Project Updates with PHOTOS!

    Sometimes I hate myself. I joined a knitting group on facebook, and so many people are doing the 10 stitch blanket. So many of them are having trouble with the beginning, and it finally caught me up. I decided to see if I could do it. At first I tried with Lion Brand Homespun. Big mistake. I couldn't even tell where the ridges were. I frogged it after only a few ridges and went to look for something else to use. I finally found one skein of Lion Brand Amazing. AHA! This will work, and I know I have more skeins around, stuck in different bags in my stash. Here's my progress on that as of yesterday afternoon.

    It's actually quite a bit bigger than this now. I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I opted not to wrap and turn the corners. I like the holes.


    Next is a photo of the blanket I'm making for Owen.

    And a close up of the stitch pattern.

   And lastly, here's my progress on the knitted strip for my yarn bomb.

    I have three more now. I went to a BBQ at my friend Bonny's house yesterday, and she gave me two really long strips that she had crocheted for me! As you can see, I am using Sugar 'n Cream cotton.


    P.S. For the 10 stitch blanket, all I did was watch the video on you tube. I did go to Ravelry and download the free pattern, but now I can't find it. Just like the pattern for the slouchy hat I paid good money for.....

My Cat Has Lost His Mind

    Ever since Ozzy came to live with us, I have trained him to leave my yarn alone. We had a little talk. I told him that if he wanted to live here, he would have a very easy life, and in return, all I asked was that he not use my yarn as a plaything.

    In all these years, he has pretty much stuck to our agreement. He got a little confused when I started knitting, as opposed to crocheting, but he soon caught on that yarn was yarn, no matter what I did with it.


    This morning, I was sitting here, drinking my coffee, when I looked down at the cat, who had been running around and howling. Now, this is not normal behavior for him. The only times I've seen him act anything close to this, is before a really bad snow or rain storm.


    Anyway, I look down at my cat, and he's got my big center pull ball of animal fiber yarn in his mouth! The ball is hanging out of his mouth! I don't remember which animal it is, it's really soft, so it might be Alpaca. I had been watching him, since I caught him pawing playfully at the knitting attached to that ball, just yesterday.


    After my coffee this morning, I made a run to a craft store for more yarn for the next pastel rainbow baby blanket. When I got back, there on the floor was a ball of Sugar n Cream, which he had obviously used as a plaything while I was gone. It was all messy, I'm sure you can picture it in your mind. It was not a full skein, but less than half of one, that was leftover from the madness of the skull potholders.


    News on the blanket front! I finished the circular pastel rainbow baby blanket last night. Yippee skippee! Now I can take a well deserved break to work on other baby blankets, for the same babies. For your information, the circular blanket is 39 inches across. The star shaped one was 49 inches. I'm thinking I will be sticking to the star shaped one, in the future. Unless Sara likes the circular one better, that is.

More Promised Photos!

 

    I got the camera out, and took some photos. Of my birthday presents, the cat toy I made for the new kitten, and the yarn for the baby blankets. First up, my gift from Kim!

I have it hung right now on the wall in my future craft room. Here's what I received from the Cherub!

    Now here's the lovely yarn I will use for the baby blanket for Sara's friend:

   This is the yarn I bought for the second baby blanket

      Now, here is the cat toy I made for Jess and Julie's new kitten. This is based on a toy I made for my cat Ozzy. It's especially made for lazy people, you throw one end, and hold onto the other, then pull it slowly to entice the kitty. Ozzy loved his for a long time. I took two photos, one of the whole thing, and one close up so you can see the business end better.

 

 

 

      I have, somewhere, a bag o' bells. I was going to put one in the middle of the toy for extra zing. I couldn't find the bells, no matter where I looked. So the toy is bell-less. Last night on facebook, I was accused of favoritism. So this morning, I made another toy for Sara's cats. I don't have a photo of that one. It's the same as the one above, just in a different color. I used the cotton yarn from the background of the potholder with the purple skull on it.

I think I'm finally done with the skull thing...

    Yesterday, while I was babysitting, I finished my second skull potholder. Then I was stuck with a napping toddler, and nothing to do! Anyway, here are photos of the finished potholder:

    Yup, I'm such a rebel, I made the two sides different. Just like the blue/purple one. Here is a photo of the two together!

