Holiday Crocheting

It's been a VERY long time since I received a kit. So I'm thrilled to report that I finally got a new one. I really do need to call them and double check things becuase I got a charge on my credit card and no corresponding kit. I'm hoping it just got lost in the mail and Im not being charged for stuff I didn't get becuase of yet another computer error.

Anyway, back to the goodie bag: It's a Christmas Stocking. The final product is a bit small for my tastes, but I'm guessing that is because they make their kits way under price. I've noticed a trend. I love the pattern - VERY simple and you weaving in the ends as yo go.

I'll post a pic of it when it's completed. But I wanted to start over with a bigger hook so it has a bit more stretch to it.

In the meantime - enjoy your holiday crafting!!

Surprise Kit?

This week I got a kit in the mail that I wasn't expecting - apparently Annie's Attic had a computer "thing" and sent all the Hook n' Needle members the first "Scarves" kit again. I called and they credited my card for the mistake so no harm done. But I have to say - I was a tad bit disappointed. I do hope they get everything straightened out and get a new kit out to everyone soon. You know, it's like Christmas opening those envelopes.

As soon as I do get one, I will post it. I've been rather busy with 'life' stuff so that purse is still not finished. Now that school has started up again, I will be able to get back to it all.

In the meantime, as usual, happy hooking...

New Kit Alert!!

Vintage Beaded Doily Covers Kit

Yes, Already LOL

Boy, when they try to make up for forgetting about you for three months, they do it in a big way. I got yet another kit in the mail about a week after I got the felted purse kit - This one is a beautiful set of beaded doilies.

I'm actually behind in my crocheting over all and still have one more dishcloth to make before I can even start on the felted purse - let alone begin these beautiful doilies.

Washcloths Kit (Finished)

UPDATE: I finished those washcloths so I will start on the purse this week sometime. Yay !!

Here is a pic of them. They were fun and very fast. Great new stitches to learn and share as well. I hope those that get this enjoy it as much as I did.

So. . . H&N made up for the lack of kits by sending two almost within a week of one another LOL So I have plenty to do to keep us all amused (at least I hope I keep you at least a little amused hehe).

In the meantime, all my love and happy hooking :-P

New Kit!!

It's been forever, right?? 

Not because of ME, I assure you. I thought this was a monthly club, but apparently not.

I actually had to call and ask how come I hadn't gotten a new kit in oh, FOREVER.

But finally - A new kit arrived the other day. Yay !

WATERCOLOR FELTED BAG My first try at wool yarn as well as felting. This should be fun and interesting.

A little more yellow in person than on the booklet picture but I like the colors!

Dishcloth Kit: Project 1

Wavy Stitch; Variegated Cotton

  These are nice and fast. Perfect for a last minute gift. I just started this one but wanted to give an update. Very easy pattern and it looks really nice!

Finished Size will be 10 x 10 inches.

Oh, and don't mind the pic background LOL I'm playing with my photo editor *giggles*

Scarves! Kit Update - Update :-P

As you know, I've already finished this particular kit and am actually working on the dishcloths kit at the moment. However, in the mail today was a corrected Scarves! pattern book. I'm very pleased to know that they listen to us!! It makes me feel good about being in a club where the member's issues are taken seriously!

Of course I have NO plan on pulling out the finished scarves to work in their corrections :-P been there, done that! hehe

But, seriously! MUCH Love!!! for listening!

(May 28, 2011) They sent me a WHOLE new kit because I called and let them know I had run out of yarn. I didn't NEED a whole new kit - but way to go guys. GREAT customer service. MUCH love <3 <3 <3

White Lacy Ruffle Scarf - Finished

Final Project - Kit 1

Well, I had to scrap the idea of putting the edging on. It didn't seem to make much a difference anyway. It looked pretty much the same with or without, thank goodness! But I couldn't find a replacement yarn in my area, and ordering it would have been more expensive than this whole thing was worth.

