Apple Green

Pattern: Lucky Bamboo Hat - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Ombre in Green Apple - Needle: US 8

  I love how gradual the gradient is!  It is so smooth and subtle that I didn't notice the change at first when I was working with it.  I would use this yarn again, so I think it'll go on my list for yarn I will buy once I get my stash a bit smaller.

Pattern: Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat by KnottingHookCrochet - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Ombre in Green Apple - Hook: 6mm

  I joined the Knit Stash Down's Race to the Bottom Part 6.  When I first joined I didn't select a big goal, but that is because I thought the challenge went through the end of the year.  I increased my goal when I realized that it goes through to the end of next year.  I may have to raise it again with how quickly I'm going.

  I have been having fun trying to match the eyes of the Worry Worms to their butt color if I change colors part of the way through.  I did it accidentally the first few times but then kept it going with it.  I also like how I can include the yarn I use in the worms to my Race to the Bottom total.

Yearly Yarn Tracker:
Yarn In: 20 (4)
Yarn Out: 30 (10)

Total: -10

Fourth of July Fun

Pattern:  Side To Side Ribbed Hat by Sally L.M. - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in 986 Adobe, 997 Sage Mary, and 963 Rambling Rose - Hook: 6mm

  We were a bit worried about the heat and Bill kept offering to buy me an AC unit, but as we got closer to leaving the expected temperatures kept creeping down to a more acceptable range.

  Bill and I got to the cabin the day before everyone else.  When getting ice cream at Smiley's we saw some fireworks.  Odeh and Jim were the next to arrive.  The guys spent some of the day shooting at various targets and having a good time.  Tank and I stayed near fans to try and stay cool.  It was nice to listen to the rain that kept happening on and off throughout the day, but it wasn't fun to drive through the downpour when we went out for dinner.  I was disappointed that we couldn't go to Village Pizza Too on the Fourth of July, but I also know it's nice to get a day off.

Patten: Pennyroyal by Tracey Lambert - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo Stripes in Sutherland Stripe - Needle: US 8

  My parents were the last to arrive for this trip.  They also happened to arrive on almost the hottest day of the trip.  Turns out the predicted temperatures were lower than the actual temperatures.  During the day the lodge tended to be cooler, but in the evenings the cabin was the cooler feeling one.

  It kept getting hotter day to day, though the nights were pretty cool and comfortable to sleep.  My dad ended up getting a bit too dehydrated on his birthday, so he wasn't feeling very good.  He got to take all the leftovers from his birthday dinner that Bill made home though, hopefully they will reheat well.

  Even with the heat, I think that everyone has fun.  I know everyone liked watching the watermelon blow up.

Patten: Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat by KnottingHookCrochet - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Jumbo Stripes in Sutherland Stripe - Hook: 6mm

  When Bill and I got home we discovered that our air conditioner wasn't actually making cold air.  Bill called four places that claimed to be 24/7 and we heard back from none of them that night.  Two claimed they would call us back during regular work hours.  Only one did the next day, though to be fair, Bill called one of the two back in the morning.

  We ended up bringing Tank with us as we did a late-night Walmart run to get a window AC unit.  Tank was confused because I wanted him up front where the fans are, so I only had him in his harness.  Usually, he's buckled in while in his carrier.  For being a small unit, it worked pretty well.

  Charles from Meade's Heating and Air arrived to (hopefully) save the day.  His words, but I agree with them.  He replaced the refrigerant compressor and that did the trick.

Yearly Yarn Tracker:
Yarn In: 16 (2)
Yarn Out: 20 (3)

Total: -4

I Think I'm Hooked on Crochet Bucket Hats

Pattern: Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat by KnottingHookCrochet - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Pretty in Pink and Burgundy - Hook: 6.5mm

  I watched the video How many granny bucket hats can I crochet in ONE day? by PassioKnitKelsie, which uses the Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat Crochet Tutorial by KnottingHookCrochet pattern.  They looked like they are so much fun to make, and I like how KnottingHookCrochet does the increases more than the other granny stitch bucket hats I've seen tutorials for.  They also work up quickly, but I'm definitely not as fast of a crocheter as PassioKnitKelsie.

Pattern: Granny Square Bucket Hat by me - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver Multicolor in 0997 Sage Mary - Hook: 6mm

  I had the idea for this for a while and was never able to find a pattern that looked how I wanted it to be.  I made the top as a hexagon and only had to do four rows.  The sides are all squares where I used the Join As You Go method by Hooked by Robin I shared recently, but without joining at every chain.  When I would attach a side square I would work my partial side, one full side, then join on the second chain before the third side.  If there were other squares I would join the sides on the fourth side.  I probably could have joined the last one using the second side for the body of the hat, the third for the top, and the fourth for the final side.  However, I wanted them all to look the same, so I pulled out the first one back to the fourth side and joined it like I was adding a new square.  Those side numbers might not work if you don't find yourself starting from the middle of a row like I have.

  I started the brim by putting a granny cluster into every chain space I came across.  I also tried out a standing double crochet for the first time and though it felt loose, I think it looks fine in the end.  On the second row I used the increases by KnottingHookCrochet, but with four plain clusters between the increases and a chain in the middle of the four double crochets.

  I had a lot of fun making this, so when I make it again I might try taking out the chain between the clusters on the straight edges to see if I like the shape it makes better.  It might help the brim hold its shape better.  I'm also tempted to make it with different colored squares so it shows the joins better.

Pattern: Granny Square Bucket Hat by me - Yarn: scraps from Tammy - Hook: 6mm

  For the brim, I did a 4 double crochet increase in the middle of each square.  For the next two rows I just worked them plain.  On the next row I added a 4 double crochet increase in the space that was over the seam space with 5 regular granny clusters between.  The last two rows were worked plain again.  I had originally thought to make the brim entirely out of the navy, so it would keep the color blocking feel, but I was afraid I wasn't going to have enough yarn.  Considering I won yarn chicken with both the red and the blue, I probably could have made it.

Pattern: Quick & Easy Granny Stitch Bucket Hat by KnottingHookCrochet - Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver in Pretty in Pink and a scrap from Tammy - Hook: 5.5mm

  When we were cleaning out the garage, Bill found a paper bag filled with yarn ball bands.  I'm not sure if I was possibly keeping track of how much yarn I was using or if it was from when I was cleaning out the basement and had to wash some of the yarn.  Either way, I'm not sure how the bag ended up in the garage.  I took a quick peak and found oldies like Sensations Sublime, one of JoAnn Fabrics original brand, and also one from Creslan Cyanamid which cost 49¢ when new from the store.

  You probably also noticed the jump in the yarn I got.  I found a really pretty shawl pattern that I want to make, but it is large.  I didn't have enough yarn in the size I needed already, so I asked around.  I got some options from both Tammy and Andrea.  I'm still slowly working through yarn, but getting a bunch of small balls makes it look more daunting than it should.  I know I'm also slowing down my own progress by not counting the scrap yarn I was given while focusing on working on Worry Worms with it so much recently.

Yearly Yarn Tracker:
Yarn In: 14 (0)
Yarn Out: 17 (1)

Total: -3