Greetings!
I started my blog two and a half years ago and oh how things have changed!  If you take a peek at my first post (below) you'll see I didn't have much of a plan. Post by post I found my voice, and to my delight you've been listening! 

When deciding on my name and designing the logo I  chose Crochet Nirvana because it captures the feelings of peace, bliss and contentment that crocheting brings to me. (Not because of an obsession with Kurt Cobain and his 90's grunge band as some have asked.)  I added "laugh, learn, create & share" to make sure that everyone who stops by knows what to expect from me and the blog.  Learning new things, creating beautiful, fun, unique projects, and sharing everything with you - all with a sense of humor.

Along with my fiber obsession, I am a bibliophile. In fact, books are my first love. I wasn't sure how I would combine the two, but thankfully when opportunity knocked I was home to answer the door. A review I wrote for book called How I Came to Sparkle Again led to being contacted by St. Martin's Press. Initially I was reviewing fiction for them.  It was an easy progression to add me as a reviewer for the crafting category and start sending new titles on crocheting and knitting.  Your response to the reviews and giveaways is always fantastic and is one of my favorite parts of blogging. This has led to relationships with various publishers looking to have their books and authors introduced to the crafting community. Of course I am happy to oblige! This is the perfect way to combine my favorite activities, and has helped establish my place in the blogging community.

Do you know about Craftsy? It is an online community devoted to providing the education and tools to "bring your creativity to life"!  They offer interactive video tutorials and downloadable workshops for everything from knitting and photography to cake decorating and woodworking. Instruction is offered by the experts in each field. You can find patterns and recipes as well as supplies.  They offer resources for free as well as paid courses.  With more than 5 million members Craftsy is a leader in craft education.

Imagine my surprise (and delight) when the folks at Craftsy asked me to write for their crochet blog!  How exciting!!  To be honest I was a little scared.  I talked it over with John, and decided that this is an opportunity I don't want to miss!  And so my friends. today I launch my updated look - and my first article appears on the Craftsy web site.  It's called Understanding Crochet Diagrams: The Key to Breaking the Code, and I hope that you'll pop over and take a look.  

Life is full of twists and and turns.  You never know where the path will lead or what adventures you'll have along the way.  If you had asked me three years ago about my future I never would have imagined I'd be where I am.  This is such a thrill,  I'm so thankful for your support and encouragement. If it weren't for you, none of this would be possible. I hope that you'll visit often and continue to join me in my creative escapades - who knows what will happen next!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed & stitch with love!

Do you have trouble deciding on big projects? Once you decide do you second guess your decision?  I have wildly grand ambitions, and I know what I like when I see someone else’s work, yet somehow I get lost when I'm trying to do my own thing. My blanket project is the perfect example of this condition.  I have been in love with the Groovyghan since the first time I saw it, but when it came time for me to make my own I just couldn't do it. (You can read about in Tale of the Groovyghan.)

Realizing I need a new plan I did what I always do and hit the books. 100 Colorful Ripple Stitches to Crochet seemed to hold the answer - or at least offered a place to start!   It’s almost overwhelming looking through all those designs.  The smallest change to a stitch pattern can alter the entire look.  Introduce color and you add another layer of options to the project!  Talk about confusing!! I have a box of 9 bright colors of yarn - how am I ever going to decide what pattern to use?!

Before committing to an entire blanket I wanted to make sure that I 1) enjoyed working the pattern and 2) was happy with the density and body of the fabric. After narrowing it down to these three choices I decided on Roman Blinds.  Using just one color I made a good sized swatch. It passed the first test. I could imagine spending hours with it. The second test was a moderate success. It was a little stiff, but looked like it would be nice and warm.

Next I had to decide what to do with all those colors.  Creating a striping pattern is not easy! It takes a lot of effort to come up with a design that is visually appealing. Again the options are vast! The only thing I knew for sure was I didn't want to repeat colors in the same order. When I was writing the Granny Square Project I came across the Random Stripe Generator.  It's free and super cool.  You select the colors that you're using, enter the total number of rows and viola the program generates an image and a list. If you want to see another option, just refresh the page. It lets you see how colors work together and how incredibly different something can look depending on what color goes where.  I really encourage you to check it out. Even if you don't need it now, it's a terrific resource that will come in handy someday - plus it's fun to play with!  Of course you know it took forever for me to decide on the perfect sequence!  I started with 10, narrowed it down to 3 and finally made my choice. Yeah, it's that way for everything!

