Mmmm.... Lasagne....

If you're hungry, be sure to direct your browser to the new blog, where I've got a recipe for polenta lasagne!

To hear the whole story, click on over, and don't forget to "clean up" your bookmarks and your feed!

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Decluttering your blog reader?

I'm writing about decluttering over on the new blog today...

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Are you still here?

I've posted an update today over at the new blog:

The move to my new domain has prompted me to finally tell you about another much bigger, real move for our family. First, maybe a bit of background. I don’t talk about family stuff that much on the blog...

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Transition...

I'm moving my blog away from blogger. I've had the domain name since I began my blog, and it's taken me this long to make the jump to setting it up! I'm excited about the flexibility of hosting the blog myself (loving Wordpress--it's open source, you know!).

Here's the new site: http://www.thehookandi.com.

I'll be posting there exclusively, so please update your bookmarks and feed settings! (If you're subscribed using Feedburner, your feed has been automatically updated. To subscribe to the new site now, just click on the link.

I'll be posting at the new site from now on, but leaving reminders here periodically for folks to update their bookmarks/feeds...

See you at the new site!

Two New Patterns! - Men's Raglan and Shawl

As promised before the yarn party, I've finally put the finishing touches on the patterns for Nhoj's Raglan--an top-down crocheted men's sweater, and the Antique Lace Shawl--a triangle lace crocheted shawl worked in one ball (plus oddments for the edging) of Knit One Crochet Too douceur et soie. More pictures for both the shawl and the sweater are on ravelry.

Without further ado...

Antique Lace Shawl

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Nhoj's Raglan

Year of the Rat: baby beanie and booties

Year of the Rat: baby beanie and booties
Originally uploaded by crochetroo

Crochetroo designed this amazing Year of the Rat hat and booties--I love the rat tail on the top of the hat, and the adorable nose toes for the booties. I'm hoping I hear about a baby I can make these for this year!

One Step Forward...

I made significant progress on the round yoke last night... If you consider my ripping out 4 hours of crocheting this morning progress. I do, actually, I've now got a sound grasp of the concept, As Robyn said, "It's like crocheting a flat circle but with a hole in the middle." and I've codified it, working out my own gauge, stitch pattern and placement of increases. I had to rip simply because I wanted a wider neckline to start. I'm looking forward to digging back in, but it's going to have to wait until I get some more mundane computer stuff done.

I'm sorry I didn't photograph my piece before I ripped, so you're going to have to be satisfied with the swatch, above. It's a sneak peak for a garment I'm working on for a fall magazine in the luscious Lorna's Laces green line. I just love the very subtle shading in this yarn and it is made of a super-soft organic merino and dyed using sustainable methods.

Oh, and we have a winner for the Apron Contest! Steel City Knitter who has plans to give it away to her mom. Congratulations!

Yarn Party Pictures

March08 408
Originally uploaded by javajem

Oh Look! There's a flickr pool of the yarn party--here's a shot someone took of my table--you can't see all the squishy garments I had on display, but there's Jay in the front trying to play with Andrea Price's swift. My friends Martha and Corrine are on either side of the table, and that's me in the center in the funny pageboy hat.

The rest of the pool shows just how crowded and fun the whole thing was. I hope they do it again soon!

EZ Quote of the day...

I've been flipping through old knitting books looking for inspiration about round yokes, and stumbled upon this gem in Knitting Without Tears:

"Norwegian color pattern knitting and the making of Scottish Argylls have a watery waste between them as deep and wide as the North Sea or German Ocean."

Last night at about 1:30 a.m. I finished a pair of crocheted socks just under the wire for an upcoming summer magazine release. My hands were tired and so was I, and I thought, I'll give myself a couple of days break before jumping back into my other deadlines. But for some reason, today, I woke up itching to start another project. It must be that time of year, I have a bit of startitis. Luckily, I have a lot of projects waiting in the wings as well as some great contract knitters and crocheters helping me out.

The next sweater that I'm creating--a crocheted cropped jacket for Lana Knits--has been brewing for some time. I've designed it in my head several times, swatched a bit and finally come up with a plan, in theory that I like. Now it's time to dig out hook and yarn again and give it a try. I'd like it to have a round yoke and I want to try and work out. Time to experiment!

Have you ever crocheted a round yoke sweater? I'd love to hear about it.

Blog Interview

Hi All--a while back Kiba the Diva invited me to be interviewed for her blog, and today she posted the results. Thanks, Kiba!

This picture is not me getting my first taste of yarn as a child ;-). It's the lucky daughter of The Sanguine Gryphon who's first exposure to yarn is much more sophisticated than my trips down the K-mart isles! She was helping her mom this weekend at the Takoma Park Yarn Party which was a rousing success. Thanks to all who came!