Glad to be home!

It use to seem like seven days was such a short, short time to visit family or go on vacation. Now it seems like an eternity!  Funny, too, as when I am home the days seem to fly by and an hour is not nearly enough time to get something done.  When I was a child an hour was a huge amount of time to play outside with one of my brothers or a friend.

I believe, for me, it's because when I'm gone from my own bed and in the care of another person I am not doing the usual things I do to get through a day. There is no 'usual' any longer. The fact that I had a blast, that I ate until I popped, and was able to see friends and family doesn't apply. It is the lack of the 'sameness' that seemed to make the days longer. And yet, I so enjoyed my visit.

EXCEPT for the time at the hospital.  Visiting UCSD Medical Center in Hillcrest, San  Diego.  I had a bronchoscopy at the hands of some very fine, talented, and wonderful people and I suspect that they are just as wonderful to other patients who aren't friends with one of their nurses!  However, the bronchoscopy is a little like water torture, except you know you aren't going to drown. At least I don't think so. It was a comfortable thought, so I gurgled away! Literally.

I am happy to report that my lungs (so far) showed clear and so did my sinus. Now I will be getting the results today or Monday of the saline lung wash, etc., to see if there was anything showing. If not, I then go to some allergist and am retested for a myriad of various substances, animal, mineral, etc., to see if I have acquired yet another allergy which has gone untreated. Sigh.

I have had this cough for over 25 years. It is annoying. It is uncomfortable. It hurts at times. It is embarrassing, too. Especially now when people are so afraid of the flu.  They move away, give you dirty looks, make remarks under the breath.  I generally say something like, "I'm not sick, just have a chronic cough due to allergies" so they won't be so alarmed and start checking their tongue every hour after sitting next to me! ;o)

On a different note, our one and only Enthusiastic Crochetoholic from the UK is asking the Universe to send her a male companion or friend.  I thought that the Mildred cartoon is an appropriate addition to her appeal.  I'll send out my prayers to my personal favorite upstairs person for her, so perhaps you can too!??!

 

The last of the Hexagons Plus 2

These Hexagons are all made from the same pattern - Rockland Throw by Doris Chan for Caron.  Sure does look different with the change of colors as well as the change in placement of the colors.  Really love this pattern.  I believe I will make a whole throw with two or three colors out of this.  :o)  

The log cabin type square is for the swap, but I was using an H hook and did not want to continue in the pattern as it was going to come out too busy - too many logs!  So I put two borders around to frame it. Lazy.

The bottom square is from 99 Crochet Squares and is #42, I think.....I'll have to double check that tomorrow.  If it is, I'll leave it. Otherwise, will fix the number.  It is an Angel Square for RedDoorMeg from, can you imagine, a swap from APRIL!  She never complained and kept waiting and waiting and waiting for her square to come and FINALLY gave up.  Now she will have a Silver Blue Square and can complete her afghan!  the pattern ended in round six or seven and did not come to the point like I did it.  Hope it isn't too - I don't know - too different?  I looks to me like it needs one more round but is already 12".  I am waiting to see if it shrinks, as they most often do, and will then put one more round of sc or dc, according to the size.  That will make me feel better!

I have a few more squares in the works, ends to weave in, and then a plane to catch on Thursday.  I'm visiting family for a week.  Sunny Southern California!

Thanks, Susan, for sending me your info!  I see we have a lot in common....if I keep losing inches, we may end up the same height, too!   And yeah - I LOVE peach cobbler.  Having lived in GA, SC, and NC I would be insane not to - and Pecan Pie!  Yum!  Now I sound like Beverooni, in that I should know how to make them, but alas I don't. Not a cook or baker.  Just get by feeding a hubby who will eat most anything. I am SO blessed!

ABC's of Me Survey!!

Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! Go away for a couple of days and come back to being tagged by the one and only Beverooni!  Mercy!

ABC's of Me Survey!! 

A - Age: I get Social Security...

B - Bed size: The bigger the better!
C - Chore you hate: Taking the dishes out of the dishwasher and dusting. At least hubby does the dishwasher duty!
D - Dog's name: Three dogs - Chuckie, Maggie, Sami
E - Essential start your day item: Check my work schedule/CROCHET!
F - Favorite color: This is the hardest question for me - I don't know the answer.  I like most colors, Dusty Pink is a fav but no more than Cream or Gold. Who knows - certainly not me!
G - Gold or Silver: Gold
H - Height: 5'5"
I - I am: happily married, sadly overweight
J - Job: Retired
K - Kids: Zero of my own, two step-children
L - Living arrangements: On a hill like a princess
M - Mom's name: Elizabeth
N - Nicknames: Fussbudget
O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: Too many to recall!!!!!

P - Pet Peeve: Liars
Q - Quote from a movie: "Go ahead, make my day"
R - Right or left handed: right

S - Siblings: yes
T - Time you wake up: Early before 7:00 a.m.
U- Underwear: Yes
V - Vegetable you dislike: Different items according to how they are cooked
W - Ways you run late: When rushed!
X - X-rays you've had: Everything
Y - Yummy food you make: Apple Turnovers! Hah! Just learned how! And Savory Pot Roast.   

