I've been a busy crochetin' bee with way too many works in progress at one time. This is the beginning stages of a rectangular granny using a yarn I bought ages ago called Bernat So Soft acrylic. I don't think they carry this line anymore and that's a shame because it's a great, soft, chunky yarn and for something like this it works out well. I got the pattern from Erin's blog and I thank you so much, Erin. This pattern is so addictive and sharing it was very nice of you!

I'm also working on my cotton ripple whenever I can, furiously attempting to make significant progress. I'd love to get this finished before summer is over but I will definitely need more yarn in order to do so. It always amazes me how much yarn crocheting eats up! I'm really enjoying the feel of this afghan as I crochet it....light and airy but soft at the same time.

I crochet these hexagons where ever and when ever I can and hope to eventually make a granny afghan once I have enough to crochet together.

These are just a few of the "too many" things I'm working on at present but I promised myself I will complete each one before starting anything else new! Yes, I've said it publicly so now I have to stick to it. My new mantra for August will be "I came, I saw, I crocheted, and conquered!

Till next time, friends, crochet on!

Thursday Thinking

Ahh yes, it's Thursday and as such I'm going to list the Thursday Thirteen, courtesy of Carola. So without further adieu, here goes:

Thirteen Things I'd Like to Do
1. Lose 45 pounds ASAP
2. Attend Daily Mass
3. Finish my Fair Isle Cardigan
4. Read at least a book a month
5. Pay off our mortgage (I need a miracle here)
6. Save more $$$
7. Get up earlier 'every day'
8. Walk regularly on the treadmill (a necessity, not a desire)
9. Have more energy
10. Bake more (but that doesn't gel with # 1)
11. Take time everyday to count my blessings
12. Dance more often
13. Thank God every night and every day for all my blessings

That's my list and I'm stickin' to it! As for the crochet content, there's not much to report. I'm still working on the Mission Falls cotton ripple with what I have left from my stash and I haven't made it to my LYS yet to get the necessary colors to make this 'ghan as long as it will need to be. There's a picture of it below on the July 13th post, but it's now about 2 times as long as that picture shows..

I'm having a good time checking in over at Crochet Mania which I highly recommend to any crocheters out there who haven't checked it out yet. There are lots of friendly people there and a great selection of topics, to say nothing of fun things. Just click on the button on my sidebar if you're interested.

Hope everyone is having a good summer and crocheting as much as possible. I don't want to be the one to say it but.........
Christmas is right around the proverbial corner, especially if we plan to knit or crochet gifts for the special people in our lives, so just consider this a head's up.

Trying 'Slide' Out!

Wow, this picture thing works great....I really like it. I was looking at Teeweewonder's blog and she had a slideshow of flowers in her garden which were so lifelike, I felt like I could reach out and touch them.

This has also got to be the easiest picture linker I've tried so far. Please comment and tell me what you think....comments, I need comments.

Slow but Steady Progress

I've been busy crocheting and knitting my ongoing 4 projects (or somewhere thereabouts ). I decided I didn't really care for the way this continuous granny was turning out so I started frogging away but somewhere in the middle of what I had already ripped out, I thought that it would make a nice dolly blankie for my sweet granddaughter, Christina. So, I stopped ripping, seamed it, and spray blocked it and this is the result! I used Red Heart soft baby but I think there were 2 reasons I didn't like the way it was growing: one, when I use this yarn again, I will double it for whatever project I'm making, and two, I shouldn't have continued crocheting a granny square bigger and bigger because the sides tend to wave out and even though I wet blocked it, they never flattened out completely. However, I don't think Christina's dolly will mind very much and the only thing that will really matter is that she'll stay nice and toasty, right?

I've been making progress with the Mission Falls cotton ripple afghan but I'm running out of stash quickly on this. Geez, I thought I had soooo much 1824 cotton but I do tend to forget just how quickly crocheting uses yarn up. I'm going to go to my local yarn shop and pick some more up, hopefully in the same colors if they're available. If not, I'll have to wing it, I suppose, and this will REALLY be a multi-colored 'ghan.

In between, I'm also working on the Bernat softee baby blue and white ripple blanket (doubling the yarn) and it's turning out quite nicely. These blankets and afghans don't grow quite as quickly as I'd like them to, but I try to remember that saying, "the pleasure is in the process" and enjoy the trip instead of focusing so much on the destination.

On that note, I wish all my crochet pals a wonderful weekend filled with joy, happiness, and much crafting.

Completion!

I completed the kitties blanket using the Red Heart super saver so that I can pop it into the washer and dryer and not think twice. After finishing it, I put a row of reverse single crochet around all 4 sides, which is something I wouldn't do for any other type blanket (I may just do 2 sides or use another border), but doing it this way gives the blanket alot more edge stability.

I'm working on the other ripple I had going which will be a baby blanket done in Bernat Softee Baby using 2 strands of yarn and a size J hook.....this gives the blanket some strength while not interfering with the lightness of it. I'm using 2 blues at once and 2 whites so I'll continue along doing the majority of rows in the blues and then 4 rows of the white. It looks very nice and the baby who recieves it will be quite snuggy and happy, I'm sure.

That's about it for now, and until next time, dear crochet friends, be safe, be happy, and crochet as often as possible.

