Finish Friday-ish

This Finish Friday!!! definitely was not as successful as the last one.  At least in the "finish" sense. I did want to work on lining my Watermelon bag; however, I found that the auction isn't until next weekend. When given the opportunity to procrastinate, I always say, "Yes, please."  I don't look a gift horse in the mouth. The tartar buildup is disgusting.  Also, I was very distracted by two different projects.

The first one is my variegated experiment that I've been doodling with.  I figured that combining the Squooshy yarn with a solid plum color would temper the color blotches and hopefully calm the uneasiness I was feeling.

AKA: Yarn Maalox

The color changes were definitely a lot subtler and the new yarn matched perfectly. I used a worsted weight wool/acrylic blend with 20% wool. The Squooshy is 80% wool, so combining them gave me 100% woolly goodness. (It's yarn- my math is supposed to be fuzzy.)  Even though I was liking the color, the bulkiness of the combined yarn wasn't feeling right for what I have in mind. I used a J hook at first but the fabric was a little stiffer than I was hoping.  So I frogged it and tried with a K hook. It definitely had better drape; however, it wasn't the same as the light and fluffy feel the sock yarn had.  So, I decided to frog it yet again and start over, yet again, with just the Squooshy.  (Ok, yes I do love this yarn because of the purple color and feel, but I must admit that the name just makes me happy.  Squooshy.  Squooshysquooshysquooshy! It's what Charo would say if you gave her a crochet hook instead of a guitar.)

The second project that had me distracted is one that I'm VERY excited about.  It's my Geekling's baby blanket and I was finally able to buy the yarn for it. I also had to finish planning it out (with hopefully non-fuzzy math), so that took a bit of time.  However, I am pleased to say that I have started it and it will most likely take up most of my time for the next couple weeks. SO EXCITED!

I took the variegated project with me to the movies tonight and, in honor of NatCroMo, I happily crocheted in public while standing in line at Chipotle and while waiting for the movie to start. (We saw Battle: Los Angeles.  Spoiler alert: Los Angeles is saved at the end.  You may rest easy tonight.)  As I mentioned before, I really haven't been crocheting since September, so it really does feel good to have those creative juices flowing again.  Even my Mister asked me tonight, "You have your mojo back, don't you?"  Yeah, baby, yeah!  I got my mojo back!

So, even though I didn't finish a project this Friday, I did check two things off my list: I finished planning the new blanket, bought the yarn, and started obsessing about crocheting it.  Huge win!

Wait.....*counting*. Stupid fuzzy math.

Squooshysquooshy!

FINISH FRIDAY!!!

I'm very pleased to report that my first Finish Friday!!!! was a rousing success. Not only was I able to finish my two Felted Watermelon Totes (whoo me!) but I was also able to finish another purse that I started and had almost completed over a year ago.  All I had to do is finish the flap- why I put it off for so long, I'll never know.  Especially since I was making it for one of my BFFs.  I even showed it to her and she loved it.  And then I put it away and never gave it to her.  I'm such a tease.

But now all three bags are ready to be felted which makes my heart happy. (I was hoping to have them felted today but my washing machine was otherwise engaged in what is called "laundry day," or as we call it, "I really need clean underwear NOW day".)  Even though the crochet work is complete, the bags themselves are not finished per se. They still need to be lined and, well, finished.  Blerg.  So, I'm thinking of implementing yet another NatCroMo Resolution....at least for tomorrow.  Tomorrow is going to be (drum roll please!) Sewing Saturday!!!!

I'm hoping lyteyz will be able to come over tomorrow. She has the same sewing machine I do (the very awesome Brother XR900) and we're hoping to have a day of discovery to see what this baby can do.  Oh, and line some bags.  I have quite a few to do, but I'll be happy if I can knock out one, but hopefully two....or more....unrealistic? Moi?? Never!

I must admit, I really needed this day today.  I had been neglecting my hooks for much too long.  Sure, I've picked them up here and there, but to actually spend a day with them really got my creative juices flowing.  So much so that I finally made a decision......I know what blanket I'm going to make for my Geekling!!  Squee!!!  I've been planning it today and really cannot wait to get started on it. Even though I was only supposed to focus on finishing things today, I just couldn't help myself which is a good sign, indeed. 

Not bad for my first Finish Friday!!! Three UFO's are out of my bucket, I now have a new blanket to start obsessing about, and my Mister and I don't have to use our swimsuits as underwear anymore.  Here's hoping next week's Finish Friday!!! will be as full of win as this one was.

NatCroMo Resolutions

So I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year.  As I had mentioned earlier, I really didn't want to start a year with a list of my future failures.  (Yay for optimism!)  However, since March does happen to be my favorite month, I decided I am going to make some NatCroMo Crochet Resolutions for this month.  I really do have a lot of items to cross off my crochet to-do list and I figured that of all months, this is the month to get the ball rolling. 

So, in honor of National Crochet Month, every Friday is going to be (drum-roll please!) Finish Friday!!!! Each Friday (which I now have off- whoo me!) I will work on a project (or more depending on how much work is involved in said project) to finish it.  I may start a new project during the week, but I need to work on finishing a UFO each Friday.  Hopefully it will get my Crochet ADD under control and will massively decrease my UFO project list.  WHOO ME!

For my first Finish Friday!!!! I will be working on TWO Felted Watermelon Totes.  I started both of these last fall- one of them is for my mother and it is alllllmost done.  It was supposed to be for her birthday in September.  Ummmm.....yeah.  Huge crochet fail for me.  The second one is actually for MOI!  I'm not biased or anything so I can objectively say that it is a freakishly cute bag. I've made many of them for sale and, gosh darn it- I want one for me!!

I figure I have a few hours worth of crochet work on them- I crochet pretty darn fast, if I do say so myself- so I am confident that I will be able to finish both of these items tomorrow.  And I'm not even going to cheat to ensure my success by getting a head start tonight.  *crossing fingers behind back* Nope. Going to be completely finished on Friday. *teeheehoohoo!*

In honor of my Watermelon Tote Crochet Marathon, and to help me decrease my wool stash, I am offering a limited supply of Felted Watermelon Tote KITS in my Pomquat Etsy store.  That's right folks!  I'm offering a complete kit- wool, handles, beads, decorative button, and magnetic clasp- along with the pattern! (Fabric for lining is NOT included).

If you have made this pattern, please drop me a line and send me some pictures!  I'd love to see (and even share here on my blog!) your creations!  If you have the pattern but have not started it yet, or if you just have some UFOs you need to get done, join me tomorrow for FINISH FRIDAY!!!!

Alright- I'm going to get my supplies ready in anticipation for my crochet marathon tomorrow. I'm pumped! I'm ready!  I'm an animal, Rocky!