experimenting with a new soaker pattern

isn't this precious? The ribbed soaker looks so classy to me! This one's a little wide in the hips relative to its rise and legs, but that's due to me not adjusting for adding the short rows in the back.

Live and learn, and try again soon!

updates...

#1--crochet lessons with Victoria begin Thursday. Her mom is going to buy her a hook and some easy-to-work-with yarn between now and then. We're going to meet during her study hall at school, which is the hour right before her Latin class with me. I'm so excited! I hope she likes it!

#2--I posted a picture of Lucy's Longhorn Longies on the 'pin and I got an order for some from 'pin mom! I have NO intention of getting into the diaper cover crocheting business, but Jenn lives near Stephanie and Nathan and we've emailed a bunch and tried to get together when I'm in the Ft. Worth area, so she's more of a friend than some random internet person. She wants some purple TCU longies for her toddler. Why not? Toddler sized longies sound like a fun challenge to me! She's going to hunt down the perfect purple yarn and then I'll get started.

#3--it's killing me not to post a picture of the super fun project I'm working on for baby Hochart. But since I know Liz reads this blog--all of you will have to wait until she's seen the real thing before I post pics. IT IS SO STINKIN' CUTE!

Hook 'em Horns!

I finished Lucy's "Longhorn Longies"! Made from the Ladybugz Morning Glory pattern in Lion wool (pumpkin and winter white colors).

She can wear them as a diaper cover this winter and they'll double as pants. My favorite feature on this pattern is the little heiny extension so they'll fit over those fluffy cloth diapers.

I'm so pleased with the way they came out! Now, here's hoping they fit with a little room to spare so she can wear them through the winter...

teaching more than Latin

I left about 30 minutes early for my Latin classes today due to a severe line of thunderstorms due in the Houston area during my normal travel time. I figured I could sit up at school and chat for a while before my class if it meant I didn't have to drive in the heavy rain. I took the hat I was working on (see below) for entertainment, too. One of my students, a super cute 4th grader named Victoria, saw me working on the hat and asked if I could teach her. I told her that my mom taught me when I was about her age, so sure, if she wanted to learn, I'd be happy to work with her. I didn't know if she was really serious or not, but when it came time to leave today after class, she cornered me and started talking details. She really wants to learn! I'm so excited! I told her I'd email her mom and we'd set up a time for lessons. How fun would it be to teach one of my kiddos my favorite craft? Yay!

bitty baby hat

I worked this up today for a friend at church who is expecting any minute now. It's out of the same lime green yarn as Lucy's bunny lovey (had leftover from that project). This one was fun and fast...

kitty love!

This project cracks me up. It's for my friend Jessica's baby, Rush (not his/her real name--but an in-the-womb nickname). I started with the intention of doing another bunny lovey like I made for my niece (see post below). The problems started when I got fancy and decided to try a pattern that worked from corner to corner instead of in straight rows for the "blanket" part. That turned out to be a disaster. The first half went great as I increased up to the middle--I had a lovely triangle that was making a perfect 90 degree angle and I was so excited. The 2nd half was the problem. I don't know if it was me or the pattern, but I could never get the decrease right and it quickly became evident that the 2nd half was never going to make a square. Since I'm going to be seeing Jessica this weekend, and wanted to give her the lovey, I didn't have time to start over and make it square. So the winging-it began! I quit crocheting before it turned into a long kite-shape, and decided to make something work with the pentagonal shape I had. An idea from some loveys I've seen in Target and Babies R Us seemed like it might work with my one sharp corner. They make some where the animal has arms and looks like it's holding the corner of the blanket. So I attached the head and created arms to hold the corner. It turned out surprisingly well. In fact, if I'd done the head and ams in a contrasting color (yellow or brown), I think it would be perfect. But a monotone lovey it is. Oh, and it turned into a kitty instead of a bunny because I couldn't picture a bunny having arms to hold a blanket with! And I thought that with the blanket corner coming up and bunny ears hanging down, the critter's face would be totally obstructed. Hope Rush likes some kitty love!