Repetition is the name of the game

When I find something that works, I tend to stick to it.  This is another example. I wanted a new afghan as a portable project.  So it has to be fairly mindless to do, interesting somehow in the end, and easily carried (so made in blocks or strips).  And I don't want to have to sew blocks/strips together - I want to crochet them in place.  This afghan had caught my eye years ago, but it was finally time to give it a whirl.

I'm always drawn to the shaded colors.  I love the ombres.  I just don't usually know how to use them without making everything seem too much.  So I chose a pretty yarn and went to town!  I think the ombre here is Wildflowers.  I made test blocks with both black and white, and I think both would be gorgeous.  But ultimately, purple is my aunt's favorite color.  (I used Red Heart with Love for the solid - think it was Lilac.)

I really liked how it ended up!  This is spread out on my queen bed.  I think it's really pretty, and my aunt loved getting it for her birthday.

I also made another one for a friend, but she hasn't gotten it yet, so I won't post a pic.  Eventually I'll get it up.  In the meantime, I wanted one for MY living room.  I have blue and brown couches, so I chose a blue/brown ombre (Reef Super Saver) and started up.  My intention was to use the dark brown (Red Heart with Love) for the whole thing, but The Husband thought it would be too dark.  So I searched the super saver aisles and tried buff and warm brown (I think) in sample blocks.  Then I thought it would be neat to use them all.  So I planned out a scrappy but organized layout and even enlarged the pattern by a couple of rows so that I could lay it out the way I wanted.  I think it turned out really well!

Color therapy

So this blanket begins with a story.  Once upon a time, long long ago (we're talking 14-15 years ago), I started a random baby afghan.  Normal baby colors and all.  This is the "Lollipops" pattern, created by Diana Sippel of Diana Lynn's Designs, and was found in the book Afghan Splendor, put out by The Needlecraft Shop.

I finished all the "lollipop" strips and started adding the white edging, and then I either lost interest or ran out of time or something.  No idea.  But I put the pieces into a plastic bag and stuffed it into a box of UFOs.  Somehow this passed the purge test when I got rid of a lot of yarn UFOs on freecycle six years ago before our move.  I think at the time I thought I'd finish it for a baby gift?  At any rate, Thing 2 dumped out the UFOs to take the box last year around this time, and I needed a mindless project for a day-long CE meeting.  So the stars aligned, and I got to work on finishing the afghan.  I did run into some trouble, as it was not wide enough, and I wanted to add another strip (or two?  I don't remember now).  But I couldn't match the blue I'd used - apparently Red Heart discontinued it at some point.  That started a frantic search, and I ultimately matched it to a blue in a baby yarn (that really seemed worsted weight) in another brand, and I finished the afghan, with no idea who it would go to.  Then a month ago, I gave it to an expecting colleague - who just happened to be sitting next to me when I had worked on it last year.  Full circle, eh?

After all that, I sadly have to say that apparently I never took a picture.  Oh, well...but it did spawn an interesting next project.  So the pattern calls for 5 colors, and you make 4 repeats in each strip.  Finished size should be 30x38".  I had used 6 colors and 3 repeats in my baby version, and I don't think I ever measured it.  Anyway, I was in the fabric store, looking at yarn one day.  And I had had a bad day at work and just wanted some color therapy.  And I was drawn to the Red Heart blacklight yarn.  So I painstakingly picked out the five main colors that were in it, and I bought those and black to make myself an afghan.  I thought it would be neat to do the lollipops a little bigger for a grownup sized afghan.  And then I decided to rotate the strips so that the colors went diagonally across the afghan instead of straight across.  Ultimately it ended up almost the size of the top of my queen-sized mattress.  The Husband thinks it's weird that it's black, but I love it!

Ultimately, this is a great portable project, because it is fairly mindless in each phase and easy to remember what to do.  Also, until you're putting the strips together, everything is small and easily carried.  Worked out great for what I needed!  I have also since made a smaller, baby-sized version of the black light afghan - no pic yet, but it's for a friend who loves the colors and is hoping for a baby.

