Hooking Friends and Healing Hands

In September of 2001, the Woolly Bullies, as we sometimes refer to ourselves, started getting together about once a month to rug hook together. There's always lots of oohing and aahing at each others rugs, sometimes attempts to steal rugs, wool and dying tips, delicious treats, lots of laughing, and sharing the ups and downs in our lives. An extremely sad, unbelievable family tragedy befell one of us. Devin, the founder of our group, came up with the idea of making a rug as a way to give support, comfort and love to our friend. The rug design is Devin's. Each of us will hook our hand and loving thoughts into the rug. Besides designing the rug, Devin also can be credited with organizing the whole project, from gathering the wool to packaging up the rug as it's passed from person to person. She also is hooking the background. Isn't the swirling green background fantastic? Emmy hooked the perfect lettering. Below are close ups of the hands of myself, Emmy, Devin, Marie, Lenore, and Joelle.
Next week we get together for October. I'm looking forward to seeing those Woolly Bullies!

Important note: If you are reading this and happen to know the woman for whom this rug is for, please do not mention this to her! Thank you!

Crochet at Work

Antique Mexican Crocheted Dolls

It's a Blue Ribbon Day

Blue Peninsula's blog is always a good read, full of inspiration, gorgeous photography, spectacular art and knitting, and views of Ida the cat, now and then. So I was surprised when Bonnie gave me this Blog Award. There are some rules that go along with its honor:

1) Post the award on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
3) Nominate at least 4 other bloggers and add their links.
4) Leave a comment at the recipients' blogs so they can pass it on.

I decided to pass the honor onto a few blogs that highlight rug hooking since they are so few and far between. The first 2 blogs I've followed from the early days of my blog.

• Brenda's Kinship in Color and Wool
• Katie's What Katie Did

I've recently come across and have been following these rug hooking blogs:

• Jennifer's Fisheye Rugs
• Wanda's WandaWorks
• Jane's Jane's Green Art
  

Look a-yonder comin'

It's a cliched image but I see these tracks every day, just down the street. This line doesn't go too far - west out to Fitchburg and east to North Station. I never tire of seeing railroad tracks fade into the distance. I've always been partial to the romance and symbolism of the rail. How can you resist travel to a new destination, movin' along, the sounds of a train, the people along the way. As a little kid, "I've been working on the railroad" was a favorite song, and before the area was built up, from the second floor of the house, you could see and hear trains passing in the distance. I still have the book my Dad gave me for my first train trip from Chicago to St. Louis. And how could I forget the "Ride this Train" feature on Johnny Cash's television show? So it's really no surprise "The Darjeeling Limited" was a must see for me last year.

Speaking of Cash, working on the Johnny Cash #2 rug got derailed for quite awhile. I've been trying to work on it again and I'm determined to get it done by the end of the year by working on it a little bit every day. Maybe a listen to "Orange Blossom Special" or "Hey, Porter" will be the ticket. Here's where the rug stands at the moment.

And so, the Ravelympics are over and I finished all my events. I received some really wonderful prizes from my sisters. From Bonnie, I received the the soft and fragrant Summer Blossoms prize. And from Jenny, this Weeping Willow bag, an original weaving design of hers. Isn't it the perfect fit for my camera? Thank you, Jenny and Bonnie!

Hello Internet!

After a long absence I've returned to blogging.

Hello Waveland!

A recently completed scarf, artfully modeled by my Chicago OrkPoster. My sister said I should name the scarf Waveland. When I lived in Chicago I always felt compelled to wave anytime my path crossed with Waveland Ave. What can I say-it's a happy street name. I think I'm going to have to make a shawl using this stitch pattern.

Hello Medals!

My sisters and I are all on Ravelry and competing in Ravelympics while the Olympics are going on. Check out Bonnie's entertaining updates of our Ravelympics progress. I medaled in WIP Wrestling and completed 2 unfinished crochet projects.

I'm competing in one more event, the Sweater Sprint. Despite some setbacks, I'm hoping to make it to the finals, producing a bolero with this fabulous yarn.

Okay, bye, bye!

Update-Amigurumi patterns:

http://www.planetjune.com/blog/

http://www.fablehandmadegoods.com/index.html

http://www.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/patternIndex.fcgi?s=Crochet

http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/

While in Texas

I was in Dallas for a few days attending a conference for work. While I was there I visited with an aunt and cousin. I gave my aunt this Blue Curacao shawl for a belated ninetieth birthday present. The pattern is from Doris Chan's Amazing Crochet Lace, using Valley Yarns' Goshen, a lovely silk/cotton blend. During flight times, I crocheted up the beginnings of a table runner, using Berroco's Naturlin yarn.

Kyuuto! Cute!

Sometimes Japanese designs are so cute, you can't just resist them and you have no choice but to make them, even if they may not be extremely functional. In my case, I had to make these cute cup or jar cosies from Lacy Crochet. They're little gifts I gave to my sisters when I visited them over the weekend. And thanks Bonnie for taking the photo of them!
From the same book, I made myself a vintage looking potholder. And I will confess that there are more of Lacy Crochet's cute little things in the works.

More Scarves to Love!

