Crochet Sampler Blanket Part I

Good Day!  Introducing . . . . . The Crochet Sampler Blanket. . . the beginnings

After much thinking and hem-hawing over what my next crochet project would be, my next project picked me!  How lucky for me!  After the disaster of my purple/blue/green crochet blanket (I still have circles unraveling--found another last night--it makes me so sad), I've gotten into the habit of making samples before I delve into a project, especially a time consuming one.  I make up pieces, block them (if needed), wash them, dry them, test them out so that I know I'm tying off correctly, weaving in correctly, joining correctly . . . you get the picture.  I already had a few pieces worked up from previous projects and it just hit me:  use them all in a blanket!!

I already had the middle blocks joined and some rounds done when I took pictures, but here are the individual squares, as close as I could get them.

Two of the "big" squares were derived by practicing joining circles with one continuous round.  I still am having trouble getting that clear in my head! I don't get it yet, but I will!  Those are the predominantly pink and purple squares.

The other two were made when I was working on sizing and  joining plain granny squares to sunburst granny squares. The sunburst granny pattern can be found HERE on the Bunny Mummy blog. To size the plain granny square to fit the size of the sunburst granny, I completed the first three rounds like I normally do, all double crochets; however, on the fourth round, I used all half-double crochets. You can see here how the two end up being the same size.

So far I've got the middle part of the blanket completed and am currently working on the 32 granny squares that will surround that.  I'm using a variety of yarns, including my new Stylecraft yarns with these granny squares.  Another reason the name is so fitting for this blanket.

Here's what I have done thus far . . .

I will update as progress is made!

Low quality photos are a result of this . . .

Yep, more RAIN!!!!

Here Comes the Rain AGAIN!!

So this weekend, Friday in particular, was a wash-out!  I was typing up my last post during the worst thunderstorm I've been through in quite a while.

Yes, Texas is under there somewhere!  I was just typing away when hubby called from work to make sure we were all home, pets inside, cars under the carport because IT WAS COMING!  Dunt, dunt, duuuuuuuuuuuun!!!!!  I'm blogging away, battery almost dead on the laptop, but I wasn't about to plug it in! I just typed really fast.  Lightening and thunder abounded.  My dog, Ginger, kept close to her mama then found a dark spot behind the couch where she rode out the storm.  Close to 3" we got!

The next day, all was clean and cool.  I went for a 4 mile run.  That was what was on schedule for the day.  More on my running program in another post to come.

Water rushed in the creek behind our house . . .

The running trails were quiet.  Spanish moss hung so beautifully . . .

I'm guessing the amount of rain we got, as well as the wind, loosed the moss a bit.  I've never noticed it hang quite so low and abundantly.  I stopped running to watch it sway gently in what breeze there was, then was beeped back to the present by my phone and jogged on.

April has been a month filled with showers.  Who am I kidding!!??  Torrential rains, more like it. There should be plenty of May flowers in my future.

Have a great Monday!

Mid-April Days . . .

The break down thus far!!

5 softball games
1 book down
1 all day track meet
PROM!! :0
Easter
Rotary Bunco
1 blanket finished

Wow!!!  This month is half way over and soooooo much has happened.  I hated to go through the entire month before documenting anything, so I decided, since we are at the half-way point, I would go ahead and fill all in on what's been happening!  Whew!!!  Long sentence . . .  First and foremost, the bunco blanket; it is FinISheD!!!!  Here it is! (Not a good pic!! I've got to practice with the camera more!!!!!)

I just now realized this is the back side of the blanket!! LOL!  I think it's pretty anyway :)

In the beginning, this blanket was not enjoyable to work on. (The first post over this blanket can be read HERE as well as the explanation of the bunco game.) I really didn't like the color combination or the fact that I HAD to work on it.  It was relaxing at times, and other times, I was tense knowing I had to get the blanket done.  It was the main prize on bunco night!! As the days passed, and the colors mingled, I found I was starting to like this blanket.  I had never volunteered to donate something I'd made to an organization like this, and I didn't want to be a failure!  That all day track meet listed above, gave me the opportunity to finish this blanket.  I backed my car up to the fence where the finish line was, popped the back of my SUV up, laid down the back seats, and made me a little hobbit hole to work in.  It was an overcast, mild day, 75ish degrees, the breeze was blowing, it was quiet, and it made the perfect setting for me to finish a project I had grown to love.  So calm and relaxing. . .

