A peek into my crocheting foray

I have become obsessed with crochet.

Well, let's clarify, not obsessed. I mean, and Andrés would agree, I am not the obsessive type. I have never obsessed over anything. I don't have a one-track mind and pretty much go with the flow. I don't ever get involved in something and then go crazy and buy a bunch of stuff I later find I have no use for. Haven't done it with stamps or inks or stickers or rub ons or scrapbooking papers. So to say I am obsessed with crochet is a bit of an overstatement.

I just like to spend a couple of hours looking at crochet blogs and rereading patterns, imagining what it would be like to create the things I am seeing. I do like to read a pattern and try to see how it can come together into something - a bunch of garbled words that, let's face it, make no absolute sense at all. Charts that seem more complex than the anything I ever saw in science class.

I find it fascinating as I'm hooking (like my new "cool" word?) that a few twists and turns can create something. I watch the yarn get all knotty and can't believe that it is actually coming together before my eyes. It's amazing.

Yes, I said it - amazing. I know it is weird to make crochet into something mind-blowing, especially when I'm not the type of person at all to exaggerate something, but that's what it is - a life-changing, mind-blowing expereince. :)

So far I've made a few cowls and scarfs. A wrap or two. A bath puff and doilies. An ill-fated attempt at a sweater (I have NO idea what went wrong there. The pattern said Intermediate, I admit, but the motif came together perfectly, I had very few problems following the stitches, and my gauge was consistent throughout. I did make a Large, so maybe confused the sizes as I went? Although I checked after every few rows and thought I was being really careful. Anyhow, aside from the fact that I obviously didn't know how to stitch it together - the arms and shoulder were especially confusing - the sleeves are so long that I think I will keep the sweater around just to get a laugh now and then!)

I have also made a cool necklace - looks a bit hippyish but I still love it, but need to get a button on it.

My favorite new thing though is crocheting owls. I have patterns for an owl coffee cozy and an owl bag - but not the right yarn, so right now am stitching up these little cuties.

I could make these forever! No exaggeration! :) They come together really quickly - just a few hours - even though there are a lot of ends to weave in, the final result is worth it. I love all the colors, and the way the stitches overlap to get that effect throughout the rounds.

So, if you see any cute owlies that I can crochet - pass them along!

Love. Love. LOVE.

Oh heavens to Betsy! Today I had to leave the house to get a passport picture taken (which the girl decided to photoshop - she didn't like my hair and gave me a whole new 'do, no lie! - and I was like, ummmm, you probably aren't supposed to photoshop a passport picture, but well, whatever) and the photo studio was next to my lovely yarn store. Couldn't go by without passing through, and couldn't pass through without spending the twenty that was burning a hole in my pocket.

I am beginning to see the love people have for yarn. Oh yarn! The lady gave me a tour of all the new yarns that had come in, and then I was set loose to look around (and they let me touch them!) and to keep saying, "Wait, just one more," when the lady asked me if that would be all.

So here is the stash I came home with, but oh in my mind I bought so much more.

Next month, next month.

Did you notice that I found a lovely use for both of my thirty-one bags? Yes, pure organizational happiness every time I reach in there to grab something.