Smooth Fox's Charity Squares

I have tested a few patterns for Donna over at SmoothFox Crochet and Knit recently. She is always coming up with pretty squares and blanket patterns and asks for testers. I really enjoy doing this. Many of her patterns are available for free on Ravelry, go look them up when you get a chance.

Smooth Fox is asking for volunteers to crochet squares for charity. All squares will go to a group called Online Angels. She will send you the patterns to make the squares with. The picture above is one of the patterns. Please go check out her site and help if you can.

Hope you all are having a lovely weekend. TTYS!

Sunset, Lenses, Flowers, and Progress

I got new toys! I recently purchased a couple of new lenses for my camera, a 70-300mm lens and a macro lens. I haven't been able to play with them like I want to yet, but have tinkered a little bit with them. I love this shot of the moon.

I also love sunset pictures. I call this a cotton candy sky. The shades of pink and purple are just beautiful.

I took a few pics with the macro. These aren't as good as Kate's from the The Garden Bell, but I am learning.

Beautiful color.

Also lovely in black and white.

I can't decide which one of these I like the most.

Progress on the new Granny is going slow. I haven't had much time this week, hopefully later tonight I can work a few more squares.

Twenty six squares finished so far, and a couple more that need borders and hooked into the blanket.

I am still loving this one and the different square combos.

I hope your having a great week! I am looking forward to Saturday, we are expecting temps up to 74. Time to open the windows and let the fresh air flow. I guess thats about it for now so I will TTYS.

My Latest WIP

Hi Ya'll, just stopping in to show off my latest work in progress. I am loving this one, and each new square I make becomes my favorite.

Love it!

Love it!

Love it!

One other good thing about this WIP is I am really filling up my scrap jar so fast! This picture was taken Friday night and today it is well over half full.

I have finished 11 squares so far. I am using the join-as-you-go method and sewing in the ends as I go.

I got the color ideas from this finished afghan I came across on Flickr.

I am using the Grandma All Square from Royal Sisters. I love the tutorials found on The Royal Sisters blog, and the photos from Cottage 45 on Flickr. I will post some progress pictures later in the week.

I hope everyone of you has had a wonderful weekend, they never last long enough, and that the week ahead is a great one! TTYS!

Cheating and it is starting to feel good!

Hello all! I promise I am still here just haven't been posty lately. I have been working on some hookey goodies but as the title hints to I have been cheating also. I am sorry dear precious hooks of mine but I have been cheating on you with (whispers) Knitting Needles. I have wanted to learn how to Knit for some time and have tried to knit a few times but never could get the hang of it. Well thanks to YouTube I am learning. So far I have knitted a poncho for an American Girl Doll.

This is a little Granny Stripe Blankey I made for an American Girl doll. It matches Caroline's Granny Square Afghan. It is for her doll but I have a picture of Maranda with it. I don't know why.

The next picture is of my Seester and her new Husband. They got married this past week. Congratulations Misty and Kevin,  I want to wish you a lifetime of Love and Happiness together. Love Ya'll!!

And this is me (in red) and my Seester after the ceremony. We have been the bestest of friends for almost 20 years now. We met while we were in High School and I dated her brother. That didn't last but our friendship has stood the tests of time. Whenever we are out shopping together it never fails that some stranger asks us if we are sisters. We just tell everyone "Yes but we have different Mom's and Dad's." Most of the time we get "Well ya'll look so much alike, I knew you were sisters." OK!

Note to self: NEVER get glasses that tint in the sun again, and DIET starts today!!

So what else has been going on around here.........

Caroline had H1N1 (swine flu) last week and we were all put on Tamiflu. I kept Maranda out of school Thursday and Friday just in case. One minute Caroline would be literally bouncing off the walls and furniture, the next laying out on the floor. She is starting to feel better finally.

I took my car in this last week to be repaired and the mechanic called 5 minutes ago to let me know it needs a new gas tank. It's only going to cost $668.00. Only!  Ha!  I guess it could be worse.

I snuck out to Hobby Lobby today. Walked out with $56.00 worth of yarn and plans for a new Granny Square Afghan. This one will be mine. I got the idea from an afghan on Flickr. Here it is. I love Cottage45's use of color in this one, and her other ones.

