Blankets and such...

I feel like I have been running around like a chicken with its head cut off since I got back from my trip to Oregon.  I have been working like crazy, babysitting as much as possible on the side and getting as much crocheting in as possible.  Christmas is right around the corner and I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little stressed.  I am making four blankets for presents this year.  I finished one in the very beginning of August, started the third with in 30 minutes of completing the first blanket.  The second recently came out of hibernation.  As it stands I could potentially finish either the 2nd or 3rd blanket this weekend.  More than likely the 2nd one.  Its all put together and I still have to add a few more rows for the border and put a cute edge on it.  The 3rd well, I cannot wait to be done.  I am at the point where I am bored with it and the 2nd blanket.  Here is the 2nd as I left lastnight...

Here is a reminder of what the 3rd looks like...

This was when it was first started, I honestly thought I had a more up to date picture. I will have to work on that this weekend. 

Since I am showing off the other two may as well remind you all of the first!

Oh yes, look at that granny goodness! 

I have to start the 4th.  I have the yarn but am uncertain as to a pattern.  I thought I had one picked out and I started playing with it lastnight and its not a good fit.  I plan on using camoflauge yarn and possibly incorporating green, brown and or black into the blanket.  I have enough camoflauge yarn and would love to use as much as possible, if not then I can use it for another blanket. 

There are so many crafty things I wanna make right now. I am really wanting to sew more, but fabric is so expensive. I really want to embroider but I am telling  myself no to anything until I get these blankets finished. 

Last class

Yesterday was the end of crochet lessons at the camp.  I was sad to say goodbye.  The one girl standing to my right as you're looking at the picture, finished her scarf! I was so proud of E!!  C who has her dishcloth in front of her face, proved to be aa challenge for me.  Have you ever tried to teach someone something and as hard as you try it seems impossible?  I seriously felt this way.  C proved me wrong, she got with the program, went on youtube like I advised and figured out her dishcloth.  I was so proud, I almost cried.  When I saw her yesterday, I would say she was about half way done with her scarf that she is making for her grandma.  How sweet is she?

All the girls stepped p their A-game and enjoyed crocheting.  They have all struggled with their tension, but who doesn't when they are learning?  I provided the yarn, which was exciting as I got to lighten my stash.  My boss actually donated the hooks.  The girls were so excited about this because they could crochet at home and keep a hook.  They also made thank you cards to my boss.  They thanked her for the hooks, letting me leave work and teach them and congratulated her on her recent engagement. 

Before this class I had taught and came out with no results.  I started to wonder what I was doing wrong, what cold I change and do better?  Maybe I was not choosing the right starter project. Maybe I just cant teach.  Maybe its the kids, maybe they are too young.  This experience has taught me that I can teach, I know what I am doing.  It has given me confidence that I did not have before.  I really thought one or two would get it and they all got it!

Proud Auntie Moment

I just have to say that my nephew ROCKS!!! He is progressing very nicely!

Teaching and making memories!!!

I love crocheting so much that it is all I want to do.  The one thing I have never done is forced someone to learn.  I will gladly teach if someone is interested.  As I have mentioned in prior posts, I have had the opportunity to teach 11-13 year old girls for the past month. 

(I can see that Blogger is not gonna cooperate today)

I am unable to post more pictures as of now.  Above is Miss T and I have known her since she was 5 or 6.  So teaching her how to crochet was sentimental for me.  She had a little bit of experience before coming to me and that always makes things go a little bit smoother.  She was the first to finish her dishcloth and the first to start her scarf.  Miss T also wants private lessons!!! I have never done that before  and have no idea as to what I should charge.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

Today is the start of our last week together.  All of my girls are doing so well and already working on their scarves. 

Since I started teaching the girls, one of my friends came to me and asked if I would teach her.  We have had one lesson so far.  I have also helped another friend who learned via youtube.  I am working with her to read patterns and since she learns by watching I taught her how to start a square and she chose to continue the square and turn it into a huge square. 



Unplanned Adventures...

This past weekend I was looking forward to spending it at home, since I had been dog/house sitting for 2 wks.  My niece J turned 7 yesterday and I was not sure if I was going to see her or not.  Her parents recently purchased some land here in NJ and they put a little house on it. It is next to the lake and a pool.  So they spend a week or two at a time there.  Anyhoo her mom and I had been talking back and forth on friday about if they were headed home to Long Island and if they did when I would come over.  I get a call about 8:30pm telling me that the boys (my nephews) really want me to come out and see their cabin and spend the night and all that stuff.  I told her sure!  I am babysitting, once Im done I have to go and  collect my stuff from where I have been staying and then I will be on my way.

Finally at 11 pm I was on the road.  I just love unplanned adventures!!! It was about an hour drive and pitch black once I got out to the general area.  The older 2 of the 4 knew I was coming and greeted me with big hugs once they saw me.  I take that back the oldest had been sleeping and heard me and jumped out of bed!  They younger 2 woke up the next morning and crawled in bed with me and we cuddled.  Talk about a great way to wake up!  That to me is what living is all about. 

We walked around the man made lake. 

We saw frogs, turtles, dragon flies, butterflies, lots of bees and swans!  We swam, we ate, we played volleyball and basketball.  Mind you my niece M texted me on friday and said that she wanted me to sit down with her again and teach her to crochet.  I said if you really want to and would commit to more than 5 minutes and really try it I would be more than willing to teach her.  She said yes. 

