The Anti-Carol

It's good to have a child in one's life--adorable, curious, and someone else's. I have such a child. Okay, my friends do. But I am her Anti-Carol and I make her things. She wants to be Ariel for Halloween? Done. Fortunately, she is beautiful, brilliant, charming, and tiny enough that crocheting her stuff is (generally) quick, fun, and appreciated.

My first project for her was the child's bolero in Teva Durham's Loop-d-loop Crochet. I screwed it up. It is misshapen and bumpy and I won't put her parents in the position of apologizing for her when she hates it. And she will. [Okay, brief interlude here. i adore Teva Durham's work. She rocks, big time. But is it really worth taking the time to break off your yarn at the end of each row for the nuanced improvement it brings? Has any one else tried that pattern? Am I the only one that got cranky about that?] Sorry, back to the program: I have learned that one needn't try to spin out such challenging fare for the wee ones. Simplicity rules for kidwear AND it makes for perfect subway hooking. It's small and portable and the stuff practically crochets itself!

Recently, I cranked out the sweet capelet from Positively Crochet. Took an hour. Maybe. She loved it. Calls it the Princess Shawl. Whatever.

Said child's third birthday is upon us, and I decided last night to make her something. Praise jebus for Lion Brand's free patterns -- I found the perfect one last night. Dug up the $1.00 balls of Moda Dea Dream in Leaf (which, not for nothing, crochets up beautifully!) (a dollar???) (I mean, you could do a lot worse for a measly buck!) Packed it all in my bag and the thing's practically done. I swear I put the components in the bag and it was done when I took it out. Okay, it still needs sleeves. And a button. And to be sewn together. But it will be done by the big party Sunday morning. I will post a formal addendum to this sometime Saturday with the finished product.

Wish me luck.