Baby Gift

I like that the colors new mother's are picking out for their newborns are not just the traditional pastel ones. I was asked to make a baby gift for a friend to give at a shower she was attending this past weekend. She gave me the invitation so that I could get the colors from it.

The parents have chosen not to find out the sex of their child before it is born. Something that I don't come across often these days. They chose brown, a sun yellow (not pastel so much) and a green that could be called olive or sage.

My friend liked the idea of washcloths and bibs for the baby. The washcloths had to be made in cotton and I used the same for the bibs. The color of the photo once again isn't the best but I do liked how they turned out.

Summer Sweater

I found this pattern that I loved. I didn't have the brand of yarn it called for but I chose to substitute another of the same size/weight. The yarn it called for was a satin and the one I used wasn't so I knew it would drap a bit differently. I'm going through an experimenting phase with yarn I believe.

I don't normally do pastels for myself but this is a lovely shade of peach (the picture doesn't do it justice) and I used a dark brown for the contrasting color and that is in a thread.

Teal Shrug

I got this cute sundress while visiting our son in Panama City. With the addition of a sweater or something I felt it would be appropriate for work as well. I set out in search of what I that something to accessorize it with would be. I didn't want anything too big or too heavy or too hot.

I found the pattern for this shrug and I made it in teal. The dress is mostly purple with some white and gold and teal (that being the least prevalent in the dress). I wanted a color that would pop with the vivid dress color and I chose the teal.

Here's a picture of the shrug on a hanger. It just now occurred to me that it would be nice to see it with the dress as well. I'll try to get that pic soon and add it.

Supplies

I believe that I've found the yarn I want to use for Mary's afghan. Online of course. I have very limited access to yarn in the town I live in. Walmart is it. Now, they do sell two of my favorite yarns in limited colors.

Traveling an hour to the nearest city gets me a Joann's and a Michaels. While I am thankful for them, they do not stock as much yarn as sister stores in other cities. And there are so many more yarns online than can be found any where I've purchased yarn. I think I'm going to have to order what I want for this afghan. I have a small issue with that. I like to touch a yarn I haven't used before. I like to see it and feel it. I have don't mind at all ordering a yarn I can't get locally that I have used before.

I believe that I've decided on a satin acrylic for this afghan. It will be a good texture, should show stitches well, and will be easily maintained.

Of course, I suppose one could also consider me lucky not to have a good variety near me to choose from. Otherwise, I may would bankrupt us purchasing what I found that appealed to my sight and touch.

It's a catch 22 isn't it?

Netbook Sleeves

I have a friend that recently purchased what she calls her "mini laptop". I offered to crochet her a sleeve for it. She's very supportive of my crochet endeavors and, for me, it's a reward to crochet for someone who truly likes what you are doing.

She gave me the measurements for this. It's the first time I've designed something with strictly measurements. She likes earth colors and I believe I incorporated the ones she specifically mentioned.

I got graph paper out and really went to a lot of thought on the one with the squares but it didn't turn out quite like I had thought it would. And I was careful with the seams but maybe because of the thickness of the yarn ( I wanted it to protect the netbook) the just don't look as neat as others I have done.

Since I wasn't completely happy with that one, I set out to make a different design. This one I just started crocheting and measured as I went and decided what I wanted as I went. I actually like this one the best.

The open along different sides. Now, we'll wait to see which one she likes the best.

Mom's Birthday/Mother's Day Gift

Mom has been wanting/asking for a summer shawl of some type and for it to be white.

Here's what I made her.I used this pattern but used a light weight yarn instead and still used the N hook. Which left me unsure of how I liked the stitches to begin with. It grew on me as I made this. (I ripped it out three times.) It has a lacy feel and look to it. It is so lightweight to hold....airy. BTW, I did add repeats to make it wider since I used a smaller yarn and I wanted to make sure it was wide enough.

Hopefully, I'll be able to update this post with a picture of her modeling it. I'm going to ask my sister that is taking it to her to get one for me.

I'm partial to shawls and wraps and while working on Mom's I realized that none of the ones I have are really suitable for summer. So, I did decide in the end that I would try this pattern in a different yarn for myself. I go this on a great sale. I liked the colors and bought it with nothing in mind to use it for. It's a lightweight Bernat Satin. I love the feel of this yarn and it has been a pleasure to work with...it just glides over my hook. I'll definitely be getting some more of this. Here's the work in progress with Mom's to hopefully show the difference in how the same pattern can look with a different yarn.

I've Been Busy Lately

I've been a bit busy in the crochet arena lately. Since I'm still deciding what yarn to make my sister's afghan, and the money to purchase it, I've used some things I had on hand.

I came across a couple of yarns on sale without a complete idea of what I would use them for. They were yarns I've never used and I have been wanting to try new ones lately.

The first was a couple of skeins of Paton's Lace. I made this hat and scarf from that. The pattern is a diagonal stitch that I've never done before. I do like how it turned out.

Younger Son's Afghan

I stayed up to 3:00AM for most of last week working on this in order to have it finished by the time we left to see him Friday morning. It was  a chore. I misread the gauge and therefore adjusted my hook size to what I thought the gauge said. After making the number of squares the pattern called for I realized it wasn't going to be the overall size stated in the pattern. Nope, I didn't start over. I just adapted and made more squares. It took less time I and I also thought that I liked the look the smaller squares had.

Another change I made to the pattern was using hexagons instead of circles. It was the mood I was in when I started the afghan maybe. Or that I normally don't crochet in the round with that effect because hats and such I want to be circles. I felt this gave me a chance to try something different. Caleb likes the look. In fact, he was more than pleased with the finished product.

I remembered that Mamaw would often embroider her name and the date on her quilts that she gave us. So, I also included a "crochet by" tag on the afghan. I'll add one the David's and each one I make for my family.

I don't have very good lighting to take pictures of this inside my house but since it's generally dark outside when I complete something, and I have to immediately take the picture so I won't forget, I post what I have.

Oldest Son's Afghan

My Mamaw was a quilter. She made each of is girls quilts. I always loved them but I feel I may have took them for granted even while treasuring them. After she passed away I realized that I was afraid to use them. I wouldn't get another from her and I wanted to preserve what I had. I got over that and my boys certainly didn't feel the same. I would find them using them all the time for whatever they wanted to.

Thinking of how much they meant to me and that I would like my children to have a small idea of how it felt to receive them, I briefly considered taking up quilting. It didn't take me long to realize that I didn't have the time to take up something new. And I followed that up with realizing I would find the time if I really had the inclination to learn.

That was not long before I told myself that I have a skill. I crochet. And that is a treasurable thing as well. So, I told each child, sister and mother that they should pick out a pattern they liked for an afghan and I'd make it for them. I had a reason for letting them pick the pattern.

It wasn't often Mamaw asked you to pick which pattern you wanted. That didn't matter to me. Part of the whole allure of those quilts we girls received was the material in them. You can look at one quilt and see so many memories. Each of had clothes made out of something in them. I could give that with my afghans so I wanted to make it a least somewhat speciall by letting them choose which they wanted.

I told them whoever picked theirs out first got it first. I lied. It wasn't intentional. But my oldest and his wife are living with us for a while. I thought it might add to the specialness for him to see me working on it and to see the progress. I feel the sister that got back with me first will understand.

I also feel she'll understand that I am now working on my other son's because I hope to have it finished when we go visit him next weekend and I'd like to take it to him. Mary you WILL be the next one.

So, here's the one for the oldest. The colors are off and I don't feel it looks as well as it does in person but I'm recording it for my family to see so it's the best I have now.

Reminder from my sister

I got this picture from my sister. I forgot I made this camisole for her.