WIP Wednesday - Granny Stripes!

I'm linking up with Marie Anne over at Every Day Crochet for Work In Progress Wednesday. Y'all come join the fun!



My current WIP, or one of them, is Lucy's Granny Stripe Afghan. I just started it, I think, last weekend or so. This is a picture of the first repeat of colors. These colors will be repeated until the afghan is the size I want it to be. I think Lucy over at Attic 24 said she made 60 rows, right? I think by 60 rows, she actually meant 60 rows of color, each color being two rows, so actually 120 rows. Being I have 14 colors going, I think that's about eight repeats? We'll see. Of course, I never know when I start an afghan how big it will be when it's finished. I do love the colors here, although they are not as bright as I would like them to be. I stand there at Hobby Lobby choosing colors, and I think they look like the picture, but it's not right. This is the second time that has happened. Ah well. The afghan will still be pretty, even if it's not what I pictured.
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I'm also still working on Ellen Gormley's Sunny Spread. It's made of blocks, so I think it may take longer than most afghans I make. But it is coming along nicely. It calls for 64 blocks, and I have 16 or so made already. When I work on it, it doesn't take long, just an hour or so for a block, if that. I may stop and put a set of blocks together, see how that's looking. I also don't know if those 64 blocks are really going to make a big enough afghan for me. I like my afghans big, and this one is 52 inches square when it's done. I may make more than 64 blocks.
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Of course, the little snowmen are coming along as well. I have til Christmas to finish them, or at least until it's time to decorate.
I'll post pictures of everythign as I finish them.
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And a great good day to you all!

Something so small....

I tell you, my kids still surprise me all the time. See these balls? See how they are already well-'loved'? David's teacher mentioned to me Friday that David always has to have something in his hands. Oh, snap! I know this, and hadn't put anything in his backpack for that. He loves textures, and things he can fiddle with. I call them 'finger fiddlers'. I try to make little things for him. He fell in love with crocheted balls at Target one day, they're in the dollar bin, and they're about an inch big. I was like 'no way! I can make those bigger, and cheaper.' So I do. I make them. So easy. Five rows of increase, five rows in the middle, five rows of decrease. It takes less than an hour, and makes a ball that's about three inches around. David loves those balls. I used to cut the tail off, but David likes the tail, so I don't anymore. So Sunday, I made some more balls, one for David's backpack, and a few more because I haven't seen any lately, so he must need more. Thing is, apparently, David is not the only one who loves those balls. Tim and Jon kept highjacking them and playing ball games, throwing them around the house. Hey, better those balls than just about anything else, right? Those balls hit you in the head, it's no big deal, seriously. So I made one for Tim and Jon. If I get a spare minute today, I'll make a few more, enough for everybody. Ha. I might make more of these for Christmas, too. Heck, maybe these'll do well in a craft fair, might just spend a day making balls!

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Thing is, you know, when your kids are babies, any little thing is a toy to them. I think about a little guy my cousin babysits, and one day my aunt gave him an envelope, oh, he loved that. It was so sweet when he came to me, tore off a piece, and gave it to me. Bless his little heart. Kids will play with anything. But isn't it cool when your teen-aged son just really enjoys a little thing you made, and it didn't cost you a hundred bucks! I mean seriously, I can make probably ten, twelve of these balls from one two-dollar skein of Red Heart yarn. And I made it with my hands, didn't buy it. That's cool. It's neat when joy comes from something so small.

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Y'all have a wonderful day!

Stripes, stripes, stripes!

I finished David's afghan. I love this pattern, and this afghan. I wish I were better with color, but David loves this, so okay. I like it too, actually. I know, I'm weird, but I like the way it freaks your eyes out when you look at it. Ha! I will definitely make this afghan again, it was way easy, and came out pretty. Next time, I will make fewer stripes, and make them wider, and I think I will plan the colors more as well. I think this being such a unique shape, it might sell well at a craft fair. I think I will definitely make one to take to the fairs.


Look at these colors. Seriously, look at these colors. What do y'all think of these colors? Again, I'm not so good with mixing colors. I kind of stood in Hobby Lobby choosing the colors I thought were crisp and clear. Then when I got home, I tried to figure out which was the best order to put them in. Because you know what I'm making?

