Lots of hooking going on

Most of the things I've got going on are quick and easy projects so they're working up quickly. I worked on the copycat afghan in the morning and did 5 more repeats for a total of 10.



In the evening I finished up the body of the surf and turf afghan. It's now been put into my WIP (works in progress) basket until I decide which border to use. I think I'm going to have to have a major border making session to get rid of all the projects waiting.

After the little ones went to bed I got out my baby afghan book and started working on Christine's wedding present.



The pattern calls for 52 hexagons but I think I'm going to make it bigger so need to do a few more. Just need to figure out exactly how many. Guess I have some time to figure that out since I only have 4 motifs done so far. lol I need this done before my parents leave for Tennessee the weekend of Oct 9th.

Onto something new

I'm suppose to be starting an afghan for my cousin's wedding. She lives in Tennessee so I won't be going (it's a month before Pat's wedding so we can't swing it $$). I decided I could crochet her an afghan and send it with my parents though. So I started looking through my baby afghan book and then I moved onto Ravelry to see pictures of what people had done with the patterns in the book. I pretty much know which one I'm going to attempt for her. It's one of the ones I wanted to do for Esther and Tim's shower gift.

BUT I just had to keep looking. I saw a really neat variation of the afghan that's on the cover.


The main color is white instead of blue and they used a variegated rainbow for the white accents. So I ran to my stash and pulled out a Caron one pound skein of white and the rainbow colorway of Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Classic. Another yarn that I wanted to love but just couldn't. The person who did the neat variation of the blanket said she used a K hook. The book says to use an I hook. I decided to try the K, got a few rows into it and didn't care for it so switched to my H. Here's how it's going so far...



I'm figuring I'll make the body as big as either color of yarn will allow me. And of course I'll also have to get going on the wedding gift too....soon.

Soooo close

I had decided I wanted to do a mindless project next. I picked a baby blanket, using the diagonal box stitch as that project. I had at least one whole skein of Caron's Jumbo prints...baby rainbow ombre so used it.


It was working up quick and easy...just like I was looking for. The idea was to do the body and then put it aside until I needed it or found a border I liked. I tried to gauge when I'd used about half the skein, figuring I'd then start to decrease the rows and finish the blanket with the second half of it. Well I didn't do so well as I ran out of skein, yet still have about 6.5 small rows to do plus sc around the whole thing.


Maybe I can find a stray partial skein laying somewhere. If not, then it'll have to wait until I need it for a gift, pounders go on sale or I decide to use a 50% off coupon. So into my WIP (works in progress) basket it'll go.

Lesson learned

Back in Jan '09 when I first started crocheting...I bought a LOT of yarn. JoAnn's Fabric had a huge yarn sale and I went crazy. One of the yarns I loved was TLC Essentials' Surf and Turf


I thought the brown and turquoise would make a great baby boy blanket.   I even had someone in mind for it.   I bought 3 skeins, brought it home and started playing with it immediately.    I just couldn't like it no matter which pattern I tried to use with it.    The turquoise color run was just too small.  Instead of giving me splotches of color I was getting tiny streaks.   I tried sc, hdc, dc....I tried to work it into an afghan, hat, afghan again...always frogging it.   Then I came across the diagonal box stitch and decided to give the surf and turf one more try...taaaadaaaa!  The stitch gives more opportunity for the turquoise to "butt" up with other turquoise streaks, creating the splotches I was originally looking for.   It also helped that I dropped my hook down to an F hook which gave me a  wider worked up section for each color run  (4 whole dcs). 

Where the lesson comes in is that you have to pay attention to dye lot. I know, I know...how could I not already know that? It's been said a million times when talking about yarn. Well, the yarn companies started the no dye lot advertising and I didn't realize it only meant solids, not verigated. Even one of the skeins I originally bought is different then the original two...the dark brown is almost black. It's put aside waiting for another project. My original skeins had rust in it. The newer ones have grey in it. I prefer the rust ones.

Original skeins


Newer skeins



I also see the importance of trying to get all the yarn for your project at once. But I'm excusing myself to that fault and blaming it on being an inexperienced crocheter and not realizing how much yarn a project would need.

