June Projects

It has been a busy hooking week. Busy finishing projects and adding new and unexpected ones.

I recently have finished a little lamb I'm giving to my sister-in-law Toni for her newest baby coming in September. He turned out cute for coming from an "old" amigurumi pattern.

 The next project was a spur of the moment project that my husband asked me to do for his co-worker. It's just another sweet dog from Ami Ami Dogs book I reviewed. My husband said, and it is true that he is the smallest dog ever produced from that book. But he still thought it was super cute. I hope the future mother and father will like it too!

I also finished those pillows that have needed for our basement living space. Once I sat down to finish them it was a quick stitch. It also has been quick stitching around them to get them around the pillow forms.

The pattern was called "Unholy Granny Square" that I found on Raverly. Very easy to follow and it produced great pillows! I highly recommend it, if you are looking for a quick pillow to crochet.

I made these dishcloths just to pass some time. But there are several birthdays this month so I'm not too worried about giving them away. They turned out pretty good, even though they came off the Sugar n' Cream label.

I do not recommend going off the label all the time. I've had lots of bad luck with label crochet patterns. This label pattern happened to turn out just great.

If you are looking for patterns I suggest you find a good pattern book. If you don't like buying a whole bunch of books I recommend you sign up for Raverly which is fun to look at their patterns and find suggestions for other good patterns out there.

Writing Room

My writing room is on its way!!! It's walls are covered in my chosen paint colors and it's ready to be carpeted.

I knew that post would encourage me. The power of writing! I probably should quickly touch up a few places, otherwise I'm afraid it will never happen.

But I should be off to the carpet store here in the next week or so. Choosing carpet and getting them to lay it. It's exciting!

The Simple Things

I have no idea why, but making simple meals and desserts have not been my forte. I have wanted and usually make something less simple, calling for those 'hard to find' ingredients.

So I'll make the farro salad (having know idea what farro looks like) instead of either purchasing a salad or mixing up a simple one, like tossed salad (carrots, lettuce, cheese and croutons?).

OK bad example, because I frequently purchase salads ready to be mixed. How about this....I'll use a Rachael Ray recipe (which usually has those hard to find ingredients) instead of that simple family recipe.

I think its the thrill of a challenge. That's why I'll use a different recipe never used before instead of going with the 'popular' over used recipe.

I didn't go that way this time. We are headed to my in-laws for the 4th. My mother-in-law just wanted cookies or bars. I already had in mind to make a tart that I had never made before. Then I thought Scotcharoos sounded good. It's a simple recipe. And its a bar. It is a BIG favorite, at least in my family.

So tart out...even though I'm planning on making it. For this Friday, pending it goes as planned.

All in all I hope my Scotcharoos turned out alright because I've never made them before. Hopefully simple thing wins...and I won't have regretted not making that tart for the 4th.

Ideas on How to Use Scraps

Of late, I have been obsessing over getting projects out of my way, all in pursuit of doing new ones of course. In my obsession, I have finished that wonderful scrap blanket mentioned in my January 29 post.

It looks pretty good and despite my husband's first reluctance about it, he has grown to enjoy all the colors that fit together and not quite fit together. I had hoped it would finish off a lot of my yarn....it did and didn't.

 So with THAT left over yarn I produced this rug...which is nice, but I think I might donate it to my family's cabin. It is more rustic looking then I imagined. But I guess that is what you get.

The rug was a great scrap user, because at the end of making the scrap blanket, I had long pieces of yarn that could be used for something but would not fit in the hexagonal motif of the blanket. They fit seamlessly into the rug.

Well, as I am writing this post, I am meandering through my old pictures, remembering what all has taken "scraps." Cause what does one do with all that yarn that is left over from say a lovely gray blanket? Or from that cute stuffed bear that you made?

Crochet Today! has made a great effort in showing examples of what to do.Both the scrap blanket and the rug came from two different Crochet Today! magazines. But, a few of my other projects were easy scrap users.

