Official crochet

This is my second official round doily made with Peaches & Creme cotton yarn.
















A cotton hand towel that I made to be used in the bathroom in lieu of paper towels. The stitch pattern is called "Thistle Stitch."






















I knit this dishcloth/washcloth on my Sensations #10 knitting needles. Probably took longer than the hand towel to make because the stitches are so much shorter. I was glad to end it.

Here's a bright baby/toddler blanket that I must've crocheted months ago now, who knows? The crochet train keeps chugging right along at my house! I made this blanket just because I wanted to put those bright colors together.





I've still been crocheting scarves in between projects. Right now I'm working on a multi-colored one using scraps.






I have two official crochet orders that I will be working on in the near future. More money for yarn, hooray!

Getting green

Have been crocheting a lot as usual. Have many, many crochet projects in various stages going on as evidenced by the heaping pile on one end of my couch. Today I sat on the porch listening to an audiobook like usual while crocheting a yellow scarf. I'll be crocheting scarves all year long so that I will have a ton of them finished by the time the next cold season arrives.






It's getting green outside for sure now. The trees and bushes are budding leaves.









Here you can see the 2005 run seeds that I started in containers on the porch. Nice to see that almost all of them have come up even though they're so old. The turnip greens really took off. In 2nd place is broccoli.





I have started composting! That's something new that I wanted to try for a while. I'm using a large pail that I found in the shed.





Below is a baby blanket that I'm going to donate. I used reverse single crochet for the edging.

















Looking at that blanket makes me feel like starting another one, but I'll finish the scarf which I'm almost done with first.

Spring Green

I'm almost done with this baby blanket. Made it with Caron Simply Soft primarily in Soft Blue, double crochet and crossed half double crochet stitches. Going to go around the edge with the white yarn (Jamie by Lion Brand, I believe) and then make a pair of booties to go with it. Maybe two. One in blue and one in white. Have never made booties before, but I'm sure they'll be simple to make since the pattern I chose is a smaller version of slippers that I've made before. Intend to donate the blanket and booties to someone via Freeport Freecycle. People won't stop having babies; best to be fortified with baby goods.


I have another unphotographed blanket that I'm almost done with. Made with Red Heart Spring Green and Beach yarn with a couple wide stripes in a coordinating blue. When I finish the Caron Simply Soft Blue blanket, I'm going to start a pink blanket for my nephew's new baby. He chose the Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn himself when he came over last week. Along with a baby hat made with RH Soft White, I gave him a baby blanket that he'd admired in the past made with Wintuk Knitting Yarn by WonderArt in the variegated shade called "Lullaby" and also the yellow stuffed bunny featured in the past post "Bunny's first crochet."






Three of the five walker/wheelchair totes that I've made. These are at the stage where I need to add the hook & loop tape closures. I'll decide which to offer for sale and which I want to donate after making more. I was thinking about making little coordinating pouches or something small to go with them. It would take too long to make blankets.

It's supposedly going to get near 70 degrees today. Yesterday was warm. I've already gotten a bit eager and have started decorating the enclosed porch. Last year I did green & white, but this year I'm going with lilac or lavender & white. Have already put yarn out there.

I'm going to start flirting with the notion of getting my bicycle ready for riding, but let's see if this isn't a false start to spring first.

I remember last fall waiting for the snow to melt so I could mow the lawn. Crazy climate.

Blanket news

This is the latest blanket that I've been working on. The color parts are double crochet and the black rows are crossed half doubles.I'm going to put black around the edge when I get done with the red.








This is the second to last scrap blanket that I made. I'm sitting on top of it because it's being used as a chair cover at the moment.



I've been working on my third walker tote using Pop 'N Yarn in Regal Blue and Calif. Coral which is a bright shade of orange.

Crocheting on impulse

I made it over to the group foster home facility on Monday the 2nd to make my second donation. Under the stuffed animals is a scrap blanket that I crocheted. There are several crocheted hair scrunchies and one knitted headband which is atop the Red Heart Grey Heather scarf. I liked the sweater underneath it, but it's too small for me. I bought it from a thrift store. I received a sample of Celine Dion's new fragrance which I'd sent for. Left click your mouse for a closer look at the items.

I finished the scrap blanket that I made for myself and started making another scrap blanket with half double crochet clusters of two and rows of double crochet to speed the progress even more. I should donate it to a nursing home when I'm done. I have one done already that could use some company in the trash bag that I have it stored in.

I very awkwardly held the camera with my left hand to take a photo of how I hold my hook. The button for taking the photo is on the right side of the camera.

