Posted on February 3, 2014 by admin

Today: Feb. 3, 2014

Today has certainly been very odd. Hubs was home for part of the day and then left for work halfway through the day. So it has felt off balance all day. We were out of bread, so lunch was a rather yummy potato soup made from hash browns, left over ham bone broth, ham pieces and home made biscuits.

Anyway all of this to say that I got a huge long three hour nap in the middle of the day. I got my next crochet blanket figured out down to the number of squares per color! We now have homemade bread and I have no idea what we are eating for dinner! Woohoo, it seems I am on a roll! Well, not really, but the blanket though is a beauty and seems to just roll of the crochet hooks. The colors are incredible. I am not going to give any sneak peaks this time until it is finished all 248 little 4″ squares! I think it would give it all away.

I have been working on a new pattern for fingerless gloves and after three pairs I am about ready to kick that into production. The pattern is simple and there is no sewing involved.

It is a version somewhere between the red ones above and the grey ones below!

So that is what I have been working on. OH, the sewing machine part came in and I have been working away on #10 The quilt. I hope to be finished with it soon as well. I feel a bit like Einstein to be able to diagnose and order the correct part for my machine!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 26, 2014 by admin

Grey and Red Granny Circles Blanket Finished!

I feel like I have been working on this blanket forever, but I haven’t.

You first saw it at this point.

Then there was this point.

It was about the straw that broke the camel’s back. It felt SO small, and it was the trouble was that it was already 10 x 10 squares. It need to get bigger…so it did.

Here are the “WOW, I can’t believe it is finished photos It is Â 12 Â x Â 16 Â squares and measures 41 Â x Â 53 inches.

It is now listed for sale in the Etsy shop.Â https://www.etsy.com/listing/177178442/crochet-blanket-granny-square-afghan

I hope to list the pattern soon as well.

Thank you for stopping by!

This is #7 for me in the Use Your Stash for 100 projects!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 24, 2014 by admin

Week One of 100 Items in 100 days Challenge!

I have been working on my different 100 item projects and I think I am doing ok so far. I am worried that I will run out of ideas…not supplies… but ideas! I still have a ton of supplies but it feels good to take the before photos and after photos of different Â little projects and see how much is actually being used.Here are some of them so far.

They looks so…so… FINISHED! Hooray! Stash used and finished up!

So I think that I am doing ok. I am finishing up little projects and bigger ones.

How are you doing? Are you getting a bunch done on cleaning out your supplies. Â My sewing machine isn’t happy so I really haven’t been sewing much but I do have high hopes for my fabric stash.

Talk to you later,

Karen

If you are wondering what I am talking about here is the link to the original post!

http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/01/17/1-thing-for-100-days-challenge/

Posted on January 21, 2014 by admin

My Un-Word

My Un-word this year is Procrastinating.

I am working hard at not procrastinating. That is the reason for the 100 items in 100 days. The reason I am working hard at being in the moment. The reason I am teaching myself to not procrastinate. Everyday I ask myself. Is _____________something you are procrastinating? You CAN do this and I break the steps down into little baby steps. I am documenting each and every baby step I take so I can see progress and to keep myself motivated.

If you want to know more about the Un-Word you can read this blog by The Nester here:Â http://www.thenester.com/2014/01/un-word-of-the-year.html

Talk to you later,

Karen

p.s. I am not procrastinating on the blanket that you see above. It is now 11 x 14 squares and well on its way!

Posted on January 21, 2014 by admin

Use Your Stash #4 and #5

WoooHoo!

people are joining in!

Lou fromÂ http://louslabors.wordpress.com/ has decided to join in. She changed the rules to fit her goals!

I grew up with this saying being repeated over and over during my childhood.

â€œUse it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.â€Â

It has had a huge impact on me as an adult. I do feel that it is wasteful to have so many crafting supplies and then to not use them. I find myself running out to buy a little bit of this or a little bit of that and I wondered if I could actually create 100 items over 100+ days without going to the store. So I started this challenge to use up my supplies. You can find Â the original blog post here.Â http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/01/17/1-thing-for-100-days-challenge/

I have finished #4 and #5

#4Â oatmeal colored scarf with brown edges

I completely used the oatmeal colored yarn. I almost finished the brown heather yarn. They were two complete skeins at the beginning.

