Category: Crochet and crafting

any items related to crocheting or crafting

More Crochet Patterns Published

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing
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Lacy Length, Light and Lacy, Fiesta Throw and Drunken Doubles are all individual crochet patterns I created and published yesterday.  To create a hard copy, I put Woven Winter Scarf with Drunken Doubles, Lacy Length, and Light and Lacy to create Collection of Four Scarves.

There are links to all of them on my website:  http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/publications.html

The collection is available in hardcopy on Amazon  http://www.amazon.com/Collection-Four-Scarves-Eileen-Troemel/dp/1505410495/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1426554574&sr=8-6&keywords=eileen+troemel
Light and Lacy and Lacy Length were made for my daughters in Georgia.  They are made from baby yarn which is light weight so the girls can wear them on their cooler days and still get use of them in the warmer climates.



Drunken Doubles – love this name – was made from Caron Simply Soft yarn which is one of my absolute favorites.  I ADORE the yarn, it is always good quality and great color combos.  The pattern was fun and easy to work up.  The simplicity of the pattern allowed the pattern of the yarn to come through and be amazing.

Fiesta throw was made for one of my student workers as a graduation gift.  Her face on seeing it was worth every second of the time I put into it.  She loved it.  It is fun with bright fun colors.  It is a throw to flip over you on the chilly spring nights.

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Overloaded and Overwhelmed

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Things are speeding up at my day job which is putting a stress on my writing and crocheting because I have so much I want to get done but I’m tired when I get home.  My pain level isn’t helping but I’m hoping for milder weather in March.

Mentally I have a long list of things to get done editing, writing, brief descriptions, press releases, production for the manuscripts and that is just the general list off the top of my head.  I still have a gift to make and a few other things.  My daughter is grumbling about people being put before her afghan so I need to focus on her project.

I have a LONG LONG list of to read books.  So many I can’t even begin to say.  I can’t seem to make myself read Cast in Peril.  I guess I’ll go back to making myself listen to one chapter (at least) before I start the next JD Robb.  I’m on book 15 of the JD Robb series.  I want to get all the way through them and move on to other series.

The nice thing about crocheting is that I can listen to books and crochet so I’m doing two things I love at once.  Unfortunately when I write, it is the only thing I can do.  Tonight I worked on two stories and considered the start to another one.  I want to finish the final Defenders book.  I need some quiet weekends to be able to do it though.  I’m in the middle of writing a battle – a turning point in the book.  It takes my revolutionaries from thugs to respectable people attempting to change the rules of a society.  It’s turning out good for now but I need some quiet time to focus on it and think about where I am with all my large cast of characters and where I need to be and how I’m getting there.

I probably wrote about 3000 words tonight, maybe more.  Not bad considering I’m tired and cranky.  I’ve got too much in my head to not write and too much in my head to write and get the stories down.  It’s a matter of whittling away at my to do list.

Tomorrow promises to be another busy day.  We are coming up on advising followed inevitably by registration.  I’m sure it will be no worse or no better than other semester but just long days spent trouble shooting why people can’t register.  I managed to get a variety of tasks off my desk today and that felt good.  I like being busy while I’m accomplishing things.

This weekend is busy, very busy.  I’ve got things scheduled for most of the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  I’m hoping I can get some down time with my feet up during all the chaos but we will see.

I made a call to one of my student loan places today.  I was supposed to get a tax form.  I didn’t and called them about ten days ago.  They said they would mail me one and still haven’t gotten it.  I called back today and got someone who was very helpful and got my form.  It was the largest chunk of the interest I paid so it was an important document to have so I can do our taxes.  I’m going to have to try to fit them in some time soon.  Normally I like to have them done by this time but with the schedule I’ve had and the missing document it was difficult.

With all this stuff in my head, I just need to make a comprehensive list and start working on it.  Part of the reason I haven’t is I don’t want to overwhelm myself with the list.  I have too many projects going right now and I need to finish a couple off.

Tonight – I’m going for an early night (for me) and hopefully a little more sleep than I’ve been getting.  Hopefully that will lower my pain level and keep me moving forward with my long list of things to do.

Coupons, Crocheting, and Juggling…

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

After I finish a manuscript and switch to something else, I feel like I’m not accomplishing anything.  I have to remind myself there is more to life than writing. 

Sunday, I spent the day listening to an audio book and going through the stack of coupons.  Since my stack was so large, it took me most of the morning to go through them.  I got the three piles done (one for me, one for my middle daughter, and one for my Atlanta daughters).  I talked to my middle daughter for a bit to sooth her pre-test nerves. 

