My Kind of Fairy Tale

Well, I still have three full-sized afghans to make for events this year, but as of this moment, I am all done with baby blankets. Here is the final one I completed.

Fit For a Princess by Cori 2012.

Here's a closer look at the pattern and striping.

Pattern: Modern Alchemy by Lion Brand Yarn (free registration required to see free pattern).
Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Fairy Tale, Cornflower, Freesia, Eggplant, Peapod, Tranquil, Tidepool, and Rouge (one ball each).
Hook: US K

There is nothing I don't like about this blanket. Nothing. The yarn I used, the colors I chose, the pattern itself, it's all perfect to me. This may be one of the projects I am most proud of. I almost wish I didn't make it to give away. Still, hopefully the little girl it is going to will love it and it will be something she can keep with her throughout her life. Even more so because while the color scheme is feminine, it is not super girly in my opinion (which is what I was shooting for).

Normally, I don't like doing big color stripes like this because it means so many more ends to weave in (especially when there isn't a border), but that didn't even bother me here. Also, the pattern is for a full-sized throw rather than a baby blanket so that meant that it was, proportionally, much more suited to what I think is the right size for a baby blanket. It also means I can totally use this pattern again for grownups as well as kiddos. Score.

I honestly cannot recommend this pattern enough if you are looking for a quick, easy, and beautiful crochet project.

Now, back to that shawl I've been working on and the next of the big blankets. Hopefully progress on those will speed up once I get over this random obsession I've been having with the idea of making another sweater. I don't even know where that came from but I've got the bug bad. I think I just want to make something for myself after all of these gifts I've been making. I mean, yes, the shawl is technically for me, but there is no telling when I will actually wear it. It might actually end up being a gift anyway. Time will tell, I suppose.

In the meantime, back to work!

Top Things Off

Okay, remember when my friend asked me to make a baby hat for her photography studio? Well, before she sent me a picture of the hat she wanted, I started looking at patterns for baby hats in case she didn't have anything specific in mind. I stumbled across one that I just thought was too cute. So after I made her the requested hat, I kind of still wanted to make the hat that I had found to give her.

So I did.

Lavender Cap by Cori 2012.

Cap modeled by (slightly less creepy than the last but still no less) naked baby doll.

Pattern: Baby Hat With Flower* by Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn: JoAnn Sensations Bellazza Selection Tesoro** in Purple (maybe half a ball)
Hook: US I

*Link may require a free registration to see pattern.
**Tesoro appears to no longer be available, so link just goes to JoAnn's Sensations line.

I used a ball of wool yarn that my mom bequeathed to me the last time she was cleaning out her stash because it seemed just the right texture and color for what I had in mind. This sucker took me maybe an hour to make. It is such a simple pattern! I am not sure how I feel about the flower, but other than that I love this.

I love it so much, I decided I wanted to make a slightly bigger version for my kiddo.

So I did.

Cherry on Top by Cori 2012

Modeled by my lovely, yet seemingly uninterested, daughter.

Same pattern and hook, although I just increased the base of the hat two more times and then added more rows of the shell stitch pattern to make it larger. The yarn I used for this was Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Red (less than half a ball).

Making quick fun little projects like this really has me wishing I was more inclined to wear hats. They are so easy to make! Who knows, maybe this winter I'll be able to convince myself to don a few new caps...

One For the Hoopy Froods

Happy Towel Day people!

Do you know where your towel is?

(Hint: Your answer should be, "Why it is right here with me of course. One never goes anywhere without a towel, that would just be tempting fate.")

If you crochet or knit and also happen to be into Douglas Adams and his wonderful Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, then an excellent way to celebrate Towel Day is, of course, by making your very own towel!

Which is precisely what I did.

Always Know Where It Is by Cori 2012.

Full view.

Pattern: Cottontail Dishtowels* by Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn: Knit Picks Dishie in Maps, Coffee, and Swan (2, 1, and 1 balls)
Hook: US I

*Link may require free registration to see pattern.


Guys, guys, guys, I cannot tell you how much I absolutely love this main colorway Maps! The fact that it is called Maps makes me almost giddy. I am a nerd of strange tastes, yes, but come on, it is just so freaking cool! I also feel like the colors just fit in so well with the theme of galactic travel and holding on to a bit of Earth wherever you go...

Anyhoo, so that's my bit of tribute to Mr. Adams. I hope wherever you are, you know where your towel is, and I wish you a fantastic and safe holiday weekend!

