Gram Loves Pink Dishcloths

Here's another quick dishcloth:

I found this pattern on Raverly (of course) and it was only $1.  I know that I have been grabbing all the free patterns humanly possible, but I loved the look of this one so I had to buy it.  I love how it is mostly solid with some holes.  It is a really nice pattern to knit too!

Supplies:
Pattern: Grandma Marian's Dishcloth
Yarn: Lily Sugar N' Cream - #18046 Rose Pink
Needles: US 7

Snowboarding Birthday

This card is for my nephew Brad who is turning 12 today.

I was told last year that my cards with colored images were cute but too young for him now.  So I had to get this stamp from Stampin' Up since he just started snowboarding last yeat.  Perfect, I hope!

Supplies:
Stamps: SU Extreme Snowboarding, Papertrey Ink - Banner Builder, Papertrey Ink - Round & Round Anniversary Set 2010 (Sentiment)
Paper: GP White, PTI Kraft, PTI Dark Chocolate, Unknown DP
Ink: PTI Dark Chocolate
Accessories: Cuttlebug, PTI Double-Ended Banner Dies

Dark Harvest - Karen Harper

Summary from Good Reads: Widower Luke Brand is a leader in the peaceful Amish community of Maplecreek. But now his people are under attack from unknown assailants -- and the main target appears to be the children. Although the community is reluctant to turn to the outside world for help, a particularly vicious assault leads Luke to the local police.

Policewoman Kat Lindley is running from the big-city job that nearly got her killed, and from the memories of the abused boy she failed to save. Now she agrees to undertake a dangerous masquerade within the Amish community, desperate to save Maplecreek's children.

Together Luke and Kat are determined to bring justice to the perpetrators, while struggling to suppress the unspoken and forbidden feelings growing between them. But when the case takes a deadly turn, Kat must race to uncover the menace that threatens the people she has grown to deeply respect -- before Luke becomes the next target.

Kat went undercover in Maplecreek to help figure out who was responsible to the recent string of hate crimes against the Amish.  Along the way, she become very close and involved in the Brand family.  They accepted her with open arms all the while knowing that this was a temporary situation.  Her police skills got her into trouble but in the end, it helped to figure it all out.

For some reason, I just could not get into this book.  I don't know if it is due to the weather or because of my new interest in knitting or just because.  It took me over 3 weeks to finish this book.  Every time I sat down to read it, I started to fall asleep.  I was determined this week to finish it.  I must admit, once I had 100 pages to go, it really picked up for me.  I could not put it down and I had to finish it.  I did like the little twist in the end of who did it and who was helping.

I don't think that I will be reading any other books from her in the near future.  Let's just chalk it up to the fact that I read this book at the wrong time.  Her character development was wonderful and her description of the area became very visual to me.  I just could not get into it.  Sorry!

Taupe Purse Scarf

OMG, I totally love the look of this scarf:

Once again, I am using super bulky yarn!  It is actually on sale for 2 for $10 at Michael's until Saturday.  I just love how quickly these scraves knit out.

I finished this scarf on Monday, President's Day, so I had a day to myself with Simba.  He wanted to help too, take a look:

He actually did not mind wearing the scarf and did not want me to take it off.  I don't think that is the best color for him though!  LOL!

Supplies:
Pattern: Purse Scarf
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick - #122 Taupe
Needles: US 17

With Glittery Gratitude

I had fun making some cards on Monday.  I have not done that in a while since I have been so busy making quilts.  Here is another entry for Papertrey Ink's Make It Monday Challenge #3:

I wanted to play with some stamps that have not seen ink yet so this was the final creation.

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Mat Stack 3 Collection, Papertrey Ink - Beautiful Blooms II
Paper: GP White, PTI Raspberry Fizz, PTI Kraft
Ink: PTI Raspberry Fizz, Archival Jet Black
Accessories: Cuttlebug, PTI Mat Stack 3 Die, PTI Double-Ended Banner Dies, 1/4" Scor-Tape, Prisma Glitter

Garter Stitch Dishcloth

I am having so much fun making these dishcloths.  Here is another one:

I really like the pattern in this one.  I think it would make a cool looking scarf too!  Hmmm, I have an idea!  This pattern was super easy to stitch out since you are doing the stitch for the entire row.  I love the texture of this one too!

Supplies:
Pattern: Three Easy Wash Cloths - #3 Garter Stitch
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream - Pink #18046
Needles: US 7

Asleep Bookmark

We had someone new join our neighborhood book club so I needed to make her a bookmark.  Here it is:

I was able to add more details to this one since I was just making one.  I colored the image with copics and was able to participate in the Make It Monday Challenge #3 for Papertrek Ink.  This week's challenge was to add glitter strips using Scor-Tape.

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - All Booked Up
Paper: Gina K Luxury White, PTI Raspberry Fizz, PTI Lavendar Moon
Ink: Momento Black, Archival Jet Black, Copics
Accessories: Cuttlebug, Papertrey Ink - Bookmark Die, Papertrey Ink - Limitless Layers 1-3/4" Circle Collection, SU 1-3/4" Circle Punch, 1/4" Scor-Tape, Prisma Glitter, Homemade Tassel

Box Stitch Dishcloth

Here is another dishcloth:

This is a box stitch pattern.  I am enjoying making these dishcloths so that I can learn new patterns and complete them quickly while making something useful.  This one knitted out quicker and easier now that I am getting used to using cotton yarn.

