The Mother of ALL Granny Squares (MOAGS)

As most of you know I am an AVID resale store shopper. On one of my last "finds" I bought a bag of (yep you guessed it) Granny Squares. I really enjoy finding these because they kind of give me a window into somebody's  little craft world. Makes me wonder about what they where going to make with these or what they made and had these left over, or maybe just they were learning like me and did these as practice and didn't want to use them in anything just yet. In this bag there was the largest Granny Square I had EVER came across. It was about a foot square. BIG by most Granny Square standards. Made out of a very neat "vintage" 70's rainbow variegated yarn, VERY BRIGHT! I LOVED IT!!!!!! lol  Hmmmmm, what can I make with this?? AN AFGHAN!

Problem was looking through the Red Heart website, I couldn't find a match to this yarn...I know you yarn gals are saying "It's mexicana, I have it! they sell it everywhere!". BUT the website's mexicana didn't look like what  it was. So the search was on......... NONE of my close yarn friends had a clue as to what I needed.
So I decided to just add to it rows of matching solid yarn. Venturing ahead of myself here, Now on my last yarn find adventure I found a HAUL! Which then lead to me to spend a BIT MORE than I sure have. But my DH is a wonderful man and I didn't get in too too much trouble. Just had to be "grounded" from yarn buying ventures for a bit. So I was worrying about having to go to a craft store to find this yarn I was in need of to finish this afghan. Believe it or not he took me to find it and find it we did. Yes, it is called mexicana and I found it first place I looked plus two other variegated colors I "needed" as well. (Not really but they were PRETTY).
I am working on the solid rows at the moment and then will add the mexicana next. It is turning out cool if I do say so myself. It reminds me of my Aunts (on my Mom's side) don't know why but it just "feels" like them to me. I have a connection to them while I work on this for some reason but am not sure why. It still amazes me at how fast it is coming together. But it is helping with my newly found again crochet skills.

 

Note that "Junebug"  approves.  AND the princess "Pyxzee" does as well.

She likes to sit in my lap underneath it as I am working on it. But when I put it down, she takes it over. I am beginning to think it is going to be her's when I am through with it. She loves it so much. (Like she doesn't have enough baby blankets already) But she IS THE PRINCESS!!

Here it is as it stands now. It is still a work in progress but I couldn't wait to share it with you. Four more rows of colors then back to the RAINBOW! lol.
So as always "She who dies with the most yarn and fabric wins!!!"
Happy Crafting!

I have been a BUSY BEE

Well, as all of you know I am learning to crochet. I was looking for a certain yarn the other day and came across a pattern on the back of one of the Red Heart skeins I just HAD TO MAKE. A BEE! As most of you know my Dad is a beekeeper so I thought this would be just PERFECT. I knew it was a lofty goal to make as my first  REAL project, but in StefiWorld that's how things are done.
So OFF WE GO! I struggled and struggled with the first round till I was afraid that I had aimed too high. Luckily my SIL (sister in law) can crochet so I had her take a gander at the pattern. THEN she had trouble as well. But then she figured it out !  THANK GOODNESS!  so she did the first 8 stitches for me and explained what I was doing wrong. (I never paid attention to my slip knot whether the working yarn or the tail was the one that slid)  BIG NO NO! lol. I was basically doing it backwards and that's why I couldn't SQUEEZE all those SC into the second chain.
Now we are cooking with gas, Girls! I was amazed at how fast little Buzzy started taking shape! Plus the fact that I WAS ACTUALLY DOING IT!!!!! I am not saying there wasn't a few struggles here and there. Like learning to decrease and increase, but once I consulted the book I could do it with no problem. I did notice that as the pattern went along they took for granted my crochet knowledge. But I have resources and made it through.
So with out further ADO here's Buzzy!

Isn't he the CUTEST.?.   I was able to give him to Mom today and she thought I had purchased him somewhere! (Now in the Caple family that is a HUGE compliment) lol She was as amazed as I was that I made him myself! Now she wants him to have a girlfriend. I think that could be arranged.

The Pattern for Buzzy can be found online at RedHeart.com.
Did I mention that my Dad belongs to a beekeeper club? She hinted he made need more. lol FUN!
I need the practice anyway! I really enjoyed making him. I cant express the sense of accomplishment he gave me. Besides, he went together pretty quick (after the first round).
So as always "She who dies with the most yarn and fabric wins!"
Happy Crafting!

