Sandy's Sunday Projects

Beach Ball isn't finished, but it's close. I had hoped to finish it yesterday; but took time out for yard work. Only one more seam needs to be crocheted before I start the border. Ratted around in my stash this am to see if I had turquoise yarn...yippee, found a partial skein that matches. Needed to see what I had before I could decide on the type of border. With any luck at all, I'll finish this today. Maybe even get it laundered so I can lay it out to block.

Please to say, I also made headway (about double I think) with my Blue Feather and Fan Scarf. This is the yarn, by the way that I had started several scarves with some time back. It was in fact on the list, then got removed and replaced with a green scarf I made for my darling daughter........so, quess I'll add Awesome Blue Scarf back on the YOP list.

Doubt much will get done this week on anything involving yarn. A very long work week awaits me. Happy stitching one and all. YOP updated list in the tab across the top of the blog, and badge and link for YOP linky party in the right sidebar.

Knitting and Crocheting Projects on Wednesday

Beach Ball in the works. I added a row of dc to all squares except the bright pinks, as those squares were larger. Then added a row of sc winter white to all squares. Currently my method for crocheting together in one continuous strip (vs crocheting 2 squares together, crocheting a strip, crocheting stripes together) is to tie the corners with left offer strips of yarn. The yarn ties can be removed as I crochet...giving me the ability to have the ghan in my lap or on a table to crochet continuously across the full width and length. Once joined, I'll decide how much and what type of a border is needed for this afghan. This like the previous one (A Day at the Beach), will be donated and be size and color appropriate for a little girl as a full afghan and or a female teen/adult as a lapghan. I'm needing to check my stash to see if I might have some of the shocking pink or aqua/turquoise to use in the border.
















This knitted Feather and Fan Scarf is actually for me! Obviously it will be for next year. I'll work on it only here and there, in-between other projects since there's no rush. It's a nice take and go project as it's currently small, and the pattern isn't too terrible to keep track of without complete concentration. It's a cast on of 22 on size 8's. I considered using 9's to make it a bit more lacy, wondering how different it might look if I had. But, I'm not going to frog and start over. Love the yarn, both the color and texture. This is Ultra Alpaca (Berroco) 215 yds 50% Alpaca and 50% Laine Wool. It's quite soft, and light weight. Was having some trouble with the k2tog'ers until someone suggested pulling down a bit on the stitches (as if to purl). That's been a good tip. I don't knit tightly, but apparently from what I read on RAV and a few blogs....the k2tog'ers tent to get tight when you a series of them together. Someone else suggest lace needles with better points would be helpful too..........as the moment, I'd rather not buy more knitting needles.

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Thinking Sunny on Sunday

A Day at the Beach, finished. Just needs to be laundered and blocked. Currently measures about 45 inches square and should grow a little once it's blocked. I ratted through my stash, was about 99% certain I had some of that variegated yarn, sorta remembered making something with it some time back. Bingo...I had one ball, partial skein and was able to edge it with 2 rows of sc. The aqua in my stash is close in shade, just not exact; though I believe it works given the winter white in between the squares and the aqua stripe. This should make a suitable size and color afghan for a little girl and or a teen/adult female a as lapghan. Homeless Families Foundation will put this in someone's Welcome Home package. If you're new to my blog, you might not know about that. When a homeless family moves from the shelter into permanent housing, they're given a Welcome Home Package. The afghans are to welcome them home, give them hope for the future, and to congratulate them on moving ahead to the next and important phase of their lives.
A bit of a close up so you can see the variegated yarn. I edge each square wsith 2 rows of double crochets, crocheted the squares together in a continuous row, then edge the whole afghan with another row of double crochet, switched then to the aqua for 2 rows of single crochet, followed by 2 more rows of double crochet with the white, and ended with 2 rows of single crochet with the variegated. So, was able to add quite a bit of size to the 7 ish inch squares. When doing the single crochet edge I wasn't sure I had enough to do 2 rows, switched to a smaller hook for the last row, which I believe made all the difference...ended up with less then 2 feet of yarn. Whew, close call.

Still thinking beach, summer, fun, and sun.........this afghan is titled Beach Ball. I've begun edging. The hot pink squares are larger then the others so am adding 1 row of sc in white; adding one row of dc in pink to all other squares followed by a row of sc white. When they're edged, I'll remeasure to determine whether or not to join at that point or add some more for size.

Since last week's YOP post, the only changes are what you see...the completion of another ghan, and the start of another. Both to be donated through Bridge and Beyond's Project, "Welcome Home".

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Thumnail Picture Practice

Here's one of the many afghans I've designed that's bagged and tagged and waiting it's turn to be joined. Probably not even the next one I'll be putting together. I asked in the previous post about how to make a thumbnail, have it clickable so that it could be clicked and made larger AND have a link. Sandie offered some opinions about posting picture to other places and picking up code to make it a thumbnail. I tried several options but didn't get anywhere. Googled it and found several options, some were quite complicated. I tried the one I could sorta understand multiple times, wrote down and rechecked the code multiple times; but I couldn't get it to work.