I must've been watching a season 2 episode of The Waltons on DVD when I decided on impulse that I'd like to make a cotton dishcloth. Peaches 'n Creme Pink Lilacs. It almost used the entire 2 oz. skein.

For those of you who don't already know this, the grandmother on The Waltons crochets. She usually uses an off-white thread and a steel hook, but last time it looked like she was using a white hook that looks like a plastic one that I have and off-white worsted weight yarn. The actress wasn't faking it. She could crochet rather quickly and uses a grip like you would holding a pencil. I can't hold my hook that way for long. I think the way a person holds their hook might depend on how their hand and wrist bones are formed.

Crochet possibilities

I have been crocheting a lot. Today I made a couple 6" squares for my Rockford Crochet January Exchange partner. They are lovely. I experienced glitches with both patterns. I had never made one of the squares before so I had to do some thinking about what I was trying to do which is something that I usually don't care for while crocheting. I had to rip out stitches for the basic granny square a couple times because I didn't have enough double crochets for one cluster and one too many for another. Eventually my hands took over and I was able to let my mind go to other thoughts.

Have been getting annoying static electricity shocks when I touch things in the house especially when turning on light switches. Not enough moisture in the house. I had to take my Vicks Vaporizer apart to clean it out. Had to use an unusual tool meaning that I had to get out of bed and think about what I was doing. Winter creates so many nuisances. Bah!

I finished the Royal Blue scarf that I had been working on. Took several days after the fun for me to finally weave in the few dangling ends. If I were a drinking woman, maybe getting blitzed would make me feel less dreadful about weaving in ends. I crochet a lot of things and that means lots of dangling tails. Bah!

I'm almost done with a scrap blanket that I started with the intention of donating to Sleezer. Will be long enough to cover a person up to their shoulders. Well, it will cover me up to my shoulders. Have collected other things around the house. There's a bottle of aqua/turquoise nail polish that I don't use. It occurred to me when I was looking at it sitting atop my makeshift dresser that I have yarn the same color which means that I can make a hair scrunchie to go with it!

Oh, again I was so excited about crochet possibilities that I didn't want to go to sleep last night. I started making my first wheelchair caddy. I began using a pattern that I found online, but ended up deviating from it. I'm only making one rectangular panel so I won't have as many you-know-whats to weave in. Thinking I'll go on a streak of making them. I want to try different color combinations. The one from last night will be mainly Skipper Blue. A big log of yarn. The label was old. Anyway, the contrast color will be Red Heart Monet.

One night, probably weeks ago now, I impulsive decided to start making rug mugs to sell in the future. I got this colorful bouclé yarn on sale from JoAnn Fabrics some time ago. It has wool content. I also made two and a half rug mugs with Homespun "Wine" using single crochet.

Looking forward to starting another blanket.

Pop 'N Love

Yesterday I finally made it over to Norman C. Sleezer Youth Home to drop off the things I wanted to donate. It wasn't bitterly cold out so that helped the process a lot.


Among the crocheted items that I left at their new home is the purple scarf you see in three different shades of Pop 'N Yarn brand yarn. I LOVE that yarn! It feels thicker than other 4-ply worsted weight yarns and the colors are so deep. Love it! I've already started another scarf in Royal Blue.


Back to the donations: I had collected a variety of items from around the house and bought a few extra things such as shampoo, conditioner when I went shopping for my own needs.



The receptionist filled out a donations intake form. She asked for my name and address and I named the things that I brought while she wrote them down.


I shared notebooks, pens, pencils, postcards, construction paper, some bookmarks that I'd made, stickers, suckers, shampoo & conditioner samples, pocket combs, green nail polish, some of my surplus emery boards. One of the ladies in the reception area said that they are going to love me. Wow! I remember being a teenage girl. I clocked countless hours doing my hair and nails. I do have lots of hair stuff from my cosmetology school days around here that I don't use, hmmm.


Last night I felt inspired enough by the experience and abundance of stuff to start another box of donations for the same place. So far there's a sweater and a pair of shoes that I've never worn anywhere. I'll donate more hair scrunchies.

Click on the pic to get a better view of the stuff. A black loom-knit hat, fleece scarf, crochet headbands, a couple of wrist purses, four pairs of pants, a top and a soft grey sweater. Important for me to keep some sort of log so I don't imagine that I still have the items and go looking for them in the house again.















I hope that colorful blanket (double-stranded, double crochet) provides the girls with warmth and cheer.

I was on another introvert vacation last week. Here's a pile of the stuff that I worked on finishing off. Have woven in the ends on several of the things. I think the teal & white blanket might be the only thing there that I might not donate. We'll see. I feel ready to start another scrap blanket.













