Another scarf using a a Caron Cake

The pattern:  Lilac Frosting Scarf  this is an easy pattern using a combination of single crochet and double crochet in one stitch, which gives it a slight bumpy texture.

I started this scarf a couple of years ago when I was churning out some scarves to donate.  I was attempting to use up my stash and got rid of a few skeins while doing that.  I have even more now which is so typical for crochet people. 

Lately, I have been digging around to find old projects, WIPs and yarn/pattern waiting for me to make a start.  There are a few out there that are going to be rotated but I have so many I want to do.

The yarn is a Caron Cake Bumbleberry.  It is an acrylic wool blend weight 4,  I used a 5mm crochet hook.

Maybe I will work on the fingerless mittens next.   Or there is another shawl that I started and made it one round.   oh, but I still have ends to sew in and tassels to make for the Lost in Time Shawl.

Rio Arriba Shawl from Polly Plum

 This is a pattern I purchased on Ravelry. . . Rio Arriba

I didn't use her suggested colors as I have so much in my stash to use up.  Polly's choice of colors looks great, but I think mine choice of the Caron Big Cake Nightberry worked up nicely.  Big plus, I didn't have a huge amount of ends to sew in at the end.   I used up most of the cake with enough to make fringe all around.  I did have to undo some swatches/samples I had to dig out.   All good though.

This shawl worked up so quickly.   Once you get the hang of the 2 rows on repeat, it just flies.

Shawls, Shawls, Shawls . . . Lost In Time to start

 I have a lot of pending projects . . . pending, not even WIP . . .  but I do have a lot of WIP that I am rotating around.  I am trying to finish smaller projects in between but I keep finding and downloading patterns for smaller items like shawls, scarves, cowls, and gloves/mittens.   I think I need the feeling of completion from smaller projects.  Now if I could just get all those ends sewn in.

I am sure that many crochet people do this . . . find an inspiring pattern,  find all the yarn listed in the pattern, wait on it to arrive and then set it aside. for another project.   I have a few of those.  Some are blanket size so a lot of yarn sitting around waiting on me.  The shawls are more doable.  I did buy some yarn packs but many times it is the individual skeins.  You can lose track of those skeins easily if you aren't careful to keep them separate.  That almost happened to the yarn I bought for the "Lost in Time Shawl" from Mijo Crochet.   I had to stop myself from picking colors from that project for another project.

Now I have finished the basic shawl (need to make some tassels) so I can release the extra yarn back into the stash.  

I even added in some different colors as I didn't feel too inspired by some colors side-by-side.  That 402 for one which looked more pale blue to me than silver green . . . must be the lights! It is a good thing (?) I had stocked up on various colors of the Scheepjes Catona %100 Cotton.

I really liked the first section with the ginger but then the color selection really expanded.

That dark green, spruce, was my substitute for the silver green.  I started to mix up more when I got into the end of the 2nd repeat and the 3rd repeat.

I even brought back that silver green!  I put all of this in a spreadsheet so I could keep track and switch around when needed.  I didn't have enough of the spruce so I did that color juggling on the last round.

This was a big challenge but really wasn't that hard.  Lots of popcorn stitch but the remaining stitches were sc, dc, fpdc and bpdc.  I have been doing too much mosaic crochet . . . it was nice to do something different.

I was looking at other Lost in Time projects on Ravelry, where I spotted a version done with Caron Cakes Bumbleberry.  As I have some in my stash from 3 years ago . .   at least, lol . . . I might do another Lost in Time,  As soon as I finish another scarf AND shawl that I am part way through.  Or, maybe not, who knows where my crochet path will lead . . .  I have a lot of different patterns I want to try.

Pandemic Crochet Project #3 - Montana Wrap - Backing up a bit

 I put this project down for maybe 10 months ago . . .  or could it be a year??  Oh, my!! 

I got a wee bit frustrated when I started to struggle due to my counts being off and my efforts to correct as I went along weren't working.  So into the project bin it went where it was pushed to the bottom. 

I have other WIP projects too and maybe I should keep more going as I get bored easily with the same pattern.  Love the final results but sometimes it isn't enough to drive me to finish.  Squares can be difficult with the same thing over and over even with the different colors.  My current one is black and white squares, lol.  It will be beautiful when I finish.  That is my previous post.

