The Evolution of Mike Bowditch: WIDOWMAKER

or why I love Paul Doiron's books....

     Some women read romance novels. Having little truck with even the concept of Romance these days, I find I much prefer cookbooks and mysteries, not necessarily in that order. Give me a good recipe or murder mystery over kissy faces any day of the week. Such is the reality of a jaded 63 year old single female, living in the state of Maine.
    Mysteries that are single issue are good, but there's nothing like a series to make my heart go pitter pat. Paul Doiron's Mike Bowditch series is one that I begin anticipating the next one just as soon as I have finished the last.His most recent, WIDOWMAKER, is more proof of his great storytelling and character development skills.
     We first meet Mike in THE POACHER'S SON, and while each book can stand quite nicely on it's own, I strongly recommend starting at the beginning and travelling through them all, because Mike's evolution as a game warden in Maine is just too good to not watch the progress. Both his development as a warden and as a human being, as well as the Maine-based territories written about, make any of his novels a joy, and an adventure, to read. It was something of a shock to realize that the character's pickup truck was found on a road I lived on back in the 70s in Dallas Plantation, about as obscure a place in Maine as you can get, but also totally familiar to me, right down to the view of Saddleback through the back cabin picture window. Yes, I occasionally heard the booms from the Navy base way back in the woods. Who knew that someone else knew about that place enough to write about it convincingly?
     Since Mike is not as disgruntled about the prospect of Romance as I am, there is enough of that part of his life to satisfy other's need for it; life in Maine isn't just about moose and dogs and skiing! Even if you can't be up here, Doiron's descriptions of drives down both familiar and unfamiliar highways will make you think you have been. You can get here from there!

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Widowmaker+by+Paul+Doiron 

OR persuade your library to carry the series!

Challenges

                                                                  SS/MC PIPs

I won't lie-the past several months have been challenging. Ms Maks has been
MS Maks. Add to that, the aging and arthritic body is just really not liking much of anything......well, considering the alternative, I'm still here, albeit slower and more pain ridden than I have been. Things take me longer....but that doesn't mean I don't have ideas....

Through a long and winding road through the woods in Arrowsic, Maine, Doubling Point Lighthouse lives.

It sits on Doubling Point in Arrowsic, on the Kennebec, across the river from the  Plant Memorial Assisted Living Home and within sight of Bath Iron Works.

                                            

Red, white, and blue seems to be the colors of choice for Sue Solakian, an ardent supporter of Wounded Warriors and all things American. I recently saw a photo of Doubling Point Lighthouse on TripAdvisor and thought....hmmmm! The long fenceline leading up to the building spoke to me of quilts hung on a line to dry, or in this case, Sue's afghans  displayed in their patriotic, and thusly nautical, splendor.

To be honest, the shoot was harder than I'd imagined it would be, and though it's an extremely isolated spot, I was fortunate to  have some volunteer help getting things back to the car.

Do I look wiped? Probably because I am. Several rests along the way were needed to get me back to the car, but get back I did, and found my way out to the highway and on the road home.

It's never a dull moment in Crochet Land, but methinks it's naptime now!

The good news about being rather lame these days is that I only toyed with the idea in my brain at ignoring the DO NOT CLIMB LADDER sign.

Still....this is what was playing in my head as I dragged myself back to the car....

                                                 https://youtu.be/e8qDOGLCSFo

When All is Done

As promised, I've consolidated ALL the links to Mainly Crochet's By the Sea CAL in one place- right here!
The First Square:
 http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p339/By_The_Sea_CAL_First_Square.html

The Second Square:  http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p340/Second_Square_for_By_the_Sea_CAL-_Multi_Granny_Square.html

The Third Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p341/Third_Square_for_By_The_Sea_CAL-_Full_Granny.html

The Fourth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p342/Fourth_Square_for_the_By_The_Sea_CAL-_Waves_Square_pattern.html

The Fifth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p343/Fifth_BTS_CAL_Square-Beach_Glass.html

The Sixth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p345/Sixth_By_The_Sea_CAL_Square.html

The Seventh Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p346/Seventh_Square_for_the_By_the_Sea_CAL-Landscapes.html

The Eighth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p347/By_The_Sea_CAL_8th_Square-_Intarsia.html

The Ninth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p348/By_The_Sea_CAL_Ninth_Square_C2C.html

The Tenth Square:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p349/By_The_Sea_CAL_10th_Square-_Whirlpool.html

A Bit on Blocking and Joining for the By The Sea CAL:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p350/A_Bit_on_Blocking__and_Joining__Info_for_the_By_The_Sea_CAL.html

By The Sea CAL Edgings:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p352/By_the_Sea_CAL_Edgings.html


Please keep in mind, especially those of you who are not the most expert of crocheters, that the sequence here is intentional. My goal was to help you all learn different color work techniques, without putting too much stress on your systems. While square # 10 may seem impossible to a beginner, it's really not if you've experienced Squares # 6 and 7 first. The HELPS are meant to hand hold you the best I can at this distance and to give you visual reference for what you are aiming for.
I hope that the skills you learn(ed) here will make all the rest of your crochet more pleasurable!

