And some catching up!
In January I had a bit of a breakthrough with two crochet projects: a scarf and that turquoise throw.
Anybody remember that red scarf from last year? I had sort of a plan in mind, and kept thinking what was coming off my hook was too wide. Stubbornly Nevertheless, I went with the 10″ concept and finished it.
Unexpectedly, a very different use came to mind, so out it came last month, and I searched for an end to frog. That accomplished, I re-crocheted the whole ball, leaving some for fringe. Gotta have a fringe, even if the scarf’s now over 2 yards long (by 5″ wide – width does make a difference 😆).
Now that’s done, I can concentrate on finishing the turquoise blanket/throw/whatever. I realised why I was so hung up about getting the pieces sewn together: I didn’t have the proper-sized crewel needle.
Trying to thread a super chunky yarn through a “normal” crewel needle is not fun. I had a dim memory of using a larger-eyed needle in the past, but ignored it because it wasn’t in my packet of needles. The project languished.
Finally, whilst rummaging for something else, I discovered I wasn’t mis-remembering, because I had the right needle in a second packet of crewel needles I’d forgotten. And there was my remembered needle. Yippee ! !
Another niggly thought I’d had was that the pattern I’d used was too lacy and wouldn’t provide any warmth, so I should frog everything and start over.
Finally I told myself to test it, so I put one of the rectangles over my legs. Did it make me warmer, or not? It did, so that took care of that froggy-recrochet niggle.
Talk about phantom doubts throwing spanners into the wheels of progress completion. Geesh. 🙄
I did manage to cut out some leggings from a piece of bright yellow cotton knit, but haven’t sewn them up yet. Other things keep coming up – like a microwave that’s suddenly turning its’ fan on, but not off. So inconsiderate.
Unfixed after the first visit, I await a second. I’m not looking forward to another disinfecting of kitchen area – an unpleasant task these days – and sincerely hope this time it gets fixed.
Amongst the angst my weekly loaf started shrinking in size. I finally called the good folk at King Arthur to ask what might be the cause.
(I’d been buying a cheaper white flour from a store-that-shall-be-nameless. Curiously, I remembered my current package had gone into its’ container with a thud rather than a soft swish.)
That evidently brought the difficulty into focus for the expert on the other end of the line. She told me the season in which the grain is harvested can make a big difference in the flour. Mine probably didn’t have enough moisture content, and I should experiment by adding a tablespoon or so more water per loaf.
That same week I noticed a different store had a new-to-me King Arthur brand of white bread flour, and it was on a 2-fer sale — be still my heart! Shamelessly, I stocked up. Out went the suspect flour, in went the K.A. white bread flour, and my loaves have been huge ever since. Expect some good tea sandwiches for February’s Virtual Tea Party. 😉
Thank you for making it to The End, Lovelies!
Curls n Skirls 
I love that turquoise colour!
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Thank you, Linda!
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Glad you sorted out your bread problem and good luck with the microwave.
I have an old metal needle with a very large eye that I think belonged to my Mum. I panic if I can’t find it even though I have since bought some of those plastic ones with the loop at the end – they just don’t feel the same,
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That’s it, Lynn! They’d don’t feel the same. And we know the *right* feeling!
(“plastic ones with the loop at the end” I should explore . . .)
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Sometims a good worker can blame the raw materials.
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Thanks, Cathy!
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It’s amazing how much difference the flour can make in each bake.
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Yes, and I hadn’t realised until it affected loaf size. 🙀
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