New Baby Granny Ripple Afghan: Tah Dah!!

Baby Granny Ripple Afghan!

After my last post are you ready for some good news?

First I have to tell you all that reading your comments brought tears to my eyes. Maybe I should have posted about this sooner because I didn't expect this outpouring of support. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences, faith and support with me. I am very touched and will keep you in my prayers.

You might have guessed since I just made a New Baby Granny Ripple Afghan that my darling daughter Angela that just graduated with a Ph.D. in Pharmacy May-2013, moved an hour and a half away from me for a very good job; the mother to Emma, my first grand baby born almost 1-year ago, (August 24, 2012), is expecting again and the baby is due January, 6, 2014! Woo Hoo! I am so excited and I just love being a grandma! 

You can probably tell by the colors that we don't know yet if it will be a boy or a girl so I tried to go neutral, (maybe I am leaning a little towards a boy), notice all the blue in it? I put very little pink just in case but I think it would be fine if it is a girl.

Anyway, this was the first time I've tried a "Granny Ripple" and I love it. The pattern is from Michaels and Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn.

I used a different yarn for my project...

My yarn is Cascade Yarns Pima Tencel. I really love this yarn. It is so soft and works up so nice. It has a slight sheen to it and I love the pastel colors, perfect for baby...

So here is all the stats:

Crochet Hook Size-G

Cascade Yarns-Pima Tencel (Discontinued-I was able to purchase on clearance from Jimmy Beans Wool about a year ago):

Content:

50% Pima Cotton/50% Tencel

Care:

Hand Wash

Weight/Yardage:

50g/89yd

Gauge:

5 sts = 1" on US 7

Knitting Weight:

Worsted

Update 8/16/2013: I forgot to add this to my
2013 stash-busting challenge!

Happy Crocheting!

Crochet Granny Patches Blanket: Added Another Row

It's coming along...

You, dear friends,  are going to get sick of seeing this one. I added another long row and a short row across the bottom, (or top) :) 

I added it because when I would fold it in half, it wasn't on the seam so it would have to be folded in the middle of the square. I don't know about you but that would just drive me crazy! Half the fun of making these blankets/throws/afghans, whatever you want to call them, is because I love folding them. They look so pretty all folded and stacked neatly on a shelf. Of course I love spreading them out on the bed too. I think it is safe to say I just LOVE making blankets!!

All the loose ends you see in this picture are already woven in the back so it is nice and neat for me when I start another row!

Now this is my Triple Thread Baby Blanket. This is so fun to make and the longer it gets the more I love it. I just run out of the Bernat Satin Flamingo so fast. Obviously because it is a worsted weight and the other two threads are sport weight, the yardage is much smaller on the worsted weight and I am using a large hook. so, I have used one and a half Satin skeins and am ready for another and I am still on the first skeins of the Sport weight.

Long story short, I had to stop working on it until I go to Hobby Lobby or order more from Joann's. There goes my stash-busting efforts on this one.

It's coming along...

You, dear friends,  are going to get sick of seeing this one. I added another long row and a short row across the bottom, (or top) :) 

I added it because when I would fold it in half, it wasn't on the seam so it would have to be folded in the middle of the square. I don't know about you but that would just drive me crazy! Half the fun of making these blankets/throws/afghans, whatever you want to call them, is because I love folding them. They look so pretty all folded and stacked neatly on a shelf. Of course I love spreading them out on the bed too. I think it is safe to say I just LOVE making blankets!!

All the loose ends you see in this picture are already woven in the back so it is nice and neat for me when I start another row!

Now this is my Triple Thread Baby Blanket. This is so fun to make and the longer it gets the more I love it. I just run out of the Bernat Satin Flamingo so fast. Obviously because it is a worsted weight and the other two threads are sport weight, the yardage is much smaller on the worsted weight and I am using a large hook. so, I have used one and a half Satin skeins and am ready for another and I am still on the first skeins of the Sport weight.

Long story short, I had to stop working on it until I go to Hobby Lobby or order more from Joann's. There goes my stash-busting efforts on this one.

So that's all for this week. I hope you all have a great weekend and Happy Crocheting!

One a Day is Back and My Crochet Granny Patches Blanket Update

Granny Patches Blanket Update...

Do you remember this?

Now it has grown into this...




What do you think? It's hard to show the colors so I will try and do better next time.  I hope you bet the idea. I am really excited about this one. I like it so much better with the white border around each color.  I am working in my ends as I do a couple of rows.  I find doing that, almost as satisfying as crocheting. It looks so good without all those ends hanging around! :)

It's going to be pretty big because I have a lot of squares and I want it to fit on my double bed.

Also, I just want to say that my heart and prayers go out to all of the victims of the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma.  For anyone interested in helping out, here is a list of charities if you would like to donate.

Here's where I am linking up this week...
I am so excited One a Day is back.  I would like to do at least one row a week so I can get this done.  Thanks Carole! We missed you.

Happy Crocheting!

Dishcloths and Potholders: Stash-buster Cotton

These quick and fun little projects have busted my cotton stash "Big Time". I only have three little balls of cotton yarn left! I'm so glad I joined the "2013 Stash-buster Challenge." Now, I can't wait to go shopping and pick up some new colors of cotton.




