Current Projects

I am currently working up a new afghan. I am using the Granny Sunburst Square pattern by Priscilla Hewitt with some very nice cotton yarn by Sprightly Yarns.

The colors are Caribbean Blue, Magenta and Ecru.

After starting this project I realized I have more than one project using this pattern. I completed one blanket years ago that I gave to my sister. The other one, Rosie Posie afghan, is still in a project bin. I started this project back in 2014. Man time really flies!! All the squares are complete I just need to join them. I began joining them a few years back, but didn't like the pattern I was choosing with the join. I need to pull out the bin and undo the few I have joined and really figure out how I would like it to flow.

Another project I picked back up recently is the Ventura Swing Crochet Top pattern by Stacey Tallman. I started this one up back in the summer of 2016. I am currently at a stand still because the yarn I am using, Cascade Sateen,  is now discontinued and I have yet to find a comparable yarn in a color that I feel will match nicely. So the hunt is on to find a yarn that will complete this project. 

On a cute note, we have a new family member.

Her name is Dixie and Rango loves being with her. I was so surprised in him. He warmed up to her immediately!! We let them meet at the adoption center and took them on a nice long walk prior to bringing her home. We are currently just fostering but I cannot see giving her up after only 5 days of having her!! So I will make it official this weekend.

Completed Project - Couch Throw!!

I am happy to report that I finished the afghan I began in March of this year!! Yes, I finished a project in the same year of beginning it for a change, especially an afghan.

I used the pattern Henry's Blanket by Little Monkey's Crochet aka Yarn & Chai. I added an extra section compared to the pattern. The center accent color, I ended up adding an extra section to make the blanket a throw. The colors are very fall inspired and this throw will be perfect for that time of year.

I can also add that this is a very non-thinking pattern. Once you have the stitches memorized you really do not need to go back and forth to the pattern. I love patterns that are very memorable. I could walk away from this project and go back to it easily without needing to refer back to the pattern. Another big plus in my book. The only portion of the pattern that I really needed to read back over was the last portion of ribbing. This part I had to read over because you are chaining 9 stitches and crocheting back to the last row and slip stitching back into the row to connect the ribbing portion. Other than that, it is a very easy pattern to follow and I am tempted to make a pillow to go with the throw.

Completed Project - Walnut Shawl

I have had this project in the works since 2015. And it isn't that it is a difficult pattern, it is just that life sometimes gets in the way. I was at first going to go with the solid Hazel Walnut color way. I ended up having this great blue color way in the same yarn and just had to add it to this pattern.

The beginnings of this project back in 2015

Adding the pop of blue really began bringing this shawl to life. Then my cat got a hold of my project and messed it up a bit. I cleaned up the unraveling and snags that the cat so proudly worked into my project and then put it away for awhile because I was really mad at this point.

This poor project sat under my bed for a year before I came across it again. I had just enough blue left to add a few more rows.

I finished up the blue and decided to add about 10 more solid rows of the hazel walnut color way before I started cleaning up the edges. I added a couple of single crochet rows to the border. I really wish I had some of the blue left to add a row of stitches as well, but I think it turned out great.

Now on to the next WIP!! I have been working on the last section of my afghan.  Hope to have that one completed this week!!

Afternoon Walk and Sunset

Rango is a creature of habit and has to have a walk as soon as we get home from work. No matter how hot it is, he must stick to this routine or I have a very sulky husky on my hands. The afternoons are becoming hotter and hotter each day and will only become worst towards middle of summer so I must not complain just yet.

The area is so green and lush. The meadow is high with grass and wild flowers. Soon the land owner will bail it for hay and then Rango can go romping through the meadow unleashed. Right now there are too many rodents that are enjoying the camouflage right now and he goes crazy chasing them and digging. Plus there are irrigation ditches that you just cannot see right now with the grass so high. No need in twisting or breaking an ankle when walking on the road and nearby dirt road are good enough for me. But soon he will have to let us hold off on our walks until the late evening when the temps tend to cool down just a bit.

Caught the sunset the other night. It was so nice out and Rango enjoyed prancing and roaming in the backyard. The little guy in the corner was our neighbor but has now been corralled and shuttled up to higher pastures for the summer.

I am still hooking along on my afghan. I can only work on it late evening once the house has cooled down or in my bedroom with the A/C on full blast. I think I will also pull out one of my smaller projects to work on while lounging in the livingroom during the hotter time of day.

Cheers,
Winnie

Life Update!! Half the year is almost gone!!

Since my last post in March I have been slowly working on my afghan. It is a little over half way complete. I am loving the texture and color of the project. I have been negligent lately though. It has sat in its project bin for the past month and half collecting dust. I plan on pulling it out this week and working on it, but it will have to be during cooler hours of the day. Our Summer has sprung and it is hitting me hard!!

