Goldberry Shawl

 Some of you may know that I am a fan of Tolkien's works. I am a huge fan of Lord of the Rings and you may have seen a couple of my custom made crochet hooks. If you haven't, you really should check those posts out!  This shawl, I had been wanting to make for a very long time. I wanted to make this before I even made my first shawl! It looked so elaborate that I felt overwhelmed but after making a couple shawls this seemed do-able.  This pattern was actually gifted to me by a member of my Random Acts of Kindness group.

It took me two months to make, but that was mostly due to my busy work schedule and the fact that I underestimated the amount of yarn I would be using. If you choose to do this pattern, two skeins of Carron's Simply Soft will not do it. I used close to 1000 yards, if not a little more because I wanted to add a couple of rows. What can I say? I like to bundle up in the cold months.

This Goldberry Shawl pattern is amazing! It follows the Hobbit's Journey using one of Tolkien's poems to guide the pattern and tell a story, more or less. It was such a beautiful idea and I am excited to make this shawl again. I know that by looking at it, you can't tell that it is inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien's works. Maybe that is what drew me to it. I love Tolkien's works but I don't like to let everyone know just how much I admire the author and the movies.

If you like what you see and would like to make one yourself, the pattern is available to download for $5 USD. I firmly believe that it is well worth it.

What projects are you working on? Let me know in the comments below, I always love hearing from you.

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

Wrapped in Love (C2C) Finished!

And now...For the moment I have been waiting for...It is finished! Well, it doesn't have a border yet but the main part is finished and I don't always like adding borders to blankets. I will probably add one, but for the moment, it is fine.

I just published the pattern to my Ravelry Store. If you use the coupon code: ILY4EVER you can get this pattern for free, until the end of June 1 (my wedding anniversary).

This pattern was tough to write. Mostly because I made a graph (yes, it has a graph! For those of you who have my Boston Red Sox Blanket pattern, I'm going to work on graphing that one too) in Excell and spent at least three hours trying to figure out how to merge it to a word document. Now that I did that the first page is blank. Yes, the first page is blank but do not worry! You aren't missing out on any information! Apparently when I tried to have only the chart page landscaped, Word decided that adding a polar bear lost in a snow storm, would be a great idea. Lovely.

So, once I figure out how to do that, which I though I had it figured out and then I sent it to PDF...poor polar bear is still lost in a snow storm, I will post a pattern update.

This pattern is very dear to my heart. I minored in American Sign Language, in college and got to know some really cool people who use ASL. This sign is one of the ways that I can communicate to my husband (who is not deaf or hard of hearing) when we are in a room full of people, after I have a seizure or just because.

I think that this pattern does well with just two colors, but I'm wondering how it would look with either the background or the hand striped. It came out to be a 49"x46" blanket. So, big enough for a child or just as a couch throw.

Check out the pattern and let me know what you think in the comments below!
Also, check out some of my other patterns and posts!

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved!

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.

Gondor Scarf - Finished and New Pattern!

I finally finished both the pattern and the scarf! Whoo! There were only a couple things that I had to fix with the pattern which is a huge win for me.  The pattern is now avialable for download at $1.99 USD.

I am working on several other pattern designs, at the moment. I just started writing out the Lord of the Rings blanket design, and I'm waiting on the "TreeBeard" hook I ordered, so that I can start making the actual blanket. Hopefully, that means I will be able to start it on Monday. 

I'm sorry that my "Tapestry style" patterns do not have a graph. I haven't quite figured out how to manage graphs on my computer. 

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

My first Toy!

 My last post was filled with my  New Year, yarn resolutions. Although I think I have a pretty good start, considering that it has only been a week into the new year, I don't count this project towards my goal. I decided to try my hand at making a toy, my new years resolution is to make a doll. When I looked at the doll patterns that I have, they seemed overly complicated and super tiny. I wanted to try something that I didn't think I could mess up. So, I tried this rabbit here.

At the time that I started collecting every free pattern there was, related to crochet, the pattern was free. Now, it is on sale for $4 USD. The pattern was mostly easy to work. The sewing instructions and eye instructions were vauge. I did not use saftey eyes as the pattern had called for. I don't know how to use them and I only have two pairs. Fun. So, I embroidered (which by the way I'm not really good at) the eyes. There were no instructions on how to make a pom-pom that the pattern called for so my bunny is tail-less. Poor bunny.

