Handmade Favorites #1: Granny Square Afghan

It occurred to me recently that I have several handmade items in my home made by friends and family. I'm going to try to feature one of these items once a week. Enjoy!

My grandma Donna's mom great-grandma Cora made my sister and I each a pretty granny square afghan when we were young. The only way to tell them apart was by their borders. Mine is pink and red and Andrea's is green (I think!).



It appears to me that she was finishing tiny balls of yarn on these beauties. Can you imagine weaving in all those ends? Yikes! Grandma Cora also knit pretty cotton dishcloths, later inspiring me to do the same! I crocheted mine though, knitting isn't quite as forgiving as crochet.

I've loved this blanket for years. I was most likely at an age where a blanket would be a somewhat unexciting present, but it spent many winters piled on my bed. It has found it's way to Felix's bed, a guest bed, my bed (as an adult), and currently resides on the couch, where it can be used as both a cat bed and a lap warmer. It has also been used for blanket forts and a colorful cape (All hail king of the granny square!). I think it could use a repair or two from such heavy use.

We love it with all our hearts in that special way that you love things you use everyday. Grandma Cora isn't with us anymore, but I remember her dearly when my granny square afghan is keeping me warm!



This afghan is also good for impressing your fancy, poodle scarf wearing guests.

What's your favorite handmade item in your home?

Snow day crafting in my snow day hat!

Thanks for the cute diy Elsie!

Also, my pom pom skills could be a lot better.

A Special Kind of Love

There is a special kind of love between a lady and her kitty cat. One of my favorite parts of the day is when I wake up and Jezebel Lincoln senses it with kitty magic. Then she crawls up onto my chest so I can pet her while she tickles me with her whiskers.



I totally told her to gaze into my eyes longingly, but she does what she wants.

I was actually trying to model my new iPod case that I made for myself. Apparently it's hard to get a good felt shot



Excuse the weird cropping, but it looked kind of weird having a shot of my crotch. I also made the back have a velcro pouch to keep my ear buds in when I'm not rocking and a little flap to go over the top to keep everything in super good. I have two different cleaning jobs, and I wouldn't want my rock machine falling out and breaking!



Last night I crocheted up my first slouchy hat. It's hot pink, which is a cool color in my book.



I also wanted to share a crocheted bow I made. I used to think it was too big, but now I think it's too cool not to wear constantly.



Back to crochet work for me! Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend. :D

Hats

I crocheted like a crazy lady while in SD (ok, maybe like a kind of crazy lady- I did other stuff too!).

I finished the green hat of my dreams.



I also bought pretty, soft grey yarn and got to work. For some reason I crocheted it way too loosely, and it was too big for my head. So I gifted it to Kris, who added a glorious brooch from Grandma Mary Ann's stash, creating a hat masterpiece!



Doesn't she look fabulous?? It's a picture my dad took with his phone, so it's not the best ever.

Now both my moms have hats handmade by me! Next up- friends and sisters! They might have to wait until next Christmas for me to perfect another pattern.

I made another adorable tie headband today while catching up on one of my favorite programs- Big Love. I'm waiting for my fro to dry before photographing it. I also sewed some buttons onto some shirts- one shirt having been bought at the mall with Laura when Felix was like one. A button fell off the first time I wore it, and I just found it in the basement waiting for me. I just waited almost 3 years to do a 5 minute job. Thank cod for to do lists. I'm to do list out of control!

Everything that is cool

is in this post.

I finally made myself the green hat I've been needing ever so badly.


Pattern

Seriously you guys, ever since Jeffrey gave Laura a beautiful green hat, my heart has been full of envy. I bought myself some bright green yarn before Christmas, started it yesterday, finished it this morning. Actually, I wasn't leaving the house until it was finished because my hair was bad. I'm not sure if the beautiful green is shining through quite right in this picture, but it has stolen my heart.

I did a little thrifting yesterday and today. Today I won this sweet sweatshirt:



Ok, so I actually paid $1 for it, but I would have paid $1000 for it. There's some "beauty" setting on my new digital camera that's supposed to smooth out your features, and I think the Chainsaw was using it on me in these photos. Something is masking the brightness of the shirt (matches my new hat pretty well!) and the fact that the tiger is outlined in glitter. Yes, I said glitter. This needs washed, and next time I wear it I'll try to document the sparkles a little better.

I'm slacking off in Style School as I'm in South Dakota "babysitting" my sister Alyssa while my parents are in Mexico. Can't wait to get home and get to work!