Summer craftworks

This year summer was really really weird... When the sun was shining, it was really really hot without wind breeze at all for days. We can see how the tree doesnt move at all, all leaves are staying stil. It's like looking to a painting.

However my needles wasnt stayed quiet...My sister was asked me to make her a crochet vest, from some of options, this was the one she choose. We went to LYS (which not so local for me.. since it was like 30 minutes by bus/taxi from my office or like 1 1/2 hrs by bus from my house), and she choose ORION yarn. This yarn is very light. It's acrylic with golden metalic thread. She bought like 4 balls each is 40 grams. The pattern she choose was a filet crochet with pineapple border on the waist and end of the sleeves.

Since I was taken her size measurement, I was guessed around, we almost in same size now, maybe I am a little bit bigger (thanks for lots of sitting down at the office for last couple years and not touch gym for even longer years..*hiks) . To make a story short, it wasn't turned too good. The armholes a little bit too big and the chest a bit too narrow... *hiks*. So, I offered here some options from most of the japanese patterns book (most of it was Let's Knit Series books). And she choose 1. And here it is :

Project : Crochet Vest - Japanese pattern books - Crochet Lace ( ISBN : 978-4-529-04342-7)

Needles : Tulip 4/0

Yarn : Orion - No Dye Lot - 2 1/2 skeins

Time : I forgot - but about 2 weeks, working on friday nights and weekend only... so it's like few hours in total.

While working this chrochet, I was browsed around on berroco's site... and I checked out this Brea bag. As I have lots of stash from my dyed experiments last year (gasp!!) .. I was thinking to make this one.. it look cute .. at least I can give to mom for her shopping to the market.. he.. he.. he...

I am using double thread for the whole parts, to meet the gauge of the pattern. Turned out that this project really helped to reduce my stash quickly... From 10 skeins (each about 20 grams), it taken 8 out of it.

Pattern : Brea Bag from Berroco

Yarn : Nilon - Dyed with Dylon (Olive)

Needles : Casablanca (from my oz trip on 2006) 4.5 mm

Modification : instead of using leather for the handle, it was single crocheted band then I attached to the gusset.

Period : Still working on it. For the body and bag handle - about 3 weeks.

I havent really finished it since I am not satisfied with the finishing result - but I like the motif of this bag body. Very nice cabled.

Detail of the bag

Now I am working a knit vest from Keitodama Spring 2006, will posted later :)