"This above all: To thine own self be true" Shakespeare

Things are Coming Along

I've been on a crocheting binge of late, and I'm enjoying every minute of it. I've been making some real progress on my granny squared baby blanket but still have a ways to go. Of course the ends look a bit wavy but that will work itself out when I put a border around it and block it. I enjoy working with the Red Heart Baby and I know it will soften even more with each washing.

As you can see, the wave blankie for my 2 kitties is coming along quite nicely. I'll be finished very soon because I'm not making it too big. Only one of them will perch upon it at a time so I'll probably crochet about 10" more at the most.

Finally, here is the Easy Ripple in Bernat's Baby Softee using 2 strands at once. This is going a bit slower for some reason but I love the way it looks and feels. When I finish these I'm going to try not to start any new afghans for the summer but it will take a good bit of self discipline on my part. I'm finding that I love crocheting them and I'm surprised the the Granny sqaures are so mesmerizing to me when crocheting. I fall into such a rhythm that I think I could call it Zen for Laura.

Blankets!

I'm definitely on a crocheting jag and there's nothin' wrong with that! Everyday I seem to find yet another fab crochet pattern I just have to try and so it goes. At present I have a couple of ripple afghans on the go and I'm just starting a Granny square baby blanket as well. The picture above is the wave ripple for my sweethearts (my 2 kitties) who need a blankie all their own. I'm using Red Heart super saver (because I know it wears like iron, and I can wash it often, which is a must) and it will soften with each wash.

Next up is a baby ripple using 2 strands together of Bernat Baby Softee. I really like the softness of this yarn and find that it's working better for me using two strands as I crochet. I didn't think it had enough body using just one. The best part is I don't have any deadlines for either of these blankets so I can pick up whichever one I want and work on it for as long as I want.

I'm also giving my hand a try at a Granny square baby blanket which is at the very beginning stages. I like this yarn which is Red Heart baby soft and the colors are so great in this one. It's called 'rocking horse' which is very appropo.

Otherwise, I've been toying with the thought of trying some fine thread crochet such as a pineapple doily or some such pattern. I've always shyed away from anything using that fine of a thread or that small of a hook, but the only way I can see if I can do it, is to try, right? Wish me luck!

Updating

These two adorable accessories are from the very talented BERNIE who crocheted them for me when I won the 'name that monkey' contest on her blog. I have my crochet hooks in the longer one which even has a zipper sewn in and I have folding scissors and stitch markers in the smaller drawstring bag.

I was so bowled over when I got these in the mail because they are the first thing ever crocheted especially for me by a fellow crafter. I love them, Bernie and how did you know that my daughter would be getting me a new crochet bag in an almost identical color. So now I'm actually crochet coordinated, even if only by accident, LOL.

On my own crocheting, I'm working on 2 ripple afghans, one in Bernat Baby Softee doubled in a lovely plain blue and a marled blue and white using an I hook. It's going along well but there's not enough progress to post a picture yet. The other one is the cotton colorful ripple using 1824 cotton from my stash, and believe me, I have plenty of that. There's a picture further down on this page if you want to take a peek.

Otherwise, I'm trying to finish up a Fair Isle cardigan (knitted) which I began some years ago and for some odd reason seem unable to complete. I am trying to be disciplined so we'll see how that goes and I'll report back later on.....wish me well.

Springtime!

The birds are tweeting and things all around us are starting to turn that spring and summer green color. I hope we actually 'get' a spring time this year and don't go right into 80 degree weather. I love to go out on the deck when it's in the 60's or low 70's and knit or crochet. It's always so lovely with a cool breeze and some iced tea to sip on, don't you think?

Here is the progress I've made on the afghan I'm crocheting for my son and his bride to be. I have it about half completed and have about 5 to 6 more weeks to finish it, so I better get down to business. It's the shell stich and I"m using Rowanspun Chunky tweed in a color I think will go with just about any decor the lovebirds can dream up.

I'm enjoying my crocheting so much these days and in the process, I'm trying to get better at each project I tackle by watching my ends to make sure they stay straight, counting as I go along to be sure I have everything the way it should be, and weaving in any ends so that they not only won't come out (or so I hope) but they will also be invisible.

I've been crocheting lots of coasters and for some reason, I love doing them. I try all sorts of patterns but have a couple of favorites so far. I think that trying all these different type patterns out helps me to be a more observent crocheter in the long run. So until next time, dear people, crochet on!

"What you have become is the price you paid to get what you used to want." Mignon McLaughlin

Completed Sweater & Hat

Here is a picture of my crocheted baby sweater (sans buttons) and knit cap to go with it. I opted for a knit cap because it will be a bit warmer on my newborn granddaughter's head, plus I can't find a crocheted baby cap that I like. This sweater was crocheted using Mary Rhodes pattern which came with her DVD and was invaluable to me in making my first crocheted sweater. She goes very slowly through the process and shows you exactly what you need to do as you progress along. Since I'm a visual learner, I can't imagine completing this sweater without it. Mary, if you're reading this, congrats on a job well done, you talented woman you!

This is an afghan I made in the 90's using the then available Germantown yarns by Brunswick. It has held up like a charm and sadly, as far as I know, it's no longer available. This seems to happen quite often with a workhorse yarn that many people love using, it gets discontinued! So, with this knowledge in mind, it pays to stock up on some of your favorites for future projects so that when the time comes, the yarn may be discontinued, but YOU"LL have some in your stash!

I need to decide which buttons I'm going to put on the sweater and finish that up and then give it to my daughter for my sweet little one. So, until next time, dear readers, be well, be happy, and crochet on!