It felt like I hadn’t picked up a hook in ages. With only doing hats for a month and my attempt to do the afghan workshop earlier in the year, to sit with a pattern felt a little strange. I’m doing what is a fairly simple pattern from the 2012 Crochet Accessories (Interweave) that over a normal weekend should have taken me no time at all if I just sat and did it. But it’s been a long time, even longer than the previous two projects that I’ve just sat and crocheted for an extended time. Too much friend/family drama, too many sick cats, too many times I’ve told me I should be doing something more important…cleaning…exercising…organizing…something more important. And it’s not that those other issues weren’t important, but fiber has always been that tool that brought me back to balance when the world around me was teetering out of control. Truth be told, the fiber is just as important. Truth be told, I wasn’t doing any for mentioned activities efficiently enough to justify not to sit and stitch. I miss the meditation, the calming and intimacy of it. Too long have I shunned the commitment to complete a project. It’s time to begin fresh.
This year I’m looking for comfort more than fashion. I wanted to do those patterns I would actually wear and/or use. Of all the hundreds of patterns I’ve done over the years, few have actually ended up in my home or closet. Though I am still going to do commissions, but for the purpose of the blog most of what you will see this year will be something I’m making for me. Some of the patterns will be patterns from recent periodicals and books, allowing you the opportunity to pick up a copy at Amazon.com or where you get your publications and follow along. Some will be from older publications. I’ll get reprint permission where I can or provide a link to a pattern when that is not available. Most of it will be something to wear, though I still intend on doing at least two afghans this year. I will do household items too; want to do something special for high holidays this year.
For my first project of 2013 I picked the Fleur-de-Lis Shawl from the 2012 Crochet Accessories winter special issue. If there is one piece of fiber I must have it has always been something to throw around my neck or shoulders. I had some Smoochie I was supposed to use in another shawl that I didn’t complete (when Maus initially became ill) so instead I’m doing this shawl.
The picture from the magazine shows the piece using a lace weight yarn and a B hook (2.5m). Though I have with practice taught myself to use smaller hooks given my vision a stitch that small would not be impossible, but it would be slow and too easy to miss a stitch. Since I have to make an adjustment for my size and the weight of the Smoochie (sock yarn) anyway, I’m using a F hook (4.0m). This should give me just the right weight to wear on cool days without overheating the big girl. Variegated but subtle color shifts in red and purple tones it should be a good color match for fall and winter. It will be great to wear with blues or creams.
The start is rather long (ch 302), but the pattern is just two row repeats so this would be a great first shawl for a beginner. Don’t let the pattern scare you, there is a chart in the magazine showing this to be rather easy. While you are looking through the magazine, take a look at the hats, I’ll be doing some of those for weekend projects in about a week (two if the shawl goes slower than I planned).
Good Hooking.
