52 Week Crochet Challenge Week #11

What kind of crocheter are you? Do you like to follow a pattern exactly as it is written? Do you like to "wing it" and make things up as you go? Are you a little of both?

Interesting Question and until now I have never thought about it much. To answer this, I got to say, it depends. There are patterns where it is best to follow them to the "T" or the whole things comes out wrong. And then there are patterns I do make changes to as I go along. So I guess my answer would have to be "a little of both". I must also say, that sometimes when you make changes, the project or craft becomes your own.



And now on to other things. I actually crocheted something other than "Mandela's". Can you believe it? The addict is taking a break and moved on to something else. But I don't think it will be for good, because I still have Mandelitis in my blood. I also want to make a Mandela to add to Lucy's (Attic 24) Yarndale project. Have you seen hers yet? If not, you need to go and take a look.

This first project I made, is a child's summer hat. It's crocheted in cotton yarn, color pink, with white trim. I haven't crocheted anything for a child in a long time and when I saw this little hat, I knew I just had to make one. I think it is so stinking cute. What you all think? The pattern I found here

Wish I could have been able to show it off on a child's pretty locks,

but there wasn't one around.

The second thing I made is a scrubby for the shower. It is also made out of cotton that I had left from another project. It took me quite some time to make it. It started out simple enough, but by the last row my fingers were hurting as the piece started winding pretty tide together. Can you believe it took a whole skein to make this? Wow is what I thought. But I do like it and I think it will be very durable.

Last I would like to show of this beautiful Amarillo that is brightening up my house.

It isn't fully open, but will be soon. Just love it's red color.

So this is it from my neck of the woods for today.

Here is hoping your day is bright and full of sunshine.

52 Week Crochet Challenge Week #10

What was your first completed project that you made?

Well that is really kind of easy to answer. They were pot holders made out of cotton yarn. They were also not very pretty, with a bunch of holes in it and the rows very uneven. But you know, I was only around 6 years old and those little fingers just didn't work that well yet. With time came experience. I still remember giving them to my grandma for Christmas and she was all smiles and full of praise. What more could a little girl ask for?


Yesterday I made one more Mandela like coaster. This time in brown, but it looks black in the picture.

And I also made another one of the little coasters.

This time in cotton yarn to see how they would work up.

Personally I preferred crocheting them in acrylic.

So this was my little short post for today. More next time.......

52 Week Crochet Challenge Week #9

Here we are again on another Wednesday and another challenge has arrived. I am really enjoying these challenges. It makes you think about things in different ways and I got to say, I am also learning from others in how to maybe do things different and more organized.

Organize your patterns this week. Do you have a special system for your patterns? Can you find a specific pattern easily?

Personally I store my patterns in 4 different ways. One of them is ravelry, which I just recently started, because for some reason I missed that you can do that. The next would be my computer. I have a seperate folder in which I keep all patterns, listed by their name.

#3 would be the Magazine holders,

in which I keep crochet magazines

and also patterns that I have printed out.

#4 I have a cabinet, that is just for 

crochet books and other crochet related items.

I do have more crochet books, but they are on my 

bookshelf in the living room. Been thinking of moving them 

here as well, so I have everything in one place.

I guess you could say, this is one area I am really organized.

On another note I would like to say here, that my prayers go out to all who have been effected by the nasty tornadoes and storms over the last few days. Sadly it is just the beginning of Tornado season, but hopefully they will not be to bad this year. Everybody in the effected areas, please stay safe and please listen when they tell you to take cover. I have seen one Tornado up close and it wasn't pretty.

Otherwise, till next time from my neck of the woods.....

52 Week Crochet Challenge Week 7 & Week 8

Week 7: Now that your yarn is nicely organized, make a scrappy yarn project.

Week 8: This week your challenge is to go through any unfinished projects you've had sitting around and either work it or frog it. If you don't have any unfinished projects (really?), then show us what you are working on.

Since I missed out on last weeks challenge due to my not having any internet, I thought I would combine these two weeks into one. I also thought these challenges kinda, sorta fit together anyway.

I had three colors of yarn rolled up in little scrappy balls,

 left over from other projects: white, light pink and dark pink.

So I decided to turn them into a Baby Afghan made from a giant Granny.

I had started it weeks ago, but never finished it.

So here now it is finally done, lol.

Since I don't have any babies around me currently, Pooh Bear had to

model instead.

Here Pooh Bear said he was to tired and just couldn't sit up any longer.

Pooh Bear giving you all the biggest smile he could muster.

As a finish I added a ruffle all the way around,

at which point I actually ran out of scrappy yarn.

Now to find a "Happy Baby" to give it to.

52 Week Crochet Challenge Week 6

Week 6: Spring Cleaning. This week it is time to organize your yarn. How do you do it? By color, type, weight?

The timing of this challenge is very good for me, as I am currently turning a second bedroom in my apartment into a crafts room. At this point it has been going along rather slowly because I don't have all the storage shelving I would like to have. I have plans on fixing that in the next few weeks by going to yard sales and open/outdoor flea markets. We have lots of them in our area.

 Here are a few of the storage solutions I am using right now.

Currently I have 6 of these rolling drawer storage's.

They are filled with the yarn I am currently using,

and yes they are organized.

1 is filled with nothing but cotton yarn

1 is filled with projects I have finished (going to crafts show)

1 filled with smaller projects I am currently working on

3 are filled with all the yarn I am currently using (not color coordinated)

The rest of my yarn I am keeping in storage bins,

like the one below.

They are wonderful to use, as you can see what

you have in them without having to open them every time.

I also like to use different kind of baskets, some to

keep the yarn with which I am currently working,

or with yarn and my current project.

This way I can take it to any room or location easily.