Regardless, I LOVE the scarf!!! And I will use the pattern again - I'm thinking in a pale rose next time.

White Lacy Ruffle Scarf

I'm almost finished with the scarf but hit a big snag... NOT enough yarn! About 1/2 an ounce shy, maybe even only 1/4 an ounce. I'm wondering if the J hook was what they meant to use. Because the scarf is beautiful, but more lacy than the pic seemed to indicate it would be. I think if an H hook had been used, it would have come out perfectly. As it is, since they had their own "band" on the skein of yarn, I have no idea what brand the yarn is. I will have to hope that the white baby yarn I have matches :( I'm not happy at all - but the scarf IS quite lovely!!

When I'm finished (If I can match the yarn) I will post a pic of the whole scarf, in the meantime... Here is a close up of what one side of the pattern looks like laid out flat:

Pattern laid flat - when both sides hang down it makes a really pretty ruffle.

Infinity Scarf - Finished

Chenille Infinity Scarf

 It's pretty! And Fluffy!! LOL - I started with 4 oz. of Chenille yarn. I ended with .4 oz (12gr) left over! Whew! Cutting it close but it's just enough to make a small flower or something to applique on the scarf. I haven't decided if I will do that or not though.

Bonus: It only took a couple of hours!! Great gift idea!

It's not blurry- It's just that fluffy!!

Ladder Scarf w/ Knitting Loom

Okay - This is beautiful!! Much easier than crocheting or knitting with traditional needles.

 Mackena's Ladder Scarf

• Use the pink knifty knitter loom (26peg)
• Loom Pick
• 1 skein (1.5oz) Ladder Yarn - Multi Color
• 5x5 inch piece of cardboard for Fringe
• Size J crochet hook
• Scissors

Cut yarn for fringe first. Wrap yarn around the cardboard 80 times. Cut across one end. Set Aside.

E-wrap Cast-on - Leaving a 5 inch end, anchor yarn and begin e-wrapping the yarn across from end to end on pegs 1-9. Wrap the last peg (9) clockwise, then working back to your left, wrap each peg counter-clockwise until all have 2 loops on them. E-knit first row.

At this point, I added half the fringe to the middle 8 ladders (5 strands ea.)

Okay, continue e-wrap knitting, wrapping the last of each row and picking up those two stitches on the next round. Continue until you almost completely run out of yarn, leaving at least five inches at the end of last knitted row.

To bind off, use the chain one method. Insert the crochet hook in the loop on the last peg worked and lift it off the peg. Working across the loom, insert the hook on the next peg, lift it off the peg and pull it through the first loop on the hook. Continue in this manner until all loops have been removed from the loom and there is one loop left on the hook. Pull the leftover yarn through that loop and secure yarn.

Attach the remaining fringe the same as the beginning. Tighten the fringe and trim if necessary.

Block & Enjoy!

Close-Up - I LOVE how it looks like Rainbow Fish scales in the sun!!!

Ladder Scarf - Final

 Okay... I have to admit it! I'm having a Blast!! now that my first initial fear of this yarn has past! I'm really looking forward to the next projects!!

The Ladder scarf is finished! It looks pretty decent but not really my taste. I'm giving it to my niece Chelsi for her BDay in June. She will love it!

I'll post the final with my LOOM instructions tomorrow, I think. I'm going to get moving on the other two scarves from the first kit tomorrow as well. I'll post on them as I go (per usual).

I hated the yarn, but in the end really liked the look of this scarf. It will be a great gift! And that is one of the points of these kits, right? Fun new experiences as well as PRESENTS for everyone!! Muahahahaha!!

NEW KIT ALERT!

4Ply Worsted Weight

Well ... Not that I'm not interested in doing these, I am. But this kit is definitely NOT worth the $21.94 charged to my credit card. Four skeins
of peaches and cream in various colors (available at my local store for $1.29 each), and a booklet filled with eight washcloth patterns that I already have because they are free online. Not to mention, the patterns are ALSO printed on the skein labels... of which I also already have in
my stash of P&C.

