Baby Granny Afghans

I am still busy cutting fabric, for 2 major projects. (pics coming later, my dining room is a

total disaster, with piles everywhere, and I really hate to have anyone see it like that. My

hands are starting to bother me a bit. Seems like I always worry about carpel when I knit or

crochet, but I never thought cutting fabric would hurt so much.

I found this cute and easy free pattern up on the Red Heart Web Site. HERE. While you

are up there make sure you sign in for one of their 75 years sweepstakes. It's a trip and a

basket of yarn.. Two of my very favorite things.

I have always complained about never winning anything, but not anymore. I was like the

BIGGEST winner over at Bev's. If you haven't visited Bev's then you really must give her

blog a visit. Her Tunisian, crochet and knitting are superb and you can count on her jokes

always cracking me up !! Back in June I won her give-away, a $25 gift certificate to shop

at FiberOptica, the most luscious yarn shop on Etsy. Beautiful hand painted colors. I chose

a skein of Hand Painted Sock Yarn - in Rockin' Rose, a gorgeous color. I wanted to do a

shawl, so I ordered a second skein just in case. You can never run out when it's something

special like hand painted yarn.

A Curious Affair With The Postman

I should have known something strange was up today when I heard our postman honking,

and honking his horn. Here in the country they only honk their horn if there is something

important like a certified letter that needs a signature. I wasn't about to shut down alarms

and such and walk down to the gate, just for some business crap of hubbies.

On our stretch of road our postman has to travel down to the end of our road and then has

to return back past our house to get to one of the main roads. Today, he stopped again on

his return trip and just sat their honking again.

I must admit I was getting a bit peeved, but I managed to get to the gate, just after he had

pulled off and was traveling back into the city. Now I was really ticked, when I looked down

and sort of hidden just inside the gate was a package. Hmm?

We get little pink package slips here in the country, of when to pick packages up, not actual

packages. How very curious?

It was a very plain brown package. Ah a big brown package from one very special young

lady. If you haven't met Miss Pammy Sue, then you should and you can find her, most days

here. Don't leave now! Not until I show you just what was inside this package. Even the

postman must have realized how very special it was.

When I opened it I found the most beautiful pillow you can imagine.. Thank you Pammy, you

are such a dear. It is absolutely perfect !!! I love it so very much. So soft... and the colors...

I had to throw the new bedspread on in the Master bedroom, just to see it in all it's glory!!

Perfect.... One special 'Pammy Pillow'. Ha Ha!! Now that you have seen her gorgeous

crochet work , you can go see lots more over at Scotty's Place.

Starburst Down, Hexagon to Go

Crocheting rounds to each center, then re-pinning to a different color yarn, actually made this project (well actually 2 projects) go pretty fast.

The layout was actually the hardest part for me, with 2 squares just alike, I had to be careful not to get them close together.  Having tons of safety pins left over from my quilting days, really helped. I pinned the longest strips first, and pinned a paper number to each row. Then because I don't have any short-term memory, I drew a map, and finally pictured the layout. 

The border on the starburst is more solid stitches. I wanted more of a frame, then a border. I am still sewing the hexagon afghan together.

I am still in the cutting phase of my sewing projects, so no pics just yet.

Gathering Yarn -- and a Bit of Sewing

Gathering Yarn --

I started out a while back by gathering one skein of each color in my stash, all that was

worsted weight. I came up with the following:

Caron® One Pound: Azure
Caron® One Pound: Cape Cod Blue
Caron® One Pound: Claret  -
Caron® One Pound: Country Rose
Caron® One Pound: Deep Violet
Caron® One Pound: Gold
Caron® One Pound: Lace
Caron® One Pound: Leaf Green
Caron® One Pound: Nutmeg
Caron® One Pound: Peach
Caron® One Pound:  Purple
Caron® One Pound: Rose