Saturday in the midst of all the chaos we went to get yarn.  She picked two colors and once we were back she raided what I had just purchased.  Off to crochet we went.  I apparently had attempted to teach her when she was 8 and she reluctantly retained some of it.  So she picked it up really fast!

Let me just say sheshooked!  This is all she wanted to do for the rest of the time I was there.  If we did take a break and go do something else, all we heard was "I just wanna crochet! I need to work on my blanket."  If she had the chance she took it everywhere with her.  Also as you can see we or I finally found some Red hearts With LOVE yarn! I have looked everywhere for it and no luck until now! M got some and I bought a few colors for myself.  M & C both raided it as they each picked a color from my newly found stash.

Here she is in the car lastnight, after dinner! 

I was so excited when she decided this is what she wanted to do!  M is 15, then I have two nephews. C is 12 and H is almost 10.  C decides he wants to learn.  I was like, are you serious?? Mind you C is all boy!  He loves to play sports, play with the other boys and he is just all boy!  I know he is sensitive, loves to help care for and at times play with the younger kids, he loves animals and when he loves and you have his love you are IN!  He tells me "Auntie I do want to learn, just let me try."  Who am I to stand in his way?  If he wants to try it then so be it.  I honestly  just though he would try it, get frustrated and be done. 

He likes it, hes getting it.   The he decides hes done with SC and wants to do what M is doing.  Im like what?  I quickly teach him to DC.  Mind you when he was chaining, he was a natural.  He picked everything up right away.  Way quicker than the girls I have been teaching for the past month. 

I cannot even begin to express how happy I am.  I am the proudest Auntie!  C is totally into this, he is so satisfied.  He is excited to make a blanket that he can cuddle up under.  I was totally  ready for him to say that he didnt want to bring it with us down the lake, as there were boys his age down there.  He even said in a split second that he was not going to.  Then he changed his mind.  I had given him 4 colors and found a black canvas messenger bag in my trunk.  If we werent up at the house and he was where ever he had that black bag around his body.  He walked proudly with hook in hand!!!!

You know by now there are 4 of them!!!  J had tried a stab at it on saturday, I did not get a picture of her doing it and it was short lived.   Yesterday towards the later part of the day H decides he wants to learn.  Let me tell you, I am elated at this point and also very very exhausted.  Two wks of not sleeping in is catching up with me.  I have been playing with these 4 and enjoying every minute of it.  It took everything I had in me to teach him.  H like the other two is a natural! 

I outfitted him with a little bit of yarn, a hook and another bag like his big brother C.  He was so excited at the way his chain was coming out. Again I am a super proud Auntie!!! 

Then of course J turned 7 yesterday. Since my trip was unplanned, I did not have a present when I arrived.  So I called the Birthday Fairy and she helped me save the day!

I had such a great weekend! I made a lot of memories!

I love you M, C, H & J!!!

What is on your hook?

 It is almost impossible to put myself in crochet timeout!  I hate having more than one project going at a time.  I usually have to be strategic in whatever I choose to make because I tend to get bored. Thats why the Stitch Sampler is perfect, until the end that it is due to the rows being so long. 

I do not know whether I should start with the newest project started or the one I just finished.  Okay, okay, okay the one I finished first wins!  I started my Granny Ripple (project #1) I believe back in April.  I have struggled with it as I got very bored.  I pushed and pushed to get it done.  So last week I finished the body of the blanket and then busted out the border yesterday.  Yay shes done and shes the first completed Christmas present!!!
         

I also started an Infinity Scarf for myself about two weeks ago. I ran out of yarn and just picked up some more the other day.  I am using RedHearts Boutique Treasure color:Abstract Lot: 68000
I am loving this! I am even more excited to wear something I made.  I will not give it away or sell it, I do not care how much someone else loves or likes it.  I will not do it this time!


I am also working on something for my swap partner.  I am out of yarn at the moment, so it is at a stand still until I make it to the store.  I am sure that some of you can feel my pain!  I have three stores I could get yarn from.  A.C. Moore (it seems to be my favorite and closest), Michaels ( I do not live super close to one anymore) and Wal-Mart( I would rather die).  A.C. Moore has the RedHeart Soft that I am using for my Swap, but does not have the Boutique Treasure...GRRRR!

The newest project and the third(#3) Christmas present I started yesterday! I know its only July, but I wanna make sure I get the four items that I want done are completed.
       

If you noticed I said third.  The second project I started, I liked it in the beginning.  Twice now I have come up with another way to work with what I have and to give it to its intended new owner.  I have yet to play with it and work on it.  I did come up with another idea this morning and I will see what I can do.  Project #3 will be done before #2.  I still have no idea what I will be doing for #4.



   

Its done!

Dontcha just love the feeling of accomplishment? I sure do, with all the crocheting I do it seems like I never finish anything.  I shouldn't day I never do cause I don't have too many wips around here at all.  Its hard to remember what I made, when I finished and sometimes who I gave it to. 

This beauty is for someone close to me, I don't dare say as I am not sure if she has stumbled onto my blog yet.  Today I get to teach the art of crochet to a group of 12 girls.  I started on Tuesday and it was a lot of fun.  The idea of teaching someone to crochet is kind of nerve racking.  I have done it before...it has been awhile since I have attempted a group.  I would say maybe between 4 and 6 of the 12 girls have the hang of it.  I am afraid of failing...I really shouldn't be so hard on myself, but I think we all are.  I will keep ya posted!