Close-chet

Babs and I spent some quality time together this weekend. I finished the squares for sections 7 and 8 and then tried a different method for seaming them all together.


I'm quite pleased with it - even in its un-blocked, un-pulled, un-tugged, un-tucked state. It's simple too - hold the pieces wrong sides together, single crochet through both pieces, chain two, single crochet repeat!

Side-by-side comparison of the other seaming method. You decide.

Along with the quality time with Babs, came quality time with someone else. Maybe because it was just freezing cold here all weekend, or maybe it was because she was bored, but wherever Babs and I went, Kathryn went. And wherever I sat, Kathryn sat; not just next to me, but that place that's just short of being back in your womb. Lots of questions, comments, general chatter. Normally this is my time and I was biting my tongue wondering where Jon was and why she wasn't interested in what HE was doing! By yesterday afternoon the closeness got to me. "Would you like to learn?"


I sent her on what I assumed would be a wild goose chase. "Go down to the studio, in one of the plastic drawers and find an "H" crochet hook." Back in 10 seconds! We started with a simple chain. Over and over again. Rip it out and do it again until you get it.


Once the chain was perfected, it was on to single crochet, turning chains, then double crochet and then . . .
I've taught grown-up students who can't get this far in two weeks. It's not like she moved any farther away from me while we worked on this, in fact, she had to move closer at some points. But at least it was on my terms!

Of Books and Hooks

And books for hooks,

(and my favorite pieces of each new book - The Picot Star Table Cloth, and the "idea page")

. . . and hooks on books,

(the KnitPicks double ended crochet hooks - stick with your regular crochet hooks - just saying')

(a Tunisian crochet hook brought to knitting on Tuesday so as to be reassured that it was not a mistake at the factory!)

And my current hooking obsession! Babette has been pulled out of hibernation and is moving along at a rapid pace. Eight of ten sections are complete. As I look back now, I've become a better crocheter in the two years she's been asleep and I see the things I should won't do over. The one thing I do know I'll change, based on Motifs book, is how the squares and sections are joined. There are much prettier, more decorative ways to do this. And that won't take much time. There are only 127 squares. But I'm hooked.

Sweet

Our weekend - sweet! Two date nights with the Mr. I finally got to see "Star Trek". He indulged me. As a result of Saturday's funky weather, I had plenty of time to . . .

. . . finish up skeining, measuring and petting 125 yards of merino/silk/bamboo. And then I just stared at it, and showed it to Mr. a lot because I really like it . . .

and . . .

. . . I finished this side (Solid Square #149 from 200 Crochet Blocks) . . .


. . . and this side (Fretwork, #197 - same book!) of my potholder I seamed them together for the Tuesday Morning Knitting Group's "Let's Just See If We Can Crochet Potholders and Then Decide What To Do With Them".
Extreme close-up to show the tidiness of my crochet stitches.


And . . I decommissioned something that many of you might have called a "poncho" if you were inclined to get "that look" from me and a stern lecture that it was NOT a poncho but more like a "multi-functional wrap with one hole and no sleeves." This MFWWOHNS, made from Eco-Wool was skeined, washed and left to dry in the room with the world's largest residential dehumidifier. Eventually, this will become Copine.

Everyone needed a break by Sunday and thankfully the weather cooperated enough to spend the afternoon and evening outside, rolling in the catnip plants.

How was your weekend?

Alone The Last

Based on the comments from yesterday, I must have forgotten to tell you guys that Jon is in China. He read the blog yesterday and sent the following email:

"Looks like you are getting questions on the blog about China. Here is Hong Kong harbour.

Jon Secrest"

Kathryn finally checked in from basketball camp - much to her mother's relief. She's exhausted and having a blast. They come home today. I'm planning a parade. The Tuesday Morning Knitting group is doing our own little potholder swap - sort of. We're making a few for ourselves and then some for Peggy's daughter who is getting married in October. So while wasting time watching the web cam from basketball camp (and actually tapping on it and trying to wave to my kid - c'mon - you've done it too!) I tweaked around trying to get my hands to remember the "Willow" block. The muscle memory came back but using such a small hook (C) on DK weight yarn is challenging.

The knitting girls came over last night and after a few bottles of wine we had the problems of the world figured out and my perfectly lovely week was over. And it's ok.