ILTY  050 Cranberry
ILTY  080 Royal
ILTY  090 Navy
ILTY 102 Soft Pink
ILTY 130 Dark Olive
ILTY 140 Mid Green
ILTY 150 Toasted Almond
ILTY 160 Brown
ILTY 170 Dark Raspberry
ILTY 180 Forest
ILTY 190 Light Gray
ILTY 200 Grey Mist
ILTY 230 Light Peach
ILTY 280 Periwinkle
ILTY 310 Peacock
ILTY 320 Sea Blue
ILTY 340 Buttercup
ILTY 350 Hot Rose
ILTY         Dark Teal
ILTY 789 Pistache
ILTY 290 Orchid

RHC 0338 Teddy Bear
RHC 0360 Wood Brown
RHC 0737 Pink

RHSS 0254 Pumpkin
RHSS 0256 Carrot
RHSS 0319 Cherry Red
RHSS 0320 Cornmeal
RHSS 0321 Gold
RHSS 0322 Pale Yellow
RHSS 0324 Brt Yellow
RHSS 0327 Light Coral
RHSS 0334 Buff
RHSS 0336 Warm Brown
RHSS 0341 Light Grey
RHSS 0356 Amethyst
RHSS 0358 Lavender
RHSS 0360 Cafe
RHSS 0366 Mint
RHSS 0368 Paddy Green
RHSS 0373 Petal Pink
RHSS 0374 Country Rose
RHSS 0375 Raspberry
RHSS 0376 Burgundy 
RHSS 0378 Claret
RHSS 0380 Windsor Blue
RHSS 0381 Lt Blue
RHSS 0382 Country Blue
RHSS 0385 Royal
RHSS 0387 Soft Navy
RHSS 0388 Teal
RHSS            Dark Teal
RHSS 0389 Hunter Green
RHSS 0390 Hot Red
RHSS 0400 Grey Heather
RHSS 0505 Aruba Sea
RHSS 0512 Turqua
RHSS 0530 Orchid
RHSS 0579 Pale Plum
RHSS 0624 Tea Leaf
RHSS 0633 Dark Sage
RHSS 0656 Real Teal
RHSS 0661 Frosty Green
RHSS 0668 Honeydew
RHSS 0672 Spring Green 
RHSS 0718 Shocking Pink 
RHSS 0722 Pretty ‘n Pink
RHSS 0724 Baby Pink 
RHSS 0774 Light Raspberry
RHSS 0814 Robin Blue
RHSS 0885 Delft Blue 
RHSS 0886 Blue

TLC          Taupe
TLC 2368 Dark Brown
TLC 2673 Medium Thyme 

Then I started out making 4 centers from each color yarn... 2 for a hexagon afghan and 2 for a starburst afghan, that I had seen over at Crochetville forum..

I then pinned 2 centers to each skein of yarn in it's box, making sure each skein had a set of centers pinned to it before, I started crocheting the first row.

I have a sewing project that I am working on right now so I have taken a break from crocheting and knitting. It's a charity, and even though I said I won't get involved with anymore internet charities..... well, this one is more of a hands on.... details tomorrow...

Crochet Diaper Cover & Hat for the Bearghan

Just using up the excess yarn from, the bearghan project... The diaper cover is an old pattern, but any diaper cover pattern will do.... check out Crochet Central if you need one.

I simply added the same bear face to the tush area.

Now the hat was one of those failed experiments. I had wanted it to look like the tail end of the bear. So when baby crawled,  Oh well you get it... Finally I gave up threw on some eyes, and we now have perhaps if you squint your eyes.... A Potato?

Oh well no looking back and on to other projects

The Crochet Bearghan

I made this cute baby's afghan last month, but sorry, just finally getting around to showing

you. Do you remember this pattern? It's been around forever. The first version I remember

seeing was done out of fleece, with crocheted parts.

This pattern is totally fun. Of course a few small changes were made along the way. I

made it rounder than the original, by using a half-granny square and sort of fitting it to the

beyond the edge. Changes were made the facial features, and head. Add as many rows to

each square to up the size of the entire afghan, so it will wrap around baby. A border goes

from ear to ear, changing colors as needed.

This is good old Red Heart Super Saver. I like using this yarn for charity items, because

you just know a baby's blanket is going to at some time of it's life get thrown into a washer

and dryer. This yarn may not be fancy, and is sort of looked down on..... but it sure does

hold up.....

