On The Needles (Hook)

Knitting has been put on hold. 

I am in full blown crochet mode right now.

Stitch-cation Summer Challenge has taken over.

As well as using up yarn so it doesn't become lost in the land of stash.

I decided to do the hardest for me stitch first.

The popcorn stitch was very confusing for me.

Not the actual stitch itself but the single crochet row.

I kept trying to pick up a stitch where there wasn't one.

I know I started over at least 4 times and ripped back rows several more times.

But I have learned the stitch so finishing off the last block will be a piece of cake.

Notice the granny block.

I needed something to calm my mind before starting popcorn block 2.

That will be finished this morning.

Each block will be made twice for this project.

This is the yarn left from my In Love With Color Throw.

In my mind, it makes this sampler project a freebie. 

Yes, that's the way I think.

My throw is finished and turned out so fun!

Just the right size for the recliner.

Also finished is the Lacy Market Bag.

I can't wait to use it! 

3 balls of cotton out of the stash!

See fabulous On the Needle projects at

Patchwork Times.

June-A Month of Finishes

Finish #1 

Quilt for the hunting club's picnic prize pool.

Finish #2

Mae's Grandmother's Flower Garden

 Finish #3

Lacy Market Bag

Finish #4

In Love With Color Throw

Perfect size for cuddling in the recliner.

What will I do in July?

I could finish the pair of No Purl Monkey Socks that are on the needles.

But instead I am starting on Stitch-cation Summer Challenge.

This is a crochet sampler afghan.

I will be using the extra yarn from In Love With Color.

I am also going to start quilting this Sampler quilt

while I continue to work on Cathedral Stars.

On The Needles (Hook)

I am so easily influenced! I saw this Lacy Crochet Market Bag Challenge on one of my Facebook pages (there's a knit pattern too that I want to make) called The Crochet Crowd and I couldn't stop thinking about it. One day I decided to just try it to see if I could do the stitch. (Yes Judy L, you can teach an old dog a new trick.) Before I got to making the star, I read this about Market Bag Issues. There is a wonderful video tutorial that makes this stitch super easy.  So now I am breezing along and cannot wait to use my bag. And reduce the amount of cotton yarn in my bin.  This isn't the yarn called for in the instructions but it will make for a nice, strong bag.

I've been working on my In Love With Color Throw but now as much as I would like to.  I am on round 3 of the border. I think a couple good tv nights this week and it will be finished.

These 6 little cuties are keeping me from my evening yarn projects.  Momma Sally sneaked outside one morning and didn't come back. We are having a time with coyotes and are afraid one might have got her. So I have been feeding these cuties with a syringe. It takes about an hour to get them all happy and napping again. This is my first time ever hand rearing kittens! It's quite an experience. I'm hoping they will start to eat food soon and start using a litter box. They are 3 weeks old. Am I pushing it too fast?

Check out what others are working on at Patchwork Times On The Needles.

On The Needles

The stitching process has begun on my In Love With Color Throw! I think I have made a whoopsie on every other block. It is not easy unstitching yarn. Patience and persistence. Those qualities are sometimes hard to come by.  But I keep calm (sort of) and carry on.

.

Last night I started stitching the center into the hexagon border. I have no idea how I go so far off but I did and now I have to fix this before I can go any farther. Hopefully next week we will be looking at a finished throw. I am not giving up, I am not putting this away. I like it too much and it is cozy to have in my lap in the evenings that are still a little bit cool here. 

I'm headed over to Patchwork Times to read what others are working on.  

On The Needles

I'm cheating this week and using last week's photo of my In Love With Color Throw. Only a few more motifs have been added. Time has slipped away from me this week. That happens a lot. As I knew would happen, Teenage Granddaughter saw it and wanted to know if it was for her. I had to be selfish and tell her no, it is for me. She pouted, I smiled. It makes me feel good that they like what I do and want it to be theirs. I love my family!