This is the double-stranded half double crochet poncho that I impulsively decided to start making to fit a toddler. I slip-stitched the seams together. I'm going to go around the neckline and bottom in pink Caron Simply Soft yarn and add a millefiore flower embellishment.

More glorious crochet

Decided to make my own blog post so I can go back to checking out other crochet and knitting blogs.



At left you see the two light teal dishcloths that I took my time crocheting using a half double crochet + single crochet stitch pattern. A simple pattern that gives a nice texture. I used Red Heart Soft and that yarn feels glorious. My idea is to sell the washcloths with a bar of soap for added value.



I have been reading a lot as usual. I have three books in rotation that I'm reading hands-on and one of the fiction novels is Hooked on Murder: A Crochet Mystery by Betty Hechtman. The man character is 48-year-old Molly Pink who initially gets detained by the police after literally stepping on the body of the woman who led the book's crochet group. It's funnier than I thought it would be. I do wish I could have gotten it on audiobook through the library so I can crochet while listening to it.

http://www.amazon.com/Hooked-Murder-Crochet-Betty-Hechtman/dp/0425221253

My current audiobook is Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris.

I've been wondering what crocheters and knitters in Canada have been making to survive the cold. I have been delaying getting out of bed these days just to postpone being cold for a little longer.



Yesterday I finished the grey slippers that I started months ago when I was on a slipper binge. They are quadruple-stranded; two strands of acrylic and two strands of wool. My feet have been freezing so badly that I have to warm them up several times a day so I thought the wool would help insulate them. I'll show you the slippers in progress and in action in my next post.






This is the teal & white double crochet blanket that I've been working on. The one pound skeins have been going a long way. So glad that I won't have so many ends to weave in after the crocheting is done.

I have more crochet news, but I'll save it for my next post.

Maintaining comfort with lots & lots of yarn

It was asked on Rockford Crochet where we keep our stash. Decided that it would be easier to show pics. What you see is some of my yarn, not all of it because some of it is sorted into homemade kits. Most of it is in the meditation room in the tall bookcases you see below. They used to have doors on them, but I took them off so I can more easily stare at my yarn. It is very much like having a mini yarn shop in my home and it is so fun to go in there to shop! A very cheery room.

The white and off-white yarns in the hanging organizers live in the office now. I had to bring in my yarn from the enclosed porch because of the cold meaning that I don't want to go out there when I want to make a selection.

That's my Sierra Leone, Africa orphanage box on the desk next to my covered sewing machine. Accumulating and making items to send will be an ongoing project. I bought a box of 60 Band-Aids. Will remember to take some out and put them in that box since even basic medical supplies are greatly in need in such places. I happened to have some unopened hair beads that I don't think I'll use along with some non-crochet baby clothes that had been for my current stuffed animals and childhood dolls.

The first yarn I'd bought after purchasing the four trash bags full (as seen in a previous post) was 3 skeins of Red Heart Spring Green which is the same shade as Caron Simply Soft Brites Limelight. I got it from Walmart. I got really hungry for green last winter so I'm glad that they had it in stock. They only had 4 skeins of it. I did buy a pound of black yarn too.

Right now around here it even looks like "a lot" of yarn to me, but I'd still be willing to take more yarn in if anyone needs to rehome some. Has to do with maintaining my psychological comfort level so having a lot of yarn around me as much as possible is terribly important. Oh, and course it will be used too.

I usually work on crochet projects in my bedroom, the living room, porch, and office. I usually take a project with me when I go out. Takes the anger out of having to wait.

I have taken projects with me to the bathroom and worked on them there . . . Don't worry, I launder/sanitize the items that I donate to charity. Washing helps soften acrylic fabric and removes manufacturing oils, body oils, and whatever other substances may have collected on in-progress projects.

I think I've crocheted in the basement while waiting for my laundry to finish it's business. Yes, I'm pretty sure I've done it there. I'm sure I will have done it all over the house someday.

I like to write a lot so I tend to alternate between writing in a notebook or on the computer and crocheting. Recently cleared the pile of yarn and papers that accumulated on my desk.

My current project which I started the day before yesterday: Cherry Chip dishcloths. Popped into my head to make sets of them for people who have to rebuild their lives due to fires or other unexpected circumstances. Whoever needs 'em, basically. I'm on my fourth and last one for this set.

I'm probably going to switch over to making a navy blue scarf that will go with a navy blue hat that I've already made with the intention of donating it. Need something that doesn't require a lot of concentration while I watch movies on the computer.

I've also been working on a teal & white blanket. It's so nice. I'm leaning toward selling it because I'm sure someone would love it and give me money for it, but we'll see what I do when I do it.

