Three new dishcloths - photos

Last night I worked on dishcloths for the exchange I am in through Crochetville. I experimented with ruffly edges for the first time and the Jellyfish dishcloth is my favorite so far. It looks like it is swirling! Someone suggested that I make a set of dishcloth patterns available, so once I get 10 designed I'll let you know.

Today I am going to clean house work on a scrumble for my freeform exchange. Exchanges are fun!! Who knew?? Anywho, I've received two scrumbles from others and wow am I humbled. There are some incredible fiber artists out there!


Anemone Dishcloth

Jellyfish Dishcloth

Sunflower dishcloth

Thanks everyone!!

I want to thank everyone for making my CafePress store so successful already! The response has been great and per several requests I will be creating more products with different images soon. For those of you that have signed up for my website update newsletter I will announce the new products within the next week.

I have the swatch and sketch ready to submit for publication. (Magazines are working right now for items that will be published next winter!) The design is a long sleeve tunic and I worked the swatch in red for Valentine's Day. This is the one that I thought was due at the end of May, but it's actually for the beginning of May! Good thing I checked.

Now, back to cleaning house....

PS: Laurie, dinner last night was poached salmon, broiled asparagus and a salad of fresh picked romaine lettuce topped with garbanzo beans and olive oil. I'm just saying.

Ginkgo afghan square - photo

This is the other square that I designed for the Heartmade Squares eBook. I felt kinda bad since the Morning Glory Nosegay was getting all the attention, and the poor Ginkgo was just sitting here feeling lonely.

Today I've been working on a design submission that I thought was due at the end of May, but really is due the beginning of May. OOOPS! So, the couple or three days I planned on breathing, cleaning house, etc, were put on hold. I must get this in the mail tomorrow though. Seriously, sleep is overrated, right? And who really needs clean floors?



Gingko

Redrose Nosegay for Edith

I finished up the Morning Glory Nosegay that I have been working on for Edith to include in her comfortghan. If you recall this is for a gentleman that developed roses and flowers for his career. I made the flowers in true red to imply roses. The photo makes the flowers look a bit more orange than they actually are. (The pattern is available in the eBook called "Heartmade Squares" via the link in my sidebar.)


Red Nosegay

Manly Comfortghan finished - photo

I just finished this comfortghan and it will be shipped this afternoon to New Mexico. I like how the loopy border makes it look "furry". Special thanks to all the square makers for donating their time and talents!


Manly Comfortghan

Free Form Scrumble - photo

I'm in a free form crochet group and we started a round of scrumble exchanges. This is the first one to be shipped. I hope the recipient likes it! It's made with grey and white wool, and variegated chenille. The wool was so great to work with that I literally dreamt about it that night. It was on clearance at my LYS, so I may have to go back and see if they have any left.

Master's update: I'm boxing it up right now and will take it to the post office within an hour! Woo hoo!! I even figured out where to send it!


Scrumble Exchange - first round

Hot Diggity Dawg!

I didn't pull an all-nighter (although it feels like I did). Between weaving in ends, tagging, labeling, measuring gauge, reworking a swatch, and answering all the questions it took me until about 15 minutes ago to finish up. Whew!! Tomorrow I will be shipping it Priority Mail (I gotta figger out where this goes) and then starts the months of waiting to see if I passed.

I want to sincerely thank everyone that sent me well-wishes and encouragement over the last few days! You really helped me meet the deadline! Y'all rock!!

The Big Push

This is the set up for my CGOA master's program final push. The portfolio must be mailed on Monday to get there on time (wherever that is, I'm assuming it's somewhere in the USA, if not...). I have my laptop, cup-o-joe (still haven't completely quit although it looks like tomorrow might be the big day), all the swatches with half their tails wagging, and the course syllabus. I'm just going to hunker down and Git-r-done!


CGOA Final Push

Toothpick Blocking

I ended up using toothpicks after all. I found that if I just gently push them through into the foam core they didn't break after all. Why I thought using a hammer was necessary I don't know; that just shattered them. I was able to get the splinter out of my finger eventually and the blood doesn't show up in the photo. Anywho, the swatch blocked nicely and is now ready to go.

Weave as you go, weave as you go... why can't I get that through my head? I spent two hours yesterday just weaving in ends on the swatches and I only managed to get half of them finished. Once I get the other half woven I can get them tagged and start answering questions. This HAS to be shipped Monday to meet the deadline! Oh the pressure....


Blocking

Home Depot isn't an LYS???

