To Design or Not to Design... That is my question.

Normally, I know what project I am going to start after I finish the one I am working on. This time I have been torn! Sure, I have a few projects going right now but I really want to start something new...

I spent most of last weekend looking at different patterns. Winter will be here before we know it (can you believe that it is September already?!?) and I want to start making some sweaters. I have found some cute patterns but I realized something....

Knitted sweaters are so cute!! But how in the world do you knit a sweater?! I started out as a knitter and I never was able to get the hang of it. I was able to make scarfs but you can only make so many scarfs before you want to pull your hair out! To those who can knit a sweater... I am impressed!!!

I did find a pattern that I am very interested in... but it is for knitters. However, I believe that I could crochet one that looks very similar. I think it would be neat to design a pattern. Take a look at this picture:



If you knit - you can find the pattern at:

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/81092AD.html?noImages=0

If you crochet... wait around! I am trying to CREATE my own pattern. :)

One fear I have to designing my own pattern or even following a pattern for a sweater is - What if it doesn't fit? What if I FROG?? (When you mess up you have to "rip it"... that is where the term FROG comes from.) I guess if I don't try I will never know!

On the other hand, I have seen other cute patterns! I am interested in a few scarfs and cowls that I saw. After a big project like the baby blanket it is nice to do something that doesn't involve a lot of thought.

There you have it... I am torn. Do I make my own pattern or should I do something simple and cute?

Finished!!!

Some create art with a pencil and paper...

Some create art with a canvas and paint bush...

I create art with a hook and yarn.

And yet I am always stunned when I am finished... thinking "did I really make that?!!?"

Putting it all together...

This afternoon I saw down with my hook and yarn and put together the squares. I thought it would take a few days but because of the way I put it together it only took a few hours!!

I didn't go with the ways I mentioned yesterday. I researched some more and decided to go with Attic 24's way of joining granny squares... take a look:

http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/joining-granny-sqaures.html

I like the way the blanket is turning out! It is a little bit smaller then I thought it would be but I plan on making a big border.

I have an idea of how I want the border to look but I am still trying to figure out how to do it.

Almost done!

In my blog "For the Love" I told you about my friend who is having her first baby in December. I started this baby blanket then in hopes to share with her a new love for colors. This has been a fun project! Every square is unique - None of them match!

I started to worry that I would not have her blanket done by the time we gave her a baby shower. Little did I realize how many squares I already had! I laid them out to see how many more I would need and found that I have more then I need. That is a good problem to have. There are seven across and seven down - with a border it will look awesome!


I am trying to decide how I am going to sew or crochet them together. Normally, I sew squares together but I have a picture in my mind of something a little different. I am thinking about the chain 2 slip stitch method mentioned here:

http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa010999.htm

I like this girls method the best but I had already crocheted the tan on most of them before I saw it. Take a look:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/90733686@N00/3471057796/in/photostream/

The next blanket I make with this square I will do that.

What do you think?

Crafty Lunch Hour

Monday my boss came in with a neat little "balloon flower" that she had made with her family that weekend. I loved it and my crafty side was dieing to make one. So... her daughter brought all of the supplies needed to make it and we had a crafty lunch hour!


Here is my flower:
It was a lot of fun to make! Do you want to make one?

What you will need:

* Floral wire
* Balloons
* Duct Tape
* Green Floral Tape
* Button

Step one: Take the floral wire and fold it in half. With a piece of duct tape - tape the bottom of the wire together (make sure to cover the bottom of the wire so that it will not break the balloon). Finger length from the bottom put another piece of duct tape.

Step two: Put the loop side of the wire into the balloon. Pull the balloon over the bottom of the wire and then pull the other part of the bottom of the balloon over the bottom as well. Tape over the balloon in the same two spots that you did in step one. You will do this for all of the peddles.
( I made three green leaves, six yellow peddles and six white peddles)

Step three: Once all of your peddles are made stack them on top of each other. For my flower I stacked mine with the green on the bottom, then yellow, then white. Duck tape from the bottom of the stem (make sure you tape the bottom) to the finger length tape.

Step four: Now you are ready to cover the duct tape with floral tape.

Step five: Move your peddles to the spot you want them. You are also ready to bend the top of the peddles to make it look more like a flower!

Step six: glue your button to the middle of the flower.

I goggled balloon flowers and found this website. Their balloon flower is very small and very cute. I thought it was a neat idea and thought you'd like to see it as well.

http://www.bhg.com/crafts/balloon-flowers

On page two of this article there is a picture of ways they decorated with small balloon flowers and I thought it was neat! These flowers would make the presentation of your gift very interesting!

Happy Crafting!

