Yearly Archives: 2008

Hi there!

Posted on September 27, 2008 by | Comments Off on Hi there!

It’s hard to write a blog about crochet when there is no crocheting going on.

I’m not sure what’s happened these last couple of weeks, but I can’t seem to make any time for working on any of my various projects. My work schedule has been alittle weird, which doesn’t help, but still…I look around myself and see all sorts of things that aren’t getting done just like they weren’t getting done before, only crochet has been added to that list somehow. Weird.

Anyway, there will be another pattern coming that was in the works before the crazy-whatever came to visit, and there’s another that’s nearing completion, ever so slowly. I suspect Im just ready to slow down for a little while, and that’s fine. All part of the cycle, you know? I am thinking that it is time to redesign this site, so I may tackle a project like that while the ideas aren’t coming as rapidly for designs.

One thing about even the tiniest business…There is always *something* that needs to get done…

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Posted in Life

Confessions of an Acrylic Lover, #1

Posted on September 19, 2008 by | 4 comments

I think my favorite thing about Homespun is the way I have to work with it: gently. I have to loosen up my hands and let the yarn flow through them in a way almost unfamiliar to me. It’s almost a meditation, a forced relaxation and letting go of perfect stitches and lines in favor of a sort of organized imperfection that can’t be forced.

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Posted in Yarn

Time to visit The Crochet Studio

Posted on September 16, 2008 by | 1 comment

Because Tracie’s going crazy over there! In the best of ways, of course. 🙂 In the time since I last pointed to her blog, she’s:

–Opened an Etsy shop,
–Released the cutest little sheep pattern the world has ever seen, and
–Released a pretty filet crochet pattern so beautifully written that even I could follow it.

Seriously, folks, I’ve been testing for Tracie and her patterns are just lovely. They’re clearly written and easy to follow and just a ton of fun, all the way around. I highly recommend them.

I just can’t wait to see what she comes up with next…

1 Comment

Posted in Crochet

Granny’s Log Cabin Baby Blanket

Posted on September 8, 2008 by | Comments Off on Granny’s Log Cabin Baby Blanket

It’s finished! See pattern page here. I cannot tell you how thrilled I am with the way this came out:

cropped1000

draped1000

Many thanks as always to Tracie at The Crochet Studio for testing for me (and listening to me talk and talk and talk about it!).

I’m beat. More later, and I hope y’all love this pattern the way that I do!

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Posted in Crochet, Design

Not much to report.

Posted on September 1, 2008 by | 1 comment

I have all sorts of thoughts swirling in my head at the moment, but I’m short of time to make sense of them. It’s been a weird week. My work schedule was a mess because of our inventory and I’ve been under the influence of an on-again, off-again toothache that keeps popping up out of the blue to make me miserable. I honestly had no idea that it was possible for a freaking tooth to hurt this bad. As a matter of fact, I’m not even sure which one it is, because that whole side of my mouth goes nuts when I trigger the thing. I think I might have figured out what was setting it off, so I can at least avoid making the pain worse until I can get it fixed. But it’s sort of scary, because when it goes off it’s completely incapacitating until it calms down again. I’m worried it will go crazy at work and I’ll lose my mind right there in public.

Anyway, around all of this I’ve been working. My sample for my next pattern is almost done (if I can ever settle on a new border), and it ought to be out of testing in time to release it next week. I’ve been testing, too, and I can’t wait to be able to point you to the patterns I’ve gotten to test (well, I’ve only made it through one of them, but I have high hopes for tomorrow…heh).

It’s past my bedtime, but I wanted to check in. I feel bad updating this so seldom, because I have no attention span and tend to stop reading blogs that are as boring as I’ve been lately. With any luck, soon we’ll be out of the totally-focused-on-keeping-the-lights-on stage of our little financial catastrophe, and the words and the crochet will no doubt flow much better at that point. Crossed fingers, if you’re so inclined, and thanks for your patience.

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Posted in Crochet, Life

Now, where was I?

Posted on August 24, 2008 by | Comments Off on Now, where was I?

A brief update:

–That dishcloth? Doomed. I just can’t find a stitch with the right proportions to make the shaping work out. If it comes to me in a dream…otherwise, on to the next thing.

–My two big design projects are coming along nicely, apart from the bit where I have to actually make the samples. They’re started, but I’m wrestling with the pattern instructions right now. I think I’m finally winning, lol.

–Anybody who thinks retail work is not challenging should be sentenced to a year of it.

–The baby destroyed my Irish-Hiking-Scarf-in-progress last night. One wip down…

Um, I think that’s it. Back soon.

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Posted in Crochet, Life

Blog, Interrupted

Posted on August 14, 2008 by | Comments Off on Blog, Interrupted

I know, I know…you can’t tell I’m any scarcer than usual around here, but I can. Had three sick kids last week, sick me yesterday, plus the job, plus a possible move coming up if we can’t pull off a near-miracle money-inventing trick in the next week. So it’s on the frantic side.

I’ve been making time to work on patterns, though, for my sanity’s sake as much as anything. Have another almost ready to go to testing, so hopefully it won’t be more than a couple of weeks before it will be ready. It’s a different sort of thing than I’ve been doing, so it’s moving more slowly than I might have wished. There’s another dishcloth in the pipeline, too. This one’s pretty simple, so with any luck it’ll be available in the next week or so.

Back soonest.

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Posted in Crochet, Design, Life

Awesome. Just awesome.

Posted on August 11, 2008 by | Comments Off on Awesome. Just awesome.

Kim Werker just tweeted this crocheted Dr. Horrible. And made my night.

I also just finished my first run at a Jayne hat. Details to come when the kids aren’t trying to kill each other.

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Posted in Crochet, Knitting

Another Etsyversary Moment.

Posted on August 9, 2008 by | Comments Off on Another Etsyversary Moment.

One year from my very first sale, I’ve sold 230 items on Etsy. That’s a hell of a thing, isn’t it? I’m shocked, and pleased beyond belief. I seem to have wound up focusing on patterns, which wasn’t my original intention, but I’m thrilled with the way that it’s working out. I love doing this. I love it more than I can quite explain, although the fact that I get up an hour early every morning to make time for it might be a reliable indicator. Heh. But seriously? For me there’s nothing quite like it in the world.

It’s going to be another great year. Thanks, y’all.

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Posted in Business, Crochet, Design

Squaring the Spiral Dishcloth

Posted on August 4, 2008 by | 1 comment

Now Available!

Yay!

If you’d rather use Etsy than the Ravelry download, you can also find the pattern in my Etsy shop over there in the sidebar. The finished dishcloth looks like this:

sqsp4flickr

Spirals and dishcloths are two of my very favorite things, and I couldn’t resist the urge to combine them. I have to say that I’m pretty happy with the result!

I’d like to extend a huge thank-you to Tracie at The Crochet Studio for testing this pattern for me. Any errors that might still be lurking are there despite her attempts to straighten me out. 🙂 Also, I’d like to note that she’s also got a pattern out in the last few days that I was lucky enough to get to test for her: Sunny Picots Coaster. It’s beautifully written, easy to follow, and the finished coaster is stunning.

I’d also like to thank all of you. Designs need crocheters to bring them to life. Your support also means that I can justify doing something that I absolutely love. Thank you. 🙂

And now I’m off to celebrate by working on the next one, lol. Good night!

1 Comment

Posted in Business, Crochet, Design