Ruffled Scarf

Welcome to my new followers.  I do a lot of different yarn projects but forget to take photos and post them.  And by the time I think of it, I'm off to the next thing.  I will do a better job of posting in the new year.  I plan to try to finish up some of the yarn projects that I have started and will take you along on my progress. 

 Anyway, thanks for being here and reading.

 

My daughter made this scarf while she was home for Thanksgiving.  The yarn is wide and has a woven look to it.  The scarf is knit along one of the long edges of the yarn.  Lots of the girls at the quilt retreat I just attended a few weeks ago were wearing these ruffled scarves.  I love the colors in this yarn!

Here is one of the yarns that makes these scarves, and one skein makes an entire scarf.  She took the scarf and the extra skeins of yarn home with her, but if anyone is interested I can take better close up photos of the yarn when I see her next week.

Thanks for stopping by! 

Crocheted Granny Stripe Afghan

This is the Granny Stripe Afghan that I'm working on as part of the Granny Gone Wild Crochet Along.  Is anyone crocheting along with me???

There is a link to my tutorial for this afghan over on my sidebar.  For this afghan my beginning chain is 237.  The beginning chain needs to be a multiple of 3.  It will go across my king sized bed with a bit of hang on each side.

I am using 18 different colors of yarn (so far), and I've started to repeat them.   I'm not sure how long the afghan will finish.  I love scrap afghans and quilts, but it's hard to gauge the finished size.  So I may have to raid my stash for a few more balls of yarn.

Here is a close up of the colors.  I really love this pattern and how this is looking. 

If you are crocheting along with our Granny Gone Wild crochet along, I hope you will post your photos on the Flickr group here. 

Happy Crocheting! 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! 

Granny Gone Wild Crochet Along

I recently finished this giant granny square afghan as part of Sucrette's giant granny quilt along.

There were four of us that started that quilt along about the same time:
Cyn of Cyns Quilted Travels, Elly of Mad4Patchwork, and Katrin of Cattinka. We enjoyed sharing our progress and our photos over on Facebook and on our blogs and decided that we wanted to continue crocheting and sharing our projects. Cyn of Cyns Quilted Travels and I have been talking about starting another Crochet Along and here it is. I hope you will grab some yarn and crochet along with us.

Here are some ideas of projects you can do.

This is just a regular granny. It can either be a giant granny or individual squares.

This is a log cabin granny. This was a sample I made...not sure I am completely happy with it.

This block is from a pattern called Pokey Dots Throw in the free pattern section of Red Heart yarn. I first saw this pattern over on Judy's blog, Gramma's Quilt Room. Click on the link to see her post with photos of her afghan.

Here is a granny square done from the pattern in the Leisure Arts booklet called Grannies Gone Wild. The chain 3 loop round is done in the same color as the following round.

This version is called mosaic crochet. I saw the idea for this on Sucrette's blog. Her version has the chain 3 loop round done in white each time.

This is called African Flower, and the pattern is available on Ravelry.

Here is a rectangle sample I made.

Check the Flickr group to see Cyn's gorgeous rectangle granny photos.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/grannygonewild/

So grab the button in my sidebar and join us. Post your crochet photos in the Flickr group so we can crochet along. I'll be looking for your photos there.

I hope you are finding some time to crochet or do some kind of stitching this weekend.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today!

Finishing the Giant Crocheted Granny Afghan

My giant granny square afghan from Sucrette's Giant Granny Crochet Along has 55 rounds on it.  I started the blanket with 25 different skeins of yarn, and so far I have used each skein twice.   When I did round number 55 I finished with about 6 inches of yarn to spare.  That was cutting it just a little too close for comfort.  What to do?

I came up with the idea to get out my postage scale and weigh each ball of yarn that is left.  That's what all of the pink post it notes are on the yarn in the photo below.  My thinking was that if I knew the weight of the skein and there was enough yardage to go around the blanket once, then I could weigh what was left and make an educated guess as to how much it would take for the next round. 

After I had all of the leftovers weighed and labeled, I went upstairs to bring down another skein of the brown yarn I had used.  It was left from another project so I knew there was more of that color.  I also found a bag with extra skeins for this project that I had forgotten.  So now I have plenty of yarn to do several more rounds on the blanket.  I think in the CAL we were trying to get somewhere between 75 and 100 rounds. 

Stay tuned to see how many rounds I end up with. 