In case you are wondering just why towels are so important, I will leave you with this informative little piece.

Ducky Momo

As my daughter gets a bit older, she is starting to develop some preferences of her own when it comes to cartoons and other television. One of her clear favorites to have emerged lately, one that she will actually ask for by name (thank goodness for On Demand) is Disney's Phineas and Ferb. Thankfully, this show is actually pretty fantastic, so I am more than okay with this. Recently, however, she started asking for a specific character from the show. She's been asking for Ducky Momo. Now, Ducky Momo is kind of just a running joke on the show, a toy that the title characters' big sister is in love with despite being a little too old for it. This video might give you something of an idea about the character:

My daughter, unlike Candace, is just about the perfect age for Ducky Momo, however, and she has latched on to him big time. So after she asked for him the umpteenth time, it dawned on me that maybe she needed a Ducky Momo of her own. I looked at a few pictures online and I thought that the character would lend itself pretty well to being an amigurumi (crocheted toy). I couldn't find any existing patterns, so I decided to just wing it. I have to say, I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

Ducky Momo by Cori 2012

Side view. Note the toddler in the background to get an idea of scale.

I am kind of crazy proud of the little crown of feathers on top of his head. 

Yarn: Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Canary (one ball), Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Baby in Goldfish (one ball), some remnant worsted white and black for the eyes
Hook: US G

I knocked him out in a day and my daughter really seems to like him. She carries him around and shows him things and talks to him. It's really cute. Also, I think she was really just happy that finally she could actually play with one of the toys I made once it was done.

So, it was a bit of a sidetrack in my current blanket project, but definitely well worth my time, to be sure. Now I just have to find a window to make that Perry the Platypus I found a pattern for...

Happiness All Around

Well, I finally managed to finish those socks I have been plugging away at.

Avocado Toes by Cori 2012.

Pattern: Starter Stockinette by Betsy Lee McCarthy, size large (pattern available in Knit Socks! 17 Classic Patterns for Cozy Feet by Betsy Lee McCarthy)
Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Quatro in Summerdaze (blue, two balls), and Green Tea (green, one ball)
Needles: US 3

Even though the measurements given for the women's large should have fit my feet, these came out way too big for me. They were not too big, however, for my husband, who was more than happy to reap the benefits of my needles:

Socks! I have socks, yay!

I shall put them on my feet and do a jig for you!

You can see from his sexy legs why I married him, of course.

Anyhoo, other than issues of size (I swear my gauge was right, but whatever), I am really happy with how these came out. I will definitely be making another pair (in the smaller size next time) for myself at some point. Also, I love this yarn.

After I was done with the socks, I even had enough to make this guy:

Swell Fella by Cori 2012.

With only eight legs, not nine, despite my husband's urging.

Pattern: Amigurumi Octopus by Lion Brand (may require free registration with site to see pattern)
Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash Quatro in Summerdaze and Green Tea (less than one ball each)
Hook: US G

I used two strands at a time to get the fun color effect on this one. I like it a lot. I was really happy with how this guy came out. Quick and easy despite the pain of making and attaching all of the separate legs (while my daughter kept wandering off with what was assembled of him so far). This will be a gift for the son of a friend who is expecting her second child at the end of this month. I hope he enjoys it. It already has my daughter's stamp of approval!

Now I am back in blanket making mode. I am already pretty happy with the pattern and yarn for the current project, so that's a good thing. Hopefully it will work up quickly! I definitely have a lot more small projects I would like to try to squeeze in this summer. Only three blankets to go after this one gets done though, so my fingers are crossed.

Something Quick and Fun

Last week I got the chance to attend a reading and book signing by author Jenny Lawson. I have really enjoyed reading her blog and book and I like that she comes across as very accessible. Part of this is because a lot of what she writes about involves her anxiety disorder and how that affects her life. So, when I realized I was going to get to meet her, I wanted to make her a present. Just a little "thank you" to her for sharing herself with the rest of us and reminding those of us who have trouble adjusting that we are not alone.

Here's what I made her:

Bloggess Towel by Cori 2012.

This gives you a better idea of what it says.

Pattern: Improvised from Baby ABCs Afghan by Coats & Clark
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease in Violet (2 balls)
Hook: US H

It was so freaking hard to photograph this thing! I know that you are supposed to photograph your projects outside in daylight for the best results, but I never finish them during the day it seems like, and usually I want to get the photos taken and done with as soon as I finish the project. Otherwise I forget to do it and to update it in Ravelry and whatnot. Also, outside is dirty and I don't really have a good surface to put my nice pretty projects on for photographing. Sigh.

