Snowy Sunday

I love snow storms - especially when I can sit inside and cocoon up in blankets. I've mentioned before how much I love nesting in blankets. Sundays are meant to be lazy, and so here is some things to hopefully make your day seem warm and snug - despite the blustery weather outside.

a warm mug full of hot chocolate (or cappuccino is good too!)

warm and snug blankets

Might also be a good day to catch up on cleaning, but that could just be me! Whatever your plans for the day enjoy it and take a little bit of the day to relax a bit. 

Blankets and Snuggles

I have been obsessed with crochet blankets for the last week or so. Constantly looking at patterns, and other people's projects. I think it's because it's been so cold. Yay Minnesota - it's -17 degrees outside, but with windchill really feels like -45.

So I've been dreaming about warm blankets and hot chocolate. Snuggling on the couch with the boyfriend and the baby. Probably watching a marathon of some of our favorite shows on Netflix.

I've been working on a double sided shell afghan for my brother's birthday - it'll be super warm which I hope he'll like especially when he goes and gets chemo. I'm making it in Minnesota Twin's colors for him since he's a big fan (despite how they do during the season). The border around it is going to be white.

One thing I will say about this cold weather is that it has been nice crochet (and knitting too I suppose ;]) weather. Especially when working on a blanket. When you get far enough along it covers your legs quite nicely.

This cold weather has already got me thinking about what I'm going to make everyone for Christmas already! I've got all but I think two people figured out. Most are blankets - so we'll see how ambitious I get this year (especially with a newborn) the blankets might turn into scarves, hats, and mittens!

Lazy Sunday

Today little man is full of smiles which is so much nicer than when he's being crabby baby. It's nice to get back into our routine. I've been thinking quite a bit lately about how he used to be so little, fitting in the middle of the Boppy pillow comfortably.

Little Man - 1 week old. He'll be two months old tomorrow (1/28) Yikes.

 We're getting family pictures taken on Tuesday from a friend of ours for free, she's a photography student and wants the experience. In return I'm thinking of possibly making some baby photography props for her future business.

Little Man on Tuesday after a bath.

I've been looking more and more for patterns for little boys for toys, or possible Halloween costumes. (Really early I know, but I'm a slower crocheter) I have a pattern for a shark costume that I think I may have to make for him. We've been calling him "Shark Bait" since he was two days old. He sounded like the fish tank friends from Finding Nemo when they christened him "Shark Bait." 

"Shark Bait, Ooh, Ah, Ah."

When he cried he made the "Ooh, Ah, Ah," noise. He smiles a lot more lately and for that I am incredibly happy. He makes me smile so much I like knowing I make him happy too!

So this week was hectic.

Time has flown by since I last posted! We had family visit from out of town to see the Little Man for the first time. They were quite enamored with him, and he wasn't sure what to make of them. And, now he's getting to the point where he's started fighting sleep instead of embracing it so we're up with him super late trying to get him to sleep. I know this won't last long and that at some point I *will* miss our late nights, but dang I need some sleep. 

Anyway - I decided to make my boyfriend's mom a blanket - she's always cold and she liked the scarf I made her so I know she appreciates handmade things. I felt bad when she was visiting because it was our cold snap - the coldest it has been here in four years. We're talking thirty below. 

Here are the patterns I found on Ravelry that might make the cut:

This one is a baby blanket, but I like the design and shape. It would be easy to keep up with the increases and make it a bigger throw blanket too. I probably wouldn't make this blanket with pink - she likes more earthy tones and purples. 

Jacob's Ladder Blanket

She would like this blanket too. I think it would be wonderful in a white or cream instead of bright pink. It would match her living room however she decided to decorate it. 

Harmony Blanket

I really like this motif - I think it would help keep making the blanket interesting! I also love the color!

Renaissance Beauty

Scarf and some Cables

So, I finished the angel stitch scarf I was working on. It measures to be about fifty inches long. It's not a long scarf by any means, but it's not a super short one either. Either way I'm proud of it. :)

                                                     It's lacy, but the wool makes it warm. 

