Bad, bad project
Well, we are all so willing to share our triumphs, but every once in a while, we have a project that just goes BAD! I was so excited about doing this, found a great pattern, bought the wool for felting, and when all was said & done------a big failure!
I found this great pattern for mule type felted slippers. Thought these would make great Christmas gifts for next year. Off to Michaels to buy the yarn for 3 pairs at 4 skeins each. Ok, under $20 a gift, not bad.
Decided I would do the largest pair first and get that out of the way. I consulted my friends at CP to see if anyone could remember where I got the pattern becuz the print was so small I had eyestrain trying to read it. Ended up doing a cut and paste and enlarge on the copy machine so I could read the instructions. Spent a couple of hours each evening for about 3 days crocheting them up. Then added a flower to the front. Looked really cute, but huge! They are supposed to be a size 9/10 women's.
My goodness! Just look at these pics-to give you some idea of reference, my feet are a size 8-now the bottoms fit my feet fine, but just take a look at the tops. What happened here???
So now I'm scared to death to make any more-so we may be switching to felted purses instead.

Comfortghans
Last month, the son of one of our CP members was killed in a school shooting. It touched the deepest fears of every mother in the world, as was so evident on CP. We decided to make a comfortghan for Dawn. I said I would assemble, and the other members started crocheting the squares.
No sooner were we on this project than the fiance of another member was killed at the school shooting at the university in IL. We had so many squares already in the works that I said I would assemble another comfortghan for Pen's son.
But my own life was about to rearrange the schedule.
My daughter has been trying to get her divorce now for about a year, after 2 years of separation. In recent months, her soon to be ex, has been getting more and more irrational. He has been harassing her with phone calls, unexpected visits, etc. His friends have been threatening and she has been scared out of her wits. Since she lives in a rural area that is not close to the police or sheriff, we decided to get her out of there. Her things have been stored, and she is now in a safe location. But I was gone for 10 days and while I was away, the squares kept coming.
It was almost like Christmas opening all those envelopes. So many beautiful patterns, some I had seen before and some I had not. There are yarns I had never seen.
Another CP member, Linda, sent me her version of "faux" braid joining, which I am using to assemble. It was a little tricky at first, but makes a very nice join. Thanks, Linda!
The 1st ghan is joined and the second is down to the edging. As soon as I finish, I will get pics taken so I can post here for you. They should both be in the mail by the end of the week.

Catty Corners Finished

Well, it's done! Thanks to all my friends at CP for keeping me on track. I have taken a couple of pics so you can see. I need to take photog lessons. Not nearly as pretty in the pics as in person. Maybe I should take it outside (we have sun today) and see if I can get a better pic.

Anyway, I am entering this in a least 2 county fairs this summer. I wanted something that was a bit of a challenge, and squares are it for me. I get tired of making them and I absolutely hate joining them. This particular pattern had a whole new group of challenges along those lines. It is 63 squares (an odd number) and the squares were made in pairs by color sequence. Five main colors done 6 different ways = 60 squares. Had to lay them all out on the bed to figure out what colors I needed for the last 3.

First challenge-asked my roommate to come take a look and see what colors she thought I needed. This is a very busy pattern. Not understanding the layout, she started moving stuff around and next thing I knew, we had separated some of the pairs. OK. Not so bad. We got them all laid out so the pattern made some kind of sense, were taking a good look to make sure nobody was facing the wrong way - and -

Second challenge- Hazel (one of the cats) jumps up on the bed scattering squares everywhere. OMG! Thought I would die. Finally locked the cats out and got them all lined up again. So, we laid a sheet over them so they couldn't get mixed up again.

Third challenge-I safety pinned the first row together w/only 1 pin in the middle. By the time I got to my chair, some of them had flipped around and twisted so I have no idea what I have.

Final solution: stitch markers on each side so they couldn't move. Joined w/slip stitch each row and then the strips together. Did join the wrong side of 2 strips and realized it when I laid it back on the bed. Ugh! Frogged the joining and did it again. Finally got to the ripple border. Marked the corners with stitch markers, as after the first couple of rows, corners were hard to spot easily and that is where the differences in the rows are.

Anyway, it's finished. Now on to my Feb list of goals.

Catty Corners Afghan

I went to CP today for encouragement cuz this afghan just seems to go on forever. And I do really know forever, having one afghan that took me 3 years to make. This isn't even 3 weeks yet. But it is small squares, with lots of color changes. Seems to take longer to hide the ends than to crochet the square. The reason I don't do small squares for anything. But, this pattern caught my eye, and I decided it was the perfect challenge for my county fair entry this year. I received some really good advice, but unfortunately, some of it is not practical in this case. Like start to assemble the squares, so I can see how much I have done, and the remainder won't seems so far away. Well, there are 30 matching pairs of squares, none alike, so assembly can't be started until all the squares are done. Can't start the ripple border until the squares are put together. Catch 22.

