Granny square baby blanket

Granny square baby blanket! I finally made one and I am very very happy with it.

First day of the Last month of the Year!

OMG! I didn't realize that I have not posted anything for more than 6 months!

 Where was I all these months?..... I was right here at home!

Guess I should just pick up from where I had left off... So, I found a bag of scarves which I had made quite some time back. Some of these will be sent to the friends who I was thinking of while making them,  some of the scarves will be sent to a friend to aid in her charity project and maybe I might start an Etsy shop

I have selected a pattern for my next project! This is a 12 inch square that  I have tried and it looks great. So, let's see maybe an afghan...

Happy Days...

Happy Days seem to be more and more scarce these days. At the end of the day when I'm trying to fall asleep I'm not so happy. The items in the list of ...... I should have done, could have done, done better, tried harder, should have remembered..... just keep increasing.
Why is happiness eluding me? .... or am I eluding happiness by being so caught up in running after the 'wants' and 'dreams'

A friend of mine had started something called "100 happy days". She posted one picture everyday of something that made a happy!

Maybe remembering that one happy, good thing before going to bed is better than the long list of to-dos that doesnt end.

Day 1

Surprise Gift from hubby!









This is a portable speaker that can play music from a USB, etc.

Happy!

Granny Squares for a new friend

This is so amazing ......

I was looking for a border for my triangular granny shawl and found this blog. I always tend to read what other bloggers like, write about, etc and I always find something new to learn. I got really excited about 'The Masterpiece' and was ohh so happy when 'the snail of happiness' gave me a chance to be part of the project.

So I started looking for unique patterns.... I wanted to make something new. But I knew I wanted to make flowers.

Kate's blog has this amazing pictorial tutorial that helped me understand Squaring the big circle. So when I had to increase the size of a square I added the last row according to this tutorial.

Materials Used : 4 ply acrylic yarn, 4.5 mm hook
The first square was a pink flower.
 

But I couldn't stop at one, so made another one in orange....

I found the pattern here. The flowers look so beautiful! I know I'm going to make more of these but I still have to figure out where to use them. :-D

The second pattern is by Donna Mason-Svara. These squares look so beautiful when made using 2 or 3 colors.
But I used scraps left over from the blanket that I had made for my baby girl. 

I could have made this one better...  :-(

Now I know I goofed up. My square doesn't look like the pattern. ;-) You can find the pattern here.......

The white flower in the centre looks much much better in 2-3 bright colors. I referred to this blog for the tutorial. 

 This cute and simple pattern is by Debi.

 I have added a row of Dcs to increase the size of the square. 

This last square..... I couldn't find the pattern for this one, but it looked so good. So one day, I spent every spare moment staring at it till I understood how to make it :-D

If I manage to find a free pattern written by someone I will add a link here. If not then maybe I will try to write it myself.

I definitely hadn't planned on making so many, but it took so long to mail the squares that I kept adding to the parcel :-D

Finally hubby dearest managed to find the time to mail them!

So isn't this amazing? Sitting in my little home I read about this project, I get a chance to be part of this project, I learn new patterns put up by these wonderful human beings around the world and now these squares from India are a part of a project in the UK.
Thank you, 'the snail of happiness' for giving me this opportunity to be part of this wonderful project!

Half Granny Square Triangular Shawl

I had started working on my shawl in January, wasn't sure how long I would take to complete it...I completed it today! Oh I'm so happy...
I used a 5.5 mm crochet hookThe variegated color yarn is 6 ply acrylic and the yellow is 4 ply acrylic yarnThe instructions by Ambar E. Rivera helped me make this simple and easy shawl.
I gave it a very simple border of flowers.
A row of single crochets on the longer side of the shawl.
I love it!

All things incomplete........

The urban shells scarf is half done.
The photos of crochet scarfs taken in the past are still on my phone or camera.
There are other crochet items taht still need to be photographed.
The cooking is just routine, daily stuff; havent yet started making special dishes .... I was planning to cook at least one special dish every week.
The colors section of blog hasnt started yet.... I wanted to take photos, capturing all  the amazing colors around us.
So on and on, I have to make time for the things that I want to do. (there are always way too many things that we have to do :-D )

Sometimes I wonder if it would help if our days were longer ?

but that would also mean my one year old would have more waking hours to run around the house, pulling things down to inspect and explore, etc.

Guess, I would end up with the same amount of free time :-)

Urban Shells Scarf Pattern

Urban Shells Scarf Pattern

Pattern By : Katherine Crombie

Yarn : 4 ply acrylic  (I'm using 4 ply since I dont have any 8 or 10 ply yarn)

Crochet Stitches Used :

Ch =chain

SC = single crochet

DC = double crochet

TC = treble/triple crochet

Foundation Chain : 36 chains

For this pattern, you will have to log-in to ravelry.com

This is yet another very simple pattern using shells.

Granny Scarf - Simple Stripes...... completed

Wow I managed to complete the granny scarf.

I will try to take pictures in the morning sunlight. The colors are not very accurate when the pictures are taken with artificial light inside the house.

Granny Scarf - Simple Stripes

Pattern By : ME ;-D
(should I take credit? I dont think so, this simple pattern has been around from granny's time and we have seen it, maybe be even used a blanket or a scarf made in this simple stitch.)

