Mayflower Baby Blanket

My oldest nephew and his wife are expecting their first child in November.  They live quite a ways a way, so their baby shower for the family was held a couple of weeks ago in our area.  I didn't know when it was happening until the very last moment, so I had to hurry and make a baby blanket for them.  My niece-in-law is more "city" than "country" and she chose and brown and teal color scheme for their new baby girl's room.  I had been wanting to make a baby blanket with Caron's Simply Soft in the color Bone so this was a great opportunity for me.  I also chose a really elegant pattern for the baby blanket.  It's called the Mayflower Baby Blanket and you can find it by clicking here.

This is the finished blanket.  I love the way it looks!

This is an up-close view of the texture that's created.  This was early on in the blanket production when I took this photo.

Craft Day

A couple of weeks ago, Gumdrop and Pattycake came over and spent the day with me and we had a "Craft Day".  Both girls love to craft and so does Aunt Shelly.  I found each and every one of the crafts we did on Pinterest.

 Gumdrop is painting bobby pins with some fingernail polish.  She was making fancy bobby pins for her hair.

 Pattycake is learning how to braid.  We were making anklets with beads on them.

 Gumdrop is making a circle woven necklace.

 Both girls....enjoying a bit of a break on my front porch.

 We even had an "at home" spa treatment in the afternoon.  We did pedicures.

 Look at those sparkly toes!!!

And here is a couple of anklets I made for myself.

Crocheted Cell Phone Armchair - Stash Buster Project

I wanted to make one of the knitted cell phone armchairs but didn't feel like trying to knit it since I'm not that great of a knitter.  So...I sat down and worked one up that is crocheted.

 This is the finished product.  It's a horrible photo.  I admit it.  My nephew, Little Ty, took it from me and claimed it as his own.

 This is the beginning of the project.  I used these two small balls of yarn out of my yarn stash.  And I used a size G crochet hook.

 The armchair while in progress.

 The finished "tube".

I didn't have foam pellets or whatever...but I did have beans.  So that's what I used to stuff it.

I tried writing down the pattern but ended up getting sidetracked, so I'll make another one and write it down this time.

Fire Dept. Afghan

A few weeks ago, my sister Lea called me and said she would like me to make an afghan for them to auction off as a fundraiser since one of their local fireman was killed in a fire.  I looked around for a suitable pattern and finally found one.

 This is the finished blanket.  I like everything about it but the E in RESCUE.  Somehow I messed up.

 This is the graph I used.  I cannot find it again on the internet now matter how hard I've tried.  Therefore, I cannot post a link to it.  Sorry.

 This is my wrote out pattern off of the chart.

 The beginning of the afghan.

 A little bit more of it worked. 

And a little bit more.

This blanket took me over 30 hours to make.  I used 2 large skeins and part of 1 small skein of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in White.  I also used 1 large skein of Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red.  I worked this with a size I crochet hook.

Persimmon (free pattern) - Stash Buster Project

One of my sister Lea's friends, Jessie, fell in love with the witch doctor's that I had made for my nephews and she requested one for herself.  So....I got out all of my small balls of leftover yarn....sorted them into piles of somewhat coordinating colors and textures....and then picked out my favorite color combination for the one I was getting ready to make.

These are the colors and textures I was working with.  

The bottom...and the cowl neckline....

The head before being attached...

Starting to add the legs....with one thick one since it's a broken leg....

Then the arms are being added....

Then the ears and the face.....

This photo really reminds me of the cobbler and the elves story.....

The broken leg has been cast....the tail and spikes have been added....

The photo shoot on the porch...

I love this photo too....

Just hanging out....

And one final shot....this is the yarn I had leftover after making Persimmon.  I still have enough to use for another project. 

I enjoy making these little monsters and witch doctors but I never write down the pattern.  Then I started getting requests for them and I figured that I needed to start writing it down otherwise I wouldn't be able to make another one. This is the first time I have recorded the pattern as I made the monster, so I'm offering it up as a FREE PATTERN.  I hope you all enjoy it and if you make one of these, please share a photo.

PERSIMMON - Free Pattern

A variety of scrap yarn....any color....any thickness....you choose

I used a G hook on the WW yarn and an I hook on the really thick, chunky yarn

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Body

Using chunky yarn and an I hook, make a magic circle

1- ch 1, 6 sc in magic circle, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.  pull magic circle tight.

2- ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

3- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat around; join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

4- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

5 thru 7 - repeat round 4.

8 - ch 1, *sc 2 tog, sc in next st; repeat around; join with a sl st to 1st st made.  fasten off yarn, weave in end.

