Even on vacation...

...I crochet.

Well, maybe not all the time! I'm just back from visiting my son and his fianceé in Florida. I flew down and had no car, so I knew I'd go stir crazy while they were at work. However, if I'm crocheting, I don't notice the time. So, I pinned lots of afghans on Pinterest and told Diana to pick one, and colors for it.

That's 2 weeks of crocheting!
At first glance it looked easy, then I actually read what was said about it. "I don't have the pattern, but it's very pretty." AARGH!!!
I was determined to make it because that's the afghan she wanted and James had already bought the yarn. Luckily, the pictures were good enough that I could enlarge them and count stitches and rows. I'm thinking that this afghan would also be pretty done in shades of pink for February. Eventually, I want to have a different afghan for each month.
It was a lovely vacation for me. I could sit on his porch and crochet.
Except, I like to have more than 1 project going at a time..... So I told Diana to collect plastic bags for a plarn project. She wanted a beach bag.

 She had a few for me. Even with all the different colors, it wasn't enough.

I started it. 7 inches wide. I didn't get far because I was concentrating on finishing the afghan. She's going to ask coworkers for more bags, so I hope that by next year, she'll have enough for me to finish her bag.

 This is a "life hack" someone posted on Facebook:
Fold the bags in fourths length wise.
Place the 2nd one on the first one, up a couple of inches from the bottom.

 Start at the bottom of the first bag, roll up.

 Keep adding bags and rolling.
You can cut the handles off or leave them on if you might have other uses for the bags beside making plarn. If you leave the handles on, alternate which side they'll be in the roll so one side isn't thicker.

 Keep rolling.....

Air is squeezed out as you roll. This is a space saving way to store bags.
That's 2 projects for Diana. What did James get? Besides cooking and clean laundry? Another Pinterest project. Swiffer covers.

 Most of his floors are tile. He uses lots of disposable covers. These crocheted covers are washable and reusable.

 After I had made a rectangle to cover the bottom, I made end pockets to hold the ends on. His swiffer has an extra long base.

Finished, with ties near the middle so it stays in place during use.
So, I had a relaxing (and productive vacation). I got to enjoy James and Diana's company and some Florida warmth. Now I'm back in the cold and it's time to go back to working on my capelet.

More Future Heirlooms

 

This was a high school prom dress. I made lace trim for several dresses back then, when I had lots of time. I doubt any granddaughters would want to wear the dress, but maybe one of them might want the trim for something else.

Here's a close up to show the glass beads in center of each flower.

This is the v-stitch skirt and vest. The skirt was lined and I had a blouse made of the same material.

Vests/bolero jackets were popular in the early 70s, so I made several.

I had a red slip/lining for this dress.

This was another prom dress. One of my daughters decided to be a princess for Halloween. She wanted to wear this dress, so it already has had some extra wear. I joked that it fitted her better at 11 than it fitted me at 17.

One spring, I made these hooded capes for my daughters. They were sad when they outgrew their capes.
These are just some of the projects made between 1970 and 1990. I think they still look new and could have more years of wear left in them for someone to enjoy.

V-Stitch and Shell Stitch

I like the v-stitch. It's like monogramming my work!

 This is a skirt I wore in high school. (It was lined.) It's worked from the waist, down, so the v's are up side down.

Close up, easier to see. There's an increase center left. Quite easy to make:  First row; in the same stitch work 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc. Sk next stitch, in next stitch work 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc. Repeat. Sometimes there'll be 1 or 2 chains between each v. They can also be made using trc instead of dc.

The middle of this afghan is v-stitches.

2nd and following rows: in space of v-stitch of row below, work 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc. (V-stitch over v-stitch made). The pattern will say how many chain stitches to make between. 

One way to increase is to work more chain stitches between. Another way to increase is to work in each stitch (or space): 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc. This is pictured in my skirt.

This is my capelet, in progress. It needs at least 7 more inches! It has shells around the pineapples. Shells are very much like v-stitches. These are made: in same space work: 2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc. Some are made: in same space work: 3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc. The pattern will say how many dc and ch to use.

This is a close up of one of my (set of 12) square pineapple doilies. The shells are 3 trc, ch 3, 3 trc. You can also see an increase.
Granny squares also have shells in the corners.

So, now you know v-stitch and shell stitch, 2 easy stitches which are basic to many beautiful patterns.

Pinterest / Fingerless Gloves

I seem to have trouble finishing projects. There are just too many items I want to make. Free pattern sites and patterns on wrappers are bad enough. Then, my daughters got me on Pinterest!
My older girl has been after me for 2 years to make a pair of fingerless gloves for her. That concept seems a little silly to me. If it's cold enough to need gloves, my fingers will get really cold if they're not covered too. So, let's call them wrist warmers. I've been finding so many cute pattern on Pinterest and pinning them to my "crocheting" board. I would say, "This is an easy one. You could make it!" Sadly, she never just sits and crochets the way I do.....
So, I took several different colors with me to her place so she'd have a choice. Then I made her a pair of wrist warmers in one evening.

