And Crochet! I do that too!

The other thing I started this month was a small cotton bathmat. The fancy bathmats with the rubber backing just don't survive in my house (even the cute duck-shaped one), and I did manage to do a major cotton yarn haul at the Dollar Store last year. So, I found a really pretty crochet pattern: Simple Tunisian Bath Mat by Sarah Beaton. (It's possible I found the pattern first, and thought - "that's bloody brilliant!") I then got a fancy new hook:


(click on hook to get one of your own)
... and then I discovered I have COMPLETELY forgotten how to do Tunisian crochet. And I've got an entire SWEATER made out of Tunisian crochet.

Very sad.

Now I didn't have big-screen (over the size of an iPhone) computer access, but I had a new hook and yarn... so I decided to wing it. I still remember afghan stitch, so I got two orphan balls that kinda went together, and cast on the number of stitches I would have if I was doing the Tunisian crochet bath mat (which is still lovely and I'm totally doing one eventually), and I have gotten this far:


Totally the wrong background to shoot against.
The camera can barely handle the carpet, but the carpet and the yarn...?
If I can finish this one, I may well be on to something...

Knitting! Actual knitting!

Okay, time to start making things and putting together patterns. I had so much fun doing my little Pineapple Dish Cloth, and people were actually able to use the pattern and wind up with things that looked JUST LIKE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. Plus, I need pattern-writing practice for Level II of the TKGA Masters (not that I've turned in Level I yet - but soon. I have three weeks before my deadline). Anyway, here's the beginning of the Diamonds Button-Up Cowl:


In other news, I'm doing a Student on Sabbatical term at Hogwarts, since there's some doubt I'll actually be able to finish three entire projects over the term. I just barely made it through my 7th year, plus lots of my snakie-peeps are changing houses, taking time off as well, etc. I'll still be hanging 'round the nest, but decided to get a new icon made up for the term I'm out:


I rather like it.

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

Okay, it's just been a weird summer right across the board. Time to get back to the knitting, since it was COLD AND RAINY in the middle of August in DC, which is pretty much the exact opposite of what I expect to deal with during the Dog Days!

Wandered into Nature's Yarns (conveniently located near my doctor's office), and discovered the giant Table of Sale. Upon which was nestled a lone pretty cinnamon Zabuerwolle...



I'm making a cowl with it for fall (since it's almost fall, according to this weekend). I recently went through all the photos from my Yarn on Thursday: Stitch Edition project (which was last dealt with in 2010... time to finish that...), and picked a pretty textured diamond pattern, just knits and purls, with which to knit it up.

Progress on Wednesday, I promise!!

Flu

And then I got the flu for two weeks.

More later this week, I hope. 2012 has not been good for me bloggging on a schedule or crafting at all!

Really, I *am* knitting!

I am knitting something - have been for most of the month. It's a Blossoms from the Brook shawl, free from Knitty.com. It's bottom-up construction - I got it because I was hoping, like StellaLuna, it would go from the cast-on edge of many-many stitches to one at the end, but no, not quite. But it *is* worked edge in - just differently.



The yarn is some lovely stuff, Tucker Woods Farm Handpainted Sock Yarn - Bailey's Twinkle Toes (which means it's got gold metallic spun in with the wool) - Loden (a pretty green handpainted colorway). It is soft, springy, and the closest thing I've found to my all-time favorite yarn (Wild Hare Galaxy). I give it an A+!!

I've just gotten onto Chart 2 of the design... oh, and did you notice the lovely green Signature needles? Yep, I finally own a pair of Signatures! (Size 6 40" circs, if you're curious.)

More on Friday....