Absolutely! Lucy's Granny Stripes! I've been anticipating starting this for a while, and now here we go! I am struggling over the colors, you know Lucy set the bar high. I am so anxious to see how this comes out.

Boy, this is wonderful to make. It goes together so quickly, those rows just zoom by. I can't wait til it's done. I have all of Lucy's pictures saved, and am looking to her for inspiration. She sure did make a beauty. I know mine won't be nearly as pretty as hers, she has the gift of color, and I tried, but I could not find a red that would fit in here. I really wanted to, too, but I just couldn't.

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Do y'all think these colors will be okay in this order? Seriously, let me know if you would change it.
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And, in case you didn't read my last post, if y'all know kinda what sells well at craft fairs, let me know. I'm still struggling. I'm trying to get fifty items ready for the craft fair in October. I'd like to make this worth my while, you know, not have people stop and look, then put it back and walk away...........

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Y'all have a wonderful week!

New Furniture, Yay!

Well, I've got me a place to sit. It was so pitiful, I had no furniture in my living room. So I checked out craigslist, and found a little loveseat and chair. It looks nice, too. It's a little worn, but not bad, and the price was right. LOL It was free. I also got a very nice bed off craigslist, a queen-sized bed. A lovely single lady was moving in with her man, and getting rid of excess furniture from the combined households, so I lucked out. I've still got a few more things to get, but this is a good start. I think this stuff leans to a different type of decorating than I've done in the past, I usually like heavier, warmer, browner and golder pieces, but this will make for a more feminine look. I'm gonna run with it. I actually think, the more I live with this stuff, that I will like going in this direction. It'll be fun.

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I've got a job interview Monday. For Walmart. It's not nursing, but you know, it'll pay the bills, and that's what matters. I can look for a nursing job while I work here. Man, I don't know why it's so hard to find a nursing job, that is just so unusual, really...... but whatever. I can deal. At least Walmart has insurance, so that'll be good.

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I'm also trying to make things for craft fairs. (of course, this is while I am also making things for myself....... ah ha!) I am trying to figure out what exactly I should make. Do scarves sell well? Hats? I'm thinking sweaters and cardigans, things like that, maybe not so much, what do y'all think. Do afghans and blankets sell? I love the cool shapes in afghans, the round afghans, the stars, the hexagons. Would some of those sell? Should I make some baby things. I have several purses made up, probably 8 or 10, but should I make more, or concentrate on other things...... toys, do they sell? Like amigurumi? I thought about crocheted balls as well, because my David likes them so much........... do y'all know what sells well in craft fairs? This is a new venture for me, any input would be appreciated.

*Y'all have a great day!

Friday..... and a visit from my baby..........

My little sugar of an oldest son will be here to visit me tonight. I'm excited. I'm to help him shop for school clothes. Sounds like fun. We'll hit the big outlet mall, I think. Hopefully the kid'll look good as well as be comfortable. He has high-functioning autism, so comfort is paramount here. He flat will not wear something that is 'too hard'. Over the years, I've gotten to know what is 'too hard', but it's not a concept I've ever applied to clothes before. I'm looking forward to seeing him. Even got a present waiting for him, one of his favorite manga books that I found used at Hastings.

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I've got to get my two signed up for school, but there's always something. Immunizations, oh, I hate them. Don't get me started. I look at that list and shudder. Is everybody else really putting all that crap into their child's bodies voluntarily. It's crazy. I won't go there. I sign that form that says I don't do immunizations for reason of conscience. In fact, I do some, the important ones, but I pick and choose. But unless you do every one of them, as the school specifies, you have to sign the form. It's just easier. I hope that form gets here in time.... or the school can go on last year's records in the meantime. They might.

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Yeesh, then it's all that money. Clothes, backpacks, everything else. Tim is in high school, that list is expensive! Graphing calculators, flash drives, it's nuts.

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I have encouraged Tim to join at least two organizations this year. His choice, but he has to join two. I believe the reason he was bullied so much last year is that he just wasn't a joiner. Of course, that school he was in was nasty, and the schools in this city are just so much better. Everybody tells me how much we're gonna love it here. I hope so.

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Y'all have a great weekend. I plan to.

WIP Wednesday - Thoughts of Snow.....

