Flowers & Wraps

Finishing up my wedding flowers! Pardon the Instagram pic, I'm  trying out my birthday phone. :-) yep! Fiancé bought me a new phone for my birthday. 

I'm also working on Michele's Lace, a semi circular shawl. It has really great texture. The yarn is Serenity Sock, a wool/bamboo/nylon blend. I dyed it myself last weekend. 

Linking up with Tami & Ginny for the usual Wednesday link ups! 

My Weekend in Photos

I had a busy weekend! I take lots of photos, and never share them properly, so be prepared for some crazy stuff :)

Work-in-Progress all weekend

Practical birthday gifts from Mom & Dad- mugs, coffee, contact solution.

More practical, but also fun. Birthday phone from fiance and new wallet from sister.

"Birthday" Lunch- Chinese buffet is one of our favs.

Can you tell that fiance's food was "less healthy"?

Dad took me & sister out for dinner on my birthday- birthday beer!

I love Applebee's appetizer sampler.

Mom knows I love buttons for my craft show hats. I don't think I'm going to run out any time soon.

WIP shown with Birthday yarn. Brother #1 actually listened when I said I wanted Candy Skein yarn!

As you can see, lots of goings on.
I'll be back on Wednesday for more WIPs.

Sunny Summer Shawl

I just love alliterations! Yeah, I'm a teacher like that. This week, I've slacked off quite a bit here, mainly due to a full work week-- a co-worker's on vacation, so I worked every day. (the only sadness to that is working on my birthday, which I will celebrate with my family tomorrow).

It has given me time, though, to crochet. I tested a shawl pattern for Anastacia Knits, and I wanted to have it finished to show off today.



I've also been working on some shawl pins, one of which is featured in the above photo. I haven't blocked the shawl yet, but I think it will just bring out the edging more, so the photo is a fair representation.

Linking up with Tami for FO Friday!

Going Nowhere Fast

Even though I'd like to say that I am an awesomely fast crocheter, and I finished all my projects from last week, it is not so. I'm stuck in the middle of 2 big projects, and probably will be for the rest of the month.

The ripple's folded in half, in case you wondered.

Crocheting: I'm up to 6 skeins for my wedding ripple-- with 10 more waiting to be worked in. Stephanie's Wrap is going slow and steady. I'm about halfway through the second section, and I'd really like to get to the third by the end of the month.

Reading: Halfway through The Two Towers. Still getting through The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Really want to read something new....

Linking up with WIP Wednesday & Yarn-Along!

FO: Rainbow Sampler

As promised, I present my finished baby blanket.

In a rush on Monday night, I decided to forego the puff stitches & border on this blanket:

yep, it's really bright

and simply finish with the rounds of granny.

The pattern is Rectangular Sampler Blanket, and it works up to a decent sized baby/lap blanket. I was working it as part of Underground Crafter's CAL, but didn't finish in time for the contest, and was also impatient.

My reason for stopping before the border was 1) because I knew if I didn't end it, I wouldn't finish and 2) I wanted to gift it ASAP. A friend of mine recently had a baby! and I wanted to give her something. It was spontaneous, hence the hurry to finish.

I'm pleased with how it turned out, all happy & rainbow-y. About 1000 yards of yarn went into it, and the rounds were starting to get long. I think if I work the pattern again, which I'd like to do, I would have more planning, and try to keep the colors down to 2 or 3, like the pattern recommends.

Linking with Tami for FO Friday!!!

A Pile

A pile of WIPs, that is. And it looks something like this:

Are four things too many?

The pink is my Stephanie's Wrap, pulled out of hibernation. The cream is a knitted piece that makes me want to throw everything. The granny in the front is the beginnings of a Rectangular Sampler Blanket, part of a CAL that just finished over at Underground Crafter's blog. Last is my wedding ripple, and I am convinced that it will be finished by August.

It will be pretty when done, but I still dislike the rows upon rows of knitting

I'm listening to The Fellowship of the Ring still, mainly because I can listen and don't need to focus too much on learning the story, since I've known the story since 6th grade or so. I'm nearly finished, so Two Towers will be up next. Also, I love the voice of the narrator, which I am convinced can make or break an audio book.

In more yarn related news, I properly stated my June Goals in the Cold Sheep group on Ravelry.

1. Finish knitting poncho-- commissioned item, on section 8 of 20
2. Make Calorimetry for a friend
3. Finish rectangular sampler blanket from stash yarn
4. Use up at least 6 skeins on wedding ripple to be about halfway done-- not sure if I have enough yarn for this…
5. Get to third section of Stephanie’s Wrap
6. Make at least 3 dishcloths & 2 coaster sets from cotton that is hanging out.
7. Buy no new yarn, unless to finish any of the above projects.

So far, only 5 days into June, and I'm doing pretty good. I'm on section 10 of the knitted poncho, finished & gifted the Rectangular Sampler (pics on Friday), hooked 2 new dishcloths-- ready to make more!- and nearly used up 2 skeins for the Wedding Ripple. 

Linking with Tami & Ginny for the Wednesday Link-ups!