Completion...finally!

Well folks, after weeks & weeks of the best laid plans going astray, the Peter Rabbit baby afghan is almost done. In fact, I hope to have it in the mail by tomorrow. I have my nine strips of nine squares ready to sew together. Then I just have to edge the afghan with single crochet.

My next projects will be birthday gifts. For my soon-to-be five-year-old cousin, I'll be making a purse and some bookworms. The purse pattern I use is the Happy Hearts Purse. I don't make the heart appliques--I just make the purse. It's an easy pattern that works up quickly. The half double crochet is a sturdy stitch just right for a little girl's purse. Many thanks to Marlo for sharing the pattern.

I'm also planning to make one of those belated Christmas gifts for a friend for her birthday. I'm not sure if she reads my blog so I'll keep quiet about what I'm making until she's received it. Here are a couple of hints: doll and international. That should keep you guessing.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

The best laid plans...

You know what they say about the best laid plans. I took a break from squares on Saturday to whip up 30 bookworms for a party and my friend's book club. I also make an extra long skinny scarf for the aforementioned party. I was ready to finish the Rose Pink squares on Sunday when we got a call from my uncle.

Grandma was in the ICU. We all rushed to the hospital to be with her. I crocheted a little on the bookworms and scarf in the waiting room. Some cousins were making hats in knitting looms. It was late that night before we got home. Grandma was alive but just barely. She passed away before 9:00am on Monday morning. The next few days were a flurry of arrangements and grieving. I know where Grandma is so I don't have anything to grieve about. I'll miss her to be sure, but in her own words, "Life doesn't stop just because you're hurting."

After the funeral, I managed to finish all the Rose Pink squares. Now they're waiting for the weekend so I can run the ends in and sew them together. I would love to have the afghan completed by Monday, but I'm not making any plans or promises.

Unless I get another order, I'll go back to making squares for my sister's Christmas afghan. One of my cousins will be turning five in mid May. I'm making her a purse and a few bookworms. She liked the one I gave her for Easter. Until Next time...

Crocheting through the pollen outbreak...

Spring has more than sprung in my neck of the woods. The pollen will choke you. My black car is yellow. My sinus infection came back with a vengeance over the weekend and gave me bronchitis to boot. That slowed down my crocheting a little. I spent most of the weekend in bed sleeping.

However, I did manage to crochet some. Here's what I've accomplished since my last update:

• 25 Buff squares for the Peter Rabbit afghan
• 5 Country Rose squares for the Peter Rabbit afghan

There's a story behind the pink yarn. My original color selection was Red Heart's Rose Pink. The one problem: the color is only available at A. C. Moore or online. My mom & I were planning a trip to the city anyhow so I stopped by A. C. Moore to get the yarn. Would you believe they were sold out of Rose Pink? They were. At JoAnn's, I found another color that was a close match: TLC Essentials (from the makers of Red Heart) Country Rose. It was a bit more expensive, the skein had 1 less ounce, and the color was a smidge darker than the Rose Pink, but I could make it work.

Hoping/planning to have the Peter Rabbit afghan completed by the end of the weekend. Wish me luck!

Easter & Beyond

Hello, folks! As promised (to you & me), here I am with a weekly update.

Over the long Easter weekend (4 days!), I took a break from granny squares to make some Easter bookworms. I like to put them in plastic eggs for holiday gifts. I make them to match the eggs so bright colors. I ended up making more than I needed--26. Everyone loved them. Now, I'm in the mood to make more worms!

But not until I finish the Peter Rabbit baby afghan. Which is moving right along, I'm proud to report. Since my last post, I've made 24 squares. The Frosty Green squares are done. I got overly enthusiastic and overshot by one. (I'll rip that one apart and make some bookworms!) I've started on the Buff squares. Not a very excited color to crochet with, but it's soothing so I guess I shouldn't complain.

I'm headed to the big city tomorrow to fetch the Rose Pink from A. C. Moore. Hopefully, they still carry it. If not, I'll have to order it online. I'm also going to the used bookstore. Who knows what I'll find there?

Anyway, by this time next week, I would love to have all 81 squares done. We'll see how that goes...

NCM 2010 Wrap-Up

March has officially ended (like a lamb, I'm happy to report) and so has National Craft Month. I had a great time crocheting through the month. I was rather surprised with the amount of crocheting I got done.

Here are my totals for the 31 days of my NCM Celebration:

• 21 four-round squares for my sister's Christmas afghan
• 61 three-round squares for my friend's baby afghan
• 5 three-round squares for the Peter Rabbit baby afghan

My crocheting fun is not ending because National Craft Month has. You know me...I always have a project in the works. My current one is a paid gig. A friend's co-worker is having a baby. They're decorating the nursery in Peter Rabbit. Enter me, my crocheting skills and the perfect color scheme for a Peter Rabbit baby afghan. I'm using Red Heart's Frosty Green, Buff, and Rose Pink. The afghan is for a baby girl. Another option would be Buff, Rose Pink, and Spa Blue. For a boy, I would use Frosty Green, Spa Blue, and Buff.

I've enjoyed posting these weekly updates so much that I plan/hope to continue them. I like to report my progress on a regular basis.

Until next time...