    Unfortunately, this means I currently have nothing to work on. Perhaps it's time for a break. I will let you know, and keep you updated on the crafting front.


    And perhaps, if I feel up to it, I shall report on the medical tests scheduled for later on today. But right now, I'm starving, and cranky. No coffee this morning, and no food after 8 a.m. I watched Cherub this morning, so I wasn't even home until 8:30!

Busy Busy Day, and Crocheting Too.

    Today was a busy day, alright! I've been up since 5 a.m. I got up to use the bathroom, and couldn't get back to sleep. About 6:30, I gave up, got up and made some coffee. About an hour later, Hubs was up too.


    So by 8:30 a.m. I was ready for lunch, and by noon I was ready for dinner. But I had somewhere to go today. Son's karate school was playing a softball game for charity at 2 p.m. and I was going to support the team, and watch them get their butts handed to them. They were playing a team from Waste Management, who apparently belong to a league, and play on a regular basis. The Karate school team is made up of instructors and parents, and some adult students, who don't play softball on a regular basis.


    The good thing is that all the money raised was going directly to their charity, the Relay for Life to fight cancer. So far, the karate school has raised over $10,000!


    I brought my crocheting with me, but didnt' get a chance to work on it. I was too busy talking to people. I finished the one I was working after I got home, and started the next piece! Here is a shot of the first one I finished, all done!

    Here is the second side. I decided to have them not match.

   Here is the first side of the second one, finished today, I love it!

    The second side will look like the second side of the other one, but in pinks, purple and white. The skull is the same pink as the background of this one. I'm not sure yet what color I will use for the border. I might be thinking the white. Extra points to those of you who can spot the booboo.

The Potholders are Done!

    At long last, the pot holders for my daughter Sara are done! I finished up the last one yesterday afternoon at friend Bonny's house. I have since started on a pair for myself. That is, if my hands don't hurt too much!

  
    As a reminder, here's a photo of the first one -

    And now the unveiling of the second one!

    And finally, a photo of the two of them together!

    May she get good use out of them, and never get burned! I started making the ones for myself, and here's how the first one looks so far:

    I am not caring that the purple in the variegated is almost the exactly the same as the solid purple. It makes it look a bit wierd, and you can't even tell where the nose is! At some point when it's finished, I may take some white and outline the nose.

Tah Dah! One Down, One to Go!

    And here it is, the promised photo of the first finished pot holder!

    I altered the pattern slightly, as it was too short, more a rectangle than a square. I added rows at the bottom and top,  as well as one in the jaw part, and one between the top of the nose and the start of the eyes.


    I am pleased with how it came out, and have already started the second one. Yesterday, when we were out, I had Hubs stop at A.C. Moore and I ran in and got a different color for the second one. I am keeping the bright pink for myself.


    I worked on the second one last night, when I couldn't sleep. I went in to bed, tossed and turned for an hour, then came back out and took a med. I sat here, watching TV and crocheting until I finally felt sleepy. I think I went back in about 2:30.


    If I didn't mention it before, this project comes from The Happy Hooker, Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet, by Debbie Stoller. The actual potholders were designed by Kacy Fallon.


    I decided not to post photos of the second pot holder, to keep the color combo a secret, as my beloved daughter reads my blog...

In Which I Have Skulls on the Brain

    Before the relatives decended the other day, I was talking with Sara, and showed her the cool pot holders I've been working on. I am only making them for lack of anything else to do at this point...


   Anyway, she really liked them and asked me to make her a pair. She wants two different color sets. No problem! I went to Michaels craft store this morning, and picked up some colors to use with the colors in my stash. See, I can stash bust with this project!


    I stopped and took photos a couple of different times. It really went quickly, to my supreme delight!

    That one was just before the row where the eyes are started. The next one shows the first one all done!

    I have already started the second one, then they are crocheted together, and voila, they are done! The second color combo I will keep to myself for now. I'm not sure if I like it. I may have to go back and exchange one of the colors, to one I think Sara will like better. I will take another photo when the whole thing is finished.