A Happy Blanket of Color

Happy Fat Tuesday!  

So, instead of Fat Tuesday, and food,

 let's talk about crochet,

and color!

Remember the blanket I asked you all about?

 Yup...this one.  boring.

 

 None of you said to rip it out.  And I do appreciate your helpful comments.  I really do.  

Don't hate...it's not nice to hate.

I think I just had to get my head wrapped around the fact that I needed to rip it out.  I actually do like this yarn, a lot, I just wasn't into the color combination. 

So here's a lesson for us all to learn...

 Look what a couple of color changes can do!

I love denim and black, on my body, but not in my house.  So, I took these two colors out.

Maybe I'll make something to wear out of them....like a bikini when I lose all of my weight (snicker-as if)

After much fiddling with yarn that I already have at home...and realizing there is no pink or sunshiney yellow in the blankey....

 and after taking it to the coffee shop.....

 and consulting with  my yarny friends.....who, by the way, are used to this type of behavior from me....

 we picked out a color combination

that I LOVE!

They agreed with me  Out with the denim and the black.

And add pinks and yellow.  

It's not the same yarn, but still a nice cotton in the same weight.

 

 Look what these very minor changes can do.

I L.O.V.E it I tell you!

 

   See how much happier it is!

 I haven't taken out the old blanket yet.  I'm making as many "happy blanket" squares as I can with what I have, then I'll take the old blanket out.

Look at the difference....I actually look forward to crocheting this happy blanket of color.

The happy blanket is perfect for me to take places and not have to think about what I'm doing.  Or to watch TV and crochet.  I need mindless crochet when I'm visiting or watching.

      I'm making some squares with the happy colors, then crocheting them together.

 So, what do you think?  Be nice.

 and Be happy.

and Have a Happy Fat Tuesday!

Cindy Bee

(this post has been edited)

 Side note:  I will say that I don't usually donate stuff like this because I don't think people realize the amount of time and money that goes into hand made items.  The yarn is $5-6 a skein, and they are not big skeins.  And I have (had) about 27 skeins.  If I counted correctly, I have three of each color.    I probably didn't buy it all at once, and I might have gotten some of it on sale, but the big picture is, it isn't cheap.  And I've just seen way too many of these in garage sales and at Goodwill for a couple of dollars.  I only give hand made gifts to people that REALLY appreciate them. 

Another side note:  We were talking about the above side note in spinning last night, and a lady told me about someone she knew who sent her son and daughter-in-law a sewn by hand quilt as a wedding gift.  When the mother went to visit them the dog was laying on the quilt.  A few years later, the daughter-in-law started quilting, and apologized profusely for what she did with the quilt.  I admitted, I've done the same thing!

Happy Valentine's Day!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Is everyone having a lovely Valentine's Day? I hope so.

So, last night I had a date with my Mom.  We were inside this beautiful place that is new in town.  It has several HUGE chandeliers, gorgeous lighting, and a beautiful double staircase that leads up to a balcony.  It's at an Italian restaurant...and would you believe I DID NOT GET ONE PICTURE!  AUGH!  Of all people.  I thought about it, but then forgot about it.  Then we were over halfway home and I said, "OH NOOOO!  I forgot to take a picture!"  So I asked Mom if we should go back and get one and she said yes!  Well, this event was dinner and a play, and we ducked out during intermission, so we couldn't go back inside!  So, we took our picture by the marquee' sign outside!  Lordy People I'm slipping!

I did remember to make my Shug a pie for Valentine's day.

 And he did a somewhat romantic thing by hiding little gifts all over the house for me!  See the gift in this picture.

Sometimes things can hide right in front of your nose and you don't see it!  Like this little packet of flower seeds.

He got me some chocolates, lottery scratch off tickets, and flower seeds.  I won $3.00 on the scratch off tickets!

 I sent my nieces and great nephew some little goodies too.

And my crochet friends got me some sweet little gifts.  (I was a loser and didn't get them anything for Valentine's day but I do heart them!)

 I hope you all have a wonderful day today.  It's snowing like crazy here....sometimes blizzard like conditions so be safe!

Cindy Bee

Big Honkin' Crochet Post

 This is one big honkin' crochet post.   I am determined to work on WIP's.  But I am at a point on them where I can't take them with me.   And when I have crochet group, I need to take something yarnish!

 Well, last Tuesday I had a couple of friends having birthdays and I wanted to give them a little something.  So I made these 'dishcloths'.

 You could actually use them to set a potted plant on, or a vase of flowers, or a dishcloth.

 I used one to cover my pitcher of tea, lest flying dust mites and debree get in it. 

 

 Last Thursday crochet group wanted to make them, so we made several.  I am using up my stash of sugar and cream yarn.  It's not the greatest yarn, but it'll work for dishcloths and such.

 What I like about them is they are quick (1 hour) so I'm not getting another unfinished project when I make them.  They are easily transportable.  And I think they are going to be my "go to" gift this year!  You know, when you need a gift for someone you kind of know, but not really, or someone needs cheered up...just a little something.

Like My sister's friend chose to wear hers!

(this was during wine and chocolate evening last Friday)

I don't think she needed cheered up, but it was her birthday, so I gave her a couple.

This way you kind of get an idea of the size of them....well, sort of!

Ok enought of that.

This bag WIP is coming along.  I've almost got all the hexi's, poly's, etc. sewn together.

 Which has made me realize I am not going to make a hexi blanket!

One thing I did figure out the other day, to make this transportable, I can pin the pieces together.  I've had it on the table for the last three weeks, not to be moved! Why does it take me so long to figure things out!

  

 Now this is what I need your advice on.  I started this blanket several years ago.  I was making it to show people (students) what you can do with granny squares.  I was teaching a class.  These are not my colors. I probably just went to a craft store, bought some yarn and started hooking.  There are no pinks or yellows in it.  What was I thinking?  Hence, it is hard for me to work on this blanket.

I could keep going but what am I going to do with it if it isn't my colors.

I happened upon this picture in Molly Makes magazine from a month or two ago.

 There...it's a bit blurry but you can see it better.  It's almost the same colors. Very close. I like the way they did their squares better.  But they are still not my colors.  Should I.......

A.   Just rip it out and use the yarn for something else?
B.  Rip part of it out and make the pattern in the molly makes mag.  It would be quicker to do this, than it would to keep going, even though it involves ripping out.
C.  Add some colors (which will not be the same yarn because Lion Brand does not make this yarn anymore) to make it more my colors and start over.....which is really A.....so I guess we have choice A or B.....or maybe D
D which would be to just keep on crocheting it, knowing you probably are not going to use it.  Ugh.
Help!


Cindy Bee