Alright, now I've got the stitch pattern and the color pattern. I'm ready to make myself the most awesome blanket ever! I worked 3 rows and knew I made a mistake. I am not in love. Not only am I having reservations about the colors and the drape of the fabric, I don't know how I'm going to put a border on the ripple without it being a major pain - and I really want a border! What am I going to do?!? Honestly I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever turn all this yarn into a blanket.  I know it has the potential to be spectacular, but I can't quite get it together.  

I'm not ready to give up. I poked around on the internet seeing what Pinterest and Ravelry had to offer. I kept gravitating to granny squares and granny stripes. Since I know that I will never complete a full sized blanket of squares I decided that maybe I should try a basic straight granny stripe. I spent so much time deciding on the random color pattern maybe the simplicity of this classic design is what I need.  With 9 bright hues a complicated stitch pattern might get lost and the whole thing could easily end up looking like "eeeww" instead of "aaaahhh"!

The decision made (again!) I devoted quite a few hours to getting started. The crochet work is truly effortless making it excellent for night time and when I'm concentrating on important things like what is going to happen next on Sons of Anarchy!  Of course after just a few rows I started to second guess (again!) my decisions about the color pattern and working singles rows of color instead of 2 rows of each for a stripier stripe. Aargh!!

This is my problem.  This indecision that thwarts my progress on big projects. It is one of the reasons that I stick with the small stuff.  I struggle to have faith in my choices and the patience to let things come together.  I think it's my inner child.  That part of me that wants to be done NOW! This is when I have to remind myself why I crochet. I like making things with yarn, and it is as much about doing as it is about the finished product. Maybe even more.

Writing today's post has helped me to remember some other important things about crochet. Things  like:

• It's okay to change your mind.
• If you are going to take on a big project be sure that working on it makes you happy.  Don't commit to hundreds of rows of Back Post Double Crochet if the stitch still feels awkward - even after you get the hang of it!
• Relax and enjoy the time spent making.
• Don't be so critical!!  Whatever this turns out to be it's going to be great because: 
  a) you did it!
  b) you love the colors!
  c) you love the yarn!
  d) there is no wrong when you're making art (yes, I think crochet is art)!

Of course it's an entirely different story if you're working under contract or have to meet someone elses guidelines!  But if you're not, don't let the fun and joy of your favorite activity get lost!

I'm ready. I've finished 23 rows. I don't know what it will look like when it's done, but that's okay. It will be as unique as I am and just as warm and snuggly!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Welcome my little lovelies!

I've got a Halloween present for you! That's right, it's a free pattern for this ghoulishly gorgeous Granny Skull Square!  Last year when I posted the pattern and photo tutorial for the skull motif I had no idea how popular it was going to be.  Without any question it is by far the most visited post on my blog.  Who knew there were so many fans of macabre crochet!  I suppose it shouldn't surprise me that much. In stores there are skulls on everything from little girl clothes to shower curtains and kitchen accessories!

The feedback for the skull motif has been tremendously positive (thanks so much!). Other than a little confusion about making the eyes (work those stitches around the chain - not into it!) the question that I am most frequently asked is, "do you have a square pattern?" Now I can happily answer Yes - I sure do!

If you follow me on Instagram, Facebook or any of those other social media worlds, you know that it took a few tries to create a pattern that was good enough for you guys.  I feel pretty confident that this one will do the trick.  I wanted to make sure it was a universal size that will work with traditional granny squares.  That way you can have more options for mixing and matching your designs.

So there you have it! Just click on the button below for a downloadable PDF. The pattern will also be available (for free!) on Ravelry and I'll include a link in my sidebar.  If you have any questions or something about the pattern is confusing, please let me know.  I did the editing myself and mistakes are certainly possible!

I hope that you enjoy the Granny Skull. I'd love to see your finished squares.  Please feel free to share them on my Facebook page or tag me on Instagram (I'm RobinBrz).  You can also use the hashtags #crochetskull, #crochetnirvana, #robinbrz.

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

Hi there,

I miss blogging. I don't know what happened. All that time ago it started out as a way to keep track of my crochet and other crafty adventures.  I never stuck to a strict schedule - it rubs against my creative side in a rough, chafing kind of way.  But I did post way more often than I do now.  The focus shifted too.  It stopped being about me and started being about you.  Don't misunderstand - I love you and I love sharing new books and giving things away. I just want to do more than that.  So what's the problem?  See here's where it gets muddy, because I'm not sure what the problem is. Part of it is wanting every post to be interesting and done to the best of my ability. I get hung up on the little details.  Another piece is time management and yet another is my desire to make things instead of writing about making things!! Oh and of course there is that part that is my family, my work and all the other things (that don't involve yarn} I want and need to do each day!!

