projects, happy thanksgiving

hi folks, happy holidays to all.

while traveling yesterday i was able to work on my projects while in the car for 1 1/2 hours each way. on the way back the Michaels store was open and i had wanted to go today to get the pounders from caron for $5. the store was open last night on our way back. we didn't stop though but there were about 15 cars there.

I got an email from joanns and they also had the yarn on sale, well for 4.99 but with free shipping. as i was just down to michaels getting red heart varigated yarn for 4 ponchos i had gotten orders for the color selection wasn't anything. so i went online this morning and ordered the yarn in many colors as i have more ideas for hats to make. can't beat it if you are not in a hurry, they stated 5-10 days.when last in michaels the man asked if i found everything and i told him well no you always store the moveable ladders in front of the yarn that is on sale, along with boxes and carriages, etc so i was not able to even get to that section of yarn. i doubt they will change anything in that regard.

went for mamogram and brought my project with me but they took me right in so i didnt' get to work on that at all but in the car, all of 5 minutes.

i have finished all my christmas projects for others christmas and have sent them out to them all. had orders for 2 more afghans and those got done last week as well.

this shows all 3 ponchos done in different sizes.

and here is just one of the ponchos.

now into baking mode. every day for 4-5 hours i bake cookies so i got a freezer full allready. by next weekend i will be totally done and the cookies will be shipped out to my kids.

charity knit project

making this blanket called diamonds for donovon from a debbie macomber companion book. very lacy and hard to keep track of where you are. notice the lifeline in this pattern as i've taken it apart at least once now

projects done

gregs brown IF hat

lifeline on gregs slate blue IF sweater.

also finished 2 other IF afghans. seems the ad in the blind magazine somebody read about and reposted at amerian council for the blind website as everybody is referencing that.

past weekend while in the car traveling to stroes i was knitting.

finished projects, noah's ark, IF afghan

Irish Fisherman afghan is done



this shows honeycomb in center and cables and diamonds and popcorn stitches.




ark top section of it







ark, bottom section

little boys blue train hat

crochet pattern, noahs ark, elephant

with gray, start with circle for head. ch3, join

work rounds and inc so it lies flat til 3" leaving center starting puffed up.

trunk: start with ch3, join, imake 6 sts in center, cont in rounds, after 1 1/2" increase evenly in rounds so that it will cover center section of the face.

for ears ch4, join, make 8 sts, join ea rnd inc by working sc, sc, hdc hdc then dc's then working back using hdc, sc til join. should form oblong shape. work another round then finish off. attach to sides of elephant face, leaving edges free.

attach black yarn and make ch2 eyes.

red mouth, attach red and pick up and work 3sc under trunk. end off by working 2sc.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, rainbow

rainbow start by ch 12 sts, work back in sc in next color. continue in this manner til all primary colors are used. attach to the afghan forming an arc of sorts.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, octopus

start out by chain 3 and join. work in rounds, increasing for first 2 rnds, then work even. then dec evenly for next 2 rnds, gather stitches and close opening. evenly space where to put the octopuss legs, there should be 8 of them. i'd chain up to 10 sts and then slst back to the start, move over one spot and make another leg til 8 are done.

you can make a black chain eye in the head section.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, dove

dove i knitted cuz i needed close stitching.


i started out with 16 sts and knit one row, p 1 row for 6 rows. bo and then attached dove to the afghan top section. i gathered in the tail section and kept that tight so feathers appear on the end. then stuffed the dove heading up towards the head. again i gathered the head, attach black chain for eye, and stuffed head and sewed it shut.
wings i started out the 8 sts and knit one row, p 1 row for 2 rows each. bo
put wings on top of the dove allready attached to the afghan. i just sewed the wings where it crossed over the dove itsel, so they are floating freely.