Another suggestion was to put it aside and work on something else for awhile. Two problems with this. #1, I'm afraid I won't pick it up again. I really hate small squares. #2, if I stop now I will forget the color sequences.

I also think I am trying to catch a cold or something, and that is making me cranky. Think maybe I'll just take some Nyquil and go to bed. It will all be better tomorrow!

Thank you, each and every one who tried to snap me out of my mood. It will be a beautiful afghan when it is finished.

None of the below!
Finished the scarf, wrote down the pattern, took it to the guild meeting for show and tell. Everyone loved it. This will be a very versatile pattern. You can stop at about 30", add a couple of buttons for a neck warmer, or make it as long as you want. Need to take a pic, but the batteries in my camera are d-e-a-d. And I keep forgetting to get new ones.
When I finished, I started the Catty Corners Afghan from www.e-patternscentral.com . I'm planning to enter this in the county fairs this summer. The colors I'm using are from the TLC Essentials colorway Cherry Chocolate (or something like that). Anyway, pinks & browns. Love it, love the afghan. Never thought I would say that about an afghan with 63 4 1/2 " squares. The thing that will make this stand out is the ripple border. I'm liking this color scheme so much I told Penny (my roommate) that I might just have to change the colors in my bedroom. LOL!
My daughter is planning to come to visit late Feb or March so I told her to bring her crochet hooks. I have several patterns that need testing. So she's excited about that. Can't wait to see her!!

Great start!
Well, a couple of posts ago, I lined up how I thought I would handle my goals for this year. Well, I'm here to tell you- I'm ahead of schedule! So far this month I have completed:

• 3 book totes (three kings day presents)
• 6 12" squares for the TCC afghans
• 6 edgings on fleece blankies for Project Linus
• 1 pr slippers for my Jan person on my 2008 xmas gift list.

The only thing left on my list is a scarf for Dawn to send to the troops next year. Well, I'm going to take care of that tonite by designing a scarf to match the hats I did for xmas. 2 birds, 1 stone. Of course, that involves pattern writing, and then I will have to do it again to make sure the pattern is correct, but that is a good thing. (more scarfs for Dawn).

But what to do after my obligations are met? Make another neck cozy from the pattern I wrote during the holidays? Start a sweater for myself from that sock yarn that is patiently waiting? Or, design a vest for the Musette yarn? Or, work on the Diamond Patch redesign? Hmmmm. Not sure, what do you think?

Christmas Gifts 2007
Well, they did not end up being what was on my original list for this year, but I am proud of them anyway. The beanies for the girls is my own creation. I found a pattern with this cable in it, but after I started, the cable was the only thing I liked about it. So, frogged the whole thing and started over. I took notes as I made the first one, then went to the computer, wrote it out, took it back to my chair to start the second one. What I wrote out did not resemble what I crocheted at all-so back to the computer; first hat in hand, yarn and hook. Figured out what I did, crocheted the whole hat sitting in front of the computer. Third one was much easier, and the fourth I slid right thru. Yea! Pattern writing is a lot more difficult than you would think it to be. The yarns used are mostly Vanna's Choice as I had several single skeins in my stash, then they were trimmed with other yarns that have been hibernating also.
The scarf for Nicolle is a one of a kind-I bought the yarn from my LYS. It is hand painted sock yarn and is yummy. I keep using this word for this yarn. It is so soft, you just want to bury your face in it. I chose a pattern from one of my harmony guides, and just worked it until I ran out of yarn. I did edge it with a loose slip stitch on the wrong side.
The guys beanies I found the pattern online-don't have the url handy, but I think it was called checkerboard beanie. I experimented with Jason's and made 2, reversing the contrasting colors and then edged them together to make a reversible beanie. He hasn't received it yet as he is in the field on maneuvers getting ready to go back to Iraq. So we'll see how he likes when he gets back in a couple of weeks.
And last but not least, I made a neck cozy for my daughter using Rowan Cashsoft DK yarn. This stuff was a dream to work with. Another pattern of my own design. My friend Kitty went to Britex (sp) Fabrics in the city for the buttons, which appear to be the most gorgeous shade of green abalone that I have ever seen. And, I forgot to take a picture of it. That's what being rushed at the last minute will do to you. I did write down the pattern and plan on making another one soon, so if this pattern writing went the way of the beanie, I can figure it out while it is still fresh in my mind. Heidi did say she would take a pic and send to me. She also said she wore it yesterday and that it is very warm and oh so soft! Yes!
I have two friends that read a lot and always carry a book with them. So I made Paperback booktotes for them. Kitty's is a trellis stitch and Chelo's is done in basketweave. They both seemed to really like them.
The pics are in My Photos, Christmas 2007.