Finished Crocheted Project!

I started this crocheted top back in April, and it's finished!

I'm not too good about finishing projects, but this one got done rather quickly.  The pattern was easy and went along smoothly.

Here's a picture of it just hanging.

Then we took some pictures while I modeled it!  I cut my head out of the picture due to the fact that my hair hadn't been washed, I had been cleaning all day, and I looked every bit of my almost 50 years!

I know, it almost makes me look pregnant - which I'm not!  So we took some more pictures that didn't make me look so bloated!

And here's one more!

I just happened to already have the mint green turtle neck, and didn't even realize what a great match it was until I tried it on.

I got the pattern over at Lion Brand Yarns.  They have oodles of crocheted and knitted patterns for free over there.  I made this particular top with baby light weight worsted yarn.  Once I had the pattern set in my head, it was easy to make.  The skirt section is actually done in the round, so there is no seam either.

A nice easy, quick project!

My next project is a pair of socks to match - I had quite a bit of yarn left over.  I'm knitting the socks, but I've never completed a pair of socks before, so I hope they turn out okay.  I'll decide whether to post a pic of the socks once their finished:) 

Can You Believe????

Did you know that I've been nominated for the world's worst blogger for 2009?

How awfully rude of me to leave so many hanging out there about the knitting project - and how awful that I haven't updated anyone about my dad's condition.

I humbly apologize and ask for you all to forgive me!

First off!  My dad is scheduled to start his 5 treatments of radiation on Wednesday.  If you feel led to pray, I appreciate it so much!  He's having 2 - 2 1/2 hour treatments for 5 days (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week; and Monday and Tuesday of next week).  On a good note for dad:  He was recently diagnosed with the beginning stages of diabetes, so he got determined more than ever to take action.  He lost almost 50 pounds, and he started exercising daily.  His doctor has reduced his blood pressure meds in half, and is thinking that his meds for the diabetes might be altered too.

Here's a picture of him on Christmas Eve.  He was giving my son some of his old hats.  The boy has taken up ice fishing again this winter, and his head gets cold.  So Grandpa was sorting through all his hats, and offering a few to the boy.  See that silly orange hat the boy is wearing?  It's his favorite ice fishing hat now!  Really!  It is!  BTW, the boy had just woke up from his 'after dinner' nap, so he does look just a teeny bit groggy.  Doesn't dad look great?

Now, for the knitting project!  Here it is!  It's an afghan!  Can you believe it?  I finally finished it!  I was so bad about finishing this project, but it was a relief to get 'er done!

Here it is:  but beware - my feline friend couldn't resist - she sat on it, and she wouldn't get off, so I let her get her pic taken!

She's a nut!

I really need to get better at this blogging thing!  I couldn't believe how many people e-mailed me, commented on their own blogs, and let me know LOUDLY that they were upset I wasn't blogging!  I'm sorry, I really didn't realize all that many people even read my blog!

And ehart, my dear friend, I owe you a lengthy, wordy, talky, squawky (not sure if that's a word or not) e-mail.  I plan on it - this week, I promise!   

Here's wishing everyone a Happy New Year!  May 2010 bring you peace, comfort and happiness!

Later!!!!

Do You Know What This Is?

It's my Bond Knitting Machine!  I bought it, let's see, around 15 years ago.  I used it frequently in the first few years that I had it.  I made lots of kiddie sweaters for the nieces and nephews, then I don't know what happened.  I got tired of using it, I started working full time...I'm not quite sure why I stopped using it, but I did.

Well, I dug it out one day (almost a year ago), and hubby made this nice little stand for me.  Actually, this was a watchamacallit that he had laying around in the garage for a long time.  I said that I wanted a place to put my knitting machine in the living room, but out of the way in a corner, so I would use it more frequently.  Previously, I had it setting in its box upstairs.  You know, out of sight out of mind.