Cowl

Switch to the bumpy baby yarn and a G hook

1- ch 1, 2 sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

2- ch 2, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around.  fasten off, weave in most of the yarn tail or all of it.  whatever you wish.

Head

Using WW yarn and a G hook, make a magic circle

1- ch 1, work 6 sc, join with a sl st to 1st sc made, pull circle tight.

2- ch 1, work 2 sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

3- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around, join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

4- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in each of the next 2 sts; repeat from * around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

5- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

6 thru 9 - repeat round 5

10- ch 1, *sc 2 tog, sc in each of the next 2 sts; repeat from * around, join with a sl st to 1st st made.

11- ch 1, *sc 2 tog, sc in next st; repat from * around, join with a sl st to 1st st made.  fasten off yarn, leaving a long tail for sewing the head to the body.

Stuff the body.

Stuff the head.

Using a yarn needle and the long tail of yarn on the head, sew the head to the body.

Leg 1

With variegated yarn and a G hook,

1- ch 2, work 6 sc in the 2nd ch from hook, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

2- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to the 1st sc.

3- ch 1, *sc 2 tog; repeat from * around, join with a sl st to 1st st.

do not fasten off....

ch 12, sl st to the body wherever you want the leg to be positioned, then working back down the 12 chs, sl st in each ch.  fasten off yarn, weave in ends.

Leg 2 (broken leg)

With variegated yarn and a G hook,

1- ch 2, work 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook; join with a sl st to 1st sc.

2- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

3- repeat round 2.

(4 & 5 form the heel)

4- ch 1, sc in next 4 sc, turn.

5- repeat row 4 but do not turn at end of row.  fold the heel in half and sl st to the 1st sc of row 5.

6- ch 1, sc in each sc around; join with a sl st to 1st sc made.  you should have 6 sts but exact count isn't important.

Make sure you stuff the foot as you work these next rounds.

7 thru 12 - repeat round 6

13- ch 1, (sc 2 tog) 3 times, join with a sl st to 1st st made.  ch 3, sl st leg to body wherever you want it positioned.  working back down the chs, sl st in each of the 3 chs, fasten off, weave in end.

Arms (make 2)

With WW yarn and a G hook

1- ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

2- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

3- ch 1, (sc 2 tog) 3 times, join with a sl st to 1st st made.  ch 8, sl st to body wherever you want the arm positioned, then sl st in each of the 8 chs back down to the hand.  fasten off.  weave in ends.

Eye

With WW yarn and a G hook

ch 2, work 6 sc in the 2nd ch from hook, join.  fasten off yarn.  leave a long tail for sewing to the head.

with contrasting color of yarn, make a french knot in the center of the eye.

Mouth

with a yarn needle and WW yarn, stitch a mouth on the face.

Ears (make 2)

with WW yarn and a G hook

1- ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook an din each ch across, turn.

2- ch 1, (sc 2 tog) twice, turn.

3- ch 1, sc 2 tog.  fasten off yarn leaving a long tail for sewing.  weave the yarn down the side of the ear loosely, then across the bottom of the ear.  pull yarn tight across the bottom.  sew to the head wherever you want it.  weave in ends.

Tail

with WW yarn and a G hook, make a magic circle

1- ch 1, work 4 sc in the circle, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

2- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

3- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around.  join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

4- ch 1, sc in each st around.

5- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around.  join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

6- ch 1, sc in each st around.  join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

7- ch 1, *2 sc in next st, sc in next st; repeat from * around.  join with a sl st to 1st sc made.

8 thru 10- repeat round 7.  at the end of round 10, fasten off yarn leaving a long tail for sewing .  stuff the tail and sew it to the body.

Scales

Leaving a long tail for sewing, ch 11.

sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next st, ch 1, sl st down thru the side of the hdc st, sc in next ch, hdc in next st, dc in next st, ch 1, sl st down the side of the dc st, sc in next ch, hdc in next st, dc in next st, tc in next two sts, ch 1, sl st down the side of the tc, fasten off, leaving a tail for sewing.  using the yarn tails to sew the scales down the length of the tail.  weave in ends.

Cast

with WW yarn and a G hook

ch 12, join to form a ring.

1- ch 1, sc in each st around, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

2- repeat round 1.

3- ch 1, sc in next 8 sts.

4- ch 1, turn.  sc in next 8 sts.

5- ch 1...do not turn.  sc dec down the side (over the next 2 sts worked in rows 4 & 5), sc in next 4 sts, sc dec over the next 2 sts (as before), sl st in next sc.

