She Stitches Seashells by the Seashore

Pattern: Seashell Scrubbie by Aoibhe Ní (link to pattern on YarnTowers.com)

Started: September 28, 2021

Finished: June 28, 2022; ends woven in and ribbons tied round sets: finished August 7, 2022

Made for: gifts; might keep a set for myself

Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter (100% cotton; 573 yds/524m = 340g)

• 320g of "Anchors Away Ombre" (started with 320g; ended with 0g; about 8") = 539.3 yds

Hook size: 5.5mm/US 9-I

Notes & Photos:

Sept 28: After making the first set for the Quidditch match, I was left with a rather large ball of cotton yarn. I figured out I can make 9 more 4 cloth sets (10 including the one here; within-blog link) which I can use for little aside gifts for any ladies I know. I'm specifically thinking K and our shared-wall neighbor; I'm sure I'll think of others. Since they work up quickly and don't required too much concentration I'm confident I'll have them done sometime in Oct or Nov. No real deadline. I can get some ribbon next time we're at Wallyworld to bundle them together.

Oct 1: I made a cloth the other day (Wed?) and 3 tonight during a not-great preseason hockey game. That's 1 set down and 8 to go!

Oct 19: Decided to declare this as my Wandlore: Cores project. My declaration is here: 🐚🐚🐚 

Oct 22: Made 2 more scrubbies while watching ST:TNG reruns. Will take this project with me for my appointment later this morning. I need something to calm my nerves before I get test results. So many nerves right now...

later (2:56pm): Completed one at home before I left for my appointment, then a whole one and nearly a second whole waiting at the hospital for my appointment; I was called in 38 minutes past the time of my appointment. It takes me about 40-45 minutes to make one cloth. Here's the pre-appointment progress:

With the two made before bed, I have another full set done :) That makes 2 sets for this project; 3 including the set made for Quidditch :) Yay for progress!

Oct 25: Here's a photo of what I have completed so far:

Nov 9: Not a lot of progress on these. Will have to catch up a bit!

Nov 11 (3:44am): Made up for my lack of progress over here tonight - finished the one in the photo above plus made 4 more! A full set done and 1 cloth shy of a second set done this week :) That will give me 4 sets (5 counting the set from before) and nearly halfway through this project :) Woot!

Nov 15: Finished the scrubbie needed to make up the 4th set :) Need to alternate a bit more between these and Sil's blankie to get everything done on time. My current progress photo:

Nov 21: Another set done :) That's 5/9. Woot! These are coming along great. And with medical stuff this week, this is probably my most easily portable project.

Dec 25: The 5 sets I had finished have been gifted so I'm sitting here with a lemon-lime vodka soda drink and am just finishing the first cloth of set number 6. (It's 2:27am; we're still up having stayed up to open our presents lol)

Jan 30/22: Oops. Took a little holiday from these. Or rather from recording them. I had two more finished and one on my hook when I opened the project bag today. That's 6 sets nearly done :) 

Let's see what I can get done today!

Feb 1/22: 5 completed before I turned to other projects :) 6 of 9 sets finished, and 1/4 of the 7th (Yes, ends need finishing; that's for later)

April 7/22: Taking stock of projects today and where they're at. This should be easy to get back on track and finished. Less than 3 sets left. 

April 12/22: Just made one more scrubbie. This brings me to 6.5 sets finished.

June 21/22: 4 more done so far today. Humidity was awful today so I opted for the cotton small project instead of one of the others

later: Make that 5 :) Bringing me to 7 3/4 sets

June 26/22: This is what a stack of 16 scrubbies looks like lol:

That's 4 sets done on top of the 4 I did before December; 8 of the approximately 9 sets I figured I'd be able to make. (Not counting the set I made for a Quidditch match last fall) This project is nearing completion 😊

June 28/22: And done! Well there are ends to be woven in. I finished off the entire ball with only 8" left!! I made (not including the 4 made for the Quidditch match) a total of 37 scrubbies = 9 sets plus 1. And the last one I cheated the edges of by doing slipped sts around instead of sc. Here's the "mini" scrubbie next to a "regular" one:

So once I have the ends woven in and the ribbons around the sets, I can submit this for another finished Class 😊 

August 7/22: Finally got around to weaving in the ends and adding the ribbons 😊 Finished photo of the last 5 sets (and the single mini shell) is added to the top of the page

Hole-y Cats!

Pattern: Saoirse by Aoibhe Ní (Link to pattern's page on her website)

Started: May 1, 2022

Finished: May 2, 2022

Made for: Quidditch Match 2

Yarn: Red Heart Roll With It Sparkle (97% acrylic, 3% other fibers; 561yds/513m = 150g)

• 4g of "E898 9801 Cristal" (started with 147g; ended with 143g) = 14.96yds

Hook Size: 5.0mm/US 8/H

Notes & Photos:

April 26: Setting this up now that the Match has started. Not sure what to do. The challenge this time is to create something with "intentional holes". That screams lace to me. Also filet crochet. So yeah. Time to search my pattern library for something quick that has holes!

