simplesparrow

Houston, we have grannies

It's happened. I've learned to do a granny square. (thank you Em! ) What seemed like rocket science only a few days ago now feels like a piece of cake. I'm not claiming to be an expert mind you, but I'm good enough for me. It has been a loooong time since I had a crochet project going and I'm very much enjoying the rhythm a larger project brings. Of keeping the balls of yarn parked next to my favorite chair , of not being in any hurry...just a little here and a little there.

So I'm planning to do a small throw. Something to hang over the arm of the couch. I always need a throw over the arm of the couch and I prefer to have a few to choose from. I don't  know how large I'm going to make it so I don't know how many squares I'll need. For now, I'm just trying to get a good pile going. I know it will take quite a few. As Emily and I sat crocheting together the other night (she was my hands on teacher that I so desperately needed!) we were both agreeing that solid color granny squares were becoming more and more appealing as we were changing colors with each round and then weaving in all those loose ends. That's 2 loose ends per color @ 4 colors per square, which brings us to 8 loose ends to weave for every square! (impressive math, eh?) Well, aside from all of that, multi colored grannies are very pretty and well worth the extra weaving.

I wanted to do squares using a lot of neutrals-- cream, oatmeal and gray with touches of color. They are shaping up to be much more colorful then my original vision but I think I'm okay with that. It has been fun to watch these come to life, not using any set color pattern. I'm just deciding as I go based on what I have already done. Even though multi colored squares are more work with weaving, making a different color pattern each time keeps things interesting. It's not showing in the picture above, but I'm using a small bit of golden rod here and there and that has been a nice contrast. I'm so monochromatic all of the time that I like to make myself break out of that box now and then.

I want to mention the very lovely vintage button swap package that I received from Katurah. All the way from Africa! Mini tote made with hand painted fabric, cute cork board with push pins, pretty fabric, hand carved wooden and bone buttons + darling pastel ones. All of this wrapped up so beautifully and in adorable little boxes. Thank you again, Katurah :)

good grief

Exhibit A:

Yummy and delicious yarn waiting to be turned into granny squares.

Exhibit B:

One wonky, incomplete granny square after 2 hrs. (!!!) of trying. Good grief.

Yes, I have succumbed to the granny square craze and am attempting to make a throw. I have had success making several small and simple crochet projects over the last couple of years. Truly, I have come a very long way from the days of my youth when my brother and I would sit quietly together on the couch making 50 ft. long chains. Yep, that's all my mom could remember to do when she taught us.

So anyway, I'm doing something wrong and so far I haven't been able to figure it out. Purl has a great tutorial that I'm going to print out and study in depth. I have books. I'm using them too. So far no tamale. (is that a saying, or is it enchilada? or am i just a dork?) I need someone to sit with me and show me. Oh the joys of being a hands on learner.  I'll get it  though, I know it's not rocket science. It just feels like it.

ho-hum...back to work.

Is it a hat? Is it a basket? It's versatile!

This is only the second hat I have ever crocheted, and dear Noah has been the recipient of both. One reason being because he doesn't mind, shall we say, what he looks like so much. Someone needs to wear my efforts until I get it right. My older kids concur wholeheartedly with me on this one..ahem. This one is an improvement from the first one, but it's kind of "mushroomy". I didn't plan that, but there you go. I'm still learning. And I've found that it could work very well as a soft basket for yarn~

or as a mask when your desire to have your picture taken is o.v.e.r.~

I already showed you these, but I just love this photo of my new favorite pincushion. Isn't that glass button a vintage beauty?

Ready for winter

Not me, but my cell phone. On our drive back home from Washington I crocheted a cozy little sweater for my cell phone while Mark and I talked about politics, answered Noah's numerous questions and gushed about just how good Dutch Brother's mocahs are. I'm telling you--REALLY good.

The oatmeal colored wool is from Ukrainian sheep and it definitely smells, well, sheepy. I'm still deciding if I mind that or not..hmm. The vintage trim is one of my favorites and I didn't have much of it, so I was waiting for a small project that it would do well with. I put the wool that Alicia gave me this past weekend right to work in the form of a fall colored posie for the final touch. Ideally, I want to make myself a new bag for fall (or 3 or 4!) that will have a snap loop on the inside that will hold my new cozy.

The fabric  you see underneath is from SuperBuzzy . I'm so excited about this new business venture and plan to give them lots more of my business! Thank you Kelly and Mariko !

A ribbon runs through it

I have been spending some time with an old friend---my crochet hook.  In March I picked up some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino in this yummy light blue and one in a sort of apricot color. Of course, I only bought one skein of each. Why do I do that? Sometimes I think I just want to take home the feel and color of the yarn. Anyway, this turned out to be the perfect small project for just about one skein-full. I have never used DB yarn before and I am so totally sold on it now! It feels like heaven slipping through your fingers. Thank you Alicia!

I think I will call this a Waistlet...kind of like a bracelet for your waist...is that corny? Never mind.

I wove a green satin ribbon through it, but you could just as easily slip that out and wear it without. Or try a different ribbon for a different look. It's versatile!! Maybe you could even wear it around your shoulders or as really long collar??? Naa, but you get the idea. This has options.

I have paired it here with some jeans, but when I originally thought of this I was thinking it would look pretty spiffy with a skirt, a t-shirt and flip-flops....always a t-shirt and flip-flops with me. I'm in a rut. I'm also rambling...back to the topic...oy.