Dishcloth #9 is finished with a bit of yarn leftover to combine with the other leftovers for some anything goes dishcloths.  Number 10 was started with a new ball and is about 1/2 finished. The dishcloth knitting didn't start out to be a marathon. I just wanted to use up some of that yarn. I don't know what to call it now. Maybe it's just a big project that I want to work until the end. Shrug, shrug!

See other fabulous needle projects at Patchwork Times.

On The Needles

I was so excited last night when I finished the last square motif for the In Love With Color Throw.  I just had to start stitching it together! I'm glad the little triangles and corner blocks were made before the squares or I might still be working on those.

This has been such a fun project. I think the bright colors help, that it will finish small and the fact that I have been doing lots of sitting with my best friend the ice bag.  There is enough yarn leftover to make something else. Maybe a stripped afghan like I did here (can't believe all that time has passed since I made those!) or a fun ripple of some kind.

This is dishcloth number 7. The little ball has not been tossed in the garbage but is in the knitting bag, just in case I run short of this next color. The new yarn for Number 8 is blue and white and it was finished at Binding Friends group and promptly given away. I thought there would be a fight over it. LOL But it didn't happen. So now the next 4 dishcloths will have homes. Number 9 has been started, I hope I don't run out of dishcloth steam before these 4 are finished.

See great On The Needles Projects at Patchwork Times.

On The Needles

I'm making a bit of progress on the In Love With Color Throw. There are 2 hexies in each colorway and 7 sets. I have the last color to put on the center pair and then start set number 7. I don't even know what part comes next in the instructions. I did read them through at the beginning but promptly forgot everything.

Did I tell you that I injured my knee at retreat? I did-not too serious but I'm doing lots of sitting, elevating and icing. I thought for sure I would get lots done on these but my mind just isn't focused enough so I've spent time reading instead.

Have you read One Second After?  OMG, it is so good and thought provoking! It's one of those keep you awake thinking books if you read it at night so I'm reading it during the day. I need to sleep!

I did spend time with my Binding Friends group this week so I finished another dishcloth. I think this one is #6. There might be enough yarn in there for 50 more. Seriously!  I think the keeping track is half the fun of these.

See what everyone is working on at Patchwork Times.

On The Needles

I was so excited to start this In Love With Color Throw when my yarn arrived on Friday but I didn't touch it until Saturday evening.  We live such exciting lives around here so a quiet Saturday date night in front of the TV and I had 4 of these made.

The yarn is Red Heart's With Love, acrylic and is oh so soft! The colors are so bright and cheerful!

See what other's have going on at Patchwork Times.

On The Needles

Off the needles are the Plain Jane socks that will go to Granddaughter Taylor. She is so excited to have her first pair of hand knit socks. I was hoping she would catch the knitting bug but it hasn't bitten her hard enough yet. She sure loves the knitted items though.  Maybe one day.

I've made some good progress on my No Purl Monkey Socks.  Every time I sit down to knit on them, I'm trying to knit a color--or more. I am loving these socks.

I'm not so patiently waiting for the mail to get here today with my yarn order from JoAnns.  I saw the In Love With Color Throw . You know how when you see something and just know you have to have it???  That's how I am with this little afghan! I want it, I want it in those colors, with that yarn, all of it! Crazy. So I did what I do and went to JoAnn's website and ordered the yarn. I added a new crochet hook because I wanted free shipping. (I love the padded hooks-so much nicer than the all metal ones.) Then I got busy and finishing Taylor's socks and working on my socks so I won't feel guilty later today when I just crochet for hours and not think about knitting anything.

If you are interested, there is a series of really good videos here at the Not Just Yarn Blog for this free pattern.

I finished another dishcloth and started another but haven't made much progress on it--which means I haven't been watching anything on the computer. I had to add a different color to finish this one and now 2 more balls of yarn are out of the box. I was a big girl and pitched this little ball right into the garbage. I did think about putting it back in the bin for just in case..........but only for a second.

See Judy L's beautiful shawl and lots of other fabulous projects at On The Needles at Patchwork Times.