From Birthday to Anniversary

What on earth have I been doing since my birthday?  Knitting.  Crocheting.  That's about it.  Chuck tore down the little shed out back where the lawn mower lived, and he's rebuilding a BIG playhouse... um, workshop for himself.  Makes him happy & keeps him out of trouble.

Hmmm - when I went to find photos of what I've been doing, I was surprised at the LACK of pictures.  What's happening?  One reason is that I'm working on a knit/crochet sampler.  So those blocks by themselves aren't that exciting.  Save that for the finished project. 
Here are some other things I've been doing... 

The HPKCHC Challenge in November was to see how many hats you could make in a week, from November 3 to November 9th.  For me, the answer is TEN!  Ten chemo caps I've given to the oncologist's counselor.  All the same pattern ("Divine") and all but one are cotton.

These are crocheted yo-yos.  I plan on making a larger piece by adding more yo-yos, and having a final colorful project.  An afghan? baby blanket?  hmmm, we'll see...

I've been on a doggie sweater binge.  Here's Bella in her bumpy pink sweater.

Ssh, don't tell Hank, but here he is modeling his xmas sweater.  Something tells me he'll still be surprised when he opens his present on xmas.

 Here's Lucky in his blue-boy sweater.  Isn't he adorable!! I'm learning lots about garment construction - seriously - necks and collars and sleeves!  Who knew!  Many more are planned.

Here is Bella modelling the sweater I made for a secret Santa gift for an online group.  My recipient has several small dogs, I'm hoping the sweater will fit one or more.

 And here are my two favoritest people in the world.  Elisha asked me to teach him how to crochet this past weekend, so I said "Sure!"  However - I'm a righty and he's a lefty.  I couldn't figure out how it worked - despite watching youtube videos.  He made a chain, but it was very tight, very small gauge - he was not pleased.  So, I switched gears to teach him to finger knit.  Even with a broken wrist, he was focused and really got into making a scarf for his mom.  E loves his mom so very much.  I hope that relationship stays strong over the coming years.  He has such a sweet and gentle spirit.  Here's Jes modelling her new scarf!

Pre-birthday FO post

Recent FOs!  (Finished Objects)...  Some things I've made since the Ravellenic Games

Knit basketweave square for knit sampler I'm making

 Crocheted afghan squares

 Another knit square (I did NOT like making this one!!!)

And a Baby Babette blanket for a co-worker's new baby boy! 

Start-itis

After the Ravellenic Games finished, and my projects were all submitted for medals, I found myself in an unusual situation.  I had nothing in progress!  That was such a shock to me that I immediately sat down with my iPad and Ravelry and a blank Notepad page and started planning.   First was the baby blanket for a co-worker due in September.  I decided on a Baby Babette in Blues & gathered yarn for that - and included my spreadsheet of random generated color choices for the rounds of that blanket. How else would a nerd proceed?  This weekend I made the first of five sections.

Then I thought of the Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue,  SCMR , where our much loved Bella and Lucky came to us from.  Their website solicits donations of money, time, and supplies.  I found their link to the Snuggles Project which has patterns for knitted and crocheted snuggle blankets for dogs and cats awaiting adoption.  Great!  I pulled a skein of bulky weight yarn from my stash for a crocheted snuggle blankie.

I  might as well get some knitting practice in, so I grabbed another bulky skein to make a knitted snuggle blanket.  

And I've been wondering what to make with that wool yarn I dyed with grape and cherry koolaid. Hmmm.  How about another knitted hat?  Sure!

WHEW!  Disaster averted!  I don't have to panic that there's no project for me to pick up & work on.  The planning and gathering yarn, hook/needle, and pattern - putting them all together in a ziploc bag inside a tote bag - that takes a lot of thought and consideration.  Now it's on to the easier part - pick up bag & GO!

The Games are Done

The Ravellenic Games have closed.  I am absolutely THRILLED with what I accomplished during the Games.  I work well on a deadline, apparently!  In addition to the scarf and basket in the last post, here is what else I did!

