Crochet and Q&A

Happy Friday Dear Friends!  I finished this crochet throw yesterday...and couldn't be bothered to block it because everyone wanted to try it out right away :)

It's quite warm and cozy and lightweight too.  And I'm so happy it's finished...I think I've mentioned before that blankets around here are all about the finished product.  It's just rows of single and double crochet (trying to mimic old-fashioned ticking fabric), using Wool Ease in Natural Heather and Blue Heather and a size I hook.

And now to answer a few questions :)  My helper in the previous post is Dobby.  He's a 5 yr old Australian Cattle Dog (blue heeler), a little small for his breed but perfectly proportioned.  And he's as devoted and loveable as they come.

And all those little "hot" tags?  They were sewn into these:

Wool Coffee Cup Cozies.  Instead of those cardboard sleeves.  Hubby and I did our very first craft show earlier this month and these were one of the items I made.  Add a gift card to a favorite coffee house, and it makes the perfect little gift.  I've put a few in the Shop.

I still have more finishes, but I'll share them another day.  For now, I need to tackle my google reader.  Have a fantastic weekend everyone and a Fun and Safe Halloween!!!

Hello, hello...

can anyone tell me where this month has gone? I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since I was last here in my little space. And, oh how I miss my little piece of cyberspace~~and yours too. It's quite ironic that as my children get older and more independent, they keep me busier :)

I've also been keeping myself quite occupied with secret stuff. So frustrating to not share and see, but hopefully you'll be patient with me and I'll show you as soon as I can!

I do have a few things to show you though. Very, very good things in fact. My very first pair of handknit socks.....That-Were-Knit-By-Someone-Else! I was so excited to win these lovelies from Denise. Because when you knit, Other People Do Not Knit For You, because they figure you can knit your own. This reasoning is wrong. Very wrong. A fellow knitter makes the perfect "knitted gift" recipient because he/she completely understands the ins-and-outs and ups-and-downs of "the knitted gift". And on that note, I must say that I adore my new socks. They bring me joy when I look at them. I cherish the time and workmanship. I marvel at the perfect fit. They will warm my heart as well as my feet every time I wear them :)  Thank You Denise!!!

Harmien sent me this sweet "Happy Summer" package.  I think the card is so cute and the napkins have been a fun treat to use on our picnics :)  Thank you Harmien for being such a thoughtful friend!

Every time I saw these skeins in my stash, I thought the yarn was really quite ugly and wondered what possessed me to buy them.  Finally sick of looking at them, I grabbed them out and cast on some plain socks.  And as they formed, I found I really liked the colors and striping and wow~~it worked out after all.  So the moral of the story:  Never judge the socks by it's skein!

56st basic stockinette

size:  women's sm/med

yarn:  Heart & Sole by Red Heart, color #3940 Green Envy

2 skeins:  50g/213yds each

needles:  size 2 dpn's

Well dear ones, I think that brings my little blog up-to-date.  Thank you for your continued visits and kind comments.  And thank you for your sweet comments on this blanket.  I made it several years ago for Youngest.  I crocheted quite a lot before the knitting bug really bit me.  And I still continue to crochet afghans (every few years) because I find knitting them to be slooow work.  And where afghans are concerned, for me, it's unquestionably all about the finished project, lol!!!  Wishing you a Happy Day!!!

Park Bliss

This morning was gorgeous. 
Perfect for going to the park. 

Supplies for the kiddos...

Supplies for me...

Snow on the high mountains...

Bright colors everywhere...

Abandoned for a moment...

Quiet knitting in the shade...

A completed pair to take home...

I love how the colors almost glow in the dappled shade...

Aren't double rainbows supposed to be a sign of good luck...

A really lovely morning at the park :)

P.S.  Don't forget about my giveaway!

Crazy Crafting

Hello dear ones!  Has it really only been a week since I last posted?  There's been so much going on.  In the past week:  we attended the Denver Auto Show, have had 4 football practices and 3 games, a spring music concert, 2 softball practices and 2 games, 4 track practices and 1 meet, sent Oldest on the bus for a band trip to Grand Junction for 3 days, and I've worked twice.  I thank my lucky stars I don't work full-time (or have more kiddos!)

In the midst of all the craziness, I've been bitten by the startitus bug.  I just LOVE a new start :)  I felt it was time for a new set of pillowcases, and thankfully, I love lazy daisies and French knots.  (I detest satin stitch, btw.)

Why start one new project when TWO would be so much better???  And this one'll be a looong-term project since those little granny squares are only 3 1/2 inches.  I'm feeling so smug because all this yarn came from my stash...such foresight, lol!!!  See that humungous, colorful pile of DMC tapestry wool?  Bought at a garage sale ages ago in a big bag with a pile of little woven square samples and fingering weight wool for $10  :)  We'll see how much I'm loving this project when it comes time to weave in the ends and sew the squares together, lol!!! 

Guess that sums up the happenings in my neck of the woods.  Today is going to be a blissfully quiet day so I hope to make some project progress.  Thanks for stopping by my little cyber-patch today, have a good one!

PS.  I've updated my De-Stash Blog.

It's Wednesday already?

Today is "Lo How A Rose" SAL with Vonna. And while I love this sweet pattern...I've had a serious infestation of frogs this morning. So I'm packing it in and calling it a day...


While I was dealing with a cold from one of the kiddos last month, I spent a couple of days on the couch~~doing nothing around the house. But I do have 3 finished projects to show for my couch time, lol!
Ta-da! These hadn't been touched since this post! These are pre-stamped pillowcases and DMC 321 (I think.)

And also finished...

This is just a stockinette scarf with a garter ridge thrown in every 12 rows or so. The yarn is Soy by Bernat. I cast on 30 stitches on size 8 needles (?) The fringe is made up of yarn leftovers from my stash.

This next scarf is from the book Luxury Yarn One-Skein Wonders. I haven't crocheted in a really long time because it's pretty hard on my wrists, but really liked this little pattern.

The yarn is a special blend of fibers, hand-spun and hand-dyed by my dear friend Kathy who raises angora goats. She calls this particular yarn "MoWoPaca"...Mohair, Wool, and Alpaca :)

Now I've got something cuddly to wrap around my neck and something pretty and red for my bed :) Have a terrific day everyone and thanks for stopping by my neck of the woods!