The break down of the bunco blanket is:
13 different colors: 2 whites, 3 pinks, 5 greenish blue/blue/greens, 1 peachy, 1 grapey/mauve, 1 yellow.  The granny squares are made in 5 rounds.  The centers of each square are a different color to somewhat mimic the dots on a die since it is a bunco blanket.  Looking back, I wish I had used black for the centers.  There are 10 rows of 8 squares across.  I joined the squares using the JAYGO method.  (Click on the link to learn!  Some of my favorite tutorials come from attic24.  It's a wonderful blog! So inspiring!) The edging consists of 9 rounds of granny rows with the final round completed using a double V pattern found on the Bunny Mummy blog HERE. (Another blog with great tutorials and inspiration!)

Because we had some severe weather yesterday, including a tornado warning, our Rotary Bunco tournament didn't have much of a turn out, BUT my grand prize is ready for the fall tourney and I won't have to worry about making it!!!  Just have to store it until then.

The other milestone reached this month was prom.  I am not a junior sponsor this year but I have a daughter who is an 11th grader, so . . . I ended up helping.  This year's theme was "Victory 1945." The juniors wanted to throw a WWII victory party and keep it as authentic looking as they could. There was bunting . . .


There were pendants . . .

Mason jars . . .

Burlap runners . . .

There were lights, Coca-Cola memorabilia, AND the parachute picture background1

It helped that the hall it was held in is old!  I think they did a superb job planning and implementing the theme.  Walking into the hall felt like one was being transported back in time.  The phonograph and old records playing certainly added to the ambiance.  Do you ever miss those hissing, crackling, popping sounds of a vinyl record?  Hey, it's RECORD STORE DAY tomorrow in case you're interested.

In closing, I'm looking forward to starting a new crochet project with my new yarns.  I ordered some style craft yarns through Amazon and am excited to try them.  I'm thinking stripes; either a ripple or granny stripe.

Enjoy the weekend!

Yarn Bundles

Just a quick post today.  I know there are many methods used for making yarn samples.  Many yarny peeps will whip up little squares, or twirl yarn around clothesline pins to help in deciding color order, color selections for a project, etc.  I was in a hurry a few days ago but wanted a visual for the border I am working on.  I decided to quickly make some little yarn bundles.

Not the best picture, but you get the idea.  They are not labeled as far as the color goes, but I am using the same colors as are in the blanket.  It was a quick way to arrange the color order for the border.  I just simply wrapped the yarn loosely around my hand, slid it off, wrapped the tail around to form a bow, and slipped the end on through.  I used my crochet hook to grab the tail.

My bunco blanket is finished and I will post more on that this weekend.

Happy Hooking!

March Days . . .

Holidays/Observances:  St. Patrick's Day, Palm Sunday
5 Track Meets
2 Softball Tournaments (both out of town)
3 Softball Games
2 Volleyball Games
SpRinG BReak!--not really :(
1 hair appointment
Not even listing miles run :(
Spring UIL (work stuff)
State Testing (work stuff)

The month of March certainly did blow through!  Literally AND figuratively!!!

Most of the month has been a wet, soggy mess . . .a few days of sunshine.  Our normally low, even dry, creek behind our house was overflowing!  I'm hoping March showers will bring us some April flowers.  I know that's not how that goes, but . . .I'm ready for the sun to shine!

This was a VERY BUSY month for me and my family.  Both of my girls are involved in a plethora of things as you can see above.  We spent many hours on the road traveling to and from events, some we even had to stay over a night.  There was one week I traveled four days to the SAME area--all an hour and a 1/2 drive from my hometown.  I got so tired of driving that same stretch of road!  I do love to watch my girls in action though, and I know one day I will be wondering what in the world to do with myself.  We are busy now and meet ourselves coming and going, but I know it won't last forever.  I also know I will miss it when it's over, but I won't think about that now.  I'll think about it tomorrow (thanks, Scarlet).

I was able to finally get out into my gardens to trim, weed, and just clean up after old man winter. Such wonderful things are happening!

Lillies are blooming . . .

Crossvine is going CrAzy!

Rosemary is spreading like wildfire . . .

Confederate Jasmine is about to explode . . .

Creatures GREAT . . .

 . . . and small. . .

are basking in the sun, stretching those legs, and enjoying the mild temperatures like the rest of us.

Here's wishing you a restful weekend and a lovely Easter!