So where does that leave me? Well, I haven't completely  decided.  I do know I want to keep blogging.  Like all of my creative endeavors, the blog is meant to be fun and to ebb and flow with me. Instead of worrying about what comes next, how about I tell you about this afghan/throw I'm trying to make?

Ever since I saw the Groovyghan by Tracy St.John I wanted to make one. Out of cotton. In lots of bright colors. This has been my dream project for at least 2 years. Eventually I got the funds together for the yarn. I had my pattern and hook ready when it arrived and anxiously jumped right in. After making two of each square I knew I was in trouble. I like making squares - but I don't LOVE it. And I despise sewing them together. CRAP! I knew going in that it would be a challenge, but my confidence was pumped up on psychedelic rainbows! The brilliant colors and promise of comfy, cotton snuggling would see me through! Want to know what happened next? I put that nice big box of yarn right in front of my chair in the living room, threw a towel over it and I've been using it as a table ever since!! I don't know if I'm relieved or embarrassed by this admission, but there it is. Everyday it is a reminder of my thwarted grand ambition.  I've tried a few times to get another square going, but I can't muster the enthusiasm. As much as I admire the Groovyghan and would love to have one of my own, it's clear that is not going to happen.

Now what am I going to do with the big box of yarn?

Happily I may have discovered the answer.  I'll tell you about it soon!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Greetings Friends!

I'm so glad you're here! Today I have a special treat: a Q & A session with a legend in the crochet and fiber community - Tammy Hildebrand! I know - I know it's very exciting!! Tammy is tremendously talented and her vibrant personality shines through in everything that she does - and she is one busy lady! Earlier this year I had the opportunity to review another book of her designs, Crochet Wraps: Every Which Way.  It was one of my most popular giveaways ever!  With her latest book she has created designs for babies.  Inspired by her granddaughter this collection for girls and boys has adorable outfits for every occasion. If you love crocheting for the wee ones you need to check out this book!  

I've never done an author interview, and I wasn't sure what to ask.  A few rough drafts later I came up with these questions.  Tammy promptly and graciously found time in her busy schedule to share her insightful and sincere answers. Without further ado - here's what she had to say:

Tell us about learning to crochet.  How old were you and who taught you?  Have you been at it ever since?

I learned to crochet from my second grade teacher, Mrs. Crooks. She put out an invitation to the whole class that anyone interested in learning to crochet could stay after school. I was the only one that stayed. I can clearly remember sitting at her big wooden desk working on a floppy, purple "hippie" hat which I still have somewhere. After I first became published, I hunted down Mrs. Crooks to thank her. We are now friends on Facebook and she is one of my biggest fans! I crocheted a little all through the years and really stepped it up when I was pregnant with my first child 23 years ago. About 2 years later I became a contract crocheter. After doing that for about 2 months, I realized I could design professionally myself and I have been ever since.

How did you make the transition from following a pattern to creating your own design and writing your own patterns? What is the first thing you designed?

I have never really worked from patterns much. I've always liked doing my own thing. That is pretty much everything in my life, not just crochet. My very first published design was a little granny square soap on a rope published by Crochet World. I don't remember what my first actual design was as I was always making up something.

You have 5 published books (3 in 2004!). Once you decide on a collection what inspires your pattern ideas?

I find inspiration in absolutely everything I look at. It can be the world around me - trees, flowers, cars driving down the road, whatever! I see design ideas in tiles, wallpaper, curtains, just everything I look at I interpret in crochet. It is truly my gift from God and it comes very easy to me. It is what I was meant to do.

How long does it take for you to put together a new pattern - from the vision to something someone else can make?

Obviously, every design is going to be a bit different but typically it is a pretty quick process or I lose interest. I have a few works in progress laying around that I know I might just as well throw away since I won't usually revisit them once I've been distracted by something else.

The new book is for babies, but it looks like most of your previous patterns are for big people.  Do you have a preference on what and who you design for?

Absolutely big people! Ha! The baby book was completely a labor of love inspired by my granddaughter Willow. I thoroughly enjoyed doing it but my comfort zone is in ladies garments and afghans.

What is your favorite pattern in the new collection and why?

