FO Friday - Joint Project with Grandma Donna

A while ago on some WIP Wednesdays, I gave you updates, here, here, and here, on a project that I was working on with my Grandma Donna.  It was a blanket for my cousin Hannah.  My Grandma has finally finished it and here it is.  The pictures were taken in my Grandma's living room at night with a bright light on, so the color may be a bit off.

So, the project was divided up like this:  I did the center square, the heart appliqués, one corner square, and I started all of the other corner squares for my Gram.  My Gram did the side rectangles, 3 of the corner squares, joined the pieces, and did the border.

I think it turned out really nice!  You can see that the green yarn is sparkly!  Its so cute!

Details:

Pattern:  Teen Throw

Yarn:  Caron Simply Soft Party in Spring Sparkle (green) (5 skeins), Caron Simply Soft in Mango (orange) (about 2.5 skeins), and Caron Simply Soft in Watermelon (pink) (2 skeins)

Hook:  5.5mm I hook

Size:  43in square (109cm square)

This was a fun project and I'm glad my Grandma finished it in time for Christmas!

Don't forget to see everyone else's FO over at Tami's Amis.

Sam :-)

The Details!!!

I can't believe I forgot to give you the details yesterday.  I was so caught up in all the pictures that I forgot about the details.  I LOVE the details.

So first up, my Martha Cowl:

Details:
Pattern: Martha Cowl
Yarn:  Berroco Pure Merino in color 8528, I used about 5.5 balls
Hook: 5.0mm H hook

I really enjoyed this pattern.  It is extremely simple.  The only thing I changed was that I made the flower a pin instead of sewing it permanently on.  I didn't want to have to worry about positioning it correctly.  I could just move the flower!

I know I mentioned this yarn in my first post about this scarf.  It is very soft and I really like it.  I think it is discontinued.  It does stretch, so I don't know if I would use it for anything but a scarf.

Now, Grandma Betty's Drops Afghan:

Details:

Pattern: 124-1 Crochet Blanket

Yarn:  Drops Delight in colors 10, 08, 11, and 09.  I used 5 skeins of the color 10 and one each of the other colors for the total of 8 skeins.

Drops Fabel in Black - 400, I used about 3.5 skeins to put it together and to do the border.

Hook: 5.0mm H hook

Size: 40" x 50" (102cm x 127cm)

I loved this pattern.  I worked on it for so long, since June!  This was my project where I would take a ball of yarn with me anywhere and do a square or two.  The joining method for this blanket was new to me and I really like it.  It was a pain in the butt to do, but I love how it turned out.  Each square was about 4.25 in square (11cm square).  I arranged the squares 8x10 instead of the 7x11 that the pattern called for.  I just didn't want it long and skinny like that.

This was my mobile project for so long.  Production on it screeched to a halt when it was stuck on the dinning room table.  I eventually got my butt in gear and spend some evenings putting it together.

This blanket was more expensive that my Mom's Granny Stripe because of the yarn it used.  I couldn't recommend this pattern and the yarn with it enough.  It just turns out so nice!!  I may have to make this again for me :-)

Sam <3

Border time

Working with black in the evening is tough!

This is how I sit, with the blanket in my lap and my computer on the arm of the couch.

Getting....SO...close!

Sam <3

WIP Wednesday - sort of....

I've been working on my WIPs and I've actually finished one, but I haven't been able to get any pictures.  It has busy week filled with a hospital visit (BF, his Crohn's acting up), a funeral home (a good friend/coworker's mom passed away suddenly), and some major headaches  that made anything impossible. I've gotten headaches for as long as I can remember.  I went through a bunch of tests when I was 10 and was told I would grow out of them.  They grew less frequent, but they never fully disappeared.

I'll just give you a mini update and let you know what I'll show you soon.

• Martha Cowl is finished!
• I have all the vertical seams done on Grandma Betty's blanket and one horizontal seam done.  It's slow going now, because it isn't my portable project anymore.
• I have a good portion of my Grandma Donna's Lucy Bag done.  It is starting to look like a bag now
• I have all of my pieces done for my Joint Project with Grandma Donna.  I finished one corner square, which I showed you last week and I started the other 3 for my Gram.  She can complete them once I start them.  I'll post pictures when it is all together and done.

Don't forget to go over to Tami's Amis and check out the other WIPs.

