Update

I haven't posted in a while, too much other going on in the house.  Today I am sick.  In fact, we left out yesterday morning to go camp and ride in desert, ended up having to have hubby bring me home last evening I was feeling so bad.  May end up going to the clinic this evening.  Want to make sure I don't have anything that can be passed on to the grand baby.

I have been getting a lot of hooking done though.  Since I am feeling so bad, I am just going to run through it all pretty quickly.

This is a beaded crochet scarf that I crocheted for a swap I am doing.  It was a free pattern courtesy of Ravelry, you can find the link at Smooth Fox's.  It was quick and fun and quite easy to make.  I plan on making several more using some school colors for the yarn and beads.

So this is the pot holder from hell.  It is called cathedral window pot holder, click on the name for a link to the free pattern.  The first problem I encountered was the thread.  The pattern calls for #10 cotton thread and a size 4 steel crochet hook to make a pot holder approx. 6 1/2 inches in size.  I used peaches and cream cotton yarn and a size G hook.  The pattern is done with two sides then assembled together.  The first side I finished only to find that it was at least two sections too big in order to lay flat.  Second side I removed the sections and then it came out fine.  I then frogged the first side to make another smaller side to have two matching sides.  The next problem was in the assembly.  I am apparently not at a skill level yet in which to fully understand the directions, it was very awkward to work with, but I forged a head and put it together.  It does not look exactly like the original pattern's photo, but I was proud of it and off it went to my swap partner.  When ever I make anything, I always look it over and decide if it is the quality of work I would like to receive, if it is the quality of work that I would buy.   Meeting both of those requirements, it then passes the test for a finished project.

This is a 12" square made for a swap.   This too is a free pattern, called Different Kinda Granny Square.  The swap partner likes purple so I did it up in a variegated and light purple.

I also made a dish cloth for swap using a free daily pattern from JPF Crochet Club called Waffle Stitch Dishcloth, it was only free that one day I think.  I forgot to take a photo of it, but it turned out nicely and I will making more with that pattern.

The afghan projects are going slow, but progressing.  I am almost finished with the Longhorn afghan, hope to finish it  up this week.  Then I will go back to working on the ripple variation.  It is really turning out nicely, may have to post it as my first sale item in my Etsy shop.

That is all I do for now, need to go eat and rest a while.  Thanks for stopping in, come back soon.

Monday As Usual

Friday was my birthday.  My 50th birthday. I was having a little trouble...okay, a lot of trouble...with that number.  Thing is, to make it worse I was one two kids short this birthday.  Am use to oldest daughter not being here as she lives in Texas and we don't get to see them much.  However, this is the first year with out youngest son who lives in Riverside now where he attends college.  Now, it wasn't going to well mentally to begin with, but it got a little worse.  Hubby had to have his annual colonoscopy, it was done on Thursday.  Now normally he goes in early in the morning, sleeps a few hours afterwards and is back to normal.  This time...he has been sick as a dog ever since.  It wasn't until Sunday he was actually being able to eat, and keep it down, Friday being the worst of it.  Needless to say, I did not get to go out for my birthday.  It was a really drab day.

On to other things.  I am still don't have an oven, so am winging it as far as the menu plans.  It turned cold today and rainy so I have a nice taco soup simmering in the crock pot.  It smells really good through the whole house and hopefully when hubby gets home today he might can light the stove in the RV and I can bake a pan of cornbread to go with the stew.  If not, we have crackers. LOL  I guess I really should just sit down and plan some menus for the crock pot or stove top.

I am still in hooker mode. Crocheting a little each night.  Lord it takes me along time to crochet a project. I am actually making some head way with the UT afghan.

I am about half way there, maybe a little more. I am learning to make color changes in the middle of rows. Not really liking it though. If there wasn't such a contrast between the two colors I could carry one color along while working the changes.  I did try it and just didn't like the way it looked.  I plan on making another one, with a couple of changes, and may try carrying two yarns on that one.

You can find the UT pattern by Jenny Riddle on Ravelry.  I just love that place.

Now, for a yarn question.

