FO Friday

I actually have a couple of finished objects, but I think I'll show them to you one at a time.

I showed you the baby blanket I had started for my new work friend Becky in August, during my last WIP Wednesday post.  The blanket only took me 2 1/2 weeks!  I was a machine with this blanket.  I was just so excited about it.

I think it turned out great!

I'm really contemplating making another blanket with this yarn, maybe held double or triple for extra squishiness, for my living room.  It just matches my furniture so well!

I did a double think border and it helped me make the back just as pretty as the front.  It hid all of those ends!

I really love how this blanket turned out.  I can't say it enough.

Details:
Pattern:  No pattern really, I was inspired by this project, Noah's Blanket, who was inspired by this blanket, Hoodie Baby Blanket.  For the border, I used the border from Coastal Hoodie.
Yarn: Vanna's Choice in colors Dusty Green, Linen, Silver Blue, Taupe, White, and Dusty Blue (border)
Needle: US 8 - 5.00mm
Size: 33"x35" - I always worry that baby blankets are going to be too small and then end up bigger than I anticipate.
Time: 2.5 weeks!
Ravelry: Baby Boy Stripes


I gave the blanket to Becky last week and she loved it!  She keeps raving about it and how her mother loves it, so I'd say she is very knitworthy.  She kept saying, "You spent so much time on me!"  I think I binge watched 3 seasons of Lost Girl while I mader her blanket.  She laughed that I measured it in TV seasons.  I heard that is how some famous knitting guy measures how much time he puts into projects.  I think it fits!


Sam :-D

You Gotta Keep Your Head Up....

Ooooooh, and you can let your hair down, ehh!!   Andy Grammer anyone?  I've been watching the movie Pitch Perfect a TON lately.  I just got HBO (it ended up making my cable bill cheaper?! not sure, but I'll take it!) and Pitch Perfect is only on there until FRIDAY!!  I have to get all of my acca-scuse me's in NOW, STAT!

I haven't updated here in months again....I will get into a groove again with this.  I keep telling myself that.  I last posted here in February.  Again, a lot has happened since then good and bad.  One of the bad was that my grandmother passed away a couple of weeks after my last post, February 20th to be exact.  Her and I did not have a perfect relationship.  She was who I crafted with, she sewed my whole life, but I taught her how to crochet.  There was a period of time a couple of years ago where I was with her every Saturday morning.  There were things that we most definitely did not agree on, its family drama and I won't go into it, but I managed to have a relationship with her anyway.  I somehow compartmentalized and savored what we did have in common.  So now that she is gone there are so many conflicting emotions.

Right away my family gave me her yarn.  I helped sort it with what I wanted to keep and what should go to Project Linus (she worked with them).  It is a lot.  I bought a bunch of it for her.  It is mainly Stylecraft.  I know eventually I want to make a blanket out of some of it.  I actually have a half made blanket that she started that I want to finish.

I'm not going to do it just yet, but I will finish it some day.  She loved seeing everything I made and I encouraged her to try new patterns and techniques.

I changed my hair big time the day my Gram passed.  My mom was telling me all of the errands she had to run and getting her hair cut was one.  I managed to fit in an appointment.

I went from:



To this new style:

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my curls, but it was nice to do something different for a little while.  I had people walk right past me and not recognize me.  It was actually kind of cool.

Craft-wise, in February I decided I was going to make a baby blanket for Rayna.  She's the daughter of Lauren, my best friend growing up.  I'm not close to Lauren right now, but there was never anyone as deserving for something handmade and pretty.  She's had to deal with so much with Rayna.  Rayna's had all sorts of eating issues and allergies.  I just wanted Lauren to know I was thinking of her.

These were the colors I started with:

I really wanted to try something different and when I saw this pattern, Harlequin by Ingrid Jansen, I knew it was the one.

I had to add more colors to get the number of diamonds I needed.

It ended up being a lot bigger than I anticipated.  Somehow my math was way off.  I didn't take into account the joins and the spacing needed.  It ended up being 35" x 44" and I have made my previous baby blankets around 28" x 33".  It's fine, it is a Mommy and Me blanket!

I love how this blanket turned out.  Lauren likes it, so I was super pumped.  My ravelry page for it is here.

I actually wrote this post 2 weeks ago!  I forgot to post it.  So, maybe I'll get out a WIP post later today or tomorrow!!

Sam <3

FO Friday! Owen's Little Square Baby Blanket!

I know I was supposed to show you this blanket last week, but I forgot.  Simple as that.  At least now though you can see a few pictures of my sister opening it up at her shower, right?

Well let's just get right to it!  I managed to finish this blanket in about 1 month!  I worked on it nonstop!

So here it is!

I love how it turned out! 

I added some navy in the border and finished it off with the light blue.

