Crochet Star Baby Balnket {Finished}

A couple of weeks ago I shared my latest work in progress with you all. This 12 point star crochet baby blanket is an order that is going to be listed in my Etsy shop very shortly. It's not very often that I fall in love with simple afghans like this, but this time, I certainly have. I love everything about this baby blanket. The shape, and the pattern are all fun; honestly, I love this blanket so much, I want to work on different color combinations every spare minute I have when I can't think of anything new to make at the moment.

The yarn I used for this on was Lion Brands Jaime yarn in Mardi Gras Stripes. Now, the skeins of the yarn is very small in yards, but the yarn is very cheap in price, but is very good quality!

But wait, I'm. Not done yet! From the time I posted this work in progress a couple of weeks ago, I've made two more versions of this afghan in different colors.

I absolutely loved these three colors! They were practically screaming my name to work with them! This blanket was made with Caron Simply Soft in colors; Dark Country Blue, Light Country Blue, and Light Blue. When you first start working with both of this yarn, it seems a little bit "splitty," and thin but don't give up. If you keep going, you'll find that you get used to them. After the first few rounds, I haven't had any splitting issues at all. 

This next blanket, I actually had a little help from my hubby. I had picked out the colors a while ago, and I felt that this afghan pattern was perfect for it! And I made this for myself(even though my husband steals it).

Isn't it gorgeous? I'm in love with how this turned out! The yarn used for this afghan was Deborah Norville's Everyday yarn. This type of yarn reminds me of Caron Simply Soft, but thicker. Works up very quick, and is very warm and soft. The bright neon colors just "pop" out don't they?

For those of you who crochet, this is made from a FREE! pattern available on Ravelry. If you're looking for a great baby blanket to make, I urge you to give this one a try. It's a nice switch from a rectangular or square blanket and the results are absolutely stunning. Plus, each round you increase the number of stitches, so in case an adult wants to have this afghan, just keep on hookin'!

I hope you have like the color inspirations I've shared. Please try out the pattern and share the final results on my Facebook page, I'd love to see!

Have a great Monday everyone! No worries, I have something else to show off, but we will save that for another day.

CROCHET STAR BABY BLANKET {WORK IN PROGRESS}

Ok, so I have been a little MIA, but between moving, and starting the new job, it's been a little crazy! Oh and of course my creative mind has been going crazy, and I have tons to show everyone, which includes finished items and patterns once I write them all down!

So be on the lookout, and make sure you follow my Facebook page! I'm always posting there!

Let's get started with my current WIP!

This 12 point star crochet baby blanket is an order that is going to be listed in my Etsy shop this week. It's not very often that I fall in love with simple afghans like this, but this time, I certainly have. I love everything about this baby blanket. The soft yet bright colors, the shape, and the pattern are all fun; honestly, I love this blanket so much, I want to work on it every spare minute I have when I can't think of anything new to make at the moment.. I can't wait to see the final result so I'm motivated to get it done.

For those of you who crochet, this is made from a FREE! pattern available on Ravelry. I've used the same type of yarn for this pattern, and I absolutely love the variegated yarn. The yarn I used is Lion Brands Jaime yarn in Mardi Gras Stripes. When you first start working with both of this yarn, it seems a little bit "splitty," and thin but don't give up. If you keep going, you'll find that you get used to them. After the first few rounds, I haven't had any splitting issues at all. 

If you're looking for a great baby blanket to make, I urge you to give this one a try. It's a nice switch from a rectangular or square blanket and the results are absolutely stunning. Plus, each round you increase the number of stitches, so in case an adult wants to have this afghan, just keep on hookin'!

Have a fabulous Monday everyone! And remember, keep checking back for more posts!

P.S. I think it's time for a blog makeover!

-Taylor

Happy Sunday

Happy Sunday everyone! Now that I have a normal Monday - Friday job, I have to say, the weekends go by way to fast!


