Finally finished Dwight's blanket

Took me a long time!  it is so large and a little heavy.  I spread it, covers the whole bed.  I washed it last night and added softener, it is so fluffy now and soft :)

Here is the video tutorial I used to learn the stitch,  I didn't use the tutorial for the edge. 

Baby Blanket

I just finished my first baby blanket. 

Started this new blanket last week

It looks like coffee icecream to me.  I am not sure why, just looks so fluffy.  It's double yarn and heavy.

finally!!!

I am finally done with this blanket.  Yay!!
It takes a lot of my patience to change colors each row.

slow progress

I haven't been feeling well lately, so progress on this blanket has been slow.  I am working slow but steady.  I would like some opinions please, the only person that had an opinion is Dwight, and he doesn't like it.
it is violet and navy blue. 

And we continue...

Finished one blanket for Project Linus, now I have three ready to go. 



And started another one.  New stitch for me.  This is going to be interesting.  I am using Catherin's wheel, in a harlequin pattern.  How fun!  The second row is like crochet upside down. 

Here is the video isntructions from The Art of Crochet by Teresa:

Finished blue blankey

I finished the blue striped blankey for Project Linus.  Yay

And started a new one, hope I can finish it on time to make the shipping deadline.

As you can see, here is my work staiton,
coffee, aspirin electronic cigarrets, Lifesavers and my whiteboard for my notes.
Starting a new blankey. 



I am using the lark's foot stitch for this one for a change.  

Progress on Sara's blanket and more

This is the progress on Sara's blanket, it's going slow because this stitch is more intricate, I am slower on it.  But it looks great later on. 

I had to pause it and start another blanket because I am donating it to Project Linus, they need blankets before April 27th, so they can send them to Japan. 
So I am trying to see how I can send more than just one. 
Crocheting as fast as I can.

For newbies :)

OK girls here we go!!
This is what I think you could start learning crochet with.  It is a simple repetitive pattern, and the video explains it slowly and detailed. 
If you need help or explanations please tell me.  I could start with something simple like a chain then single crochet stitch, and double, etc.  But you will get bored quickly.
So, follow this video.  For a small blanket or afghan, I start with a chain of 127 stitches.
Of course if you want something like a scarf you can use less stitches to the size you want. 

I am eager to know how you do and maybe see pictures.  Tell me if you need any help, I'm here for you.

Greens

I finished the blankey I was working on, and started a new one.  I wanted shades of green, but saw this antique rose color that looked interesting with the greens.
I am using the wavy stitch, so it looks like tiny ocean waves. 

And, this is Small fry, he likes yarn too, excpet his way of working with yarn is different than mine.   This is what happens when he's left alone with a ball of yarn. In this picture he shows us how much he enjoys yarn.



Striped blankey

I have been working on the frist blanket for Project Linus.  I had not taken pictures yet.  Well, here it is:

It's growing!! :)

Finished dad's afghan

I finished dad's afghan, this was my first try at the abstract cats stitch.  He liked it a lot.  After I finished it I washed it with Melaleuca, and used their fabric softner.  It came out so wonderfully soft, as they sually do.

Now I started on the first blanket for Project Linus, I am so excited about it.

http://www.projectlinus.org/index.html

progress

I am making some progress on dad's blanket.  Slow but steady, here is the abstract cats stitch on my first try. 

After I finish this afghan for dad, I will make my first blanket for Project Linus.  I am so excited. 



http://www.projectlinus.org/index.html



Learning the abstract cats stitch

I am learning the abstract cat stitch.  I am making an afghan for dad using blues and sefoam green.  Hope it looks ok.

Here is the video tutorial, from The Art of Crochet by Teresa.  And thank you to Teresa, for allowing me to share her tutorials.  She is a great teacher, I have learned all this from her videos. 



Purple and blue afghan

I finished it!! It was a lot of work, but I finished it on time.  I just washed and fluff dried it, so now it's soft and fluffy
I measured it to approximately 3 1/2 '  X  5'. 
It spreads all across my bed.  It ended up a little larger than I planned, but it's good.

purple and blue afghan

I am getting started on an afghan blanket for my niece.  I picked her favorite colors, or at least the colors she had her room decorated with.
I am hoping to finish it soon, she goes back to Colorado on Saturday.  I am making good progress so far.  I started it on Saturday.
I am using the slanted half shell stitch.