Here are the details in case you want them:

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in colors 505 Yellow, 071 Pool (the light blue), 018 Citrus (light green), 047 Bright Green, 068 Peach, 008 Navy, 023 Sienna, 005 Cream, and 048 Brown.
Hook:  US G 4mm
Size: 28"x33"
Pattern:  I made up the pattern for the squares.  It is pretty basic.  This is what I did:

Ch 4 join with a sl st 
chain 3, 3 dc into center 
ch 2 4 dc into center 
ch 2 4 dc into center 
ch 2 4 dc into center 
ch 2 join with sl st in top of ch3

ch3 dc into next 3 st, dc into ch 2 space 
ch 2, dc into same ch 2 space 
dc across the 4 st 
dc into ch 2 space 
ch 2, dc into same ch 2 space 
dc across the 4 st 
dc into ch 2 space 
ch 2, dc into same ch 2 space 
dc across the 4 st 
dc into ch 2 space 
ch 2, dc into same ch 2 space 
join with a sl st into top of ch 3

I joined the squares together using the method from this pattern 124-1 Crochet blanket in ”Delight” and ”Fabel” and I also used most of the border from that pattern. Instead of using those shells, I did reverse sc.

I didn't take very many pictures at the shower, but my cousin got a couple of my sister opening my blankets.

Overall they were a huge hit!

Hopefully I have my Happy Street finished soon!

I've linked up with Tami's Amis.

And I'll end with a picture of my puppies stealing my pillow.

Sam :-)

FO Friday - Color Affection, Linen Stitch, & Baby Items

I had this written on Wednesday!!!  I forgot to post it because I took Friday off from work and I didn't touch the computer!  So here it is, better late than never!

I finished quite a bit during my accidental hiatus from blogging.  I showed you a while back that I purchased yarn for a color affection.

I love these colors.  They are Fibernymph Dye Works Bounce in colors Grape Juice Purple, Bright Green, and Peacock Blue.

This shawl grew faster than I thought.  This was my first shawl. 

My finished pictures were taken with my phone while Dave was in the hospital, so they aren't very good.  I haven't gotten around to taking better pictures.  The picture directly above, where I'm working on the border, shows the colors the best.

I did a nice wide border, just what I wanted to do.  I really think it shows off the blue perfectly!  I love the colors, I really think they work perfectly together.

Once I finished my color affection, I was in the mood to finish more!  So I picked up my Linen Stitch Scarf (seen here and here), which I hadn't worked on in FOREVER.  I plowed through and finished it!

Can you believe that this scarf came from this yarn?

My finished pictures weren't in the best light, so you can't see the subtle pinks and the bright blue as much as you can in real life.  The yarn used was Artyarns Ultramerino in color 195 (Red-Purple) and Claudia Hand Painted Yarn Fingering in colors John B. (Pink-Brown) and Hawaii (Blue-Green-White).

After I finished my Linen Stitch Scarf, I started working on two baby bibs.  These bibs actually were not for my sister.  They were for a soccer teammate who was having twins (she just had them a couple of days ago).

I like the monkey one better because it has a neater cast on edge.  It uses short rows to create the curve, while the ducky one uses a method where you keep casting on more stitches.  I couldn't stop it from looking loose.  I think I'll end up making more of these for my sister.

As soon as I found out my sister was having a boy, I cast on a little blue sweater.

I loved working on it!  It went by so quick!

I made the newborn size because I was worried I'd run out of yarn (I didn't).  My mom and my sister were worried that it was too small.  So I did the only logical thing, I put it on my 13lb dog.

It fit Toby with plenty of ease and my mom and sister got a kick out of it!

The pattern was Thom with a "TH" and the yarn was Knit Picks Swish Worsted.  I used 1.55 skeins. 

With the left over yarn I made a newborn hat:

Again my mom and sister think it is going to be too small, but we'll just have to wait and see!

After I completed the sweater, but before I started Owen's Little Square Blanket I finished a knit blanket for Owen.  He's going to be so spoiled.  I started this blanket when I found out my sister was pregnant.  I did it in Navy yarn I had on hand, thinking that it is a neutral essentially and could be for a boy or girl.

I haven't blocked it yet.  The second picture shows the color of the yarn better.  The pattern is Pine Forest Baby Blanket and I used Berroco Vintage in color 5188.  This yarn is very soft and squishy and it is great that it is machine washable!!

So those are all of the items that I have finished since about March.  I've linked up with Tami's Amis.

Sam :-)

FO Friday - My Ripple!!!!!!!!

I've finally finished it!  My ripple is complete!!!  Want to see?

It ended up being 52"x76" (132 x 193cm)!!!!  As you can see above, I can lay on the couch and be completely covered!!!!

I'm so excited that its done.

I did a very simple border.  Who knows, I may add to it later.

I struggled to get a full picture of it on the floor, but here's my best shot.

Look at all the color!!  I love it!

What do you think?  I love it!  I started it in January, so this blanket is the biggest and took me the longest.

Details:
Pattern:  Neat Ripple Pattern
Yarn:  Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
Colors:  All listed on my project page, here
Size:  52"x76" (132 x 193cm)
Hook:  4 mm G

I've linked with Tami's Amis, Natural Suburbia, and Wisdom Begins in Wonder.

Sam <3