Whatcha Workin' On?

I'm moving right along on my Popcorn Delight afghan, though I'm at a stalemate until I stop at Michael's today to snag some more yarn. I've completed & joined 7 out of 15 squares now, and the ends are even woven in already! Knowing my tendency to get bored with a project of any size I'm really forcing myself to have tunnel vision so that I stay focused. Now I just have to decide what my reward for finishing ahead of deadline will be to bring me home!

My Venetian Vampires scarf is not moving along as quickly. Like I said...forced tunnel vision on the afghan. I've managed a pattern repeat and part of another, so all in all about 26 rows on it, this week. Still, progress is progress and the farther along I get on this the more I love the pattern, the yarn...heck, EVERYTHING about it, I guess :)

Both projects are currently packed up and ready for a little road trip, as we're leaving in just a couple of hours to take my youngest to Cincinnati for a post-op appointment. I have about 5 hours of crafting time in my future on the drive, unless I get bored and kick the hubby out of the driver's seat. I should be able to crank out at least 2 squares, regardless!

Whatcha Workin' On?

Well, first off, I'm still working on my Venetian Vampires scarf. It's been slow going, a lot of frogging, and even a day to dry out after my boxer stole it off the front porch while I was distracted and unwound the skein of yarn all over the front yard...through the mud...around the flower beds...yeah. You get the picture. I'm still pleased with it, though, and hope to make more progress on it this week.

I've got a friend getting married in April, so I've also had to start an afghan for her. Susan, if you're reading this AVERT YOUR EYES, GIRL!! I found this delicious little pattern on Ravelry, and immediately fell in love. It's called Popcorn Delight, by Aurora Suominen, and can also be found on her blog One Crochet Day at a Time. I'm using Red Heart Super Saver in Burgundy, and an I/9 hook, so my squares are coming out a little larger than 12"....about 13.5". I'm thinking 12-15 squares, joined in Priscilla Hewitt's Flat Braid Joining Technique. I have until the end of April to finish this project, but I'm still going to try to crank out a square a day to make it a little easier. If I accomplish that I may even try to add a fancy li'l border around it...we'll see.

Now I just have to convince myself not to start any new projects until I finish these two...as if!

New Etsy Listing - Trinity Beaded Book Thong

Whether exemplifying the three stages of a woman's life - Maiden, Mother, & Crone - or symbolizing Christianity's Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost, the Triquetra holds a long and fascinating power. It is a symbol that calls to me; to be honest it draws me like the proverbial moth to the flame. This crocheted, beaded book thong was created using metallic silver thread. The tail has a few black threads running through it, to match the glass beads in the center of the symbol. One piece of the tail thread is beaded with yet another black glass bead and is flanked top and bottom by two clear beads. The book thong measures 16" (40.64 cm), and the Triquetra symbol is 2.75" square (6.985 cm). The cord is a long, crocheted chain thin enough to fit snugly in the book without causing any misshaping.

This item is available for $7.00 UDS plus shipping at my Etsy store, if you're interested!

365 Days of Positivity - Days 7&8

I missed yesterday, but I had a good excuse....HONEST! My excuse is my positive, too. How's that for confusing? You see, my hubby had a mass removed from his foot yesterday, so my day was filled with me playing Madam Pomfrey. The positives of this are:

1. The surgery was text book, with no complications.
2. My hubby is home with me, safe and sound, in very little pain.
3. The doctor told me that the biopsy was just a technicality, and that he feels sure that the mass was NOT malignant.
4. Once he gets through recovery, his foot pain will be gone.

So, there. Does that let me off the hook for being a day late?

Now for today's positive. Today I installed new Roman Shades in my living room windows - hardware and all - BY MYSELF! A sense of accomplishment AND new shades? WIN-WIN!!

Plus, I made a set of Cushy Crutch pads for my hubby's crutches. Just making short trips to and from the bathroom was making his underarm area raw and sore, and putting more weight on his hands to relieve the pressure under his arms was just going to cause another issue, so I grabbed some super bulky yarn and set to work. 45 minutes later - including installation - he was good to go! These babies are my own pattern, and will be going in my Etsy store A.S.A.P.!

So that's it, my positives for the past 2 days. Not bad. Not bad, at all!

NaKnitMo...

It's almost over, and I'm right on target. So far this month I've knit 24,484 stitches. My goal is 30,000. As I've got a seemingly never ending list of Christmas crafting to do this year there should be no problem fitting in the rest of the stitches.

