squiggly stripes

I so enjoyed making the lapghan in my previous post that I decided it would be fun to play with the pattern and make a wavey striped baby blanket. I just started and only have a few stripes. Honestly, I'm not sure I love it, but I don't want to frog it. I'll finish it and see how it looks. It will be nice, and the colors are cheerful, but I think that perhaps I need to include a row of single crochet between the waves.

Opinions and critques are welcomed.

I really like this one!

I just finished this lapghan to pair up with the ripple that I finished in February. I love the look of the ripple, but I didn't enjoy making it. This one I really enjoyed. The pattern is simple enough to be relaxing, but varied enough to not be boring.

At first I wasn't sure about the stripes - the pattern that I used was for a solid blanket, but I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. It's soft, warm and pretty.

This one will be going to my friend Cindy who will be donating it to the AIDS clinic where she volunteers.

Stress

Ok, I admit it. The new job is running me ragged. I'm glad I took it. I work with great people. It's going to wonderful, but right now its overwhelming and stressful, and working 10-14 hour days plus time on weekends is getting to my physically and mentally. I'm stressed out, exhausted, hypertensive and short tempered. I don't have enough crochet time, I haven't yet done my taxes, my house isn't as clean as I would like and I just need a break - which I'm not going to get anytime soon since I just started a new job.

It's a great job and it's going to all fall into place, but until then, I am short tempered and have little patience for things that rub me the wrong way.

Like the whole outrage about John Edwards running for President in light of his wife's diagnosis. Whether or not you like their politics, I think the Edwards are good people (and yeah, I like their politics, but that's not the discussion). Mrs. Edwards cancer is a rare form and it's treatable. We have a family member who was diagnosed with the same cancer 11 years ago. Let me assure you she is alive and active. She works full time, she has a family life and a social life. She does have to go for treatments periodically, but the cancer wasn't a death sentence.

I think that anyone who is facing a serious illness has to discuss with their loved ones how they want to live and how they want to deal with the challenge. I hope that Mrs. Edwards can control her disease, and I applaud her for her decision to continue to plan for her life and not for her death. I think she's making a great statement to her children - that you deal with what life pans out for you and you live the best life you can pursing your dreams.

Some people think that the Edwards decision to run is paramount to child abuse - they should spend her last days with her kids. Let's not assume that she's on her death bed. Let's pray, or hope, or send good wishes for her continued strength to beat this thing.

If you don't like Edwards politics - don't vote for him. If you don't think that he should be running when his wife is ill - don't vote for him. If you think that a sick family member or young children won't allow the man to devote himself to his job - don't vote for him. I just wish that people could respect the family for their strength and for the decision they've made - even if they don't like the decision.

I don't yet know who I'll vote for in 2008. I do know that I respect the Edwards family and wish them all well.

When I'm tired and stressed, I lose patience for things that I feel are unkind or mean-spirited. I think that so much of what I've heard about the Edwards family is really unkind. Every registered voter in this country has a voice and I really hope they all use it by voting in the next election. That election is still a long way off, and right now I wish people could wish the Edwards family well and maybe - just maybe - think about things like cancer research, and health care accessibility so that fewer other families will have to worry about how to plan their career and their lives with cancer.


So now I've ranted and feel less stressed and can continue to make the afghan that will be donated to a clinic for AIDS patients - another group who needs research dollars, access to health care, and our compassion.

Sunshine square - WW version

One of my testers wrote to me that she was having a lot of problems with my Sunshine Square pattern. The pattern was designed with baby weight yarn as a 6 inch square. The tester was trying it with WW yarn, and it was curling. I tried it, and the pattern does work well with WW, but you'll need to use a K hook and you'll end up with an 8" square.

You can work with any type of yarn, but you'll want to use a large enough hook so that you don't have curling at the 3rd row.

Sunny Side Up

This cheerful cap was donate by Patty from Indiana for Marine Corps Kids!
Thanks, Patty! It's beautiful!!!

