March reflections

I haven`t finished anything new this week but I wanted to talk about some of my highlights for March and how I am doing on my goals.

Reflections on my snowflake project

I am a member of the Harry Potter Knitting/Crochet House Cup (HPKCHC).  The HPKCHC is a Ravelry group "competition" that is set up around the world of Harry Potter.  Every month there are class prompts for various things to craft and a player earns points for their house by participating in activities.  It is fun and helped me to stay motivated and get to know new people. 
My Snowflake project was what is called an OWL (ordinary wizarding level) and is supposed to be a project that takes 10-12 weeks to complete.  Participants have to propose and OWL and be approved to be able to earn the 150 points available. 
·         The whole owl  proposal process was a bit demanding and slightly annoying but helped me prepare to finish the project in a limited amount of time
·         Setting a time limit made me much more likely to finish the project
·         I was totally proud of myself for finishing on time
Learning to work with thread
·         I don`t think I am an expert at crocheting in thread yet but I feel fairly confident
·         I have learned a lot about tension and stitch definition
·         It`s easier than it looks.  In a lot of ways thread and crochet feel like they were made for each other
·         I really love the stitch definition of thread, and I actually like working super tight which keeps the stitches super neat.
General reflections
·         I really enjoyed the project and the results, but I am relieved to be done.  It was a huge undertaking and by the end I was pretty bored of tiny white  crochet thread and snowflakes.
·         Written doily patterns are a bit of a pain.  It is kind of difficult to determine what the huge sheath of instructions means until you actually do it.  I am sure the instructions I have written out will proof just as difficult to someone else as the instructions I have run into were for me.
·         I have resolved to learn to read and write crochet charts.  A lot of the pattern reading difficulties I had could have been solved with a good chart.

Learning to spin

I set a goal in the HPKCHC's Order of the Pheonix (OOTP) missions to spin for 3 hrs a week for 8 weeks.  
I loved this project.  I think in a lot of way the biggest thing I have learned by  spinning project is that there really is so much to learn about fiber and spinning.

There are so many things I don`t know. My yarns are still lumpy and uneven but I think they are beautiful in all their irregularity.   I really liked working with the BFL even if was also the hardest for me to draft evenly. 
Setting a goal and sticking to it was fun and challenging.  It was good for my self esteem as well

Yearly goals 
I know I have alluded to these, but I haven't posted the list yet.  So here is how I am doing on my yearly crafting goals:

• Knit or crochet 12 squares for charity---2 so far
• Learn Tunisian crochet----so far I have worked through
  
  Beginner's Guide to Tunisian Crochet by Marie Segares and made this sampler square

  
• 24 snowflakes for my Christmas tree next year--Finished
  
  
• Learn to spin ( I got a spindle on Christmas --Actually my WIP the first project is with the tiny bit of yarn I have spun since then)--See above
• Knit at least one Men’s Bias-Knit Tie--not started
• Knit Wallet--not started although I've had the yarn for 2 years
• make at least one homemade present for everyone in my family(either Christmas or b-day NOT both)--I have a few presents for special occasions planned but none completed
• Learn Irish and/or Clones lace--I learned a little bit making the Irish snowflake and I have done some reasearch
• improve at tapestry crochet--not started.
• Knit or crochet 12 Bookmarks --Not started

Winter is over!

I finished the Snowflakes!  I guess that means the snow can melt and spring can officially begin.  Sorry to all those of you who have had unseasonably cold weather :p.

All 24

Pinapple Tree Topper

Snowflake by American Thread Company

Snowflake by American Thread Company

Cut-Glass Snowflake ( reduced slightly in size by me)

                  

Flower (improvised)

Irish Crochet Snowflake

Of Seven and Three (My first published pattern)

Old Fashioned Lace (mine)

Pineapple Basket (mine)

SnowFlower  (Mine-not yet published)

Snowflake by Maggie Weldon

Small Pineapple (based on the pattern for the topper)

Icicle (mine)--My husband calls this one Starfish

Nearly Finished!