Seeing things a bit more "Krystal" Clear

When I met my new crafter friend Krystal  from Hello Ladies she was crocheting up the most Fab flowers. She says she has drawers full of them at home. I was intrigued. But I just couldn't wrap (YO) my mind around how she was getting just that yarn and hook to turn into those flowers. That started it! Now when I was little my Grandma crocheted. But alas I was too young to remember doing much of it myself. Now of course we did chains and those kitchy wrapped wire hangers EVERYBODY had. But building onto those chains eluded me. So i was DETERMINED to learn. If You are new to StefiWorld then You have to understand something, when i want to learn something I MUST LEARN IT and I will not put it down till I do! So i bought me one of those kits, You know the ones "I taught myself to crochet"...... Phoooey! It was much too vague and BOOOORRRING! lol. but i struggled through but never could just quite grasp it.   My building on my chain just didn't look quite right.

 OK sidetrack just a bit, in the meantime, on one of my bargain jaunts i came across 2 started (not even half completed) Baby blankets.  I decided to complete them, after all i CAN build on the rows that were already started. I knew the stitch that was started on  them. (DC). I worked several days on it and got comfortable with it and more than tripled it size. (No it is not done yet, I work on it here and there and WILL finish it) I WANTED TO MAKE FLOWERS!!!!!

Growing more and more frustrated I went looking for a different book. Now i did go on Youtube and there was some GREAT tutorials on there but they just seemed to WAY TO FAST! Off to Hastings we go........ There I came across the Holy Grail of Crochet books! (Now feel free to det a good laugh out of the title cause I SURE DID!)  "Stitch -N- Bitch Crochet : The Happy Hooker" This has some of the coolest projects in it, but also started You from the beginning. FINALLY I could build on my chain and it look right!  So after making my first dish cloth using it to practice all my stitches, i was confident i could attempt  to make a flower. GUESS WHAT? I could do it!  Last Saturday Pyxzee and I  accompanied Don to work and I drug along my crochet stuff.  If You remember from one of my last posts in that same baby blanket stash I also acquired a gallon sized Ziplock  full of needlepoint and crewel yarn. I knew that I wouldn't want to use it in a hat or scarf or blanket seeing as how most of it was wool  (ooo. ITCHY) I decided I would make it into flowers!   In the a fore mentioned Happy Hooker book there is a Scarf that IS SOOOOO Krystal , so that is what I am aspiring to make (Stefified of course) it is called "The Garden Scarf"  it is made of ALL flowers.

 We are at work with Don and it just "clicked"  I was making flowers like crazy, experimenting with sizes, petals, and shapes.  I was THRILLED.  "I     HAVE       MADE      FLOWERS!!!!!!!" (insert Tom Hanks in the movie "CASTAWAY"'s voice shouting about making fire, here) LOL.  Off we go!

  After making a dozen or so I (of course) decide to branch out, so to speak. GRANNY SQUARES!!!!!!! (Time to consult my Happy Hooker) ALSO APPARENTLY time to learn to read the directions and the diagram (ooooo SCARY). Reading through her directions she starts talking about how some people like following written directions better than folling a diagram... Hmmmm. more scary, there is TWO sets of directions????? CRAP. Of course my trepidation was unfounded, I did it, at first the diagram was mind boggling  so i opted for the written. Halfway through SUDDENLY the diagram worked for me. On round three of written I got a bit lost, so I consulted the diagram and VIOLA! it clicked (once again). One think You will learn about me is I have A LOT of those AH HA! moments. Might be a blond thing I am not sure. :)  Now I am whipping out granny squares. Of course another thing about me, I like  smaller detailed things alot of times, so once again its "Stefified" ( pronounced stef -fee-fied)  3 inch granny squares it is! The normal is 4, 5, 6 inch squares but we all know by now I AM NOT normal!  Two Granny Squares later suddenly I no longer need my diagram!  WOOT!  So now I am seeing the Crochet world a bit more Krystal -Clear. 

So as always "She who dies with the most fabric and yarn wins!!!!" and  Happy Crafting!

Till next time!

