Crochet

yarn barnage

I learned to crochet precisely two stitches while in college, the chain and the double crochet. A few years later, I picked up a few more (it's all your fault, Janis, and I will get even! *grin*). I do mostly yarn crochet, but have tried thread crochet just a tiny bit.

As always, more works are in progress... and I don't seem capable of creating small ones.

Many of these afghans use a star-stitch pattern I learned from Leisure Arts A Year Of Q-Hook Afghans Book 2, the June pattern.

Now, if I can just untangle my fingers from all this yarn strewn about, I can show you some photos I've scanned...

my projects

The Cream/Navy Afghan - for cousin R for her wedding, begun spring 2005
(OK, I'm a year or two late; there was some confusion about which colors she wanted.) Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick-n-Quick yarn, similar to the Poodle Afghan, but in cream and navy.
The Jewel Green Lap Afghan - for friend R, begun winter 2004/2005
Using Lion Brand Jiffy yarn.
The Purple Scarf - for R, completed for New Years 2005
The Purple Baby Blanket - for cousin R, completed spring 2005
One strand of Bernat Baby Coordinates, very lacy.
The Yellow Baby Blanket - closeup - for D&S, completed summer 2004
I managed to get this one done on time, unlike their wedding blanket. One strand of Bernat Baby Coordinates, very lacy.
The Green Baby Blanket - for J&N, completed summer 2004
N's been crafting a lot himself lately, but I wanted to make a blanket for their new little one. Two strands of Bernat Baby Coordinates, very fluffy.
The Green Baby Blanket - for Mom's friend, completed spring 2004
Mom made a matching knitted baby hat with a little tassle on the top. They turned out beautifully.
The Purple Baby Blanket - closeup - for H&D, completed spring 2004
Of course this one had to be purple. Two strands of Bernat Baby Coordinates, very fluffy.
The Wedding Couch Scarf - closeup - for D&S, completed spring 2004
Yet another friend from college is now married... they couldn't seem to decide on colors, so I chose a variegated yarn and ended up pleased with it.
The Housewarming/Wedding Throw - for M&L, completed
This one is very similar to the Winter White afghan I made for Mom, but used only two strands of Red Heart. The yarn is flecked with black, brown, and tan bits, so it has a bit of a more rustic look to it. Turned out nice and thick, but drapey rather than as heavy as the three-strander I made for Mom.
The Lavender/Turquoise/Blue/White Baby Blanket - for J&B, completed
Three strands of Bernat Baby Coordinates, cozily thick for Colorado.
The Creamsicle Throw - for myself, completed
Started because I really did want one small enough for the couch.
The Creamsicle Afghan - for myself, completed
Three strands of Red Heart again, and a throwback to my first orthogonal pattern which turned out very airy and soft when done with my huge Q-hook. This one is pale yellow, white, and peach, which when done together look, well, creamsicle-like. I was inspired by a beautiful cuddly foofy couch throw of S's which is wedgewood and rose variegated and multistrand and just lovely and wonderful. But mine kind of... grew... it's big enough to use on the queen-sized bed.
The Water Bottle Carrier - a birthday present for my friend J, completed year unknown
This was my first non-doily attempt at thread crochet. I'm pleased with it. Which year was this?
The Set of Navy Winter Scarves - for Mom & Dad, completed year unknown
I don't remember which year these were, but I used two strands of a soft acryllic and they turned out beautifully. Dad's is very, very long because he's tall and likes to be able to wrap a scarf a few times around his neck and then tuck in the ends into his winter coat.
The Hexagon Throw - for my friends J&B, finished Fall 2001
I obviously bought way too much Red Heart at once, but I adore the Grape Ivy vareigated colors, so I decided to make giant overgrown granny hexagon. It turned out to be a lap-sized throw.
Winter White, Navy and Maroon Oversized Afghan - on the bed - closer angle - for Dad, finished Christmas 2001
I used Red Heart for this one, too, but it's done with two strands rather than the three I used for Mom's lap afghan. It's a huge ripple afghan, made wide enough to wrap around two people or cover a queen-sized bed, and long enough that my 6'2" Dad can tuck it under his toes and still pull it up to his chin easily. The blue bands are two strands of navy, the maroon and winter white bands are one strand of each.
The Poodle Afghan - closeup - made for my cousin S for her wedding, finished Fall 2001
No, it doesn't have poodles on it. Nor did I use poodle-fur yarn. Nope, it's the poodle afghan because one of the colors is a dark grey that looks, well, poodle-colored. This one is the same basic pattern as Mom's winter white lap afghan, but made larger and with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick-n-Quick yarn. I love this yarn. Mom made a pair of matching quillows to go with it.
Adele's First Thread Crochet Project - a doily for Mom, started in 2000 and still in progress
It's a spiralling pattern, and it's still not done. Pheh. As of spring 2005, I'm still poking at it sometimes. Thread crochet is harder on the hands than yarn crochet.
Winter White Lap Afghan - closeup - made for Mom, finished Christmas 2000
Once again, Red Heart. Of course, I chose a pattern which called for much thicker weight yarn, so I used the recommended Q hook size, but worked with three strands at once. The resulting lap afghan is quite heavy and very warm. Plus, this project illustrates perfectly why I make afghans: they're a portable hug.
The Granny Flower Garden Afghan - for myself, started in 2000 and still in progress
More Red Heart, this time a whole lotta lotta hexagons. This project is kind of stalled at the moment (fall 2004), but I haven't given up on it yet.
Adele's First Big Honkin' Afghan - for myself, finished sometime in 2000
Or, "Adele learns a new stitch and how to read a pattern." I used Red Heart because it is the beginner yarn. Durable, no dye lots to fret with, forgiving and inexpensive. I started out making a granny square, and well, it grew. A lot.
The Jeweltone Couch Scarf - for Janis, completed... year unknown
I don't remember which year this was, but I used a beautiful variegated acryllic and a pattern of double crochets and chains similar to my white shawl, and it ended up big enough to curl up under on a couch, or to take to the office to sling around shoulders when office AC was too enthusiastic.
Adele's First Ever Crochet Project - a yarn shawl/throw, started in 1992 and finished sometime... later.
I have no idea what kind of yarn it is; some sort of acryllic with a pearly strand running through it. I knew precisely one stitch when I designed the pattern... it's all double crochets and chains, and is almost painfully orthogonal. But I still like it.