Here's a funny...while photographing this I realized....I messed up big time on the thing! I had stopped short for a row, creating a new side straight edge. Then used that point as the new edge for 9 rows. Nothing to do but to frog them and redo the rows. It wasn't so bad since the dark brown had been pooling into a solid stripe which I wasn't so happy about. So I broke the yarn and started working from the opposite end of the skein...problem solved.

Here it is before I frogged it.

Playing with cotton

I have SO many things I need/want to do in the next few weeks. My mom's birthday is June 2nd and I have an idea for that. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long to make up. Liz's birthday is June 14th and I said I'd make her a shrug. I'm thinking of doing Maggie Wrap that I found on the Knitting Daily website. I have some cotton I bought from the dollar store last year that should work up well with it. The pattern isn't written, it's a chart only one which I've never done...so that may be a bit of a challenge for me at first. We're also have a baby shower for Allison on June 13th. I'm going to give her one of the blankets I've made already. I'd like to get a light sweater, hat, bootie set made for her too. Right now I think Justcrochet's free sample pattern is going to be what I try out. I'd like to make it in lavendar (Allison's favorite color is purple) but I don't want to go out and buy new yarn. I already have a pink I can use...so we'll see. I'm hoping the lavendar wins out in the end. lol


So with all these things on my mind/todo list in the next 3 weeks, what do I do? I break out a cake of rainbow cotton I got as a mill end package at AC Moore and I start crocheting a POTHOLDER! It's from Bev's Country Cottage website.



I started it about midnight and woke up midstitch at about 1:30 (not sure how long I'd been dozing). I started back up as soon as I got up this morning and had it done in no time...



I then decided to start a round ripple with it to see how the color pattern worked out. I wanted it to be drapey so decided to go with a larger hook and chose a "K" one.



After hitting round 6 I had run into and worked around too many mistakes so I stopped. I wasn't liking how it was working up anyways with the larger hook. I decided to restart it and chose an "I" hook instead. I think I'm liking it much better. I don't have a picture of the new one because my camera battery died. I'll try to get it up soon.

Playing Catch-up

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted here. Even though I'm not posting it doesn't mean that I'm not crocheting. Now that Drew's wedding is over I'm hoping I can keep up here better.

I finished and blocked Allison's shawl with time to spare. She looked lovely in it if I do say so myself. Then again, she'd look lovely in a paper bag. :o) The shawl is Dot Matthew's Fancy Fans Stole. Using Bernat's baby sport yarn and a J hook.

My lovely new daughter-in-law


Best view of the shawl


I also managed to get the round ripple afghan done for my nephew Jeremy and his wife Klare. It's Lyn's round ripple pattern made with a G hook and Naturallycaron's Country and Spa. I didn't mean to use two different types of yarn. AC Moore had both types mixed together in their display area and by the time I noticed it (at the register), I was too burnt out to try and fix it. I don't think I could've gotten all the colors I wanted in one fiber anyways. (spa is a bamboo/acrylic mix, country is a merino wool/acrylic mix) So I'm crossing my fingers that the two different materials don't react differently to being washed. I used Biscuit and Jam's random stripe generator to work out the pattern with a tweaked in one or two spots.



On Tuesday I decided I needed to connect with my hook again. So I ventured into the garmet sector of crocheting. I've never done anything wearable except ponchos. With my granddaughter due in July I decided now was a good time to try it out. I went with Sue's no holes hexagon sweater. It was really easy and quick to work up. I made some modifications to it although now I think I have to revise them a bit. I was hoping to get a newborn size that wasn't baggy. There's nothing more pathetic then a newborn with clothes sagging off of them because they're too big. It's why I always like to have a preemie outfit for taking them home. (unless of course the baby is 10lbs like Luke was!). I think it's a bit too small though. It's perfect size for Danielle's baby doll!

It's done!