#5 Shortened and Hemmed curtains for daughter’s bedroom.

Sorry about the awful photo. The curtains look great and don’t drag on the floor.

How are you doing? What number are you working on?

Talk to you later,

Karen

My blog posts are running about a day behind what I am actually finishing up!

people

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

1 thing for 100 Days Challenge

I did some serious thinking about the 1 thing for 100 days. I like to challenge myself in different ways. I am already doing the New Year’s resolution thing with exercise, house cleaning and devotional/reading time. I really didn’t want to repeat those things again. So this is my challenge and you are welcome to join me.

Here it is!

I will try to make 1 thing in 100 days using only the supplies I have on hand. I will not buy any more supplies except for thread, buttons and elastic. I am going to try to use a variety of supplies and techniques to make my 100 things. I have a 100 + item board on Pinterest if you want to see some of the inspirations for my projects.Â http://www.pinterest.com/chocodog/100-%2Bideas-for-using-up-my-supplies/

I have fabric, yarn, paint, batting, canvas, etc… I hope to make some things for our house that I have been putting off as well as come up with some new ideas for the ChocolateDogStudio shop. Â I am not going to simply make 100 cup cozies or Granny Squares. I could do that in three days.

Some of the projects that are half done will count as well as ideas that have been percolating for some time. I DO have yarn that I ordered last week and fabric that I bought before Christmas. So some of the supplies are new and some are very old. I have a bunch of vintage cottons that are screaming out to be place mats, quilts, houses or bunnies!

These adorable mice are from mmmCrafts. Â http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/wee-mouse-tin-house-pattern-available.html

I do have tins! Do, I ever have tins!

Ticker tape quilts! Yes, I have batting and backing! IÂ have a ridiculous amount of crafting supplies, sewing supplies, art supplies, recycled materials, kids craft materials, etc. If you need something just ask. It is overwhelming to think about, dig through, sort, manage, keep organized and find what I need I have so much stuff. I do have two sets of purse handles, modge podge, bracelet blanks, animal fleece, wool suiting and several very nice larger pieces of fabric. It will be a challenge but I am more than ready. I have felt for some time that “Hoarders” could come and make a movie about the amount of craft things I have.

Here are the rules:

I must make 100 items out of the items I already own before I can buy any more fabric, or yarn.
I will take photos of the supplies while I am making the items and post to this blog. My last purchase of sewing/craft related items was last week and is yarn for a specific blanket idea.
Crocheting granny squares, circles or anything like that doesn’t count.
A completed blanket will count, a crochet flower with a pin back will count. It must be a finished item, no partial projects will count.
Plain cup sleeves don’t count, patchwork ones do! So, creativity has to be involved.
A unfinished project that I completely finish does count as I will still be getting rid of supplies
Sewing for the house, hemming curtains and recovering chairs count as long as I do not buy any supplies.
Doing clothing repairs and hems also count as they sit in my studio and take up room.
If it doesn’t work out, I will still post my fails. It is going to be a lot of stretching creatively and my sewing will cover a bunch of new ground. So I will probably fail at some things. That is ok, everyone fails from time to time.

Join in with me and post your item links in the comments. I will post your items on my blog as well. Worst case scenario we will 100 prototype items and the Best case scenario is that we will have found new uses and homes for hundreds of craft supplies that were laying around.

I haven’t been so excited in ages. This is going to be so hard and so much fun at the same time. I am also getting ready to start another challenge. It is a granny square challenge. I will share more about it later.

See you,

Karen

****Note****************************************************************************************After I posted this I started a Pinterest board for all of our wonderful projects that we are going to finish! Â Reach me via my Etsy shop if you want to be added to the Pinterest page. I will need the e-mail you used to sign up for Pinterest with. I reserve the right to remove you from the board if anything above a PG level is posted. I will never, never use your e-mail for anything else, EVER. I will personally start posting on Saturday Jan. 13, 2014!

