Boxing Day CAL 2014

[babypoohsmom]

Been sick for a few days so my hat a day plan got blown. Oh well, I'll get back into the swing again.

I guess I better try the solid blue and solid yellow together to see how that works out!

[babypoohsmom]

Hello again, I have no idea what I am going to do with this neck warmer thing, so I decided to post it here anyway. Maybe it will be a gift, maybe it will go with the hats, I'm not sure. This was from a Bob Wilson 123 you tube tutorial. Basically back loop hdc. I only skipped one stitch for my button holes. Maybe a bit bigger button would have been better, but it has not been washed yet so it might firm up. It was very quick and easy to make up.

[darski]

I love those neck warmers.  the style is so sweet... however, I wonder if they supply enough warmth for the homeless or the needy?    any thoughts on that?

 

  It might be because I depend on my scarves to be very warm on my walks to the grocery store but I can't speak to others needs or wants.

[ddc]

I got the round ripple to 36", then put the rest of the green/white bulky on the rectangular one. It looked like I might squeeze and adult lapghan out of it, but I ran out of yarn at 46" that looks pretty skimpy. I think tonight after work I'l frog it back to 36" for a square baby blanket and add another row or two to the round ripple. It won't take long, and I didn't weave in any tails yet, so the adjustments won't be hard. Then I'll just abandon the rest of the yarn. It won't be much and I really won't have anything to do with it. That will finish up all the bulky yarn. I hope that by the time I leave for work tomorrow I can complete cross bulky weight off my list.

[babypoohsmom]

Darski, I wondered about the usefulness of a neck warmer for homeless too. I live in the metro Phoenix area and it does get cold here. Of course not snowy and sub zero like a lot of places, but to us thin bloods, it can get cold. I think it might be good for someone to wear with a coat. I like it because there are no dangly bits to tuck in. So I guess I will just ask when I donate. Probably not great for the veteran's shelter as it is more of a girl item. I'd like to hear what others think. I do not have a woman's shelter in mind, but I work at the police dept and we have a advocacy center that keeps a stock of clothing for victims of abuse and sexual assault because many times clothes are taken as evidence. Maybe the best place for it is right under my nose!!

Donna, you sure are getting through some projects this month! I bought some mill ends of a bulky yarn so I can't wait to see your afghans for inspiration. I really need to stop buying yarn unless I already have a project in mind. Or just stop buying yarn.....nah.

[Bailey4]

I would think layers work in the cold.  Scarfs can leave open skin.  This looks like it would provide fairly decent coverage for all the skin.  Layer a scarf on top of that and you have better coverage.  It fits neatly under a coat, so it wouldn't prevent someone from buttoning/zippering up in order to get maximum warmth.  Likely more for a woman than a man, but both need help.

[ddc]

I agree - they could be useful. You could always ask wherever you are thinking of donating them. 

 

I downsized the lapghan to a baby blanket, but decided not to add more to the round ripple. It was large enough and I was tired of the project. I wove in all the tails before bed last night, so that's done.

 

For baby blankets, I'm working on using up baby colors in some various brands, the ILTY, and maybe RH. I'm definitely going to use the RHSS baby print. I have one about half done in that now. The One Pound will probably all go into adult lapghans. 

 

I've started a destashing motivation board, a silly game to play with myself. I have the names of yarn I want to use up on small cards on a bulletin board. When a color is finished, I flip the card over and it gets a big brightly colored star sticker. So far, just four, but more are on the way! I hung it on the wall by my chair so all those names keep staring at me, saying "Use me up, use me up!" I hope it works, because I will soon tire of the One Pound. The more I use that yarn, the more I dislike it, though I know it's a favorite of a lot of CVers. To me, it feels more like crocheting with cord than yarn. I'll be glad when it's gone and really, really wish I didn't have so much of it to plow through. 

 

I'm using this pattern for the first one, and think I'm going to like it enough to use it for others. It's dense enough that I'm using a K hook and it's working ok. That makes it go faster, for sure. It would be finer and maybe look better with a J, but it would also be very thick and heavy. I pulled out the boring browns to be first in the line of fire. For this one I'm using espresso, nutmeg, lace, and off white. It will look nice, I think, but brown just isn't a favorite color. I'm doing this on the principle of eating the icky brussels sprouts first ti get it over with.    Finish the brown, then even if I don't like the yarn, I'll be playing with more interesting colors.

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/greenway

 

I'll post pics when I get a few more done.

[ddc]

I've been in one of those frustrating spells where nothing works. it seems all I have done since my last post and frog and frog and frog. Started and stopped patterns. Changed my mind over and over. I joined the Oct square CAL and then unjoined today on the first day since I can't settle with anything there either.

 

However, last night I think I finally hit my stride again. I frogged a baby blanket about 2/3 done and started it over as a round ripple. From now on, only round ripples for baby blankets. Then I frogged the last attempt at an interesting new pattern for the One Pound. I liked it, but not for that. It was coming out very heavy. So I went back to the tried and true Very Easy Ripple pattern, from Lion Brand (I think), and used a K, larger than I generally would, and it's coming out great. The bigger hook is leaving it looser and it's draping better, and doesn't feel like it's crocheted out of clothes line. 

