A Crocheter's Jackpot

Good Afternoon!  I actually have a little time to blog today and want share a project I just finished lastnight and a goldmine of goodies I came into a week ago.  First, here is a finished baby blanket that resulted from my find . . .

I love it!! It is now on my dining room table soaking wet with straighter edges than you see here.

A week ago . . .

I got a call from a friend of mine who had cleaned out her mother's crafty stashes.  She knew I was of a yarny sort and offered all things yarn related to me: yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles, books, you name it. Of course, I wasn't about to turn down her offer!

When I picked up the lot, it was in several boxes, old comforter bags, totes, so I set to organizing it.  I found quite a lot!

I gave all of the kitting needles, books, and knitted works in progress to my eldest daughter, along with a super cute wicker basket to store it in.  Above is what I kept.

Found amongst the yarn and what not, was a blanket almost completed (the stripey bit up top the size of a twin bed) and granny squares.  There were enough granny squares for two blankets:  one baby size, and the other, a lap size when finished.

This isn't all of the yarn, but a sampling of what there was.  I was familiar with the Red Heart yarn and the Lion's brand and some others in the mix, but not Deborah Norville or Vanna yarns.  There were also some really pretty hand died skeins of super soft alpaca.  Yummy!!

I set forth laying out the squares I could join to finish up whatever this project was intended to be.  Jerry (the crocheter of these squares) makes her squares differently than I do: looser, using different yarn, and a much bigger hook.  I ended up using an "I" sized hook to join the squares.  It took no time to join them all together into a super cute blanket.  It was kind of neat to take someone else's handy-work and make it mine. Now I've got a sweet little blanket ready to give!

Thanks, Jerry . . .

Four Square Granny Square

Just dropping in to show what I started working on today.  At the beginning of summer, I had a goal of completing two baby blankets before the start of the school year.  I finished one back in June and have been knocking around a few ideas as to what I wanted to do for the second.  I decided that I loved my sampler blanket so much, I would make a smaller version of it.  So far this is what I've come up with.  I will need to complete 8 more of these squares and then join them all together.  Rather than using black as the joining color (which I tried, but didn't like--it's for a baby after all!!) I've decided to use various colors.  I will keep you updated!!

Have a terrific Thursday!!!

July Days . . .

Can you believe July has come and gone!!!
Here's my July break down. . .

1 GT workshop
Celebrated Independence Day
1 trip to DFW airport to pick up eldest
1 luncheon with a very good friend
1 EC-12 art state test (which I passed yeah!!!)
1 wedding
1 birthday (mine :)
Parents anniversary
2 trips to Comfort
2 dentist appointments
1 eye dr. appointment
2 books read
42.1 miles run

It seems summer just started and now it's already coming to a close!  I have one week left of my summer break before I return to school and embark on my first year as an art teacher.  I've been spending much of my free time working on cleaning and organizing my room and am anxious to get going.  I wish I had taken some before pictures, but I think the afters will suffice.  I'll be working on that blog post shortly.

Much of the month has been spent traveling it seems, and taking care necessary things before the school year begins.  Already next week, volleyball for my oldest begins and cheer camp for the youngest.

Here are some pics from some projects I worked on in July as well as some others to simply document the month!

I worked on some bunting for my classroom earlier in the month.  Just yesterday I crocheted them together to hang.  More pictures can be found on my Instagram.

 

This bag was a joy to make.  I've been carrying it around on occasion and getting some nice complements.  The pattern details can be found HERE.

Meet Mabelline!!!  She was born on July 18th.  In this picture she is a few hours old.  Her mom did not survive the birth which is no surprise considering how BIG this girl is!  We brought her home in the backseat of my husbands truck.  Yes, the backseat.  I rode in the back with her.  She is almost two weeks old now and she is beautiful! We named her Mabelline because she looks like she's wearing a ton of eye make-up.  You can even see that perfect "wing" on that upper lash!

We popped a few fireworks to celebrate the forth with our youngest.  Pesky mosquitoes were out so it was a short lived celebration but enjoyable all the same.

Enjoy what's left of summer!!