CaysCrafts

New Projects
Well, I finally started my Sunbonnet Sue graphghan. As I get older, I am having a really hard time reading graphs, so I spent a couple of hours translating the graph to an excel spreadsheet. I did this same thing last year when I did the ABC's afghan. Finally got hook and yarn in hand. After 3 days working on the 1st square, I've decided I hate the yarn that I got for this project. I'm using Red Heart and Caron. Think they are just too heavy. So now I have spent a lot of time on the computer looking for a dk yarn in the colors I want. I am doing this for me, so I want it in the yellows and reds that are in my bedroom. It also needs to be washable because we have 4 cats, and I'm sure at least one of them will think this was made just for her. Think I've settled on Plymouth Encore DK. Looks like the colors are what I want. My LYS in Castro Valley is listed as a retail outlet so need to get by there and see if they have the yarn.
So, since that project is now on hold, I decided to try the new Tunisian baby blankets that I got Kim Guzman's pattern booklet for. I chose the houndstooth afghan, which uses 2 colors. Well, the only thing I had enough of is Lion Brand Jamie Baby in blue, and variegated pastels. So that is what I am using. I haven't done tunisian in years. In fact, the last time I did any, it was still referred to as the afghan stitch. Think I figured out why it has been so long since I've done this. It works up really, really slow. I have worked on it for about 12 hours, and have only about 3 inches on 145 stitches, using an I hook. And this is probably the least complicated of the patterns in the booklet.
But I had a talk with myself and have decided that speed is not everything. It's the process. So I am moving forward. Just glad there isn't a baby waiting for this. Probably be in college before I finish.
My friend Kitty is in NYC this week on vacation. She is a knitter, so she tracked down an LYS in Greenwich Village that she wants to check out. She asked Penny and I what color yarn we wanted and said that is what she is bringing us from NYC along with a refrigerator magnet. Penny chose yellow, and I chose either copper or rich dark brown. Been thinking about what to make w/one or two skeins of this. It's not really cold enough here to wear too many scarfs and hats, so will have to give this some thought. Any ideas?