I really like the September cheerleader and football player. My models were so cute wearing them and my dad was a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He would have love this!

What advice do you have for a crochet (or knit) enthusiast looking to make the transition to designer?

Experiment, explore, read, take classes, learn absolutely everything you can about techniques, stitches, pattern writing, sizing, etc. Step way out of your comfort zone to find growth. CGOA (the Crochet Guild of America) has a wonderful 2 year mentoring program which is free of charge with guild membership. You must already be working in a professional capacity (be designing, have a website or blog, etc.). You will be placed with an established professional member to help you learn the ropes.

You've accomplished so much! You've published books and patterns in numerous magazine, you are present on Ravelry, FaceBook and other social media, plus you are currently the vice-president of the CGOA - WOW! Congratulations! What do you have in store for 2015?

I am not much of a planner and like to just go with the flow so your guess is as good as mine for what's in store next year!

And one last question. What do you do for fun when you're not crocheting?

Right at the moment my husband and I are restoring a 100-year old home. I have learned to plaster, sand, paint, strip and I have discovered that I absolutely love doing this! I also enjoy brick carving, painting, gardening and anything crafty. My other latest love is Zumba! I took my first class about 3 months ago and I am totally addicted! I aim to go 5 days a week when my schedule permits.

Thank you so much Tammy for sharing your insight, advice and passion! Good Luck with the new book - and all your adventures! 

It's Giveaway Time!

Enter now for your chance to win this terrific prize package.
A copy of Crochet for Baby All Year, handcrafted stitch markers from Nirvana Designs,
a US size J crochet hook, a pair of stork scissors - and a little extra surprise gift!

The contest is open to everyone - (hooray international visitors!)

Good Luck!

I hope that you enjoyed the Q & A with Tammy as much as I did. If you'd like to learn more about Tammy and her many activities here are a few links:
On Facebook visit Hot Lava Crochet. On Ravelry check out her designs at Tammystreasures. To keep up on the latest in the world of professional crochet visit the CGOA.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me. 
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

I know that I'm not alone in my thinking that people who spend time with fiber (what ever form it's in, no matter what they do with it) are the nicest people you could ever hope to meet. This has been my experience over and over again.  Social media plays an important role in keeping me connected to my fellow enthusiasts. I know that it sometimes gets a bad wrap.  We hear that that we spend too much time interacting virtually instead of in the "real" world.  That it is a impeding our ability to build healthy relationships.  While that may be the case for some people, it certainly hasn't been my experience.  For me social media is a happy supplement to my daily fix of fiber!  I get to see what people are making. I get pattern recommendations.  I'm inspired to try something new. I get assistance when I get stuck. I find new resources - and that's just in one visit to my FaceBook and Instagram accounts! So what does all of this have to do with today's post?

Well, through Facebook I became friends with DyeNamic Yarns, (who I recently learned is a lovely woman from Canada named Kim)! We don't really know each other, but I enjoy looking at the pictures that she shares of her hand dyed sock yarns.  A few weeks ago Kim posted a status indicating that she would send a sample of her sock yarn to the first 10 people who responded.  I just happened to be in the right place at the right time so of course I responded. Who am I to pass up the opportunity to sample hand dyed yarn? Kim immediately messaged me for my address - and to ask if there was any color that I absolutely hate! There's that niceness again! 

A short time later my mailman delivered my samples. Two mini-skeins, one in soft shades of pink and the other a fresh lime sorbet and blueberry mix that looks good enough to eat.  I grabbed my crochet hook and made myself a granny square.  The yarn is soft and smooth with a slight sheen.  It is rather elastic and moved easily over my hook and through stitches.  The colors are consistent and true with no real blending between them.  I think that this means the stripes on your socks will be nice and defined. As I sat there holding my finished square I decided it would be a shame to just set it aside.  I sewed a small square insert, stuffed it with poly-fil, and using the last bit of yarn that was left stitched the corners of the granny together to make a sweet little pincushion!

Let me say that I am by no means a yarn expert.  In fact it is only recently that I have found myself in a position to sample and purchase what I consider to be gourmet fibers.  Most of my projects are made from acrylics, cottons or commercially produced wool blends that you find at department and craft stores. My new obsession with knitting socks has brought me knee deep (sorry!) into the word of sock yarns!  What I am learning is 1) there is a huge, amazing on-line sock community; 2) there are spinners and dyers who specialize in sock yarn; 3) self-striping yarns are incredible - color changes without changing yarn! 4) because you generally only need one skein to make a pair of socks it is an affordable way to indulge yourself with a special yarn.

