Projects Galore

I've got lots of projects to share with you today. I have been busy working on crochet projects, as well as some sewn baby items.

I love to decorate our house for the different holidays, so I made this cheery heart garland:

The pattern can be found here. I've got some other Valentine crafts I want to make, just haven't started them yet.

For my great-nephew, I made this adorable little hat:

The pattern is called the Osito Infant Bear Hat and is free on Ravelry.

My sister-in-law wanted me to make her a hat and scarf. She went through my stash and picked out the yarn she wanted me to use. Here they are:

This is the same scarf pattern I used for the ivory one I posted about before - I just didn't work in the back loops, because I figured with this yarn it wouldn't really show up anyway. I also chained 185 to start it and it was a much more manageable length this time!

The hat is a basic cloche pattern I use a lot, and I put a clip on the back of the flower so she can wear it with our without it.

A friend of mine is due to give birth to baby April soon, and I already showed you the pink/green/white blanket I crocheted for her. I found a baby quilt pattern that I absolutely fell in love with and had to try. It came out so good, so this lucky baby is getting two handmade blankets!  The pattern is called the Heirloom Cut Chenille Baby Blanket and can be found here. Here is the front of the blanket:

The other side is what really makes this blanket special - it is 3 layers of flannel that are very carefully cut between the sewing lines. It gives it the look of chenille and is sooooo soft:

Here is a good close up shot:

The more the blanket is washed, the softer it will get. This was a very tedious, time-consuming blanket, but the end result was so worth it. I might be making more of these!

I also made baby April a hat and a onesie:

My sewing machine is now in the shop for cleaning and servicing, and I don't expect to get it back for at least a week. I will probably start another baby blanket - think maybe I will try that bobble blanket again, only this time I will make sure I have enough yarn!

Hope everyone has a very nice weekend.

Feels like Monday... and some Crochet!

Why has today felt like Monday all day to me? I think it's because Mr. S. was home yesterday for the MLK holiday, so yesterday felt like Sunday!  Ha ha, I am all screwed up, aren't I?  Oh well.

I finished the baby afghan I was working on. The pattern is the Sunshine Baby Blanket and can be found here.

This is the same blanket I posted about last Friday that people were having trouble with the pattern after Round 23. As it turned out, I didn't get very far past Round 23 when I realized I would run out of yarn long before the end (seems to be a problem for me lately!) so I had to "make it work" as Tim Gunn says.

I think I did about 26 rows and then did a row of SC. Then, borrowing from a border I had seen on Pammy Sue's blog, I did the final row as SC, Ch 3, 3 DC all in same stitch, skip 2 stitches, then repeat. I really like how it turned out, it gave it a feminine, lacy look. Here is an up-close picture:

Yay, another baby blanket finished. I have three more to make, and all of them are having boys. I'm not sure if those blankets will be quilted or crocheted, I haven't decided yet.

Speaking of Pammy Sue, I tried another of her recipes yesterday and, as usual, it was delicious. I made the Cafe Rio Shredded Brisket Tacos that she blogged about here. I did the substitutions that Pammy did (used olive oil instead of bacon grease and beef stock instead of chicken stock). Mr. S. said it was a definite keeper recipe. Thanks Pammy Sue  :)

Hope everyone has a great week.

Friday Stuff

I just realized a little while ago that it was Friday the 13th! Guess I better go buy a lottery ticket. I am not too superstitious about it, as many years ago I won $1,000 on a radio contest on a Friday the 13th, so it has meant good things for me!

Heard some sad news today. I read over on Sue's blog that Molly, the blog owner of Crocheting My Best With my Worsted, recently passed away. She was such a nice lady. She was one of the first people I met when I started blogging and she was always helpful and encouraging to me. She will be dearly missed. My thoughts and prayers go out to her husband and family.

I have a crochet question for you ... have any of you ever made the Sunshine Baby Blanket by Katherine Eng? The pattern is available for free on Ravelry, as well as the Red Heart website (Pattern Number WR1920). It is basically a big granny square with a pretty edging to it.


I noticed on Ravelry that some people had problems with the pattern. I am now on Round 23 (where some of them said their problems started) and don't want to continue unless I am doing it right... if there is anything I hate, it is frogging work I have already done! I added a question to the Ravelry page about it, but thought I would see if any of you have made it and if so, did you have any problems with it?  Thanks in advance for your help.

I am using this pattern because it looked like it would be a fast, easy blanket. I am having to make another baby blanket because I ran out of yarn for that gorgeous pink/green/white bobble blanket I was making for a friend of mine who is expecting soon.  Unfortunately they don't even make that yarn anymore (Red Heart Designer Sport), so I can't get more. I am so mad at myself... I should have known those bobbles would use up a lot of yarn. I could just kick myself!

Speaking of crochet, I finished this scarf:

It is HUGE... when I put it around my neck it reaches all the way to the floor! It was a really easy one to make. I don't remember where I got the pattern from, but it is simple; just Chain however long you want your scarf to be (I did 265, way too long!) and then in the first row HDC in the 3rd chain from the hook and in every chain across. Thereafter, just Chain 2, turn, and HDC in the back loop of each stitch across to make those lovely ridges. I used Caron Simply Soft in an Ivory color. My SIL wants me to make her one next.

Here is another picture of our newest baby, Lulu:

She is such a good dog. She has learned to use her wee wee pads, and we are teaching her the "sit" command and she has almost got it down! I had to take her for her first set of shots the other day and she did really well. I also gave her a bath, which she did not like at all, but I want her to get used to it, as I will be taking her to the groomers on a regular basis. One of our cats is not that thrilled about her, but the other 4 don't seem to mind her at all.

That's it for me for now... hope everyone has a lovely weekend.   :)

Life with Lulu

Look at that face... she is so adorable. But wow, being a puppy momma is really, really hard. I had no idea! 

Sorry, my posts may be filled with puppy pictures and Lulu sagas for awhile! I am crocheting a scarf, and have another scarf and hat I need to crochet for my sister-in-law. Will post pics when they are done. Have a nice weekend everyone.

It's 2012 Already? And some News.

Wow, where did 2011 go? Is it just me, or does it seem like the older you get, the faster the years fly by?

Hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year's.

My posting may be even more sporadic, as we have added a new addition to our household:

It is this sweet little Malti-Poo puppy! We named her Bailey Lulubelle, but we are just calling her Lulu, as it seems to fit her.

I must be crazy, as I am 50 years old and have never, ever had a dog and am starting out with a little puppy! Plus we have decided to litter box train her, as where we live we have no grass to speak of; our yard is rock, dirt and stickers. I am feeling so bad about keeping her caged up, but I know it is what we have to do until she figures out what to do. Today we set up a puppy playpen area for her so at least she has a little bit more room. The tile floor that is exposed is covered with pee pee pads, and we are hoping she gets the hang of it. Once she figures out that it is okay to go on the pads, we want to transition her to a box.

Any words of encouragement, advice or comfort would be greatly appreciated :)