End of year one.

Wow, this is the last time I will be using this banner for my weekly post.  It is so hard for me to realize that a year has passed since in my crafting life.  I know I started about a month late but still...........there has been a lot of crafting and blogging going on since then.

When I started YoP I only had about 600 hits on my blog.  I now have over 2000!  I am so impressed and happy that there are really people out there reading my blog AND making comments.  I want to thank all of you for the comments, suggestions and help you have given to me over the past year.  It has inspired me to improve my skills and try new and sometime difficult things.

So let's get started with this weeks posting of what I did last week.  And there are pictures this time!

I have started on my color affection shawl.  As you can see it is not all that far along but I am loving it!  Super easy to do (so far) and a great way to use up all that sock yarn that I will never have time to make into socks.  I will be doing something I have never done before and that is wrap and turn.  I know..............I make socks all the time but I use a heel pattern that does not use the wrap and turn so this will be exciting for me to once again increase my skills.  I am using Berroco Sock yarn.  Yes, it is all acrylic but I believe it has one of the nicest hands for an acrylic yarn. Gray is the main color with the variegated being contrast color #1 and the red contrast color #2.

Now here is my question all my YoP friends....................I have TONS of variegated sock yarn and very little solid sock yarn.  I would love to make this pattern again BUT...............my goal for next YoP is NOT to buy any more stash until I use up over 50% of what I have now.  Is there a way that variegated yarns could be used together for this or do you think it would look like a regurgitated piece of food?

This is the newest 'skill' I learned this week.  It is called criss cross stitch.  Actually all it truly is, is a LONG cable stitch made without a cable needle. 

This is a better photo of the stitch it self.  This works up pretty quickly so I have no fear that this scarf will be done in time for gift giving.  I already have the had done for this set.  I do not like scarf making as it gets so loooooooong and tedious.  I will let you all know if this makes it as a scarf or not.

 Been working on my dishcloths.  Have 10 total done and lots more cotton yarn to use up.  I am hoping by the time I am done using up all this cotton, that Michael's will put it on sale again for $1/skein.  I really enjoy doing the dishcloths.  They are a quick, satisfying project and I like to stick them in when doing things like, shawls, socks, sweaters etc.

Ok, I got brave and just had to post the picture of the blooming pillow.  I don't think the recipient will be reading my blog for a while.  Anyway...............this is the front of the first pillow.  I have started on the front of the second and am about 1/2 done with that.  I wanted to do the fronts first because I am kind of low on the light colored yarn.  If I don't have enough for the backing then I will just make it all in the maroon color.  Won't bother me a bit.  I now am trying to find round pillow forms for the thing.  I will need a 16" form as the pillow measures 14" and I want it to be real fluffy.  I tried WalMart and they informed me they have never carried round forms.  So now I have to try, JoAnn's, Michael's and Hobby Lobby.  After that I will have to order them from the internet and for some reason I really don't want to do that.  (I order everything else from the internet but this just bothers me this time)

I went back to my list (the latest updated one) and finished it off to show what I accomplished this past year.

 

 Here is the list of things that are finished:

****Finished******
Hat and Scarf (November gift)  Knitted (finished July 2011)

 Scarf for Jadin (by October 10th) Knitted  (finished October 2011)

Wedding Ring Afghan (finished in October 2011)

 Bedsock (Christmas) Crochet or knitted, haven't decided (Finished October 2011)                

 Hat for Josie (Finished October 2011)

wedding ring afghan (Christmas) Crochet (Finished in December 2011)

Bedsock(Christmas)  (Finished November 201

Scarf for Jenn (Finished December 23^rd!!  2011)

Scarf for Josie (Finished December 26^th 2011)

One man’s hat (Finished January 2012)

2 dishcloths (Finished February 2012)

1 log cabin block done (Finished February 2012)

8 dishcloths (Finished June 2012)

Cuff Down Socks (Finished May 2012)

Crocheted shawl (Finished May 2012)

 Crocheted Shawl for Christmas 2012 (Finished February 2012)


It doesn't seem like I accomplished much....................but...................(there's always a but)..............
I still have projects that I have been working on but are still not completed.  There are 3 shawls from last year.....................a pair of socks......................a sweater............................log cabin squares.................................... and stuff like that.

So what is going on the list next year?

Ravelry shows me all sorts of patterns that I have to do RIGHT NOW!  Then there are the other blogs that I read that have wonderful ideas and I have to try that RIGHT NOW!  Not to mention a family that really appreciates home made goodness and they want it RIGHT NOW!

So the list next year is going to be realistic, achievable, and hopefully full of fun stuff that will clear out my stash so I can get MORE!

I don't know if I will be able to get my list up next weekend or not............we are leaving this week for a trip to visit our kids in Texas for a couple of weeks.  I am going to work on the list this week and will take it with me to post if I can get access to their computer. (they love their computers and are on them ALOT)

Happy Crafting!

List? what list?

I have been very busy this week working on projects.  I have managed to knit 4 dishcloths and then decided that I needed to start in on my blooming pillows that are to be for Christmas presents.