I finished Esther and Tim's wedding afghan 8 days early! For some reasons the last 3 repeats I added on caused more problems then the rest of the blanket combined. I frogged and frogged at least once in every repeat. And I still have a mistake or two that I had to work around. It ended up being 49" wide and 58" long, coming to my collar bone with my feet well covered. I'm hoping to get a picture of it after the kids come home from school. Seems once I let someone borrow my camera, they think they can use it and take it whenever. So not sure where it is at the moment.

So now I'll be working on Allison's shawl. I'm hoping it will only take a night to do, but that might be a bit ambitious. It would be cool if I could get it done for her shower which is also next Saturday.

3rd skein

I"m technically into the 3rd one pounder skein of the wedding shower afghan. But with the first I did a bunch of false starts of the afghan so it wasn't really a full one. I thought I could call it done at the end of the 2nd skein. Then I threw it over me. It covered my feet and came to just under my breast...nope not big enough. I think it needs to cover me to my neck. I figure it should be big enough after 3 more repeats. I thought I'd get it done last night but I ended up going to bed with Sean. So tonight should be the night I finish it.

I went back to AC Moore today. I think the one pounder is too thick a yarn for Allison's shawl. So I decided to work with the Bernat Baby Sport that's on sale this week...$3.99 for a big ball (reg price is $9.99). I've also decided to try a different pattern.... The Fancy Fans Stole. I admit it, I love shells. I'm thinking it should be quick to work up so if I don't like it, I can try another one in the next few weeks. Hopefully though both Allison and I will like it.

Putting aside the shawl

I'm not loving the shawl and am thinking of changing patterns. So until I HAVE to do it, it's in hibernation. On Friday I decided to get Tim and Esther's shower gift started. I started making pinwheel motifs to piece together....no quite right. Then I started a popcorn and cable afghan from my baby afghan book...first row of the pattern and I didn't like that either. So then I moved onto a lacy ripple and it's just right! I've gone through one Caron one pounder in off white and have started the second. I figure I'm a little less then half way through. I'll decide on the actual length of it as I work it.





I hit A.C. Moore yesterday. They had both Caron's Spa and Country on sale....2 for $3 (regularly $4.99 ea). When figuring out what presents I had to make I forgot...I have a baby shower the day after Drew's wedding!!!! So I've decided to attempt for my first round ripple afghan for this gift. Danielle and Sean were angels while I was deciding what colors I wanted. I picked out 2 skeins of each color. What I didn't realize until I was at the register...the store ahd mixed up the Country and Spa into one display! So some of the colors I picked were Spa...a bamboo yarn. Others were Country...a merino wool blend. UGH! It won't work if I only pick one fiber. Am I going to be in trouble? Will they be messed up once it's washed? To be on the safe side I also bought 2 big balls of Bernat baby sport in the funny prints colorway since the baby is a boy. That way if I start running out of time or I don't like how the round ripple is working up...I can quickly do a simple afghan in this.

Oh yeah, I also bought a Caron one pounder in white with my 40% off coupon. I'll use it for Allison's shawl.

Just wanted to let you know

I'm still here. Haven't done a ton of crocheting. Mostly what I have worked on was trying to figure out what material (yarn or cotton) and hook size I want to do Allison's wedding shawl on. I may even change patterns all together. I'm hoping to get it done this week. I have too much to do on and off the hook to keep playing with it like I am. With all the motifs I've made I could probably have made 4 shawls. Right now it's going well with white cotton and an H hook.

GRRRR! I just found the baggie holding the shawl project on the floor...OPEN! Obviously it's been there a bit because everything is dirty and covered with dog hair. Guess I'll be starting over. Luckily it wasn't too many squares but still. Didn't anyone notice they were stepping on it? I guess I'll have to put it under lock and key before I leave from now on.

Once Allison's shawl is done I'll move onto an afghan for the couple whose wedding is the week after Drew's and Allison's. It'll most likely be a neutral color. I'm thinking either a simple textured ripple (worked into the back loops every so many rows) or a pinwheel granny square I saw in my baby afghans book. If all goes according to plan, I may even be able to finish an afghan for Allison and Drew too.

