It's been a busy year

A little over a year ago in 2009 I picked up a crochet set and a lesson book and started creating projects. I spent the first few months creating very plain boring dish cloths and potholders. Most of which are in a box in my house. Way too many for me to use but now are making great gifts for my friends.

As 2010 began I started creating more specific projects. I didn't realize until i created this collage how many projects I finished. So, as I end 2010 and start writing up my Top 10 of 2010, I thought I would share a collage of my work.  This isn't even everything.  This is just everything I managed to remember to take a picture.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

2010 in Review -- Your Assignment

Your Assignment should you choose to accept it is as follows:

Do not focus on what you promised yourself
Do not focus on the things on your resolution list that you did not accomplish

DO Make a Top 10 list for 2010 -- List anything and everything that is an accomplishment. Did you lose 5 pounds instead of 50. Scratch the 50, focus on the 5

Come up with AT LEAST 10 items
If you have more good but list at least 10 good things that you can focus on about this past year.

Check back tomorrow for my Top 10 list.

Crochet Awakenings: GRANNY STRIPE TA-DAH

This is a really beautiful blanket. I'd really like to make one like this this year. I love Attic24 and all her patterns

Crochet Awakenings: GRANNY STRIPE TA-DAH: "Hello everyone!!! (the first part of this post is an almost exact copy of my post on the We Love Lucy forum on Ravelry) GRANNY STRIPE MAD..."

Little Flower Square

Came across this pattern on Ravelry recently. It's a practice square for the 2011 Block-A-Month (BAM) Crochet-Along (CAL) group.



I think I may use it to create a new baby blanket for our church nursery. Only problem is that I'll need like 20 or 30 little squares depending on how big or small I want the blanket. Wow that's a lot of squares. I don't know what is harder - 30 squares or making one by just making increasing rounds like here or here

Another Finished Project -- Christmas Wreath

When I went home to Pittsburgh for Christmas, I noticed my Mom had a cool crochet Christmas Wreath magnet on her refrigerator.

The color I chose as the background is pretty hideous.


I decided it was a simple looking project and something that I can recreate.
I took many photos while I was creating it and will be uploading the pattern very soon.

Instead of a magnet I decided to create an ornament and added a short chain so that it can be hung somewhere.
Here is the finished project. What do you think?

I think I should've use something other than a red bead. It's really hard to see it in some spots.

Finished Project - polygon ornaments

I'm still working on the instructions but I thought I would share the finished product. I took detailed pictures so I think the finished instructions will be pretty excellent.

They turned out a little big but I think they are really cute.

This is the "front" of the ornament



This is the "back" of the ornament.

Sneak Peak - Polygon Ornament

Here's a sneak peak at a new ornament I'm working on.
I meant to create a hexagon but ended up with a polygon -- Whee!

I want to incorporate some beads into the border. As soon as I figure that out I'll join it and write up the instructions.

In the meantime, here's the beginning of the project.

Christmas Goodness

I decided this year to create some crafts Christmas. One of my favorite craft bloggers Attic24 posted some Christmas Baubles on her site that I couldn't resist making. I stuck to her pattern without too many variations. I think my only variations is in the hanging loop and how I stitched on my beads. Below are my photos. I'm really pleased with these. I'll be giving them to my 2 bosses and my office manager as Christmas gifts.


The bottons on this one are recycled from an old blouse. They're really pretty buttons but I'm not sure they come through on the photo.



I forgot to take front/back photos of this ornament. The front button is pink. The back button is red. No reason. Just didn't have two matching red buttons.


On this one I cheated. I used Gorilla Super Glue to glue the beads. The reason? I didn't have a needle that would fit into the beads so I could sew them onto the ornament.


Here's a front photo of all three ornaments. The pink blanket background isn't very flattering.


This is the back of the ornaments.

Publishing Patterns

I think I just successfully created and published my first pattern on the Ravelry site. What's cool is for a little while, my pattern was displayed on the home page of the Ravelry site since it was a recent addition.

The pattern is for the following two projects:

Pink-Purple Blanket

Granny Pastel Blanket

Of course, these two projects and the pattern all lead back to my blog entries:
First baby blanket
Second Baby Blanket

Second Baby Blanket

This was my second attempt at a baby blanket.  The pattern for this blanket can be found in two places.

