Saturday, July 2, 2011

Red Heart Boutique Doodle

I received my Red Heart Boutique Doodle yarn. How much fun is this!! In just five or ten minutes I had completed a scarf with nothing but my hands and the yarn.

The bad thing about this is that in just five or ten minutes I had completed a scarf! LOL I will blow through this yarn in no time. LOL

For the pictured scarf I used less than a full skein of each of two colors and it is really long (I didn't measure it but it was longer than I am tall). It is extremely warm and soft and cushy.  If you need a gift for someone who lives in a warm climate, here's your ticket.

Now I haven't washed it or anything like that. It came in. I pulled it out of the box, untangled it, made the scarf and presented it to my daughter. All of that in less than a half hour.

It comes in 7 colors - black, cream, aqua, purple, teal, lime and hot pink. Great colors for youth. The care instructions say to "machine wash, dry flat, do not bleach, do not iron, do not dry clea".  Yarn content is 65% Acrylic, 25% Wool, 10% Nylon. (So if allergic to wool, take care.) Skeins are almost 12 yards and a bit over 5 ounces.

The yarn at Knitting Warehouse was 5.99/skein.

This would be a great yarn to use with groups like Girl Scouts and 4-H. They could make scarves for say a women's shelter. I don't know if men would enjoy the "fluffiness" of it as a fashion statement, but I'll bet anyone in the elements would like the warmth.

If I can figure out what to do with it, I'd definitely make more of these. It was a lot of fun to play with. I'll have to see how it joins together. I would suggest not pulling too tightly on it as it does pull apart if you jerk on it too hard.

I think it would make a really soft, cushy rug with a backing so you don't slip and slide - unless that's the kind of carpet you're wanting. heh


Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Friday, July 1, 2011

blue v stitch scaf

I've been using up the red yarn really fast so I decided I'd better do  more with the blue. Apparently, I'm more of a red gal. :-) Also, the blue being so dark it's harder on my eyes.

Anyway, here is the first of my blue efforts. I worked the V stitch as in the previous scarf, but reversing the colors.

Finished size is 6" x 58 1/2".

The V stitch scarf is so quick and easy! If you've never made one, I recommend it. If you don't like the three round edging, you can just use a longer foundation chain.

Next up will be a blue Jacob's Ladder. I happened across a web site that had a video on a Jacob's Ladder scarf. Mary Grace at Hooked on Needles does things a little differently than I do on the top and bottom finishing, but I like to mix it up now and then so I thought you might also want to take a look and try her way as well. I added a couple of notations to my own video and a link in the notes to her page.

I am quite aware that I don't know everything and my way may not always be the right or best way, so don't hesitate to search out other methods and techniques to try as well. If I inspire you to go further, that's okay with me too.


Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

v stitch scarf

Next up is a V-stitch scarf. It is made the same as Kate's V Stitch Scarf, but thinner and with different color use. 

Finished size is 6" x 57 1/2".

With an I hook I chained 19 and made the entire center section in red. This came out to about 4". Continuing with red, I then worked a round of sc. For the next round, I grabbed the blue and worked (V stitch, skip 2) all around. I started off on a side stitch because I hadn't decided how I wanted to work the corners yet.

When I got to the corner, I decided on (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1, dc).

Then I finished off the blue and picked up the red again. I worked sc all around, but in the corners I went a little bit different. I wanted a more rounded edging so I worked 2 sc in the three middle stitches. I just worked it by eye-balling it and seeing which stitches would work best in that corner. IOW between the stitch or in the stitch. (As you k now, red is terrible color for photography - at least for me - so the photo is not as clear as I might like.)

I liked the way this worked out. The finished scarf looks just the way I intended. Hope the recipient likes it too! Now I need to work on some blue scarves as I have a lot of blue skeins left and not too many reds.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Randy Cavaliere designs

I thought I had posted this, but I found it in my drafts. *rolls eyes at self*. I'm posting it now to give you something to enjoy while I finish my next scarf.

I got a new Herrschners catalog in and I forced myself not to look at it. LOL Then I got an e-mail from my good friend Randy Cavaliere saying that she had two patterns in the catalog! Well, you know what I had to do immediately! :-)

I had to share it with you all so you can rejoice with us.

Both patterns are in kits on p. 35 of the paper catalog with the granny ripple afghan on the front in fall colors.

The first is Kids' Fun Time Blanket (CH201114). It looks like plaids and is worked using bobbins at the color changes.

The second is Kids' Crochet Blanket (CH200113). This is a very bright, colorful afghan that any kid would love. Finished size according to the catalog is 28 x 28, a great carry along blanket for a child.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Monday, June 27, 2011

Spider Scarf 3 / SO Scarf 8

Yes, I admit I did another Spider Scarf. LOL I had to do one where I changed color every spider. I couldn't help myself. But that's it. I'm done with spiders. Probably. For now. It really is such an easy pattern to do...

Finished size is approximately 6" x 60 1/2".

There are 11 spiders in this one. The reason for that is that each different color spider begins and ends with 2 dc. The previous ones which were done in one color had 2 dc between each spider. So now there are actually 4 dc between each color which means 20 extra dc which equal two more spiders. So instead of 13 we need 11 to get to about the same size. Which is okay because you have to cut yarn between each which gives you tails to weave in. You know how I love to do that. NOT.


I have found the blue yarn is a tiny bit thinner than the red. Just a teeny tiny bit.

Anyway, you want details. Well, I did this one pretty much like the last one except for the color scheme. Ch 21 with an I hook. 5 dc on either end of the spider rows and, as already noted, 2 dc rows before and after the spider. Not counting the dc rows, the first and last row use triple crochet in the center and the middle rows use sc. So if you know sc, dc, and triple crochet, you're set. Each spider takes 10 rows the way I'm working it.

The edging is one round sc in red, then attach blue for the faux picot round which is  (sc, ch 3, sc, sk 1) in same st.

Now I know that spiders have 8 legs and these things have more than 8 "legs" but my spiders are just very special ones. :-)

It sounds complex but it really isn't once you get the hang of it. If I made three of them, it can't be that hard. :-)

Happy crocheting!
Sandie