Wedding Blanket- Finished!

Hey, there! I am so excited because I have been working on a blanket for someone who is getting married this year and I finally finished it. Seriously, I wove in the last end maybe fifteen minutes ago! I bought this pattern back in September,for $5. Nancy Liggins (I am in no way affiliated with her or her patterns) has many designs in her Ravelry shop and I have seen some of her blankets published on Mary Maxim. She is going places and isn't hard to see why. Her patterns are easy to follow. They are mostly charts, but she provides the number of stitches needed between the clusters.  I'm glad that I chose this pattern because I was really struggling with clusters/bobbles/popcorn stitches and after a couple months of doing them, I can do them quickly and without hurting my wrist!

I am wanting some of her other patterns but I'm also trying to focus more on some of my other unfinished projects (stuffed dino, playbook, three blankets and probably more to come) as well as my own pattern writing.

Speaking of pattern writing, I did write a Free pattern for a Holey-Moley Washcloth. That you could check out.

Feel free to leave comments, I do enjoy hearing from you. What projects have you recently finsished? Which ones are you working on?

Also, check out my other posts!

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

Scraps for Dinos!

Over the course of the three or four years that I have been "playing with yarn", as some like to call it, I have accumulated many scraps of yarn that are too small to use in a full project. For a long time, probably about a year, I have thought about using these scraps for granny squares, but never got around to it and didn't know what to make with granny squares.

I have been watching some of my friend, Vivi's projects developing over the past couple of months. She has been making these African Flower Motif softies/toys and they look so beautiful and cuddly. The pattern calls for various colors of scrap yarn, which I thought would be an amazing way to get rid of some of my scraps in my yarn stash.

We have a niece and nephew in Texas. Our nephew just turned two and our niece is going to be four years old, this summer. I am not sure how long making these softies will take me so I'm planning on making one for each of them, as their Christmas gifts.

Right now, you may be saying, "Uhm, Cassie, it is only January, you have eleven months still." and to that I say "yeah, and?". I am trying my best to plan out my projects for the year. So far, that means me taking on five projects at once and making my rounds when I get bored with one. I wasn't able to make anything for Rebeckha and Ken, this past Christmas and I feel bad about that.

Today, I started working on the Puff the Magic Stegosaurus for Ken and I'm still trying to figure out which one to make for Rebeckha.

So far, this is all I have:

Thankfully, the motifs are quick work ups. I have finished all of the squares, triangles and Octagons. I'm working on the Heptagons and then all I would have left would be the hexagons and pentagons. Whee!

What projects are you working on? 

How do you use your scrap yarns?

Feel free to leave a comments below, I love hearing from you!
Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

So...About those Elves...

I am so sorry that it has been a while since I last wrote. Things have gotten super busy the last couple weeks and our internet keeps cutting in and out, since the internet we shared with a neighbor was shut off. So, there will be a couple new posts.

I feel like I didn't acomplish much in the way of Christmas stuff but here is what I have:

Blankets:  1/2 are finished
Hats: 2/5 are finished
Earwarmers: 0/4 are finished
Shawls: 2/3 are finished
Scarves: 5/5 are finished (YAY!)
Potholders: 1/6 are finished
Washcloths: 0/6 are fnished

 

Here is the blanket that I finished. The lighting isn't that great, it has been super cloudy around here. The color is a frost green/light sage. I do love the pattern though. It was a quick work up, once I sat down and did it. I used a pattern from Crochet World Magazine April 2015 Issue

 

This is the other shawl that I finished. It is a dark purple, cascading shells pattern. I really like this one too. I was able to sit and visit with people and not have to worry about losing count or reading a pattern. 

 The last scarf I needed to make! I restarted this one I don't know how many times. I tried to come up with something new, but felt rushed so I tore it out. Then I was going to do the Turtle Shuffle but I couldn't decide how I wanted to stripe it. So, I went with this basic, double crochet striped scarf. I'm not sure if I'm going to add tassels on it or not. I'm not sure the recipient is a fan of tassels

.

Finaly, a pot holder that I finished yesterday. It is supposed to be a diamond overlay but my diamonds look weird. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong but I still like it. Again, the lighting does not do the color justice. This one is a Frost Green color. I got this pattern from Crochet World Magazine August 2010 Issue.

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

The Turtle Shuffle

I just finished the Turtle Shuffle Scarf design and the scarf itself. The design is a free download from my store in Ravelry and I intend to keep it a free download. I call it the Turtle Shuffle because if you look at the stitches you can kind of see little turtles shuffling along to keep you or your loved one warm in the winter months. The single crochet acts as the head or tail of the turtle and the double crochets act as the shell. I can also see little feet under the shells.