Ken came home from helping his sister with a car that wouldn’t start and we had lunch.  I worked on a throw and finally finished it last night about 8:30.  I started another crochet project but realized I had done the first row wrong so I have to tear it out and start over.  I like the pattern, I just got the count wrong – at least that’s my hope because otherwise the pattern is screwy.  It’s a new book so it could be the pattern but I’ll try the first row again tonight. 

I’m still listening to Obsession in Death.  I’m up to chapter 13 and enjoying it.  Robb does a good job in drawing in the reader and even though this is the 40th book in the series, it is still an interesting story. 

I have editing to do.  I’m trying not to think about writing so I don’t get more manuscripts to edit but the third book in the Defenders is calling to me.  I know what the next two or three scenes will be.  I just need time to write them.  However, I also want to make sure I get the editing done.  I’m juggling again, juggling projects for both writing and crocheting. 

Often I feel like I have too many things to do and not enough time to do them.  That is when I remind myself it will all get done in time.  I have to remember to not be too hard of a boss to myself.  I get annoyed when I know I should do things – like marketing – and find myself opting to do things I know I like more – like writing.  It is a matter of balance. 

Checked off…

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Yesterday I managed to check off two big things on my to do list.  I got the taxes done for my mom and sister as well as the paperwork for my uncle.  Last night I finished writing the rough draft of Wayfarer 7.

This morning I promptly rewrote the ending as it felt bad and abrupt last night.  I woke up knowing a better way to end it.  One of my test readers said it felt too final and the tweak I had in mind I hope makes it feel less final.

However, this means I now have four manuscripts in the editing phase.  I will try to get them through this phase and into production.  It will take time.  I swear I’m going to write on the Defenders series next.

Before I turned to the Defenders, I want to get some crocheting done.  I think today will be a day of going through the LARGE stack of coupons I have to clip and then crocheting to see how many gifts I can make.  In all honestly I’m working on the throw I need to make and hoping I can finish it today.

As is normal for me after finishing a project, I feel rung out and used up.  The ending for seven was tough, One of the constants in the book goes away.  Now I’ll have to replace it in the next book but I’m not thinking about eight until I get some editing done.

I think I’ll work on crocheting for the next two weeks with the editing thrown in.  Hopefully I’ll be able to do a cover reveal for Wayfarer Aegis shortly.  I am excited for the release of all these books.  I love them all and can’t wait to get them edited and into production.

If I do the coupons, I can lay out my crocheting on the card table and figure out which projects I can get off my to do list.  If Ken doesn’t want to watch Babylon 5 with me, then I’ll probably listen to the new JD Robb book.  Either way, my crochet hook will be going and my brain will hopefully get a rest from creating – well creating a story anyways…

It’s dang cold out, it seems like the perfect day to stay inside and get things done, fun things like harassing my husband and crocheting.  All while I wait nervously for my test readers to come back with whether they like seven or not.

A Return to Normal?

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

I hesitate to use the word normal because I don’t consider myself normal but I guess I could qualify it as normal for me.

This week has been busy with work and writing.  I’m neck deep in a manuscript (Wayfarer 7) and working towards finishing it.  I’m also attempting to get some editing done which thinking of all the aspects of all the novels related to whatever I’m editing.  Since one is a prequel to Wayfarer, this means I have to keep in mind all the things that have happened in the books since and how they relate to the prequel.  I’ve also got a murder mystery novel to edit and the first edits (search and replace) for the sixth Wayfarer novel. 

Edits inevitably lead to the need for a cover.  I have the prequel one done and will be doing an event to share the cover.  I worked with TJ Jahns to get the cover going on the murder mystery.  I’m hoping she will come back with a cover for me to use.  It still leaves me with a cover to make for Wayfarer 6 which I still don’t have a title for yet but I’m working on it.  I have one in my head, I just have to think it over and decide if I like it.

I started one of the crochet projects I need to get done.  I’ve got the new JD Robb book Obsession in Death to listen to so I may take a break (once I’m done with 7) and listen to that while I work on the crochet project. 

This weekend I’m working on taxes for people and helping my uncle with some paperwork.  It promises to be busy and possibly frustrating.  I was going to work on my own taxes but then I got notified that two or three of the forms I got were wrong.  I believe I will get the corrected forms next week – I hope so at least.

To do list – marketing of Wayfarer (on sale)
                   finish writing Wayfarer 7
                   Editing three manuscripts
                   Crochet gifts – student workers, wedding, baby, Virginia’s afghan
                   Read new JD Robb
                   Taxes for people and paperwork for my uncle.

These are just the things I need to do by Saturday or Sunday.  I hope I can get them all done.  Ken’s back home so I’m less productive though he is very understanding and gives me lots of time and space to do what I need to.  Still I sort of like spending time with my husband.  Seems like if he’s around and in the house, I could maybe spend some time with him. 