I would have liked to have a little more instruction in some areas, especially considering that this was my first toy pattern. In my future designs, I am going to try my best to have full instructions because you really don't know who has chosen your design as their "Learning Project". 

Speaking of new designs, I am working on two at the moment. The first is another graphed blanket but that probably won't be up for a long while. The second is part of me getting in touch with my Lord of The Rings geeky side and it is going to be, I think, a pillow. I have it drawn out. I was wanting to make a scarf but I think it is going to be too wide.

So, future designs: some will probably have something to do with Lord of the Rings, there aren't that many crochet patterns related to Tolkien's works and I really want to change that. I am going to work on other projects and get a hang of some more designs. I did design a shawl for a gift but didn't write down the pattern. I'm going to try and remember it and have that up soon. So, there are a few designs going on. Be on the look out for those.

Freddy has, apparently, claimed the bunny as his own. I'm surprised that he is not afraid of it. Ha!

What project(s) are you working on? Feel free to leave a comment below, I always enjoy hearing from you. 

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved

Let's Go, Red Sox! Finally!

It is finally finished! I have been working on designing a Boston Red Sox blanket for my husband who is a huge fan of the team. I started designing it in February and just finished the complete pattern and blanket, today.

It started out as just an idea. I had only designed a couple of hats and scarves at that point and I was just playing around with ideas. I bought some graph paper and made multiple sketches of the logo's. I decided on this one, a larger version of it and started actually writing the pattern from the graph paper.

The digital download will not have the graph, mostly because I'm not super great with technology to make 146 boxes on a page. But all of the directions will be written out.

I don't know how I feel about the border. It is a puff stitch, which I thought of because it looked kind of like balls and this is a baseball team. Jerad has only put the blanket down (because I can't wait until Christmas to give people their gifts), to fix some delicious food.

What do you think of the blanket? Be honest, please.
What is your design process?

Feel free to let me know in the comments below, and check out my other posts!

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved

Sauron's First Project

Hi, my name is, Cassie and I'm a closeted Lord of the Rings geek.

Everyone needs something to completely geek out over and although I love that crocheting can be a part of that...I mean not many people understand the different yarn ply's, hook and stitch names or crochet lingo like "FROG", outside of crocheters and knitters. I have always had a love fore Tolkien's works. I have read most of his books and Lord of The Rings is my favorite series next to Fast and Furious.

I've been looking at the crochet hooks on Etsy, that have been custom made with polymer clay handles. People geek out over Dr. Who, Star Wars and Disney and I have found plenty of custom hooks for those but they aren't me. The more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to get a custom Lord of the Rings, hook set. Eventually I would love to get some Lord of the Rings stitch markers as well, but for now, I'm just geeking out over the hooks.

So, I asked this nice lady, on Etsy who I have seen her hooks and they are all so very wonderful. I asked her if she would ever think about making some Lord of the Rings hooks. We talked more about it and I recieved my very first Lord of the Rings hook a couple of weeks ago. It is a size H, Boye crochet hook.

Of course after recieving it, I had to find a project for it, considering I'm still working on my husband's blanket for Christmas and that takes an I hook.

So, I worked up this elephant parade cowl:

This pattern is $3 USD and it is a great work up. If you enjoy or want to practice colorwork, this designer has great patterns for both knitting and crochet. Most of them are hats but I enjoy her patterns.

Remember that you are Beautiful and well loved.

Fans, Fences and Lace

 This week, I have been doing a lot of work on a couple of shawls since I left my pattern notebook and my swap blanket in the back of a friend's vehicle from our road trip. The above picture is from a dark purple "Cascading Lace Shawl". I downloaded this pattern for $2USD and I must say that I absolutely love the way it works up. Although the pattern is written completely out, row by row, it is a repeating pattern. I found that I like who complete the pattern is because I don't have to go back and count my rows, and how many times I have completed rows 1-9. I can simply continue on through the pattern and know that I'm at row 32. I don't feel as lost as I sometimes do with repeated patterns.

This next shawl that I'm working on is another experiment of mine. I like how open it is and it is an easy work up, as well. I'm using Red Heart's Super Saver Solids "Frosty Green" for this shawl.

