November 2004 Archives

Size: 68 inches x 91 inches
Colors: Wood Brown, Cameo Rose, Forest Green (Red Heart Classic)
Book: 63 Easy-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches Combine to Make an Heirloom Afghan - Leaflet 555 - Designs by Darla Sims - Copyright 1987 - Leisure Arts
Hook: Various sizes to get my gauge of 7.5 inches per square before adding the edging
Unique touches: (1) Joining: sc, ch 1, sc every other stitch; (2) Custom border: Rows of sc in various configurations, V Stitch, Alternate Puff Stitch, and the last row of the pattern's border edging
Date: November 2004

It's done! It's a lovely, warm, and huge blanket! I finished my 63 Squares Crochet Along project! Whoop!

The first photo shows all 63 squares laid out on the floor in the order shown in the pattern book (taken Thursday afternoon). The other photos were taken yesterday mid-afternoon after all squares were joined but before I had finished hiding yarn ends (since I wanted to get the photos done during daylight hours!). All yarn ends were hidden away by just about dinner time last night.

Photo descriptions:

(1) All 63 squares laid out on the floor.
(2) Bottom left.
(3) Bottom right.
(4) Top, from right to left.
(5) Laid over the couch (top on the right, bottom on the left).
(6) Close-up of joining stitches.
(7) Close-up of border stitches.

Finally...a few photos of the sample swatch have been added to the Two-color Reversible Shells Afghan crochet pattern entry.

Size: 18 inches wide x 20 inches long
Colors: Red Heart TLC Essentials Dark Plum
Pattern: So Simple Wimple by Dot at bythehook (modified)
Hook: N
Date: November 2004

I love it! Soft, flowing...purple! Now I have a nice head covering for those chilly, windy wintery days!

To make my wimple larger and looser than the original pattern, I used a larger crochet hook (an N instead of a K). The larger hook with the starting chain of 90 stitches was perfect for the size and texture I wanted. The pattern is easy and quick!

I donated these 17 lap blankets to a local convalescent home today. Mom donated 11 lap blankets earlier this week to the same place. They plan to give the blankets to patients/residents as Christmas gifts.

It was fun to see and touch and remember the blankets I made in the past year - and great to know they'll be used by people who need them.

Left:

1. Hexagon Granny Lap Blanket - Turquoise, Oranges, Red, White
2. Peppermint Wrapper Lap Blanket - Red-Green Multi, Black
3. Jazz Lap Blanket - White, Pastels
4. Single Basic Granny Square Lap Blanket - Scraps #2
5. Granny Square Lap Blanket - Blues, Greens
6. Double Crochet Lap Blanket - Scraps
7. Solid Granny Stripes Lap Blanket - Blues, Greens, Whites, other
8. Basic Granny Square Lap Blanket - Painted Desert, Greens, Claret, Rose, Brown, Blues
9. Colorful Granny Lap Blanket - White, Scraps

Right:

1. Hexagon Granny Lap Blanket - Purples, Lime Green, Yellow, White
2. Basic Granny Square Lap Blanket - Multi-purples, White
3. Starflower Retreat Lap Blanket - Oranges, Greens, Red, Black
4. Twilight Tapestry Lap Blanket - Red-Green-Cream Multi, Claret, Cream
5. Single Basic Granny Square Lap Blanket - Scraps #1
6. Feather Lace Lap Blanket - Autumn
7. Two Orange Centers Starflower Retreat Lap Blanket - Oranges, Red, Brown
8. Green-Black Center Starflower Retreat Lap Blanket - Greens, Black, Oranges, White

On my way home I stopped off at Jo-Ann's and Michaels looking for L and M crochet hooks (since I am compelled to have all the crochet toys tools I may ever need want and discovered a few days ago that I didn't have these hooks!). At Michaels, I ended up buying a set of Crystalites (L, M, N and P hooks) because L and M weren't individually available. Pretty colors! At Jo-Ann's, I got 5 one-pounders of Caron yarn in white (2), red (2), and forest green (1) for $3.99 each (reg. $4.99) - much of this will be used for the Christmas-themed afghan I want to make for my neighbors Dee and Van. So much to have fun with, so little time!

[To be read with a sense of humor!]

I had an epiphany on the way to work this morning: I am a collector of crochet pattern books and yarn - in the same way a stamp collector collects stamps and a coin collector collects coins. Unlike collected stamps and coins, however, the yarn and some of the patterns will actually (someday) be used!

So, in light of this realization, I've changed the Acquisitions category to Collections.

