Yarn Weight: 3 – A Hooker's World

Felix The Cat Cowl

The Name

The primary yarn color was labeled Felix, hence the name Felix The Cat by Ann Bennett.

The Cowl

I did not have enough Lucky Lamb Yarn to make anything, so I searched my stash and found some complementary colors.

This project was a difficult start, as I kept making mistakes and could not decided how to proceed: provisional cast on or in-the-round? I finally chose in-the-round, but ended up using the cable length (20 or 24-inch; pretty sure it is the 20-inch) that is difficult to maneuver.

Once I decided on a knit method, I had to decide when to stop; despite my desire to use all the yarn so there would be no leftovers.

The only other critical mistake was in design: my garter edges keep folding in on themselves; I think that is an issue between garter and stockinette transition.

Dimensions: 10 (D) x 12 (H)

Price: USD $188.00, less 25% Friends/Family Discount, where applicable

2018-11-13: Removed from stock; Donated to charity

About The Pattern

~~Felix The Cat Cowl pattern is available on AHW Patterns Page and AHW Ravelry Store.~~

2018-08-13: A Hooker’s World Closed

About The Yarn

Lucky Lamb Yarn

Fiber Content: 100% Superwash Wool
Yarn Color: Felix
Yarn Weight: 3, DK
Yarn Care: handwash cool / lay flat dry

Lana Gatto Feeling

Fiber Content: 70% Merinos Extrafine New Wool, 20% Silk, 10% Cashmere
Yarn Color: 12486
Yarn Weight: 3, DK
Yarn Care: Hand Wash, Dry Flat

Universal XF Merino Superwash

Fiber Content: 100% Extra Fine Merino
Yarn Color: Blue-Grey⁺
Yarn Weight: 3, DK
Yarn Care: machine wash – warm, do not bleach, do not tumble dry, do not iron, dryclean – any solvent except trichloroethylene

+  color approximated; unidentified on yarn label

Felix The Cat Cowl: Inception

Felix The Cat Cowl

I feel like the end is near and have developed a desire to crochet/knit all my good yarn before I die because I hate to see it being sold at a yard sale for fifty cents per skein.

Back in 2014 a group of friends and I ventured downtown on public transportation. We lunched at Philippe’s and then ambled over to Gather DTLA to visit another friend.

Downtown Los Angeles Day Trip — L to R: Cherylynn, Barbara, Leonardo, Cynthia, Cathy

It was in Gather DTLA that I purchased the skein of Lucky Lamb Yarn (multicolored). Had I been more experienced, I would have purchased enough yarn to actually make something. I’ve treasured it over the years more than actually looked for patterns using a small amount (250 yards). Unable to design something on my own back then, I have finally evolved to a level where I can improvise something simple. I was fortunate to find the complimentary solid colors in my stash: Lana Gatto Feeling in rust and Universal XF Merino Superwash in grey.

Unfortunately, I caught a mistake while examining, but it was four rows down and I didn’t want to tink back – I only 🐸 on flat pieces and only when there is no other option. Doubling up, I noticed another mistake in the picture…grrr!

Smiling Faces Sometimes Baby Blanket

About The Project Name

Smiling Faces Sometimes by The Undisputed Truth refers to the fact that I was smiling sometimes – when I figured out why the pattern kept bowing.

About The Project

This project marks the end of my Bernat Baby Coordinates from my stash…finally! The only amount left will be used in a scrap project. I was not sure how big this project would be; I’m glad that it is big enough to be used as something practical. I was prematurely thinking mama could use this as a pad for Mini Mikey due to the thickness created by alternating back and front post double crochets.

About The Pattern

I may write it up, but I am sure there are plenty out there already. I will check and if not, I will write up the pattern now that I know the secret to making this pattern coming out flat.

About The Yarn

Bernat Baby Coordinates

Fiber Content: (75.2% Acrylic, 22.2% Acetate, 2.6% Nylon)
Yarn Color: 01012 Iced Mint, 01011 Lemon Custard, White, Blue-Green, Green-Yellow
Yarn Weight: 3, DK

When I Come Around Romper

When I Come Around by Green Day is the name of this project. Ironic because January 2018 is when my great nephew is expected to come around. The other thing I noticed is that the romper is green and the name of the band is Green Day. My romper measures 9 (W) x 14 (H) inches.

