Spring is finally here!

My flower bulbs are popping up left and right! Purple and white crocus are already spent. Golden daffodils and jonquils are nearly gone. Pink tulips burst forth just yesterday. The redbud tree, Bradford pears and forsythia bushes appear to be in a fierce competition to see who's the showiest. The only drawback to spring is the brevity of the blooms; I suppose that's why we cherish them so much.

Over the winter, I crocheted and knitted like a madwoman. I've got heaps of shawls, throws, and whatnots made. I took up beading as well. I'm now sporting not one but FIVE pretty new necklaces! I double crimped, hoping and praying that these creations stay put. I'm still a rookie and a bit of a one-trick pony, but I will soon come up with some different styles with any luck!

I also made some new candles for spring. My daughter & son both have new kittens. Such a joyous time of year! Must get pictures.

Knitting vs. Crocheting

I absolutely adore self-striping cotton yarns! Been experimenting with them lately, so I decided to try making two dishclothes using the same skein, but knitting one and crocheting the other. This way, it's easy to observe the differences in appearance and texture.

The knit is on bottom left, and the crocheted is to the right and top of the picture. Knitting with size 8 needles in stockinette stitch produced a lighter weight, thinner dishcloth, but with a tighter weave. The crocheted version is chunkier but with more spaces between stitches; I made it with a G hook and used just single crochet and chain stitches.

I thought maybe this can help someone who's contemplating a project, or for someone who may be trying to decide between learning to knit or crochet. I love to do both, so don't ask for an opinion about which is better! The honest answer is that it depends on the look I'm going for and the speed required to complete the process; I take longer to knit an item than I do to crochet an item that's the same size.