You can find the patterns

Here :

Here:

Owl Hats for Little Ones

I Love these little owl hats that I have seen all over the internet... then I came across a freebie for the pattern from a very generous designer, wholewheat.   This pattern is for little ones, from 12 to 24 months. I used good old RHSS and an I hook.  I have one that I am hooking with an H hook, just to see the difference.


You can find the pattern here 

Market Bags for the Garden

These are a couple of Market Bags I did for my little brother and my nephew. They have a very sucessful garden on the top of a Mountain in Tennessee. He constantly sends me pictures of piles of vegetable goodies. I wish we had had time to put in some vegetables this year.
I used simple Red Heart Saver, figuring that these will probably only last a couple of seasons, but can also be washed in the washing machine. These should hold more produce then you would want to carry.
the pattern is here:

and the water bottle case is from The Elusive Loos blog. I made different handles and really lengthened them, since my little brother tops out at 6'5".
this favorite pattern is found here.

Try Comfort Crochet Make a Flowers Shawl

Try Comfort Crochet Make a Flowers Shawl

A dear blogger friend has gotten me hooked on crocheted shawls. I never thought I was a shawl person, but I find myself reaching for one quite often. Just a little something to throw around my shoulders, when I want to retire to my bed and sit back cushioned with tons of pillows, to quietly watch a Jane Austen movie. I love them all, all British Dramas. Perhaps I lived in another time, because I am always drawn back to the same movies over and over again.

This Flower Shawl from the Caron Website http://www.caron.com/projects/ss/ss17_flowers_shawl.html

has already left my possession. My daughter-in-law saw it and immediately fell in love with it. Off to Arkansas it went, perhaps to throw around her shoulders as she watches her favorite movies.

I made this from 5 skeins of #2715 Seashell Simply Soft. It was extremely easy and the fringe was fun to do.


If you love shawls or have never tried one, you must visit Pammy's Blog, Scotty's Place. Or if you just want a shawl and don't crochet, then visit her at her Etsy shop, where she may have a few of her gorgeous shawls for sale.

Playing Catch-Up Keeping with July??

Sorry I haven't been keeping up with my blog recently. I had a really bad case of Strep throat, and not being able to take any anti-biotics it just seemed to hang on forever.What little crocheting and knitting I did do was centered around the 4th of July. Below are some of the things I made.
The first afghan is Beth's Star Afghan, I added small star motifs to the points. You can find her pattern here.

Next was tons of gift bags for the 8th Annual Blow My Fort Up Contest. Some of these are just for the little neighborhood kids that don't actually participate with destroying each others Fort. The pattern takes less than a skein of Worsted Weight 4 ply. The water bottle are from a terrific pattern here at The Elusive Loos. I made long handles and short ones both, making the handle separetely and ones where I just kept going.

The Gift Bags are actually market bags from Krystal at Crochetville. The pattern is here.

The final afghan was trying to deal with Red Hearts stars and Stripes variegated. Everything I made looked terrible, so I kept starting projects then spending the rest of the evening tearing them out. I finally settled on an afghan pattern called Gentle Waves. Mixed with just the Hot Red and Blue it looked okay. You can't add white, because the variegated has more of a cream in it.
This afghan is found here:


or in pdf file here

Pink Worsted Seraphina Shawl

I needed something for the new grand baby's mother to curl up in when she breastfeeds during the night. She is always cold, so when we took up the rocking chair that everyone of our grandchildren has been rocked in, I realized she needed something for over her shoulders. I still need to block it before it gets sent off in the mail. I think I might try a pair of Luna's lovely slippers in pink to match.

3 Skeins of Hobby Lobby 4 Ply Worsted in #100 Pink

Size K Crochet Hook

Blossom-Beaded Scrunchie

I am getting ready to make up some little girls purses for charity, and wanted a few things to tuck into them, so I thought I would design up a few scrunchies. This is the first.

Blossom-Beaded Scrunchie

Size G Hook

4 ply Worsted Weight Acrylic ( Use Your Scraps with this one)

Goody Elastic Ouchless Band

String 12 Pony beads onto your yarn.