Shawl frenzy

I believe it's been previously mentioned that I don't sit still terribly well, and that I do better with a hand project to distract me from fidgeting.  When my grandma was in the hospital last year after a broken hip, I thought of crocheting her a shawl as a gift.  I'm familiar with the concept of a prayer shawl, where basically the idea is that you're thinking of/praying for the person as you work on the shawl, and then they are given a gift of warmth and positivity.  So I found a (naturally) free pattern online that would allow the yarn shades to be the star - bonus points that it was a mindless pattern, allowing me to work without paying much attention.  That's important when one is crocheting while attending continuing education meetings or church!

This one was given to my grandma.  The yarn I used is Red Heart with Love, which is softer than the regular acrylic.

This one became my mom's Christmas present.  She loves yellow.

This one, which didn't photograph well, was for a friend for Christmas.  I thought she'd enjoy the cheery colors!  It is the Fruit Punch shade.

Scrub caps

 You may remember that I previously was asked to make scrub caps for coworkers, which I did, using a free pattern.  And then I did make more as Christmas gifts for a few coworkers, though apparently I didn't take pictures. :(

Anyway, I was asked by another friend about making scrub caps for her and her coworkers.  At this point, I had given away my original prototype, so I needed something for them to try on.  I pulled the sea life print out of stash and made it up, using the same free pattern - no changes.  While I was at it, I made a scrub cap for another friend (late Christmas present) using the Dr. Who fabric.

Then I had the brilliant thought of trying to enlarge the pattern a bit, to see if it would be helpful for those with big heads or a ton of hair.  (I have both problems, and I haven't been wearing my own creations so far.)  The 101 Dalmations print was also from deep stash.

Ultimately, they were happy with the original size, and these are the resulting scrub caps, which are now ready for delivery!  I hope that they enjoy wearing them!

I decided to try out some of the other free patterns available on that site - but they are cut and pinned at the moment, not sewn.  So hopefully eventually those results will be pictured here.  It seems kind of strange that so many at work wear my creations, but I don't!

New dress

Well, I'm a terrible blogger.  It's been MONTHS since I updated this blog.  I have been working on stuff, and I'll probably write a few posts all at once, then forget again, right?  Sorry.  It's what I do.

Anyway, I have been sewing on/off, but mostly off lately.  And I have several clothing prototypes in the works for my niece, who requested niece/doll clothing to match.  But I got annoyed with what I was working on, and there it sits.  In the meantime, I got busy with other projects but finally threw a quick dress into the mix.  This is the Fern's Fleece Shawl Collar Pullover from CKC.  I think I bought it back in December or January, and I bought this fabric (cheap fleece blankets from WM) for a test shortly after.  My intention was to make the test quickly and get feedback on it, then use faux minky from JAF for a Valentine's version.  Yeah....you see how that went.  Well, I finally got around to cutting it last weekend, and I finished it last night.  Off to my niece it shall go, not that she'll have opportunity to wear it more than maybe once before it gets warm.  But then I'll be ready for the next version, just up a size, right?

This project works up quickly, especially with no seam finishes needed.  I made the entire thing on my regular sewing machine, since fleece doesn't fray.  When I use the faux minky, I will probably serge finish all edges, just to try to decrease shedding.  But with sweatshirt or regular fleece, it wouldn't be needed.

I think it turned out cute, and I have hopes that my niece will like it!

Another drawstring backpack!

So I said last time that I'd make this pattern again, and I did!  Thing 1 was going on a school field trip, and they were allowed to take their electronics, as well as a change of clothes.  But he wasn't taking his backpack, which made me go, hmmm???  So I figured he'd like a smaller backpack for carrying his stuff.  (Because even if *he* wasn't concerned - yet! - about misplaced game cartridges, etc., I was concerned!)

Since I didn't have to worry about arena requirements this time, I made the size Medium (the largest size in the pattern).  I dug this green twill out of the dim recesses of stash....I only had scraps left, which dictated putting a pocket onto both the front and the back, since I didn't have enough to cut a full back piece.  I figured if nothing else, he could stick a notebook in the back pocket.

