Not much to report on since I've been slacking in the craft department due to being out of town, a bit sick, and busy playing online poker (I lose). But I am working on the roses doily and I finished all the blooming parts and am now doing the regular doily part.

Also, I'm busy designing an afghan. My boyfriend works at a hospital and the women's cancer center has been doing a lot of fundraising so I asked him if they would be interested in raffling off a Steelers themed afghan (he's in Pittsburgh). Of course they jumped on that and said they are having a Steelers auction in late summer/early fall, so I started designing one. I am going to put the logo in the center then do "superbowl champions" along the top and bottom (or sides) and the ones they won up the sides (or along the top and bottom). I think it will come out well and hopefully bring in a pretty penny. I spent most of tonight working on the main chart, and it's looking pretty good. I tried to upload it but blogger is being cranky. Perhaps another day...

I'm off again this weekend, so hopefully I will get to start it soon, after I finish this doily I was so excited about and now want to be done with. Or maybe I will *gasp* start another project without finishing either of the 2 I have going! That's so unlike me...

The second, and even larger, pineapple doily is done, done, done. I finished the crocheting Monday whlie watching the new Lifetime movie, wove in all 40 or so ends (!) on Tuesday and blocked it, then unpinned it yesterday and had a quickie photo shoot. Here she is:



I really like this, even better than the other one. I think I like the lacier look for doilies... and it makes em go quicker too! Here's a detail shot:



This baby is about 26" or so in diameter (just slightly smaller than the 28" the pattern claimed). I blocked the dickens out of it with my new T-pins, then spray starched it a little while it was all wet and stretched. It came from this book:



This is later called "Timeless Doilies to Crochet". There are some other cute ones in here, I think I might've made some others. While the first pineapple doily took almost exactly one ball of 350yd size 10 thread (It went slightly over but there was a knot that I had to cut out... if not for that it might have been exactly one), the second took maybe 1.5. Which means that I still have plenty of green left for the doilies in bloom! Oh, and did I mention I got this green stuff on clearange ages ago for $.45 a ball? That means that gift of 2 giant doilies well be just over a dollar... exxxxcellent.

Pineapple Sundae/Sunday

Well I finally finished blocking and photographing the pineapple sundae doily. I had doubts that it would turn out flat, as it was very 3-Dimensional as I was making it. But I really like the way it came out! It was meant to be 21" across, but mine came out closer to 19.5". Here is the finished shot:



And a closeup of the pineapple portion:



I used straight pins stuck into the carpet to block this baby (on a towel, since I was afraid of it dyeing the carpet. It says colorfast but I have a green streak on my hand to prove that's not necessarily so). It worked alright, but I have since bought some T-Pins, which I think will hold it better and not bruise my finger when I stick em in.

The pineapple doily came from this book:



I made one other doily from this book before, and it came out well too.

Now I am onto another one... called Heirloom Pineapple Doily... in the same shade of green. I finished all the main rows, now I just have to work the points... fun fun!

Doily Madness

Or so it might seem. I am really into making these right now, so we'll see how far I get. First up is a purple doily called "Vanity Fair":



Isn't she cute! She only took a few hours (started last Thursday night and finished Friday before I left for PA). She's from the book Dainty Little Doilies, shown below:



I bought this ages ago with intentions of making them, but gave up for some unknown reason. All the better, cause I'm enjoying them now! These ones range from about 4"-8"... not very big, but good for using up bits of thread left over from larger doilies.

I made another purpley one with more leftovers, but it may be ripped for thread to make the flower doilies, so I'm not blocking it now. And since I'm not blocking it, I'm not showing it. I made it earliy Friday as well, so you can see how fast these are!

I've finished the Pineapple Sundae doily and will show it off soon! And I'm on to another one... called the Heirloom Pineapple doily, I think. In the same color as the other Pineapple... it's going to be a set. Watch for it! :)

Woohoo I'm back in the crochet blog ring! I decided to get back in since I am posting semi regularly and it seems I have been focusing on crochet lately. So if anyone is wandering in from there: ~welcome~.

In other news, no exciting pictures to show of FO's or even UFO's as I've been busy and haven't taken any pictures. I started a large doily on Monday called Pineapple Sundae and am only a row and a half (and washing and blocking) from completing it, so maybe pictures soon. I have a smallish one (or two, if I don't rip it) that I will take pics of asap.

I am finding thread crochet surprisingly soothing lately. I hadn't done it in awhile, and altho the twisty thread can be a pain, it hasn't been too bad lately. First I started by buying a book of Christmas ornaments and whipping up about 13 of them. They all came from this book:



I used metallic thread and must say that they all worked up really quickly and pretty. I look forward to blocking them and seeing them finished - whenever I figure out how I want to starch them. Anyone have a favorite product for this? To make them really flat and stiff.

Yesterday I wandered out to buy Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and ended up stopping in Michael's and picking up this:



I look forward to making every doily in this book! They're colorful and fun... and since I have random bits of colors and lots of white I have most of the supplies for all of them. Not til I finish the pineapple ones tho, as I am using green for them and will use the leftovers in these. Just hope I don't lose steam by then! :)

More later... happy Wednesday!

I finished a few baby things, and haven't had time to take/post pics. But I have about 30 mins before I head out to Pittsburgh, so I am gonna throw em up now.

First up is a couple of baby hats I whipped up from some leftovers. For the girl hat I made a little flower from the Lion Brand pattern to adorn it. For the boys I just added a pom pom to the hat. And a stripe with the little bit of blue I had. I think they're cute!



Next up I made a little jackety sweater with a skein of white Baby Coordinates and some random bits I had leftover. I had to use some other white yarns to make edging, as I ran out of everything else.



Obviously, I still need a closure for it. I would like to do a zipper, but I can't find a separating one in anthing less than 12". Ideally I'd like a 9", but a 10" would probably work too. Anyone know where I can get one??

Well I'm off! I have some other new things made that I may be able to show off when I get back :)