Grey Moggie Press

A hat in stitches

I had plans to crochet a hat for some time. I looked for patterns online and found so many cute hats to add to my craft list. In the end, I opted for something that looked simple, since it would be my first hat. The family stuff that took us out of town a couple weeks ago involved a lot of sitting and waiting. Having a crochet project to work on was good for me, and for everyone around me. Every few hours there was a bright moment when we could all see the progress I’d made and I’ve never appreciated a craft more. The hat is intended for a friend who, as far as I know, does not read my blog so I’m sharing it here now even though it has yet to make its way to its new owner. Enjoy!

yay! crochet!

So maybe this blog features less letterpressing and more crocheting lately. I am itching to get printing again but I need to figure out where it fits into my no longer as flexible schedule. Crochet doesn’t take a lot of heavy machinery or lead type stored away in a studio 45 minutes away. Crochet takes yarn, a hook, and a pair of scissors and I can crochet in bed if I want. Here are some tips to help you get started if you want to jump into crochet.

Get yourself some cheap yarn. Play with it for a while. Practice some stitches. Make a couple granny squares. Once you’ve learned the basics, then spend a little more at your local yarn shop. Splurge on something super soft. Try a really thin fiber. Every time I visit the yarn shop I’m inspired to start a new project based on the yarn I find.

Try a variety of hooks. You’ll want to use different sized hooks for different gauges of yarn or to get a different outcome with the same yarn. I got these for $7.50 online.

Learn to read patterns. Follow a pattern. Be inspired by the holidays. Here’s a heart I crocheted using a pattern I found on Skip to my Lou just before Valentine’s Day. I didn’t know what a treble crochet was when I started, but there is a wealth of information out there and Google will help you find it.

Try stitching something without a pattern. See if it comes close to what you imagined, or if it’s even better than you dreamed. Side note: sometimes when I crochet before bed, I dream about stitches. That’s how I dreamt up the idea for this little cuff that I whipped up on the plane a couple weeks ago.

And remember, it is super easy to rip up a project without destroying your yarn – just pull the yarn and it all comes loose. So don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Make something for yourself. I’ve been working on this granny square cowl in colors that I love with yarn that is super soft. It’s taking me a while, but I have an end goal in mind and that keeps me on track…and trying to finish it before it’s no longer cold enough for a cowl.

Make something for someone you love. Eric recently requested a scarf “with orange in it.” So I started work on this pattern.  It’s great because he checks in every day on the progress of his scarf, and I like his oohs and ahhs when I show him how much I’ve done.

Alphabet swap: B (buttons & books)

This time around for Alphabet Swap I went with a craft I’ve been doing for a while (mini books) and a new craft (crochet). When Kendra was here in January we had a conversation about books, particularly how she finds it hard to read non-school books as a full-time student. However, she graduates after the semester so she may have time to read books again soon.

I put together a little book where she can keep notes on the books she’ll read, and for now keep lists of books she wants to read later. I’ve had a subscription to The New Yorker for years now and I rarely throw away an issue. Before this last move, I neatly removed the covers from all of the issues and only the covers made it to the new place. I’ve been hoping for some inspiration as to what to do with them. A few of the covers were book and reading related so I used them for this book. The inside pages are graph paper and printouts of some of the photos from this fabulous tumblr blog (I Love Reading & Writing). The photos are backed with woodgrain patterned contact paper.

I also included a couple crocheted headbands with cute buttons. I got an amazing button stash on etsy a few weeks ago and knew they’d be part of the B project. I’ve been seeing these cute crocheted headbands all over the crafty blogs lately and there was a tutorial on Style School so I made some of my own to give to Kendra. (also a photo of Pony & me and some bookmarks I made.) I can’t wait to see her take on the letter B!

blue skies

We were snowed in all weekend. Well, ok. That’s not really true. I got out of work early on Friday (which was great because I was still recovering from a nasty cold) and after a long nap, I went out with Eric to take advantage of blizzard related specials at restaurants and bars in our neighborhood. Sunday, I made it outside for a run (which was interesting because the roads and sidewalks were all a mess), a coffee date with Eric, and a trip to a neighborhood bar to watch the Superbowl.

 

Before the snow hit on Friday, I managed to stock up on yarn and butter. I planned to do a lot of baking and crocheting. My new favorite yarn is this Blue Sky Alpacas dyed cotton. So soft! I’m still finishing up that first granny square cowl (I misplaced the first square so I started over) but my next project will definitely involve these three colors. Oh, and I put the butter to good use. SO MANY COOKIES!!

why didn't anyone tell me about yarn before now?

I tried knitting a few years ago. I think it’s a beautiful craft but I just never got the hang of it. More recently, however, I’ve fallen in love with yarn and I’m looking for lots of ways to use it.  You know, so I’ll have an excuse to buy it.

Inspired by all these pretty photos, I’m learning to crochet.

And these pom poms will be featured soon in a very special project.

It even looks wonderful simply wrapped around kraft paper packages. Yarn, I love you.