Playing around

Well I've done quite a few squares of teh lacy flower shawl. I think it's going to look nice. Now to just decide which yarn and what hook to use. I originally started with the Jamie baby yarn. I have at least 15 skeins of the white. I thought with the thread of sparkle it might look nice. Well whatever you gain with the sparkle is taken away with the feel of the stuff....UGH! I have no idea how anyone would allow that stuff to be used on a baby. It's some of the roughest yarn I've ever felt. Probaby why it's discontinued and at the dollar store.

I then moved onto the Caron's pound of love that I have. Much, much better. I started with a G hook and it looked ok. Then I moved up to an I hook like the pattern suggests. Definitely a lot softer and better drape but the square seem huge. I moved down to an H hook, just to see the difference. I haven't decided which I like, nor am I sold on this yarn.

The squares go really quick and it's a join as you go so there won't be any piecing in the end (YAY!!!). I'm making about 4 or 5 squares and then sewing in the ends. Any more then that and all the ends get tangled in my work. So once it's done, it should be done. I could see me taking a whole day and getting this done....no problem. Last night I was thinking it might be cool to add in some squares of her wedding color/ But now I wonder. I'd also thought of doing the 1/2 motifs alone the ends, giving it a zigzag edge. I probably won't though.

I was thinking of trying to block the strips that I've already made. A) to get practice blocking as I've never done it before. B) to see the actual look of each hook size properly. Allowing me to judge which look would be best.

It's killing me not being able to take pictures! This place is boring without it...sorry!

I talked to Allison

Her grandmother is too ill to crochet her the shawl, so I'll do it. I showed her my ideas and I think we're going with the Flower Lace Shawl (the 2nd link in my last post). Only revision so far is that it'll be a stole, not a triangle shawl. Should make it a bit easier as I won't have to make 1/2 or 1/4 motifs. I haven't decided if I want to go with the cotton yarn they suggest or use the Jaime baby yarn I have already. I'm thinking of using the baby yarn as it's thinner and has a thread of shimmer in it. Plus it's on hand. I'm hoping to lay Sean down and play with it in a few minutes (he's sleeping in my arms as I type this). I'll update you later on how it's going.

Can I really pull it off?

Drew and Allison's wedding is set for May 15th. That gives us a little over 60 days to get everything accomplished. Allison is having a family friend make her wedding dress. They'll be meeting tonight to figure out which one it'll be. She'd like a strapless but isn't comfortable with it with her ample top. I suggested a shawl might be nice to cover her and she liked the idea. So I've been looking at shawl patterns lately. Yesterday I tried out this one. This morning I came across this one and I think I like it a lot better. So am thinking of trying a motif or two.

I got to thinking...Allison might want to ask her grandmother to make her shawl for her. Her grandmother has a lot more experience with crocheting and would probably do a much better job then I would. Besides, it might mean something extra special to come from her grandmother. Also I can think of a lot of other things I could/should be doing for the wedding. Of course if she wants me to make it, I will. Just thinking. I'll have to talk to her this week.

I'll probably try one or three shawls anyways since Liz has wanted a poncho since Christmas. I think a shawl is a much classier alternative. I'm sure she'll like either one.

Not much hooking

I never edged the doll pillow last week. It's still sitting here mocking me. We went away Saturday night and I was really tempted to bring some crocheting along. Figuring it was a family outing and we were suppose to be doing things as a family, I left it at home. I probably couldn've gotten away with doing some in the early morning hours when I was the only one up, but not much.

I did manage to pick up a hook after we got home. I've finished 5 of the 6 rows of the blue ruffle on the Ruffles all Around blanket. I'm stalled again as I'm not sure where my Baby Afghan book is at the moment. GRRRRR! Figuring we have 2 mos until I have 2 weddings and the bridal showers will be even quicker then that...I started working on the white ripple blanket for T and E's wedding. I'm afraid I'm not going to be happy with it. The outside of the skein seems to be fuzzing up already. What's the blanket going to look like after a bit of use? WHY do I do this to myself? (2nd guess my choices in the project)

I'm thinking I might do the Tree of Life for Drew and Allison but I'm afraid I can't get it done in time and I don't want that to happen. The sooner I get T and E's done, the more time I'll have to figure out and work on Drew's. Then it's onto the grandbaby's stuff!

