Designing a blanket, or trying to.

I love how creative God has made me. My mom helped too. My mother always let me make a mess, Every.Where. She let me cut things up, glue things. As I got older she let me cut up scraps or fabric, I remember cutting up socks that had holes in them and I made bears and rabbits from them. She let me create without putting guidelines or rules in the way. I was free to explore without limits. I thank her for becoming the woman I am today.

When I see something I think of the possibilities, I wonder if I just do this or that what will happen? That is the freedom my mother gave me and I thank her in my heart everyday. I blame her for my love to create.

Here is the blanket I am trying to figure out. I recently fell in love with the Corner to Corner crochet. So here I am trying to take that love for the corner to corner and make it into an intriquet exciting pattern. So here is the beginning, It will take many evolutions I am sure. What do you think? Are you create because of freedom, or do you prefer structure to create in?

So, those who come to my little blog. What do you come for? Do you just want to see my crochet goodness? Do you want to know about my real life? Do you want the answers to life, the universe and everything?

I read articles about blogging, and how to be a success and not an annoyance and they all conterdict! Some say stick to the topic.... if your a cooking blog talk about only cooking.... a crochet blog about only crochet. Others suggest to create a community and friendship with the readers you need to share about your life, talk about cooking, but also about family and love and raising chickens. Crochet and yarn and animals and family. I dont know.

 I wish I had the right answer....

So I guess let me tell you about all the answers I don't have.  I don't know what time my baby will get up from her nap. Shes been down for just over 3 hours and I love it. Its a tender mercy. You see today I started homeschooling my kindergartener, and since his older brothers were sick I had them in on the adventure too.

I don't know what all this testing will lead to. Remember that kindergartener I mentioned, hes struggling. Has been for awhile. We have done everything I can think of. Hes been in speech for 3 years. I thought things would be improving. But now I think things might be more complex then we had originaly thought. So I took him to a psychologist. It has been 6 months, 6 long months of testing. Endless days of just trying to stay afloat while we wait for answers. I feel helpless as a mom. But Wednesday we get answers, Finally! It would have been impossible to get this far without amazing friends.


I do know that I have a divine father who loves me. a divine father who looks out for me. I do know that all will be well even if the steps to the top are steep I know I have someone by my side climbing and helping me as I struggle.

I do know that crocheting gives me comfort and purpose when so much of my life is in a jumble. I love learning new techniques in crochet. I love just sitting and watching a silly show and crocheting something. Here are my latest additions to my repertoire.

So in short, the answer is 42. (If you get that reference I will give you a free pattern of your choice!)

I am not a good blogger!

One of my many goals as I try to take over the world with yarn.... Insert evil laugh here. One of my goals is to be a good blogger, blog something interesting and enlightening twice a week. See the first problem? Its the something interesting and enlightening!!! Sure I love crochet. I love yarn I even love my crazy crochet hooks. But do you as the reader really want to read all about my latest trip to the yarn store? Do you want to know that I love the new Red Heart Unforgettable yarn but I have no idea what to do with it? You see I love the colors and the way it varigates, but its so little I feel like it would take forever to make something out of.

Dilemma 2 as I try to blog better: I apparently am not as technologically savey as I thought I was. You see I worked on a couple of posts and set them on a timer. Yeah, Victory I thought, now I am a step ahead I thought. Now I can focus on crocheting and writing patterns. I was wrong. Apparently I did something wrong. I don't know, I set the timer, I double checked.... But it never posted! Dang it! I am not good at this. But I will persevere.

I'm trying to be better, because all the articles say so.

Pattern making

I love coming up with new ideas, working and reworking (well ok maybe not my favorite part especially when I have to keep tearing out because its not quite right..). Writting, editing and then finally testing before I upload it to my shop. Maybe I'm a little crazy about pattern making, maybe its because I'm trying to get this corner to corner just right. I've been working on this corner to corner blanket for my mom and have spent a lot of time with graph paper coloring pencils and scissors. My kids love it since we all sit at the table together and do "art". I have had the hardest time with this pattern!

It seems like things aren't lining up just right or the colors are off. Its been a little frustrating but I'm determined to persevere and make an amazing blanket... I hope!

Here's the beginning of the pattern:

I wanted it to look patriotic, but then I thought it looked a little too confederate flag-ish.



So I looked for a different color scheme... but then I didnt like how the pattern worked out...



So here I am looking for just the perfect colors to get things just perfect.

Slanted Strip hat

I love looking at things in new ways.... Ok sometimes its really that I screwed up on something else so I altered it to be something new! Either way, heres a really fun hat I made!






The pattern is up in my shop today!
https://www.etsy.com/listing/218532908/pattern-slouchy-slanting-striped-crochet?

Evolution of design

I'm in Love
I'm in love
I'm in love with a beautiful dress!


And the oh so many like dresses I have made for my tiny human. I've been working on this pattern for almost 2 years, since just before my baby girl was born. You see I have 3 very rough, very dirty, very loud boys. And then, then I got my tiny girl. I was excited to have another baby, and planned on it being a boy, a rough and tumble tiny version of the brothers. I loved the idea of staying in my comfort zone.

A girl, a girl is so far out of my comfort zone. Girls are pink and sweet. My tiny girl is kind and gentle and loving. She doesn't scream and throw mud. Ok well she did that one time (that one time called summer). But a girl needs dresses. I was one happy mommy to oblige. I started making these crochet yokes and using clothes that didn't fit me since having 4 kids, or thrift store finds. This is what I came up with and I have to tell you Im in love! It works up relatively easy and looks awesome on!

Now that I have the scallop neck one up I am working on this sweet one with vintage 50's feel and a cute peter pan collar. Oh I love having a sweet baby girl to try things on.