Because I want to wait for daylight to layout the squares for the 63 Squares Blanket, I started Dot's So Simple Wimple last night - and almost finished it. I used a K hook and a full 6-ounce skein of Red Heart TLC Essentials in dark plum. I tried it on just as the first skein ran out...and it's too close around the face for me. Also, since the pattern texture isn't as loose as I want, I'm going to start over with a bigger hook (N or P since I don't have an L or M).

Book: 63 Easy-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches Combine to Make an Heirloom Afghan - Leaflet 555 - Designs by Darla Sims - Copyright 1987 - Leisure Arts.

Thumbnails for all of my squares are below (select the thumbnail image to view a larger version).

I finished the 63rd square last night and weaved in all yarn ends for each square! Whoop! Next steps: Layout all squares, connect columns, connect rows, add a border, weave in remaining yarn ends, cuddle up, and enjoy!

Again, a number of the photographs are blurry. It seems that taking pictures while hunched over squares laid out on the ground in front of a sliding glass door (for the daytime lighting!) isn't the best way to take focused pictures!

Square 40: Fan Stitch
Hook: G

Square 41: Fan and Popcorn
Hook: G

Square 42: Fan Trellis
Hook: E (with extra row of Fan pattern on left and right sides)

Square 43: Puff Stitch
Hook: G

Square 44: Cluster Braid
Hook: F

Square 45: Crossed Ripple Stitch
Hook: G

Square 46: Palm Leaves
Hook: H

Square 47: Ripple Stitch
Hook: H

Square 48: Raised Ripple Stitch
Hook: F

Square 49: Lacy Wave Stitch
Hook: F (with extra row of sc left and right sides)

Square 50: Picot Stitch
Hook: H

Square 51: Star Stitch
Hook: I (with extra row of sc left and right sides)

Square 52: Up and Down Stitch
Hook: H

Square 53: Crossed Puff Stitch
Hook: F

Square 54: Aligned Puff Stitch
Hook: G (with extra row of sc on 4 sides)

Square 55: Parellel Post Stitch
Hook: G

Square 56: Snapdragon Stitch
Hook: H

Square 57: Alternate Mesh Stitch
Hook: H

Square 58: Soft Clusters
Hook: G

Square 59: Clusters
Hook: F

Square 60: Doubles
Hook: F

Square 61: Rib Stitch
Hook: F (plus two multiples of 1)

Square 62: Basket Weave
Hook: G

Square 63: Parallel Cables
Hook: G

Yikes! During the past 2 weeks, I was on another spending spree - it lasted much less time than the previous one! These are my new purchases from eBay, some haven't arrived yet:

• 24 Blocks on a Roll
• 101 Crochet Edgings
• Annie's Mile-A-Minute Baby Afghans
• Christmas Spirit Afghans (tree, bell, santa, candy cane, snowman, wreath patterns with granny squares)
• Color-Bright Creatures Animal Afghans (turtles, lions, frogs, dogs, bears, pigs, birds)
• Holiday Afghans II (Valentines (hearts), St. Patrick's Day (shamrocks), Easter (bunnies), 4th of July (Uncle Sam), Halloween (ghosts), Thanksgiving (turkeys), Christmas (santa))
• Holiday Door Hangers (Valentines (heart), St. Patrick's Day (leprechaun), Easter (bunny), 4th of July (American flag), Halloween (ghost), Thanksgiving (turkey), Christmas (snowman, santa claus, reindeer))
• Hot Stuff for the Holidays (hot pads and coasters: Valentines (heart), St. Patrick's Day (shamrock), Easter (bunny), 4th of July (American flag), Halloween (pumpkin), Christmas (tree))
• How to Crochet on a Roll
• Nicholas's Dinosaur (stuffed)
• Rag Menagerie (stuffed turtle, cat, dog, bunny, bear, mouse)
• Scripture Afghan (24 pattern stitches)
• Skirting the Tree
• Snug as a Bug Baby Afghans
• Trendsetting Totes

In addition, a few days ago I splurged on the following items from Annie's Attic, mostly a variety of hooks so I could do some different types of crocheting:

• Holiday Afghans (Valentines (hearts), St. Patrick's Day (shamrocks), Easter (bunnies), 4th of July (American flag), Halloween (pumpkins), Thanksgiving (turkeys), Christmas (wreaths))
• 2 more 12-packs of 12-inch bookkeeper tabs (for pattern book organization)
• Cro-Tat with Yarn Master Hook Set (sizes G and H), instructions, 5 patterns
• Cro-Tatting Hook (for thread; size not specified)
• Crochet on a Roll Hooks (sizes F, G, H)
• Crochenit Cable Hook (size M)
• Swivel Hook (size K)

I feel "done"...again.

I found these websites earlier this month! Wonderful examples of comfortghans which use all sorts of different designs of squares joined together very attractively! The variety in a comfortghan draws me in!

