Simple Stitch Dishcloth - Stashbusting For Stashaholics

On May 29th, I made this Simple Stitch Crochet Dishcloth.  I used this pattern http://www.petalstopicots.com/2013/07/three-color-simple-stitch-crochet-dishcloth-pattern/ and another ball of Peaches & Creme cotton out of my stash.  This color is called Bright Blue.  This was the 2nd part of the Housewarming Gift that I gave my sister.

Crunchy Stitch Dishcloth - Stashbusting for Stashaholics

On May 28th, I made this Crunchy Stitch Crochet Dishcloth.  This is a free pattern which can be found here  http://www.petalstopicots.com/2013/07/crunchy-stitch-crochet-dishcloth-pattern/ .

I grabbed a ball of cotton out of my "yarn" stash for this, so it's a Stashbusting for Stashaholics project.  :)   It is Peaches & Creme cotton in the color Bright Lime.

This dishcloth (along with another) was a Housewarming Gift for my sister that just moved into a new place.

Hexagons

I decided that I didn't really care for the previous hexagons that I made.  I posted about them here.

So I found a different pattern that I liked and sat down to try them out.  By the time I was done, this is what I had.  I think I really like the idea of joining them as I go, so that's a plus for this pattern.  You can find the free pattern by clicking here.

Hexagons

I've been dying to try out a hexagon blanket for a long time now.  After getting the "itch" yesterday, I went downstairs to my yarn stash and dug out a bag of yarn.

 I have (from the bottom up) Amethyst, Shocking Pink, Pumpkin, Turqua and Royal.  All are Red Heart Super Saver yarn.

This morning, I sat down and started crocheting the hexagons.  These are the first two I've made.

The hexagon pattern I'm using can be found here.

I'm using a size I crochet hook for these.

Sweet and Simple Newborn Hat

I made a Sweet And Simple Newborn hat to go with the Crocheted Baby Sweater.  The pattern for the hat can be found here.  I made the alternative edging instead of the scalloped one since we aren't sure of the baby's sex yet.  I used the same Artic Ice yarn.

Crocheted Baby Sweater

I used one of my favorite, go-to patterns to make a baby sweater.  It's called the Crocheted Baby Sweater and it can be found by clicking here or you can check out the Bundles of Love website.

 I used some of the "I Love This Yarn" yarn in Arctic Ice for the sweater.  I made it exactly as the pattern states.  (Sometimes I vary it up, but I didn't this time.)  I tried several different methods for the tie, since I didn't want to do a button.  In the end, I chose to use the tie made out of crochet chains.

I tried several different ribbons, but didn't like them.  This photo shows how one of them looked.  Yuck.

Newborn Wrap Diaper Shirt

I'm sure you all have saw me post about my niece Z, who's expecting in November.  Z has been inquiring about baby things ( a lot ) and is also worried about keeping her baby warm since it will be Winter then.  After digging through my pile of patterns, I came upon the Newborn Wrap Diaper Shirt.  You can find the pattern by clicking here.  After a lot of thinking (and chatting), it was decided that the baby would need a vest to keep warm.  It will be worn over a long sleeved onesie.  (I think in the UK they call them Pneumonia Prevention Vests.)  This Wrap Diaper Shirt pattern is exactly what we are wanting for the new baby.  So I whipped out some of the yarn I bought and made one in the Seablue Tweed.  I made it while watching TV last night, and it's a really quick and easy project.  

These will be rolling off my crochet hook a lot in the coming months.  I think it's exactly what the new baby will need and Z and her mom both think these are a good idea for keeping the baby warm.

Seablue Tweed Baby Blanket

I started this blanket last week and finished it yesterday.  This is the 3rd baby blanket that I'm making for my niece, Z.  Her baby is due in November and she's really worried about having warm blankets.  So, after some research, I decided to make the blanket using the "Blanket Stitch".  I used this tutorial http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-blanket-stitch/ .  The yarn I used is called Seablue Tweed.  It's I Love This Yarn in worsted weight, from Hobby Lobby.  I used a size I crochet hook.  My beginning ch was 99.

