Windowpane Afghan update

I doubt that this looks like I have made progress, but I have.  Actually, I finished the top section you see that is cream with the row of tan on the top edge, along with the next two rows of grey, and have started another set of tan.  Each row is single crochet, with treble and double treble front posts slipped in ever so often making the "panes".

There is a wedding this weekend and I wanted to bring it along for my nephew from CA who will be there, but I am quite sure I won't get it finished.  As it is I have to wear the brace on my right arm/wrist, and ice the wrist a couple of  times a day. After I finish the panes I will still have the border to complete, and that will take a few days.

This is a photo of my cousins great-grandparents and their kids crossing the Columbia River.  I don't know exactly where it is, but think it must be near Kennewick somewhere or Pendleton because they ended up Palouse country in Idaho/Washington area where they raised their children on an Indian reservation.  Back then they could lease their land and have a farm. No dams then so not as deep.

The weather is beautiful and getting warmer, which means crocheting indoors is getting harder and harder!  I will trudge along.  I accepted an invitation to grill out at my DSS's house and visit with my DDIL's mom while there.  Also, their good friends came which made it for a very nice visit.  Such wonderful people all around!  Brat's were good, but the one I had was spicy.  After adding catsup, mustard and also mayonnaise I was able to reduce the "heat" so I could eat it…it was quite good even with all the 'goo' on it!  I brought S'more's' fixings as had not had one since Blue Birds when I lived in Wheatland, CA!  That was in the early 50's!

In the meanwhile, I close with a photo of a little Johnny-Jump-Up, that just "jumped up" in the crack in my driveway! It is a violet, often called an American Field Pansy.  Hardy little things!

Have a great week!

Slouchy Hat

My granddaughter tried it on for me for the photo.  I gave it to her as she seemed to like it, but don't know if she does.  The fact that it represents a look that is a little rebellious might be something that makes her like it better!!!

The pattern for this Slouchy Hat is from the book Crochet Boutique by Rachael Oglesby.

It looks pretty straight and I was fearful it would not slouch, but as you can see it did!

This is the result of making something from a package I received earlier in April (same package as yarn for the little bowl), and I am hoping that the pom washes up well!!

My new grandchild!!  This is Flicka resting at her new mama's lap, my daughter-in-law. She is a Gordon Setter.

Now for my flowers….this is my Black Lace Elderberry bush…grows super high so have to keep it trimmed down.  I don't think it should be in the shade because it seems to get moldy, but that is where the previous owners planted it.

A full view of the Mock Orange - that which I THINK is a Mock Orange. Smells heavenly.

My black/purple Iris.  Very gorgeous.  It will be great when it spreads and I have a whole slew of them!

One nice thing about Oregon….it gets enough rain to support beautiful flowers and trees!

Have a lovely day! Weekend is nearly upon us.

Completed the Backcountry Beanie for Steph

Made the brim in one color of VC and the pom, and then did the body in another.

I had to remember to pull the old color in front when switching colors each time - which I didn't always do! Then had to take out the whole two rows as generally didn't discover it until I was at the next color change.

I didn't make clusters - just dc'd it all the way instead.  Get the pattern and you will see!  I also made the dc's in the blo instead of both loops to keep the ribbing pattern.

This version is very warm feeling and has lots of squishy texture!

Seaside Beanie finished…

I finished one of the several I am making.  The next one is started in pink. I hope to have them all finished and mailed off by the end of May.  Some bursitis is slowing me down!!

My purple/blue Iris I planted.  Am happy to see some of the flowers I planted as most of those here are from the previous owner.

This is a lily that came in the pot I bought at an auction at the girls elementary school.  I am going to plant the bulbs next to the Iris above for a dash of color when it is all said and done!

A package came

This is the swap package I received.  I am to make whatever strikes my fancy with the contents.

Then this happened:

I thought it was carpal tunnel again, but turns out it is bursitis.

So I had to slow down…BUT did manage to make this beauty:

which then...

became THIS beauty!

…and I love it!

In the meanwhile Brodie went off to college. :o)  I wanted him to learn not to body slam me any more.

He is a little hard for them to train, but finally seems to be getting the hang of it.

My flowers seem to be popping up all over. Below is the cream peony.

This is a bright orange flower that I can never remember the name of…will check….Quince!!!  I really need to learn what to do with the fruit.

and below is the peachy pale pink peony...