*Sigh* Obviously - NOT pleased with this "kit" But you know me!! Tally on! I'm also hoping that eventually the price/value of the kits will more than even out in the end. *finger crossed*

P&C Colors: #180 Ppcrn Ombre; #010 Yellow (which has a certain irony attached to it!); #042 Tea Rose; & #056 Celry.

Ladder Scarf

Brilliant on the loom!! Much easier/nicer!! It looks really nice when I hold it out like it's been blocked already. But this is how it lays on its own.

It's about 4 inches wide, same as the pattern says it should be - so far so good!

Here is a close up -

Ladder Yarn Nightmare...

I can't crochet with this stuff - I'm just not that good OR patient!

Sooo... I had an idea last night while looking at my pile of "Toys" as Jenna calls them LOL a.k.a. my Loom Sets.

Since crocheting this yard is so hard, I thought I would try to knit it on the loom! This club is a crochet and/or knit club, so why not? I'm not cheating, right?? hehe

Okay headache temporarily gone - but officially, this yarn is NOT recommended for Crochet Use!!

*Goes to find the knit instructions* BTW, if the knit instructions don't work for the loom, I will make my own pattern and post it here for you.

The Dreaded Ladder Scarf!

Okay, so I thought I would start with the easiest one first... NOT! It is not only not easy - but I've actually been frustrated to the point of wanting to burn this "yarn!"

For those of you just joining the fun... This is 'Ladder Yarn'. And it is a pain in the bumble to work with! The hook keeps getting caught on the string parts and you can't even tell the V in the stitch.

Okay, so I'm complaining a lot, right? lol I decided to make this for my niece for her B-Day in June. Heck, it might take that long to finish it.

My biggest worry, however, is that it doesn't seem to have any form. You can't see the stitches, like I said, so it looks like a flat jumble of knots in string. At this point, I'm really wondering how she will feel about getting something so... errr... messy, from me.

Anyway, I'll post more pictures once I get a few more rows in - I'll probably just update this entry.

And I thought this would be the "easy" one roflmao Shows what I know, huh?

Kit 1: Scarves

Soooo... the first kit came. My first thought was - EWW! Scarves? Seriously? Then I decided to take a closer look. I am, after all, on an adventure here, right? YES, Kena! You are!!

 In the package were three yarns, a booklet with the three patterns in both crochet and knit (Hmm... make that 6 patterns then, right? LOL) and the "free gift" stitch guide.

Let's look at this stitch guide... Okay... it's more a hmmm... an over-simplified beginner's guide - and frankly, in this girl's humble opinion, unworthy of the title "free gift." UGH... Okay, I agree it is needed by many, BUT I would include that without hype and I would have preferred my "free gift" to be something along the lines of a tote, or hook/needle holder?? ANYTHING other than what they give. They lose points with me for that.

Now Let's take a look at the yarn it came with:

Bright Pink Chenille (BulkyWt/Size6)

Multi-Colored Ladder (Worsted/Size4)

Bright Pink... WoW - Kinda hurts my eyes LOL But I'm a nature girl and generally shy away from bright colors like this. But it is for an "Infinity" Scarf that is just a huge circle.

Soft White (Fine-SportWt/Size1)

WoW... okay, this is new!! Ladder Yarn?? VERY cool! Kind of looks like ribbon though LOL But very pretty! This might be a little difficult to make the "Ladder Scarf" out of LOL But you know I'm up for anything!

 








This is nice and soft - Baby Yarn. Should make a nice Ruffled Scarf.










Okay, for now - I'm finished ogling the goods LOL

I'll post pictures of the finished scarves when I get them done. In the meantime... I anxiously await the arrival of the NEXT kit. I'll post details when it gets here!!

The Adventure Begins!

So ... Here I am - I've decided to write a blog about the Annie's Attic Hook & Needle Club I joined. I hope you enjoy!!