Squared Afghan

Pattern: Squared Afghan

Source: Free in-store pattern from Lion Brand Yarn

Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool

Hook: H

This was a gift that I made for my friends' wedding last weekend. I absolutely love how it turned out... I love the colors and the squares and the pattern, and how the crochet stitch looks. It was quite simple to make and I got quite a bit faster at crocheting by doing this project. Crocheting goes so much faster than knitting does! Instead of sewing the squares together, I crocheted them together. If I ever make something like this again, I will use crochet to attach the squares to one another. I hate sewing, so I like the crocheting better, and I think it looks much nicer. It turned out a bit smaller than I had hoped, but it will make a nice lap blanket. I ran out of yarn and time...

This was a really good stash busting project - I had the yarn in my stash for about a year and I used it ALL UP. Every last bit! I have made a resolution to only use yarn from my stash from now until I move... My stash is getting a little out of control, and also, I don't want to have to move yarn across the country. I'd rather move sweaters and hats and scarves :)

As for my current projects, I just finished a scarf. It is blocking as I write & I will post about it when it dries, which may be a while. I am also working on my first pair of toe-up socks... Love em! Toe up is the way to go, for sure. Its so much easier than top down.

And then next on the agenda is a baby sweater from my friend who is expecting in February. AND THEN, I can get to the knit-along sweater.... have you guys started yet? One of us should buy the pattern soon. I am thinking about using a brownish tweed yarn, do you think that will look okay for the sweater? Its what I have... and I can't buy any new yarn, you know?

Keepin Folks' Heads Warm Since December '07

The first hat was supposed to be for my friend Dave but it turned out a little tight, so I'm going to give it to my friend Joelle for Christmas. The second one is my second attempt, and it's for Dave. Both original patterns, and my first time with cables, so I'm pretty dang satisfied! The yarn is Lion Brand Jiffy. A hat like that for $2.71? Not bad!!






Also a sweater update... I am soooo close. But with a calc final Friday, I probably won't finish until the weekend. Also notice the sweater is displayed on none other than.... my beloved blanket that I FINALLY got returned to me last weekend, with a nasty note, after three months of trying to get it back, after giving it to Brian the DAY he stopped talking to me/answering calls/ and went back to his exgirlfriend who he now lives with after moving to Chicago and moving back again three weeks later, (that's the short story, Jaime, if you haven't heard). Oy. It's super warm and cozy though. I'm so glad I got it back; isn't it beautiful?


Anyway, with the sweater, do you know if I block it if it will keep the bottom and the neckline from curling? If so, do i necessarily have to pin it down to something or can i just shape it and hope it stays? I don't have an ironing board.

Last Week of Summer

I finished the blanket! It looks really good. Its really warm because I used some wool yarn, and it has a really nice texture from the wool vs. acrylic yarn, too. Plus it's really big. I think it turned out really well. I gave it to Brian last night and he was pretty excited about it, too.


Plus, I got to see my sister last weekend!!

Oh, and I got my hair cut again. It looks a lot better, much less soccer-mom. It's basically just a lot shorter in the back and not so froofy. I'll put a photo up when I get one.

Blanket Update

Yay for spending hours and hours of every day working on this blanket instead of studying for the GRE.... It's coming along well. I'm almost done with the squares, about halfway done sewing them all together, and I got some rust colored yarn to use for the border.

Have fun in Chicago... The only thing I can suggest is if you see a little man running around the streets with an ice cream cart selling little popsicles, BUY ONE, they're delicious like nothing you've ever tasted. I'd suggest mango. They are made with real fruit and milk and delicious.

Your photos are amazing. I am so sick of being cooped up in this city. Heat and Pavement do not do well together.
So finishing the skirt made me motivated and I felt the need to do some more knitting. But being dirt poor I have to make do with what I've already got, which is of course a vast assortment of yarns in all colors, sizes, textures, etc. Yay. What to make? Well Brian's birthday is September 3rd, and I wanted to knit him something, but I have to do with the yarn I've got. So I decided to go with a patchwork blanket. So far it's looking really good and I'm pretty excited about it. I am using the loose color scheme of browns, golds, blues, and greens since these are most common in my yarn collection. I'm just sewing the patches together with orange yarn, and then I think I'm going to put a 2 or 3 inch border around the outside in a color undetermined as of yet (ideas?). For just having worked on it one weekend, I feel very accomplished so far. But I haven't woven all the ends of the patches in yet, which will be loads of fun at the end....

Have you guys read any Barbara Kingsolver? Probably have at least heard of Poisonwood Bible? Well if you have time to check out her two books of essays, High Tide In Tuscon, or Small Wonder, you should. They are amazing.


Oh, and I chopped all my hair off. Check it out.