Crochet crazy 2011

Since this is a crochet blog, or started out as one anyway, here is the 2011 finished projects recap! 

(oh my gosh, the pre-Rebel photos!)

January 2011

tortoise from  "Super super cute crochet" by Brigitte Read

Sister-in-law's tortoise pattern from Roman Sock

The phone case of my own design. Yeah, I still don't use a phone case. Even though I made another one!

February 2011

Phone case #2

I started these Circles in a Square back in February, but it took me until JULY to complete the front of it. Then I put it on hold thinking I was going to make the back for it out of an old thrift store sweater. Yeah, good luck with that one! There is NOTHING nice and cheap enough to cut up in this town! I keep looking, but I think in 2012, this project is going to have to get finished  with a granny square back!

And hopefully in time for the friend's February birthday that I started making it for... A year to finish a pillow, not so bad, eh? Lol!

March 2011

What an amazing month! I had my whole family together in one place at one time for the first time in about 2 years. I loved it! 

We got married. 

We went to Japan. 

I didn't get much crocheting done. 

Haha, I was trying to get a wedding shawl done but ended up not liking it OR finishing it. Go figure...

April 2011

The wedding wraplet, almost finished. I shortly after this did finish it and decided to scrap the whole thing. It's in my rather large white-pink-gray yarn collection hoping to one day become a gorgeous ripple or hexagon or granny blanket. 

Dorothea Wraplet from Lion Brand

The sock knitter's acorn that I made for my aunt who is an avid sock knitter.

Pattern from Roman Sock

I had a quick project crocheting some flowers from Attic 24 for the Easter "tree".

May 2011

The first pictures pop up on the blog of my first ever blanket, the blue-green-brown granny stripe. I used the pattern/tutorial from the afore linked Attic 24.

I made my mom a mother's day cupcake. Pattern linked here.

Progress of my blanket about half way through May...

June 2011

Not much crocheting, except for the blanket. And then, I stopped at some point in the summer heat.

And I started a quilt. Which has thus far been mostly sewn by my lovely husband. I think I should tend to this in 2012? It would look lovely on our bed.

July 2011

What a gorgeous flower photo month!!

So in love with the Novita "puro" that it was enough for me to just crochet blocks. I had planned on collecting 2 skeins of each (variegated) color and then sewing them together to make a tapestry or blanket. Ah, WIP still.

The never-ending granny stripe adventure... to be continued in 2012. Hopefully not still in 2013. Hahaha...

The front of the godmother granny square. The pattern is from Attic 24, which I have already linked to somewhere earlier... Have I mentioned Lucy of 24 is great?

August 2011

I started the yellow and orange "creamsicle" pillow. No one wanted it, it's somewhere in a closet. Leave a comment if you are interested! :)

September 2011

Ah, busy month. Moving, Florida, Wedding, School PANIC. 

That's what I remember most.

I did crochet a wreath for our new front door. Or well, I suppose this is a door decoration or something. 

I used the patterns from Lesley Stanfield's great books.

I gave this rose to my mom. It's also from the Lesley Stanfield book.

I also puttered around with other patterns in the books, but for some reason, haven't taken pictures of them all. Ah, I need to make a consistent project with a bunch of flowers, it's kind of a shame they're so time consuming to learn!

September was also the last time I added a row to this blanket. Ah, pinterest in the background. Another new addiction this year.

October 2011

Apparently not much crocheting going on at all in October?! What was I doing? Oh, that's right, other stuff.

Lol!

We did get this crocheted blanket from my husband's grandma. :)

November 2011

Ah yes, the end was the start of the worst part of the year - my mom went to the hospital. It was serious.

Until then though, it was a creative breeze, in all aspects. I was busy making Christmas presents both crochet and paintings. It was also a busy month food and baking wise!

Our Christmas door wreath. I used the Lesley Stanfield pattern. Perhaps, I'll try Attic 24 Lucy's pattern for next year and add some more holly love to this.

I crocheted actually TWO Christmas holiday pillow covers. And I had the sweater to sew them to. However, this project was put on hold because of my mom's condition and being clueless as to using the sewing machine without her. My husband finally ended up sewing the pillow case for the other one I made (no pictures apparently). I still need to add another row of edging and then sew the crochet bit to the sweater bit. Therefore I fear this is a complete in January 2012 project that will be promptly put away in the Christmas box to await next Christmas. Kind of sad.

