Speeding into another direction [Crochet]

Yesterday, while at Caitlyn's basketball tournament, I elected to work some more on the RWB corner-to-corner afghan.   It has been well over a month since it saw any progress.  Towards the end of the tournament yesterday, I decided that it had reached an adequate width, so it was time to start edging-off the corner growth.

I didn't have the pattern with me, but after a few trials-and-errors, I figured how to maneuver the corner edge.

And I was proud of myself.  I was able to figure it out without needing a pattern.

SO, that got me thinking....

and while driving back home, my mind started seeing possible crochet stitch patterns.  There was a vision that stuck...

And after sketching it the moment I got home....

okay.... actually, it was about an hour after getting home.  FIRST, the animals needed attention, the laundry needed to get started, a fire needed to be started and some groceries we picked up on the way needed to be attended to. 

BUT THEN, I sketched out the design, erased, sketched some more, erased....  

Quilting patterns are so second nature to me now, but crochet designs-----TOTALLY NEW TERRITORY.

With the excitement that ANY new project brings on, my crochet hook started smoking up a storm at 7:00PM.  I grabbed a bunch of yarn from my big purchase from the $1.49 sale at Shopko back in November.  Vanna's Choice - Lion Brand.  Colors:  123 Beige, 404 Dk Grey Heather, 101 Pink.

By 11:00, I was tired and had crocheted through almost two skeins of the Beige with ease.  SUPER easy pattern!  

Paul's alarm sounded at 5AM this morning.  

And NOPE, he didn't need to work.  SO, either he forgot to turn it off from previous mornings OR he had plans to get up to go ice-fishing.  Either way, he was back to sleep in seconds.  *I*, on the other hand, was awake.  

Toss-turn.  It's early Amy....go back to sleep.....

Psht.  5:18AM.  Climbed out of bed.

By 6:00, the crochet hook was back in my hand.  AND within moments, I could tell just how fast that yarn was smoking through my hands last night due to the yarn-burn I had on my index finger.

This is how I hold the yarn when I crochet.  I create my tension by having the yarn come between my pinky and ring finger, and then it hooks over my pointer/index finger.

LOOK!  After two hours of crochet this morning, you can see the wear of the yarn.  Imagine what my actual finger looks like beneath the bandaid!  The bandaid has worked as excellent protection--this yarn is a bit course coming out of the skein, needless to say.  

So far, I've completed 15 rows of Beige, 2 rows of Grey, 4 rows of Pink, 2 more rows of Grey, and am back to using the Beige.  The pattern has worked up quickly and easily.  And I'm geekily super excited to have created my OWN first crochet project/pattern.   

Oh, I'm SURE this design is out there somewhere.... just like if we were to start playing with 4-patches, 9-patches, HSTs....and lay units out.  Designs we make aren't "new".... but... they kinda are.  You have no pattern in front of you -- the design is from your own mind.  

Therefore, if any of my readers are also die-hard crocheters, let me know if this pattern has any official name. :)

Happy Sunday

10 hours in my sewing room - Easy Street and others

6:30 AM, and I was strolling into my quilting room.  I brought NO schoolwork home this weekend seeing that we teachers have 2 days worth of inservice on Monday & Tuesday while the kiddos have the entire week off.  Therefore, I'll plan to get some of my planning done during a couple of hours of worktime on Tuesday afternoon.

Therefore, I could FINALLY devote my undivided attention to my sewing room!  {{almost}}  From time to time, I did need to provide some meals on the table for Candace and Caitlyn.

My main project today:  Lazy Sunday.  Last weekend, I had left off piecing the sashing to the 2nd row before my bobbin thread ran out.  Hence, I wound 6 bobbins worth to start off the day, and then got to work.

I haven't done a "time-lapse" post in quite some time;  it's kind of a neat way to keep track of how fast/slow certain parts of quilting are.

A few hours into the morning, the center of Lazy Sunday was pieced.  I had also been piecing the border units as my leaders-enders, so I was making some good progress.

And then........

I forgot to continue with the time-lapse pictures!!! Whoops....

I simply was in a mode, and it was go-go-go;  and in the background, I was catching up on Bonnie's quiltcams from the past couple of months.

By mid-afternoon:  Lazy Sunday pieced!  77"x97".

Can I get an....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh  ?

LOL

All the while, I was organizing up the leader-ender section;  failed to take a picture of that though.  "Omigosh" continues to be my main leader-ender project.  Perhaps in 4 years, at this pace, it may actually be completed SOLELY as leader-ender :)

THEN, I wanted to truly have an idea of how many quilt-tops I had hanging around, waiting OH WAITING to eventually be loaded into the quilting frame for some fancy-schmancy quilting.

The newest flimsy from last weekend:  Confetti (48"x48)

Bonnie's 2012-13 mystery:  Easy Street (85"x85")

Bonnie's Jamestown Landing (84"x96")

Bonnie's Smith Mountain Morning (72"x82")

RWB Heartstrings, but after seeing it in pictures.....nopers.  It's not ready for quilting!  I foresee 18 more RWB string blocks for placement on the left-and-right sides.  This layout.....eh.  It doesn't work.  It's unfinished!

Rainbow Scrap (from 2011? I think) (42"x56")

2010 BOM - 18 block RWB (58.5"x72")

HMMM......Alycia, if you happen to catch this post, let me know if you (or anyone you know) would be willing to take the top as-is and get it quilted up as a QOV ???  I'd rather get this into the arms of a recipient sooner-than-later; and at this rate..... in my basement.... it would be MUCH "later" than sooner.

Frost 25 (73"x73")

Freeze Frame (69"x86")

And not to mention a flannel snuggler quilt that was packed away in a different bin.  And I'm sure I have another one around the basement ... somewhere!  So, with ALL of these 100% ready for backings to be pieced or loaded directly into the frame....

I figured I simply needed to put some time on Wafer Cookies!  Which I did.  For a little while.

and then.....

The afternoon sloggies took hold.  And I was ready to be done.

I had a slightly restless night, playing "mommy" to Caitlyn.  She wasn't feeling well at school yesterday, and ALMOST lasted the whole day.  But, at 1:50, the elementary secretary walked her down to my classroom.  Even a "mom-hug" wasn't enough.  So, with some amazing coworkers helping out, I was on the way out the door of the school with Caitlyn next to me by 2:15.  And by 2:50... **sigh** ...  she officially proved to me that she was indeed sick.

By 10:00, THANKFULLY, she dozed off to sleep on the couch.  

Her sister, on the other hand; WIDE AWAKE watching Doc McStuffins.

Therefore, I figured I'd try to pass the time with some crochet.  The Hallmark channel has been the background noise of choice most evenings, and last night wasn't any different (until I allowed Candace to watch some Disney) :)

These blocks, along with probably one more, will be sewn together to make a simple lil' Christmas table runner for our piano.

There ya go, folks.  The list of flimsies is a bit..... overwhelming!  BUT, at least my sewing tables are clean and tidied.  My leader-ender section is freshly organized.  My "big" WIPs have reached an acceptable stage for folding or stashing on a shelf.

I'm READY for Friday's Clue #1.

OH WAIT!  

Crud!  

LOL

No I'm not!!!  

I completely forgot to pull fabrics.

:}

Oh well...tomorrow is another day.  I don't think I have enough energy left in me to spend any more time in the sewing room tonight.  Instead, I'll grab my crochet hook for the evening.

Happy Saturday!