Monday Ripple and a pillow by Alexandra Mackenzie

A couple of weeks ago I was painting some things with chalkboard paint.  I ended up painting this bucket.  I had no real reason for it, I just decided it would look better painted than not.  It was in bad shape.

 The other day while working on my ripple blanket, I decided I needed a place to store the yarn that I wasn't using yet.  I didn't like all of the bags on the floor, around the chair I sit in, when I crochet.

So I put a plastic bag in the bucket (I was afraid of rust or something getting on my yarn) and put the ripple blanket yarn in it.  I still have the yarn I'm actually using in a bag by the chair.  This is my excess, that I will need as my ripple blanket grows.

  And I like that it brightens up a corner of our room.

 So...the ripple....I added about eight rows.  The blanket is very wide.  I'm making it to fit our queen size bed.  And since I had to rip out a few rows, I didn't get as far as I hoped I would.  But I love the way this blue looks with this pink.

 I don't have any color combination going on.  I do have a bit of a pattern, but the colors I pick randomly.  I started this blanket months ago, at Groovy Girl Yarn.  I just got it back out when I saw where Mel from One Crafty Mumma was having a ripple-a-long.  I decided to join in.  I was having a hard time getting the hang of it again, which is why I had to rip out some rows.  I think I'm good now though.   It's my stay at home, morning/evening project.  I can't really take it with me anymore as it's too big and heavy to lug around.  But it sure is nice and toasty warm when I'm working on it!

 Now, Groovy Girl Yarn hasn't been talked about in awhile because she is moving.  But I miss my crochet group, so I asked them if they wanted to do a crochet-a-long and make this pillow

 (this is Alexandra's pillow so far.  I love her colors.)

 with Alexandra Mackenzie, during GG's move.  Anyone can join in with Alexandra.  She is posting it on facebook and just doing a row or two a day.  Our crochet group is going to meet at Big Ben Coffee Shop (our local coffee shop) and work on this pattern.  Since I asked them to join me, I thought I'd better make one side of the pillow, just to check out the pattern.  I just finished row eight.

 (I'm using my small leftover ripple yarn.  I want my pillow to match my blanket)

And I'm glad I am working the pattern before meeting, because my first attempt was too tight.  I was using a 4.5 hook, on yarn that suggests a 5 hook, and it was too tight.   The sides were really curling up.

 I re-did it with a 5 then a 5.5, and liked the 5.5 the best.

 I realized this morning that I "met" Alexandra through Mel, on Mel's blog (which is on my sidebar) when she bought a "hottie" (hot water bottle cover) from Alexandra.  What a coincidence that they are both doing crochet-a-longs that I decided to join in on, at the same time.

Cindy Bee

PS - You can find Alexandra on facebook.  I tried to download a link and it didn't work, nor do I want to spend all morning messing on this computer.  Just look up Alexandra Mackenzie.  She sells some of the coolest crocheted stuff....hot water bottle covers, coffee mug thingys, cell phone cozies, and now egg cozies, just in time for Easter.

PPS - Now I'm on my way to Mel's blog to check out other ripple blankets.  It's fun to see all of the color combinations.

PPPS!- Check out Brenda's pillow (from Ladybug Dreams)