I pulled out Montana on Friday and started counting stitches at the beginning of the last row.  I put in some stitch markers every 12 stitches . . I just picked that out of my hat but it was very helpful to stay on target for the section where I think I really screwed up.  I worked my way down several rows.  It turns out it is going to mean pulling out several rows, sigh, about 12 rows!

This mosaic crochet pattern is done in rows with the yarn cut at the end of the row.  I have a color scheme that I am following and I want an easier way to organize the yarn.  So I didn't remove the whole row but took it back as far as I needed.   I rolled into a small ball which I then put into a plastic bag.

After a few hours of pulling and rolling I was ready to start again.

Yesterday I did a few rows and I marked the pattern with the remaining missing stitches or extra stitches.  I would have to pull the whole thing apart to get rid of all mistakes , , at least the last ones are consistent.

Crochet pillow cover using Viking Knot mosaic crochet pattern

 Most recent crochet creation using Paintbox DK cotton  in 4 colors: Racing Green, Pistachio Green, Banana Cream and Melon Sorbet.  The pattern used is available on Ravelry : Viking Knot

This is an easy pattern to work in the round.  I had some problems getting the join even,  so I did some sewing at the seam once I was done.   I made a bolster size of 28" x 14" as that suits my needs and the yarn I have available.

Now I really need to finish up another project that has been sitting idle for about 1 year.   So many squares!!!

Finishing touches done on my "I'd rather be blue" Queen

 I did add a bit more to the length by adding extra rows on the non-fringed ends.  I used a combination of single crochet, HDC, FPDC to give the ends a bit of interest.  I also added some stitches to stabilize the sides with the fringe after adding more fringe to give it a fuller look.   First, I did a slip stitch down the sides on the surface then a row of single crochet to help secure the fringe on the sides.

 After all that extra stitching, I decided to make some tassels using the leftover bits of yarn hoping to use it up!!  I didn't quite finish it but I do have 10 tassels

I thought I was going to add 5 each to the non-fringed ends but somehow I used 9 on one end.   Maybe that is better?   Leaving one non-fringed as un-tasseled too.  That gives me an end to tug on as I pull it up.  IDK,  I haven't totally made up my mind but it is time to work on other projects.

Pandemic Crochet Project #3 - Montana Wrap or is it a throw??

 My results so far . . . 6 feet wide but only about 9 inches long after the first part is done . . .  1/3 of the way to the end.  I might need to add some more stripes at the beginning and end.

Pandemic Crochet Project #3 - Montana Scarf/Wrap More Planning and the start!

These two yarns look so good together.  A mix of Aran and Bulky is doable but I am trying to make the stitches with the Aran looser  so Bulky doesn't get pulled too much.   It is noticeably puffier as the yarn is a bit squiggly . . .  not sure that is a proper yarn term . . . maybe I should say it is curlier.  It is a bit trickier to work with due to the curly fuzziness.  I was missing stitches but it is better now.  I did use the Homespun to make some scarves last year so it was not totally unfamiliar.

I am having some challenges in other areas.  Like how much yarn I will really need.   My start had me using the length as designated by the wrap dimensions.  That was 311 stitches which seem like a lot but using only DK or fingerling yarn would make it a good length.  I ended up with a length of NINE feet!!!  oh, my!!  A yarn eater too!!  I was half way through the first pattern row when I had to make a decision.  After counting triangles and stitches, I decided to skip the 2 repeats of the stars.  That caused much tearing out of yarn back to almost the point where I had stopped the first pattern row.  The end is a bit of a mess which means I have more cleanup when I do the border work.

I am also having to recalculate what color Homespun yarn I am using.  One skein is 185 yards.  It doesn't go very far.   I wanted to use the Montana Sky shade but only have 2 skeins.  I managed to get 9 rows from 1 skein.  I have a total of 90 rows of which 45 will be from the Homespun yarn.   I need a plan, right?  And more yarn.  Luckily, my stash does have more of the Homespun which can be used.  I just need to figure out what to use where.

I started a spreadsheet!!  First time I am actually doing this.

