The heat is on...

It is stinking hot here! It is too hot to crochet, to hot to eat, TO HOT TO DO ANYTHING!!!!!

I am currently finishing a bag that I am designing, I am using Red Heart in shades of blue, two different types of multicoloured blues. I am working on the last part of the bag, the side panel. It is all done in single crochet, and so far looks good. I am making side pockets for the outside, and maybe some for the inside. I will have to see how it holds up.

My friend in Japan, sent me two books on Hello Kitty designs to crochet. I am planning on having a go at making some of them in the near future.

Studies - I am undertaking a Diploma in Modern Languages this year through UNE. I am excited, as I am doing Japanese. I am hoping that it will make it easier to communicate with my in-laws and friends in Japan, as well as my dear husband. So far I am relearning Hirakata ひらがな　and Katagana　カタガナ alphabets.　In a couple of weeks I should be learning some Kanji and simple sentences. I might even write a letter to my mother in law. My DH told his parents that I was doing this course and they are very excited about it.

Got in

I applied for university to do a Diploma in Modern Languages (Japanese) and I received my letter the other day stating that I have been offered a spot in the course. I am so happy about that, as I have been looking all over the place to do Japanese, and just happened to find this course at UNE (University of New England) in New South Wales. I start in February and am doing the course part-time. I start on the 12th of February, so that leaves only a few weeks to go before I start. I am very excited.

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Summer heat has finally arrived. It has been really hot for days, and the treat of rain just doesnt happen. I am sure that when the rain does come, we will have a lot of it. Allora, is so dry at the moment. There are big gaps all over the grounds. It would be nice to see the ground filled in and moist. We have some very beautiful flowers out at the moment and lots of fruits on the trees too.

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On the crocheting front...I saw a bag the other day, it was a Hello Kitty bag made out of material, but I really liked the design of it, so I sketched it and am currently working on trying to make myself a bag like it. I am using some yarn that I got sent, and it is in shades of blue and white. So far I have about 1/2 the front/back panel finished. I have to make 2 of them and then the side panel with pockets. I am tossing up with doing with an upraised stitch when I am joining it all together. I hope to get it finished sometime soon. I will post a picture of it when it is done. I am also thinking about adding it as a pattern, but will have to wait and see.

Converting Knitting to Crocheting

Most knitting instructions are easy to convert. You only need to know a fewbasic stitch conversions to change your favorite knitting pattern into yourfavorite crochet pattern.
Instructions:
STEP 1: Use a crochet hook to make a gauged sample. Change the size of hookuntil you reach the needed gauge to complete the project.
STEP 2: Change the knit gauge to the crochet gauge by exchanging thestitches listed in the following steps.
STEP 3: Make a copy of your pattern and pencil in the crochet stitches touse above the knitting ones.
STEP 4: Chain stitch the number of cast-on stitches or the number needed toreach the needed gauge.
STEP 5: Convert one row of knit and one row of purl (or two rows of knit) toone row of single crochet.
STEP 6: Substitute one row of half-double crochet for three rows of knitting(or for k1, p1, k1).
STEP 7: Crochet one row of double crochet to replace one row of knit, onerow of purl, one row of knit, and one row of purl.
STEP 8: Change six rows of stockinette to one row of treble crochet.
STEP 9: Periodically check the gauge to make sure you are staying in thecorrect measurement. Tips & Warnings The weight of the thread used will also change the gauge and texture of your project.
I came across this on an emailing group about crocheting.