A Yarn Outing

Thursday was a beautiful day for a visit to Sweitzer’s Countryside.  My friend Fran and I had lunch at Mignano Brothers Italian Restaurant in Glen Rock, PA and afterwards took a drive through the country to arrive at Sweitzer’s.  It was our first visit so we were impressed with the selection of their yarns, tools, and patterns.  They also carried a variety of hand-crafted scarf pins.  I immediately found one I liked made of leather that fastens with two screw buttons in the back.  At $17 I thought it a bit pricey but it certainly is unique!

Cathy, one of the nice ladies at Sweitzer’s, explained their lessons policy.  I can purchase a card for $40 that entitles me to 4 hours of lessons, crochet or knit.  Then I just make an appointment and come in whenever it is convenient for me.  I just love this arrangement!  I’m a beginning knitter and am anxious to learn some new skills in that craft.

The best part came when Cathy took us into the sale room.  I managed to find 9 balls of Tempo marked down from $12.50 a ball to $8.50.  Tempo is a cotton blend yarn that has nubby properties.  It is listed as size 4 worsted weight but varies along its length.  I would characterize it as more of a DK weight yarn.

A couple of patterns come to mind for this: the Blue Waves Vest, the Hot Chilli Shawl Cardigan, or my very own Draped Sleeveless Jacket.

Draped Sleeveless Jacket

The Draped Sleeveless Jacket is just a rectangle with openings left for the armholes.  If it is worked with more ease and the front is unbuttoned, it hangs nicely in a drape.  I think that my new nubby, thin, cotton yarn would look great worked up in a more open stitch.  I’ll start swatching some of these ideas today to see what breaks out!

A Time For Reflection*

I really look forward to the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.  After Christmas, I joined a Meet-Up group for Guided Meditation.  On those days, 7 or 8 of us get together under the eaves in a tiny Cape Cod house.  The space where we meet is cozy and welcoming with floor pillows, chairs, wind chimes, and  all manner of exotic objects to enrich our meditation experience.  Our guide, Sandee, offers up a different technique each time, allowing us to try many various approaches to meditation.  The meeting lasts for two hours but the time passes very quickly.  We chat for about 20 minutes, try some scented oils, and then meditate for 40 minutes.  Then we repeat the process.  There is always time to discuss our impressions and to offer suggestions and resources for further study.

As a result of these meetings, I’ve begun a daily meditation practice. Using my MP3 player and some of the downloads of guided meditation or music that I have found through the group, I sit quietly every morning for about 45 minutes.  This has made an amazing difference in my life!  My aches and pains are disappearing, my mood is great, and I feel that I am really connected to my higher self.  Meditation is difficult when you try to sit in total silence but I have found that having a soft voice or music as a guide is very helpful.

* Blue Earth Photo: Artwork by the Soul Connection Network

 

Bad Yarn = Bad Project

This vest by Ann E. Smith from the October 1994 edition of McCall’s Crochet had a lot of things I liked. It was the right length, the color would go well with black pants, and the white accents were attractive.  I didn’t like the fact that the front was comprised of granny squares (28) but then you can’t have everything.

I used Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride yarn which contains just enough mohair to make it soft and give it a nice sheen.   It was also the yarn that the pattern recommended.  Right away I noticed that the yarn was not consistently spun.  In some places it narrowed down to the size of fingering and in other places it was like bulky weight.  In addition, there was all manner of  “mystery fiber” caught up in the wool. Some of these fibers were extremely coarse and of various colors.  The black yarn was shedding all over my work area and was also attracting lint like a magnet.

Nevertheless, I persevered. I made all the granny squares and wove in countless ends.  I sewed them all together and wove in more ends.  While making the checkered border I noticed that my white yarn had become extremely thin.  I unrolled the entire skein to see if the problem would resolve itself but the whole remainder of the skein was very thin.  Forging ahead, I continued the front band even though the row of white checks along the edge looked distorted because of the thin yarn. 

Once the vest was finished it became more apparent how bad the checkered portion along the front bands looked.  Short of disassembling the entire vest and ordering another skein of white yarn, there is no remedy for this problem. 

 

Final Sunday Giveaway

Alas, I have run out of giveaway items so this will be my final weekend of giveaways.  In the future, I may do this again as I accumulate excess magazines and patterns.  This week, as GROUP I, I am offering a Crochetville Messenger Bag.  I purchased this bag several years ago and took it to one of the GGOA conventions.  It is large and fairly deep and has that ever-popular Crochetville logo.

In Group II I am offering 2 magazines as well as an assortment of loose patterns.  You will get everything in the pictures.

Please let me know which group you would like.  If you have already received a giveaway please let somebody else have a chance.  Leave a comment or send me a message on Crochetville.

 

8th Sunday Giveaway

This week I am offering two groups again.  Both groups consist of an issue of Crochet! magazine and a vest pattern.  Please let me know if you want group I or group II.  Leave a comment.

Group I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Group II

 

Another Neckwarmer Vest

After I finished the Neckwarmer Vest, I had an idea for a different collar and since I had a few skeins of Simply Soft lying around, I decided to make up this alternate design.  The collar on this vest hangs down slightly as a small drape over the center front of the neckline.  I’ve already worn this vest several times and it is flattering as well as warm.

