Baby Boy Blanket

A repeated pattern with new colors.

I've used the pattern before for a baby and for a replacement blanket for a kiddo. I really like this pattern!

ABC Afghan

Apparently, I never posted this project. It's been a long time. Years.

Market Bag

This project was several years in the making. I finished the hexagons just before a move, and they sat taunting me ever since.

I decided to just tackle it and get it done. Easier said than done! Decisions on how to join them were excruciating! After finally making a decision and starting the process, I got two-thirds of the way through and found a major error.

Sigh.

Take it out, fix it, less than 24 hours and it was done! Phew!

Pattern here. Ugly colors since I was using up what I had on hand. =)

Twins!

It's time I start keeping better track of my projects again.

Babies were born a while ago, so now seems like the right time. =D

Baby Blanket Gift

Here's a baby blanket that I gave to a friend in...April. Yep, I'm slow.

It's worked from corner to corner (the last one that I did was an EPIC fail--this pattern worked much better!).

It was done holding two strands together. The green-ish/turquoise color is a solid strand of Red Heart and a strand of Bernat Baby with a silver strand running through it and a slight curl to the yarn. The white stripes were solid white Red Heart and a slightly flecked I Love This Yarn sport weight white.

Batch of Baby Hats

I've been on a baby-hat-making-frenzy. Here's the first batch.

It sure is helping to clear out random skeins of yarn!

Christmas Gift Hats

Like many others, I had a huge running list of projects to complete for Christmas gifts this year. It was so much fun crossing each completed item off the list.

There was only one (rather intense and tedious) project that had to be put off to wait for gifting it another time so that everything else could be accomplished. A story for another post.

My dear sister-in-law encourages my love of crafting.*

She often sends me adorable patterns or items she'd love to someday make for her kids. However, with 3 little ones, she doesn't have an abundance of free time. So sometimes I just steal her ideas and make them for her instead. It all works out, and she's never (yet!) been upset at me for it. And I can't pass up snagging someone else's creativity since I've always been the first to admit that I can't come up with anything new on my own.

Since they've moved to a colder area than where they were, bundling the kids up is a priority. Having fun doing it makes it even better; therefore, fun hats were a must for this year.

Even though two of them leave a little room to grow, they look pretty pleased with how they turned out!

The two boys have earflaps to keep their ears toasty, and sweet niece has braids to hopefully shut out a little wind (though it's already looking a little snug! =( Bummer!)

Each hat became its own creation with many on-the-fly modifications, so I have no pattern suggestions for you. I hope they enjoy them!

*...side note: do you have that person(s) in your life that really spurs you on in your creativity and crafts? We all know those that don't particularly love or appreciate our handmade gifts, and that's ok. But often, there is someone that truly understands and appreciates the time, effort, and quality/craftsmanship that you pour into projects. Well, I have a couple of those dear people in my life, and my sister-in-law is one of them.

World's Biggest Stocking

Caron United is setting out to make the World's Biggest Stocking.

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Anyone participating?

You knit or crochet a 36x36" blanket (following their pattern of a solid block or a 9-square pattern) using Caron United yarn. Mail it in, and they'll sew together the stocking. Once completed, they'll disassemble the parts and give the blankets to military families.

Care to join?

Boys

You know you're surrounded by boys when this conversation pops out of nowhere:

"That's my favorite thing about butterflies...

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...you get to spell 'butt'."

Yep.

Quick Doily

Here's a little doily I whipped up yesterday.

Hubby called it a little Sunburst Doily! It only measures 5" across. I blocked it with water, but no starch yet. I'm trying to decide if I want it for this one or not. But I'm happy with the cheery colors!

Pattern is from Olga at Lacy Crochet. Check out her other great patterns, too!

Long-term projects

A friend was recently giving me a hard time because of how long a certain project was taking me. I had started it on February 25, and the last stitch was completed on August 3. Now, obviously, there were a lot of other projects that were done during that time, but the fact remains that it sat in my 'in-process' stack for several months. (That's not too bad considering the blanket that was 'back-burnered' for 4 years.)

