Evolution of an Afghan

My journey with yarn & needles started a few years ago.

It was actually Kim who taught me to knit during our downtime from the Living Christmas tree performances at our church. 

It was super exciting to learn a new craft, but I never really went beyond the square. Knitting is hard, there is a lot of things involved to make it perfect, and the risk of dropping a stitch and making a giant hole is huge. 

I have picked up and put down knitting projects over the years, never quite growing the passion that I needed to be successful. I've been seeing neat crochet projects all over pinterest and the internet lately, and I remember growing up that my grandmother would make me some beautiful stuff with crochet. 

I decided that in 2013 I would learn to crochet. It looked easier and a lot more fun, and the projects looked like I wouldn't get bored with them!

First thing I did was buy a book, which wasn't really good for this visual learner. You laugh, visual learning is obviously through pictures, but these days with the evolution of videos I realize that I depend on videos to teach me things! The book was ok, but I turned to YouTube to help me with the basics. Once I learned the basics I yearned to start learning granny squares.

I started looking online at patterns for different granny squares and practicing them. The techniques for making granny squares varies, so I had to make a few of the same pattern before I got the hang of it. Even though my current project is a huge undertaking for a novice crocheter, I am LOVING how it is coming out. I love even more than you can see how much I have progressed in making the squares over the last couple months. 

The beginning: I started with a handful of squares with the same color pattern. It's easier to make multiples at a time working progressively. I make 6 small circles, then do the 2nd layer, then the third on all 6. You get the picture. 

After making a few with different patterns, using the same 3 colors, I decided to try and connect them. 

It's MUCH harder than it looks. Especially when you are not used to having a consistent needle tension. My first few connections were really tight and puckered in random places. Now that I have the hang of it is getting a lot easier to connect them. 

On superbowl Sunday instead of watching the game, I decided it was time to stitch together everything that I had so far to see how many more squares I would need to complete it. 

I saw that I would need A LOT of complete squares to make it as big as I want it.

But that's ok, I keep learning and growing and its fun!

I'm also learning how to hide my yarn ends and to make sure the connections are solid. This has been a frustrating process indeed, I would be checking my connections and pull something random, and 3 pieces would suddenly unravel. 

As of today...this is how big it is. 

ah! I just love it. I think I will put a dark blue border around the whole thing when it is finished to give it a polished look.

Next time I will up to connect them as I go instead of stitching them all together when I have a certain amount of squares done...that makes for less cutting yarn and hiding ends. 

Thanks for following me on this journey.

I am so excited to show you the finished product when the time comes!

Happy Saturday :)

Friday

Well, life is moving 500 miles an hour again. Ever since Seth and I got home from our honeymoon its been madness.

Going back to school. Going back to work. Picking up Penelope. Going to different family functions. Going to Sharks games. Watching Sharks games. Cleaning the house. Both Seth and I getting sick. Searching for....(well I'll tell you about that later)

Want to know something awesome though?

For the past three weeks though, I've managed to pick up my Bible and read for almost 30 minutes every day. I can't tell you I've had any revelation or special moment where I heard the voice of Jesus. But a sense of peace during this madness is something I'm not used to. 

I'm used to worrying, being anxious, being stressed, being easily annoyed by anyone and everything. 

Yet peace is what I feel. 

What's funny is I'm not forcing myself to pick up my Bible, it feels natural...and that is an honest first. And that's the first time I've admitted that picking up my Bible to read everyday wasn't natural. 

I've been starting with a short devotional from "Jesus Calling". I know to some people its a little strange to be reading something that is seemingly from the mouth of Jesus. But once you get past the weirdness and into the message there something neat about having the voice of Jesus stuck in your head. Not just the words of Jesus, but His voice. 

After a frustrating day at work I was yelling in my head on my drive home, "I'M ONLY HUMAN"...the next mornings devotional started with the phrase, "It's ok to be human". What the what?! God's voice was almost audible at that point, it amazed me that after all this time without consistency in any part of my walk He was faithful to hear me. He is faithful when I am not. He is good when I am not. These words constantly ring in my head these days. 

In other happenings..

I've been watching too much TV on my downtime at work. Nashville in particular. I'm obsessed! The music, the drama...oh, it's just so good.

Seth and I have been trying to get into Game of Thrones as well. Call me crazy..but there is too much sex, and way too much blood. I don't even want to know how much fake blood they have to use per episode..it must be GALLONS. Seth of course thinks the violence is awesome. So we keep trekking though the episode DVD's as they arrive at our P.O box. 

I've been working on a crochet project that I'm really excited about.

All of those hexagons will soon turn into a blanket. I love the alternating colors and each day I'm getting better at hiding the strings!

Penelope is growing and becoming crazier by the day it seems. She is definitely a Siberian cat..she jumps a ton, she is very fast, she comes when we call her, and she snuggles by our heads at night. We are still smitten. And the little mane around her neck is growing in too!

 

Oh! I finally got my terrible hair cut fixed.I was really excited about that. It's not stringy on the ends anymore and I am one happy lady.

Also, 

We are going to the Sharks game tomorrow night, I can't wait! I haven't been to a game yet but Seth has already been to 3.

Oh, and the Superbowl?

I really wish I cared.

Even though it's the Niners I still can't bring myself to be excited.

But we are going to a party....

I'm going to bring my crochet project and see how much I can get done while not watching. 

Today we were allowed to wear our team spirit to work in celebration of the Superbowl..I chose this:

Well, that's all I got for today, folks! 

I wish you the best of Superbowl Sundays, and a Happy Weekend!