Me - trying not to get stressed at work, and working on the afghan for Cindy, and really enjoying the pattern.

A change in plans

Months ago my good friend Cindy asked me to make two lapghans for her to donate to the clinic where she volunteers. I was thrilled to do it. We worked together to select the yarn, and she picked some really great colors of Lion Homespun for me to make two soft and cuddly throws.

I finished the first in February, and am quite pleased with how it came out. It was my first ripple pattern, and I posted it on my blog last month.

Now I have to make the second throw, and I've been procrastinating because as much as I like the finished look, the thought of doing another ripple was making me sick. I love the pattern, but working it was so monotonous and it was a real chore to get through.

Tonight I decided to start the second afghan, but I knew I had to find a different pattern that would be more fun. I decided to use this Easy Openwork Pattern, but to make it coordinate with the first afghan, I'm working it in blocks of 3 color rows. I got through the first three color blocks, and I think it will look good.


The best part is that the pattern isn't too complicated, but it's varied by row and includes different stitches, so it's easy to make, but fun! Not at all tedious. It seems to be working up really quickly, and I'm finding it fun and relaxing to do.

Cindy - I hope you like this pattern!

Sunshine Square Pattern - 6"

Thank you to the crocheters who helped me test this pattern and refine the instructions. I think it's now ready to share, and I'm really pleased with this design. I think it's a pretty pattern, and I really worked hard at getting this one right.

I'm sharing this pattern for free. It is my original copyrighted pattern. Feel free to use it for charity and personal use. Do not copy it onto other websites or sell it, but feel free to link to it here. I designed this square specifically to use for blankets for Operation Marine Corps Kids. I hope that you'll use and enjoy this pattern for your charity of choice and for personal projects, but if you have it in your heart to send at least one completed square to Operations Marine Corps Kids, it would be very much appreciated. The donation address is given below.



Sunshine Square 6”
By Wormie

Small amounts of Sport Weight yarn in 2 colors
I used Softee Baby yarn and a G Hook

With Color A
Ch 8, join w/ slip stitch to 1st chain to form loop

1) **Sc in loop, ch 5, sc in loop, sc in loop, ch 7, sc in loop** repeat from ** to **3 times, join with ss to first sc (4 chain 5 loops, 4 chain 7loops)

2) ss into 1st chain 5 loop, chain 4 (1st tc) 2 tc, ch 2, 5 dc in chain 7 loop, ch 2, **3 tc in chain 5 loop, chain 2, 5 dc in chain 7 loop, chain 2 ** repeat from** to ** 2 times, join w/ slip stitch to 4th chain of 1st chain 5

3) ch 3, dc in next 2 tc, 2 dc in chain 2 space, dc in next 2 dc, 2tc, chain 3, 2, tc in next stitch (corner formed), **dc in each stitch and chain space across next side (total of 11 dc), 2tc, ch 3, 2tc in next corner stitch**, repeat ** on last 2 sides, dc in next 4 stitches, join w/ ss to top of first chain 4. finish off

4) attach color B w/ slip stitch to any corner space. 2dc, ch 3, 2dc in corner space,**15 dc along side, 2dc, ch 3 , 2 dc in corner space**, repeat from** to ** on two remaining sides, join w/ slip stitch

5) Slip stitch into corner – 2dc, ch 3, 2dc in each corner – dc along each side, join w/ slip stitch

6) Repeat row 5 – finish off.

This is an original and copyrighted pattern. Please feel free to use this pattern for charity and/or personal use, but do not sell the pattern or post it to other sites. You may post links to this site.
I ask that if you use this pattern please consider donating at least one finished square to:

Marine Corps Kids
1570 LaCosta Drive West
Pembroke Pines, FL 33027

Convoluted Relationships

If you've read my blog at all, you know that I have a niece, and you know that my niece has an adorable baby girl who is my great-niece.



