Overshot

Today while Leia took her nap I got started weaving the overshot rug. I'd put the warp on last week (here), then got distracted putting the Guild books online. The project is from the March/April 2007 edition of Handwoven, where it was done in the more traditional blue and natural. The draft is 'Orange Peel' from Josephine Estes' 'Miniature Patterns for Hand Weaving' published in 1956. I had planned to do this with red rug wool, but the more I looked at the cone, the less sure I was that I'd have enough. The green is more subtle but I love how it looks. I've woven three of the ten repeats; tomorrow we're driving to San Diego for a wedding so I won't get back to weaving until Monday. Once I get this off the loom, I'm seriously thinking of tying on another warp and weaving another rug. Hey Rach - want a rug for your house?

Class Sample

Class sample #1* is done - twice. I had this almost finished last night when I ran out of yarn with a row and a half to go. Didn't want to buy more yarn, plus the rug was gigantic, so I frogged the entire thing and started over with a smaller hook. I also took out 2 rows, redid part of the accent area and redesigned the border. So while this started out looking like its inspiration - I think I ended up with a whole 'nother pattern.

Once I got this blocked and pinned, I made the mistake of going for my camera - and came back to find that AJ had claimed the rug for herself. She was determined not to give way; I had to physically pick her up and move her to another room before I could get a feline-free shot. I wasn't really surprised since this isn't a first for her. And it makes no difference if the project is dry or already sprayed with water. All pinned down FO's are hers by default. Silly cat.

* Only 15 samples left to do! PieceOfCake.

Another Doily Rug

I seem to be addicted to making doily rugs. This one is Doily #8 (super descriptive name, yes?) from '99 Little Doilies' by Patricia Kristoffersen. I've been thinking of teaching a crocheted rug class in the Fall. I need to use a yarn offered by my LYS; the only one bulky enough to work - without holding multiple strands together - is Burly Spun from Brown Sheep Company. So tonight I gave in to temptation and bought a skein (I couldn't resist this color. It's 'Bing Cherry' and arrived in the store just today; they hadn't even unpacked or priced it before I claimed one for myself.) I finished this a little over two hours after getting home. The doily pattern called for 46 yards of size 10 crochet cotton and a 1.65 mm (size 7) steel crochet hook. I used 132 yards of Burly Spun and a 8 mm (size "L") hook. I left off the last row of picots - didn't think the rug needed them - and ended up with a rug that's about 21" in diameter.

Now I have a starting point to plan my class. One skein of thick yarn + big a** crochet hook + simple coaster (or doily) pattern = quick, fun class. Yeah, this just might work.