Less blogging, more crocheting

I'm on the tail end of my introvert vacation from direct contact with other people. As this one has passed so quickly, I'd like to go on another vacation next week after I acquire more fabric for my upcoming sewing projects.

It must've been a couple weeks ago when I decided to make a set of coasters from a an old Herrschner's magazine pattern that I'd never tried before. I gifted the finished items to my friend Kathy. I made something else for her in peach & mint green that I will post another time. Have several other items that I've made that need to be photographed.

This is the first round doily I've ever made. I'd say it's about 8' wide. I wanted to try this pattern from a book. Too many increases resulted in pretty ruffles. Made this for Kathy's daughter using Red Heart Burgundy as a living room accessory.

I've been working on a wide scarf in Red Heart Lipstick, hdc stitches. Needed something mindless to work on for relaxation purposes.

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.

Happy magnets

I have six handmade refrigerator magnets on the freezer door at the moment. I made 4 smiley faces with the intention of using them as promotional tokens for my new knit & crochet group. The first time I used wiggly eyes.
I used a new children's toothbrush to brush the faces' fun fur hair.

I made my first plastic canvas project, a kiwi fruit a few days ago. Except for the yellow center which is crochet thread, I used worsted weight yarn.






The faces without eyes. I won't show you the disturbing photo of one of the faces when it had a needle stabbing through its head when I had to weave in the ends of its hair. Rest assured it kept a smile on its face the entire time so it must not have been too painful.













I picked up a double crochet striped blanket that I hadn't worked on in a long time. I'd say it's baby blanket size. Have to weave in many, many ends. (I'm just not pleased with the way it looks when I crochet over ends.) I haven't decided which color I'll use to go around the edge. I'm thinking I might go with teal or turquoise.


















It occurred to me that I didn't have any photos posted of my hand holding my knitting. This is a scarf in bulky yarn that I pick up occasionally. I prefer the slickness of Sensations knitting needles by Jo-Ann Fabrics. My blue needles are size 10 and my pretty green ones are 10.5.

I have more blanket news. I'll post more pics this week.

The new knit and crochet connection

This week has gone by quickly. Today I've spent most of my time in my bedroom crocheting the scrap blanket from the previous entry while listening to The Janson Directive by late author Robert Ludlum. I'll probably get more of his books because they have a pleasing amount of action in them. He was the creator of The Bourne Identity. I'll have to get that one for sure.




Above are the items that I received from my West Virginian Rockford Crochet partner for January's exchange. Two 6" squares, a cotton dishcloth, hat and bookmark. They are at my computerless friend Kathy's house at the moment. They'll return home on the 16th.


I converted the bookmark into a refrigerator magnet by gluing on magnetic tape with Tacky Glue. The peel 'n' stick adhesive didn't adhere well enough.


On February 6th I started a new Yahoo! group for knitters and crocheters. It's called Stephenson County Knit & Crochet Connection. I'm still getting the word out about it through flyers and business cards.

You can read the description about it here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scknitcrochet/

Today I approved the first member so now there are officially 2 members!

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.