I couldn't decide which full length picture I liked best, so I posted both. It's ok with me that my shirt kind of covers it up. Sort of a peek-a-boo look. The pattern is  my own, I just decided what to do as I went along.  Here is a closer look--

It is so beautiful here today! I'm off to spend some time in my garden and maybe some thrift shopping with Ms. Hannah.   Have a happy weekend~*

Crocheted jewelry--prettyfun.

I got a little time to sneak this post in before our company arrives. This is what I was working on last night, some crochet bracelets and a choker. Lame photo , I know. What's a busy mom to do?

You get the idea though I'm sure. I really love the colors of this yarn.  Kind of an orangey-pinky-with-hints-of-blue-and-green sort of color. I added a red flower button halfway through the length of it. To do that, first slide any beads or buttons or whatever, onto your yarn before you begin. Keep slipping them farther down the yarn as you crochet until you are ready for them. Then slide them into place and crochet around them.  I stitched the small glass bead onto the center after I finished. It just ties in the back. So easy, so cute and I'm wearing it right now!

My next attempt was these 2 braclets crocheted with embroidery floss.

I'm not super happy with these, just OK. For one thing, I would like them to fit snug against my wrist. That's a sizing problem I need to work out. The larger bead on the dark green one is a bit to heavy I think so it hangs in a way that I don't like. The vintage pink button on the other is too floppy. I would like to figure out a way to keep it upright. Maybe a dab of fabric glue? All in all it was a good first try. I even experimented with adding a lobster clasp on each one. Need to keep tweaking with this to get it just right.

Check out this beautiful bubble Hannah blew today during a science experiment we were doing.

Here is an easy recipe for a gallon of great bubble mix:

To a one gallon milk jug or other suitable container add:
1/2 cup (120mL)  of dish-washing liquid (Dawn works best, but I used what I had and it worked fine.)
1/4 cup (60 mL) of glycerin, available in most pharmacies.
Almost one gallon (60 mL) of tap water

Gently pour it down the inner wall of the container to avoid suds. Fill almost to the top. Cap tightly. Turn upside down a few times to mix. This improves with age. Make a day or two ahead of time.   Have fun!

Cupcakes and Noah's artwork

I finished up my cupcake pincushion this morning whilst drilling Hannah in her multiplication. I love it when I multitask :) I found this crochet pattern from a link on Robyn's blog. I love the yarn I used for the icing. It just feels so snuggley. BUT..it was a you-know-what to work with!! You can not even see your stitches, you might as well be blind-folded! Well, not that bad but you know what I mean. I added some glass seed beads for sprinkles on top but the poor things are trying hard to be noticed. They just kind of dissapear in that yarn. I want to make more cupcakes! I want to eat cupcakes! I want to look at cupcakes! I want to day-dream about cupcakes! (I've got a thing for cupcakes right now, can you tell?)

While I was at it, here is another picture with some Japanese cuteness I bought last weekend while we were in L.A. Gosh, that store was sooooo fun. I'm definitely going back when I get down there next. Everything in the photo besides the apron background came from there. Would you just check out those chop-sticks??!! Heaven.

Noah did some wonderful drawings the other day and I traced them onto some shrinky-dink plastic to make tiles. I laugh everytime I look at these. They are so precious and cute.  I have all kinds of ideas for embroidery and softies based on his drawings. We shall see, my "to make" list is about a thousand miles long.

Really quick, look at the great stash I found at a tiny thrift store around the corner from me. Vintage buttons, ribbon, and a pile of "make your own fabric button" kits. I love this little thrift, their prices are basically free if you know what I mean. It's run by volunteer senior citizens that will talk your ear off. The lady that was helping yesterday counted and sorted my pile and then pronounced.." how about a 1.75?" Ya gotta love it.

Last scarf of the season

I'm pretty sure I'm done with thinking about making scarves for this winter. Although, definitely not done with wearing them! Here is my last one for the season. I did an impromptu key-hole type and in hindsight, the hole is too large. No biggy I guess. It works. I added a loopy edging and called it good. The color is a combo of orange and pink, which doesn't show well in the photos. It is so pretty! The color captured me quite by surprise, I did not have plans of buying yarn the day it weaseled its way into my basket. Yarn can do that sometimes. So, with my helper Nate to take the photo, here it is...

Happily, something new

this now in my etsy shop...

Busy, busy, busy

Like many of you, I have been busy making a few gifts. This tote is for my mom, and it was a snap to make. Had it finished in about an hour. I'll be making more of these I think. I have some old barkcloth that would suit this style wonderfully.

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I had a plan to make chocolate dipped pretzles this Christmas and I'm happy to check this one off my list as actually getting done!! It was fun and so easy. I think they make a very festive gift, yes? I'm getting these boxed up today so I don't eat all of them...

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This one is not a gift, but I was feeling this nagging thought to just get it finished...I started it a while back. This is a wool clutch made from gorgeous hand painted yarn. The name of the yarn is "autumn girls" so I thought it so appropiate that I found this vintage leaf pin to use as the closure. What a perfect set-up! I still need to block it and weave in the loose ends. This will go up in my Etsy shop.

This yarn had thick and thin slubs..which now that it's finished, I don't think I like working with. Some spots where as thin as embroidery floss!! It kinda bugged me. I am happy with the final product though, and those colors were a joy to look at while I worked.