On my blog here

Or on the Ravelry site here as my first submitted pattern.

Below are pictures of the finished project.

First Baby Blanket

I finally decided what to do with the baby blankets I have.  I have two at my house and I've been looking for a recipient.  A lovely mom in my Bible study group has adopted a sweet little baby girl.  We had a surprise baby shower for her.  I gave her one of the blankets and decided while I was there I would give her the second one the next time I see her.



This is made using a tight granny square pattern.  I'm not sure if this pattern has a name.  It is a variation on the granny square though.



You can see from the above picture that I used a basic square pattern to start and just kept working the rounds.  It's a pink/purple variegated yarn that changes from shimmering pink to shimmering purple.  Although I have to admit the picture above does make it look a little blue-ish.

I don't have photos of the step by step process, but I'm going to try and include instructions here.

Hook –
H (US 4.75mm)

Legend –
DC – US Double Chain
HDC - US Half-Double Chain
SC - Single Chain
R-SC - Reverse Since SC
SL – US Slip Stitch
CH – US chain stitch


CH. 4 and join with a Sl Stich

Rnd 1: CH 3 (counts as a DC). (2DC, CH 3) and then (3DC, CH 3) 3 times. Join with a SL (12DC total)

Rnd 2: CH 3 (counts as first DC). DC in each of the next 2 DC. In the CH 3 sp – (2DC, CH 3, 2DC). DC in each DC around. Join with a SL. (28 DC total)

Rnd 3: CH 3 (counts as first DC). DC in each of the next DC. In the CH 3 sp – (2DC, CH 3, 2DC). DC in each DC around. Join with a SL. (44 DC total)

Repeat Rnd. 3 until you have the width desired. I don’t know how big or small baby blankets are supposed to be so I created 30 RNDs.

Border: I like to just create decreasing rows so I go from DC to HDC to SC to finish off. Probably imperceptible to the recipient but it’s my little thing.

Brd 1: CH 2 (counts as first HDC). HDC in each DC. I the CH 3 sp – (2HDC, CH 3, 2HDC). DC in each DC around. Join with a SL

Brd 2: CH 1. SC in each HDC around. In the CH 3 sp – (2SC, CH 1, 2SC). SC in each DC around. Join with a SL.

Weave in all the ends.


I didn't do this for this particular blanket but I usually finish my projects using a R-SC border. This is actually the final row I like to use as a border in a lot of my projects. I think a reverse SC adds a nice ribbed looking border to a project.

Optional Brd 3: CH 1. R-SC in the last SC of the round you just completed. R-SC all the way around. In the CH 3 sp - 5RSC (no Ch 3 stitches this time). Join with a SL.


For detailed instructions on creating a R-SC, watch this video.

Below are two more pictures of the finished blanket close in.

Publishing Projects

This week I decided it's time for me to start posting and sharing more of the things I create.  I started by posting my most recent projects on Ravelry.  I think I may write up some instructions for them and share them in the next few days.  In the meantime, check out my projects.

Holiday Cheer Balls 

Scrappy Coaster

Some interesting things coming up

I have been super duper busy but haven't had time to blog about it. It's a shame that I haven't because I've been having such a blast lately. I would love to share it all with you.

In short, I did a 5K fund raising walk in November. This was really fun and I finished in record time. Well, record time for me anyway.

I've been working on some really cool Christmas gifts. I can't afford to shop for everyone so I've been busy putting my crocheting skills to work. I can't post pics of the finished products until after the gifts have been give but wait until you see. They are so pretty and I am very please with the outcomes.

I'm doing an official 5K Santa Shuffle race this coming Saturday (December 4) and will have lots to talk about afterward.

Last I just found a really great idea for some Christmas ornaments that I can make using a crochet pattern. I'm so excited because I was hoping to find something small that I can put together for some parties I am attending this month. I'm sitting here at work and all I can think about is leaving and going shopping for more yarn instead of going to the movies tonight. How crazy is that? Would you rather go to the movie or make handmade gifts? Normally I'd vote for the movie, but I just can't wait to get home and begin crafting.

So, there are lots of things to come so please come back and be prepared for lots of reading and photos.