This was the first completed South Bay Shawlette by Lion Brand that I completed. It went to a special aunt from Cali. :)

December 2011

The other THREE south bay shawlettes. Man, I love this pattern. HIGHLY recommend it!

Trendy mustard yellow for Trendy Spunky Friend. :)

Mauve-y rose for my mama. Love ya!

Dark gray for my friend who requested a dark color. If I had made one for myself, I probably would have chosen this gray. 

Yeah, I think it's been a productive year in crochet alone! 

Wowwee!

Thanks for reading! :)

Weekends have a habit of ending too soon

The weekend went by far too fast and I was occupied by far too much cleaning and scrubbing for my liking. However, I did get to have plenty of yummy treats. Saturday was Runeberg day (he was a Finnish poet) and on Runeberg day we get to eat delicious Runeberg pastries. Almondy, rummy cake with a dab of raspberry jam on the top with a circle of sugar frosting. Simple and tasty. Here is mine with tea (remembering is making me drool...)

And to ease the pain of only getting one delicious (tiny) cake on Saturday, we made a whole (Jell-O) Oreo pudding pie on Sunday, complete with homemade Domino cookie crumb crust (Domino cookies = Finnish Oreo equivalent). 

Sugar is my weakness. Especially if it's mixed with butter, flour and other tasty goods ending in a cake/pastry/cookie etc etc etc. By the way, isn't that rose mug gorgeous, it's my absolute favorite here at the parent's house. Inspiration to one day conquer watercolors, which I have always secretly feared. 

Another good bit of news, I got my phone case done -- FINALLY! (It only sat there for a week waiting to be sewn and buttoned). Et voila! (It is far more turquoise than the picture would have you believe! ...and sorry for the blurry picture)

(My phone is peeking out, saying hi.) 

The weather was phenomenal on Saturday and sadly wasted spent by making a bus trip to the grocery store but I managed to get some photo time, because as everyone knows, pictures turn out the best in the natural light. So, here are some things that make me happy when the sun shines in through the windows.

How my mother keeps orchids alive and blooming annually is beyond me. I am just happy I am here to enjoy it for her. 

So so so so beautiful!

While I know these are boring indoor plants, they remind me of a childhood in Florida and they are just so cheery and bright light green.

And how could such gorgeous cushions not put you in a good mood? I think the crocheted lace may have been by my grandmother? I'll have to ask my mom. And the one behind it was a find from her trip to the grandkids last year.

So that is it for today, one day late. But better late than never? And if you were wondering from my last post, no I didn't finish the acorn. Grr, why is the last round and assembly bit so hard to get around to doing?

Thanks for reading! Hope you have  a nice week!

P.S. I got my wedding dress delivered today!!! Super excited! It was a surreal experience to put it on, especially when I added the veil to the ensemble. It needs to be hemmed, but all in all, not bad for ordering online. It was a leap of faith and I am glad I took it! ...Now, just need to get the shoes and some accessories (yay!)! I tested to see if the hubby to be can find this blog, he can't (which makes me wonder how you could)...which means if I can get a friend to come over, I will most def post some pictures! So super happy!

Phone case

Yippeee!!! Our wedding date is set! I reserved the church for Friday evening, March 11th. I can't believe it's so soon! =) Nothing can stop me from smiling today!

Last night while watching a movie, I crocheted my new phone (that was a late Christmas present from the old papadukes) a case. It's a ZTE touch screen phone and probably the nicest phone I'll ever own, since I'm not really interested in all the bells and whistles phones come with these days. Although, I'll admit, having the internet with you everywhere is pretty cool... 

I just chained the width of the phone twice, joined with a slip stitch and then crochet sc all around. I'm just so used to amigurumi making, I'm surprised I didn't start the project with a magic circle, haha. Anyway, it's a bit too long (was paying more attention to the movie?) and I started making what was supposed to be the closing flap for a button too late (did I mention I wasn't paying attention?). To top it all off, I even made the button close hole on the wrong side. Therefore, this is now just an envelope type case. Lol... It's cute and it'll do until I make something better...with a bit more concentration? I think I'll make my dad one before he leaves since we have the same phone now. I can't believe that starting next Monday, we'll be staying at their house for 6 weeks...and hopefully doing a spot of redecorating!! Yay! or Yay?

The phone's inside all safe and warm!

The envelope flap, double chains

The actual phone if you were wondering

I've also half way completed the acorn I wrote about last time, just need to do the top and add the closures. I'll post pictures when it's complete! =)

Happy Tuesday!