I am very thankful to Kim at Dyenamic Yarns for sharing her wares with me. When I'm ready for my next sock yarn purchase I'll be visiting Kim's shop, that is if her FaceBook posts don't tempt into an impulse buy first!  You can find her on Etsy at DyeNamicYarn and on FaceBook as - you guessed it - Dyenamic Yarn! Stop by and tell her Robin sent you!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

Greetings Friends!

Oh have I got something special for you!  It's a new book called Crochet: The Complete Step-by-Step Guide from DK Publishing. If you crochet - you should have this book in your library.  If you can't afford it (it's an oversized hard cover so it is a bit pricey), you should put it on your wish list and in the mean time, borrow it from your library!  I know you're wondering what is so special about this book? I made a list!  Let me say this first though... I am a bit fanatical when it comes to books, and even though I have a soft spot for all of them I don't love them all. I love this one. Not because the publisher sent me a free copy, but because in my opinion it excels in all of the areas a crafting book should.  Here we go...

The photography is outstanding.  This is a big book, printed on quality paper. The pictures are sharp, vibrant and dynamically capture the beauty of the yarns and stitches. There is a lot to look at making this as much a coffee table book as a how to guide. As the title claims, there truly are step-by-step instructions, wonderfully photographed and clearly worded for a bounty of crochet techniques.

This is a reference guide plus.  Here is a partial list of topics covered: following a crochet pattern, including reading charts; stitch techniques, embellishments, working crochet edges, open work and Filet crochet; colorwork; unusual stitches; unusual yarns (wire, t-shirt, plarn and string); making toys / amigurumi. Chances are if you are working on a project and come across a stitch or technique you're not sure how to execute, you'll find what you need here.  It's that kind of book!

Then there are the patterns.  More than 80.  Most of the techniques are accompanied by a pattern so you can see it in action.  Classic is the word that comes to mind when trying to think of how to describe them to you. There is nothing really advanced.  I think a beginner could do most, and certainly intermediate skills would be sufficient to follow all of the patterns.  Like all of the other information in the book, the patterns are clearly written with easy to follow, complete instructions.

One of my favorite things about the patterns in this book is all of the yarn recommendations are generic. Instead of telling us that some obscure, expensive yarn that you can't find or afford is used, these all say things like: Any DK merino can be used for a similar effect; An aran weight yarn will suit this project; or You can use any wool or wool mix 4-ply sport weight yarn for this project. I think that's awesome since choosing and substituting yarns is something I struggle with (and I bet lots of you do too!).

I always like to try out the patterns when I review a book.  In this instance I decided to try a new stitch.  It was still cold out and I had a skein of super bulky yarn left from the My Mountain promotion that Schachenmayr Yarns did last year. I made this simple cowl using just four stitches (I think! it's been a while and I can't find my notes!). I'm pretty sure it's just the chain, single crochet, half-double crochet and from the book - the Simple Crossed Stitch forming a top and bottom border.  I can't bear to think about wearing it now, but winter will be back again and I'll have this snazzy addition to my wardrobe.

Now how about that Giveaway!!

I think that you'll agree: this book is the kind of staple in your library that you'll turn to again and again!  In addition I've got some fabulous accessories to make this an awesome prize package.  There is a set of stitch markers from our etsy shop NirvanaDesigns, a pair of decorative forged embroidery scissors and a size H rosewood crochet hook.  There are several ways for you to enter - once or lots of times -  you decide. This one is open to US residents only - sorry folks, but it's a heavy book and shipping is on me! 

Good Luck!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time,
Be Blessed and Stitch and Read with Love!

Greetings Friends!

Let's talk about socks. Generally speaking we don't give them much thought.  Lot's of people wear the same style every day. I am a white cotton gym sock.  My husband is a wool boot sock and my son is a black cotton dress sock. We are dedicated to our styles and because of our commitment it is the one thing we don't have to worry about when getting dressed each morning (hooray!). So while consistency does have it's advantages, I'll openly admit that it is boring (boo!). 

Hand knit socks however, are not.  The assortment of specialty yarns geared specifically for our feet are fabulous! You can find bright colors, light colors, self striping, ombre, jacquards, fair isle, heathered, and sparkles. Hand spun, hand dyed and hand painted in nearly any fiber or combination of fibers you can name! Then of course there are the patterns. On Ravelry alone there are nearly 30,000 matches for the search "knit socks"! Wow!