But I think you can get the gist of it. Basically, it is straight-ahead single crochet with the letters spelled out in bobble-stitch (I used the templates for the letters from the baby alphabet blanket I recently made, but modified the size of each letter's space to accommodate a towel). It worked up really quickly, only took me two days to whip out (even with several false starts on the border). It says "Don't Panic" (in large and friendly letters, even) in reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. This seemed doubly appropriate for Jenny Lawson because of her battles with anxiety as well as her love of geekery.

I am really happy with how it came out and I hope that she enjoys it as well. It dawned on me as I was making it that this would have been perfect for National Towel Day, which is later this month. If I hadn't already bought my yarn for that (which sadly does not lend itself to this pattern), I would be making another one for myself for that event. Oh well. Maybe next year.

If At First You Don't Succeed...

Wow, I slacked so hard on my scarf last week. Still, all is not lost. I am firmly convinced that I can finish it within a week. I've got my get 'er done pants ready and everything. Still, I wasn't completely unproductive. I just got distracted by something else, mainly, planning that darn dragon blanket.

I told you that I was going to do a swatch with some chunky yarn to see if it might work out to knit at least the pattern part of the blanket, if not the whole blanket. Well, swatch I did.

The supplies: One ball of Lion Brand's Hometown USA in Oklahoma City Green and a set of size 13 needles.

The result, an 11 x 17 inch piece of fabric (38 rows of 40 stiches).

I just worked the entire ball of yarn in stockinette stitch to see what it would give me, time-wise and size-wise. Now, the pattern I am going by is forty stitches wide by sixty rows long, so given the size this came out, just one in the center of the blanket probably won't cut it. The math ends up that I'll need something like twenty balls of yarn to make a decent sized blanket, which is really just too much. Also, it took me a lot longer to knit that one swatch than I would prefer, especially when you take into consideration that I will be dealing with color-work for multiple sections of the blanket.

So after getting this swatch done, I knew that knitting the dragon was no longer on the table. Back to the drawing board. I thought maybe I should just give in and do it in individual one-round granny squares. Yeah, it would take a lot of time, but that would mostly be on the assembly end of things. I looked at my Yoshi blanket to try to get an idea of scale, and that is actually only 32 squares to each side. So my pattern would be way bigger than that, especially if I wanted to keep the proportions even. Not the ideal choice.

I started to get irritated by this point. I knew there was a way to do color-work in crochet that looked nice. I had seen all kinds of projects made from graphs and cross-stitch and knitting patterns. So I decided to do a little research. I turned to my handy-dandy copy of The Crochet Answer Book by Edie Eckman. A quick check in the index sent me to the section on color-work, and, lo and behold, there was the solution to my problem! It was just a matter of making the last loop on any stitch before a color change the new color. Duh. Wow, I could have smacked myself. So freaking simple. So, I tried crocheting a new swatch, and I am so much happier with the results!

That, ladies and gentlemen, is a dragon.

I sent the photo to my friend for his approval on the appearance of the crocheted dragon, to make sure he still likes how it looks (and to get his opinion on the colors). He seemed pretty happy with it, so now I just need to sit down to finalize the actual pattern for the overall blanket. I have a few ideas--one a little nontraditional but that I think would actually be pretty awesome--so I will play with those and figure out yarn requirements. I did this guy in half-double crochet, but I think I might do the for-real project in just flat-out double. I think it will make the color changes a little more smooth. The half-double stitches seemed to warp a little when I put the new color loop in there.

So. Now that I finally have that resolved, it's time to get to work on that scarf. Off I go.

Until next time!

Hello Everybodeeeee!!

One of my favorite childhood storybooks was The Monster At the End of This Book, featuring Sesame Street's lovable furry old Grover. With my daughter's full-on conversion as a Sesame Street fan, I watched closely to see how she would react to Grover. While Elmo is undeniably her favorite character, she also clearly enjoys Grover's antics.

So, I felt the time was right to get her a copy of Grover's beloved story for her very own. When I bought it, I also purchased its recent sequel, Another Monster At the End of This Book, which features Elmo as well as Grover. (I was actually surprised by how cute it was, too--it captures the spirit of the original while putting a new spin on it and making it more relatable to today's Elmo-crazed youth.) I also bought her this guy:

Lovable Furry Grover!

