My First Seraphina Shawl

As I said previously, I was able to start and finish the Seraphina Shawl during my airplane trip to and from California last week to Chain Link! Once I was able to figure out and establish the pattern and how it was going to work out, in the first 10 or 11 rows, the pattern went very fast. It was a very fun pattern to make! This is going to be a birthday present on August 30th for my middle daughter Cristina! Her favorite colors for wearables right now are Green!
I was very lucky that the yarn I used striped the Shawl perfectly. Here is the label from the yarn I bought at Joann's:



It it a Boucle yarn and I used a J hook.
Here are two views of my finished Shawl:






If you are a beginner, I would not recommend using a Boucle for this project, as you might be able to see your stitches better with a smoother yarn. If you do use this yarn and you plan on crocheting in public as I did, I would recommend that you roll this yarn into a ball before you leave, as it had a tendency to tangle, in the close confines of an airplane, since it was such a large ball of yarn!! (11 ounces).
I can't wait to try this Shawl in another yarn that is not a Boucle, so I can really see the stitch definition in it. I also think that because I know the pattern stitch so well now, it will go even faster!

Back From California

Well, I am back from California, but not quite ready to post pictures and tell all about the trip. I have so much paperwork to catch up on and sort through! It is going to take me a few days to catch up on orders for my website and do the paperwork I need to do when I return from a business trip.
But, Chain Link and Professional Development Day were both wonderful! And, to top it off, I started and finished the Seraphina Shawl! I started it in the airport in Baltimore and worked on it on the airplane to California, and back to New York. It was quite an experience with that huge ball of Rainbow Boucle, let me tell you!
I hope to post pictures of the trip and the shawl in the next few days.

Peacock Ponchini & Chain Link

Well, what do you know? I finally have the time to post the pictures of the Ponchini I finished for Crochet Guild of America's, Chain Link!



The Ponchini I crocheted is from a pattern I purchased at Joann's.



Joann's is creating their own designer yarns now, and producing books for their yarns in conjunction with Leisure Arts.
I used the Yarn it called for in the book, Sensations Peacock, in a different color then shown on the cover of the book.



The pattern called for an N (9mm) crochet hook and three (3) balls of Peacock. The pattern started from the neckline and looked like this to begin.



Most designer yarns today can be difficult to crochet with, but as long as I counted and marked my stitches, I did not find it as hard to work with! The pattern goes very fast, also.
I decided to add several more rows to the ponchini, as I wanted it to be longer than the pattern called for. I found I did not require any more yarn, even though I added more rnds to the design!
Here is my finished ponchini.



If I had not added more rnds, it would have been finished in under two (2) hours! As it was, it did not take much more time than that.

I think I am going to wear this to the first day of Chain Link, at Professional Development Day. PDD is the highlight of the Conference for me, as I get to see so many wonderful friends. The agenda is usually incredible also, and this year is no different. I can't wait to go, and I promise to take pictures and tell you all about it.
Another great thing for me this year, is that for the first time, I am going to be taking classes! This is so exciting for me because I have never had the time to do this! I am either usually teaching them myself, and/or working the Fiber Arts Vendor Market and don't have the time. This year, since I am doing neither, I have decided to kick back and just enjoy myself. So after I have finished the business I am conducting at Professional Development Day, and meeting with a few editors/publishers, that is what I am going to do!
I hope to take pictures in the classes also, and let you know about them.
Wish me luck!

Donna's Los Angeles Post

Donna from Yarn Tomato has finally written about her trip to California! I have been anxiously awaiting her post about her venture, along with other Crochet Me contributors to tape their TV Show for the DIY Network. Donna has a day-to-day description, and lots of pictures, also. I love all the pictures, Donna! Be sure to check out her site!

Great Idea

Well, Michelle has done it again! She is constantly coming up with the cutest and cleverest designs, and now she has taken it one step further. She has taken an idea, borrowed from the always ingenious,
Dee and turned it into a reality!
Not only is it a great idea, you did a great job on your new trading card Chelle!
I love the idea! I imagine that you have everyone wondering how you did it, also. Sounds like it could be used as a mini resume in business for editors and publishers also.
I can't wait to see your next design, Chelle!

DIY Success

A big congratulations goes out to my friend and fellow designer Chelle for her successful trip to Burbank, California. Chelle went there with several other Crochet Me designers, (see LA, Day 1 and Day 2) to tape a few crochet segments for a television show for the DIY network!
Wow, how cool is that! I can't wait to hear when the shows are going to air.
Congratulations to Chelle and everyone for a successful trip!

