I'm putting down my hook

Well I'm putting it down because I'm DONE with my wave afghan project!!!  Finally!  And I decided to post it to the Crochet Crowd on Facebook.  The response has been overwhelming!  I have over a thousand likes, countless comments and shares galore! See my post here.  Join the Crochet Crowd here, it's free, and there is soooo much eye candy and inspiration!!!

So without further ado, here is Leslie's Scrap Afghan!

And now that this is done I have started another project, and this time it's NOT crocheted!  Yeah I know!  Wow, but I needed to give my poor hands a small break.  In a few short months I will be hosting a table at a formal tea at church, and decorating my own table!  So I decided to make some place-mats, I used colors that match my decor at home, so I can use them after the tea.

The blue is leftover from my wedding, and the print I found at Wally World, on clearance!  After you cut a front and  a back for each place-mat you want to make you pin them right sides together

Then set up your sewing machine.  It helps to tape off the measurement so you make sure your seams are the same.

Sew up three sides, and part of the fourth, I left my opening in the middle of a side, it will help camoflauge it in the final steps.  Turn them right sides out.

That is as far as I have gotten on them so far, I still have to press them and do the final stitch, more blog on that later!

Tarry not, for the hook awaits thee.

 Yarn is an addiction for me, it is my happy place, and gives me peace.  Seriously!  Now there are times that I growl in frustration at whatever project I'm working on...but for the most part, crocheting makes me smile.  So when I get the chance to feed my stash I do it with GUSTO!  This past weekend was once such chance.  I am not a fiber artist that can afford the really expensive yarns so when there is a sale, or coupons you can find me taking advantage of that!  I was shopping for an afghan request.  I got to choose the colors.
















The pattern I will be using is a broomstick pattern, so I also got a dowel and had my DH sharpen one end to make it easier to draw up the loops and to crochet them off.

I also got a pom-pom making set because anyone that has ever made poms knows that they can be difficult and tricky.

And I didn't stop there!  There were a few more skeins that called to me.

I love blues

I see a teddy bear...

And I have started one project already!  A hat for me.

The pattern was a bit confusing as the stitches just don't look the same in the pictures compared to what mine looks like

And I have some custom buttons, designed by me, made by my dad! These go on the brim of my hat, well two of them will!

I hope I get this hat done soon, otherwise it will be too warm to wear it!

It was a sheet...now it's yarn

I finally found a pattern that my brother and sister-in-law would "allow" me to crochet for them.  It's a cat nest, or a cat poof...so of course I was ready to get started on it asap!  The poof doesn't use "yarn" it calls for fabric scrap yarn.  Click the picture to go to her site.

Today was an adventure in making my own scrap yarn.  After a mostly failed attempt to do it at my house because the dogs thought they should lay on it, or that it was time to play because I was on the floor I packed it all up and headed to my parents house, and their dog free wood floors.

After removing the hemmed edges, and ripping out the top hem cause that added almost a foot of extra fabric, we trimmed an edge so we had a straight edge to start.

The cat, liked the scrap edge.

Fortunately she didn't disturb us as we lined up the edges and started cutting!

And balling the yarn

I had no idea how to make a sheet a continuous strand of yarn and I'm so thankful for the "interwebs" because I found a fabulous blog that gave excellent and clear instructions to make this yarn.  It took the better part of today to get two sheets cut and rolled into balls.  So the cat nest will have to wait for another day.

Maybe tomorrow.

Scarves for everyone!

Original Scarf

 Since Christmas the weather is not as frightful, snow is gone, but it's till chilly!  And I have a lot of single skeins of "fancy" yarn in my stash.  Since finding the awesome "V" pattern I have created several more scarves!

Super soft periwinkle fuzzy

Green Fuzzy

If you aren't familiar with the "V" stitch it's super simple! Make the foundation chain in multiples of 3+1, DC in the 4th chain, then CH2, and DC in same stitch, skip two CH then *DC (in the 3rd chain), CH2, DC in same stitch*, repeat until last ch, and do a single DC, CH3 and turn. *DC, CH2 DC in the space from the CH2* repeat until end of row, single DC in the DC below.  Repeat until you run out of yarn!  These scarves only took one skein of yarn each.  The Periwinkle and green were a foundation chain of 10, the purple was a foundation of 13.

