Planning Projects?

Wait, people make plans before they start crocheting? They read patterns, check for correct yardage and yarn type? They purposely sit down and have a vision before they start chaining?

NO. WAY.

Okay, so I'm not a big planner of projects....I pin a ton of projects, save them on ravelry, and buy insane amounts of yarn...but generally when people ask at the checkout, "what are you going to make with that yarn?" My reply is, "You're supposed to have a plan? It's pretty..that's my plan."

I've gotten slightly better...saving color combo boards on Pinterest, experimenting with different patterns...(and I still don't gauge swatch. Sorry, I just don't.) I've been pinning color combo ideas for a year now. One of my favorite blankets is the Sunburst Granny Square I did along with InnerHooker for one of her Crochet A Longs. Well, it made it in the beginning of my hooker career (oh so long ago...in 2011....) and it was before I had learned how to secure ends, particularly the CENTERS of squares, properly. So my beloved blanket is coming undone in the centers and I feel like I want to do a new one..with better yarn.

 My beloved beginner blanket....now falling apart in some centers.

The good thing is Knit Picks has a yarn called Palette, that is, you guessed it, nearly every color you can imagine. I drool over it every time I get the catalog. I'm currently working on a Tunisian crochet blanket, but I want to think long term. (I'm also ignoring the two granny stripe blankets and one granny mandala blanket in progress in the blanket basket...all in good time, dear yarn...all in good time. I burned myself out on the Queen Size granny stripe blanket on my bed.) So I'm plotting...what colors...this is the funnest part I think..the color choosing.

So I've created a Pinterest board of course...just for this afghan color choosing. Yes I'm THAT serious. (and I'm also very happy this is my most pressing current decision. I am blessed.)

You can see the contenders here: http://pinterest.com/mamaslilmonkeys/sunburst-granny-afghan-color-ideas/ but here are a few...I'm sure I'll be adding more.

Please feel free to hop on the board and "like" your favorites, as I am curious on what color combo's others find appealing.

Again....I am blessed. Those of you with the yarn and fabric addiction like me know how this feels though and can appreciate the indecision. Plus aren't the colors just FUN!?

~~Create On~~
Amy

Crochet, Colors, Humor and Fun...

I'm a secret blog reader. I don't have time to read a ton, but when I do, these are the ones I choose. They're a mix of all that makes life, well life.

Here are some blogs I LOVE that inspire me and make me smile. (or cry sometimes.)

Attic 24. Lovely blog of crochet, color and life in the UK. She has great, easy to follow patterns also in my fave style..the granny.

Crocheting With Raymond. Again fun colors, a cute cat, and awesome patterns.


The Bloggess. Seriously, she had me Beyonce' the chicken. Do not read her blog or book if you are in a social situation where it is inappropriate to laugh out loud.


This is Not That Blog. Funny-ness in Cartoon form.

Diary of a Mad Woman. Raw, Serious, Funny, Sad, Joy....this local woman is my hero.

Kevin and Amanda. I want to hate them, I do. They're so cute. And crafty, and pretty. But I can't, I just can't.

YoungHouseLove. Another couple I want to hate. But I can't. I take solace in these 'perfect' bloggers that they aren't perfect and are merely showing us the side of life that hides the boogers wiped on walls by your small people.

Smashed Peas and Carrots. A lovely mama who I have had the pleasure of "meeting" online and her blog is one that makes me happy and want to find joy in parenting. And Congrats Maggie on the new carrot!! :)

Yarn Harlot. Funny, yarnie humor. And I still like her even though she's not a hooker.

Stark.Raving.Mad.Mommy. She makes being a mom of a special needs child fun and awesome.

The Peaceful Mom. Proof you do NOT need to be a gazillionaire to make it work.

There are many more I like and I wish I got to read all these all the time but I don't. I skim when I can, catch up when I can, but I can always go there for inspiration, a laugh or smile.

What do you read when you are in need of inspiration? Or need a laugh??

pretty, rainbow colored progress

I've been working (among other things) on a rainbow striped granny blanket for me. I always have multiple projects going, but I love a simple project like this for a night while I waste brain cells on television.

So I started this Rainbow Granny Stripe blanket based on the Granny Stripes pattern from Attic24

Anyhoo, when I started it I merely held the chain up to the bed to make sure it was long enough, completely and utterly FORGETTING that when you get going, the project seems to grow infinitely from the chain. So I did not hold up the first few rows to the bed as I should have...

so I have a really, really wide blanket started!! But it's going, it will just be super wide and we won't fight over a blanket at night!!

It is also going to take up quite a bit of yarn! Just the part that's finished, the first rainbow portion has taken up 1/2 skein of "I Love This Yarn" in, red, orange, yellow, light green, green, blue and purple. The teal was a Vanna's Choice, so it took up 1 and 1/2 skeins of that!! So this is a great yarn eater project!!

But I digress..I love it. It will be so warm and yet so bright and I LOVE granny blankets because they are perfect for spring/summer when the sheets are not quite enough but you don't want a true blanket or comforter, especially down here in the heat!

Thanks for taking a peek, what are you working on??

~~Amy

Crochet a Long--FINISHED!

I really can't believe it's finished. I didn't think it would go that fast! I participated in the Crochet a Long from Scotti over at OxfordFamily/InnerHooker. 
88 squares of Sunburst Granny Squares surrounded by white triple and double crochets. I have no clue how many stitches, but I'm guessing thousands!

It is a perfect afghan for cold winter nights coming! I love it, and I love that it's pretty on both sides! The "wrong" side is a bit more puffy but doesn't have the window pane effect that the "right" side has. (I did that on purpose.)
What do you think?? :)