Because, really, the best way to enjoy a Grover story is with a stuffed Grover of your very own. (She already had her own stuffed Elmo, of course. Three, actually.) Baby Girl has enjoyed both stories and her Grover doll quite a bit since we got them. After she had owned Grover for a little while, I noticed something. Her favorite thing to do with with Grover is to help him "fly." She'll aim him at something, cry, "Up, up, and away!" and then launch the fuzzy critter at its target.

The doll flies about as well as the actual Grover does, for the record.

Anyhoo, I am sure this is because more often than not these days, when Grover appears on Sesame Street, it is as Super Grover 2.0 rather than as plain Grover. This gave me an idea. I got it into my head that if our Grover was going to be flying (or attempting to do so) with so much frequency, he should have a cape to help him out. So, I made him one.

Grover's Super Cape by Cori 2012.

Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour in Ruby Red (one ball) and Red Heart Classic in Pumpkin (one ball).
Needles: US 5 Circular
Hook: US G

I just kind of winged it with this one, starting from the bottom and working my way up, decreasing as I saw fit and working until it was long enough. Afterward, I took the orange yarn and chained fifteen stitches then single crocheted across the top of the cape and chained fifteen more stitches before finishing off. I used the Vanna's Glamour because a) it was the right weight for what I wanted, and b) I think every superhero needs a little bit of bling in his getup, and this yarn has just the right amount of shine. Also, c) it's not like I have any other projects in mind for the stuff.

All in all, I am pretty happy with how it came out. I think that Baby Girl is enjoying it as well. Though with her current preference that all of her dolls be naked (seriously, what is up with that?), I don't know how long he will keep it on...

Here are a few action shots for you to enjoy:

Grover seems to approve.

Um, pretend he's flying, here. Or that he's just landed. Awkwardly.

Up, up, and away!

Super Grover to the rescue!

With that, I will leave you to your Tuesday. Happy crafting, y'all! This week, I start Blanket Number Two, whee!

Moving Along

Well, I totally skipped out on the social at the yarn store this weekend. I just wasn't feeling the awkward attempt at socializing and was pretty certain I was not up to resisting the urge to buy more yarn, so I went to a movie instead.

Things are progressing on the project front, if slowly. The blanket I am working on is starting to actually look like a blanket, and I am getting more excited about working on it, so it is eating up my sweater-making time. It is also eating up yarn at a ridiculous rate. As far as I can tell, my gauge is correct, yet it still seems as if it is using up yarn way too fast. I went ahead and picked up a few more skeins when I was at the store this weekend. I'm already going on something like five different dye lots, so I figured that adding one more to the mix probably wouldn't hurt anything. (It's a natural color and a fleck to boot, and I am very carefully alternating dye lots so I don't get any weird color pooling, so the multiple lots isn't having an adverse effect on the project.) Wonder of wonders, they actually had enough skeins in one of the dye lots I was already using, though. Score!

As I mentioned, been working on the blanket, so while progress has been made on my sweater, it hasn't been enough to warrant a new photo. I did take it with me Friday night to my husband's Central Market gig and worked on it in honor of "I Love Yarn Day." That was nice. I am trying to console myself with the reassurance that the piece I am working on, the back, is by far the biggest piece of the project, and so once that is (finally) done, it will all be downhill.

Also! I can finally show you a project I finished a little while ago, now that it has been gifted to its owner.

Jamie's Scarf by Cori 2011.

Modeled by moi.

Pattern: Diagonal Box Stitch Afghan by Sandra Petit
Yarn: Lion Brand Jamie DK in Blue Bonnet, Sunshine, and Little Boy Blue (one ball each)
Hook: K

I wanted something warm and thick for my friend to be able to wear on recess duty (she's a teacher), so I used three strands at once in my old standby blanket pattern. This yarn is lovely, and as soon as Lion Brand announced it, I knew I had to make something out of it for my friend, and as she had a birthday this past weekend, the timing worked out quite well. I just worked it to a decent width and kept extending the length until I ran out of yarn more or less. It isn't terribly long, so I added some buttons from my ridiculous (but handy) button collection so it could be securely fastened about the neck, and voila! I am pretty happy with how it turned out. Super warm and soft.

There is another small project I might try to get whipped up this week, as I continue to work on my two biggies. I have also been looking at my sock yarn and dreaming a little bit. My two most recent acquisitions:

Cascade 220 Fingering in 9593

I couldn't get a good picture of this one, but it is a really lovely soft greenish grey (and a really lovely soft yarn). I envision this becoming a beautiful pair of socks. Something mostly simple, but maybe with a few cables. Clearly I am dreaming big here, as I haven't even begun to think about learning how to do cables.