I came up with the name one my walk to work. I remembered, for some strange reason, a movie that my husband and I watched a while back, when we first started dating. I don't remember which movie it was but it had kids and there was this one boy that the others wouldn't let in past the front gate unless he did the "Truffle Shuffle". I feel so bad for the boy.

Anyhow, I was going through a list of words because I didn't like the way "Turtle Scarf" sounded and "Turtle Neck" is already taken and I don't know many people who like the suffocating feeling of the constrictive shirts. When this scene popped into my head I laughed and said "Turtle Shuffle". I thought of a few other titles that I can't remember now because this one just seemed to stick.

So, there you have it. A free crochet pattern design and a finished Christmas gift. Now,  I have three scarf gifts finished. I have seven more to go but I think that I'm going to start on some hats. To be honest, I'm getting bored of scarves and I have just as many hats and earwarmers to complete.

I am still working on one of the three shawls. I actually like how it is coming along. I will write a post about it, later.

Both of my blankets are actually on pause for the moment. I thought I had enough yarn for the afghan swap one but I'm about ten rows short of an afghan. So, another trip to the yarn aisle and I should be set on that one, but we shall see if I can get that yarn on Thursday. The other blanket's design is sitting in our friend's vehicle. I accidentally left that and the unfinished swap blanket when we went for a drive to pick up a really cool, antique sewing machine desk...thing.

Feel free to check out some of my other blog posts and leave a comment below. I always enjoy hearing from you.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

To Make A Hole, You Must Start Digging

After a couple of slight panic attacks over Christmas, which isn't for another couple of months, and writing a list of gifts to make (which can be found in my earlier post, Dear Santa, May I Borrow Some Elves?) I have begun to make somewhat of a dent.

So far I have made 2/10 Scarves. I am in the middle of designing a third.

I used a basic Double Crochet stitch for one scarf:

and I used the "Strawberry Wine Cable Scarf" Pattern for the second:

I also made a couple of colorful headbands with some yarn gifted to me by Nina:

The yarn is 50% Soy Silk and 50% wool. South West Trading Company, Karaoke-299
 I also used the Double Shell Headband Pattern, which is a free pattern, for these two.
I absolutely loved the yarn for this and I'm going to look into getting more yarn. The Soy Silk tones down the wool's scratchiness. Wool doesn't usually make me itch but some wools do seem a little rough. This one is so soft and smooth, I wish you could feel it through the screen!

I am about 40 rows away from being finished with a blanket that I have been working on for a while. My goal is to have that finished by the end of this month. To do that, I want to try to crochet at least 5 rows a day (starting tomorrow because I work all day today). If I kept to this, I should have it finished by the 25th of September. Then I could concentrate on finishing the design for the hubby's blanket and the rest of the smaller projects.

The scarves will only take me a couple hours each, if I use patterns that I already have, and stop designing new ones. The shawls will take a little longer. Which, I started on one shawl and I'm really loving the pattern. I will make a new post about that, since this one is already stuffed with pictures. 

So, right now, I am working on  a new scarf design, a shawl, and a blanket. I want to finish this scarf and another scarf before I switch over to hats. 

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved. 

Dear Santa, May I Borrow Some Elves?

I finally sat down (during a lunch break) and wrote down a list of projects that I need to start and complete before Christmas comes around. Yes, it is only September but I'm sure all you crafters know just how long it takes to make something special for someone. I glanced at my list, today and I'm starting to wish that I hadn't written everything out.

So far (I usually end up adding things) I have:

Two afghans- one is for a swap and needs to be finished by December 1st, I'm about halfway finished; the other is still in the process of having the pattern written. Eighty rows are written, still have about 108 rows more.

A "Stitch" hat for my neice.

Ten winter hats

Three Earwarmers

Three Shawls

Six ornaments

Ten scarves

Nine potholders

Four dishcloths

and possibly a third blanket but I'm not sure I'll have that much time.

Since I have started crocheting, one person has received a blanket each year. The first year it was my dad and step mom, the second was my mother in law, this year it will be my husband and I'm thinking next year will be my brother in law, once I figure out what he likes. Now that he is in high school, I don't know if he still wants the Star Wars things or if he wants things to be  a little more grown up.

Which makes it difficult for this Christmas, for him. Last year I made him a "Creeper" scarf from Minecraft. Last year he was in middle school. This year, he is in high school and I'm not sure what he wants.

Out of all the projects that I need to do, I have the blanket for my afghan swap started and...yeah, just that. Well, I may have one scarf and an earwarmer finished...depending on if I want to give away my prototypes of the Strawberry Wine patterns.

Every year, my list gets longer. I'm just going to have to start crocheting for Christmas 365 days ahead of time.

In all of the chaos, remember: You are beautiful and well loved.
 

Christmas is Just Around the Corner...