Dishcloths: These are so fun to make and I love the stitch.







Love this set Made with Hobby Lobby "I Love This Cotton".  These are so soft. Better than Sugar-N-Cream cotton. The potholder is made holding two yarns together. I used the plain yellow and the variegated.  It is nice and thick and worked up super fast. The Dishcloth is the same as above.

I'm not sure where I got the Potholder pattern below but when I find it I will post it here.  



Love these Potholders/Trivets: These were made holding two yarns together.  It was fun using any variegated yarn you have and yellow and then change to pink and switch back to yellow.  Tons of fun to make and it turned out a lot prettier than I thought it would.



Another Dishcloth same as above...






Have you been Stash-busting lately?


Happy Crocheting!

Crochet Stash-Buster Update

Progress! Slowly but surely I am using up my stash. First, my basket full of cotton is finally disappearing.

Yes, it's been three weeks of cotton crocheting and I have a lot to show for it! You've seen my Overlay Crochet Mandala,(soon to be a pillow) and you've seen my Mandalas, and this week I made a much needed dishcloth for myself. This pattern is so pretty and so fun to make I want to make several of them.The cotton yarn I used for this one is Hobby Lobby's I Love This Cotton in Buttercup Print.




And I have to say, I am getting really excited about my new little granny square blanket. I love the white now and I only have one row done but I worked in all the ends and it's looking pretty good.








Happy Crocheting!

Stash-Busting Crochet Cotton: Mandala Crazy

Here's what I've been up to...

Mandala Crazy!!

The two on the right and the cute red/yellow flower dishcloth were already done.  I just added three more to my wall.

The one above is just a regular crochet Granny Mandala. This is from the pattern by Crochet with Raymond. 

Below is my Easter African Flower Mandala front and back.  This pattern is also from Crochet with Raymond.

and one more front and back...

I really enjoy making these and giving them as gifts. They make wonderful potholders or hot pads and cute kitchen decor. I have to warn you... they are very addicting! They work up so fast. I make the front one night in front of the TV and the next night I do the back, and sometimes I work on the back and joining them together in the mornings before work, if I have time.  I am going to make one more African Flower Mandala for the 2013 Ravelry Potholder Swap.  I better hurry, the deadline is April 1st!

Before the Overlayed Crochet Mandala CAL and all the above Mandala's made this week....

to after...

Can you tell the difference? Seriously?? I feel like I've barely made a dent into my cotton stash. I do have to make the back for the Overlayed Mandala because I am going to make it into a pillow. More on that later...I'll be bored with this pretty soon and then I'll have to move on to more fun with 2013 stash-busting challenge!

Happy Crocheting!

A Simple Crochet Mandala and A Potholder Swap

I am so excited to show you my Simple Granny Crochet Mandala that I am going to swap in the Ravelry 2013 Pot Holder Swap.

The Mandala pattern is by Crochet with Raymond




Who knows...I might keep it and make a different potholder for the swap. I need to make 3 potholders using the same pattern but different colors to send by April 1st. I love swaps because you get such a variety of items and a chance to get to know other crocheters. 

I also made this cute flower. I call it a hybrid because it is part Japanese flower and part plain flower. I'm going to keep working on it until it is what I want it to be.

Have a great weekend and Happy Crocheting!

Fun Little Flowers and a New Designer Granny Square

 

Look at these cutie pies! Aren't they the sweetest little flowers ever?

Since I am still Stash-Busting my cotton yarn I thought I would make up some of these Teeny Flowers from Attic24

.

And now I present to you the newest designer granny square...

The Flower Mesh Granny Square

What do you think? Do you like it?  I'm thinking of making a baby blanket with it. This one is done in Cotton Yarn so I'll probably use a sport weight yarn when I make a bunch of these and all different colors.  This will be a fun one to work on and plan for. Not a great picture but sure was fun to make and oh so easy for a beginner.

Happy Crocheting!

Stash-Busting 2013 and Mandala CAL

Well, I am doing double duty here. Not only am I stash-busting some of my cotton yarn stash but I'm also participating in the Overlay Crochet Mandala Crochet along. The overlay mandala is a fun challenge. Each row gives the entire mandala a different look. Not only are the stitches giving it depth but the colors are changing the look with each new color I add on.

Here is my stash...

I know! It's so bad. I pick up a ball of this yarn every time I'm in Wal-mart. It is so affordable and handy to have to make a quick gift, like a potholder, dishcloth, mandala's, etc.

Now for my overlay mandala...

It's coming along. This is through row 11 out of 31. I am so enjoying this CAL. It has been one of my favorites so far. I've visited the forum discussion at this group on Ravelry more than once. If you are stumped on a stitch or a row WinkieFlash is on there to help and answer any questions you have about the pattern. This beautiful technique was well worth buying the pattern. I know it will be so pretty when it is finished. I would like to try this again with a lighter, softer yarn. I'm not sure if it would work or not but mine is getting so thick already! Lol.

More later...

Happy Crocheting!