Another New Year

Wow, we're already through the first month of 2013!  And I haven't posted anything in a while.  I'm going to try to be more diligent in posting more often.  I may take a lesson from Future Girl's blog and start posting my crochet projects as I'm making them.  I'm currently working on a sweater for myself.  I'm using the yarn that I got from my niece and her family for Christmas.  She's done this for the past couple of years and I love it.  I made a brown/cream sweater for myself from last year's yarn (wore it on a couple of really cold days and it's great!), so I chose a couple of the colors (actually 3) from this year's box and went looking for a pattern.

Of course, I went to my old standby, Lion Brand, and searched their free patterns section.  Since I did a pullover last year, I wanted to do a cardigan this year.  I found one that I liked and started crocheting, using the instructions for size 1X, the size I normally wear.  I was 90% done, when I realized that it was way too big.  It looked more like a large 2X or small 3X, so, after agonizing about it for a week, I finally decided to FROG it and start over.  For those of you who don't know what Frogging is, it's simple - rip it, rip it, rip it.  I ended up with a couple of balls of each yarn.  And then I started over, using the instructions for the Large instead.

I love this color combination.  It's rust, sage green and a multi called Somerset, which is why I'm calling this sweater "Somerset".  The pattern is worked in one piece from the neckline down with the sleeves crocheted directly onto the stitches left open for them.  It has a 13 row lower band and a 13 row lapel band that I'm working in the Somerset, with a section of the sage, banded by the Somerset, set between blocks of the rust color.  It looks really cool and I can't wait to get it finished.  I'm about to start the rows below the sleeve holes, so it's moving pretty quickly (since I've already done this pattern once, I know what's supposed to happen).  I promise to post a couple of pics once it's done.

In the meantime, I got invited to a craft show in April and I signed up.  Haven't done many spring shows before, so we'll see how this one goes.  I will also be working on stock for the Fairy Fest, which I'm assuming will be the first weekend in May, as usual.  I sold out all of my Fairy Bling last year, so I have to get busy and make some more.  I still have a bunch of wands.  Of course, I will have to replace the purple ones (they always sell out!) and add a few more pink ones, and I need to make some more of the headbands, too.  Luckily, I was able to get a lot of the ribbon that I use on sale last fall, so at least I won't have to be buying any more of that this year.

So, now 2013 is started.  And I promise to be a better blogger and to post a lot more often.  Maybe I'll just schedule myself an appointment to update my blog every couple of weeks.  Hopefully, that will get me here more often.  Have a great day!