Sheep and yarn. . . . . a good combination

Without a doubt, this was the year of the sheep.  

By December we will have released all twelve Little Sheep Virtues.  

Not long after the first release (which was HOPE), I bought some sheep-like yarn and started a granny afghan.  Yes, another one.  You are probably wondering if I even know how to crochet anything else.  I do. . . .but don't want to!  I love grannies! 

The yarn is Lion Brand Homespun and is a bit of a handful to work with.  The results however are worthwhile.  I say this as I get the cobwebs off of the project.  I put it away when the weather warmed up.  In Arizona, yarn and summer just don't match up well.

The two sheepy colors I chose were Barley and Pearls.  I didn't use a pattern . . . just created it the way I do all granny squares with one exception. . . . .I decreased the center joined circle by one chain (I did four and then joined the circle)  and I also decreased the corners by one. . . . two instead of three chains.  The center gets too big and loopy if you chain five and the corners get out of share if you chain three. 

It's cooling off so I wanted to get it out again and get going on the squares.  I may just finish it before summer 2014!

Happy Stitching. . . . . 

Diane

A few of my side projects

I am between designing projects so I decided to work on a design that I started months ago.  It's my Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler.  The colors I chose are Crescent Colours Belle Soie. . . . . . natural and beautiful.  I was faced with the same dilemma that everyone else has been faced with when sitting down to stitch this design which is color.  I went round and round on what colors to use and in the end went with the ones I thought could stand the test of time even if I changed my entire room. 

They are Cinnamon Stick, Baguette, Tortoise Shell, Mudpie,

Vanilla Pudding and Walk the Plank.

The other thing I have been doing is crocheting granny squares!

I chose just four colors. . . . black, green, cream and gold.  I rotate the two center colors and will add them every other in the finish.  I use a lot of black, gold and cream in decorating so this was a good choice for me.

The first granny squares I ever made were when I was eight.  I was taught to crochet by my grandmother who would sit beside me for hours as we stitched together.

I wish I still had that old blanket but moths found it years ago before I knew they were even interested in it.  Being all wool, I remember picking that sweet blanket up and it hung sadly with holes and falling yarn everywhere.  I had no choice but to let it go.

  Ron says he likes watching me make "pot holders". . . .  I'm ignoring that comment since he knows it will be an afghan.