Changes Are On The Way!

Hey Everyone!

Over the next week or so, I am going to be making changes to the site. It's time for an update and an update it shall have! Since messing with the HTML and all of that can open a window for things to go wonky, I wanted to give you all a heads up. I wouldn't want you to think that I had completely lost my mind if all of the sudden the posts disappeared or something! Fingers crossed for that not happening!

I am hoping that the majority of the update will happen all at once, but I know that I'll probably have to fiddle with some of the little details. It's just how it goes! :D So please bear with me if you see things getting tweaked here and there. I'll let you all know when I'm done and at that point you all can let me know if I missed anything. Again with the finger crossing!

A huge thanks to you all for being wonderful!

Show And Tell # 25 - New Pattern Equals YAY

The deadline approaches for the Birthday Craft-Along, so be sure to get your entries in over on the Crafting With Claudie Ravelry group before the end of this month for a chance to win 2 skeins of Knit Picks Felici in Candy Jar!

FO's

- Kaiya Mei hat by Jamie Hoffman -- I did this pattern as written including needle sizes. For the yarn, I used Red Heart Soft in White and Watercolors.

- KitKat Hat by Andre Sue Knits -- I used Red Heart Soft Watercolors and it pooled/flashed so interestingly! The way the colorway is formed and my tension made most of the body of the hat look like columns! I used the recommended needles, but I cast on 76 stitches.

- Expansion Baby Blanket by Crafting With Claudie -- Yep, that's me! I posted the tutorial/pattern last Monday so check it out for all the details. The pdf version should be on Ravelry in the near future!

WIPs

- Flaming June Cardigan by Cheryl Naimath --  I call this one Freezing January because that's when I started it. :) I am using Knit Picks Hawthorne in Blackbird and Slate and my US 5 3.75mm Chiaogoo interchangeable needles. It's living in my Fat Squirrel Fibers project bag. The stitch marker is from Sucre Sucre Miniatures.

- Still working on the cross-stitch pattern from RHT Embroidery. Platform 9 3/4 needle minder is from Delicious Threads.

Buys

- The Webs Anniversary sale got me! So I bought a 16 inch circular interchangeable Knitter's Pride Nova Platina set. I also had to pick up a skein of James C Brett Marble Chunky in Blue Violet/MC31 because it was on a heavy sale and Mingmow enabled me by showing off a skein she bought, haha! It did cause me to break one of my 2016 Crafty Goals, but I don't feel too bad about it!

- I also got some wonderful candles and smelly good things from Bubble and Geek.

Life

- I did a little work in the kitchen. I had to replace the bazillion year old caulk around the countertop and paint the backsplash and wall something other than the not-so-great color they've been since the previous owners made that (horrible) decision. Lesson -- after buying a house don't wait so long to make updates, haha. :)

- I finally decluttered the guest room. That is the place where things linger for years. So, I got to say goodbye to exciting things like my senior prom dress, picture frames, and curtains. Oh, and a LOT of extra hangers that were in the closet in there.

Media

- I caught up on Supernatural finally.

- The latest seasons of Archer and Bojack Horseman were finished (and enjoyed).

- Currently watching the second season of Salem.

- I forgot to mention that I listened to the Coldest Girl in Coldtown audiobook by Holly Black. I'll talk about that next time.

Expansion - Crochet Baby Blanket

Expansion Baby Blanket

I was inspired by some of those gorgeous and fun knitted miter square blankets out there being made from mini-skeins and scraps. Instead of doing small squares, I decided to just make one big one and break it up with different colors.

The Expansion Baby Blanket starts out small and works its way big giving you the ability to make this blanket any size you want! This pattern is very customizable. You can use whatever yarn you like in whatever color scheme you like. You can even change up the patterned rows!

If you'd rather have a pdf version, feel free to go to Ravelry and download now.

Pattern Notes

- The turning chain counts as a stitch in this pattern.

- If you find your chains are too loose, feel free to only ch 2 for the turning chain and/or increase section {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}.

- I recommend changing colors in the following way:  Start the final dc of the row before you are to change colors as normal. Yarn over, insert hook, yarn over, pull through, yarn over, pull through 2, yarn over with new color, pull through 2. Leaving a 5+ inch tail, cut old color and loosely tie the tails from new and old colors to be woven in later.

- If you want to double check your stitch count, closed rows should equal 4 times the row #.

- In the video tutorial, I refer to the rows as open or closed. Open rows are the ones containing ch 1 instructions. Closed rows are the ones where you dc across in each st and/or in the ch 1 sp.

