Category: crochet

crochet

Completed – Crocheted Ripple Blanket

christinahopgood
I have finally finished a very, very, VERY long-going project.  My giant ripple blanket! I don’t think I ever blogged it before, at least not that I can find.  Enjoy some progress photos and comments!
I literally began this project in 2006 and have worked on it on and off since.  I remember crocheting in my first year at ANU, in youth orchestra!  It was nice to crochet in winter sitting on the couch with my parents, as it would cover them too!
For the stripe order I used the Random Stripe Generator, which is a fantastic tool for this kind of thing.  I just imput all the colours I had and told it to give me rows!
My problem was that the blanket was ending up TOO huge.  Once I started the blanket at a certain length, it was constrained to that size.  I realised that it was so wide that it went to the floor on either side of my queen size bed.  Too wide!  So… I cut!
Which wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d imagined.  I just had to ensure all the ends were tied off and were not going to unravel.  I made it wide enough that it would cover the bed but not obliterate the bed.
Then I edged the whole thing with a row of the teal colour.  I was foolish to start the blanket with teal, because I only had one skein and couldn’t find any more!  I eventually found some more in a wool shop in Melbourne but by then I couldn’t just introduce it in the middle.  The edging covered up any untidy cutting remains.
And here it is!  I showed it to an old lady friend of mine who said “it’s like a jewel!!” so I always think that.
I learned to crochet from my nana (at least in part).  Before she died I showed this to her in her nursing home.  She was very sad at that time, and constantly anxious, but when I showed her this she pored over it and was happy that she had taught me how to do it.  Handmade things bring happiness!
So now it’s on our bed and we’re nice and cozy!  Tonight it’s going to be -2 so we need it!
craft, crochet

Woolen Things

christinahopgood
I do lots of craft sometimes.  I like to have something in my hands when I’m watching TV or something. I like crocheting mostly!
This is one of my two ripple blankets.  The ripple is the kind of stitch – it’s like a wave.  This one has a weird colour combo – purple and camo blue?!  What was I thinking.  I picked out the colours ages ago, because I only crochet my blankets rarely.  They’re nice to come back to after ages!
This one is knee-rug sized.  I still have to make it about twice as wide.  That’ll take me another year or two at this rate!
While in Sweden I started knitting a jumper for Charles.  I managed to do the whole torso!  I found the pattern online at GarnStudio.  They have thousands of free knitting patterns online, it’s an ad for their yarn.  I saw some of their yarn in Sweden (it’s a Swedish company I think) and it was really nice.
The bottom is ribbed and the top section is moss stitch.  The rest is stocking stitch.  Made on a circular needle!  So now I have to do the sleeves, but they’re supposed to be done in the round on double pointed needles.  I find double pointed needles WAY TOO FIDDLY so I’m thinking of just doing it flat and then sewing a seam up the arm.  I also need to do the neckband.
Stuff Doing!  All The Time!
collars, crochet

More lacy collars!

christinahopgood
I’ve been sick in bed the past two days, so I spent some time refining my designs for my crocheted collars.  First thing I tried was putting glass pearl beads in there!  I’m really happy with this, it turned out lovely.  
It took me so long!  None of my crocheting hooks go through the beads so I had to use some fishing wire as a kind of needle-threader arrangement.

So they’re in-between each group of trebles.

I did a white one a bit bigger, somehow it turned out a bit crooked at the edges?  Anyhow there’s one more row than my other ones.

Yellow!  I like this yellow.

Neck view.

So this brooch is another hand-me-down from my Nana who died a year ago.  It’s particularly precious to me, because it belonged to Nana…

And it was made out of a penny by my Pa!  It reminds me of both of my grandparents.  It’s very special!  And pretty too 🙂
arts and crafts, craft, crochet

Crocheted collars

christinahopgood
My friend bought a lovely crocheted collar from a super talented designer at Hand Hook Yarn.  It cost her like $60!  But when I looked at it I thought… I could do that!  So she let me have a look at it and I made my own version last night (after two total fails)!  I also found a pattern for a crocheted collar on The Ongoing Project, but it’s also different.
My version is not exactly the same (I couldn’t figure out what she’d done in some places), but it worked out pretty well!  I wore it to uni today and got at least one compliment.  Other people complimented in the way that means “Chrissy why are you wearing such a pink thing”.

It’s actually NOT that bright a pink, the colour came out a bit wrong in this photo.  It’s more of a dusky pink colour.  That’s a brooch I inherited.  I thought a brooch fastener is much more versatile than a button because you can change it!  Obviously!

I’m starting a yellow one.

And this is a red one I made on the bus home.  It’s red, I promise!  Weird lighting playing tricks again.
Me wearing my pink one in the bathroom.

This is what I wore to uni today – my spotty dress.  So maybe the pink collar is too much with this outfit!  Anyhow I’m pretty proud of how it turned out and I think it looks sweet.  I’m going to make this yellow one and then I’ll see what other yarn I have.
If they turn out to be good, I might sell them at the Arts and Crafts show.  We had our first Committee meeting yesterday so I’m looking forward to it already!  How much could I charge for these?
crochet

Gathered scarf

christinahopgood


Inspired by THIS amazing knitted scarf, I tried to make a similar one using crochet. It didn’t seem to work as well as the knitted one. Maybe the dimensions are wrong. Anyway, it’s not done, but mum likes it so I’ll give it to her when I finish. She only has about one scarf! JUST ONE! Shocking.