D'NALI

Between getting the flu twice and taking down my locs — err, I thought I’d have a sucky crafty month.   I didn’t do as much as I planned to but I still got something done.  Thank goodness that the last weekend in March included today — so I could post on time.  😛    Post before the month of March says “sayonara”!  😀

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From my list at the beginning of the month, I was able to some work done on:

• my introduction to spinning.  I went through my Respect The Spindle craft book and portions of the DVD.  My first attempts at spinning looked crazy; I think my Ashford spindle is too heavy for my beginner’s level so I got a lighter one.  It’s supposed to be here next week; I can’t wait to have another go.   My first pictures were definitely not worth posting.  I found another resource (which I honestly find easier to understand than the Respect The Spindle video), I’ll definitely have these on my spinning resource “speed-dial”
• my first sweater.  At the time I was getting ready to start this, I got the flu the second time, but I was able to learn the knitted cast on (which is the recommended cast-on for this project).  I tried the technique using the instructions from  Cast On, Bind off.  I posted about this craft book here.
• completing a swatch of my (new) surprise technique.  My goal really was to learn another technique, but I figured Tunisian crochet is as good as any to learn.    To get started with TSS (Tunisian Simple Stitch)  I used my Robyn Chachula book –Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia for the instructions and for a clearer tutorial, this one from Mary at Crocheting The Day Away.   It was really so exciting to see the fabric form. 

Wanna see what I did?  😛

The fabric works up really fast but I have to work on my tension.   Despite the range of tension in that one swatch, I’m as pleased as punch that I got the fabric looks the way it’s supposed to look on the front side.   The tension issues are even more obvious on the backside of the fabric.  It’s supposed to resemble knit garter stitching; you could actually see it where my tension was good.  I also have to work on neatening the left edge when I do the Return pass (working from left to right).     The recommendation is that a person sizes up two hook sizes to help keep the loops open enough so you wouldn’t have to struggle with the stitches but I think I went up three. I pretty much just grabbed a hook and went at it; that’s so unlike my careful planning to death style.  😀  I think sizing up correctly should help with my tension in addition to just practicing.  Awesomesauce!!!!

Despite all that, I can say that I know what I need to do where the technique is concerned — including correcting mistakes. On to another swatch then onto my first Tunisian project!!!!

So all together, this month wasn’t a total wash.  Hope you each had a great crafting month.