Both shawls are going to become rectangular shawls.

Also, I have been looking up on a new ambition, somewhat related to crochet but doesn't have much to do with yarn. I've been looking on Etsy and E-bay at the beaded crochet stitch markers and admiring them. Some of the prices seem a bit high but I love how unique they are. My husband used to dabble in beading jewelry and I do believe that he still has some beads I might be able to use. I think I'm going to invest in some "Lobster Claws" (clippy things), some beading pins and a pair of needle nosed plier and try my hand at making some of these beauties! Of course, when I do start, I will post my adventures with beading on here as well.

What are you working on right now?  Any new ambitions?
Feel free to check out my other posts and leave a comment below. I always love 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. 

Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Lose

Thank you for the encouraging comments on my last post. I really do appreciate them. I'm not sure why I felt so obsolete but you are absolutely right! Even if she makes gifts and makes more than I can, the gifts that I make for people will always be unique just as the ones my mother makes. I have always felt at ease when I gift things I make because they are unique (and can't be returned). So, thank you for encouraging me when I was in a bit of a funk.

Since the last post, I have been working hard. Yesterday was my first day off in seven days and I worked over 40 hours. Yay! I have been working on some new designs and updating the Country Squares Market Bag.

I love the four square base of the market bag but I'm not happy with how the rest of the bag turned out. It doesn't seem sturdy and even though I wasn't increasing my stitches it seemed as if the sides were expanding. So, although I said the revision would be up this past weekend, it is still a work in progress. I need to figure out the sides of the bag. This pattern will probably end up being seaparate from the Country Squares because I am thinking that only the base will be made with the same pattern. Thankfully, I have my trusty stitch book that my hubby gifted me for my birthday. That should help a bit.

Anyway, here's the base:

Now, I did finally write the pattern for the Strawberry Wine Ear Warmer! This is a free pattern download from Ravelry. The scarf is still being tested but is up for sale. The ear warmer will remain a free pattern.

Because I still have some yarn left over from the scarf and ear warmer set, I am going to try my hand at some fingerless gloves. Before I do that, I need to actually, successfully make a pair of fingerless gloves.

If you know any good patterns for crochet fingerless gloves, feel free to let me know in the comments below!
I always love hearing from you and thank you, again, for your encouragement.

Remember, you are beautiful and well loved.

Strawberry Wine Cable Scarf

I have been wanting so badly to figure out how these cable things work. No thanks to Youtube and google, I managed to figure out (I think) the basics of this kind of design. I couldn't find a pattern for exactly what was in my head, so...I made one. I wanted to make this a bit more intricate and give it a different name with different colors but we see how that worked out.

This pattern is currently being tested, but can be found here for $1.00 USD. You can use this code: 25SAVORS      to take 25% off of the pattern making it only $.75.

I am currently working on three project designs now:
I have promised to expand the Country Squares market bag and I'm hoping to have that finished and updated by this weekend. This week is a little crazy with all the kids coming back to college and me being needed more at the store, but I will find time to get it done.

I am also working on an earwarmer design.

Finally, I am trying to design that, more intricate, cable scarf that I was wanting to do in the first place. It will be in two colors with a nice border and probably some tassel as well. Who doesn't love tassels? Answer: Me when I have a Freddy cat who likes to play with my yarn. But, this new scarf design will have tassels because that is what the picture in my head looks like. First, I will have to sketch out the design which is where I went wrong with this scarf.  But I do love this scarf.

I called it "Strawberry Wine Cable Scarf" because at the time that I was trying to come up with a name I was listening to Country music and the name of the color is "Mixed Berries". One of my favorite Country songs as a kid was, "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter.

What inspires some of the titles of your designs/projects?

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

New Ravelry Group and Coupon Code!

This is just a quick post, today.  I started a group on Ravelry for anyone who enjoys my designs, to join. You can ask questions about the designs, get help if you are stuck, join in on some CAL's and test my designs before they are published.

Also, here is a coupon code for a 25% discount on any pattern in my store: 25SAVORS
You can use it on more than one pattern. Right now, my only paid pattern is Country Squares Market Bag

M-I-C-K-E-Y!

