CRAFTING A.D.D.

While Sugar Plum's dance ....

I'm obsessed!

The holiday decorations are in place!

The gifts have been wrapped!

The cards have been mailed!

But, can I stop? NO!

I'm crocheting!

What started out as a project quite awhile ago;

is once again being worked on.

Remember the Cath Kidston Granny Blanket?

Well ...what can I say? I LOVE this blanket.

I'm working my main color in RED!

Do you think I will get it done before next Christmas? 

I'm knitting!

It's a last minute Christmas gift!

And.....knitting!

Legwarmers for Daughter Dear!

One down, one to go!

 

... still knitting!

A simple cashmere cowl!

It was going to be a Christmas gift;

now I've decided it will be mine!

Crocheting yet again!

I'm obsessed with this project!

One big granny square done with

Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn.

Color way S252!

And, dare I show you my sewing?

Oh yes, Oh yes I will!

Quilt Number 1!

Blocks completed, ready for sashing!

Not sure when I'll get to this one!

Quilt Number Two!

Blocks are sewn and also awaiting sashing!

I think I have CRAFTING A.D.D.!

Granny Square

I'm in love with Granny Square's.

There is just something mesmerizing

about working on Granny's. I think it's the

constant repeat of the pattern; you can just

sit and be very quiet and meditative.

I finished this little blanket for my niece. She is

expecting her second baby in August. She and

hubby have decided not to know the

sex of the new baby. So I guessed on

the color's she is painting the nursery.

I used two shades of turquoise along with

a tweed which has some of the

turquioise color running through

it ...and cream. I love the calmness that the

colors evoke. Very beachy!

I added a slightly ruffled edge once the

blanket was complete. I used a pattern

from Nicky Epstein's 'Crocheting on the Edge'.

You can find the book here

http://www.amazon.com/Crocheting-Edge-Bobbles-Ruffles-Scallops/dp/1933027355

I'm really happy with how this

little blanket turned out.

I used Plymouth Encore. It's such

a versatile yarn ...75% Acrylic and 25% Wool.

The warmth of wool, but the washability of acrylic.

The Purl Bee has a great
tutorial on Granny's.
http://www.purlbee.com/granny-square-project/

BEADED SOCKS ....

Since my granddaughter is living with us for awhile and will be starting pre-school next week ...we decided to make some B E A U T I F U L beaded socks for her to wear to her new school.

So, out came the beads, out came the crochet thread ....and, we purchased some little socks.

I had found a wonderful 'Beaded Sock Tutorial' on etsy at Simple Beans. If you like to see how it is done you can go to http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6075376. It is a great tutorial, lots of information and lots of photo's and very easy to do.

The first completed pair. We used size 3 cotton crochet thread with light and dark pink pony beads.

Modeled by none other than granddaughter herself ...the photo is a bit fuzzy; but, you can see how cute these little socks turned out. She's delighted with them and wants more!

So .........out came the button box .......

and, we made these!

We are calling these ....'Under the Sea' socks!

Here is the happy girl herself ...all excited about her new socks! We have lot's of different things planned for adding to our new socks, so off I go to get a few more made up. She's wearing a hat that I knitted for her last year out of 'Cotton Classic' yarn. She loves it and since the temperatures plummeted today and we have had rain and hail; she felt it necessary to wear the hat ...even inside!

CRAFTY, CREATIVE THINGS!

Oh ....I've been so busy! I'm working on lots of new things for my Etsy Shop! I'm not ready to post on Etsy yet ...but, I thought I'd share a few photo's of my up and coming new items.

I'm making flannel baby sets. There will be one large receiving blanket and two matching burp cloth's. I first hemstitch the articles, and then I hand crochet a lovely lace border. On some of the sets ...I'll include knitted beanies. Keep and eye out on my Etsy shop ...new items to be coming soon.

A jungle set! I just fell in love with the goofy looking animals!

There will be a beanie or two as well! This particular beanie is made with a beautiful new yarn which contains just a hint of angora. It's so super soft!

This is a work in progress ....it will be a crocheted baby blanket. When completed it will have a beautiful detailed border along with a bit of embellishment. It's a light pink with a chocolate brown stripe. I think I'll add a matching beanie to this.

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I may be a week or two more getting items completed and packaged. But, I do hope that you will return shortly to check out my new Etsy items soon to be listed.

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As for other projects ....well ....

These are children's socks that I knitted for a one day class that is being offered at the knit shop where I work. The shop is celebrating it's 25th year and in honor of that, the shop is offering a make and take class on Saturday's in August. This is suppose to be the class I teach!

I have also been sewing up a demo project bag. I've been wanting a project bag for so long. I finally made one up and I'm really happy with it. I hope to get some of these made up for my shop as well. So far ...at the rate I'm going ...I think I need to clone myself to get this all done.

