Procrastination

I am guilty of procrastination. It’s true. I find a pattern, go buy the yarn (because I never have the RIGHT yarn in my stash), start working on it, put it down, and then think about working on it, but I tend to leave it sitting there. I’m a horrible crocheter! One thing I try to make myself do every once in a while (maybe one a year if I’m lucky) is go through and finish up projects of whims past. Pick up that scarf I started last winter and knock it out. Finally finish that arm warmer’s partner. Frog the hat that I don’t like the color of anymore. It’s that time of year, Spring cleaning time. It’s time for me to visit the island of unfinished projects. Do you have any floating around that you can’t seem to get finished?

 

Yes, this is knitted, and double pointed at that, but I started it in August but haven’t finished it, so it definitely counts.

Camping outside

 

 

Spring has finally sprung and this girl is ready for some out-door activity. I have been cooped up in the four walls (well maybe more than four) all winter long, and it was a long one let me tell ya! This winter didn’t seem like it would ever end, we had a record number of snow days this year.

No more shall we suffer through another cold icy night with nothing to warm us but the fire. Ok, so that only happened one time, but still…it makes you appreciate the fact that you crochet warm fuzzy things. Am I right?

My husband and I have talked about taking my son camping before, but the idea of a small toddler toddling around an open flame just didn’t sit well with us. We put it off. I think the best starter would be a hiking day, and then after a few of those we can think about camping. THE GREAT OUTDOORS, HERE WE COME!!

And yes, I will be taking my hook and yarn…no electricity needed for that!

Pattern Round Up: Scarves

With the Spring season quickly descending up on us and Winter trying to make a break for it for the year, it is almost time to put away those cold weather clothes. Get those heavy coats, mittens, sweaters, hats, and so on that will go without use for the next several months and stuff them in a box to go in the top of the closet. Here in my part of the country, however, winter has a hard time making up its mind about whether it is gone or merely playing possum. So, since we are still having some nippy weather for the time being, let us take a look at a few scarf patterns that will do well in the chilly, yet not icy, weather.

One Skein Quick Crochet Scarves: from YARNGEAR. This is not a very thick scarf so it is good for the transition between seasons. Also, It would be quick to work up so it can be used for the last few chilly weeks.

This Long Crocheted Scarf: from Drops Design. This scarf is absolutely beautiful and I would love to make one, it’s just one of those projects I never seem to find time for. It would be perfect for a cool spring night around a camp fire. mmmmmm camping….

Shore Thing Scarf: from Red Heart Yarn. Again, this is a nice, thin scarf. Very light weight. Not so thick it will be too bulky, yet enough to wrap around a time or two to block the wind from your neck.

Taffy Pull Scarf: by Red Heart Yarn. This was one of my first scarfs to make. It has an interesting appearance and looks more complicated that it is. It works up quick and can be made very colorful for spring. I’ve included a picture of my version of the Taffy Pull Scarf below.

 

Granny Squares

There are lots of books out there with wide arrays of crochet patterns and tips and tricks that, to be honest, can be found free of charge most the time. I find myself to be hard pressed to find a good crochet book that is really useful to me. One such book that I have managed to find is The Granny Square Book by Margaret Hubert. This book is full of nothing but beautifully delicious granny squares.
The granny square has been around for as long as our grannies have been, pun intended. In the 70’s they were plentiful in the form of shorts, vests, and all other forms of clothing. The beauty of the granny square is that, while you can make them as large as you like, you can also make them smaller, more traditional in size. Because of this traditionally small size, it makes the perfect scrap stash buster! All of those little balls of yarn floating around all lonely and feeling unneeded in the bottom of your stash or project bag can see the light of day again, or at least the light of the reading lamp by your bed.
Granny squares can be sewn together to make just about anything from pillows to blankets to bathing suits to wash cloths to purses and so on. The Granny Square Book provides its readers with so many granny squares to choose from in bright attractive colors that the possibilities are endless.