 I orginally started it out with a ch of 120 but it was just way too big for what I wanted.  This photo shows the true color of the yarn.  It doesn't show up correctly in any of my other photos.  I have no idea why.

 I love the colored specks!

 Here's the finished blanket, folded up nicely.

 Here it is laid out on the carpet.  The color is horrible and I'm not sure why.  My carpet isn't that color.

For the edging, I did two rows of sc.  This whole blanket used 3 full skeins of yarn.  I didn't have any of it left.  None.  I couldn't believe it.  I had just enough tail to weave in when I was done.

This photo shows the texture of the blanket.  It's very soft and cuddly.

Buttercup Baby Blanket

Before I start this post about a baby blanket, I need to explain a few things first so you'll understand my story.  I have a daughter named Small T, as you all know.  Well, Small T has 2 cousins born before her, within a 6 month period of time.  They are Z and Awan.  Z is a girl and is the oldest.  Then it's Awan, a boy.  And then Small T.  Well, Z and Small T grew up together when they were younger.  They were like sisters.  For that matter, they still all.  They just don't see each other a lot.  But they text each other every day.  They are completely different than each other but in the same sense, they are two peas in a pod.  Anyway, Z is pregnant.  And Small T is thrilled.  She plans on being the baby's Aunt, even though she's not.  Another thing about Small T is that she's usually crabby.  Part of it is because she's a teenaged girl and the other part is that she's tired.  She's experiencing another bout of Mono and with all her other health concerns, she just can't get enough sleep.  So we are all walking on egg shells around her until we figure out if she's in a crabby mood or not.  lol  Now that I've told the information that you need to know, I can tell the story of the Buttercup Baby Blanket.

Z isn't a real "girlie girl" so she wants something non frilly or fancy and that will work for both a boy or girl baby.  So I chose some lovely yarns that I thought would be "unisexual".  She also wanted something that she could swaddle her baby in.  So I chose to use the Beth's Little Star Afghan pattern (found here) and some I Love This Yarn (worsted weight) in the color Buttercup for the second baby blanket I made for Z's baby.

Then I asked Small T to hold up the blanket so I could get a photo of it.  And here's what I got.  Apparently, Small T was actually in a good mood.

 photo 1 (above)

 photo 2 (above)

 photo 3 (above)

and photo 4 (above).

I didn't dare ask for a better photo.  All of her good mood would vanish in the space of a second.  So...this is the debut of the Buttercup Baby Blanket.  I hope you can get a good idea of what it looks like from the above photos.  lol

Scarves

During the winter, I made a couple of earflap hats for my sister and niece.  I had some leftover yarn from them, so I decided to make them some scarves too.  I had previously started the gray scarf but then I quit half way through.  I picked it back up Tuesday and set out to get them done.  I finished them both up today.

The red scarf is made with Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Claret.  The gray scarf is made with Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Charcoal.  I mixed the two yarns together for the fringe.  I used a size N crochet hook and my pattern for the Simple Super Long Scarf, which you can find here.

Slouchy Hat

Last night, I whipped out a Slouchy Hat that one of Small T's classmates ordered.  She wanted gray, so I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Gray Heather.  This takes about 2/3 of a skein.  I used a size J hook since this girl is like me, and has a big head.  If you are interested in how I make these, click here.

Bow Holder - Stashbusting for Stashaholics project

Monday, while we were traveling, I started a Bow Holder for Small T's cheerleading hair bows.  I finished it when we got home.  I used the pattern for the Large Flower Hair Bow Holder on the Knot Your Nana's Crochet blog.  You can find the pattern by clicking here.  The yarn I used is just some basic Red Heart Super Saver out of my stash.  The color is Carrot.  The ribbon is also out of my sewing supplies.

