A bit of crochet

I love to create things in crochet! I find it easy to "see" how to get the shapes I want in crochet. I am not sure why I don't do more of it? Too many other things to do I supppose, like taking care of my family, homeschooling, running kids to activities, working with Arnhild and running my own business. I guess you would say that my days are a little busy! HA!

I made up this little purse before the TNNA trade show last summer. I wanted something that would hold just the necessities but be small enough to tuck into my knitting bag when I needed to carry it too. The strap is long enough to put over my head to the opposite shoulder. I don't have to worry about it falling off the shoulder or giving me a crick in the neck.

I used River Jeans yarn, a cotton yarn with a denim look. It is beautiful, soft yarn for a cotton. Other cottons make my hands hurt when I work with it but not this one. Lovely stuff! I lined it with white so you can see the lace rows better.

As you maybe can see here, I have been using it lately to carry the Bunad stocking that I am working on. It makes a great sock project bag too!

If I can find the time I will try to write up the pattern! I have so many patterns which are only notes or worse yet, just in my head yet!

Toddler Sweater and socks

Things are coming together for the TNNA trade show. Only 2 weeks to go and much to do yet! Arnhild and I went over the preparations list again yesterday. We are pretty much packed up for the display now except for the models that are not finished. These 2 projects will be going into one of the rolling suitcases.

The River Jeans cotton Cabled Sweater. I made the size 2-4 toddler. This yarn is so soft and nice. The cables really look good in it and it has really good resilience for a cotton yarn. This is a sweater that is going to hold its shape I think!

You can see the cables better behind the Magi Socks here. Magi is another one of the new yarns that we will be displaying. It is a machine washable sock yarn. 75%wool/25% nylon. Really nice stuff too! This pair is just over 5 inches long. I made the sock to fit a little wooden shoe last that we are going to use for display. I really want to make some socks for myself now with one of the other colors!

I don't usually worry about having the stripes of the 2 socks match. I kind of like having them be fraternal twins but since these are going on the display at TNNA and on the pattern that I still need to write up (ahem), I thought they should probably match. I am very pleased at how closely they match. And I only had to cast on the second sock twice! Oh, if you can't tell in the picture, one of the socks is turned down at the cuff. They will work either way.

My web site designer, and second oldest son, took the socks to the park for a photo shoot. Here is the lovely photo that he took.

I made both of the socks from one 50g ball of Magi and still had some left over.

I am now finishing up the Ladies Cabled Cardigan (2090RVF) in Vamsegarn and Finullgarn. I need to sew in the sleeves yet and knit a neckband. Then I have to pick out some buttons that will go well with it. I find that to be the hardest part sometimes. I will often have an idea in my mind of what I want but does it exist? maybe-maybe not We will see what I find!

I thought I was getting almost finished with the projects for the show but after Arnhild and I went over the list again she handed me a baby sweater in another new yarn--Chiri Alpaca--which needs some crochet for finishing. Then she said that we needed to make more of the baby sweaters in this yarn if we could find the time.

So, I will be knitting.........

Toddler Cable Sweater in River Jeans cotton

I haven't posted in a while because I have been busy trying to get this little toddler sweater knit up for the TNNA trade show next month. This pattern is newly translated into English by Arnhild and will be available as soon as it arrives from Norway.

I am making the size 2-4 for display at the show. We don't have a lot of the yarn on hand yet either but there was enough for this size and it will be faster to knit up than a larger size. I wish it would fit Carl though because it is really going to be a nice sweater.

The River Jeans yarn is 100% cotton and remarkably soft. I have enjoyed working with it. Many cotton yarns make my hands hurt or feel rough but this one doesn't.

This is a great yarn for summer tops too I think. We also have a new tank top and cardigan pattern that is translated and being knit up. There are so many things that River Jeans could be used for. I just wish that it came in more colors!

Pattern -- PT 795-River Jeans Cabled Pullover for Children and Men
Yarn -- River Jeans 100% cotton


Tomorrow we start playing with all of the yarn and sample models to decide how we are going to display them for TNNA. We have lots of new things to show! I hope we can fit it all in the car! I am looking forward to meeting store owners and pattern designers from all over the US.