I needed 9 buttons.  When have you ever seen 9 of the same sweater buttons in the same place? Even JoAnn’s only stocks about 6 buttons of each type.  So I raided my button box and found 9 silver buttons.  Unfortunately, only 2 pair were the same!  Okay, I know it’s a bit lame and so 1980′s but I mixed and matched the buttons and used them all.  Without further ado, here is the pattern for the Neckwarmer Vest II.

NECKWARMER VEST II

Materials:             6 skeins Caron Simply Soft, 3 oz ea,  color Dark Country Blue, crochet hook sizes I and H, (9)  1″ buttons, tapestry needle

Size:                        Bust and Hips  44″

Gauge:                   12 pattern stitches =4″, 13 pattern rows = 4″

Stitches used:     Slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, sc 2tog, dc 2 tog       Tc2 counts as a stitch.

Body

With I,ch 116, sc in 2nd ch from hook and into ea ch to end (115 scs), ch1, turn.

Row 2:  Row 2:  Sc into 1st sc, *dc into next sc, sc into next sc*.  Repeat from * to * to end of row, ch 1, turn.

Row 3:  Sc into 1st sc. *dc into next dc, sc into next sc*.  Repeat from * to * to end of row. Ch1, turn.

Repeat row 3 until you have 37 rows or until piece measures 13″.  End on RS row. Ch 1, turn.

Left Front

Work in pattern for 25 stitches.  Ch 1, turn.

Continue to work in pattern over 25 stitches until you have worked 19 rows or until the piece measures 7″ from the beginning of armhole .  End on a WS row. Ch 1, turn.

Shape Neck

Work 16 sts in pattern, leaving 9 sts unworked, turn.

Row 2:  Sc2tog, work 14 more sts to end, ch1, turn.

Row3:  Work even in pattern on 15 sts. Turn.

Row 4:  Dc2tog, work 13 more sts to end, ch 1, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in pattern on 14 sts. Turn.

Row 6:  Sc2tog, work 12 more sts to end, ch 1, turn.

Work 4 more rows even or until piece measures 10 “  from beginning of armhole. End on WS row.  Fasten off.

Back

On right side, sk 8 sts, Attach yarn with a sl st in 9 th st, ch 2, sc in next sc, follow pattern for 47 more sts (49 total), ch 2, turn.

Next row:  Sc in 1st sc, follow pattern to end of row, ch 2, turn.

Repeat until piece measures the same as front.  Fasten off.

RightFront

On right side, sk 8 sts, attach yarn as for left front and work in pattern on 25 sts until piece measure 7″.  Fasten off.

Shape Neck

Turn.  Attach yarn in 10th st, ch 2, sc in next sc.  Work in pattern.  Ch 1, turn. (16 sts)

Row 2:  Work 14 sts in pattern. sc 2tog over last 2 sts. Ch1, turn.

Row 3:  Work even in pattern on 15 sts. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4:  Work 13 sts, dc2tog over last 2 sts. Ch 2, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in pattern on 14 sts.Ch 1, turn.

Row 6:  Work 12 sts, sc2tog over last 2 sts, ch 1, turn.

Work in pattern until piece measures the same as left front.  Fasten off.

Joining:  With the right sides facing each other,  whip stitch or crochet the fronts to the backs.  Weave in ends.

Front Bands: On right side,with H , attach yarn to bottom front corner with a sl st. Ch 1, sc in same st.  Work 59 more sc along front to neck edge. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2:  Work even in sc to bottom edge, Ch1, turn.

Row 3:  Work 2 sc, *ch 2, sk 2 sc, work 9 sc* Repeat from * to * along front to last 3 sts. Ch2, sk 2 sc, sc in last st. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4:  Sc in ea sc.  Place 2 sc in ea ch 2 sp. Ch 1, turn.

Row 5:  Work even in sc to end of row.  Fasten off.

Work 5 rows sc along left front as for right front, omitting buttonholes.

Armhole Trim:  With H, attach yan with a sl st at shoulder. Sc in same st and in ea st around, working 66 sc. Sl st to beginning sc.  Ch 1, turn.

Work 2 more rows around armholes. Fasten off.

Note:  The armholes on this vest are wide.  If you prefer to have them a bit smaller, work a few less sc in the first round, being careful that your fabric does not pucker.

Neck Edge and Scarf:  On right side, attach yarn with a sl st at right front neck edge. Sc in same st. Work a total of 69 sc around neck edge.  Fasten off.  Chain 21, fasten off.  With a sl stitch, attach chain to right front neck at 11th st from edge of band. Fasten off.  Repeat for left front.

Row 1:  On right side, attach yarn to right scarf chain with a sl st. Sc in same st, work in pattern around neck to end of opposite ch on left front. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2 and 3:  Work even in pattern.

Row 4: Work 3 sts in pattern, ch 2, sk 2 sts, continue in pattern to end of row.

Row 5: Work in pattern to Ch 2 sp. Work 2 sts in pattern in ch 2 sp. Work in pattern to end of row.

Work a total of 17 rows, making buttonholes on the 9th and 15th rows.  Fasten off.  Sew buttons opposite buttonholed on the left front band.  Cross scarf ends diagonally and sew buttons on left front scarf. Weave in all remaining ends.

 

Green Vest

This is another Melissa Leapman pattern.  I used Paton’s Grace Cotton for this vest.