This past week I finished one WIP, and completed two new projects. The WIP was my Dierdre Afghan, that had been hibernating in a closet since January of 2008. It's now finished and waiting to be wrapped up as a gift for my MIL. It's shown folded so that you can see the neat "weaving" on the reverse side.

Saturday I finished up my Cozy Cowl, a new project and a gift for one of my youngest son's Sunday school teachers. It's a gorgeous knit, and I'd really love to have one for myself....I foresee another on the needles one day this winter when I'm snowed in on this mountain!

Yesterday I cast on and knit a beanie for my father, who recently had his long locks chopped off for donation to Locks of Love, hence the project name of Lost Locks Warmer.

Dad usually does this hair donation every other year, but said that his hair drove him so crazy this time that he thinks it was his last time. A bit sad, really, as I'm so used to seeing him with a ponytail at this point.

This morning I hope to cast on a pair of Mobile Mittens, by Maria Moesby, for him...to match the beanie, of course. I need to have them done by Thanksgiving, however, as his birthday falls on Turkey Day, itself, this year and the set will be his gift from me.

Now that I'm done updating on my crafting progress I guess there is nothing more to do but sing off and get back to it! Everyone have a wonderful Monday...and make sure it includes some chocolate!

Another project done!

My second NaKniMo project is finished! I finished up my NYOBE 2008 Lapghan last night.

With the work that I did on my Dierdre Afghan tonight my total stitches for the month are at 12,802. Not bad, but I was really hoping to be past the halfway point by now. I guess I'd better get cracking!

I'm hoping to finish Dierdre tomorrow, and cast on a cowl for my youngest son's Sunday School teacher this week. If the real life monster can be tamed, that is. The pictured lapghan is heading out the door Wednesday for donation to the local Ladies' Auxiliary, who give to local veterans' homes.

The Declutter Zone

That's where I found myself early on this morning. Really early...like 6:20AM early. I looked at the stack of old magazines and catalogs and just freaked out. Suddenly I was sorting, throwing away, separating by date. In other words it was ON!

Once I had purged the main living area of the house, though, the sinus pressure I had woken up with had reached a point where my head was throbbing along to the beat of my heart. Suckage, right? Still in purge mode, but needing to rest, I had an epiphany! Stuffed in my bedroom closet were a quartet of lap-size afghans, all in different WIP status.

The first (the bottom one pictured) is finished, just needs a home.

Number 2 is a stack of 10 squares I received in a swap. I got discouraged when I was flaked on by 2 members, and the moderators chose to tell we that didn't receive all of our squares to just make them ourselves, rather than them finding angels. So I have to knit 2 squares, then join all 12 together and border it. This one will be the most time consuming.

The third is my Scrappy. It's just a rectangular Granny square afghan to eat up all of those little balls of yarn we all have left when we finish project. It's almost large enough, so I'm going to stash bust a couple of bits and bobbles (enough for about another 10 rounds), then border it.

The last is complete save for crocheting & joining 2 squares, then bordering the entire thing.

So that's what I'll be doing in my downtime this weekend, trying to propel as many of these to finished status as I possibly can. After that they'll all be given to my local Ladies' Auxiliary, who will in turn hand them out at local veterans' homes this autumn.

Hooker Corral

That's what I made today for my new craft room. It's a fairly detailed pattern, surprisingly, but easy enough to crank out in a couple of hours. I'm planning on doing two more - one white, one black - to house my knitting needles and DPNs next. I just have to empty more crochet thread spools first!

Last week in crafts...

I accomplished quite a bit, for no more time than I had to actually work on things.

First I finished the first of my Anastasia socks. I'm using Premier Yarns Serenity Sock Weight in

Purple Spice. It's a lovely yarn to work with; it doesn't split and slides easily on my needles. I'll be making baby booties for a friend of mine who had a beautiful baby girl on November 30th with the leftovers, which I'm finding is great motivation to ward off SSS (Second Sock Syndrome).

I spent the majority of my crafting time over the past week quilting. I have 35 squares left to finish on Bradley's twin-size quilt for his bedroom redo. I managed to get 140 nine patch squares cut, stripped, sewn together, and pressed. I've still got to square them up, which I hope to get to later today.

My current on-going project is "Scrappy". This is an affectionately

named rectangular granny square afghan that I'm working all my bits of leftover worsted weight yarn into. It seems that the majority of my yarn basket is taken up by these little, tiny balls of yarn that just really aren't enough to do anything with, so as I run into them I'll be adding them to Scrappy until he is as big as I like. Then, if I have any let, I'll start on Scrappy II!