 

So I hope to be rolling them out again. I've decided that while I'm just churning them out in this necessary destashing drilll, I need to just stay with quick and easy. They all go to different people, so who cares if they are all alike? And that's my boring philosophy for the day. I have a new ripple book waiting to be picked up from the apartment office tomorrow though, and I'll probably try something new and fun for my own afghan.

[Gardener]

Donna, isn't it frustrating when the yarn and project are not working together at all? When I frog after I already have a lot of work into a project, I always get that sinking feeling: What if this really does work and it's just me? What if this is a mistake?" Often I just stuff the project in a bag at the back kf a closet. Out of sight, out of mind..,.

 

I'm glad you found something that will work for you.

[ddc]

Thanks, Gardener. I'm on a roll now. If I really focused on the crocheting, the same patterns over and over, and brainless ones at that, would probably get very boring, but I'm listening to audiobooks and crocheting to keep my hands busy (and out of potato chips), so brainless is helpful. If I have to stop and work out something, I have to turn off the book.

 

I really love the new ripple book I got. Do any of you have it? It's this one:

http://www.amazon.com/100-Colorful-Ripple-Stitches-Crochet/dp/1250049490/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412374207&sr=8-1&keywords=ripple+patterns

Actually, it's 50 patterns, but each is done in two colors. That's cheating a little I think, but the color choices are very appealing. The patterns seem to be straightforward, but with some nice variety. I'm going to make swatches of a couple of them tonight to see if I like them for my own afghan I'm anxious to get started.

 

My big happy dance - I checked Amazon for more yarn for mine, expecting nothing because yarn is expensive there, but you never know with Amazon, so I looked. I found RHSS jumbo skeins of black, only 4 left, for 3.19. I did not seriously believe that description could be correct, but I gambled and ordered them; shipping was free so it was worth a shot. They arrived and are indeed the 14 oz skeins. When I opened the box I decided I must have been born lucky! I use a lot of black, and that was a terrific deal.

[babypoohsmom]

Well Donna, glad to hear you are back in the game! I like the idea of your achievement cards. We all need something to remind ourselves that we are doing a good job. Or at least trying to do a good job.

I was packing up to go to the shelter yesterday when I realized that I had not taken pictures of the stuff I was taking so I quickly dumped it on the table for a picture.

I was spending a lot of time with the FeLV cats yesterday because nobody had been with them during the day and they are all sweet and love attention. I could hear that there were several families in the shelter and adoptions were happening. Well it turns out that one of the adoptions was my former foster that my old shelter was going to euthanize. I got to meet the family just before they left with Stan Lee. I am hoping that this is his last stop and that this family is his forever home.

[pineknott]

well, have made some progress finally,finished off two more bird nest for the wildlife response team,going to do a box-load and then head out to Va.Beach spca,they work out of there sometimes and its a good drop off point instead of mailing them off

[ddc]

The bird nest project sounds interesting. Do you have pictures? Have you posted them on here earlier and I missed them. Since I used to keep finches, I'm always interested in nests.

 

I'm about half done with the brown lapghan, not quite that far with the baby round ripple, but I'm hoping it won't take long to finish both. I'm using a K on the lapghan, so it goes like the wind.

[pineknott]

The bird nest project sounds interesting. Do you have pictures? Have you posted them on here earlier and I missed them. Since I used to keep finches, I'm always interested in nests.

 

I'm about half done with the brown lapghan, not quite that far with the baby round ripple, but I'm hoping it won't take long to finish both. I'm using a K on the lapghan, so it goes like the wind.

its not a great picture but its on post #287,way back in April of this year

if you go to Bev's country cottage and search bird nests,there might be a few pictures there

[ddc]

What a great idea. I might see if there are any local rehabilitation organizations that could use some. 

 

I made my birds build their own!

[ddc]

While I was off, I finished the brown lapghan, except for weaving in the tails. I've sort of fallen into the pattern of doing that on Saturday and Sunday mornings, so I think I'll finish it off then, and get the next one started tonight or tomorrow.

 

I'll post pics when I get another one or two finished. They're rolling out pretty fast right now.

[babypoohsmom]

Congrats Donna on getting another one done.

I have been under the weather lately. For the past two weeks I have been getting home from work and going pretty much right to bed.

It's miserable because I just want to do something, anything in my little craft room but just have no energy.

 

Then yesterday I got a call from the shelter and picked up a mama and 5 baby kittens. Cute as buttons, but I have to get up an hour early to look after them in the morning. Ugh.

 

I want to get back to the hat a day plan!!

[ddc]

Denise - that won't do at all. Get better soon! 

