Casual Granny CAL Start

And another start from my 2018 goals list.  This is Casual Granny CAL from Redagape.  Very exciuted about the pretty sample she shows, and the gorgeous colors.  I have the yarn, another stash buster.  Will take most of the year as well... One square released per month, make 8 of each, for 10 months.  I am behind, this is the February square.  On my way!

Am almost finished with my February LHN ornament.  Just waiting for some quiet time to finish it off.

Gypsy Blanket Finish

This weekend I finished a long running project, and feel so happy now.  In July 2017, I started a Gypsy Blanket as a means to clear out a whole bunch of my SSDK yarn stash.  Great plan, but I still have a ton and a half of yarn left after this finish!

I was so exctied to take a photo this morning that I did not care all that much that it was 7 AM on a winter morning, and I have a north facing house, so morning sun is at a bit of a premium.  But anyhow, here it is sitting on the love seat in Mike's home office.

This is a super warm and very colorful blanket.  There are bits and pieces of lots of my projects in this blanket, including some super bright ones from Erin's graduation blanket...lol.  Am very pleased with this super stash buster.  There is no written pattern for this.  I made 192 three round/three color squares and attached them via a super secure join as you go method from a book called Crochet (I used that pattern to make Amelia's baby blanket), added a border of two rounds of one color/one round of Midnight around those, seven rounds of granny stitch (the 7th of which is the color of the border) and added Edie Eckman's Border 93 as a finish.

(For my own records, colors used are white, aster, dark brown, cream,  bottle, midnight, cloud blue, lemon, raspberry, apricot, khaki, copper, sherbet, walnut, plum, teal, graphite, mocha, meadow, grape, turquoise, pale rose, saffron, bluebell, pomegranate, magenta, sunshine, green, claret, candyfloss, shrimp, lavender, silver, parchment, soft peach, fondant, lipstick, jaffa, bright green, citron, violet, denim, spring green, clematis, camel, aspen, wisteria, petrol, gold, stone, spice, lime, storm blue, tomato, parma violet, sage, duck egg, pistachio, cypress, lobelia, kelly green, fuchsia purple, boysenberry, empire, mushroom... 65 colors).

Farmhouse Christmas Start

 I decided to do LHN's Farmhouse Christmas this year.  Who isn't, it seems?  I decided not to post mine on FB, there are hundreds popping up there.  I am doing mine on 40 ct Lakeside Linens Reindeer, which was a limited edition color years back when I was in Shakespeare's Peddler's LL fabric of the month group.  The fabric is a bit darker than it apears here.  I am using the called for floss and colors, along with the free complimentary border.  First installment, Little Red Barn, is completed.

 
And good news today... I participated in DixieSamplar's Spring Hop Exchange on FB.  My exchange arrived safely in Arkansas today.  So glad my recipient is pleased with it and the extra goodies.  Love making these, but shipping in US is almost $19... don't plan on doing this very often 😂

2018 Moogly CAL begins...

I decided to do the 2018 Moogly CAL this year as part of my effort to productively destash my yarn.  I liked the use of variegated yarn on the borders of the  squares on Moogly's blog. I found that I had two balls of King Cole Drifter for Baby DK in Kingfisher that looked fun.  Dug out SSDK in cream, stone, spice, aspen and teal... and we'll just see how it goes.  As I am using DK yarn rather than Aran yarn,  I shall have to make a few squares from previous years to make my throw large enough.  This will take time.  Only 2 squares released per month.

February Ornament

My February SAL ornament is all set.  I chose a square from Barbara Ana's Classic Christmas Charm in an old CS&N magazine.  Love the little Rudolph.  I used an unknown scrap of Lakeside Linens 40 ct linen and the called for DMC floss.  Another stash buster.

Primavera Pillow

Last night I finished a project I had started sometime last year.  This is a function of my quest to clear out stash space.  Man, yarn takes up serious space in the craft room.  SMH.  The lighting is terrible.  It is, after all, a winter morning here.  This is Primavera Pillow, inspired by Dada's Place.  I wanted a delicate, feminine, romantic theme.  I used James K. Brett Cotton On DK yarn in C02, C016, C024, C023, C021 and C025.  I finished off with Border 33 in Edie Eckman's Around the Corner Crochet Borders book.

Another stash busting goal met 😃

Lil Quack The Duck

This weekend I made up a new little amigurumi.  After spending several hours yesterday teaching my niece some of the crochet basics she needs to do amigurumi, I came home and started one of my own.  I finished him today.  Let me introduce you to Lil Quack The Duck by Little Muggles in Zoomigurumi.  Another stash buster, using SSDK in white, sunshine and cloud blue.  😎