Well I guess that's got us caught up for now. Got to go deliver a disc of wedding pictures and go play with the two Boston Terriers Misty inherited with the marriage. I love Boston Terriers, I got one a couple of years ago for my girls. Abbie Grace was a special dog, and by special I mean she had some issues. I seriously think she was the result of imbreeding. She ran out the door one morning while we were leaving for school and ran right into the road. You can piece the picture together from there. I miss her so much and would love to have another B T soon.

Maranda giving Abbie Grace lovin'.

Miss Abbie Grace. Don't you just love that little face!

Hope all of you have a great night. TTYS!

Tutorial for the Hat with a Bow

 This hat is one I just came up with off the top of my head.

 Ha! Hat~Top of my Head!

OK that's enough of that.

 I made the hat for my oldest daughter to wear on a field trip. I got a lot of compliments on the hat, and have even sold 3 so far. Alright then,  lets get to it.

Materials needed:

Size H crochet hook

About half of a skein of yarn. I used Caron Simply Soft for all the ones I have made.

Needle

7/8" ribbon

Stitches Used:

Double Crochet

Triple Crochet

Front Post Double Crochet (FPDC)

Front Post Triple Crochet (FPTC)

Slip Stitch

Start off by chaining 2.

1. 10 dc in the second chain from the hook. Join with a sl st to the first dc. (10dc)

2. Ch 3, (counts as 1dc now and throughout) dc in the same space as join, 2dc in each st. Join with a sl st to top of ch 3 (20dc)

3. Ch 3, dc in the same space as join *1dc in the next st, 2 dc in the next* repeat from * Join with a sl st to top of ch 3 (30dc)

4. Ch 3, dc in the same space as join *1dc in the next 2 stitches, 2dc in the next* repeat from * Join with a sl st to top of ch 3 (40 dc)

5. Ch 3, dc in the same space as join *1dc in the next 3 stitches, 2 dc in the next* repeat from* Join with a sl st to the top of ch 3 (50 dc)

6. Ch 3, dc in the same space as join *1dc in the next 4 stitches, 2 dc in the next* repeat from* Join with a sl st to the top of ch 3 (60 dc)

Now is when you will start the FPDC:

7. Ch 3 *FPDC around the next stitch, dc in the next stitch* repeat from * Join with a sl st to the top of ch 3

Repeat row 7 until the hat reaches just past the top of the ears.

My hat worked out to 10 rows of the post stitching rows for 3 year old, 12 rows for a 5 year old.

8. Ch 4,* FPTC around the next stitch, TC in the next stitch* repeat from * Join with a sl st to the top of ch 4. This is the row that you will weave the ribbon through, and the last row to use post stitches.

9. Ch 3, dc IN each st join with a sl st to the top of ch 3.

10. Ch 1, sc in each stitch around, join to ch 1.  Finish off and weave in the end.

Now is the time to add the ribbon. I just wove the ribbon under the FPTC's, then tied a cute bow.

I have an idea of a way to sew a bow to the ribbon, and using Velcro as a closing. This way it would be easier to change out the ribbon or to take it out when washing the hat. I just need to get out needles and thread and work on it. I will let you know if I get it figured out the way I want.

This hat can be made smaller or larger by adjusting the hook used, or by adding or subtracting the number of increase rows.

If you have any problems or if the stitches don't work out right for you, please, let me know. This is my first time writing up a pattern and I hope my directions are clear.

Snow ~Warning: Picture overload!~

Living in South Carolina the chances of a white Christmas are beyond slim to none. Last night around midnight we started getting some flurries. This morning I woke up to 2" of the beautiful white powder! This is the first real snow my girls have ever seen, other than a dusting a couple of years ago. Even as I am typing this, the snow is still falling! So far we have gotten 4" and more is falling!

Maranda and Jaxon having fun.

Caroline and her snow angel! Don't you just love all the colors she has on, she dressed herself.

Maranda caught a snowball with her face!

Catching snowflakes on her tongue.

Jaxon is definitely a snow loving puppy! He was so funny running around and hopping like a rabbit!

Rambler is not so sure about this stuff! He is a stray that I found under a shrub by our back door a month ago.  He was barely alive and starving. He was touch and go for a few days, but is much better now. He is a Fox Hound.  He must have gotten lost while hunting and never made it back to the pack. I placed ad's in the local paper, but no one ever called to claim him. So I guess he is ours now. He is a beautiful dog and has a sweet disposition.

So now I am going to go get another cup of coffee, snuggle up under an afghan, and hook some blankets for the American Girl dolls my girls got for Christmas. I hope you are all having a great day.