Will be posting again soon!

Pretty flowers!

On the sun-warmed porch this afternoon while listening to Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris, I glued rhinestones onto the centers of some of the millefiore flowers that I crocheted. Very pretty!




Here's my gradated half double crochet blanket. I finally finished weaving in the ends which made it an official blanket. I use it while I sit on the couch in the living room.











I like making these multi-colored blankets with scrap yarn. I just tie the ends of extra yarn together to form a ball. The ends that hang out are a design feature. Exciting to make because you don't know how all the colors are going to look together. I used a second strand of white throughout for this one to make it extra warm. I'd like to try one like this with black when I have enough black to make a large lap blanket like this. This one is destined for a nursing home.

I have a ravenous appetite for making blankets! This is the one I'm working on now using two and three strands at a time. It's double crocheted and destined for the charity of my choice. It's going to be different from others that I've made.











I just need to make one more baby washcloth to finish this set which I mentioned in a previous post. Here you can see the blue, peach and white variegated baby yarn that I mentioned.





I've been working on other things. Man, I crochet a lot! If I didn't have to go bed at night, I'm sure I'd do it even more.





You know what? I also started knitting my first hat on straight needles rather than on a loom. I've cast on in Simply Soft Heather Grey for the knit 1, purl 1 band. I'm thinking about making the main body of it in Soft Yellow. We'll see what color I feel like when I get to that part.

I've got lots more to tell you and more pics to share. I'll have to make a second post for sure this week.

Capture color

It's 7:54 a.m. I've been awake since 4 something. I've already crocheted today. I've been in my bedroom listening to Club Dead by Charlaine Harris read by Johanna Parker. It's a Sookie Stackhouse mystery. The only vampire novel that has held my attention. Very entertaining. I want to see more of the new HBO show, True Blood, based on the books. I saw some of the first episode online. It was good. Anna Paquin (Rogue from the X-Men movies) plays Sookie and she's appropriate for the role.

Color. Below are my Lilliput zinnias that live in the back yard for now. The cold hasn't killed them yet. There are some bright yellow ones back there which have had their leaves gobbled up by insects. My first time sowing that variety. Last year I had the giant profusely blooming zinnias that you see above which I loved. Next year I'd like to have gladiolas and lilies.

Yarn that I bought last year. My meditation room and bedroom are painted a deep pink coral color which is why there is a reddish overtone in some of my photos. Mmm, yarn memories.

I made this hat last year along with 6 others with the intention of donating it, but it called to me over and over again to keep it. I reasoned that I had a right to keep it since I bought the yarn and made it afterall. The others hats did make it to the non-profit agency so it all worked out. I have been wearing the pink & black hat inside the house lately. A house hat. I received several compliments when I wore it last year. I could make more like it.

This is the colorful blanket that I'm going to donate to the local youth foster home when finished. I think I'll stop with the Paddy Green round. It's already fairly large and I've got other crochet projects going on that I can't keep my hands off of.

I've worked on the Soft Blue blanket and sweater already today. I took pictures of those items plus more pumpkins that I made. My mind told to me to stage them with raffia for an organic, realistic look. I've made 13 pumpkins and I am so over making pumpkins. Too many steps. No more!

I really like looking at the pics on this site and what the group members have done for charity. http://www.halfknits.com/photos.htm

I took a closer look at the photo shown of hair scrunchies on a table. Delicious. I have cranked out so many of those. I'll have to make more and put them in a colorful pile like that and stare at them. I'm going to donate a small bag of them with the colorful blanket. I'd think they'd be handy for teen girls.

Yarn shock

I knit up some black & white yarn that I combined into one ball just to see what it would look like. That happened some time ago. With black & white novelty yarn I crocheted around a white flower thinking it would accent the knitted fabric quite nicely if I made a pouch with it. I set a heart-shaped silver button in the middle of the flower. Someday I'm going to actually sew up the seams of that pouch and attach the flower and buttons so it can be used.


I got a yarn shock yesterday. I had written an email to the public relations dept. of Caron yarn company last week wanting to know what I had to do to get free yarn for community charity projects. I had forgotten about it. I got a response! I was instructed to write another email with my name, address, phone number and email address along with what I do. I had read somewhere that yarn companies have a budget allotment for product donations, so I decided to give requesting some a try. If I get a box of yarn from Caron, I will never stop screaming--in the good way.

A blanket that I made a long time ago using double crochet stitches, a scallop shell edging. I just wanted to use up those oddly-colored yarns that I must've gotten at a thrift store. I'm going to donate this blanket.