So, my very creative husband showed me this old, grease-covered wathamacallit out in the garage one day, and said, "I'm going to use that to make you a knitting machine stand."  I rolled my eyes, walked away, and said to myself, "That thing will never enter the doorway of my house in a million years."  Well, as typical of me, I underestimated how talented my husband is about 'creating' something useful out of something that looks like it should be in the dump! 

Voila! My knitting machine stand is in it's proper place - off in the corner of my rather large livingroom.  I love it!

In fact, I have a project (as you can see) that I'm in the midst of working on.

Stay tuned in the near future for an update as to what it's going to be!  Any guesses? 

I Love This Blog!

I know this is just a boring post, but I wanted to let you all know about this wonderful blog I found. She features different 'crafty' kind of people and interviews them.

http://craftysynergy.blogspot.com/2008/12/la-pomme.html

I'm always wanting to do a lot more crafting. I've found some time recently to do more, but there never seems to be enough time to do all that I want to do. Just looking at this blog has the wheels a turnin'.

Here It Is!

None too soon, either!

I Was So Ahead of Christmas This Year.....

I was so organized and had planned everything to the best of my ability for Christmas this year, which de-stressed the season for me up until NOW!

Okay, I bought most of my gifts before Halloween. There were some fantastic deals out there early this year and I took advantage of them. Later in the season, I just couldn't find all those great deals that the media was talking about, so I'm glad I started my shopping when I saw great deals.

The only gift that I procrastinated on was the letterman sweater that I'm making for my niece. My mom has her party this afternoon. My niece is supposed to receive this sweater, but I did the all time big mistake of not buying enough yarn for the project. Last night at 10:30, I looked at my dear, sweet husband and said, "I know I bought enough yarn for this project, but I'm running out and I only have 10 more rows to do."

Hubby watched me put my boots, coat and gloves on and said, "I'm taking you to the store, I don't want you getting mugged!" Okay, sweetie, I appreciate it. We dashed off to Walmart to discover that they were out of that particular color yarn. Uh, oh! What to do?

On the ride home, hubby suggest, I shorten the sleeves. If I just shortened them 5 or 6 rows per sleeve, it might not be noticeable. Hmmm, not sure! Then I thought.....well, it's a white and burgandy colored sweater and I have tons of white yarn. So, I've opted to tear out the lower portion of each sleeve and add a white strip in place of some of the burgandy, which is the color I ran out of. I think it'll work.

Problem is that I have until 1:00 pm today to finish it! Okay, off to my knitting machine and frantically work my way through this.

I was hoping to get an elegant, well-lit, well-laid out picture of this sweater, but it will probably most likely be a dark, frantic shot of my niece after she opens it.....that is if I get it finished!

Crocheted Dishclothes

Here are two crocheted dishclothes that I've recently finished. I made them from all cotton variegated yarn. The patterns are easy and fast. I made these on the way to Buffalo when we returned my son to college and it took us 5 hours to get there (normally it's just under 2 hours). So, I was busy and I think they came out nice.

They're soft and just the perfect size. I've already washed them and they still look good!

Crocheting Projects

GrammyGoo, here you go! Here are a few of my crocheting projects. Unfortunately, I think they look much nicer in person, but here they are.

This first one I did with a sport yarn (which is basically a baby yarn) and it became a bit larger than I thought I would like it, but it still looks nice. I have decided that I may thread a gathered ribbon through the waistline to kind of camouflage the long length. If I do, I'll post pics of that once it's done. I thought if it didn't look good, no big deal, I'll just remove the gathered ribbon and keep it the way it is now.

This second one, I did in a regular acrylic yarn. It is a bit shorter, but a bit heavier. I like to wear it with capris or shorts.
There you have it. Two projects that felt like they took forever to make, but I do enjoy wearing them.

The pattern is very easy and moves along pretty quickly, I just don't always have the time to crochet. I find that when I usually pick it up in the evening, I end of falling asleep mid-stitch.

What do you think?