House on Hillsboro

Slowly but Surely

I have made a bit of progress on Jack's blanket.

Remember how, in the beginning, I had placed a snippet of each color yarn in a bag and was drawing from it to randomly decide color order.  Random.  Willy-Nilly.  Abandoning all DECISION and OPINION.  Well, it turns out, I am just not a random kind of girl.  'Bag drawing random' chose the first 5 colors from the top  border.  Karen chose everything after that.  Random, but with DECISION because I have OPINIONS.  Lots of opinions it turns out. 

I did not want a repeated pattern because I love how different color combinations evoke a different feel.  But I do want fairly equal use of each color and adequate contrast.  So what do you think?

Do the colors say, "Sweet, young, rowdy boy, who loves only his Mama more than horses, and only horses more than kittens, could out eat his big sister by double - at least, would watch Cinderella, daily if possible (for the horses, of course), has a fascination with animal tails and bugs, is a repeated bath-tub splashing offender, and insists on a book read each night before bed?" 

A Little Progress

I told myself I was not going to mention it, but I've been a bit under the weather.  Sore throat and, um, I can barely say it...fever.  The good news is the general unproductiveness it has caused has allowed me to get going on Jack's blanket.

And this progress prompted me to finally join my kindred spirits over at the ripple along.  If my lengthly and frequent blanket ramblings here aren't enough for you, check me out over there.  I really let loose. 

And, once again, we haven't got out much.  Which is a shame because spring is here!  And it is beautiful.

But, please don't worry about my little darlins. 

They are really good at entertaining themselves!

Ripple at Last

Project #4 is complete!

...with a daffodil for scale.  Each square is about 4"x4" and I finished it with a simple single crochet border.  It is for no one in particular.  I wanted to make an all white, boyish baby blanket, assuming that eventually someone I love would have a baby boy.  But I am having a hard time packing it away.

Sooooo, I am now permitted to start Jack's ripple.  I have many self imposed "rules" about when I can and can't crochet.  And #1 is must finish current project completely before starting the next.  But I had to look at that gorgeous yarn several times a day and torture myself over at the ripple along.  It was rough.  But, finally, this afternoon I set myself up in the swing with my yarn, hook, and book (Jan Eaton's 200 Ripple Stitch Patterns) and was on my way.  It took me forever to  understand the pattern (Soft Waves), but I finally got in the groove.  Then along came a nosy little bird.

She can never resist my shiny crochet needle.  This is Jane, our Silver Duck-wing Bantam Hen and chicken extraordinare.  After a close examination of my needle and ring, it was up to my shoulder for some grooming (herself and me!) as usual.  More on her later, she'll need her own post.

I am just so glad to be getting back to normal. 

It's Here!

And more lovely than I imagined.  12 (machine washable!) colors of Rowan Pure Wool DK from www.theknittinggarden.com .  And for those of you who have a particularly good sense of color combinations (or can count)...you're right, something's missing.  Indigo and Scarlet, to be exact.  Back ordered until next week, but imagine them in the mix.  Can you not wait!  Thank goodness I still have project 4 to keep me busy.

It's for Jack's Ripple Blanket.  Inspired by Alicia's beauty here.  And all the other's over at the no end in sight ripple along.   But, I'll warn you, to see these blankets may cause a primal domestic urge to rise within you.  Go with it.  All you need  is a beginner's book, crochet needle, and skein of yarn, and you will never again mind sitting for hours in A Dr.'s waiting room.  Which is exactly what Ava, Jack, and I did this morning.  Turns out she has a virus and needs Tylenol and lots of fluids.  I want to write something sarcastic about thank goodness we got up really early and spent our Saturday morning in the Dr.s office exposing ourselves to more germs and virus's, but I won't.  It's always better to be sure, right?

I really, really love to Crochet.

 

It was a pictorial of granny squares in a Martha Stewart magazine that started it all.  One look and I was hooked (pun intended.)  It was really the first time it ever occurred to me that people actually still do this.   I knew no one who knitted or crocheted, and still don't today -sigh-, even though I preach it's benefits regularly to anyone I wish happiness.  I taught myself using her instructions, and one trip to Hobby Lobby later I started my first blanket.  Yup, that's it above, and my little darlin.  I sleep under it in winter to this day.  Heavy and warm, just like you imagine.  Then came project #2, a blanket for my 3 yo nephew Ryan (sorry, no pic), and #3--

a baby blanket for my niece Jenna.  This was my favorite so far.  I used a variegated acrylic TLC yarn.  The color I loved, the acrylic, not so much.  And now that I have proved to myself that I (a)can and (b) will finish my projects I vow to never again use anything synthetic.   And to prove it I have just ordered my stash for Project 5, Jack's Blanket, (4 is in progress):  Rowan Pure Wool DK  Can't Wait!