Slacker

So the top blankey from the last post ended up like this:

I made it for a sorority sister's new legacy and she LOVED it. I've two more in progress right now, a blue v-stitch for my nephew Brewer and a multicolored one in the above pattern for my niece. I did a large granny square for my nephew and didn't take a pic before I gave it to him! :( He loved it though!

I'm going a bit slower...looking forward to knitting some scarves when I finish the blankets! I've also got two Halloween costumes to make and want to crank out a Halloween pillowcase dress for the princess next week.

Crocheting like crazy

The top blankey is in progress. I started it this afternoon. I'm using Bernat Cotton Tots in Pretty In Pink and a J hook. It is my first time working with 100% cotton yarn. I like it. I prefer larger hooks and multiple yarns though. I modified this pattern--instead of using single crochet (which would take FOREVER), I'm using half double crochet. It also provides a more open weave, which is good for a warm climate baby!

I finished the bottom blankey this morning. The picture (my cell camera) doesn't really do the colors justice. I used Vanna Baby ducky (yellow), bluebell (blue) and Vanna's Choice fern (green). I used an S hook, v-stitch pattern (although I think it resembles a pinwheel quilt more than a v-stitch blankey) with a single crochet border. I made it for Chase's teacher, who just had a baby boy.

I did some knitting last week. I took some leftover yarn and just started knitting.

I ended up with a rectangle, which I folded in half. I sewed the sides from the bottom and left enough space open on the sides for Cassie's arms. She's got a cute, stretchy, grow-with-her shrug that will look ADORABLE with khakis or chocolate brown pants this fall/winter. I used size 19 needles with Jiffy (camel and expresso) and Thick and Quick (ivory) yarn in a simple stockinette stitch.

Big Boy Room!

I wish I'd thought to take a few before shots. After we sold Chase's bunk beds to my cousin, he wanted a "big kid" room. It took a while, but I finally got around to it this weekend. I painted his walls on Thursday. Saturday I went shopping in my Dad's basement. I grabbed my Mom's old desk (circa 1950) and brought it home. Jamie was horrified (it was sporting a green and black combed faux finish that was older than me), but I saw the potential. I spent Saturday stripping, standing and painting. Chase picked out new hardware, fabric, and accessories at Hobby Lobby Saturday night. I spent Sunday afternoon sewing a new valance & decorative pillows. This morning I crafted a headboard out of foam core and paint.

I'm rather pleased by my efforts and Chase is thrilled!

Cleaning

The question I am most frequently asked by guests is "How do you keep your house so clean?" I'm married to a veritable hoarder (you know, he NEEDS those VHS tapes of his high school sports teams), so it isn't always easy. However, it's necessary. I can't relax in a pigsty. My best advice is to multitask. A few times a week, while I'm in the shower, I hose it down w/cleanser. I finish my shower and then squeegee the walls. Every so often, I use a scouring pad to scrub it down--but you'd be surprised how frequently a little cleanser & steam do the trick. I keep cleaning supplies in every bathroom--if I notice something needs cleaning, I do it when I see it. Cleaning up little messes generally prevents BIG messes.

While I'm not the sort of homemaker who has a strict schedule (Monday is marketing, Tuesday is laundry, etc), I always clean the house on Friday and do a touch up on Monday. Dust, vacuum, mop & wipe down bathrooms. My favorite tools are a dusting wand, vacuum cleaner & bleach/baby wipes. I use baby wipes on everything from painted & upholstered furniture (test in an inconspicuous area) to walls and switchplates. They also work well on vinyl & ceramic tile floors. And they'll remove makeup in a pinch. My daughter is toilet trained, but I'm still buying them by the case!

Photography

Reflecting

Such a happy girl...

Stormy Lake

I like the composition of the first shot better, but Cassie's facial expression is cuter in the second shot. I'm still very much in beginner mode w/the new camera. The storm shot was taken in manual mode b/c the colors were washed out in auto. The others were taken in auto.

The first two shots of the kids were (obviously) candids. I love doing candids, but it is difficult to shoot them b/c the kids start hamming it up when they see the camera. I'm hoping for Photoshop next, then I could clean up the reflection shot of Chase...

Knitted scarves, the gray & black is in simple garter stitch. The black is in stockinette stitch.

The blanket I'm crocheting for a friend's new baby. Three strands of yarn together, single crochet with an S hook.

Nuts for Knitting

I whipped up three scarves in two days last week. 2 were made in (two) shades of grey & black Jiffy yarn, using a simple garter stitch. I finally mastered stockinette stitch and knit myself a super long scarf using black Thick & Quick. I knit it w/two skeins, holding two strands together. I love it! Hancock Fabrics had a HUGE yarn clearance, where I also picked up two sets of jumbo needles. I really enjoy using the super-sized needles--I love the texture of a nice heavy knit!

I'm currently crocheting a baby blanket for a friend--same pattern as the kids' blankies (3 strands together, single crochet w/a super sized hook) in Jiffy chili, camel & coffee. It is coming along nicely, but I'm looking forward to my next knitting project--perhaps a hat for my newest niece or a hoodie for Cassie...

I got my new camera yesterday. I've been playing quite a bit w/portrait shots and landscape shots, but THIS is my very favorite shot so far. Chase is tickling Cassie to make her laugh and capturing stuff like this is why I wanted a grown up camera in the first place. YAY!

Another new hobby

I taught myself how to knit and am working on a fun fur (Lion Brand Cotton Candy) self-striping scarf for Cassie. The beginning of it is pictured.

I'm also crocheting an afghan for Jamie. It is a striped afghan using all my leftover yarns, plus a few sale finds. It is mostly rows of double crochet varying in color and size of stripes, but I've threw in a few other stitches to keep it interesting.