Bonnie Pierce (elegantcrochet) Photo Gallery - Many comfortghans, some examples of FreeForm Crochet, and other projects.

Elegant Crochet Original Designs by Bonnie Pierce - includes tutorials and photos re FreeForm Crochet.

More information about comfortghans is available at Heartmade Blessings.

I've been having fun working on squares for the 63 Squares Heirloom Afghan! I've decided to keep this blanket instead of giving it away. It'll be much too big for a lap blanket (although I could make several lap blankets with the 63 squares!), but I want to keep it to remember the great patterns and Bill needs a blanky to cuddle up with on the couch!

I'm working on the 50th square now, but have photos ready for squares 11 through 39 (minus 17 when I noticed the square's edging was on the wrong side! - I'll add it below later).

Speaking of photo taking, it's not bright enough in the morning before work or when I get home to take photos in natural daylight without flash (which flattens out patterns and texture), so I'll be taking photos of projects on weekends for a while (unless I decide to bring squares to work and take the photos there during a break or at lunch...!) Many of the photos below are blurry. I ran out of steam and may (or may not) re-do the worst ones.

As you can see, some of the squares are a bit lop-sided. That'll work itself out when the squares are put together for the blanket.

Square 11: Horizontal Relief Stitch
Hook: H

Square 12: Open Ridge Stitch
Hook: H (with extra row of sc left and right sides)

Square 13: Bushy Stitch
Hook: G (with first row of edging combo of sc/hdc instead of sc to make curvy shell edges straighter)

Square 14: Seed Stitch
Hook: G (with extra row of sc left and right sides)

Square 15: Afghan Square
Hook: F

Square 16: Granny Square
Hook: H (with extra row of sc on 4 sides)

Square 17: Cluster Square
Hook: G

Square 18: Woven Relief Stitch
Hook: H

Square 19: Circle in a Square
Hook: F (with extra row of sc on 4 sides)

Square 20: Plain Square
Hook: H

Square 21: Flower Square
Hook: H

Square 22: Cross Stitch
Hook: H

Square 23: Slant Stitch
Hook: H

Square 24: Climbing Shells
Hook: H

Square 25: Aligned Shells
Hook: H

Square 26: Simple Shell Stitch
Hook: G

Square 27: Block and Offset Shell Stitch
Hook: G

Square 28: Boxed Shell Stitch
Hook: E (plus one multiple of 5)

Square 29: Alternate Spike SC
Hook: G (using 22 chains, not 26)

Square 30: Eyelet Lace
Hook: F (plus one multiple of 6)

Square 31: Check Stitch
Hook: G

Square 32: Aligned Cobble Stitch
Hook: G

Square 33: Silt Stitch
Hook: G

Square 34: V Stitch
Hook: G (plus one multiple of 3)

Square 35: Twin Stitch
Hook: G

Square 36: Little Crowns
Hook: F

Square 37: Popcorn Braid
Hook: G

Square 38: Diagonal Popcorn
Hook: G

Square 39: Popcorn Diamond
Hook: G

Well, here they are! Stitches are front post double crochet (FPDC) and back post double crochet (BPDC), except for the foundation chain, the first row of double crochet (dc), and the border of single crochet (sc) all around. Each side uses FPDC and BPDC in a unique pattern. No pillow has the same color combination.

Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun (less than 1.5 skeins for one side)
Hook: K
Starting chain for each side: 42
Approximate pillow size: 19.5 inches x 19.5 inches (some pillows are fatter than others, all are misshapen from being used)

A few days before Halloween, I had a moment of boredom so I surfed eBay! I saw these too-cute turtle and roller skates crochet patterns and had to bid on them! They just arrived...

• Bath Buddies (turtle, panda, bear, dog, bunny, duck, hen, frog, hippo, lamb, lion, pig)
• Crochet Skates (for Pillow, Wall Hanging or Xmas Stocking) (roller skates, ice skates)
• Terence Turtle (stuffed)

Oops, I did it again! Just now. Today. Bids on 3 auctions... Must go rest the migraine now.

I wasn't feeling well - fever was verified at the campus Health Center - and came home early. And...I left my digital camera at work. Figures. So, until next week:

No photos of the pillow covers.
No photos of the swatches for the blanket pattern.
No photos of more squares I've finished for the 63 Squares Crochet Along.

Harrumph.

I did, however, pickup 3 movie DVDs at Blockbuster for entertainment while I crochet the weekend away!

Done! I finished the last of the 5 livingroom couch pillow covers last night. They feel and look great! I took photos of each pillow side last night (with flash) but the texture of the stitches didn't show up. I'll try again in daylight over the weekend.