Hooked on finishes!

I had said I was going to review my year of crocheting in this post. What a year it has been! Now I can also show you my first two finishes for 2012 before I share my 2011 finishes. I have been beavering away at a rather large afghan for my husband. I had been wanting to try a ripple afghan and found this pattern which I adapted a little to make more masculine.

He is 6' 5" so this had to be long enough to cover him well. The afghan is 6 foot in length. It contains more than 1300grams of  yarn so should be nice and warm for the winter months. Yes...I am still hoping for a couple of real winter weeks here in Holland. *grins* 

The afghan matches our couches perfectly. I had fun making this ripple pattern and my next goal will be to try a granny ripple but first I want to finish a couple of other crochet projects that I already have going. 

I received a crochet pattern calender 2012 from my mother for Christmas. One of the first patterns for January was a ribbon scarf. I wanted to make something for a dear friend's birthday and this was just the thing. She is a member of my quilt group. Our group is named De Gouden Draad Quilt Groep which translates The Golden Thread Quilt Group. I had this ribbon yarn with hues of gold.

This is not a scarf for warmth but almost a piece of jewelry. It is worn as an accent to an outfit. I hope you enjoy wearing it Bep (no blog)!

Here is a scarf I made in December 2011 for Ginny. I could not show it until she received it in the mail which I found out this week that it arrived. She has read my blog since almost the beginning and I thought it would be fun to surprise her with this red neck warmer. Now all she needs is some winter snow to go with it. *wink*

Crochet finishes for 2011:

Red lacey scarf - giveaway for Catherine

Red neck warmer for Ginny

Red double cowl for my mother

Pink angora cowl for my mother

4 blue and white coasters - gifts

4 hot cocoa mug cozies - gifts

blue and grey scubbie -gift

blue and grey pan handle cozy - gift

blue and white magic hot pad - gift

Project basket

Freedom Poncho

Shell dishcloth

Black, grey and white cowl for Barbara

Granny stripe poncho

Purple double flowers scarf

Denim cowl - giveaway for Barb

Brown-black cowl

Purple cowl

Granny square stool cover

Japanese flower scarf

Kitchen twine potholders

Baby blanket for Abigail Lynn

Brown variegated scarf and beret

Grey angora wristies

More finishes from 2011 and stitching goals completed...

I was a busy elf in December and worked on a number of gifts. It was why I was so quiet on the blog with my nose to the grindstone.

I participated in an ornament swap with some friends in an online housekeeping group. I made them each a patchwork tree...

Our theme this year for the Christmas party gift exchange was cloth napkins. I got napkins made of batik fabrics with a Christmas/winter look. I used them when I set the table and really love them. Elly S made them for me.

I had Joke's name and she wrote about using silver and crystal on her table during the holidays. I knew as soon as I read this that I was going to use this blue, grey and silver metallic fabric. It brought to mind her table setting. 

I finished them and then decided that she needed a special quilted pouch to hold the napkins when they are put away. 

I spent every moment I could working on 13 crochet gifts for the door prizes this year for the quilt group. I made 4 hot cocoa mug warmers, 4 coasters for large tea mugs, a magic hot pad, a scrubbie, a pan handle pot holder (slips onto the handle) and two crazy quilt pincushion...one made in an egg cup and the other in a sunflower tea light holder. I totally forgot to take photos of the gifts before I packed them up so this photo is the best I can do to show you what I made. *grins*

I had made an extra set of napkins for Mieke. I was concerned the person who had her name would not make it and wanted to be sure she had a gift. I took some fabrics from my stash and created a set of green and gold tree napkins for her. 

2011 was a year of stitching also and here are the projects I was able to complete last year:

Simplify
Christmas tree pillows - Christmas
                                        Holly and berries
                                       Natale
                                       Poinsettias
                                       Noel
14 Sajou letter ort jars
Blessing to all pillow
Dagi's sampler wall - Crows, Corn and Cats
                                   C is for Cat
                                   Rosie
                                   S. Claws
                                   Minerva cat sampler
Alsace Heart ornament
Little Red Riding Hood Christmas pillow

Next time I will review my year of crocheting...

