Texture brings to mind all sorts of hard crochet stitches. Surface crochet can be easy or hard depending on your goals.
Surface Crochet
One of the easier ways to add surface crochet is to add single crochet or chains to an already crocheted or finished blanket, as I’ve done in the photo below. Notice how the blue lines pop out to add a dimension of texture to the background.
Summer Days
Summer is in full swing here at our house and studio. Lazy summer days for the students in the family contrasts with my busy days in the studio.
I am starting earlier and working later; not really late but when you crochet while the TV is on at night, you seem to work all the time.
I’m not working all the time. Really. I’m not.
Summer Schedule
There are a couple of days each week that I usually take off to run errands with my mom, one of the kids, or by myself.
I have been getting to the gym more these days, too, which helps to keep down stress, and the family vacation took place back in June.
As you can see from the photo, it was incredible. If you have ever been to Broken Bow State Park, then you have seen these beautiful pine trees. It looked and felt just like Colorado, except for the heat. There was a little fishing, some swimming for the grandkids, and a little kayaking for the base beginners. We spent time with my Mom, brother and his family and all of us! The cabin was wonderful and we really had a great time. Everyone helped cook and clean up so it was truly a vacation for all of us.
There was a little fishing, some swimming for the grandkids, and a little kayaking for the base beginners. We spent time with my Mom, my brother and his family — and all of us! The cabin was wonderful and we really had a great time. Everyone helped cook and clean up so it was truly a vacation for all of us.
Back Home Again
We also had a couple of days at home to rest up from vacation. I finished up a project from Sister Weekend this year.
I love finishing a project, no matter what it is.
Writing about the background of crochet, creating crochet patterns, choosing and blogging about yarn, and actually crocheting the patterns I write seems to be burning the candle at both ends for me.
All this to say (not to complain!), I do more than just eat, breathe, and write crochet. It does seem, though, that crochet occupies a larger-than-needed part of my thinking.
Babies!
These house wrens (pictured below) persevered in building a nest in the hanging flower pot on my front porch. They persisted even as I kept throwing out nesting material. Finally, when I saw the eggs in the nest I gave up and stopped watering the petunias. The birds are a great lesson to me:
Keep doing what you know you need to do, despite setbacks. You will succeed in the end!
They are tiny little birds. I’m afraid that one is not a wren, though, as it is so much bigger than the other.
Talk to you later,
Karen
P.S. Some of you know that we graduated our last homeschool high school graduate. If you or someone you know homeschools then this article might help them. It is primarily about God and how faith can help us through hard times. If some of you are wondering why I don’t talk about my faith as much as I do crochet, then please understand that crochet has never brought me to my knees as much as having children. The guest post is here: http://thehomewriter.com/i-know-you-homeschool-mom/
P.S.S. I’m sure you have noticed that I have been taking a summer break. Don’t worry, I’m working on new patterns and ideas for Chocolate Dog Studio. I can’t wait to show you what has been happening. Sometimes you just need a vacation and this is one of those times.