Now that's just nuts!

Seriously, this is the cutest thing I have ever crocheted, and the quickest.  The pattern is from Lakeview Cottage Kids and free!

Making one wasn't good enough, so I had to make 6.  It's a good thing I know a lot people with babies (Insert sarcastic sounds here *snort* Hmmmph*) I'm the one that is nuts! That's for sure. I almost feel and sound like a crochet hoarder of sorts, hahah. but all is not lost. A friend of mine is having a craft sale, so I will give her the hats to sell.

 

I detoured from the original pattern a wee bit for the bottom half of the hat and went from single crochet to half doubles.  Less rows to do and a bit more stretch to the bottom of the beanie. Aesthetically they both look just as cute.

I'm not sure on the sizing, I think mine are a bit small, so premie and newborn sizes.

These were made with Red Heart With Love yarn in Tan and Aran, the leaves were done in Lettuce. The yarn is perfect for babies and not scratchy at all.  I think I used a 5.0 mm hook, but I can't entirely remember.

This is definitely in the keeper pile for patterns.

A take on Granny's Attic for Chico

While making the Granny's attic Afghan for Gina, I initially just tried the yarn I had on hand. But I didn't like that they were different thicknesses and it caused the squares to become a bit wonky, especially when I mixed Bernat Premium on one half and Red Heart With Love on the other, so I decided not to use them in her afghan.

They were perfect to make  a small blanket for Mr. Wonderful though. Almost, I had 15 squares, so I just made one more to make a 4X4 square afghan. Finished, it's about 34" X 34".

I added a white double crochet border and did a join as you go method around the squares.  You can really see the size difference with the red/pink and the dark green/light green squares in the second row from the bottom.

Although not quite my style, I still think it's quite pretty and the white border really stands out.  

There is an extra black row around each square since I had one black row done on most of the squares before deciding to do join as you go, so the black is doubled up, but I don't think Chico will mind too much.

If the rain holds up, I'll have a lot more time in the evenings to finish off Gina's afghan since I won't want to be outside so much.

All the little blocks in a row - Granny's Attic Update

I finished all of 48 squares!  Yay Me! 2/3rds done! Around 20 or so squares in to it, I was thinking that I needed to make more than the pattern indicated and that 48 would make quite a small afghan, but now that I see them all together, I think it's a good amount. Probably a single bed size - definitely larger than what I thought of as a 'throw'. While I was doing the squares I decided I wanted to do a join as you go method of connecting them...which is going to add another round of black to each one. I'm just not a huge fan of sewing blocks together.  Bigger is better anyways ;)

Right now they are all in individual rows of color - it made it easier for me to keep track of how many of the each square I had. Some evenings I just got bored of working with a certain color, so I'd change it up to another color before having all 6 squares of the same color done. Is that weird?.

It makes me feel all happy inside looking at them now - even though I'm dreading sewing in the tails...but it can't be helped. Each square has about 24 tails to knot and weave in. So many tails...

I am really drawn to the blue color on the far left end and the yellow white color blocks. Oddly I don't really like blue as a color and would never pick that as my color choice. They seem so much more vibrant than the other colors, although I think once they are randomly rearranged it will make the other colors stand out more also.  Haha - randomly rearranging, it doesn't sound so random anymore :)

There were other test blocks that I scrapped from this project because I didn't like the mix of yarn weights, color combinations, or gauge. I started out crocheting a few blocks a bit too tightly.

Now that I have all the scrapped ones together I think they look really pretty in a random pattern. And honestly, this really is random, I pinned them up where there was room. Not too say they will stay that way when I go to put them together.

For me, I love how bright the orange blocks stand out. 

I think I will make a couple more different color blocks - made the green one last night -  and make enough for a lap afghan (4X6 methinks).  I don't know what else I will use the squares for and I have enough half finished projects to deal with as it is. I'll either give it to my mom or perhaps cute little Chico will need a blanket of his own.

