Hello Again....

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. No excuses, just plain lazy.

Some updates on what I've been doing...

Went on vacation to visit my twin sister in Pennsylvania. My other sister from Michigan came too, and we had a grand visit the three of us. Plenty of activity-filled days, and including our kids in most of them. I very much enjoyed myself.

Getting a head start on my Christmas gifts for this year. Making quite a bit for different family members. Most are projects that I wanted to make anyway, so this is quite fun to work on. A few afghans in patterns I'd bookmarked. As well as some crocheted games. One of the gifts I want to make will hopefully be done in wood though. I'll have to come up with a pattern, or find one that is easy to follow, as I don't normally work with wood.

Joined a swap on Ravelry. It sounds fun, and this will be the first real swap I've ever done.
Off to work again today, had yesterday off as it was my son's first day back to school. He's getting so grown-up, already in 2nd grade!

Battling pink eye and bronchitis. Not so fun, but I think the worst is over finally. Now to do a bit of house-cleaning before heading out the door.

A Picture a day for the Month of May (May 9th) - I've been slacking

This is what my mother-in-law got for Mother's Day. Her family putting a new roof on the old church. She's the caretaker there, and the roof was leaking very badly in several places. They were able to buy the metal for a new roof, and this weekend her 3 sons, her brother, and another friend of the family all pitched in to put it on. In this picture, my husband is the one on the bottom, his brother Josh is in the middle, and Uncle Chuck is at the top. It was very hot work, with many many wasps and wood bees buzzing around, but they got it done in just 2 days (with a rain delay in the middle of it). That was one proud mama!

Never too old to learn new things

So I was looking for a doll pattern, and I found this super cute free doll pattern. Only problem is... it has charts. I don't know how to read charts. No problem, I'll learn right? But it's in Russian. I don't speak or read Russian. Yay for Google translation. I was able to translate the written-instructions part of it, and decipher most of the symbols. Now all I need to do is learn to read a chart, and I'm plugging away at it. I can't wait to get it all figured out and make the doll.

A Picture a day for the Month of May (May 4th)

My little grease monkey. He helped his daddy change out the starter on my car. He was very proud of his "mark of a man" grease all over himself. This is the same boy that last year made the statement: "I'm not a working kind of boy, I'm a sit on the couch and watch TV kind of boy"  Yeah, that's made me try to get him outside more.

A Picture a day for the Month of May (May 1st)

Well, the only pictures I took yesterday were some "in progress" pics of my current crochet project. It's supposed to be some sort of critter, I'm not entirely sure what it will be, though. Maybe a horse? (and yeah, I know I'm a day late, yesterday was my lazy day and I didn't do much of anything)

A Critter - Free Pattern

Made this up for a Ravelry friend, so she can take part of our traveling critters group.

A Critter

Materials

Worsted Weight Yarn

Hook size E

Yarn needle

10mm safety eyes

tiny amount of yarn for facial features if wanted

Abbreviations

sc = single crochet

INC = increase (2 single crochet in same stitch)

DEC = decrease (single crochet 2 stitches together through front loops)

BLO = back loops only

rnd(s) = round(s)

Pattern

Special Instructions: Repeat instructions inside ( ) as many times as indicated for round

You can substitute (ch 2, work into 2^nd chain from hook) for beginning rnds if that is how you are more comfortable working your beginning spiral rnds.

Head

Rnd 1: Work 6 sc into magic circle or adjustable ring (6 st)

Rnd 2: INC 6 times around (12 st)

Rnd 3: (sc, INC) x6 around (18 st)

Rnd 4: (sc in 2, INC) x6 around (24 st)

Rnd 5: (sc in 3, INC) x6 around (30 st)

Rnd 6: (sc in 4, INC) x6 around (36 st)

Rnd 7: (sc in 5, INC) x6 around (42 st)

Rnds 8 – 12: sc in each sc around (42 st)

Rnd 13: (sc in 5, DEC) x6 around (36 st)

Rnd 14: (sc in 4, DEC) x6 around (30 st)

Rnd 15: (sc in 3, DEC) x6 around (24 st)

Rnd 16: (sc in 2, DEC) x6 around (18 st)

FO, leaving long tail for sewing

Add safety eyes, and facial features. Stuff head.

