Inside Crochet Issue 6

Two more projects of mine are finally ready for me to show off. I am pretty darn excited.

First off, is the cover project! Yes! the cover!

Floating Wrap- this one I really really wanted to keep. Diane helped crochet this one for me this summer. When I opened the package, I swooned. It is amazingly beautiful. The best is it can be wrapped in a number of ways from a top to a skirt. Make it out of cotton and it can be a sarong, wool can it can be a shawl. The motif is a lot of fun. It uses P stitches, which I have talked about in the past.
Here are a bit more photos for you on my flickr stream.

Patte Cardigan
This one was crocheted by Ginny and I sharing the crochet load. It is really soft and comfy. A great cardigan for the winter. You can make it a size larger then your normal size to curl up with it. Or make it your normal size and show off your waist and hips.
Here are a few more photos on flickr.

You can see the whole issue here. It looks like a fun one!

Last Sneak Peek of Book

These are the last two previews I have for you. These I am grouping in shell stitch patterns. I am a huge fan of shells for their lacy fabric. They can be super complex or very simple. Or they are perfect to highlight this common technique, that I can't mention just yet. I can say that I really enjoyed crocheting these projects myself. I made them early when CJ was just a few days old to a few weeks. I would get a row done here and there in the beginning. Then by the end CJ let me crochet for 30 mins straight and I felt like that was amazing. Cracks me up how my time perspective has changed.


So 25 projects crocheted, written, and now being edited. I am still amazed that I am finished, and can't wait to show you the outcome.

New Book Sneak Preview 2

This next group of previews is all about subtle texture. In the book, a number of the garments have simple stitch patterns to highlight unique styling or interesting seaming or other fun techniques. And I don't think I can say much more about that without giving away the book's premise. So I'll just let your imagination go to work on why I am loving subtle texture.

D O N E

Miss me? I missed you guys!

Sorry I was so quiet for so long.

Let's just say, writing a book during my last trimester and first 3 months of CJ was not the smartest decision I have ever made. And well, that 3 months had to turn into 4. I think for the last 3 weeks I literally spent every minute writing or crocheting or sewing when I didn't have my hands full with CJ. Literally. I have not returned any emails or im's and they are a mountain I wouldn't wish on any of you.

Good news is that the book is all turned in! Yeah! and a few months from now you guys will get to see what I have been obsessing over.

Till then I have a couple of sneak preview shots for you.


I'll try to post a few more soon.

But tonight I'm going to kick back and crochet something for fun.


Hope your crafting has been going great!

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah!

In honor of CJ's first Hanukkah, I'm bringing back our dreidel ornament.

As you know we are like the UN around our house. We have a little bit of every culture and religion and get to celebrate it all. So here's my dreidel ornament that I made a few years back for our Christmas tree. There will be no tree in our house this year, since CJ's bassinet, swing, playmat, etc are in its spot (our house is small (just the way I like it! (less to clean))). But I am going to dig this guy out with a few other decorations, just to make the house a bit more festive tonight.

Hope everyone has a Happy Hanukkah the next few days!

Working Mom

cable swatch
Originally uploaded by rchach

I have been meaning to write for a week now. Amazing how time flies around here lately. Any nursing mom I am sure knows the secret to how time flies by. Here's what our days look like lately.

5am- up to nurse and back to nap for an hour or so
8am- up to nurse, then CJ plays while I swatch/ run through the shower/ do laudry and dishes
11am- back to nursing, Cj gets a bath, and if we are lucky a nap, I get about an hour to an hour and half to write
2pm- nursing again then CJ tummy time and book time, walk if weather is good, and once she is back a sleep I get another hour to write
5pm- nursing again, then CJ playtime while I make dinner and do some more chores
8pm- nursing again, then hand off CJ for daddy time, and I can write or crochet
1030pm-nursing one last time and bedtime for all.

So in a typical day around here, I get about 6 hours of work (and me) time. You will notice I have not mentioned anytime for email or Ravelry. Yup, I still haven't figured out how to fit that in. Sometimes I can check my email and such while I am nursing, but I haven't been able to write back long emails. (so if you have emailed or Rav mailed me, you now know why I am so short if I do get a chance to write back or why I never have written you back.)

My goal for the rest of the year is to simply take care of CJ and finish this book. I am doing ok on the book, which is amazing to me. I have 2 more garments and 5 more accessories to design and crochet. Not to bad since that means 18 other projects are all written and either being crocheted or are finished.

What has been really wonderful the last few weeks has been getting really into designing again. I get so excited about every new design i am working on, and I just love that. There is nothing better then enjoying the design phase. And i am. This swatch is what i am currently designing for the book. And I am loving it. Granted 2 days ago I was in love with crochet colorwork, and a week ago a tunisian project, and a month ago a lightweight lace, and on and on.

Speaking of, I am going to get back to this cable. I love it too much to be away from it for long.

New Tool

A few days before CJ arrived, the very nice people at Denise Knitting sent me their new crochet hooks. I'm embarrassed to say it took 2 months before I got to touch them (and we all know why, but still...). Luckily I finally got to play with them this week, because I had a few projects I was designing in Tunisian Crochet. The hooks were so handy. Instead of having to have my bucket of afghan hooks, I could easily grab the Denise booklet and settle next to CJ while she played. See with Tunisian you need to think about the size and the length of the hook before you begin since when you crochet you work the entire length of the row at once (instead of one st at a time as in tradition crochet). Therefore when you are swatching a project, you never know exactly which hook you will need. And these hooks take the length problem out of the picture. You can easily lengthen and shorten the cable with a quick twist. Here are some close-ups of the hooks and cables.

