Block of the Month Prize Package for JCCF

I have to admit, I had a hard time coming up with a prize package for JCCF's August Block/Color of the Month. Then. I decided to make a couple of packages,  that might benefit JCCF's future projects.

Knitting or Crocheting with Red, White and Blue

It's the first day of July and it's time to get started knitting or crocheting 12-inch blocks for JCCF. The blocks are used to create blankets to comfort injured rodeo athletes through the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund. This month's color of the month is red, white and blue. I'm not going to lie, these are probably my favorite colors to knit or crochet blocks for JCCF with.

The Wedding Afghan is Done!

Well, actually it's been done since the 23rd of March. I've been trying to get a REALLY good photo of it. This is the best I could do. Here's what I know about taking photos of off-white afghans.....they're HARD to photograph!

April Block of the Month at JCCF

 

 

I spent this past weekend sewing up the prize for the JCCF April Block/Color of the month. It's a crochet hook roll. The pattern I (loosely) used was this one  from Today We Made. I wanted something "Springy", so, I rummaged through my quilting fabrics and found these cute blue check and floral fabrics.

 

How Can it be March Already?

Which means May 1st will be here pretty soon (can you believe it?)! That's the deadline for this afghan. Actually, I'd like to finish it BEFORE May 1st as I don't want to be weaving in ends on the way to the wedding.

Finished 3 Blocks

I figured in January that I REALLY needed to get going again on this wedding afghan. I'm really close to getting this finished (and May will be getting here WAY too fast!). At the beginning of January, I needed 4 12-inch squares and 7 6-inch squares left to crochet. Of course, that doesn't count sewing together into strips and then the strips sewn into the afghan. So. I wanted to make sure I AT LEAST got some blocks made!

An Invitation to Crochet with JCCF

I've been working on this Simple Filet Crochet Starburst Square for JCCF. Maybe you're wondering, what IS JCCF? We're a group that knit or crochet 12-inch blocks that will be made into blankets to give comfort to injured rodeo athletes.

What I'm Working On & Reading......

One of the best things hubby and I did last year (2014) was get our local library cards. I don't know why we hadn't done that before. But. we hadn't. We've really been enjoying all the books and CDs we've been checking out. Last week I found these two gems to check out. Canning for a New Generation by Liana Krissof and Canning and Preserving Without Sugar by Norma M. MacRae, R.D.

Pink Squares for Breast Cancer

It's October. Which is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Over at JCCF (Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund), we've been busy knitting and crocheting pink afghan squares to make up blankets to be auctioned off (at rodeos during their tough enough to wear pink auctions) to raise funds for Breast Cancer.

Diet Update

It hasn't been quite a week since I started the No Flour No Sugar Diet and while I had kind of a rough start.....

• Day one - ate a donut that a co-worker offered me. About 3 hours after my "starting" the diet. Wow! What willpower I have!
• Day two - Went to a friend's Birthday party and consumed wine AND chocolate ice cream cake.

Afghan Update

Well, there you have it. 2 strips of the afghan all sewn together. That would be 6 12-inch squares and 12 6-inch squares. Too bad I didn't have 3 strips. It would have covered more of my ugly deck......but I didn't have 3 strips finished and the deck was the flattest (large) surface I could find.

Another Problem Block

Well.......Something went wrong here! This square is supposed to be Kaleidoscope Afghan Square. See, my camera didn't even know what to do with it. It turned it on it's side. Weird, huh?

3 Blocks for June

In case you missed it, this post is where I rambled on about the goals I would need to set to meet the deadline for the wedding afghan I'm making. Now that June is halfway over, I can report.....I made my goal for June!!!! One 12-inch block and two 6-inch blocks.

Setting Goals

I only got one wedding afghan block done this month ( May is CRAZY busy at my work). It started out as Cathedral Converts, but when I realized I had used a too large hook (I used an I hook, the pattern called for a H hook, which for me, would have equated as an F hook) things sort of went awry. Therefore, I had to rip back to round 5, square off the block and continue to finish it at 12 inches.

Even More Off-White Blocks....

It's true. I did get distracted last month for a little while making up these bright colored Cotton African Flowers. It's Spring and I just REALLY needed some COLOR! I'm back on track with the off-white  wedding afghan now, though.

Spring Blooms

 

A few blooms have started showing up in my garden.

 

Daffodils....

 



Dutch Iris....

Grape Hyacinths.....

And one lonely crocus,,,,,,

Among MANY weeds!

More Off-White Blocks

I've been making a fair amount of progress on the wedding afghan. I've now completed 4 12" blocks and 7 6" blocks. So, now I just have 11 more 12" and 23 more 6" blocks to go.  Wow! When you put it that way, it feels like I haven't gotten much done!

Why I Can't Get Anything Done

I've made a huge discovery. It's the main reason I can't get anything done. I'm indecisive. In 2012, I made this block in the Block a Month Crochet-A-Long . I decided it would be a perfect center block for an afghan for our nephew and his girlfriend.

Neutrals are their "colors". So, I chose a taupe and black to accompany the off white color and happily set about to make new blocks every month. Here's a few of my favorites.....

Pretty Petals

Hint of Spring

 

 

Double Treble Burst Square

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Anny's Stained Glass Afghan Square

 

 

 

 

One of these days, I need to take a better photo of that last block.....it really is the same colors as the others. If you want to see the other blocks they are on my project page here.

 

I had hoped at the end of 2012 (you know about Christmas time), I would have an afghan for a gift. It didn't happen (not enough blocks/time). Ditto for 2013. Then in 2013, I found out there would be a wedding. No date yet. Probably late 2014. NOW, I have to get this afghan DONE!!!

 

That's when the discovery happened. I'd been seeing several blocks by several members of 2014 Block-a-Month CAL done in just white or cream. They were so beautiful and elegant. I KNEW the afghan had to be solid off-white. It was just how it had to be. I took that ONE Center Heart Square and started over. Here's the link to my project page and some photos of my progress so far.....

 

 

 

There you have it. Sure HOPE I can get this finished in time! Wish me luck!

 

Happy crocheting!

 

Lori



Knit or Crochet Pink Squares for Breast Cancer Awareness

Even though October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, we at Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund (or JCCF) are knitting/crocheting pink squares in September to make into a blanket (maybe two?) that we will donate to be raffled to raise funds for research.

July Block of the Month CAL for JCCF

Over at Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund (JCCF) we've been hard at work crocheting blocks to make blankets for injured rodeo cowboys/cowgirls in our first Block of the Month Crochet-a-long (CAL). July's block actually ended in a tie. That means there were TWO blocks to choose from to crochet.