May 1: I've decided to make a mini bandana for this match. I think working to row 3 would be good.

May 2: And done already 😊 About 11" from tip to tip and 5 7/8" deep. I would use a larger hook, maybe a 6.0mm, to make the actual shawl.

Scrub-a-dub-dub

Pattern: Seashell Scrubbie by Aoibhe Ní (link directly to pattern on her site🔗)

Started: September 27, 2021

Finished: September 28, 2021

Made for: undetermined recipient/Quidditch @ Ilvermorny 

Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter (100% cotton; 573yds/524m = 340g)

• 32g of "Anchors Away Ombre" (starting weight: 352g; finished weight: 320g) = 53.93 yds

Hook size: 5.5mm/US I-9

Notes & Photos:

Sept. 25: Quidditch match #4 for 2021 is Scourgify! Which means cleaning implements of all kinds. I've been toying with the idea to make sets of these cute cloths to have on hand for Yuletide gifts. I'm thinking sets of 4. This is the perfect opportunity to try out the pattern and score some points for Wampus at the same time :) My snitch guess will be 225 for this match.

Sept. 27: Time to get underway!

later (7:59pm): Finished the first cloth :) It's adorable and I like how the bits of color in the yarn came out in Tunisian crochet. I took this photo after completing the first rnd:

It doesn't look like much yet. But it very quickly expanded to this (the finished cloth):

13.48 yds (8g) = Cute and quick! 3 more to go :)

later (12:32am): And that project is done and dusted ;) I'm definitely going to make more sets to give as little Yuletide gifts as the Fall progresses. I definitely have enough yarn! lol I like how each one is subtly different from the others in colors. Putting the photo of the set at the top and then submitting my Quidditch score; I am on the ball!

Freedom of the Skies & Seas

Pattern: Finola by Aoibhe Ní Pattern Page on YarnTowers.com 🔗

Started: March 28, 2021

Finished: September 17, 2021

Made for: Síle aka Me / Year 2 Dragon Studies

Yarns: Lion Brand Mandala (100% acrylic; 590yds = 150g)

• .54 skein/ 81g of "Troll" = 369 yds

Red Heart Roll With It Sparkle (97% acrylic, 3% other fibers; 561yds = 150g)

• 1 skein/ 150g of "7001 Amethyst" = 561 yds
• .06 skein/9g of "9801 Krystal" (started with 156g) = 33.66 yds

Total yardage: 963.66 yds 

Hook size: 5.0mm/ US 8

Notes & photos: I feel the need to start something new and different that I don't have to design myself. I'm declaring this for my Year 2 Dragon Studies class at Ilvermorny as well. 

Declaration 

So, my plan is to start with my remaining 81g of "Troll" and complete an exact number of panels with it and then use the "new" colorway for more panels plus the upper border. I'm hopeful the total amount of yarn allows for more panels than written in the pattern.

An inspiring photo of New Zealand's scenery

Lupins, mountains, and ocean; could almost be western Newfoundland but it's New Zealand

later: Charts A completed & first 10 columns of chart B

later: Charts A & B done 😊

later: First panel finished and back to the point where panel two starts 😊 I really like how the yarn shaded through the first panel.

4/06: about half done the second panel

April 7: completed the second panel :) I can really see now how the panels both line up and stagger to leave the fan shaped edge. I'm surprised how much of the darker blue is in this ball. Not complaining, just surprised! Looks like there's a bit more and then it will be navy blue for a while before going to a dark purple and finally to the brighter purple that is on the outside of the skein. Need to get up to Walmart for another ball soon, although I think this ball is good for at least another 2 or even 3 more panels. We shall see if I'm right! Photo added of the two completed panels :)

 

4/08: 3 panels done and chart A finished on the 4th one :)

4/13: Another panel completed :) (Also Jadeybop photobomb)

4/16: Couldn't find any Mandala (not even a shelf tag!) so I found another yarn in a similar color family that I hope works well. It's called Red Heart Roll With It Sparkle; I admit the sparkle drew me in lol I like that it's another gradient yarn.

4/20: Progress! I just love how this is coming out. And how yummy is the most recent shade of purple? This project is just so nice to pick up and work on 😊

later: Well, talk about yarn chicken. I got 8.5 columns of Chart C done with the remainder of the Mandala. Time for a quick photo, and then dash upstairs for the new sparkly yarn!

