Sunday, February 2, 2014

Speeding into another direction [Crochet]

Yesterday, while at Caitlyn's basketball tournament, I elected to work some more on the RWB corner-to-corner afghan.   It has been well over a month since it saw any progress.  Towards the end of the tournament yesterday, I decided that it had reached an adequate width, so it was time to start edging-off the corner growth.

I didn't have the pattern with me, but after a few trials-and-errors, I figured how to maneuver the corner edge.

And I was proud of myself.  I was able to figure it out without needing a pattern.

SO, that got me thinking....
and while driving back home, my mind started seeing possible crochet stitch patterns.  There was a vision that stuck...
And after sketching it the moment I got home....
okay.... actually, it was about an hour after getting home.  FIRST, the animals needed attention, the laundry needed to get started, a fire needed to be started and some groceries we picked up on the way needed to be attended to. 

BUT THEN, I sketched out the design, erased, sketched some more, erased....  
Quilting patterns are so second nature to me now, but crochet designs-----TOTALLY NEW TERRITORY.

With the excitement that ANY new project brings on, my crochet hook started smoking up a storm at 7:00PM.  I grabbed a bunch of yarn from my big purchase from the $1.49 sale at Shopko back in November.  Vanna's Choice - Lion Brand.  Colors:  123 Beige, 404 Dk Grey Heather, 101 Pink.

By 11:00, I was tired and had crocheted through almost two skeins of the Beige with ease.  SUPER easy pattern!  

Paul's alarm sounded at 5AM this morning.  
And NOPE, he didn't need to work.  SO, either he forgot to turn it off from previous mornings OR he had plans to get up to go ice-fishing.  Either way, he was back to sleep in seconds.  *I*, on the other hand, was awake.  
Toss-turn.  It's early Amy....go back to sleep.....
Psht.  5:18AM.  Climbed out of bed.

By 6:00, the crochet hook was back in my hand.  AND within moments, I could tell just how fast that yarn was smoking through my hands last night due to the yarn-burn I had on my index finger.
This is how I hold the yarn when I crochet.  I create my tension by having the yarn come between my pinky and ring finger, and then it hooks over my pointer/index finger.
LOOK!  After two hours of crochet this morning, you can see the wear of the yarn.  Imagine what my actual finger looks like beneath the bandaid!  The bandaid has worked as excellent protection--this yarn is a bit course coming out of the skein, needless to say.  

So far, I've completed 15 rows of Beige, 2 rows of Grey, 4 rows of Pink, 2 more rows of Grey, and am back to using the Beige.  The pattern has worked up quickly and easily.  And I'm geekily super excited to have created my OWN first crochet project/pattern.   

Oh, I'm SURE this design is out there somewhere.... just like if we were to start playing with 4-patches, 9-patches, HSTs....and lay units out.  Designs we make aren't "new".... but... they kinda are.  You have no pattern in front of you -- the design is from your own mind.  
Therefore, if any of my readers are also die-hard crocheters, let me know if this pattern has any official name. :)

Happy Sunday

5 comments:

Andee said...

You never cease to amaze me! I can barely do what I need to do via knitting or crocheting, much less design something! Way to go!

Amanda said...

Injured in the cause of crochet! There's certainly a real revival of interest in crochet at the moment, new magazines out, patterns everywhere. But it hasn't grabbed my fancy yet.

Kevin the Quilter said...

WOW! Yarn burn? Never heard of that? The things we endure for our crafts! I am glad I don't get fabric burn sewing! ;-)

Nancy said...

I have never known anyone to get a yarn burn.... slow down girlfriend!

Jane said...

On Pinterest there is a pattern called the crocheter's finger saver wrap. You crochet a wrap to fit your index finger and crochet a place to put your yarn thru. Looks like a good idea