We went back home to South Carolina the last 2 weeks of May and visited with lots of family. My sister and her family came up from Orlando and spent a few days with us at the lake house. It was great seeing everyone, but I am glad to be back home. I am still trying to get back into the swing of things. My desk is slowly seeing the light again.

A few pictures of Downtown Charleston for your viewing:

Love the cobblestone roads in downtown. I can say these cobblestone roads are not the best to drive on when you are pregnant. When I was pregnant with my daughter we went downtown for dinner one evening and I think every road my husband decided to take that evening was on the cobblestone ones. Nearly had an early delivery!! But these are the memories that come back to me when I visit this beautiful city.

One of the many iconic church steeples you come across in Charleston

I love the allies and courtyards you come across while strolling around downtown. This gated courtyard was right off one of the many cemeteries scattered throughout the city. And yes, I love to explore old graveyards and I have a ton of pictures of gravestones that I found to be so beautiful and unique. I will share another time.

The architectural designs and colors of the buildings all throughout downtown are just breathtaking and I could spend hours gazing at all the intricate details on all the buildings and homes. But when you are with a large group you really cannot spend too much time in one spot.

One of the many trees I do miss about living in the South, the Magnolia Tree!! The trees are massive with limbs nearly touching the ground. This particular tree was in a secluded courtyard open to the public. The tree was huge and loaded down with flowers. I was surrounded by so much beauty!!

While away my Peonies bloomed!! They are fuller this year than last year!!

This little guy missed us so much. He is still not back to his normal grumpy self. He is still meowing constantly wanting to be cuddled with which is so not his usual demeanor.

I hope to update my blog more often with nature photos and some actual completed projects soon.

Completed Project!

This project was not on my list of many WIPs. Instead I decided to hook up a quick beanie since the one I use everyday has become pretty loose and baggy.

This is a tried and true pattern. It is the Ginger Slouchy Hat by Kristina Olson. The only modifications I made were adding a pom pom and working up the brim differently. I did a ribbed brim compared to how she worked hers up. I did the brim separate and then joined it to the hat.

I used Cascade 220 Superwash sport yarn in colorways of natural, summer sky heather and doe skin heather. I love the pop of blue. I do need to purchase a true pom pom maker. I ended up using up almost a whole skein of the summer sky heather just in making the pom pom. It still isn't the best one I have ever made either. 

I was able to complete this project in one afternoon. It was nice to begin and finish a project in one day.

I have also started another project. I know I should have finished an old one, but this is an afghan throw using all those bright bold colored yarn my husband got me for Christmas.

I had written about finding a pattern that has some great textural stitches. Well I found it in the pattern by Rebecca Langford from Yarn + Chai called Henry's Baby Blanket.

This is pretty much the pattern throughout the blanket. I am loving the pattern and how easy it is, yet looks so intricate with great texture and detail.

The yarn I am using is Lion Brand Touch of Alpaca. It is a 3.5 ounce yarn weight that is 90% acrylic and 10% alpaca. So it is hooking up pretty thick and fluffy. I am planning on making my throw a lot longer than the pattern since I'm not making a baby blanket.

The Malia Shoulder Bag CAL has begun. First week is just hooking up the base and that to me is the most tedious part of any shoulder bag pattern. Lots of rows of single crochet. I am really looking forward to the second week set of instructions!! Once again Rebecca Langford of Yarn + Chai has curated a wonderful CAL. So glad I came across her post on Facebook.

I am going to finish sipping on my cup of coffee and then take my rambunctious little pup on a walk. We received a nice dusting of snow last night and they are calling for a total of 10 inches in the next 24 hours. Rango is biting at the bits to go and romp in the snow. I guess that is what I should expect from a Siberian Husky!!

22 Weeks until Christmas!!

I just noticed how many weeks are left before Christmas! There are a few projects I do want to complete by Christmas so I thought why not set up a project schedule for the next 22 weeks!

I hope to complete a few projects. I have plenty of project bins that need to be completed. So over the weekend I pulled out these unfinished projects and set up deadlines.

Currently working on this project. It will be a pillow once complete. I have cute small granny squares for the back completed. I am currently joining the small granny squares and will sew up the pillow form this week as well. I will complete this project this week. It will be a gift for my daughter-in-law. I will be visiting my son and DIL in two weeks. I have a few more pillows that I will be working up to give to her mother and two grandmothers as well. So a lot of pillow form sewing and crochet cover making this week.

Spicy Diamond Blanket - I have only the half diamonds to make up on this blanket and then join all together. The joining will be the most tedious, but once I begin it won't take that long. I will begin completing this project in September. I pick September because this will end up being a rather large afghan and it is too hot right now to have this laying on me.

