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New Crochet Throw

This new crochet throw has had a rough start. I frogged it several times right at the start. I tried two different greens before I settled on this one. This is new throw is a beautiful deep mossy green. It will be a beautiful throw when I get finished with the border. It will be a perfect size for a lap blanket.New Crochet throw

I have struggled to find time to crochet this week. The only time I have found to work on this new crochet throw was at night and it was difficult to match colors then.  It has been several years since I have made a throw sized blanket. Here are the last two I made. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/chocolatedogyarns/granny-square-53

 http://www.ravelry.com/projects/chocolatedogyarns/granny-square-53-4

I have been out and about this week. I got to spend some good time with my Mom. We had a great visit. We spent time laughing and remembering my Dad. He was a good man and a great father.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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New crochet blanket

Crocheting blankets have filled my mind lately.  I found these beautiful yarns at the store and just had to put them into a new crochet blanket. Aren’t they beautiful?

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I can ‘t decide what blanket pattern to use for them. It will be stripey, I think.

I love this one by Black Sheep Wools.  It is simply a gorgeous granny stripe blanket!

It would also look beautiful as a granny square blanket made up of solid squares like this one.

I love this blanket from Littletinbird. It makes me so happy!

I love this pattern by Laurence Meriat. It is found on Ravelry. There are incredible options for crochet blankets and I can spend hours exploring each one.

 

talk to you later,.

Karen

 

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True Confessions

True confessions: It appears that I have started so many new things that I am totally overwhelmed. The new school year has called for a complete change in routine. I seem to be the spending a  large amount of time waiting. I tend to take small projects with me until they get too big to travel well. I started several projects last week. When we were cleaning up the house this past weekend, I noticed that I have these 4 bags, just from last week!

So these are my works in progress or WIPS. You could also call them PIGS (projects in grocery bags!) Here are some up close photos of the actual projects started.

 

I am not sure what I think about three of these. The granny square, star stitch and the baby bonnet. So, I am letting them rest while I think it over and see what I think. I really don’t like the Granny square so I will probably unravel all the limey green  and start over. I’m not sure I like the grey blanket. I started the star stitch to learn a new stitch and I’m afraid that it isn’t comfortable to crochet as I have to keep counting.

This doesn’t even include the scrap blanket that is too big to travel.

True Confessions

The weather is supposed to cool off at the end of the week. Hopefully, I will find time to work on/under this blanket on the weekend. What are you working on? Do you start more than one project at a time?

Karen

Update:

I never finished the baby bonnets. They were too fussy for me and I don’t have a baby to model them for me.  They are still in the bag and it is over 2 years since I wrote this. Wow, usually I am really good at finishing what I start. I did finish the baby blanket with lavender and green. It is beautiful and sold super quick.

The scrap blanket is finished and sold! Here is the reveal post for it.

 

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Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

I am finished with this Granny Square blanket. I am so excited. It has been a fun, quick blanket. This blanket started like this, just a mix up of various granny squares of all different sizes. It is also a scrap blanket as it used up various little balls of yarn that I had in my yarn bowl. I had many different squares left over from different crochet blankets and I added to them to get a more uniform size for the granny square blanket. The crocheting went fairly quickly as these squares are larger than I normally crochet.Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

I love the bright yellow that is added to each square.

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

I used white to join each square and to give the squares a little definition.

Now here is the final unveiling!

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

Look at all the beautiful red, white and yellow. The squares are so cheerful. This granny square blanket was such fun to crochet.

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

I started the border and then ripped it all out and restarted the border. I love the new border

Ta dah! Granny Square Blanket

The border is a lightly ruffled picot edging! I am so excited to get to show it to you. You can find this blanket on etsy here.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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The New To Do List!

Here is my to do list. I’m back from vacation and we are in our Autumn back to school schedule. So, to be organized here is my to do list for the week. This is the shop to do list, not my personal to do list. I have also been running through my pinterest business pins and working on my blog.

  • Works in Progress 2014-08-24 20.47.21-2

This blanket.

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and this one

 

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and this one.

