The Kalevala CAL

20 Wednesday Sep 2017

Tags

CAL, Crochet Along 2017, Crochet Blankets, Kalevala CAL

As mentioned 2 posts ago, I had joined in with the Kalevala CAL . Although I made my 1st square 2 weeks ago, progress on this CAL has been quite slow for me. They’re already out with their 8th Square and I’m still working on the 3rd 🙂

I found this to be a challenging project and the construction of the squares that I have worked on so far has been quite tricky. The first square was relatively easy, the second one was a little intricate and the 3rd one seems to be easy in the beginning but reading the later rounds have got me looking pretty closely at the pictures to figure out what needs to be done.

The Second Square – Bluebill’s Nest (when it was a WIP)

The First Square (Ilmatar), the Second Square (Blue Bill’s Nest) and the beginnings of the Third Square (Birth of the World)

And I’m using mercerized cotton for this project.. I’ve only ever used mercerized cotton for doilies and mandalas. So this is a first for me to use this yarn for a blanket. This might end up being a light-weight one, I suppose.

The pictures of the completed blankets on their blog looks really pretty too. And there’s one in greys with a splash of pink that reminded me of my Moogly CAL blanket last year 🙂

Are any of you doing this?

Good Morning!

17 Sunday Sep 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 2 Comments

“Good Friends, Good books and Lots of Crochet – this is the ideal life!!”

A Beautiful Morning to you all!!

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A bunch of Mandalas and Some New CALs

11 Monday Sep 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

CAL, Crochet Mandalas, Mandalas

Phew! So glad to have gotten this over with! And I don’t think I’d like to see another mandala for a long, long time (Easier said than done, isn’t it??).

All 10 mandalas are now hooped and bagged up for my daughter to take to school tomorrow. She has a thematic assembly and these will be gifted to her teachers then.

Now I can peacefully get back to all the WIPs that’s been calling out to me! And I’ve also set my eyes on quite a few CALs that’s been takin’ over the Crochet Groups on FB and some being talked about . And they all seem to be SO VERY interesting!

Here are a few I’ve compiled that I’m dreadfully in love with and hoping to be able to join in:

The KALEVALA CAL

Took me a little while to notice the blanket in the below picture! 😉 And I did manage to complete the First Square (Imaltar). Will post it later.

2. Spirit of Life Wrap CAL (Yet to Begin)

3. Mayan CAL (Yet to Begin)

4. Amanzi Block Throw (Not entirely sure if this is a CAL, though)

4. Seize The Daisies CAL (Yet to Begin)

5. 12 Weeks of Christmas CAL (Yet to Begin)

Wouldn’t it be great if I could make them ALL!!!

A New WIP

03 Saturday Jun 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

WIP

I’ve got a new WIP going.. And yes, this kit was also a part of my yarn stash.. And I have a very long way to go with this one!

Just completed one motif and I’m pretty sure many of you already know which pattern this belongs to 😉

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Finished Project – “Fiesta Afghan”

27 Saturday May 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Crochet Afghans, Crochet Throws, Fiesta Afghan

Hello Lovely readers!

Another project is now off my hook 🙂 ! Very pleased with how they are all turning out to be.

This project is the “Fiesta Afghan” found in the April 2016 issue of I Like Crochet magazine. The colors were selected by my 12 yr old although I couldn’t help thinking they looked a little flag-like : the Ghana flag has these similar colors 🙂

But I like it, just the way it is!

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So, now that I’m slowly and steadily finishing off my yarn stash, the better half (very kindly) took me to the yarn shop to see if the grey shades of yarn needed for my Moroccan Afghan were back in stock. And they were!!!

I shall be posting a completed picture of it, soon enough 🙂

Wishing you all a lovely week ahead!

Finished Project – “The Mini Rings of Change” Baby Blanket

13 Saturday May 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

Crochet Baby Blanket, Mini Rings of Change, Mini Rings of Change Baby Blanket

Finally completed another baby blanket!

Mini Rings of Change 5 Mini Rings of Change 1 Mini Rings of Change 4

Pattern is by Frank O’ Randle called the The Mini Rings of Change and this was one I had included in one of my earlier posts about some cool Mandalas that had really taken my fancy.

My Finished Objects are taking a lot longer to get off my hook than I would have liked. Seriously wishing I could treat myself to some new yarns just for a little bit of motivation 😦

Now on to the next project…

Finished Project – The Virus Blanket

15 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Crochet Baby Blankets, Crochet Virus Blanket, Virus Blanket

My blog has been awfully quiet these past couple of weeks. It was a little on purpose because I didn’t want the added stress of writing up a post when I have been, quite madly, trying to finish off my yarn stash if I am to have any hope of bringing in more 🙂

The better half has put his foot down on this and I had no choice but to meekly accept his decision. So I’ve been trying to get everything sorted out and make Finished Objects out of them all.

