Goodies!

Happy BC Day everyone! I hope you’re having a wonderful long weekend, I sure am!

I wanted to share the goodies I have received from swaps and such. First up are my music squares from the Granny Square Swap. They hail from a wonderful lady in Ohio. A country square and a square representing a song by Pink. Aren’t they lovely?

Next up are my Crochetville KISS Granny Squares. My swapner was Linda from Australia. I love international swapners! Aren’t the squares gorgeous? I love the colours and the stitches, so pretty, thanks Linda!

Last of my received goodies are my July Squares. The theme was Olympics, and look what I received from  California! One is a soccer square, very nice, and the second is a water themed square. She was thinking of creating some diving or swimming related, but after the IOC attacked Ravelry about their Ravlympics she decided to create a water themed square based on their behaviour. In one word, juvenile. So clever! The yarn is SO soft, and I love the rubber ducky! She also sent me some birthday goodies. A keychain, a cutting mat, a pencil sharpener and a delicious skein of purple yarn.Thanks Tsubunny!!!

My last share today are a couple of goodies I picked up at a flea market in Grand Forks, BC. I think the total for these 3 items was $1.50. Awesome 🙂 There was a bunch of pattern books (like 2 baskets) that I went through. My swapner, Bonnie, is an avid knitter, and I decided to pick her up a couple of sweater pattern booklets. They are definitely vintage. I hope she likes them! The other goodies are a couple new crochet hooks for myself. One is a wood handled H hook, and the green one is an I hook. I am super excited to give these a try!

There are my goodies, I hope you enjoyed seeing them!

WIP Wednesday XXIV

What a week off! BF and I went up to Christina Lake to spend the week with his family and it was such a lovely trip, minus a few unfortunate events!

I wanted to share the WIPs I worked on while I was away.  The first is an update on the baby blanket I showed you a couple weeks ago. I only added a couple rounds, so it still looks like a scarf, but I’m still liking the result and it’s a pretty easy pattern to work with.

Next up are a few goodies for this month’s Granny Square Swap. August’s theme is fruit, and I got inspired early for this theme. My first WIP is an apple applique that I am hoping to center into a square. I have finished all but the leaves of it, and I am pretty pleased with it. The pattern is Apple Coasters by Louise Howe. I used some green yarn and a G (I think). All I need to do now is center this into a square and add the leaves.

I am also planning on sending an apple cozy with my squares. I found a cute pattern called Apple Cardigan by Rebecca Harmon that I decided to try. I used the same green yarn and G hook. I need a button and some leaves and the coy is complete. It’s a tad small, but it stretches, I figure it will be ok.

So there are my WIPs for the week, stay tuned because I am a bit behind in my posting, I have lots to share. As well, check out the other great WIPs here, XO!

FO Friday Number 37

Hello Summer!!! The sun is finally out and I am baking in its glory! I spent the last 2 days outside and will continue to do so until the sun goes away 🙂

Crochetville once again offered the KISS Granny Square Swap this year, so of course I jumped in right away. My swapner is a lovely lady from Australia, who requested a 12 inch red square for her granddaughter’s babyghan. I asked her if I could use other colours in the square and she said yes. This turned out to be helpful as I had a little red in my stash but certainly not enough to make a 12 inch square. 

Tadah! The pattern is the Crown Jewels square from Melinda Miller. I made it in one night and I love it! I love the popcorn, I love the shell lace, so pretty! I did have some gauge issues, as it called for an H hook, but once I finished the final round I was only at 8 inches. I decided to add another round of the shells and border and it finally came out to 12 inches! I am also so glad I was able to incorporate a different colour as I definitely ran out of red. Still, it’s quite pretty no?

What’s next? Why, my July Swap Squares of course, the theme is awesome this month! And head on over to Tami’s to see the other FOs this week, XO!

FO Friday, Number 32

Hey all, did you enjoy my goodies from yesterday? I hope so, I sure did!

As promised here is my FO for this week. I joined the KISS Dishcloth Swap on Crochetville last month, and I was partnered with Denise from Michigan. She said she wanted a bright dishcloth, so I went looking for the brightest yarn I could find. I have also had a particular dishcloth pattern in my Ravelry queue for a while, so I decided to give it a whirl. Do you like?

The pattern in Scrap Ripple Cloth from Anastacia Zittel. I love the simple but textured look of it. It took a bit of figuring out exactly where to “stitch in back loop only” to get the texture but once I did it was easy going. I used leftover green and white Peaches and Cream cotton, and bought the blue and pink Bernat Handicrafter cotton for the other brightness. I used a G hook. I really like it! So happy! Denise has received her dishcloth and likes it! *Phew! I am now patiently waiting for her creation.

There is my FO for this week. I can’t wait to show you what I have cookin’ for next month’s Square Swap :). As always, check out the other great FOs at Tami’s Amis, XO.

Lucky Lucky Me!

I decided to join the Afghan Swap on Ravelry this year, and last month our first package went out. My swapner is Bonnie who hails from Ottawa. Based on her likes I put together this package for her. I made 2 doilies, the pattern is Petite Pineapple Doily from Priscilla Hewitt. I have made it before, and once again the results are stunning. I also sent 2 magazines, 1 knit and 1 crochet, a set of bamboo knitting needles, a bamboo hook, a Whistler keychain, a bag of Vanilla Earl Grey Tea, a homemade card, a dishcloth and 4 skeins of yarn from a LYS in West Vancouver. She has received it and likes everything! Now to start compiling the August package!

