Life on The Screened Porch

Here Greetings from the screened on porch!  Phoebe and I have enjoyed quite a bit of time out here this weekend.

It has been overcast, so the temperature has been perfect.  

I was able to complete a shawl I have been working on for quite awhile.  And even though I was getting a bit burnt out on it, once I finished I was glad I kept pushing on.

What do you think?  It is such squishy yarn.  I didn't realize how big it would work up once I started.  I do like the pattern.  I does have short rows in it, but they really aren't too bad and they just make the shape come out perfectly.  You can find the pattern at 

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lina-5  It is a free ravelry download.  

Here is the back.  I love how this yarn stripes.  For anyone interested, I used a size 4 circular needle and the yarn is Lion Brand Tween Stripes, Mixed Berry.  I used almost five skeins.

I think this would also be a great party to use up all those scraps!!!  And you could easily work it up and stockinet the stitch as well.  

I leave you now with wishes for a good week!!  We are in the midst of summer here!!  Phoebe is enjoying it so far!

Granny Blanket Done!

Greetings from the back porch!  The weather is gorgeous, and my company has four legs and the sweetest face ever!  I am a happy camper.  I finished my latest granny square blanket.  I am so pleased with it.  I am also pleased with the fact that my leg is definitely on the mend.  I was actually able to get out on the porch and clean off the pollen and get my plants outside.  This is progress!

Now the blanket...what do you think?  My favorite part is that teal blue border!  I get crochet giddiness when I ree that blue with red.   I love the combo!

Then when I see it pop agains the black in this ottoman, well, I have no words!   Don't you want to dive right in this photograph!   

Phoebe gave it her approval too.  :)   

Just a few notes on the blanket.  

1 - I joined my squares as I worked the blanket.  I am really getting to the point where I prefer this method.   

2 - I put in a round of small solid grannies.  It slowed the whole process down, but the effect is completely worth it.   It is important that you be mindful with the rows after the single squares...I had to go back and take rows out down to that row of solid grannies because I had too many stitches and it would not lie flat.   

3 - it is my preference to have a nice thick border on the blanket.  I worked it in half double crotchets.   

4 - I apologize for all the red, but I just can't help it!!!!    

5 - This is the perfect project for using up those scrap acrylic yarns.  I did supplement mine with some more colors, but it is mostly what I had on hand.

Now that the blanket is finished, it fueled the fan for more hookiness.  I am now obsessed.  I want to start another blanket, but cannot decide what I want to do so in the meantime I am doing...

See below

How fun are these!!!   Perfect creative outlet.  The possibilities are endless.

Blinged out with some embroidery and little crochet flowers, or

Crocheted up in a nice fluorescent green.

I threw I this triangle granny...not sure why, just pondering.

I have more done, but they are drying and blocking.   

I hope everyone has a great week!

Granny Blankets Are Good For My Soul!!

Thank you all for the encouraging emails and comments!!!!   I do believe my little black cloud has lifted!

I am a happy girl!  I have become obsessed with my latest granny blanket.  All I needed was a reason to start one.  I have a family member that will be going through some major surgery very soon, so I decided to make him a blanket to recuperate under!   I had two tubs full of acrylic yarn and started out with no plan at all, although I did have an idea of what I wanted.

As you can see it has grown to blanket size, and it is very bright and cherry.  We had such a pretty day yesterday I took it out on the deck to snap some pictures of it.   

And Phoebe was so willing to pose with it.   

Here is a close up of the center.  I am joining the squares as I go.  This is now my preferred method....I used to sew my squares together.   

I love the moment when a project comes to life.  This one took awhile to get to that point for me.  I think it is because I omitted the black.  I love that traditional granny bordered with the black.   And I was really kinda hating I had left it out for a while, but not now!!!! 

 

I am now working on the border.  I should have it done this week....but then I have about a zillions ends to weave in!!!  I haven't wove in a single thread!!  (It's not easy being lazy!). 

 

I am happy to report I am walking boot free and cane free!  But still not pain free.  PT started last week.   I am following orders and doing my therapy at home.too.  Boy!  This is not easy!!!   I can walk up a flight of stairs normally, but I still cannot go down them normally, I am having to do one at a time.  But it is definite improvement over just a couple of weeks ago!!!!

 

I am also going to the grocery store and cooking again!!!  Yay!!!!  Tonight we are having roast with some carrots and potatoes.  I also have some homemade soup done for lunches this week.   Hubs has done a great job with getting the meals done, groceries bought, etc....but I was seriously missing some of my favorite dishes!

 

I hope everyone has a great week!!!!   

Little Black Cloud

This week I have had the pleasure of enduring the tempers of some of those around me.  It has been a little more than I can really deal with driving me to tears a couple times.  Oh, I can just put up a good face and keep pushing forward, but truthfully it is so depressing.  Why do people do this?  Well, we all know how we would answer that question, it has to be something we have done, although truthfully it probably is not.  What is the saying I used to hear when I was little?  "She wears her heart on her sleeve."  I think that would be me!  LOL!!  