Last, but not least, was cast on yesterday. I cast on and got to about the 60% mark on a Presto Chango baby sweater. I'm using Caron Simply Soft Heather in Truffle Heather for it, and it is coming out gorgeous! I've got the right front and sleeve left to finish of the main body, and also have to do the front flap and sew the buttons on. The best part? I've only got about 4 hours in this sweater, and will have less than 8 in it when it's complete! I LOVE projects like that, how about you?

Okay, that sums up what I got done last week. This week? Well, my goals are to

1. cast on Anastasia sock #2 and get to the halfway point on it
2. finish Presto Chango
3. get all of the remaining 35 squares assembled, squared up, and pressed for Bradley's quilt.

Now I just have to keep the Real Life Monster from rearing it's ugly head and keeping me from my fiber!

Anyone else TOTALLY overwhelmed with projects?

I know I am. I've got so much to do that I've developed an attention problem. I can no longer even decide what to start on! *bites nails*

So, in typical fashion, my muse chose this particular point and time in my life to start. I needed a quick project for a gift, though, so I guess I can't complain. It coincides nicely with The Leaky Cauldron's latest Craft-Along, as well! (Shameless plug, but come join us in making Last Minute HP Gifts!)

Okay, enough rambling, I've got CRAFTING to do! I now present to you my latest free pattern, Hatchlings. You can download the PDF on Ravelry, but I'll post the pattern below, too. I crocheted the set of 3 of these cute little buggers in less than 2 hours, and that was WITH working out the kinks, so what're you waiting on? Get those projects done!!

Hatchlings

© 2009 by Jenn Bragg

Every young owl dreams of the day that they can do one of two things…find a young witch or wizard to love or carry letters from the Hogsmeade Owl Post Office. Full of the hopes and dreams that only youth can provide they’re as cute as a button, to boot!

Supplies

A small amount of worsted weight yarn in the color of your choice.

A small amount of white worsted weight yarn.

Fiberfill

Black embroidery floss

A small yellow or orange felt triangle.

2 small buttons.

G/6 (4.25 mm) hook

Yarn needle

Embroidery needle

Body

8 sc in a magic ring, or ch 2, 8 sc in 2nd ch from hook. (8 sc)

(2 sc in each st) around. (16 sc)

(1 sc in st, 2 sc in next st) around. (24 sc)

(1 sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st) around. (32 sc)

(sc2tog, 1 sc in next 2 sts) around. (24 sc)

(sc2 tog, 1 sc in next sc) around. (16 sc)

(sc 2 tog) around. (8 sc)

Sl to to first sc2tog.

Break yarn, leaving a long tail.

Stuff the body tightly.

Weave the yarn tail through the 8 sts and pull tight to close the hole.

Wings (make 2)

Ch 5.

Sc in 2nd ch and in each ch across. (4 sc)

Sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. (4 sc)

Skip 1st st, sc in the next 3 sts, ch 1, turn. (3 sc)

Sc in 1st st, skip next st, sc in last st, ch 1, turn. (2 sc)

Skip 1st st, sc in last st. (1 sc)

Finish off.

Break yarn.

Weave in ends.

Eyes (make 2)

With white yarn work 6 sc in a magic ring, or ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook.

Sl st into 1st st.

Break yarn, leaving a long tail for wewing.

Assembly

Attach buttons to eye pieces with black embroidery floss.

Sew wings onto the body at a slight angle, to resemble wings at rest.

Use black embroidery floss and a simple blanket stitch to attach the beak to the body.

Sew the eyes onto the body over top of the beak.

Weave in all ends.

I see in your future....

a free crochet pattern!

This month's Divination class for the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup on Ravelry told us to:

The second month of Rotation #1 finds us in murkier waters, studying the art of Divination.

Many students will find it difficult to develop their ‘inner eye’, so we will start with a basic lesson on reading tea leaves. So please grab a cup of tea and try not to break the blue china, as it is my favorite.

To demonstrate an understanding of Divination, please make:

Something coffee or tea-related
Tea cozies, mug cozies, tea cup pincushion, tea/coffee dyeing then knitting/spinning something, etc.

OR

Something that can be interpreted as a good sign or a bad omen
An amigurumi grim, four leaf clover washcloth, etc.

While an outstanding natural ability in this subject is always rewarded, as Ron and Harry learned when they took this class, a good story goes a long way toward gaining extra points in Divination.

Well, tea cup pincushion practically leaped off of the page at me, and I knew at once that I had to make one. So, make one I did. I just finished it, and I am loving it!

I hope you all enjoy it, as well. You can find a link to the PDF here. Until next time, my peeps!

Hugs & chocolate~

Jenn