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!