My shoulder is feeling it

I wound and wound yesterday. I have just about all the yarn I wanted to do, done. It's all in my bedroom, contained neatly in 3 plastic see through totes. I can see just about every skein of yarn I own by just looking at the container. I also have a cardboard box that's holding the large or full skeins that I didn't want to wind just yet. Oh and then there's my 3 drawer plastic dresser that's in the livingroom. It's holding my books, hook bag (pencil bag), UFO (unfinished objects) and the yarn for the projects that I'm currently working on. I've found a few stray skeins/balls here and there today, but I'm not sweating it. It's made me feel a bit more organized and wanting to do more projects and even get out my sewing machine. It's also pushing me to get my room in order so I put the totes away (need to clean out my closet first)

This morning I found a skein of yellow yarn sitting on the couch and couldn't figure out why I didn't put it away last night. When I picked it up I figured out why...there was a project attached to it still. It was a doll pillow that I'd started for the Christmas Bazaar to go with this blanket...



So I decided to stuff it and finish it. It's stitched in my no thinking, go to pattern of alternating rows of hdc and dc. Looking at it I figured the stuffing would show through the holes though so I decided to make a pillow insert of sc using red heart super saver in soft white. You can't see it and I didn't make it so you could remove it. I probably could've gotten by with putting the stuffing in a piece of pantyhose before inserting it in the original pillow...saving me an hour of crocheting. But I had fun and it was relaxing to just sit there and make it. I'm trying to decide how I want to edge it. After it's done I'll take a picture and share.

I'm hoping to work on the Ruffles afghan later tonight. It's getting to be one of those...I can't wait to get this done!!! projects.

My hook is on a short hiatus

That doesn't mean that I'm not doing anything with my yarn. I've been trying to get it under control. It has a way of working it's way into every part of the house. People are complaining. I don't blame them. Even I get mad when I'm walking out of my room and my feet become entangled in a mass of yarn. So I've been using my Christmas present and taming a bunch of skeins for the last few days. The sucky thing is...as soon as I start winding...my eye and nose start going crazy. My eyes itch horribly and my nose starts running and eventually getting stuffed up. I took some Claratin yesterday and it did seem to diminish the nose running.

I'll be happy when it's all in order. I thought I was almost done until I turned around. I had forgotten about a whole tote of it! So I think I'll finish it up today. Then I can start to take care of some bags of unraveled sweaters. I'm trying to design myself a yarn swift out of K'nex. The swift itself is a no brainer...how to keep it anchored is another matter. I'd also like to see how my yarn winder does with unraveling things. I'm thinking it could speed things along nicely.

I did end up adding a few more stitches onto the All around Ruffles afghan. Not enough to take another picture though. Well off to wreck havoc with my sinuses.

4 AM already!?!

Friday night I got work putting the first ruffle on the Ruffles all Around afghan. It's a lot of stitches as it's 6 rounds wide. I was going like gangbusters and would've kept going but it was 4am and I had to pour beer for a 9pm Syracuse basketball game that night. If it wasn't for the beer pouring I may have stayed up all night.



I went with Caron's Pounder in Denim. It's a heathered blue and at first I wasn't sure if I'd like the "faded" look of it. It's growing on me. I just hope I end up pleased with it. It stinks to put so many hours into something to feel so so about it. I'm hoping to work on it when I get off here for a bit.

And in all my loserness. I keep thinking of starting even more projects. This time it's a shawl. Liz wanted me to make her a poncho. I'd rather make something that's a bit "fancier". I thought about making her a shrug but there are some really pretty shawls out there. Besides it's less fitting so not as fussy and I'm not sure I'm ready for sleeves yet. So far I've held off on it but I'm not sure how long I can last before I give in.

