Tulip Meets Daffodil

Infinity Scarf In My New Favorite Yarn

When we went to West Virginia for our ski weekend, I didn't actually go "skiing" per se... (no coordination = no thanks, I'll stay in the condo!), so I spent a LOT of time crocheting. I actually made two scarves that weekend. One I already gave to a friend, and have no pics of it, but I used the wonderful Surreybelle scarf pattern - which is quickly turning into one of my faves - and Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn in Oatmeal. I made it mega long (well, not mega, a little over 5 feet), and it worked up in just a few hours.

The other was an infinity scarf, using this pattern. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn in Constellation. It's a charcoal grey color - with silver metallics running through it. I love this scarf, and I'm keeping it for myself - in fact, I've already worn it many times. It is warm and snuggly and not too itchy.

Here's a close up of the yarn. Just enough sparkle...

Now back to my grannies. ♥

Valentine Tulips and Snowshoe WV

Happy end of February! Where on earth did this month go...

I've been staying busy - and actually doing a lot of crocheting which has been wonderful. (Helps my stress-level!) I've made a lot of progress on my seafoam afghan. It's still a beast, and growing, and I keep plugging away at it. I started it originally to give away as a gift, but I am wondering now whether it's actually too large to give away - it's well beyond a simple lap throw at this point. We'll see. I also might just be too attached to the thing at this point to give it away!

I had a very sweet Valentine's Day. My hubby, even though he is "anti-Valentine's", brought me two boxes of chocolate (heart-shaped, of course!) and some lovely pink tulips (how did he know? :) They lasted a long time, and I'm hoping I can transplant the bulbs this spring.

We also went away for the weekend last week to Snowshoe, West Virginia with some friends. I made two scarves with Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick yarn - officially, my new favorite yarn ever. (Well, for this week at least.) I am dying to make a whole afghan with this yarn - it is so warm and snuggly - but I really have to make progress on/finish some of my other aghan projects first.

Here are some pics of where we stayed, Soaring Eagle Lodge. Our condo was on the top floor and the views were wonderful.

Sunset from our room (no photo filter and no editing)!

More February pics to come soon. I have some crochet projects I want to show off.

♥

My First Crochet Hat

Here's another project I never posted about... drumroll, please... my first hat!

For my first attempt, I think it came out OK (I really have very little experience crocheting in the round...)

I made it over Thanksgiving. I had an awful migraine for three days straight, but did manage to make this... it worked up surprisingly quickly. I used Caron Simply Soft yarn in Dark Country Blue, and this wonderful pattern.

This was made with my hubby in mind, and he was a good sport and wore it out and about in public! The biggest problem with the hat is that I really made it too long - definitely added too many rounds. It actually looks kind of silly on unless you fold up the bottom about an inch and a half. I should have also used a thicker yarn (even though I love the Simply Soft), or at least doubled up the yarn.

But I do think it's a great "masculine" pattern and I love the texture. Great for a guy gift!

I Heart Handmade Crochet Dishcloths

Just a quick "project dump" post!

I made these in December actually... I wanted to work on a couple of quick-and-useful-and-pretty projects, (to supplement "the beast", aka my seafoam afghan, and my grannies.) And - I am of course completely obsessed with cotton yarn. And my kitchen.

So ta-da. Just a couple of dishcloths for your viewing pleasure! I did not follow a pattern for these, but they are certainly inspired by this lovely pattern, which I have used before.

For this one I used Lily's Sugar 'n Cream yarn in Country Stripes, which I had leftover from the rug I made for my sister.

What turned out to be so freaking cool is that the stripes came out almost perfectly even. Looks like I planned it, right? (I didn't, believe me.) If you want to try it - just start with 27 chains (I believe that was what I did).

Gotta love striping yarn!

And here's one with a ruffly edge, using Lion Brand Cotton Ease yarn in Seaspray. I had never used this yarn before, but I bought a skein 'cause I couldn't resist and of course had to start using it asap! It's really quite nice - very soft.

I'm actually not using this one for a dishcloth. I think it's too pretty to get all yucked up in the kitchen sink. I will probably save it for a gift or use it under hot plates at the table.

♥

Crochet Scarves and Dishcloths and Flowers - of course!

Hello lovely readers... The past few weeks have been a blur of work and travel (the hubby and I went to Ireland with my father... more on that, and perhaps some pics, later!)

My current work in progress is a scarf using this soft and wonderful Chunky Baby Alpaca yarn from Cascade Yarns called "Ivy Twist".

I'm about halfway done... more will be done this weekend, (after about 100 loads of laundry, a long trip to the grocery store, and a good house scrubbing).

It is, by far, not my best work! Most of it was done while on vacation in the back of a rented Skoda, while traveling on Irish backroads. Not exactly a smooth ride. (It's still scrumpled from the trip, actually - as you can see!)

And to be honest, I was not sure about the two-tone color of this yarn at first, but worked up in the scarf it really does look better. And I think it will be soft and cozy and warm for the upcoming Virginia winter. (Brr.)

I'll post another picture when I'm done, with a link to the pattern (which I can't find at the moment!)

I also went on a "Ruffly Dishcloth"-making binge. I think I made four in the span of about a day and a half using this wonderful pattern, and Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton yarn in "Natural".

Pretty isn't it?

I did change her pattern a bit, just at the end I think, doing the ruffly corners. It just was not looking right when I did it as the pattern read.

And lastly, a snap of the absolute last flower of the season. In my own backyard at least.

Thanks for reading. ♥

Moving and My New Crochet Rug Project

I wanted to check in before any more time went by...