I just got back from Home Depot and for some reason they don't sell rust-proof pins for blocking doilies. I gotta start taking my camera wherever I go (ala My Crazy Aunt Purl) so I can capture the "deer in the headlights" look I get when I'm out and about (I'm now wondering why that happens so often). I was in the Velcro section of Home Depot and snagged (get it??) the first person to walk past wearing an orange apron.

"I'm looking for the rust proof pins".

*blank stare*

"You know, to block homemade items and not get rust stains".

*uncomfortable pause* "The stain blocker is in the paint aisle."

"Oh yeah, why didn't I think of that... thanks."

I wonder what he would have said if I had asked where the notions were? Now I have to go figger out where to buy these pins. I tried using toothpicks (they don't rust) but they just kept breaking. And the ones with the little colored curly plastic on top bleed (not amusing at all). The rustproof deck screws were too big and the nail gun just shot straight through the foam core. Besides, I couldn't find on the package of nails whether or not they were rust proof. I should call Home Depot and see if they know.

Hanging By A Thread

I spent three solid hours yesterday crocheting the thread swatch for my CGOA Master's program. I can't believe I did it! I had never worked with #10 cotton thread and a size 7 steel hook. Of course Chandler got all excited because she had never seen me work with thread and did her best to help by attacking the ball every time it moved. I finally had to banish her from my work room so I could concentrate. I now have deeeep respect for threadies; I can't imagine making a large tablecloth out of this stuff!

I have one more swatch to make today, and it consists of 10 small swatches seamed together. Hey, at least it's worked up with 4-ply worsted weight!! I hope I remember how to work with yarn...

Morning Glory Nosegay - photo

Edith is assembling a comfortghan for someone that spent his life cultivating flowers and more specifically roses. I can't remember some of the names of roses that he has come up with, but I recognized them at the time. Anywho, she asked me to make a Morning Glory Nosegay for the ghan and I worked on that last night. I'm making the flowers in true red to more resemble roses. This is one of the patterns that is available in the ebook Heartmade Squares.


Morning Glory Nosegay - 12" afghan square

Pretty Pleats with Mango On Top

This is a poncho that I just finished designing for a poncho contest. It looks better on a person with arms! I'm currently finishing up the pattern and will make that available on my website if it doesn't win.


Pretty Pleats with Mango On Top

Pentagon Dishcloth Pattern - now available

I just uploaded the pattern for the Pentagon Dishcloth I designed Friday night. You can access it by clicking on the Free Patterns button in the sidebar. I have two more that I'm going to write up and make available: Sunshine Dishcloth and Vvvvvery Easy Dishcloth. I should have those ready to go in the next few days.

SciFi Inspirations - photo

While watching the first installment in the six part mini-series "Revelations" on SciFi last night, I was inspired to create these two dishcloths. I signed up for a dishcloth exchange through Crochetville that begins soon (I wish I could remember when) and I wanted to be ready. I don't even remember how many I'll need so I'm going to make a stack and use the leftovers for Christmas gifts. (Click photo for larger view)


Dishcloth Exchange

Comfortghan finished - photo

This is a pic of the comfortghan that I mentioned finishing the other day. It was delivered this morning. Do you think she likes it?


HMB Comfortghan - pastels

The Dude stash - photos

By popular demand I am posting pics of how I've organized my stash. The yarns are categorized by type, then by color. It's not a pretty display of yarn, but for me it keeps all the types easily accessible. I've been told it's a sorry stash relative to others' (I've heard rumors of people renting storage units for their tubs of yarn...). I am planning to build in storage cubes from floor to ceiling in this craft room so I have plenty of empty shelves to fill!

The WIP Bins are plenty big for at least ten projects, but most likely I could store up to 20 (2 projects in each bin). Each of the plastic bins is dedicated to one type of project: Coliseum bedspread, Charity squares, etc. In case you are interested and you don't have The Container Store near you, you can order these bins here: Storage Bins


Dude-stash

WIP Bins

First Try at Freeform - photo

I sat down and tried my hand at a freeform scrumble. I'm happy with how it turned out. I have seen so many wonderful items made using freeform and I'm excited to keep pursuing it. What a great way to use up all the ends of skeins that I have been saving all these years (yep, there are boxes of them).


First try scrumble

I Crocheted This Cat!

Just kidding (or am I?). I uploaded this picture because I found Chandler's twin brother in California, via the Internet. Thanks goodness for the Internet bringing families back together and helping people find love and stuff at eBay. Anywho, Crazy Aunt Purl shares her home with Chandler's brother Bob. Click here to see his happy face.

