Froggin'

So this weekend, among other things (being "cooking," and by cooking I mean double batches of: coq au vin, gumbo, and stewed oxtails, in addition to mixing and baking off a birthday "meat cake" for mom), I frogged what was on its way to being a very simple version of Versatility, though worked in crochet, simply in trebles.

I hadn't gotten to the point of affixing the buttons, and the yarn whispered to me, in a way known only to crocheters and knitters. It wanted to be released and reinvented into something else, and I had to oblige.

Between this Versatility/shrug/combo-garment wanna be (done in Lion Brand "Thick and Quick," color: Lemongrass, and the black and white (also done in LB Thick and Quick) partially finished granny square afghan I also frogged last weekend, I now had AMPLE supply of re-purposed yarn for tinkering.

I had a pair of Crochenit hooks joined with a flexible cable, and I hadn't tried my hand on it yet, and figured I'd have a go.

Crochenit is very similar (in execution, though not appearance) to Tunisian Simple Stitch, in that you work a base chain and then work your first row of stitches ONTO the hook, and in this case, the cable, after you've removed the green cap... the "Go" cap.

However, when you get to the end of the row, you do not make the return pass as you would for Tunisian. You take the red cap from the opposite end, and place it on the end you JUST arrived at. You then FLIP your work as you would when knitting, when working on the purl side.

You join a new skein and start working the loops off as you would in TSS, and then work the new row of loops back onto the hook and cable. You get to the end, you cap it with the red cap, and flip your work and then start working off the loops from the reverse side.

IMHO, it creates a rather dense type of fabric, which looks like garter stitch. I think it just looks thick because the yarn is so thick, and the hooks I am using are about an "N," when really Thick and Quick could benefit from a larger hook like a Q.

So back and forth I went about three returns, and I realized at this rate with this size yarn and this size hook, the fabric will be rather dense. I'm thinking I might just want to knock out a "cozy" for when I am on my loveseat in the living room. Not a full sized afghan but something just big enough to cozy beneath while watching t.v.

So I started working a row of treble crochet. And then reverted back to the crochenit. Not sure if this is ultimately going to make me and the yarn happy, but at least I'm doing something different and exercising my brain.

I also have been KNITTING a clapotis, however, fell in love with the NOTION of a crocheted version, called a Clapochet, which I now, of course, want to crochet. But first things first. I'm 13 rows into the clapotis. I hope once I get to the point where the pattern is established (I'm still doing the "set up" rows), this will be finished in time for the Red Scarf Project for next year. Considering it is now March and scarf collection is around September or October, I hope I'll remain motivated to finish this. Oh? Why yes... that IS a rosewood knitting needle:)


I also have an unfinished baby blanket (totally custom designed by me) which I do not like the motifs I have worked out so far, and might rip them out and work them separately. I tried doing a daisy chain, and then didn't like the chains between the motifs, and in a fit of fucked-upped-ness, I snipped them, and there's not enough yarn to weave back in... and well, I just don't like how it is at the moment. So this project is stalled. Mercifully, the co-worker who is the intended recipient, has been out on extended maternity leave. I'll make it a bit bigger than what blankets I normally make so it won't just be a "nursery" item.

I also have a custom ordered double-ended "Tunisian" I ordered from Brains Barn, which is a double ended "S" sized hook, worked in NJ black walnut.

Stay tuned for that picture...