Project Gallery January 2014

Shelly hasn't been able to be with us for a while because of her busy schedule but she has been busy crocheting. Look at this beautiful bag AND the beautiful blue ribbon she won from the Rice County Fair. The yarn is Captiva by Berroco and this combination cotton /  polyester / acrylic blend definitely makes a captivating crocheted fabric; sturdy and stable but with a nice sheen and luxurious feel. The beads that Shelly added to the drawn-string handle give just the right touch of bling!

And speaking of bling, Shelly also make this light, shimmering shawl from Sari Ribbon yarn by Louisa Harding. She said it worked up very fast because of the large hook size (Q or P) - and the end result is stunning.

Lisa can't wear wool so she is always on the lookout for alternatives. This month she showed us a scarf made from Unforgettable, one of the Red Heart Boutique yarns. The yarn is 100% acrylic but unbelievably soft and supple. Lisa chose just the right stitch pattern to show off the wonderful colors of this self-striping yarn.

Last time we told you about Linda's cute amigurumi hedgehog - but somehow missed getting a picture of the work-in-progress. Well, never fear, this month Linda brought him in complete - and the hedgehog even brought a pal with him, a handsome teddy bear. Aren't they adorable? Mr. Hedgehog is made of a worsted weight acrylic with Lion Brand Fun Fur trim and Mr. Bear is made with Lion Brand Vanna's Choice that Linda won at last month's destash. Check out the eyebrows n Mr. Bear - Linda said the person she made this for specifically asked for eyebrows and we all thought she did a great job personalizing this bear for his new owner.

With this cold weather, there is nothing more comfortable than a nice cozy crocheted afghan and Jen brought in one to inspire us all. It's made from Simply Soft by Caron and features a lovely cabled ripple pattern. Be sure to click on this photo to get a closer look at Jen's amazing stich work!









Speaking of afghans, Maxine has just started one and brought it in for us to see. The stitch pattern is from Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns, a book that includes both crochet and knit ripples. Maxine is making this afghan in four shades of Plymouth Encore and is planning this as a long-term "spare-time" project in between other projects.

Maxine also brought in her completed cape (Josephine's Amazing Technicolor Dreamcape) that won third prize in the Accessories division at the 2013 Crochet Guild of America Design Contest. The cape is made from Nature Spun Sport by Brown Sheep in a variety of turquoise and olive green shades. The yoke is felted and the bottom (the ripple part) is not. The felted cape is heavily beaded and the ripples have a smattering of beads, accented with pearl cotton trim.










And while we're talking about beaded trims, check out these cute purple socks that Pauline made for her granddaughter. As you can see, the socks are knitted but the bead trim is crochet. A wonderful example of two crafts used to make one unique project. And such a beautiful color!

And finally, when it comes to color, doesn't the white border on Mary's potholders really make the colors pop? Some are made from Sugar n Cream and others (the star-shaped numbers) are made from a lighter-weight crochet crochet. They are all nice and sturdy (double-thickness) - useful as well as decorative.