Eureka! It's Finished!!

Haha!! I've finished my first real design!! (well, actually, the first of real substance, at any rate!!) *Happy dances* The christening dress is finished, and I am very happy with it!! Now I just have to reinforce some stitches, block it, and then take it in to Rue de Lily. After that, I can start on my daughter's dress. There's nothing more satisfying than when something you worked so hard on finally gets finished, especially when it's your own creation. Here are front and back pics of the dress. Now, I'm off to desperately clean my sadly neglected house!!

Pics and Updates

Yay! I finally have some pics! Here is one of the white Nosegay Doilyghan. I haven't worked very far on it--only halfway through round 5 (I got a lot further on the Limon Sherbet one, though!). Kind of looks like a squid or an octopus if you hold it up by the center! For those of you who have expressed interest in crocheting along, on round 4, I only chained 23, and skipped the dc in between the picots--I slip-stitched there instead. This was to decrease the size of the openwork so that if a baby were laying on it or playing with the blanket, he or she would not shove an arm or leg through it (like mine would! *wink*). If you are crocheting along, you may send me pictures of your progress and I'll post them here for everyone to see. I'd love to see the different variations, as I'm sure others would, too!

Also, I have been working like a mad woman designing a christening gown to take to Rue de Lily. I hope to have it finished by the end of the week. I plan to line the dress with linen, and weave ribbons through the bodice for smocking, as well as for a tie in the back. So far, here are pics of the bodice before I started the skirt last night.














It took me forever, but I decided on an openwork lace skirt with flowers and trellis. I only have part of two rows completed, but I'm going to continue it until it's about 18" long. Then comes the daunting task of deciding whether or not I will work up a simple trim for a hem, and then figuring out how I want to do the sleeves. Since this dress is working up fairly quickly, I might make one for my dd if there is time before her dedication next month.


Right now, the dress is being worked in 100% mercerized cotton, natural color. I forget which brand it is, because I bought the thread a year or so ago to make a different christening dress for a friend's daughter, and unfortunately the label was thrown out. I had not yet discovered it is best to save labels and place them in a notebook with my patterns so that I know what it was and how to launder it! *sheepish grin* Oh well. My next task today is to go to JoAnn's, Etc. to find suitable buttons and about a yard of natural unbleached linen to make a liner for the skirt of the dress. If it turns out the way I expect it to, I might make the pattern available for sale--but I haven't decided on this yet. I need to pray about it, and if there's enough interest in the pattern--well, we'll just have to wait and see!

Well, readers, I must go. I need to type up the pattern so I can read it a little better as I'm working...I like to scratch things out a lot when I rectify my mistakes, and it makes things a little illegible as I try to read it again. Hopefully soon, I will return to update. My goal is to update at least once per week (I originally wanted to update every day, but with a teething 6-month-old, that's a little unrealistic! *grin*), so if I update in a couple days, we'll be set! Good-bye for now!

Oooh! The Agony!

It's been a few days since my last posting, and for that I apologize. I've been trying to update since Wednesday, but the blogger site was down. However, I do have exciting things to share!

If any of you ever visit Powell, Ohio, go to Trends @ 21 on West Olentangy St. They have lots of delicious, yummy yarns, and they're phasing them out! They're getting rid of all of it, and right now, it's 50% off! They carry Tahki, Great Adirondak (very difficult to get around here!) and a few Italian lines I cannot remember! There's even a beautiful Cashmere, but since it's $82 for a skein (or $41 on sale), there's no way I can afford it right now. I wanted to spend hours just rolling in the stuff! Most of the fibers are hand-painted, and there are some synthetics there, too. *sigh* Hence, the agony of it all!

