Crochet, me?

guardrail photo thanks to Maya*made

This spring I decided it was high time for me to learn to crochet, when in my LYS, Knitting Etc, I saw my friend Ashley's recently finished crochet top she was getting ready to teach a class on and I LOVED it. I wanted to sign up for the class, but my schedule said "no", so I asked her to teach me the basic's instead. I already knew how to chain, so it was just learning to join into the rnd, not so different from knitting, and single crochet through both loops on the chain, or one loop on the chain. It was a 6 minute lesson and I was off and crocheting. The pattern is from Contemporary Crochet. I made it in Cascade Yarns Pima Tencel in my new fav color! I've worn this top a ton this summer, above I'm wearing it on the last day of Grassroots with a new necklace I got from Jennifer Feldman earlier that day in the craft area.

This top has inspired me to design a tank for summer that combines crocheting and sewing. I went to school for apparel design and have been itching to use my sewing machine lately. Of course that meant that when I went to NYC with dear friends (Maya's 40th b-day present) to see a free Jonatha Brooke concert last week we had to do some shopping. I've been listening (i.e. singing out loud in the car) to Jonatha non-stop since SQUAM in June, and it was great to see her live and electric!
It was a 24 whirlwind trip that included a trip to Purl for fabric (Liberty of London) and Kinokuniya for some books I've been coveting... dangerous fun! I'll keep you posted on the new design.

And, just so you know I am knitting, here's a pic of the mystery blob I am working on for this Fall's Year of Lace Club.