Oh and I have season 5 of Downton Abbey.  I wanted to watch it this next weekend but I don’t think that’s going to happen.  If I get all of my to do list done maybe I can do it next weekend.  I can work on crocheting while I watch. 

Alone at last!

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

Ken went off to visit the girls and I’m just back from dropping him at the airport.  I get to be home alone for the next week!  I am very excited about this as I plan to WRITE until my fingers fall off.

I sent Ken with goodies for the girls.  I’ve been crocheting for them for the last two weeks.  They got two scarves and something like twenty six coasters.  Virginia requested the purple and gray combo and then Stephanie sent me her color choices.
I got baby yarn for the scarves so it would make a nice light scarf.  They both turned out beautifully.  I LOVE the yarn and will be purchasing it again.

Now their stuff is done, I have to turn to my other projects.  I have a scarf I’m working on for Vicki which is almost done.  When it’s done I’ll be working on the gifts for my student workers and my niece who is getting married.  I have four gifts to get done by beginning of May and one by July.

While I’m alone this week though I’m going to focus on writing.  My short story didn’t place for the contest I sent it to but I think it’s good enough to publish so I’m going to polish it up some more, add a couple more scenes and put it out there for purchase.  For the rough draft, I have two or three more scenes to write and then it can go in the editing pile.

I just finished writing Murder Next Door.  I know exactly what I want for a cover (I think) so I have to figure out if I can get a photo of it or if I will try to get a picture (drawn) for it.

This week I have three things I want to get done – Wayfarer Aegis (which is just the two or three scenes), the Defenders third book, and the Wayfarer sixth book.  All three projects are started and in varying degrees of being written.  I just need to finish them.

On the drive home, I tried to settle into one of the stories to see if I could plot out the first steps.  I think the Aegis is going to be the first one.  Part of that is because it is so close to being done.  I need to write about so little to polish it off and then I think I can send it to my test readers.  If they don’t have any problems with it, I can start the editing process and get it out for publication.  The other two are going to be longer and more complicated to write, edit and publish.

Enough with sharing for now.  I’m on to writing.  Adara and the Aegis here I come.  

Craft Focused Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

After meeting my mom and sister to get our paperwork signed and notarized, I contacted my niece.  While waiting on her to arrive, I worked on all sorts of writing administrative things.  I got a lot done and then she showed up.

We played in my craft room for a little bit before we wandered off to Michaels.  I enjoyed – very much enjoyed – our time shopping at Michaels and the other stores.  Both of us needed stuff from Staples.  Since it’s two doors down from Michaels we hit there first and then Michaels.

I love sales.  I love yarn sales and I love wandering up and down aisles and touching different yarn.  I didn’t buy a single full priced item at Michaels.  It was all sale items.  I found pretty yarn both crochet cotton and regular yarn.  I filled in colors for my crochet cotton I didn’t have and even found some blues to make Stephanie happy for the items she requested.

  
We found good stuff for an afghan for my niece.  Her old one fell apart (it’s only about 20 years old) so rather than fixing it, I’ll be making her a new one.  Don’t worry people who are in line ahead of her – she isn’t butting in line.

While at Michaels we wandered the bead aisle so my niece could get some beads for some of her projects.  I’m hoping this means I will get the stuff she promised to make me.  It is always fun to wander through the bead aisles.  I like beads, I just don’t have a lot of skills when it comes to making the jewelry.

JoAnns was our next stop.  We wandered around quite a bit.  I actually didn’t spend a lot there.  Got a small package of yarn and a single skein.  My niece however spent a lot more there and got lots of goodies.

Picking up lunch, we came back and chatted the afternoon away.  After she left and Ken went to bed, I worked on daisies for the girls in Georgia.  Virginia requested purple and gray.  I was tired after all the shopping but I still tackled some more of her daisies.  I listened to Witness in Death and started working.  I was tired to begin with and after two I just wanted to go to sleep but I stuck with it and got the last six done for her.  Now I have to move on to Stephanie’s color choices.  I have a list and will be tackling them today.

Ken and I are watching Justified, since there is no football he plans to watch today, we may finish off season 5 and switch to Babylon 5.  At least that is my hope.  While we do that, I will work on the daisies for Stephanie.  I also have two infinity scarves to make so if I get bored with daisies, I can switch over and see what I come up with for the infinity scarves.

It was a good day yesterday.  I enjoyed the time with my niece.  I enjoyed making the daisies and listening to an audio book.  Today will hopefully be as productive and as enjoyable.

Weekend in Review

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

We spent part of the weekend with Vicki as it was her birthday.  It was good to go see her but I wish I could have had more time with her.