Remember those cute bunnies I made for babies that were coming soon? All of the yarn used in those rabbits were from my stash, essentially the yarn I didn't know what else to do with. The other amigurumi that I made with "scraps" are the lions I made for my cousin's baby.

Hmmm one other thing that used my "scraps" are the flannel receiving blankets. I don't recall ever purchasing any MORE yarn to trim the edges of the blankets.

So, to recap all the great "scrap" users: rug, hexagonal blanket, amigurumi and trimmed receiving blankets.

I'm sure there are more "scrap" users that I am not aware of. But don't be afraid to use those yarns you're not sure what to do with. They can produce great projects.

An Even Bigger Mess

When faced with a challenge the first thing one must admit is what you have done wrong. I am here to admit, my house IS a MESS.

I hope with this post, I will be highly motivated to finish projects around the house, namely my upstairs 'writing room' so that we can move on with the whole upstairs project. That is getting carpet, doors, and baseboards.

THEN I think I can think about and DO the organizing that needs to happen. Unfortunately at this point I have sadly become so used to looking at THE mess that I just ignore it. Which kinda makes me sad.

I don't know if anyone else can relate to living in a house project, but it's tough. I feel like I have just moved into this house and we have been here at least three years....whoa, that's a lot of time.

Are those paintbrushes?

But in all that time, we have  made headway on the upstairs. There is still the main floor that needs sanding and staining/clear coat. And the roof. I don't even want to think about the roof. But it needs done none the less.

Here's to cleaning up! Hope this post wasn't too boring. But I'm sure someone, somewhere can relate. And it might help you as it will help me to get those jobs done.

P.S. A happily blank slate!!!!(The post was the motivation I needed)

Ami Ami Dogs:Review

It is time for a review! Ami Ami Dogs is the book I used to create the puppies from my May 14 post.

I admit I was a little reluctant to get this book. When I paged through it, I loved the pictures immediately, but the patterns looked difficult when I  paged through it. But I was surprised.

The book was written by Mitsuki Hoshi, she has staged the dogs in a playful manner. It is an immediate selling point in my mind.

The patterns have an distinctive point by point direction. Which is easy to follow and understand. Patterns are harder to understand the more words are used in them. But Mitsuki Hoshi's  minimalist approach to the pattern makes them easy to comprehend and follow.

It is also easy to adjust the hook size and yarn size to create bigger or smaller dogs to your liking. Though I have not used a book with such detailed diagrams, it was fast to learn the pattern and to continue throughout the pattern.

If there is a dog you want to make, it seems you can adjust the patterns as well. I adjusted the spaniel pattern in the book to make a Springer Spaniel instead of the one mentioned in the book.

I am sure if you purchase Ami Ami Dogs in your local yarn shop or bookstore you will not be disappointed.

Recently I gave my husky away to a loving home!! He was graciously received by my nephew. He immediately hugged and played with it. It was a joy to see! That is always my ultimate goal when stitching up such cute things as amigurumi.

Beginning of Summer Sprouts

Another month lost. Ah well, it wasn't completely lost as I was deterrmined to finish my lovely gray/gray blanket. It looks fabulous! I've had many complements on it already. I look forward to  giving it away and seeing the reaction.

Also here are some bonnets and booties I've worked on as well. Twins are in the mix in my family and they had to be ushered in with some cute things to wear! I hope I will be able to see them in these bonnets and booties. Remember those cute little dogs from the last post? Well the Schnauzer and Springer Spaniel are in their new home. My sister-in-law and my brother loved them (they are the one's having twins)!

Our other flowers, our roses in particular are looking beautiful and more blooms on the way! Besides those, our lilies are blooming as well. They didn't look as if they were going to but nevertheless they have fun their way to the surface and look splendid.

  

The seedlings I talked about a couple of posts ago, have been planted and are sprouting. I hope flowers will eventually come.

All in all a relaxing start to summer. I hope it will continue to be a great summer, full of opportunity and joy!