Hope you are doing some crocheting or knitting today.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Granny Square Afghan Tutorial

I've been working on the Giant Granny Square Crochet Along over at Sucrette's blog, I thought I would do a tutorial on how to make a granny square.  Here is my progress so far - 50 rounds. 

One thing to remember:  When you are doing a granny square you need to turn your work and do every other round on the back side.   If you do every round on the right side the square eventually becomes kind of "wonky" and looks like it is in a twist.

CH = chain

DC=double crochet

DC Cluster=3 double crochets together

Chain 4.  Slip stitch in first stitch to form a ring.

Still on the right side of the work chain 3 (this counts as your first double crochet this round and throughout).  Do 2 more double crochets in ring.  Chain 1.  Repeat 3 DCs, chain 1 in ring three more times   (you will have 4 DC clusters in the ring with a chain 1 in between).  Join round with slip stitch.

  (From now on you are going to be working in the spaces between the clusters.)  Chain 3. TURN work over, 2 DC, chain 1, 3 DC in space. *Chain 1.  3 DC, chain 1, 3DC *  Repeat around ending with a chain 1.  Join round with slip stitch. 

Chain 3, TURN work.  2 DC in space.  3 DC, ch 1, 3 DC on corner.  Chain 1, 3 DC in space.  On the corner 3 DC, chain 1, 3 DC.  Continue around until you are back at the beginning and join the round with a slip stitch.

Each round is the same:  A DC cluster in the spaces along the edges and DC Cluster, chain 1, DC cluster on the corners.  A chain 1 goes in between each cluster.

Here is a chart that shows the stitches.

A close up of my granny blanket. 

I hope this has helped.  I think crochet is really relaxing and enjoy working on it in the evenings. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at krugla@gmail.com. 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today. 

Granny Stripe Afghan Tutorial

I had a question over on Ravelry about my Granny Stripe Afghan.  I decided to do a tutorial of a smaller size sample blanket in this pattern taking photos as I go. 

This pattern is worked in multiples of 3.   I am using acrylic yarn and an I hook. 

For this example I have chained 30.

Now turn and work a row of single crochets starting in the 2nd chain from hook.  (total 29)

Next chain 3 then work one double crochet into the second stitch from hook. 

Another Note:  After thinking about this if you started and have the chain 3 and double crochet both in that first stitch, your afghan should still look ok. 

*Skip 2 stitches, 3 DC in next stitch*.  Repeat across until you come to the end.  End with 2 DC in the last stitch on the row. 
NOTE:  This row should begin and end with 2 DC.

Chain 3.  Then:  *Three DC in space.*  Continue across.  Finish the row with a DC in the top stitch of the chain 3 made from the previous row.

As you work the blanket you can see how the first row ends with 2 DCs on each end; next row has 1 DC on each end.  And this pattern repeats throughout.

Here is how I tie on a color.  I cut the blue yarn and pull the loose end through the stitch to make a knot.  Then as shown in the photo I tied the orange yarn on through the space. 

To begin I stick the hook through the space and pull the orange yarn up. Then do 2 DC in the space. Then 3 DCs in each space until the end. Then do 2 DCs in the last space. 

There are no chains between the 3 DC clusters. 

Here are two rows complete on my practice piece. 

This is my afghan so far.  I need to weave those loose yarn ends in before I get much farther. 

Once you get going on this pattern, it is really quick and easy. 

I hope you are doing some crocheting today. 

If you have any questions, please email me:  krugla@gmail.com

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. 

Crochet Pillow

I have been sorting my yarn into groups that might all go into one project.  I usually don't buy yarn for a project, but I buy what I like and then figure out what to make with it.  I know that can often end badly, but I can usually find something to make. 

When I grouped my yarn together, there was an off white skein and a rust color that didn't seem to fit in, so I made a granny square pillow cover with them.

I have been making granny squares since I was a young girl, so I just picked up my yarn and hook and made this without a pattern.  If anyone wants a pattern, I could try to write one.

This is the second one of these that I made.  On the first one I joined the yarn on the right side of the work each time, and when it was finished it looked like it was kind of "on a tilt".  So whenever you make a granny square it's best to do a round and then turn the work over.

I wasn't sure how long I would use this pillow or if I would want to change the cover, so I made the back with a flap.

I made the back up also.  It is just single, half double and double crochets done in random rows.  Where you see the rust stripe across the center is where the opening is.  I plan to sew 2 or 3 buttons on there and button the cover on.  Then the pillow could be used on either side.

