my challenge has been completed...

This here is project number four! And its done! I'm displaying it here holding the red yarn for that Little Red Riding Hood that I've been chomping at the bit to get started!

Seattle-bound mesh bag

This is that mesh bag that I was crocheting out of a thin sock-type yarn. It was a nice light project to work on in the car on the way up to New Hampshire this weekend. Since our car doesn't have air conditioning, a light weight and small project is ideal!  The pattern was very easy, just single crochet, double crochet and chaining.
The top band is all single crochet, which means it took a little while. Because the yarn is thin, the stitches are pretty small. Once I got to the mesh part, which consists of chaining an double crocheting, it went along really quickly.  It came out just how I thought it would, which is a relief since I modified the pattern to make a bigger bag, using much thinner yarn than was called for.
The bag is going into the mail tomorrow to Seattle for a friend. I had promised to send him something homemade way back in January and am relieved that I can come through on that promise!

one project away from starting a new one...

I had to go to the craft store again. I got the last skein of multi-colored sock yarn to finish that third project in my challenge.  And I must admit that they were having a bit of a sale on some other nice yarns so I got 4 more skeins for another project. (just wanted to be honest with you)

project three ~ completed!

Once I got the yarn, finishing the blanket actually only took about 15 minutes. I was able to finish it while waiting on Asa to finish working before we took off of New Hampshire to see some friends for the weekend.  I'm really happy with how the project came out and will tuck this blanket away for a future baby Martin!

sweet little bundle

you have got to be kidding me...

I'm so close and still not finished!  I've been working on this multi-colored baby blanket this week because the evenings have been cool enough and its an easy, no counting project that I can work while watching tv. (The BPL only gives us one week to watch a whole season of Big Love, you know!)

Another trip to the craft store...

The pattern is worked diagonally and I'm at the decreasing stage.  Each row is getting one square smaller and its going to complete itself at the last corner of the blanket.  I have only a few more rows to go. But first, I need to go get another skein of yarn.  This is what I get for just doing a pattern that I learned many years ago (Thanks Memere!). It doesn't come with actual directions...so I had no idea how much yarn I really needed. And I'm finding that I always need way more yarn than I think I should. 

two down...

I've finished another project, working past my bedtime, even. I completed the hooded terry blanket "robe." And, while I made a few changes to the pattern, I do really like how it turned out.

pink fuzzy snuggly "robe"

I used a really chunky and fuzzy yarn, so it didn't take me very long to make this little snuggly.  The increasing and decreasing was done a little differently than the pattern called for, making it a diamond instead of a square. I put the hood on the shorter and fatter end that way it will be wider to wrap around the baby's shoulders.  I also added little ties so it can be tied up like a robe.  I think its so cute and cuddly!

burrito style baby wrapper

So, that's two projects down, only 4 more in the works...

and I'm off...

Once I got all of that work spread out in my tiny living room, I have to admit I was a bit embarrassed!  I'm also a bit embarrassed to tell you that I forgot all about two other projects that I found balled up in the bottom of my yarn basket.

more projects approaching completion

I started to make a mesh market basket a long time ago as a gift for someone. It was a chain letter sort of deal. I have 1 year to make something homemade and send it to this person. Thank goodness I found it after only 8 months, I still have 4 months to finish it!  It uses a very thin yarn and hook, so its not ideal for car crocheting.  I put it aside and just forgot all about it...and it got buried under all of the heaps of new yarn I keep buying.  I'll have to get cracking on that one too.

I also found a little hat I made with left over pink yarn. The hat itself is finished. The idea was to sew little ears and eyes and a snout on it to make it a piglet hat.  That has not happened yet.  I guess given these two omitted projects I should increase my promised amount of finished projects to four. That will be four completed projects before I start in on that red yarn. It is just screaming to become a Little Red Riding Hood!

a finished project : garter stitch green sweater

 But, I did FINISH something last night.  It was the green sweater.  It is not perfect, that's for sure.  But, it does look like the picture, except for the button holes.  The button holes are a bit rough on this thing... They do hold the cutest little owl buttons, but they are a bit sloppy.  I hope to improve my technique with future projects (or to just use tiny buttons that don't require special techniques to make holes for them).

projects projects everywhere

     I have a problem!  I like to buy yarn (especially if its on sale). I buy all this yarn, start a bunch of different projects and then start the process over again.  It sounds really normal, doesn't it? Lots of crafters buy materials and then start their projects.  The difference between the other crafters and me is that they finish their projects!  I currently have 6 projects in the works...all at varying stages of completion.

will I ever finish?

     I have some booties that I started for a friend who is having a baby girl. When I think of this friend, I don't really think 'pink' so I'm making the booties in a rich eggplant color. The first one came out as a lefty...even though it is supposed to be symmetrical.  I've lost a bit of confidence and don't really want to start over...but am not too excited to get cracking on that next bootie. I'm pretty sure this baby is not going to have two left feet!
 
     I have a multicolor baby blanket there too.  Its made from a sock yarn so it is very drapey and light weight.  I started it 3 years ago. That's right, the baby I started it for is now about three and a half.  It was taking me so much time and yarn ($), I decided that it is too precious to give away.  This little cuddler is for my future baby.  Whenever I work on it, I get lots of compliments for its bright colors and nice weight and texture.  However, it just won't be finished. Its at the point now that its kind of heavy to work on in the summer time. I don't pick it up unless the weather is cool. Then when I get in the groove to work on it, I run out of yarn. Once I'm at the store buying more yarn, I find a new yarn and get inspired for a new project- so this little beauty gets the back burner.

     I've recently taught myself to knit and that fluffy pink number is a future hooded terry blanket. Its going well and because its a thick fluffy yarn, its actually going rather quickly. I ran out of yarn for it last week so I put it on the back burner while I started that lighter weight blue blanket in the lower middle of the shot. I just went to the store and got some more fluffy pink- so its back to work on that one. This pattern is super simple so I can work on it in the car or while watching tv. A perfect project, in my book.

     The large purple blanket was a project that is actually coming out great. I even have enough yarn to finish it.  It just got too hot to work on an afghan...so its on hold until the fall, at least!

     I mentioned that I taught myself to knit...I still haven't really figured out the whole gauge thing!  That green sweater is supposed to be for an infant. I got the pattern in a little book that I bought for its crochet patterns.  This one was in there and the photo has it on the cutest baby ever.  I started it with this green yarn, thinking it would be good for any of the many friends I have who aren't finding out the sex of their babies.  But the yarn is too thick for the gauge so its coming out huge...like 12 month old huge!  I should just finish it...I'm really close. But, at this point I don't even know who to give a weirdo green sweater to...What was I thinking? All of the patterns in this book have really boxy sweaters that are super wide (at least they are when I make them).  So, I've got a huge weirdo green sweater with a strange boxy shape- any takers?

     I hereby promise to finish at least three of these projects before starting a new one! You may be wondering why I'm only promising to finish three...well, when I was buying that fluffy pink yarn last night I came across some chunky red yarn for only 97 cents a skein and I've got the cutest pattern for a "Little Red Riding Hood" that I want to make in time for Halloween. It will be perfect with the wolf hat I'm hoping to start soon with some cool gray wool I got... can't wait to see Grace and Jonah on Halloween!  I also got some adorable crinkly yarn on sale in neutral colors that will make a new baby very snuggly.

always planning

     Stay tuned for updates and finished photos of these projects!