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

A few more projects I have been working on are making Daisy squares: http://krochetkrystal.blogspot.com/
I have only made one square so far but I do have yarn ready to go to make more. I have also been working on several sweaters and some hats and booties. There is always so many projects I want to do but so little time. I will post more pictures as I get more projects done. I am really excited about doing the Daisy squares they turn out so cute!!!! Would make a nice bright cheery blanket for anyone.

Wildlife Rescue Nests

Here is a new project I have been working on that is a great way to use up scrap yarn. Wildlife rescue nests. Here is more about them: http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/nest.html

I have made about 50 of them and was able to use up a lot of tiny scrap yarn. I was beginning to become overrun with scrap yarn. Some of it is just to small amount to do much or the wrong weight yarn. I used a lot of baby yarn for these and still have more yarn set a side for making more nests.

Yo-Yo's

It has been ages since I have posted on my blog. I've been so busy with so many different things. I have still been working on the yo-yo project. I decided that the blanket made from yo-yo's alone might not be the warmest to I converted my yo-yo's to squares I did two different sizes since I started to run low on black yarn. I still have a ton of ends to weave in then I will start the assembly of the blanket. I think it should turn out pretty good once it done.

Well I organized my yarn yesterday and found I have way to much scrap yarn again so I started another one of Dot's scrap blankets. As I said before this is a really easy pattern that turns out beautiful. I always think of stained glass since each row is outlined by black.

I also started a yo-yo scrap blanket for the scraps that are to small to make one row on the Dot's scrap blanket. I am going to cheat a little on the pattern by doing 2 rows of double crochet so the yo-yo are a little bit bigger, and hopefully it will take fewer to make the blanket. I hate to think about a the ends at I will have to weave in. I hate weaving in ends, usually have a big pile of stuff that is made except for they need ends weaved in. Oh well I am going to give this blanket a good try. I already have about 50 little yo-yo's made. I plan on making a ton of the little yo-yo's first then weave in ends, wash (in case any of the yarn is wool, that way I find out really quick which one where wool) then join. I will be happy if I can get this blanket done in a year. Dot's blanket will only take a week or so depending on how much time I have to work on it. Plus I keep making yo-yo as I go.

Dot's Scrap blanket:
http://patternsbydot.blogspot.com/2006/01/scrumptious-scraps-afghan.html
Yo-yo Scrap blanket:
http://members.aol.com/lffunt/scrapyo.html