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 :-)