Yarn Along – May


Yarn Along
~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading
and I love sharing my projects and current reads here.~
This is how Ginny begins her blog, Small Things,
on the First Wednesday of the month.

April was a productive month for me.
It seems I did nothing but sit and crochet.
I was happy.

Red and Grey Moods of Change, Frank O’Randell
is now finished, 4/15
It does not lay flat,
it kind of curls around my lap.
It is warmer that way.

I will make this pattern again
in a lighter weight yarn.
Ravelry link.

I played with the first few rounds of Mandela Madness
using dish cloth cotton,

Isn’t Madness pretty!

Someday I’d like to make some Madness.

I purchased some Caron Simply Soft in blue
and completed Moe of Change, Frank o’Randell

Started 4/16, finished 4/23/18.

What’s left of 4th skein.
Ravelry link.

4/23  I pulled Sophie’s Garden out of ‘time out’ in the stash shed
and determined I stopped at round 15.

I played with this one until 4/30 stopping on round 32.
I’m using stash lace weight yarn doubled and sock yarn single
comes out about same thickness.
Ravelry link.

Don’t tell Sophie, but she got set aside
because I couldn’t wait to see
what this yarn would look like in Tides of Change, Frank O’Randell.

I really like his patterns,
(as if you couldn’t tell)
they are challenging,
yet not overwhelming;
and they are so pretty when finished.
I’m on round 19,
I’m letting the yarn flow,
so center looks a little lopsided.
Ravelry link.

I have enjoyed my rounds in April, listening to many audio books.

If you would like to see what others are doing with yarn, join us here.

Published in: on May 9, 2018 at 4:06 am  Leave a Comment  
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Yarn Along – April


Yarn Along
~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading
and I love sharing my projects and current reads here.~
This is how Ginny begins her blog, Small Things,
on the First Wednesday of the month.

February’s work in progress
Moods of Change, Frank O’Randle
I restarted it in February
and ran out of yarn,
ordered yarn on line,
purchased yarn at my favorite yarn shop
Babetta’s Yarn and Gifts
Acquired all year and continued
going around and around
row after row

until row 71 on March 31.

I’m using a bulky yarn;
so this Mood is getting very heavy.
81 total rounds – goal to finish in April!

I’ve been listening to:
Hold Me Tight by Sue Johnson.
Publisher’s summary:
The message of Hold Me Tight is simple:
‘Forget about learning how to argue better,
analyzing your early childhood,
making grand romantic gestures,
or experimenting with new sexual positions.
Instead, get to the emotional underpinnings of your relationship
by recognizing that you are emotionally attached to
and dependent on your partner in much the same way
that a child is on a parent for nurturing, soothing, and protection.’

Having the attitude,
I can do it,
I don’t really need any one,
Asking for help is weak
has hindered me in making
the attachments I really desire.
This book is helping me learn to ask and accept.

A Bible based version, Created for Connection,
is available,
I heard of this version first.

To see what others are making and reading, click here.

Published in: on April 5, 2018 at 1:53 pm  Comments (2)  
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Maker’s Monday – Madness

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday. Tell me all about what you’re making.”

Moods of Change is waiting under the table,
looking resentful as I am playing with Mandela Madness
instead of working on Red and Grey.

I found Mandela Madness by wandering around
the lovely crocheted projects
I keep seeing on Facebook.
(Aren’t you glad it’s spelled with 8 letters instead of 2 sets of 4)

I searched through my tub of dishcloth cotton
to see what I could use in my play.
I like to try new patterns with dishcloth cotton because
I can see the stitches
I love the soft colors
It is a firm yarn
It is cheap.
The biggest negative is it does not give/have stretch.

Helen at Crystals and Crochet designed this Mandela Madness.
Look here
It’s All in a Nutshell made incredible videos of the crocheting round by round.
Look here
I fell, hook, yarn and pattern.

Part 2, row 22


Isn’t she pretty

My box with colors waiting.
I don’t know how far I’ll go,
as I don’t have enough yarn to do the whole beautiful thing
but some day I would love to complete the ‘Madness”

Look!
See what finally arrived in the mail.

A new book filled with lovely crocheted and knitted items.
Socks and shawls and cowls and afghans
and a baby sweater and
the reason I bought the book:
A Bear in a Bunny Suit

I bought the grey and spring greens and blues on Saturday
from Rumpelstiltskin, my second favorite yarn shop in Sacramento.

Moods of Change in Red and Grey
is in the basket under the table in tears.

Joining with Jeannie here.

Published in: on March 26, 2018 at 3:41 pm  Comments (2)  
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Maker’s Monday – on Wednesday

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday. Tell me all about what you’re making.”

March 14
All ordered yarn is here.
4 skeins of grey
6 skeins of variegated reds, grey, black

Back to Moods of Change,
designer Frank o’Randle

Starting with row 50
after ripping out the grey
to use the variegated as per the pattern.

By Monday 19
rows 50-54 with variegated
rows 55-57 with red
(row 57 consisted of 594 double crochets)
rows 58-part of 62 grey
(row 59 boasted 648 single crochets and
108 single crochet 2 together)
were completed.