Colorful Stripey Fingerless Mitts - Stashbusting For Stashaholics

I realize that Spring is here, technically, but someone really needs to tell that to Mother Nature.  It's still cold where I live and I decided to make myself a pair of Colorful Stripey Fingerless Mitts.  (free pattern can be found here)  These have been on my "to-make list" for a long time now and last night when I was searching for a quick and easy project to make, I said to myself "Shelly, it's finally time to make these" so I grabbed some yarn out of my stash and got down crocheting them up today.  These worked up fast, even with all the yarn ends to weave in.  I used some Red Heart With Love yarn in the colors Holly Berry and Pewter and a size G crochet hook.  The yarn colors will work well with our school colors this coming Fall when I'm sitting at the baseball and softball games freezing to death.  Since the yarn came out of my stash, this makes these a Stash-busting For Stashaholics project.  Yay!

Apple Blossoms - Stashbusting for Stashaholics

Back in January, I used some small balls of Grey Heather and White (Caron's Simply Soft) yarn to make up a bunch of little Apple Blossoms.  The pattern can be found here.  I've had them in my yarn bag all this time because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them.  Saturday, I got my jar of sticks down from the top of my corner cabinet in the dining room and attached the apple blossoms to the sticks.  I also attached some pom poms I had made as well, but later, Small T took them off, saying that the apple blossoms by themselves looked much better.  Since I used the yarn out of my stash, this project is a Stashbusting for Stashaholics project.  :)

Yarny Goodness....

I've spent the last three days subbing at school in ISS (In School Suspension).  This is my favorite room to sub in as I have 7 hours of keeping kids on track with their homework while working quietly AND it allows me time to work on small craft projects or to read a book.  Some of the crafts I'm showing photos of below are ones that I worked on at school, but not all of them.  The bigger projects stay at home.

 I finished up the 9th block for the Knit A Block A Week Challenge.  This is another block worked in Caron's Simply Soft yarn called Light Country Peach.

 I also crocheted a Skateboarder Beanie for my nephew, Jarrod.  This is a free pattern and can be found by clicking here .  I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Grey Heather and a size H crochet hook.

 I've been knitting on the White Knitted Baby Blanket.  I have the first (partial) skein of Caron's One Pound Baby yarn (in White) knitted up now.  I'm ready to attach a second skein.  This one is a full skein though.

 My sister, Annie, finished her potholder.  It's not perfect but that's ok.  She's just learning to knit.  After I explained the issues with this item, she was able to figure out a few things and has already started on a square.  She's bound and determined to knit up a bunch of squares for a blanket now.  I would say that a Knitter has been born.

 I found a pattern for a baby blanket that I really like.  It's called the Crochet Basket Weave Baby Blanket.  The free pattern can be found here .  I started working the blanket up and this photo shows what it looks like after I've added a whole skein of Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Soft Pink.  I got 16 1/2 rows of the pattern out of one skein of yarn.  I'm not happy with that.  Plus, the blanket was REALLY HEAVY.  That's not what I was hoping for either.  So I ripped it out and balled the yarn back up.  I'm not giving up on this pattern though.  I'm going to try it again but in a different type of yarn.  I've got some Bernat Baby and I think a sport weight yarn might be ok as far as the finished weight of it.

 Last night, I spent some time with the Earth Tones Knitted Throw.  I hadn't worked on it for about a week.  Poor thing.  Being neglected like that.  I ended up adding more than 20 rows to this throw before I put it down again.

Finally, I started another crochet project.  I've been thinking and thinking about making another blanket for quite some time now.  I've had a basic idea of what I was looking for, but I had to just finally figure it out and start on it.  I'm using yarn from my stash....Red Heart Super Saver in Turqua and Cherry Red.  I'm using a size I crochet hook.  It's my favorite.  Basically, using the Turqua yarn, I chained 4, then joined to form a ring.  Then I chained 3, worked 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc, ch 2, join with a sl st, switching over to the Cherry Red yarn.  Then you just work a basic granny square.  I use a ch 2 between the dc's in the corner.  I worked 1 round of Turqua and 5 rounds of Cherry Red.  All of my squares will look like this.

