As Time Goes By...

It's been a productive week.  I am now officially over 50% done with the baby blanket.  I expect to begin putting it together by the end of the week, possibly sooner than that.

Oooh, look at all the pink!

Since I've devoted most of my spare time into this blanket, I've decided to put everything else I'd been working on on hold until it is completed. What can I say?  I really am excited about this, my first baby blanket.

The sad thing is, I will lay in bed and think about when I get to the construction part, and which way I am going to join the squares.  Odd I know, but I am just that dang excited.  I never claimed to be normal.  Normal is boring.

Alright, enough from me about what I'm going to do, time to do it!

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

Updates on Projects and Life

So it's been quiet here, I know.  That's because in addition to crocheting, I've also been working on The Great Purge with the family, and doing things with family and friends.  But I've always brought my crochet bag  whenever possible!

The baby blanket is making headway. I've got 5 squares of the first color I am working on - yay!

But I thought I would share the picture of the hat I finished the other day. it's so freakin' adorable, how can I not?

TA-DA!  Adorable, right?  Not the first hat I've ever made, but the first of this kind.  I got the pattern HERE, and let me tell you, it was super easy!  I can't wait to see the pictures planned with the little girl who will be getting it!

I also decided, that in addition to the blanket, hats and booties, I am going to do a special gift for her.  But I definitely can't give it away until it's done and delivered, because I want my husband's cousin to be surprised too!  Needless to say, I was majorly surprised when my husband started giving his opinion while I was searching for a pattern.  But I am pleased to know he wanted to contribute to the cause in some way.  What a guy!  Somedays, I tell ya, I'm not sure how I managed to get such a  good man.

Now, I am sure you have been wondering about that Mystery Project I started that I had written the pattern to.  Unfortunately, Attempt 2 was very much like Attempt 1 - floppy and needed a glue wash.  It came out OK, but I had gone and ordered a different kind of material to do a third attempt with as I worked on Attempt 2.  It's thicker, stiffer, and I can only do a little at a time before my hands and wrists start hurting...so alas, you all will have to wait for pictures a little bit longer.  And the pattern too, because I have to write it down for the modified "yarn" I am using.

So, that's it for me.  Hope you all are keeping warm during the "Polar Vortex"!  I know I am, thanks to flannel sheets and the husband!

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

Progress and Non-Progress in the New Year

It's 2014, and I've already completed one project! YAY!

Last night I finished a request hat for the cousin's baby.  And I started on the blanket.  I love the way the hat came out, so freaking adorable!

The blanket, however, has been a bit of a pill.  The pattern I found calls for  G (4 mm) hook.  Ok, fair
enough, that I can do.  I made a mistake and had to pull it out and start again, no big dea, it happens...luckily I was only in the 3rd round. So I make the first square nice and perfect, and measure for gauge. It's off by two inches!  Bugger.  I take it all out and start over with an H (5 mm) hook and redo....nope, still not big enough!

Now imagine me using all sorts of fantastically British cuss words as I unravel a third time. Then I start off with an I (5.5 mm) hook.  Still. Not. Big. Enough.  So I said screw it, added another row, and voila;  Finally the right gauge!  In the time I had redone ONE square, I could have had nearly 1/4 of the required squares in that color done.  Frustrations abound...

But today is a snow day here in Northern Virginia, so I am content to sit in my warm apartment, curled up in a Snuggie on my couch and crochet the day away....And hopefully I will actually get more than one square done today!

Well, I'm off to my hook and yarn and a movie.  If you are anywhere that ot hit with snow, stay warm and have a good one.

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

Pattern Links Per Request - Booties and Hat

I recieved some Facebook comments and emails asking for the patterns for my hat and booties.

The booties can be found here:  Posh Crochet Baby Booties. There is also video tutorial for this on the page!  That made it very helpful for me, since I am a visual learner. The booties took about 1/2 hour each to complete before I did the flowers.

