By George...

I think she's got it!!!

I posted about this beautiful sweater pattern a long, long time ago.

(See here.)

But I never could get the sizing right, so I took a break.

Then the other day I started it up again.  My last attempt

has apparently not been so bad, because I decided it

was actually about the right size.  In the picture,

you can see my swatch that wasn't really

very helpful, one of my more sizable attempts

that isn't long enough, and the most

recent is wrapped around the 

crochet thread ball.

I think I can rework the larger of my attempts

into a nice scarf.  So that makes me happy.

I feel that all that hard work was not for

naught!!!

Mostly, I am very happy to crochet

merrily away on the sweater so I

can actually get to wear it some day.

Have any of you been working on a

project that you just can't quite get

to work?  

I'd LOVE to hear your story!

Leave it in the comments!!!

Glutton for Punishment

Friends, you would think after taking 2-3 years

to make 1 sweater, I would not be quick to

start another.  But...

I found this beautiful burgundy thread.

 Somewhere in between these pictures is the

beautiful color.  I wish my camera were

more true to real life.

And I have another beautiful Kay Meadors' pattern to use with it.

So...

I feel compelled to begin again.

As a matter of fact, I've already started.

But I ran into a glitch.

I made the small and it is TOO big for me.

And there is no extra small.

So...

I have to figure out the counts for extra small.

At 1st I was wondering how I could ever do this,

but I've discovered a pattern in the size-growth.

So I will soon be ripping out what I have

and trying again with the new count.

W.I.P.s are Multiplying

Friends, LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!

KA-POW!!!  W.I.P. Explosion!

I know you remember this:

And, as I told you,

I'M STUCK!

I can't decide what to do next

color-wise or if I should just start over.

So what do I do when I don't know what to do

on one project?  I start on a different one.  :)

(I also do that when I get bored with a project.)

(The stitches on this sweater can get A LITTLE monotonous!)

OR

I remember that I have to make a gift for someone:

And before you know it,

KA-BLAM!!!

I have too many projects going at once!!!

(I just remembered this one.  Oops!)

Does this ever happen to you?

Bootie/Sweater Set

My nephew, Titus, turned a year old in July.

When he was born, I made him a sweater and

bootie set out of frosty green and black.

It was SO CUTE!!!

I wish these pictures could do it justice,

but the lighting was bad the day I took them.

Better bad pictures than no pictures, I guess.

The booties are the "All Star" pattern from

Booties By the Dozen (Leisure Arts #3243)

by Kay Meadors

The sweater is the Victorian Rose Sweater pattern from

Heirloom Thread Crochet For Baby - #1310 - American School of Needlework

designed by Kelly Robinson.

My color choices were

Aunt Lydia's Frosty Green,

Black, and White.
Hook size 7 (1.65mm)

I found the cute little tennis shoe buttons at Wal-Mart.

If I make the pattern for a boy again,

I will edge it in a plainer stitch, like 

single crochet (American).

The scallops were a bit much
for a boy, in my opinion.

But CUTE nevertheless!!!

Look what I have!

This morning,

I was so excited to discover a 

treasure

I didn't realize I had.

A friend had given me this pattern book

for crochet thread sweaters way back in

March.  Good Grief!

I had tucked it away, and I just

'discovered' it again.

AND IT'S GREAT!!!

If you pop over to Amazon,
you can see pictures of the
designs there!

Leisure Arts #3083 Fashion Collection

And, lo and behold,

the designer just happens to be

my friend, Kay Meadors!

When I saw that, after looking through

the 6 wonderful designs, I laughed out loud!

"Of course!"  I said to myself.

Now, if I just can find the time...

Summer Breeze Sweater Mid-Point

Well, I have made it half-way through the Delft sweater!  I have gone beyond the RECTANGLE and have started the front.  I especially like the sloped edge. 

Persevering with steadiness through a repetitive pattern has ever been a challenge for me.  

I like the variety of doily rows.  The constantly changing pattern keeps me engaged mentally.  

But I have DONE IT!  

Now I am that I am seeing shape emerge, I am getting excited!

Summer Breeze Sweater Progress

This is what I have done so far.

I think it looks good.

Hopefully it will fit the

family member I'm making it for!

Here it is in two different lighting spots:

I love the little chunky squares lining up so neatly!

They bring joy to my orderly little heart!  :)

Summer Breeze Sweater Swatch

I made a new gauge swatch for the sweater I'm attempting.  

I used a smaller hook (size 5) than what the
Summer Breeze pattern called for (size 4).

It measures correctly, if not a little small, so...

here's to hoping it turns out right!

Here's one that shows the sweater color fairly accurately:

And here is one that shows the pattern more clearly:

Tomorrow, I'll post some progress I've made.

Aunt Lydia's Free Project Sheet (LC1332)
Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread (Size 10) - Delft Blue

Summer Breeze Sweater Woes

What do you do when the sweater sizes given on a pattern are way too big for the size they are supposed to be?  I have tried making two different swatches and even the small size turned out way too big for me.  Arggghhh!

Oh well, back to the 'crocheting' board!