I’ve been feeling pretty under the weather lately (ironic, since the weather lately has been gorgeous). Things are looking up this morning, though (ironic again, since today is the first day in recent weeks to be gray and rainy), and I thought I’d fire off a blog post. I haven’t had much interest in crocheting – the whole sick thing, you know – but I read a few books and, as always, the kids kept me busy. Max’s love of all things aquatic continues unabated. We’re going on four months here, which is easily the longest he’s obsessed over anything besides the perennial favorite, cars and motorcycles. In recognition of that, I’ve started making things for him…we’ve started building a reef on his bedroom wall, for instance.
Reef construction: Day 1! I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to draw, or render, or create a coral reef, but it’s pretty complex. A lot of different shapes and creatures, a lot of different colors and details. This is what we managed the second day.
The cool thing is that we’re basing these off of real coral, so Max is learning to identify the different species as we put them up. (The big red one is a seafan, for instance, and the large orange hard coral is called Elkhorn. There are also rocks. It’s educational.) Max says our reef is big enough for fish to live in now, so we may start adding more animals next. Although technically coral are animals. Whatever.
Despite everything, I actually started a crochet project the other day. I ran across Max’s baby blanket in a closet and realized that I had never photographed it for blogging or Ravelry, so I thought I would:
Aww. Five years ago, this was the most ambitious project I had ever attempted. Despite my inexperience, it turned out well. Anyway. I pulled out the pattern to enter it into my projects and, prompted by the I-haven’t-crocheted-in-weeks shakes, I decided to make the project on the cover.
It’s a striped baby bunting that I always thought was cute, from an old, old pamphlet – one I, ah, ‘acquired’ on the way out of my parents’ house. (Mom, if you want it, I’ll mail it back, I swear.) Greg says it looks like an old blanket. Isn’t he sweet?I’ve never had seven colors of the same yarn before, to make it, but I had a lot of leftovers from the boys’ striped hats and I thought I’d give it a go. It turned out to be spot on gauge with the Wool-Ease and the lovely rosewood hook I got at Christmastime…
So it’s shaping up to be a simple, cheerful, and very enjoyable project. Aside from the ends. Heaven help me…the ends.
Love the reef!
Man, I wish Chunky’s baby blanket looked that nice! It’s funkalicious!
That looks like such a fun project! So cheerful!
I love that you’re getting some use out of the old crochet pamphlet – very 60-70’s. Your artistic ability is amazing – wonder what it’d be like with – training! X
So funny, I recently snatched the same old crochet pamplet from my mom’s house, too. Though I think I originally purchased the pamphlet and left it behind when I married and moved out. My reasoning is I used the pattern to design a bunting for my friend’s daughter who is now grown and being married this summer. My friend still has the bunting put away for a future grandchild. She said it was great for taking a baby camping, like having an infant sleeping bag.
The changes I made were leaving off the hood and most of the stripes. I remember using mostly robin’s egg blue and in the middle I put a few stripes of red, white and royal blue. At least that is how I remember it. I will have to ask my friend show me the bunting sometime so I can take a photo and figure out exactly how I designed it.
I just read your post again and noticed at the end of your post you wrote: “So it’s shaping up to be a simple, cheerful, and very enjoyable project. Aside from the ends. Heaven help me…the ends.” Gave me a giggle because I wasn’t going to mention that I think it was the thought of all those ends which kept me from striping the bunting I made like the one on the pamphlet. I hate sewing in the ends and seaming isn’t my favorite either. I have a sweater I knitted for myself two years ago, which is sitting in a bag in my closet . And not even on those past cold winter days, when I thought about how nice it would be to wear a new sweater, could I be motivated to sew it together. One of these days I will do it, but not today. It’s spring and the weather is nice and warm. Before the fall, maybe.
Back to your bunting project. I love the colors you are using. It is beautiful like a rainbow. I can’t wait to see the finished bunting. It will be beautiful and inspiring. Maybe I will sew up my sweater sooner then later. Anyway, I plan to be back to visit. Good luck conquering the ends. They are never as bad as they seem, once the job is done. lol Vicky