A Return to My Favorites

So, it's been nearly two weeks, and my Minor Awards Ceremony headband is still my favorite accessory, probably since it doesn't slip off, and it does a great job keeping my awkward length hair out of my eyes.  I have also trimmed two inches off the bottom of my hair (I don't know how else to word that, but I do realize that it would be ridiculous to trim anything but the bottom of your hair.  I guess I should change it to "I cut my hair") so now all of it is a similar length.  It still pulls back into a ponytail, but it's about as long as Julia Louis-Dryfuss's hair in Veep... Yeah, I'm going to need more headbands.

Both of these are made out of fine weight crochet cotton, the size 3 Aunt Lydia's kind, but the black one I used with a size D hook, and the ivory one was made with a size G hook for a lacy look.  They're both just as amazing as the bronze one I fell in love with, but neither are as stretchy, since cotton isn't a stretchy yarn in the first place, so I would highly recommend you chain a little loosely, and then work that first row in the back loop of the chain, since you don't want to end up with one edge of your headband that's super tight (not that I know that from personal experience with the black one, ahem).  The blue flowers I just tied into the black band, since I wasn't sure I was going to like them (they're not centered, they sit jauntily off to the side), but I may go back and stitch them on more permanently, now that I know that I'm comfortable rocking the look.

I've also been keeping busy with my jar cover coaster thingies.  I want to call them Jar Socks.  Is that too lame?  My sister requested one for her birthday, so I've made her a The Night Circus themed one. I'm planning to get her a copy of the book to go with it.  I might also crochet a rose for the top?  Have you read the book? What do you think?

Okay, you caught me, I haven't woven the ends in on this one yet, but  I didn't realize it would show through the jar so obviously.  I may redo this picture.  Well, you get the point.  Black and white, with a touch of red, I think she's going to love it once she's read the book.  And if you haven't read the book either, I highly recommend it.  I hope you will fall in love with it the way I did.

This is the collection of Jar Socks (hmm, not sure I'm crazy about that afterall) that I've done in the last couple of days.  My sister's Night Circus jar, a green and pink one for my mom for Mother's Day, and then the crazy checkered one is mine (protecting my Pepsi Max) which matches the top that I made for my previous post about the jars.  I like the way the finer gauge crochet cotton looks, and it seems to be as absorbent as the worsted weight cotton, but it doesn't get saggy and heavy like my previous one did.  I'm still working out a lid system, but overall, I feel like this is becoming something I'm pleased with.  I think I like the look of the single crocheted ones better than my cover which I used half double crochet stitches on.

My vase.  I love the idea of my vase so much, but lordy, I am having a challenge figuring out what to do with the idea now that I know it works.  I'd like to create vases that would be art pieces, or would be appropriate for selling in high-end boutiques, and worsted weight yarn was just not doing it for me.  They looked thick and clumsy and, worst of all, serviceable. Not the Gift-For-Someone-Who-Has-Everything I wanted.  So, I tried size 10 crochet cotton with a size 6 steel hook.  This bowl represents two days of my life: 

That's not even the worst part. This is the worst part:

I look at all those threads to be woven in, and I see another two days of my life.  I don't think this one is going to make it to full vase shape. Maybe I will seal it up and use it to hold M&Ms, or keys, or something precious and amazing, because I just can't bear to finish it or to throw it away...  Do you know what I should do with it, my Crochet Dynamos?

xoxo