*************************************************************************************************

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

The Modern Ripple

This Modern Ripple has been a challenge. It started as Â remake of a popular style blanket and then took on a life of its own. The ripple stripes were so much fun to create and the striping pattern so unexpected. I love it’s unexpected stripes. The colors were also a bit off the beaten track of what I normally create with. Originally, I crocheted a good third of it and then (frogged) took it apart it back to the first 10 rows and started over with different color combinations. Here it is!

The lovely fold over binding that kept me from having to weave in all those yarn ends and keeps it nice and neat.

It is 50″ x 60″ long measured from a peak on one end to a valley on the other. The stripes go side to side. Â It ends and begins with a deep dark navy that looks almost black. This blanket is for sale in the shop, ready to take ship. I am also creating the pattern and it will be available via Craftsy, Zibbet and Etsy. This is an easy pattern to crochet, there are just so many color changes that you need to be comfortable changing colors and weaving in ends.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 16, 2014 by admin

Way back when…

I made these both in the 70s when I was a girl.Just a glimpse into the past. The granny square blanket I made for my Mom and the stripe I made for my Dad for Christmas. The stripe was my first original pattern and I did pretty good for a young teenager. I am trying to come up with some new patterns for the shop this week and it is a struggle.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 15, 2014 by admin

Yarn-aholic

There are different kinds of Â people out there.Â There are the knitters, non-knitters, knitter and crocheters, loom knitters, and non-crocheters. The kind of people I am going to talk about today are the different kinds of yarn people out there.

There are the Yarn Elite, Yarn Fanatic, Yarn Specific, Yarn Thrifters and the Just Give Me SomeYarn folks.

You know the Yarn Elite. They shop at the little specialty shops in your area called Ewe Need It, The Knit Shoppe, Happy Needles (not to be confused with people on the corner selling drugs) and the Hooker’s Happy Nook (also not to be confused with other people on the corner.) Yarn from these shops often comes in it’s own little plastic or paper sack. It will have the name printed on the outside and a business card on the inside. IF the Yarn Elite has been a card carrying member for very long then they SPIN their own yarn and buy fleece and roving, which is a completely different ball game.

The Yarn Fanatic, often confused with and can be seen leaving the same shops as the Yarn Elite. There is a huge difference between the two. While the Yarn Elite shops the specialty shop the Yarn Fanatic shops the specialty shops and online. Their mail carrier can tell you that they are in fact a Yarn Fanatic. Â They receive regular installments of large plastic shipping bags or boxes of yarn from completely different continents. They are known to even deconstruct sweaters to be able to use the yarn in a different project.

The Yarn Specific knitter or crocheter only works with a specific brand of yarn. They may in fact only work with Elite yarns or Yarn Fanatic yarns, or super big skeins from the neighborhood department store, or just simply a particular fiber such as wool. People that are Yarn Specific can tell you exactly why their yarn is SO much better than other yarns. In fact they might also be a Yarn Elitist or Yarn Fanatic.

Yarn Thrifters are also a great group of knitters to get to know. IF you ever need to make a granny square scrap blanket, or the sock yarn Â blanketÂ http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sock-yarn-blanket, they are the people to know. They will have saved every single piece of yarn from every project they have ever made. They will in fact have saved every piece of yarn too short to save and have it squirreled away in case of the world wide yarn shortage. They will also buy every ball of yarn they ever come across that is on sale, in a yard or garage sale, or in a thrift shop. They may hate the color but they have it ….just in case and it is after all a really good value.

You must not confuse the Yarn Thrifter with the Just Give me Some Yarn people. The Just Give Me Some Yarn will shop anywhere at any time. The prime difference being that they will actually finish their projects and actually be needing some more. They often start scrap yarn projects in an effort to use up their current stash. They often run out of yarn five inches or 10 squares from being completed, and they will not have enough yarn to finish the scrap project. So they will often HAVE to BUY more. You can find them roaming their house in search of yarn, “Just give me some Yarn!” they say. They may in fact post about needing specific yarns on the internet. They will spend their time scouring the internet for that particular yarn on E-bay, Amazon, Etsy and Ravelry.

There you go the four different types of yarn a holics! Which am I most certainly the last one and probably also Yarn Specific at this point in time. I have also been the Yarn Thrifter. I would love to be the Yarn Elitist but due to budget constraints will probably never make it there for very long. Which are you?