Knit Picks Felici in Time Traveler

Then, of course, there is my Time Traveler, which came in this week. That will eventually be a lovely pair of knee socks for myself (and possibly a pair for my daughter as well).

Oh the possibilities...

Getting A Bit Out Of Control

I am slowly but surely making progress on two of my three big projects currently in the works. (The third is on hold until one of them is finished, since it is not time sensitive.) Here's a peek at the one I am actually able to show you:

The back (so far) of my KAL sweater.

I got a good chunk of this worked on this weekend (yay!), but I still have about forty something rows left on the back before I start the shaping for the armholes. This is only the first piece. Sigh. It's okay, I have resigned myself to the fact that I will be working on this long after the actual KAL blog posts have wrapped up. The beauty of Lion Brand's KALs is that they don't actually have a set schedule or anything. They do a post a week that you can use to pace yourself, but the discussion groups in Ravelry stay active as long as anyone is still working on the project and wants to talk about it, and the blog posts themselves don't go away. They will still be there to reference when I get to the steps they describe.

I am so glad I went with the Wool-Ease for this project, too, because I really do love this yarn. Also, it was lovely to play with this past weekend, which was nice and cool and rainy for us. A rare treat. Yes, I know, it's October, that's the normal weather for everyone--unless you live in Texas. We don't really get fall. We just have summer (with a few fall-like days scattered throughout September and October if we're lucky) until winter shows up sometime in November. You get used to it, but still, after a summer like this one, breaks in the weather are very much appreciated.

But I digress.

Right now I have six projects on my official knit/crochet list. Three of them are the current WIPs. One of them is a Christmas present that I am hoping will work up quickly in December. Another is a little quickie project for a friend that I can probably get done in a weekend, I just await measurements for that one. The third is a wedding present for someone who has actually been married for a few years already (I recently realized I totally dropped the ball on that), so while I would like to get it done sooner rather than later, there isn't really any sense of urgency to it.

I am just crazy enough that, depending on how the Christmas present goes, I might even try my hand a knitting a pair of socks for my daughter's stocking. We will have to see on that one though.

I do have one other largish personal project I would like to tackle at some point next year (but that I am not going to make a priority), and will have at least three blankets to make. Then, hopefully, I can finally embark on my long awaited quest to start knitting socks. My closet would really like me to get on with it already. I am also pretty sure my husband would like me to just stop buying sock yarn (well, yarn in general, but most of it seems to be sock yarn). But what is a girl to do when presented with a limited edition sock yarn colorway called "Time Traveler" and described thusly:

Wear these brightly striped socks whether you are going to the office or traveling through time and space. Time Traveler is a colorful mix of purple, tan, red, gold, ivory, and gray stripes. While you can knit some really really long socks, this colorway will not create socks that are larger on the inside than they appear on the outside.

Knit Picks Felici in "Time Traveler"

What, I ask you, what?

She buys six skeins of it, that's what.

Got another Sunday Social at Jennings Street Yarns this coming weekend. Hopefully I can resist bringing home any of the yarn in the store...

On The Right Track

Last week I talked about some of the "one" skeins of yarn I have acquired recently, and how I was starting to look for projects to go with each skein. Part of my motivation was to use of up some of my ridiculous stash. But also, I have been kind of dawdling on my yarn crafts, and I thought maybe throwing in a few quick one-skein projects here and there in between (or during, if I need a break) my bigger projects would help me to stay excited about my knitting and crocheting.

I think this was the right idea. This past week I picked up a quick project that was on my "to make" list and I finished it in two days. I felt so happy about it and it got me excited to work on my other projects languishing in their organizer bins. Granted, it was not for any of the yarn I showed you last week, it was another skein I had bought specifically for this project, but still, the same principle applies.

TARDIS Wash Cloth by Cori 2011.

Pattern: Tardis Dishcloth by Lorenia Lemas
Yarn: Knit Picks Dishie in Jay (about half a skein needed)
Needles: 7

Yup, it's another Doctor Who project. It is crazy how much of my knitting is actually inspired by my nerdy loves. It was a little difficult to photograph, but I think you can see the pattern of the TARDIS, the Doctor's ship, in the cloth. This pattern was super simple to knit up, it is just knit, with the pattern picked out in purl stitches. It was also actually pretty easy to get the pattern down, despite the frequent changes from row to row. I did use a different border than the pattern called for. The author uses a 1x1 ribbing around the edge, but I felt like that looked a bit uneven, so I did a seed stitch around instead, and I am very happy with how it came out.

