DW scarf and Chain Reaction afghan

Here is the progress on my Doctor Who scarf from Chris Brimelow's pattern, using Vanna's Choice yarns. I am exactly half done as far as the number of stripes (though the stripes are not of equal length).

I will keep you posted on the progress. As I noted before, it really goes pretty quickly considering it is worked in all single crochet.

I'm using an I hook this time. Last time I used an H I believe.

I'm also VERY excited to share that the latest Crochet Me newsletter has information on the very afghan I was just telling you all about - the Chain Reaction - the one I saw in the magazine at Booksamillion. You can get the pattern (free but you have to register there) here http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/67334/showcontent.aspx .

The newsletter also says you can crochet along with them on the Knitting Daily TV show. The first show of the 700 series begins July 21. I'm not sure about channel info but you can see a brief clip of what's to come in this video. (You can see if the show plays in your area on this page. )



If the show doesn't play in your area (sadly it doesn't play in mine) or you miss a show or for whatever reason you can't get to see them all, you can purchase the entire season here or wait for Amazon to get it. For the Chain Reaction afghan square a long, it is season #700. I would dearly love to do this afghan as part of the CAL. (Amazon didn't have #700 in my search but they did have the other seasons. Search Amazon.com for knitting daily series I'm thinking they may have it after it airs.

[Added note: I found a spot where you can order JUST the chain reaction scarf CAL as either a download or physical DVD. How cool is that? Half the price of the other DVDs. If that link doesn't work, just go to http://www.interweavestore.com/ and click on DVDs/videos in the crochet section.]

Anyway, I'm excited about it. Unfortunately, I can only do one thing at a time - first the Who scarf, then we'll see which of the half dozen projects gets my time. There is this Chain Reaction pattern, the Special Olympic scarves, and the Share a Square which has started up again. All worthy projects. Plus I have some wool yarn that I want to use for Bridge scarves. I also want to make more Knit Your Bit scarves, and rectangles for HAP.

So many projects, so little time! Maybe I can combine the two. The Chain Reaction squares are 12" (by different designers) but perhaps I can adjust a few of them to 6" for SAS. We'll see how that goes. :-) If not, I did want to do more lapghans for the nursing home.

Have a great weekend!

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Special Olympics Louisiana

As I mentioned in a previous post, I planned to deliver the scarves I've made so far to the Special Olympics Louisiana office in Hammond. I did do that and here is a photo as proof.

This is a picture taken by SO staff member Tiffany. We did take some photos with my camera, but I thought hers was the best so I'm borrowing it from the Facebook page. :-) They wanted a picture featuring the scarves, so those are two of the ones I made. I gave it back when the photo op was done.

The young man pictured sits at the desk as you enter and welcomes guests.He was working on the computer as well so I think he stays busy!

The door was locked so I was glad I had e-mailed earlier in the week to let them know I was coming and make sure the office would be open.


My box of scarves was the first they've received. I also mailed in the first scarves last year. Oh my! A tradition. Heh I'll have to be sure to get on the ball next year.

Tiffany was the sweetest thing. She took us all around the facility, giving hubby and I the grand tour. We saw all of the offices and warehouse and the meeting room. There was a photo of the very first Special Olympic athletes. Very special.

There was also a chart showing the different logos. Louisiana office had a part in that design, though I can't remember the details Tiffany gave about that. I do remember the design went through several incarnations as there were at least four in the picture we saw.

We said howdy to those folks who were in the offices. Some were out of town tending to various parts of the business. We also met Dana, who hails from my part of the world and now works there at the SO office. It was unexpected to meet someone originally from here working over there. She actually knows my neighbor well. Small world.  

The picture at left was not one of those I took, but rather one that Tiffany took. Hers was the best of the lot, so I'm borrowing it from the Facebook page. :-) 

During our tour we received T-shirts commemorating our visit.

All in all, it was a great trip and I'm so glad to be a part of this project. You can follow Special Olympics Louisiana on Facebook as well as the Scarves for Special Olympics project. 

Information on how to participate in this project, and specifically Louisiana, can be found at the main web site, http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/states/view/18 .

Remember that the colors are:
Red Heart Super Saver Cherry Red 0319
Red Heart Super Saver Soft Navy 0387
Red Heart Soft Navy 4604
Red Heart Soft Really Red 9925

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to work with the Red Heart Super Saver or Red Heart Soft Yarns - or a combination of both - please just use both a red and a blue in your scarf design!

Length: between 54" and 60" long. Please include fringe or other adornments within these measurements.

Width: Approximately 6 inches wide


Happy crocheting!
Sandie

HOBBY LOBBY!

Hubby and I paid a visit to Hobby Lobby yesterday. Here's what I came back with despite not having a coupon for 40% off as we usually do. (This is just my stuff. Hubby bought stuff too.)

