Food, life, and crochet...

I, like so many, are in the throws of dieting.  My friend Karen said to think of it like a life change, not a diet and she is right.

I am off to a slow start - one pound the first week and now another pound midway into the second week.  Might take off two this time!

I am, however, looking at it like a challenge and a new way of eating.  I am doing points with WW.  This afternoon I had 1/2 cup of chili and 1 cup of green beans...4 points.  I though that 1/2 cup of chili was not going to be much, but it was plenty!  The green beans are no points so this was a quick and yummy and EASY meal for me.  EASY is key to my life style.

I'm packing up all my hooks and yarns and books, so don't have any crochet to show you.  I would recommend that if you have an interest in making squares that you check out the Ravelry threads for Donna Kay Lacey and for Julie Yeager on Ravelry.  They design some killer crochet squares!

Margaret McInnis is doing quite a lot in knit squares on her group. All three ladies have had their designs published (like our own Bev!).  Donna is pretty prolific, though, with her designs. She and Margaret design for a club that sends out kits each month and does a Block Of The Month.

There are all sorts of free patterns on Ravelry, too.  When I get settled I will be sure to begin my life anew and post goodies on crochet.  I'm rather prejudiced toward FREE patterns which is why I love belonging to the yarn company web sites.

Since I am not posting new projects, thought I'd do old ones.  The two shawls below are from the Serafina pattern..which is FREE. :o)  One of the easiest shawls ever and FAST. A Boucle or long variegated yarn is recommended.

YUM!

Have a great day!

Back in the saddle - for a bit...

I have to admit, keeping up a blog has not been easy for me.  I need to get up in the morning, bright eyed and cheery, and hit the computer with my first cup of coffee - guns blazing!

What I do is, hit the back door with two frenzied dogs in tow who are ready to visit Mother Nature in the back yard.  THEN get my coffee, then I often try to get back to sleep.  Hubby used to bring me coffee in bed EVERY morning, so I thought I could sort of keep up the tradition by taking some back to bed with me.

For awhile that worked okay...but lately I find I am staying awake and not sleeping in.  Had to think about why, and finally realized it was the same reason I could not get to sleep at night right off the bat.  I listen to my little Shih Tzu, Chuckie, breathe, like I used to do when my husband was sick.  

He needs one of those C-Pap machines, or whatever you call them.  He has sleep apnea...so he sometimes doesn't take a breath in cadence, and as he is 15 I am waiting for the next one.  He's unsteady on his feet and sleeps about 20 hours a day, or more.  Can't get him to eat easily, although he does eat eventually.  

He also needs a haircut.

Here is my pincushion for the pincushion swap.  Every time I see it I crave a chocolate donut! Really.  I am tossing in some cotton yarn in blue, my swapee's fav color, a crochet hook, tape, some of Bev's fav yarn, and some Chenille needles in size 13 that I purchased from England.  THEY ARE SHARP.

I tried out my own set and poked the tips of my fingers so often it reminded me of when I use to sew.  You would have thought I had not woven in any yarn in my entire life! Bloody finger tips.  However, if you love Chenille as I do, you can purchase them from John James Needles on line.  They are .85 in pounds each...two in a pack in the larger sizes...18 is the largest I have ever seen around here.  You can't get those sizes, 13 and 14,  in the US. 

Easier to thread a size 4 yarn.

Stay warm!

Yummy Socks!

Little Star

This is a yarn by Southwest Trading Company.  There are strands of a silver metallic which gives it a real sparkle!

My step-daughter made these for me for Christmas...they fit like a glove!  I'd say they lack some stretchiness due to the metallic, I guess, but other wise they are super wonderful.

Love, love, love the colors!