NOTE: I just want you guys to know, whenever I link to books on Amazon (in my posts or my Library page), it's not an affiliate link. I don't make any money if you click through or buy anything.*
The French post title (meaning "all is well") is doing double duty today. First, it refers to my desire to become a wonderfully stylish French woman as I get older, just like
Isabelle Hupert. To this end, I crocheted this lacy scarf. Although I will probably never have the poise or panache of Isabelle, I can feel like I do when I wear this scarf.
Second, the title is ironic, since I only had time to make this scarf because Andrew needed a filling replaced ... which snowballed into a crown ... which snowballed into a root canal. I spent many hours crocheting in the waiting room while being assaulted by the local easy-listening rock station. I never again want to hear Walk Like An Egyptian. Oh, what you do for love, right?
The scarf was made using an all-over pattern found in
220 More Crochet Stitches (it's stitch I.30). I also own
300 Crochet Stitches**. Both have been invaluable resources for me. Almost every
afghan I've made was just a huge pattern swatch from one of these books. This pattern makes me think of an army of tiny spiders.
I've always wanted to do something with my tiny hooks, but doilies have never caught my fancy**. When I got my
big box of craft stuff from
Green Kitchen, I was super-happy to find several balls of crochet cotton thread in there.
I really love working with the crochet cotton thread and a tiny hook. Going back to regular yarn is like moving from micro-point gel pens to jumbo sized crayons. I really really want to make something else with this stuff. I was going to make some more scarves, but I already love this one, so why make more? Do you have any suggestions of cool stuff to make with crochet cotton thread? I've put the
kibosh on doilies,
arm chair accouterments, doll blankets,
collars**** , and the like ... what does that leave? I might have to settle for snowflakes ... but I want something a little cooler than that (no pun intended).
The vintage crochet cotton thread is a little scratchy on my neck, but it's not terrible. I'm thinking of getting some new-fangled crochet cotton thread just to see if it's softer. I'd also like to do something with the scarf ends. I don't want fringe, but I feel like the ends need something.
Our little photo shoot took place across the street from the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where we went yesterday to see
Japanese Masters of the Brush. There is a great monument to something-or-other that is ringed with awesome sculptures. There is a deer, a bear, an eagle, some scantily clad Native Americans, and this kick ass moose. He isn't very French, but he has a certain "Je ne sais pas quoi*****."
FOOTNOTES:
*I think I'm just feeling a little weird about my
Martha post and my
Sock and Glove post. I shouldn't though, because who would turn down
swag? Plus, I always tell you if I was given stuff (all two times) and what I write is honest. I just don't want you guys to think I'm a
shill.
**These two books were the initial free books I received when I misguidedly joined a craft book club in the mid 90's. The kind where you get a couple books free and then you have to buy 5 more books over the course of the year. "Misguided" because in the mid 90's there were about ZERO craft books that were interesting to me. I ended up fulfilling my contract by purchasing such humdingers as
Vanna's Afghans All Through the House. Why, oh why, wasn't there cool crafting back then?!
***I also subscribed to all of the crochet magazines that were printed during the 90's. I think there were three. I made exactly ZERO things from those magazines. The only crafty bright spot during that time period was Handcraft Illustrated which was a quarterly magazine. Handcraft Illustrated was beautifully designed, skewed young, and contained stylish craft projects. I remember being a charter subscriber and I was very sad when they went out of business. Based on the articles I cut out and saved, I subscribed from about '97 to '99.
**** My Granma made me several crochet collars when I was in Middle School. And I wore them.
**** French for, "I don't know what." Dear French readers: please correct my French and translations if I'm wrong. Merci!