More Bowls

I made two more bowls in my quest to use up my cotton yarn. Actually crocheting these little bowls provides great satisfaction in that they are done very quickly unlike my two knit shawls which are long commitments. I used Barb Niles pattern for Notions Bowls on Ravelry. She called for a 7/G/4.5mm hook. I used an H/5.00mm. Just that little bit helps my hands not get so crampy. It is a super easy pattern and as I said the satisfaction factor of finishing a project quickly is great.

Sugar and Creme

Hot Green #1712 and Summer Splash #2743

Bottom view.

Sugar and Creme

Beach Ball Blue #2316 and Hot Purple #1317

Bottom.

I love the contrast here.

Crochet Cup Holder

So I seem to be in the crochet mood. I have a lot of Sugar and Cream and Peaches and Cream cotton and apparently I am liking crocheting little bowls. I have a cup holder for Dixie cups in the pink bathroom and remembered I have some hot pink Sugar and Creme cotton. I took the idea from Bunny Mummy's blog that I used on the pencil holder and adapted it to fit the cup holder. I also think that it is finishing a project quickly that has drawn me into these little bowls. I don't like clutter sitting around to have to dust but if it has a purpose it is ok. So here is the finished cup holder. I think it turned out cute.

Crochet Pencil Holder

I have many projects going on right now jumping back and forth to my temperment at the time. www.bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com has a cute crocheted bowl. I have a bunch of cotton yarn so thought I would make one. At first I did not care for the size I was making so I ripped it out and decided to make it smaller and more narrow and make a pencil holder for the table beside the couch where I do all my work. I used Lily Sugar and Cream, color #2744 Swimming Pool. I also switched from a G crochet hook to an I. The double thread with a G hook was giving my RA hands fits. The I worked better for me. This is an easy and fun pattern and it can be adjusted to whatever size you want to make.

I love this color.

The bottom.

Up the side.

The bottom is so cool looking.

Finished.

 

Escape

I am feeling a need for escape creeping out. This picture is from Matthew and Corteney's wedding on the beach at Magen's Bay, St Thomas, USVI. Beautiful place to visit. Hope to go back.

13 Years Ago

After going out into the heat today I thought I would post a picture of my trip to Alaska, where it is nice and cool. Then while looking at pictures I realized that it was 13 years ago this week Allison and I made that trip. It was so much fun. We flew into Anchorage and rented a car for eight days. None of that being on a schedule for us. As I looked through the pictures I realized I couldn't post just one. So here are a few of my favorites. It was one of my most favorite memories ever.

Denali National Park. Note the bus on the road. The height still freaks me out.

View from atop Exit Glacier. Note the tiny people in the riverbed below.

View from Byron Glacier

We hiked in about a mile in to see the glacier. We later found out that a bear had been spotted here earlier in the day.

One of my most favorite pictures of the trip. Byron Glacier is barely visible behind us. This picture was taken by the only other two people we saw on the hike. I am feeling much cooler now just remembering how chilly it was then.

Crochet Banner 3

The banner is up. I thought of making lower over the edge of the mini blind but decided I liked it up above it.

Crochet Banner 2

The crochet banner has worked up quickly. I wanted to list the websites I got the patterns from. The Granny Square is just the pattern my Grandma taught me and can be found on most websites. The star is the Little Star Dishcloth by Elizabeth Ann White for www.bellacrochet.com . It can also be found on Ravelry. The triangle is from www.bunnymummy-jacquie.blogspot.com . I also got the idea for the cord from her. The heart is from www.solgrim.blogspot.com . All of the sites have some wonderful ideas and projects.

These are the finished products. I love how the colors turned out. I need to spritz them so they lay more flat. I only made one star . It is going to be the center.

Bunny Mummy suggested making the cord in single crochet of two different yarns. I used the Lagoon and then got some white out of my stash. Worked perfectly. Now they need to dry and then can be hung up.

Crochet Banner

I have been looking at some blogs and ran across crocheted banners. Several blogs have them and since for some reason I have been crocheting lately I decided I would make one up. I have a window that is an odd size. I tried some curtains but for some reason the wall just does not hold them correctly. So I got the idea to make a banner to go above the window. The walls are a sand color with white trim, what I call Florida looking since they match JE's house in Florida. I went through the stash and could not find a good color. Crazy Aunt Jane game me a gift card for Hobby Lobby for my birthday so I went to check out the yarn. They were have a huge clearance on yarn, guess to bring in some fall colors or yarn that did not sell that well. I saw it, my absolute favorite color in the whole world, blue. But not just any blue. When I was in third grade they called it peacock blue but I have seen it called Caribbean, lagoon, sky blue. This was a verigated called Lagoon #ED200-05 by Deborah Norville. I have used some of her yarn before and it is very soft. My only issue is that it is $4.99 for 3.5 oz. Because of that I only buy it on sale or clearance.

