Boxing Day CAL 2015 (charity items!)

[yarnscrapper]

afghan, hats, and scarves are all beautiful!!!

[HollyzHobbyz]

By the way Holly, I had to increase my screen view to read your avatar!

Thanks Linda. Besides the ankle erector set, I have nerve damage in my shins from getting a sunburn while on antibiotics (I probably told this story before) and I never know when the pain is going to fire up. Most of the time a pain pill does the trick but woo, last night was crazy.

Anyway, I was interrupted by dinner prep. I also made a bunch of scarves on the small Addi. Mr Needle 11 has decided to play nice for now so I took advantage!

image.jpg

 

LOL...I was wondering when someone was going to comment on my new avatar! 

[babypoohsmom]

Hello,

Well what a day. I took the kittens to a friend's house so the potential adopter could come to visit them. They played around for a while, but then got spooked and went under the couch. When she got there I had to lift the couch. The lady picked up Picasso who proceeded to pee all over the lady's leg! I thought that was the end of it, but she laughed it off and adopted the sweeties. I hope they calm down in their new home quickly.

So I never could make a hat from that furry, strange yarn. But I did manage a scarf.

I was hoping I could wash it so I checked the bag. Wow, really? 100% unknown? Ha ha.

[pineknott]

oh man,thats a real hoot 100% unknown fiber

it made a nice scarf

[babypoohsmom]

Just an update. It washed and dried just fine. So much softer now too. So 100% unknown turned out to be 100% machine wash and dry safe. Yay. Now if I could just get the nack of using it in the round for a hat...maybe I will try one more time.

[babypoohsmom]

Hi again, here is a headband I made. The band is made on the small Addi and the flower is crocheted.

Also an idea pretty much copied from Margaret on you tube.

 

[ddc]

Hi everyone! I think I'm back!

 

I've been cross stitching furiously since I dropped out, but my thumb joints are starting to ache constantly from the repetitive motion, so I think it's time to put it away for a while and crochet again. That's also repetitive, but different. 

 

I'm thinking I'll start in on the I Love This Yarn stash. That's almost all random sale and closeout yarn, so the colors may be a little challenging. I don't like mixing it with Red Heart, but I have with some of the colors are softer now than they used to be. I may have to do that again, or break down and buy more ILTY to go with it. I'm trying to avoid that, because the point of this exercise is to use down stash. I have several variegated yarns that I would like to use up first. I may do some granny stripe lapghans with them. That's not my favorite pattern, but the stitch groups show up variegated pretty well without making it just a muddle. If I don't have good ILTY choices to go with them though, I'll probably start with some solid colors. About half of my RH is in a pretty inaccessible place right now.

 

Otherwise, life has been full of excitements. I managed to total my car about a months ago on rain soaked streets (no one was hurt, either car), so I've had to buy a new car. It was my fault and I felt bad for the other driver, but I had a lot of company. On just that street that day, a major one, there were over 40 stalled cars and 21 wrecks. Both the police and my insurance said not to worry about it - it was the weather. I'm really not in the habit of going around plowing into other cars. I just couldn't stop fast enough in those conditions. It was definitely bad timing though since I will soon be buying a new house. It looks like the move probably will happen mid-summer, barring unexpected hurdles. 

 

I NEED some nice mindless granny stripes and getting excited about crocheting again for a while. 

[babypoohsmom]

Welcome back Donna!

I am really sorry to hear that you had a scary experience. So glad that nobody was hurt. A car is just a car. I love my car, but if it had to get squished to save me from getting hurt, I would let it take the bullet, you know?

I got my first skein of ILTY for my birthday last week from a co-worker. I mostly run errands on Sunday so that means I pretty much never get to hobby lobby. Good luck with your plan to start working on your stash. It's a bummer that your thumb hurts but hey, we are happy to have you here!!

Now get busy!!

[ddc]

I got as far as picking the yarn. I'll start with one called Summer Happens, apparently a discontinued color. It's greens with some magenta. I'll use the light green pistache with it. I Love This Yarn has a nice texture and I like working with it, but the variegated ones nearly all look rather strange to me. They seem to always have one weird shade in them - lol. The ones I have in my stash now are all colors I got on clearance. I have the green, an odd yellow one, and three different types of, more or less, sea colors.That's enough for probably 4 or 5 lapghans, mixing them with a solid color.

[babypoohsmom]

Hi everyone. I have been busy with work, but did get a hat and matching scarf done on the Addi's with some new mill ends from Joann's. (Darn coupons - I just can't pass up a good deal). I will post some pictures tomorrow.

Donna I hope you are making progress.

