Christmas doily

Hi friends,

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas and were able to spend time with friends and family.

I'm scheduling this post for after Christmas, because I'm going to show you a gift I made for my sister.  There are times when I just have to make a gift rather than browse the store aisles for something, especially when I don't know what to give.  I decided to crochet a doily, since I know she likes them.  I started this on December 7th... yes, THIS month!  It took me two weeks, working on it for a bit every day.  I actually crochet pretty fast, or I would not have gotten it done.  It measures about 21 inches across.

I pulled out some of my old crochet magazines and looked for a pattern that didn't look too difficult... in other words, no complicated stitches.  This one is mostly chains, single and double crochet, with a few treble crochet stitches.  Double crochet is actually the fastest for me, but I was using a new crochet hook, and I was having some comfort issues with it.  It's the same brand I always use, but it's slightly shorter, the shank (part above the thumb grip) is shorter, and the handle is longer and slightly thinner.  It just feels different.  I was probably half finished with the doily before I started to get used to it.  Here's a photo comparing my new one on the bottom and an older one above.  The differences are subtle, but I was not pleased with the new one. 

I also changed the size of the thread and hook from what the pattern called for.  The pattern listed size 40 thread and I was using size 10, which is thicker.  The pattern said about 500 yards.  I forgot to take that into consideration, and was a bit concerned that I would not have enough thread to finish.  That would mean trying to match the thread with another ball.  I bought this crochet thread at Good Will, and there was only one ball.  I 'may' have more that matches, but there are so many shades of ecru from one manufacturer to another, that it isn't easy to get a match unless you get the same brand and dye lot.  There was no label on this one, so it would have been totally guesswork.

Here's a small portion as a closeup.  

By the time I got to the final round, it was looking very likely that I would not have enough thread.  I did a couple of the points to see how much I was using, and knew I wasn't going to make it.  So... I had several options -- leave it without the points, try to match the thread, change the color completely on the last round, or change the design.  I opted for changing the design of the final round.  Instead of using treble crochet, I changed to double, and I left off the picot in the center of each point, thus using less thread.  And I made it all the way around -- just barely.  This is how much thread was left.

You can be sure I breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank you so much for joining me today.  I wish you all a happy and healthy new year.