I knit my first hat

I posted a doggie sweater I wasn't able to finish in time for closing ceremonies - but I was able to post as a "Cast On Project" for partial credit since it was ALMOST done, but not quite. Isn't Miss Bella just a beautiful model!

And last, but not least, finished a 12-square afghan I will be donating to a community closet for clothes & stuff given to children taken from their homes by Social Services or other emergencies.  My co-worker who runs the charity was thrilled to receive it, and she promised it would go to a deserving teen girl (it's too pink for a boy!).

YAY ME!!!
Now, I only have to:
    Make a Sweater for Lucky
    Make a Baby Babette for a co-worker
    Join & border squares I received in a Ravelry Swap
    Join & border pieces of an overlarge Babette that I'm making into a separate blankie
    Get ready for the next round of Ravelry challenges
Easy Peasy!

Midway through Ravellenic Games

So, just ask Chuck (who just got out of the hospital for an infection that required IV antibiotics) how much I've been crafting lately.  Every time he sees me, I've got hook or needles in my hands, working feverishly to finish my projects for Ravelry's Ravellenic Games. 

So far:  In the WIPs Wrestling event, I finished this scarf - which I started before our cruise in Spring 2011!

I also took this ball of yarn I dyed with Koolaid - and made ...

... this yarn basket!  (Crocheted mostly while visiting Chuck in Eden's Morehead Hospital.)

AND!  I've made six of twelve 9" squares for an afghan to be donated to a co-worker who runs a clothing closet for the needy at her church - mostly for children who've been removed from their homes by Social Services - or for fire or flood. 

SO!  What's left on my Ravellenic Games To Do List?  The six remaining squares for the afghan;  I've got a knitted hat that needs another six or seven inches of knitting in the round; and I want to cast on to make a knitted doggie sweater for Bella/Lucky/Hank/Felix (pick one).  The Games end Sunday August 12th.  Watch the hook & needles fly!

Taking stock

So we've had our babies almost a week now. I wanted to write down our victories & trials so far - so I can look back in a year & say "remember when." Last Sunday: Bella wouldn't come at all. Lucky continually did the circling behavior of crated dogs. Neither were happy about being picked up, but they would suffer it. They seemed happy with their new home & investigated their yard & house. Lucky constantly groomed his feet. There's been pee and poop every day in the house somewhere. Today Bella went pee & poop in the yard & got cheese treats. Lucky peed outside but then started pooping on the rug inside. When I said NO! He stopped but wasn't able to finish once we got outside. Bella was VERY skittish and afraid for me to pick her up to get in the bed. I'd either have to chase her (like chasing a chicken) which was stressful all around - then I started sitting on the floor with my hands out waiting for her to let me pick her up. It took about 15 minutes the first time - tonight she immediately hunkered down for me to get her. MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH! Neither did or will play with balls or toys. They do like rawhide chews. When we go outside, Bella promptly lays down in the shade. Lucky circles his way around. Lots of room for improvement. But I think we've improved some. Fingers crossed for more.

Ready for the Ravellenic Games

The Ravelry online community celebrates the Olympics with our own version of the games.  We USED to call it the RAVELYMPICS - but the US Olympic committee got their panties in a twist over copyright issues and told us to cease and desist with that.  So we did.  Today the Ravellenic Games begin!  Crafters around the world have been choosing yarn and patterns and projects to complete during the Olympic Games.  The mass cast-on/chain begins at 7pm London time today. 

I have an afghan planned - twelve 9" squares joined together and given to charity when done - so it will be competing in the afghan event.  I also have a hat pattern to knit (my first knit hat) for the hat event.  A crocheted stash bag for the bag event.  Also, there's a WIPs Wrestling event - I've got a scarf nearly finished (that I started in April 2011) for that. 

The Games begin today and end August 12th.  Sure! No Problem!  I need some days off work!

Babies arrive!

Ever since the Buckners got Hank, I've been considering getting a dog.  I have adored spending time with Hank.  He always makes me smile, and it has warmed my heart to have someone so exuberantly happy to see me!  All I have to do is walk in the door, and Hank is springing up and down thrilled to see me. 

Where else do you get that kind of reaction?