So I have a little good news to share with everyone, my husband and I have decided to move into a bigger place, and I couldn't be more excited!! And what comes with a bigger place? An extra bedroom just for me and my yarn! Wooohoo, my own craft space!

Of course the creative side of my brain is excited as can be and I've had my eyes glued to Pinterest browsing ideas for my room! I have all of this yarn that I need to organize!! Where do I begin?? And of course all of the decorating!! Why no make some decorations made out of yarn! Perhaps some yarn garland? Oh yes, some colorful rainbow yarn garland!

And it is never to early to start! I have decided to start a rainbow granny stripe afghan. The pattern I'm using is actually very easy and the pattern can be found here. I love this womens blog and I'm always looking at it for inspiration! Especially since she has her own little studio! Did  mention I can't wait to decorate mine!?!?!

Ok, so the above yarn is Redheart, i must craft on a budget for the time being and Redheart is cheap in price but is also soft. It is 100% Acrylic :: working on a 5mm hook :: And the colors, make me feel very cheery!

And here are the colors that are in my little yarn basket I made.

Cherry Red
Lavender
Light Raspberry
Turqua
Spring Green
Bright Yellow
Pumpkin

So i started on my granny stripe blanket a few evenings ago, sat in my living room, hooking that oh so lovely foundation chain (161 long, double bed width aka full size). Anyone else dread the foundation chain? Wiggling about with that long chain, counting like mad, being oh-so-careful to get the count right. Because certain patterns like this,t he count is CRITICAL!

Then after that dreadful chain, comes the tricksy first row, working the stitches and again counting like a mad woman and praying to the yarn angels that you will not have to frog that first row! Because you know, you won't know if you made enough chains until the last stitch of that row!!!

And qouldn't you know it, I had the count right the first time! No frogging was needed! Woohoo!!!!

And now onto the patter we go. I love granny squares, but I love the simplicty of the granny stripes! So after the foundation row and the first row and that dreadful counting is over, it's a happy, delicious, and skippy breeze! So now the easy hooking can begin! Zooming up that row making those cute clusters, nothing can stop me now.

Well unless my crafters ADD kicks in, "Ooo another pretty pattern to work up."

Row after row, so easy, so happy, so strippy, and so amazing!

I am really loving this pattern and loving the colors!

I am hoping that some of you wil be granny stripping along with me! Give it a go! If I love it this much, so will you, I promise!!

As I said earlier, I am moving in just a short 5 weeks. I need to start packing along with working a 40 hour full time job! So I may be a little MIA for the next few weeks, but I'm thinking an hour a day to work on projects won't hurt, riiiiight? I have to have my daily dose of yarn!

However, this move, is going to be so worth it! A whole room to myself that the hubby can't touch! Don't mind if I do!

Have a great week everyone! Stay warm! And think, there is only 6 more weeks of winter left! I know, I'm ready for it to be over to!


-Taylor

Ok, wow...

It has been forever since I last posted! Oh, say back in May?? Wow! I'm still alive and still trucking!

I ran into some personal life issues + I just recently started a job at the beginning of August! Loving this new job, but its taking a lot of my crafting time away from me! I suppose I just need to set a few hours in the day aside to do some knitting/crocheting and most importantly some photography!

It is now September, summer is defiantly coming to an end here in Ohio! It's getting time for warm hoodies, cuddling up with a nice warm afghan, and fuzzy warm socks.

Autumn is my favorite time of the year. And the Harvest Moon is absolutely gorgeous this year!

I'm just waiting for all of the amazing Autumn colors to peak this year, and they are already started to show up! I love the yellows, oranges, and reds of Autumn. Especially walking through some of my favorite parks around town, and of course hiking in Southern Ohio(long as the snakes aren't out).

I have been working on a bunch of different projects lately, I'm slow at getting them finished, but they have been getting done! I really need to step up my game and add more items to my Etsy shop! Why not make a little profit with what I love to do! There are a lot of things up my sleeve that I would love to make!