Also, in a couple weeks I will be returning to an adorable little shop on the same street called Rue de Lily. Karyn (the owner) is interested in seeing some of my work, so I'm working on a couple christening gowns (one of my own design) and doilyghans to see how they do in her store. I hope she likes them! Unless my best friends read this, I'm going to surprise them if Karyn does accept what I'm offering. A few days before we have a girls' day out, I will deliver my packages to Karyn, and then take my friends in there that weekend and just "happen" upon the items! I can't wait! I'm praying with all my might that my work sells, because dh and I could really use the money. When I get the bodice done of my dress, I will try to upload pics...

The Nosegay doilyghan is coming along nicely...I've started one in white (the yellow and green one is on hold) so I can take it to Rue de Lily and try to sell it with the dresses. I've had to make a few changes, so for those of you who are crocheting it with me, I'll update in a bit how I altered it to make the openwork just a tad smaller to make the blanket safe for little ones.

Well, dear readers, I must bid you adieu for now...I need to take dd to the grocery store so we have something for lunch! Wish me luck!

YAA (Yarn Addicts Anonymous)

For those who are reading this, I'm compiling a list of "You know you are a yarn addict when..." and will publish the entire list here on my blog. If you would like to add to the list, just comment and I'll put them together.

As far as my challenge is going, I have two takers. Anyone else?

My update on the challenge: I am almost done with round four. After this, I'm changing from pale yellow to lime green for a couple rounds. I can't wait to see what it will look like when it's finished!

I am also working on a hard copy crochet portfolio to take to the craft show/flea market in September. I didn't realize how many photos I still have to take! Yikes! I was reading the October Archive of CP yesterday, and found many wonderful ideas on how to display items for things such as that. When I get paid for my second baby doilyghan, I will invest in some baby hangers (green and white), as well as some adult-sized plastic hangers (again, white) so I can crochet around them for display pieces, as well as parts of the packages when folks take them home. Anyone else have ideas?

Challenge...

Okay, so this is the most I've ever blogged in one day...I know y'all will forgive me, right? *wink* Anyhooo, I have a challenge for those who are up to it. If you've read my previous posts, you'll already know that I take certain doily patterns and make them into blankets by using yarn instead of thread, and a large hook. As I read someone's post in the October 2005 Archive at CrochetPartners, I was inspired by a certain French Crochetalong. It seems that a doily pattern was given out to members of a forum, and each member was to make something wearable with it--it didn't look like it mattered what the garment ended up being. What the results came to be were fantastic, such as gorgeous shawls, ponchos, skirts, collars, wraps, etc. Therefore, I am issuing a similar challenge, only it doesn't have to be something wearable. I am currently working on a Nosegay Doily doilyghan, making it into a baby blanket using shades of greens and yellows. What can you, dear readers, make out of this particular pattern? Please respond to let me know if you are taking me up on your challenge, and I will send you an email addy to which you can send pics, or you can respond with a link to your online photo album. Happy Hooking!

I must be a moth...

The last couple days have been interesting...bees (either the honey variety or the hornet type) have invaded our home and are nesting in between the 1st and 2nd floors of the condo. We had an exterminator out yesterday, but before that, Dh had dd and I stay with his parents overnight. While waiting for the okay to go home yesterday, dd and I went to the local thrift store and I found two knitted silk shirts...WOO-HOO! And these are the kind I can frog, too! One is 100% silk in lime green, and the other is a grey/tan tweed in 70/30 silk/cotton. Both are out-dated in style, but the feel of the fabrics are heavenly! Perhaps after I frog them both, I'll add them to my angora-flavored ramen and make a luxurious shawl with them all...Let's see...soft baby pink, bright lime green, and grey/tan? Hmmm...sounds odd, but you never know. I hope I find a fantastic pattern for all that yumminess!

First Post

I hope I am better able to keep up with this blog than the last two I have started. The first one, I was not permitted to post photos unless I paid for the feature, which I did not have the money to do so. The second was a members only site. Neither of these is good for my budding career. You see, I am trying to become a crochet designer, and without photos and public access to back me up, it makes things difficult. I have patterns on another page but I cannot post pics of the finished product without funding, and if I post on the other site, not everyone would have access to it. Hence, my dilemma.