I have four patterns I am doing. A star, a heart, a triangle and a granny square. I am also using a size I hook. This is wonderfully soft yarn and the patterns work up fast.

Breathe

When under great stress remember pleasant places and breathe deeply.

Cambridge Shawl

The Cambridge Shawl is slowly but surely getting more rows finished. This shawl was diverted by other knitting only because with the counting involved I have had too many distractions. I have tended to need patterns that are super simple. It is not good when people interrupt you while you are counting. But I love the pattern and the yarn and have hope it will be finished by the time it starts to get cool.

Olympics vs Ravelry

Today on Facebook one of my friends posted a link to an editorial by Ruth Marcus at the Washington Post. Recently Ravelry has been hit with threats by the Olympic Commitee. The Committee feels that the Ravelympics that is held during the Olympic games is denigrating to the spirit of the "True Olympics" (emphasis mine). Supposedly now Ravelry has received two apologies from from the Olympic Commitee. Now I love the Olympics as much as the next American. Seriously who could forget the USA's win over Russia in hockey, but I find it a little sad when something as big as the Olympic Commitee feels threatened by a group of knitters who are only showing their support for their country and it's athletes. I mean Ravelry is worldwide. I have friends in many countries. Those friends want to support their teams too. Knitting is a great leveler. In contest we may all root for our own countries but in knitting a lace shawl with 000 size knitting needles and fine lace yarn, Ravelry friends are the people I go to when I have a knitting problem. So Olympic Commitee, get a grip. In these days when the economy is kindof in the toilet, you are going to want me to buy all kinds of stuff to support my favorite teams and athletes. Acting like the and denigrating my craft is not the way to have that happen. Check out the article. I will give you two links in hopes at least one works. www.washingtonpost.com Why I knit   www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ruth-marcus-olyrr 

Coffee

Found this coffee at WalMart. It may be available other places. I really like it. The main reason I got it was we had gone to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville in Grand Turk, BVI, a place with very beautiful Caribbean water. If you like dark roast give it a try.

Grand Turk, BVI

Christmas Ornaments

One thing going through knitting tubs will do is help you find forgotten projects. I can't remember when I made these cute little stocking ornaments, sometime in the last couple of years. I was just working on a project and after changing needles and using different yarns had these made up. They are about 4" tall. I am sure the notes are in the knitting notebook. I sewed them up and then put them in the Christmas tub to be used in December. Wonder what I will find next.

Happy Birthday

I really hate when people talk about their birthdays. I love talking about my kid's and grandkid's birthdays but somewhere along the way my adult birthdays became, well, adult. I have had some birthday surprises in the last few years which have been fun but overall adult birthdays are just another day. Maybe part of that is because businesses have made so many holidays we don't get over one till there is another. Wears you out. Today has been quiet and I have been mostly sittin' knittin', a gift to myself. Allison, Scout and Jo came over yesterday. We are in the middle of swim lessons. They surprised me with yummy Chinese for lunch and my favorite homemade (by Allison) Lemon Cheesecake for dessert. Her cheesecake is a meal in itself. It is great for breakfast.

Lemon cheesecake, so yummy! The best cheesecake in the world.

I digress a little here. In March this year my Mother passed away. One of the many things everyone remembers about her and her house were her Hummels. While JE was here she went though and made sure everyone, including grandkids (and in the future great-grandkids) got a Hummel as a remembrance. Mine sit on the buffet in my living room. There were three Hummel books I had given Mother over the years. I ended up keeping them and put them in the living room. Scout and Jo like to look through them. Since Mother taught me to knit (in 1976) the little children knitting have caught my attention. She never had any of the knitting children but I mention to Allison I would like one of them. I did not think about it anymore. Yesterday the girls came with a present. When I opened it I could not believe it. There was Happy Pastime.