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 9, 2014 by admin

Crochet Project Life Cycles

This is meant to be funny but often times hits closer to home than I intended it to. I hope you can enjoy the spirit in which it is meant.

The life cycle of a large crochet project.

Personal experience tells me that there are at least 5 distinct phases of a project. There is the Â dream phase, the beginning phase, the please let me finish this phase or Mount Everest, the I can’t wait to finish this or the downhill phase/ dreaming of a new project, and finally the I can’t believe that it is finished phase and I can’t wait to start the new project.

The dream phase is incredible fun. I tend to surf the internet looking for patterns, styles, colors or just plain inspiration. I will pull out all of my yarns and make a huge mess while I play with it. I have been known to start and stop, frogging the trial swatch several times before I hit on the perfect project. Pinterest is huge fun at this point. Dreaming about all of the projects, colors, styles and incredible possibilities. Â I am full of enthusiasm, excitement, and a bit obsessive.

The dream phase has enough enthusiasm and excitement to carry me through the beginning phases of a project. I am thrilled and happy. I am brilliant person for picking that particular color combination or pattern. How wonderful it is to be working on this project. Look the colors just sing! This Â phase is accompanied by Â stretching out the blanket and showing how beautiful all the colors are and much required admiring remarks from the family. This all sounds like bliss, until we hit the dreaded middle of the project or Mount Everest.

Mount Everest is the middle of the project where you aren’t quite half way. I have committed a fortune to the supplies for this monster. Yes, monster of a project and I am just not- Going- To – Quit. This is often muttered under your breath while your family sits on the opposite side of the room and says things like “Would you like chocolate while you work on this? Would you like to watch a movie and eat chocolate? How about some chocolate? Yes, frequently chocolate does help, but the bigger the project the larger and longer this Mount Everest feels. Quite frequently this is also where a project can become a WIP (work in progress) or PIG (project in grocery bag) and quietly put aside. My final thoughts on a big project are “please,please, just let me finish this before I die.” Which is silly since I am not on the brink of death and I will finish this project. Great background music is Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia (the original production). Followed by the Ava Maria as you pass over the middle of the project and slide down the back half of the project.

The last half of the project or down hill from Mount Everest is filled with anticipation of the next project. My thought processes are filled with dreamy thoughts about how wonderfully the next project will go and how happy I will be to complete it. Â It will go so quickly and be so completely fabulous that I will finish it in no time…etc… Â I may even order the yarn or spend time flirting with the yarn stores on line by putting items in my shopping cart one day and removing them the next or even a week later. Finally, good sense will take hold and the $30 per skein specialty yarn will get evicted from the shopping cart and I will decide to work with what I have on hand already. My husband will give me the look by which he means… “You already have five laundry baskets of yarn downstairs and two upstairs and you mean to say that you can’t use what you already have?” All the while I crochet happily away thinking and saying to myself “I am SO DONE with this project. Why did I pick such a large size blanket? What was I thinking about making so many color changes and look at all the ends I am going to have to weave in at the end?” Â About 25 rows from the end I start estimating how many rows it will take to finish it and how many more nights I am going to spend crocheting. It looks like this.Â “Ohhhh, look I only have 15 rows left, surely I can get this done tonight. Surely I can just crochet faster and get it done by 9 tonight.”

My Husband finally looks over at me after ten and says… “Aren’t you going to sleep tonight”. Â So I grudgingly put it away and finally finish it up the next night.

The next night will show me doing a happy dance. As I show off the beautiful finished creation full of beauty and Â of course loose ends that aren’t completely woven in. So, I sit down for the next two or three nights weaving in the ends of the project as I struggle to really finish it off right! Enthusiasm for the next project might shorten this weaving in phase or it might eclipse it altogether as I head off in the blissful beginnings of a new crochet blanket, or the middle of Mount Everest. Which is exactly where I am right now on this project.

Happy and obsessed is the crocheter that never runs out of yarn, because there is always a little bit left over to crochet with!

talk to you later,

Karen

So sorry about the bad photo at the end but I am a bit obsessed with finishing this one. I have another project on my mind that I already have yarn for, and the yarn for the project after this one is on it’s way in the mail! :0)

â€œUse it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.â€Â

â€œUse it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.â€Â