I also received my package from Bonnie. First and foremost, check out the socks she made me! I love love love them! I have never had a homemade pair of socks and they are seriously wicked! She also sent me a scrapbook magazine, which has some sweet ideas that I can’t wait to use, a chocolate chip cookie recipe, a 12 inch square pattern, some yummy dark chocolate, the cutest bumblebee push pins, and a skein of purple Berocco yarn. I can’t wait to whip up something with it. Thanks Bonnie, you’re the best!

So yes indeed, I am lucky lucky! Stay tuned for my FO Friday post tomorrow, XO!

FO Friday, Number 27

Hey! Did you enjoy me goodies yesterday? I sure did!

Today I want to show you my finished potholder I sent off to Tracey in Virginia. You saw it at 50% finished, but here it is in all its glory!

Ta-dah! It turned out so well! The pattern is Scalloped Potholder from Priscilla Hewitt. I used a G hook, and Peaches’N’Cream white and green cotton. I really wanted to try a different cotton from Bernat Handicrafter, so when I was down in Washington a few weeks ago I made sure we went to Joanns so I could get some. I really like it! The pattern is dead simple, you make 2 scalloped parts, tie the middles together and then single crochet around the edge. On the Rav pattern page there are others in a multitude of colour combos, but I love the simple but crispness of the white and green. I am happy to report that my swapner really likes it! Yays!

So that’s my FO Friday for this week, check out the other wowzers here, XO. 

So Long, Farewell…

Not forever, just for the next 11 days! Tomorrow my family leaves for our Hawaiian Christmas Extravaganza! I couldn’t be more excited, I just wish this little tickle in my throat would go away. I know I have been a bit MIA lately, it’s not because I don’t like you anymore, it’s simply that I haven’t been doing much crocheting. Also, I am still figuring out the work/play balance…

Anyhoo, I do have a little pre-Hawaii goodie to share with you. These are my December squares for the Square Swap. This month’s theme is TOYS, of course. I once again went searching for buttons and low and behold I found some good ones! My swapner in Oklahoma likes bright colours, check! My toy? Princess stuff, double check! Plus an extra square for good measure. The pattern is SmoothFox’s Diagonal Box Stitch, a favourite of mine. I used a G hook and scrap yarn. The purple is leftover baby yarn, I had to increase the boxes by 1 to get to 6 inches, and the pink is leftover from the handwarmers. I really hope she likes them!

I also wanted to share with you my Christmas present from BF. I have been humming and hawing about getting an eReader for a while, and I decided not that long ago that getting one for my trip would be very intelligent. So off BF and I went to pick up this little stunner. I LOVE IT. I have already read a book and have 6 others to go. My only poo poo? J.K. Rowling has not released the eBook version of HP, which are the #1 books on my list… I have to wait til early next year, grr… oh well, thankfully there are a million other books for me to read…

I should be able to scrounge up a post or 2 while lounging away in the warm Hawaiian sun, so stay tuned for that, mahalo, XO!

FO Friday, Number 25

11 days until Hawaii! 

I have 2 FOs to share today. My Stocking Swap has gone out the door and I whipped up a couple goodies for it.

First is the stocking part. Remember those mini stockings I made? Well I made a total of 10 to replace 1 large one. The pattern is Mini Stocking Motif from Doris Chan. I used a J hook and some scrap yarn and I think they turned out great! So cute! She can use them as decorations or string them together into a garland.

Next up is this cute little guy. I had made 1 earlier for a Snowman swap, but just HAD to make another for my Stocking swapner, they are so quick but SO cute! The pattern is Crochet Snowman from Amy Lehman. I used a G hook and scrap yarn. I decided to use up the snowflake buttons from the square swap. I mounted them onto some blue felt to make them pop, and then continued the blue theme with his hat and scarf. Who knows, maybe another is in the works 🙂

There are my FOs, as always, check out the others here, XO.

Squee! Sunday, Siete

16 days until Hawaii!! The countdown has officially begun!

I received a couple of goodies this week. First up is my November Scarf or Fingerless Swap. Aren’t they lovely? I love receving knit stuff cuz it’s something I’ll never be able to do for myself. These are so wonderful and fit just right! Thanks to the lovely Helen in Guatamala for her hard work!

Next up is my snowman from the Snowman Swap. Isn’t he PRECIOUS?! He hails from Tennesee from the wonderful Angela. I absolutely LOVE his buttons. He definitely put a smile on my face. He will be going to school with me tomorrow to sit on  my desk and remind me of the season. Maybe I should put a lei around his neck 😛

There’s my Squee! for this week, check out the others here, XO!

FO Friday, Number 24

Well, I meant to post this last Friday, but life got in the way. God bless pre-scheduling posts!

Remember the WIPW I was working on a few weeks ago? Well I finished it off, isn’t he the cutest? I sent him off for a snowman swap, I really hope she likes it! The pattern is Crochet Snowman from Amy Lehman. I used a G hook and scraps. I stuffed his body with rice so he is a bit more solid. I have decided to make another one for my Stocking Stuffer Swap. 

There’s my FO for this week, check out the others here, XO!