I finished my second beanie

Front View

Off Side View

Two day ago, I finished my second beanie. I was not thrilled with the pattern. Now, I now that I should not complain, but I am just speaking the truth.

First, I do not think I liked the pattern. Reading it, it was easy, but I do not know why we chained two at the beginning of each row. Why not chain three and call it a double crochet? I do not know, maybe that is what she liked.

Rear view

Side View

Second, it was very small. The woman who created the beanie pattern must have a small head. I assumed that it would be an adult side beanie. Everyone in the family has a big head, so I thought the boys would be able to fit the beanie. I tried to put it on and it looked like a yamaka. I know that I have a big head, but it should not look like a yamaka. I mean, It Really did. I am jut happy that it fit the doll's head for the pictures.

Lastly, it looked a little generic. I do know that is the point of the this pattern. It is a generic beanie so that you can customize it with different colors, add an embellishment, but, this is even plain for a monk or a nun.

I can say some nice things about it. It is very soft. It uses double crochet so that it is more flexable compared to the first one. Who know, maybe with a little tweaking, I will end up loving this pattern. 

Oh, I also finished two of the scraves that I am making for my nieces. I posted them on Tumblr,, so head over there to see them. 

My First Beanie

Every year, Granny takes her time and makes a matching hat and a scarf for everyone. I wanted to give it a try. I personally hat working in the rounds. I hate making circle. It always comes out lopsided so I give it up. This time I kept at it. I finished.

I made an adult size beanie. I completed most of it at work. I just had two rounds to do when I got home last night.  The stitches are very close together, and makes the hat very stiff. Well, I know it is mainly from using single crochet, and a size G hook. I like it though. I think my nephew will like it too.

Starting it was a pain in my you know what. It is black yarn and it was very hard to see the stitches until I was bout five rounds out. OH, and the phone rang at work in the middle of every out. lol. I learned a trick: Write down the number of stitched before answering the phone. That really helps.

I took the pictures using my wig head. It only cost $5.99. Now, I need to find a just my size Barbie, and a doll about the size of an infant. If anyone finds one at a garage sale, please pick it up, I'll pay you back.

Well, I am off to experiment with another hat pattern. TTYL

Front View of the Beanie

Side view of the beanie

Making My First Beanie

I have been putting a lot of effort into finding things for my nieces. Cute skirts, shawls, toys, scarves. I mean there are tons of thing out there for girls. I am really starting to feel bad for my nephews. I am not finding anything that I would like to make for them. So, I thought I would practice making beanies.

I figured, if I could master the beanie, which I am horrible with. I just cannot work in the rounds. I could crochet boy things to it. I am not sure what, but I will figure it out. Plus, they do not have hair, and their head will be cold in the winter.

Today, I am going to attempt making a beanie at work. It is only 31 rounds and should not take me very long. I hope not at least. I am using this pattern from Crochet Spot.

I hope to have pictures up this evening using my wig head. Wish me luck.

I am a total Slacker.

Jonathan's Completed Blanket.

Way back in May 2011, I finished Jonathan's afghan, and I promise to post the finished size. Well, did I? NNNNOOOOOO. But I am now, doesn't that count?

This blanket was so freaking big and heavy. It is, however, light enough to sleep in. It covers my queen size bed and some. I recall taking an hour to go complete one row. That is, of course, at the widest part of the blanket. It does not help that the blanket is entirely single crochet. What was I thinking? But it did come out beautiful. He seems to love it. I gave it to him early. MERRY CHRISTMAS--in Spring.

Doesn't it look pretty

I loved how I completed the border. It is very simple. Two rows of the variegated color, three rows of the solid colors, two rows of the variegated color, and two rows of the solid blue color. All single crochet. It really makes it pop.

Another angle of the border.

Now for the drum roll please. What is the completed size of Jonathan's blanket? 88" by 71". Now that is a big blanket. He can curl up in it, or decorate his bed with it. I cannot wait to get more blankets completed. I just cannot wait.

I got ditched last night, but have the best Garden Burger Ever!!!!

Last night I was suppose to take my nephew and niece out to dinner, but life happens, and I got ditched. :(

I was really sad, I just wanted to be a world's best Auntie and take them out to dinner. Is that so wrong? Well, my partner in crime said, "Let's go out to Palm Springs and watch the second half of the All-Star Game." I did not really want to go. He convinced me by saying the dry air would help my allergies, and after the game we could sit in the mineral water. Soaking in warm mineral water, relaxing. I am in. It would be better than sitting at home all depressed because I got "stood up." (For those who care, National League won).

He gave me the directions to a restaurant called, Burgers & Beer. It is located in Rancho Mirage, right off the 10 freeway. I got there about ten minutes early so I asked my partner in crime, "Where is a Joann's?" His response was comical!! He said, "Oh no, we did not come out here for you to go to Joann's. You could go to Joann's back home. We are coming out here to watch a game an relax. I am not going to find a Joann's and walk through it."

Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways. I parked my car off to the side of Burgers & Beer. I walked to the front door, and what do I see, JO-ANN'S. It is located at the other end of the strip mall. I tell him I am going into the store. I have to explain to him that each store will carry different products. Different items are on clearance at each store, I just want to look. I promised to leave the moment he pulled into the parking lot.