I have been crocheting for 20 years, now. My mother taught me the basics when I was just a kid, and I taught myself how to read patterns while I was in college and needed a stress relief. I recently began writing down some of the things I created myself, and, while time-consuming, it has been very rewarding.

This year, I am attempting to start a craft business. I am going to offer classes in crocheting once I am certified through the CYAA (hopefully, this fall!), and I will also be selling finished items at various craft shows in my area. I also plan to do special orders, which has been my main business so far.

I am a member of CrochetPartners (howdy, y'all!), and a few weeks ago, I had this inspiration to make doilyghans for baby blankets. I shared this idea on the board, and the idea just took off! A doilyghan is basically a large, blanket-sized doily made of yarn (that, or a doily is a doilyghan that has shrunk in the wash). I look for patterns that do not generally have a lot of large pieces of openwork, although netting and filet are quite nice for the projects. Celt's Vintage Crochet has a lot of nice, free-to-the-public vintage doily patterns which many of them are just perfect for blankets. My first two doilyghans were made from the Plate Doily pattern. The first, I made for my 6-month-old dd, and the second I made for a gal I know who ordered it for her new grandbaby who is due to arrive any moment now. Above is a pic of the finished doilyghan I made for my dd. The next doilyghan I am working on is called Nosegay Doily. I'm making each section a different shade of yellow and green...perhaps I'll call it Limon Nosegay? Anyhow, this one I started Wednesday night, and it seems to be rather time-consuming, so I may have to charge a bit more for the finished products as I sell them.

In September, I plan to take part in a local annual one-day flea market, trying to sell my wares. I will feverishly work on various pieces and expand my portfolio so that if folks want to special order something, they will be able to.

First Post

I hope I am better able to keep up with this blog than the last two I have started. The first one, I was not permitted to post photos unless I paid for the feature, which I did not have the money to do so. The second was a members only site. Neither of these is good for my budding career. You see, I am trying to become a crochet designer, and without photos and public access to back me up, it makes things difficult. I have patterns on another page but I cannot post pics of the finished product without funding, and if I post on the other site, not everyone would have access to it. Hence, my dilemma.

I have been crocheting for 20 years, now. My mother taught me the basics when I was just a kid, and I taught myself how to read patterns while I was in college and needed a stress relief. I recently began writing down some of the things I created myself, and, while time-consuming, it has been very rewarding.

This year, I am attempting to start a craft business. I am going to offer classes in crocheting once I am certified through the CYAA (hopefully, this fall!), and I will also be selling finished items at various craft shows in my area. I also plan to do special orders, which has been my main business so far.

I am a member of CrochetPartners (howdy, y'all!), and a few weeks ago, I had this inspiration to make doilyghans for baby blankets. I shared this idea on the board, and the idea just took off! A doilyghan is basically a large, blanket-sized doily made of yarn (that, or a doily is a doilyghan that has shrunk in the wash). I look for patterns that do not generally have a lot of large pieces of openwork, although netting and filet are quite nice for the projects. Celt's Vintage Crochet has a lot of nice, free-to-the-public vintage doily patterns which many of them are just perfect for blankets. My first two doilyghans were made from the Plate Doily pattern. The first, I made for my 6-month-old dd, and the second I made for a gal I know who ordered it for her new grandbaby who is due to arrive any moment now. Above is a pic of the finished doilyghan I made for my dd. The next doilyghan I am working on is called Nosegay Doily. I'm making each section a different shade of yellow and green...perhaps I'll call it Limon Nosegay? Anyhow, this one I started Wednesday night, and it seems to be rather time-consuming, so I may have to charge a bit more for the finished products as I sell them.

In September, I plan to take part in a local annual one-day flea market, trying to sell my wares. I will feverishly work on various pieces and expand my portfolio so that if folks want to special order something, they will be able to.