Tag: blanket

Quick & Easy Throws

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

As I make gifts, I usually write my own patterns.  These throws were made for gifts for student workers and for one of my daughters. 

All four of these I crocheted in under 12 hours.  They work up quickly because you use a large hook and the yarn is so thick.  More than that, they are gorgeous and a wonderful gift.

Here’s a little more information:

Five throws which can be done in a weekend.  Each of these throws are simple patterns and work up quickly.  Four of them are made with Bernat Bundle Brights and the fifth is made with Buttercream Luxe Craft Mohair Metallic purple, blue & silver.  These make an impact when given as gifts.  They are warm, easy to make, and fit any color scheme.

You can check out my web page or Amazon or Smashwords

I usually end up binge watching something while I crochet projects like this.  I think I was watching Midsommer Murders while I worked on the four for my student workers.  The one for my daughter I worked on while we were in Georgia. 
 

Publishing Crochet Patterns

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

My day yesterday did not go as planned.  This is not a surprise to me – rarely do my days go as planned.  But last night I was kicking myself for taking a nap instead of getting things done.  Vicki went to bed early and I opted to work on the computer.

This meant the publishing I was going to do in the morning got done last night instead.  I have eight new crochet patterns out.  There are links to them on my website.  They are all on the Crochet Patterns page.

My niece asked me for headbands so I created new ones for her.  In doing so, I took pictures and wrote the patterns.  This means there’s a new Half Dozen Thread Headbands available.  She also wanted a bandana which lead to me creating Bandana X.

I had two student workers graduating – one wanted an afghan and one wanted scarves.  The blanket is called Framed Tipped Lattice and the scarves are Climbing Vine, Lattice, Shades of Blue, and Sparkling Squiggle.  I finished an experiment for my daughter which is really a mini scarf – Puff Chain Scarf.

I’ve got a couple more in the works but they aren’t quite ready to be published.  The patterns are done, I need to work on the components.

Today, I’m working on publishing stuff until my niece gets here, then I’ll be working on cleaning and organizing my office and hopefully tackling some of the dining room.  It depends on how long stuff takes us.  I’m hoping we can get a long list of things done but I know my plans never work out.  I’m going to go with the flow.  Anything finished is an improvement.  If it reduces the chaos we’re living in right now, that’s all that matters.  I have two more places to market my stuff.  Then I’ll be getting off the computer and start on the other stuff – I hope.

Family Celebrations and Finished Projects

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

It’s done!  I finally finished the big blanket for my youngest daughter.  It took a lot of work and time but her Packer emblem corner to corner graph afghan is done.  In the picture on the left it is laying on top of my king size bed and a few inches hang over on the left and right side.  At the bottom you can see the G better.  With it across my bed, it hung down about a foot on each side.  It was a big blanket.

It feels odd not having a BIG project to do.  I’ve started an afghan for one of my nieces.  I have a couple of other projects but I’m starting to wind down on the crocheting.

It might be time to work on writing again.  I’ve started the next Wayfarer novel and am looking forward to where it will take me.

It’s been an extremely busy few weeks.  The two daughters in Atlanta came home for a weekend.  We celebrated the youngest getting her master’s degree.  We are really proud of her.  We had a family gathering at our house over the weekend.

It was good to have them home to get after Ken for doing too much.  He still hasn’t passed his kidney stone.  He has good days and bad days.  I’m hoping it passes soon so he is out of pain.

I did the middle daughter’s taxes while she was home.  This weekend I have more taxes to do.  I’ll have to tackle ours as well as doing two other people’s taxes.

This month is zooming by with one thing after another.  One of the things I’d like to stop is the ER and Urgent care visits.  It would be nice if everyone could be healthy for maybe two or three weeks in a row so we don’t have to go to either ER or Urgent care… I’m not holding my breath.  

Prepping for Vacation

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Four days of work left before my vacation.  I can’t wait.  It will be good to have a break and just be at home.  I don’t have to shower or dress if I don’t want to – though the other people at home might object if I go too long without showering.

My plan – tackle the boxes of yarn for Vicki and get as much done as possible.  I’m currently stalled on the blanket I’m working on.  I’m doing a more intricate border and it is taking longer.  However, I’m hoping to finish it tonight and move on to one of the other three I have prepped.  Two of them are smaller so if I do complex, it still won’t take as long and one is a blanket but needs a simple edging.

Once I’m done with these four, I have four more to do – two for my mom and two for Vicki.  Then I also have the basket full of material which needs washing – though I think most of that will be decided on after Vicki comes home.

