Monterey Poncho Revealed!

Here was the sneak peek....

And here it is! Look at the awesome drape the Louet Gems (wool) has in this pattern!
Louet is now offering my Monterey Poncho with their pattern line. Go Check it out here

Super Busy Day

It looks like it's going to be a super busy day. Not for Charlie though. I caught him using my CAL Huge Tote bag yarn as a pillow. Since I will be keeping the bag for me, and not sending it to a magazine, I have been lax in keeping my yarn away from him. Mostly he just sat there because it's sunny.

The weekend is going to be really busy too, so I will be lucky if I get the chance to post tomorrow. I've been making good progress on the skirt of the First Communion Dress. Must. Keep. Working. Have a great day! Don't forget to go vote for the CLF's 2009 Crochet Awards:

Follow the link in this post.

Design Journey CAL Huge Tote; Design Journey: Chickee's Dress

It's coming along, but I'm switching back to the First Communion Dress for a few days. Last week was SO productive, and this week has been full of starts and stops. Unfortunately, this week is more common. I did Fasten off a project two days ago (the gold sneak peek). Also, I think I have a better solution for the FC dress. I wasn't liking how the skirt fabric was becoming. It was seeming too dense and stiff, not good enough drape. So, I put it aside. (I didn't frog it). And I started crocheting the skirt right onto the bodice in rounds, like I said I didn't want to do originally. I skipped some stitches out of the original stitch pattern to make the fabric lighter and we'll see what happens. It has more of a "random" and whimsical quality now, which might be nice compared to the very structured bodice.

Sneak Peek

Here's a sneak peek for you! This is a really lovely gold/wheat color and that's all I'm saying.

Don't forget to go vote for the 2009 Crochet Awards, follow this link to vote:

I don't mean to scare you, but....

I'm seriously thinking about starting over on this HUGE tote. This is part of the design process my friends, put 12 hours or more into a project then get doubts, and start thinking about what you would do differently if you could start over....

Limbo

I am at a loss for words today, can you believe it? I have 33 posts waiting in the 'wings' waiting for 10 items to be revealed and other news that needs to wait, and so, I have nothing that can be said today. Here's a photo of Chickee with some of her 1st grade artwork. This is how I deal with the overwhelming amount of odd shaped and bulky artwork that the kids bring home. I take a photo of it, and out it goes. I keep as much as I can that fits neatly in folders or Rubbermaid containers.

What's going on in the crochet world? I'm still working on the HUGE tote. I have put the First Communion Dress and another project on hold while I'm making the HUGE tote. I have some patterns to write. I'm waiting to hear back from a boat-load of submissions. February has been an extraordinarily productive month crochet-wise and I'm looking forward to seeing the fruit of that work in the fall and next spring.

Don't forget to go vote for the 2009 Crochet Awards, go to yesterdays post for the link.

AAAHHHHAAAA! (Scream of delight)

I just read the 2009 Crochet Awards Nominations and I'm in there! WooHoo! 3 times!

Wow! I'm nominated for: Best Crochet Blog; Best Designer, Accessories; and Best Designer, Home Decor.

Wow! Thank you friends, Go Here to vote: 2009 Crochet Awards Vote

Design Journey: CAL Tote and VOTE

Well, here's a few photos of what the tote looked like yesterday. It's a long project.

It's going to be BIG, in more ways than one. With this bag, you can continue a solid color if you want, totally change the colors, move the white "line" around. I love that about crochet, you can make every project your own. It doesn't have to follow the recipe exactly to come out great. I'm going to try and have this project done ASAP, but it looks like the actual CAL will have to wait until Mar 15 or Apr 1. I'll keep you posted on my progress so that you know I didn't forget about you.

ALSO: VOTE NOW for the 2009 Crochet Awards: HERE

Design Journey: CAL tote

OMG people this tote is getting HUGE. Like overnight bag huge. It's turning into a blanket sized project. I'll have to write the instructions so that you can make it smaller if you want. HUGE.

Design Journey: CAL Tote

I don't have a photo for you yet. I've changed my mind about the oval base. I decided that I really didn't like how "long" the rounded ends are. So I've changed back to a boring square base but I'm going to work texture and color change into the bag body. So, if you can get past the boring sc base, it will get more fun after that. I kind of like the boring, mindless, fields of stitching sometimes. Anyway. I decided on a stitch pattern I want to use for the body, so that meant I had to get to the right multiple (in this case a multiple of 3) when working the first row that goes around the base. The base is worked in rows, then I'm switching to rounds, which needs to be a multiple of 3. The color work that I'm thinking about it will be "intarsia" style, where you let the ball of yarn hang off the back until you come around to it again. It will be a very easy, "introduction" into the concept of intarsia, nothing to fret about, you can do it!