A co-worker had a dog to adopt out - Chuck & I got all excited about it - then the deal fell through.  We were really disappointed about it.  That's when we realized we were absolutely ready for a dog.  I started surfing dog rescue websites, because the breed, sex, age of the dog weren't as important as providing a home for a dog that desperately needed it.  My sister had just adopted a rescue Jack Russell after her much loved Twister had died.  I knew in general terms what I wanted:  small, fluffy, not-yappy, not puppy.  I found "Eugene" on the Southern Comfort Maltese Rescue website, and he was being fostered in Eden, NC (only about 30 minutes away).  I filled out the application and expressed my interest, but kept looking in case he wasn't available.  Then I got an email saying Eugene had bonded very closely with another Maltese at the same foster home, and they didn't want to separate the two.  Chuck said that was fine - let's get BOTH and not separate them.  I was hesitant - TWO dogs?  But they'd keep each other company while we're at work, and I wouldn't have to feel guilty about leaving a single dog alone during the day.

We notified the SCMR that we would take Eugene and his friend, Furgy -- we said we were eager to get them.  We filled out forms, set up a home visit to be sure we who we said we were.  I went to Eden to meet them Thursday.   Chuck built a big fenced-in area in our back yard.  I went shopping for dog food, toys, treats, a dog bed, carrier, etc!  I cleaned house for their arrival.

On Sunday, Chuck & I went to bring our new babies home.  We'd chosen new names for them (since they'd only had Eugene & Furgy since they'd been rescued): 

Bella and Lucky. 

Chuck and I both adore them, and we have trouble not holding them or petting them constantly.  They are skittish and a bit afraid of us - they shy away from us, but then they're find once we're holding them - not shaking in fear or fighting to get free.  I am thrilled with our new babies. Even though it will take them some time to get used to us, and us to them -- I'm very happy and satisfied with the new members of our family.

Babette Love

For xmas last year, I gave Jes & James & E a lovely Babette in Greens.  I loved it.  I love the way the different colors and sizes of squares makes your eye move over the blanket, appreciating its beauty. 

Here is a large size baby-blanket for Jes' friends expecting a baby in September.  It might be TOO big, so that I take part of it off to make a separate blanket.  I'm not sure, but for now, I am just in love with how pretty and bright this is.  Babette is definitely my favorite crochet pattern ever.  I can easily see myself making another one in different colors.  Babette Love!

During the Olympic Games in London, crafters on Ravelry will be making as many projects as we can in different categories, competing for glory and imaginary prizes in the Ravellenic Games 2012.  I have four projects in my Queue - a blanket of twelve 9" squares, a knit hat, finishing a crocheted scarf (that I started in April 2011), and a stash basket made from yarn I dyed myself with Koolaid.  The games start July 27th and go through August 12th.  Surely I can get all that done!

Yarnifun

Stuff I've made lately...all because of Ravelry.com - HPKCHC & NerdWars!
My second try at dyeing yarn with Koolaid - First time it was too much white - so I overdyed it pink!

 Isn't this square pretty?  It's called crocodile... something or other?

 This is my first try at Illusion Knitting.  The top photo is how it looks from above - the bottom photo is how it looks from the sideways - do you see something there?  Chuck doesn't. 

 My tribute to the Fourth!

Slip Stitch Knitting.  WHEW!  This was a chore! But I absolutely love it!

And this is a blanket - not a 12x12 square.  This blanket-in-process is about 5' square.  I love this pattern - Babette.

Crochet fun

Just a few of the fun I've been having with crochet hook & knitting needles. Loving it!

Even Nerdier!

I know I was totally nerding out last post about the Harry Potter group on Ravelry. It got worse. I found the Ravelympics group. During those other Olympics in London this summer, this group is challenging ourselves to knit, crochet, spin or dye yarny goodness. Of course, I signed up. It's just so hard WAITING (!!) for things to start. The HPKCHC sorting will begin this Tuesday - but I won't know for sure where the Sorting Hat puts me until next week. NEXT WEEK! That's like forever - RIGHT?!!!

