Tag Archives: red heart super saver ombre

Jul22

Fire update and FOs

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The valley is less smoky today, but the fires are still burning. The two fires that are burning just south of us on the west side of the lake were merged into one, deliberately, in a controlled burn today. The news article I just read said that this would make it easier to tackle. The one directly across from that, on the east side, is still smouldering, but when we were out walking this evening it didn’t look very active and doesn’t seem to have spread any closer to the southern end of the city.

Two of my sons and I drove down the other evening to a beach where we could see the flames on both sides of the lake. It looks very impressive after dark, with the orange glow, and even more so when you get the binoculars out and can see details of trees and flames even from many kilometres away.

I am currently enjoying a block of days off – my schedule happens to include four days in a row between shifts. It probably had something to do with the mild complaint I made to my boss about working five Sundays in a row. So it’s been a lovely weekend, enjoying a potluck with friends, and visiting a vegan market, and having tea at our favourite tea shop, and going out for a walk around the neighbourhood this evening after the sun hid behind the mountain and it wasn’t too hot.

And there’s been crochet. Just a couple of very small, fun projects which I was inspired to make when I spotted this video tutorial.  It’s for a mini backpack that is really small, keychain sized really, but it still has little shoulder straps to make it look like a real backpack. I made the first one with Red Heart Supersaver Ombre in the colour Scuba  (about 30 grams) and a 5mm hook and it came out about 4.5″ tall. The second one uses Scheepjes Linen Soft in the colour Hummingbird (about 20 grams) and a 3.5mm hook and it is about 3.5″ tall.

 

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The pattern tells you to braid a little cord from three strands of yarn, which I did for the turquoise one, but it was fiddly and annoying so for the pink one I just worked a chain with my hook.

And I almost forgot, but I found Lion Brand Mandala at my local Walmart. I have been enviously seeing other people’s posts in the Canadian Crocheters group on Facebook, where they say they found a display of the Mandala yarn at their local Walmart. The few cakes of this yarn that I have bought were from Herrschner’s online. Well, I bought some this week from Walmart for less money, AND no shipping fees of course. They don’t have the whole range, but I found some I liked. One of them is actually a Mandala Baby cake, but it has the same yardage etc as the Mandala.

So pretty. A couple are new to me, and the rest are ones I’ve bought before. But when I ordered from Herrschner’s I only bought one cake of each colour and then realised I wanted to have at least two so that I could have more options as to patterns.

It’s just as well my birthday is coming up and I have money from my mum! I shall choose my projects carefully for these babies!!

 

Apr21

FO: Scuba baby blanket

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FO: Scuba baby blanket

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I called this the Scuba blanket purely because that’s the colourway of the Red Heart Super Saver Ombre, but now that it’s finished and has been adorned with an appliqued orange elephant perhaps it deserves a better name. The “Mandarin Pachyderm” blanket, maybe? Here’s a link to my Ravelry project page so you can see which patterns I referenced.

I started this after my shopping spree at Michaels last Thursday with a plan to get the blanket done in nine days. Crocheting is uncomfortable, even left handed, so I’ve had to pace myself, but I think it’s big enough to be a respectable baby blanket. I did measure it when it was laid out for the photo but can’t remember both dimensions now, and it’s currently in the washer. The length is 33 inches. The little elephant applique is made with some Stylecraft Special Aran in the colour Spice from my stash.

I’m going to schedule this to publish tomorrow. I don’t think that my friend (who’s having the baby) reads my blog, but I’d rather not risk it. The baby shower is tomorrow so once it’s underway my blog post can be released to the world!

Another friend knitted a matching hat, plus she sewed a gift bag made from vinyl (oilcloth) which will make a practical gift as it can be used for so many things.

I am adding an elephant lovey to the bag that I made some time ago. I have been waiting for the opportunity to give it to someone. Hmmm, I seem to have an elephant theme going on.

I added to my button stash this week.

Found these at a dollar store for $2.75 a pack. Way cheaper than the same brand at the store where I work!

Spring has finally arrived here. Yesterday was a glorious day during which I abandoned the To Do list, changed into a strappy top and denim shorts, and set myself up on the back deck in the sunshine with a book, an iPad, tea, the Herrschner’s paper catalogue and notebook and pen.

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I haven’t ordered more yarn…yet! I do have a few tabs open on my laptop though, as I’m thinking of buying some Premier Wool-free Sock Yarn and getting back into sock knitting, or even sock crocheting. And thinking ahead to my international travel in the summer, having a couple of small skeins of thin yarn with lots of yardage will take up less space in the backpack!

Well, I’d better get that blanket into the dryer. Have a great weekend!

Apr15

WIP: Scuba Baby Blanket

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Hello, bloggy friends. Another weekend is drawing to a close and I have, of course, been crocheting. This project has a deadline, which means I am having to push myself to work on it every day, though tonight I’ve had to put it down because the wrist is hurting too much (probably from the gym work, rather than the yarn manipulation).

Michaels had a “30% off all yarn” day on Thursday so my friend and I went over there and bought yarn and other fun stuff. I picked up two skeins of the Red Heart Super Saver Ombre in Scuba – turquoise is my favourite colour but it’s also a good colour for a baby blanket. These are big balls! Ten ounces/482 yards big!

I have crocheted up almost a whole skein and so far I have a rectangular granny that measures about 23 x 16 inches, so it looks like I’ll be making inroads into the second skein for sure.

I also found these on clearance…

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(Just a little stash enhancement.)

So as I said, the wrist is pretty painful tonight. Tai Chi Man and I went to the gym and I wore my wrist brace for the first time since last Sunday’s gym session. Even though I’m not using my right hand while at the gym (because lifting even a cup of tea is beyond me right now) I am trying to use my forearm on the weights machines, but it still strains the wrist a bit. The night before last, I had a really painful night and got up early. Last night was better.

I have been doing the exercises that the hand therapist showed me, but also doing stuff around the house like cleaning out the fridge freezer, doing the seasonal review of my closet, and sweeping and mopping the deck where the pine needles off the neighbour’s tree have gathered and stained it.

It’s a fine line between pushing yourself far enough that you improve your strength and flexibility long term, and hurting yourself and setting things back. Turns out that the morning tingling/numbness in the fingertips was caused by me curling my wrist inwards while I slept and putting pressure on the carpal tunnel. Now that I know to keep my hand straight, that situation has improved.

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Before I sign off, I thought I’d show you my latest hair art! I added turquoise and hot pink Manic Panic to my hair with gloved fingers, and this is the result. I call it unicorn hair!