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Post by choney2 on Jun 14, 2021 10:31:23 GMT
Good morning and Happy Monday!
All crafters are welcome here as we discuss crafting, life and our weight loss journey. Crafting includes actual hands on crafting, such as crochetting, knitting, sewing, quilting, needlepoint, painting, jewelry making, etc.....plus reading craft catalogs, craft blogs, watching craft you tubes or other crafting videos, chatting here about crafting,chatting with another person about crafting, reading craft emails, thinking about crafting, organizing crafting supplies, going into craft stores or the craft aisle in a store , attending craft fairs,or any other activity that inspires or directs your mind toward a crafting activity- even visiting us here to join in our posts!! There are plenty of days in which the closest we get to crafting is a visit here, so even if you have no time to craft, we would love to hear from you.
We welcome newcomers to our friendly discussion! So glad you are here!! Please feel free to stop in and say hello!!
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Post by choney2 on Jun 14, 2021 10:57:35 GMT
Good morning!
Ruth- thanks for the heads up on the hook size. I can see why you suggest a smaller hook for the water balloons . Think I will finish this first one and assess how I want to handle it. How large do the balloons work up to be with a smaller hook. You are right the directions are pretty easy and to follow.
CJ- sure sounds like you have your next projects lined up! I completely agree with you about Pat Sloanes quilts, its personal preference but I also prefer when the blocks are the same size. And this months color is purple! Is there a color that you have been challenged to find enough fabrics for? Glad you have some projects lined up, its always nice to know what you will be working on next. Think I just heard that just south of me is supposed to get rain today. Better that than too much heat. I am in for 2 days of showers.
Took a look at the daily deal at Missouri. They are patriotic fabrics and I really like this line. Guarantee the deal will not last the day.
Happy Flag day.
Ginny
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Post by gramma14 on Jun 14, 2021 18:05:18 GMT
Good morning all (It's still morning here but barely) This is going to be a HOT week.
Ginny, I don't remember what size the water balloons were that I sent to Indiana a couple years ago but the one I made the other day is pretty big and I made it with an H hook.I tried another pattern first because I didn't really remember how to do them and it turned out really large. This one is 4" tall not counting the neck for tying and diameter when it's pressed flat is 4 1/4 inches. The other was probably twice that size so I ripped that one out and started over.I think you asked about colors too, well I'm using up some leftover yarn and this one is bright yellow, lighter yellow, white and a couple shades of green.I also have some colors that I really don't like at all in this yarn. I wonder why I even bought it.Guess in my spare time I'll try some blankets with it maybe in stripes with white in between and I think then it will look good. A person can make only so many water balloons.
CJ, I wondered that too...if there is one quilt you made that you like more than all the others.
I wonder how Sue is.
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Post by choney2 on Jun 14, 2021 20:50:26 GMT
Well I survived today.. Looks like today was my last day of babysitting for this school year, unless DSIL cannot handle all 4 monkeys by himself for the next week and a half. Really they were very good for me today.
Think my water balloon is 5 inches when flat....so if I go down a hook size that should help. I want to make a bunch of these for the kids....and Figure that in the next week and a half the grandkids will be here. There is a really really neat park not too far, and its finally reopened after covid. I told DSIL he could bring the kids there and then sort of drop them off here. Water balloons would be a nice distraction for sure.. My yarn is white and purple variegated. So its really many different shades of purple. This yarn is so very soft, but reminds me of what we used to call “cotton candy” blankets. They were some sort of velour blankets that came out when the kids were little that were crazy soft. Problem is they are a mesh base with the fibers woven in on top. After years they disintegrate - completely. I have thrown them all out. Pretty funny in contrast that I have a blanket I got about 55 years ago when I was a girl, its very warm and still in great shape. Yes this yarn would make a nice lapghan. I would pick different colors than this and only picked this color scheme cause it was $5 a skein. For water balloons that would be thrown around the back yard, I thought $5 was a good price.
Looks like Dd will be having the baby this week. The baby is fine- but they are talking about inducing at the end of the week.
Glad to be home
Yes I wonder now Sue is...and her DGD.