One of the finished project is the Virus Blanket I made. Its baby-size because that’s the only amount of yarn I had in the stash. I used the Ice-Yarn Magic Baby brand and its one of the 2 varieties of the most softest yarns I own. I can’t get over how squishy and marshmallow-y it feels and I had been holding on to it for God-knows-what.

This pattern was decided on in a rush. I’m not entirely sure if I did the yarn justice by turning it into something so simple, but I love how its turned out. The pattern basically consists of a repetition of 4 rows and once you memorize it, then its a breeze. This was completed on my car-rides to work and back.

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I have one more variety of this brand left and I’ve begun working on something a little more intricate with it which might take another week to finish.

Sadly, I still haven’t been able to get back to my Moroccan Tile Afghan. All suggestions and requests of going to the yarn-shop to take a peek on whether they have re-stocked has been falling on deaf ears and I dare not push it any further. So my pretty little WIP has ended up with the Sophie WIP in her basket.

Since I have been on a race to finish off my yarns, I’ll be back soon with more of my completed projects. Have a lovely week, all!

Crocheted Rugs

04 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Crochet Rugs, Mandala Rug

My Moroccan Tile Afghan is on hold because I ran out of the dark grey shades of yarn in between rounds. A visit to my local yarn store also proved unfruitful because they didn’t have stock. So while I have been waiting for them to re-stock, I finished crocheting 2 rugs yesterday. Took me 2 days for each. Its the first time I’ve made rugs and they are actually just thicker versions of a mandala or a doily.

I had some Ice Yarns (Magic Bulky) lying about and I thought I might as well use them to make rugs and finish them off so I can have more space in my yarn cupboard. I always had a thing about making rugs because I don’t want anyone stepping on them. I don’t think I’d mind it much if it just lay in a remote corner looking pretty. Or maybe on a large table like a center-piece. But this is too thick for that.

The pattern I used is the popular Mandala Rug.

The cream portion of my rug is 2 strands of worsted weight yarn also by Ice Yarns (Favorite).

Although the brown one came out flat, the pink/peachy one is a bit ruffled at the edges. I don’t know how that happened. I am thinking it could be because I used the Bulky yarn for the center portion of this rug.

I still love them, though!

I have seen some oval-shaped rugs that I’ve fallen in love with too and I will be making those. Will put up pictures once done. Take a look at these beauties while we’re on the subject of rugs :

Have a great weekend, all!

A New WIP – The Moroccan Tile Afghan

08 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Crochet Afghan, Crochet Throws, Moroccan Tile Afghan

I had been curbing my desire to start a larger project and I was able to keep it at bay until last week. I finally had to give in to the urge and so, began work on a new throw – The Moroccan Tile Afghan by Tamara Kelly. I seriously love the color combinations she’s got going with hers!

I’m doing mine with a color change on every other row, though. So there’s gonna be hundreds of yarn ends to weave-in! But I’m being a little diligent and weaving them in once I complete 1 set of colors (9 colors in a patch).

Since this throw has already crossed the “scarf” stage, it is most definitely going to be a completed project soon enough 🙂 .

Taking it with me on my car rides to work. This is SO not a suitable car project!

Now, if only I could be tempted to complete Sophie! I think I’m gonna take her out today and see if I can add on a few more rows.

Hoping to post an update soon!

“Owl” See You At School Bag

01 Wednesday Feb 2017

Posted by Bessie V in Crochet, Project Small and Cute

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Crochet Bags, Owl See You At School Bag

I’ve made my 3 year old his very first school bag for preschool. A small and cute little pattern that I got from the August 2016 edition of “I Like Crochet” Magazine.

He loves it already and keeps showing it off to his sister all the while saying “MY bag”. To which she replies “NO! Its mine” just to provoke him, and then a scuffle ensues. Its fun watching them fight!

This is how it turned out (a little different with the embellishments although I think I need to re-do the beak and make it a little bigger) –

But I’d be happier if I could sew a lining for this. Learning to sew is currently on the top of my list when I go down to India for my annual holidays later this year. Mum said she’d be happy to show me some basics. On the scary machine!

One positive : I learned a new stitch with this pattern – The Crocodile Stitch. Something I had been planning on learning and now I have (with help from Tamara Kelly’s video tutorial.)

I’m also contemplating an Owl Beanie to complete the look. Gotta see how that turns out.