I know I usually post about crafts, but...

Two years ago today, I stood in front of a magistrate, shaking like a leaf as I said "I do", holding the hand of the man I knew I wanted to spend my life with. And I love him more today than I did then, and I now know that saying yes (even with the short time we'd known each other) was the best decision I ever made.

So, here's to happy anniversaries and bright futures. :)











(sorry for all of the pictures. today just makes me really happy. :) )

Well, I'll be. She can make things without yarn!

Today, I was wandering through Wal-Mart (shush, we have no craft store here), and they were having a sale on some of their jewelery making stuffs. So, I figured I'd grab some, and whip up something for the etsy shop.
So, behold the Strangelove Jewelery collection!


Blackballed Bracelet


Cold Black Heart Necklace


Balls and Chains Earrings


Sticks and Stones Earrings

They're all listed on my Etsy shop right now, and at a pretty reasonable price, I think. Hopefully someone will want them. (Shoot, I just wish someone would want anything in my shop. No sales at all since it opened. :( )

Today, I also noticed that Jennifer of Jaybird Designs is a follower of Slave to the Hook. You just don't know how stoked I am about that. I'm a huge fan of her designs (even if I haven't completed a finished object from one of her patterns quite yet), and I admire her skills. I'm flabbergastedly flattered. :)

Lacy bits and tangled threads

So, frustrated for the moment at thread crochet, I've turned my attention to both broomstick and hairpin lace. Broomstick was relatively easy. Bonus that Spin a Yarn had a set of US35 pointy sticks on sale for four bucks. As I was checking out, Nancy asked me if I knew how to do hairpin lace. I shook my head and laughed, thinking it was some kind of complicated. She sends her son to get this weird u-shaped doohickey from a shelf and hands it to me. Turns out, someone had given the shop a whole bunch of hairpin lace looms, and she gave me one to see if I could figure it out. I got tangled up a couple of times, but I think I'm catching on. So, my work for the Milkweed Project is going to be a three foot long strip of hairpin lace, with the loops done together in a row or two of broomstick lace. I'm hoping it comes out all right. :D We'll see.
And, bless the LYS yet again. Got a gorgeous skein of Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton for six bucks, and a skein of Plymouth Fantasy Naturale in sunshiney colors for my mom for three. I love their clearance section, honestly I do.
Anyway, wanna see my hairpin goodness?

At least, I think I'm doing it right. Heh.

Ouch.

Today, while getting my oil changed (in the car, sillies) and grocery shopping for work, I scampered by the yarn aisle at Wal-Mart (forgive me, Spin A Web, but thou hast not what I wanted this dayeth). I thought I'd be a smarty pants and grab some bedspread cotton and a steel hook, and then I'd be making beautiful lacy stuff in no time.
Wrong.
Dead wrong.
That dad-blamed teensy tiny hook is killing my hands. Using thread is killing my eyes. I think I may have found a worse enemy than them pointy sticks.
Still, I trudge onward. Mostly because my mother loves doilies and schnit, and I'm dying to make her one. (Even with her glasses on, she couldn't see well enough to make one out of this stuff.) I'll conquer it, or it'll kill me. We'll see.
I've also decided to buckle down and get to work on my piece for the Milkweed Project, even though I have no idea what I'm going to do, what yarn I'm going to use, or how I'm going to do it. I'll figure all of that out as we go along, I suppose.
Also, gotta finish a third square for bamcal this month. Started it tonight when I got annoyed to the point of no return with the thread. Just gotta finish it.
Gack.

Get ready to read, a lot, but not today.

Haytham has gone out on the road again working for the flea market guy, so be prepared to read. A lot. Because when he's gone, my yarn is my only friend. Seriously.

First for today, VOTE in the CLF Crochet Awards. It's good karma, and um... stuff.

Second, I finished Haytham's little thong before he left. Sadly, it's still waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy too big for him, even with a 30" waistband.

I've also sent the pattern to Laurie, Fearless Leader of the Crochet Liberation Front, in hopes of it appearing in book 2. I'm also working on a bag design for the third book. :)

Third, I'm addicted. To Dragon Cave. It's sad. But, if you want to be really nice and help my eggs/hatchlings grow, or just check out my dragons, there's a gadget over in the sidebar. Please?

Fourth, me and them pointy sticks still don't get along. But I'll make them submit, somehow.