Legs (x2)

Rnd 1: Work 6sc into magic circle or adjustable ring (6 st)

Rnd 2: INC 6 times around (12 st)

Rnd 3: (sc, INC) x6 around (18 st)

Rnd 4: BLO – sc around (18 st)

Rnds 5 – 16: sc in each sc around (18 st)

(1^st leg, FO, leave a tail for sewing)

(2^nd leg, pause, do not FO. Use tail from 1^st leg to attach the two legs together by stitching through both layers for 4 stitches, beginning where you stopped on leg 2. FO tail. Resume stitching on 2^nd leg, by working sc in next st on 2^nd leg, then sc into closest st on 1^st leg. Continue working sc in each sc around 1^st leg until you reach the join on opposite side, move to 2^nd leg and continue working sc in each sc around..) This joins the two legs together. Mark the spot where the legs join as the center of the back, and continue for direction for body.

Stuff legs

Body

Rnds 1 – 12: sc in each sc around (you should have 32 st around. If not, inc or dec over the first two rnds to get to 32 st per rnd.

Rnd 13: Press body flat, and locate sides of body. Mark the center of the 4 stitches on each side. Sc in each sc until 2 st before your center mark. DEC one time before mark, and one time after the mark. (These two DEC will be right beside each other), continue working sc around until you reach the other side, and repeat the process of two DEC on either side of center mark of opposite side. Sc back to center back mark. (28 st)

Rnd 14: using same center side marks sc around, DEC 2 times each side of both marks for a total of 4 DEC each side, and rnd total of 8 DEC (20 st)

Rnd 15: sc around, DEC one more time at each side mark for a total of 2 DEC for rnd. FO.

Stuff body

Line up 18 stitches from head, with 18 stitches from body, and sew head and body together.

Arms (x2)

Rnd 1: work 6 sc into magic circle or adjustable ring (6 st)

Rnd 2: INC 6 times around (12 st)

Rnd 3: BLO sc in each sc around (12 st)

Rnds 4 – 12: sc in each sc around (12 st)

Stuff arms, position and attach to body

Ears (x2)

Rnd 1: work 4 sc into magic circle or adjustable ring (4 st)

Rnd 2: INC 4 times around (8 st)

Rnd 3: (sc, INC) x4 around (12 st)

Fold ears flat, lining up the stitches

Row 4: work 6sc through both layers (6 st)

FO, leave tail for sewing, and attach ears to head.

A Picture a day for the Month of May (early start) :p

So today was my anniversary meeting at work. I've made it 90 days, whoo hoo! I got a balloon attached to a sucker. On the way home, I was taking the balloon, and a co-worker asked why I wasn't leaving it on my desk. I told her I was taking it home to my kids. One could have the balloon, the other the sucker, and they could...what... fight it out? Her being a lovely person, she gave me her balloon and sucker to take home too, so the kids could each have a balloon and sucker of their own. Thanks, Mashanda!

A Picture a day for a Month

A friend of mine is doing a picture a day for a year. I thought I would start smaller, with a month. I actually want to post a couple of pics first from the past two days. We've had a lot of flooding around here.

Here's a pic from Monday, taking the kids to school, we stopped to get some pics of flooded roads in the area. This one is my fave. See the tip-top of the "road closed ahead" sign?

A pic from Tuesday, (yesterday)

Flat tire on hubby's truck. Wow. That's really flat. LOL.

I will try to remember to post a pic from every day for the next month. Or since it's almost the end of April anyway, I might continue to the end of May.

Baby Snow Bunny (in white)

Here's my baby snow bunny, complete with "fun fur" on the tail to make it cute and fuzzy. Yeah. I hate fun fur. I mean like.... really... hate.... fun fur.

