---Is what I worked on this week. I finished an identical pair for a friend of mine, and I think they are adorable. The yarn is Red Heart With Love in Fruit Punch.
I used THIS pattern fromValerie Whitten . I think it worked up really nicely. Each has a button on the left and a flower on the right.
I embellished them with a flower motif from Suzann Thompson'sCrochet Bouquet book - The Sweetheart Rose pattern. There's so many flower patterns in the this book it was hard to pick.
I think it was a highly successful venture. The hats worked up really quickly, and the flowers were simple enough too.
On the other hand...
I also was testing out a new to me pattern for another friend. OH, how I wish I had taken pictures of the first end result. But I had a foot and a half long sock looking hat when I was done and didn't know why, and honestly, it was terrible. Hilarious, but terrible. It was immediately frogged. Partially just because I like my yarn ball winder so much, and don't get much cause to use it.
So since that was a fail, I attempted it again the next night. I reread the directions, checked my yarn, my hooks...You see, I didn't realize the pattern was in UK crochet terms, not US terms, until the next day. So this time, I made the wise decision of ignoring the UK/US differences, thinking it would be different but fine. Not so much! Now I have a hat that maybe wouldn't cover the Jolly Green Giant's eyes. It is ridiculously massive. Actually here, let me go take a ridiculously embarrassing picture for you.
Seriously. How did I think THAT was going to turn out?
Surely we all make these mistakes right? So that was two frustrating nights of yarning down the drain, but I suppose I got something out of it -
Don't try to outsmart your directions if you are looking for a functional and correctly sized finished product. Lesson learned. But at least for my week I got a couple of really cute hats to show for it. :) I did follow THOSE directions.
I'm just going to try again. It's just this week's battle, I think.
Another WIP - done! I had picked up some mesh yarn the other day to try out, and after frogging multiple scarfs, I decided the yarn was meant for greater things. A simple spiral shawl, I named the Nautilus Shawl.
I was inspired by the Kelp Forest Shawl, by KarinKnits Designs. I didn't find the directions incredibly useful, but there is a video tutorial on how to make the shawl. Maybe you'll get something out of it.
I literally watched it 20 times, at least, to try and figure it out. The problem I had was that she describes how to "knit" the shawl, not crochet, until about 11 minutes in. But then she doesn't tell you how to START the shawl with crochet, which is the only part that really matters in the construction.
I say "knit" - what she does is more like crochet with knitting needles. Kind of a cool idea, but I'm happy hooking it.
I had the hardest time starting the shawl.
Maybe I should make my own video one day to describe in a way people like me can understand. Any interest?
Here's my way to start the shawl, the easiest description, full of tips and tricks.
Here it is in words -
Start with a mesh yarn - there's a lot of them out there. Stores have their own house brands of it, Red Heart makes a Sashay that Walmart carries (for under $4 a skein), and the one I used was Premier Yarns Starbella, in Fly a Kite, a rainbow of bright colors - I think I got it at Michael's. I used two skeins of yarn for my shawl.
The yarn has a wide side, like a foundation row of stitches, and then an open mesh. In the yarn photo, you can see the wide side almost looks like braiding, and mesh has much wider spacing.
You want to start with the foundation side (the thicker) side, on the left, and the mesh side to the right.
Use your crochet hook to pick up the first row of complete mesh stitches. Mine had 3, and those loops sit on your hook. Then pick a hole in the foundation row a quarter inch or so up (behind) your mesh stitches. Crochet that foundation row, pulling the mesh loops up and over the foundation row.
You just have one loop now, and the mesh is connected to the foundation row now. It will look somewhat bunched up.
Now don't get too worried, because the next part is tricky. I really struggled to get this right.
You want to single crochet the mesh to the foundation row now. You'll be pulling the mesh side around to meet the foundation row side. Around, not over, or you'll just make a tube. Trust me, I know. I made about every error I could trying to figure this out. :)
Stick your hook into the foundation row in the closest hole by your last stitch as you can. It matters, so try to get it in close. Next, pull up the next loop from the mesh, moving the mesh around the hook. To find the next loop of your mesh, you need to look for the next row of loops from your first stitch. Then pick the edge loop in that row. Once you have the loop on, then just pull that loop through the foundation row and the loop you have on the hook already. You just did one single crochet.