I think the most difficult part of this project was my needles. My size 7 straights are ridiculously long, and my size 7 double-points are really short (meant more for working in the round on smaller projects like socks, I think), so I went with my size 7 circular needles. This would have been fine except for the cable. It was much longer than I needed too, so it was constantly getting in my way. It was mostly just a minor annoyance, but still. Definitely a reminder that I am still building up the proper needle collection.

I have another small project I want to try to get done this week (after I go pick up some appropriate needles), so hopefully that will keep my spirits and motivation up. I am going to need it, too. Right now I have one project on the needles that is going much more slowly than I would like. It is not hard, just a little tedious (though I really do love the yarn, so that is helping a bit). I am hoping to have that project done by the end of November, but we shall see if that happens or not. I have another large project, this one crochet, that I will be starting in October and pretty much planning to devote the majority of my crafting time to until it is finished. It doesn't need to be done until the middle of November, but I don't want to slack on that one. I already have done the pattern swatch, and I think it is going to look really spiffy. Here, have a peek:

October project pattern swatch.

That would free me up for most of December to get any holiday projects done in theory, so this seems like a good plan. But wait, there's more! Apparently I feel that, like Stargate Atlantis' Rodney McKay, I do my best work under pressure. Because I decided that I would also participate in this season's Knit Along at Lion Brand, which is a really cool looking sweater--which is kind of another huge project. Also, I have never knit a sweater before, so holy crap, what am I thinking? Still, I couldn't stop myself. Sigh. Not to mention that Lion Brand announced a new yarn this week that I had to get to make something for one of my best friends. But that I know will be a quick project, so it's okay, I think. That can be one of my distraction projects.

So as you can see, the party never ends over here. Just looking at my crafting plans for the next two months makes me wonder if I will still have my sanity (well, what's left of it) by the end of the year. Then I realize that crafts are only one small part of everything else I have going on. Oy vey.

Should be interesting to see how it all turns out, eh?

Show and Tell Time!

Hello, and thanks for stopping by, it's so nice to see you!

First and foremost, remember last week when I mentioned that the leader of Lion Brand's Crochet-Along wanted to use my finished project in her wrap-up blog? She posted it on Thursday, featuring several of the finished projects from the CAL's participants. Here is a link if you want to check it out. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside to be included in that, I won't lie. Also, it is fun getting to see how some of the other participants' projects turned out too! I think I might like to try this again in the future using Vanna's choice and making the bottom tie but using it in the middle of the sweater for an empire waist instead of at the bottom. The possibilities are wonderfully endless.

But, to get back on track, I finished my baby blanket last week, huzzah! Good thing, too, since its intended recipient decided he was done with the whole in-utero thing and arrived Sunday before last, which was super early (he and his mama are both doing well). Hopefully he will get much enjoyment out of his blanket.

Water Baby by Cori 2010.

Here's a closer look at the details and edging.

Pattern: State Fair Afghan by Lion Brand Yarn (pattern available for free on their site)
Yarn: Lion Brand Baby's First in Splish Splash and Sea Sprite (three skeins each)
Hook: Size K

The pattern actually calls for a few more colors, and they are arranged in diagonal stripes, but I decided to just use the blue and green colors since the baby's room is decorated in an under the sea theme. The pattern also does not call for a border, but I feel like blocks just sewn together look unfinished without an edging, so I did two rows of half-double crochets around in the green to give it a more polished feel. I am terrifically happy with the results, I have to say.

I am not too sure about this yarn, though. I think if I make this pattern again I might try using a different bulky yarn. Don't get me wrong, it feels awesome--it is almost plush and is super soft. But it was a little difficult to work with because it is so many strands and they come loose extremely easily. This requires constant vigilance to make sure each stitch catches all of the strands, and if you get a bad ball (two of my skeins of the blue had multiple knots in them) it can get pretty nerve-wracking. The finished project looks really nice though, so it might be worth trying again. I do think this would make an awesome yarn for an amigurumi lion, it would fringe out spectacularly for the mane.

All in all, I am quite delighted with the pattern and will definitely be keeping it in my playbook. It is very simple and quick to work up, and it looks really nice. Both of those are definitely big bonuses in its favor. For any beginner looking for a great first blanket to make, this project should definitely be a consideration.

