Celebrate: Two Completed Projects!

I’m ecstatic! I’ve accomplished quite a bit since my last post. I’ve made progress on my Rose Garden Shawl–I’ve officially finished with the main body, and I have the first row of the border done! Progress is slow for this one, but I’m getting there.

I’ve also completed 2 projects! Both come from free patterns available on Rescued Paw Designs. I crocheted the Andy Cowl using 1 skein of Malabrigo Rasta and the Victoria Button Scarf using 1 skein of an alpaca/tencel blend from a local alpaca farm. Mind you, neither of these 2 projects were projects I already had started. I began and completed both of these after I posted this post a few days ago, which means I still have those other projects I’m working on.

So, here’s what I did. For the Andy Cowl, I was a teeny bit worried because I wasn’t sure if I’d have enough yarn for the project. Malabrigo Rasta has approximately 90 yards–the yarn used in the pattern consisted of 92 yards. I wasn’t sure how much yarn was used in the original, so I wasn’t sure if I’d have to adjust the pattern if I ended up not having enough.

As David is no longer at my disposal as my model, I enlisted the talents of this fluffy, Valentine’s Day Bear.

Turns out, I had more than enough yarn for this cowl. I actually added a few more rows so I could use up as much of the yarn as possible, which made my cowl a little wider. I didn’t add any buttons, though. I didn’t have any on hand I wanted to use, and I’m quite fond of how my cowl looks without buttons.

I picked out the alpaca/tencel blend because I figured it’d be perfect for the Victoria Button Scarf. It’s 150 yards in a color I’m calling Stormy Seas. There are a variety of deep, shimmery blues with the slightest hint of white every so often.

I knew I’d have more than enough yarn for this scarf and when I saw how easy the repeat was, I just kept going until I ran out of yarn. I didn’t put any buttons on this one either. I guess it’s a personal preference. Although both the Andy Cowl and Victoria Button Scarf look great with buttons.

To close, the obsevations I made while dog watching over the weekend have showed me that there is nothing is more threatening than a frog in the pool.

Carpet Petting and a David Bust

Now, I know you’re wondering about that title–how could you not be? That’s the point, right?

Well, on the rare occasion I go to Lowe’s (either on my own or with someone else), I gravitate toward the gardening section. Usually, I don’t inform the person I’m with that I’m wandering off–I just do. I catch a glimpse of green out of the corner of my eye, and I’m gone. Once I arrive, I walk up and down every isle feeling the leaves on all the plants, smelling the flowers, then smelling the leaves on the plants without flowers.

It just so happened that the other day my mother asked me if I wanted to join her on her trip to Lowe’s to pick out a new light for the kitchen. Of course! So, we get there, and she tells me we aren’t going to be there long enough for me to wander through the plants. Apparently, she already had a light picked out–we were going in to grab it and check out. Know how the Doctor says, “don’t wander off?” I wandered off to the carpeting section.

I touched every carpet sample in every color and each time the fibers of a different piece met with my fingers, I giggled. I imagine I got some strange looks from the guys working there; however, I can’t say for sure because I was too absorbed in petting every carpet.

On a different note, I made an error in this post. If I remember correctly, I said I was working on 3 different projects: a dragon using crochet thread, a shawl using alpaca/tencel lace weight yarn, and a scarf using alpaca yarn I purchased at the fair from a local alpaca farm. I forgot about my Rose Garden Shawl! That means I actually had 4 projects in progress, but I’m proud to say I’m now down to 3! Check out my completed alpaca scarf!

It was 88 degres and humid today.

Today was such a lovely day, so bright and sunny! I just had to take pictures outside! Although, I managed to snap these when the sun snuck behind some clouds. I don’t have a bust or a dress form yet to display my work for photo purposes yet, so I figured I’d make do with lawn furniture.

Obviously, this chair was cold and needed to be bundled up.

I should mention that I have been dog sitting for the last few days, and these photos were taken at the owner’s house. The garden at the house has a variety of vibrant blooms, many of which attract butterflies and hummingbirds (in addition to the charming bumblebees and hard-working honeybees)!

 

I figured these 3 pictures would be enough. They came out well enough. It wasn’t until a few hours later when I remembered there’s a bust in one of the rooms of the house. I call it the David because that statue is the first thing I think of whenever I see the bust, even though it doesn’t actually look like the real thing. He doesn’t look quite symmetrical (his eyes are wonky, like one is starting to melt down his face). Anyway, he had no way of objecting to posing with this awesome accessory, so I dressed him up!