Mickey Mouse Toilet Paper Cover

 I just finished designing this lovely Mickey Mouse, inspired, toilet paper cozy. I know someone who is getting married within the year and her bathroom is decked out in Mickey Mouse things. I don't know if she actually has a toilet paper cover, or use for one. I think that they are pretty interesting, now that I know they exist, and will probably be making more in the future. So, she is going to be getting at least one. I have an idea for a Minnie Mouse cover and a couple other Disney inspired designs.

This is my first design that is for sale, on Ravelry. It is on sale for $1 USD. It was really easy to come up with, honestly it was easier than the market bag which I may change that to a selling pattern as well. I'm not sure though. What are your thoughts on this new design?

Thank you for reading. We actually reached 1,000 views today! Which has me super excited as well. That is something that I could not do without you beautiful people. 

Please check out some of my other posts and feel free to leave comments. I love hearing from you.

Please remember that you are beautiful and well loved.

A Challenge of My Own Design

Anyone who knows me knows that I love a good challenge. In fact, I often try to prove people wrong, within reason. I feel sorry for my doctors who tell me that I will never be able to sprint again because I didn't get the surgery to repair my knee. I graduated high school when everyone was telling me that I wouldn't make it. Never mind the fact, that I nearly dropped out to work, but thanks to some incredible teachers and my boss, I stayed. I was also told that I wouldn't make it through my freshman year of college and even though it took me six years and a few changes in my major, I graduated!

Granted, I'm still working on the whole running part but I'll be darned if I let anyone tell me that I can't do something without trying. Sadly, there are some parts where I got hurt in the process. For instance, when I was seven, we had this swing set with monkey bars (oh, yeah, it's that kind of story). My brother and I were always challenging each other. He would tell me that I couldn't do something, in that older brother kind of way, and I would try to prove him wrong. Most of the time it worked, but this time...he was right (don't tell him I said that...reputations and all). Anyhow, he told me that I couldn't skip two bars on the monkey bars and proceeded to show me that he could. My arms were a little too short and I couldn't even skip one. I knew this but, tried anyway because I've never let a challenge go without a fight. I got up to the top of the ladder, reached up, grabbed one bar and swung myself to reach past the two ahead of me. I ended up somehow flipping and landing on my wrist; breaking it. One challenge that I didn't quite meet. BUT I am proud to say that I can, now, skip two bars...maybe even three.

Long story to introduce a challenge of my own, that isn't so dangerous. I work at a clothing store and we get new shipments in, every day. I see most of the clothes before they hit the shelves and we have been getting a lot of yarny crochet/knit clothes in for the fall. This has me super excited! Some of the clothes has inspired me to try my hand at making similar pattern styles for crochet. I am working on one now that I have one side nearly finished. I'm just trying to figure out how to increase for the neck but it is going to be fun! So far, this is what it looks like:

Now, this is my first clothing design. I find it a little ambitious, even of myself, because I have only ever made one poncho and one shrug. I messed up, big time, on the poncho, and had a million questions with the shrug. I don't quite have the hang of closed necklines so this is going to be one interesting, yet harmless, challenge. No broken bones involved. So far, I like how it is turning out. I probably won't get to work on it until Sunday night or Monday. This next step is going to take a bit of thinking and playing with yarn.

Also, this is my finished Baktus! I frogged it (sorry Adrienne) because I didn't follow directions the first time. I will continue, with different yarn, with the way I was doing it before. Adrienne said that it would probably turn into a triangular shawl. I love triangle shawls!

And the little blond blob,is Sasha:

 

She is being an old lady today. She is around 8 years old and most days acts like she is still a puppy. I think the rain is making her sleepy. 

Feel free to check out my other blog posts and see what projects I have completed!

What inspires you to crochet/knit/design/craft?

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved!

Summer Shrug CAL update!

If I haven't said it before, I'm going to say it now: I love Crochet Alongs (CALs)! I love knowing that I'm not working on a project alone. There are some people who are able to work ahead and in turn help answer the many questions that I end up having. These people are patient and enjoy helping others who share the same interests in making things that they do.

This is my second CAL and another one of my "Firsts". The last CAL was my first shawl. This one is my first article of clothing that isn't a poncho. Yes, I am working on a shrug, along with several others who are working on the same pattern. The pattern is amazing! I have had some troubles with it but I cough that up to trying to de-stress from my current job which makes my brain not work correctly all the time and things that should make sense, don't. So, my confusion is of no fault of the pattern's author. Just mine.

