Finished Crocheted Bowl

Saturday's Group (Knitters Not Quitters) was amazing - I think I counted 15 people at our group this Saturday. Way to go, Us! That's really neat.

I finished the crocheted bowl for the State Fair. When I gave Noelle a
ride home we felted the bowl in her washer. It came out Great. Noelle
took pictures of the before - we forgot about after, but I'm taking
the camera home tonight.

While that was happening, we worked on a stitch pattern that was kind
of mystifiying.

If I remember correctly, it was fisherman's rib stitch. It started
with a preparation row of purl and then started the pattern. Purl 1 or
2, can't remember now, and then knit the next stitch through the
stitch below, purl 2, knit in the stitch below. Etc. It took me awhile
to figure it out particularly since the pattern instructions had you
doing it in purl as well (right, Noelle? It was late, gimme a break. I
have CRS [can't remember squat]:}). Anyway we went to another
source: The Knit Encyclopedia (or some such name) and found the
directions in that book. For some reason that was easier to follow and
I got the stitch down. Noelle was able to get it too. What seemed SO
COMPLICATED turned out to be pretty simple once you know what to
look for.

After that, she showed me the stitch for her Manos "My So-Called
Scarf". Cool stitch -I hope I can remember it today. I think it was way more complex than the Fisherman's Rib. It's funny how one stitch will seem to click for us and another one will just kick our b___'s (brains) until we figure it out!

My suggestion for ALL knitters and crocheters- if and when you can afford it, and when you find a book of just stitches that you like, BUY IT. You can refer to it forever and when you have nothing better to do(HA,Ha,like in January when all the gifts are done, hee, hee, ho ,ho) and just want to knit, you can pick stitches from the book and just knit swatches or dishcloths or washcloths. It's a quick and satisfying activity and you learn something new.

Noelle also knits washcloths and dishcloths between big projects just
to feel that sense of accomplishment that we all want and need
sometimes [SUCH A GOOD IDEA]. PLUS she has great dishcloths and small gifts ready to give.

I have found some of my favorite stitch books at thrift stores and
used book stores. The library, too, but you have to give those back.

Not fair. :)

Hopefully, Noelle will email the pics of my bowl before and I'll have the after's tomorrow. I think she's right about my bowl needing blue- I found a turquoise necklace that I tried with it- no, not quite. A bolo tie of my dad's? Closer, but still no cigar I don't think. I'll take pics of those, too.

I'm going to try the teal Lamb's Pride Noelle gave me and felt something to put on the bowl, but what? Maybe a big bobble or two that would felt into "chunks of turquoise"? No flowers, I'm afraid. Hmmm, any ideas? I'm open.