My stash

Every yarn artist (that’s what I like to call myself) has a dirty little, not so secret,  problem. Yarn addiction. It’s a real thing people. The picture up top is of my yarn stash. I can’t seem to control myself. Granted I so not put myself in debt over it, and I haven’t taken a second mortgage on the house, but every time I think of a new project I want to start I just don’t seem to have the right yarn for it. Even with the huge stash of random yarn bits, I never have the right one. I need the right color, oh and I never seem to have any bully yarn when I need it, and I can’t very we’ll make a baby hat with wool now can I? See what I mean? Any excuse to go out and buy yarn is good enough for me. My loving husband even picks up a skein every once in a while just to be sweet, kinda like flowers.

The stash you see is stored in a wooden quilt box my Daddy made sometime around the time I was born, and it is in my living room, and full of that sweet, sweet yarn.
So, my fellow crocheters and knitters out there, you are not alone. There are kindred spirits out there and you have found one in me. LONG LIVE THE YARN STASH! And may it never run low!

 

Brainstorming with T-shirt yarn!

In my last post I talked about how to make t-shirt yarn. Make as much as you want and tie the ends together to make a big long strand.Also keep in mind that you can use any kind of scrap fabric including sheets and left over fabric from other projects. Get your moneys worth out of that old stuff you bought and wore out! There are lots of patterns that are great for t-shirt yarn. It tends to be more sturdy and most shirts are made mostly of cotton so what you make is going to be good with water. Lets take a look at just a few ideas as to what can be made with this awesome up-cycled and earth friendly yarn!

Dishrags: since the t-shirt yarn is durable and cotton is not ruined with water it would be great for this.

Rugs: this is a very common use for t-shirt yarn. There are many different styles and techniques that can be used to make rugs. I think these types of rugs are called “rag rugs” and they have a rich history and have been in homes for a couple hundred years. Oldie but a goodie.

Bowl: again, since t-shirt yarn is sturdy it helps the bowl hold its shape better.

Jewelry: yes, bracelets and necklaces can be very cute made form t-shirt yarn

Bags: this yarn makes great bags, especially for toting home groceries or to the pool or beach.

Scarf: there are many different ways to make scarves from t-shirt yarn.

 

This is a very short list of the many things that can be made from this versatile yarn. So clean out your closets, your linen cabinets, and your drawers to make some yarn!! This especially great for someone that doesn’t have the money to buy lots of yarn.

 

Making it my own

The scarf I am making is just a little different than the scarf I saw in the store that I liked. That’s the beauty of making your Owen accessories and such, you can make them just the way you like. I decided to go with all knit stitch instead of purl and knit because I love the look of the knit stitch. Also I went with a more neutral color because I am forever making things in bright pretty colors to find that I can’t wear the finished product because it doesn’t go with anything in wardrobe. Below is a picture of the scarf I saw in the store. It is pink and has a weirdly large lacy motif on one end and I really don’t like that. I’m not quite finished with my scarf; they always take me a while to finish because they are so long and I can only work on my crochet it my spare time. I am ready to be finished with it though because we are experiencing record breaking cold and it would be nice and warm.

Beautiful Yarn

Today I went out shopping for yarn. I admit that my stash is pretty substantial and though I regularly raid it I never seem to run low. Maybe that’s because I keep buying yarn. I may have a problem.

Any-who, I went to my local yarn specialty store because the yarn I was looking for is not in department craft stores, at least not that I have found. You see I went shopping the other day with my best friend and found a really cute scarf and I decided I can totally make that! Thus a search for the perfect yarn began. I needed to find a thick and thin yarn in order to make this scarf look the same. I ended up with Jewel Hand Dyed yarn by Cascade Yarns in a beautiful multicolored brown. It’s 100% Peruvian Highland wool. I am excited to work with it and I need to find something to soften the wool up a little so it can be nice and comfy. I plan to use this with my brand new afghan hook!