I have enjoyed seeing what everyone has chosen as their colors for the shrug. One chose to do theirs in autumn colors, which I just love and I wish I had the yarn needed for that one! Looks like I might have to meander on down to the local craft store and see if I can find any. Oh, no! What a terrible, terrible task....ha!

We are all on clue two out of three, or four. I have finished the body of the shrug and seamed the sleevies (as my husband and I call them thanks to a youtuber (Markiplier). Here is a picture of where I am at, right now.

I'm getting ready to do the border around the opening of the neck-waist. This pattern is available for $5 (USD) on Ravelry. Adrienne writes such beautiful patterns and I am excited to see how this one turns out as well as what other patterns she has in store.

What projects are you working on? Feel free to post in the comments below and if there is a link to the pattern, feel free to post that as well!

Remember that you are Beautiful and well loved.

Bags and Potholders

I know that I haven't posted in a while. Things happened at work and I was the only one out of six employees who stayed. These past couple weeks I have been training our new manager and now I'm training two new people on top of that. Work is stressful and some days, crocheting doesn't even help.

Here is what I have done in the past couple of weeks.

 I tried my hand at making my frist bag. This one is called a market bag. I love the flower pattern on the bottom of it! It was a quick make, took me a few hours but I just love, love, loved the pattern and I'm looking for the perfect yarn to make another one.  The best part is, the pattern is free! You should check it out!

 This one is a daffodil washcloth. I left a couple of rows off because the pattern wasn't making sense. I found it in Crochet World Magazine June 2015. I love the flower on it but the rows after a very confusing, the way it was written. I think that I'm going to try and write the designer and see if it was a me thing (which it probably is).

These two potholders are my new favorite pattern for potholders. They were a quick make and they are a double thickness so it will keep your hands from burning! Something that is very much needed in my house. In fact, I think that we should wear potholder outfits when we cook. So many burns. Ha!

Let me know what you think of these projects! Also, if you have any patterns that you would like to share, feel free to leave a link in the comments below! I always love hearing from you.

You are beautiful and well loved.

Packages and Projects

Today, I came home to a very nice surprise. Another package from Kathleen (KnitTweet), a member of the Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) group on ravelry.com! She sent a very nice note and a cute little button container filled with little white buttons to help me complete my baby projects. Between yesterday and today, I am excited to start new projects.

 

Thank you, Kathleen!

As promised, I am posting an update on my current works win progress (WIPs).

 

 

First, is the Lady Bug Cuddle Quilt that I have been working on for some time. I would say I am about fifty percent finished. I have made more squares than what is shown. What is shown is what has been sewn together

 

Next is the dog sweater for Muzzy, neighboor's dog. I have stopped here until I get a chance to fit him. Poor thing might get confused after all of the fittings he may have to do. It is going to be mostly dark green with two or three light blue zig-zags near the tail.

 

Last, but certainly not least, I am workng on this Neopolitan Shawl/Scarf. It was a free pattern download on ravelry.com I started this yesterday and I think I might be about half finished with it. 

I am hoping to fit Muzzy, for the first time, tomorrow and then I should be able to finish it without too much of a problem. The shawl, I am working on tonight, to get a small break from the blanket (which needs to ben finished in two weeks, yikes!). After I finish the shawl (hopefully that will be tonight) I am going to start making a couple small baby projects with the yarn I received yesterday and the buttons that I received, today.

Thanks again, Kathleen!

Feel free to leave comments below and check out my other blog posts.

Remember that you are beautiful and well loved!

Emilina

As some of you already know, a good friend of my husband is having a baby in May. They have chosen her name, Emilina. I think that it is a pretty and interesting name. I don't think that any other kid will have it which makes this little girl, already unique. The baby shower is coming up soon and I feel like I haven't done much for the baby. I have made a couple of things for her but the big project is the ladybug blanket.

