Crochet

[GingerFoxx]

On Friday, I finished the main part of the red and black blanket I've been working on for my boyfriend. I spent Saturday weaving in all the ends which was a real chore. Now I am doing the surface slip stitch overlay that gives the plaid effect to all those horizontal stripes. I realized I'll have dozens more ends to weave in once that step is done... ugh. It's a good thing I love my boyfriend as much as I do. Here's an "in progress" pic with it folded up, just to give you the idea:

 

[PTree15]

This would also look cool if you did the rows lengthwise, I bet.

Oh, yes. Good idea!

 

[GingerFoxx]

I still have what feels like a million yarn ends to weave in [again] now thanks to all the overlay stitching, but I FINALLY just about finished the blanket I've been promising my boyfriend since February:


I'm glad I decided to undo the granny squares and make this pattern instead. Weaving in the ends for all the color changes and now again for all the overlay stitching is a real chore, but the result is an extremely thick/dense and eye-catching blanket. The only downside other than all the yarn ends to hide is there are a lot of points where there are small, but visible, knots from where I had to join the yarn from the unraveled granny squares back together. Even though it's only two colors, it ended up a lot like a scrap afghan in that regard. Still, I am happy with how it came together and I learned a new technique, which is another bonus.

 

[GingerFoxx]

Today, I am taking the money I got to commission a poncho and heading to a couple local craft stores. Joann Fabrics had a sale posted on their website a couple days ago... all yarn, all skeins on sale, up to 60% off. I hope there are still some sales in effect at the store itself.

I will be buying yarn for the poncho, as well as some tan yarn to make a winter hat for my boyfriend's mother, since I didn't have the right shade of yarn in my stock in time for Christmas. She wants something in colors to coordinate with Burberry plaid, and I am already looking at ideas to put this overlay stitch technique to good use again.

Also on my to-do list is making a scarf for a vegetarian/vegan friend of mine on the west coast. He is a firefighter in Spokane and one of his many hobbies includes screen printing. So we agreed on a swap.... a shirt for me in exchange for a scarf for him. I already have a nice herringbone-based pattern selected. (Thanks for the inspiration, @PTree15 !)

Once those 3 projects are done, I will officially be DONE with all the gifts I had planned... until my old co-worker finally gets around to giving me a deposit for the afghan he wants as a birthday gift for his wife. If no other commissions present themselves by the time that is done, I'll definitely be overdue to make something new for myself! I'm still having fun either way though, which is the important thing.

 

[PTree15]

I love the swap idea!! Well done on all of your gifts.

I am definitely going to make more gifts this year. I gave three ear warmers to the people who work on my hair all year (one used to, but I still like to give her a gift) and I'm so pleased that each one loved the color/pattern I picked out. One of the women was asked where she bought her ear warmer. That made me feel good. Another wrote me personally thanking me, and the third just loved the lime green one I made for her. She said she has sneakers and boots that will go with the ear warmer. They were all so appreciative, which really made me happy.

 

[GingerFoxx]

So, I might have a very lucrative commission coming my way. My coworker who commissioned the blanket for his sister and now the poncho for our pregnant coworker was just remarking how the other parents of the kids on the football team he coaches will probably get jealous and want one too. Then he said last year the board approved paying for athletic bags for the entire league, and he could probably get them to approve commissioning me to make winter hats for the whole league in time for next season! (maybe October or so when it starts to get chilly)

 

[PTree15]

So, I might have a very lucrative commission coming my way. My coworker who commissioned the blanket for his sister and now the poncho for our pregnant coworker was just remarking how the other parents of the kids on the football team he coaches will probably get jealous and want one too. Then he said last year the board approved paying for athletic bags for the entire league, and he could probably get them to approve commissioning me to make winter hats for the whole league in time for next season! (maybe October or so when it starts to get chilly)

Wow, that is so cool!

 

[KLS52]

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/northc...-them-mittens-and-give-them-blankets/11714410

 

[PTree15]

https://www.abc.net.au/radio/northc...-them-mittens-and-give-them-blankets/11714410

Thanks for this!

 

[KLS52]

I thought it was so cute when I saw it. Let us know if you think it’s actually something you would do. I didn’t read the whole thing so I don’t know exactly what it entails. It looks like it might not be as easy as one would think to donate. It directed me to another page that didn’t seem to be updated since September. I’m currently checking out their FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkcfreecycle/?ref=share

 

[GingerFoxx]

I had literally just over a single round left to complete on my commissioned poncho when I ran out of the color yarn I was using... Ugh! Gotta get some more this week.

In the meantime, I am working on this scarf for the aforementioned swap. @PTree15 you might like this pattern, as it is similar to your recent ones for sale: A Great Men's Scarf Crochet Pattern for Free!

 

[PTree15]

I thought it was so cute when I saw it. Let us know if you think it’s actually something you would do. I didn’t read the whole thing so I don’t know exactly what it entails. It looks like it might not be as easy as one would think to donate. It directed me to another page that didn’t seem to be updated since September. I’m currently checking out their FB page.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/mkcfreecycle/?ref=share

I checked out the page, and they apparently don't need any more blankets, but they do need birds nests, so I might make a few of those, even though they prefer natural fibers. I use mostly acrylic, and I don't have the weight of yard they call for, but I can make it work with other yarns.

@GingerFoxx Ooooh, thanks so much for sharing the scarf pattern.

 

[PTree15]

My local news did a report on people knitting the nests! So cool. I'm going to crochet mine.

 

[GingerFoxx]

Yesterday I finished this herringbone scarf I was talking about. I'll be shipping it off to Washington state next week:



I really loved working on this one. So simple, but so stylish.

 

[GingerFoxx]

I *still* don't have the yarn I need to finish the poncho I started a few days ago. I'll be getting that at some point today. I literally ran out with just over one round left to finish the project... Joann Fabrics is running another sale with some great discounts on yarn. I might stock up on a few things if I get over there. I'm mildly frustrated that my friend who wants to commission an afghan will not be able to give me a deposit until later this month. I have a suspicion by the time he does all the sales will be off and I'll be stuck paying full price. Alas...

My last crochet goal of the week, now that the scarf is done and the poncho will be soon is to work on a hat for my boyfriend's mother. Since she wants it to match her Burberry plaid pattern items, I've pretty much decided to just make a solid tan or perhaps tan and white hat that I can then experiment on with more of this surface overlay stitching to add some black/white/red details. We'll see how it turns out.

 

[KLS52]

The scarf is beautiful!

 

[GingerFoxx]

Just put the finishing touches on this hat for my boyfriend's mum:



Conveniently, we were invited over for lunch tomorrow, so I'll get to surprise her then.

 

[GingerFoxx]

Today is the one-year anniversary of my crochet hobby. I am in awe of how many projects I have completed in that time. In celebration, I think I am going to make a funky new poncho for myself, now that I am caught up on all the gifts and commissions (for the moment).

 

[GingerFoxx]

Oh... and here is the finished poncho I was commissioned to make:

Nothing fancy. Same pattern I have done twice before now, but the design was by request, as was the black, white and gold color scheme, which is meant to match the recipient's son's football team colors. It's not evident in the picture, but I chose a black yarn with a subtle silver metallic thread in it to make it a little special.

 

[PTree15]

Today is the one-year anniversary of my crochet hobby. I am in awe of how many projects I have completed in that time. In celebration, I think I am going to make a funky new poncho for myself, now that I am caught up on all the gifts and commissions (for the moment).

I'm so impressed with your number of projects and your obvious skill! Well done and continued happy crocheting!