A Most Productive Week

Wow...have I crocheted a lot this week.

First, I made a skinny scarf for a little girl at church. She turns 5 on Monday. I used a half double stitch and REd Heart Super Saver's Melonberry. Her favorite colors are pink and purple.

Then I made many squares for my sister's Christmas afghan--10 out of Honeydew and 13 out of Aruba Sea. The Aruba Sea squares are now done.

I also made the pieces for 2 stuffed cats. They are for the two one-year-old girls on my list. I used lots of scraps in making them. (Side note: I watched Disney's That Darn Cat starring Hayley Mills while making these.)

In addition, I made 5 bell ornaments with Red Heart Super Saver's Cherry Red.

I'm starting a new job in October (Yay me!) so I'm sure my crocheting will slow down a little. This may be the year that some people fall off my list.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Hogwarts House Scarves

As promised, here is a picture of the Hogwarts House Scarves (Gryffindor & Ravenclaw) I made recently and my original pattern.

As always, You may use this pattern for your own personal use. You may provide a link to this pattern from your website, but not the pattern itself. Feel free to sell what you make from this pattern, but please give me credit as the designer.

Hogwarts House Scarf Pattern

(Prisoner of Azkaban style)

~designed by Bridget R. Wilson~

Materials:
-I hook
-7 oz. (at least) main color
-Smaller amount of contrast color
-Scissors
-Yarn needle

Suggested Colors:
Gryffindor: Burgundy/Gold (SS/CoS); Claret/Gold (PoA/GoB)
Hufflepuff: Bright Yellow/Black (SS/CoS); Gold/Black (PoA/GoB)
Ravenclaw: Royal/Warm Brown or Light Grey (SS/CoS); Soft Navy/Cafe or Light Grey (PoA/Gob)
Slytherin: Hunter Green/Light Grey (SS/CoS); Dark Sage/Light Grey (PoA/GoB)
[All colors are Red Heart Super Saver Yarn.]

Stitches Used: hdc, ch

Note: ch 2 does NOT count as 1st stitch

With main color, ch 22

Row 1: hdc in 3rd ch from hk and in each ch across. ch 2 & turn. (20 hdc)

Rows 2-18: hdc in each st across. Ch 2 & turn. At the end of Row 18, chg to contrast color. (20 hdc)

Rows 19-20: hdc in each st across. Ch 2 & turn. At the end of Row 20, chg to main color. (20 hdc)
Rows 21-24: hdc in each st across. Ch 2 & turn. At the end of Row 24, chg to contrast color. (20 hdc)

Rows 25-26: hdc in each st across. Ch 2 & turn. At the end of Row 26, chg to main color. (20 hdc)
Rows 27-44: hdc in each st across. Ch 2 & turn. At the end of Row 44, chg to contrast color. (20 hdc)

Continue in this manner until the scarf is desired length.

Pattern:
18 rows main color
2 rows contrast color
4 rows main color
2 rows contrast color
18 rows main color

End with 18 rows main color so the scarf pattern is even.

Run in ends with yarn needle. You can add fringe if you like.

Fringe: Cut 60 pieces of contrast color, 10 inches each. Put groups of 3 in every other stitch.

Success at last!

I'm proud to report that I finished the Ravenclaw scarf on Tuesday. I ran in ends and put the fringe on on Wednesday. I still have to do the same with the Gryffindor scarf. They've turned out rather nicely. Tomorrow, I'll be posting pictures and my original pattern.

This weekend, I'm looking forward to starting on my Christmas List again. Remember, I'm concentrating on my immediate family and then all the kids on my list. So much to do and only 98 days to do it. Can I make it? I hope so. In fact, I'm hoping to make a gift for everyone on my list, not just my immediate family and the kids.

What are you crocheting this week?

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Still crocheting away...

I did crochet some this week on the Ravenclaw scarf. I'm still planning to have both scarves finished this weekend and ready to mail on Monday.

I've done a quick inventory of my progress on the squares for my sister's annual Christmas afghan. I have to make 53 or 54 of each of the three colors (Seagrass, Aruba Sea, & Honeydew). The Seagrass squares have been done for sometime now. I have 41 of the Aruba Sea squares completed.

I'm nowhere near being done with this year's afghan and I'm already thinking about next year's color scheme. Red Heart has so very nice Camo yarn out. I really like Desert Camo and Dress Blues. My brother-in-law gets to pick the colors for 2011 and I think he'll like these two.

Until next week, happy crocheting!

My (Crochet) Week In Review

Hi folks! Just a quick update this week. There's been a lot going on in my life. My mom got a new puppy--a blue Great Dane named Blue. The other dogs aren't adjusting so well. And I'm making some progress in the job search. All in all, I haven't had much time for crocheting.

I estimate the Ravenclaw scarf is half done. Hoping to wrap it up this weekend and move on to the Christmas gifts. I've been watching the 1949 Little Women as I crochet. A lovely movie!

A busy non-crocheting week...

Well, folks, I've been busy this week, but not with crocheting. I seem to have had places to go and people to see almost everyday. I've been to the chiropractor and the dentist. I spent most of the day with my sister yesterday. She's not feeling well.

I had crochet goals for the week that I didn't meet, but I've still got the rest of the day. I wanted to finish the Ravenclaw scarf and get it and the Gryffindor scarf in the mail. This past Wednesday (August 25) marked the 4 month mark until Christmas. That's roughly 120 days to get all my gifts made. I'm hoping I can do it, but I'm more behind than I've ever been. However, I do like a challenge.

This morning I did manage to run in ends on all those bookworms and get wiggle eyes glued on. I only sustained one small burn from my hot glue gun.

Yesterday, I received the DVDs I ordered in the mail: Masterpiece Theatre's Jane Erye, the 1949 Little Women, and Lost in Austen. I've also recently purchased Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Summer Magic, and In Search of the Castaways. I do like to have good movies to crochet along with.

By next Friday, I plan to have the scarves mailed and the Christmas gifts underway. Until then, happy crocheting.

Progress at Last!

My bruises are fading and I found a little more time to crochet this week.

The Gryffindor scarf is done. All it needs is the ends run in and fringe. I have started the Ravenclaw scarf. It's very small right now. I like the pattern I came up with, but I will be modifying it when I make Gryffindor scarves for my best friend and me. We like skinnier scarves. The ones I'm making right now are about 5.5 inches wide.

This week I've also make a set of six star coasters for a housewarming party. I already had some cotton dishcloths made. I used Red Heart Super Saver's Shaded Browns. Julie is doing her house in neutrals, so I thought that color would be perfect.

I made 31 bookworms over the past week. I concentrated on variegated yarn and fall colors. They still need eyes, but I know they'll soon be given away or sold.

Christmas is still looming. I've decided to concentrate on 2 areas for starters:

-My immediate family (mom, dad, sister, brother-in-law, brother, brother's girlfriend, and niece)
-The kids (I have lots of younger cousins in my extended family.)

I'm trying to devise a gift giving list for age 0-18. The first Christmas gift I give to a new baby is a baby bootie ornament. I'm trying to get set gifts for each age (boy and girl) so it will be easier on me in the long term. I'll let you know how it turns out.

This week I crocheted while watch Masterpiece Theatre's production of Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit. I loved it. Austen, Alcott, and Masterpiece are always great crocheting films.

In the coming week, I plan to finish both the Hogwarts House scarves and start on my Christmas gifts. My digital camera died this week so project pictures may be a little delayed.

Until next week, happy crocheting!