Oceanic Wilderness

A Hook and Some Yarn

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST

Since I thought there was enough interest on my crocheting, I thought I'd do a little post about it.

I started crocheting six years ago but my experience with it goes back to my grandmother (my mom's mom). She is/was an avid crocheter, but her arthrits and other illnesses have caused her to stop in recent years. When my brother and I would stay at her house for the weekend she would often work on a doily or an afghan and ocassionally we would ask her to teach us. I know we got the idea of a chain down pretty good, but once we started learning to work back into the chain with a single crochet, we were totally lost. Fast forward to six years ago and I was working at Michael's part time since the lab I'd been working at as a temp had stopped needing me (I went back a few months later). For the record, Michael's is an awful place to work for a crafter. The urge to buy everthing that you see with your discount is deep and coming up with ideas fills your time as you restock the aisles. Trust me.

Working at Michael's ended up meaning that I got to stock the notions and sewing sections, which naturally led me to look at the colorful yarns that were in supply. I had no background at all in knitting so it was natural that I chose crocheting first. I ended up buying a kit that they sell that comes with a set of hooks and a book on how to learn. I recommend that for anyone who is new to crocheting. At this same time my friend Brooke was pregnant with her first child and I ended up with the harebrained idea that I was going make the baby a blanket! And, I did. Not with some trials and errors of course. I made simple squares of blue and yellow and sewed them together, and of course later I saw that I'd reversed a few of them, but oh well, what can you do? After that saga I emailed about six or seven of my closest friends and told them I'd make blankets for them all! Oh, Lord. I did the in the order that people responded with colors and it was last year when I finished the final one. I am fairly certain they got smaller as the years wore on. Blankets are hard work and consume lots of yarn.

After awhile crochet on the internet became a little more popular. The crochet blogs still weren't that great, yet, but patterns were becoming more popular. I started buying crochet magazines and then branched out into other yarns besides worsted weight acrylic. My first non-blanket crochet was a kerchief. After I made one (which I never wear by the way), I had this idea I'd make a bunch and try to sell them on Etsy. Yeah. Dumbest idea ever. This was when Etsy was rather new, too. Then I moved on to headbands and purses.

The headbands were trial and error and I do wear them from time to time. Then I moved on to hats, which I do love and would wear more if they fit in with my clothing. I am a much more laid-back dresser and my work clothing is casual so the hats don't always work with what I wear. But I do like them.

The purses I really enjoyed making. They are functional and fun and they are enjoyable to make since they are small. Sewing the liner in is a pain, but worth it. My favorites are the two on the right in this photo. The top is one I made and kept for myself and the bottom is one I made for my sister in law for Christmas two years ago. It's a wonder I didn't keep it for myself! That purse was actually supposed to be a cabled pattern from a magazine but I kept having issues with the pattern. It just didn't make sense! Eventually I gave up, throwing some yarn in the trash in a heated frenzy, and made my own pattern up. That is what I still do most of the time.

Finally a year and a half ago I decided to delve into making garments. Something for myself for once! I initially tried with a really beautiful flower patterned babydoll top but after having issues with it, I ended up making the top on the left. Then I moved on to the green tank, which is a bit heavy for summer so I will be wearing it again soon, and now the little tunic.

See, it is a little goofy looking! But, from what I've seen elsewhere of other people making it, it seems to be on target.

So, that is my little crochet story. If you are interested to learn, I would pick up a book first. Learn the basic stitches. If you want to learn other types of patterns, get a crochet block book like this one or this one, the latter I have. Once you get the knack of a few you can incorporate them into your own designs. Learning to make garments will help you learn to decrease and increase and shape items. Eventually you will start seeing the pattern and can come up with things on your own.

Some websites to check out:
Crochet Pattern Central: Good for trying to new patterns. I found the octogon pattern here and fell in love with it. You know you want to join my group on Flickr, Awesome Octogons!
Bev's Country Cottage: More square patterns
Yarn Tomato
Crochet Me: Great site and the tunic I'm making now comes from the Crochet Me book.
Interweave Crochet: Some months are hit or miss. Sometimes you'll find some barfy ideas, other times you'll be drooling. There are a couple other magazines out there to look into as well.
Purl Bee: Mostly knitting but some crochet patterns. Just good to look at the yarns!
Ravelry: The mecca for yarnies. Knitters and crocheters alike. Share your projects, look at everyone elses projects...it's great. I hadn't been on in months but now that I went back I keep seeing more things I want to do.

What can I say? Get out there and try crocheting. It has evolved a lot in the past five years. There are wearable crochet items that don't look as if they are from the 70's. Sock patterns are being developed for crocheters as well. Just get used to the fact that when people see you crocheting in public they will ask what you are knitting. Don't stab them with your hook, just kindly inform them then difference. And try not to roll your eyes when they say only grannies do that sort of thing. The grannies had to start somewhere...and they were usually young!

Waterfalls

Tues, 10 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST

Here are a few photos Chris took while on a hike in New Jersey in the Delaware Water Gap. I have a post on crochet in my head that I will write out tomorrow when I have the brain for it. An informative post, how-to's etc. Oh, yeah, and I know, I still need to do a bottle cap earring how-to...sorry Chelle!

And of course, Lady Liberty and NYC behind her.

Fiber

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST

My creativity is in fiber apparently. I see colorful balls of yarn and want to make every pattern in sight.

This has Zoe's name all over it.

These are reminding me of my great-grandmother. I may have to make a pair for me and my mom.

Coming along well on the turtleneck. Chris and I had a good laugh about it earlier. It's in a goofy stage.

The Hidden Steam Engine

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:25:00 EST

Jonathan Dickinson State Park, hence called JD, has a lot of very interesting things hidden about its large land mass. One of them is an old steam engine, tucked away in the back of the park and disguised by a lot of brush. We'd heard about it before but we haven't made it out to see it until today. Baloo has been itching for a good hike, anyway.

We approached it from the wrong game trail and ended up bushwhacking through palmetto for a bit. Baloo, being low to the ground, weaved in and out and looked for his own trails.

I don't know the history of it, other than it has been there for a long time, probably over 50 years, at least.

Rusted over and full of little ferns and moss tucked into tiny crevices. I had a run in with a bee so I didn't get to photograph much. The bee buzzed me several times, went in my ear, then I decided I didn't want to be stung today so I gave up.

Baloo had a good day. He was a bit slow to start, but carried on well. There were a lot of things of interest for him today.

On our way out we crossed a small ditch, the majority of the water on the east side. Baloo paid no mind to it and kept on walking, but when I walked by I must've spooked a small alligator because it gave a splash and scared me. On the way back, however, we'd forgotten about it and Baloo was 20' in front of us when he looked over, saw the water and jumped right in! We immediately start running and yelling for him to get out and when we get there he's staring up at us like he didn't do anything wrong. The side was a bit steep and it was a hassle to get him out. At first he didn't want to come out, finally he started up the side and Chris helped him out with his collar. Then he got in some trouble with a whack on the nose and a stern talking to about being such a bad dog. Gah! Good thing there wasn't a large gator in there. Hrmph.

We had two other run-ins with animals, a large family of pigs, which we saw before Baloo so we held back and let them cross first, and then two deer that Baloo did see but we caught his collar on time. And he almost went for a gopher tortoise, but luckily we grabbed him in time, too. Lots of animals out, very different than a few weeks ago. In all, we did 10 miles. It didn't seem like that much, but the balls of my feet did hurt a bit. No blisters again, thanks goodness! Now, Baloo is a tired pup, passed out in the floor. I wonder if I can even get him to go out before bed?