Cat Mad Crochet

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We have finally received a cool, overcast, gloomy day. I cannot be more pleased. Bring on fall! Bring on the snow! Bring on short days and long, dark nights. I crochet with a vengeance as if enough stitches will bring down the rule of the sun. To that end, I have been steadfastly working at my holiday crochet list. Behold my progress and my folly!

In the process of cleaning this week, I unearthed a fascinating object. My very first crochet project ever! Ta da! I made this slightly wonky scarf in double crochets. If I remember correctly, I didn’t follow a pattern. I do remember lifting the stitches over the hook with my fingers because I could not get the hang of turning the hook to pull the stitches through. I got better. This was a long, slow project working the stitches in such a laborious way, though. I think I was really just done with this scarf once I finished. I never wove the ends and the edges, while straighter than I remember them being, are a bit off. At least it’s cotton. Yarn snob from the beginning, I guess. It was fun to find it, though. I’ve come a long way in my work over the last 17 years. But how was it 17 years ago?!?!?!

On to the new stuff!

I am happy to report that Adia’s cowl is almost done! I have to put on a row of singles, 4 rows for the border, and another row of singles and this one is done. Happy day! I will then be able to start planning out her sweater. Here’s the thing though, it’s been a while since I did a sweater, so I think I sort of turned that part of my brain off. I’ve been dreading planning out the sweater. I might do the fingerless gloves next, those are least super straightforward in their construction and very fast to make. I could have two whole gifts done before the end of September.

I’ve made a bunch of padded centers for Hannah’s capelet. I think I have three or four more colors to work with until I will have all that I need for the capelet. At least I think that will be all the padded centers I need. Who knows? Math is hard. I can always make more or find something to do with the extras.

I have been working on Hannah’s long, rectangular wrap. It is coming along very nicely. I need to get the scale and figure out how much yarn I need for the center section, so I can buy that when I am near the yarn store later this month. But there it is again, math. I am putting that calculation off. I know I have to do it or risk buying more yarn than I need that will possibly fall, unused, into the fluffy void that is my stash. I just don’t want to. For now, I will bask in the joy of the wrap coming along nicely.

I started a blanket. I know. It is the wrong time. I have too many projects to do, but here we are. I’m using a single crochet v-stitch because this yarn really likes to split. I’ve noticed working into the chain stitches creates less spliting than trying to work into a stitch directly, and single crochet v-stitches create a denser fabric than taller stitches would, so it’s better for a warm blanket. The yarn is Lion Brand Coboo. I like the feel of it and, though it makes a heavy blanket, it works up quickly. It’s a DK weight, and I pulled a 6 mm hook for it. If I actually work on it, it goes quickly.

Anyway, cold season is coming and a fresh blanket seemed like a good idea. Maybe it will be, but at what cost to my holiday work?

I am still, and will be for 3 ½ more years, making a circle every day to remind myself that little things add up even in the face of an orange fascist and his nasty autocratic friends. Slava Ukraini!