I suppose I am feeling a bit sorry for myself.  The phone hasn't rang all weekend.  Some of my texts and emails have gone unnoticed.  That feeling of being invisible comes creeping back.  And it's an awful feeling.  With a little time I am sure all this will go away and I will forget all about it, but at the moment it sucks!!!!  It literally drains every ounce of creativity out of me.  I don't have the slightest desire to pick up a crochet hook or a set of knitting needles.  

My leg is healing along.  It was so swollen from being on it this week, so yesterday I kept it elevated as much as I could, it made a difference today!  I cannot wait till I am able to get myself easily downstairs to the garage and into my car!!  I miss that freedom!!   I am sure being able to just get out and about easier is going to be huge for my mood!   I would love to visit a thrift store or Goodwill!!!

I thought I would sign off with one of my favorite pictures of my little niece wrapped up in the blanket I made her.  I love her cheeks!!  

I hope everyone has a great week!!!  I am going to do my best to doe the same myself!

Crochet Mojo

I have been looking for it....it has been lost for a little while, but I finally found it, my mojo is back!

Looky!  Yes, it is a top hat!  I crocheted it from various variegated yarns.  This was absolutely a labor of love!!!  I had it pictured in my head and it worked up true to what I wanted!!!!

I am so in love with it right now I have it on display in the den where I can gaze at it.  Silly, but I can't help it!

And I love the back!  It looks like an eyeball!  It gives me hooky giddiness!  I really cannot wait  to see it on a live person, and I kinda wanted to wait to take pictures of it in a real human head, but I just cannot stand to wait any longer!!!

This hat will be on its way to a special girlie who I know will love it as much as I do and it will also look fab on her!!!!  I still have to steam and stiffin the hat before I send it off.  

Check it out with a scarf toed around it!

Boo Yah!   So 'steampunk'!  

I have some other little projects O can share, but later...I didn't want to detract away from this hat.  It deserves a post of its own!

So O am hoping my crochet slump is over.  Everyone thought I would be crocheting up a storm since I broke my leg.  "Well, at least you have time to crochet!"  But it hasn't been that way.  Until thisnInhave felt a bit lost.  I know that sounds strange, it even does to me.  Thank goodness I am getting back to normal,  I have another week before I return to work.  I am so ready to spend my days with real people instead of the television ,  although Phoebe has been good company!

I am leaving for now!  I am crocheting some flower pins!  Heck, it's something to do!

Dawn

Momma's Rug!

I wanted to share some pictures of the Shirret rug my mom just completed.  She is the original hooker!

Isn't it gorgeous!  I was seriously coveting it!  My mom is who taught me how to do these rugs.  I love her rugs.  She has her tension down pat, and they lay so nice and flat.  

I had to get my poor leg in the last shot.  I am still home healing up.  My cast is finally off and in a boot, I go back in a couple weeks to see my progress and hopefully to start some physical therapy!  

I have finished up a fun project that I am jonesing to share once I can get some good photographs!  

For those interested in the Shirret rugs you can search the posts of my blog for "Shirret" and you will find all kinds of information and links on how to make these rugs.  If you can do a double crochet and a chain you have the skills to make a rug.  It's great fun!

I will leave you with a sweet picture of Phoebe, my little nurse!  She has stayed right by my side these past four weeks!

Bye for now!

Passing the time...

Amazing how time slows down when you are laid up!  I am happy to report that I am healing up nicely.  I have two more weeks before I go back to the ortho, with directions to put no weight on my right leg.

With that being said, I will share a little bit of what I have been doing to pass the time.

I knit a cover for my cast, but as you can see, it didn't quite fit.  So these will be a pair of leg warmers when I finish the other.   Can you see how I banged my poor knees up when I fell?  They look so perty.

Some more squares.  Although I like these squares, I am not feeling it for a blanket.  Right now they are stacked up in my storage tote of yarn.  

Made a little granny square pocket to hold my scissors and what not.  It turned out cute!

Crocheted this cute little basket.  It's the perfect size to hold my rings in, and little stitch markers, which it am constantly losing!

Finished up a pair of socks!  Can't wait until I can wear both of them at the same time!

I have started a pair of knee socks!  I am doing an afterthought heel.  I am really likening this method of doing socks.  You really don't need a pattern.  It took a small lesson on how to go back and put the heel in, which isn't hard at all.  Unfortunately I discovered I dropped a stitch and am having to rip out all the way back to the heel to correct it.  I am okay with that, because I want them to be longer, I misjudged on the length, so now I can correct that too!  Love this yarn, it was gifted to me from a fellow knitter who heard I was laid up.  Knitters are the best-est!

Little Poebe has been right by my side, and I think she is happy to have some company during the daytime.  She is a bit fascinated by my cast, and when I get up she follows me almost as if she is making sure I don't fall and hurt myself.  

Isn't she sweet!  I started picking her up and letting her ride in the wheelchair with me.  She likes it!

I hope everyone is having a good week!  I am hoping for a good day tomorrow.  I am trying to use my crutches more and move about the house more.  Can't wait until I can use both legs again!

bye!

dawn