Type A-?

Wow, this was a surprise, but kind of fun. Had I taken this test 10-15 years ago, I think my outcome would have been far different! lol

You Have A Type A- Personality

A- You are one of the most balanced people around Motivated and focused, you are good at getting what you want You rule at success, but success doesn't rule you. When it's playtime, you really know how to kick back Whether it's hanging out with friends or doing something you love! You live life to the fullest - encorporating the best of both worlds

Do You Have a Type A Personality?

So glad I waited

Sometimes there is a good reason for setting aside a project and coming back to it later. At the time, when I do it, I sometimes feel as if I am procrastinating (can anybody relate?), and that isn't always a good feeling.
When a project just doesn't seem right at the time, you should set it aside and come back to it later. Even if it is just for a couple of hours or a couple of days.
In this case, it has been a couple of months, and I am so glad for it! Back in March, I posted this about my design for the Zen/Suede Purse:

Speaking of Berroco Suede, I have gone through three different colors of it trying to come up with the right mix for my Zen purse. I first tried Texas Rose, which was very nice, but did not have enough 'pop', then used Annie Oakley, which was also pretty, but still wasn't quite right. I am now trying Belle Star, which I like, but almost has too much 'pop'! lol If only there was a 'pinkish' color in between Annie Oakley and Belle Star, that would be perfect! I might go back to Annie Oakley, but for right now, I am at a standstill.

Every time I looked at my TO DO LIST, I wondered if I should just take it off the list and worry about it another time, but, guess what?
Berroco has come out with a color in-between the two pink colors, just like I wanted!!
It is called Chickadee Pink, and the swatch color looks exactly what I was looking for!





Now, since it is brand new, I have to hope I can find it in my LYS, and that it actually looks like the color swatch! If it does, I think it will look much better than the present color below:



Here's hoping!

Catching Up

Working on the ponchini has been so much fun! It is working up very fast, and the yarn is great to work with. I am almost finished with it, but had to put it down the last two days. I received another order from Annie's Attic that I have to fill, and business comes first, of course! I have pictures to post, but they will have to wait, also!
I also need to get some crochet homework done for one of the classes I will be taking at Chain Link. I haven't had to do that before!

Yeah Again!

Yes, I am crocheting something that is not for business! Well, actually I plan on wearing it to Professional Development Day at Chain Link, but I am crocheting it for me! It is a short poncho, called a 'ponchini' by the designer, and it is working up very fast. I hope to post some pictures and a description soon. In the meantime, I am having fun!

New Crochet Project

Sara, a fellow designer, is working on a new written crochet project she hopes to one day be able to publish!
This is what Sara has to say:
"Hooked is a new, grass-roots project to give voice
to the folks who crochet. Crocheters are invited to
come and share their experiences. This week,
crocheters are working on "Chains and Foundation Rows:
Learning to Crochet, Our Teachers and Why We Crochet".
Many other topics are planned for the future, as well
as interviews and guest authors."
Check it out at:
Hooked

Sara invites crocheters to share their experiences about crochet. Looks like it is going to be a winner!

Yarn Heaven

No, I was not visiting my LYS (local yarn store) to feel that is was in yarn heaven the other day! Believe it or not, I was in my local Michael's! They had re-vamped their yarn section and had so many new designer yarns that I thought I was in my LYS!
Bernat and Moda Dea has so many different new yarns out I was almost overwhelmed by them all!
Some of my favorites from Bernat were Envy, Bling-Bling (but not all the colors) Poochie and Velour; from Moda Dea they were Lazy Daisy, Tiara, Vixen, Zing and some that were are not on either website right now.
I was a good girl and did not get anything yet. Yes, you read that right! But I do plan to go back very soon and pick out some yarns I can play with.
When I have time for play crochet, that is!

Whew!

Wow, another column is in the mail and I am so thankful for that! This one was for January 2006 and we only had 6 weeks in between issues this time. With everything going on in my personal life right now, I was lucky to get everything done in time. Sometimes it is hard to have deadlines! But, I mailed it out on Wednesday, just in time for the July 1st deadline, I hope!
I can hardly believe more than a month has passed since my last post here. My father-in-law had been very ill and in the hospital for three weeks, and then quietly passed away. It has been a very hard, but loving experience for our family.
I am trying to get back on track with work and business. I have had several re-orders from Annie's Attic that I need to get out by tomorrow.
Will I ever have time for crochet???
We will see.....