It only makes sense that there are a variety of different techniques for turning yarn into fashionable footwear. Like all things in knitting, one way is not better than the other, or the "right" way to do it. It all comes down to what works best for you and the sock you're making!

There is one more technique that I've come across.  The magic loop uses just one long (40 inch) circular needle.  In fact, there is even a way to knit two socks at the same time using this method!  When I first started knitting I thought that might be easier for a beginner.  You know, get them both done at the same time and then you don't have to worry about the dreaded second sock syndrome.  Turns out I was wrong. I didn't know enough about the basics of sock construction and I wasn't confident enough in my skills to be sliding stitches around and pulling needles from one side to the other! It was a disastrous undertaking that ended with some choice words and a knotted mess of yarn. I haven't given up on the magic loop, and I still think there is wisdom in the two at once philosophy, especially for someone like me who has a hard time finishing all the things I start!

I'm not sure which of these I'll finish first. I've been plugging away at all of them everyday.  I like having a variety of different projects all set and at the ready.  Plus socks are great on the go. I can toss any one of them in my bag and not worry about having a pattern or keeping track of where I am on a chart. 

Did you have any idea that there were so many ways to make socks?  And we didn't even talk about the actual construction techniques (like top-down, toe-up and flat) or the many kinds of heels and toes you can make! With such a variety of options it's understandable why knitting socks is so popular.  There really is something for everyone. 

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

Greetings!
It's a well established fact that I have crafting ADD.  I am physically unable to to work on one project at a time.  I don't think that I have ever finished anything without starting something new or spending time with a WIP.  It's fine with me.  It works.  My husband doesn't understand - just like he doesn't understand why I insist on leaving the house at the very last minute - no matter where I'm going (I'm not usually late, but I am never early!)

As I was gathering the pictures for this post it dawned on me that my insatiable desire to try new things is  actually good for me.  Every time a publisher sends me a book to review it's an opportunity to feed my need.  What I mean is ... if I were to only work on one thing at a time from start to finish it would take me ages to prepare for a review.  Working on multiple projects at the same time lets me get a feel for the patterns and in turn the books much more quickly while at the same time stimulating my creative serotonin.  It's my happy way of multitasking!  

Let me show you what I'm working on today: A basic ankle sock from Happy Feet, a book devoted totally to tootsies!  I'm giving the two circ method  a try and hoping that I have finally found the right project for this pretty yarn I won from Danielle at A Stash Addict well over two years ago (more about that later!)

Next up is a little knit pear pincushion from 50 Pincushions to Knit & Crochet. It's my first attempt at knitting something small and round(ish). My initial impression: crocheting small round things is way easier!

And to wrap it up for today it's the Triangle Tulip Shawl from Lovely Knitted Lace. I'm quite pleased with my progress on what the book describes as a "perfect pattern for beginners". The first pattern I tried was a scarf using the yarn from A Stash Addict.  Turns out I'm not quite ready for knitting nupps with skinny yarn and tiny needles!!

Of course there are more, but we can talk about those another time!
Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!

Howdy Folks!

Working on multiple projects simultaneously makes me happy.  It keeps me from getting bored.  Plus it generally ensures that I have something that I want to work on handy.  Mostly these days I've been doing a lot of knitting.  The one problem that I have with knitting is that I can't do it when I'm tired.  Well I can, but I'm prone to making mistakes.  And fixing mistakes in knitting is way harder than it is in crochet. I've learned that it's better to set it aside than try to squeeze out one more row.

This is the Reflections Doily.  I found the pattern in the June 2013 issue of Crochet World magazine.  It struck my fancy because I had recently purchased a ball of Aunt Lydia's crochet thread in Monet.  It's not often that I actually have the exact yarn (or thread) that a pattern calls for on hand.  Being a fan of crochet lace and doilies in general it seemed like destiny.

I started with a flourish, but quickly  lost motivation.  If memory serves, and history repeats - I got bored.  The majority of this project is a simple V-stitch (dc, ch 3, dc).  And so, like many other projects it was stashed on a shelf and pretty much forgotten. For months it languished, until last week.  I needed something that I could pick up and put down without a lot of hassle.  Turns out that this is just that kind of project.  It also fits well in my travel bag.  We'll see how long I stick with it!  For right now though it's my "in between" project and any progress I make is a good thing!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be Blessed and Stitch & Read with Love!