I didn't have any matching green zippers, so I used black, then tied that in with the cords and the strap for the D-ring.  This time, I used thicker paracord that I found at Home Depot - both cheaper and more sturdy than the cord I'd gotten from JAF!  I got several colors, so I plan to have fun with this.

And I remembered to put the zipper in the opposite direction.  I don't think that Thing 1 will notice or care, but it's something I added to the notes I made on the pattern.

The lining is a Pokemon print I bought to make a lunch bag.  Seeing as that never happened, I thought the drawstring bag was more important.  I used a blue zipper on the inside pocket, just for fun.

This size is right about the same as my current (not sewn) drawstring backpack, so I think it's what I'll make for my next project bag.  I like these bags for storing crochet projects, because they're so easy to grab and go with.  And great for stashbusting and using small pieces of prints that I love but just can't see what to use them with!  I can totally see myself having multiple sewn drawstring bags....I'm sure it won't take long.

Oh, yeah - and my son loved the surprise of his drawstring backpack!

Drawstring Backpacks

So I'm way into hockey - specifically Chicago Blackhawks - and I was going to a preseason game with Thing 2 recently.  I'm also very much into taking portable crochet projects wherever I'm going, because I don't sit still well.  I don't crochet *during* the game if I'm there, but on the train?  Sure!  And possibly during the intermissions....anyway, the arena had listed specific rules as to the maximum sizing of allowed bags, and my current drawstring backpack exceed the size limits.  Since I don't know how picky the arena would be on enforcing said rules, I didn't want to take chances.

In theory I could have made my own pattern for the drawstring bag, but I was having too much indecision regarding options, which wasn't helpful with my deadline.  I saw Green Pepper's String Bag pattern at JAF and decided to start with that.  Based on the finished measurements, I went with the size Small to fit the arena requirements.  And I wanted to go with the Blackhawks colors, so I bought a black rodeo twill from JAF. 

I made some changes.  The pattern is cut on the fold lengthwise, but my lining is directional.  So I cut front/back outer/lining not on the fold.  I also changed the pocket to be full front, rather than a standalone that was stitched onto the front.  To do that, I stitched the front pieces and zipper together, cut a lining piece the same size, and basted the front to the lining, then treated them as one.

And I have embroidered key fobs from a friend's Etsy shop (Babymoon) that I like to hang on my bags, so I added a D-ring to the center front to display my coordinating key fob. I like this and will do it on future bags!  (Got the idea from my zoo backpack - no idea what it was for, but it works for my purpose!)

The only thing I don't like is that I put the zipper the same direction as the pattern - pull from the bag's right side - and I would rather have it on the left, like the backpack I've been using for months.  Have to fix that on the next iteration....

Here you can see the D-ring more closely, as well as that lining peeking out.  This is official NHL fabric from JAF.  I've used it for hanging towels previously, and I think I'd bought this for a scrub shirt.  But it's not my favorite of the three I got for scrub shirts, so I sacrificed some for a bag lining.  (I think I also have boxers cut out for Thing 2, but I digress....)

You can also see the cording used for straps/closure.  I used a red cording that I found in the trim section at JAF.  It's a little thin for this, but it did work and was all I could find quickly.  I'd like thicker cords for the next ones, but this works.

And then the lining.  I added an inner pocket - I wanted a secure spot for whatever miscellaneous (keys, phone, cash, crochet hook, etc.).  I knew it would drive me nuts to try to line up that block print, and I wasn't sure I had enough left to match it.  Instead, I just put a solid black pocket inside.  It has the added benefit of being more obvious against the bright print.

 All in all, I like the end result!  It's a little smaller than my other backpack, which was of course the point.  I can easily carry two skeins of yarn inside, but any more would feel overstuffed.  It definitely worked well for my purposes, and I will continue to use it when I go to hockey games or am okay with a smaller bag.  I will say that between the smaller size and the zipper being the wrong direction for my reflexes, it probably won't be my favorite project bag.  But it works, and I will enjoy using it.  I will also take what I learned from this bag and make more!