Beatrice Scarf

Well, here is my version of Robin Chachula's 'Beatrice Scarf' from Interweave Crochet Accessories. Ignore those fancy 'no wrinkle' sheets - yikes! I love the way this scarf turned out. The pattern called for a simple single crochet border along the two ending edges, but I picoted them, and I think it looks nicer, more dressy, like this. I am going to use this scarf to throw over simple tops, like tee-shirts, and dress them up. I think it will make a big difference. I bought three skeins of Vanna's Glamour to make this, and it only used one. So I have two left to make something else. Isn't that nice? This yarn is beautiful. It's $4.99 at Hobby Lobby if it's not on sale (and I don't remember if it was or not....) so the scarf cast me less than five bucks. You can't beat that at Wal-mart, certainly not anywhere else, for something so pretty. I'm loving this.

Y'all have a great day. Happy hooking!

WOW!

Look at what my sister sent me, as a belated Christmas present. She painted this with her own hand. She is just so talented. This will be one of my treasures for a long time.

I have another picture she painted of me as a child, and I treasure it as well. I love it when I am the recipient of her talent. Jane is definitely my favorite artist.

Crochet So Fine

Oh my gosh. I picked up this book just before Christmas. I really hadn't meant to get it, mainly because I really prefer yarn over thread, but one day I was looking through it at Michael's. Well, you know that's really never a good idea, just to pick up a book and start looking through it. I'm just going to want it. Of course, once I looked through it, I had to have it. Here's why.....

This is the Diamonds Shawl. Pretty, isn't it. Very, I say. It's made of laceweight yarn. That's hard for me to find, actually. I can find pretty much anything else here locally, but I have yet to find laceweight yarn. I have found some yarn shops listed locally, I need to check those out.

This is pretty, though. I might try to make it. When I have time. Ha!

Oh, I love this one. This is the Dragonfly Shawl. Gorgeous, huh? It's made of regular size 10 crochet thread. Crochet thread is available in such beautiful colors, too, these days. I will, and I mean I will make me one of these. It is breathtaking, I think. See, I have a thing for dragonflies anyway. I'm thinking this will be beautiful in a metallic color, silver or gold, or maybe like a blue or teal metallic? Maybe I'm not looking for metallic, more just shimmery. This might be the February accessory I make. I've got several going for January. LOL

I'm actually not crazy about this one. It seems to heavy. The above and below pictures are both of the Orchid Circular Shawl, made with a fingering weight yarn. My crocheting buddies, what is the difference between laceweight and fingering weight yarn? They're both a number 1.

I do think this shawl might be pretty as a tablecloth.................. ah, why go there. That's just me.

I am undecided about this one. It's the Shimmer Beaded Lace Cape. There are many things I like about it, and some I don't. It actually seems kind of heavy to me. It looks like a circle, but the diagram in the book is not circular. And what's up with that leather belt on that shawl? I wouldn't do that, but that's not something included in the design, LOL.

As an aside, Interweave Crochet keeps this pretty model busy, don't they. She's all over every issue, and every book I've seen that they publish. She must like crochet. LOL I would like to know her name, just because I see her so much.

I do not care for this one at all, actually. It's too big. I think something this big should be an afghan. LOL It's called the Spiral Waves Shawl, also made with fingering weight yarn.

I love this, and think I will probably make it as well. It is supposed to work up very quickly. It's called the Sprout Chains Shawlette. Cute, huh? It's made in a #3 weight yarn, so I don't know that it qualifies as 'so fine', but whatever. LOL It is cute.

This is the Starry Night Wrap. It's made of laceweight yarn. (Wait, looking, laceweight is #0, isn't it. LOL I guess that's the difference between laceweight and fingering weight.... LOL) I am wondering. I have a beautiful Vanna's glamor blue, it's a #2 weight, but I was thinking about trying this in that yarn. It would turn out bigger, yes, but wouldn't it also be pretty? That yarn is so gorgeous, I think I'm gonna try............

There are so many other things in that book. Hats and tops. I may blog about them another day. I have a thing for shawls, though, so thought I would share these. They're all truly gorgeous, aren't they?

Y'all have a great day!

One down...... working on the UFO's.

Well, I finished David's scarf. Look at him! He's such a pickle, with his funny little face there. That scarf is made in the grit stitch, which I learned making the Vanilla Grit Stitch Washcloth from the Lion Brand site. I blogged about it a while ago, when I was playing making washcloths. That was fun. So was this scarf, and this scarf is so nice. It has a nice feel to it, a nice texture, which David loves. I made it with I Love This Yarn, so it's soft and snuggly, too. It'll keep my boy warm on a chilly day.

The stitch is really easy, it's like a single crochet and a double crochet into one stitch, skip the next stitch, and do the same the rest of the way across. I did twelve sets per row, and the scarf is a nice width. I just used up the whole skein of yarn, didn't measure or anything. Like I said, it's really too simple.

Y'all have a great day. I'm off to finish more UFO's.

So pretty......

I say this in the voice of 'Peggy' from that commercial, you know the one, with the telephone, and the flashing lights..............

