It sure is Monday

Yep it's Monday.  The kids we're sluggish getting out of bed this morning, and grumpy as well.  I feel a bit better today, I guess compared to Saturday I could say I feel great.  There something to be said for getting the flu shot every year.


I am determined today to get all the end weaving done on my daisy afghan.  I just realized I'm shipping it on Friday.  I better get crackin....lol.  Then I have a hat to finish that I promised my mom a month ago.  I love those though, they only take about 2 hours or less to complete (my kind of project).  Then it's back to the RR, I want it finished before next week because I don't want any distractions from the quiltghan I want to start for my sister.


I'm looking forward to Friday, a friend and I are planning a yarn run at the hobby lobby.  I imagine we will be in there for hours.  It's a much needed girls day out.


I hope everyone has a happy Monday and to all those with projects "Happy Crocheting".

Flu Bug Saturday

Yuck!  I woke up this morning with a throbbing headache and feeling rather yucky.  It looks like the flu bug has decided it's avoided our house long enough.  I'm so glad that I got a good bit done on my Shades of Brown RR.  I was really hoping to have it finished in the next couple days, but it looks like today will be a no crochet day.  I have so many projects that I need to get started but something always seems to pop up.


A good friend of mine wants us to start getting together so I can show her a few crochet stitches.  She has been busy making hats and scarves for charity and she wants to learn about making afghans.  We plan to make lapghans and other things through out the year and when the winter months hit we want to donate them to nursing homes and those who are in need.  I think it's a wonderful idea and a great way to give back to our community.  


I see a yarn run in our future, since the only store in our little town is Wal-Mart we have to take a trip out of town to find what we really need.  I think it would make a nice once a month girls day out.  A chance to get out of the house and drool over a way bigger yarn selection...lol.


Hopefully this is just a 24 hour bug and i'll be back at it tomorrow.  Nothing like feeling yucky when you have things to do.

Daddy's Afghan

About 15 years ago or so I was determined to learn how to read patterns.  I only knew a few basic stitches and how to make granny squares (isn't that what everyone learns first).  My dad worked outside taking care of 7 cemeteries and plowing snow in the winter.  I remember him coming home   from work chilled to the bone.  I found a pattern using an afghan hook that made tight close together stitches, and is very heavy.  I did it in colors of blue to match his eyes.  He only used it a few times when he was super cold.  He told my mom it was the warmest blanket he ever had but it was too nice to use.
In 2002 my dad past away unexpectedly, and a few months later my mom asked me if I wanted the afghan back.  I told her no at the time because I couldn't imagine having it in the house as a reminder of what we had lost.  She let it go and didn't ask for a long time, then about a year ago she asked again and I finally brought it home.  I folded it up and stuck it in the closet out of sight for a long while, then recently while cleaning out the closet I dug it out and threw it in the washer.  I folded it and hung it on the back of a chair in my bedroom and recently transitioned it to the bed.  A few years ago I was diagnosed with a severe blood clot that almost ended my life and last year was re-diagnosed with round 2.  I now have to take blood thinners for the rest of my life and the winter months take it's toll because i'm cold all the time.  Daddy's afghan has now found a permanent spot on my side of the bed and does a good job of keeping me warm.  What once hurt to look at has become one of my more cherished possessions because of the story behind it and the fact that my dad was proud of that afghan.  Now when I look at it I think of the happy memories and not the fact that he is no longer with us.

My Blog

I'm not very computer literate when it comes to html and what not.  I love the look of a lot of the blogs that I have seen and I wanted my blog to be pleasing to the eye.  I've searched and searched and finally found easy directions, who knew it was as easy as copy and paste...lol.


So now that I have my "home" organized, and feeling like a comfortable place to sit down with a hot cup of coffee I think i'll get on with my day.  I have a certain little mini tornado demanding my attention, plus he's teething again and all of us mom's i'm sure knows what that's like.  Nap time isn't to far away, then I can curl up and get some crochet done. 

It was one of those days

Here is hoping today is a bit more productive than yesterday, boy was it one of those days.  It seemed like no matter what I tried to do it just did't get done.  I've been wanting to get a few crochet projects finished so I can move on.  I've been wanting to try something other than afghans, although I love to make them.  It would be nice to take a little break from them for awhile.  I've been drooling over some patterns for some quick and easy projects and that's what I need right now.  I always seem to be so impatient to see the end results and quick and easy is right up my alley.

Round Ripple Addict

I have become a Round Ripple Addict.  I thought I would display some of the RR's that I have done.  I love them because they are so quick and easy and the color combinations are endless.

This one is one of the first ones I attempted.  I made this for my 9 year old little boy in our local school colors.

This was given as a gift to a girl I use to work with for her new addition.

This one was made for my 17 year old daughter in her favorite colors Black and Red.  I did this one working two strand of yarn at the same time.  My camera didn't take a very good picture but it's so pretty.

This one I made for my sister in law in Michigan's Blue and Maze.  Although we are Buckeye fans in this house and I caught flack from the hubby I have to say it turned out pretty good.

This one I gave to my little brother who is a Cleveland Browns fan.

This one was special requested in Harley Davidson colors.  It turned out pretty good as well.

And of course I already posted the one i'm currently working on in shades of brown.  I thought that I would keep it for myself, but my sister in law and I made a deal.  She gets the afghan and I get a vintage picture that she was trying to get rid of.  

Current Work in Progress

This is a project that I'm currently working on.  I actually started it in the Fall but put it off to the side to do some Christmas projects and some Special Requests.  Thought it was time to dig it back out and get started again.  I'm not sure where it will end up when finished.  This one may just have to be a keeper....lol

A lot of Work Goes It into

Sometimes I don't think people truly realize how much work goes into making an afghan.  I love the look of the squares all sewn together but I don't do them very often because it's a tedious process depending on the square.  I recently took a picture of the process along with an explaination of how the process goes.

This is how I explained it for my kids to get a better understanding.  108 little circles become 108 little flowers which then become 108 small squares which become 108 bigger squares which become 12 strips of 9 squares which are sewn together to make an afghan.  I believe my kids response was .....WOW!!!....lol

Recently Finished Project

I started on this afghan in November but ended up having to put it to the side to do a couple special orders.  I occasionally upon request make special order afghans to sell, it's a nice way to keep my yarn stash going.   
I still have the tedious job of weaving ends, my least favorite part of making afghans.  But with the nasty weekend that we're suppose to have I'll be happy to stay inside and weave...lol.

For the love of crochet

I have loved crochet since I was little.  I always remember watching my grandma with hook in hand stitching afghans for a new grand baby.  Lord knows she had plenty.  When I got older I asked her if she would show me a thing or two.  She was always so patient trying to teach me seeing as she was right handed and I was left.  I learned the basics from her then later on in life I made myself learn to read patterns so I could make some of those beautiful afghans that I saw in books.  Afghans are my thing.  I love making them, I think it's because growing up it seemed like no matter whose house you went into their was a handmade afghan proudly displayed on the back of a couch.  You really don't see it so much anymore.  I sometimes feel like I'm on a mission making afghans and giving them as gifts to as many people as possible.  A house just always feels more like home with a handmade afghan hanging on the back of a couch or chair.  
Sometimes I find myself making an afghan with no one in particular in mind, but they always end up being for a specific person.  I find that when your finished their is almost always a story attached to it.  
There is nothing more comforting than wrapping yourself in an afghan that someone has put time and thought into making for you.  I think that's why I fell in love with crochet before I even knew how.