Double sided place mats

I started making double sided placemats that may also be used as hot mats for under the pots when you place them on the table.
I am learning this new stitch,  was a little wtrange at the beginning, but I am getting a hang of it.  I will use tan on one side and different colors on the back side.  I started with pink.

I was looking for something I could use the leftover yarn from other projects, it's not enough to make one large item, so I can use it for placemats of different colors.

finished!!

Finished yet another blankey.  This time, I washed it with Melaleuca detergent, then added softner to the rinse, and added a Melaleuca Fresh dryer sheet.  Set the dryer to low heat and dried for about 15 minutes. 
It is now the fluffiest freshest little blankey ever.  I am so excited.  I am hoping to surprise my aunt with it. 
I still have to work on hiding the color chance knots.  I don't like to just change, I like to tie it to make sure it never unravels.

Imagine this blanket right now, fluffy warm and smelling so fresh. 

Here is my progress

I realized you need a lot of patience for this.  It takes time, and patience, but it's all worth it in the end.

It is almost 3 ft long now.  I want it about 4.5' X 3'

Just about one fourth more to go.  It is exciting to watch it grow, but it is taking so long to make some progress.  It is getting heavy too. 

Start of the "Spumoni Ice cream" throw.

I just started a new blankey.  For this one I picked the colors of Spumoni Ice cream.  They go well together. 
I am learning from a video I found on Youtube.  I was attracted by this pattern beacuse it looked unique.

I want to send it to my aunt when it's done, and surprise her.  I hope she likes it.



Here is the link to the video instructions:
Video instruction

Finished the blankey!!

I finally finished the blanket for my friend.  It turned out better than I expected, looks so uniform and the colors match nicely.

progress on blanket

The weather has changed.  I feel a little absurd crocheting a blanket when the days here are sunny and warm.  It has been in the 80s in the daytime, even though the nights have been cold.

We went to Balboa park this weekend to enjoy the good weather. 
Now, I'm back to work.  I have been working on this blanket a little bit at a time.  
Here is my progress so far.

Yes it is not an illusion, I am making the brown bars thicker each time.  I just needed to do something different, original.  Something that stands out.

my progress on the blanket

My progress is slow, I have had so many calls at work in which I need to take notes, so I can't work on it.

Last night I worked on it dor about an hour while watching Ghost Whisperer with Dwight.

Starting personal blanket

I started this blanket, my friend likes pink and brown, so I am doing my best in matching the right shades.
this pink as I am starting, reminds me of a strawberry milkshake.

I am crocheting with a larger than necessary hook so it's fluffy and soft. 

I was joking one day when I said I was crocheting to get it out of the way, so when I am a little old lady I can say I already did that. 

Today, I just had a call that made me a little sad, but made me see how much we have to be grateful for.

A nurse called this patient who wasn't home.  His wife answered, she sounded like such a  sweet lady.  She tried answering the nurse's questions about her husband's health as best she could, but she kept saying her husband doesn't talk, so she has no way to know how exactly he feels.

At the end of the call she said:

"Yes, I have another question or concern...

I have been in this marriage with my husband for 50 years.

He doesn't allow anyone  to get close to him,  he doesn't talk, at all. 

He is just there all day. We are all alone here, and it's like I am

living with a piece of furniture.".

She didn't say it as if he was a nuisance, you could hear the softness and love in her voice.   "Sometimes I pray, 'God help me!'  I get so desperate.  I would like him to get psychological counseling, seems to have a lot of trauma, I want to get him some help.".

I feel it for this lady, she obviously loves him so much she wants to help him. 

Makes me appreciate what we have.  We take our health and our loved ones for granted. 

50 Years of marriage takes dedication and a lot of love.  Love is so amazing, isn't it?

fingerless gloves

I am following a tutorial from The Art of Crochet by Teresa.
It is not easy for me, I have a very short attention span.  but I am trying this since last night.
I went to bed at 1 am after starting this over about 3 or 4 times.  I didn't like the way it was coming out. 


By the way, when starting a new project, when you are learning, don't pick fancy yarns you can't see where they went!  LOL  I was using a red one with a second purple wrapped around it.  It kept splitting on me, and I couldn't see the stitches clearly.  I had to find something I can actually see.


Looking better now.  This is the cuff so far.

Finally done!!  wow it's amazing that I actually did it.  Well this took me a long time, now I have to make the other hand,  he he.  Hope it goes smoother.

Here it is: 

Click here to go to the video lesson