And I have made great progress with my scrap afghan!

This is a keeper of a pattern, and the black in between each color really sets it off! Once this is done I'll be making some lap blankets in this style!

Hope you are enjoying winter!

Stash busting projects

Last week I received this beautiful skein of yarn from a member of the knit and crochet group at church.  She found it difficult to work with, so she passed it on to me because I practically drooled looking at it.

So I tried to make a scarf, using simple dc in a row, tangle city...so that got unraveled several times before I just frogged it.  And i have been scouring Ravelry for just the right stitch to make this wild yarn into a beautiful scarf!  And I finally found it! (click here for pattern).  It's a simple V stitch and I'm using a N hook.  The pattern calls for 2-3 skeins, so i'm just going to see how far I get using this single skein I have.  I also altered the pattern by starting with a length of 21 foundation chains instead of the 31 the pattern calls for.

I think it's turning out nicely!  And this is the perfect stitch for this type of yarn!

And an update on the wave afghan, it is coming along nicely, and should be completed in a month or so!

Yes a month, especially if I keep getting distracted with other small side projects...

Heirlooms

This time of year is so wonderful! Presents are wrapped and under the tree, stockings hung, cookies made and decorated.  Now comes the fun part!  Getting together to celebrate the reason for the season, family.



Here in Missouri we got a bit of ice, and a nice layer of snow, so we left early today to drive south to my DH's parents.  And of course I took my most recent project with me.  I got a chance to work on it a bit at their house and my oldest niece sat with me and watched me for a while.  She wants to learn how to make stuff too.  So I have a good idea what I want to get her for her next birthday!

Besides stuffing myself silly on all of the delicious food I love when it's time to give the gifts!  This year I made my oldest niece a scarf and hat, this is the second hat I have made for her, but the first that fits!

She spent the better part of the evening running around the house wearing it, so I think it's safe to say that she likes it!

My favorite gift this year so far was the two quilts we got to select from the "pile" there were several handmade quilts that my DH's Grandma and Mother made.  I have always wanted a vintage quilt to put on a bed and now we have two!  So of course as soon as we got home tonight I stripped the bed in the guest room and put the quilts on!  I love the look...and now I have an excuse to paint!  And there are pillow covers to be made!

All in all it was a wonderful day filled with love and laughter, and you just can't beat that!

Not while I'm counting!!!

Moments are defined by how we react to them.  I am learning to react differently.  Yes my dogs wake me up at what seems to be an ungodly time, but I get to see the sunrise, and if I get the chance, I get to snuggle and take a nap with them later.  Yes, the afghan pattern I'm trying to learn and memorize got interrupted, but I had a great conversation, and maybe I had to tear most of it out after finishing three rows (it's a big afghan) but I can tighten my initial stitches and it will look better.  Not to mention I drug out all of my random skeins and balls because I'm finally starting the Scrumptious Scraps Afghan (click here for pattern).

The foundation chain and first row is where I had my initial problems.  And if we are all being honest, who doesn't?!?  The single most frustrating thing about making afghans, is the foundation chain and first row.  It is a test of mental strength, and reason we drink wine (or other beverage) while crocheting.  For those reading that have never made an afghan, try it, you will understand.

I am so glad I ended up with a ton of random skeins, this pattern/style of stitches is turning out to be one of my favorite, even more so than the ripple!  I have a lot of plans for this stitch! And I know where to get more so I can create lap blankets and who knows what else!

The possibilities are endless!

Gifted yarn and a Pompadour stitch

The great thing about joining a Craft group, or in my case a knit and crochet group is the pattern exchanges, and the yarn exchanges!

I got fun yarns because not many people in the group like working with them

I love getting new yarn, or getting to experience different types of yarn.  One of the ladies in the group brought in a bulky yarn that almost has a homespun quality to it, very soft, and the most lux mix of colors!