The trick to making it a spiral is to make sure you stay close in the foundation row per each stitch. For the first 15 or so single crochets, I spaced them really closely together - less than 1/2" apart. If you space it to wide, you'll end up making an odd spiral basket, which really does look like a basketball net.
After you get those 15 or so stitches in, you can begin to space out to about an inch for each stitch.
Continue that spacing as you go along, and you should notice that you are making a nice spiral, with pretty well hidden stitches.
My shawl used 2 skeins of yarn. When I ran out of the first skein, I pulled out the second skein and matched the color variations, cutting where I needed to match. Then on the last full loop of the first skein, I added in the first full loop of the second skein, and treated it as the same skein, in a single crochet. Then when you go around again, just catch both sets of mesh loops.
The funny thing about spirals? If you like symmetry, you will have a hard time leaving an odd looking end just hanging. I single crocheted it to the end, and sewed in the ends, but it's not a circle. Yes, today I learned spirals do not mean circles. They always said geometry would find you again. :) The end of the spiral isn't that awkward to wear though, just pull it to wear you'd like it to be, by your neck if you don't like it, so it folds over, or in the bottom back, to show off the Nautilus effect.
I love the end result. I'm not a ruffles and frills kind of girl, and I was really afraid this would be over the top for me. But I was determined to master this yarn, and finish a project with it. When it was done, I threw it over my shoulders with dramatic flair, and walked calmly to the mirror, hoping the project wasn't in vain.
Thankfully, instead of grimacing, I begrudgingly decided it was much better than I had thought it would be. It is so pretty - simple in design, colorful, ruffly around the neck, like a bolero jacket can be. It would really dress up a little black dress and make a statement.
I declare it a successful venture into novelty yarns. And if you feel up to mental stimulation, give it a try!
If you don't want to do it, but like it, hop over to my Etsy shop, or message me for special requests.
I'd like to introduce to you my newest FINISHED WIP - The Nautilus Shawl.
The original idea began with a pattern by KarinKnits Designs called the Kelp Forest Shawlette.
I struggled with the start of the project, and really hated the yarn for a bit. I read the pattern, watched the video, and really, just had to figure out the concept for myself without reading and watching about it. Nothing made sense to me. I spent days messing with the yarn, trying to get it to lay right, and cooperate. And finally, it stuck.
And so, due to it's spiral nature, unique personality, and difference in design, I deem it the Nautilus Shawl.
I love the end result!
Come back tomorrow for the details - I have lots of tips and tricks to share.
Interested in this shawl? Hop over to my Etsy shop.
I saw a posting on Twigg Studios for Ice Cream Cone Cake Pops. I thought they were the cutest things! After you get done drooling over those, come back and finish reading this.
You back? Here's a picture to make sure you are on board.
So those little delicious creations gave me my own idea. What if you put cake balls in cake cones, so they had flat bottoms? What if you dipped them in chocolate and nuts and made "Drumsticks"??
Honestly, I could never get into the whole cake ball thing before. I've never made them, never wanted to. But those two ideas had me running to the store for ingredients. And yes, I totally made it up as I went along.
Ingredients:
Butter Pecan cake mix, and made a sheet cake as directed.
1 tub of Buttercream flavored frosting
Mini Cake cones - ours were made by Joy
Dark chocolate chips
Pecan pieces
Directions:
Crumble up the cake, and mix in icing until it's a less dry and more wet/crumbly. There's an ideal consistency here. I learned a couple things on this one. Go easy on the frosting - start slow. Or else you'll be adding more and more cake to make it work right. I used about a half tub of frosting for 3/4 of the sheet cake. I still could have been stingier with the icing.
I used a rubber spatula to fill the base of the cone with cake, and then used a small cookie scoop to make an "ice cream" style scoop on top.
I left some of them just like this, and called them "Cake Cones". Here's their class photo:
I'm amazed at just how much these look like real butter pecan ice cream! Such a cool trick!
If you want to continue on to "Drumstick" stage, pull out the chocolate chips and pecan pieces.
I melted my chocolate in the microwave via the package instructions. Then I went through a series of failed applications - here's what didn't work.
