Ravelry Blog-A-Long Update #3

This is what I've been up to lately. I am taking a break from my squares to learn something new. I've never made a ripple blanket before so I wanted to learn. I used a pattern from Vanna's Choice Color It Beautiful Afghans (Leisure Arts #4432) for this first one. I am also using Vanna's Choice yarn for the first time. 

I've decided I really like the yarn and need to start watching for it to go on sale. The thing I always find out when making a new pattern is that it's never as difficult as it looks. I am totally loving the ripples and watching how the colors work together as the blanket takes shape. 

After I finish this I plan to get back to my squares from the 200 Blocks book. I might change direction a bit and choose the ones I like the best and start making them in different colors to get the project moving along again. 

I hope you'll check out others year of projects updates. 

Ravelry Blog A Long Update #1

Ravelry Blog A Long Update #2

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Ravelry Blog-A-Long Update #2

Hey Friends! Thanks for stopping by from the Blog-A-Long. I'm really having fun visiting everyone's blogs to see the projects you're all working on, too. If you're not involved in the blog-a-long yet, I hope you'll go to the Ravelry page and visit some of the others.

I'm glad to have finished eight blocks this week. Since I have over 150 to make if I want the blanket to fit my bed, I really want to get them done as quickly as I can. However, second from the bottom on the right you can see that the gauge is horrible and the "square" looks ruffled. Nowhere near flat. I'll be re-making some of them before I can use them in any kind of an afghan. Oh well, that's part of the fun, right?

There are quite a few blocks in the book that I've skipped just because of the intricacy of the pattern. If I can't pick it up right away, I can't really get it done while I'm watching television or while the kids are around. I'm thinking these blocks are going to have to wait until the kids go back to school in a few weeks. Nothing like leaving the hard part for the end, eh?

Thanks for stopping by. What are you working on?

The Blog-A-Long Series

Initial Post

Update #1

Ravelry Blog-A-Long Update #1

So we were traveling and vacationing this week but I still managed to get seven new blocks done for the challenge. Kind of impressed myself actually.

Since I didn't want to bring along the book I decided to just bring three different colors of yarn, my hook, and some small scissors, and make some traditional granny squares since I could do that without instructions in front of me. Sarah said, "Mommy, I'm so impressed you're doing your yarn without your book! Good job, Mommy!"

Obviously, the squares in the above collage have not yet been blocked. Wanna know why? Cause I HATE blocking! Who has hints or tips on making this part of the process easier for me? Any ideas or links to tutorials will be greatly appreciated. I've got 200 blocks to, well, block to the appropriate size over the next year people. Help me out, please. 

Now that we're home from vacation and traveling I'll have more time to visit more blogs from the blog-a-long challenge. Thanks so much to everyone for stopping by!

The Blog-A-Long Series

Initial Post

Crochet Along 2011

So. Are you on Ravelry (I'm "jencrutch" if you want to look me up)? I joined a while back but never really "got" it until I found some Twitter friends to follow on Ravelry. Got that? Really, it does make sense.

I've joined a Crochet Along/Blog Along Challenge so this is my initial post related to the challenge (which began July 1, 2011). The point is to choose a group of patterns or in my case a book to work through over the course of the year. My book for the challenge is 200 Crochet Blocks by Jan Eaton.

For colors I've chosen blue/white/yellow/brown. Any variation thereof is fair game in the Lily Brand Sugar & Cream cotton yarns. The plan is to be able to join them into a pleasing design to create a ginormous blanket when I'm done.

Honestly, it's good news that I found this challenge because I just wasn't sure if I'd make it through the entire book. So far I've finished 19 of the blocks and it's really kind of cool how I'm already getting better at making corners that look like corners.

Please let me know if you decide to join the challenge or even just to join Ravelry. I'd love to see your projects and connect with you there!