I WILL FINISH!

I am bound and determined to finish an afghan! 

When it come to crochet I am the master of the quick project. I can whip out a hat in two hours, I can make a headband in 45 minutes, scarves in 3-4 hours, most of my amigurumi patterns between 2-7 hours... basically if I can finish it in the duration of a favorite movie or a self-made T.V. marathon, then I love to do it. However, I have never finished a large project. I haven't even had the patience to make baby blankets for pregnant friends, but now I am determined to make an afghan. (This will probably not end well.)

I really got into crochet in Jr. high and high school when I was living in Michigan. Hats and scarves are so easy and quick to make, and a lot of my friends wanted custom made hats, so I could make a couple extra bucks making hats for them. Now that I am in my twenties I feel like I should be able to complete large and time consuming projects. Now that I'm not in high school, life takes up a lot of time and I get discouraged easily when things don't come together, but I WILL FINISH!

I buy a lot of brightly colored yarn which I love to use when making my little amigurumi dudes, however, I always have a nearly full skein left over. As I was rummaging through my stash yesterday I came across several colors that I love, but I can't make hats or scarves out of for two reasons: 1) I live in the south where winter last about a week and 2) these colors look terrible on me! I am an earth tones kind of girl; forest greens, plum purples, wine reds, and navy blues are my colors, but I wanted to use these bright colors, so I pulled them out and started to pair them together.

These are the four color combinations that I am working on. I really like them and I am excited to finish an afghan, but the thing that frightens me is the fact that I need 140 squares to complete this thing. That is always where the problem starts. I don't know how to stay motivated to finish 140 granny squares, but I am trying, trying, trying to finish at least one afghan in my lifetime. (Maybe it will be done in time for my grandkids.)

My pattern is listed!!!

This may be slightly ridiculous, but I'm really excited. I've got a pattern listed in the pattern directory at Crochet Pattern Central. It is my Lily Pad Headband and it is listed under Hair Accessories (I'd link you to it, but it would just lead you back here to last weeks post). I'm really excited, I hope to post more patterns here and get some more up on that website.

I am a huge fan of Crochet Pattern Central. It has great tutorials and tons of patterns. It is a fantastic resource! (and I'm not just saying that because my pattern is now listed, but it doesn't hurt.)

I'm sorry this is a short, self-centered post, but it's Memorial Day and there is a lot going on in my house. I'm working on an afghan and I will try to write up a post with pics, either later today or tomorrow, and I am working on some new patterns to post. Everybody have a safe and fun Memorial Day!

Sorry for the wait: Lily Pad Headband

I created this pattern months ago, but was too lazy to put the pattern on this blog. I'm sorry for the wait, but I offer up the pattern now. Enjoy!

Lily Pad Headband

F hook

worsted weight yarn for lilypad, baby weight for flower

Lilypad: f hook / worsted weight

ch 4 sl st into circle

Row1: ch 2, 9hdc in circle (10)

Row2: ch 2, hdc in same st *2hdc in rest around (20)

Row3: ch 2, 2hdc in next, *hdc in next st, 2hdc in next around (30)

Row4: ch 2, hdc in next, 2hdc in next, *hdc in next 2, 2hdc in next (40)

Row5: ch 2, hdc in next 2, 2hdc in next, *hdc in next 3, 2hdc in next (50)

Row6: ch 2, hdc in next 3, 2hdc in next *hdc in next 4, 2hdc in next (60)

Flower: f hook / baby weight (Modified from http://www.allcrafts.net/fjs.htm?url=www.headhuggers.org/patterns/flower01c.htm)

Rnd1: ch 2, work 6 sc into 1st ch, join with sl st in front loop only (do not turn, work in rounds)

Rnd2: Working in front loops only, (ch 4, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch, sl st into next unworked front loop) x 6, join, ch 2, sl st in first unworked back loop.

Rnd3: Working in unused back loops only, ch 1, 2sc/st x 6, join with sl st in front loop only.

Rnd4: sl st to loop, ch 1, sc, {in next loop work (2 dc, 2 trc, 1 quc, ch 3, sl st to 1st ch, 1 quc, 2 trc, 2 dc), in next loop work sc} x 6, ending with petal and join with sl st to 1st sc. Fasten off.

Headband: G hook / worsted weight

Single crochet around band. This is really up to you. Whatever you find aesthetically pleasing. You can make it so the elastic shows through or put enough stitches around to make sure all the elastic is covered when it is on your head. The only danger with this is that if you put too many you could stretch out the headband and it will fall off your head so be mindful of this.

If you find any errors in my pattern, please let me know so that I can fix it.

This is an original pattern by me. I hope you enjoy it. Feel free to give away, sell or alter this pattern. It is free to you. Credit for the creation of this pattern is appreciated, but if you can't do that when asked just be honest and say you stole it from some chick on the internets. :D

Sure I should have spent the day looking for a job...

But I did this instead! :D

This is a pattern that I found and was too cute to pass up. I made this over the course of today and it was really simple and helped me to use up some extra yarn I had lying around.