craftgrrl | What I crocheted over the holidays.

Loads of pictures behind the cut, including a hat, some wrist cuffs, a couple of bracelets, and a failed sweater that was still a pretty good teaching aid.

Things I've learned:

1. Don't use a 10-ply cotton when trying to make a sweater that drapes.
2. Try to put a full back on the next sweater so it doesn't try to escape.
3. The sleeves still need work, but they look better than the last attempt.
4. It's amazing what a bit of finishing can do to improve a neckline I felt was questionable. I think it looks very nice, even though it kept sliding off my shoulders.
5. I must learn waist-shaping. And torso shaping. Immediately.

Lion Brand Incredible comes on round pieces of cardboard. I can fit them over my hand and decided to try and crochet around them. The top one was done with Lion Brand Incredible and a K-hook, the bottom with #10 crochet thread and a D-hook. It works up quickly, even in the #10, and one of them went home with a friend who was in for a visit.

Wrist cuffs done up in Caron Simply Soft Brites in Lime. I can't stand trying to handle small things when I'm wearing gloves. I constantly drop things. These are warm and cozy and keep my fingers free to actually grip things. And I made them in less than 2 hours.

Brim down, and brim up. Worked in the same skein of Caron I used for the wrist cuffs. I whipped up the first version for my sister-in-law when I saw her a few days ago, and I've made two more since. One for my brother in a dark blue, and one for myself.

And that's the lot.