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This FO was made in Monaco Raylon, using a pattern by Julia Vaconsin (available as a Ravelry download, or as part of the Crochet Liberation Front’s First Ever Book):

I made a pair of these in light blue Cannon thread for Daren, but still need to weave in the ends.

Unfortunately for me, the pictured mitt and its partner seem to be stretching and may be unwearable in a couple of weeks. In which case, of course, I shall have no choice but to make another pair.

Note: The CLF book is out in paperback and as a downloadable PDF. I got my copy from Lulu.com about 5 months ago, but this is the first pattern I’ve attempted.

I write like
Kurt Vonnegut

I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!

(My sample text contained much angst and little else, if that’s any indication. And no, it is not on the weblog.)

Find out who you write like here.

[ link via Jessica Zafra ]

Neil says The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains.

Go on, read it.

You know you want to.

Thanks to Darknight for coming to the rescue.

More soon, when I have time to breathe.

Yes, Neil, it DOES look as though you are checking for footprints.

(That is a wonderful panorama, by the way.)

I first saw this item months ago on e-PatternsCentral.com. I caved in and bought the pattern on January 25, and started working on this in Medium size four days later, using two strands of Monaco Raylon held together to approximate a fine (sport weight) yarn.

The Back panel was completed without incident.

I found the Right Front panel troublesome; there were some errors in the pattern that had me frogging any number of times. Details below, for reference:

Row 3: Following the pattern yielded 47 (not 46) sts and chs.
Armhole Shaping, Row 9: For last dc dec, ignored ch3 at start of previous row.
Armhole Shaping, Row 10: Following the pattern yielded 42 (not 40) sts and chs.
Armhole Shaping, Row 12: Following the pattern yielded 40 (not 38) sts and chs.
Armhole Shaping, Row 13: Following the pattern yielded 38 (not 36) sts and chs.
Armhole Shaping, Row 14: Ended row with dc dec in first and last of next 3 sts, dc dec in last 2 sts (a la Row 12).
Armhole Shaping, Row 15: Completed the last peak, dc in 2nd st after peak, rem sts left unworked.
Armhole Shaping, Row 16: Started with ch 3, dc dec in next 2 sts, peak, and then followed Pattern stitch. Ended row with dc dec in first and last of next 3 sts, dc dec in last 2 sts (a la Row 12).
Armhole Shaping, Row 17: Left last 3 (not 8, that was too many) sts unworked.
Armhole Shaping, Row 18: Started with ch3, dc dec in next 2 sts, dc, peak, and then followed Pattern stitch. Ended up with 30 sts, which is the correct count for shoulder shaping and joining to Back.

And after figuring all that out, this is what I ended up with:

I started work on one Sleeve and found another apparent error:

Row 28: Following the pattern yielded 97 (not 101) sts and chs.

I then emailed Pattern Services at e-PatternsCentral.com for clarification on where to join the “All Sizes” rows on Page 7 — Top of Sleeve, or Cuff? Not receiving any reply, I went ahead and made Rows 1-5 (All Sizes) at Top of the Sleeve, and Row 6 at the Cuff (which is where it ought to be, based on the pattern photos). Also, for Rows 1-5, I did NOT follow Pattern for beginning and ending at chevron peaks; instead, worked the rows without the additional beginning/ending stitches.

After finishing the Sleeve, I joined it and the Right Front to the Back panel just to see how it would turn out; I wasn’t about to work the Left Front and the second Sleeve without testing the first pieces. Being satisfied with the result, I completed the rest of the pieces without difficulty (other than lack of time, that is). I ran out of Raylon somewhere along the second Sleeve, so it and the Left Front were done using new cones of thread.

Last Saturday (February 20), I completed the Trim.

Row 2: Bottom Edge = 19 x 6 = 114sc. Right and Left Edges = 22 x 6 = 132sc (each side). Top Edge (Back) = 7 x 6 = 42sc, with 2sc in center dtr dec. (Yes, I know this is incomprehensible. Sorry.)

Row 3: Used 7tr instead of the 5dc called for in the Pattern, to remedy puckering along the edges.

A button from one of my old office uniforms completed the Sweater. And here it is, at last:

Will try to add better photos to this post later. Preferably ones taken by someone else LOL.

UPDATE @ March 15, 2010: OK, here’s a photo I took earlier at the Richmonde Hotel, some time before our training course started:

I love red. (As if you didn’t know.)

And that is why I made what are possibly the only red sunflowers on the planet.

I started working on this immediately after finishing Mom’s satchel. This one is large-sized, and took approximately two more skeins of thread compared to the first bag.

Again, I used my 3.00mm hook and two strands of Cannon thread held together to ensure a sturdy FO. The darker red was Daren’s idea; she insisted it would make the variegated reds stand out more. She was right, too.

Maybe one day I’ll be able to do this in Noro Silk Garden yarn, as the designer intended, but I’m more than satisfied with the current result.

Now here’s something I am really proud of.

Two weekends ago, I was browsing the Friends Activity page over at Ravelry when I came across Mimi’s Crochet Pattern Giveaway, where she generously offered two crochet patterns for free — one of her own design, and another (USD 4.00 or less) from any other Ravelry designer. Yes, this is EXTREMELY generous, and heretofore unheard-of.

After choosing Mimi’s pattern for a Cropped Pullover Cardigan, I went through the Ravelry pattern downloads and eventually found the Sunflowers Satchel designed by Asami Kawa. Mom liked it so much when I showed it to her that I went ahead and entered it in the promo.

Surprise, surprise … I was the first winner! Thank you, Mimi!

It was only last Saturday that Mom and I were able to go to VC Trading to choose her thread. She settled on three Cannon colors (dark brown, dark brown variegated, cappuccino) and one Monaco ombre (caramel). After making some test flowers, I decided to do the whole bag using one strand each of the Monaco and the Cannon (cappuccino).

The other colors have joined my stash for now, after the test flowers turned out too dark.

Me being OC, I stayed up till 3:00 on Sunday morning working on the bag, till I eventually ran out of thread. The first skeins yielded the bag body and bottom edging:

Sunday afternoon, I was able to get more of the required colors, and resumed work on the top edging, bag straps, and finishing SC’s. Two more evenings (plus yesterday’s lunch hour), and lo!

Can’t wait to see her face when she gets this.

(And again, me being OC, I will not rest until I make a similar bag for myself. Watch out for that one, and for the Cropped Pullover Cardigan following Mimi’s design.)

Woe is me. I was only able to crochet Christmas gifts for four people, thanks to procrastination.

For Marta and Clara, my cousin’s daughters, who will be moving to Canada with their parents later this year, I made Shell Lace Fingerless Gloves in Vanilla and Rose Pink. Yes, one reason was that I still haven’t tired of the pattern, but I do think they’ll have good use for these over there.

I made Marta’s gloves the same size as my own, while Clara’s pair was based on the ones I made earlier for Diana.

I also made Simply Striped Shrugs for Haidee and Florence at the office. Both were made using Mimi‘s pattern, but with only 81 rows each for the main body.

Ladies, let me know if these need to be adjusted before you wear them in Boracay. Haha.

Next Christmas, I should get started earlier. Much earlier.

About 11 months earlier, to be exact.

Thanks again to Mimi for the pattern of this scarf:

Am also making a regular-size scarf using the same pattern, just to see which size is better.