Let me tell you this afghan is getting heavy
and there is no room for a dozing cat on my lap.
The cats cannot understand this.
The lap just looks cozier
with all that lovely yarn as a cushion.

Linking with Jeannie Gray and other Makers.
Ravelry link Red & Grey

Published in: on March 21, 2018 at 6:42 pm  Comments (1)  
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Makers’ Monday – A Couple Day’s Late

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday. Tell me all about what you’re making.”

A couple days late . . .

I worked very diligently to get this afghan
finished for gifting by Saturday.
I finished the rows,
crocheted the edge,
and wove in all the ends.
I spread it out on the bed
and saw this wobbly mess.

The double crochet rows were nice and even,
but when I worked the pattern rows
my tension was tighter.
No way could I block out that problem.

Nothing to do but rip it all out.

Isn’t this box of little yarn balls cute?

I’m trying a five point star pattern,
and having to tie little balls of yarn together
to make it all the way around a row.


This Afghan, Spice of Life 2,
went to the shower with me on Saturday.

The waiting is over,
the red variegated yarn for Galaxy of Change
was picked up from the post office this morning.

Tomorrow is another day to crochet.

Linking with Jeannie Gray and other Makers.
Ravelry notes for Spice of Life 2.

Published in: on March 7, 2018 at 1:40 am  Leave a Comment  
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Maker’s Monday – Moody Spice of Life

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday. Tell me all about what you’re making.”

Moods of Change ran out of variegated and grey yarn,
I think on round 53.

I found variegated at Lions on line,
waiting for delivery.
I’ve accepted it won’t be the same die lot. Oh well.
Babetta’s Yarn and Gifts, my favorite local yarn shop,
had a grey that will work,
again not exact but acceptable.

So while I wait for ups.

I pulled Spice of Life,
a Sandra Paul/Cherry Heart Design.
out of time out.

I completed 52 rows since February 20.
I’ll work on this maybe 30 more rows and then a border.
Maybe less rows I’d like to have it done
by Saturday for a little boy due soon.

Spice of Life Ravelry notes here
Moods of Change Ravelry notes here.
Jeannie Grey – link up here

Published in: on February 26, 2018 at 7:20 pm  Comments (4)  
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Makers’ Monday – Moods 2

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday. Tell me all about what you’re making.”

Okay.

Last Monday, February 12, on row 32 –

this Monday, February 19, working on row 50!

Quite a bit of ripping went on
row 43 had 442 double crochets.
I finally got that right . . .
then row 44 just would not count out right.

I ripped and re-crocheted more than once
and finally fudged,
(for non-crocheters that does not mean I ate fudge;
it means I pulled out my stitching and redid the stitches)
and the continuing rows have worked out well.

31 rows to go – but I know I don’t have enough yarn.
Question – just crochet until I run out of yarn,
trying to plan a pleasant end or
go buy more knowing exact dye lot won’t be available.
I’ll have to see how different the colors are.

A friend laughingly asked when I was going to make her a blanket.
I asked, “what colors?”
She said “black and grey” duh?
“Can I add a little teal?’
“Sure whatever leftovers you have”
We parted laughing.

Knowing me, well, you may not know me,
but that request has lodged in my cluttered brain.

So when I ran across this pattern
(don’t you just love blogs, Facebook, Pinterest etc.)
I knew it was her pattern  (link).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Optical Art is a method of painting concerning the interaction
between illusion and picture plane, between understanding and seeing.”
[John Lancaster. Introducing Op Art, London: BT Batsford Ltd, 1973, p. 28.]

I took a little while on Sunday to see if my fingers
remembered how to work with three double pointed needles.


Sorry I took needles out before picture.

A little rough but I can do it!
Where this falls in the queue, anyone’s guess.

Ravelry notes here
Jeannie Grey – link up here

Published in: on February 19, 2018 at 5:13 pm  Comments (2)  
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Makers’ Monday – Moods

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday.  Tell me all about what you’re making.”

Okay.

The mess of Moods of Change I found in ‘Crochet time out’.

I don’t know when I started it.
I don’t know what size needle I used.
I think I know where I left off . . .
but I ripped it out anyway and started over on February 6.


By this afternoon, February 12,
I had finished row 32 with 364 single crochets.
Some people stop at this point
making a mini Moods of Change.
I have many more skeins of yarn
so I’ll keep going around and around
depending on my ‘mood’.


Pictures show red as rosy but it is more country brick.

Moods of Change designer, Frank O’Randle
Linking with Jeannie.

Ravelry Moods of Change notes

Published in: on February 13, 2018 at 12:56 am  Comments (3)  
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Makers’ Monday

Jeannie Gray said
” It’s Makers’ Monday.  Tell me all about what you’re making.”

Okay.

Finished!
Ripple for Travis

February 5, 2018 about 1:45am

Folded up ready to deliver
Approximately 48″ X 80″

Mood of Change is the next project to be finished.
I don’t know when I started this.

Linking with Jeannie

Ravlery Ripple for T notes
Ravelry Moods of Change notes

Published in: on February 6, 2018 at 12:36 am  Comments (2)  
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