Storms

We had three thunderstorms in a row today! Very short storms and not too bad, but there was heavy rain, some wind, some hail, and even horizontal rain in one of them! After the third storm, there was a rainbow. The first picture shows the rainbow, and in the next picture, you can barely see it, but above the first rainbow is another one. Not too often you see double rainbows.




The wind took down a few small branches too:


Here is the sky after the storms:


It was nice to see the rain because it's so dry here and we really need rain. I really do like thunderstorms too, so it was nice to see one for once!

Another afghan

I started this one awhile back, and have been working on it mostly during my lunchbreak at work. This is a fun pattern to do. It's called "All Day, All Night Maryanne Afghan" I'm using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the color Watercolor. I love the colors in this yarn!

Annie's Attic Pattern of the Day and free patterns

Over the last few days, I've been reading on various crochet lists how some people are so upset over how Annie's Attic website has taken down their free pattern of the day. I don't understand why people are so upset about this, when all they have to do is go to this website: http://www.free-crochet.com/
and download a new FREE pattern everyday. The site is full of FREE patterns. So why are some people so up in arms about this? I just don't get it at all. All one has to to is go to the new website and sign up FOR FREE to have access to the free patterns. The patterns are in PDF format, which makes for much easier printing than it was on the Annie's Attic website.

Personally, I just don't get why some people think it's the end of the world when things like this happen. I guess another free pattern site isn't what some people want to see, or they wouldn't be making such a huge deal about this.

Also, if people were on the ball, they'd have noticed already that the same patterns on http://www.free-crochet.com/ are also on another site, http://www.freepatterns.com/! So, there has been no loss of free patterns, they've just moved to another website. Why can't people just get over this and move on?

Magic Ball Rug

The idea for this rug came out of the desire to use up my cotton yarn scraps. Ever-frugal me wanted to use them in something other than dishcloths and pot holders, so the idea for a rug came to mind. I decided on a hexagon pattern for this rug, which is quite simple and repetitive, so it's a good TV-watching project. Here's the pattern I came up with for a rug:

Magic Ball Rug

Size:
About 45 inches from point-to-point

Materials:
Worsted weight cotton yarn scraps that have been wound into Magic Balls. (See note below on how to wind a Magic Ball). I used two large balls that were wound on my yarn ball winder, approximately 10 oz. scrap yarn.

One Cone Peaches'n Cream worsted weight cotton yarn in Ecru

Size "N" crochet hook
Yarn needle

NOTE: INCREASE = 2 single crochets in same stitch.

Instructions:

Round 1: With one strand of Ecru and one strand of Magic Ball yarn held together, make a slip knot and slide onto the hook. Chain 2; then make 6 single crochet into the second chain from the hook; join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet.

Round 2: Chain 1, turn. Make 2 single crochets in the first stitch and in each stitch around; join with a slip stitch to the first single crochet. 12 single crochet stitches.

Round 3: Chain 1, turn. Make 2 single crochet in the first stitch, single crochet in next stitch, *(INCREASE in the next stitch, one single crochet in the next stitch)around. Join with a slip stitch to first single crochet. 18 stitches.

Round 4: Chain 1, turn. INCREASE in same stitch, single crochet in next 2 stitches, (INCREASE in next stitch, single crochet in next 2 stitches)around. Join with slip stitch to first single crochet. 24 stitches.

Repeat Round 4 for the pattern, keeping track of how many single crochet stitches between increases. On my rug, the last round had 46 single crochet stitches between increases (240 stitches on the last round).

You can make this rug any size you'd like. I didn't put an edging on mine, but you can do that too - be creative.

To Wind a Magic Ball:
Take yarn scraps of any length and tie the ends together. Wind into balls. It's as simple as that! You can use up scraps or use planned colors by cutting yarn to various lengths and tying ends together.

When I crochet with Magic Balls, I sometimes leave the yarn ends out for a shaggy look, and sometimes I crochet over them. The choice is yours. Magic balls are a fun way to use up scraps. I've made dishcloths, pot holders, tote bags, and afghans using Magic Balls. The possibilities are endless - just use your imagination and come up with your own unique Magic Ball project!

Enjoy the pattern, and if you have any questions, please let me know.