How do you keep and organize your Yarn?

As soon as I have finished organizing and setting up my crafts room I will give you all a tour. That will be an exciting day, don't you think?

Till next time from my neck of the woods........

52 Week Crochet Challenge - Week 5

Hello my lovely Friends. It is Wednesday once again and another week, another challenge is here.

This week the challenge was to learn a new stitch. Well something I have never done was the Tunisian Basic Stitch. I had thought about learning many different times, but it never came about. This time I only made a sample, because I just don't need to start another project, as I have to many going already and I am trying very hard to limit myself and to finish what I have started already.

The Tunisian Stitch is not hard to do, but I must admit, it felt really odd at first to have such a long needle in my hand, one that wasn't a knitting needle. The first few rows I was rather clumsy at going about it, but than it got easier as the rows came along. It is certainly something I will do again and make a complete project with.

Here is the completed sample.

I did steam it, so it would lay down uncurled.

The backside looks as if it is knitted.

Have you ever tried Tunisian Crochet?

Did you like it?

And what did you make with it?

And now I will leave you with some more pictures

of Spring arriving in our neck of the woods.

Enjoy!

And the Storm Clouds are moving in.....

Till next time.......

52 Week Crochet Challenge Week 4

Hallo my Friends!

How did you learn to crochet, or who taught you?

Crochet has been in my life for a long time, over 50 years. When I was a wee bit girl of about 6, my grandmother Poldi, who was a seamstress from profession, gave me my very first own crochet hook and a ball of yarn and declared it was time for me to learn to make things for myself. Until than I loved to watch her work on many different things, from sewing, to knitting and of course crocheting.

My Granny was a very patient woman, even so her schedule was very full with a big family and also with the sewing she did for other people and her family, but also a huge garden. I really don't know how she managed it all, but somehow she did.

Well from that ball of yarn my first potholder came to life. It looked pretty bad, if I remember correctly, but my Granny had nothing but praise for me. You got to love her just for that. So a new passion had been born, as I from that point in time never put down my needle again, well maybe for a minute or two, but never for long.

Granny also taught me to sew and knit, which I still both do from time to time, but my passion will always be with Crochet. Thank you Granny!

Now a little update: This has been a rather hectic week for me and continues to be that way, but I did manage to crochet quite a few more rows on one of my Hall of Shame projects, the Granny Stripe Afghan ala Attic 24. I think the colors are starting to really pop out and I am having fun once again working on it. It might become a finished project yet, lol.

Thought I would leave you all today with a couple more pictures that speak of Spring time finally being here.

See me initials spelled out in Daffodils?

How cool is that?

Till next time.......

52 Week Crochet Challenge, Week 2

Hallo my Friends! Sorry my post to this challenge is a day late, but I had to work quite a few extra hours in the last few days.

The challenge this week was to either to start a Crochet Notebook, Journal, Scrapbook or Blog. Since I already had my blog for a while I decided on a Crochet Notebook/Journal.

First I was going to use a Scrapbook that I had 

planned on using for some vacation pictures.

I ended up using another empty Journal that

I had in the house.

Than I started by adding my last project:

The Bunting

Wrote down the date,

the project name,

where I found the pattern,

and at the end added a piece of yarn

from each of the colors used.

If I would have still had the color numbers,

I would have added them as well.

Next time.

I am also thinking of having some pictures printed out, so I can add them at a later point. Think that would add the final touch. When I can, I will also add a drawn pattern of it, so I will have a reference for a later time. It's strange, but I never thought about making a journal before, but I think it will be really nice to have to look back on, besides the blog.

Now I thought I would still tell you all a little story. Yesterday, while I was at work my patient went to sleep for a while and I thought I would go and stretch my legs for a bit. They have a huge garden filled with all kinds of flowerbeds etc. and so I grabbed my IPhone with which I take most of my pictures and off I went. I looked at a few flowerbeds to see if anything was popping up yet, when I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye. What did I see? A woodpecker on one of the trees. Well of course I wanted a picture of it. So there I go slowly, trying to sneak up on the bird. It was moving a bit and I thought it would fly off at any moment. Than finally I decided I better take the picture before it was to late and I did. But low and behold, it didn't matter how close I came, the bird still didn't fly off. Well guess what? You are going to laugh......

It was a fake bird.......HaHaHa

Ok, you all can laugh now. I deserve it!

But I did also see some little flowers making their appearances

in the garden.

Are they not pretty?

I was so happy to see them.

A sign of Spring at last.

With that I bit you all farewell

till next time

from my neck of the woods.

52 Week Crochet Challenge - Week 1 & a Giveaway

Week 1: How Do You Celebrate National Crochet Month?

Well the first thing I did is to join this lovely 1 year, 52 week challenge into the world of crochet. It is a wonderful challenge and I am looking forward to learning something new every week, to challenge myself to doing new things and last but not least to meet other like minded friends along the way. I think that is a great way to celebrate National Crochet Month. What do you think?

The challenge is being hosted by Julie and her blog Red Berry Crochet . Here is the link to the challenge. There is also a Ravelry link to the group. Come and join us in this year long challenge. 

This morning I also got a little excited. You wonder why? Well let me tell you. I came ready to post this morning and what do I see? Yes, I have 100 Followers. What a lovely surprise and thank you to all who let me share my little woolly experiences with you. Hope I get to share many new things with you in the future. Now I had promised myself, that if I reached 100 I would have a little giveaway and here it is. I am giving away 5 skeins of Malva, which is a ribbon yarn in multiple colors. It can be used for many pretty projects. Anybody can join. The only thing I am asking you to do is, please leave a comment with a link to your blog or and email address, to let me know you would like to participate. So what are you waiting for?

Till next time my friends!