Then found directions which produced this.

Trial #1

Trial #2

Though I was pleased I got the thumbnail thing to work. I thought this was a draft, and didn't know I had clicked published. In fact...I'm almost certain of it. So, when I came to my blog this am, I was surprised to see this. But, thought I'd leave it with information in case others are interested.

Step 1, load your picture as you always would right here on blogger
Step 2, click the edit html code tab and change the size of the picture in the code area (I used 100 x 100), but it was originally coded this way 320px; height: 230px Only change the first part of the code so that it's clickable. If you look further down into the code you see src="http...and lots of of numbers, then/s320/ and whatever you named the picture as followed by id= then the blogger ID number. I assume, leaving the 2nd number it's original size actually leaves the picture in it's large form...otherwise it wouldn't be clickable?

So, then if I wanted a link I believe I could just add a caption under or with it picture that was clickable. My original thought was to have the picture clickable....but haven't gotten that piece of the puzzle yet...might not be worth the extra messing with code? As you can tell, when you click on the first thumbnail, trial #1, it's a link and takes you elsewhere...ok. Think I can accomplish my original goal/object which was to have a page of thumbnails, clickable for size and or links elsewhere. Trial #2 is clickable in that it enlarges, with the caption under it being a link.

So, now I just need to figure how which I prefer. I wanted to learn how to do this for several reason. One was to change pictures on old posts to thumbnails, as I thought that would save space. Figuring I wouldn't hit the max here on blogger as soon. Now though wondering if that actually works? Since the picture is still in it's large format? Which hadn't occured to me when I started this project. Secondly, I wanted a page with all the afghan pictures in one place, with links that would take you to wherever that afghan had been discussed/blogged about. So, it seems one purpose has been accomplished, rather I've learned how to do it. The maxing out on picture space allotment here on blogger, is still unclear. Has anyone hit their max? If so how did you deal with it?

Actually had planned to show you A Day at the Beach finished today; but didn't quite make it. Came close last night, so plan to finish it up today and will share it on Sunday in my Year of Projects Post.

Happy Friday all, dark here, looks like were in for an all day rain.
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A Day at the Beach

A Day at the Beach is the name I've chosen for this afghan. A bigger name then usual, particularly for a smaller afghan, lol. I love these colors together, bright and cheery. The gold makes me think hot sun, the shades of aqua make me think water, and the variegated colors make me think beach and bathing suits. There are only 16 squares here, just under 7 inches prior to the edging. Edging added about 2 inches a square. Once joined, my plan is to do a few rows of boarder to increase a bit more. I rarely use white in afghans, for the dirt factor; but this white seemed to work. It's not white white, and it's not ivory/offwhite. It's called Winter White. Some one donated it awhile back. I reviewed by stash and felt I had enough of this...on my second 8 oz skein. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember doing a afghan that had this variegated yarn. I'm hoping I have enough left in my stash to do at least a row in the border. Playing through. As always, this afghan will be donated through Bridge and Beyond for Project, "Welcome Home."

Many thanks for the help in the comments of the previous post (year of project post) regarding my substituting yarn. I appreciate the brain power. I've gone back to the drawing board on that project....I really like the yarn I bought, and am going to look a bit more for patterns that use the DK weight, and or review the original pattern to see if it makes more sense the 2nd or 3rd time I read it.

**Question, would like to have a page with thumbnails of all the afghans, either here or on Bridge and Beyond, or both...how does one go about posting thumbnails on the blog that can be clicked to enlarge/and or go to the blog post regarding said item?**

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Blocking Blue Jazz

Blue Jazz in the works here, as some saw it on Wed. The colors are more true in this picture, though I did make a few square changes in the finished project below.
Not sure why this picture isn't as good. I may move it later and re-photograph it; it's in a location I don't typically use for photo's....perhaps it's a lighting thing? But, it's wet and currently being blocked, so don't want to pick it up now and move it. Lots of different sized squares, some rectangles, some knitted, some crocheted. Took lots of edging to bring this one together so it really needed blocked...more so then some of the ghans of late. Used about double the amount of yarn I usually do in the edging, joining, and bordering.

Have picked out a shrug pattern I want to make for myself (not on the YOP list), but it calls for bulky #5 weight yarn. Says it should measure 15 x 54, using a size 10 needle is suggested. While I don't think it's necessary to swatch for something like a shawl...I'm wondering...I want to use DK weight yarn (merino), probably size 7/8 needles...in my mind, I can't determine if my item will be larger or smaller? I've not substituted yarn before knitting. Thoughts? I bought the yarn for a specific pattern, then found a pattern I liked better

The afghan is the only think I've worked on this past week, therefore the only change to the list. YOP list on tab across the top of the blog, with badge and link in right sidebar.