Melanie's Thoughts and Musings on Life

 Hi, This week I have been busy with lots of projects! I finished the Dazzling Daffodils shawl. It is beautiful, but it needs blocking to really make the pattern stitches pop. It turned out so well I am totally looking forward to making it in yellow, though it was quite time consuming. I also wonder if I can count... I think I can, I am sure I learned to in elementary school but somehow when it comes to knitting projects I question whether I really can count or if it is just an illusion! I didn't think I had made any errors in the shawl, but at the end, I was two stitches short, luckily, the pattern worked out anyway-on the beginning of the decrease I snuck in two stitches in the knit section and the rest worked out just fine. Still working on that doll cradle- I am thinking of abandoning the project and just chalking it up to a lesson in what not to do or take on... It is unfortunate though, I had high hopes for that. Finishing it is not off the table quite yet. I think I will jus...

 Part T- But sorry it's not a party! Hi, Thanks for tuning in weekly! I appreciate you and that you read my posts.  I am settling in to working at Michaels, although I am praying that this is a stepping stone to a medical reception job. Retail may be therapy, but it is not a job for everyone- including me. I put down the cradle bag for a while, I was given that advice and it was beneficial. I have now made the eyelets and I am casting off with a picot edge. There still are a few pieces that I have to do- like the bassinet hood and the edging around the whole cradle, plus the icord for drawstring closure. I have never done icord- so there definitely is a lot of learning on this. This one purse may be the one and only... on the other hand, at least I will be able to say I did it! The dazzling daffodils shawl is pretty- but coming along slowly. When I get to it though, I usually knit several rows at a time. Progress is slow though because each pattern repeat is 36 rows!  I a...

 I was realizing that I am coming down to the end of the Crafting Journey- only 7 more weeks to go. A lot can happen in 7 weeks. I was also realizing that it is hard to come up with crafting related content for 26 weeks! This week, I have been working on a doll cradle bag. Unfortunately, the yarn I used, I bought a long time ago. I ran out of that yarn and had to buy another ball, though this time, I could not get the color sequence of the stripes correct. It is a little frustrating, but I did some rewinding and the color will just have to do.  This cradle bag is tedious. First, it said to make the base in moss stitch but to do every row (for 30 rows) be k1, p1- which gives seed stitch. I was informed that sometimes the terms are interchangeable so I continued in seed stitch for the base. Then when I got to the eyelet section, I did as the instructions indicated and my eyelets looked terrible! I decided to do it another way. I have often made the Higher Love hat (by YaYa Loves...

 This week I accomplished a lot of knitting. I started a new shawl it is called Dazzling Daffodils it is made from side to side with a pretty floral border. I am making it in purple and pink, though since it is called Dazzling Daffodils, it was originally meant to be made in yellow. I am really happy with how this shawl is turning out, and for sure I will make another one in yellow once I complete it in purple and pink. I also started on a blanket. It is small, it will likely end up being for a preemie or maybe a carseat blanket- that's my intention, but really the items are donated so I don't know who it will be given to or what it will be used for. I am also finishing a shawl that has been on my needles for a while. It is the most hideous thing I have ever made- but I am hoping someone will love it. I am almost too embarrassed to take credit for it, though it has been a lot of stitching, so maybe I will show you a picture when it is completed! I have lots of ideas for stuff I...