I was on Ravelry.com, today, and sifting through the groups that I am in. I ventured into this new Christmas Crochet group that I recently joined and had a sudden realization that we are in the middle of August. Yep! That is right we are in the middle of the eighth month and December is only four months away. I am working on two blankets, one I keep frogging (ripping the stitches) and the other I'm thinking about it. The thing is, it takes me about 6 months to make one with as busy as I get with work.

Part of the freak out began when I realized I have four months to make two blankets. That is two less months than what I have for one. I can see every waking moment from here on out going to Christmas presents. Which is sad because Halloween and Thanksgiving are also coming up and I wanted to make things for those holidays as well.

The freak out didn't take full effect until I realized that for the past two Christmases (which are the two that I actually knew how to crochet), most people recieved a scarf and hat set; if they did not recieve a blanket. Now, my family/friends are loving people but I'm sure that I might get a little bit of an eye roll or fake excitement over, yet, another scarf.

This realization and complete understanding of the possible reaction leaves me in a more than slight panic that goes something like this:

"I have four months until Christmas! I have to make two blankets (which I don't mind and love doing), and I have absolutely no ideas for anyone on the Christmas list because they all have at least one scarf and hat!"

Now, imagine me running around in circles in my tiny living room with Sasha, our dog, wondering if her paws would be able to actually push the buttons on the phone to dial some sort of crochet anonymous hotline.

So, here is my question to you:

What are some gifts that you make for people on your Christmas list? Please leave your ideas in the comments below.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

My first Swap Package!

Some of you know that I have taken on the challenge of my first Afghan swap! It is a year long swap with the same partner. Three packages are sent out from each partner. The first two are smaller and filled with goodies, the last one (in December) is an afghan that we have been working on for the other person. Also, the last box is filled with goodies. I just sent out my first package (which she received) and I got my first one from her!

I wish you all could have been there for my happy dance when I opened my package the other night! Even though I was expecting it, it was a very nice surprise and I am so excited for everything in it! So, here we go!

First up is three skeins of beautiful yellow yarn! So soft :) I already have some ideas brewing of what I might do with this. Thank you, so much, Bonnie!
Next! I have a beautiful Crochet magazine filled with so many more project ideas and I wonder how long it will take me to make them all! There is a really cute dress I want to make my niece, that I found in there. Also, she sent a Rainbow Ripple Baby blanket, 12-pointed star. I am so excited for this because I think thiss will be perfect for my cousin, who just had a baby! (I might use some of the yarn I got, for this :) ). Also, a yummy recipe for hot chocolate cake ! She just combined two sets of words I love “Hot Chocolate” and “Cake”. I can’t wait to try this!

Next, we have more yummy yummies! My husband grabbed the choclate cherries and ran off with them, the moment he saw them in the box. Hahaha! Right now, I am sipping some yummy orange tea. It feels so good after a night of rain.
Up next….

Some beautifully made, hand knitted, cozy socks! These my hubby can’t steal mwahahahaha! And if he does, I will know it. (we have sock wars)

And Last, but certainly not any less exciting….A sewing kit that I can stick in my purse and take with me, when I have projects that call for buttons or when accidents happen at work (or anywhere for that matter), a pom-pom maker! I have been wanting to try one of these things out because I like the look of the fuzzy things on hats, but it has been so fun trying to figure out how to make one and yarn just gets everywhere. I am hoping that this helps! And a little wallet with a crown on it. :)
Thank you, Bonnie (Panther)! I love absolutely everything that was in this package and I am excited for the future two.

Afghan Swap!

I joined a group on Ravelry that does a year long swap. You are assigned a partner, and you swap three packages through out the year. This is my first swap, ever and I am so excited! The first and second box have different things that you make, some yarn and little gifts. The last one, in December, we swap an afghan that we have made for our partner.

Quite honestly, my first package is supposed to go out by the end of the month and I haven't the foggiest idea of what I'm going to send, or how I'm going to send it. My partner has done more swaps and I really don't want to give her something that she already has. My problem, with gifting, my husband says is that I put too much thought into my gifts and I actually stress over them.

My partner and I have talked back and forth, quite a bit. She has been very helpful in finding the things she likes but I still want there to be a surprise. So, I'm not sure that I am going to post too much of what I'm making her, on here, in case she reads. I do really want to post the blanket that I have started for her. But I will have to make a seaparate post for that, because I would like to talk more about it and I don't know where my camera is.

I do really like the idea of a knit/crochet swap. I am exicted to see what other people can make and excited for the adventures of making someone I have never met, in person, gifts. I love to help people smile and I think this is one of the many ways.

Have you done anything similar? What are some gifts you have made for someone? Feel free to leave comments and check out my other posts. I love hearing from you!

You are beautiful and well loved.