Really, I'm still here.

Eep, sorry to disappear on you for a bit there, folks.  It's been a bit nuts.

Here's a quick update on my current project.  I have eight squares and the border left to do for my step-father's blanket.  I am hoping to get this completed by the end of the week.  I just took last week off for no good reason.  Well, okay, actually I was cleaning the house most of the week, but still.  

Here's a picture of the blanket so far, so you can get an idea of what it will look like:

I have all of the multi squares finished and joined together, as well as the top and bottom rows of solid grey.  I just need to finish the two side rows.  I have four squares of one side done, I just need to do two more and join it to the rest of the blanket then do the other side.  

After that I can do my February square for the swap my sister and I are doing.  

Next up is a one-skein project for an event my mom's yarn store in Illinois is having next month.  I am going up to visit her and it turns out that I will be there during the event so she sent me a lovely skein of yarn if I'd like to participate.  I think I am going to try to make wrist warmers, but we shall see.  

I also have another small project I would like to make before I head up to see my mom, but more on that later.

Also, yesterday my yarn came for my next round of projects!  I have decided to give Amigurumi (those little Japanese critters) a try.  I've got supplies and patterns for two different penguins and a giraffe.  Sweet.  

I also ordered some of Lion Brand Studio's new cotton-bamboo yarn to try to make a shell.  It is super soft and silky, I am excited to try to work with it.  

So I definitely have enough to keep myself busy.  Guess I need to go get on that, huh?  

I hope you all are doing well!  

Take care,

C

New Project

You know, one of these days I am just going to have to come to terms with the fact that my crochet "to do" list is really just the list of things to work on if nothing else has come up.  Not that I am complaining or anything, but still.

Anyhoo, found out my stepfather is about to be shipped off to Alaska for a year.  I personally feel that this sucks, because my mom doesn't get to go with him (though I am glad my mom won't also be in Alaska for a year because visiting her would be problematic).  Also, Alaska is freakin' cold.  So...I decided I wanted to make a blanket to send him so he can maybe stay a little warmer.  

After conferring with my mom I went with all greys for the blanket, since those are his favorite colors.  I am using Charcoal Grey and Charcoal Print in Vanna's Choice.  I had initially intended to do a double-strand blanket but the availability of yarn in the colors I was looking for just wasn't there for me to be able to do that.  I then shifted the plan to choose a pattern to make a very solid blanket so as to keep the warm factor high.  

I eventually settled on using square number 2 from the Circles to Squares Afghan pattern at Lion Brand's website.  (You may have to register to see the pattern.)  I am not making the actual blanket in the pattern of course.  I am going to do 36 squares in a 6 x 6 grid.  In the center will be a 4 x 4 block of the squares in the variegated pattern (I am just going to make each square all out of one color) and then do a row around it of the solid grey.  I think it's going to look really nifty.  

Here's what the square in the variegated print looks like:

So that's that.  

Got my swap square from my sister this week and it is gorgeous.  I sent her square and the February pattern to her on Friday, so I am excited to hear what she thinks of it.  

Other than that I am just grooving along.

Have a great one folks,

C

Quick update...

Hello and happy 2009!

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season and is recovering nicely.  

I don't have a whole lot going on at the moment crochet-wise, but I thought I'd give you the rundown of where I am at the moment.

The big thing is that my sister and I have decided to do our own square swap this year.  We are going to take turns  picking out the pattern each month and we'll do the same square but surprise each other with the yarn/color.  Here is the square she picked out for this month.  I got mine done on Friday and will be mailing it out to her soon, though I probably won't post my picture until the end of the month (I want her to get to see it first).  I am totally stoked about this.  I already have three of my six patterns picked out, and am excited to get to look through the big book of squares I bought last year for the other three to try.  Also, I will have a really awesome and special blanket at the end of the year now.  

My next project on the table is another baby blanket.  A friend had a baby on Christmas day and I want to send her something.  I have a really spiffy pattern I found in one of my sister's crochet magazines when I was visiting back in September that I want to try.  Hopefully pictures will be forthcoming.

After that, well I really am going to try my hand at a sweater, though you may have noticed I rearranged the sweaters on my progress list.  I am going to try the easiest one first and see how that come out.  You know, the way I would have tried doing it first if I was smart.  

I did officially frog the Doctor Who scarves project.  Maybe one day I'll come back to that but for now the inspiration just isn't there.  

So that's where I am at.  I hope everyone is as excited about their projects in the coming year as I am!  

Have a super day folks,

C