Both projects have taken a backseat to summer reading, gardening, and spending time at the pool with the kids. I work when I have a few moments to spare, and the scarf is far more portable than the afghan! I think I will be whipping out quite a few scarves for Christmas this year. The landscaping consumed quite a bit of time there for a while, but the beds are all finally mulched, plantings are finally all in, and I'm hoping that my "work" now will solely consist of cuttings for inside!

I'm thrilled to adding another hobby to my ever-growing list soon. I finally bought myself a DSLR camera (Jamie is calling it an early anniversary present, happy 13th sweetie!). I'm looking forward to being able to finally capture what I see through the lens when I see it.

Busy, Busy!

I finished both afghans!

I LOVE how it turned out and I really love the Jiffy yarn--so soft. I ended up doing 3 rows of 4 and it is the perfect size for a car seat or stroller blanket. I single crocheted the squares together on the back w/chocolate and added a chocolate trim. It is very soft and I can't wait to give it to my friend this weekend.

This turned out well, but next time I do a granny square, I will use the same yarn throughout. I will also single crochet the squares together instead of sewing because it looks prettier. The lavender yarn looks gorgeous, but it was NOT fun to work with it. I'm finding that I really prefer working with thick and chunky yarns to thinner, silkier yarns. I'm debating about whipping up another 20 squares for it--adding a third row to each side so it is symmetrical. We'll see if Cassie parts with it long enough for me to do that!

I was going to start a striped afghan for Jamie using all the leftover yarns from my previous six afghans, but a friend sent me an intriguing email this morning and I may try my hand at a few granny square stool covers first. I also taught myself to knit on Monday and am itching to knit up a scarf. And maybe a fun fur bolero for Cassie...

My Mom was right thought. Knitting is WAY harder than crochet. I can knit and purl--anything other than that (cables, slip stitches) is beyond me right now. So I'm going to start small and see where it takes me...

It is the first time since February that I haven't had a crochet project in the works (six afghans since February), so I'm off to scrub toilets and do some hard-core cleaning!

My newest project

I'm working on another baby blanket for another pregnant friend, I pulled the colors off her BRU registry. It should coordinate well w/her stroller. I modified a pattern found on the Lion Brand Yarn website. I'm using Jiffy yarn and an M hook and doing a 16 square afghan instead of 9 squares. Time permitting, I will also add a chocolate brown border around the whole thing. It is coming together quickly (averaging) 4 squares a day and I love the Jiffy yarn! It is so soft and cuddly.

Changing Direction

I crocheted these four squares over the last 24 hours. Each large square is approximately the size of four small squares. I've decided that Cassie's new blankey is going to have these four squares in the center, bordered by 12 small squares on top and bottom (3 rows of 4) and 20 small squares on either side (2 rows of 20). 44 more small squares to go--hopefully I'll be finished by my bible study on Wednesday! The ladies in my class are always curious to see what new project I'm working on while we chat. As with the small squares, the purple-bordered squares are a bit smaller than the white-bordered squares due to a variance in the yarn size. It seems to be working out alright during piecing because I can stretch them a bit whilst I sew them together. I'm using I Love this Yarn in white, Lion Brand's Babysoft in Pistachio for the green, and Bernat Softee Baby in Lilac for the purple. The Softee baby is very soft and the color is gorgeous, but the yarn itself unravels easily. The Babysoft is VERY thin--I think I will double it the next time I use it. The I Love this Yarn is VERY user friendly and crochets up to an almost terry cloth feel. It is definitely the most user-friendly of the bunch for a beginner like me. And even though this is my fifth afghan since February, I think of myself as a beginner! I am looking for new challenges though--hence the change to Cassie's blanket. It mixed things up a little and I think the finished result will be more interesting than 80 little squares sewn together!

I'm already plotting my next few projects. I'm going to make this for my niece's bday in July: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90364AD.html?noImages= although I'm going to substitute duckie (yellow) for the goldfish (red). It will be a pretty piece for her bedroom.

I'm also going to do something similar to this in blue for a baby shower coming up in the next few weeks: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/70527AD.html?noImages=

Right now it's time to walk the kids & dog--always a little easier when I add ice cream to the mix!

My craft blog

Since I've gotten all crafty, I decided to dedicate a blog just to my creations.

This is Hadley's dress. Hadley is expected on 6/30. It is a simple pillowcase dress with elastic in the neckline & ribbon trim. I made three dresses like this--1 for my niece Hayden, 1 for Hadley, and 1 for Cassie.

This is a tropical pillowcase dress for Cassie.

I used pre-smocked fabric for this dress.

Another pillowcase dress for Cassie.

My first pillowcase dress--Cassie picked out the fabric. I also made my niece Sarah a simple circle skirt and a toddler-sized pillowcase for Cassie.

My first afghan. Crocheted with an S hook & holding 3 strands of yarn throughout. It is a very simple single crochet pattern, I SC through the top loop only for the ridged design.

My second afghan, same as the first but toddler-sized, instead of baby-sized.

My third afghan, same pattern as the first two, just much larger for Chase!

Afghan #4--this is a gift for a friend. It is a simple, single granny square. I used a K hook. This afghan inspired the blog title because I missed an entire cluster on a corner midway through and didn't discover it for quite a while. Hope my friend likes it...

Next up--a proper granny square afghan for Cassie, this time with a J hook and very different yarns in each color. I modified a pattern at LionBrand.com and love how the green looks like leaves framing the "flowers" in the center! The pattern calls for 56 squares (8 rows of 7), but I will probably make 64 (8 rows of 8) or 72 (9 rows of 8). Stay tuned for my progress!