WIPs, chains and hooks

Hee hee - that got your attention! I thought I'd update you on a few things I'm still working on - yes, the dreaded Work in Progress (WIP), and my new hook. OK, I haven't got any chains, but, I have bought myself some stitch counters, do they count?

OK, let's start with my stitch sampler blanket. I started this project way back in April, and I have made progress on it since my last post. But then I made a boo boo and I've lost heart a bit. It happens sometimes, and its the price we pay for blazing our own creative trail. But I have to brace myself for a frogging session before I can move on.

I added some new stitches

This pale lavender stripe turned out to be a bit open. Oopsie number one. But that's ok, I stitched behind it with a few dc stripes and that was rescued.

Then I added some really lovely, time consuming stitches

Lovely, I thought. These are really gorgeous. Then I realised I'd made a boo boo. Lying the blanket on the floor to take some pictures I realised (with tears in my eyes) that my blanket had shrunk! Somehow I've managed to lose a whole load of stitches. Oh, my disappointment! I kicked myself and frogged some rows, but still the blanket is smaller on the working end than on the starting end.

When my family came for a visit we gave the blanket a good heave ho and the really fancy stitches have grown a bit wider. I am hoping with all my heart that blocking will sort it out. Meanwhile, I need to frog a bit more, probably back to the red and pink stripe, to try and rescue the situation. I think that's where my counting went awry. But I shall be winding the yarn up with tears rolling down my cheeks I'm sure.

Just goes to show that counting is very important in crochet. Rookie error from me has lost me hours and hours of work :-(

So, I have armed myself with a new toy... Stitch markers!

These rather naff plastic things are going to save me from tears in the future - I just have to REMEMBER TO USE THEM! :-)


Another little project I'm working on with my friend is a HAPPYPOTAMUS - it's from a pattern by Heidi Bears, available to buy on Ravelry. Heidi Bears has made some really cute designs that use a beautiful African flower motif. I can't wait to see my finished hippo. Since I haven't got children of an age to enjoy a cuddly toy, I am going to weight the feet of my hippo and use him as a door-stop.

Since this pattern is not my own design, I won't be posting step by step instructions or anything - if you love the hippo too, buy yourself the pattern and have fun :-)

This is some pics I've taken as I'm working on him though...

And this new project meant I needed a new hook - I'm working with a diddy little 2.5mm hook so that the motifs are nice and dense - I don't want his stuffing falling out! I had a hook I could use, but it was a thin metal one and to be honest, it wasn't much fun to work with - it felt like I was trying to crochet with a paperclip. In the past I have made my own hook handles with polymer clay, but with somewhat limited success. If you go back up the page you can see a red spotty handle I made myself, you'll see what I mean about limited success! So, I treated myself to a new hook from my friend Annie at Handcrafted by Annie. I chose a candy twist handled hook, it's lovely and chunky, has a nice weight, and Annie made a little thumb divot in just the right place. I'm very happy with my new hook - so happy in fact, I've ordered 3 more!!!

I love getting presents, so getting this hook was like an extra birthday without getting older!

Thank you Annie! And thank you for mentioning me on your blog :-)

Hopefully I will return to my sampler blanket and rescue it from the clutches of bad stitch counting and I will finish it. I'll post again when I do and let you know the stitches I used too - it's been a fun project for learning new things and experimenting. I just wish experimenting didn't go wrong!

Bye for now - happy hooking xx