I keep churning the projects out. Below is the second poncho I've crocheted. I single crocheted it together. I want to say that I made it in the spring. I used Red Heart in Shocking Pink which truly is quite jarring to the retinas in person. I made two panels for a black poncho in Softee Chunky yarn a long time ago that still needs to be assembled. It's not hard to do, I just haven't done it!

















This is a closeup of my first attempt with Brick Stitch using yummy Caron Simply Soft "Mango" yarn and my red plastic G hook. I'll have to insert a better pic later to better show you how delicious that shade is.








Last night I finished crocheting the Soft Navy hat that I'm going donate. Really, I'm in the mood to make a large, thick BLANKET.

I finished crocheting the large, double-stranded gradated stripes one that I made for myself, I just need to weave the ends in. Loose ends haven't stopped me from using it though. It measures 46 1/2" wide. Don't know how long it is for sure. I made it to cover me from my toes up to my shoulders.


Have it in mind to start knitting something. I've never knit anything from a pattern since I prefer my knitting to be on the mindless side. I do have a crochet blanket that I can finish up. It just needs to be a bit wider. I'll have a day for weaving in loose ends to officially complete some projects and there will be lots of short pieces of yarn all over the carpet.

Oh, the crochet excitement!

This is a white half double crochet mat that I had lying around, approximately 9 1/2 x 12". I couldn't remember what it was created for so I called my friend Kathy and asked her if she would want a present. I crocheted simple shells around the sides and shoved it in a bag along with two bookmarks that I made using stickers that she can't remember giving to me. She called to report that she loved the peach & white "doily" and knew just where she was going to put it.




On a whim, I began making a hat (which will probably morph into a bonnet with ties) using Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Red for Daniel recently. Yes, he is pink. I've had him for 21 years--since I was 11-years-old. (Added more stuffing to his insides to firm him up.) I put a hole in the top for his ears to stick out. I'm thinking about making an entire outfit for him. Tempted to make a poncho for him. Yes, I think he would like that since it's been getting colder.

Colorful, striped blanket that I started a few days ago. I've been weaving in the ends as I go along so I won't be faced with weaving them all in when the crocheting fun comes to an end. I'll probably give it away when I'm done making it. I just want to see how those stripes will look.

Yesterday Karen from Rockford Crochet picked up the cheery "Happiness" blanket as seen in a previous entry which will begin it's journey to an elderly woman residing in a Nebraska nursing home. She also brought me some YARN!!! which I've already begun using for charity items.

This morning I began making a second ribbed charity hat in Red Heart Soft Navy yarn. I also collected five others that I made some time ago that I have in mind to donate to a nursing home for indoor wear.

It's terribly exciting donating crocheted items. I never would have imagined how much so. Causes an adrenaline rush, I believe. I've discovered that I giving FREE things is just as thrilling as getting them. So exciting. I came across another Yahoo! crochet group called Stitches of Love which is about crocheting things for the elderly who live in nursing homes and retirement centers. My membership has already been approved!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Stitches_of_Love/

Destination: unknown

I finished the double crochet "Lullaby" blanket with reverse single crochet around the edging yesterday. I'm going to offer it for FREE on Freecycle this weekend. I made it knowing that I wanted to donate it and I want it to go to someone who really needs it. It turned out nicer that I imagined. It is large. It measures 36"x 43 1/2". It is heavy & thick because I used two strands held together.

Left-click on the images to see a close-up view.













Here we see what I consider to be "the money shot." Yes, yes, yes! There's nothing more satisfying than looking at a completed blanket folded up, ahhh.










I must've had a productive day yesterday. The "Corn" wool potholders turned out quite pleasing after undergoing the felting process. They're still on the porch drying. Wet wool is not a pleasant odor. Yuck!







I also finished crocheting the Soft Navy & Pumpkin scarf. Just have those fun (not really) ends to weave in!












Shades of blue scrap yarn rug that I started months ago. It'll be some time, I imagine, before I break down and weave in all of those loose ends! The sad part is that I already weaved in many of them, plus there are ones on the other side. I think weaving in ends with a needle looks better and is more secure than just crocheting over them which I used to do. I want to crochet a solid blue border around this rug which will look nice. I have two other scrap rugs to finish.

One thing about me is that I do eventually finish projects started months prior. It's nice to be able to pick up a project that is already underway.


Yesterday evening I returned to crocheting a scrap blanket that I started months ago. It has shades of orange, blue and white. Some of you have seen it before in photos that I shared of me working on it at the park. I'm adding more white to it from a 16 oz. skein of Red Heart using my favorite red plastic H hook to form clusters of two half double crochet stitches. Taking a long time. I just want to make it wide enough to be a lap blanket. Its ultimate destination? Unknown.