I've also decided to make the bag a little bigger. The bigger bag means that I need to re-think the handles, because now the handles are too small in proportion. If I'm doing a big bag, I want the yarn to be affordable (and something from my stash). In this case, I have the ideal yarn, in a wide array of colors, so I am using Lion Brand Cotton-Ease, in violet and lime. You will be able to use any color or yarn you like. For a similar substitute, you can use TLC Cotton Plus, which has a nice sheen, or Lily Sugar n' Cream, which is a perennial favorite, or Red Heart Creme de la creme or Red Heart Carefree Cotton. But I am using the Lion Cotton-Ease because I love the matte finish, it's soft, I have plenty of it, it comes in a great variety of colors and because last year Lion sent me a huge box of it for no apparent reason, and I'm glad they did. I have made several projects out of that box and a few of which you will see in March. Oh, you will also see some Lily Sugar n'Cream revealed in March too!

Ok, back to the subject at hand. I'm still toying with the solutions for the handles and closures. I'm thinking about attempting a zipper. Anyone want to venture into zipper-land with me? Anyone know the standard sizes for zippers? I would be thinking more the 18-22" size. I need to think about this. I've done a zipper one time before, but I used an awl and crocheted into the zipper fabric. Zippers can be intimidating for crocheters, so I need to decide if the zipper is the ideal closure for this project.

I gotta run, I'll try to post some sort of photo later.

My co-worker

Here's my virtual, feline assistant, checking my Ravelry forums.
And here's my assistant guarding my pattern notes with one of his 9 lives. Today. Today is dedicated to the TOTE. Yep.

By the way, March is going to be big. BIG. Lots of designs will be appearing.

Thanks to my new followers, I'm noticing new followers! Thanks to you all. You can also follow me on Twitter as 'GoCrochet'.

Jim's Driftwood Cap

Hi Jim! Our good friend Jim, has been a supporter of GoCrochet and reads often though he is not really interested in taking up the craft himself. His only complaint about GoCrochet? I need to smile more. :) I made this Driftwood Cap for him out of Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL (Alpaca).

Sneak Peek

A sneak peek for you! Valentine Red. I'm gonna like it!

Congratulations again to Pam P. her 6 skeins of Moda Dea Blue Bayou are shipping to her this morning!

March is National Crochet Month and we've got both the CAL tote (hopefully) coming up in March and maybe, another giveaway!

Here's another Happy photo for you taken during one of the 3 snow days we had at the beginning of February.
What could be any better? The kids playing Chess cooperatively on a crocheted blanket, a kitty curled up in front of a warm fire, ahh, that was a nice moment.

Giveaway! Winner!

All the entries for the Giveaway went into a bucket and Chief pulled the winner.... Dramatic Drumroll..... PAM! Pam is the winner! Pam commented: "How cool! I remember the tops with the long fringe -- never made any. You sit on the fringe and it gets pulled. Not many men I knew would wear a jacket like that either. I read you blog but I've never commented before. P"

So, PAM, email me at ellen at GoCrochet dot com (remove the spaces) by Friday February 20, with your mailing address and I will ship your 6 skeins of Moda Dea Fashionista in Blue Bayou! Congratulations!

WooHoo!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you are feeling appreciated today! I appreciate you, dear readers.

Good news, I woke up with a renewed interest/evolved concept for the CAL tote and my vision of it is much more clear now! Yay! Time to get started (again).

Also, apparently nominations for the 2009 Crochet Awards is open until 2/19. If you haven't gone to nominate, please go here for the free survey.

Let's see if I can find a photo for you.Here's a fun one. Charlie likes to play while I change the sheets on the beds. I made this afghan for our bed before I started designing. It's from someone else's pattern (I'm sorry, I don't know who, it was before I started to pay attention). More than likely, it is from a Leisure Arts books, you know one of the 'Year of Afghans' books.

Sneak Peek

Now this one is really premature, I haven't even submitted it anywhere yet, but I like it so much that if it doesn't get purchased, I'll just make it a PDF for download.

Here's a funny photo of Charlie.And he is sitting in the very elegant, "carry-firewood-up-from-the-basement-box". He loves sitting in boxes and loves sitting near the fireplace so this box is idea. He looks like he drank the contents, doesn't he?

Don't forget to read Wednesday's post and get your comments in on that post by 4:00 today!

Chickee's 2nd sewing project

Here's the second sewing project Chickee did with our neighbor. I'm so impressed! It is lined, and quilted, the base is nice, the handles are sewn on... What amazes me most is the coming together of the three fabrics near the top. I'm so proud. My little Chickee is a crafty!

Thanks for the new Followers who have become Followers! Thanks also to all of you who replied to yesterday's post for the giveaway, you still have until Friday to comment on yesterday's post to be entered in a drawing for the 6 skeins of Moda Dea Fashionista.

I hope to have a sneak peek for you Friday or Saturday.

Also, on Ravelry, specifically the Crochet Liberation Front Forum, they are accepting nominations for the 2009 crochet award. Would you please consider nominating me for something? Here's the link to the survey for the nominations: Crochet Nominations Survey
Thanks.