Tote Bags

Here are three tote bags I recently finished. All of them need linings yet. The first two patterns are from the leaflet, "Trendsetting Totes" The first one is called "Casual Chic" and done in Sugar'n Cream yarn in Grape and Soft Violet:


The next one is called "In Vogue" and done in Sugar'n Cream yarn in a color called Swimming Pool. This one also needs a drawstring. I'm not sure if I like the colors I used for this bag. I like the bag, so I'll try it again in a solid color and see if I like that better.



This last bag is one is also done in Sugar'n Cream yarn in Sage and Country Sage Ombre. The pattern came from an Annie's Scrap Club pattern.

More Plants

Here is a very small Kalanchoe that I bought at Lowe's. It was so full of buds, and now they buds are finally opening!


Here is a crazy Umbrella Tree from work! I'm not sure what I'll do with it yet. It is so big, that I may divide it and see what happens.

Outside my Living Room...

It's hard to believe that this is how it looked back in December:


And this is how it looks today:

My Plants...

Thought I'd post pictures of the house plants I have here...

First off, here's my "Momma Pothos". This plant I've had for about 8 years, and it just keeps on growing...I've made lots of smaller plants from this one in the last 8 years.


Next is my crazy Umbrella Tree:


Some Cactus and Succulents, plus two African Violets on the second shelf of the stand. The small clay pot on the top shelf is actually some Basil seeds I planted - hopefully I can grow an herb this summer!


Next are come of my Snake Plants (Mother-In-Law's Tongue):


My Zee-Zee Plant:


My tallest Snake Plant (from floor to top of the tallest stem is about 4 feet):


Two more Snake Plants and a Christmas Cactus:


Brand new Jade plant from Lowe's:


Red Dracaena:


Small Dracaena I brought home from work to nurse back to health:


My Hibiscus that has never seen a day outside and still keeps flowering for me. She had a huge flower yesterday, and has a big bud today that should be open tomorrow:


Cylindrical Snake Plant:


And finally, some plants in my living room - new cacti from Lowe's, some cactus sprouts from seeds I planted, and some tomato seeds I planted to see if I could grow them!


Whew! Now it's back to crocheting.....

Variegated Granny Afghan

I made this afghan using up scraps of variegated yarn I had here. Just a basic granny square, 6 rounds of the variegated, and then a round of solid double crochet in black for the edging. I slip-stitched the squares together with black yarn, and I used edging #49, a very simple edging, from the booklet 50 Crocheted Afghan Borders by Jean Leinhauser. The afghan is 5 squares by 6 squares, so more of a lapghan, but still a nice finished size.

Final Peruvian Print Strip!

Finally! I have a strip finished in a size I like. This one is 18 stitches wide, all half-double crochet, on a J hook. It took an entire skein of Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the color Peruvian Print, and turned out 6 inches wide and 60 inches long. I'm going to edge the strips in Soft White, and I should have seven strips when I'm done, so it will make a nice-sized afghan. I'll crochet all the strips together, so there shouldn't be any sewing on this afghan.

I have to once again thank my friend Linda (aka Crocheting Fool) for the suggestion of crocheting this yarn into narrow strips. I really like this much better and I'm glad I decided to do a narrower strip.

Another Attempt with Peruvian Print yarn...

I took the advice of my friend Linda (aka Crocheting Fool), and used the Red Heart Super Saver color in Peruvian Print, crocheting it into a strip. I like this so much better than my other pattern attempts with this yarn. Thanks, Linda! I really do think this color is probably for knitters rather than crocheters, but I do like how this is turning out. I'm going to edge strips with white, and make them into a lapghan or afghan, depending upon how much yarn I have here. The strip is crocheted with a J hook in half-double crochet on 25 stitches...

Fleece Blanket

Here's a fleece blanket that I put an edging on. I crocheted two blankets together, then just three rounds of a shell edging. Crocheting two blankets together makes them very nice and warm.

Christmas gift...

I got to work yesterday and found that one of my co-workers had left me this gift. It's so cute, and I love snowmen too!





The day before, another co-worker left me a beautiful fruit basket. It was filled with oranges, apples, pears, a tangerine, a kiwi, and grapes. The fruit is so good, so I have to find out where he got that from! It was so nice of both of them to leave these gifts for me. Two of us got "thank you's" from them for all our help this year, and it is really nice to be remembered for that.