I head directly to the yarn section. I find what is on sale Vickie Howell Stitch. Rock. Love. SHEEP(ISH), $2.99 a skein. I have to get it. But guess what happens? My partner in crime is there. I had to walk back to the restaurant.

I walk back to Burgers & Beer, it was nice. It was dimly lit, the staff was friendly, the the menu was reasonable priced. There were T.V. screens every where. The restaurant was full, you would never guess that we were in a recession. I thought, "This is a place that I could come back too."

We sat in the bar, and order a Patron margarita each. I was very surprise, I really got two for the price of one. They came out with the glass full with ice, and on the side there was a "shaker" with the margarita. The bar tender pour the margarita in our glasses, and there was enough for another margarita. All for the very low price of $8.25 each. WOW!!!

I think I could make a few beanies for boys with these colors

These are awesome colors.

After we order the food, I walked back to Joann's and got ten skeins of yarn. I just could not help myself. I really could not. I want to make a hat from it. I also got colors that boys could wear, with a few girlie colors.

I finished paying, and by the time I got back, our food was there. OMGosh, it was the best garden burger I have every had. As a vegetarian, I have had my fair share of "garden" burgers. Most restaurants, stick in in the microwave for a few minutes to warm it up. It gets all dry, some are even down right nasty. Most do not even have a flavor. You have to add something to it. Not this one. It was moist, like they marinated it. It had flavor. I just added a little mustard. I ordered mine with grilled onions and pepper jack cheese, on a honey wheat bun. It was great. It was so good, I am thinking about making a trip out there just for a burger.

All the burgers come dry. No mayo, ketchup, mustard, "special sauce," or pickles. Just the bun, patty, lettuce, tomato. Unless you order one of the twenty-eight specialty burgers, then it will come with what is stated on the menu. They will bring you out a tray with dressings. You get: mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, jalapenos with carrots, yellow pepper (those are hot, and I LOVE hot food). I was in heaven.

I thought about taking a picture, but once I took a bite, I could not put it down. I did not even eat the fries. That is a miracle. I normally eat my fries before I eat my burgers. It was the best. I would highly recommend, that if you are in the deserts, to go to Burgers & Beer. There are four different location. You can also take a look at their website, BurgersAndBeer.com. I promise you, you will not be disappointed.

The Finished Product

I finished the wall unit. I actually finished the wall unit around the July 1, 2011. They are very sturdy. In fact, they have fallen off of my wall at least 3 times each. The only damage is the scratches from falling off the wall.

The completed wall unit

To complete the wall unit I just wrapped the outside with shelving paper. The same "contact" paper that you would line kitchen cabinets or drawers with. I only did the outside, because the inside is full with yarn. I mean it is really full of yarn.

The bottom unit, was in my closet to hold my shoes. I was not using it the way I was suppose to be using it. My shoes are sitting in a pile right outside my door, so I said to myself, "Jam go put some yarn in there." So I did. I also put some projects in there and they are ready for me to use. What a great ideal.

I will tell you right now, getting these to say on the wall was a pain in my ass. Please excuse my French, but it was. First, I wasted $50.00 trying to get it to stick to the wall. I though, I would you a lot of the 3M picture hangers, and mounting tape. I was wrong, it fell off the wall. Then I use nails, that worked until July 2, 2011. I had a BBQ, and with everyone coming in and out of the door, it fell right in the middle of the party. My sister said that would happen. It spilled BBQ sauce on my floor. It broke my box fan. I snapped at my big brother, and we almost had WWIII. I was just about to give up, until I was told a little secret.

I was told to go to Home Depot and get dry wall screws and washers. I had to get really long dry wall screws, and a large washer with a small hole. I was told to place the washer on the inside of the box, and drill through into the wall. Guess what? IT WORK. I waited a whole week to see if it will stay, and sure enough, it has. My yarn as a had a home since then.

3" Dry Wall Screws, and a 1" washer. This was my life saver.

I should probably say, that is is in my living room. Everyone was shocked when they walked into my house and way it. But, I love it there and I am very glad that it is not in my craft room. I sit in "my" recliner and crochet. I take a break, look at the yarn and come up with ideals. It works for me and I am so happy to see it there. I would not change it for the world.

Well, now you all know how to make it, I all expect to see you with a wall unit made from boxes. If you are going to hang it from your wall, please learn from my mistakes. Use dry wall screws or dry wall anchors if you are attaching it to dry wall.

Finally, I have the yarn for the girl's scarves

Over the weekend, I took three of my nieces to Michael's to purchase yarn to make their ruffled scarves. It was really cute, and they were all behaved. When we walked in, I told them that were were ducks and we have to all walk in line, like ducks. So, we walked, all the way to the back corner of the store, and they did not touch one thing. I was so proud of them.

We made it to the yarn section, and had them choose between Red Heart Super Saver or Caron Simply Soft. I let them choose what color spoke to them. It was funny. First they wanted blue, then pinks, then purples. There even were choosing colors that they did not like. For example, my niece that like pink, pick up a blue. My niece that like purple pick a pink. The baby of the bunch would pick one that her sister choose. lol. It was really cute. I think, in the end, they all choose colors that they would all enjoy, what do you think?

For my baby niece. The color is BonBon Print

My second baby niece. The color is Iris. It is really a bright deep purple.

My second oldest niece chose Baby Brights Ombre. Doesn't this look familiar?

All their yarn together. I need to get stitching. School starts in about 3 weeks.