Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 6, 2016 at 3:47:42 AM  (in response to Aabye message #1)
 
Line,

So glad you dropped by!    I've been thinking about you, but knew you were busy with school so I waited for you to come by instead of writing.  I remember college days and how much work there was, sigh.  I probably lost contact with 75% of my friends back then!

Are you enjoying the Siberian winter?  We have cold temps, too.  Probably not as cold as yours are...though last year I was keeping track of your temperatures, and we were colder most of the time!  So unfair, LOL.

Our winter started out fairly warm.  We were at seasonably warm temperatures, so even though it technically was colder, it didn't feel terrible unless there was a lot of wind.  I definitely don't envy you that wind!  It makes everything so much colder.

Love that hat pattern!    So beautiful.  I love the way the crocheted clusters make it look like it's got a nice diagonal pattern going both ways!    And it looks nice and warm, too. 

Wow, that's an expensive pompom!  What kind of yarn are you using for the hat itself...is it wool?  Will it be at all washable with the pompom on it?

Can't wait to see your pics!    You always make such fantastic things. 

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Stitchboard Admin message #4
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 7, 2016 at 2:35:24 AM  (in response to Aabye message #3)
 
Line,

Oh, no, hon, I'm so sorry.  It's hard to be dealing with relationship issues when you're going to school! 

If there's any way I can help, please let me know. 

How are the kids taking the change?  I hope they're dealing with it very well.    Did the holidays go okay?  Hoping it all was good. 

I can see why you've been distracted, but you're also very smart, so see what happens...you may surprise yourself! 

That was definitely a great idea to use the Christmas break to write your paper.  At least you got it done!    I'm sure the people who leave things for the last minute are probably panicking!

Awww, the pup must be having a great time with all of the cold!    And I'm sure both girls love everything about it!

Ugh, that's a horrible wind chill!  -40 for you guys is -40 for us, too.  We don't tend to get it that low here for the most part, but there have been times when it's been bitter, bitter cold like that, particularly as a wind chill.  Usually it happens at night, after a long day of cold, and sometimes on very windy days.  Yuck!  Our neighbors are talking about moving...well, maybe that's not a half-bad idea!    LOL, kidding. 

Ooh, I love the way you're using that snap for the pom pom, you genius!    That will be so nice...even better...you can change the look!  Perhaps you can put a different colored pom pom on it or some other cute crocheted piece.  Now that's something I would do.  I had started to do the same type of thing (but not with a snap) at one point with a certain pair of earrings, to use other pieces on them or wear them plain...unfortunately, I got distracted and it became a UFO. 

I can't wait to see pics when you're all done with the hat! 

I've been thinking of crocheting or knitting a hat at some point, too.  I have a favorite hat, found another one just like it (I'd misplaced it and bought a second one), and then I carry a hat around with me in a bag, for when I forget a hat!  I went out tonight, and rather than going upstairs to get the hat I usually wear, I popped the one out of the bag and wore it.  But it can sometimes fall off because it doesn't really hold well.  So I want to make another hat...well, you know, sigh...time, argh!

Please do keep in touch, and I mean it about letting me know if you need help! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #6
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 8, 2016 at 1:44:50 AM  (in response to Aabye message #5)
 
Line,

You're sooooooooooo right...relationship stuff is really awful. 

I'm glad the kids aren't stressing about it.  I hope you can find a way to tell them when the time comes, where they can still be okay with it and understand you guys can't be together.

It's completely understandable why you had to let the kids see your mother, even though there are very bad feelings between you two.  I hope she doesn't revert back to her previous behavior and I also hope she'll treat you well, too.  It's so hard dealing with parents.  They're supposed to be smarter and wiser, but often that's not the case.  And it's especially difficult to be with someone you know has done awful things, having to pretend they're the greatest.    I'm sure you're doing a lot of that for the sake of the kids. 

Love the hat...it's gorgeous!    Love the stitch...it's got such nice texture.  And your colors are fantastic! 