The semester is winding down.  The work load is easing off.  I’m saying goodbye to one student worker as she student teaches next semester.  Otherwise I’m just wishing them all happy holidays as they finish off their finals and head for home.

My desk at work is getting clearer as I finish up a number of tasks.  I’ll be cleaning up some tasks so they can be marked as complete – at least as far as I can take them for now.

It is nice to clean up and clear off before I go on vacation.  It means when I come back to work, I’ll have emails to deal with but few URGENT projects.

This year I find myself wishing my daughters could all be home.  I feel a need to have them near for family time.  I know the two in Georgia can’t make it home but I am missing them.  We will video chat on Christmas.  I’m looking forward to spending the time with them that way instead.  I think we are all going to try to go to the movies on that day.  It’s convoluted but we will all at least be doing the same thing – if not together at least at the same time.

I know part of this is my normal holiday grumpiness.  It’s just hit me a bit harder this year.  I’m coping.  My crocheting and meditating help me deal with my feelings.  Crocheting – creating really – helps to lift my spirits.  I know I’m creating things which will brighten people’s spirits.

My inner dialog has been rough the past week or so but as I work on a project, produce more, it helps me be kinder to myself.  I can’t really explain how or why but it does.  Also, I’m clearing out some of the clutter in my living room with each project.  As the room gets neater, I start to feel better.  I’ll get through the stack of projects and then I’ll put away most of the yarn except my container of projects.  We do have to prep for the grand fur babies coming home, one of which is a mischievous bugger who gets into everything.  Clear up, clean up, and prep for the visit.  That will be the weekend.

More Quiet, More Crocheting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Ken and I went to JoAnn’s yesterday.  He hates it but was very helpful and even helped pick out fabric.  He’s such a good sport, sometimes.  I got all the things I needed for the projects I have in mind.  The fabric is in the laundry being washed and dried so I can work on the projects as soon as they are done.

I came home and crocheted.  I got a number of small gifts done.  I bought fleece for a blanket for me.  Yes, I’m actually going to make something for me.  It’s shocking but true.  I picked out the yarn and went totally opposite of what I thought I would do.  I also know the pattern I want to do.  Hopefully today I’ll finish it but we will see what ends up happening.

I can’t show the rest of what I worked on because they will be gifts.  However, I got a lot done and I’ve only got two more sections to do.  I’m hoping to finish them today.

Sitting with my legs up and crocheting most of yesterday was a good thing.  My legs feel better today and the swelling has gone down.  This means the pain level is lower which of course makes me happy.

My plan for the day?  Editing for my sister, reading email this morning, and then going back to my recliner and working on crocheting.  I’m hoping the fabric I bought yesterday is done so I can work on those projects sooner rather than later.  I have a few smaller projects which I would like to get off my plate.  One of which may involve making my own patterns.  If I do, I’ll be publishing them.  It promises to be a good day of crocheting.  Hopefully I get a lot done.

Crochet Arm

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

In an effort to have an afghan done before we go visit our daughters, I’ve been putting in a lot of hours crocheting.  Probably more than I normally do.  Yesterday, I noticed that when I tried to straighten my right arm, it hurt. 

I have aches and pains all the time, so I didn’t think much of it.  But this is a muscle twinge rather than the ache of arthritis.  Every time I reached to the right with my right arm, I’d get this twinge in my arm. 

It finally dawned on me, I have crochet arm.  I’ve been spending my time crocheting.  This means my arms are folded in to my body and not stretched out.  Apparently I’ve been doing this so much, I’m now getting issues when I do straighten my arm.  My muscles are saying what are you doing?  We don’t move that way anymore.

When I told my daughter this, her response was “but it doesn’t hurt when you crochet so you’ll be able to finish my blanket right?”  I laughed.  I will finish the blanket and listen to another JD Robb book but really where was the concern? 

With luck, I’ll have the afghan done this weekend.  I’m on the third repeat of rows and think it will only take five repeats to be long enough.  Then I will turn my attention to the border – which has 13 rows in it.  Now I’m going to check yarn because I have gone through enough I’m concerned about having enough to finish the project.  I think I have six skeins left but need to check my basket to see if  have more.  I am hoping I have more because I think six is enough to finish the afghan but not do much work on the border.  I’ve already spent about $200 on this afghan so I don’t want to purchase more if I can avoid it.

Meanwhile, I’ve been massaging my arm, stretching it as I work, and trying to avoid moving it in such a manner that makes it hurt.  I know in the end, the afghan will be gorgeous.  I’ve already had several offers for others to take it.  I don’t think my daughter will allow it to be borrowed or taken by anyone else though.