Final Measurements

36" x 36"

Materials

- Yarn - 1000 yards of Caron Simply Soft [I used 2 ounces/ 100 yards of (Color A) Grey Heather, 7 ounces/ 350 yards of (Color B) White, and 11 ounces/ 550 yards of (Color C) Sunshine]
- H 5.00 mm Crochet Hook
- Measuring Tape
- Scissors
- Tapestry Needle

Gauge

After 6 rows of pattern, 3 1/8" / 8 cm.

Abbreviations

Ch = chain

Dc = double crochet stitch

St = stitch

Sp = space

Instructions

Row 1:  With Color A, ch 4; in 4th ch from hook {1 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; ch 3; turn.

Row 2:  In next st, 1 dc; In ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 3:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 4:  Repeat Row 3.

Row 5:  1 dc in next st; *ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st*; repeat * - * until 1 st from ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; repeat * - * until 1 st from end; dc in last st; ch 3, turn.

Row 6:  1 dc in next st and in each st and ch sp until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st and ch 1 sp; ch 3; turn.

Rows 7 - 9:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 10:  1 dc in next st; *ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st*; repeat * - * until 1 st from ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; repeat * - * until 1 st from end; dc in last st; ch 3, turn.

Row 11:  1 dc in next st and in each st and ch sp until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st and ch 1 sp; ch 3; turn.

Repeat Rows 7 - 11 3 more times. Change to Color B before finalizing last st.

Row 27:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 28:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 29:  1 dc in next st; *ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st*; repeat * - * until 1 st from ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; repeat * - * until 1 st from end; dc in last st; ch 3, turn.

Row 30:  1 dc in next st and in each st and ch sp until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st and ch 1 sp; ch 3; turn.

Rows 31: 1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Repeat Rows 28 - 31 5 more times. Change to Color C before finalizing last st.

Row 52:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Row 53:  1 dc in next st; *ch 1, skip 1, dc in next st*; repeat * - * until 1 st from ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; repeat * - * until 1 st from end; dc in last st; ch 3, turn.

Row 54:  1 dc in next st and in each st and ch sp until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st and ch 1 sp; ch 3; turn.

Row 55:  1 dc in next st and each st until ch 3 sp; in ch 3 sp {2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc}; 1 dc in each st; ch 3; turn.

Repeat Rows 53 - 55 7 more times. [Total 76 rows]

Bind off and weave in ends.

Show And Tell #24 - Projects, Prizes, and Purchases

The Birthday Craft-Along is running through the end of the month so be sure to check that out. Also, let me know about the whole pom pom maker thing. :)  If I forgot to list something, please let me know!!! :D

FO's

- A basic hdc baby hat using scraps. At least I finished something so cute!

WIPs

- Freezing June Cardigan by Cheryl Naimath -- I am using Knit Picks Hawthorne in Blackbird and Slate and my US 5 3.75mm Chiaogoo interchangeable needles. It's living in my Fat Squirrel Fibers project bag.

- The baby blanket I'm making a tutorial/pattern for is almost done! It would have been, but I was crocheting too hardcore and had to take a few days off to let that pulled muscle have a rest. Bodies are weird, yo!

- My Always cross-stitch project got a little work this time. The pattern is by RHT Embroidery.

Buys

- Um...lots of things. :)

- 2 Needle Minders -- a 9 3/4 Harry Potter themed one by Delicious Threads and an Anne of Green Gables book one by Pinoy Stitch. So many <3's!

- I bought a 300 pack of Bulb/Gourd/Calabash safety pins to use as stitch markers. I will be passing some of those along so be on the lookout!

- Knit Picks had a sale and I had to partake! I bought some sweater clasps, Fanciful Folk Art coloring book by Karla Gerard, Clover pom pom makers (and I made a pom pom for Mom's hat), a try-it set for the Caspian needles and some yarn for prizes (including the Felici in Candy Jar to go to one lucky person if we get 15 participants in the Birthday Craft-Along).

Life

We are fixing up our house and oh, the projects! I won a prize from bobwilson123 for the Yarn Ban-Along so I'm really excited about that!

Media

- The latest full season of Archer is on Netflix and I've been watching that. I've had a hard time getting into a new show so I put on a little Battlestar Galactica.

- Board Games!!! Honestly, I have a hard time not buying all of them. Of course, that's not possible, but still...my wish list grows! Now if only I could figure out a way to craft and play games at the same time! :)