Almost Complete Plans

I was in the process of making Valentine's Day, remember Internets?
Well, we are one step closer to completion! All I really need now is the Martinelli's - but I can't get that yet or else we will drink it all before the proper day! Then again, I don't think we would be sad over here if that happened!

Anyway, dear Internets, let me show you how I have been successful.
I did a Ravelry search a few days ago on how to crochet a heart. Yes, I know, shame on me for not knowing how to already. It's just something I've yet to try, really, little decorative hearts. At one point I had a dream of doing a whole bunch in a ton of colours and filling up a jar or bin of sorts with them (small-ish size, you know), but never could think of a good reason to have them/make them. Other than I wanted them!
On Ravelry, I found this afghan square.

Via Here - Ravelry

This of course led me to a Red Heart pattern. Which I downloaded. Red Heart makes decent yarn. I like it, it's decently priced. Their patterns are so/so. But they are free. And you can learn a lot of new things from them, I promise. Oh, yes, it's a whole afghan of 12 heart squares, each different, and can be found here if you are interested. I don't think I'll be making the afghan, but I have so many patterns for things I'll probably never make anyway, why not keep it?

I didn't want a square, though, I wanted an actual heart. Like place-mat sized. But of a heart. And I like granny squares. They are good, and simple, and much faster than single or double crochet. Granted, with the other two you end up with a complete fabric (no holes), but I don't really mind the holes.

I gathered some yarn. Loops & Threads. Which I do believe is a Michael's stores generic yarn. I cannot say that I am correct in that, but I'm pretty sure it's the case. I picked the "Snuggly Wuggly" which is a baby sport yarn that I had in the drawers of doom I showed you a while back. Got out a hook, and got to working. It took two evenings, with half of my attention, but I ended up with something almost heart-shaped.

Yes, I pinned it to the door to take a picture!! It's a pink colour, very hard to describe, kind of fruity in a way. It's called "Soft Red", though, so I really have no clue.

For size comparison, but also so you can get a better idea of what my plan is. Mwa-ha-ha, oh so close now!

It's a rather simple make, though.  If anyone is interested, I would be more than happy to give instructions, but considering I just kind of guessed as a I went and hoped for the best, there are no notes. No worries, though, I didn't forget what I did, which is more often than not the case!

xoxo, Jess (who is rather fond of how this turned out. she was all ready for disappointment, really)

Night Time Adornmentation

Last night, I got my W-2 form in the mail. However, tax returns will not be accepted until the 1st of February. So, I know what I'm doing Friday!
My plan, dear Internets, was to put allllll of  my tax return (however little it will be) into savings except for just enough to buy a sewing machine.
I've been dreaming for a sewing machine for well over a year now (the plan was to get one Christmas of '11, but that did not happen). The time just hasn't been right, there isn't really anywhere to put it (honestly) but I want it anyway. And I'm going to use it, even if it means I have to put it on my non-useful desk and hope all works out in the end.
I will have my sewing machine, gosh darnit!

I, however, am not sure at all which kind to get, so any suggestions would be lovely! Keep in mind, I would prefer cheap and sturdy, I don't need anything terribly fancy, just be able to stitch things up with a faster speed than hand-stitching!

I also have realized, I talk 'bout crochet every so often to you, dear Internets, yet I haven't shown you my most precious creations.
There's two of them.
And they are used everyday.
They are our bed blankets.

 This one was first. It's a giant granny square, and I think it took a little under two months to complete? Something like that, I can't remember exactly, but it was rather quick. This was also (I'm ashamed to say) my first successful granny square. I liked it, decided I'd continue, and then ended up with a blanket. Good deal, right?

This one took 6 weeks. It's a corner-to-corner afghan. I started it in the car when we went to Seattle in August, and continued with it after the trip was over. And ended up with a blanket. I had to do some adjusting, so I wouldn't end up with a square - because the directions are for a square - but I figured out if you get it to be as wide as you want, you just stop increasing, but don't decrease yet, and you end up with a rectangle. It's hard to explain, but if you know the process, it makes sense!

This is the current state of the blankets. We sleep with them every night - very nice especially since it's been so cold of late!

They're both made out of Red Heart "Soft", which can be a bit expensive, but I tried to buy it either on sale, or using the discount at my work (not a yarn store, sadly enough, but we have a small selection, that carries most of these colours). It's a lovely yarn - very soft and toasty - yet still acrylic, so it can be washed and thrown about and no worry about wear.
They are showing signs of love already, though. The yarn is pilling, and the ends are slowly becoming unwoven, but intact they are.
They get much love and (ab)use around here, and I'm rather fond of them indeed.

xoxo, Jess (who really is far too proud of these simple things) (erm, also, our bed is queen-sized - to get an idea of their size)

Bad Starting Points

Oh dear, Internets, oh dear indeed.
Mentioning the forgotten thread last night made me think about how much yarn I *actually* had. I promptly got up, camera in hand, and took pictures of where it all is.

The term "stash" is used a lot in regards to yarn (and craft supplies of all sorts), but it really is the correct term for me. I have it "stashed" about the house in so many places. It's rather, erm, messy, and scattered. There is some of it I don't even remember what the intended project was!
I try to buy yarn only when I have a project in mind, and tend to stick to that, but hardly ever are these projects finished...let me show you.

The only drawer *not* full of yarn is the red one!!

This is not including the pink and two cream ones in the living room!

Yes, that is some crocheted bits still attached to skein (happens often) and yes it is hiding in with the sheets!

This applies to the picture below.

Ten gallons of yarn, in  theory. And yes, it's in bags, to keep started projects together. Do I know what they are? Probably not!

Top drawer of the dresser I talked about over vacation. Left over bits of the blanket for my soon-to-be-mother-in-law, and a few other ideas that I started on and abandoned.

Yes, this is a duffel bag. And yes it contains two separate blanket projects. One is almost done, even, and yet I haven't touched it in months!

This is in the living room. Top left is the red and black blanket, top right is for the star blanket I don't think I've told you about, and the bottom is for a moose, that I started on Christmas and haven't, also, touched since. I tend to do that!

Bits of the star blanket, and a ripple I started (and sort of fell out of love with) over the summer. This is a reusable shopping tote, and it is packed full, I assure you!

Yes, I think that is all. Of it, I mean, the yarn.
Internets, I have a problem. I am a starter, and not a finisher.
The plan is, some point in the very near future, at least get some sort of system going, other than what made sense at the time (which it still does, just not well).

Dears, what is the best way to organize yarn?!?!

xoxo, Jess (who just can't have enough, apparently!)

Short Things

Dear Internets, today is D's birthday. He claims that he is old, but we know this is not true. Either way, he is a year older now. That's how these things work.

Because of  this, not much time was spent wallowing around at home - as has been the case the rest of the week. The next few days will also be busy - his gun will be in tomorrow, and we will be going up to his parents' house Friday and coming back Saturday. At least this is the information I have been given. Hopefully these things will give me some cool things to show you!

Until then, I have sneak peaks. I am a terrible person, and have started another crochet project. Let's not keep track of how many I have started.
It's something I started, oh two years ago? Something like that? Well, maybe not quite that long...almost, though, that's for sure. And then I got more than  half way, and finished, because I was no longer a fan of the colour.

This time, though, can't go wrong with black.

More information to come shortly.

....and  no, that's not a bad picture (well it is, but let me explain), that's glitter you see.

Again, more information shortly.




xoxo, Jess (who always does this, doesn't she)