While I was taking the pics of my gift, I decided to take a picture of what I see outside my living room - it's snowing here, with up to 7 inches predicted by tomorrow with lots of blowing and drifting and below zero wind chills. Welcome to winter in Wisconsin!

Weather PIxie

I have that little picture to the right of my posts that is a Weather Pixie. If you click on the picture, it will take you to the site to get one of your own. It shows the current weather here were I live, and yes, it is cold here now! Had nearly a foot of snow yesterday...too much for one storm!

Peruvian Print

Red Heart Super Saver yarn has a new variegated yarn in a color called Peruvian Print. I bought some to try, but I can't decide if I like it or not. It may be the combination of cool and warm colors that I don't care for, or it could just be too many colors in it. I prefer cool colors, but do work with some warm colors, just not the colors I see in this yarn.

My first attempts of making something with this yarn didn't look good to me, so yesterday I tried making a solid double crochet square from it, with the intention of making a square lapghan. I didn't care for that odd-looking step up of the colors when the new rounds started, as you can see in this picture:


So, I decided to just try a half-double crochet lapghan with it. I'm still not sure I like the colors in this, but I'm going to continue with this and see how it goes:

Scarf

I recently finished this scarf using JoAnn's Rainbow Classic yarn in a blue variegated. I used a puffy shell stitch for it to add texture, and this scarf turned out nice and warm, just in time for the winter weather we've had here.

Granny Square Christmas Tree

Here is a pattern that I created years ago. Feel free to give a try, and if you have any questions or find any errors please let me know. Enjoy!

Granny Square Christmas Tree



Materials:

8 oz. Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Green
3 oz. Red Heart Super Saver yarn in White
Small amount white or dark brown worsted weight yarn for tree trunk

You will also need:

4 - 1-inch red pom-poms
9 - 1/2-inch red pom-poms
4 red velvet ribbon bows with a gold twist-tie attached
4 - 1-inch gold jingle bells
Small amount of fiberfill stuffing for trunk
1 - 1-inch white/bone ring for hanger
Craft glue or hot glue gun
Size I/9 (5.50 mm) hook

Tree is approximately 24 inches tall when finished.

Granny Squares:

Using size I hook, start with a ch 5, sl st in first ch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) 3 times, sl st in top of beg ch-3, turn.

Round 2: Sl st to ch-2 space, ch 3, 2 dc in space, ch 2, 3 dc in space to form corner, (ch 1, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 space) 3 times for 3 more corners, st st in top of beg ch-3, turn.

Round 3: Sl st to ch-2 space, ch 3, 2 dc in space, ch 2, 3 dc in space to form corner, (ch 1, 3 dc) in each ch-1 space along the side to corner; (ch 1, 3 dc, ch 2 3 dc) in each ch-2 corner space. Repeat around, and sl st into top of beginning ch-3, turn.

Repeat Round 3 for square. The last round of each square is done in white yarn. When you've finished with the green yarn, fasten off, and attach white yarn with a sl st into any ch-2 space, and repeat Round 3 for one round, fasten off and weave in all ends.

For the tree, you'll need 4 squares in the following sizes:

1st square: 8 rounds green; 1 round white
2nd square: 7 rounds green; 1 round white
3rd square: 6 rounds green; 1 round white
4th square: 5 rounds green; 1 round white

Tree Trunk:

Row 1: Using either white or brown yarn and a size I hook, ch 12, sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across; 11 sc. Ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Sc in first sc and in each sc across; 11 sc. Ch 1, turn.

Repeat Row 2 until you have 20 rows. Fasten off, leaving a long end for sewing. With right sides together, fold the trunk piece in half lengthwise, making a square. Sew the side edges closed and turn right side out. Stuff the trunk, leaving space at the top to sew it closed. Don't stuff too tightly. When you've finished stuffing the trunk, sew the top closed; set aside.

To Assemble the Tree:

With wrong sides facing, fold each completed granny square in half diagonally so that the last 3 rows of the opposite side of the square show underneath. Sew or glue the tip of the corner to the back of the square.

Start by laying out the largest square. Take the second square and lay it over the top of the first square so that the fold of the second square just touches the tip of the first square. Sew or glue the second square to the first square.

Repeat these steps for both the third and fourth squares of the tree.

Center the trunk at the bottom of the largest triangle and sew in place.

Decorating the Tree:

Glue the 1-inch pom-poms to the top point of the three, and to the three points on the first (bottom) square.

