Saturday, March 23, 2013

Oopsie!

Happy Saturday morning everyone!

Last night I started crocheting my Granny Stripe blanket.  Once again, here is the pattern photo to show what it looks like.

Here is a different photo showing a blanket someone made using different colors.
Here are the colors I am going to be using, sort of.  Most of the colors look nothing like what you see here.  I took this photo in natural light so I have no idea why the colors didn't transfer well.    
This photo of John's color arrangement isn't any better.  To give you an idea of what you should be seeing here, that ball of yarn 4th from the right is a very pretty hunter green!
The directions state to chain 240.  I figured that would be too large for the blanket I want to make ... a snuggly nap blanket to curl up with on cold afternoons.  I tried chaining 150, then 180, then 210, & finally settled on the 240.  It measured a tad wider than the size I'm going for but I decided that wouldn't be a problem.  Well, dopey me ... I totally forgot that a border gets added which is going to make the blanket even wider!  So even though I have made my first colored stripe & have gotten half way through the second, I'm going to rip it all out & start again.  Here is a photo pre-ripping. The colors here are more true to life.  I guess I need to take photos of things on the diningroom table from now on.
This is sort of my first crochet project.  I remember my mother trying to get me interested in crochet when I was a teenager but I couldn't have cared less.  Then last year I started seeing photos of crocheted blankets ... especially on Hazel's blog ... & crocheting started to tug at my heart.  I went so far as to buy a learn to crochet kit from Walmart ...
... but I put it in a cupboard where it remained unopened for many months.  I told myself "you don't need another interest," but Hazel kept posting pictures of her blankets ... & then I found my way to Tina's blog & there went any good sense I may have had, especially when she posted a photo of the Granny Stripe blanket she is making for her husband.  I totally fell in love with it, found the pattern directions & many other photos of completed blankets on Ravelry, & here I am crocheting.  Prior to starting my blanket I did do a little practice piece ... a dishcloth in single crochet.  Nothing really worthy of a post but I'll share a photo anyway.
Right now I am waiting for a visitor who is going to bring me a home blood testing machine & show me how to use it.  I need to have a particular blood test done quite often.  Now, rather than having to drive the 30-mile round trip to my doctor's office, I can just do the test myself in the hellishness comfort of my own bit of hell home.  I do the test, then call in the results & am told whether I need to adjust my medication or not.  I was thinking this morning ... this will be the first time someone has been inside our house since the guys from Lowes brought us our new refrigerator last year!

I promised to show you the other things I brought home from The Woolery.  I bought 3 skeins from this pile of Malabrigo worsted that I pulled out of its cubby during my visit there.  I'm using the same photo I posted on Wednesday since the colors appear more true to life.  The colorway is Cuarenta.  I plan to make a hat & scarf with this yarn.
These are 3 balls of Cascade 220 superwash that John picked out for me to make him a scarf.  He saw a scarf at one of the yarn shops we went to in NYC that he liked very much, with large stripes done in 3 different colors.  Keep in mind the natural light oddity once again as you view these.  The colors are Como Blue which probably doesn't tell you much of anything, black, & charcoal gray.  
I also brought home that wool bundle with the purple plaid wool on top from the store display pictured in my last post, & 2 sets of double points that I will need for some fingerless mitts.
I went to another yarn shop on Thursday, this one in Lexington, & I'll post about that next time.  I hope my cross stitching followers aren't too bored with all this yarn talk   : )

17 comments:

Ele said...

I am sure your blanket will look great! Love your choice of yarn. I keep saying I must crochet a small one too, but never get started. I will follow your updates and hopefully you will get me tempted to start mine!! :)

Vickie said...

You have a lot of fun things planned Shirlee. I don't knit or crochet. This will be fun to watch. The blanket looks very pretty.

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

oh girl, I love cross stitch but since Dec fell in love with knitting. I never bore of your blog because you are talking yarn. I LOVE yarn! Your blanket is going to be really pretty!

Jennifer

marly said...

I like knitting but crocheting is just as much fun. I've always had less stretching and distortion with the hook compared to the needle. I would knit without looking until the row ended while my aunt was crocheting without looking, both of us feeling the yarn for our guide. Too bad we can't cross stitch that way.

Hazel said...

Oh you are so sweet giving me a mention. Your blanket is going to look fab! It is addictive though. I can't tell you how many projects I keep adding to my to do list. I thought stitching was addictive till I started crocheting! One day, I will run out of blankets to crochet.

jennifer768 said...

Hi Shirlee,no matter what you are doing it is never boring!Hope that you are having fun.Hugs,Jen

butterfly said...

Love your new start , I would keep going the bigger the better.
Great colours it will look amazing, hugs .

Mii Stitch said...

The blanket will look stunning! I love your choice of colours!

Sally said...

I bet your blanket will look gorgeous Shirlee. I should get my knitted afghan out again and do more on it but stitching had taken over again now! I can't crochet. I get the hang of it!

Myra said...

Your blanket is going to be gorgeous. I crocheted as a child - my mom made many of those zig zag afgans and taught me. I haven't done it in so long I don't know that I remember any of it.

Kaisievic said...

So cross stitching is still on the no go list? Love your crocheting project - that lap quilt is going to perfect for next winter.

love Kaye

P.J. said...

Love the colors, can't wait to see yours coming along. Is that a cross stitch project burning in your header???

Carol said...

Love your blanket colors, Shirlee--and what a great bunch of goodies from the wool shop :) I do hope your new home-testing machine makes life easier for you. Sounds like it will safe you a lot of time on the road (more time to crochet, and hopefully, cross stitch?).

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Yay! You are crocheting! I am so proud of you. :)

If you ever find yourself in Lexington again, head south to Nicholasville and there is an awesome shop there. It's called A Tangled Yarn (there is also a group in Ravelry with the same name) The lady who runs the shop is one of the nicest people I have ever met in the state of KY. She is awesome. Her shop is so lovely and her shop cat Fred is adorable.

I am looking forward to hearing more about your crochet and yarn shop adventures.

Blessings always

Anonymous said...

Hey Shirlee, I finally found my way here! I'm so glad you like my granny striping efforts, I think your colours are gorgeous! :)

Marie said...

Very nice start on that colorful blanket...even though you need to rip it out! Made me chuckle, again. :D

I have been so into the yarns these days. Managed to knit up 3 scarfs and took a cable class as well...and I am not even a knitter. Just another craft to keep me out of trouble.

I look forward to seeing the scarf that you will make for your husband.

When I locate it I will email you a good website that offers lots of free knit/crochet patterns (just what you need). I was in a wonderful yarn shop in Lancaster, PA and the owner directed me to this site.

Marie said...

Hi Shirlee,
Found the website:
www.ravelry.com

I saw a "Bandana Cowl" in the knit shop in PA and the owner told me that the free pattern could be found on this site. I purchased a skein of beautiful red yarn but have not started the project yet.