It's snowing out today much more than I expected. Luckily I have 2 new additions to my scarf collection to protect me from this wintry weather. Yesterday I blocked the Boteh Scarf and it's around my neck as I type. I just love everything about the Artyarn Ultramerino yarn - the color, it's softness next to the skin, the pleasure in crocheting it. It took just over 2 skeins, so I have almost a full skein to use for something else.
The Sidesaddle Cluster scarf has been getting a lot of wear since it was finished. It could be longer and wider but I didn't want to get more of the yarn. Next time, I'll make the full wrap and use a more substantial wool.

It can be difficult to do Christmas shopping and not get a little something for your self. I ended up getting Lacy Crochet while browsing at Black Ink in Harvard Square. I had some pearl cotton sitting around and made the flower pot holder/doily from it. I didn't have enough for the last 7 rows so I had to improvise and make a smaller doily. It also looks cute as a pouch. The lampwork glass beads on the drawstring are from Roessler Glass in Boston's South End.

This just finished crochet thread zippered coin pouch looks like it could be a pattern in the book.
And an unexpected Christmas present, my invite to Ravelry arrived today!

94 Days

No digital camera + no internet provider = infrequent posts. Here's a smattering of projects I've been working on while being a blogging slacker. My current commuter project is this scarf, using the wonderfully named sidesaddle stitch. The yarn is Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a silver gray color, using a size I hook. It took me awhile to find the stitch that matched the look I had in my head. I'm happy with how it's turning out, it's very textural and very soft.

Next up and also almost completed is a cardigan from the Doris Chan book, whose title I'm blanking on at the moment. I had some leftover Plymouth Encore from a charity project, so I thought I use it up. I love these patterns that don't require seaming.
I had enough yarn leftover from the Staggered Web top to whip up these shell wrist warmers. I found the pattern through Crochet Pattern Central.
And, what the heck, I'll throw in another picture. Because, who knows, it could be awhile before my next post. An all day carry tote from the Lotta Jansdotter book, made using leftover upholstery fabric I've had for ages, and some wool that's too thin for hooking.

Caribou Abydos Vest

I finished the Abydos vest a few weeks ago. It's a pattern from Doris Chan's Amazing Crochet Lace. I used the yarn called for in the pattern, Filatura di Crosa's Brilla, a cotton rayon. If I had seen this yarn in a yarn shop, I probably would have passed it by. I purchased it for a great price at Elann. It was quick and easy to crochet, with no seaming.

Two Mini's

It's summer...

but it feels like autumn.

Last train to Utopia

Yesterday I took a quick train trip to Salem to the Peabody Essex Museum for the last day of the Joseph Cornell show, and I'm so glad I did. It was a full survey of all his work. There were many collages and box constructions I hadn't seen before, along with many favorites. A day full of wonderful images, and a very blue-colored day. It was an extremely well put-together show. I believe it travels to San Francisco next-go- if you're in the area.

I crocheted this scattered web lace for a sweater while I was traveling on the train. It will be the lace top in the new Loop d Loop Crochet book. I feel like the fabric is a little stiff even though I have the right gauge. I may block this piece and see if it softens up. Tomorrow, some rug hooking to show you!

Some Summer Thanks

A delicious dinner thanks to the farmer's market, including homemade mozzarella cheese.

And progress on a sunset scarf, thanks to Bonnie, who gave me the yarn awhile back.

3 C's

1: My clivia is blooming! Friends gave me this plant about 7 years ago when they moved to California. It sprouts a couple leaves every year. I was so surprised when I noticed the flowering stalk had appeared. Isn't it pretty?

2: A quick on-the-go crochet project finished. The one skein scarf from the Happy Hooker book. It's linen and very, very long!

3: Chemistry is finished! I did enjoy it but I'm very happy to have most of August free to finish up (and start new) rug hooking and crochet projects.

Zippered Case

I have had the worst time trying to photograph this bag. The pale pinks keep washing out, so this will just have to do for now. I finished punching this bag a few weeks ago and this weekend sewed the sides and put the zipper and lining in. Rug hooking really goes fast with the Oxford Mini needle. It's primarily worsted weight yarns except for the pink which is Paton's SWS (soy-wool). I'm liking the pencil case shape. It's about 9 inches long by 4 inches with a gusseted bottom.

March of the Mansions

Yesterday morning 3 old Victorian homes were moved along the middle of Mass Ave in Cambridge to a new location a few blocks down. What a surreal parade. The photo above is from today's Boston Globe. I stopped by their new location Saturday early evening and a crowd was still checking the scene out. The worker below answered bystanders' questions and filled us in on the details of the move. The houses were placed on hydraulic trolley beds with tiny little wheels, about 4 ft off the ground. It then only took 3 men to steer the houses down the street using remote controls, much like a video game or remote model cars. Trees had to be trimmed, posts and street lights removed or shifted. The largest mansion had to straddle the center median. The move took 5 years of planning. It made me think of Howl's Moving Castle.

Now the houses stand in their new places while their foundations are built.

Here's the spot they used to occupy.

And now to shift topics completely, here's the finished wrap. I'm very happy with it all around except that's it's smaller/shorter than I had hoped. I went with a smaller gauge so I guess that's what I get. I think I'll have to redo it or else I may never wear it. It was alot of fun to crochet so it wouldn't be horrible to redo.