Crafts

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Off The Hook!

I know I’m late posting these but I wanted to share them anyway!  I crocheted each of my kids a round ripple afghan for Christmas.  Boy what an undertaking it was.  I wasn’t doing too bad on timing until Thanksgiving when my mother-in-law became very ill and ultimately passed away.  But, with determination, I managed to get them all done, even though I was working on the last one up until 9 P.M. Christmas Eve, and then I still had to finish tucking in all the ends.  But, they are done and my children love them.  That is what counts.  They love them. 

I’ve laid them across our bed to take pics of them.  To give you an idea of the size, we have a queen-size bed.

Melia’s Afghan:
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Katie’s Afghan:
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Michael’s Afghan:
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Here they are opening them on Christmas morning:

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They love it when I make things for them and I love making them things. 

This is where you can find the pattern for this particular afghan. 

I’ve already started on my Christmas 2010 stash!  Yay!  I’m hoping to get at least 1 big project per month done throughout the year for Christmas and possibly 1 small one.  It will really depend on time, material, and money for buying more yarn where needed.  My biggest goal is to use what I already have on hand first, only buying what I need to finish a project.  We’ll see how it goes.  I have a major weakness for all things yarn!

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Gifts For Crocheters Under $10

I, myself, love to crochet, as does my oldest daughter.  But, it can be a very expensive habit hobby to have.  I would love it if someone were to give me a gift that would help me support my habit hobby.  It’s one of those hobbies that I find very relaxing, and I can take it with me just about anywhere.  So, I thought I would share with you some of the things that I would enjoy receiving as a gift that you might give the crocheter on your gift list this year.

– Crochet Hooks– If you know of a certain size that your crocheter uses a lot of or is missing, this is always well received.  I know I have duplicates of certain sizes because I use them the post and almost always have at least 2 projects going at any given time.

– Crochet Hook Organizer Case – These are a must have for any serious crocheter because it helps to keep all your hooks together.  You can never have too many since most of us will have duplicates.  We need to keep up with all of them.

– Comfort Grips for crochet hooks – these are nice.  They help make the small aluminum hooks easier to hold and keep your hands from cramping as bad.

– Crochet Thread – I have found that I love crocheting with thread.  However, each project takes quite a bit of thread, so I know that I would love getting a gift of various colors of thread. Just make sure that you have at least 2 of each color that you choose to give because, most projects will take a minimum of 2 balls, and there is nothing worse than getting most of the way through a project only to find that you don’t have enough thread and the color you are looking for is either hard to find or has been discontinued.

– Skeins of yarn – If you can find out if there is a particular color that your crocheter is looking for, definitely pick it up for them!  Make sure to take the brand name and the color name with you to the store so that you make sure to pick up the right one.

– Stitch Markers – these really come in handy when you’re changing colors quite a bit or have a design in your work.  If you make jewelry, you can even make a few using a lobster clasp.  These are the ones that I love the most.

– Hot chocolate or flavored teas – when you’re sitting there working away, a nice cup of hot chocolate or tea is always welcome.

– A good bar or bag of chocolate – If your crocheter is a chocoholic like me, then you can’t go wrong with their favorite chocolates.  A couple of my favorites are Lindor Truffles or Ghirardelli Chocolate.   If they have another favorite treat, then those would also be well received.

I hope this helps you find the perfect gift for that special crocheter on your list this year.

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One Of My Favorite Hobbies: Crochet ~ Part 2

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Now that I’ve told you a little bit about one of my favorite hobbies and how I keep up with my crochet hooks, I thought I’d share some of the reasons why I love it through some pics of some of my creations:

These are little cupcake purses that I made using a test pattern for a lady. My girls loved them!

I made each of my children one of these scarves for Christmas last year:

This is a large granny square afghan.

This is a round ripple that I said reminded me of a chocolate-covered strawberry (one of my favorite foods)!

I made this one for one of my sisters-in-law for her birthday, and another for a friend of mine. It’s so soft!

This one is still a WIP (work in progress) and will eventually go in my bedroom.

This one is particularly special to me. I made it for my mother-in-law for her birthday. It took me quite a while to make (even though the pattern was not that hard) because I had ankle surgery and then we moved. I completed the afghan in about 1-1/2 years. LOL. My mother-in-law knew that I was working on it (she had seen me), but I had not told her it was intended for her. She would ask me what I was planning to do with it, and I always told her I would probably put it on a bed.

I managed to get it done in time for her birthday (this was a couple of years ago now) and surprised her with it. She tried to give it back to me because she said it was too pretty for me to give away! LOL. I had a hard time convincing her that it was meant for her from the beginning. To this day, she won’t use it on a daily basis, but she does have it displayed on a guest bed in her home. I hope that it is something that she will treasure for a long time to come.

I’ve also made baby blankets and other items over the years. It is something that I love, and every time I pick up my yarn and hook, I think of my great-grandmother who taught me how to crochet in the first place. And, I’m passing on my love to my children.

My oldest daughter is really good and makes hats quite a bit. My youngest daughter has recently picked up yarn and hook again and is giving it another go. I’m hoping she’ll grow to love the hobby, too. My son has also shown a little interest in it but does not have the patience yet to sit down and really give it a try. Maybe in another year or so he will.

Don’t forget to check out The Diaper Diaries for more great Things I Love Thursday!

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