Getting Into a Project

Since my last update, I've become firmly entrenched in the baby afghan for the couple at church. The general color scheme is blues, greens, and browns. As I was gathering the browns (Cafe, Buff, Linen, & Warm Brown)  and green (Medium Thyme) out of my yarn ball box, I noticed 3 balls of variegated yarn that fit in with the color scheme: Fall, Aspen Print, and Shaded Browns. These yarn balls made almost half of the squares for the afghan. I always enjoy a chance to use up leftovers. I'm working on the Tea Leaf squares and I don't think what I have is going to make the 15 squares I need so I may have to use some Hunter Green to make up the difference. The other 2 colors I'll be using are Blue Suede and Coffee.

My friend Anna is having a baby this year. She and her husband don't plan on finding out the baby's sex. She asked if I could do something in green and purple as she and her husband like those colors and they are relatively gender neutral. Since she asked this, I've been playing around with various color schemes in my head. I've actually went through two different ones before I landed on what I think I'm going to do. As Anna reads my blog, I won't be revealing the colors until I've finished it and she's received it.

On Wednesday I found out that I'm going to be an aunt to not one but two new babies! Wendell and Katie are expecting identical twins in early October. We won't know the sex until April or May, but I'll definitely be busy with baby afghans after we do.

I need to finish up the wedding gift for my friend Laura and whip up a retirement gift for my friend and co-worker. I'm thinking a nice 100% cotton dishcloth.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

A Brief Hiatus

I apologize for not posting an update last week. I've been working on squares for my brother's afghan. Not as diligently as I'd like, but you have to start somewhere.

I found out one baby will be a boy. I'm going to do the afghan in Blue Suede, Tea Leaf, Medium Thyme, Warm Brown, Cafe, and Coffee.

I also found out last week that I'm going to be an aunt again. I won't know until the end of April if the baby is a girl or a boy, but I'll be starting a baby afghan as soon as I know.

I'm also still working on a present for my friend who is getting married.

My birthday was this week. I've been crocheting for 20 years now. Wow.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Finally Finished!

On Saturday, January 26, I finally finished Stephen's afghan. It was only 1 year and 31 days overdue. I'm hoping for better results with the one for my brother which I have already started.

One of my good friends is getting married in March. I've already ordered her a gift from her registry, but I want to make her something to. I won't mention what until I'm done and she's received it. My copy of Downton Abbey Season 3 arrives today. I foresee a weekend filled with watching Downton and crocheting squares and gifts.

Here are some pictures of Stephen's afghan:

Until next time, happy crocheting!

The Tale of a Yarn Inventory

This post is again early because of anticipated ice tomorrow. I would love a day at home to catch up on housework and crocheting.

This week, I've been sewing on the afghan. But not as diligently as I would like. Sometimes a girl just has to be lazy.

On Tuesday, I mounted an inventory of my yarn. I do this about once a year and then just keep up with the changes as the year progresses. This saves me time and money as I know what I have so I don't buy yarn I don't need. Incidentally the price of yarn at Wal-mart went up 30 cents to $2.77. I can't fathom the reason for the price changing so frequently.

This year's yarn inventory was more exhaustive than last year's. The categories are:
Solid Colors - Full Skeins
Variegated - Full Skeins
Solid Colors - Partial Skeins
Variegated - Partial Skeins
Other Yarn (Not Red Heart)
Yarn Balls (This year I listed them all even the little ones)
Cotton Yarn

I have reached the conclusion that I have a lot of yarn. I'm planning to use quite a bit of it on an afghan for my brother and a baby boy afghan. And I'd like to turn all that cotton into dishcloths. And I want to make a tree skirt for my second tree. I'm also planning to make myself a Cheshire Cat costume for a Mad Hatter Tea Party this summer. The crocheted bits will be a scarf and fingerless gloves.

A. C. Moore had a nice sale last Saturday on Red Heart yarn. I bought 3 skeins of Soft Navy (for my brother's afghan), 1 skein of Real Teal (to finish the edging of my brother-in-law's afghan), 1 skein of Blue Suede (for a baby afghan), 1 skein each of Grape Fizz and Wildflowers (just because!). Yes, it was a good sale and I mostly bought stuff I needed.

I discovered a neat tool this week: Sherwin Williams' Let's Chip It. This online color tool let's you turn any picture into a paint card. I like it because it isolates the colors and makes them easier to match in yarn.

My big plans for the weekend and next week are finishing the afghan. Then I'll get started on Christmas 2013.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Hoping For Snow!

This update is a day early because we're expecting snow in my neck of the woods. If that happens, I'll be snowbound at home which means I'll be unplugged. I'm well prepared with books, movies, and yarn.

This week I've finished the last squares for Stephen's afghan. I'm still working on getting it sewed together. It looks like I might meet my goal of finishing it by the end of the month. After that, I plan to tackle Christmas gifts for 2013 and a baby afghan or two.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Productivity in the New Year

In the past week, I have sewed on the afghan, made granny squares, and made a baby bootie ornament. I'm quite pleased with my productivity.

Next week will bring more of the same, mainly sewing and square making. I have high hopes of finishing the afghan by the end of the month.

Until next time, happy crocheting!

Happy New Year!

Wow! It's been almost a month since I updated the blog. I was very busy trying to get Christmas gifts done. At the beginning of December, I realized I had left things too late and wouldn't be able to make all the gifts I'd planned.

My 2013 crochet resolution is to crochet (or sew on an afghan) at least 30 minutes every day. I'm still working on Stephen's Christmas afghan. I have 14 more squares to make, but I have 3 out of 5 sections sewn together.

Despite my late start I still managed to make 20 gifts. These included a dishcloth, snowman ornaments, baby bootie ornaments, a purse, a stocking, and some stocking ornaments.

Here are a few pictures: 

This week, I plan to finish up the last squares for the afghan. I'm hoping to have it done soon. I also owe my sister her 2012 his & hers ornaments so those are next on the list. I've already started making my Christmas 2013 list. More about than later.

Until next time, happy crocheting!