Which, I have made some progress on. This is how far I am as of yesterday:

 It is only about half of the width and most of the length. I only have three more squares at the bottom of the blanket and I will have my length. I am completely finished with the yellow and white. I have four more squares to go for the dark purple. I didn't think that I would enjoy making this blanket because it really is over 300 squares that I have to make and put together. However, I have always loved puzzles and I love seeing progress in my projects. Most blankets that I have made, I have needed to stop and take a break, work on a small project, several times. I have only worked on small projects once since I have started this and that was the day I heard about the baby shower. I wanted to make sure that I had something ready for it, if this blanket wasn't finished by then. I would say that this blanket is about 30-40% finished. I have a ziploc bag ful of squares that  have made, they just haven't been sewn together yet.

For the baby shower, I experimented with buttons, again. I am getting better about keeping the buttons secure. For my small projects, I made a baby hat and a headband with a daisy.

 

Both of these patterns were free on Ravelry.com. They were both very easy to make and super cute. The hat did not call for a button, but I wanted to add one. I think I may make another hat and a couple more headbands with different flowers or accents on them.

That is my update for now. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to comment below. I do enjoy hearing from you. Also, if you like, you can subscribe to my blog and get notifications whenever I post.

Stay healthy, espeically in this flu season.

You are beautiful, and well loved.

Hats Off For Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

Well, not quite yet, but this time of year certainly keeps me busy with the yarn and keeping my two cats away from my stash. I have made several hats and I still have three more to make. Funny thing is, they are all so very different.

 

This is a Taxi/Golfer hat that I made my husband for Christmas. He is actually more happy about it than I am. I somewhat used a pattern. It was in a different language so I'm sure I didn't get everything right.I am searching for a similar pattern or translation for it, then I will post the pattern. He wanted another beanie but I've already made him at least four or five, so I decided to do something a little different. 

 This is a hat that I made for my sister-in-law. She is coming home for a visit and she loves these kinds of hats. So, I am making her two of these kind. I did not use a pattern for this one.

Materials: worsted weight yarn (any color, I used gray for this one) and size H hook.

R1: chain three, dc in third chain from hook 11 times and join in third chain with a slst (12 dc)
R2: chain 2 (counts as first dc) dc in the same st as joining and 2 dc in each st around. slst in second ch.(24dc)
R3: ch 2. dc in same st as joining. *1 dc in next st, 2dc in next.   Repeat from * around, slst in second ch (36dc)
R4: ch 2. dc in same st as joining. *1 dc in the next 2 st. 2dc in the next.  Repeat from * around, slst in second ch. (48 dc) 
R5: ch 2. dc in same st as joining. *1 dc in the next 3 st. 2dc in the next.  Repeat from * around, slst in second ch. (60 dc)
Round 6: Ch 2, 1dc in same st as joining. 1 dc in each st around. slst in second ch ( 60 dc )Round 7: Ch 2, skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st. * Skip 2 sts, 1 dc in next st. Skip 2 sts, 5 dc in next st. Repeat from *around, slst in second ch..
Round 8: Ch 2, 2 dc in same stitch as join. Skip 2 sts, dc in next st, skip 2 sts. *5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, dc in next st, skip 2 sts. Repeat from * around. End with 2 dc in the sl st of the previous row (to complete the 1st shell). slst in second ch.
Round 9-14: Repeat Rounds 7 and 8
Rounds 15 and 16: Ch 1, sc in same st as joining. Sc in each st around. slst in first ch.. (60 sc)
Fasten off and weave in loose ends.

This hat, I made for my brother-in-law. I used the same yarn that I used to make his "Creeper Scarf". He had a hat that was very similar to this, that I used a round loom for (this was back before I knew how to crochet) and he lost it at sears when he tried suits on for our wedding. It was his favorite hat but we never found it,even though we searched for it in lost and found, several times. I made him a tan and orange hat, last year and he loves that but this matches his new scarf, a little better.

I made an earwarmer for my mother-in-law, because she doesn't seem like the type of person to go around wearing hats. The only problem is that I wrapped it before I thought to take a picture. I did use a pattern for that, because it was the first earwarmer that I made. When I find this pattern, again, I will post a link to it. It was a very nice, simple, ribbed wave ear warmer.

Now, I need to finish a hat for Jerad's cousin, who just moved near us from out West; a second hat for my sister-in-law and probably a hat for Jerad's Aunt who is also coming to visit us on Christmas.

While I keep busy, please, be safe and remember that you are beautiful.