The hat pattern is here: Free Baby Hat and Booties. It's fairly simple and took me about an hour to finish before adding the flowers.

The flower accents for the hat and booties are here:  Crochet Flowers. I used the pattern entitled "Easy Crochet flowers Pattern" - the picture has the two flowers on top connected with a button.  For the booties I simply made two of the smaller flowers from this pattern and attached them to the booties.

I've started working on the requested hat for my cousin's baby and should finish today.  Then I will start on the blanket. YAY!

Random cool thing that happened:  going to the craft store on Tuesday, I discovered the brand of yarn I needed for the blanket was on sale!  And I had a coupon for 50% off one item, so I ended up spending less than I anticipated on these two next projects.  That made me pretty psyched.  I love it when things you need are on sale and you don't realize it til you are at the register!

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

Baby Steps

Recently, my cousin-in-law (husband's cousin) revealed that she is pregnant. Just in the last 24 hours it was made known she's having a girl!  I immediately made sure to let her know I was available to make her some things for the baby if she wanted.  Her response was an overwhelming yes!

As I was talking to her via messenger, I realized I had made a hat and booties a while back, as something to try.  I thought I had thrown away the booties during the Great Purge and Operation Teenager Space Acquisition earlier in the month, but lo and behold, I didn't! I sent her pics, and she is so excited, which in turn makes me so happy I held on to them!

I've decided it's time to show off a little of my work, since I am still working on The Project. So, without further ado, here are the hat and booties that she will be getting for her baby girl:

 

Freakin' adorable, right?  I love the little flower accents.  I can't remember where I got the hat pattern, but I know I got the booties pattern from a you tube video.  If you want the links/patterns, let me know in the comments and I will find them and post them.

I can't wait to see what my little cousin will look like with them on!

I'm off to start a blanket and another hat! :)

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

P.S.  Happy New Year to you all and have a fun and SAFE night! :D

Frustrations

One of the hardest things I am coming to learn about making up a pattern when creating something, is discovering that your vision for a project does not always come out the way you intended.

I actually finished what I thought would be a simple project 2 days ago, finally, and had typed up instructions.  I even had pictures to post with it along the way.  Unfortunately, the Gods were not smiling on me, and I've had to try another method for making it.  My first attempt, even with using the glue stiffening method, is proving to be floppy and without support.  This is leading me to reconsider my yarn choice and structure choice.

And I will admit it now, loathe though I am to do so, my sizing choice may have been a bit over zealous.

I'm trying to not say too much without giving away what I am doing, because I'd like it to be met with a little bit of "Oh  now that is a great idea!  Why hasn't anyone done that before now?" type of response.

I think I get why no one has done it before now.  It's starting to be damn near impossible without a bunch of irritation.

I am hoping that once the glue wash on the cotton I have used so far has dried, it will be stiff and function as intended.  until then, I work on Version 2.0, and pray for the best.

If not?  It's back to the drawing board; but I do have a few ideas, so I've not completely given up yet!

Happy Weaving!

~Moxie

Greetings and Salutations

Hello, my name is Moxie Weaver, and I am addicted to crocheting.

(Hi, Moxie....)

So this little corner of the interwebs will contain observations, patterns, suggestions, and pictures of various crocheting projects I work on.  Sometimes I will simply share an image about crocheting that makes me smile. Sometimes I will simply share a pattern I really like and think other crocheters will want to make as well.

The updates may be few and intermittent, but when I can, I will post.

For now, I'm working on creating something that combines two loves of mine: Crocheting and Tea.

I have been searching all day to find a pattern of what I need, but apparently, it's not out there.  As the old adage goes, when you want something done right, it's best to do it yourself.  So, I decided to make my own pattern.  I've taken bits and pieces of weaves and patterns I liked, and combined them to create what I think will be a very useful object for me. I think the completed project will look fantastic.

Alas, I am almost out of the yarn I need, so I will not be able to finish and post pictures until tomorrow!

I hope you all will come back and see what I've created.

~Moxie