Odds and Ends

I took a big chunk of last week off as far as actual yarn-crafting went, but I did manage to get a few things accomplished.

I got all of the blocks made for the latest baby blanket--this one for a cousin's kiddo.

Someone is coming to check it out...

Ooh, a puzzle!

I will probably finish getting the pieces sewn together today or tomorrow. Then all that will be left is the border, even though the pattern doesn't call for one, I think it will look more finished that way. I'll have more for you on this one next week.

I also finally remembered to assemble the squares from the swap my sis and I did last year. Each month in 2010 we each sent each other a crocheted square. We both had our own designs in mind and the idea was that at the end of the year we would each have our own twelve-block blanket, made with sisterly love. My sister did an abstract sort of pattern for her squares. These are the three different types of squares I got:

It is possible she might have forgotten to send me the key to how the pieces actually fit together though, so I had to improvise a little bit, but I am very happy with how the assembled blanket turned out.

2010 Sister Swap Blanket, made by Cori's sister, assembled by Cori.

This past week I got a really awesome Ravelry message from the lady at Lion Brand who has been running/blogging about the Crochet-Along I just did. She is going to be doing a write-up featuring photos of some of the finished sweaters and wants to include one of mine! That will probably go up later this week. I got a nice warm fuzzy from that request. One thing I absolutely adore about Ravelry is the periodic positive feedback on my projects that it provides. It is nice to know that other crafters out there approve of what you are doing, you know?

I also have been doing a bit of planning. I got the yarn for my next project after this blanket is done. This one will be a knitting project, and I am kind of excited about it but can't say much about it at the moment beyond that. I picked out the pattern for the project after that, and the one after that as well. For one of them I should just be able to pick up the yarn at one of several chain stores, but for the other one, I may have to do some hunting to make sure I get what I need. I know my local yarn store, which I have been meaning to visit again anyway, does carry the brand I'd like to get. It's just a matter of them having the correct colors on hand in the right quantity. But hopefully if they don't, I can make a special order. We shall have to see.

Anyhoo, so that's the state of my yarncrafting at the moment. I am in a nice relaxing work at my own pace zone which I am very much enjoying. It's nice to be able to take a day off here and there and know I won't have to furiously make up for it down the road.

I wonder how long that will last?

Crochet-Along: Mission Accomplished

Wow, strolling through my Ravelry page to get the pattern details for this post, I realized that I don't have a single unfinished project right now. That is a very nice feeling. Much better than having, say, four things going on at once. As I am sure that you can guess, all of this means that I have, indeed, finished up my CAL project.

I am kind of deliriously happy with it, I have to admit. I feel like I am really starting to improve on my garment projects, and that is also a very nice feeling. I have been crocheting for a long time and it is kind of awesome to realize that yes, I actually am still learning and getting better and able to do more all of the time. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with just wanting to learn a craft to figure out how to do one thing and then stopping there to settle in and do just that, for me that is not the way to happiness. So, I continue to learn and grow at my craft, and even to branch out and try other things, like knitting. It gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment and, yes, contentment that I think I need to really thrive in life.

I know at least part of that mindset comes from the inspiration of my mother, who is an avid knitter (and her mother before her, who taught me to crochet). For my mom knitting is not just a hobby. It is a an everyday facet of her life. A day in which she goes without knitting is a day in which something has gone horribly awry. She is constantly learning new things and creating beautiful works with her own two hands. She even designs her own patterns on a regular basis, something which I am not quite up to doing just yet, but which gives me another goal to strive to reach. She works at her local yarn store teaching others her craft and spreading the love and knowledge. Remember when I went to the comic convention earlier this past year? Well my mother spent the past weekend at Sock Summit, a convention for knitters. By all accounts she had an absolute ball, and I am so glad she got to do that. I look forward to getting to go with her to the event one of these years.

With such a wonderful inspiration like that, is it any wonder that crochet has become such an integral part of my life?

But I digress. I meant to show you my latest finished project and I shall. Here it is, in all its glory:

Sunny Days Pullover by Cori 2011.

Action shot!

Pattern: Mesh Raglan Pullover by Lion Brand Yarn (available for free on their website), size XL
Yarn: Lion Brand Recycled Cotton in Sunshine (five skeins)
Hook: H

For comparison, here is the sweater as shown on the CAL banner:

I'd say It came out pretty well, the difference in size between the models notwithstanding. I finished it on Thursday and was so happy with how it turned out I decided to give it a test drive on Friday (you may have caught a glimpse of it in my article about Squishables). Friday is my daughter's music class, which means lots of movement, and it proved to be very comfy throughout.

