Mean Green String Bag

Hot off the hook this morning! It took me 9 days to complete the bag, but it should only have taken maybe 2. The pattern wasn't that difficult I just got bogged down with the mesh rounds and got a bit bored. But that's just my crochet ADD acting up again. I like that the bag came out smaller than the usual market bags you see. It's easier to stuff into your pocket before heading out the door to your local grocery, farmer's market or even your own backyard garden. I'm definitely pleased with her so I guess she's a keeper!

I mentioned in a previous post that the pattern for this little bag came as a freeb handout from my favorite local crafty goodness shop in Asheville, Earth Guild. And as I also mentioned before I'm not quite sure what the rules are for passing along freebie patterns but if you'd like a copy just shoot me an email: yarn_junkie [at] yahoo [dot] com.

The 411...
Pattern Name & Designer: Crocheted String By Mary Young Smith
Materials: 4oz-ish 8/4 cotton carpet warp the colorway I chose was "Dark Jade"
Hook: Size C aluminum or size 1 steel
Gauge: Doesn't matter

Purdy Pitures

A few of my recent projects decided to have a photo shoot this morning so I happily obliged. First up I'll revisit my last post about the bag made from rug warp or carpet warp. I've been working on it for the last couple days. Great mindless pattern for working while watching the boob tube. As I mentioned before, the pattern came as a freebie from the shop. I'm not sure how the rules work for sharing handout patterns but if you'd like a copy email me and I'll be glad to share. yarn_junkie [at] yahoo [dot] come. The picture to the left is a somewhat fair representation of color although it seems a little washed out from what my eyeballs see in person. It's a really rich color somewhere in the same family as jade and emerald greens. Geof helped me pick it out and I think he has great taste.

Next up is my Divine in Blue. The pattern can be found HERE. I started and finished it in the same day...Valentine's Day to be exact. Great pattern, well written, and I can't wait to make more. The best part is that the finished product was great for keeping my head warm in the bitter cold of Wisconsin. By the way, did you know that snot can freeze inside your nose? I was unaware of this phenomena and quite amused by it! Anyhoo, I deviated from the pattern and used H & G hooks. I also added a few rounds with 5 & 6 clusters so that the hat would fit my big ol’ melon. I really enjoyed this pattern. It worked up quickly and turned out fairly thick and warm. Love it!!

An ode to Earth Guild

The in-laws have been in town since Tuesday evening and left out this morning. My mother-in-law is a crafty person and wanted to check out some floor looms in Asheville yesterday so we stopped in at Earth Guild. I fell in love with this store back in high school. They have supplies for everything from tie dying to pottery to basket making. They also have a nice variety of fibers for spinning...and spinning wheels and yarn and hooks and needles and books. You get the idea. I love this shop! What makes it really great is the staff of super friendly folks who know their shit. If you're ever in Asheville you should check it out and gimme a holler and we'll have a grand ol' time. I petted a lot of different yarns and ended up buying a spool of rug warp to make a mesh bag. The pattern was a freebie at the shop and I started on it this afternoon and things are going swell. I've never worked with rug warp before but that's what the pattern suggested to use, it's basically like size 3 crochet thread, and it came in a whole rainbow of colors. I'll post pictures soon just to prove that I still know how to work a hook!