So.....

My great niece's grandma, is my niece's mom, is my Ex-husband's brother's Ex-wife, which makes her my.....Ex-Sister-in-law? And HER sister would be my......friend.

So, my good friend Sue who happens to be my great-niece's great-aunt, sent these beautiful hats to me for Marine Corps Kids.



She made these on the Knifty Knitter, and they're so warm, and soft and cuddly. Five hats for newborns and 2 for older kids - one decorated with colorful pony beads! Thanks Sue! Your work is beautiful and its so great of you to support the charity!!

Sunshine Square

I've been working all weekend on a design for a new square. I think that this took me more time than any other pattern that I've done!

The 6th try was, I hope, the charm. I am going to request a few testers over at Crochetville to make sure my written instructions make sense. Once it's tested and edited, I'll post this as a charity pattern.

little projects

My new job and this darned cold have kept me from having much crochet time, and I miss it!!

The other night, I just needed to crochet. I didn't want to do something large that I couldn't finish. Normally I would make a hat, but for some reason, I really wanted to make this Circle of Friendship square. Today I found out that a member at Crochetville suddenly lost her husband. It's very sad news. The other members are making a comfortghan for her and her little girls. They want 8" squares in ivory, brown and pink. This one will be in the Monday's mail to include in the afghan.

I can't imagine the pain of losing a loved one so suddenly, but when I log into Crochetville I am time and time again reminded of the kindness that people have for each other. This group of crafters is always organizing to make comfortghans for other and to do charity work for good causes. In light of all the sad news in the world, its very heart warming to see such an outpouring of caring for others.

Yesterday Annie's Attic pattern of the day was a guest bath set. Our niece just bought her first home, and as part of her housewarming gift, I made this cotton face cloth for her. It's a very fast and easy project, and I like that its actually something that can be used.

Thanks to everyone supporting MCK!

I have gotten so many e-mails about Marine Corps Kids, and so many requests for the O Baby Hat pattern. I am so grateful to everyone who is supporting this charity and sending their beautiful craft work for the babies of our service men and women.

Today I received this hat from a crafter from Maryland. The photo really doesn't do it justice - it's absolutely beautiful!! I'm not sure what kind of yarn it is, but it's so soft and pretty, and has a lovely sheen to it.

It arrived with an APO return address, so I'm assuming that it was made by someone who is serving herself. Thank you for the lovely hat and for your service!! I'm grateful for both!

Quick cap

Last night between coughs and sneezes I managed to make a hat. It felt good to just make a simple pattern and actually finish something quickly. I used the simple ribbed pattern that I've used for baby hats, but this time I added a brim and actually managed to match the rib pattern on the brim to the cap.

This one will be going to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.

Hack, Sniffle, Honk

Ugh.
I new that my new job would cut into my crochet time, but I wasn't anticipating getting such a bad cold too! I got home from work on Friday, went straight to bed, and pretty much stayed there until this morning. Didn't work yesterday. Got up a few times to check in online, but didn't even have the energy to crochet. Haven't been this sick in a while.

Well, after a horrible long stressful day at work, I need to relax, and if this kitty will ever get off my lap, I may even get to crochet a square or something.

I miss my hobby.

Squeezing in a little crochet time

I'm LOVING my new job, but I'm working LONG days and bringing work home and have been very tired and stressed out. It's really cutting into my crochet time, and I'm not thrilled about that.

Tonight, after working for 12 hours, I decided that enough was enough and I needed to crochet. I was able to finish the border on this patchwork quilt that I made. This was done using my edgerydoo, and 5 1/2" fleece squares. I used "girly" colors for a cute baby blanket. The next one will be for a little boy.

I'm loving the Edgerydoo. The blankets with the fleece are very soft, cuddly and easy to care for, and since I'm just crocheting the edging, they go pretty fast.

This blanket will be going to Marine Corps Kids.