Added bonus: It was camera day in music class! 

Baby Girl wasn't too keen on posing for a photo, there were instruments to be played with and dancing to be done, but Hubby and I were glad of the opportunity for a family shot.

I had originally intended to make the sweater a bit longer than called for in the pattern, but once I had completed the called for number of rows, I was actually happy with the length. The only pattern modification I made was to leave out the tie for the bottom, which I felt was rather unnecessary. Other than that, this pattern is pretty marvelous and wonderfully simple. I think sweaters made from the top down are my favorite kind to make!

As far as the yarn, this was my first experience with Lion Brand's Recycled Cotton, and I have to say it was rather nice to work with. I like the idea that it is recycled from scraps used to make t-shirts, and it gives the yarn a very unique look that I quite enjoy. I think that this will definitely be a yarn I turn to again when making other garments out of cotton.

As far as what is next, I have about four more projects on my list to get done and then I think I will start delving in to the world of knitting socks. I have the pattern picked out and the yarn ordered for my next project so once it gets here I will get started on that. Until then, I think I am going to just bask in the glow of being done with everything else--and plan for all the wonderful projects I would like to do once this crop is done, of course!

Have a good one, y'all. Happy crafting.

Elephants, Ninjas, and Blankets, Oh My!

So, I sadly did not make any progress on my crochet-along project this weekend. That doesn't mean I didn't make any fibercraft progress, however. Oh no.

The reason my CAL got put on hold was because I encountered an unexpected deadline for the baby blanket I have been working on. I found out that I needed to get it done before Sunday if I wanted to avoid paying to mail it across town. Seeing as I had also intended to make a stuffed toy for the baby's big sister, this meant I needed to get my butt in gear. So I doubled down and finished the blanket on Friday.

Blue Rose by Cori 2011.

Border shot.

Detail shot.

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Blue Mint (5 skeins)
Hook: G

For the most part I am very happy with it. It is just alternating rows of single crochet and double crochet with a scalloped border. If I had had a little more time I probably would have made it a bit longer, but it is still a good size for a baby. I really do just love the color of this yarn. I must find something fun to do with the leftovers! If you want to see the actual "pattern" I used, I detailed it on my Ravelry projects page.

I finished that up on Friday, which left me Saturday to make the toy for big sister. For one amigurumi, one day is plenty (even if that is a crazy baby shower and birthday party-filled day). Apparently, she loves elephants, and I just so happened to have recently stumbled across a really cute pattern for an elephant, so...

Ton of Toffee by Cori 2011.

Side view.

Look at that cute little elephant tush!

Pattern: Amigurumi Elephant by Ms. Premise-Conclusion
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Toffee (1 skein) and Beige (1 skein)
Hook: G

Of course, I ran out of the Toffee yarn when I was almost done, which is what I get for using leftovers. But I improvised with the ears and tail and I think it actually came out really cute! I love this little guy. I did use a G hook instead of the F called for in the pattern, because I wanted it to be a little larger. I also had to wing it a bit on the legs because the pattern was written with the pieces worked inside out, and the complicated legs had to be worked inside out to follow the pattern exactly. But out of habit, I just make it so the fabric turns right side out as I work, which made things...interesting. Still, it all worked out quite well, I think. This is a great pattern for an intermediate or above crocheter!

Speaking of a baby shower and birthday party-filled Saturday, I can now show you what I made as gifts for those events. This was the project I hinted at in last week's post. It is full of win and awesome.

I think you will agree.

Party of Ninjas by Cori 2011

Ninja 1

Ninja 2

Ninja 3

Pattern: Amigurumi Crochet Ninja Pattern by Ms. Premise-Conclusion
Yarn: Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Sapphire (1 skein) and Charcoal Grey (1 skein), Lion Brand Vanna's Choice Baby in Lamb (1 skein), black scrap yarn for the eyes
Hook: F

I mean, come on, how are these not awesome? Also, this pattern? SUPER easy! I may or may not have snuck up behind my husband and launched all three of them at him while simultaneously yelling, "NINJAS!!" Cuz, you know, why not?

So, I had a flurry of activity crochet-wise last week, but that is okay. My next project deadline isn't until the middle of September. So I am going to work on my CAL and then go from there.