Things for Small, Delicate Beings

[originally posted June 29, 2008 on my old blog at vicjorob.spaces.live.com]

Nine months have passed since my initial entry to this blog. Busy with work, travel, kids, life -- but no excuses. I can say that with all this work, I've continued to work on small, delicate things but have moved beyond my favorite -- hats -- to children's clothing. Looking back, it surprises me that I have completed three projects (soon to be four) for infants when I had studiously avoided making anything for babies, other than hats. I just had never been interested in making anything for a kid -- I never saw the challenge. I also didn't (still don"t) like most of the patterns available to crocheters. Everything (other than blankets) seems so bulky and cumbersome. But things can change.

It started first with a challenge to replicate a 30-year old christening set for which no pattern could be found. The needle artist (and she was an artist with a hook) had passed away. Not one to shy away from a challenge, I worked with a friend to break this project down. I was assigned the gown, she had the bonnet, booties, and blanket. My word, what a learning experience. The bodice of the gown had faint smocking which serves to allow the main body to flow freely around the infant's torso and legs. The smocking is accomplished by reducing stitches which simulate gathering. It was a technique I had never seen before. Pretty cool the way it turned out. I learned a lot making this. And I found that I had really enjoyed this project! My friend did a beautiful job on her three items and I am ever so grateful that she did the finishing work on the gown -- seaming, trim, washing.

My next project was for the new baby of a coworker. I thought I would make a sweater -- hey, sweaters are just shorter versions of christening gowns, right? I went from DK weight baby pompadour to a Bulky bamboo the sheds like angora. It was different but thank goodness for bulky, slightly boucle yarn -- it hides a multitude of sins. The matching hat was a joy to make -- I guess I have had plenty of practice.

Project no. 3 was a onesie for a my cousin's first grandson to be born this August. After searching for something that inspired me (yes, I still wait for the yarn to inspire me before I search for the "perfect" pattern), I found a retro pattern on . Although the original pattern calls for No 10 Mercerized cotton thread and Steel Crochet Hook No 5, I used Paton's Grace DK with Boye Crochet Hook No F. This DK cotton proved to be so easy to work with. I called this my Lancer Blue Romper. Why Lancer Blue? Any alumn of Layton [Utah] High School will recognize our school colors of Blue and Light Blue. So, what inspires me to work on things for small, delicate beings now? Old, antique, retro patterns that can be modified to showcase the wonderful yarn available today.

Small, Delicate Things

[originally posted September 25 on my original blog vicjorob.spaces.live.com]

I've been working at crochet for more than 16 years, having started sitting up in the attic bedroom of my aunt's house while my grandmother worked on her latch hook masterpieces in the room across the hall. My aunt busied herself with origami, while my uncle worked his paintings. My aunt started me with my first hook and a ball of yarn and introduced me to her Swedish neighbor who showed me the error of my some of my ways. My aunt's neighbor proudly showed off her intricate lacework and I was hooked -- on crochet. All this while on one of my periodic visits up to their rural Minnesota town.

My first project? A ribbed washcloth that I still have and use. I keep it because when I look at it, I am reminded of what a novice I really had been. I thought I had used the traditional SC stitch but found out that I had inserted my hook into the back loop of each stitch--thus the ribbing! I made a few more small things but as my life got busier, what with a new job, new living quarters (twice), taking in my nieces, I kind of forgot about the art, until a few years ago when I bought some yarn that just felt yummy.

I started by making a hat. Actually, I did not start off making a hat but rather, I was trying to teach myself to work in the round. Soon, the "thing" started to curl and before I knew it, I had made something cuplike which fit onto my head. Yeah, yeah, while wondering what to do with this thing, I put it on to see whether it would fit. I decided to make a hat. Of course, without a pattern but that never stopped me before (remember that washcloth?). I crocheted, working it into a shape that somewhat resembled a hat. I made plenty of mistakes but found the chenille yarn was quite forgiving. Even the holes created by missed stitches became buttonholes for decorative buttons that I would add. I stayed up all night and then presented the finished product to my sister. She was sooooo impressed. If only I knew how easy it was to impress the family with something so small, I would never have put down my hooks in the first place.

I discovered that night that I don't like to follow patterns -- I preferred to learn by doing, just like I had tackled everything else -- computers, raising nieces, leading Girl Scouts. At first, I made only small things using nothing more complicated than the SC stitch. But in the intervening years, I realized this could not go on. I needed to learn to read a pattern and to figure out why my SCs looked more like HDCs, and why every straight-sided item (like a scarf or washcloth) was the most lopsided thing of non-beauty. So I took to the books and began asking the experts (I only knew one who's motto is to not be afraid to take it apart and redo). I can read a pattern now, adapting it to my mistakes and bursts of creative what-ifs. I can even make straight edged scarves and afghans.

I tip my hat to those women who patiently answered my what seemed to be inane questions and pointed me in the right direction.

P.S. I still prefer making small, delicate goods, but I have grown to appreciate the warmth of a good afghan.