About The Pattern

Blue Orchid Baby Romper by Croby Patterns written by Doroteja

While I am not crazy about the trellis top I am glad to finally have found a infant romper for a boy. Either the pattern is written in shorthand or I did not read the entire pattern once again, experiencing difficulty starting each row. The larger sizes are available if you download the PDF, but I don’t trust their PDF method, which is more involved than necessary.

About The Yarn

Bernat Baby Coordinates (Fiber Content: 75.2% Acrylic, 22.2% Rayon, 2.6% Nylon; Yarn Color: 01012 Iced Mint; Yarn Weight: 3, DK)

I am not crazy about this yarn for the damn pile and that string that runs through the yarn. I have noticed it is easier to crochet with a Susan Bates versus Boye hook. I used a US F/3.75 mm hook. Otherwise, I am glad to have a baby to use this yarn up on.

Upside Down Blanket

Upside Down Blanket for Michael Kenneth Aguilar January 2018

I kept putting off infant crochet for my future great nephew, and the other day I realized I better start crocheting faster because he is due in January 2018.

I had been wanting to save the Wobbly Squares Blanket pattern for Bunnyland (a project in conception), but thought this would be a good place to try the pattern. OMG! The pattern is so simple and once you understand the repeats, it is not problem. Warning! Keep track, I lost count and almost ended up with a completely lopsided blanket due to wrong stitch counts: 48 on side one, 48 on side 2, 52 on side 3, 52 on side 4. I managed to catch this before the last eight rows and was able to conceal the mistake with only 1 adjustment row.

I had to dig up all my baby yarns and found a box of Bernat Baby Coordinates (Fiber Content: 75.2 % Acrylic, 22.2% Rayon, 2.6% Nylon; Yarn Colors: Lemon Custard, White, Blue/Green mix, and Green/Yellow/White mix; Yarn Weight: 3, DK), so I mixed them up and started. Unfortunately, I forgot to include the mint green and baby blue I had, but looking at the blanket now, I think it would have been too much. My afghan measures approximately 32 inches square. I chose not to put a border. Next is a blue and white striped sweater.

Ironically, the project name – Upside Down by Jack Johnson – is appropriate to the pattern, which appears to be v-stitches, but in reality are double-crochet clusters – the Upside Down of v-stitches.

I Say A Little Prayer Shawl

On da Hook: December 23, 2016
Off da Hook: January 15, 2017
Pattern: I Say A Little Prayer Shawl by Hooker Leo
Yarn: Newton’s Yarn Country Nevada (Fiber Content: 100% Rayon; Yarn Weight: 3, DK)
Hook: US F – 3.75 mm
Dimensions: 56 (W) x 19.5 (D) unblocked; 68 (W) x 23 (D) blocked

The project name – I Say A Little Prayer by Dionne Warwick – represents my hope that the shawl shape would be what I hoped it would be, and thankfully, I was successful.

This is the first time I have used the Moss/Granite Stitch and the use with this yarn created a fascinating southwestern feel to the woven-like fabric. I tried to use complementary colors from the primary gradient, and think I could have done better, but am happy with my results. My stripes consist of two rows and occur every twelfth row.

Bonus: Discovered that rayon can be blocked!

Canary In A Coalmine Shrug

On da Hook: December 9, 2016
Off da Hook: December 10, 2016
Pattern: Sonata Shrug By Melissa Mall
Yarn: Red Heart Sport (Fiber Content: Acrylic, Yarn Color: 0230 Yellow, Yarn Weight: 3, Sport/Light)
Hook: US J – 6.00 mm
Dimensions: 32.5 (W) x 20 (H) inches

Having finished another UFO by the name of Crickets Sing For Anamaria, I decided to crochet a gift for my new BFF (best friend forever: Penny). I knew I could kick this out quickly, hoping to see her before I have to return the car. Actually, now that I think of it, I will continue to see her two days a week thanks to my generous cousin, but it’s doubtful I will see Penny on her birthday due to transportation issues.

Anyway, Penny told me her favorite color was yellow. I showed her yarn samples from my stash that I had available and to my surprise she picked the brighter color…YAY! I had done a search online for a shrug pattern, figuring following a pattern would be faster than trying to come up with something out of my head that I would like. I happened to find Sonata Shrug on Ravelry and liked it much. The pattern calls for sock, but I though the sport weight would work well enough. The only thing that might have made it drape more would be a bigger hook – US K – 6.5 mm. Oh well! I still love it.

The project name – Canary In A Coalmine by The Police – correlates to the color.