Fewer UFOs by one

Amongst the various projects that I’ve determined to finish (or at least make progress on) in this year of stash diet are/were the following:

1. Thread crochet Pineapple Tablecloth

The story behind this is that about 11 years ago, one of my nieces became engaged, and had set a nice long engagement. So I thought what nicer gift could someone want for their wedding than a crocheted tablecloth? I chose a pattern, bought beaucoup thread, and started hooking. I got 7 squares of 108 done when the niece disengaged, and the project languished. In retrospect, I should have kept crocheting, and I might actually have been close to finished when she finally got married (to someone else) two years ago.

At any rate, I picked up the project, grabbed the hook size that was on the pattern, and made another square with a nearly empty ball of thread to see how my gauge was. Good thing:

Latest on the right

Obviously I had not made notes about what size hook I’d actually been using – it called for a 7, and while I know that I was crocheting tightly and need to loosen up some, not by *that* much. So I’m going to try another square with a size 5 hook; if that doesn’t get it, it’ll be a 4.

Even at the rate I’m (not) working on it, it might still get done by the time my youngest niece, who is around 7 years old, gets married. Or if not, it will make a nice, rarely used heirloom gift for someone when I die (I’m pretty sure it will be done by then, since I have no plans to die for 30 – 40 years, at least. On the other hand, I don’t plan on using that as my project time-plan, because then it *still* might not be ready).

I think I’ll give the small square to a 10-year-old cousin for use in her Barbie doll house – hey! I actually finished a tablecloth! Hee hee hee!

2. Beaded knit amulet bag

This was a nice simple project that was in the dreaded I-cord strap stage – that and seaming the sides were all it needed. But like any self-respecting knitter, I *loathe* I-cord. Besides, I thought I’d be fancy and add the beads in with the I-cord also. So this sat for probably 3 years, forgotten in the mists of easy-to-finish projects.

When I found it in with the other thread projects, I was pretty annoyed with myself. I tore out the I-cord, dispensed with the beads on the strap, and did a simple crochet chain/chain (where you chain out, and chain back in the back loops of the original chain); seamed the sides, and finished it in less than an hour. I can only wish that the rest of my unfinished projects were so quick – some of them are just as easy, but with a lot more work to be done.

Simple knitted beaded amulet bag

and finally:

3. Knitted beaded necklace that magically converted into a beaded macrame bracelet

I had tried about 5 times to accomplish a certain look with knitting and beads for a v-shaped necklace, and had to frog it each time. The last time, it got stuck in a drawer figuring I’d pick it up again after I actually knit something I knew how to do, and then, well, you know, it’s been 2 or 3 years since.

When I found it in the drawer, I decided that I still didn’t know how to accomplish what I wanted to do with the knitting, but that I thought I could do it as macrame. As I frogged it for the final time, and as I got out my macrame project board, pins, and a couple books to remind myself about knots (I haven’t macramed anything for at least 20 years!), I played with ideas in my mind, and the end result is that it morphed into a bracelet from a necklace, changed into a totally different pattern, and became more focused on the beads than on the macrame.

Not having done any macrame for such a long time, it’s taking me a while to get my technique back – I’ve also never worked with such small thread before, so I had to get my magnifier out. But it’s all coming back to me, and I’m pleased at how it’s turning out.

Sorry about the lack of detail - camera not very good!

So I’m down one UFO, with progress on at least two others. I’ve managed to stave of the startitis by converting the necklace into the bracelet, at least for now. I don’t know how much longer I can hold out!

Finished Objects and Startitis

Well, I’ve finished one project that was on my list, and one that wasn’t, but was still a UFO, ON (on hook, really).

I remembered that there were two more sets of small drawers where there were some balls of crochet cotton, spools of ribbon, beads, etc.

When I delved in, I found an unfinished doily, the very beginnings of an unfinished crochet cotton tablecloth (5 squares of 108!), a beaded amulet bag that just needs the neck strap done, and a piece of orange perle cotton with some orange beads strung on it (I think I was planning on knitting a necklace).

The doily had quite a bit of thread pulled out, presumably I pulled back to a point where it was correct; so I decided that it looks as if it might be the closest thing to done, and pulled it out. I finished it during some of my insomniac nights, and here’s some photos of it:

all floppy off hook

pinned and blocking

in use

I haven’t done any thread crochet for I can’t even guess how long – probably the late 90s, so it was nice to have it come right back, but at the same time, I blame that for any flaws seen here.

I also finished Oncology Hat #2:

Ready to wear

I’m really jonesing to start something new, but I want to get a couple more UFOs out of the project bins into the FO pile before I start something else. Maybe now is the time to start weaving in ends on all those scarves I made last year; or the baby top that needs seaming; or finish that baby-afghan-turned-cat-blanket-because-of-the-huge knot-of-fiber-that-is-making-it-unsuitable-for-human-consumption. But instead, I have picked up the cabled pillow top. I haven’t gotten to a cable yet, but I’m not having the problems I had before. The next row will be the moment of truth. . .