I can’t believe it - I’ve been a crocheter for over 20 years, and now, for some reason, I can’t kick the notion that knitting may make me, *gasp*, happier.

I don’t knit that well. I’ve only ever made dishcloths and scarves, so I have a large learning curve to overcome.
I think - well, I know, we live in a knit-friendly crafting world.
Most free patterns (and $ ones), are knit.
The crocheting world is catching up, by making nicer, more flattering patterns, and for that I’m immensely happy.
I just can’t shake the “you should knit” feeling.
I know it’ll pass. But, well…. PASS Already!

After scouring the internet for the PERFECT sock pattern, adding a TON of them to my Ravelry queue, and attempting 90% of them, I have finally experienced the success and JOY that comes with making a pair of socks!
That’s right -

My first pair of handmade socks!

I crocheted my socks, using this pattern.
I’ve just ordered more sock yarn, to make more socks (duh!), plus I still have a pair of socks that I had to frog, but I’m going to retry with my new stand-by socks pattern!

So, I decided to peruse an old Crochet World magazine that’s been collecting dust in my pattern stash.

I haven’t read the pattern yet, but it’s from October 1987. I really like the girl’s Vest on the front cover. It looks to be made side-to-side, with a ribbing waistband added afterward.

Now, as a member of the gargantuan-feet-on-women society, it’s very frustrating trying to find a sock pattern now that are designed to cover these clodhoppers. As I continued leafing through the magazine, I found an argyle sock pattern!
One - it’s an ARGYLE crocheted sock, made with sock yarn, to fit into a shoe, AND - it’s made in a Ladies size 9/10!
And there’s also a pattern for a Cables Vest for women. It’s made with the finished bust width of 44″ - That’s my size!

Wowee Wow - were women bigger in the ’80s than they are now? Don’t answer that!
Why are the patterns now-a-days made for smaller women? I’m not speaking generally, but a large number of patterns are catered to smaller women.

For the past few weeks, it’s felt like everything I touch, relating to yarn, was turning to carp!

I went to Hobby Lobby the other day, bound and determined to make something for myself!
I think I was hit with severe sticker shock! I can’t remember the last time I had gone ‘general’ yarn shopping.
6 skeins of Dark Country Blue I Love This Yarn later - I left. I didn’t get that ‘ooh, feels good all over’ feeling that one should get after yarn shopping.

I returned two days later, hoping that I’d feel better. Alas, this time, after Hobby Lobby AND Michaels, not only did I leave with out that yummy sensation, I left, *gulp*, empty-handed!

So, yesterday, I decided to take my stash, remove them from the 4 huge storage containers that they’ve been in for YEARS, and put them on shelves. Just like they do at yarn shops.
Well, this was exciting (and tedious, btw).
I can actually *see* what I have.

My Stash

I’m very happy with this method of stashing.
I do hope to use more of my stash before hitting the store again.

DISCLAIMER: This only pertains to purchasing regular priced, always available yarn. If, IF any non-novelty yarn goes on sale, or better yet, CLEARANCE, the stash WILL grow!

I’ve been working on this pattern (Ravelry link) for a few days now, and it’s going well.
I haven’t had any huge froggings to deal with, which is always nice.

This is the largest item I’ve ever made!

I’ve finished the first three sections - right front, back, and left front.
Now I’m working all three pieces together, that make up the body.
It’s now to the point where I can try it on, and it looks like it’s going to be a great fit. It’s not too tight in the shoulders or across the ‘girlies’, so I’m happy!