Getting Back on Track With Magic Ball Afghan, Finishing up Doily and Getting Ready for Next Project...

Yesterday, I had doctor appointments in Louisville, about an hour from here. When I go there I have the opportunity to to stop at Hobby Lobby. Yesterday I got the black yarn to finish my magic ball afghan. I also got red yarn to use in a spiderman ghan for a friend's little boy. The ww acrylic blues they had just didn't look right so I stopped at Meijers on my way home and they had a good blue color by Bernat. I was a naughty girl at Hobby Lobby and splurged on a few bamboo handled hooks. I love my J-Hook with a bamboo handle so I thought I'd try some others. No good sales yesterday though--maybe that is good because I impulse buy too much on yarn--yarn comes in faster than it goes out lol!

The spiral simplicity doily I'm making for my uncle is coming along. I'm working on the last 2 rounds! YIPPEE! I hope to finish it up this week and get it in the mail to him. Below is a picture of it so far. Definitely needs some blocking when it's finished.

Above is a toddler-sized spiderman ghan I made a couple years ago. The one I'll be starting soon will be a little larger for a little boy in elementary school. I use the round ripple pattern that AggieMay from crochetville generously provides to other members who pm her.

Edited to add doily picture

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

I really like the look of granny square afghans but I'm not too thrilled with sewing the squares together or weaving in the loose ends. However, I do like this pattern with the squares laid out on the diagonal and the use of half squares. Anyway, I really think it is a classier version. Hope you enjoy...

Another Birthday...

Today was my birthday and I'm 39 AGAIN lol!  I can only do that for a few more years because then I'll be the same age as my son :).  Anyway, I was born my grandma's birthday, her first granddaughter, and we used to celebrate together.  Here's a picture taken on my 10th birthday and her 62nd.  I have the glasses on. I really miss her...

Hat and Scarf Set is FINISHED!

 

I just finished this hat and scarf set.  The pattern is a freebie from Lion Brand Yarns. It was so simple to make because it was only double crochets and chains.  The homespun yarn gives it a nicer look.  The only thing I didn't like about the pattern is that the hat was supposed to have 4 holes in the top.  I gathered it together and closed it up and I think I'll like that a lot more.  Happy hooking...!

Update on Hat and Scarf Set

I have about a dozen rows or so left to do on the scarf and then a few ends to weave in and the set is finished! I'll try to finish it up today and get pictures posted. It is very easy and would be perfect for a new crocheter's first pattern. Take care y'all!

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

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For some reason this post popped up a few days early so I guess we'll call this a bonus lol!

In honor of St. Patrick's Day here are patterns for a shamrock coaster and shamrock dishcloth.  Enjoy!

Getting Ready for Next Winter--A New Hat and Scarf Set

I'm already burned out with working on my uncle's doily and I still haven't gotten more black yarn for the magic ball afghan I've been working on.  Once again, I started a new project without finishing up what I was working on.  I'm making a hat and scarf set for next winter.  I'm using some Homespun yarn I bought on clearance at Wal-mart a while ago.  I normally don't like working with Homespun because my hook gets caught in the thready fibers but for small projects I can put up with it.  I finished the hat last night while watching television with dh and at this time, I have roughly a foot of the scarf made.  After I started the hat, I noticed that the crown of the hat wasn't closed but rather had 4 openings.  Well, I couldn't have that so I gathered the top of the crown and closed it off.  Winter is cold and I didn't want the top of my head to freeze :).  Anyway, the pattern I'm using for this set is a freebie from LionBrand Yarn.  I'm not going to post a picture of the hat until I finish the scarf and can show the set together so stay tuned...

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

Here's today's link for a free pattern.  Today's pattern is for panhandlers--an alternative to potholders.  It is part of the collection of free patterns found at CrochetNow.  Enjoy...

Some of My Thoughts...

Not much going on today so I thought I'd just put some of my jumbled thoughts here...