Look at this cool new book! My son tells me 'Mom, I need a copy of Jane Eyre, can you pick it up for me?' What? Go to Barnes and Noble? I think I can! Mwahahahaha!

I wish I could show you the inside of this book. But then, do most of you have this book? Man, it's awesome! See, my New Year's crochet goal is one pillow and one accessory every month, and five afghans this year. Think I'll make it? We'll see, but it'll be fun to try, right? I look in this book, I see a scarf in this stitch, a purse in that stitch, a pillow in that cool pattern! Oh, what fun! Where's my hook! Y'all can't wait to see, can you? I knew it.

Up all night.....

Look at all this. Ha ha ha. These are all my current UFO's. It is my goal to get them al finished in January, but if I don't make it, it'll be my goal to get them all finished in February, and so on, until they're all done. They're all little projects, most of them will finish in a day, if not a few hours, some maybe even just an hour. Here's that cute little Sunny Spread, it's probably the one that'll take the most time, but it won't take long. I got sidetracked with Christmas projects. I can't wait to see it all done. Then there's the pretty lacy white scarf I want so badly, that's maybe got an hour to go, and the little snowman just wants dressed, not too much time there.

That pretty orange scarf needs doing, it's pretty cold out, and David might want to bundle up in it. Of course, the Cathedral Window Afghan will take a while, if it's done by summer, I'll be happy. LOL

I just have to finish the ends of the Granny Stripe Blanket, then edge it and spread it over my bed. Heck, I already cover up with it, it'll be done soon, too. The little Poinsettias In The Snow Pillow won't take long. Ha! I had several more squares done, then David laid on my bed, and found those squares and my scissors................ gah! Good thing it's a small project. The only reason the Christmas afghan is still out is because I figure I'll store it in the same bag as the pillow when it's finished.

This is just a small peek at what my room looks like, with piles of projects. I should figure out how to organize them, with this one in a bag, and this one in a tote........ I just look around and say, 'What will I work on today..........' Ha!

Look what's out in my parking spot. It looks silver here, but it's actually gold. I finally have a decent car. I love it, so comfy and such a smooth ride. My first New Year's goal met. I was thinking I was gonna go see if the powers that be would approve me for a nice car. I thought I'd head on out to CarMax and see what was out there, you know, just get a feel for it and all. I knew I wanted a full-sized Chevy, and that's all I knew. Well, danged if they didn't approve me, just when I least expected it! I'm not one to look a blessing in the mouth, so I got me that car, especially being the payments are so reasonable. This is a 2008 Impala, and oh, I love it. So comfy, and everything works. The windows roll up, the whippers wipe, and the heater warms the thing up nicely. Ohhhhhhhh............. and there's Onstar, so this one won't get stolen, knock on wood.................. Bless God!

Such a lovely surprise....

Aren't these pretty? These are from my co-workers. They were sweet enough to give me a surprise birthday party in the breakroom. They had a cake, and ice cream, and Dr. Pepper (diet, too) and these lovely roses. There were also presents, and sweet cards. Oh, it was wonderful. I felt special. Thank you to my wonderful friends.

This does not bother me.

Today is my birthday. I am the big five-oh. Ah, it's okay, it doesn't bother me. Oddly, I like those big birthdays. I was so fine with 40. 48 was a problem, 49, not great. But 50? Ah, heck, it's all good. I'm kinda proud to be 50. So fine, then, Happy birthday to me. LMHO

Y'all have a great day!

Quick Christmas Afghan

Well, I was looking around at my house decorated for Christmas, and realized I somehow did not have a Christmas afghan. It's either in storage in Nashville, or lost in a move. Well, I couldn't have Christmas without an afghan, so I thought I'd throw one together real quick. Ack, that's one goal I did not meet. It was not done by Christmas. And look, it's so simple, and not very big either. Ah well, it'll be here next year, I guess. It's just a simple little stripe in sparkly Christmas colors from I Love This Yarn, edged out by the Christmas Sparkle, also ILTY. It did turn out very Christmassy, though, so I'm happy. I may even make up a Poinsettias In The Snow Pillow Cover, and just put it in the box of Christmas things when I pack them away, so it's ready next year. Where does the time go?

I also didn't make that black sparkly shawl I was gonna make for New Year's Eve. I'll still make it. I bet I'll use it, even if not on New Year's Eve.

Ha! So much for one quick project, huh?

Y'all have a great day! And Happy New Year!

365 Things To Do In Austin

So I was watching the news today, and heard about this blog, called '365 Things To Do In Austin, TX'. Hmmmm.... sounds good to me. Being I'm new here and all, and being I still haven't really explored the town (I haven't even seen the bats yet.) and being I'm fixing to get me a car I will be able to run around more in. Once I get that car, I look forward to finding out what kind of fun things there are to do here, and I'm thinking this blog can be a big help. After all, how else am I gonna find out what's out there?

You gotta admire someone who can blog every day, I mean, really, every day. Heck, I'm good to do ten, fifteen blogs a month. Would love to do more like twenty, but I haven't made it yet, I don't think. Twenty is my goal every month, but life happens and I don't. Ah well.