All I have to show this week is that I have finished the actual crochet work on my Snowflake project.

I am hoping to have these blocked, stiffened, and have hangers added in time for Friday, and definitely by the end of Sunday.  So hopefully I'll have some major beauty shots for you then.

Also I published the pattern for one of the snowflakes I designed yesterday.  You can find it here, and on Ravelry.

Free Pattern: Of Seven and Three

I missed Monday again this week, because it was my birthday and my husband decided to take me out to dinner which was wonderful.
So in honor of my birthday and to make up for missing two Mondays in a row I am giving you a present, a free pattern.

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Seven and three have been believe throughout the ages to be two of the most powerful, and possibly magical numbers.  Religion, alchemy, the occult and various secretive organizations make reference to the powers of three and seven.  When I envisioned this snowflake I wanted to bring a bit of that magic to life in a less conventional snowflake.  The seven points are uncommon and make the snowflake a bit harder to block flat but I really love the result.

Snowflake of Seven and Three

Ch 10 join with sl

Round 1 Ch 3 (1stdc), 2 dc ch in center ring, ch3 *3dc in ring ch3* 6 times Join with sl; {7 groups of 3 dc and 7 ch3 spc}

Round 2 Ch 3 (initial ch3 of a round always counts as a dc unless otherwise stated) dc in nxt 2 dc, ch 1

(dc, ch3, dc) in center ch of next ch 3 ( 2^nd ch) ch1. *dc in next 3dc, ch 1 (dc, ch3, dc) in center ch of next ch 3 ( 2^nd ch) ch1* 6 times join; {7 groups of 3dc, 7 (dc ch3 dc)}

Round 3 Ch3, dc in next 2 dc, ch 1 (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in next ch3 spc, ch1, * dc in next 3dc, ch 1 (3dc, ch3, 3dc) in next ch3 spc, ch1* 6 times. Join {7 groups of 3dc, 7 (3dc, ch3, 3 dc)}

Round 4 Ch3, dc in next 2 dc, ch1, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1,(dc, ch3, dc, ch7, dc, ch3, dc) in the center ch of the next ch 3 space, ch1, dc in next 3 dc, ch1. * dc in next 2 dc, ch1, dc in next 3 dc, ch 1,(dc, ch3, dc, ch7, dc, ch3, dc) in the center ch of the next ch 3 space, ch1, dc in next 3 dc, ch1 * 6 times join

{21 groups of 3dc, 7 (dc, ch3,dc, ch7 dc, ch3,dc)}

Round 5 sl in the next 2 dc, skip next group of 3 dcs, ch 6 sl in the 3^rd ch, ch3 sl in the next dc, sl in the nxt 2 dc, skip next group of 3 dcs, ch 6 sl in the 3^rd ch, ch3 sl in the next dc, ch 3 sl in ch7 spc, ch3 sl in 1^st ch, ch5 sl in1st ch, ch 3 sl in 1^st ch, sl in ch7 spc, ch 3 sl in the next dc. *skip next group of 3 dcs, ch 6 sl in the 3^rd ch, ch3 sl in the next dc, sl in the nxt 2 dc, skip next group of 3 dcs, ch 6 sl in the 3^rd ch, ch3 sl in the next dc, ch 3 sl in ch7 spc, ch3 sl in 1^st ch, ch5 sl in1st ch, ch 3 sl in 1^st ch, sl in ch7 spc, ch 3 sl in the next dc.* 6 times join

Treading water

Once upon a time in another life I used to swim a lot.  My favorite thing about swimming was treading water, and I was very good at it.  I didn`t understand why so many people disliked it or why expression "treading water" often has a negative connation.  I have since grown up and realized that like most people I prefer to do more than just keep my head above water.  This week I have really felt that about all I am doing.   I am still not feeling well, and it has affected everything in my life from my school work to my fiber arts and even my blog. I had hoped to post another post in my Why I Crochet series Monday, but I was ill and gave myself the day off. 
I have finished the silly purple headband and two small skeins of yarn.  So I only have a couple of snowflakes and another spindle of yarn I started to show you.  I have also finally made some decisions on some secret knitting/crocheting and so I can get started.  I have 3 1/2 more snowflakes to finish before I have to block and finish them all.  I cast on for a pair of socks to practice some new techniques, one of which is sock making.