Happy Pastime

She is so cute I can hardly stand it. I was so surprised. As I looked more closely I noticed she is knitting socks, with double pointed needles! I love it! Oh dear, am I starting another collection? I do know that my thimble collection takes up a lot less room and is not quite as expensive. Thank you so much Allison, I love her.

This is the last really good picture I have of Mother. It was taken at Christmas this last year.

Thanks Mother for teaching me to knit. As you once told me I might need a "hobby" if I ever had health issues. Knitting has been a real stress reliever and a happy pastime. Also thanks for my birthday.

Revised Hat

I have been working on a hat in the midst of all the other knitting I have been doing. This one will be for a gift when it eventually gets cold again. I asked JE about the pattern we call Matthew's Blue Hat. Many times when we knit something we name the piece after the person we knit it for to have easy hunting next time we want the pattern. The hat is knit out of Lion Brand Homespun yarn. I started on the pattern.  JE knit several hats adapting the pattern to what she wanted. Once I reached the main part of the hat with a K2, P2 I did not like the little holes that seemed to appear when the yarn was moved back to front. I tried knitting tighter but they were still there. I decided to just knit the whole thing. Here is what I came up with.

I like a hat that covers the ears. I am sure this little pattern is everywhere so if you come across something similar on a website, well there are really no new ideas under the sun, just adapted ones.

The yarns are Lion Brand's Homespun in #200 Starlight and #301B Shaker. The yarn worked up easy with this pattern. Also another good reason to buy this particular yarn, it has an American flag on it and the statement Made in USA. It is machine wash and dry for easy care. Good if you have kids or maybe just a messy person in your house. This yarn also washes so well becoming even softer with every wash. The pattern is below. Feel free to use it for easy knitting gifts or to whip up a few and send to www.operationgratitute.com . This wonderful group sends care packages to our soldiers serving outside the US but also can use these for soldiers recovering in hospitals stateside. Check out their website.

Matthew's Blue Hat Revised

Homespun yarn of your choice

Size 13 and size 10 knitting needles

Size 10 double point knitting needles

Cast on  52 stitches with 13's. Transfer to size 10's

Place marker at beginning of first row

Knit 4 rows white

Knit 33 rows in color of choice

Decr:

1) *K2, K2tog, cont fr * around

2) *K2tog, K1, cont fr * around

3) Knit 1 row

4) K2tog around

Cut yarn and close top

I knit on circular needles so I do not have to sew the hat up. Also Homespun does ravel so I always put a little knot at the end of the yarn so it does not fray out. Just cut it off when you go to finish the top of the hat. I also have made a hat out of one color. With that just cast on and knit. JE likes a little contrast with the white yarn. If anything is unclear let me know. Writing down a pattern is a little like telling someone how to make a peanut butter sandwich. What you do automatically someone else might need a little more info on. Enjoy!

For The Love of a Chicken

Here is a picture of the grandgirls with apparently Scout's favorite chicken. She was carrying the chicken around and I ask her its name and she said Roses. Guess it is because she is red.

A very tolerant chicken.

I love this picture.

Yeah Matthew!!

Last night I heard my son Matthew had entered in a 5K race for today, the 4th, in Lubbock. Considering all the health issues he has had to deal with in the last few years even as recent as last month this was a great accomplishment. He came in 85th out of 130 which is pretty good considering he has not been able to train like he normally did. Thanks to Corteney for snapping these pix.

Great job Matthew!

Happy Independence Day!!

Land of the free because of the brave.

Wish Upon A Star

I started this right before the weekend.

 I have this wonderful yarn left over from before Jo was born. Yes, I am still wading through my stash. I made Jo a darling pink sweater and hat out of this same yarn when she was 2-ish. You can find it on my Ravelry projects page. Just realized I need to update that page too. Back to the original thought, I found this yarn a couple of weeks ago. Not that it was lost, it was just sitting in the buffet not knowing what it wanted to be. So I decided I would try this pattern. It is crochet with a G hook.

Red Heart Soft Baby Yarn - Rose Twinkle

 We always called it the Peppermint yarn.

Main reason I got the yarn. It was pretty but who can resist that bargain.

I think I bought six skeins.

I have been a little frustrated with the connection between the rows. The instructions are a little short. Somehow I have also ended up with a couple of extra stitches on the last row right before the connecting of the rows. So I have ripped out and sometimes it works and sometimes it has to be redone again. Maybe it's me. It is a cool afghan but if I get frustrated I will go back and work on another project that is sitting here feeling abandoned and let this one sit a few days.