Acrylic is Scratchy

Babies everywhere it seems. Most women close to me either have one, are within nine months of having one, or are going to be conceiving one within a year’s time (so I’ve been informed, I guess, in order to brace myself). What better reason to crochet!!!

I took a hankering to the stroller blanket and matching hat in Happy Hooker. It was juuuuust enough to challenge my crochet skills. That would be the skill of keeping a perfect square. I don’t know why this is so hard for me. I mean come on now. But inevitably I end up with a trapezoid. With the Allyson hat that was easily remedied by sewing it up on the level and then making the funky end the part that was scrunched up and turned inside out. But for this project I had to pay attention because there was no scrunching and turning and faking it.

So acrylic, eh? Well, yes. I love the feel and softness of the natural fibers. But if you want a saturated blue and a brown that don’t occur in nature, it seems to me that 100% acrylic is the way to go. Am I wrong? Please tell me the way to brightly colored natural fibers! So with some JoAnns craft store 1/2 pound rolls of “yarn” I got through the project in no time at all. The hat was particularly quick. And it got a sighing awww when I gave it to the mom. It was the aww of a new mommy who gets three hours of sleep at a time.

missliz discovers crochet, news at 11

So.
As if I don’t have enough to do between the sewing, quilting and knitting projects waiting around, I’ve discovered the wonderful world of crochet. One hook! Faster results! Limited time offer!
Enter the Cozy Crochet Kit.

From the corporate bookstore, it comes with a booklet, plastic crochet hooks, 25 patterns and practice yarn (not pictured). I spent a couple of hours with the practice yarn (long gone now), then tackled the beanie hat with more practice yarn, then realized that Allyson’s birthday was right around the corner. Purchased the softest worsted weight yarn in a silvery blue and right in front of her and my family’s eyes, made her a hat! I think it turned out lovely! (beginner’s luck)

I highly, HIGHLY, recommend the kit for newbies like me. The directions are pretty clear and the patterns take you slowly up the experience scale. Furthermore, kits like these are, I think, a great way to see if a hobby sticks. If it wasn’t something I enjoyed, at least money wasn’t spent on expensive hooks and pattern books. But now, of course, I’ll be splurging…

In other news, it’s “Winter” in SoCal. It rained here this morning and it’s noticeably chilly. Hat and scarf weather. What most of the country would call Fall. Time for candles that smell like cinnamon and spice and the crackling glow of my space heaters.