Blogging & Current W.I.P. – velvet soft wave blanket

I’m not very good at keeping a blog. I think it’s a mixture of, “how much information do I share that can be seen by all?” and, “who really cares to peek into my life?”

But I’m going to try this again.

Today’s agenda is to make sure the kids do their schoolwork and chores and I want to be able to get more work done on the Velvet Soft Wave Blanket.

I recently purchased 14 skeins of Lion Brand Suede. 7 skeins of eggplant and 7 skeins of ecru to go along with the skeins of Lion Brand Homespun in Baroque. I perused through Lion Brand’s website to get an idea of some patterns that would work well with these yarns. I was going to use a pattern where I would use all three yarns together at once. However, I would have to use a huge hook and using the P hook hurts my hand. So I chose a pattern called “New Wave Throw”. I’m using mostly the suede with homespun in between. It’s turning out rather nicely. I’ve always wanted to do a blanket in mostly suede. I need to decide whether I’m going to keep it, sell it, or give it away as a gift. I’d like it to sell as I’m saving up for some bookshelves for my yarn.

Here’s a photo of the pattern from Lion Brand’s site. I’ll post a picture of my blanket when I’ve completed it.

a prophet is not honored in his home

Luke 4:24-27

Then He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own country. But I tell you truly, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elijah, when heaven was shut up three years and months, and there was a great famine throughout all the land; but to none of them was Elijah sent except to Zarephath, in the region of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”

Commentary from Bible Gateway

…Jesus quotes the proverb that a prophet is not honored in his home. This remark reveals Jesus’ understanding of Old Testament history. He knows how repeatedly God’s messengers were rejected. This theme will also surface continually in Luke (11:49-52; 13:32-35; 20:10-12: Acts 7:51-53). God’s message is often met with rejection. The proverb also serves as a prediction that for many in Israel Jesus’ ministry will fit into this tragic mold.

… Jesus recalls the history of Israel in the period of Elijah and Elisha (1 Kings 17–18; 2 Kings 5:1-14). The history lesson is a warning. That period was a low point in the nation’s life, when rejection of God was at an all-time high and idolatry and unfaithfulness ran rampant. So God moved his works of mercy outside the nation into Gentile regions, as only a widow in Sidon and Naaman the Syrian experienced God’s healing. The price of rejecting God’s message is severe: mercy moves on to other locales. It is quite risky to walk away from God’s offer of deliverance. This exchange reveals the basic challenge of Jesus’ ministry: the choice he presents carries high stakes.

Yarn

I am saving up to get 2 Billy Bookcases from IKEA to house the yarn. In preparation, I have moved the majority of my yarn from a dresser to a bookshelf. It’s nice to be able to see what yarn I have instead of it being stowed away inside a drawer.

I’ve put a bunch of yarn into gallon size Ziploc baggies so I can keep lots of the same yarn together. I’m also going to be winding the majority of the yarn into balls, making it easier to crochet.

I’ll be keeping the yarn sorted by color and then by weight.

Again, it’s very exciting to be able to see what I have on hand. I think it will help stir up creativity.

Supernatural ~ Blanket

A little over a month ago, some time towards the end of July, beginning of August, I started thinking about making a blanket for our bed. I had been making some personalized baby blankets for friends following a pattern designed by someone else. I wanted to make something that was all mine.

I had in mind a patchwork quilt-type blanket out of granny squares and solid portions. While making up squares for my blanket, I kept seeing colors from a pair of booties I had made and decided I’d put my blanket aside and work on another to sell on Etsy. I wanted more than just the two colors of black and purple, though, so I went searching through my stash for a third color. I found a green that made for an interesting addition to the colors, mapped out a pattern and got started.

Many times while making this blanket, I questioned the combination of colors I chose. I’m pretty conservative, not one to put wild colors together. I know these probably don’t seem too wild, but for me, this combination was. But upon seeing the finished product, I was really happy with it.

I named this “Supernatural” because as I was making this, the colors reminded me of “The Hulk” and also “The Count” on Sesame Street. My mind was also drawn to comic books whenever I was making it, so, what better name than “Supernatural”?

On future blankets, I’m going to see about cross-stitching words and images on the solid shapes. I’m excited to see what else I can come up with.

Etsy Listing

Emily’s skirt

Because my daughter helped me out with my latest project, I promised to make one for her.

She was intrigued with the idea of me making the cowl/scarf/hood a skirt as well. She likes wearing skirts/wraps over her jeans so I wasn’t concerned about the openness of the pattern. As in the latest project, I used a stitch from 101 Afghan Stitches and Caron Spa.

I decided on stitch 88, which is a puff stitch. But because I was using an H hook with this yarn, the openness was more than what I had anticipated. But I liked working with the hook and liked how the stitch was coming out using the larger hook so I added a row of dc in between the puff stitch.

It’s coming out nicely, I think. I’m on my (hopefully) last skein of yarn for this project. It’s taking a bit more yarn than the lacy cowl. If I make another one of these in a larger size, I’ll have to use more yarn.

Lacy Cowl

I don’t know how long ago it was. A year, maybe two. I normally write my dreams down. Ok, so I don’t write them down as often as I should. At least I remember this one. I was in a building that sits between two financial institutions here in town. From the day they built this section, this building was empty. In my dream, however, it was a library. Interesting since it sits on the perimeter of the library parking lot. Anyway, I’m in this building and it’s a library. Small, but a library. I’m sitting at a table crocheting. Shocker, I know. I was making a cylinder shaped item. But I did not know what it was. When I woke up from the dream I decided to crochet it. And I did. I still did not know what it was.

While surfing Etsy I found it. It was not the same pattern or color, but there it was. A cowl. So I set out to make a second one to sell on Etsy. I’m keeping the first. I may not wear it, but it was something I literally dreamed up.

My daughter and I went over to Michael’s. I had been wanting an excuse to get my hands on some Caron Spa so I picked up a few skeins. My daughter picked out the color, Misty Taupe. She’s got a thing for silver and thought this color was very close. I told her since she helped me pick out the color, I’d make her one as well using the same color.

I searched through my book 101 Stitches for Afghans and decided on stitch #95 and an I hook.

I really loved working with this yarn. It’s so silky, soft, and light. I had wanted to make this a scarf/hood/cowl/skirt. This one was a bit too big for my daughter to wear as a skirt and since she was the model, I scrapped that idea for this particular project.

I was quite happy with the results and my daughter liked it enough for me to make her one in a different stitch.

Etsy listing

Items for sale on Etsy

I have placed 10 items for sale on Etsy.

There are 6 pairs of baby booties, a framed piece of art, and three lovely afghans.

Jireh’s set

I whipped up another Personalized blanket and booties for a friend’s baby-to-be.

They will be naming her Jireh.

I used Caron Simply Soft in Plum Wine and Raspberry.

Naomi’s Sunshiny Day

Blanket made using Kim Guzman’s pattern, Personalized Baby Afghan. I used Caron Simply Soft and an I hook. The blanket measures approximately 31″ x 33.5″.

Booties were made with leftover yarn for the upper parts of the booties and Red Heart Soft for the soles. I used 11 mm buttons. The pattern was designed by Sylvia Schuchardt from Sylver Designs.

Houndstooth Tunisian Baby Blanket

Some friends of ours at church are expecting a baby girl in August. I had in mind to make a certain blanket that I saw in a pattern book I had, Tunisian Baby Blankets by Kim Guzman. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the book.

After doing a search online, I found that I could download the book (the BEST option IMHO since the pattern is now on my computer!). So I was able to download the pattern and get started on it.

I’m using a size K afghan hook and Bernat Baby Sport in lilac and white.