The hooks and cables are plastic. Now I know some don't like plastic hooks, and for traditional crochet I agree. But with Tunisian you are holding the entire row of stitches on the hook, and for me the lighter the hook the easier on my hands. Anything easier on my hands is great! The cables twist onto the bottom very easily with a 1/4 twist. They can be extended to as long as you need. They come with 4 caps, so you can have 4 projects going at once if you are like me with tons of WIPs at once. The only think I am not a fan of is the knife of the hook. I like more of a swoosh in my hook then a hard knife point, but that's just my preference. I know a number of crocheters that prefer that hook knife.

So what can you do with them? Here are two swatches. In the coming days, I hope to show you a few more ideas. Till then, check them out. You might want to add them to your holiday wish list. I found them to be very helpful in bringing me back to Tunisian. I hope you do too.

Book Update

swatches
Originally uploaded by rchach

I thought after weeks of silence it was time for an update. Book work is back on at the CBF headquarters. Amazingly, CJ is letting me get a bit of work done each day. Not a ton, but hey, a little is better then none.

We have been doing a lot of swatching during play time. So much so, that these are the rejects from a recent book project. I love when that happens, because I get a bunch more ideas for future projects. See, just because the stitch pattern doesn't work in the yarn I am using at the time; doesn't mean it wouldn't be perfect in another.

In these rejects, I already have 3 more projects in mind; which is awesome. B/c I have found that inspiration is the hardest thing to muster in my sleep deprivation. Writing and crocheting are not hard for me, but my creativity definitely has suffered. Swatching to the rescue! (for sure)

Oh yeah, back to the book. I have 4 more projects designed and 3 more written. And 3 that are being crocheted as we speak. (the goal is 12 finished by New Years, btw). So we're on our way. Slowly, but on the road; which is great. I figure as long as we at least touch book work everyday we have been successful. I'm not trying to push it, since I am way too new to the working mom gig. Well, enough procrastinating, back to writing before CJ wakes up from her nap.

Baby Inspiration

one of my favorite gifts so far
Originally uploaded by rchach

Finding cute baby clothes can be incredibly challenging. Especially for a mom like me, that doesn't dig overly frilly, girly, cutiesy-poo baby clothes. I like baby clothes to look like clothes I would wear, yet be easy to put on and machine washable.

And that's my design mojo when I design baby crochet, as well.

So when our friend, Tiff, gave CJ this dress; I was thrilled. It is exactly what I love. So naturally, I had to run to the brand's website and check them out. Totally inspiring for me! Exactly the same style that I hope to acheive with my work.

Berry Sneak Preview

Sneak Preview
Originally uploaded by rchach

This is my first full project that I completed with CJ. From concept to completion, she was my little assistant.

The project has a great berry stitch pattern that is easily memorized since it really only has 2 rows that repeat. That makes for very easy baby crocheting (that's crocheting while feeding, rocking, playing with your baby). Actually the whole project is brain friendly. It had to be, since I don't have much of one these days with our lack of sleep.

My favorite part is the sleeves, which you will just have to wait to see. They flutter around you in the best way. That is half due to the yarn and half the construction.

The project comes out this spring and I'll let you know where and such then. Till then, I'm just happy that we actually designed and crocheted an entire project together. Sure, it will be a week late; but we completed it. That in our book is a total success as a new mommy getting her groove back.

Handmade CJ Gifts

CJ is one super lucky girl. She received tons of handmade gifts. Each one was so sweet of the crafter to think of us and spend the time making them. A lot of them are from fellow crochet designers, which really touches me since I know how little time they have to crochet. And the ones from family are especially touching, in the knowledge that we are all connected through our crafty ways. I hope they inspire you in your next gift. (If you really like one of the ones from the designers, I would get in touch with them to see if they have the pattern. I am not sure if they do or not, but it wouldn't hurt to ask them)

Granny Square Cardi from Diane Moyer- very clever construction. Basically it is two panels of granny squares.



Bobble Cardigan and Hat from Margaret Hubert- I love this stitch pattern. I used it recently in a beret. Its like an extended extended extened single crochet stitch. So the fabric is very thin for a bobble, very cool. I think the size is about 12mths, and I can't wait till CJ can fit in it.





Bouncy Ball from Ellen Gormley- The stitch details are quite fantastic, much easier to see in person.




Knit Sweater from Aunt Barbara- so special that my Aunt and I share the obsession with yarn. I'm guessing the size is about 24mths. The little ribbon and button details are so cute.








Quilt from Cousin Kathy- The stitching is so intricate, I am so impressed. My quilts never look like this.





Lime Blanket from Kim Guzman- This one I am almost positive is the sample from Kim's book Tunisian Baby Blanket. It is incredible. The stitch pattern close to looking like a weave. We snuggle under it quite often.

Mommy Crochet Life

In my 4 short weeks of being a new mommy, I have quickly learned that doing anything with two hands is a total luxury.

So here's my short list of what I now can do one handed (while holding a sleeping CJ in the other):

-wind a hank of yarn- of course with a swift and ball winder while sitting down and CJ over my shoulder.
-drawing crochet schematics- with a portable mouse when little miss is nursing
- typing- leaning back with pumpkin sleeping on me

I still haven't figured out how to nurse and crochet yet. But everyone has to have a goal right?

We're doing really well over here, esp compared to all our challenges. Well, my challenges. For the first 2 weeks I was dealing with complications from the surgery. Following week, CJ didn't sleep while we tried to figure out what in my limited diet was upsetting peanut. And this week I got sick with a fever and chills while solo parenting. But even with that rocky road, we are happy and getting healthy over here. We have received some wonderful gifts that I can't wait to show off.

Hope you all have been having a crafty fall!