Pumpkin Spice Herringbone Cowl - I have only the edging and button to complete on this project. I just need to wind the hanks of yarn into balls and this project will be done in an evening. I will work on this project the week of August 21st. I should have this one completed no later than Wednesday, August 23.

Walnut Shawl - The cat got a hold of the yarn for this project and now I have to clean up the balls of yarn. I probably have about 10-20 more rows left and then the edging on this shawl. I will finish this project up the week of August 14. I should have this one completed by August 20.

So I have about 7 projects that I am currently working on. My goal with these projects are to have them all completed by the end of September. So I have 3 projects to work on from July 24 - Aug 8 that must be completed by Aug 9. They will be 4 crochet pillows and sewn pillow forms.

From August 14 - 23 I have 2 projects to complete. The shawl and cowl will be completed by the 23rd of August. I will then begin completing my Spicy Diamond Blanket. I plan to have it completed by the end of September. This will then free me up from October to December to work on some planned Christmas projects for a few family members. I will keep a track each week of my progress. Again only 22 weeks left before Christmas!! I have to get BUSY!!

What's in the Project Bag?

Hello everyone! It has been unusually cold around here in the Wasatch Mountains, but this weekend it has warmed up considerably. Maybe some of the piles of snow will melt out of my courtyard.

I last wrote about working up a baby afghan for my boss. I finally received all the yarn I think I need. I had to order from 3 different websites, but finally received the colors that my boss likes. Also luckily today I received an email from Amazon showing that the Lion Brand Organic Cotton is in stock on their website as well. Bonus is that they are all available through Prime. So I might order a few more skeins just in case I need more.

So What's in the Project Bag?

I am loving the color combo! I was going to go with a ripple pattern but when I began hooking it up I just didn't like how this particular yarn looked. I decided to go with my Tried and True stitch the Linen Stitch. The bonus about this stitch is not only the stripey goodness it does, but it is a pattern that I can watch TV and hook at the same time without worrying about a missed stitch.

While waiting on the Lion Brand Natural Organic Cotton yarn to ship, I started on another project. I am using the gorgeous yarn my dear hubby gave me for Christmas. I did order another color through Craftsy. I really vibrant mustard yellow.

My camera didn't really pick up the yellow color all that well. I am working on a Spicy Diamond Blanket. It will be a long term project. This is one pattern that I cannot be distracted while working on. I came across the pattern on Pinterest and although I should have just pinned it I had to begin this project!!

This is the blanket that Kristen made up and provided such a wonderful pattern and tutorial on her website, Haak maar Raak.

I really loved that she also provided a layout template that you can print out blank. I played around with my layout and came up with the one you see in my project bin above. One thing I do love about searching for a project is the planning. 

On a different note, my son was in town this week and we were able to hang out and catch up. We enjoyed the empty slopes during the week.

He can be such a nut and always makes me laugh. But I am proud of the young man he has become.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Cheers,

Winnie

Linen Stitch Afghan

I finally completed my Linen Stitch Afghan!! I can say that this was a fun project and it turned out so comfy and cozy!

For the border I kept it simple with the oatmeal white as single crochet all around then the heather gray in a half double crochet and the denim blue I did in a crab stitch to keep the border from unraveling. The afghan ended up measuring 56 inches X 69 inches. The perfect size for curling up on the couch watching a good movie or reading a great book not to mention for working up a new crochet project as well!!

Enjoy your weekend! We have a long weekend for Labor Day and my son is in town for a visit. We will be heading out for some golf soon so I need to go start getting ready!!

Linen Stitch Afghan Update

Hi everyone! Just a quick update on my linen stitch afghan. It is cruising along lovely. I really do enjoy the calming affect this afghan has on me. I don't have to constantly count, so it's such a stress reducing repetitive stitch.

Our weather has been so bipolar these past couple of months. One day we are in the high 60s and the next low 30s. Welcome to Spring in the Wasatch Mountains!! But we are having some lovely signs of Spring.

And with Spring I needed a renewed look in my family room. There had been this wonderful frame sale at Michael's Craft Store and I finally decided to frame all of our Ski Resort Trail Maps that we have collected throughout the years. Needless to say it was a daunting task when each trail map was odd sizes, but we did it and I'm thrilled with how it turned out.

These are just of Colorado and California and we still have a few more resorts to hit up in these states. Pretty much my whole family room is covered in trail maps. And we are missing a few from some of the East Coast slopes. I guess we will just have to revisit them!! I also will need to commission my father-in-law for another shot glass display. He did such an awesome job on these!

Enjoy the rest of your week! They are calling for rain and snow in our area this week. Although I am ready for biking season we do need as much rain and snow as we can get so our water table will be good during Summer.