Links are generally to the Amazon store, but you might check around to get the best bang for your buck. Often Amazon has the cheapest price. There's something to be said for walking into a physical store and actually handing items, but one does buy more than one intends! :-)


The green and blue thing is an interesting little item. It is an ergonomic crochet handle for aluminum hooks.

get your crochet hook and put the proper rubber ring on it

I believe I used a J hook to test it.

slide your hook in from the bottom of the green piece

connect the two pieces, lining up the little knobby thing

You have rubber pieces with different size holes for the different hooks. I put mine in a plastic bag as you can see, so I wouldn't lose them - unless I lose the plastic bag, which could well happen. LOL

When I searched for this at Amazon, I was reminded of my other ergonomic handle set that came with hooks as well - Crochet Tools I Medium Crochet Hooks & Handles Set. They also has this wooden one which I would like to have just cos it looks cool. Ergonomic Handle For Boye 6402 Steel Crochet Set-Wood

I also got 2 packs of face paint because I couldn't decide which one I should get. This is for Halloween when I will become Amy Pond - no snickering (I know I'm not as thin or cute as Karen Gillan). LOL I plan to put hash marks on my body with this paint. Both packs were 2.99 each at Hobby Lobby.

There are three skeins of chunky yarn. It is Premier Serenity yarn from the Deborah Norville collection in the color Fudge. I got these for working on the long loom.

I also got a small denim bag and an apron which I am going to beg daughter to decorate for me.

There were some free pattern papers which caught my eye as well as the leaflet Make One For Baby (Leisure Arts #2756), which has been on my Amazon wishlist for a while. I saw it and decided to get it right then. It is the same price at Amazon and if you order with other things you get free shipping which is what I probably should have done. heh

A long time ago, in another lifetime, I made clown crayon holders. I've never been able to find those rubber clown faces again so I thought I'd get a doll and see if it was possible to do something similar with it. We'll see how that works out.

I also picked up a bunch of plastic cabone rings and gold rings of various sizes. Often we go to my stash to search out things to use in a project that comes to mind, but wasn't planned beforehand. This is the type of thing I like to have on hand for those times. I put a link to Hobby Lobby because Amazon was ridiculously over priced.

You can also see a bag of cotton loops similar to Harrisville Designs Cotton Loops. The Harrisville bag makes two potholders. If you want to make more you can buy a bigger bag Harrisville 100% cotton potholder loops - makes 10. I bought these with the intent of making dish/wash cloths on one of those metal looms. I didn't get the kit with the loom because I thought I already had one. I haven't found it yet though. I also wanted specifically COTTON loops and a METAL frame like this one POT HOLDER weaving LOOM & loops colored FABRIC kid NEW, not the plastic ones. The kit doesn't say if the loops are nylon or cotton though. They had extra nylon loops in the store, but I didn't want those. I thought the cotton would be thicker, sturdier, and better for washing purposes.

I was looking for the coilless safety pins like these Darice Jewelry Designer 2-1/4 Inch French Jewelry Pins - 50PK/Nickel but couldn't find them and decided to get the plastic stitch markers instead. I have already misplaced them. LOL When I find them, I'll take a picture. They look like short fat diaper pins


I also got daughter a Crochet lite hook (not pictured) as a gift for taking care of Jack while we were gone.

When I returned from the Hobby Lobby trip, my Joann order had arrived. This is the order I made using the gift certificate I received from Sandy over at the Bridge and Beyond in a contest. I made good use of it though not for yarn as I'd thought I would. :-) Not pictured is the cake decorating kit I got for my daughter.

You can see the scarf mesh which I am very anxious to try. There is also a fleur de lis stencil kit - big in this area for New Orleans and the Saints football team. You can also see the Provo Craft Knifty Knitter Loom Clip.

There is the handi tool Susan Bates Silvalume Handi Toolwhich has a needle on one end and a hook on the other. It is smaller than I thought it would be. The needle is a size 3 it says. The hooks is like a tiny steel hook maybe a size 00 or a B hook (that is just a guess - I have no idea the actual hook size) but it is aluminum. It is 4" long.

Also there is a pencil coloring kit. I have always loved to color, as a child and as an adult though I haven't had much occasion to do it of late. Thought I'd give this a try as it was not very expensive.

Now let me tell you about what I didn't buy but I came close to buying and hope to get on another trip. There was Loom Knitting Primer: A Beginner's Guide to Knitting on a Loom which I've gotten through the library and found helpful. I've seen it before, but wanted to do a bit more looming before I invest.

I also actually put in my hands a bamboo handle hook, but decided against it this trip. I think it was the Bates ones. Susan Bates Bamboo Handle / Steelite Head Crochet Hooks (5.50")

Besides Hobby Lobby, we went to Booksamillion where I noted down another book called The Encyclopedia Of Crochet Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Unique Fashions and Accessories by Jan Eaton. There are two version of this book, published just months apart. One is a hardcover so I guess the other is a paperback.

There are so many great beginner books out. I've been impressed with each one for different reasons. I don't remember exactly what I liked about this book, but I do remember that she suggested going into the back hump of the foundation chain which is how I like to do it also.

While at Booksamilion, I also picked up a copy of Crochet World which had some patterns that interested me. I looked at the Interweave Crochet magazine as well. There was an edging I thought was interesting (p. 62 the Chain Reaction Afghan project). If the entire afghan pattern had been there I probably would have purchased it, but for just the edging, and considering that I already had picked up a number of items plus what my husband bought, I decided against it. It's a great magazine though. I enjoyed looking through it as well as the Crochet Today. That day, Crochet World won out, but another day it might be one of the others. :-)

I think that's it. I had so much fun shopping that I didn't accomplish any actual crocheting this weekend. Maybe tonight.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie