Here are three of the latest blankets I have finished. I have been having fun joining squares to make blankets. I love how colorful they are.

Hair Pretties

I have to admit I have been a little addicted to making hair pretties. They are so quick to make and are a great way to use up scrap yarn. I have been using up my novelty yarn to make a bunch of these!! I have made over 200 of them my 2.5 gallon bag is almost full. This is my favorite pattern:

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bevs-hair-pretties.html

Easy Crochet Slipper

I made 10 pairs of slippers for Parkland. I got the idea from one of Bev's patterns:
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/slippers1.html
I made a few changes to the pattern to make these. I used two stands of worsted weight yarn, and used a size K hook. I chained any where from 23 to 28 stitches depending on if I wanted a women's size or a man's size. Then I hdc in the third chain from the hook. Then on the second row I worked in the back of the loops only. It makes the nice ribbing to the slipper. I think it makes it warmer using the two stands and the hdc stitch. Plus the ribbing helps the slipper to fit better. So I crocheted 12 to 14 rows then folded the square in half and crocheted the two ends together about half way up the slippers. This make the top of the slipper. I left about 11 stitches unbound for the foot opening. Then I stitched the back of the slipper together. Then stitched a row of double crochet around the foot opening then the next row do front post double crochet then a back post double crochet all the way a round. Sew the toe together and you have you self a very quick, warm slipper. It sounds harder than it is. Very quick and easy. Basically you make a square, I have also seen patterns similar to this for knit patterns.

Easy Crochet Scarf

I made 11 scarves for Stand for Kids and used up a bunch of my woolease yarn. I used two strands of worsted weight yarn together and crochet the scarf with a M hook. Here is the simple pattern.

Chain 21
Row 1 sc in the second chain from the hook and sc across, then chain 3 and turn
Row 2 sc in the next st, then dc next st repeat across end with a sc chain 3 and turn
Repeat Row 2 (when doing the following rows you want to be putting the sc st in the dc st from previous row before and the dc in the sc st from the row before)till to the length of scarf you want then the last row is a row of sc.

You can also change the width of the scarf by adding or subtracting stitches by 2 ie like 23 or 25 or 19. Use can also use just one strand and a smaller hook.

Here are a couple lapghans I joined with a continuous joining method. I was very happy to figure out how to do this method since there is less ends to join in then, Yeah!!!

I received squares from Merrilee and made two baby blankets and one preemie blanket. I still have a couple squares left I am going to combine with some other squares I made to make a lapghan.

New projects

I have been busy working away on many projects, just haven't had the time to take pictures of everything. I am proud to say that I donated over 700 different items last year to many different charity. It is so much fun to make things for others. I only need so many hats and scarves to it is nice to be able to share with others. Lately, I have been on a big stash busting binge. I used a bunch yarn and gave away yarn that I didn't see myself using any time soon. It is better to give to someone who can use it. So once again my stash fits in several tubs which gives me some more room to work with plus I don't feel so bad about buying yarn now. I still want to work my stash down a little bit more than I will be content. Recently I turned a 5 gal tub of scrap yarn in to many wildlife rescue nests again. I'm not sure how many I made, I still have to count them up. I will try to post a picture again when I get the ends all weave in.

Crochet Bootie

Dawn’s Crochet Bootie

My inspiration for this pattern comes from Loving Hugs pattern 1 Piece Newborn Booties Pattern, I wanted a pattern less holey, so I made some changes to the pattern. Warning to anyone who tries to make these I'm not a pattern writer so there maybe mistakes. I just wrote this down as a guideline for other's on my charity crafting group. I am always changing patterns to work for me, so feel free to make changes so it works for you!!

HDC Dec – yarn over insert hook in st pull up loop then insert hook into next st pull up loop then yarn over then pull through all four loops.
Yarn light worsted weight – I used pound of love
Hook H
Chain 7 for 2 inch, Chain 9 for 2 ½ inch, Chain 11 for 3 inch sole.
() are for 2 in, and 2 ½ in sole directions
Row 1
HDC in 3rd ch from the hook, HDC in the next (3) (5) 7chs, 3HDC in the next ch, HDC in the next (3) (5) 7 chs, 2HDC in the last ch, join with slip st to top of ch2.
Row 2
Chain 2, HDC in next (4)(6) 8 sts, 2HDC in each of the next 3 sts( 3 sts for the 2 ½ in, 4 sts for the 2 in sole), HDC in next(5)(8) 10 sts, join with slip st.
Row 3
Chain 1, SC in the next (7)(7) 7 sts, HDC dec(2)(4) 5 times, SC in next (6)(5)7 sts, join with slip st.
Row 4
Chain 1, SC in the next (5)(6)7 sts, HDC dec (3)(3) 3 times, SC in next(4)(4) 6 sts, join with slip st.
Row 5
Chain 1, SC in the next(5)(6) 6 sts, HDC dec(1)(1) 4 times, SC in the next(5)(5) 4 sts, join with slip st.
Row 6
Chain 3, Dc in next (11)(12)13 sts, join with slip st.
Row 7
Sc and chain 1 in each st round or for a more girly look chain 3 and slip st around.
Make a tie or use ribbon and weave in and out through the dc row.

Dawn’s Crochet Bootie

HDC Dec – yarn over insert hook in st pull up loop then insert hook into next st pull up loop then yarn over then pull through all four loops.
Yarn light worsted weight – I used pound of love
Hook H
My booite turn out to be 3 inches in length.
Chain 11
Row 1
HDC in 3rd ch from the hook, HDC in the next 7chs, 3HDC in the next ch, HDC in the next 7 chs, 2HDC in the last ch, join with slip st to top of ch2.
Row 2
Chain 2, HDC in next 8 sts, 2HDC in each of the next 3 sts, HDC in next 10 sts, join with slip st.
Row 3
Chain 1, SC in the next 7 sts, HDC dec 5 times, SC in next 7 sts, join with slip st.
Row 4
Chain 1, SC in the next 7 sts, HDC dec 3 times, SC in next 6 sts, join with slip st.
Row 5
Chain 1, SC in the next 6 sts, HDC dec 4 times, SC in the next 4 sts, join with slip st.
Row 6
Chain 3, Dc in next 13 sts, join with slip st.
Row 7
Sc round, or Sc chain 1 in each st round.
Make a tie or use ribbon and weave in and out through the dc row.

This is row 6B this is how you get the shape of the square, make sure to count you stitches or the square will be off. The following rows of the pattern just make the square shape bigger then you add a another round of a different color to frame the square. I hope this helps some of the people that were having trouble making there first daisy square. It is kind of a confusing pattern but it does work. It just takes a couple minutes to figure out.

This is row 5B, yes the pattern goes from, 6a to 5B. This row is a little different since you put the first stitches in the white stitches before then put 5 stitches in the row of white chain stitches from the previous white row before.

This is row 6a, this row you are adding the petal tips

This is the start of row 5A

This shows the end of row 4B

This is the start of 4b row.

This the the start of row 4A once again I am useing yellow for the petal color, the yellow in worked in front of the white chains.

Here are some pictures of the daisy square in progress. I hope it helps, some of you who were having trouble with the pattern. Sometimes it helps to see other pictures of the same thing.

This is showing the end of row of 3B, In 3A I used yellow for may petal color and white as the background color.

I have been busy trying to get my ufo's done. I only have a couple more things to finish and all my ufo's will be cleaned up, yeah!!!!!! I also have been working on another mile-a-minute lapghan. I really like the pattern I am using. I found it in an older leisure arts booklet I found at the library. I was surprised to see so many pattern booklets plus books at my local library. Most libraries I have been to before only have a limited selection. Also I have requested a couple of books which they have also ordered. I try to only request ones I really want so they don't think I am being greedy with the requests. Well I still have to sew some buttons on sweaters. Not sure how many I have to do still but I have made some great progress!!

UFO's are everywhere!!!!!!!!!! Not these anymore. I finished these just the other day the teal blanket was my neverending blanket. I love the pattern and have used it many times but this time,I knitted, and knitted, and knitted, and knitted.... and nothing happened. I swear the blanket never grew any larger. But after months of setting in a basket I picked it up again and it started to get bigger!! and now it is finished, yea!!!!!

My first Daisy blanket, I love making Daisy squares!!!! They are so addictive, and they look so cool. I am using lots of scrap yarn for this project. I have enough squares to make another afghan. I am going to send this to Parkland Hospital, can you just image how this is going to brighten someone day up!!! It is even worth all the little ends I had to weave in!! This is going to be a pattern I am going to use a lot. The next set of squares I am going to use more of an off white background color, so hopefully it won't show the dirt so much if it gets dirty.

Here is my first mile-a-minute afghan. I was so proud I that figured out the pattern!! I am trying what I consider 'harder' crochet patterns, lol. It was actually was pretty easy it only looked hard.

Here are some examples of the Everyday Raglan Sweater. I already donated the sweaters I made that had the collars, but you can see the sweaters are pretty cute without the collars. The bright pinks sweater I made with crochet tries, the other two sweaters are waiting for buttons. They were in my UFO basket that is full. I am determined that I am going to get that basket empty before the end of the month!!

http://www.geocities.com/crotiques/everydayraglan.htm