There is no time like the weekend for starting on tail tying and wet blocking squares. Guess if I get started and block as I finish tying then perhaps I won't have every flat surface in the house overrun with squares. Haha, I'm sure that will still happen, but I can hope!

Granny's Attic update

I'm 10 squares in to the Granny's Attic afghan now and I think it will be a great looking afghan when complete.

I've figured out a way to make the squares in a way that I'm happy with.

I change colour in the diagonal corners in the ch2. One chain is one color and the second chain is the second colour.  Repeat. I have to start one colour mid row so that there is a chain in the corner to switch colours with, but I don't mind.  I find it leaves a cleaner look, the first squares where I followed the pattern and had ch2 in the same colour peaked through the stitches, and for me, that's very annoying.

There are 48 squares in the afghan, so the colour combinations will be repeated - but I need to get a few more colours - perhaps some green.

Hexagon Afghan for Jace

I love this pattern and love the colours, there are so many choices for doing this afghan pattern and each combination makes it look so different! I found this on Ravelry - It's Attic24's Hexagon How-To pattern. It links to her website.  She also explains the join-as-you-go method of connecting the hexagons.

So many people have done this project that I took inspiration from their colour choices. I decided to make this one for my grandson Jace, but somewhere along the line I'll be making a grey version for myself.

There are 5 colours - I used a combination of Red Heart 'With Love' and Bernat Premium.  The Bernat is thinner and lighter than the Red Heart, but I didn't realize it when I first started. I think it will still work out fine though.  I also used a 4.25 mm Boye Hook.

25 Hexagons

I modified the pattern a bit and did 3 double crochets instead of the clusters, it was easier to crochet without paying attention! I love the look and don't think it changes much from Attic24's pattern.

I finished attaching all the hexagons I had originally made, so for now, this quilt is on the back burner, at least for a few days since I have 3 on the go right now.

I think I have a bit of OCD - now that this one is complete (all the circles are now attached as hexagons) I can complete the next quilt up until it's parts are done and so on. Once I've caught up on all 3, I can then start making all the circles again for this one!

52 hexagons

Red Heart - Tan (1308)
Red Heart - Iced Aqua (1502)
Red Heart - Aran (1303)
Red Heart - Chocolate (1321)
Bernat Premium -  Dark Grey Heather (58003)

There is no dye lot for the Red Heart, but not sure on the Bernat - have to check that (but it's a bit late now!)

Jolly Rancher afghan

It reminds me of Jolly Rancher candies in their packages - which is why I call it my Jolly Rancher Afghan.

I'm not in love with this, but I might end up liking it.  Once I get it lapghan size, I'll decide if I want to attach the squares in a different manner than just corner to corner.  Not undo what I've done…I attached as I went, so I'd have to unravel all the white down to the candies again…uh uh, no way.

It's a great way to use up yarn. The centre circles require 2 coffee table lengths (of my square table) to make. There isn't much else you can do with that length - and 3 lengths for the white outside. Technically I'm using yarn from the skien since I don't have any more scraps long enough and I don't have patience to sit around waiting for enough scraps to get this made! That would be a whole lot of other projects and a whole lot of really long tails just to keep working on this one.

I crochet slowly unless I'm rocking along a long row of stitches, so each candy centre takes me about 3.5 minutes. Great little on the go projects when you don't have any time. It's probably the same, or less to do the white.

Hrmm. I think I'm using a 4.25mm hook, guess I'll have to check that out again when I start putting more together!

Beautiful Squares

I think I'm addicted to squares. There are so many beautiful squares out there and you can make them into any type of afghan you want just by your colour choices.

I tend to shy away from lots of colours and go for tone on tone (for myself), but I do love how vibrant different colours can be.

The 3 below measure 12' X 12'.

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but Amber Waves and Sunburst is a combination of Aran, Grey Heather, and Orchid. The Nordic Star is just Grey Heather and Aran.

I can't wait to make more!

Amber Waves

Nordic Star

Sunburst