After finishing that I decided since it was flippin cold over here in Minnesota that I would work on an ear warmer for myself with yarn I got for Christmas from a friend of mine. Caron Simply Soft Party in the green. It's sparkly. I like it. I'm experimenting with doing cables on it. I figured since it's a smaller project that if I didn't like the cables it wouldn't be that big of a deal to frog it and start over. This will be the first project I'll have made for myself. 

I'm about halfway done with this and will probably finish it later today. Maybe I could sneak it into my work meeting and work on it there. 

After I finish this it's back to work on the citrus slice scarf for my friend's birthday. I have 5 slices out of 17 done. It doesn't sound like much is finished but the slices whip up pretty quickly. 

Saturday Six

Trying something new today. I decided today I would showcase six awesome free patterns that I would love to try. I consider myself somewhere between beginner to intermediate at crocheter, so I know some of these would be a challenge to crochet. But I would be up for it.

I've never crocheted any thing wearable that wasn't a scarf or mittens, but this cardigan looks absolutely divine and warm. I might tone down the bell of the sleeve a little bit, just because I have a habit of getting my sleeves caught on things.

 Genevieve Sweater

Now onto things for the home! I absolutely love Lucy from Attic24 and the colors she picks for her items. Always bright colors that work so well together that are happiness inducing. I love it. Eventually my home will also be filled with colorful crocheted pieces. I will start small with blooming cushions for the couch, possibly in different sizes. Yes, I can picture it now... 

Blooming Flower Cushion

This blanket goes along with my love of bright colors, but it also looks beautiful in pastel colors too! It eats up a lot of yarn, but imagine how warm it would be in the middle of winter during a blizzard... 

Wool Eater Blanket

In bright colors it's beautiful

but it's also lovely in pastels!

I want to get better at amigurumi so I can make toys for the baby boy. This dragon would be so cool. What little boy wouldn't want a dragon?! 

Chinese Dragon

I would love to learn how to do the crocodile stitch and this clutch would be a good way to learn. It's also a cute flippin' clutch. It would also be nice for going out. It would fit your wallet, cell phone, lip gloss, and your keys. Which of course is all I should bring when I go out, instead of my massive purse that has you know... all of that and a book, a crochet project, candy... among other baby items that I didn't shove in the diaper bag.

Crocodile Clutch

Also, check out her blog for other amazing crochet patterns!

One thing I want to try at least once is crocheting with thread and making a doily. This one is really pretty and doesn't look like it would be that difficult to make and it looks nice in different colors. 

Pineapple Doily

There you have it! Six free patterns that I would love to try and attempt to make. One day I will. And one day my home will be filled with brightly colored crochet items! Anyways - have a lovely rest of your weekend and I should get some stitching done before baby wakes up!

Citrus Slices and a boost of Immunity

Everyone in our house is sick! Ugh! Baby boy, me, and the boyfriend. None of us are getting any sleep from it either. I came down with it first (which is strange to me, since I barely leave the apartment) then the baby got it, and then the boyfriend. Me and the baby seem to be feeling better (thanks to a special gift of yarn from the boyfriend) but now he's sick and it seems to have hit him a lot harder than me and the baby. Poor guy.

I haven't had as much time to crochet as I would have liked as I normally sneak it in during nap times. Part of me is excited to be done with maternity leave because I'll get to speak with adults and have "adult time" and I'll have just a little bit more time to crochet. However, I know I'll miss the baby more than I'm willing to admit right now. 

Here are the citrus slices I have almost finished for the birthday scarf I'm working on for my friend April. She knows I'm making it. All I have left to do is weave in ends and embroider on the slice pieces. I didn't have a lighter green so the lime is a little weird, but eh. She's ok with the weirdness. I'm using Caron Simply Soft yarn and it is making the scarf super soft - but it curls a little. I'm hoping if I wash it and dry it flat that will help with the curling.  The pattern is from Twinkie Chan's Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies. 

I hope I have the scarf finished by her birthday - I should have it finished. The days I work are slow days so I'll have time to sit down, rest, and crochet.