The Edge

If you've made an afghan, you need an edging!

Neither the Homespun Version edge nor the Vanna's Choice edge is difficult, unless you are low on Patience. If that is the case, I'd suggest sticking with just the sc edge, though obviously, I decided to chain and flag far into the night!

The link for both is here:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p352/By_the_Sea_CAL_Edgings.html

Apologies for the lack of full photos- will hopefully be able to take more this weekend, asuming the downpours stop!


https://youtu.be/QeWBS0JBNzQ
Full Disclosure: I was NOT dressed like Lady Gaga as I worked these edgings!

and because we cjust cannot leave this project without a glorious celebration of music- Georg Frederic Handel's The Water Music,,
https://youtu.be/JH3T6YwwU9s

and because, except for seeing all your photos, it is:
https://youtu.be/ayo75QnDnss

Politics & Crochet

          I am not really a political person, beyond my "buy local, eat organic" stand.
I am, however, prone to sympathy towards anyone who is an immigrant, as three of my four grandparents, with my great aunt, came over to this country from Poland in 1898. My other grandparent's parents came over before that. That grandmother and my grandfather both sponsored people who came over later, and I have fond childhood memories of sitting around my grandmother's dining room table (which I now own), with people who spoke a language not my own. I suspect my own inclination towards communal living in the 70s was in part due to that early experience of merging people and cultures around my grandmother's table.
       I saw the Safety Pin movement on Facebook this morning (thank you Stephen Duneier!) and realized that I could encourage that in spades with this scarf pattern I already had done.
https://www.facebook.com/theguardian/videos/531097203744714/

Simple enough for beginners, and about as inexpensive as it gets:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p351/Allison_Safety_Pin_Scarf.html

Not enough time to post right now and take a model photo, so here it is, as it is, no matter what country you're in, or what country you come from.

Getting it Together

And now comes the part that most of you like least.....joining the squares, and loose ends.

I do love to sew, and weaving in loose ends just seems like the cherry on the top of the sundae- I don't always want to eat it, but I appreciate the aesthetics of it being there.

This weeks link is here:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p350/A_Bit_on_Blocking__and_Joining__Info_for_the_By_The_Sea_CAL.html


If this isn't enough to keep you busy this 4th of July weekend, you can always do the preliminary to the final edgings: a simple sc edge, with 3 sc in the corners, done with White or Hepplewhite, depending on which version you're working on.

and because water gets sung about in so many ways:
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3RHZEzVUBPk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://youtu.be/OS6-p-IxyHg

https://youtu.be/q6wVijh2n9g


Next Friday, we'll finish up with edges two.Til then!

She's a Ten!

                                     We are down to the last two squares, me hearties!
               Pardon the Bo Derek-y title! Just really happy that we've gotten to this place!
I think these last two are the hardest, although you have already done the center square, which should at least have partially prepared you for these. Though changing the colors is a bit tedious, it's not really all that different from the Landscape squares,and, the increases are regular, and make a kind of sense, once you get going on them. As usual, there is a HELP to help you through.
The link to the pattern is here:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p349/By_The_Sea_CAL_10th_Square-_Whirlpool.html


The Homespun version uses Blue Moon and Hepplewhite; the Vanna's Choice Version has one square done with White and Dusty Blue and the other done with White and Vanna's Complement Colonial blue- use what contrasting colors you want to!
Sometime this week, I will post a blocking and joining link, and also weather and Summer people permitting, a bunch of full frontals and styled shots of both these pieces.I hope that the skills in these colorwork squares have enhanced your crochet skills repertoire. I will be posting smaller projects using some of the techniques learned here next, as a bridge to the next CAL.  But first, let's finish this one!

Not a whirlpool exactly, but the stirred up waters behind the Cross Island Ferry on the way to New     London, Connecticut, from Orient Point, LI, NY.

Some music to stitch by:

a bit ghoulish, but still appropriate
https://youtu.be/-q9J9z12b9k

and, a young Seal!
https://youtu.be/kwevRf41Law

Crochet Imitating Life

There's nothing like a box of books from Leisure Arts to brighten the day!

My true animal nature seems to be not uncommon for women of any age. Too old these days to play Wendy to any more Lost Boys, what I can do is help you to keep yours warm.

Fun Fur has always been a favorite of mine, and this collection, though not all Furry, stoked my desire to use it. Many thanks to Lion Brand for having such wonderful yarns!

The book is available here:

https://www.amazon.com/Animal-Hats-Scarves-Leisure-Arts/dp/1464753431/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466713616&sr=8-1&keywords=animal+hats+and+scarves+michele+maks

And proof that I'm not the only one who taps into her animal nature as part of the creative process:

https://youtu.be/MA_ode55DFA

https://youtu.be/WA4iX5D9Z64

grrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!

Corner to Corner

Truly, truly, in spite of the popularity of C2C afghans, I had never ever done the technique before I did this square, a learning curve for me on this one. I will admit, just the words didn't do it for me. In spite of the fact that print is the way I learn best, this technique was definitely an exception to that rule. The words counter intuitive push into my brain to describe doing this. Finally, once I got it- tres pleasurable! There is definitely a scrap yarn afghan in my future using this really cool method of increasing and decreasing in blocks.

