I got up early today and clicked around on my rings some only to find out I'm no longer in the crochet blogs ring. I'm not sure why, I never went a month without posting, my code isn't broken (I don't think), and my site isn't broken (except sometimes it goes down for a few hours...but that's loadingscreen.com). Oh well, I guess I won't worry about it.

In other news, my afghan was done but then I decided to add more border so I still need to do that. Also, the room is just about finished!! I need to get some curtains and some art, but I think that's about it. Yeeha! Next up: the craft room.

I am currently working on a shawl/wrap thingy from my mom using different blue yarns I have. I'm not sure how it is working out, I guess I will have to wait til it's washed and all. I kinda wanted it to be a block that's joined at one shoulder kinda thing, but it may be too stiff.

Pictures once I get my computer working (so I can download and upload them)

Merry Christmas! Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays and staying safe!!

I've been a bad blogger, but that's because I've been so busy with visiting, Xmas stuff, and redecorating. I am more than halfway done on the center part of the bedspread afghan now. I am on the last of the big (30 stitch wide) strips and then I have 3 small (10 stitch wide) and one medium (20 stitch wide) ones to make. I should have enough yarn for those. I'm sewing the strips as I go along, so there won't be all that finishing at the end. I am really pleased with how it is turning out and need to head out to get some yarn for a border.

I've also been working on some little things, like reupholstering a chair that had an ugly dirty orange fabric that felt like burlap into a masterpiece of purple vinyl. Then I played with furniture hardware, picture frames, spraypaint, and chains. What could come of all that? Stay tuned and find out... :)

I'm still here, kinda. I've been running around lately like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to get things done and ready so I can relax for xmas. Yesterday I went out and got paint and taped up the bedroom and today I am painting it...PURPLE! The color is actually called cascading violet (which a friend pointed out sounded like a plant disease...hee!). I am also working on my bedspread to go with it. I knew what I wanted the end product to look like but I wasn't sure how to achieve it. I finally dove right in with strips and single crochets, and after joining the first 2 strips I think it is coming out well. Now I am just worrying about the drape, but since it's a bedspread I guess that's only slightly relevant.

I got a wonderful package in the mail the other day from Vera, who sent me some 50/50 hemp/cotton yarn (which I've never used), some patterns to go with it, some lovely postcards, and a crochet book. Yippee! Maybe I can play with that once all the mayhem dies down some. That's all for now. Hopefully more later once I am back into the swing of things.

I finally got a pic of Vance's sweater. Here it is:



I used 12 balls of Lion Microspun for this, and knit it with the yarn held doubled on size 9 needles. It was a pain in the butt as the yarn would split, had knots, and didn't like being wound into a ball. It did turn out really soft tho. I knit this without a pattern, but used the Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns for a guide in shaping the neck and sleeves. A really basic drop shoulder with 4x4 rib, and I think he even likes it.

My hands allowed me to crochet on the bag all day yesterday...and I managed to finish it. Here it is:



I made it with 3 balls of Sugar'n Cream in Faded Denim with plenty left over. It called for a 1.5" button, but I had this one and it seems to work (plus I love the way it looks with the bag). I think this would be great with jeans! So into the FO stash it goes.

On a sidenote, I'm not sure how long I will keep blogging. Which basically means I don't know how long we will keep paying for the website...I may keep blogging til it runs out or I may quit when my camera stops working (which may be soon). In any case, I will still keep up with other people's blogs, so my presence will still be felt.

Happy weekend to all.

I finished a new project (besides the sweater, which is done too). Here is a quickie bag crocheted out of Sugar'n Cream cotton.



I had 2 balls in this color and still have quite a bit left from the second ball. I used a label pattern and a size G hook (the pattern called for a size 7 4.50mm hook...whatever that is). It turned out alright, I guess. I won't make it again tho. I originally started this pattern in a diff color, which I thought I had 2 balls of. After several rows I realized they were NOT the same...not even the same colorway. Gah, what was I thinking. I know several other times I thought they were the same too. Oh well. Now I have 2 single balls of diff colors...will prolly make more little drawstring bags out of em.

The bad part is, halfway through my hand started hurting...bad. And it didn't even take that long. After resting it a few hours I started again and it eventually hurt again. This morning I finished it and started another and it's hurting again...guess I will have to work on these sparingly...since crocheting is hard on my hands and crocheting with cotton is even worse.

