Weekend

Hello everyone,
 We have had a busy week. Lots of errands and chores to work on. The week started out really hot. Over 90. Then it got really cold and kind of rainy. Everyone in my house has caught a cold, the first of the season. We have had freeze warnings for 3 nights straight, that is unusual for this time of year and we have been trying to keep busy doing things inside.

Autumn and I have spent some time working on this Butterfly with hanging curtains, we are going to hang it over her bed when we get her room organized. A big task I must say. I did very little work on this. Just some of the stuff on the butterfly's body and attaching the netting to the butterfly. She has spent hours gluing sequins on it on her own.

I can't wait to get it hung up and get her room finished. That is my project for the weekend and hopefully I can post pictures of finished room on Monday.
  I have also been working on my Grandala Blanket for my One-a-Day project. I had experimented on joining as you go and sewing squares together. I wasn't liking how it was looking with the join as you go and asked for opinions. Everyone thought the sewn method looked better, so that is what I went with.

I am so in love with this blanket. However, I recounted and remeasured and realized I needed more squares than I had thought I did. I need 288. I have made 55. That is ok though, I knew it was going to be the biggest project I have ever taken on. I have made a lot of blankets, but they are throws. This one is going to go on my bed.

I made this one for Autumn and I really like how it turned out. It is really soft. Lion Brand Yarn for the whole thing.

This was the second one I made, it consisted of making 13 strips and slip stitching them together. It actually went fast and I made it in about 3 days. I was still working at the time too so I didn't have extra time like I do right now. This last one was the first blanket I ever made. It is full of mistakes, there are more stitches between some of the zig-zags than others and I couldn't seem to stop. It is very long too, over 6 feet. But, I am fond of it. It was very cold outside, a huge ice storm was raging and it was Christmas week of 2009 and there wasn't much to do but stay inside and crochet with a nice cup of hot coffee. I bought the yarn with a gift card my boss had given me to Michael's. I spend far too much time there and at Hobby Lobby.

I am also working on a cardigan right now and about half way done. I admit I got really frustrated on Tuesday when I tried to decide between the join as you go or sewing for the blanket, and the cardigan was not as much fun that day either, so I took a break and made this little guy for my daughter.

I saw a pattern on the Lion Brand Yarn site, although I didn't use it. It looks to similar though and I don't want to give out the pattern I made. I think it is still basically a copy even though I didn't follow their pattern.
I tried to put the link in for the pattern of the ladybug but, when I went to the site to look for it the pattern finder was down. That is the link to their site though and it is under crochet toys. I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will talk to everyone soon.

One-a-Day Update

Hello everyone,

 I hope everyone is doing well, this is an update post on the blanket I am working on with Ravelry. I made some squares and sewed them together then tried to join as you go. Not sure which method I am preferring. The sewn ones look neater, but the join as you go is so much faster. I think I may take a break and think about it. I admit I have spent hours on the project today and need fresh perspective.  For now I am going to go and make an apple pie with some of the yummy apples we picked on Sunday. Let me know what you all think, I am thinking that I know what I am going to do but would like everyone's opinions.

Reflecting

Good morning!
 Today is my birthday and I have been sitting on the sofa for about an hour thinking of the last year and what a lucky person I am. In a very big way the year was bad, we suddenly lost my stepdad in February, just a few short weeks after he and my Mom retired from work. He was such a good man and so good to my mother. I miss him. Then there has been the whole knee replacement. I needed it badly and knew it would be complicated, but it made for a long summer and thankfully I am close to finishing up the whole physical therapy and regular doctor appointments and hospital stays.
  I hasn't all been bad though. Far from it. I have the best husband in the world. He has supported me and put up with everything without ever complaining or making me feel like a burden. I have my daughter who is so special to me. I love them more than anything.
  Last winter I was out to lunch with my good friend, my best yarn buddy, and she says to me 'You should go check out Attic24, there is a bag on there that looks just like something you would like."

I read the blog and was hooked. I made the bag and see that probably thousands of others have as well. I have gotten good ideas from Lucy. My daughter and I made the toilet roll people and I made the Blooming Flower cushions too. I see these projects all over blogland. I wonder if she has any idea the influence she has on crafty folks.

I read a few blogs and have to give a nod to Crochet With Raymond too, Alice is a very talented lady. These two women really inspire me with all kinds of ideas.
   We had a very busy weekend here. On Saturday my best friend and I took our kids to the park to play and feed the ducks, only to find that we are no longer allowed to feed them. The kids had fun chasing them around the park anyway.

We then decided to take the kids for ice cream and I only wish I had taken pictures of that. We had just sat down when my friend's 3 year old daughter dropped her ice cream cone on the floor. Lisa went to get her another one and her 1 1/2 year dropped Lisa's milkshake on the floor. The people in the restaurant were very kind. We got through that mess and went back to my house.  I had made scones and my version of clotted cream (you can't get it here) and a lemon pound cake.

After all the ice cream though, we ordered a pizza and let the kids play while we crocheted.  Yesterday was another fun day. We went to the apple orchard which is just a couple of miles from here. It was really hot this weekend and a good time to go. We took the hayrack ride and picked some apples.

That's my husband picking apples. We then went home and took a nap then I made dinner and that was the end of a really nice weekend. Autumn and I did end up having our tea party when we got up yesterday.

Today is my actual birthday, my husband has to work and Autumn has to have some dental work. So I will get a lot of time in on my projects today. I started joining my blanket and will take some pictures today. I am loving it, I can tell you that. Hope everyone has a great day.