To help the time pass - I've kept busy with these lovelies this week:
This is a test block for the designer of this pattern. She wrote it for a 9" block (see next pic), this is her version for a 12" block. I so admire her talent and creativity to come up with these patterns!Here is the 9" version that I'm mailing to an online friend in Michigan. People in our VCGroup are making blocks in the "sock monkey color palette" & sending them to her - then she is going to join them into a blanket for her friend who is battling cancer.This pattern is called "Double Framed Lace" that I made for the Big Toes Swap in the VC Group. We called this swap "Big Toes" because that's usually a criteria in other swaps, that there can be no holes big enough to get your Big Toe through. Highly technical measuring device, there.

April Winds

I suppose I should start by saying, "Hello. My name is Jennifer, and I am a GEEK!"

The yarny website I spend FAR too much time on, Ravelry, has groups of crafters from all over the world, of all levels of ability, all gathered together to share our crafts. Last year, I joined a group of folks who love Vanna's Choice yarns - they do swaps, KAL/CALs, and all things fun. I've been making my two blocks for each of the two CALs that I've joined - yes, that's FOUR blocks a month. Lately:
So - as if that wasn't bad enough - I've found an even GEEKIER, NERDIER FUNNER group of crazy people on Ravelry. The Harry Potter Knitting & Crochet House Cup (HPKCHC)! They have "terms" (like the school year for HP) and competitions (i.e. "1000 points to Ravenclaw for that outstanding scarf!") and houses (the regular four) and sortings (I'm not sorted yet - SOON though, I hope!! I'm Ravenclaw through & through, fingers crossed that's where the Hat puts me!). Yes. Total Geek Out! I love it. I get POINTS for stuff I'm going to do anyway! (Okay - okay - imaginary points that don't mean anything, but POINTS!) And we get BADGES for doing different tasks. The last term was January through March. April is an between-term month, then "classes" start again in May. There have been different challenges in April - like getting your "favorites" list in order, clearing out your "Queue." This is my Badge for "The Fearless March" - I had to summarize my crafting over the last 3 months and propose my upcoming projects. Yay Nerdy Jenn! (Yes, that's Neville Longbottom on the badge).

I told Jes about it & she just shook her head. Must be hard to have a mom so totally given over to the Nerd-Side. But Damn! it makes me smile!

And in other news, something else that's had me smiling and grinning and even laughing quite a bit this week: taking care of Hank, my granddog, while Jes & E are vacationing. It's just impossible not to grin while getting puppy kisses - to laugh when he bounces up and down to be held.

So those parts of my life are doing well - my crafting & puppy loving. If only I didn't have to waste so much time at work!

Sunday in Westeros

I love a day with nothing to do. I always have plenty of stuff to do, but I mean a day with nothing I HAVE to do! No chores, no duties, no responsibilities. That means lots of time for stuff I WANT to do - read, catch up on DVD viewing, crochet!

Sunday was a lovely day for that. After leisurely waking up, checking email & Facebook (in case something momentous was going on - which it wasn't) - I put "Game of Thrones" Season 1, DVD 1 in the DVD player & hit PLAY. AAAH - the luxury of seeing a fabulous book made in film so accurately, so well cast, just so damn well DONE! I love living in Westeros in my imagination while I listen to the books (via Audible.com) - now I have images to see. I'm currently listening to Book Three of the series, so going back and watching the first DVD was like watching a history lesson - these things already happened! I can't praise "Game of Thrones" highly enough. The characters are wonderful (well, the evil ones are really rotten!!) - the settings truly invoke a sense of place - and the plots are truly twisted! I love it. And one of the best things about series-reading is that "The End" doesn't mean the end! There's another book waiting for me! {sigh} I love that!

So ANYWAY! I fire up the DVD player and get out my afghan blocks. I'd noticed when I was putting them away that the block sizes wasn't uniform. That's bad. It meant the squares wouldn't line up when it comes time to join them all together. So I spent the first episode adding rows of border around the smaller squares to bring them all to a happy 13".

