Hobby Lobby Trip

Turns out there's a Hobby Lobby about 15 miles from my mom's house.  Since we were visiting for Easter, I decided to make a trip to check it out.  I have a few patterns that recommend using "I Love This Yarn," and I was curious to check it out.  After I picked out all the colors I thought I needed for some projects, I found this really nice yarn called Surprise Stripe.  I plan to make at least a scarf with it, since the colors match my winter coat.  I can't wait to see how it works up.

Over the weekend, I finished the Sock Monkey blanket pattern that I bought from Sandy's Cape Cod Originals on Etsy.  I also started work on a sock monkey inspired baby cocoon and hat that I also purchased from Sandy.  I finished the cocoon, and all I have left is the hat.  As soon as I'm done I plan on taking pictures to post here.  

New project!

The last month and a half has been fairly busy.  I finished my round baby blanket, which is a great relief.  It's huge. I'll try to take pictures of it to post later in the week.  I finished a few other projects, too - I found out a few weeks ago that my sister-in-law is pregnant with baby #3!  I don't want to make too many things until we find out the sex of the baby, though.

A few days ago, I was checking out my mom's Etsy shop, Uniquely Yours Creations. (She has hand dyed fabric, quilt tops, note cards with original photography, and more!)  From there, I decided to check out one of my favorite shops, Sandy's Cape Cod Originals.  I posted the Bear Cocoon that I purchased from the shop awhile ago.  I settled on two new patterns: a Sock Monkey Toy Blanket, pictured to the right, and a Little Bear Toy Blanket.  She's got so many great patterns that I'll have to go back and buy a few more.  I wasn't sure if it would be too hard for me, but the directions are very easy to follow.  I'm not sure where this blanket is going yet, but I'm sure I'll find a home for it soon enough.  :-)

Quick post

I've been seriously lax on this blog.  I haven't stopped crocheting, though.  The picture to the left is a gift I made for one of my friends.  (She asked for it, although I'm not sure why.)

I've been working on my round baby blanket, but I've mostly only been doing it on my lunch hours, so it's been slow going.  I think I might try to finish it up at night, too.  I only have about eight rows including the trim, so I'm getting antsy to finish it up.

I've also been busy making hats.  I made a few for Christmas for my friends' children.  I'll try to find some pictures I can post soon.  I've been goofing off on Pinterest too, and I found some good patterns on there.  One of them is a nice pattern for newborn caps.  I've made about six of them so far.  Some I might give as gifts, but I think I might save the bulk of them for charity.  It's a good way to use up all the leftover yarn I've been accumulating from making sweaters, etc.

Knook

Just a quick update.  I hate that I haven't been updating as much as I want. I have to take some pictures of the newest project that I'm working on, a crocheted round baby blanket.  I started a blue one awhile back and got frustrated when I had to pull out about 16 rows.  I put it aside since my friend was expecting and worked on a blanket for her baby.  Quite a few projects later, I thought I'd pick up the round blanket again, but I wasn't sure if I was continuing it correctly.  Instead of ripping anything else out, I decided to start a new one using Red Heart Econo Baby in Carousel Print.  I'm about halfway done, and I can't wait to finish it.

I went to AC Moore tonight to look for a kit on teaching myself how to knit.  My mom taught me how to knit a long time ago, but at the time I preferred to crochet.  I had no luck finding the kit, but I did find this small kit to learn how to Knook.  Knooking is knitting with a crochet hook.  I was curious and had a 50% off coupon, so I bought the kit for $5.  The kit comes with 3 knooks, 3 cords, and a book with instructions and 4 patterns.  Luckily, the Leisure Arts website has how to videos to help a newbie along.  I'm currently working on the purl stitch.  Only time will tell if I'm doing it correctly.  Once I'm done with my sample stitches, I plan on making the Spa Cloth pattern in the book, since it's the smallest project in there.  I'll post my progress as I go along.

Babies everywhere!

I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted!  I've been keeping busy crocheting the whole time, but mostly at work on my breaks.  Once it started getting warm out, I had to start putting time in with yard work.  I was blessed with a beautiful garden when we bought this house, but it seems the previous owner planted so many things in the yard that it has a tendency to get overgrown rather quickly...and the weeds are plentiful!

I'm putting the finishing touches on that yellow blanket that I originally started last August.  I had to put it aside while I made some things for baby Alex, and I didn't get back to it right away.  I'm so glad it's just about finished.  I plan on giving it to a co-worker as a gift for her very first grandchild.  I also made a sweater out of Snuggly Wuggly Baby Yarn that may or may not be Daffodil Dots.  I have to look for the color name in my stash.

And just when I thought I could get back to the throw for my couch that I started what seems like an eternity ago, my boss announced that her daughter was expecting her second child...  And then she found out her daughter-in-law is also expecting her first child.  Since then, we've found out that one of them will be a boy.  In the meantime, I started a sweater using Snuggly Wuggly Baby Pastel Ombre.  The pattern is Bella Bambina's Sweater Coat, but instead of the G hook listed in the pattern, I'm using an H hook in hopes it will come out a little larger.

I have to have the blanket and other sweater finished very soon, since my co-worker's daughter-in-law is scheduled for a C-section at the beginning of August.  I'll try to post pictures of them as soon as I finish up.  

So excited!

I'm slowly finishing up this baby blanket.  Alexander James (who is as cute as a button!) was born last Wednesday, and I was hoping to have it done before my friend Sarah left the hospital, but I just couldn't do it.  (My left hand still gives me problems if I crochet or type for too long.)  I only have about five inches left to go, so hopefully I can finish it up this weekend.  I'll post a better picture when it's all done.  At least I'm done with the sweater and matching hat, and I have to pick out buttons to finish it off.

I was surfing through some crochet blogs tonight, but I'm unsure exactly how I found these patterns.  I wound up on Etsy and purchased these tonight.  I'm waiting to get the email with the patterns.  These are Animal Hat Patterns, and they are just so adorable!  I'm glad I decided to save the gift cards for Michael's and AC Moore for Christmas.  :D

Quick update

Time is just flying!  I thought I'd do a quick update since it's been a month.  I'm still slowly working on my baby blanket, but I took a quick break from it to do a sweater and hat.  (The sweater is Kelly's Sweater from Bella Bambina, and the hat is the Basic Baby Hat pattern from Manner's Crochet and Craft.)   It's basically the same as the picture to the left, except when I'm finished, I'll use different buttons, since I know the baby is going to be a boy.  I bought a bunch of buttons while visiting my mom during the holidays.  I hope to have both projects finished soon, and I will post pictures then.