Attach your yarn to a Goody Elastic Ouchless Band.

Rnd 1: ch1, 24 sc in your elastic ring. join.

Rnd 2: ch 5, slide a bead up again your last ch, ch 5 more Skip sc, sl st into next sc. * (ch 5, slide a bead up again your last ch, ch 5 more Skip sc, sl st into next sc) rep from *.

Rnd 3: Sl st into the first skipped sc on Rnd 2. ( stay to the front of your bead petals). 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in same stitch. You are making a shell in the one sc. * (Sl st into the next skipped sc, make a shell ( 1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc in this sc.) Rep from * until you have 12 petals. Join to first sc.

Weave in ends. Now make another for your favorite charity.

Mock Croc & Peek-a-boo Baby Sandals

Mock Croc Baby Sandals Pattern
These turned out so cute. I had just bought a pattern from Etsy when I found this one for free. I need to try the boughten pattern. I haven't put buttons on yet. I bought some cute ones from Walmarts.

You can get the mock croc pattern here

The adorable Peek-a-boo Sandals are also made in Worsted Weight Yarn. She has a bunch of sizes too, from 3.5 inch soles to 5 inches. This pair I made using a G Hook.

You can get this pattern here

Seraphina Shawl in Black Sensations Rainbow Boucle

Seraphina Shawl in Black Sensations Rainbow Boucle

My very first, which definitely won't be my last. This first one was made using the full 11oz. skein. I love this
yarn, even though I was a bit nervous after hearing others complaining about it. The pattern became easy if
you just follow the chart, and don't read the directions.

This was made with Black Sensations Rainbow Boucle and and N Hook. I have already begun one in
Green Sensations Rainbow Boucle with a K hook.
The finished measurements to the black Seraphina Shawl is: from neck to bottom tip is approx 26 inches
and from side tip to side tip is almost 6 feet.

You can find the pattern here.

Mom's Diagonal Knit Dishcloth

Mom's Diagonal Knit Dishcloth

You have probably seen versions of this old pattern a thousand times. Whether it's a dishcloth or a baby blanket, it's probably one of your first knitting patterns. I love these dishcloths knitted in variegated yarns. This variegated matches the hot blue, hot green and yellow from Lily's Peaches & Cream.

This is the pattern my mom always used:

1 small Skien of 4 ply Cotton Yarn

Size 9 knitting needles

Cast On 4 Stitches

Row 1: knit acrossRow 2: K2, YO, K across to end
Repeat Row 2 until you have 53 stitches on your needles.

Now you can start decreasing :

K1, K2tog, YO, K2tog, K across to end.

Repeat this row until you have 4 stitches left on your needle.

Bind off. Weave in your tails.

I have never had to block this pattern.

Giraffe Cocoon Crochet

Giraffe Cocoon Crochet

I bought this pattern from Sandy's Cape Cod Originals. It uses Worsted weight yarn. I used I Love This Yarn! from Hobby Lobby for the gold ( #156 Sungold) and I used Caron Simply Soft ( #9750 Chocolate) for the trim. I didn'y like her spots so I made mine more like flowers, since this is for a little girl.

The Mary Janes are a free Pattern Designed by Abigail Goss. It's super quick from Worsted Weight Yarn, so matched perfectly.

You can find the pattern here.

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket

Crochet Superstar Baby Blanket

I finished this quick Baby's afghan in just a couple days. The pattern is poorly written, but if you have made a couple Round Ripples you should be safe. There is no Rnd 8. I used Bernat Softee, with 2 balls of #30301 Baby Pink Marl and 1 ball of #02000 White. It is a free paper pattern at their store.

If you can't find it I have it here.

and the second side here.
From point to point mine ended up being about 25 inches. I used a Size G hook, and had enough of the white yarn left to do another afghan.

I wrote a tutorial hoping this will help.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Little Duckie Bibs

I thought this was such an adorable pattern, from Crochet World Magazine, April 2004, Volume 27 No. 2, Pages 20-21.

