April challenge report... 10 days late

My dd turned 4 on Monday and I had 17 kids & 8 Moms here for lunch. So, that's my excuse for not blogging for the past 10 days or so... But, the birthday's over and I need to blog and figure out my WIP status...

So first my challenge list from April over at Yahoo crochet challenge. The list included the Jiffy Jacket, the Seraphina Shawl, the lacy shell poncho for my dd, a felted hook case, and the Spring Crochet cardigan for me which (as I posted back in April) was replaced with the Sweet Pea Cardigan for my dd.

So it's accountability time....(drum roll please!)

The Jiffy Jacket is 100% done, including buttons purchased and sewn on! This was made with Caron Simply Soft 'Dark Sage' and an Brittany 5.5mm I hook. I'll get dh to take a picture with me wearing it and add that to this post tonight. (OK, it took me 3 days to get the photo posted. I forgot to catch my dh to take the photo before he left for a business trip this morning so my 6.5yo ds is behind the camera! He stands on the staircase to get tall enough. I think he's a step too high this time, oh well!)

Abby's lacy shell birthday poncho is 100% done, including the modifications I made yesterday after she tried it on. I added 3 rows of sc to the neckline, decreasing every 12 sc in the 2nd round and every 10 sc in the 3rd round. It was falling off her shoulders and bothering her without this extra neckline (not to mention bringing to mind a style I don't want to see on my 4 year old!). I also made this longer than the pattern shows, 9 rows of shells instead of 6 for my tall girl! This was made with Lilac acrylic mill end and a 6.5mm hook.

Abby's Spring Pea Cardigan is also 100% done. I'm really proud of this one. Of course she smiles and treasures everything I make her, but even I think this one is worth treasuring! It's made with Dale of Norway Svale yarn using my Addi 4.0mm F hook.












Now for confession time, these unfinished WIPs will be bumped to May...
the Seraphina still needs a few more rows. I wouldn't know how many, I have seen it in weeks... Last I saw it, it looked about like this. This is using Joann's Sensation Rainbow Boucle 'Dark Blues' and a 7.0mm K hook.

Finally the felted hook case, well.... I did figure out how big it should be... seriously, planning out the pattern took a little more work than I anticipated. I knew the "pattern" was more of an example than a true pattern, and of course, everyone has different sized & different number of hooks... Anyway, I think I have the schematics worked out. Mine will be made in one piece from side to side, with the width decreasing to the exclude the upper and lower flaps at the fold points. It will have 4 sections, folding in on each side and then again in the middle. It will have 4 top flaps to fold down over the hooks, and 4 bottom flaps that will be sewn in place with hook slots before felting. I've also found the necessary left over wool to use for this project.

So that's April. Next post... thoughts for May.