Well, it's that time again! WIP Wednesday.



It's so flippin' hot outside, it's time to think 'snow'. Plus, I've always been one to get all excited about Christmas way early, and start preparing. If I were working, I would be Christmas shopping already, buying not only gifts, but also decorations, and a Christmas ornament here and there even. I love Christmas. I also love snowmen. There was a time when I had a nice little collection of five or six really cute ones. They've been lost in several moves. I had them when I was married, and well, I don't have a lot left from back then. So I'm making some this year. Aren't these guys cute? I can't wait 'til they're done! They're Christmas Characters, Part 2, from Crochet! magazine, November '07. The pattern calls them Mr. Snow, Mrs. Snow, and Lil Snow. They're designed by Shelia Leslie.

So far, my Mr. Snow looks like this. Ha ha ha! I have to go get fiberfill for him before I can sew on the bottom, which is ready. I am working on the arms. Of course, you know little David is fascinated with him, too, and keeps looking at him when I'm not looking. So I'll go in there where he sits, and his poor head will be squooshed, and already he has some little Dorito dustings on him. Thank God for Tide to go pens, is all I've got to say. But he has worked up very quickly so far, I'm sure he's gonna be cute, and very festive.

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Ladies, this is the extent of my love of snow. I love little stuffed snow people. I'm not a snow person, don't really care for it at all, except in Currier and Ives pictures. Yep, looks really pretty in photos. But you know, if it were the temperature I like, that stuff would be rain. So all my snowmen are stuffed, and strategically placed around my house at holiday time.

I'm also still working on the Round Ripple. More colors, look how it's coming along. Just a little orange makes it look much different than it did last week. David is excited for me to finish this, he laid on the floor watching TV under it earlier this week. I think he thinks it's done. It's not. LOL Still working on it.

Y'all have a great day! I've got to go get my kids signed up for school tomorrow, which is one reason why I went ahead and posted this tonight.

Jewelry

I've got a thing going in my head where I want to make crocheted necklaces, and scarves. Small, light, perhaps based on a motive, scarves that can dress up a simple T-shirt and jeans. Something you just throw on, you know? So I've been looking all over for patterns and/or ideas. This is one I made with number 3 cotton and a pretty dangle thing I found at Walmart. I got some beads, but turns out the beads are too small to crochet in. Maybe I'll sew them on, have to think about it. It's a start, I guess, but I'm still thinking. I'm sure I'll wear this, though. Right now the lampshade is wearing it, for the picture, you know. Ha.


And I finished the white tree skirt. In general, I like it. I didn't care for the chain 2, single crochet into the edge, so I didn't finish it. As far as I'm concerned, it's done. Well, I still have to weave in the ends, but that'll just take a minute when I get to it. I thought about maybe putting an edge of single crochet, or maybe some picots on it, then didn't. I figure the way it's draped onto a tree, it really doesn't need the edge anyway. The skirt ruffles up prettily, I think. That's when it's laid flat. When you pull the inside edge up, kinda like it will be when it's around the tree, it lays flat. I do like it a lot. I think, however, that when I make my red one (I have decided to use Red Sparkle ILTY, with some shiny beads on the edge.) I am going to make it bigger, maybe add a few more rows of the inside area, and maybe even another repeat of the overall pattern. I like my Christmas tree big, and the area around it big, and I also like to play with the skirt, make it bunch up in places.

I'm still working on a few things, like I said, several projects at once. That nice post-stitch pillow from the current issue of Crochet World, I'm making it in pinks. My big decision right now is whether to make a matching back, or sew it to a pillow, which I really don't like to do, or just make a simpler back. That's probably what I'll do. I like to make my pillows really more of a pillow cover, so I can wash them and slip the pillow in and out of them. Works for me with my boys who spill stuff all the time. Ah, heck, who am I kidding, I spill stuff, too. LOL

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I'm also still working on my sister's pillow, trying to figure out how to add the edge without ruining the flow of the body. Yesterday it hit me, maybe I'll try making the edge with an H hook, the body is made with a G hook, so maybe a bigger hook will make the edge not pull on the body. If not, you know, you pull it out and try something else. I love that about crochet. So easy to fix things. I'm also working a very pretty, but sort of tedious purse for myself, in a pretty gray. I've wanted a gray purse for a while. This one is looking good as it goes, hope it turns out nice.

