Crochet Interlude #2

Yes, yes, need to knit swatches.  But I'm stuck in the solemn oath territory that says:  Gotta finish the UFO's before embarking on a new project (becoming a Master Knitter.)

Here's the latest in crochet (and you thought this would be about knitting, silly reader with unmet expectations!).  And you knitting snobs -- alert -- for this one I'm using an acrylic (sshh, whisper this please.)

Blue and Rust afghan, Bernat Super Value

Acrylic is indestructible and perfect for heavy-use items, like afghans.  It feels harsh while you work with it, but my sister taught me to wash it with a double or triple dose of liquid fabric softener.  Voila!  it's soft and wonderful to cuddle with a grandchild.  Best of all, you can keep washing and softening and it gets more wonderful. 

It's not wool or mohair or silk or pima cotton -- but it has its place.  

Lumps of Knitting seem to be a theme so here's a picture of the afghan in a lump with the three skeins/balls of yarn.  The cream color was a total Lump of Tangles when I picked it up and the inside section decided to separate itself from the outside section.  This stuff comes in a long pre-wound skein as the picture shows, but when you pull the loose yarn end from the middle it gets squishy as you use the yarn.  Then it gets unruly and becomes a Lump of Tangles.

Afghan in progress with cleaned-up cream lump of tangles and two other skeins of Bernat Super Value

Shawl in the Sun

Short post today -- picking up Sid (grandson) at noon and then to favorite Vietnam restaurant, Wendy's II, in Tacoma.  Sid orders Black Bean Tofu; I will have Tofu Salad.

Shawl in the Sun - can you see the holes that make the design?
That's Lace Knitting

This is a shawlette in one of the Noro Yarns, from Yorkshire Yarns in Lakewood.  The pattern is from KnitPicks, one of their independent designers.  Have made the shawlette several times for gifts.  Easy pattern to begin lace-type knitting, which means holes from yarn-overs and knitting two stitches together.  Both of these actions feel like mistakes the first time but they are required for the lacy look, even if the yarn is chunky like this Noro.

And here it is in a lump.  Most knitting includes LUMPS (which I'm gonna use in my tags/labels!)  You begin with a lump of skeins, a lump of in-progress knitting on the needles, and a lump of knitted work before you spread it out and block it into shape.  Most knitters also encounter the awful 

Lump of Tangles, 

which is not a character in any book, but a pile of knotted yarn that appears when you drop the loosely wound ball of yarn or pull out too many yards to knit and then walk away.  The Lump of Tangles works best when left alone quietly in the dark of overnight.

But this lump is the shawl, so you can see all the colors.  They happen 'automatically' because the Noro Yarn, like a lot of yarns these days, includes all these colors in one ball of  yarn.  As you knit the colors change and depending on the needle size (big or small) and the decision of the yarn colorer (is that a word?), you get strips that are wide or narrow.  Very Kewel.