done. Finally figured out how to make the front-side all pretty (and the back not all that bad) while still doing the "finish last stitch with next yarn" thing.


Now, what's really kicky is the total vague at the end of the instructions."With A, work French Knots for stars." Note it never says how many stars or where to put them. Or, for that matter, how to make a French knot - which is cake for me, since I do embroidery & cross-stitch, but might be a total mystery to a new crocheter. Because I'm doing Exactly To The Pattern, I decided What The Heck - I'd do all fifty, and mirror the back side. (Um, photos of that will be on Friday. Because I just noticed I dont' have a yarn needle with me. And I'm just not up to the stairs over the canal to get one from Exquisite Fabrics at lunch.)

Then, there's "If desired work hanging loop as follows: Join B with ss to top left corner of Flag. Ch 9. Join with ss to joining sp. Fasten off." Working the loop in as you change from the second-to-last to last row might work better, but by gosh, this one's gonna have a slip-stitched loop.

And yes, I know, I've got to work on my other Hallows and get to my 50% mark on my second O.W.L. Really, I will. Just as soon as I stop sleeping every last second I spend at home!!