Z - Zoo favorite: Don't go, but at San Diego Wild Animal Park I loved the big cats!

Log Cabin Square

Log Cabin Square - this came out to 12" starting with a 10 sc and 10 rows, then 5 rows of sc there after.  Nice!!!  When I turn and start the next row, I am not doing a chain one as it makes a bit of a bump which keeps it from looking perfectly squared.  I like the smoother look a lot better.

ETA:  I wrote this on Ravelry - hope it helps:

Chain 11, sc in second loop from hook, across chain to have 10 sc. Turn work and without chaining, sc in first stitch and each stitch after (10). Continue for 10 rows total, fasten off.

Change colors, and single Crochet in first stitch of last row, crochet across for 10 stitches; crochet 5 rows, fasten off.

Turn the work to the side, and using the same color, sc in each row of the second color so that there are five sc, then you will sc across the side of the first color block for 10 stitches. Turn you work as above, but do not chain (still & again) just sc in the first stitch. You will do five rows again. Fasten off.

Change colors - turn the work and sc in the corner of the last row completed. You will again single crochet five across (four more) to the end of the ‘log’ and then single crochet across the bottom for 10 more on the next color log. In like manner, you then fasten off and hook the same color on to the last stitch of the last row on the side.

Continue until you reach the size you want. The thing to remember is you are not making a square per se, so you are not going round and round.  You are making distinct patterns, or 'logs', one on top of another.  In this case the beginning square is 10 rows. The first log sits right on top and is five rows.  When you turn the work to the side after fastening off you have 10 rows of red and 5 rows of cream  to sc the 15 stitches - one sc for each row.

Okay - now tell me if this makes sense!!!!!!

Log Cabin

Now I'm ticking along! This is my first try at making a Log Cabin square. I could not actually find a pattern for this, so made up one on my own. In this version I started with an I hook, using Vanna's Choice in Chocolate. I made six rows of six single crochets. Then singled crocheted across with Lamb for three rows of six single crochets each row.

I turned the work and did nine single crochets, 3 rows in the same Lamb. The turned the work and did nine single crochets with Cranberry. Then, turning the work I did 12 single crochets with the Cranberry....and so forth, and so on.

The main thing, I believe, is to make the first square with an even number that you can halve. Six rows is not very big for making a large square...you might try 12 rows instead (and then make a cooresponding amount of sc that would make it square), then do six rows each stripe after that.

If this doesn't make sense, let me know......

Autumn Square

Autumn Square
The reality is that this square is not really anything wonderfully special - to anyone but ME! I have to admit it is a personal accomplishment for me to have finally understand how to make patterns in single crochet. Trying to do so is the reason I went to Tunisian.
So much easier and faster. However, it always bothered me that so many patterns utilized this technique and I could not do it.

After purchasing a book by Jan Eaton with patterns for squares, I was even more frustrated. For the last year I tried and tried to do something and each time it became
frustrating and impossible.

THEN - I bought yet another book by Jan Eaton. This one is not a pattern book, but a how to book. In it she describes how to accomplish the single crochet patterns (something I feel would have been nice if she had described in the earlier book!).

Now I am going to tell you who have been like me - unable to grasp the situation. I don't use bobbins, so how I treat my material would be a bit different. I am going to explain to you as if you are using bobbins. If you don't, like me, it is a bit trickier on how to change
directions.

First, when changing color you will have two loops on the hook after drawing up a yo. Then (on the right side) drop the old color to the back and pick up the new color, yo and pull it through the two loops. Continue all the way across changing colors thusly. (Doesn't that sound really intelligent! Hah!).

Going back across on the wrong side all of your yarn will be on the side facing you. As you continue across going back you will do as you would normally do until you reach the next change in color. Drop the old color to the front with two loops on the hook, then pick up and drop the new color to the back, yo, and pull through a loop. That's it! Each time you change colors you must drop the "old" color to the front (which is the wrong side remember) and put the new color in back (which is the right side!).

On your return, with the right side facing you, all the yarns are at the back which is "normal." (As if anything in this world is really normal!).

Questions?????

Potholders of sorts...

I will be mailing these out next week for a charity swap. The square is actually a rectangle strip done in the treble pebble look. I folded it over to make it double and crocheted it together using a single crochet. Then put a double crochet border around. So easy. It's in cotton, nice and thick, and didn't take long.

I'm thinking of making more in red and green for Christmas to tie on the front of packages instead of a bow! ;o)  What do you think?  I can't cross stitch, so a cute tree in bobbles would be appropriate, yes?

The other one is a pot handle holder. I started the pattern for the "magic" potholder where you chain 37 or so, double crochet down the edge and then double crochet down the other edge. After I had it about 2" or so (???) I folded it the opposite way than what you are suppose to do and made it into something to use for pot handles or for lids. Works like a charm, and is one of those things you can tuck into a drawer where nothing else will fit unless you wad it up. I hate to give it up, but only takes a few minutes to make so will be able to whip one out in no time!

Last, but not least, my SIL gave me a few pages from an OLD OLD pamphlet that has decorations for Christmas - snowflakes and angels.  Can't wait to post some and lets see if you can make some, too!