Tulip Meets Daffodil

Granny Square a Week : Week Ten

Happy First Day of Spring! I'm so glad spring is here - and with it all the daffodils and tulips I can handle. (Well, I can always handle more, actually!)

Here's my latest granny. I was probably a little inspired by St. Paddy's Day - and the green and orange on the Irish flag.

I also realized today that my stack of grannies is getting pretty heavy. I still have some yarn ends to weave in - but I feel good that I am still plugging away at the pile. I'll have to just be a big girl and set aside some time this weekend to do so weaving in so I don't get too far behind.

I do try to weave them in as I go as much as I can - but sometimes it just doesn't happen. :)

Granny Square a Week : Week Nine

Three new granny squares for your viewing pleasure.

The good thing is - I still love granny squares. Also, my pile of grannies is slowly but surely getting bigger. The bad thing? I am kind of behind on the "square a week" thingy. That's OK though. I'm going to try to get better at keeping up with it and... if you look at total weeks and total squares well - I am only a few behind!

So I am going to keep granny-ing.

The past couple of weeks have been a bit of a blur, as I've been sick and very under the weather. Also, we added a new (four-legged) member to the family! More on that to come... :)

Granny Square a Week : Week Eight

OK, yep, I missed a week! Maybe more than a week. Yep - that's a fact.

It happens! Yep.

Not to be an excuse-aholic, but I've been busy with work (for real) and I've been suffering with migraines. We're talking like a couple a week for like days at a time (so does that make it one long migraine, or many, or what?) Anyhoo, I've had this square done now for a while, and the pic was taken last week - but I'm just now getting around to showing y'all.

 

I don't really have anything planned this weekend (except for maybe being a big girl and getting our taxes together... but - on second thought - nah, probably won't happen!) so I'm hoping I keep my migraine(s) at bay and get some good crafting in. And when I say crafting, I mean crochet. Oh - that and about 30 loads of laundry. (I'm sadly serious...)

I have my eyes on my seafoam afghan this weekend (aka: The Beast :)

♥

Crocheting With Wire and Keeping My Goals

Productivity at work this week: good.

Crafty creativity this week: not so good.

Also, my father in law has been visiting, and while he's a wonderful houseguest - very chill and laid back - and we love having him here... it's thrown my schedule a bit off. Not enough granny square time - too much eating out time! (Note: not complaining. :)

Before my dear FIL arrived, I was in a wire crochet jewelry frenzy. Well, maybe not frenzy. More of a dabbling. But I'm growing to love it, really. And I think I'm also developing a bit of a bead addiction! (Trying to control myself though, for my pocketbook's sake.)

I think my favorite so far is crocheting with copper. I also made a wire-wrapped necklace, which turned out neat (albeit a bit lopsided), but - it didn't make my heart flutter like crocheting with wire did. Looking forward to making some more pieces. And more practice, practice, practice!

And... I also didn't want to get completely off-track with my granny square a week goal, so I did start a square last night. See?

Not done yet, but - I'm really trying to stick with this goal. Really and truly. :)

Granny Square a Week : Week Seven

I'm a bit late in posting my weekly granny square (ok, squares!), but - I did have them done last week. For real. It's just been cloudy and rainy for days now and I was waiting for some sun to take a nice photo.

Well, today, STILL no sun, but I went rogue and took the photo anyway! So, not my finest moment photography-wise, but I am sticking to my goal!

I was hesitant to take the photo at all as these squares do not match in any way, shape, or form, but I have some new colors and wanted to use them. And I think all will be well when (months away) I start actually putting the darn blanket together.

And - if I'm being fully honest here - I did not weave in my ends yet on these, so I'm not sure if they are "officially" done. But, for sure, they're "done enough". :)

Granny Square a Week : Week Six

Week 6 square. Not quite sure I'm in love with the color combo - seems a bit "Sesame Street" to me! Regardless, it's been added to the pile. :)

I did order four new colors this week: Sugar, Turkish Plum, Violet, Pesto and Shell. Pinks, purples and greens... I think they will definitely round out my color palette for this blanket. More yarn! Love it!

Granny. ♥

Granny Square a Week : Week Five

Adding to my granny stash! Love a pile of grannies!

Here's my week five square. Two things to note... (1) I'm going to need more yarn. (Always!) But yes, seriously... I need more colors and more yarn in general. (LOVE my Rowan Handknit Cotton!) It's expensive though... so I'm trying to use some self-control and only order a few skeins at a time.

And (2) I'm finding that with each granny, I'm developing my master granny square pattern. 2 chains in the corners or 3? Start with a magic circle or not? I think that by the time this blanket is done, I will have mastered the granny square! Hopefully... :)

I really do like the color combo of this square...

On to week six... ♥

The Year in Crochet

One of my goals this year was to continue to crochet regularly, and I'm happy to say I think I accomplished that. Of course, I could have done better, but isn't that always the case? Looking back on my projects throughout the year, I actually thought I did more! But overall I suppose I'm happy. I'm a lot more confident about my skills, and tackling new projects. And I made my first hat! (Actually, I've made two this month, but haven't posted about them yet...)

Here's 2012. In crochet.

♥

Granny Square a Week : Week Four

Aw, shucks. And darn. And OMG - has it really been four weeks since my last post?

Ugh.

All I can say is sorry and thank you to the people who actually read this blog. I will do better! Promise. Pinky swear.

And I will try not to obsess and feel regretful, but I am obviously behind on my "Granny Square a Week!" goal. (See - this is why I didn't give myself a gosh-darn daily goal!) Sometimes, I suppose, life gets in the way.

It's really, really been a good, fulfilling four weeks though. Work has been busy, but that is not always a bad thing - I am feeling very good about my job these days and, more importantly, I think I am *doing* a good job. Yay for me. (pat on back)

And I've spent some quality time with friends and family, drank wine, read books and watched some mindless reality TV. I saw Ina Garten, the amazing and wonderful Barefoot Contessa. (It's true! I have a signed book!) And of course, given Patrick the dog lots of walks... (despite the cold temps here in Virginia these days.)

So (drumroll please) - here is my fourth week of granny square love (even though I suppose it's more like eight? since I missed the past three? whatever! this will stay fun, darnit!)

 

And even though I actually haven't, literally, *made* a granny square in three weeks or so... it doesn't mean that I haven't *thought* about them! I actually have all the yarn for this project in a pile on my coffee table. So I stare at these lovely skeins often. They are beautiful, but I really do think that I need more colors. More. Yarn.

I will try to muster up the self-control to wait until after the holidays, however. Let my Amex card rest a bit first.

♥

Granny Square a Week : Week Three

Just one square this week, I'm afraid.

Despite it being a holiday week, I've been quite busy at work - not much time for grannies.

But, I am feeling good that I reached my goal... small as it is!

I think I've decided how I'm going to join all of these squares... I'm going to try Sarah London's method.

(That is several weeks down the road though! ;)