She didn't want it, found it difficult to work with, so I took it on!

We did a bit of show n tell, so I could see some of the projects they work on as a group, and stuff they donate, and I saw a scarf done in a beautiful pattern, turns out that pattern is actually a baby blanket stitch, but as with most projects it can be altered and just use the stitch for a scarf, so I will be attempting the Pompadour stitch using the above yarn!

The pattern for the Pompadour is simple.

Ch20

Row 1 - Start in the 5th ch, work (1dc, ch2, 1sc) in the same stitch, *sk2ch, (2dc, ch2,1sc) in next st* repeat * to * across, end (2dc, ch2, 1sc) in last ch, ch2 and turn

Row 2 - Work (1dc, ch2, 1sc) in first ch-sp, * work (2dc, ch2, 1sc)in next ch-sp* repeat * to * across, ch2, turn

Row 3 and on - Repeat row 2 until desired length, weave in ends.

UPDATE: Yeah, I am so ambitious!  There is no way, well there is no way I can do the Pompadour scarf with the pretty fluffy yarn, so I am simply doing a row of 10 DC until I have the desired length of scarf.  I will however find an appropriate yarn to do the pompadour stitch.

New adventure with Plarn

Today is not a normal Thursday.  Sure it's 6 days until Christmas, but that is still not what makes today special.  Before we moved I was told about a group of women who get together and knit and crochet. Helping each other with patterns and projects, sharing yarn, making things for charity. And today I am finally going to join them!  Yeah!!!  I am taking "my" hat so I can continue to work on it, as well as the plarn I have been making.

What is plarn you ask? Well let me show you!

This is plarn, it is yarn made from plastic bags, like these.

It is great for making outdoor rugs, or sleeping mats for the homeless.  Which is where my balls of plarn are destined for!

And I'm sure you want to know just how to make this ball of fun, well let me break it down for you!

Lay out your bag, and smooth it out, so it looks like it did before it was used

Then fold it in half lengthwise

And again

Cut off the handles

Cut off the bottom, but don't throw that away, it is still recyclable!

Then fold it in half,

And again,

Then with scissors cut the folded sides to create four pieces

Carefully unfold each piece into a loop

To make the ball, loop each piece together like you used to connect rubber-bands as a kid, and carefully pull tight, making sure the loops are even!

Now do this a hundred or so more times and you have enough plarn to make a mat to donate to a homeless shelter!  Or you can just make the plarn and donate it to a group that makes these mats!

Frogged again

After finally completing Christmas projects for others I decided to make something for myself. Of course it didn't go well.  The hat pattern, "Easy Slouchy Hat," (click here for Ravelry link or click here for PDF) I decided to make was supposed to be a "beginner" pattern, but it just confused me, a lot.  I ripped it out and restarted it twice last night, changed the pattern and got halfway thru only to realize that I had been doing it wrong from the get-go which is why it didn't look right, and the original pattern was confusing.  SO I put it down and went to bed.  This morning I took the whole thing out so I could start again.

And I started it again, twice, so I frogged the whole thing.

 Wait, not a "frog frog", "frogged" refers to ripping out a whole project when you have to start over, either because you were knitting the wrong size, decided you didn't like the pattern, or for some other reason.

totally frogged

I realized that the problem with the pattern was the instructions.  Yes the instructions, they just weren't clear.  There is no mention of how many stitches should be in each round, and there are no explanations as to what constitutes a "space" versus the normal DC in a stitch.  My frustrations are at an unacceptable level, so I'm going to forget this pattern. Although I am still going to make a hat for myself...if anyone reading this would like to attempt this pattern, and is successful...please contact me and tell me what I did wrong, cause the hat is cute, and I have PLENTY of yarn to make one.

I found a new pattern to try, "MioMi Beret," (click here for Ravelry link or click here for PDF) it is an intermediate pattern, and after reading through the directions MULTIPLE times I am satisfied that this is a pattern I can tackle and do! So here we go!