hats for kids

train hat for kids

duck hat for little kids

crochet pattern, noahs ark, pig

pig is done using pig yarn ch3, join, work 9-12 sc in center, joinc
h2, work dc around, inc in every other st, join, end off

snout: ch3, join, make 6sc. join, sc in each st for 4 rounds total, end off, sew to center of yo yo face

make black eyes by attaching yarn and work ch2, fasten off
in the back of work

to make ears, attach pink yarn and work 2sc in upper left turn, work 1sc in last st, fasten off. attach yarn to upper right and make another ear.

stuff snout before sewing to afghan. i attach this to the bottom section of the ark, where you can put windows if you want.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, penguin

with black, ch 7 work sc in first row, turn, inc one st at ea end til 12 sts, work even for 2"

dec for the neck and head: work in black with center 2sts in white, inc this section byworking up to 6 sts in white, keeping ea side in black

make the nose triangle in bright orange

for eyes work in white dec for head in black til 6 sts, end off

make 2 arms and attach to the sides, closing near each other in the center front. sew arms to side edge.

arms, ch 6, work 6sc for 4 rows, then sc 3 sts (dec row)work on 3 sts for 2 more rows then dec 1 more st, end off.

penquin comes out better in detail if using all sc stitching.

stuff penquin as you sew to top of the arm giving stomach area a bloated look.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, fish

start with a circle, i chain 3 and join, work a round of sc-about 8-12, using dc make one round, work 2dc in every other stitch. join

to make the tail ch4, tr 1, 3 dc 2 tr in same stitch, end off.

with black yarn make an eye in circle portion by attaching yarn and then work 1 or 2 chains. end off.

you can make a fin by attaching the yarn to the bottom part of the circle and work through 2 loops of stitches there, work sc in 3 stitches. turn, work 2sc in ea st. turn work sc in ea st, end you can make another fin on the opposite side.

attach fish to afghan in the water (bottom section). can put some stuffing under the fish to make it bloated looking. make sure to leave fins floating freely.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, ark

ark is done using brown yarn and chain 30 sts

work one row of sc

then switch to dc and inc 1 st at beg of each row til 36 sts end off the dark brown

to make the section where the door is you need to start out with lightter brown and attach yarn 12th st from the edge. work sc across 12 sts leaving 12 from the end unworked, ch1, turn. work for 3" in either sc or dc and end off by working a row of dark brown.

you can also incorporate a door by using dark yarn in center making a rectangle shape for the door or work this section is the lighter shade of brown. make an overhang on the top 3 rows by vh 3-4 sts at ea end

crochet pattern, noahs ark, starfish

starfish i made with Red heart 'farmland' color

i first made a circle using sc. i then did 2-3 rounds for the body.

then i made 5 arms. each one i worked from the center, i started from the body with ch6 then slip stitched back to body. a few slst over and made another arm.

attach circle part to the sea section of the afghan allowing the arms to be free.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, lion

the lion is done by making a circle with yellow and attaching fringe with bright orange.

i make the circle about 3" diameter.

can use sc or dc or comibnation. i made the eyes, mouth with black yarn. you can use just regular stitches or chains. fringe is a strand of yarn about 3" long folded in half and attach to every st around the circle. trim to 1/4 of an inch.
attach one piece of yarn 3" to either side of where a nose would be, trim the whiskers.

theres really no pattern to this project. it's a lot of imagination.

crochet pattern, noahs ark, water and sky afghan

the left part is the sky, right hand side is the water.

this is done using a ripple pattern with 5 sts in between the valleys and mountains sections.

pattern for my noahs ark, general notes for asembly

my first finished noahs ark











got an order from someone so thought i'd explain how i made it.

first i start out with the ripple for the main part of the afghan. it will measure about 25" by 36"

it will have raised (3d) objects sewn to the afghan. some you can put a bit of stuffing behind them before you sew them to the afghan. that's optional

the picture up top shows the stormy water (remember it rained for 40 days and 40 nights). Yarn is called blueridge blue (its a multicolored yarn from Red Heart).

The sky is a murky shade of blue - spa blue in Red Heart.


as the days go by i will be making the little things that go on the afghan.

i've sold the 2nd one for $40.