Glue the 1/2-inch pom-poms to all three points on the remaining three squares.

Attach a jingle bell to the middle of a red velvet bow, securing the bell with the gold twist-tie on the bow. Make four of these. Glue the bows to the middle of each square flap.

Sew the 1-inch white ring to the back top tip of the tree to use as a hanger.

Extra Notes:

You can embellish the tree any way you want to, really. Use your imagination. As for the squares, I've also made this tree using a solid granny square (dc in each stitch across, 3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc in each corner) for a different look. I've used both Red Heart Paddy Green and Hunter Green, and I like the look of either one. You could use Christmas yarns with a sparkly thread running through them for a different look too. Maybe use just a glittery white yarn and a different color, like blue or purple for the decorations. There are so many possibilities with this pattern!.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about this pattern. You are welcome to use this pattern for personal use only. Do not copy and sell the pattern, however, you make make and sell these trees if you give proper mention of the designer.

Magic Ball Afghan #4 plus more...

Here's my latest Magic Ball Afghan - Yup, it's the fourth one I've made! These are so fun to make, work up fast, and are so warm. This one is 68 inches long and probably about 48 inches wide. I used Dark Navy as the solid color yarn that I carried with the magic ball yarns.



I keep making these to use up scraps of yarn, so as long as I have yarn, I'll keep making them. I have a few magic balls left over from the last four afghans, so now I'm going through my stash to see what color I can use as the main color for my next one. So far, I've used Dark Navy, Black, and Soft White. I'm not sure what I'll use next but I'll come up with something.

I've also been working on 4-strand afghans. The pattern these are based on comes from "Crafts" magazine - the November 1998 issue. The afghan is all half-double crochet, holding four strands of yarn together.

For the first one, I'm using all "I Love This Yarn" from Hobby Lobby. If you haven't tried this yarn, you must get some! It's a worsted-weight acrylic, and so incredibly soft and very easy to work with. If you aren't near a Hobby Lobby store, you can find this yarn at http://www.craftsetc.com/ I'm using one strand each of Blue Camo Ombre, Medium Blue, Brown, and White:



For this next one, I started it because I was curious to see how the colors would look together. This one uses all Red Heart Super Saver yarn - two strands of Buff, and one strand each of Buff Fleck and Aran Fleck:



These both are worked with a Q hook, and go fast. It's a fun pattern to try when you have yarns that you just don't know how to use up.

Another Birthday...

Last Wednesday, November 12, was my birthday - my 50th. My co-workers didn't do the black birthday thing for me like I'd asked, thank goodness! Instead, one of my crazy coworkers did this - this is what I found when I walked into my room that day:





My co-worker made this for Halloween last year and used it in a display at his house. Honestly, when I saw this, I laughed so hard about it!

A group of ladies took me out to lunch that day and that was fun too. All the staff signed a birthday card for me, and one particular co-worker, a wood manufacturing instructor, told me that "at this age, if you were a tree, you could be harvested!" Okay, so I work with a crazy bunch of guys, but they are the best and so much fun, and I've known them for so long, that anything they say and do doesn't suprise me anymore!

I didn't do anything exciting for my birthday. I just don't get excited about birthdays anymore. But when people remember me that day, it is nice. I did have such a great time that day and really look forward to the "50's Decade" now.

Magic Ball Afghans

Here are pics of the Magic Ball afghans I've made. A "Magic Ball" is made of small pieces of yarn scraps. I tie them together and knot, leaving a tail. Then I wind them into balls. The result of those Magic Balls has turned into afghans. For my afghans, I've used two strands of yarn - one is the Magic Ball yarn; the other a solid color from skeins. I use a size "P" hook and half-double crochet stitch throughout. I chain until that is either the length or the width of the afghan I want, then just do hdc rows until it's the size I want. I leave the yarn tails from the Magic Balls hanging out just for interest, but they can be woven in as well.

The first is one made with Red Heart Supersaver "Dark Navy" (discontinued color) as the second color:



The next one is made with Red Heart Soft White as the main color:



The last one is made with Red Heart yarn in Black:



I've started yet another one with Dark Navy. These crochet up so quickly, and it's fun to see how the colors come together. You can used planned colors too - just choose your colors and cut yarn into different lengths and tie together, the roll into a ball. As long as I have Magic Balls, I'll probably continue making afghans out of them.