Granny Square-O-Rama!!!

Granny Squares are an easy crochet pattern for anyone with some yarn and a hook. I like them because I can knock them out in hardly any time and use whatever color scheme I want. I can keep email all the same, or change them up. I can make them as small or as big as I want. I can put them in any pattern I want, it's all up to me. The granny stitch is pretty versatile on its own. You don't have to keep it square. Make as many corners as you can, or keep it round. Use different yarns for different textures, just as any other stitch.
The squares I've got here, are for a blanket I'm making for our bed. It's going to be very vivid and bright and awesome.
I've been using Schachenmayr Original Bravo yarn for this project. The same yarn I use  to make the perfect triangle scarf I posted about before. Same colors too! I love this yarn so much. It's an acrylic DK weight yarn made in bright colors. I order this yarn from Craftsy. It's usually on sale, and I can get it a decent price. They've listed other yarns made by Schachenmayr also.
To make these granny squares, I've been using a size D/3 hook. I really like the stitch tightness with this yarn and hook together. Smaller hook doesn't work out, and neither does a bigger hook. So I suggest using a D Hook with this yarn.
Well, I hope this inspires someone to hook up a neat granny square blanket, top or pillow or something.
Until next time,
Tonya@Woollyghoulie

New Crochet Book For Me!!!!

Hi folks!
  I received this awesome little gem in the mail about two weeks ago. It's called Mollie Makes Crochet 20+ cute projects for the home plus handy tips and tricks. It's a part of the Mollie Makes line. There are tons of different project books, for different types of crafting. There's a magazine out, mainly in England, I think. I would subscribe, but it's quite expensive being in the good ol' U.S. of A.

I read this book and browsed through the patterns. There are PLENTY of crochet patterns. There's over twenty things for the home to crochet. There's tons of info for the beginner crocheter and even the novice. I've been crocheting since I was a little girl, and this book told me a few thangs!!! There's a bunch of tips and ideas. This book is jammed full of visuals like charts and how to read them and projects that have been captured in a beautiful light. This is a book for the thrifty crocheter and the Hooker that wants a few thrifty looking items in their home to give it more of a comfy feel. I love this book. 

I got it from Amazon, and it was cheaper than the original listed price on the book. It's brand new, no missing pages or food stuck to it, so that's a big plus! 

Some of the patterns have me so excited!! Here's one I can't wait to get started on! 

 Three Russian Dolls!! I love it!! I also love the little stories it gives you do each pattern. Kind of an idea where they creator got the idea. It's inspiring to read about other people coming up with these awesome patterns, and how they did it. 

So I give this book 5 Stars!!! I'd give it more, but Amazon won't let me. This is my new favorite book. I have a bunch of other crochet books I'll share with you at another time. But I highly recommend this book!!!! I might try to get my niece a copy for her birthday. She loves to crochet, but I think she likes videos. We'll see. 

Until next time,

Tonya@Woollyghoulie

Blankets and Gardening.

Up until a couple days ago, I was crocheting my fingers to the bone! I made my step dad a blanket for his birthday. It was a simple blanket, but it took me an entire week to crochet, at a non stop pace. My hands were so sore, I almost stopped. But, I did finish it, it turned out great, I completely forgot to get pictures of it, but maybe my mom will send me some once they get their camper completed and put the blanket in there. It's a NYJets themed camper, so I made the blanket with that in mind. I do have a small peak at the stitch I used throughout the whole thing.. here, take  look see.

This is actually the backside of it. Ha! I'm sorry, folks. I just took a quick picture to show my mom. Once you look at it from the right side, the white doesn't show so much. I used a mixture of the spike stitch and granny stitch. It will be a VERY warm blanket. But what are blankets for? 

I'm working on my mother's blanket still.. the mixed stitch one from before Christmas. It is taking so long, because  I have had to put it aside to get other things done. And it's going to be huge. She will get it. One day. I promise! 

I have been making some granny squares on the side, for another blanket I'm working on. But it's just when I'm taking breaks from my other projects. 

Aside from crocheting, I did get some seeds started yesterday! Zinnias!!! Giant Zinnias!!!! I'm really excited to see what they're going to be like in the garden this year. I'm going to have plenty of flowers, some veggies and some shrubbery planted this year. We need to get our yard looking like a yard instead of a mud hole. We will be fencing in the back half of the yard for the dog, and I'll have some plants back there, but not too much. Don't want him to shred everything up. 

I have some things I've got to work on, projects to finish, stuff I want to start on, but it's just going to make some time. I hope you all have been doing great, enjoying the warm weather, if you're getting any, and if not, I'm sorry. 

Have a great day!!! 

Until next time,

Tonya @Woollyghoulie

Dream Catchers and Tea.

A few months ago I happened upon a picture of a dream catcher. It was made with a doiley and some ribbons and trimmings. I immediately felt like I had to make one. It was going to happen. I just needed to figure it out. So here's what I did. I spent a few weeks searching for a doiley pattern I couldn't live without... didn't find one. So I decided it wasn't going to be made with a doiley. I was going to make it with something else. Like a motif for a sweater or something. I couldn't find one. Then it hit me. I'm going to be crocheting over glass ornaments for the craft show. I found a pattern I kinda liked and wanted to spring off of in my Crochet Today magazine for Nov/Dec. 2013. Tromme Balls I think.very pretty and simple. So I took that pattern, made just the bottom part a LOT bigger using cotton twine. I crocheted around a clothes hanger I formed into a circle and attached the ornament pattern to that. It looks really cool just like that. But I needed to add pretty things to make it complete. I used twine I got from Family Dollar and its beige. So I wanted to keep it kinda vintage looking. Well, I have this huge bag full of old zippers and hem tape and lace and trimmings. Just a bunch of old stuff. And by old I mean from '68-'89. So I cut that stuff into various lengths, added some beads and buttons to the mix and tied it all to the part of the circle that I twisted together. It hides the lumps very nicely. Here's what I need up with.

I hung it up in the kitchen window to get a picture with light, but ridding turn out too well.  Either way, you get the idea. I LOVE my dream catcher. I'm making smaller ones now, different center. I'm aiming to sell them. I'll post them on etsy after Christmas... probably. Any questions, just ask!!!! 

Until next time,

Tonya @WoollyGhoulie