Supplies:
Pattern: Three Easy Washcloths - Pattern #2 Box Stitch
Yarn: Lily's Sugar N' Cream - #00026 LIght Blue
Needles: US 7

Cozy Blossom Scarf

I promised to make a different scarf and I delivered!  Here it is:

This scarf was fun to make!  Once I got the hang off doing a yarn over and knitting two together, it went super fast.  I just had to loosen up my tension a bit so I could get the large needle under two stitches.  Since you only cast on 10 stitches, this scarf is narrow and long.  I really like the looks of it!

Supplies:
Pattern: Super-Fast, Ultra-Cozy Scarf
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick - # 103 Blossom
Needles: US 17

Ravelry

Have you seen all the projects I have knitted lately?  Remember, I only started knitting in mid-January.  I am really loving and I think that I picked it up super fast.

So you ask, where have I been getting all these great patterns?  I discovered Ravelry!

Ravelry is an on-line knitting and crochetting community.  There are groups to join who share common interests and ideas for using your favorite yarns.  You can also create your own notebooks to show off your projects, collect favorite projects, make your ownn library of books and patterns and inventory your yarn and needle stash.  I have found tons of great patterns there for FREE!  Lots of them are available as PDF files so I can save them directly to my Amazon kindle and have my patterns with me without having to lug around several books.

If you are interested in becoming a member, please be sure to add me as a friend so I can check out your projects too!

Another Squishy Scarf

Here is another squishy scarf I made:

For this one, I did not add fringe so it could be gender neutral.  I also used a larger needle this time to make it fuller and more squishy.  I made this scarf in under 6 hours.  I started it while watching a movie on Friday night and I finished it on our ride to go snowmobiling in New Hampshire (it was 1-1/2 hours each way).

I am going to try another pattern on my next scarf, promise!

Supplies:
Pattern: Squishy Scarf
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick - #402 Wheat
Needle: US 17

My First Knitted Dishcloth

Here is my first knitted dishcloth:

I decided to start making these because they are functional and easy.  I found the yarn, Lily's Sugar N' Cream, on sale at Michael's for 4 for $5 plus 20% off my entire order.  I only paid $1 per skein!  So I went searching through Ravelry, a crocheting and knitting community, for patterns that used this yarn and found lots of fun dishcloths.

Supplies:
Pattern: K-102 Stockinette Stitch Dishcloth with Garter Stitch Border
Yarn: Lily Sugar N' Cream - Light Blue #00026
Needles: US 6

Squishy Scarf

Here's my latest scarf:

This scarf was easy and fun!  This was my first time working with super bulky yarn, it knitted up so fast!  I started it on Saturday morning in between working on a quilt and I finished it Sunday night.  I just used one skein of yarn instead of two as the pattern called for, I thought it was long enough.  I'll be using this pattern again soon!

Supplies:
Pattern: Super Easy Squishy Scarf
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick #131 - Grass
Needles: US 13

Wild With Style Quilt

I made this quilt for a co-worker's 7 year niece's birthday.

Here is a better picture of my helper:

 Isn't he the cutest helper???!!!  Then again, I have a biased opinion!  LOL!

The theme for party is purses, shoes and girly things and they are serving cupcakes.  I thought these embroidery designs, Wild With Style from Embroidery Library, were a perfect match.  I love the bright colors I found in my fabric stash.  For the backing, I used the rest of the bright squares fabric and added a long strip of the yellow on each side.  It looks cool!

Knit and Purl Scarf

I completed my second knitting project on Saturday morning!

Here is a close up so you can see the pattern:



I really like making this one with the pattern to it.  I also finished it by adding some fringe from the leftover yarn.

Supplies:
Pattern: Very Easy Scarf for Beginners
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Encore Colorspun #7990
Needles: US 8

Happy Birthday Christine!

Today is my sister, Christine's, 32nd birthday!

I hope you enjoy your day, even if it is a snowy one!

Supplies:
Stamps: Papertrey Ink - Birthday Bash Sentiments
Paper: PTI Kraft, SU Real Red DP, Unknown DP
Ink: Real Red, Only Orange, Glorious Green, Archival Jet Black, PTI Tea Dye Duo - Camomile
Accessories: Cuttlebug, PTI Spiral Notebook Page Die

Danger in the Shadows - Dee Henderson

Summary from Amazon:  Reclusive author Sara Walsh hides from the public for a reason. As a child, she was kidnapped (with her twin sister, Kim) and locked in a root cellar for nine days. Their father, a diplomat, balked at paying the ransom, and Kim died on the eighth day. Twenty-five years later, one of the kidnappers, who remains frustratingly elusive, regularly torments Sara by sending momentos of their time together. Sara is locked in a gilded cage, and the potential key, retired football player Adam Black, may be too explosive for a life lived in shadow, but he is convinced Sara is the answer to his prayers.

Sara lived in a world with constant security around her.  She was being protected from the kinapper who took her and her twin sister Kim 25 years ago.  This man has been in contact with her and invades her privacy causing  her to relocate frequently.  One day, she meets Adam Black, a handsome retired football player, in an elevator where they get stuck together and alone.  Their lives crossed paths for a reason and things will never be the same.  Sara is selective at revealing the secrets of her past to Adam as she does not want him to get caught up in the troubles of her life.  Thankfully Adam is persistant and slowly moves his way into her life and eventually her heart.

This was a great story that was recommended to me by a friend at work.  It just happened to be a kindle freebie in December so it was worth a try.  I feel in love with the characters immediately and I felt connected to them.  I have already purchased the first book of The O'Malley series by Dee Henderson called The Negotiator.  I am happy that I discovered this Christian fiction author and I am looking forward to reading more from her soon!