Here's a peek at my almost finished capelet:
The pattern is "Cold Shoulders" by Laurie Rossbach, from The Happy Hooker. This, by the way, is a great book for beginners who don't want to start with boring, shapeless projects. There are a few other projects in there that I'd love to make.
I opted for a mohair yarn, "Tamara" by Schoeller+Stahl - probably not the easiest yarn to handle for a crochet beginner, but I couldn't envision this capelet in anything else.
Montpellier boasts several lovely local yarn shops. My favourite among these is aptly called La Mercerie (rue des Etuves, should anyone fancy a visit). I love that you can stare at yarns for eons there without anyone disturbing you every couple of minutes by over-zealously offering their help, as is so often the case in small LNSs - but that you can still get friendly and useful advice whenever you ask for it.
They also stock these adorable double-ended, handcrafted crochet hooks - particularly nice when you're building your collection from scratch.
I opted for a mohair yarn, "Tamara" by Schoeller+Stahl - probably not the easiest yarn to handle for a crochet beginner, but I couldn't envision this capelet in anything else.
Montpellier boasts several lovely local yarn shops. My favourite among these is aptly called La Mercerie (rue des Etuves, should anyone fancy a visit). I love that you can stare at yarns for eons there without anyone disturbing you every couple of minutes by over-zealously offering their help, as is so often the case in small LNSs - but that you can still get friendly and useful advice whenever you ask for it.
They also stock these adorable double-ended, handcrafted crochet hooks - particularly nice when you're building your collection from scratch.
I am making this capelet for the mild evenings we often have mid-season in Montpellier, when a jacket isn't really necessary but you still want to make sure you won't get cold at a restaurant's or a café's terrasse. I'm planning on wearing this over fitted black or charcoal tops as soon as winter is out of the way. Which shouldn't take that long here...
Since these pictures were taken, I stitched an extra row of shells and added a collar. The capelet is all but finished as I type, save for its closure (still debating on this point - I don't want the pompoms that the pattern calls for, and may make a closure à la Doris Chan, following the instructions at the end of her fabulous Everyday Crochet book).
Hope you guys get to spend a nice end of the year.
27 comments:
Isabelle, I have been reading your blog for a while and really enjoy it--I received the book 101 projects to make with 1 yard of fabric for Christmas and was so pleased that you have a project in it!!!
Merry Christmas
What a lovely capelet. Really, this is your first crochet piece? It hardly looks like the work of a beginner. Very nicely done. How does kitty like the balls of mohair yarn?
Looks like a very pretty capelet and the color is beautiful.
Hope you are enjoying your Holidays!
Really Lovely! (And now I can follow you on Revelry, too. That's great.)
The Knit Pro Hooks are really great. At least as long as you work with wool. I tried mine (3.5mm) on cotton/linen and it broke on the 4th stitch. :( So I will keep my metal hooks for those yarns and rebuy the wooden one for wool. (Where it works really great.)
Merry Christmas and enjoy your holidays!
so very elegant!
What a beautiful capelet! My oldest daughter made some beautiful crocheted gifts for her sisters this year; what a wonderful skill!
Hope your holidays are happy. :)
Very pretty! Love the color.
Cool, you are adding a new skill to your huge skill set :) (wait until you tried spinning. So sooothing and so mindless ;) Knitting garterstitch is equally mindless )
Very pretty capelet. You'll enjoy it in cool weather.
What a nice capelet - love the color and the crochet stitches look great.
It's gorgeous, I love the colour
What a wonderful color for you - I can see you sitting at a cafe table with it around your shoulders. Lovely.
Now Miss Kitty needs a tiny matching one.
Lovely work, my friend!
Happy New Year! I miss you!
Very lovely color! Inspired by you, I just bought a teal colored sweater.
Bonne Année 2010 et bonne santé
biiizzzz
Doris
Just stopping by to wish you a great 2010. I hope you'll settle in allright in your new job and town, a healthy new niece or nephew and that you'll be fine yourself.
I love the colour! Your cape looks fabulous, and I can't wait to see it completely finished. Happy New Year! :)
Just a big hug for you {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Isabelle}}}}}}}}}}}
I am sorry to hear that you have run into more personal problems this year. Just know that your online friends will be waiting here for you when you return. I only wish that I was there with you to give you support and sympathy.
I read your latest post. Fingers crossed and all the help you can get...to a much better 2010 indeed. Ann
I see you aren't really looking for comments on your Christmas post, but I'm so sorry you had a terrible holiday. You're still so young, and perhaps still learning that all education is not found in school. Life's lessons are very hard (and very expensive) but they are lessons for a reason. You are learning something for a purpose that may be so useful to you for the rest of your life. I hope you can view in that regard, whatever events that have made you so sad. You have lots of friends out there on the internet, and we all wish the very best for you in 2010.
Oh dear Isabelle, I'm so sorry you are dealing with difficult things. It isn't fair to bear others faults but it happens all the time. I just wanted to wish you a really great new year. Keep hugging kitty and it will feel a bit better. Your blog is the BEST! Hang in there.
I am so sorry for you Isabelle, I wish you all the best for 2010.
Never forget that whatever happens you have huge support, help and so much love from your online friends !!
Don't be silent during a too long time, your blog is one of the best about sewing ! and so motivating for me !!
Big hug !!
I love following your blog and while I have no idea what has transpired in your personal life you have my deepest sympathy. I love following your sewing projects, you manage so much even when so busy!
I truly hope 2010 brings some fresh happiness to you and that you get to see your nephew soon.
Hi, Isabelle! How sorry I am that 2009 was not kind to you, and that you've been experiencing unkindness from others. I hope that whatever has happened will soon smooth over. And most of all I hope very much that 2010 will be a much, much better year all around for you! Congratulations to you sister on a new, sweet baby boy--such happy days for you all. LOVE this blue capelet! I just joined Ravelry... at last--LOL! We're just back from our trip in the USA and catching up with you here... Feeling jet-lagged and heart-fuzzy after a sweet Christmas, good to be home and back in blogland. Wishing you & yours all the very best of love, peace & joy in 2010! :o) ((HUGS))
Here's to a much better 2010. My 2008 was my worst year, and so 2009 has been sort of a "recovery year". I just feel like I'm ready to live again in 2010. Hope your "recovery" comes and goes quickly. I enjoy reading your blog.
1997 was the year that nearly did me in! Absolute CRAP! And things don't just get better overnight either but if you can get through it all you'll truly find yourself to be a stronger person.
There were times when as a single mother I was working 3 jobs at a time and I sometimes wonder how the hell I survived! But I did. Hang in there lady, and don't be afraid to ask for help.
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