Look how glamorous I am as I gaze awkwardly over my shoulder.

My next thought was to crochet a hat while I’m here so I could dress him up some more–we’ll see what happens tomorrow. The dogs don’t really like when I crochet, and they make sure I know it. They seem to think that my yarn is a toy to be played with–as soon as I get it out, I have 2 noses climbing on my lap trying to figure out what this new thing is. Soon after that, they’re trying to take it from me. When it comes to me and my yarn, I am Gollum, and yarn is my Preciousss.

Check me out ladies and gents!

Days 11-14: Doctor Who Scarf Progress

I shall begin by saying that today is technically Day 16. So, why doesn’t that match the title? We’ve spent the last few days switching to a new internet service provider. In all honesty, I’m not bothered if I have to go completely without internet for a few days, and this transition did leave me with 24 hours of absolutely no connection. Rather than ramble about that, let’s get to the real reason I’m sharing this: my scarf progress.

I got a lot done on Day 11–I spent close to 8 hours total on it. Mind you, this was spread out over about 12 hours, so I had a fair amount of break time in there, but it was definitely more progress than I had made on Day 10 (I barely managed to fit in 3 hours that day). So here’s Day 11’s progress photo.

Day 12 was another productive day–I spent around 6 hours on it then.

Day 13 was tough–I had approximately 10 hours of crochet work left (not including weaving in the ends and adding the tassels), and I woke up determined to finish it on that day. I hit a snag: my left hand–the hand that guides my yarn while holding my project–started feeling strained, so I borrowed my mom’s compression glove. I noticed a lack of circulation to my fingers but no help to my hand (although it’s probable the glove is supposed to be worn to prevent strain, not ease what I already have). While I got a lot done on this day, I was not able to finish my scarf because I had to take frequent breaks (I was at the point where I couldn’t do more than 5 rows without stopping for a few minutes).

It had also been my original intention to share a post on Day 13; however, I decided I’d hold off on it to give my hand some reprieve. This is where I was at the end of Day 13.

It’s Day 14, and I had less than 4 hours of crocheting left (yay!). After that, weaving in the ends took about 2 hours, which is my least favorite part–it’s not uncommon for me to complete several crochet projects and then have a “weaving party,” in which I do nothing but weave in ends on however many projects I have. Then the tassels. I officially completed it on this day, but I didn’t take a photo because I wanted a photo wearing it (it was dark when I finished it, and the lighting in our house isn’t great, so I wanted a picture outside). That’s why my post title stops at Day 14. Day 15 was the day I got a photo, and it’s also the day we switched internet services. We didn’t have a connection until today, which is Day 16. Today I also had to drop it off at the fair.

 

Imagine standing outside in sunny, slightly humid, 80+ degree weather in a scarf designed for a giant. I will confidently say that my scarf is significantly longer than the original. Is that an issue? Hardly. All it means is there’s more scarf for scarf for me!!!

I am in love with it–I put it on immediately after I finished. Complete fan girl moment. My hands were shaking, I was breathing heavy, and I started doing a happy dance while also squealing. The household was asleep during this. I am also the only Whovian in our house. My attempts at conversion continue to fail (I offered to name our home network either Gallifrey or Raxacoricofallapatorius, but neither of those went over well). On a side note, they love the scarf and think it’s beautiful. The fair volunteers (retired grandmothers) who were collecting and categorizing the projects were in love with it, too. They said it’d be perfect to bundle up in if our winter’s really cold. My mother also suggested wrapping me in it like a mummy. At least the uninitiated I’ve encountered recognize and accept it as a functional and attractive accessory.

 

 

Days 8-10: Doctor Who Scarf Progress

My scarf is coming along wonderfully–I passed the half-way mark on Day 8! Yay! I had 55% completed after the time I put in that day. Here’s Day 8’s picture progress.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get around to even putting in half an hour on Day 9.

Day 10 progress has been interesting. My scarf is 62% complete! I’ve having some trouble with the scarf percentage tracker right now, so I’m unable to include the percentage image. Also, I have been watching Jessica Jones while working on my scarf. I started watching it last week, and I finished it this evening.

I would first like to mention that I never imagined I could genuinely fear a character portrayed by David Tennant. I’m keeping this post spoiler-free (even though the show has been out for a little while now), so I won’t elaborate there. Those of you who’ve seen it–you know what I’m talking about. Now, I find that I end up categorizing antagonists into 3 groups: those who have an allure, those who make a decent villain, and those who exemplify what I most fear. Rather than get carried away here, I’ll write a villains post in the future to expand upon my statement. Right now, I’ll state that David Tennant as Kilgrave falls into that third group for me.