Sam <3

WIP Wednesday

Today is Work-in-Progress Wednesday.  I actually have an update for you this time.  I seem to be updating about every other week?  Its not that I don't have progress on my WIPs, its just that I usually don't have pictures of that progress for a post.  There has been terrible light in the evenings, its either dreary weather, or I'm getting home so late the light is gone.  On Monday, the bf and I decided to go home over lunch.  So I had mid-day light!  So, here are my WIPs!

Let's start with my joint project with my Grandma Donna, Teen Throw.  Last time, I showed you the Center Square I finished.  Now I have one Corner Square finished.

My Gram has the heart appliques or else I would show you it with the heart.  Also, my Gram has finished her side rectangles.  I'll take pictures the next time I'm at her house.

Next up, is my Martha Cowl.  This project is for me.  I've had this cowl in my queue for a while.  I went to a LYS near me that I just found, Carol's Needleworks.  Its a nice small place.  I was browsing for a while, and I feel bad browsing for so long and not getting anything.  I had the Martha Cowl pattern in my gmail (I never delete emails), so I opened it for the yarn requirements and voila!

Berroco Pure Merino is a VERY soft yarn.  I had to get 6 balls and I like working with it so far.  I searched the ravelry comments on it after I bought it and most people had one complaint, it stretches.  That shouldn't matter too much with this pattern....hopefully.  Here's what I have done so far.

Hopefully, I'll have this finished and I can show it to you on Friday.

I have one last WIP to show you and I've saved the best for last!  I have so much more done on my Grandma Betty's blanket.  The last I showed it to you was here and here I told you I had more squares done.  Now, I have all 80 squares done AND I have 2 seams completed.

This blanket should be the perfect sized lap blanket for my Gram.  The way the pattern says to do the seams is different.  I like it.  Its thick and it lays flat. 

It was hard to get a good picture of all the squares together because my dining table is a tall table.  Don't get me wrong, I love my dining room table set, my Grandma Betty actually bought it for me and my bf when we moved into our apartment, but since it is so tall, it made getting the full pictures hard.  For the first one I had to hold my phone over my head.

So, what do you think?  Hopefully I'll have one or two things to show you on Friday.

Don't forget to check out everyone else's WIPs over at Tami's Amis.

Sam <3

WIP Wednesday

I'm going to try and participate in WIP Wednesday and FO Friday as often as possible. I may not have anything to show you on Fridays, but I have too many works-in-progress so Wednesdays will be a piece of cake.

I have a new project that kind of happened by accident.  My Grandma Donna has been making blankets for each of her grandchildren.  Hannah, one of my cousins said that she really liked orange and my Grandma wanted to do something different.  I found this pattern, Teen Throw, and Hannah and my Gram both liked it.  Once I printed out the pattern and started going over the instructions with my Gram I realized my mistake.  My Gram doesn't really feel comfortable reading patterns or working in the round.  This throw is done in nine pieces and all of them are worked in the round.

I managed to teach my Gram how to do the rectangular grannys that are the sides.  She loves those now and might eventually make a rectangular granny blanket.  Here's the picture from Caron's website showing those pieces.

Copyright 2011 Caron International Yarns

I have already done the 4 heart appliques and the center square. I don't have a picture of the hearts, but I do have one of the center square.

This was a pain in the tush to do. I had to learn how to do surface slip stitching. I can see my joins in the green, but hopefully it isn't too noticeable. The hearts were even worse to do. It doesn't look like a heart until almost the very end. The entire time I was second guessing myself that I was doing them wrong. I have to do the four corner squares for my Gram and then she will put it together and do the border. Its kind of nice having a joint project.

I have plenty of other WIPs that I can show you, but I think you've seen them all and most of them haven't changed. I have 66 squares done of my Grandma Betty's blanket. Last I showed you I had 47 squares done. I think I might buy more yarn for it. The pattern calls for 7x11 squares and I don't like how skinny that would be. I was going to do 8x10, but there are a couple really dark squares that I'd really like to remove. If I had about 2 more skeins, that would make me happy.

Don't forget to check out everyone else's WIPs over at Tami's Amis.

Sam :-)

PS.  By the way, I guess this joint WIP IS MY GRAM'S AFGHAN!!!!

My Sister's Birthday!

Today my sister turns 29.  She's one year away from the big one!!

