FO Friday 35/15: Scrumptious Stripes

Sacred Isle Tarot

So you may remember my forlorn aspiration of making an afghan for Destructo Boy in a week and a half. Of course, I didn't manage it, as you know real life things and especially people are so blimmin' selfish, wanting your attention, time, company and things like food and clean clothes.

I couldn't even use the approx. 5 hour round trip to pick the kids up effectively, as the deathgrip I had on the armrests meant I couldn't use a crochet hook. It also means Titch won't be able to sell the car on as the upholstery has been permanently dented ... And then I ran short of yarn.

Anyway, according to my Rav notes, it took me 18 days, which I don't think is too bad, considering; it's about 65 inches wide and maybe 72 inches long ? I should have measured the length I guess. It was 60'' wide before I added the border, that bit I did check.

The colors pick up the wallpaper quite nicely, I think. And more to the point, Destructo Boy is chuffed with it, and even though he's always too hot to need it, he sleeps under it.

I used 3660m of aran-weight yarn (none of which were scraps for a pattern named Scrumptious Scraps Afghan) - but that includes the border, which I took from Leisure Arts  #4531 '50 More Crocheted Borders'.

Having completed this large project means that I am also almost back in the mood to knit another shawl for my longterm Big 6 project ... but I can't choose which to do ...



 

SAL Wednesday 34/15: Scales

Spiral Tarot

I have just a moment to update you, as I have escaped for a breather from cleaning up the aftermath of a sleepover for 7 12 year old girls - there is one bin full of sweetie wrappers already. I don't even want to think about the bathrooms ...

After I had shovelled as much pizza into them as was humanly possible last night, I hid out in a darkened corner of the house and played with my latest project, a cushion cover.

I know, I know, don't keel over with all the excitement. 

I'd bought a ball of King Cole Flash DK in the colorway 150 'Waterfall', and wanted a pattern where the color changes wouldn't be lost or wasted, and a textured stitch seemed the way to go. I found an interesting pattern for a Crocodile Stitch Pillow, and this is what I have so far:

I'm really liking it; however, it EATS yarn - I am definitely going to need another ball if I want to do the back in the same yarn ... perhaps I will call it a reward for all the pizza, pancakes and cleaning up ...

 

SAL Wednesday 32/15: The Quest

Radiant Rider Waite

Having taken a forced break from the annual deep clean of the kids' rooms (I need Titch to do a bunch of stuff involving power tools and high things) I decided that it seemed perfectly rational to make an afghan/bedspread for Destructo Boy within a week and a half.

Yes, for a full size single bed.

The kids are due back this Sunday.

I know, you're quite right, it has about as much chance of success as Scott's merry little jaunt. I have reached the 'crochet or die' stage, and this is what I have to show so far:

Yeah, sorry about the eye-bleeding scream of color. It reflects the color scheme of his room, but that is not quite so in-your-face, I promise.

I had been looking for a pattern with colorwork ie. stripes, and not motifs/modular because of all the ends and sewing up. 

I have since been brought to realize that stripes also involve many ends. Many, many ends. But I have come too far to go back, in the very restricted time I have left.

And speaking of which, I must abandon you for the moment to pursue my crazy unachievable goal ...

 

FO Friday 32/15: Cold Collation

Gaian Tarot

Yep, this is not only the weather right now, but my mood. All the baby things I made have reached the two respective Mamas-to-Be, so I can put all the photos together in one mehusive FO post before I run off to weed the patio. I know, the excitement never ends, right ?

There were 4 cardigans:

L to R, Top to Bottom: BHKC 6 Baby Cardigan in King Cole ZigZag 'Burgundy';
Sirdar Snuggly DK 3946 in Sirdar Snuggly Tiny Tots DK in 'Green' ; Sublime Little Bertie in random DKs from my basket; (Vintage) Robin 1139 4ply Baby Cardigan in Sirdar Country Style 4ply in 'Camel'.

And then there were two blankeys, both crocheted:

The top one is a pretty, light and lacy pattern called 'Sweet Dreams' - I love the final work, but it was completely off-gauge, whatever I did. Looking at other people's project notes, I wasn't the only one ... 

The second blankey is 'Ruffles & Stripes', which is altogether more substantial. Both patterns were from the 'Best of Terry Kimbrough Baby Afghans', a great pattern book that I've used a couple of times before.

Anyway. That post has taken me waaaay longer than I expected as I used a photo montage maker which kept crashing ... note to self: let's not overreach ourselves when time is at a premium ...

 

SAL Wednesday 31/15: The Circle

Housewives Tarot

Yep, this is me today, armed and dangerous. 

Well, maybe a bit later when I'm dressed and have had another cup of tea. 

The kids are down at Nanny's, and we all know and quail from what that indicates on the wheel of my life and year - something akin to the Great Migration of Africa, but which in this case is confined to the inside of the house, has never been shown on Animal Planet or NatGeoWild, and has no David Attenborough narration: it is the Great Mucking Out.

I am hoping for less dust, no poop, and no crocodiles

I should have started yesterday, but I'd treated myself to finishing a shawl - I had only 1 row and the bind off to go, and thought maybe an hour would see me done. However, I'd neglected to consider the bajillion stitches, of which every other one had to be beaded ... and of course, blocking took more time than I'd anticipated too. However, I WASHED. ALL. THE. THINGS. Pillows, mattress toppers, blankeys, cushions, random clothes left out in the savannah open to fester (there will be more behind the beds and in the nooks and crannies, I'm sure). They are clean, dry and folded, and the house smells beautifully of clean laundry.

What's this got to do with a WIP ? Well, housework is always a WIP, more's the pity. But I thought if I finished the shawl, then there'd be nothing on the needles tempting me away from my Mission. And since the only other thing I have going is my travel knitting, I can resist:

And speaking of cycles .... this Fitzroy cardigan

thanks to the Mad Unravelling Skillz of my MIL, has been turned into this:

It was always too short, and never fitted right around the neck - it would gradually fall back, meaning I spent a lot of time hitching it back to where it ought to have been. And the buttons were not the best choice. So, now it's gone from a FO to a WIP-in-Waiting. It is lovely soft Rico Aran Cotton, and I'll probably use it to make something for Destructo Boy ...