This little guy is a late Christmas present from my cousin.  Cringe if you will, but I love him.  He allows me to safely melt wax cubes, which fills my knitting lair with wonderful scents.  He's also reminding me to ask aforementioned cousin if I can borrow her sock monkey pattern book again.  I'm going to duck behind the monitor for safety as I write this, but Christmas is coming.

Only two projects haunt me now:  the beaded purse, and the Vanna 8-Color Afghan (mine has 14 colors).  Assembly always takes a long time - sewing 42 squares together. 

I must add that having a 5" weaving needle helps with the ends on projects like this considerably.  I don't know how I got along without mine for so many years.  They're a little hard to find, but worth the hunt.

I found a skein of Homespun on a clearance rack today.  Beautiful stuff.  This one is 'Harvest', which somehow manages to blend orange and red and green, just like autumn leaves.  I've been meaning to start a Homespun stash, to eventually make one of those round afghans.  If I don't, this will make a gorgeous scarf.

I said the "S" word?  Here's a fledgling scarf, hoping someday to adorn and warm a neck.  It's made with an old line of Red Heart cotton yarn that I loved.  Made two afghans from it and am using up the scraps.  What's that ivory thing under it, that looks amazingly like a motif for another afghan?  That's my first hexagon, in Caron's Simply Soft, which I also love.  I love Simply Soft so much that I look for excuses to use it.  I have a bed-sized granny square made with it, and it is perfect for summer nights.

I did order an Addi Swing hook.  Eagerly await its arrival.  After much consideration, I went with a "G".  I probably use an "H" more often, but when I use a "G", it's usually on something that takes a little muscle, like the flower afghan.  I'm totally sold on the Boye ergonomic handle that I picked up a few weeks back.  Wasn't sure I'd like it, and it took a lttle getting used to - but like with everything else, when you get the right project and yarn, it makes a tremendous difference.  Made working hemp with a small hook a breeze, and is really nice with the dishcloth cotton.

If you notice closely, it also works with a competitor's hooks, if you happen to favor them.  I'm a firm Boye fan, but always find myself grabbing a Bates for this yarn. 

I've got snoods on my mind now.  My cousin mentioned how she used to buy little "bun covers" for her hair, like a small hairnet.  Says she can't find them anywhere anymore.  Somewhere, deep in the scary recesses and stacks of my pattern books, I remember seeing a pattern for something like that.  I also happen to possess a wonderful thing called elastic sock yarn.  Seems like the two could be combined and something pretty neat could fly off a hook.

With that in mind, off to grab some grub and make some fibers fly.

Positively posies...

Hello.  My name is Dannie, and welcome to my blog.  Tonight, I'm crocheting out loud, making flowers for an afghan I started nine years ago.  A friend sent the pattern to me many moons ago, and there's nothing printed anywhere on it to tell where it originally came from.  All I know is that it's called "Flower Patch".  Over the years, I've made many afghans, but this one has probably been the most fun.  It started with a bag of donated acrylic greens, and I've used every kind of scrap imaginable - including those tiny balls of fuzzy novelty yarns that I couldn't bear to throw out.  Three rows of green surround each flower, making a hexagon shape when done.  I "only" need 50, and have 35 completed.  Can't wait to see it finished and assembled!

For some unknown reason, I seem to have afghans on the brain this year.  I have four or five more in various stages of completion.  I began working with yarn 30 years ago, after graduating from high school.  Because I didn't have a lot of space for tools or materials, I concentrated on afghans and thread crochet.  Ten years ago, I began knitting again.  It's very exciting and I love it, but there will always be a special place in my heart for crocheted afghans.  I take yarn with me everywhere I go, and crochet is just so portable. 

This is another work-in-progress.  It's the Bands of Beads Totebag, designed by Kathy Wesley.  I'm making it with a cone of dishcloth cotton - ivory with little specks of color here and there (can't remember brand).  With plastic multi-colored pony beads.  It's big, easy, and fun.  There are little gaps or holes around the beads, but it can be lined with fabric - something that I'm nervous to try but want to learn how to do. 

I've got hooks on my mind, too.  Specifically, the new Addi ones.  I have most sizes of their regular ones with the color-coded handles, and absolutely love them.  As I'm getting older, hooks that used to be no problem to use are becoming a little more painful to hang onto and maneuver, so I'm looking for bigger and better ones.  I also love wood hooks for some things, like lacework.  Still need a "K".  Am thinking Brittany.  I have a set of their double-pointed needles and really like them.  I love the homemade ones I see in places like eBay.  Maybe I should check Etsy?

I generally knit socks in late summer, but this one got an early start.  The pattern is "Embossed Leaves" by Mona Schmidt, from Interweave's Favorite Socks:  25 Timeless Designs.  The yarn is Destination's 'Ireland'.  The photo does not do this colorway justice.  It is gorgeous.  Hoping to finish them on this side of Heaven, to be able to give them to my Aunt Margaret (shhh... don't tell). 

This is Buster.  He sets my writing curfews.  Right now he says it's time to entertain the cat, because he's bored when I'm at the computer.  Not one to argue with ancient felines, it's back to the workbasket.  Thanks for visiting!