Granny Squares

     Hello! I hope you are enjoying your Saturday! It is sunny and mild here in Maine today, and Mr Evans and I are enjoying a day of relaxation. I am working on piecing the afghan squares that I have been making all year. I am hoping to give the blanket as a gift this Christmas.

     I have been bundling the squares together in groups of 20 as I have made them, aiming at getting 20 bundles, I have 13 so far, but decided to start putting them together, to see how big it is so far.

 
     I started by sewing each bundle of squares into a strip,

     Then I sew the strips together. It is looking nice and colorful so far. It's my first traditional granny square blanket, I am copying the one that my husbands great grandmother made, as seen here,

     I quite like this project, it has been a stash buster, using up all sorts of odds and ends yarn. Even the colors I do not really like are going to add to the bright and cheerful blanket. This is another project that is extra thrifty, as I am using a lot of yarn that was given to me, and end pieces from other projects, making it virtually free!
     Also, in other news, Mr Evans started his new job this week! WOOOHOOO! We are quite happy with it, as it comes with a raise, something we haven't had in years. Don't get me wrong, we have been VERY grateful that he has had a job through this awful recession, we are just happy to have been blessed with a new job that will make it less of a struggle to buy the necessities. He will be working at a small company that makes dough for pizzas, partly as a dough maker and partly as a delivery man. Coming home after his first day he brought in no less than a dozen dough balls of assorted flavors! I see a lot of pizza in our future! Oh gosh, this is going to murder my diet! But hey, we are still in a position where free food is good food, so I have been using up some of the dough in creative ways. Today, its a batch of cinnamon buns, YUM!

    
     Well, better head into the kitchen to make a pot of tea to have with the buns, I hope you enjoy your weekend! God Bless!

Ahhhh, I love the weekends!

     Its been yet another long week, nothing huge happened, just life. But life CAN get exhausting, especially towards Friday! I have started one of my New Years resolutions early this year, and that is to get up every weekday morning and make tea and breakfast for my husband before he heads off to another day of work. He had made some hints, after a rare morning where I did get up and fix him breakfast, about how much easier the day was, and how much more cheerful it had made him. So I reluctantly eagerly agreed to get up every morning, from now on,,,, if it makes his day that much better! Though I did stipulate that he needed to remain cheerful, so that I would know that getting up while its still dark and cold and making him a hot meal with my eyes half closed is still making a difference, otherwise I might be tempted to just stay in the nice warm bed! (Have I mentioned I tend to be a wee bit selfish and lazy,,,,,, I try to overcome those personality traits, but lets face it, selfishness is nearly incurable!)
     So, its Saturday, YAY! And, the hubs has Monday of, YAY AGAIN! It is cold, and dreary, and doing that rainy/icy/slushy/snowy thing outside that is particularly dangerous to drive in, so we are going to just stay home today, in front of the fire, with a few candles lit and the kettle on,,,, ahhhhh!
     I will be working on these,

     I am making about a zillion of them, to be made into afghans and given as gifts this Christmas (yes, Christmas 2012, crafters need to start VERY early, and I slacked this last year, because once again I waited until November to start working on gifts, and so ran out out time, again,,,,) I have had a particular request by my niece, so I thought I better get cracking ASAP. Also, it will greatly reduce the two totes of all the odds and ends of yarn that I have, and if I ever want to convince the hubs to buy me more, I need to get RID of some of it! So, I just was handed a fresh cu of tea by my love, so I am going to sip it, and maybe watch some classic Dr Who's while granny squaring the day away, you have a wonderful weekend!
                                            ~God Bless!~

I have been working up to this for more than a week!

     I have done it! My first ever Irish Rose granny square!!!! I am sooo excited. There were a couple of points in the pattern where I was confused, and momentarily stumped, but in the end I figured it out.

     I am going to make lots of them in different rosy colors, then sew them all together to make a bed sized blanket. I am thrilled to be learning how to do something that both of my Grandmothers could do! I hope to know enough soon to whip up a few snowflakes before Christmas, for gifts. I guess its that time of year, and I should start thinking about what to give and to who. For people who make gifts for people, Christmas starts in July!
     Anyway, I am going to go take a nice bath, I had the Goober bright and early this morning and "eu de similac" just doesnt suit me! Time to go sink into a some rose scented bubbles (oh how I love thee, Crabtree and Evelyn!) and read a good mystery,,,,,

Godnight all!

Yay for Irish crochet!

  
     I have been working all day (in between loads of laundry) to learn how to make Irish roses. I have found several versions, with how-too videos on YouTube. I am super excited though because this version I am holding I actually made by reading the pattern!!! No, you really have no idea if you don't crochet or knit, but that first time you are able to read AND understand AND do what a pattern says, its an extremely thrilling feeling!
     So tomorrow, I am going to work on making an Irish rose granny square, that I can then duplicate and proceed too make a big afghan for my rose themed bedroom, YAY! You really just don't know, I have been wanting to learn to make these for ages and have just had no one to teach me,,,, thank you Interwebs for the creation of YouTube!!!!