I've been asked several times now to post a photo of my organized stash. Ha! Y'all are assuming it stayed organized for 24 hours! Well, if I spend a half hour picking up in there it should be photo ready once again. To quote my mom: "Drew, pick each item up one at a time and move it to the side. Your yarn is getting all tangled... go to your room!!"


Miss Chandler

Got stash?

I spent hours organizing my craft room yesterday. But it was well worth it. Now all the yarns are on their proper shelves, categorized by type, and arranged by colors. I also added a 10 "bin" system from The Container Store that I am using for works in progress. Now I can dedicate a bin to each design project, each comfortghan that I'm collecting squares for, etc. The fun discovery was that I have some empty shelves now. Woo hoo, time to go yarn shopping!!

I just finished assembling a pastel comfortghan. Once I get all the ends woven in I will photograph it and upload the pic. It came out very pretty, very flowery and feminine, which is what the person requested. I hope she likes it!!

Wandith Poncho - photo

This is a poncho made with 6 - 12" squares that I designed called "Wandith". The poncho assembly was designed by my good friend Knit-n-Sox, aka Janie Herrin. She rocks! You can find the Wandith pattern by visiting the Heartmade Blessings website under Patterns.


Wandith Poncho

Heartmade Blessings Squares Contest Results!!

The Heartmade Blessings Annual Squares Contest ended yesterday. I want to say thank you to everyone that sent in squares. Without our supporters and all of you that send in squares HMB could not meet our mission of "Caring hearts, touching lives, one stitch at a time." Every stitch and every square does make a difference.

This year's contest was a HUGE success. The square counts are in and the
numbers have been tallied. This contest resulted in the largest number of
squares being sent for a contest since HMB started 4 years ago. The final total square count is 4,115 squares since January! This works out to be 392 completed comfort afghans!

What a wonderful anniversary surprise for Heartmade Blessings to break the 4,000 square mark for a contest in the year of our 4th Anniversary. Thanks again everyone!!!

Comfortghan completed - photo

I just finished up this comfortghan this morning and it will be shipped this afternoon. It's in the washer right now. When dry I will retag it and take it to the post office. This is the comfortghan that I spent the other day assembling outside and I'm very happy with how it turned out. I wouldn't mind keeping it! LOL I guess that would be frowned upon by all the square donors!


Comfortghan - manly

Button Top Sock - photo

That's a whole lotta sc! The little hook and thin yarn took a while to finish the crocheted sock but it was worth it. About halfway through the sock I stopped splitting the yarn with the tiny pointed hook and also picked up speed. Now I feel confident to move on to the swatch that uses a #7 steel hook. I just realized that the portfolio has to be shipped out in a just a couple of weeks!!!

This sock is actually more like a slipper. Sc in the round just doesn't created the stretchiness that one would want in a sock. But it does make a nice warm slipper!


Button Top Sock - left

Sock pattern

Several people have asked what book the crocheted sock pattern is in. It comes from my absolute favorite crochet book/stitch encyclopedia:

Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet

I reference this book every time I crochet.

Backyard Assembling - photo

I've spent the last few hours in the backyard assembling a comfortghan. The weather is so beautiful today that I couldn't spend the day inside. The birds are singing, the breeze is blowing, the hook is flying.... couldn't ask for a nicer day.


Backyard Assemblage

Button Top Socks - photo

I know I know, I said I wasn't going to start any new projects.... however, the next swatch for the CGOA Masters program uses a size 7 steel hook (1.65mm) and that is much smaller than I'm accustomed to using. So I thought I'd better practice on a project before attempting the swatch.

These socks use a size B hook, which is not quite as small as a 7, but still smaller than the G & H I've been making all the other swatches with. I'm trying out Lion Brand Magic Stripes (thank you Karen) for the first time and it's pretty neat how the colors work out. I'm sure by the time these socks are finished I will be ready to go down to the 7 steel hook and work up the next swatch.


Button Top Socks

Swatch Fool, ...er..April Fool

I have been making swatches for the CGOA Masters program like crazy. I have 19 out of 20 swatches made, and haven't even started the essay questions. I'll post a pic of the swatches once the ends are all woven in and they are tagged. The deadline to ship the kit and caboodle is coming up in just a couple of weeks so I'd better get crackin'. I've added a WIP percentage bar to my blog to help remind me how far I have to go (or how much I've accomplished depending on how optimistic I'm feeling). I'd better quit a bloggin' and get back to swatchin'!!