Adventures in Crochet ~ Project Updates and the Temperature Blanket

Time for an update for those of my fiber friends among you of my Adventures in Crochet! All of this winter weather definitely has me in the crochet mood. I just love sitting on the couch with a cup of hot coffee or tea as I watch a favorite on Netflix or Amazon Prime. I have a pile of yarn usually somewhere around me in some stage of crochet and boy, is that a happy place! Unfortunately, I wasn't able to crochet for a couple weeks because of horrible sciatic pain in my left hip. I'm a side sitter when I'm on the couch, so that puts pressure on my nerves...at least that's what my chiropractor tells me over and over. LOL. Regardless, I've still been able to work on a few things, as well as line up some others! I've also loaded it full of pictures so you can see all my projects!

Frogged...

Before...

Well one of the biggest things I have done recently is deciding to frog (aka. unravel) a top that I first started back in 2017. Yes, 2017! LOL. Needless to
say it's not been a priority to me, and thus I decided to just quit and re-cake the yarn to be used for another project. I've learned a few tips and tricks about crocheting garments and yarn since I started--and I need to start fresh with this pattern. It is amazing how you can undo HOURS of work in just a few simple minutes. LOL.

After! Three newly caked skeins for reuse!

PS. Avoid black yarn for ENTIRE projects! LOL

I also frogged the beginning of another top--I wasn't very far in on it though. But I also wanted to use THAT yarn for a different project. I don't usually frog my projects, so this was pretty major for me to frog two things so close together! You can see below what it's going to become...

Finished...

I finished the first stripe for my Stress Free Temperature Blanket for 2019! What is this you ask? Well sometimes crafters like to create projects to represent their year--and many chose to do so noting TEMPERATURES in their region. Some people make blankets. Some make scarves. Some go the granny square method, others stripes. Some choose to do it for days or weeks--picking the average temperature for that time. This really is decided by how dedicated you are. If you do it by day, you will be making 365 stripes! If you go by week, just 51. But me? Well, I still knew that I may not be able to commit to even a weekly stripe. So I was thrilled to discover the Stress Free Temperature Blanket from Teagan and Lu! It's a MONTHLY temperature blanket. That means just twelve 4" stripes. And what makes it extra fun, is that you will use the average high AND average low temp for the month--mixing them together in the pattern! This gives a fun color AND texture to your blanket.

Each month, a new designer will share their pattern for that months hi/low temps. Then using your "key" you will find the colors you need to use for your own region and use them for the pattern. Here is the key I created--I know we won't ever go low enough for me to use a below 0 gauge for an AVERAGE temperature. I even doubt I'll need the 1-21 degree one. LOL. We just don't AVERAGE that low of temp usually. But--we were close for January! Thanks to that "polar vortex" it lowered our average temp for the month to 22 degrees. So I ALMOST used it. Our average high for the month was 46 degrees. So with my colors for those two temperatures, I then made the pattern.

Isn't it fun? It reminded my boys of LEGOS. Those bobbles are fun! Each stripe will be about 4" wide which makes them about the size of a scarf. When done, the stripes together will be a lovely 60" long throw by about 48" wide. Even if February averages the same temps, because it will be a different pattern, the texture will change and it will look different. I love the idea of this and it's SOOO much more manageable for busy people like me!

I am most excited about finishing my Convertible Blanket Bag! I started it back in October, but set it aside to work on every now and then. I LOVE the yarn I used (Lion Brand Feels Like Butta) and the final project makes me so happy! It's the perfect accessory for any om with a baby or toddler needing a mat or blanket for trips and church. Not only can it work as a blanket, but you could store a couple toys in it when it's in the bag form. It's a LOVELY pattern and I highly recommend it!

I also finished my Juicy Cowl using my friend Amber's GORGEOUS hand dyed yarn. I just love the variegated blue, don't you? It's a superwash merino, making it very very soft AND machine washable. The scallops just MAKE this pattern! I would definitely make this pattern again. It's a one skein pattern which makes it ideal for those special colorways you only have one skein of.

Current WIPS (works in progress)

I'm still plugging along on my mom's waffle blanket throw. I call it the "waffle yarn eater" because it is using up skeins fairly quickly. About a skein every 4". But the pattern is lovely and the yarn is sooo soft! I've given myself a deadline of March 9th to finish it, so I am working a couple rows a night.

I started AND COMPLETED my first bootie pattern. I usually have issues with them, but I was able to get one of the pair completed for this fun boot booties pattern! Isn't the pink fun? I just have to find someone to give them to! I don't know anyone with girl babies around! LOL. But I couldn't resist using that pink.

I'm getting ready to start my Peach Sorbet Tee Top! It's a lovely pattern by Expression Fiber Arts and I already own the yarn for it (the yarn I frogged as mentioned above). I'm going to use a fun cotton mix fiber from Premier Yarns in the color Pink Pop! I think the top will be great to wear for church and for casual--and I just love pink, black, white, and gray together! My goal is to finish it by March 30--allowing extra time in case I get bored or just get sidetracked.

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So that's the scoop for this month! I'm sure I'll be tweaking this and adding more things as February rolls in and out. I just love being able to crochet while watching TV or other things like that. I wish I enjoyed audiobooks more--I could read AND crochet if I did. But I'm a visual person and audio books just don't work for me!

So, what about you? Are you doing any kind of winter hobby on these cool/cold days?