Grease Crochet-a-long: WEEK #2

Sometimes I get this idea in my head and I just can’t shake it. I love working up my graphs in mini corner-to-corner (mini c2c)–it’s quick, I know how it will look in my head, and I know what size the final product will be. But, I also looooove learning new stitches. Enter the block stitch. I’ve seen some super awesome graphs worked up in block stitch, like this Harry Potter graph that my girl Angie at Harper Baby Shop has been working on:

I decided this week to try out this new-to-me stitch. Yeah…not the greatest idea trying to do this ON A BLACK PANEL. If you’re a hooker, you know that black yarn is probably not the best colored yarn to learn something new on (for you non-hookers, it’s because you can’t see your stitches very well with black yarn). So, I spent 3 days attempting and frogging over and over. Then I thought, “Hey Angela, maybe you should try out bobble stitch.” Also not a good idea to learn this other new stitch on black yarn. Repeat the attempts and frogging for another day.

So, at this point, I’d spent 4 days without ANY progress. I finally decided to give in and restart with my trust old mini c2c. But because of my wasted days, I fell behind, and this folks is what happens. I didn’t finish it in time. But, have no fear, the pattern and graphs have been updated on Ravelry. I should be done working my own panel up in just a day or two, and I will definitely be posting an update with my finished panel once I do.

This week’s panel pays tribute to our beloved T-Birds. This panel is the same size as the Pink Ladies panel. Our panel features the “T” Birds logo from their leather jackets featured in the movie. If you want to add that sheen to mimic the leather on the jacket, I suggest you use Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn in Metallic Black Sparkle. I went without the sparkle for this panel and just used plain old black yarn.

To get your own limited edition rockin’ Grease themed hook, you need to be a member of our CAL! Hooks are being made by Becki over at Chloe Rebecca Boutique.

Having a progress photo with my bobbin set up was actually perfect timing, as I’ve been receiving a lot of questions lately about how I go about setting up my bobbins. Let me tell you the big secret–it’s a big educated guess. Yup. When I’m setting up to work on a graph, I look at the graph and do a rough count of how many bobbins of each color I think I’ll be using and start there. There’s no exact science because it depends on whether or not you want to carry your yarn at all or how many ends you are willing to weave in when you are done. My best advice is to just practice. The more graphs you work on, the easier it will become for you to pick up on the patterns you see for your bobbin needs. I hate having tons of little balls of yarn around so I make many of my bobbins as I need them, rather than making too many in the beginning.

For more information on the this CAL or to purchase your copy of this crochet-a-long, head on over to my Ravelry store.

Feel free to make and sell products using this, but because I put a lot of time and love into this big CAL project, I ask that you give me credit or if it’s online somewhere, you link back to me. If you’re not a part of our CAL Facebook group, come and join us in our special Facebook group reserved only for those that are doing the GREASE CAL with us (you can find information on how to join that particular group in your purchased pattern).

I can’t wait to see what you do with this! The official hastag for this CAL is:

#CHAOSANDCHOPSUEYGREASECAL

“She looks too pure to be pink.” –Rizzo

<3, Angela