A while back in July, Missy asked me what I wanted for my birthday.  I showed her a list of patterns I wanted to buy from www.KnitPicks.com.  She bought me a few patterns and commented that she found a hat that she liked and fingerless gloves.  Now, my sister is very picky, but here was a time where she essentially picked out two patterns!!!

The first one was a WIP that I had shown you previously, but when I finished it, I realized that I goofed.  I made it too small!  It fits my 5 year old cousin pretty good though! :-)

Details:

Pattern - Sock Slouch --- Crochet Pattern, I bought it on www.knitpicks.com

Yarn - Knit Picks Gloss Fingering , in the color Kenai, 2 hank

Hooks - C (2.75mm) and E (3.5mm)

I then decided I would try to get the second pattern done before her birthday.

Details:
Pattern - Ribbed Crochet Wristlets, I bought it on www.knitpicks.com
Yarn - Knit Picks Swish Worsted in color Lost Lake Heather - 2 skeins
Hook - H (5.0mm)
Buttons - Found them at Joann's for less than a dollar I think!

Honestly, I cannot say enough good things about this yarn.  It is 100% Merino and it is so soft!!  This was my first time working with wool where it wasn't scratchy in the slightest!!  (I know, just means this is my first good stuff, but still!!!)  I'm definitely going to be using this yarn again.

I finished these wristlets on September 26th. I thought I had enough time to order more yarn and make the hat again, in time for October 11th......WHAT WAS I THINKING?!  To top it off, Missy's birthday dinner was going to be on October 10th instead because we have soccer games on Tuesdays.

I finished it with no time to spare.  I was actually late for Missy's birthday dinner yesterday.

Me kneeling in front of my bf saying, "Take a picture, quick! I'm running late!"

Details:  

Pattern - Sock Slouch --- Crochet Pattern, I bought it on www.knitpicks.com

Yarn - Knit Picks Stroll Tonal , in the color Golden Glow, 1 hank

Hooks - C (2.75mm) and E (3.5mm)

Missy put it on at the restaurant, I think it looks better on her!

Success!!!!  Happy Birthday Missy!!!

Sam <3

My Mom's 50th Birthday!

Yesterday was my mom's 50th birthday.  We had a big party for her!

Creative Cakes Bakery in Robinson made an amazing cake!!  It was beautiful and delicious!

My mom, when she was about 3.

My mom and I.

Myself and my sister, Missy

We had to take multiple pictures because my uncle was trying to photo bomb us, so we were laughing.

Getting ready to cut the cake!  The little kids are excited for CAKE!

The leaves were sugar! 

My Great-Aunt Kathy and my Great-Aunt Sis on the left, with my Great-Uncle Jimmy standing on the left, my mom in the middle, and my Grandma Donna and my Pap on the right

My dad, cutting more cake

The neighbors, from left to right, Carl & Sue, and Sue & Tom

Me and Grandma Betty

From left to right, Jodi, Ben, Aunt Amy, Nora, and Ashlee

Family picture with nobody looking really, except my cousin Ashley, and my Aunt Janice in the upper left.

I had a big reveal recently and I told you I couldn't say who it was for.  Well, my granny stripe blanket was for my mom!!  Here are some pictures of her opening it.

I think she liked it!!!!

I hope you had a great birthday mom!!!

<3 Sam

WIP Wednesday

Today I am officially going to participate in WIP Wednesday!!!  Honestly its just because I wanted to give a WIP update and it happened to land on a Wednesday :-P  I probably should get on a regular schedule.

I'm only going to highlight two of my currently WIPs.  These two are for people I know that DEFINITELY don't read my blog, or come on the internet at all.  My Grandmas!

Now I've shown you updates on my Grandma Betty's blanket before, but now I have some serious progress!!  I have 47 out of my 80 squares done!

The little stack is of the squares that still need the ends woven in.

Next up for my Grandma Donna, I am making a Lucy Bag.  If you haven't heard of it, it is this pattern here.

I only have part of the base done and as you can see, I'm not doing single rounds.  I'm trying to do it completely random, but we know how that goes.

What do you think?  How many WIPs do you have?  I have about 5 or 6, possible more.  Honestly though, I tend to have 2 or 3 max that I focus on.

Don't forget to check out other people's WIPs over at Tami's Amis

Sam <3