Hmmm, you know, kind of a weird idea...can you pick up stitches on the inside of the hat, above the brim, and just do some basic single crochet in the round to line it?  Then you could actually have two hats...the inner one and the outer one, just by turning it inside out.  Now, part of that is my panic when it comes to sewing, LOL, but anyway, that's also why I'd probably start right after the brim - that brim is gorgeous!    Is that back loop only or front loop only double crochets?  Really pretty. 

And the yarn, too, has a pretty glow to it. 

I'm so glad it's nice and warm! 

You're so welcome......if you need anything, just let me know!    (Will be checking the mailbox in a few minutes.  )

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Stitchboard Admin message #8
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 9, 2016 at 2:15:06 AM  (in response to Aabye message #7)
 
Line,

I do love that back loops look...really pretty...from both sides!    IIRC, we call that reverse single crochet "crab stitch."  LOL, in all of the years I've been crocheting, I can't say I ever used crab stitch!  I think a pattern here or there did have it, but I never thought it really matched the look of the entire piece.  LOL, kind of fussy about that.  The pieces were more lacy and the crab stitch didn't seem to match.  Here, though, I think it's perfect!    It really finishes the hat soooooo nicely! 

Thank you, hon...only translate if you have the time; if you don't, don't worry about translating it. 

Lots of hugs right back to you! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #10
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 10, 2016 at 2:27:46 AM  (in response to Aabye message #9)
 
Line,

Glad to hear crab stitch is the same from place to place!  Doesn't it make crafting feel like such a warm and close concept everyone can share? 

Thank you, and I'm glad it won't take you long.    I learned a little bit about translating ages ago from this site (sigh, though I forgot most of it):
http://stickatillbarbie.se/
They only had Barbie patterns at the time, and I didn't actually do any official translations.  LOL, in case I sucked at it. 

I'm very happy you get a long winter break...especially when you've been so stressed out for so long.    I hope the extra time away from classes is very refreshing, where you can really get your head together before school starts again.    I used to look forward to breaks like that when I was in school...that stress builds up before you know it.  It was always nice to have time to sit and do...nothing!    Even if it was only for a couple of hours one day, it still felt good.

That's a pretty hat, too!    Love the look of fphdc stitches.    You always pick the nicest things to make! 

Nothing wrong with your pants...cute!  I picked up a nightshirt with cats drawn all over it not long before we moved.  It's probably too cutesie for some people...but I love it!  And nobody outside of here gets to see it anyway. 

Oooh, using an I hook makes it go soooooo fast!    That's one of the sizes I try to use when designing...I,J and K.  Just got a size N, because I knew I needed one, LOL.    But I haven't used the N yet.

Ugh, definitely hearing you about a pattern that's tough to start!  It's like someone is giving a very unfair challenge (and lots of cursing fun for the whole family, hmm?  ).

Some patterns can be so annoyingly frustrating.  Glad you got beyond that point with this hat. 

Lots of hugs coming your way! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #12
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 11, 2016 at 3:42:42 AM  (in response to Aabye message #11)
 
Line,

I agree...it's so nice that we have crafting to talk about...it's kind of a universal language!    Over the years, for instance, I've picked up Russian beading books.  They don't have a word of English, but their illustrations are so good, beaders from the US love these books!  Which is why one of my favorite bead stores carries them.

The same is true for Japanese beading (and other) books...they're usually pretty easy to follow.  Their crochet patterns are written differently than what we'd normally follow, but they're not difficult to understand. 

How long do your semesters last?  Here people are off for the holidays (which is when the fall semester ends) and then return for the spring semester in January.  So I think they've already have what would be called the winter break.  There's a spring break, but that's later on in the year.

9 exams?!    That's way too many!  Definitely don't envy you there.  I remember there were times when I'd study soooo hard, so many hours, and after being so tired from the studying, I'd blank out.  Thankfully it was only temporary, but a few times I blanked out so badly, the idea of getting any kind of decent grade was initially doubtful.