Then I pulled out my "Infinity Wrapped" that I'm making for myself. Pretty, huh? The pic above is the first motif halfway done. It is kinda tedious - first you make the five infinity shape motifs, then join them together by making six rows of border on one side, then make six rows of border on the other side, then put more border around the whole thing with little bobbly things all around! Whew!!! So far, I've made & joined the motifs and made six rows of border on one side. Tonight, I added the first row of border on the opposite side. It's a lot of counting and making sure you do the right stitch at the right place to keep the smooth curvy lines going. I know I will love it when I'm done. I think it may be called the "Infinity Wrap" because the border goes on and on and on and on...

Shamrocky Road

I've walked in several 5Ks since I've been seriously walking for exercise in the past three years or so. The Danville Running & Fitness Club has a series of seven races they use to tally scores for those of us who have no shot at winning a race. Points are awarded on finishing position in the seven races and combined for the year's total. I'm hoping to compete in all seven races with fairly decent times - also hoping the women in my age group have to miss a race or two - giving me the chance to swoop in and WIN WIN WIN!!! There's no prize, of course - just recognition. But it's my best shot at the WIN WIN WIN.

So yesterday was St Patricks Day - and the Shamrock 5K. I posted a good time of 46:42 which I am very pleased with. Now I just have to show up and finish the other six races in the series, and I may have a chance to be a Winner! Please keep the comments about "You're a winner Just for Participating!" to yourselves. Winner means Winner, not Participator - it's not the Special Olympics.

I did realize as I trudged as fast as I could over the course - the lovely Danville River Walk trail - that racing takes the fun out of walking. I try to walk at least 3 times a week - in my neighborhood, on the River Walk trail - for exercise. I am listening to the the "Game of Thrones" series of books on my iPhone earbuds while I walk, and I get entranced in the story - laughing at funny parts, even crying at sad parts - but it takes my mind off the fact that I'm walking walking walking walking... Racing, however, required me to concentrate - to focus - to push myself faster than usual - to listen to my 80s aerobic mix music to keep my pace up - to try and catch the lady in my age group who was ahead of me (and finished ahead of me too). Not so much fun. More like work. Work sucks. And I paid to do it! Oh well - keeping my eye on the WIN WIN WIN!

crochet march

With Crochet & Knit Blog 2012 week coming up soon, I decided to post some recent FO's from the Whimsical Wonderland BAM CAL on Ravelry. This BAM is more challenging - the patterns are all original, designed specifically for the group crochet-along.

This was January's block - done during the last football games of the 2011 season. It's called Ripplin Snowflake and involved more steps than I'm used to. The foundation ripply block was done first, then embroidered top stitching on the middle white line. The circle part was crocheted separately, embellished with top stitching, and attached to the block. Very lovely, I think. My palette for this group CAL in Vanna's Choice yarns are Sapphire, Bluebell, Rust, Brick, Honey and White.











The next block is an extra pattern I made from the same designer, Donna K Lacey. It involved a special crochet stitch called "bullions" which is multiple wraps around the hook creating the "bumpy" stitches. Another new technique for me.











Next is "Anticipation" by the Guest Designer for January in the group. It involved "surface crochet" where stitches are placed on top of existing rounds. Love the effect, although I didn't think I would while I was working the block.











February's block "I Cross My Heart" used a completely new technique to me: Tapestry Crochet. It is a tedious and fiddly process of making one or two single crochet stitches in one color, switching to the other color, and back and forth - following a chart like a counted cross-stitch chart. I like the block, but I doubt I'll make another.













Also in February, I made the block "Firenze." The designer made her blocks using a single color with white contrast, and I chose to use the Brick and Rust colors against the Sapphire background. I really like the pattern which wasn't very difficult. Definitely a keeper











The March square is "Lucky Charms" which was presented by the designer in shades of green, making it a very St Patricks type block. I kept to my palette, making the "shamrocks" in white. I like this block, but I wonder how the little puffs will do if the afghan is actually used. I may go back and tack them down with invisible nylon thread.











The March Guest Designer square is still in process for me. Hoping to finish it this weekend. Here's how they line up if I were to stitch them together now. I have many months of blocks to make and add to this crochet adventure of an afghan.