Quilts in 2011

I have been neglecting my blog once again but it is because I am really busy with Chirstmas 2012. Yes...I said 2012. Tomorrow evening is the start of my quilt group's new year and new theme. I am really looking forward to this year! It is exciting to start a new theme at the best of times and this year should be really fun. So I have been working on the design which I will keep that under wraps until I have had my evening and can post a few sneak peeks. So stay tuned...

I had my friend Sonja and her husband over for dinner on 2nd Christmas Day (December 26th is still a holiday here in Holland). We had been out one Saturday afternoon and I found this jolly wooden Santa in a shop. I knew as soon as I saw it that he needed to hold this...

I grabbed my Christmas fabric stash and got started making St. Nick his very own quilt. I am afraid I no longer know what size it as I forgot to measure it before I wrapped it but it is small. The pieces of the four-patch blocks are only 1 inch each. A label to mark the date and some wrapping...

Off the Santa and quilt went to live at Sonja's house...

I had a pretty good year for my finishes. I will reflect on them as I post in the coming week. I like to think back and see that I accomplished more than I thought while setting some fun goals for the new year. Here is a list of my quilt finishes for 2011...

Merry Christmas mini quilt for Mike and Sonja
Tree shaped cloth napkins for Mieke
Black crazy quilt heart hanger for my mother
Tree shaped cloth napkins and quilted holder for Joke
Lucy's Little Stars doll quilt
Trees and house patchwork mobile
Civil War blocks patchwork bag
Vintage fabric cloth napkins for Tammy L
Quilted casserole cover for Saskia
Black heart crazy quilt hanger
Victorian's Not So Crazy doll's quilt
The Meaning of Christmas quilt

My Farmer's Wife sampler quilt, which was the quilt group theme for 2011, still needs the hand quilting completed so this is going to be my first UFO finish for 2012.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and my 2012 be a creative and inspiring new year.....

I love to give!

I crocheted a white flower for the red scarf as I felt it needed something. It is now ready to be sent out to the winner. I just love giving gifts to people so a giveaway is great fun for me.

And the winner is...Catherine. I hope you will email me as soon as possible with your address so I can mail the red scarf to you. I would love you to have it in time for Christmas.

My mother and step father are back on American soil. They landed in Detroit about an hour and half ago so are awaiting their flight home now. On Monday, I made this crazy quilt heart for my mother just in time for her to pack it in her suitcase.

She wanted my heart I made this summer. We happened to find one last metal heart when we went to the shop where I purchased it while she was here so I got it for her. Now she has her own unique crazy quilt heart too. The photo looks dark with the black metal on my table. If you click on the link, you can see my heart hanging on my quilt studio door which shows it better. The metal heart is beautiful with its lacy cut edge.

The warmth of winning...

We have a winner! I placed all the names in the random list generator and Barb's name came up at the top of the list. Barb and I are longstanding happy dancing partners. *grins* Please email me your address Barb so I can pop this package in the post for you.

But I am not stopping there. I made this lacy look red festive scarf which I am now crocheting a white flower for. This will be ready to send off in a couple of days so let's have another giveaway. If you would like to enter, then again leave a comment on this post and leave your email if you are not a blogger so I can contact you if you win please. I will draw a name on Tuesday, December 13th. I want to be able to get this scarf out to the winner in time for the holidays.

Hope you will give it another try and sign up for this red scarf to wear during the Christmas season...

A giveaway to keep you warm...

Have I been away that long from blogland? My mother and step father decided spontaneously to come to visit for two weeks. I was already having trouble being able to blog as I am busy making 13 gifts for my quilt group Christmas party and my swap gift for the party. As you can imagine, it is all top secret until after the party. It is also a busy time as I decorate the house for Christmas.

In the meantime, a gift to my blogging friend Barbara arrived. I was so pleased she likes it (photo above). I made her a cowl of her own which you can see above.

I had made this blue one for my mother but now she decided that she wanted a red one instead. I already crocheted her a cowl just after she arrived last week. She and I thought it would be a good idea to give away the blue cowl. Here it is and it could be keeping you warm for the winter if you leave a comment on this blog entry. If you are not a blogger, you must leave your email address in your comment in order to enter. I need to be able to contact you if you win. *grins* The giveaway is open until Sunday, December 11th. Good luck!

Edit: This giveaway is open to everyone no matter where you live. So yes, I will send it to Spain or any country if your name is drawn.