Operation Kitchen - Part 1 Wash Cloths

George and I dated for six months and were engaged for three weeks! When you know... you know! :) Because we got married to fast we were only able to have a few showers but we are fine with that because we had every thing we needed! We are so blessed!

This year I have noticed that our kitchen towels, wash clothes, and hot pads have seen better days. Most of our towels were brought into our marriage from our college days and it is time to up grade. After my last blog I realized that these are things that I could save us money on as well. I have crocheted a few wash clothes in the past and have found that they hold up better then the kind you buy. Plus, you can give them a lot of personality!

So started "Operation Kitchen".

This project will take a long time because I am not going to try to do it all at once. I have other projects going that are on a time frame so I need to give them more attention.

My plan is three fold.

Part 1 - Wash clothes
Part 2 - Kitchen towels
Part 3 - Pot holders/hot pads

I am going to be silly and keep the colors matching what I have in my living-room and kitchen. To me that will add to its personality. However, each item will look different.

I can't hardly wait to have a closet full of nice towels and wash clothes!!!

Ways to Save

George and I started reading Financial Peace by Dave Ramsey this week. Like most Americans we have bills. What we don't want is for our bills to have us. So, we are starting now and trying to find ways to save money and to pay off our bills.

As I was reflecting on what we had read I started to wonder how Crochet could help us and possibly others to save money in the long run. Then it hit me...

We use a Swiffer Wet Jet to clean our floors. Each time we mop we have to throw away the cleaning pad because it gets dirty. Because of our pets we could easily go through one pack of the swiffer pads in a month. Do you know how much we are spending?!?!

According to Google refills cost - $7.29 for a 12 pack or $23.81 for a 24 pack
(I am sure you could get them cheaper at the dollar store but I am just going by what I saw online.)

Over 12 months you are spending - $87.48 for the 12 packs and $285.72 for the 24 packs. Of course it depends on how many you use in a month... but still!!

I have a solution! It is called a Swiffer Cardi! The Swiffer Cardi is just like the cleaning pad except it is washable and reusable!


As for George and I, I will be going to the store tomorrow and getting us the yarn it takes to make a few so that we can save money. As soon as I make one I will post a picture.

Snaps and Buttons

I've been looking cute patterns for winter clothes and I have picked out a few sweaters that are on my list to make before it gets cold. With cute clothes comes cute buttons and as I have found... snaps!

Last week I ran to hobby lobby to find snaps for a baby out fit that I am making. I know what snaps are but I had never brought them before. I had a blonde moment in the store. I was looking at the package thinking... the top part is missing... before I realized what I was doing I had snapped the top part of the snap off and it went flying across the store! Don't worry! I found it!! :) But the whole time I was in the store was snapping the snaps on and off. It was as fun as clicking your pen over and over again! :)

Along with the snaps the baby outfit called for decorative buttons... I am still on the hunt for cute baby buttons but Hobby Lobby didn't have anything that I liked. Yestorday I ran into Wal-mart with my Sister and her two kids. I had my nephew with me and I let him pick out his birthday gift from Aunt Beshie and Uncle George. After we were done we ran over to the yarn section and found a few cute buttons. None for my baby outfit but I think they will look cute on a sweater that I am going to make next! I can't wait to make it!!

Natalie, my sister, and I also ebayed glass buttons. We found some really cute buttons but I want to shop some more before I order any. I will say though that the glass buttons that we looked at were very cute! I would love to learn how to make them.

Where do you find cute buttons??

Iris and Ivan's Toddler Blankets

After A LOT of thought, I decided to give my family members their blanket as I finish them. Why? Well...

1) Why keep them under my bed until Christmas when they can enjoy them now?
2) It took me two months for two small blankets and I know I will not have every one's done by Christmas.
3) I just really wanted to :)
4) I would like to make myself some winter clothes and if I am on a time schedule I won't allow myself to stop and make a sweater or two.

George and I made a quick trip to Memphis this past week. We left on Wednesday and as soon as we arrived I went to my sister's house and gave Iris and Ivan their toddler blankets. I realize that they are too young to really treasure and appreciate the blankets but I was amazed to find how much they loved them! I am so excited and can hardly wait until everyone has their own blanket! If a picture can say 1,000 words... check out how cute they are!!! I hope one day they look at their blanket and know how much Aunt Beshie loves them!

Our time in Memphis was very quick! I wish we could turn back time and have those days again. At the same time I would not trade a moment... well, other then the fact that George hit my sister's small brick wall at the end of their drive way, knocked it over, and scratched my car. Or the fact that I broke her shower knob the next morning... :) but we are laughing about it because what can you do?!? Momma said their would be days like that...