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Then there are the other WIP's that I plan to share tomorrow for WIP Wednesday.

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Y'all have a great day. I'm hoping for a call from a job prospect, we'll see. Meantime, I fill out more applications..................

Baby, it's hot outside!

Man, talk about a scorcher. The boys and I went out to the grocery store today, the cupboards were seriously bare. Gracie doesn't have air conditioning, well, you know, she does, but it quit working before I ever got her. It was hot, seriously hot outside. I told Tim, who was sitting in the front seat beside me, I believe it's as hot as it's been yet. He agreed. I said, 'you know, I think it's even hotter than that other day, a few weeks back, when I thought it was as hot as I had ever known it to be.' Tim said yeah, he didn't think he'd known it to be this hot before either.
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We got home and unloaded our groceries, and put the TV on. Our cable defaults to local news, and I noticed on the weather, it was, .......what, are you kidding me!? 105! degrees out today. 105! Well, not to worry, folks, we have cooled down at this point to only 104..... well, what a relief! Ah ha! Boy it's hot out there! And what's more, the lovely weather lady said it will climb throughout the week. Yeesh, I'm a'gonna wither! LOL


Weather like this makes me miss Nashville. Truth be told, lots of things make me miss Nashville these days. Ha. But I love this park in these pictures. All of the rivers that run through Tennessee are channelled into these fountains somehow, who knows how, not me. It is fun, fun, fun to go to this park and play in the fountains. I don't care how old you are, it's a wonderful time. And great pictures, you always get great pictures there. Oh, the fun we have had there. We like to pack a little picnic. That's the capital building in the background, you gotta love the view.

Inviting, isn't it. Makes you wanna jump right in. Or run right through, whatever.

And if you get thirsty, hey, no problem. Just grab a sip.

Seriously, doesn't that look fun! It really is. All ages, all sizes, you see them all there. In dresses, swimsuits, anything. And eventually, everybody gets wet. All the parents think they'll sit on the sidelines, but they all get wet.

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I stole that first picture from the net. Man, I wish I was artistic. If I could draw or something, I would have made a nice picture of a thermometer, with the mercury blowing out the top of it and spraying everywhere, would that not have been fun? But I can't.

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To celebrate this weather, I started my little family of crocheted snowmen that I'm gonna put out at Christmastime. I'm gonna post a picture of the beginning of that for WIP Wednesday.

Sigh.....

I haven't done much lately, I'm a little depressed. ...sigh.... Been looking for a job without much luck. Well, with no luck, truth be told.

I tell you, why in the world do people call you in for an interview, only to tell you they don't have any openings right now.... just don't call, okay, if you're not hiring. Yeesh. Seriously, don't they have anything better to do than yank my chain?

Well, hopefully I'll find something soon. I needs a job, man......

WIP Wednesday - The Round Ripple

I'm joining Marie Anne over at Every Day Crochet for Work In Progress Wednesday.



This is my round ripple afghan. I'm really enjoying making it. I'm doing it in bright colors. My son, David, loves it, and has, I think, claimed it. That's fine, he loves new blankets, particularly afghans. Every time I lay it out on the floor to look at it, David is right there, sitting on it, and playing with it. Nice to know he enjoys it. This started out as a scrap basket project, but as each round is larger, and needs more yarn, I have started using skeins instead of scraps. In fact, I have to admit that I have bought a couple of skeins of yarn just for this afghan.

I actually don't like the way this pattern started out. I was inspired by another blogger (gee, I wish I could remember who) who was making this, hers was so cute. Hers was also done in colors with white, though mine is a little different. But she linked to a pattern on-line that used two different sizes of shells in the corners, and says to rotate out the sizes. I've since seen this pattern in a few books and magazines, and they all use the larger shell throughout. Now, the center of mine is a little puffy, and I have to work with it to get it to lay flat. That's fine, really, I think it will be fine once it has been used and loved, and washed a few times, but still. I switched to using the larger shell throughout, and the outer edges are not having that problem. If I weren't so far along on this afghan, and if David weren't so in love with it, I think I would pull it out and start again. I think David would have a fit if he saw me pull it apart, though, so I won't. Ha. Poor little guy, he'll get his blanket.