Yarn : 4 ply acrylic in 3 or 4 different colors (color A- black, color B - pink and color C - purple)
Hook : 5.5 mm

Crochet Stitches Used :
Ch =chain
SC = single crochet
DC = double crochet
st = stitch
sp = space
shell = 3DC in same sp or st, as indicated in pattern below.

Foundation Chain : 270 chains

Scarf Pattern

You can change colors every row from row 3 onwards or you can work 2 rows in the same color.

ch 270. (multiples of three, if you want a different length, then adjust accordingly).

Row 1: SC in second ch from hook, SC in each ch till the end. ch 3, turn.

Row 2: DC in first st, ch1. *skip next 2 st, 3DC in next st, ch1. Repeat from * till the end of the row, ending with 2DC in last st. ch 3, turn.

Row 3: *shell, ch1 in the ch1 sp.  Repeat from * till the end of the row, ending with 1DC in last st. ch 3, turn.

Row 4: 1DC, ch1 in first ch1 sp.  *shell, ch1 in the ch1 sp.  Repeat from * till the end of the row, ending with 2DC in last st. ch 3, turn.

Repeat row 3 & 4, till you are happy with the width of your scarf. 

End the scarf with the last row of SC just like row 1.

Weave in ends.

Wow.... this is the pattern! another very simple pattern :-)

Bumpy Scarf Pattern........ Completed

Yes! I completed the scarf and it looks great!

Bumpy Scarf Pattern..... work in progress

Work in progress.....

I have made 9 rows, so far. 

I want to add another 5 rows. Then I will decide if I'm happy with the width of the scarf.

I want to complete this scarf by Sunday, so that on Monday I can start on a new pattern, new scarf....

Bumpy Scarf Pattern

Starting with an absolutely simple pattern but the scarf looks stunning!

This pattern is simple enough for a beginner level.

Pattern By : Marie Anne St. Jean

Yarn : 4 ply acrylic in 3 different colors (color A- dark grey, color B - light grey and color C - white)

Hook : 5.5 mm

Crochet Stitches Used :

Ch =chain

SC = single crochet

DC = double crochet

TC = treble/triple crochet

Foundation Chain : 301 chains

Bumpy Scarf Pattern

With size I hook and Color A, ch 196 (I wanted the scarf longer, so I made ch 301)

Row 1: *SC in second ch from hook, DC in next ch, TC in next ch*, repeat across row, ending with TC in last st, break off. Attach color B, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: SC in first st, DC in next stitch, TC in next st, repeating across row, ending with TC in turning ch, break off. (You will be doing a SC in the TC of the previous row, DC in the DC of previous row, and TC in SC of previous row). Attach color C, ch 1, turn.

Repeat row 2, alternating colors A, B, and C until you have 10 rows, ending with color A.

Weave in ends.

Wow.... this is it! This is the pattern!

New Year Resolution ?

I had learnt to crochet some 11 or 12 years ago. I wanted to make a shoulder bag for myself. I had finished making it but got stuck when I had to stitch a cloth lining. But by then I was hooked to crochet, so I bought a crochet pattern book for small bags. It must have cost me about a dollar.

That was it! I was buying yarn in different colors and making small pouches for phones, draw string pouches that could hold a phone, wallet and few other things. These were a hit among my friends and colleagues. Soon I was getting orders for the phone pouches from people from other departments, people I didnt even know. I didnt know how much to charge so I was just charging about fifty Indian Rupees ie. about one dollar! But it was fun :-)

I remember making a small bag about the size of a messenger bag for my niece. I dont have any pictures though.

Maybe if I rummage through my shelves, I might find some bags that I had made for myself.
That was then!

I just stopped after a year or two. I had changed jobs, etc. etc. lots of things happened and I had forgotten about crochet.

In October 2012, after my daughter was born I knew I had to make something for her. After so many years I wasnt sure if I would do a good job.
I made a small dress, then a cap, then a blanket, then two small hair bands........   :-D
I couldnt stop ;-)
When I went to buy yarn I nearly went bonkers ....... soooooo many colors!
I ended up buying a lot lot LOT more than I needed :-)
By then Fii had started sleeping during the day and staying up all night. I needed more projects to keep myself awake at night, this was in Feb or March 2013.
I started practising different crochet stitches that I had found online. I was so fasinated with all the scarf patterns that I knew I will be making scarves ..... lots of them.
It happened again, I had bookmarked so many free patterns, there was all that yarn that I had bought but I didnt manage to find any free time till late August. I knew I had to make time and do something for myself.
My dear husband gave me the idea to start a blog. It was a good idea! He thought starting a blog would give me another reason to make time for crochet, updating the blog on the progress made on my projects, taking photos to post, etc
Priorities had changed, Fii came first on that priority list, then him and the house, then etc etc and again I didnt manage to make time to update it or make crochet stuff.
So...... 2014 has started and I want to try again.
Starting Monday, I want to make a new crochet project every week. So I will select a pattern on Monday and try to complete it during the week, next Monday another new pattern or project. During the week I also want to try one new recipe.
Just one thing at a time, one step at a time :-)

Welcome 2014!

Wow it is 2014 already!

New year resolutions, plans for another year, learning from mistakes made last year.........

I had started this blog last year, wanted to make a lot of crochet stuff, try new recipes etc etc.
Many plans many dreams but each day something new was thrown in my face, now another year has gone by and dreams are still dreams ..... plans still plans.

This year, I want to start all over again...... Keep Life Simple
I'm going to tell myself every morning to keep my life simple; dont over think, or over analyze, or over do.