The bags are completely reversible and have a small pocket on the inside (or out, depending on which side you have as the outside).

More to come on the project bags. Just wanted to give you a peak!

Last but not least ....a flannel blanket set with matching beanie! I adore this print! Little white sheep set against a blue background and one lone black sheep mixed in. I tried to design a baby beanie that would match this set. I used a Cotton Classic yarn in blue with white band of seed stitch to mimic the wool. I also used a couple of black stripes ...can't forget that little black sheep. I finished it off with a twirly top and an added button for good measure. I think it turned out really cute (if I do say so myself). This set is actually slated for the post box as a gift, so it won't be offered in my Etsy Shop. But, I hope to have more coming soon.

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Thanks for visiting and taking a look at my current craft, creative things! There will be more later ...so stay tuned!

I TOTALLY DID IT!

I finished the Hexagon Crochet Scarf...I did it! Not having really crocheted before, I was able to actually read the pattern and produce this beautifully crochet scarf. The scarf is now hanging on the class wall of the knit shop. It's really surreal to walk in and see something that I created, that I made being displayed in an actual shop. So far...no sign ups for the class. Even if no one signs up for the May class, atleast I know that I accomplished a huge task by even attempting to crochet this scarf.

I was a little concerned about the edging and joining. The directions seemed like I was reading a science experiment. You join the hexagon pieces as you crochet the edging.

As you can see though! .....I did it!

MOTTO of this post ....don't be afraid to try something new! You may find that you surprise even yourself!

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PS....Someone asked in a comment from previous post about the fiber content! Yes, it's 100% cotton.

THIS COULD BECOME ADDICTIVE!

This could become addictive...crocheting! I was asked by the knitting shop where I'm working to teach a class. Yes, you heard right! Teach a class...I'm a little nervous...never taught anything before...never really crocheted before. Okay, who hasn't made a 'granny square or too'? But, to actually read a pattern and to make something from it and then teach it. EEEK! I'm gasping...I said sure I'll do that!

I brought home the pattern, the beautiful Tahiki 'Cotton Classic' yarn and off I went. And, guess what? I even surprised myself. I DID IT! I read the pattern ever so carefully and actually created the scarf. I'm just working on the border and joining stitches now. I'm hoping to get this scarf completed and to the shop tomorrow. Can you believe it?....me teaching a class!

Here are the makings of the 'Hexagon Scarf'.

If you look closely, you can see the scarf made up in the magazine photo.

I'm so excited that I actually was able to read a crochet pattern. I'm making another scarf in different colors. See....I said it was addictive.

I've fallen in love with a new yarn...Tahki 'Cotton Classic'.

The colors of this yarn are beautiful...it's so hard to go to the shop to actually work! But, it does support my growing habit!

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Wishing you all a happy week ahead!

WORKS IN PROGRESS!

I thought I'd share a peek into some of my works in progress. ...Remember when I blogged not too long ago about my abundance of sock yarn. Here is a picture of the beautiful Lorna Sock Yarn that I had picked out to start working on.

They are coming along quite nicely. I always love to have a pair of socks hanging around to pick up and knit. These are pretty basic, except there's a row of Knit1, Purl1 thrown in giving the socks small horizontal ridges. I think I'm liking them, and I know I love the colors. It's a bit different for me. I tend to stick with basic colors, but this yarn spoke to me. It's called 'Circus'. See the blue knit piece underneath the socks? ...that's the makings of a Christmas present! Yes, you are correct...I said the 'C' word. I have yarn for the makings of five, count them '5' Christmas presents.

This beautiful yarn is for a Christmas present. I loved the colors and it's so soft. It's Alpaca hand dyed wool. I won't tell you what it will be or who it's for! Just wanted to show off the beautiful colors.

These three lovelies are also for Christmas presents. The top darker brown is for a pair of socks! The lighter brown and creamy yellow are for two more of the blue knit that you see beneath. Again, I can't say what they are going to be or for whom they are going to go too. I have to keep it a secret!

Now, this for me! I've been wanting to pick up crocheting again. Don't ask me why, not like I have too many things going on right now. But, this I just had to try this. The square's aren't sewn together yet. I only have six! I need 88 squares according to my calculations. Only 82 more to go...we'll see. This is going to be a copy of the CathKidston granny square blanket. On her website it's listed for an unbelievable $245 dollars. You can check out her version here - http://www.cathkidston.co.uk/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=151-119-48-1&vid=160407&language=en-GB Once mying is complete...maybe $80 or so. I know I could have used a cheaper brand of yarn, but I wanted this to be really nice. I'm using a wool blend 4-ply yarn. Isn't it delicious?

Thanks for sharing with me! I'll keep you posted on how all of these projects are progressing.