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What I love is how each row changes the whole look of the blanket. You can tell the difference, I think, in just those two pictures.

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I also love all the different shapes I am seeing in afghans and throws. There are so many I am planning to make, in so many different shapes. How fun is that! Circles, hexagons, stars, it's all so much fun! I saw one in the new Crochet World Afghan book that is round and lacy, it's a baby blanket, I think I'll make that and use it as a tablecloth, frankly. The afghan has seriously gone way beyond the square.

I'm also working on these squares, they're so beautiful, I think. They combine to make a throw called The Sunny Spread. It's designed by Ellen Gormley over at GoCrochet, don't you just love everything she designs? I love her. Pammy Sue at Scotty's Place put up the link to this free pattern online, thanks, Pammy Sue. I am making it in Sungold by I Love This Yarn. What I love is that this is a solid color yarn, but the design of the block makes it look almost variegated. The textures bring out light and shadow, and make the block so beautiful, I think. I can't wait 'til this is finished.
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I do feel a little guilty making it in ILTY when the design says it's made in Red Heart yarn, and of course, I got the pattern (like I get so many patterns) off of the Coats and Clarks website. I justify that by reminding myself of the obscene amount of money I spend and have spent over the years on Red Heart yarn. I like that yarn, in fact, the round ripple is being made using Red Heart, but for the most part, I have decided that I am going to use ILTY for anything I plan to snuggle into, because it is just so cuddly soft.
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Y'all have a great day!

Free Patterns!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love the internet. I get so many free patterns off the internet. Just maybe yesterday, after browsing a magazine at Hastings, I came home and visited Coats and Clarks' website, and downloaded probably six great patterns. I saw two of them advertised in Crochet Today, and figured I'd look around a bit, and found more. They were in their print ad section. I downloaded a pattern for hanging luminaries, and a Flower Accent Throw among others. I can't wait to make them!

Then today, I got an e-mail from CrochetMe, with a free download for 8 Granny Square patterns. Love it! There is nothing simpler than a Granny Square for beginners, I think, and these are some really cute things using the Granny Square! It's free to join at CrochetMe, and there are several other free downloadable booklets. I've been thinking lately that I really have not done much with Granny Squares, and I oughtta see what I can make with them. So here's some cute inspiration! Love it.

This is gorgeous!

Isn't it? Has anybody ever made it? I'm wondering if I could do that. Surely, I'm thinking maybe it's done in a circular manner, maybe tapestry style? I think I could do it, I really do.
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Now first, I'd have to change the colors. Blue and purple, well, they're gorgeous, of course, but I'm more a reds, golds, some oranges, maybe some green, kinda girl. I could probably figure that out, though, and I think this afghan would look very nice in those colors.
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Oh, and by the way, what is a window afghan? Are you seriously supposed to hang it in a window? How?
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Anyway, it's gorgeous. I'm thinking seriously about ordering this pattern. As you can see, it's from Annie's Attic. I can spend hours over there..........
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On a different note, I've had a nice day. The boys and I walked - yes, walked! In 100 degree heat! Ha! .... to Walmart. The van is still in the shop til I can afford to get her out, which will be Tuesday. So we walked. The heat wasn't too too bad, it's not so humid right now, so you don't feel the heat as much until you walk into the cool store, and you see how red your face is. Ha ha! Anyway, we shopped, got some groceries, of course I got some yarn, you know I had to..... we had lunch at Chick-Fil-A, saw Ben, the youth leader at the church I will go to as soon as Gracie is up and running... he's such a sweetie, always so nice when we see him.... then we took a cab home. Now we're relaxing...... so nice.
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Y'all have a wonderful day, and a better weekend!

I love the internet!

Just a few years ago, it was much harder to learn more about crochet, especially if you lived in a small, rural area. There were books and magazines, but your local Walmart didn't carry them, and really, the yarn selection at said Walmart was kind of wanting as well.

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Now, we have it all at our fingertips. Just put anything into Google. Yarn, crochet, supplies, whatever, it's all there. Not to mention the vast amounts of bloggers like you and me, who are eager to share what they know, and show pictures of what they're making. As I've posted before, boy, I love my online magazine subscriptions to Crochet and Crochet World, so much information right there on my hard drive. There is just so much information you can get just by opening up this little laptop.