Now, we know patterns are just suggestions.....
This pattern called for front post dc and back post dc for the ribbing. I don't like those stitches because they seem slower to make. So, instead of going around 30 stitches for the cuff, I chained 11 and worked sc across 10 stitches (ch 1 for turning) for 29 rows.

 After I've worked 1 row, I want rid of that messy looking tail.

I hold it over the row to be worked...

 And work the pattern stitches over it. These are sc.

Continue working over it until...

It is completely covered. 1 row down, 28 to go...

Now an edging row across the bottom.... Ch 1, work 1 sc in the side of each row across. At least that's what comes out even for me using size I hook and worsted weight yarn.

Close up of beginning of edging row.

At the end, fold it right sides together and work sl st across to join, ch 1 and work a row of sc edging along other side.

 The pattern I used for Jenn's gloves has 5 dc groups around. Well, I like pineapples. So, using my Afghan pattern again, I worked a pineapple across one side...

 And loops of ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, and chain 5 across the other side.

 The ch 2 loops start at the wrist. By the time I had increased to ch 5 spaces, I was to my thumb and the spaces were big enough for my thumb and fingers.

They go very well with my pineapple scarf.

Modesty Panel

My daughter and I went shopping. I found a lovely teal blouse. It was way too low in the front. She said to just wear a shell under it. The layered look is OK, but it gets too hot.
A few days ago I saw a pattern for a crocheted modesty panel. (Just what I need, a new project, right?) I had pinned the pattern to my Pinterest crocheting board. When I got home, I looked at it and decided it's pretty, but I think I'd like it better in pineapples.

 I started it the same way I started my shawl (which is based on an afghan pattern. Patterns are suggestions, right?)

 Increases are worked on the sides to add pineapples evenly.

It took just under 2 hours to make. Now I can wear this shirt without blushing or overheating!

Plarn Cushion

This is a 13 gallon trash bag, almost full of handles and ends cut off the plastic grocery bags to make plarn. This is from 2 months of trimming. I could take this to the recycling center, or I could find a use for them.

I think they'd make lovely stuffing for a cushion. The bleachers at my nephews' ball games and swim meets are hard and dirty. A plarn cushion should be easy to clean, so I'm going to make one.

I'm thinking of making it much like a bag. A 3 inch thick cushion should be soft enough. Since my base chain usually shortens as I work it, I'll start with a 4 inch chain.

It didn't shrink as much as I expected! Oh well, it'll just be softer to sit on! I'm using dc stitches, since I'm not worried that the contents might slip through holes, which is why I use sc for shoulder bags. I measured the seat of a chair that is comfortable for me. A 16 inch square would cover that seat, so that's the size I'll make the cushion.

The dc goes much faster than sc. Its about 2 rows to an inch, and 4 stitches to an inch.

 It took 34 rows to get 16 inches. I used safety pins to mark the corners, with 2 pins to mark the beginning of the rounds.

 Working across the ends of the rows, dc evenly across to the next corner. For me, using an H hook, that means 2 dc in the side of each row. 2 dc in the side of 34 rows equals 68 stitches on the long sides. 68 times 2 = 136 stitches. 2 ends of 16 stitches is 32 more stitches, for a total of 168 stitches in each round. I'll need 34 rounds to make 16 inches. This is going to take some time to make!!

After the corner, work 1 dc in each stitch of row below. Continue working evenly to the start of the round.

Join with a slip stitch. Now, I could chain 3, turn and work 1 dc in each stitch around. Repeat until it was the size I want.

Instead, I'll join with a slip stitch...

Sc in the next stitch...

 Hdc in the next stitch...

Dc in the next stitch. Then dc in the next stitch around. No more joining rounds, just keep working dc in next stitch until it's the right size... 

This will take some time...

I've finished round 2, and worked a dc in the joining sl st, a dc in the sc, a dc in the hdc, and started to dc in each dc around. Only 32 more rounds to go.......

Then, I'll make a closing flap by working dc in rows over the 68 dc of the first long side, probably will need 8 rows.....

Stuff the cushion.......

Option 1:  sl st along short side of flap to corner, with sl st join flap to edges of 3 remaining sides. For a handle, work 10 dc around posts of dc of a short edge. Work dc in rows until handle/strap is desired length. Sl st to cushion. Fasten off and work in ends.

Option 2: after finishing flap, finish off. Fasten a contrasting color of plarn at corner of cushion. Using sc, fasten flap to 3 open edges of cushion. Work sc around all corners of cushion. Your handle can be either same or contrasting color.

Pictures will be added as I find time to finish this project, but now, I really must get back to work on my capelet.......