The Skill Builder Hat

 I have made it to round 4 of the Skill Builder Hat by aklori designs. It is beginning to make more sense.  I have switched the stitch markers to the first stitch of every repeat.  So I have extra open stitch markers ready to go. I am making the medium size hat for me.  And move the last round of stitch markers as necessary.  When all is said and done, I am seriously considering having a separate cookie jar for my crochet stitch markers.  I seem to be accumulating them fairly quickly. Just keeping ahead of running out.  

This is definitely not a project to do when watching television for me.  

The latest update photo.

A Cookie Jar Full of Stitch Markers

 I don’t think that I have ever talked about my 26 year collection of stitch markers.  I do admit that I have a cookie jar full of stitch markers.  The size that holds a little over a pound of cookies.  I personally have never weighed my stitch markers. I have stitch markers over various projects and in my kit bags of accessories, I have more than several.  So all my stitch markers are not in the jar at any given moment.  

I use stitch markers for almost all my projects.  Whether it’s to mark the beginning and end of a row. To mark increases and decreases. To mark the repeats on some patterns. Of course to share when some when someone needs one.

I personally find that it is easier to keep track of repetitive patterns, such as lace or shawl work. The most stitch markers ever used in one project was around 50. I have found a new use in the hat that I’m currently working on. I have started the Skill Builder Hat  by aklori designs. I have restarted it more times than I wish to admit to.  Even though it is not a complicated design, it has enough repeats to drive me nuts and send my head spinning.  So I decided to mark every single Tunisian Simple Stitch with a stitch marker. Yes, this is a Tunisian Crochet project.  This has helped tremendously as I have finally got the rhythm of the hat down. I haven’t finished row three yet, but I’m sure I am going to be diving into my stitch markers to get more until I get to the body of the hat. Then I will be down to one stitch marker marking the end in the beginning of the row. I have had to replenish my stitch markers for this hat three times so far.  You can tell by the picture below that the stitch markers weigh more than the yarn at this point. I found it appropriate that the back side of the panda marks the beginning/ending of each row. More pictures of the hat will be forthcoming. 

If you would like to crochet this hat too, just go to www.akloridesigns.com. You will find Lori’s patterns and books. Also links to tutorials. The yarn is available at Birdhouse Yarn in Tucson Arizona or most of your local yarn shops. 

Hopefully a Soultion

 For the last couple of years I’ve have been I have made a very bad habit of misplacing my phone. It was the first time that I had gotten an Otterbox cover that matched the color of my iPhone.  I would lose it in the house and my purse.  After a really bad mishap last weekend, I knew that I needed a new protective cover in a bright neon color.  Since I could not find a neon or glow in the dark Otterbox , I bought a bright yellow cover.  It’s time for the experiment to begin. 

I also had my first chance to try out the WoolAid merino wool bandage from New Zealand.  It was the only bandage in my purse when a blister opened up while we were out at dinner.  I can say that the package was easy to open and I did not need help to properly place the bandage.  It feels comfortable on my wrist. It is not scratchy on my wrist.  Best of all it foes not feel like any other bandage that I have tried in the past.  I saw a sample package while I was out shopping and decided to get it for my purse.  I am so glad that I did.  Now I just have to google WoolAid to find out where to buy more.  This is definitely my new bandage.  Did I mention it has a nice color and soft feel to it too?

Things will be on the very slow track around here again.  I might have over done it a little bit on vacation last week. In addition to trying a new configuration of one of my medicines, which did not work out as planned.  Then accidentally leaving my iPhone in the hotel room, yes my husband and daughter retrieved the iPhone for me while I had a panic attack.  Like everyone else, my life is on my phone.  

Now it’s time to try for a full not of sleep.  Sleep will definitely aid in my recovery.   TTFN

One Sixth Of The Way

 My 2024 Advent shawl hit the 1/6 of the way to completion.  To remind you I am using fingering weight yarn and a size 8/H/5 mm Tunisian Crochet hook on a cord.  I did include all 3 different size names from the same hook, because quite simply I have no idea where in the world you are reading this from and I don’t want you to have to figure out the right size hook name from a different country.   

