B is for Block-a-Month

Several years ago I joined up with a crochet block a month challenge.  Each month three patterns for crochet squares were released and we spent the month working on the ones we wanted.  There was a main 12 inch square, an alternate 12 inch square, and a six inch square.  I stumbled upon the 2016 challenge the other day and have decided to jump back on the bandwagon - a bit late, but not overwhelmingly late!  I have decided on yarn that I have in my stash already and I think I will end up with two or three baby afghans that I can give away at later dates - either to friends when they have a new baby or to charity.  Here are my two yarn combinations that I plan to use.  This afternoon I will get going and play catch-up since I am just starting now...

Afghan #1

Afghan #2

Several years ago I ended up doing the main 12 inch squares and two six inch squares each month in teal and aran and the alternate 12 inch squares and two six inch squares each month in shades of purple with white and after a year I ended up with two pretty single bed sized afghans (which I gave away to charity).  Here are those two finished afghans:

A is for Artistic

I have hopped on the A to Z Challenge bandwagon again and I hope to get farther than I did in the past.  For me this will be a wonderful exercise in daily blogging (and challenging my imagination!!)

A is for Artistic.  I enjoy having an artistic side to mix along with my analytical side.  I have found over the years that I drift from one artistic theme into another and into another...  I am not really a very monogamous art person!  I plan to write about several of my artistic ventures over the following month and will share with you several types of artistic activities I enjoy or have enjoyed in the past.  Currently I enjoy spending my spare time doing knitting, crochet, dyeing, and painting (both acrylic and watercolors).  You will get to see some examples of each of these along the way!  What I really need is a dedicated art/craft space so that I can really keep involved.  Right now I have things spread all over the house!!  In the kitchen, dining room, living room, spare room/office, attic...  I think the only places clear of my artistic stuff are the bathroom and bedroom!

So what is it that makes me artistic??  I really don't know.  I think it is mostly a way for me to express ideas and passions that are lurking.  Some of what I create is not very good (in my opinion) and some of it is wonderful (again in my opinion!).  Whatever the case may be, it is something that I dearly love doing with my spare time and something that gives me pleasure.  And that is enough for me :)

A Year of Projects - February 14th 2016

Time for a Year of Projects Update!  I have made some progress this past week although I have been quite busy with work and did not have as much spare knitting time as I would have liked!  My progress was on two of my projects.

1) Sock Scrap-ghan - I added several squares to this scrap-ghan this past week and am now up to squares done.  I also think I am on my last scrap skein/ball of yarn.  I accidentally used on scrap twice but otherwise every square so far is different!  After this square I will be going back and using up the same scraps again until I run out!

2) Double Flake Squirrel Socks - I finished one sock last night!  Now to get the second cast on and done as well!!

This week coming up I plan to spend time on each of my WIPs - one per day and some will repeat since I have fewer WIPs than days of the week.

FO Friday February 12th 2016

Finally another Finished Object!!  I am happy to have my Hitchhiker Scarf all done!!  I cast this on January 10th 2015, worked on it for a while and then set it aside for other projects.  I was challenged by friends to get back to it in January 2016 and I kept plugging along with it for the past several weeks until I got it all done earlier this week!  It is a bit smaller than I would have liked but I did not select the best yarn from the beginning (not enough yardage...)  Oh well, it will still make a lovely neck warmer!

Project: Hitchhiker Scarf

Started: January 10th 2015

Finished: February 9th 2016

Needle: 3.0 mm

Yarn:  S.R. Kertzner On Your Toes 4 Ply with Aloe Vera

More details on my Ravelry Project Page

A to Z Blogger Challenge Sign-up!

So I have decided to join and sign up for the seventh annual A to Z Blogging Challenge! The A to Z Challenge is posting every day in April except Sundays (we get those off for good behavior.) And since there are 26 days, that matches the 26 letters of the alphabet. On April 1, blog about something that begins with the letter “A.” April 2 is “B,” April 4 is “C,” and so on. You can use a theme for the month or go random – just as long as it matches the letter of the alphabet for the day.

I signed up for this a few years ago and did not finish so I plan to try again this year!  I will likely try to write some posts in advance so that I can have a better chance of keeping up!

WIP-it Wednesday February 10th 2016

This is my WIP-it Wednesday and Year of Projects Update!  This past week I have focused on two projects - Hitchhiker and my Sock Scrap-ghan.  I finished Hitchhiker!!  I will post about that on Friday.  I also added several squares to my Sock Scrap-ghan.  I am onto square 44 now (up 6 or 8 from my last update).  I also have quite a few ends to tuck in so once I finish this diagonal (two squares left to complete) I will get onto that again.  I need to make sure I keep tucking in the tails as I move along so that it does not become too daunting!

Here is what the Sock Scrap-ghan looks like now:

WIP it Wednesday February 3rd 2016

Here I am for another WIP-it Wednesday update!  I only focused on two projects this past week but I am happy with my progress!

1) Hitchhiker - I added several rows to this scarf over the week and am pleased with my progress.  I now have 28 (check) teeth complete.  My concern now is that I am likely running low on yarn!  I have only one skein and I probably won't be able to make this overly large before I run out.  Oh well, it will be a nice smallish scarf once done!

2) Deep into the Forest - I added about 30 (check) rounds to this sock and am now at the point where I am starting the gusset increases.  I spent a bit of time almost every day this past week working on this one - some days only a few rounds, but it all adds up!