My hands are crampy.

I'm not sure what is up with my late night blogging. Maybe I just naturally evaluate my activities at the end of the day. Anyhow, on with the post:

In the last couple of days I've picked up an old project that I started before the holidays. I realized at the time that I wouldn't be able to finish it in time for the whole xmas thing, so set it aside to be completed prior to the recipient's birthday, which is in late February.

The project itself is something I'm relatively proud of. It's going to be a full length twin sized blanket for a little lady who is turning 3 and getting a "big girl bed". I'm using a fairly small hook, doing a straight double crochet-between-stitches style thing, in satin sport acrylic yarn with wide pink and white stripes. Each stripe is about one full skien of yarn. So far I've completed the first three stripes, and I have 8 more to go.

Where's the problem? Well, each stripe takes about two days to complete. I can't do more than a few rows without my hands going all crampy. I think it may be to do with the fact that my hook's neck is a little too long for my usual grip, but I can't really change mid stream without screwing up the gauge. I'm hoping that it will get better as it gets wider, since right now part of the strain is due to the fact that I have to hold the fabric up high enough that I can see what I'm doing. Eventually it will rest on my lap and not put as much strain on my fingers.

Anyhow, this is easily the biggest project I've ever undertaken, and along with another "secret project" I'll write about later on, I consider it to be one of my master pieces. If I were a seamstress, it would be like a wedding dress. So I figure I'll take some nice pictures and offer it in my shop as an "attention-getter" commission item. I was thinking about it, and it's the sort of gift that takes so long to make that I'd joke that you "couldn't pay me enough" to do it for pay, but if the pay is good enough, who knows. I'd have to calculate the minimum number of hours it takes to make, and then add the materials cost. And I'd probably need a 6 week lead time. It would be an interesting experience, at least.