Yes, last night I hit the last color of section 1 out of 6.  This section is 12 inches long or 31 cm. The last color was a variegated purple that will contrast nicely with the white.  There are 60 more rows which means that I will be doing 60 Tunisian forward pass rows and 60 return pass rows for each row counted which will be 12 inches or 31 cm of white.  I know it’s an awful lot of work, however; the fabric is turning out quite lovely. Just in case you were wondering about the width, it is 19 inches or approximately 48.5 cm wide.  Yes, I am using the Tunisian Simple Stitch for the entire pattern so far.  That may not apply to the broader.  That would be in case you just happen to have an extra advent box of fingering weight yarn or 18 mini skeins of fingering weight yarn and 2 full skeins of a neutral or contrasting color around and want to make one.  I am using the Russian join so that I do not have to weave in the ends.  This also lets the colors blend in more smoothly, with a natural grace. 

If you do not have an advent box and want to make this please feel free to stash dive. If you are anything like me you like to buy little skeins to try. The mini skeins are not that expensive to buy. Just little bit sized treats.  They just seem to pile up on the shelves. So go get creative with color. Using a color wheel if necessary. I am sure that there is an app for that.

Now the picture so far.  By the way, this advent box is from Conbread and Honey available in her shop with a pre order or mailed out to you just in time for the holidays. 

My Slow Project

 I always have a slow project that will take at least a couple of years to complete.  The picture below is my current slow project.  This is an Advent Calendar box by Cornbread and Honey.  It is a shawl of my own design, llllll—-llllll—llllll,  then I will put an edging around it in white.  The center dashes will be white also.  The pattern is included. See the above, the vertical lines and dashes.  Each vertical line is one color the dashes are white. I am doing this in Tunisian Crochet on a size H hook or 5 mm, with fingering weight yarn.  Yes, it is a very slow project.  I just started color number 6 out of 18 plus the white. I am elated that I finally got to the purple.  

I don’t work on this project everyday because of the size of the yarn and the small Tunisian Crochet Hook.  It requires intense concentration for every single stitch.  This project was frogged out once and I went up 2 needle sizes.  This is about as fine as I like to go.  You will also notice the Russian join on all the colors, this leaves a blend join and I am able to use all the yarn which will give me more wingspan when this is finished.  

You would be in the right to ask what the finished dimensions will be at this point.  I will say that I did not do the math to figure out what the dimensions will be. I did not even count the cast on stitches , just made sure it was close to my size. Since this is not going to be a published pattern, but a bespoke shawl just for me.  By the time I finish this it might even be a little bit bigger than planned.  I was losing sizes at a reasonable rate until I got sick in March 2024. I have found it hard to lose weight and inches while dealing with this issue.  Needless to say, I hope to get back to the point when I am losing weight and sizes again. Hopefully the shawl will right size with me.  

Taking New Skills Classes

 The best part about taking classes from a published author is that you can buy their books and take them home with you.  I found it was like taking Lori home with me to answer all my questions.  I recently took a class with Lori Harrison at Bird House Yarn here in Tucson. I do admit that the class pushed me in ways I would never have gone.  Almost everything up until that point was self taught by watching you tube tutorials and watching people do Tunisian crochet.  I do admit that I took one class while Eric was in declining health.  My mind was elsewhere, but I as trying to distract myself and get a few hours to just breathe.  It was not in hindsight the best plan to learn new subject matter. 

I wanted to learn to do Tunisian crochet in the round for awhile and a class came up.  I have learned so much from the class. I was able to rip out my class work and change the colors around.  The books and Lori’s on line videos helped immensely.  I am now about to start the 3 round again.  I did a little refresh by looking at the books. 

I also took pictures of the relevant pages to put in my phone, so I can take the project on the go and not carry 2 extra books with me.  That way I can use a much smaller bag for my project.  

Below are  pictures of the front covers of Lori’s books.  Signed copies of both books are available at Bird House Yarns.  I encourage you to buy the Books from Bird House Yarns, both books are available online, or your Local Yarn Shops.  All small businesses are in need of sales right now.  You can find Lori’s website at Aklori Designs.  You will find videos and her complete pattern collection there too.  

A Kickback Day

 Today I took it easy. A few chores.  I finally finished the next pair of mittens, for a total of 4 pairs in the last couple of months.  I put the glove bag away as is, because I still want to make a few more pairs for myself.  I set up the next project bag , which is a shawl that I want to finish.  I worked on a new pattern tonight.  Pick up and put away random things around the house.  Even the rain took it easy at my house today, only 1/8 of an inch.  

I am wishing everyone a good week ahead.