Nope, the pillows are not on the list for this year but if I don't start them now I will never get to them once I start in on my 'new' list. (which I have not even begun to figure out what is going to be on it)

I do not have any pictures of the pillows because the people they are for read this blog.  If they saw them they would know right away that the pillows were for them.  This way all my family and friends that read this blog will just have to wait until Christmas to find out if they are the ones that are getting the pillows or not.  (I know, I'm mean)

I also kind of sort of started a color affection shawl.  I have cast on the beginning 5 stitches and that is as far as I have gotten on it.  I am using fingering weight yarn and it is very hard for me to see the bars to make the M1R and M1L. (I am using some darker colors)  So I want to work on that when I have LOTS of spare time.  (Not going to happen in the next few weeks for sure!)  But I am excited to do the shawl and I will be putting that on my YoP list for next year since it will not be worked before that challenge begins.

Today is Father's Day and I no longer have a father living on earth.  But I do want to say that I was one lucky girl.  I had my Dad for 22 years before he was called home to heaven and he was one of the best Dads I could ever dream of having.  A couple of years later I was gifted with my 'step'dad.  He was wonderful and never treated me any different than he did his own children.  My children were always his grand kids and he never called them anything but that.  He was called home to heaven about 4-5 years ago also.  I miss both of them so much and still have wonderful memories of both of them.  I was totally blessed to have been given two wonderful Dads in my life.  I was also blessed to have my Father In Law whom I also thought of as my Dad.  He was called home to heaven 3 years ago and has been missed everyday since then.

I hope all of you that have Fathers here in earth with you will take the time to let them know how much they mean to you.  Once they are gone you will never get another chance to tell them how much you love them, or how much they taught your, or how much they have enriched your life.  So take this day to let them know all of that.

Better go and get some food prepped for our Father's Day bash at our house today.  It is going to be a great day having most of the family here.

Happy Crafting

YoP

There are no pictures this week.  Why? you ask?  Because I have been too busy to even pick up a camera and take a photo of anything!  But I will tell you where I am at on my YoP list

LaLas prayer shawl (when ever) Knitted ( in progress) For Christmas 2012
1pairs of socks (Have the yarn)

5 dishclothes

 Here is the list of things that are finished:

****Finished******
Hat and Scarf (November gift)  Knitted (finished July 2011)

 Scarf for Jadin (by October 10th) Knitted  (finished October 2011)

Wedding Ring Afghan (finished in October 2011)

 Bedsock (Christmas) Crochet or knitted, haven't decided (Finished October 2011)                

 Hat for Josie (Finished October 2011)

wedding ring afghan (Christmas) Crochet (Finished in December 2011)

Bedsock(Christmas)  (Finished November 201

Scarf for Jenn (Finished December 23^rd!!  2011)

Scarf for Josie (Finished December 26^th 2011)

One man’s hat (Finished January 2012)

2 dishclothes (Finished February 2012)

1 log cabin block done (Finished February 2012)

2 dishclothes (Finished June 2012)

Cuff Down Socks (Finished May 2012)

Crocheted shawl (Finished May 2012)

As you can see I have deleted MANY items that I want to be done by the end of June this year.  What I have left probably will not be completed but I am sure some of it will.

I have been working on LaLa's shawl and it is fun and pretty easy but with over 200 stitches per row it is very slow going.

I do have a pair of socks on my needles.  They are for my hubby but at the moment I am concentrating on Dishclothes.  I needed a project that was quick and satisfying.  I can finish one in about a day or two depending on how much other stuff I have to do around the house and at my office.

I am still trying to figure out what I am going to do for a list for next year's YoP.  I have lots of projects that I want to complete by Christmas for gifts and I want to make sure those or on the list.  But after Christmas I will need to figure out what I am going to do to challenge myself.  If any of you have ideas please post them in the comment area.

I do want to stash bust during this next YoP.  I didn't do so well on that this year.  I have LOTS of sock yarn.  Enough to make about 30 pairs of socks.  That is the yarn that I do not have booked marked yet as to what I am going to make with it.  I guess I could just challenge myself to make LOTS of socks in LOTS of different patterns.  But there is no way I could do 30 pair of socks in 6 months.  Nope, not happening.

Now onto a more personal note.

I have really been struggling with my journey to a healthier me.  I kind of plateaued for a while and then some of those pounds started coming back for a visit.  Well, I have successfully evicted them again along with a couple of their friends.

How?  Easy..............................EXERCISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know, it is like a dirty word to me too.  But my DH got me a stand to put my bike in and now I can ride in the comfort of my own home.  It is just too dang hot to be walking or riding right now here in the desert of Arizona.  SO I have been pretty faithful to at least get 15 minutes a day in on the bike and most of the time I get 20-30 minutes in.  I take one or two days off a week total to let the muscles regroup.

I leave the end of this month for Texas to visit my grandsons and their parental units.  We only see them once a year so I am really looking forward to the trip.  Hubby is coming along too and we are both excited.  I plan on taking my craftiness with me and I will try and post as much as possible from there.

Until next week

Happy Crafting!