It is made using 4 ply Cotton yarn. I used both Peaches & Creme and Lily's. The pattern called for the two yellows, and when I was done I wasn't sure, so I tried another one in the traditional yellow and orange.
Very easy pattern.

Butterfly Facial Scrubbie Gift Set

The Case Pattern:
Round 1: ch 2, 12 dc in 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st to first dc.
Round 2: ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to first dc. (24 dc)
Round 3: ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to first dc. (48 dc)
Round 4: ch 1 sc in same st, *( 2 sc in next stitch, sc in next stitch) repeat from * join with sl st to first sc.
Round 5: ch 1, ( BACK LOOPS ONLY) *(sc in next 7 sc, dec 1) repeat from *, sc in last 2 sc, join with sl st to first dc. (48)
Round 6: ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in each sc around, join with sl st to first dc. (48 dc).
Round 7: ch 3, *(fpdc in next dc, bpdc in next dc) repeat from *, join with sl st to first dc.
Round 8: repeat row 7
Stop here if you only need to hold 8 or 9 scrubbies, repeat Rnd 6 if you want more room for 12 scrubbies.
contrast trim
round 9: ch 1, sc in each st around, change to trim color, join with sl st to first sc. (48 sc) Change colors as you join.
round 10: ch 1, sc in each st around, change to second trim color, join with sl st to first sc. (48 sc) Change colors as you join.
Round 11: ch 1, sc in each st around, change to main color, join with sl st to first sc. (48 sc)
Finish off. Weave in Ends

Optional Lid for Variegated Basket, Not attached.
Round 1: ch 2, 12 dc in 2nd ch from hook, join with sl st to first dc.Round 2: ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each dc around, join with sl st to first dc. (24 dc)Round 3: ch 3, dc in same st, *(1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc) repeat from *, join with sl st to first dc. (36dc)Round 4: ch 2, hdc in same st, *(1 hdc in next dc, 2 hdc in next dc) repeat from *, join with sl st to first hdc. Fasten Off. Weave ends in.
Make A Second one, don't cut the yarn.

There is a better explanation of the butterfly in the previous post.

Hook E

With Black yarn: ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in the next 5 chs, 5 sc in final ch. fasten off. Use your tapestry needle to weave black yarn tails to position where antenna would be. See picture.
Attach butterfly color 2 stitches from the tail. See pic...
Wings right side: ch 3, hdc, sc, 1 dc in next sc, 2 trc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, sc, fasten off. I weave ends in at this time.
Wings left side: ch 3, hdc, sc, 1 dc in next sc, 2 trc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, sc, fasten off. I weave ends in at this time.
attach CC, to sc, sc in each st until you reach the last stitch. Put 4 sc in the last ch3. ch 1, sc into black tail on the backside, ch 1, 4 sc in ch3, sc along the other side of the wing. fasten off. Using a tapestry needle weave the yarn to the underneath center. Sew your little butterfly to the center of the lid that still has the yarn attached.

Change back to G hook, sc around lids , join with sl st. fasten off, weave in ends.
Hold the two lids wrong side together,

Facial Scrubbie Gift Set Butterfly Pattern

Hook E
With Black yarn: ch 7, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in the next 5 ch, 5 sc in final ch. fasten off. Use your tapestry needle to weave black yarn tails
to position where antenna would be. See picture.
Attach butterfly color 2 stitches from the tail. See first picture...

Wings right side: ch 3, hdc, sc, 1 dc in next sc, 2 trc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, sc, fasten off. I weave ends in at this time.

Wings left side: ch 3, hdc, sc, 1 dc in next sc, 2 trc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, sc, fasten off. I weave ends in at this time.

attach CC, to sc, sc in each st until you reach the last stitch. Put 4 sc in the last ch3. ch 1, sc into black tail on the backside, ch 1, 4 sc in ch3, sc
along the other side of the wing. fasten off. Using a tapestry needle weave the yarn to the underneath center. Sew your little butterfly to the center
of the lid that still has the yarn attached.

Change back to G hook, sc around lids , join with sl st. fasten off, weave in ends.
Hold the two lids wrong side together,