In addition to crocheting, I have been honing my embroidery skills and the tablecloth pictured above is a beautiful inspiration. I have a couple of pillow projects in mind but I keep getting more new cases so I haven't been able to get these new projects going yet. But I have made some little bookmarks and the Valentine hearts too.
I have also been making crocheted cat toys. I make little packets of catnip out of cotton material and zip all of the edges with my serger. Then I make a little yarn pouch and tuck the catnip packet inside. I think the toys look like little ravioli. All of the cats that have gotten the catnip ravioli have really liked them. I think I've had 100% customer satisfaction. This video of Stella (SweetB's cat) would make a great promotional video if I ever decide to market these toys.
Last night I dreamed that I was all was all wound up in yarn and like a spider's prey, I couldn't move or extricate myself. I must have had the blankets wrapped around me. But another explanation may be that I crocheted until I fell asleep last night. Here are some photos of what I'm working on.
This is the body of this hat. I am trying to muddle through attaching the band now. I am having a little trouble with the Sc2tog to attach the band to the body. I'll get it done though. This hat was just going to be the practice hat anyway. There are all kinds of stitches and techniques in the pattern that I'd never used so it has been a great learning project. I am using some green wool yarn that I had left over from cashmere bunny tails - which were last Easter's gifts to the cousins, complete bunnies not just pom-pom tails.
I have also been crocheting lots of flowers. I thought I would eventually find something to attach them to, and they were a good way to learn a little bit about crocheting in the round.
I think I have found a project to use them on. I want to embroider some cute little motifs on some white curtains for Claire's room and I think these tie-backs might look nice in her room - in different colors of course. Claire is more of a pink and purple girl.
Last Saturday, after an impromptu Goodwill trip with Pat and Tammy, I dreamed about how to modify a wrap skirt that I had purchased. It was like the story of Kekulé's insight into the structure of the benzene ring - though obviously not as earth-shaking. I am always amused by the ideas that I have in the shower or while half-asleep. I often have great ideas about the cases that I'm working while I'm in the shower. I think it is because I'm relaxed and not distracted and my mind is just mulling everything over. These days I have quite a lot swirling around in my mind.
One last thing from the Goodwill trip, my thrift find of the week:
This vase was tucked way in the back on a bottom shelf on an end isle. I only paid $1.99 for the vase and there isn't a chip to be found and best of all the bottom is stamped "JAPAN". This vase is quite possibly the best thing I've found in a year. Inventory has been really sparse at the thrift stores since the economy took a nosedive. People are either looking for a deal or looking for something to sell on e-bay. One thing is certain for me, this vase will find a place of honor in the new house and never be an item on e-bay.