  • I have about ten coffee press cozies cut out
  • I have 25 felt Christmas Stockings to cut and sew for a cousin.
  • A wide variety of baby hats, blankets and a couple of new items.

So life is busy and I need to get to work!

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Bright Flower Afghan

I spent the better part of 3 weeks designing the flower blocks and creating this crochet blanket from them. The blocks are a little intensive and require a tiny bit of advanced crochet skills. I have been waiting to show the blanket to you. It is gorgeous! The flower squares are great for using up small bits of yarn. So it is perfect for using up your stash yarns.

Bright Flower Afghan Bright Flower Afghan Bright Flower Afghan Bright Flower Afghan

I had some extra flower squares so I created this pillow cover as well. It matches and the black color is really super dark navy.

The back of the pillow with the lovely bright buttons that keep it closed.Bright Flower Afghan Bright Flower Afghan Bright Flower AfghanHere it is inside on our black couch. The colors still look bright and beautiful inside. I really enjoyed creating this granny square and I hope to have the directions available soon.  The blanket and pillow will both be available for purchase in the Studio. The blanket is 40 x 50″.

Talk to you later,

Karen

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Copper and Cream blanket

Ta dah! I am so glad to be able to show this beautiful crochet blanket to you. It is a lovely copper and cream combination. This time of year when the weather is so hot I always think of the cooler weather of Fall. I can’t wait for the back to school sales and the beautiful new Autumn colors.

The pattern is my own design. The blanket was approved by all the men in my house from my husband to the boys (24 and 19 years old). The deemed it properly masculine, properly soft and just perfect. I wasn’t sure I was going to get it away from them to be able to list it in the Studio shop. Copper and Cream blanket

Even the border was guy approved. Just the right finish to the edging. I left off the picot scallops that were to top the border. It just didn’t seem to need it.Copper and Cream blanket

This blanket is longer than I usually make. Copper and Cream blanketAnyway, it is finished and I hope to put the pattern in the shop as well. It was one of those lovely “let’s see what happens if I do this” paths and it turned out quite nice. You can find the blanket in the studio shop here!

See you later,

Karen

 

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Ridged Baby Ripple

I finished the ridged baby ripple quite some time ago. I hated to show it off until I had written the pattern. Here it is: a wonderful soft cottony baby blanket.

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The blanket is 18″ x 24″. A perfect size to cover baby in their carseat.

Ridged Baby Ripple Ridged Baby RippleYou can find the pattern on etsy, craftsy and the blanket for sale on Etsy as well.

What are you working on and how are you doing this week?

See you later,

Karen

 

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The New Square

I have been really lacking in creativity in my crochet lately. I have done tons of sewing and I have enjoyed it but I have been spending time with family and not much time with the hook in the evenings. I haven’t been pleased with the projects I have been doing and that seems to breed procrastination and lots of thinking. What I was working on wasn’t pretty or bright or even colorful. It did have plenty of colors in it but I think the background color wasn’t/isn’t working. So, I am not even going to show it to you until I improve it with a new background color. I did get a crochet hook out and start some long stringy things but they also lacked life.So, those also fell by the wayside. This did start this weekend and I am pretty driven to complete it. I am happy and at peace by this one little square. Now to figure out what I did and how to make tons of multiples. Yes it is a granny square, and it makes me very happy. 2014-06-21 10.47.56 I am off to crochet a bunch more. See you later, Karen

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Neon Crochet Afghan Pattern

I just broke through a pattern writing slump and finished up the pattern for the Neon Crochet Afghan blanket. I first showed this blanket to you in February.

Neon Crochet Afghan Pattern Neon Crochet Afghan Pattern Neon Crochet Afghan Pattern Neon Crochet Afghan Pattern The black was rather difficult to photograph at different parts so I did those parts (for the pattern) in the pink and orange yarn instead. I hope it turns out well. I have it listed on Etsy and Craftsy if you are interested. This is another beginner level pattern, half double crochet and double crochet are the only stitches used. You do need to be comfortable in changing colors and counting stitches. The blanket is  45″ x 60″.

See you later,

Karen