So...that's my crafting update for the end of the week.

Classic Baby Blanket

I finished the Classic Baby Blanket Tuesday evening.

 The border really adds to the blanket and makes it look "finished".

 This blanket was super easy to make.  Honestly.

Here's a quick photo of the blanket in progress.  I added more rows to it before I decided it was big enough though.  I did work the 53 rows of the body though.  No more.  I was afraid it would end up as a square blanket but it didn't.  It's the perfect crib size in my opinion.

I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Soft Pink and a size H crochet hook.  It took about 2 1/2 skeins of the yarn.  Actually a little less than 2 1/2 skeins. The crochet pattern is called Classic Baby Blanket and you can find it by clicking on this link http://onelittlerayndrop.blogspot.com/2011/04/classic-baby-blanket.html.

This blanket is a gift for the high school principal who's expecting the arrival of her baby girl soon.

Seeing Pink

In a house full of guys and one girl that doesn't like pink, sometimes you just need to "see some pink".

I started a new crochet project last night using some lovely, Caron's Simply Soft, soft pink yarn.  Someone I know is expecting a baby girl soon and her nursery is using the traditional color palette of soft pink and light green, and of course...I am making her a baby blanket (or two).  I really wanted to make a blanket that was frilly and feminine but the more I thought about it and the longer I looked at patterns, I just couldn't decide on something to make.  So...after careful thought, I decided to make a Classic Baby Blanket.  (You can find the free pattern here.)  I've always liked the "look" of this pattern.  It's simplicity... and also it's homespun look.  Yet it's a classic design.  I think it will appeal to the mom-to-be as she's not much of a "girlie girl" herself.  At this point, I've worked one whole skein of yarn up and am getting ready to add another skein.  I'm using a size H crochet hook since that's what the yarn calls for.

Diamond Lace Stitch Baby Blanket

Yesterday evening, I finished the Diamond Lace Stitch Baby Blanket.  I used this tutorial http://suziqcreations.blogspot.com/2012/08/diamond-lace-stitch-tutorial.html .

 At first, I couldn't see the stitch pattern forming correctly but after I had worked several rows, you could see it.  I used Caron's One Pound Baby yarn in White.  It took about 3/4 of a skein.  I used a size I hook.  The edging is simply 3 rounds of sc with a 4th round of reverse sc.  I don't particularly care for the way the edging is laying, so...I think I'll have block it out.

Since you can't see the detail in the first photo, here's a close up.

Blooming Flower Cushion - Stashbusting for Stashaholics

I finished the Blooming Flower Cushion and it's now resting on my couch.  I think I over-stuffed it a bit though.  But that's ok, my family will love on it a lot and squish it down to where it needs to be before I know it.

Here are the particulars on the cushion:

pattern: http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/blooming-flower-cushion.html

yarn:  from my yarn stash - Red Heart Super Saver in Soft Navy, Medium Thyme, Coffee, Burgundy, and Pewter (the back of the cushion is worked in Navy)

hook size I

fiber fill stuffing

Next Crochet Project

Yesterday, when I went downstairs for my shower, I dug around through my yarn stash looking for some yarn that coordinates with my living room color scheme.  I ended up finding several skeins of yarn and last night, I weeded out the colors I didn't want to use and then I picked out a pattern to make.

I decided to make a Blooming Flower Cushion.  The pattern is a free one on the Attic 24 blog and can be found by clicking here .  I've made one of these before and it was raffled off during a community fundraiser and was a big hit.  This one will stay here at my home when I finish it.

I'm using the colors, Soft Navy, Medium Thyme, Coffee, Burgundy, and Pewter.  All are Red Heart Super Saver yarn.

This photo shows the spot where I left off last night.  I am looking forward to getting back to work on it today.  :)