Now to do one more in brown for the boy. ;)

Easter Surprise

Leave it to me to set a (almost impossible) goal. Trying to get two bunnies done in time for Easter to put in my kids' Easter baskets. I'm using the Baby Snow Bunny pattern from Ravelry, but adding some fun fur to the tail so it will be fuzzy. I'm making one in white for my daughter, and one in brown for my son. Only one week left to go and I'm not getting as much done as I'd hoped, because I've been working on this at work during breaks. I was hoping to have these done without the kids knowing about it, but I'm starting to think I might need to make them at home when I can work on bits and pieces at a time and mask what I'm doing. -sigh-

Otherwise, at least the baskets themselves are done, and I'm really hoping to have the bunnies done in time for Easter Morning. Wish me luck!

Blue Easter Basket - pattern modification

I used my Plarn Easter Basket pattern to make this basket for my son. I changed up the pattern for it, and also modified the handle pattern. I will also edit the original pattern to include these changes on the original post. Just finished this up yesterday, and also started to make another Swiffer Cover.

I miss being a stay-at-home Mom...

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I miss being able to stay home all day and all the free time I had to pursue my interests. Now it seems like my day is pretty much filled up with working. All. Day. Long.

It makes me prioritize more though. Like with my crochet projects. Speaking of which, I still need to get started on that second Easter Basket. Just finished up a cover for my Swiffer. Here's a quick pic of that.

Haven't actually used it yet, so I'm not sure how well it works, but I will let you know. ;)

Plarn Easter Basket - Free Pattern

Materials:

Plarn in two colors. (I used cheap plastic tablecloths cut into long strips, pink and white)

Crochet Hook size H

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

hdc = half double crochet

st = stitch

sl st = slip stitch

INC = increase (work 2 sc in same st)

Basket Pattern:

Note: Do not join, work first 15 rows in continuous spiral rounds.

In main color (pink), ch 2.

Row 1: 6 sc into 2^nd ch from hook (6 st)

Row 2: INC around (12 st)

Row 3: (INC, sc in next st) around (18 st)

Row 4: (INC, sc in next 2 st) around (24 st)

Row 5: (INC, sc in next 3 st) around (30 st)

Row 6: (INC, sc in next 4 st) around (36 st)

Row 7: (INC, sc in next 5 st) around (42 st)

Row 8: (INC, sc in next 6 st) around (48 st)

Row 9: (INC, sc in next 7 st) around (54 st)

Row 10: (INC, sc in next 8 st) around (60 st)

Row 11: (INC, sc in next 9 st) around (66 st)

Row 12: (INC, sc in next 10 st) around (72 st)

Row 13: (INC, sc in next 11 st) around (78 st)

Row 14: (INC, sc in next 12 st) around (84 st)

Row 15: (INC, sc in next 13 st) around (90 st)

sl st to join to next st, ch 2

Note: We are no longer working in spiral rounds, join each round with sl st to top of ch-2

Row 16: hdc in each st around, sl st to join, ch 2

Row 17: hdc in each st around

Change to 2^nd color (white) here, and then sl st to join, ch 2

Row 18-20: hdc in each st around, sl st to join, ch 2

Row 21: hdc in each st around

Change back to 1^st color (pink) here, and then sl st to join, ch 2

Row 22-23: hdc in each st around, sl st to join, ch 2

Row 24: hdc in each st around

Change back to 2^nd color (white) here, and then sl st to join, ch 2

Row 25: hdc in each st around

Change back to 1^st color (pink) here, and then sl st to join, ch 2

Row 26: hdc in each st around, sl st to join, FO

Handle Pattern:

With 2^nd color (white), ch 51

Row 1: Starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc back down starting ch, FO
Row 2: sc in each sc across, FO

Row 3: With 1^st color (pink), sl st down row of sc, and across short end to row 4.

Row 4: sl st down opposite side of foundation chain. FO

Alternate Handle Pattern:

With 2^nd color (white), ch 51

Row 1: Starting in 2^nd ch from hook, sc back down starting ch, ch 1, turn.
Row 2: sc in each sc across, FO
Row 3: Attach 1st color, sc across last row, with 2sc in last st. work 1 sc in short end of row, and begin row 4 with 2sc in first st.
Row 4: sc in each st across (working in opposite side of foundation ch, with 2sc in last st. Work 1 sc in short end of rows, then work 2sc in beginning corner st and sl st to join where you attached the yarn to begin this color.