Now we are home safe and sound.  On the drive down I wrote three scenes for the next Wayfarers book in my head.  While Vicki and Ken were out shopping I got them on the computer.  On the way back, I wrote a couple more scenes in my head and a couple of scenes for a different story I’m working on.

Driving would be better if I could stop and write stuff down but Ken gets annoyed when I do.  Plus it makes the trip much longer.  While visiting Vicki I made her a couple of things (of course).  She was thoroughly spoiled in the crochet department.

Now I need to turn my attention to Gin and Stephanie as Ken is going to visit them in less than two weeks.  I need to get their list of crocheted items done so he can put them in his bag.

Today will be a bit of a lazy day.  I haven’t decided yet whether I’m going to crochet or write.  I still have one or two scenes in my head I want to get out.  I wrote last night and got the Wayfarer scenes out but was tired from the trip so crashed somewhat early (for me).

I’ve got the next JD Robb book to listen to and Cast in Peril still.  I’ve also got Babylon 5 to watch.  Either option could be fun.  I’ll have to see what Ken wants to get up to.  We’re having lunch with my sister, aunt, uncle, and mother.  After that, I’ll see what mischief I can get up to.

Bad Book

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I barrelled through the bad book.  It’s done.  I’m annoyed and will never read the author again.  I posted a review on Goodreads and Amazon.  When I was on Amazon, I discovered she’s continued to write in that same town but with new characters. 

I read some of the reviews of the first one and it reaffirmed my belief that I wouldn’t be reading her again.  She took a character from the last book – the bad book – who stood by while the main character was raped and tortured and made him into the love interest in the new book.  How is he supposed to be romantic and loving? 

At the end of the last book, she put in a bit about how it was the brother of one of the sister’s love interest.  He said his brother was undercover.  The whole spiel was you do things that are wrong while you’re undercover.  Can you just imagine the meeting – hey bodyguard, you stood by while I was raped and torture but come have Sunday dinner with your brother, sister-in-law and the rest of our family.  I don’t think so.

Of course, realism was not anywhere near this book with the rape victim having sex, lots of sex, within a few days of being rescued.  Of all the things in this book, that is what bugged me the most.  There’s just no way, no matter how much healing – magical or otherwise – that a woman would be ready in that short of time. 

It’s behind me now.  I’ll stop complaining – maybe.  I won’t be reading anymore of the author.  I’m going back to JD Robb tonight.  I’m going to try to finish the scarf and the book I’m listening to.  I’m going to work out a schedule for all the things I want to get done including the writing.  I also want to look at yarn to see what I will need to buy (there’s always room for more yarn – it’s squishy!)

Beware the Exploding Head

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

I spent my night reading a manuscript and editing it.  I see the weaknesses in it and know where I need to improve the story.  I did some minor edits but I’m at a stage where I need to do my searches and print it for a thorough editing. 

I have no name for the book.  When I started writing it, I just called it murder.  Now I want to think about the story and what I want to call it.  My test readers have suggested it would be good to be part of a series.  I don’t know.  I’m not confident in the murder mystery arena. 

I could not face my books last night.  I needed to work on editing / writing things.  I am still working on that scarf for Vicki.  I just made a list of the things I need to make over the next semester for student workers who are leaving me (sadly).  When they grarduate, I make them something.  I have four who are leaving, this makes a lot of crocheting for the next semester.  I got one done already but I still have three more to do. 

Plus I have three afghans on my to do list already.  It’s a good thing I have audio books galore to read.  I can crochet while I listen to all the books Vicki’s been telling me to read.  I’m going to have to juggle my time and energy. 

Part of the problem I am having is I need to write.  If I’m not writing, I get grumpy.  There are times I take a break from it to give my brain a break but they are few and far between.  I will have to balance out what I want to do.  This is an ongoing struggle for me – balancing out all the aspects of my life.

I guess for this it will be a matter of prioritizing and scheduling so I get everything done in time.  I already have the yarn for two of the three student worker gifts.  I also have a baby gift to make.  I have some of the yarn for that and if I go to my stash I probably have the yarn needed for the blanket I want to make.  I have a ripple book that would take stripes. I could make something nice from that. 

Ideas are just flooding my head.  I may have to write them down so I don’t forget.  That way it is just a matter of grabbing the material and getting to work. 

My Atlanta girls have requested coasters so that is my next project.  I have a LOT to get done before Ken flies out and can take them all their goodies.  That will be next week and I have until the 29th to get the stuff done.  Once I’m done with their stuff, I’ll turn towards these other projects. 

Plus I have three afghans on my list for family members.  I have the yarn for two of them.  I just have to make the time.  It will be an interesting spring while I juggle all these different projects with my writing projects.  Let’s hope my head doesn’t explode with all that I have going on.