I left one exam in tears - some kind of math.  I couldn't get my equation to equal out.  Tried and tried, showed the work, but it wouldn't equal out, and I handed my exam paper in with tears in my eyes.  The instructor had heard about me and another student doing the same thing, and he thought we were over-worried.  I don't know about the other student, but somehow I got an A...not sure how!  Perhaps nobody else was able to get their equations to prove out, either.

I think I can still get size N hooks...if the one store I'm thinking about still sells them (I bought mine from them a few years ago) how about if I send you one?    LOL, like you, I NEEDED one! 

I'm not sure if larger sizes are easier to find anymore...I tend to think not.    I used to be able to get size Q crochet hooks very easily, from any "five and dime store" that had a craft section.  I haven't seen those in over 20 years, though, neither the Qs nor the five and dime stores.

I've never seen a size O (e.g., letter O) hook, though I've seen patterns calling for them.  Guessing the sizes after O are P, Q and S.  (Do you get the idea they didn't like R? )  The P hook I couldn't find anywhere, until I stumbled upon a store in Manhattan (a store I could never find again, sigh).  I used to work in Manhattan, so I kept trying to find yarn stores close to my jobs.  Sadly, the P hook that I have smells musty (along with a lot of my older hooks, as they were partly in flood waters), and I'm not sure if the smell can be removed.  I plan to try baking soda on it.

I don't remember where I found the S hook.  Now it seems the smaller sizes are sold here and there.  The larger sizes...not so much.    It's surprising that nobody sells the Q anymore!

I've heard of zphagetti, but nobody around here would carry it.  But if you'd have shoulder and wrist problems using it, I probably would, too, so I doubt I'll try it.  Not worth the pain.

Ha ha...I like teaching patterns about life, too!    I put mine in the penalty corner.    I had one item that needed one last bead.  I couldn't get that bead to weave in, so I tried a different, thinner needle.  It finally went through...success!  Not.    It tore through another bead.

I tore back several rows and tried again.  Got to the last bead....snap!...it broke the bead into which it was being woven. 

It earned a trip to the penalty corner...from which it hasn't been released in several years. 

Hugs! 

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Stitchboard Admin message #14
Re: New hat for the winter..
January 13, 2016 at 5:11:08 AM  (in response to Aabye message #13)
 
Line,

Your school schedule is so different from ours!  I think it's changed a bit since I went to school, but I seem to recall we started in September and then the Christmas break was the end of the semester.  (Though I'm guessing it didn't end right before Christmas, but rather, a bit earlier than that, maybe a week or two before.)

Then everything would pick up again with the spring semester in early January.  We'd then go until May or June, forget which.  The summer session was around June through August.  When I first went to college, I started in January with the spring semester.  Then I took something like three summer classes, to get caught up to where I wanted to be.  I had two science classes and one English class.  Hmm, or maybe that was two English classes!  It probably was two, come to think of it.  One was more about grammar, spelling, etc, and the other was about literature.  The science classes were kind of oddball, but the one was especially enjoyable, because the professor was very unconventional and would happily embrace talk about subjects other professors might have complained wasn't "on topic."  But she was cool and understood that something beyond a one sided view was better for learning. 

Argh, I'm sorry you don't have a nice break between classes this time. 

Oh, no, ten exams instead of nine! 

How long do you have to decide on the subjects for your Exam Project?  That sounds really difficult.  It's also quite different than what happened at my schools...the classes were all separate.  Nobody would ask for a project that covered two subjects.  I guess that was maybe because everyone was doing something extremely different.  I had some classes with certain friends, but they'd never be in all of the same classes with me!

Groan, that bead project still pisses me off.  Twice the very last bead had to break...I couldn't have done that if I'd tried, but since I didn't try, it decided to punish! 

Yeah, it's not coming out of the penalty corner for a loooooong time, if ever!

Hugs! 

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