If anyone reads this and knows what the name of the color for this Red Heart yarn is, please...please, please,please...let me know.  This is all I have left of this multicolored yarn and I have lost the wrapper that had the color name on it.  I am not finding a name for it. It is in my Playful Ripples afghan.  I thought it was a color named Mexacali, but it is not.  This partial skein is all I have so if I can't find any more, it will be a small afghan. Which is workable, but the problem is I am kind of falling for the color combo and that means it may be one I end up having to keep for myself. LOL

Thanks for stopping by today, feel free to leave a comment and come back to visit soon.

Tuesday? Thought it was at least Thurs.

This has been a really long few days.  Hubby got home on Friday and I still don't have a working oven. Making it a little hard to prepare the kind of evening meals I would like to.  I am doing very well on my resolution to cook from the pantry.  I will be buying groceries later in the week, shouldn't be a big buy as I don't need much, am hoping it works out that way any way.

On the crochet front, it is positive that the ripple afghan I am working on will only be a large as the multi colored yarn I am using holds out.  I went to the store to try and buy one more skein only to find out two important points.  One, the yarn is not Mexicana and two, that color combo is no longer made.  It really is a shame, wish I knew the color name, beautiful jewel tones colors. At any rate, I have set it aside to work on at the hospital on Thursday while hubby gets his annual colonoscopy.  All the color changes are based on a color and pattern sequence and the color changes all take place at the beginning and ending of the rows.  No counting stitches in other words.

Unlike the new project I am working on.  I found an afghan pattern on Ravlery.com that is perfect for my oldest little grandson, a huge University of Texas fan.  However, since the color changes form the design of a longhorn I am constantly having to count stitches.

Not sure how I am doing, just can't find a way for the orange not to show on the white at places. But so far it is going according to plan.  I have gone through one skein of the orange, the designer that posted the pattern estimated she used three skeins, so guess I am close to being 1/3 of the way to completion. I was further a long but realized that I was two sets of pattern directions behind.  So...played frog with about 10 full rows.  I have however become quite comfortable with changing yarn colors mid row.  At this point, that is really all I am focusing on, learning basics to further my skill level.  Trying to learn something a little new, at least to me, with each project.

Thanks for stopping by and check back to follow my progress.

Need to Learn More

So, I pulled out some yarn from my stash that I just didn't know what I would do with.  I am using Red Heart Super Saver one pound red, Super Saver 7 oz. Amethyst and the Super Saver Economy Mexicana for my colors.  I am extremely pleased with how they are working up.

Although, the photo makes the purple look more blue, it is really a deep royal purple and the Mexicana is more noticeable in person as well.

You can find the free Red Heart pattern here.

I am going to have to learn more about gauge though, this throw is just not coming out the correct size.  It will make a nice lap size though, as it is only a few inches off in the width and I am not sure at this point how long it will get because my Mexicana yarn is two pieces of scraps so will only grow it until the yarn runs out.  Back to the GAUGE subject though.  I am aware that I crochet very tightly, so normally have to go up two sizes in hooks.  This project suggest a size J hook and I wanted to use my new hook with the bamboo handle (am absolutely LOVING them) so I am giving it a whirl.  The gauge states that 3 rows dc = 2 1/2 inches, point to point = 5 3/4 inches, the throw is 55 x 46 (am guessing this is 46 wide).  My actual measurements match for the point to point, but falls about 2 inches short of the 46 width, and am an inch short on the rows.  How does this happen?  The new hook is helping me crochet looser and more even, but am not sure how to correct the gauge problem.  Of course as I said, it really isn't a problem with this project as it is a throw and what ever size it turns out will be fine.  The main thing is, the design is coming out the way it should, ripples are lining up and all, which is a first for me.  The gauge will be very important when I make a hat or sweater.

I am very slow, frustratingly so, with my crochet.  Only averaging about 3-5 rows per hour.  At that rate, it will be a very long time before I can complete it, but complete it I will.  One of the slow downs is the way the pattern has you make the changes.  I do not like this method one bit.  I may try my normal way of fastening off and joining new color tomorrow.  It is late and I am off to bed for now.

As for meal planning, it is on hold, still no oven and hubby has been out of town this week for work.

Organization and cleaning have come to a halt, very hard to do that around the grand baby so will work on that this week end when I don't have him.  On a positive note, about half the books I listed on Amazon have sold.  I am pleasantly shocked at that.  Now to get this place organized so I can get some items made to put in my Etsy shop.  I will post when I actually get it going well.

Thanks for stopping by and come visit again soon.