After reading this story, I don't feel so bad anymore.

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Wow!!! Talk about incredible craftsmanship! Simply beautiful.

What's the longest you've ever worked on a project?

Bead Necklace on wire

I've done Bead Crochet for some time now, but I haven't been brave enough to try straight, simple bead-on-wire necklaces. The wire was just too intimidating and ...final.

Well, I purchased the supplies, and it was time to dive in.

It's far from perfect but acceptable for a first attempt.

The whole concept opens up so many possibilities, though!

Second-Hand Store Find

I just picked this up the other day with the purpose of taking it apart and using the yarn.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was done holding 2 strands together, so I'll have even more yarn than I originally thought!

Now to decide what to make...

Turning your work

Which way do you turn your work?

According to Lion Brand, this is the correct way.

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So I'm curious how many of us do it the 'correct' way and how many do it the 'incorrect' way.

Replacement Blankie

A friend recently contacted me with a desperate plea to crochet her son a replacement blanket. His had been so well-loved that it was literally tied in a knot just to hold it together so that he could continue to snuggle and smell his blanket.

We figured that if he could choose the colors, the transition from old to new would go more smoothly for him. I also hoped to find a pattern that would be similar to the first.

He chose his colors, and I chose some potential patterns. As it turned out, it was all very different from his original, but we still had high hopes that he would be pleased. We also knew that, as it had happened with an older sibling, the acceptance of a replacement would be a long process.

The final product with his choices of red, orange, and blue I Love This Yarn:

Yep, it's just as bright as it looks! What fun when kiddos choose something I never would have thought to put together!

The verdict:
"[His] blanket is awesome!!  Apparently he didn't need any time to get used to it either, he has been carrying it around and was excited to take it to bed with him.  He also wants me to watch it when he isn't able to because he doesn't want anything to happen to it or for [little brother] to drool on it.   "

Haha!!! Music to a crafter's ears.

Hearts Doily

This was a fun and quick doily project for my sister's birthday.

Unfortunately, the picture doesn't do it justice. It's a beautiful bright red. The pattern was found here.

Lovable Owl

Wow--I'm finding lots of projects that were overlooked when I was too busy to post (though obviously not too busy to crochet...hmmm, how does that work? ...one apparently always takes a priority.).

This was a February Mystery Crochet Along at Crochet Spot. It was fascinating to pick out colors and start to crochet parts not knowing how they'd be put together. =) But he turned out to be so fun!

Oh, how I loathe the stitching of everything together at the end!!! Still, I'm glad he's all finished up.

Spring into Summer CAL-Aloha Flower Anklet

I first tried this with medium yarn, as suggested. It was just too bulky for my liking.

The second attempt was done with thread and an additional flower to keep it an odd number (like floral arranging!). I was so pleased with how the variegated thread lined the colors up so well!

...nice tan line... =P

Spring into Summer CAL-Water Bottle Holder

This was a fun project, and super useful, too!

This fits standard water bottles, and even worked for my larger one. It's handy to have a way to throw your water bottle over your shoulder when you don't want to hang onto it all summer long.

Spring into Summer CAL-Dishcloth

This pattern is called Absolutely Fast Dishcloth. It was certainly a quick project, but it wasn't 'absolutely fast' for me. Unfortunately, I'm kind of particular about my dishcloths. Am I the only one?

In fact, the term 'dishcloth' vs. 'washcloth' is an important distinction for me. Wow. What a freak, I know.

Regardless, there are certain 'cloths' that I will use for washing dishes and others that I'll use for wiping down counters or tables. What I use for washing dishes needs to be of medium size with fairly tight stitching.

This pattern looked to fit the medium requirement, but the stitches were obviously pretty loose. Treble crochet was used to make it 'Absolutely Fast.' It makes sense!

However, to fit my tight-stitch preference for washing dishes, I opted for a much smaller hook. It slightly changed the speed at which it came together and the look of the final product, but once I start using it at the sink, it will never look the same again anyway! =D