I cast on for a pair of socks

Awesome potluck roving

 

Join me at Tami's and Sue's to see some other great works in progress.

Learning to take better photographs

Today I felt like I don`t really have much in the work until I started thinking about the things that need to be photographed.  To be honest taking photos is my least favorite part of doing the blog--I am not very good at it, I don`t really have a space to set aside for it,  we live in demi-basement so we more less always have less than ideal lighting.   So I have decided that my camera and I must try to make friends and we spent a couple hours together trying to make things look good and then I did the photoshop stuff and now it's totally the time I supposed to go to bed and I haven't had the chance to rest or read everyone else's Wednesday posts yet so I am going to keep it short on words today.

Another snowflake of my own design and probably my favorite.  They definitely need blocking.

Closeup of the previous

 American Thread Company Snowflake that I finished this week next to it's pair I finished a couple weeks ago

One of the best pictures I got tonight!

A snowflake I improvised--Not sure I like it much.

Another American Thread company Design I have been working on

Learning to spin.  BFL Top from the Woolery

Cabled Icord headband I mentioned on Friday.

Closup

Hermionie the Unicorn I started a while Back.  (Hoping that posting it here will give me kick in the pants).

I need kick on the pants to finish Archer too.  I totally started him back in November with the Mystery CAL.

Just for fun I took a couple pic of Confundus.  He was made with the Lark patter by Stacey Trock

I was having fun with Photoshop

I need to put all these photos on Ravelry, but I am totally tired tonight and I have tests at the hospital tomorrow--Wish me luck so hopefully soon.  Drop by Tamis to see all the great projects.

Snowflakes Galore

I have several crafting goals for this year.  I will tell you about those another, but one of them was to learn more about crocheted lace and to make something that could become an heirloom for my family.  My maternal great-grandmother was very ill later in life and spent most of her time bed-ridden and crocheted a huge number of doilies and tablecloths. I don’t know where most of these are—My mother and |I made a quilt to showcase several of them as a gift to my oldest sister at her wedding. I have decided that I would like a set of doilies to pass on to my children (when I someday have them)—but I am not really the kind of person who puts out doilies. So I have determined that Christmas ornaments are the way to go.  I have planned to finish 24 snowflake ornaments, including a rather elaborate tree-topper before the end of March.

These are pictures I took last week that I haven't shared yet.  I have finished 14 ornaments in this photo so far and have finished 3 more this week that I haven't photographed yet (something to look forward to for next week.)  Since these are all part of one project I won't consider them finished until the project is finished.  Also they all (except the topper which is shown in its blocking photo) are unblocked and un-stiffened.  Several of the snowflakes are my own designs or improvisations and I hope to finish up the patterns and publish them in April.  I would

The thirteen finished ornaments together

Snowflake Ornament by Maggie Wheldon

Miniaturized ( 6 in instead of 10-12)  Cut-Glass Snowflake

Snowflower designed by me 

Of Seven and Three designed by me (needs some serious blocking--and I ag

Irish Crochet Snowflake   This one is deceptively simple; it was by far the most difficult of all of the snowflakes

A smaller version of the snowflake for The Pineapple Snowflake Tree Topper.  It's more or less the same doilies without the pineapple points.

Snowflake by American Thread Company.  This one was also quite difficult; it is one of my favorites.

Pineapple Snowflake Tree Topper