I am still here, and still crocheting. Mostly on my new afghan - I'm probably 1/3 done now? Perhaps that's an optimistic estimate but I actually am making some progress.

And I do have a good excuse for my absence... (besides work, which I am also using as an excuse :)

We are moving. And my life looks like this right now:

Yes, my entire house is packed up in boxes until we actually move next Monday, (except for our bed, TV, couches, and my desk). We are only moving across town, but this really does feel just as inconvenient as if we were moving (again) across the country. Argh.

(Okay, maybe not as inconvenient, but still a pain.)

So we are in limbo' til next Monday - but life goes on don'tcha know.

Crochet is keeping me sane, though - and I am excited about another new project (yes, another). My sister just bought a beautiful new house and has asked me to crochet a small rug for in front of her kitchen sink. I really am super excited about it. I bought this yarn last night... it's Lily Sugar n' Cream 100% cotton. Yay cotton!

I found this lovely striping color in greens and blues, and some white skeins. Not 100% convinced yet that this is what I want to use, though. The color(s) are not what I pictured using, and I'm not sure that the striping yarn will look okay if I use multiple strands... but we'll see. Worst comes to worst, I'll stash it away for another project and start over.

(BTW, have I mentioned how much yarn I have to move across town? No? Well, never mind then... It's only, umm, a little. ;)

Also, please excuse the poor quality of these pics... I took them with my phone as my camera has also been packed away.

Ugh. :)

♥

My Current Work In Progress - yep, another afghan

I wanted to share my current work in progress.

Well, *one* of my works in progress.

I am still working on my ripple blanket, and I am still in love with it. I just needed a break from it. Just for a little while. (Love-you-miss-you-it's-not-you-it's-me, ripple!)

My aunt had made an afghan for my sister a few years ago - which turned out beautifully (and so comfy). I asked her for the pattern and I am really loving it - so pretty, and pretty easy. One of those "sit on the couch and zone out in front of the tv for hours but it's okay 'cause I'm crocheting" projects.

I am using Red Heart yarn, but not the Super Saver suggested in the pattern. I decided to use Red Heart Soft yarn, in a lovely Seafoam color. And while I've been a total yarn snob lately, and really, really into cotton yarns - I am really, really loving this Red Heart Soft. It's very similar to Caron Simply Soft yarn, which I've used before quite a bit, but I think I like the Red Heart better. I compared the two side by side in Michael's and I think the Red Heart Soft just feels better to the touch. More like a natural fiber than the Caron Simply Soft. 

Here's the start of my yarn stash for this project. I will need more. (Luckily, it's a no dye lot yarn so no stressing that I don't have enough! Love that.)

I'm also not following the sizing in this pattern either. You know me, I like my afghans big - like, really big. Lap throw? Not in this house. So it's at least twice as big as a lap throw. ...Sigh... Not sure why I do this to myself but I think it will be beautiful when done.

Here's a peek:

That's a J hook if you're wondering, and it's folded up so you can't really tell how big it is. But it's pretty darn big. :)

I'm trying my best to finish this in record time so that I don't have too many projects going on at once. We'll see... best intentions and all that.

Kettle Dyed Yarn

I wanted to share something my friend Ruth created and then sent to me.

Two amazing and incredible skeins of kettle dyed yarn:

Arent' they gorgeous? She is so talented. (I had never even heard of kettle dyeing before, and wouldn't have a clue where to even begin...) And the colors are so "me".

I am definitely saving this yarn for a special project - yet to be determined - but I couldn't resist getting my hook out to crochet a couple of flowers.

This is the type of yarn that DESERVES to be used.

(PS - thanks again Ruth! You are the best!)

Crochet Cotton Dishcloths

I'm still working on my ripple blanket and I think it's coming together quite nicely! I'm still not 100% happy with my color combos... but regardless - I think it will be a striking (and cozy-cozy is important!) afghan. (I love, love, love making afghans!)

Still not quite ready to show it off yet, though... I want to get a bigger chunk of it done first. :)

I worked on my ripples quite a bit last weekend and felt I just needed a short break from them this week. I also realized that I needed some new dishcloths. (My old ones are, well... becoming embarassing.) So - I decided to crochet a few.

I have to admit I've never actually MADE a dishcloth (can you believe it?) but I think mine came out very pretty. (As much as dishcloths can be "pretty".)

I decided to just do a half double crochet stitch throughout. Yes, I could have gotten fancier with the stitching... maybe added some front and back post stitches or something, but quite honestly - I think a simple half double crochet is a very pretty stitch. And perfect for this type of piece. Not as boring as a single crochet stitch - and a bit more sturdy than a double crochet stitch. 

Don't you think this one came out nice? I think it looks great draped on over my sink.

I made the piece above with a skein from my Rowan Handknit Cotton stash (in Raffia), with (I think) a size G hook.

I made two more using Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton yarn... (a much better choice than the Rowan cotton for this type of project), and a size F hook.

Loving the wonderful crisp, white cotton!

It's a great feeling to create something and then put it straight to use.

Work in Progress - Crochet Ripple Scarf...

I really do love my current work in progress... it just feels like the project is never-ending! 

I've been working on this ripple scarf for - months it seems. Maybe just since December or so. I've worked on other things in between, but really, really did want to finish it this week because (1) I have a bunch of other projects I have my eye on (2) I want to actually wear it before spring and (3) I wanted to wear it THIS weekend (going away!)

It's just not going to happen, I'm afraid. I really need about 10 more inches of ripples. Sigh.

Hopefully very soon I can post it as a finished project.

I'm using one of my favorite yarns - Lion Brand Cotton Bamboo. Absolutely love the colors - and it's very soft.

Off to weave in some ends!