New looks and a free sort of pattern.

The blog got a makeover, and this is the happiest I've been with the look of the thing since I started it. I think this may be permanent. :)

And, for your viewing/crocheting pleasure, I give you...


The Six-Round Skull Cap
Materials:
One skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick 'N' Quick super bulky yarn
N/P(10mm) hook, or whatever hook you need to work wish such big yarn
Smaller hook to weave/tuck in ends

Ch 5, join to form ring
Round 1- Ch 1, 10 sc in ring, join with sl st to first sc (10 sc)
Round 2- Ch 3, dc in same st as joining, 2 dc in each sc around, join with sl st to top of beg ch3 (20 dc)
Round 3- Ch 4, tr in same st as joining, tr in next dc, *2 tr in next dc, tr in next dc* Repeat from * to * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch4 (30 tr)
Round 4- Ch 4, tr in same st as joining, tr in next 2 tr, *2 tr in next tr, tr in next 2 tr* Repeat from * to * around, join with sl st to top of beg ch4 (40 tr)
Round 5 + 6- Ch 4, tr in next st and in each st around, join with sl st to top of beg ch4
Fasten off, weave/tuck in ends

And you end up with...


Like I said, simple enough a braindead monkey could've come up with it, but I'm posting it for folks who'd like a quick, simple hat pattern easy enough for someone who just picked up their first hook. Yay, go me. :D

Yay, more... um... stuff.

Since this past weekend was Valentine's Day, I thought I'd share this BAMCAL2009 filler block. I finished it today, and so far is my favorite of the four I've completed. It's done in my beloved Simply Soft Eco on my J hook.


This is a hat I finished for my friend/secret lover, Kitzen. Done in Lion Brand's Wool-Ease Thick 'N' Quick, and can you believe it's only six rounds big? Crazy stuff, that super bulky yarn. I luff it, though. I'll post the pattern, which is so simple a braindead monkey could've come up with it, in a seperate post.

Speaking of patterns, anyone know of a crocheted men's thong one? Haytham has dared me to crochet him some underwear, and I've decided to make him a banana hammock for our anniversary (which is Feb. 28th). HA! He'll love it, though. Heh. (I know, I'm a naughty girl.)

Becoming even more poly-craftual.

First, a new block for my BAMCAL2009 afghan:


Done in my good ol' Red Heart Super Saver in Real Teal and Linen. As always, I had to upsize my hook, but my trusty J didn't let me down.

Second, I've decided to learn to knit. Well, re-learn. I actually could at one point in time, but those damned pointy sticks and I just didn't get along. They were slow, and felt clumsy to my eighteen-year-old hands. Ten years later, I've decided to give it another go, mostly because I get so tired of seeing these awesome projects on Ravelry that i want to make...just to learn they're knitted. Trust me, I'm not putting my beloved hooks away. Far from it. I just want a few more options of patterns to choose from. But I doubt I'll ever make those silly sticks move the way I can make my hooks dance.

Wish me luck.

Just another FO show off

Made this today hanging out at Spin a Yarn for my friend Stacey’s birthday. I think Deborah (she works at the shop) thinks I’m the world’s fastest crocheter or something. Ha ha! I actually made this while waiting for her to untangle the hot mess I’d made of one of my hanks of cotton yarn. (Her knot skills are worthy of free pizza.)

Of hats and selling patterns and joy!

First, last night I finished a hat for Haytham.

Made it from Caron Simply Soft Eco, and the blue stripes are Plymouth Fantasy Naturale cotton. He seems to be happy with it. See? :)


Second, I have officially started designing and selling patterns both on Ravelry and Etsy. First one listed is for this pretty little washcloth doohickey.

I'm all excited. If you'd like to get it on Ravelry, you can click the button below:

On Etsy, you can click on the image in the widget to your left. (Come on, it's only a measly buck. Please?)

That's all for today. :D

Finally!

After nearly a month of work, my top is finally done. Hot damn!

I put the last stitches on it last night, and although it's far from perfect, I love it anyhow. Plus, it's just really darned cute.
Also, as for the etsy shop, only two items in it so far, but I'm working on that, thanks to my new copy of Stitch 'N' Bitch Crochet. Hopefully, more things are quickly forthcoming. :) (Feel free to visit if you'd like.)