Finishing:

Using 1^st color (pink), attach handles to opposite sides of basket

Color Stripes can be made in any pattern. Here is a chart showing some pattern options.

Where did spring go?

So earlier this week we had gorgeous weather, warm enough for short sleeves, bright sunny days... then Wednesday we suddenly have a hail storm and the weather gets cold. Really cold. As in... it was sleeting and SNOWING on my drive to work this morning! This is ridiculous! Where did Spring go? I thought it was here, so did the plants, March flowers (daffodils) started blooming, trees started putting out buds, grass is starting to get tall... and then... snow?

So I'm looking forward to easter... I'm wanting to make easter baskets for the kids this year. I think I will use some plarn and make them around some ice-cream buckets, goodness knows I have enough of those things laying around to spare a couple for an egg hunt ;)

I'll keep up with how I make the baskets and post a pattern to share. Hopefully I'll get this little bunny basket done that I'm working on, and start on the Easter Baskets next. I'm also hoping to make a few daffodils from Planet June's free pattern. Trying to get my routines straightened out now that I'm working. I have Tuesdays and Sundays off, and work the rest of the week, so my time is limited now on working on my projects. But Saturdays are usually slow at work and I'll take my crochet with me tomorrow ;)

Stay tuned, and I'll keep you posted!

Smoking and Crocheting/Knitting....

So looking at several swaps/travelling item groups... I realized that a lot of knitters/crocheters do not like to do swaps with someone who smokes, or has a smoker in the household. So upon doing a quick search on Ravelry for smokers, I found a wonderful group, Smoking Knitters & Crocheters.

They are hosting a picture scavenger hunt for February, which I am loving. This scavenger hunt has prompted a few new projects to be completed recently.
First, a cigarette carton cozy. This is for the "Smoking Related" project.

This next one is for the "What Was I Thinking Yarn & Project" category...
Plarn... a very involved and tedious process to make it...

But the project I made from it turned out rather cute...

PlanetJune Heart CAL

Made these cute little hearts for PlanetJune's Love Heart CAL.

Valentine Monster

Using the pattern for this Valentine Monster on Ravelry, this little guy went to a friend at work.

The rose was made from PlanetJune's Basic Rose free pattern. My friend, Kelly, absolutely loved the gift. Another coworker requested one to give to her daughter, which I also gladly made.

Bookmarks

Another couple of projects I completed. The apple bookmark went to my sister Rebecca, in michigan. The teddy bear bookmark went to her daughter Amber.

Hello Kitty!

So I finally finished those belated Christmas presents for my twin sister and her two daughters. I made two of my little birds (free pattern found in this blog) for her, and a Hello Kitty for each of her daughters.

Explaining my abscense

I recently started a new job, and therefore have little time left to work on my projects. I have completed a few new projects, and hope to have pictures posted soon. I made a scarf to go with my Bella hat, finished the dinosaur for my son (my own pattern, to be posted for free as soon as I figure it out :p), as well as a Valentine Monster holding a Crocheted Rose. I forgot to take a picture of the monster after I made it, before giving it to a friend, but am making another one, which I hope to remember to take a picture of.

In the meantime, things are very much changed for me. Instead of being home all day and taking care of the house, I now leave for work before the kids get on the bus, and get home a few hours after they do. My mother retired from her job, and has taken over the role of caregiver while I'm gone, as well as taking care of the house and meals. It is quite an adjustment, and we are still trying to get used to our new roles.

For now, my new job has me working Monday through Friday, leaving the house at 6:45am, and not getting home until 5:45pm. This is the training period though, and my schedule will soon change. Hopefully I'll be able to have a day off during the week, and not leave until after the kids are on the bus. Although it feels good to be back in the working world, I do miss the time with my children.