6- ch 1, sc dec, sc, sc dec, sc, sc dec, (sc dec) 4 times.  join with a sl st to 1st st made.

7- ch 1, sc, dc, (tc) 5 times, dc, sc, join with a sl st to 1st sc.

8- ch 1, sc in each st around.  join with a sl st to 1st sc.  fasten off.  weave in ends.

AND YOU'RE FINISHED!!!!!

I hope you enjoy my free pattern, but please....don't claim it as your own.  Give credit where credit is due.

Thanks a bunch!

Shelly

Spider Webs - Stash Buster Projects

Today, I am making large spider webs.  I had posted a photo of the one I made for my trees on Facebook and people started asking me to make some for them.

 This is the 2nd one.  I just started it.  It will be a big one like the 1st one, shown below.

This is the 1st one.  It's quite large.  I think when it's tied up, it will stretch out to over 3 feet in diameter.

I plan to make one of these for my porch too.  Maybe even bigger.

Scrap Yarn

I have a couple of sisters' that have amazing luck when it comes to finding bags of yarn at yard sales, thrift stores, etc..  I dug one of the bags out of my stash area last night.  I went through it and picked out some colors that worked together, then got rid of any discolored or dirty yarn, rewound the smaller bits and now I think I have a pile of it ready for a scrap baby blanket.  Now I have to decide what pattern I want to use.  I wonder if there's a good pattern for when you are using variegated yarn?

Pet Peeve

I don't have too many pet peeves but messed up yarn is one of my main ones.  I hate spending all that money and then have a problem with it.  When I was working on the scrap afghan, I kept having really thick sections of yarn in with the regular width and I didn't feel like cutting those sections out.

 Can you see the really thick stitch next to the regular ones?

 Look at that big fuzzy mess!

And there it is again!

This just kept happening.

Anyone else ever experience this???

Poor Gumdrop

Gumdrop fell the 2nd day of school during recess.

 She broke her wrist and her hand.

This was last week.  During that time, her cast ended up being too tight and had to be cut open until a new one was put on the next day.  I felt so bad for her that I bought her a new necklace and a Teen Rag magazine with all the posters and such in it.

My poor Gumdrop....I feel so bad for her.

Scrap Blanket - Stash Buster Project

I finished my latest Scrap Blanket.  All of the yarn but the Aran color (off white, creamy color) came out of my yarn stash.

 There are 63 squares (9 high by 7 wide).

The colored squares were made first.  Then the Aran was worked around them and joined as I went.

The outside border was worked with all the little balls of the scrap yarn I had left over.  I just started with one color and worked it all in then added another color, and so on.  I ended up getting 5 rows of border out of it and had one little tiny ball of yarn left over which went into the trash.  It wasn't even 2 feet long.

By the way, I didn't use any specific pattern for the squares.  I just made a basic granny square and went from there.

DPN's

Well, after a month or more away from trying to work with my DPN's, I tried it again.

And I've finally figured it out.

It's coming along nicely even.

Yarn Bombing - Stash Buster Project

Yesterday, I made a Spider Web out of my scrap yarn.

I used this pattern for the spider web.

 I rolled up each of the long yarn strings that I used to tie it on the trees.  That way they wouldn't get all tangled up.

 This is the web up close.

And this is the web a bit farther away.

The sunlight wasn't cooperating very well, but I think you get the idea.

I have about six or so trees along the north side of my home, and I've been dying to yarn bomb a few of them.  So...yesterday I decided to just "do it".  The spider web also has a Halloween flair to it, so...that was my first yarn bombing project.

Yarning Around...

I don't have a lot of time this morning to share "every single thing" that I want to, so I'm just doing a quick post of the yarn projects I've either finished or have worked on this past month during my absence.  Some of these will be free patterns that I will add sometime next week.

 A crocheted armchair for my phone.  Little Ty confiscated it.

By the way, I detest this photo.  *sigh*

 The charity blanket that I donated for a fundraiser.

My arthritic fingers still hurt after making this.  I had to do it "quick".  It took less than a week, from the graphing to the finishing.  The graphing was the worst part, with my bad eyesight.

 The baby blanket for Olivia (she will arrive in November).  Olivia will be my 4th great-niece.  I think.  I will have to do some figuring on this.

 A WIP.  I'm still working on the Camo Knitted Baby Blanket.  But it's growing some every now and then.

And then....sweet, little Persimmon.  Made for a friend, at her request.  She was transported to her new home, via my mom and my sister, Lea Ann.  However, I do not know if she's actually been "delivered" yet.

So...those are the yarn projects I have worked on in the last month.