 I hope you have a yarn project in the works.  I am working on an afghan now and will show you photos when I get a bit more done.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit today. 

Granny Stripe and Shell Afghan Finish

I've been doing quite a bit of crocheting.  I've finished the brown and pink granny stripe afghan.

I really like the pink and brown variegated yarn that I used in this afghan, and all of the yarn came from my stash.

It was a lot of work to unwind the yarn from the wider afghan and to start the whole project over again from scratch, but I am happy with the finished afghan.

I also finished this crocheted shell look baby blanket from yarn that I had in my stash.

Relax, pick up your crochet hook or knitting needles, and spend some time with some pretty yarn today.

Thanks for visiting today! 

Pink and Brown Granny Stripe Afghan

I should have been all finished with the pink and brown variegated granny stripe afghan that I showed in an earlier post, but.......

This is what I did:

No, I'm not making a second afghan.  Here is a closer look:

See that the yarn is attached to the longer piece....and goes over to the shorter piece?  I had a lot more done on it than you see in the photo, but as I used the yarn I could see that the afghan was going to turn out way too wide and wouldn't be nearly long enough.   So I started over and chained less stitches.  You can see the piece on the right is the new afghan.  I know that this crochet project is just a way to use up some of my yarn, but I figured I might as well be happy with the finished project.  I'll post another photo soon, but I have worked almost all of the yarn from the longer piece onto the afghan.  Hopefully I will have a finish soon. 

Hope you are doing some stitching today! 

Shell Look Baby Blanket Finish

Last weekend my daughter came into town, and she decided she would help me work on one of the projects that I have here.  She chose the Shell Baby Blanket that I had started in pretty variegated yarn in shades of pink and blue.  The pattern and a photo of the start of the blanket is linked on my side bar.

While she was here, she finished crocheting it.

We had a nice weekend of visiting, watching movies, and crocheting.  She and I both enjoy crocheting as well as knitting. 

I had just started this blanket because I had the yarn in my stash and I really enjoyed the pattern.  I really didn't have a purpose in mind at the time so my daughter asked if she could take it home for her cat, Squeaky to lay on.

Squeaky comes along with my daughter when she visits.  When we let her out of the cat carrier she always remembers where her food bowl, water fountain and litter are so we call this Squeaky's summer home because she always seems right at home here.  She is a lot of fun to have here for a visit, and now she has the new blanket....and who could refuse a face like that?

Hope you find time to relax and knit or crochet a little each day! 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Pink and Brown Progress

I've been working on my pink and brown afghan for the last couple of days.  I'm using the Granny Stripe Afghan Pattern. 

The original pattern calls for the afghan to be a lot wider, but I made the beginning chain shorter because I don't have a lot of yarn.  The beginning chain needs to be a multiple of 3 so I chained 198 for this afghan.  What you see in the photo has used about half of my yarn, so I should have made my base chain a lot less.  But, right now I'm just trying to work up some of my yarn stash, so I'll use this with the stripes going vertically either as a throw or on the end of a bed.  I really like this yarn together.

For awhile now, I've been thinking about a pink and brown bedroom maybe for a guest room in winter time.  I have this wall hanging made in pink and brown except for the quilting so now all I need is to finish this afghan and make a pink and brown bed quilt.

  Crochet (or knit), relax and smile.  Repeat! 

Thanks for visiting. 

Pink and Brown Crochet

I've had this pink and brown variegated yarn for awhile now.  OK.  Truth is I've probably had it almost 2 years.  I have just been in the mood to crochet an afghan, so I've started one from this yarn.  I know it is nearly summer, but this way I'll have the afghan finished for this fall and winter. 

The  pink and brown variegated yarn is Classic Worsted Impressions by Universal Yarn, Inc.  I bought it at Knitting Today up in Wolcottville, Indiana or you can find it at Universal Yarn or by a google search.  The other 3 colors of brown/tan are from my stash.  I believe that they are Cascade yarn. 

I've started the afghan today in between doing other things.  In a day or two I'll show you my progress.

Crochet, relax, smile.  Repeat!  

Thanks for visiting. 

Kaffe Fassett Yarn

Did you know that Kaffe Fasset also designs yarn?  It is a chunky yarn by Rowan called Colorscape.  Here are some photos of a few of the colorways that I have.  I have a plan for this yarn and the yarn you see with it.  I'll give it a try and show you photos in a couple of days.  I've been busy quilting but am getting the urge to do some crocheting and knitting. 

Wishing you all some time to take a few stitches today.