Blusa Queen Update

Blusa Queen is finished. She's being blocked as I type this.

My time has been devoured with working on crochet designs and submissions. I now have a few crochet designs floating out there so we will see what comes of this.

My first published crochet design will hopefully appear this winter. When it happens, I'll be here to shout with all the details.

Winning Feels So Good!

I was tickled to find out I was this week's winner for Getting Loopy's drawing. Getting Loopy is a podcast dedicated to topics relating to crochet. It's hosted by Mary Beth Temple, and it's informative and FUN. You can listen to the show live on Monday nights at 9:00 pm EST or catch a repeat from the archives.

I won seven patterns and some yarn from Robyn Chacula. I can't wait to try her designs.

If you aren't listening, you are missing out. They give away great prizes every week.

Digging in the Crates

I'm attempting to get my garage organized. Right now it is a semi-organized mess because everything are neatly piled, but it is still cluttered to the point where I'm jacking myself up trying to get to things.


So, I have about 5-6 plastic storage bins in there, and I'm taking them out one at a time and going through the contents. I've done some magazines, some books, and other miscellaneous stuff. There a tub of sewing patterns and fabrics in there that I don't even want to look at yet. Hundreds of dollars worth of patterns and I've made none of them.


I found this tub full of yarn and crochet projects that I'd forgotten. A Sponge Bob graphghan that was barely started and abandoned, a camisole that was complete except for one bra cup (I think the cups didn't provide enough coverage), a bunch of projects and experiments in various stages of completion. I still haven't looked all the way through the bin. No telling what's on the bottom. Right at the top I found this shrug jacket. It was finished except for THE LAST ROW and adding a button. I don't know why I didn't finish this.


I shudder to try to remember what is in my storage unit.

Crochet Commuter Chronicles - Intro

Two weeks ago I started riding the commuter bus to work instead of driving. I tell myself and others that I did it to save money on monthly parking and these mega gas prices. I say to myself and to my boyfriend that it will cut down on my stress, and I won't be frustrated by the time I get to work from all my cussing at idiot drivers. I've bargained with myself and convinced my employers that I will finally be able to get to work on time from now on instead of being chronically late.

All these things are partially true. But if I am to be honest with myself, I am on that bus because it gives me MORE TIME TO CROCHET. I'm coming clean here and telling the truth. All those things I mentioned above take second place or lower to my crochet.

Before I would wake up, roll over and grab my current crochet project (or choose from several) that slept on the other side of the bed that night. I'd crochet for 15-20 mins, then slowly get ready for work, sometimes coming back a few times in between to pick up my project and do a few more stitches or rounds while dancing to the radio.

Then I'd be sure to grab a project on the way out and place it in the passenger seat to ride shotgun with me to work. At traffic stops/lulls, I'd pick up my hook and put in some work. I used to get some looks at stop lights. Yeah, I'm guilty of CWD. Well, not while moving though.

Queen Update

I'm nearing the end on this project. I'm working on the 2nd sleeve and then the fun part begins. The ruffles! I can't wait to put the frill on this jacket.

Ugh! Don't look too closely at my pits in that first pic. I'm a child of the 60s and 70s. LOL!

I had to take a break from Connecticut Avenue and a couple of other "winter" projects. It's too hot here and and just can't make myself touch that wool.



I have some accessories projects that are almost done. Cute and fly stuff!

I DONE GOT MEME'D: Tag I'm It

I've been Meme'd by Deb-VA at My Dzire for Yarn. First, I was like "what is a Meme?" But this seems like a fun way to learn more about bloggers that I've found interesting. Okay, here's the way it goes:

"The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer."

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

• Getting acclimated in a new city, starting a new job, dealing with teens.

2) What are 5 things on my to-do list for today?

• Catch up on work that has accummulated while out on leave.


• Balance biz acct and email partner.
  
• Finish crocheting 2nd sleeve top of Blusa Queen.


• Prepare for work for tomorrow.


• Late night "meeting" with SO (maybe).

3) Snacks I enjoy:

• Chips, hummus, spinach dip, carrot cake, peach cobbler, cookies, dried fruit

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

• Make sure family is taken care of, donate where I see fit, volunteer, travel, invest, take classes and spend on whatever gets my juices flowing. I'd spend at least 1/2 of everyday crocheting.

5) Places I have lived:

• Ohio, Maryland, Georgia, Germany

6) Jobs I have had:

• Secretary -- different jobs with different duties, same title

7) Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:

• Crocheted!


• Lisalicious


• Life in the Zu


• Collective Elements


• Knitology

These are bloggers I'd like to get to know better. I hope this is fun. Tag, y'all are it.

Lost in Translation? Maybe Not

Well, I can do a little Samba, but I cannot speak nor read Portuguese. I do know that Penguin is Pingouin, though, and I do know how to read a symbol chart. I am so glad I can because . . .

Blusa Queen is a beautiful pattern from this Brasilian website. I started this last week, and it is going well.

For those of you who might want to give this one a try, I have some observations:

• Try using a larger hook and if necessary thicker yarn if you need a larger size.


• Begin with the round motifs, joining them as you go.


• After you have the strip of connected round motifs, begin the filler mesh, and then do the pineapples.


• Part 2 begins with 2 dc, ch 1 across the last row of the pineapples. There should be a total of 288 stitches, including turning chain. 36 stitches evenly over each circle motif below.

I'll share more observations later, if I have any.