 

I started another baby blanket, but I love the color so much, I'm probably going be a selfish pig, make it bigger, and keep it for myself. The center - it's a round ripple - is ILTY buttercup and banana. The body of it is a Herrschner's yarn that was discontinued probably a couple of years ago, called tropical delight. It's a variegated with blue, green, purple, yellow. For a change, I think this variegated is looking better worked up than in the skein. The colors are clear bright colors, but not neon and definitely not pastel.  It's looking cool and springlike, at least to me. Ok, maybe think Easter colors. Anyway, I am very happy with it and I'm very glad I bought the yarn when I found it on closeout. 

 

For the next lapghan that I started last night, it's going to be, well, dark. For those of you know know the One Pound colors, it's dark violet, country rose, that looks more red than rose to me, and the really dark bluish green. Forest green? I was going to use the lighter sage green, but decided to keep it all in the dark colors. None of these are my kind of colors at all, and the combination isn't either, but probably someone will like it. I hope it won't be too dreadful when it's done. I'll be glad to start using up that green. It's a granny stripe.

[babypoohsmom]

Wow Donna you are on a roll. You have been working on those Pounders for so long that I wonder how many you had to start!! You don't have to confess. I surely don't know how many skeins of yarn I have and probably would be to embarrassed to say if I ever found a way to count them all up.

I did get a hat done tonight on the machine. Now I am itching to do something by hand. Maybe a Santa hat. I have a bit of that fuzzy white yarn that I could use on the brim of a red hat. Hmm, is it too early to be thinking about Christmas?

[ddc]

Actually, Denise, I took a very long crochet break, from somewhere around the holidays until a couple of months ago, all cross stitching. But I had an embarrassing amount. And let's not even talk about the ILTY. I have a lot of that, but it was all bought on sale and closeout. Some is in colors or quantities that will be easy to use, but I see some challenges in my future there too.

 

I abandoned the granny stitch pattern, and starting doing it in simple stripes, combinations of dc and dc-ch1. Before I got that settled, I did a lot of frogging. I'm settled on a pattern now, but I'm going to frog it back farther tonight and change the stripe width that will make the color sequence work better with the length I need. I added a row of cream between the dark colors and it is vastly improved. Even I like it now. 

 

It feels like real plodding right now, but once I get it worked out, it will be a very easy, fast, adaptable pattern for these use-it-up projects. I just need to fiddle with the stripe width a bit more.

 

I brought new yarn to start a baby blanket to work on at the library. The round ripple I pre-empted for myself is back at home and I can do some on it off and on. There's no hurry for it.  I brought some Caron Paint tapestry and ILTY linen and summer sky. I hope they will work together. The ILTY looks a little thick to go with the Caron, but the Pound of Love looked too fine. I really hate mixing brands, but I don't have enough of the tapestry to use by itself and have no intention of buying anything to use with it.

[ddc]

It's me again! Donna the Undecided. The round ripple I decided to keep for myself, I undecided to keep for myself. I love the yarn, but don't really need it. I still want to make one for the bed, but for my lap, I disloyally prefer lap quilts to lapghans. So I finished it off as a baby afghan for donation. I have enough of the main color to do another, so that's going to be my next project, I think.

 

I should be able to finish the current lapghan by my days off, so I'll try to get some pics while I'm off next week of all the projects I haven't posted yet.

[babypoohsmom]

Donna the Undecided. That is just funny!!

Well, it wasn't bad enough that I was sick but my foster kittens got sick. I caught it early but they were spiking fevers around 105.5! Terrifying. But they are doing really well now.

 

I started this hat with my J hook as always. It was coming out really large. I tried to take it in a bit on the brim with some dc/tog stitches but it is still huge. I can't really pull it out because of the fun fur. It doesn't frog well. So it needs to go to someone with a large head or lots of hair!!

[pineknott]

Donna the Undecided. That is just funny!!

Well, it wasn't bad enough that I was sick but my foster kittens got sick. I caught it early but they were spiking fevers around 105.5! Terrifying. But they are doing really well now.

 

I started this hat with my J hook as always. It was coming out really large. I tried to take it in a bit on the brim with some dc/tog stitches but it is still huge. I can't really pull it out because of the fun fur. It doesn't frog well. So it need to go to someone with a large head or lots of hair!!

image.jpg

LOL,when my hats tend to the large size,thats exactly what I think,someone with very thick bushy hair

[babypoohsmom]

One of my best friends has a large head and thick hair. She's not a frilly pink type of person or I would keep it as a Christmas present.

She "stole" a few of my Addi hats last year. Those fit her well because they stretch a lot. I am sure there is someone out there who will match up with it!

Tonight I was watching a documentary about the airplane that landed on the Hudson. I sat for nearly 40 minutes before I realized that I didn't have a crochet hook in my hand. I managed to make a few cat toys before the show was over.

[ddc]

Denise, I slacked of too.   I had been crocheting, but moved to the computer to put  new books on the MP3 player. It's my old computer - the new one is in a co-workers office, waiting to be healed - and I ended up listing and playing freecell for about an hour and a half before work. The new computer has Windows 8 with no freecell and I really miss it. 

 

I'm poking along on the striped lapghan, but making good progress on the baby blanket here at the library.