The Vanna's Choice colors I picked are vibrant, kind of party ship's flags.
The Homespun coloring is much more subtle:

If you choose to vary the colors on the squares from the pattern, that's fine too. We're at the point where as long as you stay away from using the white and the blue you'll want to use for the last Whirlpool square- only two squares for the Tenth Square next week!-, any colors are fair game.

This square can be placed on the afghan in any direction, changing for the 4 different positions or any combination works aesthetically for you. You are meant to do FOUR this week. We are closing in!

I will suggest you go up a size hook from whatever you have used so far- I did.

The link to the pattern is here:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p348/By_The_Sea_CAL_Ninth_Square_C2C.html


To enjoy while you stitch......

https://youtu.be/blkh8e83x1g

https://youtu.be/eDZgl7H-coQ

CRANT CRANT CRANT

I LOVE doing HELPS. The process of crochet is very precious to me, the sequence of events bring Beauty & Order into my chaotically creative life. I do NOT like re-inventing the wheel (or in this case, this pattern) when the power goes out. Even saving regularly doesn't quite cut it in the long process of writing and organizing what is,in words, actually eight different patterns and eight different charts.

I woke up this morning- yes, listen to the song!- with the word CRANT in my brain, my own special word for a crochet rant. Which I'm not really going to do much more right here right now....

but you should know, the full patterns, and the HELP is on the site at:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p347/By_The_Sea_CAL_8th_Square-_Intarsia.html

May the powers that be keep there from being too many bloopers, so you don't have your own crant for me!

https://youtu.be/29uNvGHsRlc

                                               Have a nice afternoon!

https://youtu.be/ESZpBYtQj44

Another Way to Change Color- Intarsia

Intarsia (noun): a method of knitting, with a number of colors, in which a separate length or ball of yarn is used for each color (as opposed to different yarns being carried across the back of the work) is how GOOGLE defines it.
        In our case, we're talking about crochet, but the same concept is applicable.

I was inspired for this square by things nautical (see Sue Solakian's Maritime Granny's letter Q above), and of course, by things beachy- the night sky in Phippsburg and steps down to the beach in Aguada. I also wanted for there to be enough practice with the technique, which is what the 4 different color directions do.
For those of you using the Homespun colors, you'll get a good example of how certain colors change within the same skein. Here Lakeside Stripes and Abalone are used throughout, but the effects are quite changeable:

The link to what is done so far on this square- the text versions of both the VC and HS versions- is here: 

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p347/By_The_Sea_CAL_8th_Square-_Intarsia.html

Trouble with power and internet all day today has made getting things done pretty awful, a day of losing more work than I was able to complete. So, it's bedtime for this Bonzo, and hopefully there won't be so many summer people breaking the net out here tomorrow. A bit of melody to accompany your evening. Apologies for the infuriating wait. Tomorrow!
 a strange few from Slant seems appropriate(though warning, these aren't "pretty": Drowning and Lion Wide.....
https://youtu.be/DRGGf5fvamQ
https://youtu.be/zO_8z0t3Gqc

and oh yes, Sue's Maritime Granny is here:
http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p146/Maritime_Granny_pattern.html

Landscaping

I don't very often make the suggestion that you watch something before you work on a square, but the video that goes along with this week's music is so spectacularly diversely colored as landscape inspiration, that I would hate for you to want to switch out your colors after you had already stitched your squares.

https://youtu.be/9ZfN87gSjvI

The pattern this week for either square is in fact the same pattern technique no matter what colors you use. That's one of the wonderful things about colorwork. Once you've mastered the technique of changing colors, the world is yours!

Remember, those of you who haven't ever done any stranded colorwork, this square was intentional designed to accomodate your mistakes! If you miss a change, or decide to do just stripes instead, this square can take it. Every landscaper has a different vision, the important thing is to work it....
   Links are here:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p346/Seventh_Square_for_the_By_the_Sea_CAL-Landscapes.html

Tread lightly on your landscapes. Color them with memories of the sea. Next week is intarsia!

Day or Night?

Night or Day?

                                Personally speaking, as long as it's by the water, it's all good!

Just as moons can be different colors, your Coral Reef Homespun has wide gradations of colors.

The Vanna's Choice sun has picot rays all around, not present in the Moon on the Water HS version. The HELP will show you how.

The link to all is here:

http://www.mainlycrochet.org/store/p345/Sixth_By_The_Sea_CAL_Square.html

ONLY ONE SQUARE THIS WEEK! This will give you plenty of time to catch up- weave in those loose ends, or even join the first and last rows together. I'm suggesting using the sc join method, using Hepplewhite for the HS version, and a simple overhand sewing stitch, using White, for the VC version. Also, a bit of rest is appropriate, as next week, we're doing 4 Landscape squares, and you'll learn, if you don't know already, how to change colors across a row to make a pattern both by words and by using a chart.

But for now,

Music to stitch by:https://youtu.be/FscIgtDJFXg

OR

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2k5D-oq2hM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

OR

https://youtu.be/gytmVi-Wh5w

Enjoy!