Now, here’s the part I find interesting. Most of the time, my multi-tasking skills are functional when I crochet–I’m able to do so while also watching whatever show I have on, and it runs smoothly. Now if there’s a fight scene, it’s not uncommon for me to stop crocheting while allowing the fast-paced events to distract me. While watching Jessica Jones, I discovered something new. A particularly violent encounter was unfolding in her apartment, and I crocheted through it. What was different was I was crocheting vigorously. Usually, my crocheting is calm and even. Once in a while, I “speed crochet,” which is where I crochet faster than normal while maintaining a relaxed fluidity. This was not speed crochet–this was a violent exaggeration of crochet. I was so involved in the scene that the way I crochet reflected that. I imagine it looking completely ridiculous–I’m not even able to come up with something to compare it to right now.

I think that’s enough rambling for now. Here’s what I accomplished on Day 10.

Days 3 & 4: Doctor Who Scarf Progress

A shortage of time prevented yesterday’s entry, so I’m including it in today’s. I spent about 4 hours working on it yesterday. Definitely looking more like the real thing.

 

Today, I managed to fit in around 6 hours worth of crocheting. My scarf is officially longer than I am tall. I have 11 days left before I need to have it done–I stated in an earlier post that I had until August 27–I actually have to have it done and ready to drop off on August 26. I am ahead of schedule, so I’m pleased with my progress.

Here’s the percentage of how much I currently have done: <img src=’http://tardis.scienceontheweb.net/scarf/scarfimg.php?&flip=y&showpercent=y&percent=34.78′&gt;

Day 2: Doctor Who Scarf

I spent a little over 4 hours on my scarf today. I’m pleased with my progress. It’s starting to look more like a scarf!

I’m not sure why, but this link doesn’t work in the link text. To see the percentage of how much of my scarf is complete, click here: <img src=’http://tardis.scienceontheweb.net/scarf/scarfimg.php?&flip=y&showpercent=y&percent=15.33′&gt;

Day 1: Doctor Who Scarf Progress

This is a short post–a progress update with a picture.

I can officially say that my crochet marathon has begun! I spent approximately 4 hours on my scarf today (I might spend a little more time on it after I post this). The following picture demonstrates what I have done so far.

If I’ve done my math correctly, I can spend less than 4 hours on it each day and have it completed in time for the fair. Yay!

Here’s my progress so far in percentage format: <img src=’http://tardis.scienceontheweb.net/scarf/scarfimg.php?&flip=y&showpercent=y&percent=7.32′&gt;

 

Dawn of an Escapade

Today shall forever mark my plunge into the diverse blog ocean. As I type this, my site is rough. I’ve personalized a few things–the photo in my header was taken by me while on vacation a few years ago–and I have a lot to go. However, I’ve decided that’s enough personalizing for now–a blog isn’t much of anything without a post.

Without further ado, allow me to introduce one of the many reasons why I chose to start blogging: to share my love of crocheting. As a quirky individual who happens to be a Whovian, I will finally be making my own replica of Tom Baker’s most famous accessory. In the event you have no clue what I’m talking about, let me assure that only the most passionate individuals would intentionally choose to wear it: a scarf long enough to get caught and be dragged in everything.

This is where I did most of my color-matching research. In addition to the pattern, the site includes recommended colors in different yarn brands and weights. As I don’t like mixing yarn brands in a project, I wanted all my colors to come from the same brand (not an easy task). I’m also on a time crunch: my not-even-started scarf has been entered (by me) into my local fair to be judged. I drop the scarf off at the fair on August 27, so ordering yarn online would not benefit me as the days I spend waiting for the yarn to arrive at my doorstep are days I could be crocheting.

So, why am I spending precious crochet time on a blog? I’m going to map my progress here, and I shall begin by sharing my chosen colors. I will be using Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand. I’m not a fan of acrylic and would have preferred wool; however, cost and time were my greatest motivators. Following the yardage specifications in the link I shared in the previous paragraph, I got more than enough yarn in every color for less than $50 (I think my final cost was $40-$45). My colors are (from left to right starting in the top row): chocolate, eggplant, charcoal grey, honey, olive, cranberry, and beige.

Here’s today’s progress: <img src=’http://tardis.scienceontheweb.net/scarf/scarfimg.php?&flip=y&showpercent=y&percent=0′&gt;

My goal is to update it daily with that day’s progress.