Critiquing Myself

I know the creator is usually the hardest critic when it comes to a project. Well I'm no exception. Taking pictures for the last post left me feeling less then great about some projects. Mostly it's the Midnight Brites afghan squares. They are so messy and all different sizes! My stitch consistency has improved immensely since last summer. Part of me wants to start the project all over. Part of me doesn't want to waste all that work. But can I really give away something I'm not ok with? I could just throw together the squares I have and make something to use around here.

To a point it's happening to the Tree of Life afghan too. My front post stitches are getting consistent and better looking as I've gone on. That leaves me looking at the beginning of the afghan with distaste and having to prevent myself from ripping out what I've done already. :o)

I have to wonder if I'll ever be content with the quality of my work. Will I always find something wrong? That blaring mistake that only I can see? Or will I get experienced enough with practice to do the quality of work I want to hold myself to? I think that's one of the reasons why I haven't tried any wearable projects. I'm not confident enough in the quality of my work. Although with the grandbaby coming soon, the wearable category of crocheting is becoming more and more enticing. Guess that means I better get cranking out projects so I can practice.

I'm such a loser!

I have all the projects mentioned in the last post. So what do I do? I start another one! I decided to put away the Tree of Life afghan for a bit. Actually I decided the original one I started wasn't too bad after all and put them both away. I'm not sure I want to do that much work for a present for a couple that aren't that close to me (although I love them to death). So I decided to start an all white ripple blanket using this pattern and some Caron Simply Soft mill ends. The only modifications I'm making are that there are 10 stitches between mountains and valleys instead of 6. I'm also working in the BLO (back loops only) so it'll have a ridged design to it. I ended up starting it and Frogging it 3 times before I ok with it.




Yesterday I worked on a square of the Jackson square blanket but didn't finish it. I'm not sure why I get so far into a project and it loses it's favor with me. I know that if I'd just finish it, I could stop thinking about it. I have enough in life to think about without an UFO (unfinished object) niggling in the back of my head all the time.

LOL! I decided to take some pictures of my projects to liven this place up. I seem to have misplaced the baggie with the Jackson square squares in it. GRRRRR! Not finding the bag of squares led to a mild rant about my missing baby afghan book. Michelle mentioned her book pile by the toybox. I told her there weren't any books there, so she looked. I was right. That led me to wonder if maybe someone had taken the books into the library. Sure enough! There was a diaper box with books in them, including my baby afghan book! YIPEEE!!! I thumbed through book for a few minutes and then ventured into the kitchen. Next thing I knew I was cleaning spackling off the putty knife that the girls used yesterday. Before I knew it I was spackling the walls all around me. And here I am again an hour later with hardly any pictures taken. And I wonder why nothing ever gets done around here.

Back again, I decided to get the pictures done and in the process found the missing bag of squares! So I think I'll try to get some UFOs done this weekend. Then work on the white ripple. I may even get into my room to organize my stash. And if I really get industrious I may do some reclaiming the yarn from my piles of sweaters and such. I'm hoping my yarn winder speeds that process up.

Jackson Square Afghan - have completed... 8 purple (sc squares), 7 Turquoise (hdc squares), 4.5 Sunshine (sc,dc square). Need to finish... 7 magenta (dc squares), 1 Turquoise, 2.5 Sunshine.



Midnight Brites squares - I had them stacked neatly in a cool pattern but Sean came by and messed them up before I could take any pictures.
Completed... 44 yellow, 22 blue, 29 green, 2 magenta. Need to finish... 22 blue, 15 green, 42 magenta, 44 purple and 44 orange



Tree of Life Afghan...

Bernat Worsted Aran


Caron Pounder, off white


Both side by side


Ruffles all Around


Sean had to get in on the picture taking action

I got my Christmas present!!!!

I asked for a manual yarn winder for Christmas. My mom thought she was doing me a favor and bought me an electric one. I tried to wind some yarn and immediately disliked it. Any little tension on the yarn and the machine stopped winding. You could hear the winder skipping over the gears. It sounded like it was about to break. When I took the cake off the spindle...it fell apart because it was so loosely wound. Not what I wanted. I checked online for info on the machine, figuring I did something wrong. I found that my complaint was a common one. So I called my mom and asked if she'd mind if I returned the electric one and got a manual winder instead. She didn't have a problem with it. I was bummed to find that no stores carried the manual winder, I'd have to order it online. Unfortunately finances were tight and I ended up using the refunded money for groceries. I vowed I'd buy myself the manual winder when our tax return came. Well it came and I ordered it from Joann's using a 50% off coupon. The savings allowed me to also order a bamboo handle "N" crochet hook, a 14" "G" Double end crochet hook, and a 40" "H" circular crochet hook.