Ginny
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Post by gramma14 on Jun 14, 2021 20:54:41 GMT
WEll I realized that since this coming weekend is when the grandchildren are coming here from Montana I'd better get working on the water balloons. I have three made and probably need about 20 or even more if the adults start throwing them too. I think it takes me longer than the time the pattern makers say. This is the pattern I used today and it's a nice one. It suggests you use a N hook. I happened to have a M/N sitting here so I tried it and it works great. So Ginny, sorry for muddying the waters but if you want to use the biggest hook you have I'd say do it. They are a bit more "holey" but I think they'll still absorb a lot of water. The other thing this yarn is good for is to make balls for the kids to throw. I bet your littlest grandson is getting to the age to throw things so they would be perfect for him and I'm pretty sure the others would join right in. For that you might want use a smaller hook so that the holes are way smaller to keep the fiberfill in.
They also
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Post by choney2 on Jun 14, 2021 21:54:18 GMT
Ruth, I have found that most things take me longer to make than the pattern designers indicate. You are not alone . Really though you should be able to make another 20-25 water balloons in 4 days if that is all the crochetting you do. They do not seem to be too labor intensive. I will not use the largest hook I have. Would love to try one or two hook sizes down to see if they turn out better. Think I am. Using an L hook now.
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Post by cj59 on Jun 14, 2021 22:21:29 GMT
Hello Everyone  Ginny - How exciting for the baby to be born this week, I hope everything goes well for your DD and the baby. Ruth - Hope you can stay cool. It's hot here today but then we get a few cooler days. Phyl and Sue - Hope you are well. I took a look at the quilt along from the Fort Worth Fabric Studio, but their cutting diagram looks very complicated and involved, so I won't participate in that. I do still plan to do the new one with Pat Sloan when it starts in July. I went out and ran some errands today and then when I got home I cut some weeds out of bushes and a few other places in the yard. I probably should have waited because of the heat and sun, I think I have some sunburn on my face. I hope to work on some binding tomorrow. Take care |
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Post by gramma14 on Jun 15, 2021 0:24:43 GMT
Ruth, I have found that most things take me longer to make than the pattern designers indicate. You are not alone . Really though you should be able to make another 20-25 water balloons in 4 days if that is all the crochetting you do. They do not seem to be too labor intensive. I will not use the largest hook I have. Would love to try one or two hook sizes down to see if they turn out better. Think I am. Using an L hook now. L sounds like a good size so sorry I mentioned H as I don't know what I was thinking. It's really too small unless you're doing an amigurumi then you need smaller so keep the filling concealed |
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Post by gramma14 on Jun 15, 2021 0:53:39 GMT
The doctors don't like to wait much past the due date because the placenta is then susceptible to deterioration and no longer supplies all that the baby needs. I'm glad he's ok. My son was 2 1/2 weeks past his due date but back then the didn't do many sonos and I never had one so my due date was just based on timing. He turned out to be fine and weighed 8lbs 6 oz. Then he's been small ever since. I know all of you will be really happy to see the baby here safe and sound
CJ, that was the first thing I saw when I saw you had posted and thought that, yes it looks very complicated. It's beautiful and I, too, would be reluctant to quilt it myself but you do have wonderful skills. Still it would be a lot of work and nerve wracking too.
I mentioned the pattern I'm using above but actually I'm making so many adjustments that it's practically a whole different pattern. I have 7 of them done now. I want to do at least 3 more today. I doubt my dh will want to go to the gathering though but if we do I'll have the balloons ready.
Ginny, I'm using a L hook now too. It's much easier and since I adjusted the pattern it's the same size as the first couple I did yesterday. When I said use the biggest hook you had I was thinking that maybe you didn't have over a K hook because most people don't seem to have very large hooks
Oh and what you said about those blankets falling apart...chenille is one exception to yarn lasting forever. I had some Lion Brand chenille for years and finally was going to use it but it was very fragile just from aging. I had to get rid of it.
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Post by choney2 on Jun 15, 2021 10:58:12 GMT
Ok, so it sounds like we all would rather be crochetting or quilting than that dreaded yard work.
CJ- glad you got some weeding done. Guess that you were out long enough to get a sunburn, which I hope was not too severe. Bet it looks better though!! The great unknown in what we do is instructions. Some are well written or well written enough that you can figure it out, others are just frustrating. With as much quilting as you have done, I figure you can smell a rat- as you have with the Fort Worth Fabric studio. And you have over time made enough Pat Sloane blocks that you know she can write clear directions.