My magic ball afghan project is on pause for now. I ran out of black yarn so I decided to focus my attention on the doily I'm making for my uncle. Can you tell I'm procrastinating with it? I think I have been working on it for MONTHS! It is just so darned hard for me to see the tiny, little stitches.

Here are some other thoughts...everyone I know has replaced their incandescent light bulbs with the new improved energy bulbs. My question is, is it more economic and better for the environment to take perfectly good bulbs and toss them in the trash causing factories to manufacture more new bulbs quicker, the consumer to pay for them sooner than necessary, and landfills to receive them quicker? Let's see, you also need to calculate the cost-saving of having the new bulbs in your lighting fixtures.  How do we do that?  Whew!  You almost need to be a scientist to calculate out this one! Me, as my old bulbs die, I replace with the new and improved model.

Last night dh and I had our supper at a diner-type restaurant. I ordered a meal that was too much for me and as I was putting the left-overs into a "to-go" container a bit of food dropped on the table and I picked it up and put it in the container. DH said, "Heloise says that you shouldn't do that because sometimes women use public rest rooms and they put their purses on the floor. No telling what gets on the bottom of their purses. Then when they go back to the dining room, they might put their purses on the table and all kinds of germs get on the table. Then you just picked up that food with all sorts of bathroom bugs on it." Got me thinking that's for sure! Heloise is not only in the newspaper she is also online so go visit her for some creative hints.  Oh, by the way, I'm sure there are more "bathroom bugs" on the floor in the men's room!  LOL!

See ya later gator...

Just Before Midnight, 28 Feb 1942, USS Houston CA 30 Engages Japanese ...

On February 28, the USS Houston CA30 and the HMAS Perth proceeded to the port of Batavia in western Java, and partially refueled before attempting that night to pass through Sunda Strait in an effort to reach the safer waters of the Indian Ocean. As they approached the entrance to the strait near midnight, they unexpectedly encountered a Japanese covering force of nearly one dozen destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous torpedo boats and minesweepers that were protecting the invasion fleet. In the ensuing Battle of Sunda Strait, the Houston and Perth both aggressively fired at the attacking Japanese ships at close range, but, outnumbered and outgunned, they were no match for the enemy forces that completely surrounded them. Four torpedoes sealed the fate of the Perth shortly after midnight. Soon after, the first torpedo struck the Houston, and another Japanese shell destroyed her number two eight-inch turret, at which point Captain Rooks gave the order to abandon ship.
Tragically, one of the incoming Japanese shells struck a gun mount, killing Captain Rooks. The abandon ship order was countermanded and the Houston continued to fight, now alone against the Japanese fleet. She managed to hit three destroyers and sink a minesweeper before three more torpedoes ripped into the ship.
Hit by four torpedoes and listing to starboard, the Houston was doomed. The Japanese turned on their searchlights and continued to blast the ship. Captain Rooks and the majority of the crew were already dead. As a second order was given to abandon ship, the remaining crew members jumped over the sides, then began swimming furiously away from the suction of the sinking ship.
In the water, Japanese torpedo boats were machine gunning escaping sailors. Those who could avoid the gunfire began swimming through the dark, oil-coated water towards the Java shore, many miles away. Terrible as the experience of the last few days had been, their ordeal was just beginning.  (Information from University of Houston Special Collection).


When I was in college, I wrote my thesis on the sinking of this ship and the heroic crew.  The ship was substandard and the men did the best they could.  I was fortunate to attend a reunion/ memorial ceremony in 2002 and again in 2003.  The survivors I spoke with were friendly and more than happy to answer my questions. A bit of trivia, their experiences as POWs of the Japanese were used for the movie Bridge on River Kwai.