Darski and Linda, when will we get to see some little dolls and bird nests. Are you still on those projects??

[ddc]

I have half the squares done. I'm just doing boring old 12" standard grannies. The next one coming up is the weird yellowish one. It has some sort of almost fuschia with it - small bits - but I think I can get by with using red as the contrast color. I had to buy some black for the current one, and picked up another skein of red at the same time, so I hope that's true. With luck, that's all I'll have to buy to use up most of the I Love This Yarn. If it won't do, I guess I'll have to see if there is anything remotely close to the fuschia.

 

When I finish the ILTY, I'll be down to the three yarns left that I really like working with - RH, because of the great color choices, Pound of Love, just because it's nice yarn and it has pleasant if unexciting colors, and the wonderful DK weight I got from England. I like ILTY, but not enough to make it a standard. I was going to do this as a short break from cross stitch, but my move has been off until November, so I may carry on crocheting. That's enough time to whittle down the stash a little more. The less packing, the better when the time comes.

[babypoohsmom]

Donna, I love your optimism. I have yet to learn a way to join squares that makes me happy and looks nice. But that doesn't stop me from making them. Looking forward to seeing your project.

 

I don't have a picture of the hat and matching scarf yet. It is actually a lovely overcast day today. Probably the last tolerable weekend before it gets stinkin hot here.

I was up late again last night (pain) so I made this hat with some scraps. The solid green doesn't match the variegated camo now that I see it in daylight, but it will be a nice charity hat I think.

[pineknott]

gee,looks like a fantastic hat to me

right now helping another ville member with her rainbow brites squares,but will be getting back to the nest soon

[ddc]

It looks ok in the picture, Denise.

 

I hear you on the pain. It's been a grim week here, and not for just me. Someone else at work said her arthritis had been dreadful too. I called in last Wednesday and should have on Thursday, but I don't want to push it too much. No one in the library cares as long as I have the shifts covered, but I don't want HR to start getting antsy about it, though I'm sure my doctor would back me up. The reason I haven't been working with much enthusiasm on this project is that my hands have just been so achy all week. I hope your pain eases off. Mine will, at least some, if the weather ever settles down.  We have had so much rain! The tally isn't in for April, but Jan - March, we are 6.5" above average, not counting an astounding 4.5" of snow. The reason my move is delayed is because it's just too wet to do the site work that still has to be done. It's months behind schedule. My friend who is doing it said her contracter told her the ground is so saturated it won't be totally dry until mid-July. That's not helping with digging for foundations. On the bright side, there's probably plenty of water in the well - lol.

 

I have the same problem with squares and it's why I seldom choose patterns in motifs. Almost every one I do, I try the put it together as you go technique, thinking maybe I'll like it this time, and I never do and take it out. I got four together before I took them all apart this time. I just sew them together, and every time have to fiddle with it figuring out all over again which loops I use. If I had any sense I would draw a picture in my pattern notebook. Someday.... I'll do the yellowish one with squares too because I don't have as much of it and that's a flexible pattern. Then I'll heave a sigh of relief and go back to one piece lapghans.

 

I've spent some time browsing ravelry today, chucking a lot of patterns into my queue. Dreaming of life beyond squares.

[babypoohsmom]

Sorry to hear that construction is behind for you Donna. Funny that your part of the country has had too much rain and Arizona and California are ready to self combust if we don't get some water soon. Technology has put people on the moon and a rover on Mars but we can't pipeline water somehow across our own country. Odd is t it?

Linda, I don't know what rainbow bright squares are but they sound cheerful.

Here is my new hat/scarf set. Lest you think I am hoodwinking anyone, i put the old purple scarf in for comparison. They were both made from bags of mill end yarn from Joann's. They are both very soft and went easily through the Addi machines.

[darski]

I just did a few more of the buntings the other day. 

 

I should get another pic of them     - I finished another batch of eggs so I can get pics

[ddc]

I should be able to to finish up the first of the lapghans the next couple of days while I'm off. I have to do some boring training at work today - the same over and over, year after year. It's online and usually I just scan through the slides quickly and answer the simplistic questions, but this year for what I haven't already done I'm going to actually listen to it so I can crochet while it drones on. It's hard to believe they take it very seriously either. For the first time ever, in one of the questions on safe haven law, they asked for the phone extension of the ER charge nurse, the contact person. The phone number? Really? I'm supposed to remember that? There was choice of two. I picked one. What popped up was "Guess again." So I guessed the other - and got full credit for the question. Just how absurd is that? At any rate, I'll be able to finish the squares, and then I'll just have to sew them together and do a border.