The post office delivered my package on Friday!!! I immediately started using it and wound at least 50 cakes. By the end of the night I was totally stuffed up from the yarn dust all day but I had fun. It was hard to stop!

Now I have to finish up some projects so I can start playing with my new needles. I already have a crochet on the double pattern book and am eyeing some future projects.

So what's on the hook right now?

I'm got the Jackson Square Blanket about 75% done. I have all the double crochet squares to do and one or two of the other stitches to do. I ran out of yarn when doing the last squares of some of the stitches. Looking at the squares sitting in the gallon baggie I realized...I made the blanket in Mardi Gras colors! Purple, gold, and turquoise. I'm hoping adding the magenta will change that perspective I have.

I've put it aside to work on the Ruffles All Around baby blanket. I have 70 of 73 rows done of the main body. I should be finishing the last 3 rows up tonight. One slight problem though...I can't find the book the pattern is in!!!! So that means I have no idea what to do next. I've looked and looked. I'm hoping I just didn't look well enough and it's not a case of someone threw it away in a mass cleaning fit. It's a $24 book that I bought with a 40% off coupon and the $25 gift card to AC Moore that Pat gave me for Christmas.

Next in line is the Tree of Life Afghan. It's to be a shower gift for a couple getting married in May. It can be a difficult project to work on here since you need to pay attention to your stitch count. There's not much time around here when I'm not multitasking while crocheting and stitch counting suffers when mutlitasking. I started the project with Bernat's Worsted Aran. Wasn't too pleased with the yellowness of the Aran. The yarn also wasn't looking quite like I thought it should. I debated on whether to FROG it (rip it out....rip it...ribbit..get it?) or not. Decided I was too far into it to waste all that time so kept it. Then I went to buy more of the yarn, since the 2 skeins I had wouldn't be enough. The store had the Bernat worsted, just not in Aran. GRRRR! So I put it up for a week or so to work on the two blankets above. Lo and Behold...AC Moore had Caron's one pounders for $5 this week! That clinched it. I was giving up on the Bernats and restarting with Caron's off white. I worked on it one day, got up to row 14 of the tree pattern and am liking it much better.

The last afghan is one I started quite a while ago. I pull out it every once in a while when I need something simple to do. It's based on the Midnight Brites afghan at Mary Maxim. I'd have to count the squares to figure out how far I am. I know I've done more then I actually own right now. I've found some laying amongst the dust bunnies (and fur balls) when sweeping. They were too far gone so I've thrown them away. Since I don't have a pattern for it, I've had to guess as to the hook size and such. I'm thinking now that I used a too small hook. I started making squares with an I hook but thought they looked too big. So moved down to a G hook. So it might be a bit more lapghan/baby size then bed size. I might try to do this with an I hook at a later time but will keep going with the G hook now.

I'm on the verge of trying to do a flannelghan. On Thursday I took Michelle to a store and ran into AC Moore to pass the time. With Caron pounders at only $5, it seemed like a good time to buy the yarn for it since it takes 5-7lbs. I filled the cart and then stook there looking at it and rationalizing. I rationalized my way into putting every skein back and walked out of there without spending a dime. I figured I had enough projects and my yarn stash is large enough for me to keep busy for a while.

Here we go

I finally decided that I wanted a place to write about my crafting. There are times (like right now) when I don't feel like I can talk too much about what's going on at the house but want to talk about my projects. I feel guilty that I'm clogging up my family blog with tons about my projects. So that now I don't have to. I can share all my projects, ideas, WIP reports, and such guilt free! If I eventually let it go....my family blog will still be there and I can let this go. But right now I feel like I have to do this...for me.