…and my sweetpeas!!! They smell so good!!

There are many many more thanks to the people who owned the house before me. I only planted a few Iris and the Quince.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Progress on the Beanie

The top is meant to be the right side and below is the wrong side…however, I think it would be reversible…especially as the ribbing will show up on the brim when it is turned toward the "wrong" side of the beanie.

I am going to try my hand at making a beanie with reversing just the portion that is in the lighter magenta color so that when it is turned up both the hat and the folded brim will be shown in ribbing.

Next one I make will be in NFL colors. Right now I am again nursing the bump on my right hand.  You'd think that it would be used to the slip stitch, but NO - it seems to get worse with that and the post stitches.

The flowers are from the front yard on the SW side…these are the ones that I planted, except for the ones with the white dangling flowers. I forgot what that are called.  They multiply every year so that now they are standing up, thick as thieves!  Before each stem would bend sideways with the weight of the plant.

I like these two Iris, and have them near each other. They are pretty much opposites in color and to me they really are beautiful together. You have to look twice to realize you aren't looking at the same one!

Pansies….they remind me of my husband. When he passed away they bloomed in December at the Idaho house right after…it was like he was telling me he was okay.

This is a Japanese Iris.  Looks like they are all in the same family of colors!

So what are these called?  Snowdrops?  (You will laugh when you saw what I wrote! I almost published it until I read through again…I typed Snot drops! Yikes!!

Enjoy your Monday!  And if you have a chance there is a cool site Called Cath Kinston you might want to check out.  Very UK!!  Love the pattern so much!

Backache & Projects

I made a beanie type hat from a beautiful pattern by RubraC on Ravelry.  It is called Ten Times Beanie.  GREAT pattern, and I really love the way it worked up.  I used Jo-Ann's Sensations which is now discontinued.  Too bad as it was a good sport weight.

You can't get away without seeing some of my flowers.  This is a Rhododendron in the corner of the back yard.  The bush is huge and hasn't been trimmed properly over the years, so the thing sprawls all over….but it is beautiful! 

My purple clematis…don't know the name of it. This is the first year that it has really bloomed well.

This is the scarf I made for myself.  I made it a tad wider than I should have so wrapped it is more like a neck cowl and doesn't hang down much.  That's fine…it is warm and the color is outstanding! Malabrigo…Rios?  Can't remember.

It's a great yarn.  I wish I had got ahead and splurged on buying this years ago.

BACKACHE

I discovered something after coming back from the WA house.  I had to sit at the dining table to keep the dogs at bay while crocheting.  The set I have there is the tall bar stool height table and chairs, so my feet never hit the floor. I had to keep them on the rungs of the chair all the time.  

My back, due mostly to walking, improved greatly over a 5 month period.  What I didn't realize it how much sitting in that chair helped until I came back to my OR home.  I don't have the same setup here, so am sitting on regular chairs.  I always sit on pads since I am shorter in the body.

My back has really started bugging me again, and part is due to not walking as much, BUT I found this morning that it has a great deal to do with my body type and the chair.  It hurt when I'd get up or sit there.  

I found that from the back of my knee to the bottom of my foot I have 19 1/2 inches of length, from there to where my back hits the back of a chair (when you are sitting you are an L in the body),  I am 17 1/2 inches. That means at 64 1/2 inches tall, my body is the rest.

The problem is the knee to the foot…the chair is 21 1/2 inches from floor to the top of the seat. So I am bending 2 inches to make my feet hit the floor.  That puts me in the very position that bothers my back…sort of bending forward.  WHEN I PUT MY FEET UP FOUR INCHES ON THE TABLE LEGS MY PAIN GOES AWAY!!

I only mention this in case you, too, can't account for pain in your back.  I realized several years ago that looking for pretty rocks while I walked was one of the reasons my back hurt - when I thought I was helping by walking I made it worse by bending forward looking for rocks!

So, back to crochet, here is a beanie I am making based on the pattern for BackCountry Beanie.  I'm doing it a little different, but as I am using the pattern as a basis for what I am doing I won't list the steps.  I'm making it for a friend. I wanted to try two colors, one for the brim so that I could make beanies in college school colors.

Have a great end to the weekend, and a wonder new week! Happy May!