 

Then I'll bring the squares for the next one to the library and start one for myself at home. I keep saying I'll do this, but never do. I can't stand it - I have to start playing with my DK weight yarn. I'm not usually into brown and dull, but I like the coast ripple on Attic 24. I've just ordered the colors I don't already have that she uses. I may have to substitute a green. It was out of stock and I may or may not have that one. I found a Paton's that I think will do instead. The Stylecraft is all 25% off at Deramore's through the end of the month, and I decided that was a good enough reason (hangs head - as though I don't already have loads of stash and a house and new car to pay for.)

 

This is the afghan: http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/2014/08/coast-ripple.html

[babypoohsmom]

Hey Darski, just a helpful hint, an average cake recipe takes at least two eggs. Just sayin.

Donna, follow Lucy and love here eye for color. She can single handedly sell out whatever yarn she is using. She's like the Kate Middleton of yarn.

My little cat has to go to the vet today. She's been sneezing and is just lethargic, so we're going to get her checked out.

[darski]

Hey Darski, just a helpful hint, an average cake recipe takes at least two eggs. Just sayin.

Donna, follow Lucy and love here eye for color. She can single handedly sell out whatever yarn she is using. She's like the Kate Middleton of yarn.

My little cat has to go to the vet today. She's been sneezing and is just lethargic, so we're going to get her checked out.

Cakes are one of the things I really, really miss.

 

Since I live alone and am diabetic I don't do them any more.

[ddc]

I found another pattern I want to try for this CAL. Some of the ILTY stash will be good baby blanket colors. It will be a way to try it out, and if I like it, I may buy the larger pattern to use for myself later. 

 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mini-rings-of-change

[babypoohsmom]

Oh Darski, that's too bad. Didn't mean to mention cake to a diabetic. Shucks. I guess you have to stick to over easy. I could walk away from fried food for the rest of my life and not have a single pang of regret. I like sweets too much. My mom and grandmother both had adult onset diabetes, so I really need to watch it.

Donna, that pattern looks challenging. I hope you go for it!

I have one more hat that I did on the machine last night. I need to hunt it down. I have already misplaced it. It was made to match one of the scarves I did a few weeks ago.

Sunshine probably just has a upper respiratory infection. We are getting fosters next weekend and I don't want her immune system compromised with snotty kittens in the house!!

[Gardener]

I am ashamed to confess that I haven't finished Much yet this year. I just haven't been able to motivate myself to do anything much except start new projects. Maybe they will be done by November when it's time to donate. Hope so.

 

Once again I am impressed by the beautiful finished projects, maybe even inspired to finish something.

 

Donna, I also follow the Attic24 blog. She has such a unique way of combining colors. I've also seen the full version of "Rings of Change" made up. It's a great looking afghan.

 

I'm working on the "Sophie's Universe" afghan at the moment. I'm using leftover yarn from stash without any particular plan. I'm trying to keep it to girly colors because it's a feminin looking afghan, and I will be stopping when it gets to toddler size.

http://www.lookatwhatimade.net/crafts/yarn/crochet/sophies-universe-cal-2015/sophies-universe-cal-2015-information/

[ddc]

Gardener, that looks challenging!

 

I did a few rounds on the rings of change, and I think it's going to be ok, but I think I will like it better with a finer yarn and hook so the holes are smaller, so that one is on indefinite hold for possible future consideration. 

 

I finished the lapghan with squares that I was working on, and have two more on tap. A solid blue one, overall snapdragon stitch (boring to do), and a round ripple I brought to work to start. It will have sea colors (ILTY seaspray ombre and seaspray stripes) and purplish colors. I'm going to make it a round ripple because I'm not sure how far the leftovers I'm using will go and a round ripple is my go to pattern in that situation.

 

After I get several done, I'll post pics then. I can't find the software for my camera, so to download the pics, I have to get out my old computer, which is a nuisance. Once I move, I'll probably keep it in the kitchen, offline, so pictures will be easier. I have some games on it that won't run in Windows 8, and it will be nice to have them again. Soup, sandwich, and mindless game. I'm going to love retirement!

[Gardener]

Donna, the Sophies Universe afghan is easier than it looks,,at least so far. I'm only on section 5. It does need a lot of concentration and counting stitches though.

[darski]

Donna, the Sophies Universe afghan is easier than it looks,,at least so far. I'm only on section 5. It does need a lot of concentration and counting stitches though.

 

I worked on the Sophie's Garden block and I finally made it a round afghan.  I'm not crazy about this Universe but people are making great colour choices.

 

It was the counting that caused me to give up on the Garden