Dipping - I was sad. Dipped cones = dipping. Alas, the cake is too heavy and gets pulled out with the chocolate. No dice.
Spooning - no. you can drip the chocolate on with a spoon, but as soon as you start pressing on with the spoon, the crumbs mix into the chocolate and don't look good.
Cookie scoop - I used the cookie scoop to apply chocolate to the tops. Works better, but not perfect, pushes it all to one side.
The best solution for me was the "icing bag" - a zipper bag full of chocolate with a corner snipped off. Just be gentle and don't put on too much at a time. It'll drip down the sides a bit, but it just looks delicious for it. Like this:
Add the nuts while the chocolate is still wet, then throw in the fridge or freezer for a while to harden the chocolate up.
My recipe made about 1 dozen Cake Cones/Drumsticks, but I didn't use the whole cake or all the frosting. I wanted butter pecan, but you can totally make it your own - What about:
Creamsicle - Orange Cake and Vanilla frosting
Double Chocolate - Devil's Food and Fudge frosting
Rocky Road - Chocolate Cake and mix in nuts and marshmallow cream
And so on. Possibilities are endless. Just don't blame getting tubby on me. :) We all know these aren't healthy!
So I'm kind of on a recipe kick - but not just any recipe kick. Testing out recipes I found in older found cookbooks. It's somewhat of an amusing hobby! And beyond that, when they're edible, it's a productive hobby.
I pretty much followed the recipe...mostly. I doubled it, added some chopped jalapeno peppers, and extra cilantro.
It turned out a bit thicker than I like, but some more milk would've helped. I think I would've liked more spice to it too - I put in a jalapeno in addition to the hot sauce, but it wasn't enough. Those milk products just cool it off.
Would I make it again? (Doesn't it really just look yummy and refreshing??)
Yes! Great party snack! Not as "green" as guacamole, which some people really don't care for. It's a good way to have avocados without guacamole.
And as testament to it's greatness, that double recipe didn't make it through lunch today.
As to whether it's like Casa Ole's famous green sauce? Close. But needs some tweaking. But it was just as dippable and munchable, and goes on any Mexican food.
So our our recent vacation, I shared my find of a cookbook at the lake house. I happened to have all the ingredients on hand for the Cheese Wafers today, and a clean kitchen, which is just asking to be messed up. Is it just me, or does a clean kitchen invite creativity? In my house, a clean kitchen lasts about 5 minutes.
Here's the recipe in it's original format:
I mixed up the ingredients -
Prepared the wafers.
Tossed them in the oven, and pulled them out in the specified time.
Here they are!
I seasoned some with paprika, and all of them with salt. My boys would totally question the paprika - I wasn't going to chance it with them. I totally cannot eat all the cheese wafers by myself - not with that list of ingredients. I think I would die.
My verdict? It's complicated. They look awesome.
They even taste really good.
But if it were my recipe, this is what I'd change -
Add something to bind the flour. If slightly undercooked, they were very crumbly. When cooked perfectly, they were still a bit crumbly.
For me, 10 minutes was too short of a cook time. 13 was better, but 15 minutes was the way to go. Just don't burn the cheese.
Beyond being fatteningly delicious, they needed seasoning mixed in with the flour. Some garlic powder and paprika would be a good start.
So would I make them again?
Probably not as written, but with my changes I'd try again. Or just make cheddar biscuits. :) Similarly delicious fattiness.
Have an odd recipe you found? I might be willing to try it for you. Send it my way!
I finally finished the baby blanket (and more here) yesterday! I didn't know how I wanted to finish it, and puttered around trying to make a decision. I wanted to add in the green, but I wasn't happy how my ideas were all turning out. It stood like this for awhile - the full sun makes it look so different, too! What kind of silly person takes color dependent pictures in full evening sun??? Oh wait, me. Oh well. :)
In the end, I ran two lines of double crochet border in the green, and added tricot/clover leaf puffs on each wave "crest".
I think they are cute little "leaflets", don't you?
Here's what the colors really look like, a photo shoot in the shade instead :
I'll be sending it to it's new forever home soon. Just trying to decide if I need to make a stuffed toy to go with it. Any amigurumi ideas?
Have a great one!
PS - I shared this over at Creative Me's Blog Hop:
