My Take on the Seafarer's Cap

When I was in the navy, we had a winter hat similar to the seafarer's cap. We called it a watch cap. It was a basic head covering worn in the winter to keep one's noggin warm. I remember freezing in one particular winter in Great Lakes, IL. I wore my watch cap on liberty to keep my ears from freezing. I have always liked the simple style of watch caps.

A somewhat comparable crochet pattern for this style of cap that I very much like is the  seafarer's cap pattern because it is great for men or women without looking "frilly." I wanted to modernize it a bit hence the faux fur pompom I attached to the top.

Hope you enjoyed this.

Stay safe,

Sharon

Afghan Obsession Continues...

I have continued making making afghans using the Gigi’s Block Party Blanket pattern. Here are the latest 2.

The next rendition of this pattern has a more sedate, traditional look to it. There are 2 different yarns used, they are the same color but the second has a "fleck" look to it. I did the afghan in 4 sections alternating the yarns after repeating round 15.

With the leftover yarn, I made coordinating slippers.

Hoping that you are well. Times like we are going through now are trying. I hope that you have found things to keep you occupied at home to ward off the tedium of staying in 24/7.

Take care...

Sharon

Turquoise Block Party Blanket

I promised you that I had another blanket ready to share with you and here it is.

Pattern was a little confusing the first time I used it but this is the 3rd 4th time I used it and it is getting easier to make. I love the way the use of colors changes the look completely. I only wish I was talented enough to design something like this. 

I used Red Heart yarn for the turquoise and a bargain yarn from Herrschners for the multicolor yarn. This was one of those mystery yarns that you know what kind it is but not the color. It is kind of fun to receive it and decide what to make with it. I have enough left  over to make another blanket and I think I might just coordinate it with red. That will be a little bit later in my blanket making marathon. First I need to make something that is needed before Christmas. 

Three more rounds on the current blanket I am making. It is taking me about 2 weeks to make one of these. I am soooooo addicted!

Take care my friends and stay healthy and safe. Wishing all of you good health and happiness...

Sharon

Another Gigi's Block Party Blanket

I am totally addicted to this pattern even if I have to remind myself to count as I'm doing it. It has been very easy for me to lose a stitch here and there, hence the need for me to count. This project looks intricate but it is not. The stitches used are simple to make but add a certain pizzazz to the project.  You can find the pattern here.

And now for the pictures 👀:

I hope that all of you are staying healthy. Keeping your hands and mind occupied will help relieve the boredom and tedium of hanging around the house 24/7. With the threat to our health the corona virus poses, please take care of yourselves.

Hugs and prayers, 

Sharon

Cute Multicolored Scarf

Today's finished object is a multicolored scarf. This is made from Lion Brand Mandala Yarn. I am not sure what the color's name is because I threw away the wrapper. It "might" be Thunderbird but like I said, I am not sure. I used the Maureen pattern to make this. It was an easy pattern to make and I leisurely made it in 2 evenings watching TV.

Here are the pictures:

Thank you for visiting. Hope to hear from you again soon.

Sharon

Guess Who Is Back? --> ME!

I am a slow poke about posting but I am finally back. A project that I started before my couple year lose of crochet mojo is finished. Also finished is a beautiful throw in awesome fall colors.

Pattern

I left some of the fins off because I thought they would interfere with the user's comfort. I am not happy with how mine turned out but I will probably make another one in the future to see if I can improve on the first one. This was a major ufo (unfinshed object) for a couple years after Dad died and I really had a hard time picking up my crochet hooks until just before last Christmas.

Next is a beautiful throw. I am in love with the fall colors of this. The yarn is one of Lion Brand's Mandala colors.The pattern called for worsted weight but this yarn is dk weight. To compensate for the "thinner" yarn, I used a smaller hook and made several additional rounds to keep it adult size.  I gave this to a great friend I've had since high school (I am 63). Here are the pictures:

Pattern

Suggestions about making this throw. I recommend that you keep a pad of paper handy to make notes on. The main thing I found out about this was that it was easy to have the stitch count off. I did much recounting and sometimes the count was off because I got distracted or once in a while it was really off and I didn't know why so I would frog a bit and do it over. This would usually take care of it but one time, I had to throw an extra stitch in on a side. 

I have a few more projects to show you but I will post later on. 

Please stay safe and don't take any chances with the corona virus especially if you have other health risks. It's a great time to pick up your crochet hooks and put them to use.

Hugs and best wishes to all.....

Sharon

Housewarming Present for Son

My younger son bought a house last year and moved in a couple weeks before Christmas. I am so proud of him buying his first house. He has a spare room now that he uses as a study to read his bible and have a bit of quiet. I thought that an afghan would fit the bill as a housewarming present. Here are a couple pictures of it.

Pattern for the squares is found here. I fell in love with the gray yarn. It is a Caron yarn and the color is dalmatian. I wanted to use gray colors because the curtains in his study are gray.

Thanks for visiting,

Sharon

A Smidgen Challenging

Granddaughter of my heart has a half-sister who is going to be a mom in the spring. I decided to take the time and try something a little challenging to make a baby blanket even though I don't know her. I made Gigi's Block Party Blanket (go about 1/3 down the page) rounds 1-50. I found that with this pattern, I had to keep count because somehow I would drop a stitch or add a stitch and my count would be off. This is a beautiful pattern. Although, I do have a bit of a complaint about the pattern. After a good start, the pattern stops adding totals of the various stitches  such as popcorn after a while. My insecurities with working a new pattern go into over drive. The other problem I noted was that the pattern would tell you to repeat a previous round and going to that round, the instructions would say to follow instructions for yet another round. This was frustrating for sure but I will probably make this pattern again because of how beautiful it is. I kept a notebook handy to jot down notes to keep track of where I was in the pattern and other important data.

The yarn I used was Caron Cakes in the cherry chip color. This is a very pretty yarn and easy to work with. I was fortunate to get a deal on it at Michaels when I bought 2, I got 1 free. I used a little more than 3 cakes.

Hugs, 

Sharon

Finally Posting Pics of Slippers I Made for Christmas

I have finally gotten around to posting pictures of slippers I made for family and friends this last Christmas. I may have missed a few pairs. This is my go to pattern for slippers that I have used for many, many years. Pattern is available here. I used the trial of Animoto software to make a slideshow. It is very easy to use but the trial has the watermark on pics. I like the software but too expensive for me to purchase.


 

Hugs,

Sharon

Baby Blanket for Sweet Baby Boy

My niece had a beautiful baby boy last month. I wanted to make him a traditional baby blanket to cuddle and snuggle with. I decided on the Midwife Blanket. This pattern is based on a baby blanket seen in the television show Call the Midwife. I liked the vintage look and the light blue color I used is a traditional color for baby boys. I did use worsted weight yarn and added an additional "set" of stitches so that the blanket would not only be suitable for a baby but also for a toddler.

Enjoy!

She Shed Update for 18 November 2019

I have been promising you an update on the she shed's progress and here it is. It isn't going too fast but then that's okay because I really don't care to move into it in the winter months.  although, I will be using a space heater to heat it when I am moved in. I have to stop myself from shopping for things for it because I intend to repurpose things from the house but shopping is so much fun! 😃 Since I took the video the other day, the drywall has been partially installed. Enjoy the video....



Best wishes for all...

Sharon

Hard to Believe - I Finished a Crochet Project!

I know it's a small project but it is completed. My crochet mojo is back!
I made the Easy Seamlessly Baby Hat pattern by Sandra La Madeleine. The designer kindly provides the pattern for free on Ravelry.

I used some left over teal yarn that I had. I made this for a soon to be born little boy. I made it in the 3 - 6 months size because the little guy is expected to be born, next month, as a not too little baby boy. 😊 I need to wash this and soften it up because the yarn feels a bit scratchy to me and that will not do for a baby.

Here's a picture so you can see it.

Monday's Good Stuff (07 October 2019)

Hello Everyone,

There is still enough time to do some Christmas crocheting. I found an adorable pattern for an elf. This pattern comes to us from the Amidorable Blog. The completed project would look nice sitting on a shelf or fireplace mantle during the holidays. I haven't gotten in the Christmas spirit the last few years so I am hoping that this year I will find the spirit and do some decorating and baking. I did a bit of Christmas shopping online last night so there might be hope for me yet. 😉

Have a great week.

Hugs,

Sharon

Old Crochet Pattern for Dress from 1932

I know, I know, I have become negligent about posting here. I really am trying to get my act together and share things with you. I have an update on the she shed that I will be posting soon. For now, I thought you might enjoy seeing this crochet pattern that was posted in a newspaper. It must have have been nice to get nice crochet patterns in the newspaper. OK, I'm rambling so I will stop and  share the pattern.😊

How to make a fishnet dress (1932) Sat, Aug 20, 1932 – 27 · Times Colonist (Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) · Newspapers.com

She Shed in Progress

Husband is getting tired of seeing yarn and crochet projects in the house. He wanted to get a storage space to move all my stuff to. Can you imagine how expensive that could become? My suggestion was to get a shed and turn it into a she shed and that's what we decided to do. This will not be a quick project. l will need to stash some money to finish it. The shed is 20' x 12' and contains 2 small loft areas.

Plans are to add electricity and finish the walls, ceiling and floor. We also plan to add 2 additional windows on the front. Husband has dug an 18" deep ditch from the house to the she shed to lay a pipe that contains the electrical wires in. We are upgrading the electrical on our house so "electrifying" the she shed is an add-on to that project. 

I am getting so excited about having a she shed. Maybe it goes back to being a kid and making "forts" and "club houses" out of boxes and blankets. Maybe I am going through my second childhood or something. That's ok because I am enjoying myself making plans. 😁 Before I get to babbling for a few more paragraphs, I will share a picture of my she shed on the lot I bought it at.

Stay tune for more updates.

Hugs, 

Sharon

More she shed signs

Monday's Good Stuff (05 August 2019)

Drops Design often has classy patterns for crochet. I think this poncho is super sweet. Normally, I think that ponchos have had their day but I think this one is very interesting and it is something that I would wear if I had the chance to make it. If anyone has made this, let me know what you think of the pattern.

Hugs,

Sharon

More patterns for ponchos, some vintage, some retro too

Monday's Good Stuff (29 July 2019)

Have you ever had chicken breasts that cooked up dry? It is drool worthy to smell the delicious aroma of chicken cooking on the grill but what a disappointment to bite into a chicken breast that is dry as sandpaper! We have the discovered the benefits of soaking the chicken in a brine before cooking.  The brined chicken breasts cook up very juicy and tasty.

Here's how we do it:

Whole Chicken (3- to 8-pound): Mix 2 quarts cold water with 1/2 cup table salt; brine 1 hour.

Bone-in Chicken Pieces (4 pounds): Mix 2 quarts cold water with ½ cup table salt; brine ½ to 1 hour.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts (up to 6 breasts): Mix 1½ quarts cold water with 3 tablespoons table salt; brine ½ to 1 hour.

• After brining is finished, do a quick rinse of the chicken pieces and bake or grill.

This makes delicious and juicy grilled or baked chicken. 

Notes: 

• Do not brine longer than recommended or foods will become overly salty.
• May add seasonings to the brine solution.
• Brined chicken does not brown or get as crispy as unbrined chicked so not great for fried chicken if you like it crispy.
• I have also used coarse Mediterranean salt and coarse kosher salt instead of table salt. You may have to stir a little longer to dissolve in water.

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern

I love round afghans and there are many patterns available to crochet a variety of styles done in the round shape. If you look at this blog's header, I have a page full of these patterns. A new link I recently added to this page is for the Star Mandala Afghan. Check it out and let me know what you think. I always love to see how others make things and add their own special touches and colors.

Hugs,

Sharon

Lion Brand Comfy Cotton Blend

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (13 May 2019)

Today I was pondering how I could display some of my Barbie dolls and then the ol' brain took a side trip down Crochet Lane and I started looking up crochet patterns for Barbie and her friends. Today's link takes us to a pattern for a dapper outfit for Barbie's guy Ken. Check out the pattern and let me know what you think.










Barbie and Ken Cafe Set

Barbie and Ken Dolls

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern (06 May 2019)

I have a thing for shawls. I love the ease of putting one on and making them too. This link takes us to a cute shawl pattern that is on the casual side. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Here's the LINK.

Have a great week everyone and crochet on.

Sharon

Purse Organizer