A Quick Thank You

Just a quick Thank You to my friend Mandy from Hello Ladies, for giving me a little help changing the background on my blog! She is  my go to girl!  It is so nice that we Crafters are able to stick together!  So many Crafters don't understand "the code". LOL.  If You haven't checked out their blog make sure you do because it is full of fun stuff and information!  Dont forget to go by their Etsy shoppe and do some shopping as well!!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/helloladies

My Newest Challenge......

Recently on a bargain hunting trip, my Momma and I came across a neat shower curtain.  (Long story short we had bought it for a friend then she didnt need it so i confinscated it) I decided i was gonna  turn it into a quilt. After all, most of the work is done anyway! Plus i had a queen sized sheet that was a similar pattern. I think it may even be from the same company. lol. Here in StefiWorl we are under the assumption that You can NEVER have too many blankets. I sometimes have trouble starting too many project at once so bear with me as You follow my blog. It may be a while somwtimes between a new project and a finished project with ALOT of new projects in between. (haha, but it is true).  It is a pretty "springy" set of fabrics. I think it may be a Laura Ashley pattern. But i am not certain.  It has a few blocks that have come unsewn. But that should  not be too hard.

This is the sheet that I have that I am going to back it with. I think it matches pretty well.

I will keep You guys posted as I get on with my project.

So as always "She who dies with the most Yarn and Fabric WINS!"  Happy Crafting!!!

Welcome Winter!

Hello again our friend winter.....
Although our snow is almost gone now. If you don't know much about Arkansas weather, it changes every day! LOL. We have a saying here, "If You don't like the weather stick around a day it will change." Although we had 60 degree weather last week on Friday (and most of us were digging for short sleeve shirts) we actually had a blast of winter weather across the natural state this weekend. Now don't laugh at my pics this is considered a major winter weather event here in central Arkansas.... It shut down most of the state for at least a day and a half. My DH (dear hubby) is a Michigander and he thinks we Arkansasans are nutty, but still did not go to work on Friday. We got out in the spitting rain and sleet and went to WM (Wal-Mart). We were only in there 25 minutes and when we came out the parking lot was completely white and it was slick slick and BLASTING yet more sleet. By the time we got halfway home we almost slid through the stoplight in front of Lowe's. It was interesting. So needless to say we stayed home and watched sleet then watched it snow the rest of the evening. We had company for the weekend. My DH's sister and husband stayed with us just in case they lost power seeing how they live way out in the boonies. So i cooked and cooked ( my favorite pastime) and crocheted all week end.
We did have an interesting Saturday. My Two Besties ( Ruth and Leigh) Daddy had been in the Heart Hospital in Little Rock and was due to be released Friday. (which didn't happen) but by Saturday he was raising Cain to go home. (keep in mind that Arkansas comes to a stop in sleet/snow) I do mean RAISING CAIN, lol. After Ruth told him the interstate was all but closed he told her to get on the phone with the state police and find out what they could so to get him home! LOL.
So my boys went scouting for an alternate route. We decided to take HWY 5 and called Ruth to let her know (so she could let Daddy know) Would You believe he wanted us to be there in an hour and half.... Now it is a 30 minute trip on a normal commute, so I am thinking HOW are we gonna do this in the ice covered roads????? But we loaded up, stopped and got Ruth and headed out. It was a yucky trip but not TOO TOO bad. We got him picked up (would you believe they had him in the lobby in less than 15 minutes????) They
must have been just as ready to get him gone as he was ready to be gone. LOL. The trip home was uneventful as well, just a bit icy. It was actually a bit better than the getting there...
As we began our thaw Sunday we had to go to Sam's Club to get our essentials for the month (AND provisions for the big Feast on Superbowl Sunday next week.) When we got home our guests were loading up to go home. Ray (the goofy brother in law) proceeds to get stuck in our front yard. We had to get the tow strap and pull him out. NOT before he had buried his truck nearly to axle IN MY FRONT YARD NO LESS. I am so mean i showed him the shovel and told him he had to fix it!!!!! He did. While I was video taping it and snapping pics with my NEW CAMERA! (more on that later)
After the excitement I started my supper. (Recipe to follow later)
Sloppy Joe Pasta Bake. It was YUMO.
So that was the story of our eventful winter weekend.
So as always "She who dies with the most yarn and fabric wins!" Happy Crafting!