Noodles, Grannies, & Yarn

Well folks, I think it's safe to say that I've seen it all. Let me just say that I am all for testing the limits in the art of crochet and moving beyond granny squares and tea cozies. I like to see new and innovative patterns as well as materials. I recently signed up for a subscription to Crochet! magazine. I mainly did it for the free issue they let you preview. I'm still on the fence about whether or not I want to pay for a subscription, but I'm leaning towards biting the bullet and doing it. At any rate, I received the free preview issue yesterday, it's for March 2006. I really like the new format and I didn't want to barf on all the patterns...only a couple. Here's the kicker and reason for my blogging. There is a pattern in there for crocheted earrings...but get this, the materials used are spaghetti noodles!! How random is that? Spaghetti noodles! The end result looks like it was made with plastic. I may try it out just so I can walk around with spaghetti dangling from my ear lobes. Hey, you regular readers know I'm not the average crocheter!

Along with the magazine came a product guide that has a bunch of patterns and books for sale. I was flipping through it ooohing and aaahing at a few things when I saw this......

...how freaking awesome is this?!?!?!?!? I must have it! I don't care about the patterns, but the cover just makes me so happy...plus I die laughing every time I see it. If you want your own copy just click the picture!!

Also in the mail yesterday was the latest Knit Picks catalog. There is a section inside about dyeing your own yarn which was pretty interesting. I have yet to try this myself and I found it quite helpful. The catalog also came with knittable yarn samples!!! There was a sample of Wool of the Andes in Mulled Wine and Andean Silk in Bluebell. And of course I drooled all over the catalog. I really really really like a lot of the patterns they have to offer. I really wish knitting didn't piss me off so much.

Well, I guess that's about it. Nothing too exciting in the mail today that relates to crochet. I did win a cowboy cookbook from Marlboro. How that happened I have no idea, but I got a really cool cookbook in the mail today, so that was exciting!