10 Stitich Afghan Samples

 

Ten Stitch Blanket Swatches

 

 

 



     I've been swatching  the 10 stitch blanket that I found the pattern for on Ravelry.  I Love this pattern!  It's so simple;  just plain garter stitch and only 10 stitches on your needle at one time.   And if you keep going apparently it makes a blanket.  Fabulous mindless easy knitting.
     Number one was made with Red Heart variegated yarn; Heartfelt .  I was looking for a design for my grandson who wants me to make him a blanket.  I didn't like it for this pattern.
     Then I discovered Vanna's Tapestry yarn.  It's dyed perfectly for this blanket.  Number 2 is the Scandanavia colorway and number 3 is the Peru colorway which I'm really loving.  I like the interplay of the solid strips and  the variegated parts.  I think as the blanket grows you could add other striped yarns and it would flow right together.
     The last swatch is my favorite though.  I'm using Red Heart Zebra for the straight parts and Cherry Red for the corners.  I think this blanket will come out looking fabulous.  
     The ten stitch blanket pattern can be found here and it's free!

On another note I just learned how to make a collage for the blog and this post was to test it out.  I think it looks pretty good.  And that's what I've been up to lately.

Happy New Year!!

I love New Years.  I always feel so hopeful.  Like it's a new beginning.  Leave all the things behind that didn't go so well last year, wipe the slate clean and start again.

I was looking over last year's resolutions and this year's will be about the same.  I don't feel like that means I failed because I 've made progress or rethought most of them:

My Goals for 2014 were:

 

1. Blog at least once a week and maybe more.
2. Get those patterns on Ravelry.  I have lots of good ideas like a bunting (or garland) a month pattern and a blankie a month pattern.
3. I'd like to figure out Google +
4. Continue growing my Etsy business.
5. And that diet and Exercise.

 

 

1.  I didn't blog once a week but I blame that on the whirlwind the year became after my son proposed to his girlfriend and we spent the first 7 months of the year preparing for and having a wedding. 

 So I still want to try and blog at least once every two weeks.  Maybe that's a more reasonable time frame for me.

 

2.  I still want to put patterns on Ravelry.  I think I got two on there this year.  Not bad, but I can do better.

 

3.  I've decided I don't care about Google +.  People were predicting it was going to be so big, but I don't think so.  I'm concentrating my media output on Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram now.  Especially the last two as they are photography based.

 

4.  My Etsy business grew quite a lot this year.  I had almost 300 sales in 2014.  I'd like to continue growing my business.

 

5.  Sigh!!  Diet and exercise.  I lost some weight but gained it back over the holidays.  This is still an important goal for me though. 

 

6.  I'm doing some creative things for me.  I joined Lifebook 2015  which is doing mixed media art once a week.  Hope I can keep up.  Here's the link if anyone is interested in joining.  Life Book 2015.

It's not free but the price is really reasonable and you can break it into three payments.

 

Those are my resolutions for the year.  What's yours?

 

 

 

Spider Web Lace Christening Blanket

I finally got the pattern up in my Ravelry shop for the Spider Web  Lace Christening Blanket

 

buy now

I remember the first time I gave this blanket as a shower gift.  I wasn't sure if the recipient would like it so I put  it in the bottom of the gift bag along with some super cute outfits on top.  She opened the bag , glanced at the little outfits and brought out the blanket. 
Holding it up, she exclaimed; "Now that's what I was looking for!  Beautiful"  And all the guests at the party agreed. 
It is such a pretty, lacy, girly blanket and just looks fabulous in person.

If you are looking for something special to make for your next baby gift, let me recommend this blanket.  And it's not hard to make.

Gang of Four

This is what I've been working on lately.  The "Gang of Four" : Bobby and Belinda Bunny, Percival Duck and Ginger Tom. 

I wanted to see if I could make some cute amigurumi and I think I succeeded.  I've put them up for sale in my Etsy shop.  I'm going to try and get the patterns for them up on Ravelry soon. 

My son is getting married in 6 weeks and we've been going crazy  as he's getting married in a local church and having the reception at the VFW.  My daughter and I are in charge of the Bridal shower and decorating the hall so I hardly have any time to blog or crochet or even think. LOL

I can't believe half the year is gone already.  I feel like it's been a whirlwind lately.  What has everyone else been up to?

2013 Wrap Up and New Goals for 2014

 

2013 Wrap up

 

These were my 2013 goals:

1.  Build on last year's success with Etsy and increase sales and do some real world craft shows.

                  - I had a really successful year on Etsy thanks to the many interpretations of my top hats and the love people still have for Harry Potter .  I didn't do any craft shows because I can never seem to get enough stock made up to have on hand.

 2.  Concentrate on my blog. -  

                   I did do a lot more blog posts especially in the beginning but once September rolled around I slacked off

 3.  Figure out Facebook for my business. 

                  - This didn't happen.
4.  Write some patterns and e-books and  figure out how that whole deal works.

                - I wrote the patterns now I have to get them up on Ravelery.  This is MY BIG GOAL for this year.

 5. And on a personal note, get back to exercising and lose some weight.

               - sigh.  This is on my list again.  But being a cardiac nurse I know the importance of a proper weight so I'm determined to lose at least 30 pounds.  Our office moved to a new location and at the last building I was running up and down the stairs all day.  Here we're on one floor and I sit in front of a computer most of the day.  What a difference!  I put on 30 pounds since that move last March!  Yikes!

 

My Goals for 2014:

 

1. Blog at least once a week and maybe more.
2. Get those patterns on Ravelry.  I have lots of good ideas like a bunting (or garland) a month pattern and a blankie a month pattern.
3. I'd like to figure out Google +
4. Continue growing my Etsy business.
5. And that diet and Exercise.

Those are my goals.  What are yours?

 

Have a very Happy and Healthy New year!