4/27: Oops, I meant to add photos of the sparkly yarn added in! Here we go then, two photos to update things:

First up the completion of Chart C & D using the new yarn

And the 8th panel is done (also with the new yarn)

May 4: Time for a progress pic! Roughly halfway through panel 9; tonight has done my head in on a personal level. Hard to craft and cry at the same time.

May 18: Got sidetracked with my PHC project but I did a bit on this on the weekend.

May 25: I almost have another panel done! I'll bring this to my vaccine appointment and get that one finished so I can post a proper update photo at Ilvermorny 

later: Yeah, so guess who forgot her project bag on the couch when she went to her vaccine appointment? This panel is only partially done but it's progress!

June 1: New month! And I finished the panel I started last week after (finally) getting the llama finished. Not major progress but it's progress!

June 15: Where is this month going? It doesn't help I've been laid up with my back again for ... today makes 7 days straight. I've started a pair of slippers for Quidditch and gotten chart A and a start on chart B on panel 13 of this pretty. And here's how that's looking:

June 29: What a gorgeous day to sit out and get a few well-lit photos while crafting and adding a little natural vitamin D :) I finished panel 13 and started panel 14 before I turned to my work project. Once that's off the needles I can focus on getting a few others done. Here are some photos from this afternoon under clear sunny skies and a moderate 17°C:

July 6: Another panel finished this week and onto the gray section in the yarn :) It's looking really good:

July 20: Roughly half a panel this week :)

August 2: Finished the 18th panel and started the neckband today :) Instead of 11 linked upple trebles as stated in the pattern, I'm using 9. Keep in mind my 18 panels are also a modification to the pattern. It was written as 14. I took a quick photo of what I have done of the neckband. I will have to get a photo of the whole shawl tomorrow when the light is better. Here's the start of the neckband:

August 3: Didn't get an outdoor photo today and I took back the neckband I had started and reduced it to 6 linked upple trebles instead. I'm actually very low on yarn for the neckband due to the extra sts needed to border the entire piece with the extra panels. So fingers crossed it comes out ok. I really like how the whole piece looks. Here's an entire shawl view:

Sept 14: Haven't worked on this for a bit, but I pulled it out the other night and worked a bit more on the neckband. I'm getting awfully close to the end of this ball of yarn so I may have to get another on Thursday. I really like how the blue looks along the lavender sections. Most recent pic:

Sept 16: Finished with ball 2. I didn't find the same colorway but I found one with a lot of blues in the same yarn. I won't need much to finish. 

later (1:13am NDT, Sept 17): And finished :) It turned out so nice!! Finished photo added to the top of this page :) And my submission post for Dragon Studies is here.

Round Dance

Pattern: Ishrat by Aoibhe Ní (link to pattern page on YarnTowers.com🔗)

Started: August 14, 2021

Finished: August 15, 2021

Made for: Síle aka Me/ Square Dance Weekend @ Ilvermorny 

Yarn: remnant without ballband from Rubbermaid container behind Mum's couch. Seems to be 100% acrylic, roughly sport weight. Could be Bernat?

• "Pastels" starting with 114g, no clue on yardage; used 66g, using an avg of 340yds = 100g for sport weight, I used 224.4 yds

Needle size: 4.5mm/ US 7

Hook size: 5.5mm

Notes & photos:

August 14: Needed a quick project for August's Square Dance Weekend and I've wanted to try this hat pattern for a bit so it seemed like a good time. Also I don't have all the colors for my granny square cardi idea yet, so that has to wait.

Ok! So Ishrat starts with a garter st band. Time to cast on!

later: Ok the band is done and I've worked 5 extra garter ridges, meaning I'll have one extra row in each segment of the crown. Here's what my band looks like; Jakey is acting as my quality supervisor so pay him no mind. Mr. Nosey Nose tonight lol And now I switch to single crochet for one row along the side of the band before starting the Tunisian crochet of the crown. Alright so here's the band and Mr Nosey:

later: I've finished the first crown section already!

I have to say, Aoibhe's videos are brilliant to understanding how and what's going on with her patterns. I don't normally get on well with video instructions; written is my go to for most things. But she does an absolute bang up job with her videos :) Part of that could be the comfort I take in watching her hands. She crochets like I do (hook and yarn in the right hand)! Which believe you me has earned me a ton of criticism, to the point I actually stopped crocheting for a good space of time; like 5 or 6 years. Yes, seriously. I digress!

So here's what one of the 5 crown sections looks like. And after I get some sleep we'll see if I can't knock out a few more today :)

August 15: Crocheting is finished :) Just the seam to do up. Which I'll do as soon as I move to a quieter spot so I can actually hear the video. I love the method shown; I've watched it a couple times already. But it's different to have the work in your hands as you watch and follow along. So here's the complete but not seamed hat (apologies for the flash): 

40 or so minutes later: All done! :) And it fits too