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Weekend WIP’s and Pattern Review… Whats on your hook?? Lets chat!!

January 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

It Saturday and I am sooooo excited!~!!!

I am off to buy my yarn to start the Viewer’s Choice Crochet-A-Long… I have the design sketched out and a color scheme decided…  Today I will head to JoAnns… along with my coupons to purchase my yarn…  I will also be grabbing a few other much-needed supplies for my crochet addition!  The closest JoAnns is over an hour away… So it is a big treat to go buy yarn!  We do have a local yarn shop here in my town… So don’t get me wrong… I love to buy yarn there…But for this project, they don’t have the yarn I need at the price I can afford…  I try to make at least 1-2 purchases a month at our LYS…

So, My weekend WIP is getting started with the CAL Afghan!  I will be posting the materials list this week after I get a little more of the design put together…  On Saturday January 18th I will post the first Pattern Segment for our CAL… Each Saturday I will post a segment for a week’s worth of crochet… Each segment will be easy to complete in the time-frame… The following Friday we will have “Show and Tell” over on Facebook… And if you get a little behind,  the pattern will remain posted throughout the whole process. Are you ready???  You can either follow along here or on Ravelry!!

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Now for a little pattern review… This week I worked on two of my own patterns…The little shop I sell in Alpine Originals needed to be restocked and so I had fun working up these two patterns… Amazing Grace Hats and Twisted Stitches Coffee Cozies…  Both of these patterns are available for free in my pattern tab at the top right of this page… It was fun to work on these patterns again… They are easy and quick to work up!!! Let me know if you have made these and what you think!!

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Amazing Grace Hats

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Twisted Stitches Coffee Cozy

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SO…. Get ready for the CAL and tune in for the Materials List this week!!!!  Happy Crocheting!!!

Elena

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Filed Under: Patterns and Projects Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Tuesday Tidbits… Crochet Christmas Countdown!

December 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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The countdown is clicking away!!  Christmas is two weeks from tomorrow...  Are you ready??  Weather you are Professional Crocheter or a Hobbyist, this is the busy season for all of us!!

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Here are a few helpful tips I use to stay on track~

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* Make a list… (And check it twice): It’s not to late to jot  down your ideas and projects you want to finish before Christmas!  Once your list is done,  be realistic!  If you can’t accomplish it all, don’t feel bad~ Just cross off what you can’t finish, maybe write  a card with an IOU…

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* If making multiples of the same project, I like to time myself (Yes, I know its is a little OCD), Then I will know how long it will take to finish the batch!

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* When making larger projects like Afghans and shawls… See how long it takes you to complete a row…  Count how many rows it will take to complete the entire project… Divide the total rows  up by how many days you have to complete your project~ This process will help keep you on track!

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* Stash busting… This time of year I love to use up my yarn stash… It keeps my costs down and makes room for the newest yarns coming out in the new year!

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* Grab all the tools you will be needing over the next couple weeks… Hooks, Scissors, Yarn Needles, Buttons and any other goodies you will need…  Find a container they will all fit in and keep it next to your crochet spot… This way when your done for the evening you can put it all away and it will be waiting for you  the next time you sit down to get to work… No more searching for that silly yarn needle!

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* Keep your yarn organized by color, weight and fiber…  By doing this you will be able to find what you need when you need it!

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Happy Crocheting!  Elena
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Filed Under: Patterns and Projects Tagged With: , , ,

A New Craftroom/Yarn Room…..

November 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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This weekend I decided do a little “Spring Cleaning” on some very chilly days…  When we bought our house 15 years ago we added a small extra room for a bedroom…  After my older children grew up and moved out,,, It became a storage room/junk room… I am sure many of you can relate…

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Fast forward 10+ years later…We kept adding “storage items” and never went back in to get anything out!!!  You can imagine,,, Boxes, toys, clothes, crafts and yes… MICE!  Yesterday I decided to make it into my very own “Craft Room”!  The thought of my very own room,,, used only for Beatrice Ryan Designs… OMG… That would be amazing!!!!

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I wasn’t brave enough to take before pictures…but,,, I did start snapping progress pictures!  Going through the house and garages,,, I scrounged furniture, shelving, cabinets, rugs and anything I could find to make this dream happen… But first came the mounds of what I needed to remove an fixed and water damage restoration company helped me get the right outcome…It seemed like I would never make progress,,, Several garbage bags, a good vacuum and some great music blaring… and within a few hours it started to take shape!  … Here are a few quick pics of what has been accomplished!

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Black Computer Cabinet… Wool Antique Rug and my cat making sure there are no more mice!

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Large Inherited Chest of Drawers,,, Hooks and Needles and a Geisha Fabric Wall Hanging (Fun Project!

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Great Comfy Sofa,,, Needed a little repair on a cushion from the mice…

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Hand-me-down TV Cabinet.. My Acrylic Yarn Collection Stash and a Silver Teapot Collection…

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This is just half of the room done… The other half is still crazy… Lots of yarn to put a way still, and a closet to clean out to put storage drawer in…  I still need to paint… but for now the white walls are great… Just a place of my own and a modge podge design…

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I will post more pics as I make my way around the room…

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Happy Monday!  Elena

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Filed Under: Patterns and Projects Tagged With: , , ,