Snow Day Crochet

Yesterday was a snow day here and now I get to look out my windows at a lovely blanket of sparkly snow covering the ground! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HHere’s a picture of the two stained glass snowflakes that I hang in my kitchen window every December and they stay up till I’m sick of snow, lol :)  They were made by my dear friend, Dee.  You can’t see it well but the clear one is made from iridescent glass that sparkles like the sun on the snow.  

After spending much of my Friday vacay day moving the Christmas decorations from the guest bedroom to the attic, I just didn’t feel like dragging my sewing machine out  so, instead, I dug out the granny squares I started in 2009, and no that’s not a typo.

On most snow days, I like curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a book or movie but yesterday I pulled out my knitting bag and crochet hook.  

These squares were supposed to go into an afghan for my sister’s birthday, but when I was half-way done and started to join them, I realized they weren’t all the same size.  I guess I was paying more attention to the television than crocheting because I had used two different sized hooks.  I lost my enthusiasm and this project stalled when I realized I was going to have to rework all the squares I’d made.  It’s been sitting since last winter, probably since the last snowstorm. 

I’d like to get this finished for my sister’s 2012 birthday but I have a lot more squares to go.  In case you’re wondering, I used “Vanna’s Choice” acrylic yarn from Lion Brand.  I have 65 squares completed but they’re only 5 inches so I have quite a few left to make a nap-sized afghan.

 

 

It’s a traditional granny square based on a vintage  wool afghan my sister and I spotted in a resale shop but neither of us liked the bright primary colors and black borders of the original so I chose softer colors of moss, rose, turquoise and violet.  I love wool yarn but acrylic is a much better choice for an afghan that will be used for snuggling on the sofa while watching television and snacking. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Garden Chores This Week – 1/22/12

• Keep those bird feeders full.  Check the suet feeders too. Tree-mounted suet feeders will attract nuthatches and woodpeckers as well as those tiny brown tree creepers and if you want to attract wild turkeys and keep squirrels away from your feeder, scatter some cracked corn a fair distance from your feeder but where you can still see the wildlife (you can buy cracked corn from feed stores or where bird feeders are sold)
• Gather some seed catalogues or visit gardening websites and start making your list for next summer.  Try growing one “new-to-you” variety of vegetable or flower this year. 
• For a winter tonic, grab a shallow container fill it with damp peat moss and sow some water cress seeds, place in the window or how about growing some sprouts! 
• What did you do with your Christmas tree?  Did you know you can cut off the branches and use them as mulch around roses and perennials?  They help keep the ground frozen and protect tender perennial roots during short February thaws.