Just Can't Get Enough

It seems that I always have a blanket in progress these days. I started off crocheting circular hexagon afghans, and quickly moved on to full sized granny square afghans. Three granny square afghans later I was really ready for a change. (Two of these afghans were gifts, and therefor I made them more because I was asked to rather than because I wanted to)

I mentioned a while back that I joined a crochet-a-long on Ravelry, and was undecided as to what to do. The CAL is not for all of us to work on one particular pattern, but rather we are given motifs and we can decide what to make with them. It's lots of fun to see what everyone is doing, and if you interested check it out here!

----> You do need to be a member of Ravelry to look, but it's free and totally worth it! <----

What have I ended up doing with the motifs? Yep. . . . . .

. . . . . A blanket!

Here is the progress in all of its flowery goodness:

I have QUITE a ways to go, but I thought I'd give a little in progress shot since I am loving how it is growing each day. More pictures to come as soon as I start adding the other motifs to it!

Flickr Favorites - Busy, Busy, Bee

1. My Vintage Pad - Home Tour Oxford, UK, 2. bathroom brights, 3. Electric rainbow - baby blanket, 4. My Vintage Pad - Home Tour - Teena V of Norfolk, England

Where have I been?

The question really is when can I take a break!?

I'll give you a run down of what's been going on in my little corner of the world.

First, I decided to change my bedroom. I have beautiful gray walls and dark wood furniture in the room. I initially accented everything in oranges and greens, but have recently decided I wanted to use steely purples, cream, and lavenders to lighten everything up. My mom has sewn together half a dozen new pillows for the bed, and I've recently finished crocheting a beautiful granny square blanket that matches the new pillows.

Then there was a blizzard. A record breaking amount of snow was coming our way and Lee and I decided to visit family so that we would miss it. When we came home 5 days later to a winter wonderland, there was a second blizzard. We've not received mail in a week. Grocery stores are no longer stocked with the basics. And because my husband had a kidney transplant less than 2 months ago, I've been shoveling our way to the outside world for days and days and days.

Our dogs haven't had proper exercise in weeks and beginning to become destructive in their boredom.

What could make things even more exciting you ask?

We decided to remodel our front entrance and downstairs bathroom in the middle of the chaos. We put in a new sink, toilet, and ceramic tiles on the floor. We repainted, and repaired surprise holes in the wall. We did it all while being told that the garbage men couldn't haul anything away for a week.

It's been crazy.

But, my husband went back to work today, healthy and happy.

Some more snow fell, but this time it wasn't as hard to shovel it all away.

And our bathroom and front entrance is beautiful.

Now if only Valley Forge Park would open back up so that the dogs and I could get some much needed exercise and sunshine!

Granny Squares

You wanted to hear more about my crochet projects right?

Well here is a picture of the latest and greatest! I've decided to make a full sized granny square afghan for our bedroom. I've enjoyed walking past the finished Wool Eater in the spare bedroom so much that I thought I'd make something for the room I actually spend time in!

The pattern comes from Lucy, who is the creator behind the lovely Attic24 blog. If you are a fan of happy colors and crochet I do suggest you bookmark her blog immediately! If you want to start your own blanket you can find the pattern here. Enjoy!

Tester

A while back Miss Amanda, head of The Natural Dye Studio, made a beautiful cowl*. She asked people what they thought of it (I of course cheered, "It's Lovely!") and that was that.

I kept hoping she would release the pattern because I knew I wanted an Elizabeth Cowl of my own, but unfortunately it didn't look it would happen. Until one day when I got a message. I had been telling another Ravelry friend how much I had liked that cowl when Amanda asked me if I'd be interested in testing the pattern out for her. Me?! Why, YES!

And here it is:

I love wearing it out when we walk the dogs. It keeps my neck and face warm, but isn't as bulky as a full scarf. I knit it in The Natrual Dye Studios BFL Aran, but plan on making another one in NDS Caress (what Amanda chose to make hers out of).

Should you be in the market for the perfect cowl, and you can handle basic crochet, then this is the project for you! You can find the pattern on here, or here.

Speaking of wearing my cowl while walking the dogs, I should be getting to that right about now!

* you can only view this pattern if you are a member of ravelry

Finished

I can't believe it's done.

This blanket, my first official full sized afghan, took me one month and 21 days to complete. It is 35 squares total, with a lovely 3 color double crochet edge (two rows of each color).

True to its name, this blanket ate wool like it might never receive another meal. But I love it. I will love walking by the spare bedroom and seeing its many bright colors looking back at me.

Should you want to make your own Wool Eater blanket, you can find the pattern here. And while you're printing out the pattern, check out Sarah London's blog. It's full of happy colors and beautiful projects!

Now I'm off to start a matching crocheted pillow based on this pattern. (another lovely blog full of bright happy colors, and gorgeous crochet!)

Flickr Favorites - One a Month

1. granny squares, 2. Electric rainbow - baby blanket, 3. granny square blanket, 4. Granny A Day blanket

About a month or so ago a friend of mine on Ravelry suggested I join a crochet group. She and I had both just finished a CAL (crochet-a-long), where she won for making the most beautiful cardigan I might add, and I had been telling her I was unsure of what to make next.

She sent me an invite to join a Crochet a Block a Month group and without hesitation I signed up. You make one granny square each month from the pattern they supply (6" or 12" square) and at the end of the year you seam your squares together to make a blanket!

This is the coolest project for me, because I love having something little to work on for a day or two in between tedious projects. Now every month when I feel bored I just pick up my block a month project. I'm actually going to do about 18 or possibly even 24 of the 12" squares so I have a nice big blanket for our bedroom.

If you are a member of ravelry I really suggest checking out the group! It has been tons of fun so far. Once I have a few blocks completed I'll share pictures :)

If you'd like to make your own flickr favorites head on over to Mitsy's blog and sign up!

Eating and Eating Up Wool

As I said earlier, I wanted to make a Wool Eater blanket after seeing the beautiful blanket made by Sarah London. So I ran off to by some yarn in the brightest, happiest colors I could find, and began crocheting.

I decided I liked the look of the squares as well, squares. So I am seaming these together the same way you might join granny squares together. You can also just crochet around and around until you have a giant Wool Eater square.

I love the way it is coming together, but it will definitely need a good blocking so that all the squares lay flat!

Oh, and sorry for the picture. It certainly isn't the best I could have taken! I normally take pictures of my knitting/crocheting outside on our deck, but at the moment our deck is wet with melting snow. I promise the next wool eater picture will be much better! 

Flickr Favorites -.C.R.O.C.H.E.T.

1. circles, 2. wool-eater blanket, 3. Untitled, 4. ripple blanket

I am in love with the work of Sarah London. When I stumbled upon her blog I was mesmerized at all of the happy colors and patterns. 

Excitedly I downloaded the pattern instructions to create the Wool Eater. (As seen in Picture 2) True to its name the 1,314yds of wool that I bought will probably not be enough as this blanket literally EATS the wool up!

This is my first Sarah London project, but certainly not the last. I want to fill my house up to the brim in bright happy knit/crochet items! Speaking of which, that blanket isn't going to crochet itself. . . off to make another square!

Want to make your own flickr favorite? Sign up over at Mitsy's blog!