Update on My Magic Ball Afghan

This magic ball afghan is my relaxation.  I work on it in the evenings while dh watches television.  I think this afghan will fit a queen-size bed when it is finished or an over-sized double/full size bed.  I love how these look and I like the idea that I can use up remnants of yarn left over from other projects.  Roughly, I have crocheted it to 52".  I'm not sure how big I'm going to make it until I get it a tad bit bigger and lay it on the bed I'm making it for.  I'm thinking about using it for a regular blanket.  What do you think??? Do people use afghans for blankets?  The stitches in this one are close so there aren't any gaping holes to let the cold air in.  My chis, Opi and Nellie Belle love when I work on this and Opi is curled up next to me and Nellie B. is on my lap.  I've rambled on here long enough.  Thanks for visiting...
Click on the cute doggie button below to see links to other crafty people's works-in-progress.

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

Here is a vintage pattern for the

CROCHETED SONTAG:SHAWL PATTERN .

 It is a little bit different from most shawl patterns that I've seen because it has "ties" to help keep it on.  The site that it comes from is for Civil War re-enactors and has a variety of sewing patterns too. Hope you enjoy... 

Slavery Video: The History of Slavery in America

I've been a bit neglectful of posting topics of historical events in my blog.  Today, in honor of African American History Month, I am posting this 3 part video The History of Slavery in America.  You may turn off the music player by scrolling down the right column until you get to the player and then clicking on the mute button.  May we learn from the mistakes in our history...

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

Today's link to a free pattern is for a cuddly costume for your k9 fur baby. It can be worn in cooler weather just like any other dog sweater imho. It is from crochet kitten.    Here's the pattern.  Enjoy y'all!

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

Sending all of you warm wishes and affection on Valentine's Day... Here's a sweet video for your listening enjoyment. You may want to go to the column on your right hand side and scroll down to the music player and mute it before playing this video. Happy Valentine's Day!

Need Crochet Motivation...

I  need to get motivated and finish the 2nd doily I'm making for my uncle's new place in Florida.  I'm not too keen on crocheting with thread.  In the meantime, I am working on a "brainless" project--a magic ball afghan.  For this, you just wind up all your scraps of similar yarns, in this case worsted weight acrylic, and crochet a simple pattern using a strand of the magic ball yarn and one other color, I'm using black.  It is so relaxing to just crochet back and forth. I'm doing the following row sequence:  single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, half-double crochet, and single crochet.  I'm repeating this sequence until I get to the desired size or run out of magic balls and have to put the project on hold until I have enough scrap yarn to make additional magic balls.  I'm using a J-hook to have a tighter crochet and hopefully warmer ghan. 

Until later, stay warm everyone!

Cuppa Coffee Anyone?

I love my patio and my front porch.  Frequently we have our coffee out there.  When I lived up north, not too many people used their front porches except as means of egress.  Now that we live a little further south in Kentucky, it is common to see folks sitting on their front porches visiting or just kickin' back.  I was thinking about how it's been months since I had my coffee outside and missing it.  Anyone want a cup???

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

Today's link to a free pattern is for the triple dishcloth.  You can find it here.  It is at Marlo's Crochet Corner.

UFO Scarf Is Now an FO

A scarf I was making had made its way out of favor and was set aside for a couple months.  I pulled it out the other day and finished it up today.  The yarn I used was some novelty yarn in a royal blue color.  I think I got it at Hobby Lobby so it is probably one of their brands.  I used a 2nd strand of Red Heart Super Saver in black.  Those novelty yarns are hard for me to see where to put my hook so I usually use a strand of  "regular" yarn with the novelty yarn.  Anyway, the ufo is now an fo and I still have time to use it this year before the weather warms up!  Here's a couple pictures....

 

Made Another Potholder

I made another potholder last night while dh and I were kickin' back watching some television.  The pattern I used is the same one I used in yesterday's post.  I think 2 good potholders should be enough for now.  Last night I dumped the rest of my store-bought ones in the garbage can.  They were in sad, sad shape.  I currently have 2 projects I'm alternating between, a scarf and another doily for my uncle.  Concentration has been off for more than a week because of this bug I can't seem to shake.  Anyway, thanks for stopping by and visiting...