Crochet Ripple Blankie In Use!

I am having a complete 'Friday the 13th'  even though it is Thursday.  I have been busy crocheting tiny hats for 'Rainbows'.  The '10 minute pattern' is great even if it takes me 20 minutes.  I made two little hats in the Doctors waiting room today.  I was bitten by an insect about two or three weeks ago.  I did not feel it at the time and it has caused me no problems but then in the last couple of days my leg has been very hot and itchy and aching.  I have some antibiotics. . . that are going to kill or cure me!  I am feeling totally 'bleurghh'.  I decided to get my faithful crochet Ripple Blankie and lie on the sofa feeling sorry for myself for a while.  The dog, Lacey,  had other ideas!  She thinks she is a lap dog.  You can see she isn't!  She sits on my lap, sitting upright while I watch TV and I have to peer around her.  She also likes to be picked up and held, which is like weight lifting.  I was under the blanket when she crawled under and lay on me.  There was only so much of that I could stand, so admitted defeat.  She has not moved and is snoring soundly as I type.  She took a shine to this blanket while it was being made.  I think I need to crochet another blanket to avoid squabbles of this nature over the Winter.
xxx

Ta Dah 'Par rappa ta dah!' Ripple Blanket!

 Do not adjust your sets!  I have been really looking forward to this post.  It felt like I had bitten off more than I could chew at times.  Completing this ugly ahem unique ripple has been quite a task.  I do love it.  Like I would love a three legged dog or a one eyed cat!  Anyone who knows me would know that means I love it a lot!  It is not everyone's 'Cup of tea' but for months I have become very fond of it, it has kept me nice and warm while I have worked on it.  I have made this analogy before, these blankets are like our children, we all love our own!  I finished it at 11pm last night, sewing in the final end.

Triumphantly I lay it down on the floor to photograph, to 'show off' and I had to laugh out loud in a hysterical, ironic sort of way.  Being the first time I have lovingly 'straightened' the blanket out to view it as a whole, I discovered something I did not know about my beloved blankie!  It is in fact the most fantastic Trapezium shape!  Yep that's right!  Not a rectangle, I squished it for the photograph, I did not want you to laugh at mine or the blankies expense!  Not rectangular but a great fat Trapezium!  Darn it!  Where did those stitches go?  I must have lost some along the way and did not notice!  Doh!  Will I frog?  Will I heck.  I can learn to live with a Trapezium.  It was just a nasty little surprise but now I am over it!  I will be blankies forever home and it will always be loved, by at least one person.  Moi!

Lacey had been for a long walk and was very tired, she would not move for the photograph and her bewilderment at my late night photography is apparent in her expression.  She had just woken from a deep 'Rabbit Chasing Slumber' and I think the bright wavy lines triggered her a migraine!  Jeepers I would just love to have a proud, trouble free 'Ta Dah' moment.  Is that too much to ask?  This is my first finished item of the year and I sincerely hope things improve from here on in!

Dead Grateful to Ripple

The Grateful Dead - Ripple

I am still rippling away on my Crochet Ripple Blanket...it is like climbing a mountain, just when you think you are going to reach the top...you find you still have a long way to go.   Rippling up, rippling down, rippling up, rippling down, it is about all I can cope with this Monday evening.  It is keeping me warm to work under though as we have had a very cold spell. 

           I am very worried about Frozen Chickens.  They do not seem to mind though and still come out to play with gusto in the frost!  They usually sleep two together and one on her own, but this cold spell has seen all three of them getting along nicely and cuddling up together at night.  They take themselves to bed when it is dark and I just have to go and shut them up safely for the night.  I saw a big fox trot past my house at 6.45pm last night, he has given me a nightmares.  I go out in the pitch black and shove my hand in the coop to do a quick head count and it is like a unique musical instrument as I pat each chicken they sound a musical note, if I am accurate I get three notes, if I have to grope around I may get several dud notes that sound a bit disgruntled, until all three chickens are accounted for.  

Never underestimate a chicken!  There is no end to their talents!

I really hope to have some craft to show you soon, I am not sure how long you can cope with my random chicken posts!  X

Still Rippling Away

I have still been working away at this ripple, I do not need the heating on when I am working on it and now it is keeping my feet warm.  The first photograph was the last time I shared it.  I am rippling whenever I can and it is highly addictive.  To the detriment of  housework and other projects!  Today I rippled in the car when I was waiting for the school bell to ring for Euan.  I am finding it quite tricky to photograph now.  I had to chase the dog off it just before I took this update:

Not a very good photograph, I know!  I think I like the colours...if I don't think too much about them.  The kids still like it and the dog loves it.   Today to my horror she was pawing it!  I don't usually have to tell her off but she refused to stop pawing it and treading on it while I was trying to work on it, so I had to do a cross 'No!'   If she ladders it or puts a whole in it I will be upset!   I made Euan a Granny Square blanket when he was five as he had some surgery on his foot and needed a wheelchair,  he was thrilled with it and had it on his lap as soon as I gave it to him.  Unfortunately he was cutting and sticking craft stuff at the table and promptly snipped a good size hole in it about five minutes after I gave it to him.   It got darned and it is still much loved and in regular use.

  Also you may remember this post These Granny Square Photographs May Cause Distress!  I hope to have more luck with the ripple and I can't wait to be using it on the sofa to watch movies at the weekend.  It is definitely a 'snuggle up with Mom blanket'.  The dog thinks so anyway.   

Yarn Eating Monsters, Big Balls and 'Ninja Gloves'

Here is my Yarn Eating Monster

Each new stripe is greeted by an appreciative 'Woaaahhh!' from my seven year old.  You would think crochet were alchemy with how amazed he is that Mom can make things.  (Unless he knows how to make me happy!)  He loves getting his sticky mitts on my stash and shows an interest in whatever my current project is.

He just helped me hide put these away, he was passing his opinion on each colour and thought they were all nice, his favourite was the 'Pinky Purple'.  I have three 'big' projects planned using 'Black' DK so I searched Ebay for a bargain.  500g Balls.  I love them and they get the seven year old excited.  They are big balls!

The weather has really turned here and got very chilly.  When I went to open the coop today the grass almost crunched underfoot.  We have lots of single gloves around the house and not many pairs.  So I used this pattern Ninja Gloves as a basis to make these last night:

The idea is if you call them 'Ninja Gloves' then they become very coooolll indeed.  They certainly have enhanced his 'Ninja Skills'.  He will be 'Airbending' before I know it!  Euan loves them and said his mates at school think they are cool.  They should be quick enough to rustle up replacements too.  Hey, and I think I will have enough black DK for a while.