I have to make a decision about what colors to use now.   I have 2 skeins of the Montana Sky.  I have used one skein so far  and the second one needs to be used at the end.

My candidates for other colors are Painted Desert, Celestial Stripes, Tourmaline, Colonial . . . all rather matching but with a bit of different color.

One of my helpers, Ozzy

Pandemic Project #2 -Queen Cal Part 5

 Almost Done!!   I just need to do some cosmetic work to the border.  Add some more fringey things.  Maybe add some embroidery work on the plain gray end.  I started following the "simple" chart (the plain grays section) then started to get more "adventurous" through parts 2-4 then decided to go to the  "traditional" chart for the final piece.   I am not using the published border and I decided not to do the twisted fringe.   I added some extra colorful rows on the two non-fringe ends.

I am ready to put this one aside and do something else . . . maybe start another Queen in different colors . . .  I did post about the Moroccan queen weeks ago and I have collected all my yarn.   It won't be a big blanket either but it will be pretty.

Here is most of me covered by my "I'd rather be blue" Queen!  It measures 40" x 54".

"I'd rather be blue" using colors in the blue and gray family.

Stormy Gray, Misty Gray, Slate Gray, Granite Gray, Midnight Blue, Marine Blue, Sailor Blue, Kingfisher Blue, Royal Blue, Duck Egg Blue, Washed Teal, Seafoam Blue, Champagne White

Paintbox Cotton DK yarn

Pandemic Project #2 - Queen CAL - Part #3

 The Simple Adventurous Queen has progressed to Part 3 and diamond variables are increasing . . .  because I can't help myself.

This is just the first third of Part 3.

I was busy this morning marking my charts with the additional adventurous pattern designs.   I have so many designs (provided by Tinna in the purchased pattern) to choose from and I am marking on the printed out charts.  All those colored markers I have hoarded over the years are coming in handy.

AND . . .

Final photos for Part 3

Pandemic Crochet Project#2 - Queen CAL - Part #2

 A small sneak peek.   I am slowly getting there between other things I am doing.   I am going to work on making "Pain au Chocolate" for the first time.   I already have the first rise of the dough in the fridge.

Update! Update! Update!   I finished part 2!!!!  Trying to decide colors for Part 3 and the patterns to use in the big diamonds.  My simple Queen is getting a bit adventurous!  Just look at those stripes in the last bit of Part 2.

Working on the Queen Cal - Pandemic Crochet Project #2 - Part 1

 I dithered around  looking at colors and couldn't make up my mind.   Meanwhile I ordered some more colors to expand my selections and make it even harder to decide.

Soooooooo, I decided to make a start on the small simple version to get some practice.

This is partway though Part One.  Part One is 47 rows.

Updated with the finished Part 1

 

Big Test Swatch for Mosaic Crochet Using Havana Pattern

 Havana Mosaic Sampler

This is what I am currently working on to get ready for the Queen CAL.

UPDATE:  Adding the more or less finished  product so I can move on to the Queen Cal.   Maybe later I will return to to turn this in to something useful like a pillow.

Mosaic Crochet - the Queen CAL

Tinna's Crochet Club Facebook

Tinna's Queen CAL Ravelry

I am notorious about not finishing projects. I did manage to get a few things finished during this pandemic while starting up new ones. I spotted a post on Facebook regarding a group to join and found the woman who had created a few videos on mosaic crochet that I watched awhile back. 

I decided on a scheme based on photos I took while in Morroco. I started digging through my stash and found so much yarn that needs to be used. But which colors?? Some shades are missing from my stash which I need to fill in. I will have to narrow down to specific colors at some point. Eight? Nine? Ten?   Yikes!! 

I guess I am making a Moroccan Queen!!

Using up some of the stash . . .Crochet!

 

I went on a scarf crocheting binge in January so I could use up some of my stash (one of the projects I decided I no longer wanted to do) and make a donation to a friend's volunteer work with the homeless.

Some how my stash expanded even as I reduced it from the original size.  The Homespun yarn works great for scarves.  I should do this again!   Some of the scarves were from published patterns but some were sort of random choices of stitches from out of my head  . . really, HDC, DC, FPDC, BPDC, Popcorn are not to hard to reproduce.   But I also looks in a book I have for some ideas of sequence of stitches.