Ruth, think the actual hook I am using now is an M/N- but I took my L hook out and will use that next. Think that will make the balloons small enough. Where will you be seeing your family from Montana? Sounds like you are on target to get 20+ water balloons done for the weekend. Yes, I can see how this pattern and the yarn lends itself to making changes to make the process better or easier. I have 4 larger hooks, one is HUGE- which I got from my mom. No idea what she ever did with it.
Its humid here, but cool. I enjoyed watching the birds last night- in particular a downy woodpecker baby loudly chirping for its parent to feed it. The baby would sit on the branch while the mom/dad would fly down to the feeder to get food. Now its just sweet to hear the sound of the birds.
DD’s doctors indicated that they will induce by the end of the week if she does not go into labor naturally. They have done a stress test (with plans to do another) if the little guy does not decide to be born before then. I am sort of reworking my week- Dd might need help depending upon how and when they decide to induce. At the moment I am planning on meeting her at the doctor on thursday am.
enough from me for now. See ya later!
Yes, Sue, how are you doing? Phyl- check in when you can.
Ginny
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Post by Ruth on Jun 15, 2021 22:47:14 GMT
I don't know what happened to my post from earlier. I was a blabber in that one but I did it on my other computer so maybe it shows up on that one since I'm not a guest on that one. Let me know if there's one where I mentioned hoping your daughter, Ginny, would go into labor on her own and about hook sizes. Of course I could just not be lazy and go upstairs to the other one.
So after I posted that I came downstairs and made 5 more water balloons. You're right about that, Ginny, they are not labor intensive at all. Takes no time to make one. Then I wasted time online looking at what others have made and posted in the crochet groups and am now back to working on the cardigan shawl.
I think I'll run up and get something to eat. See you all later. I hope everyone is having a good day
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Post by choney2 on Jun 16, 2021 0:23:20 GMT
Had a busy day but decent enough. Think things sort of worked out this morning with a testy and argumentive coworker- where we have sort of reached a truce. I could care less about his argumentive moods- not sure if anyone actually realizes that. I do not really work there- and as a per diem employee can come and go when I please as long as they need me. And if this other person insists on being miserable, I am happy to stay out of his way and let him be miserable, but I will have nothing to do with his crummy moods.
Dd came over and we went for a nice walk. Think she is hoping with all this walking that she might go into labor. For her sake I hope so also.
Think I am going to rip out what I made of the first water balloon and start over again using the size L hook.
Hope everyone had a nice day
Ginny
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Post by choney2 on Jun 16, 2021 10:39:03 GMT
Last night i ended up switching from the L hook to a K hook. I had bought the L hook, which I had bought for working with homespun yarn. I forget where I bought the hook- it does have a padded area so to comfort the hand. Worked with it for about 2 minutes, and picked up my K sized Susan Bates hook and am much happier. (I like Susan Bates hooks!) so that is what I will make water balloons with- got about a third of the way through a balloon last night and then went to bed.
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Post by Ruth on Jun 16, 2021 22:25:04 GMT
My favorites always were Susan Bates also but then I got a great price on Clove ARmour so I bought a set of those. I really like them except after the J size they're made of plastic and are kind of sticky to the yarn. I have 5 more water balloons to make but started back on the shawl cardigan last night and have been working on it today also. All I can say is that it's a good thing she has a video or no one would have any idea of how to make this but even her video is confusing. Now I'm mostly just making my own stupid mistakes such as missing where I need to skip a stitch. The last two rows went well and all is left of the main part now is just repeats of those two rows. Then come the sleeves! We'll see how that goes and if it's too frustrating I'll just crochet an edging around the armholes and leave it at that.
Ginny, any signs of your dd going into labor yet?
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Post by choney2 on Jun 16, 2021 22:59:46 GMT
Got my hair done this am with NO MASK. (Governor lifted restrictions).
Spend the afternoon with Dd.....she is still very pregnant and will be seeing the doctor tomorrow. We did go for a walk this afternoon and she looks great and is carrying well. But we all want to meet the little fellow.
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