Vintage Crochet (1970's) and Giveaway

More goodies from Grandpa Dave and Grandma Glenda who unearthed many of my Mom's old books and projects! How cool is that?
And this, is one of Mom's UFO's. I wonder if I can do something with it?

Giveaway: Leave a comment on THIS post by Friday at 4:00 PM Eastern, and your name will be put in a drawing for 6 balls of Moda Dea Fashionista in Blue Bayou. 6! You could do something with that! Then, I'll announce the winner, then you'll have to keep reading, hear your name/username and email me with your shipping address. (I'm not a mind reader, if you don't provide the shipping address, I can't ship the prize). I'll give the info when I announce the name of the winner. The winner will be announced Monday morning, the 15th. Good Luck!

WOOHOO Hi Followers!

Thank you followers! What fun! Thanks for joining the ranks!

Buttons! and Giveaway coming

Grandpa Dave and Grandma Glenda found this awesome box of buttons! What fun! What fun shapes and colors! Everyone should have a button box, don't you think?

Thanks to all my "Followers" especially those who just became "Followers". Which reminds me of a book that Chickee used to love called, "Lucie Anna and the Finders". Anyway, Thank you! Please join us!

Also, A Giveaway is coming tomorrow!

Design Journey: CAL tote

Yep, it's me in my jammies. (Chickee snuck up on me with the camera).

I'm working on it! Hear me out... I'm making my prototype really big, (this is the base above 23" long) with a big hook in wool, because I'm going to felt it so that it won't show as many mistakes. Then, after I have used the felted prototype to help me work out the bugs, I'll remake the bag in another yarn (likely a cotton or cotton/acrylic blend like Lion Cotton-Ease) with a much smaller hook, to make a denser fabric, and hopefully the bag will still be bigger than a purse. This is my plan. Then, I will write the pattern and give the hooks needed to do either the felted version or the non-felted version. This way, I get my felting fix, I get to "practice" on a prototype before making the non-felted pattern that the majority of you would prefer.

On another note, Thank you to O Fil de lo for "tagging" my blog as one that she likes. I checked out her crochet blog and it is very elegant, go check her out at: O fil de lo

Also, become a GoCrochet Follower! On the right side of this blog page are my current "Followers" (Hi Followers!, I'm thrilled to see you here!). Click on "become a follower" to be a fan of the blog. Please make your following "Public" so I can see you!

Baby Blues Revealed

I don't think I ever did a sneak peek of this one? But it's revealed now. In the new issue of Crochet Today March/April 2009.

Blue Raglan Cardigan version

And here's a cardigan version of the same sweater. Chief took the photo!

Weekend Pullover Revealed

The Weekend Pullover, now in the new issue of Crochet Today magazine (Mar/Apr 2009).
And this was the sneak peek....
And here's the finished green one for the magazine...
And the red one for me! I also made this in a cardigan, I'll show you tomorrow!

Making Valentines

Grandma Glenda and Grandpa Dave came over for the day. Grandma Glenda is the expert greeting card maker and agreed to help Chickee and Chief make handmade Valentines. It was fun! Thank you Grandma Glenda!

Hey all! Please take the survey in yesterday's post. Tomorrow might be a reveal....

Please help indie designers

Please Help Indie Designers: Survey

Click
Here to take survey
When you have a moment, please add your comments to a survey created by Mary Beth Temple. It's short--it took me 2 or 3 minutes--and at the end you can also enter her contest on her next Getting Loopy podcast. The lucky winner receives a cone of the new LB Collection Wool Stainless Steel yarn in a pretty color.

Thank you! And now, back to my task at hand: rounding up years of my WIP's, PIG's, and FO's* to photograph and post on Ravelry. (Or, frog and recycle.)

*WIP (work in progress), PIG (project in grocery bag), FO (finished object), frog (to "rip-it" out).

PS, I stole this post from Vashti, please go visit her here

Design Journey: Chickee's Dress

The front is plain, and the buttons will go in the back. I made the front first (photo above). On the Wrong Side of the Front, I planned out where the buttons should space out so that when I crochet the two backs, I'll know which rows to put the buttons and buttonholes. I marked the spots with the stitch markers, and moved them up and down a few times until I got them spaced the way I wanted. Then I wrote the pattern, and made the two backs, and sewed on the buttons.
...making progress!

Last year's snow creature...

Here's Alvin from Alvin and the chimpmunks, snow creature 2008.

Snow Creature 2009

As you may or may not know, every year Captain sculpts for the kids a snow creature. Last year was Alvin and the Chimpmunks, the year before that was a dragon... This year was a puppy modeled after Chickee's Gold Retriever Webkin. Anyway, the sculpting was complicated by the bright warm sun yesterday melting the sculpture as they were making it. Also, Chief wanted his Webkin Manatee modeled in snow, so Captain did that too.

I might get to a crochet post later today, we'll see. :) I made good progress on Chickee's Dress this week.