I also got some new yarn from LoriO, but I forgot to take a pic of it during my photo shoot so it shall have to wait.

Yippee skippee, I am done with Vance's sweater. Well, sort of...I am done knitting it, but I still have to seam it. But I am still saying I am done causing seaming is relatively quick...I think I am going to jump in the shower then seam it up as I watch Pirates and wait for my hair to dry. Then I will head out to pick up the knit.1 magazine (I've heard some decent things about it) and some basic groceries before determining what my new project is. It will likely just be a mesh bag to use up some of my randon skeins of cotton yarn (I'm not a fan of cotton and am trying to get rid of these into a sellable or giftable form. Or else I might knit that licorice yarn up that I just got into a hat (which was my intention). Of course, after seeing how well it matches with the fur I am rethinking that. Pics of the sweater and more info about it later...hopefully it will end up looking good (fingers crossed and all)

New Yarn and an FO

I've guiltily bought some new yarn lately. First, I bought this at my LYS


On the left is a skein of soy silk and on the right a purple novelty yarn with slubs of color. I got it to make a cowl, but I didn't like the way it was working out so now it's just extra yarn. I might use the silk along with some cha cha (which happens to match almost perfectly) to make a scarf or maybe try a cowl again. Someday.

I also bought this at Joann's on Saturday. It was all half off...either through sale or coupons:



I really like Woolease T&Q so I had to gobbly up the black skein when I came across it. It was the only one there. I think I am going to use future coupons to aquire more Woolease T&Q in the offwhite colorway with the wool threads in it...which will kinda match my 9 skeins of the Woodsy colorway (brown with wool threads) and I can maybe make a warm cabley jacket out of it...or something.

Last but certainly not least, I got a package from Bron containing these gems:



Ooooh they go well together but I'm not sure I will use them together. It also bears stating that she also sent me an (almost?} full skein of boa. Well, where is it? I used it up already...hee!...in a scrappy scarf. Here it is:



In addition to the boa, I used homespun (leftover purple from my sweater), Bernat Bouclé (leftover blue from my mom's sweater), Fun Fur (leftover from the scrappy poncho), TLC Wiggles (leftover from a baby sweater), and a small amount of cotton leftover from the bag and bath set I just finished. Whew! I like the way it came out...I just cast on approx 157 stitches with 10.5 needles and knit in garter, changing colors whenever and leaving the ends for fringe. I started it one night around 10pm and finished it the next day around 4.

That's about it...I am on the second sleeve on Vance's sweater...so it will be done soon to show off!

Mail Call

Mail went out today for Bron, Marie, and LoriO! Hope you guys get it in a few days and let me know if everything arrives safe and sound. I also hauled 3 other packages for other friends...so it was a hefty mailing day. Anyone else who was interested either needs to send me their addy or their color choices and then that will be in the next haul.

In other news, I got a magazine from Family Circle yesterday (not knitting, just regular) which said I had a subscription til April. I KNOW I didn't sign up for it, so I was quite perplexed...that is until I saw the note inside. It said my other mag, Crafting Traditions, had ceased being published and instead they were just gonna send Family Circle til my subscription runs out. What bunk! I'm really gonna miss that mag tho.

I also have several small FO's to report that I have worked on the past few days...

First up, a hat made out of Joann's Sensation's Angel Hair yarn:



For this I just cast on 68 stitches on size 10.5 needles, worked in K2P2 ribbing until I ran out of yarn, gathered the rest of the stitches and hid the ends. It was really a test specimen.

Next up, a bag I made out of Sugar 'n Cream cotton. I had 2 3oz balls of variagated and 1 4oz ball of solid so I made this:



and still had enough yarn left for this:



Not bad...I think the bath mitt and washcloth will be nice with a bar or 2 of handmade soap...I'll have to see how I want to make it to match. I also saw a cute idea of making a bath mitt with a "pocket" in it to hold soap slivers and be able to use them...I may have to make some of those in the future.

The other day, I quit my job. Right now I am contemplating some life changing decisions...but not ones that I want to blog about (at least not now, anyways). So we'll see what happens with that.

I've signed up for GSRP2 but haven't heard a word about it since...was it cancelled or is it just on the DL? Anyone?