muppinstuff

The 'putie wrap is finished

Sort of. I learned a very valuable lesson with this project. And it's this; work your ends in as you go. All of them, without fail. That way when you crochet the next row, you anchor the ends in and they stay in. That's what Kay (my mum) said as I tried to work in some strands that had come loose for about the fifth time. And don't cut them off so short, she added. Not to worry, it's done. Even if it will need some ongoing attention.

In case you hadn't guessed, it's a wrap to wear while I'm on the computer and it's cold. In fact I'm wearing it now and I'm feeling rather cosy. The cat likes to sleep on it too. Yes, that's my computer and my side of the study. I haven't changed my screen saver since last time I took a picture in here.

It took a little longer to make than I orginally thought, because after I'd pieced it all together and done at least five rows of edging, I decided that it really wasn't big enough to be truly snuggly. So I pulled the edging out, re-jigged the squares, made a few more and then re-edged it. I'm glad I did, because as G says once it's finished, you don't think about the extra work it took to get it right. Whereas if it really isn't what you wanted, you would think about that all the time.

The wool is from my oddment pile, which I think might have come from Kay a couple of winters ago when I was going through a hat making phase. It ranges from four ply to eight ply so it's a bit bumpy in places. At one stage I thought I would buy some wool for the joining and edging but that seemed against the spirit of the project, so I used what I had. And as I'm hoping we'll be getting a mortgage later this year, I'm being fairly tight. Not so tight that I'd give up broadband internet but I'm trying not to buy stuff I don't need. It's possible that I could crochet from my Mum's stash for many, many years to come but I do think that one day I'd like to make a rug in planned colours. Next year maybe. I think I have enough projects to keep me going until spring.

my evenings are square

Ever since I finished the pram blanket for little Ruby-Lee, I've been working on a project to use up the big bag of odd balls of wool mum gave me a couple of years ago. Tonight I made the last granny square, for the last of five big squares to be joined up into a big wrap of sorts. To drape around me at night in front of the computer, because I'd rather sit in the cold than listen to the noisy fan heater we have in the study.

I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago when I laid out the squares I had already made, to see whether the colours would work. I ended up removing a few balls of wool from the pile and deciding to just see what happened with the rest. As I tend to crochet at night, by a lamp in front of the telly, it's been a revelation to see the colours by day. The other afternoon while Mum and I sat in the loungeroom with our crochet and knitting, drinking tea and eating molassess crinkles, I realised that I've never actually made what my family refers to as an afghan rug before. I've made squares, plenty of hats and a fair few rag rugs. I can't even remember not being able crochet. But I've never made a rug or anything with granny squares. Which I think is odd. Maybe I'm growing into my craft life.

 

Mum said that as a child I used to love playing with her squares and that I would try and work out if there was a logic or pattern to the colour arrangement. There was, mum would make the first and the last row the same colour and would surround them in black. She also said that she would consciously make some paler squares as well as the bright combinations she prefered, because she said it made the finished rug more interesting. On this rug, once I chose the overall colour scheme, the individual colours chosen for each square was quite random. Although I have tried to make the first and the fifth, and the second and fourth rows the same. But not always. I try not to agonise over the piecing either, and only swap it around if there are too many similar squares side by side.

I think I will have finished this in a week or so and already I'm planning my next few projects. A rug rug cover for this cushion, out of felted wool scraps from my latest refashion efforts (pictures soon, the hardest part of wardrobe refashion is taking the photos) and a hat for Grace. Maybe a new hat for me too. 

And um, one last thing, sorry if I freaked anyone out with the last post. Now that I've had a think, I'm much less disturbed than I was.

crochet obsessed

My right hand pointing finger is developing a callus between the joints and I'm watching a lot more TV. Ever since the craft weekend, the one where I was going to sew a new wardrobe but forgot my sewing machine pedal, I've been on a crochet binge. It's even got to the point where I was wondering if it would be rude to bring it out at a family gathering. I think it is, sigh. So I didn't.

I'm on to my second project which is granny square based, but I wanted to share my first crochet for the season. A pram rug for Ruby-Lee. It's about pillow case size and is designed to go in the pram over the top of every thing else. I wanted one myself but by the time I got around to it, Grace was sitting up in the stroller and the moment had passed. I know Betty will be given lots of bigger blankies, mum's been knitting and crochetting up a storm and I can't compete with her either in speed or finish. Well, not yet. So here 'tis, all finished and washed, being dried on a towell in the sunroom. It's probably a sure thing that Betty won't have a chance to get on the internet before I give it to her (not that her computer or internet work at present), so I don't think the surprise will be ruined.

This is my first real attempt at ripple, and as I didn't have a pattern I had to make it up. I lost count of the stitches at several points so it has an irregular zig zag which I'm sure won't detract from it's purpose. The edging is fairly firm so I think it will all hold together and take machine washing in a bag. I know they're not baby type coluurs but Betty has a lime green stroller and they're our kind of colours anyway. And in a year or two it will be the perfect size for a doll's blanket.

I haven't been this crochet mad since the winter after Grace was born. I made several rag rugs that year and a garment which I refer to as my martha stewart poncho, as it was made while I was a guest of the state durning the crazy time. I remember that my mind didn't start coming back until about half way through, but that crochet was good. The poncho has been stuffed on the back of the cupboard but suddenly seems to have found favour as something I might actually wear.

Anyway, enough yacking. It's nearly time for my new favourite TV show, Wilfred (SBS 10.00pm thursdays). About a bastard of a dog played by a person in a dogsuit. He talks and smokes cones fashioned from fruit juice bottles and is hell bent on undermining the relationship between his lovely owner and her hapless boyfriend. She can't hear him talk like a person, but the boyfriend can. It's very clever and very funny. Perfect granny square viewing. Must run. Will fix typos and spelling errors tomorrow.