But for now I have an afghan that I really need to finish for my elderly neighbor who is moving to Maryland next month! I'm roughly halfway done, but it's a very boring pattern so I loose interest after a while. Pretty sure after that's done, I need to start working on Christmas present orders! Man can't believe it's almost that time again! Where did this year go??

I'll finish tonight off with some baby afghans that I have made in the last month!

 

I hope everyone has a great evening, and bare with me. I promise every other day posts again! And bunches of stuff up on my Etsy Shop!

-Taylor

A Little Hope

This past week has left not only myself but many in America at loss for words. So many innocent lives have been lost, and I'm sitting here wondering why. Part of a small town in Texas has been destroyed, and the city of Boston has been in lockdown. It's hard to not stare at the news, regardless if it gives me knots in my stomach or not. All we can do is pray that the worst is over and that it doesn't get any worse.

I wish I could send a little Hope and Happiness to each and every family who lost a loved one this week. But instead I stitched some colors that mean Hope and Happiness. I along with many others wish I could do more to help these families.

One of the blogs I follow, posted a link in her blog post today about a Boston Love Blanket project she found on Twitter this afternoon. They are collecting 8"x8" squares to make an afghan for a family of one of the Boston bombing victims. I will be making a few squares this weekend to send to them. After all it takes little to no time to make an afghan square.


With that being said, we have to keep these families in our prayers and move on with our daily lives even if we think doing any thing fun is wrong at this particular time.



So, along with the afghan squares for the Boston Love Blanket, here are my weekend plans....

I found some gorgeous new crochet hooks and a new circular needle this afternoon at Hobby Lobby! Aren't they pretty? I love the purple one(purple is my favorite color). The orange one is a mixture of green also, and if you know the Ireland flag, it's Orange, White, and Green. So that one suits me well.

How about those polka dot shoes from Target? Aren't they just adorable! And they are quite comfy and go with my skinny jeans just nicely!

My plan this weekend is to..

- Make a few afghan squares for the Boston Love Blanket
- Cast on to my new circular needle a baby afghan with that pretty pastel colored yarn to either sell or donate to charity.
- And possibly cast on a new pair of socks that will be for myself. I have not yet knitted a pair for myself.


I hope everyone has a great weekend. Hold your loved ones close, and lets hope for a better week next week!

-Taylor

Weekend Planner 4/12 - 4/14

It always feels amazing when you crochet or knit that last stitch on an item for charity, doesn't it? This past week I made a few new items for charity and it felt amazing when I got done with these :)


The granny square baby afghan was just a basic granny square and kept going for 22 rounds. The middle one I just knitted and CO as many as I want and just did a basic garter stitch.

The last one reminds me of watermelon, doesn't it remind you of watermelon? For this I used this Simple Lines baby afghan pattern. I just love this design!

I plan to donate these once I make a bunch more! Putting my stash of yarn to very good use!

It's going to be a little bit chilly and wet out this weekend. But April showers bring May flowers right? So here is what I have planned this weekend..

- I'll be working on some WIPs that I have many of; one being my Octagon and Square afghan! My deadline for this is very soon.

- Even though it's going to be a little cool outside this weekend, I may take my camera and shoot around German Village and Short North area. A little black and white in these two parts of town are my favorite.

Don't you agree?(I do need to visit this shop.)

But back to my weekend plans...

- I bought some Brown and Beige crochet thread, and I plan to make some coaster for my living room coffee table. So maybe I'll work on some to this weekend.

- And of course spending some wonderful time with my husband. It's hard to believe we've been married 3 years on the 23rd! Time sure does fly <3

That's about it for tonight! I hope you all enjoy your weekend whether you are snowed in out west or having a warm Spring weekend, doing what you love to do!

Happy Friday!

Oh the endless possibilities!

I did a little light shopping during a level 2 snow storm haha :) But I couldn't help myself, Joanns was calling my name!

Not only did I buy myself yarn, but I picked up a sock loom, along with some new crochet hooks and DPN's, and a few other little things.

Now I need to decide what I'll be making :) But first finishing a baby blanket before I move on to more fun projects!