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As recently as a year ago, most of my crocheting was one ripple afghan after another. LOL I might add in a hat, or a crocheted bag even, or something I saw in a tear-off pattern at you know, that local Walmart. I even remember making mittens when I was much younger. Ha. Last April or so, I decided I was going to expand on my crochet knowledge, and boy, have I! It is just so darned easy! Every day I blog-hop, and see what y'all are making, and of course, I sure have discovered a world of crochet books. It is so much fun.

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A year ago, I enjoyed crocheting. Now, I am so hooked on hooking! And it's mostly thanks to the internet.....

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Let me say to y'all, my fellow bloggers, THANK YOU!!! I learn so much from all of you, and so enjoy looking at your work, and reading what you have to say. Keep up the good work, y'all, you really make my day.

Irons in the Fire!

So I was looking facebook today, and I follow Crochet World. (of course, I'm sure that's no surprise. Crochet peeps are my peeps! LMHO) The post this morning said 'This week's Ask the Editor question: Do you recommend working on more than one project at a time? Michele's answer: Hahahahahaha! I don’t think I’ve ever in my life worked on just one project at a time! My observation of creative people is that they are always working on several things at once. So, if I were to preach what I practice, everyone would work on at least 3 things at any given time.' Man, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! (Not that it REALLY mattered, I march to my own little drummer, and dance to the song the voices in my head sing, but that's another post.....) I have so many projects going! The tree skirt is almost done, and as soon as I have a few more bucks, I'm gonna get the red sparkle yarn and gold beads to make mine. The turquoise pillow is done, and my son loved it. The Afghan Squared is done, just need to weave in the last three or four ends. My sister's pillow is coming along, I have made a couple more purses for that craft show, started another pillow for myself in varied shades of pink, and saw and fell in love with the round ripple afghan someone else was making and decided it was a great project for all the leftover balls of yarn rolling around here! Ha! Is that all of them, who knows! But they all get done eventually, I usually finish a couple things every week, so it's all good. And every time I sit down to crochet, I work on whatever I want, so there's no repetitiveness or boredom with one project. I have what, five projects I am actively working on, and about half of them have been started in the last week, after finishing about half of what I was working on last week. Ha! Really, it's pretty typical of me........

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How many projects do y'all work on at a time?

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On a happy note, the shop where my car is being worked on called this morning. They fixed my car for a measly $400, instead of the $1200 originally estimated. Bless God! They said as old and rickety as Gracie is, she probably doesn't need a new rack & pinion, just keep her full up and she should be okay. I'm grateful. I think I can handle $400.

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I alway so tempted to say.... happy hooking, y'all! Today, I think I will. LMHO

I went ahead an added the button (I hope) to this post, since that first picture is of my round ripple afghan, which is a Work In Progress.

I've decided....

......that I am going to make this afghan - or blanket. It's called 'Rose In Bloom', and it's in the little booklet called 'Great Afghans & Throws' from Red Heart. I'm going to make it big enough for my bed, won't that be nice! Years ago, my aunt had a blanket like this on her bed, and I loved it. She made hers, it was truly beautiful. So I've decided I'm going to make me one. I'm going to make my roses pink, I think. At this point, I think I'm going to use 'I Love This Yarn' because it is so soft and cuddly. I have used so much Red Heart over the years, and it's good yarn, but it's not so snuggly against your skin. I made one of the blocks one night, thinking I might make the blanket out of Red Heart yarn, but no. Also, I don't really think red is what I want in my room. But the block is very doable, I think it took me about an hour to do this one. I'm sure this blanket will take me a nice long time to finish, with my love of doing several projects at once, but that's okay, when it's done, it's done, I think, and no hurry.



I've made so many purses lately, hoping to get a booth in a craft fair coming up, and today it occurred to me that for as long as I've wanted a nice gray purse, I should make myself one. Ha! I think I'm going to make it along the lines of this one - not exactly, but kind of like it. I will use Red Heart yarn for this, I like Red Heart for purses. I'm making it with Gray Heather yarn. Let's see how it turns out.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day!