Category Archives: Crochet

Dog And Crochet

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This blog is now a crochet granny stripe blanket blog….for now. We are at Day 11 of my mini skeins and Duke is properly supervising my work.

He is adding just the right amount of dog hair dusting in my work. But he often sleeps on the job.

I recently lent some yarn to a friend for a photo prop and she returned it. It was a bunch of bulky cotton yarn in neutral colors. (See zip lock bag) And instead of putting this all away again I think I will start a chunky granny stripe baby blanket. It can be a gift or a doll blanket for PB?

I mean, why not add to my pile of active WIPs, right? Happy Crafting!

RSI Avoidance

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I have really been hyper focused on my Granny Stripe Blanket and crochet is not my normal craft. Those muscles are not as “in shape” as my knitting muscles. I did start to notice some RSI stress and soreness in both my hands this week. But I don’t want to stop working on this project.

So I went off to the local Walgreen and sourced compression gloves. They really do help with soreness and making my hands feel better. I do find it difficult to tension my yarn while crocheting. It doesn’t feel the same or slide the same. So I am alternating working with the gloves, taking breaks and working bare handed.

Hoping this keeps me making progress! Happy Crocheting!!

Day 9 And A New Addition

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I am not up to day NINE in my crochet blanket of advent calendar past.

Duke decided he needed to be in on the photo this time so included are some tiny puppy toes. I have been monitoring my full skein of the Christmas red/green. I am using it WAY faster than I should be to make it to 24 stripes. So I am going to need some help.

I knew I had some other Christmas yarn in my stash from a gal’s gift last year. So I pulled it out to see if it would work. I think the colors blend beautifully. It is a different fiber content with a wool/cashmere/nylon blend. But the thickness and twist are consistent. I’ll just need to be careful with washing/drying.

I have a plan to alternate this in with the full skein I have already been using. I have a scale so I can keep track of how well I think this is working. I also have some mini skeins in solid red/green that I can use in a pinch.

Happy Crocheting!!

Blanket On Parade

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Happy Valentines Day!! I woke up to many many hugs from my littles and chocolate for breakfast.

We are back in full swing with all the lessons/appointments/chores. This means my blanket is on parade. So far this week we have done PB’s gymnastics lessons. The warehouse is still chilly so the blanket felt great on my lap!

And of course in the middle of all this, our washing machine broke and developed a leak. So two hours at a local laundromat got me through 2 weeks of laundry and the next advent day mini skein. I think I am on eight or nine? I should count.

This blanket has also been to work, car rides and at least one doctors appointment. I have just fully embraced this is my public life now. Muggles be darned! I did find another crafter at the laundromat, this lady was working a very complicated and lovely cross stitch.

Happy Crochet!

Crocheting Day 7

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The blanket fever continues apace. I even took this to a crafty lunch at work and my coworkers went GAGA over it. I am just now adding Day 7 mini from this 2021 Queen City Yarns advent calendar.

Thus far I am doing okay at managing my edges and keeping a consistent stitch count. Counting the clusters helps. I also find that I must keep eye contact with this project 90% of the time and I can’t watch and craft. So for this project I am re-watching old shows or listening to media to compensate.

I adore the contrast stripes, but find I am 40% way through the blanket days and over 50% done withe my full skein. I have been weighing to watch the yarn disappear. I may have to go stash diving to find something that compliments this to help me get through all 24 days….

Happy Crocheting!

A New Tool

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A package arrived this week with a new crochet tool. I did some looking around on Etsy for an ergonomic crochet hook and I found this one local-ish to me. I found the AMysticalFarm out of Missouri and loved how quickly the hook would get here.

The hook really feels good in my hand and fits better than the metal one. It also warms as I work and that is nice as well. Not to mention it is gorgeous.

The hang-up is that this hook is not a great fit for this granny stripe project. I am having trouble with grabbing the yarn and splitting the yarn. I am a lot slower with this hook. Probably just need more practice with it or need to dry a different yarn? But for now I want to ZOOM on this blanket so I am going back to my metal hook and going to find a cushion grip to slip on it.

Happy Crochet!!

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

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This granny stripe blanket is quickly becoming an obsession. It it literally the only thing I want to work on all day long.

This new skill is really itching something in my brain that is brining so much dopamine. I have just started the day 3 mini skein. And I actually really like how the red/green/white stripes are looking between the minis.

I am working on this so much that my hand is hurting a little bit. So I have added some stretching, compression gloves and I have looked online for more ergonomic crochet hooks than this Joann’s $2 special. But in the meantime….I’ll be crocheting!

Getting The Hang Of It

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I am so proud of this blanket. I have really dug in and focused on this new skill and made great progress in just two days. To say I am obsessed is an understatement.

I have the first advent mini added and the second (super Christmas-y) separating stripe. The second mini is wound and waiting for me. I just need life to quit with the adulting of work and house chores so I have more time to craft!

Happy Crochet!

A Crochet Cast On

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I have been sitting on a 2021 advent calendar from Queen City Yarn circa 2021. I tried and failed to make a shawl with it. It has been sitting in a closet ever since. I have been full of new year energy, new project ideas and an idea of granny stripes WILL NOT GET OUT OF MY HEAD.

I have never made a granny square or granny stitch before. But I sat down in front of a warm fire and turned on YouTube and taught myself. I went down the Ravelry rabbit hole and found the Sock Scraps Granny Stripe Blanket from Leila McCullough (Rav link) to use as a pattern base.

I mostly used the pattern for gauge and stitch count. I am not 100% following it’s granny stitch instructions as I found the YouTube videos more helpful and intuitive for my crochet skill level. I started with the full 100 gram skein and worked a couple of rows and now I’m adding the first day of advent.

I will continue in this pattern of full skein skinny stripes in between each day’s color. Unsure how this will look in the end but it’s the only way I could contemplate using this full skein in this blanket in a meaningful way.

Happy Crochet!

Airport Art

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I snagged some cool photos on my airport adventures yesterday! Portland, OR had some art installations on the wall and my head snapped around when I realized it was crochet!! (Oh and the sun was shining…it was a great PNW day!)

I know the PNW is all about the fibery goodness. But this takes the cake. I was was one of many admiring the handiwork. From a distance you can barely tell this is crochet!

I snapped a photo of the artist information in case anyone else wanted to check her out!

Happy Crafting!!