Hooked on Needles

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Happy 2015 ~ And My Winter Crochet Project

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It's been over four months since my last post here at Hooked On Needles, and I'm wondering how all you wonderful readers have been these past many months and if you might be interested in what I've been up to. So I am going to start out by saying a big HELLO and Happy New Year to anyone who might be reading this, and give you a little update on what I have done since that summer day of acorn painting way back in August. Then I'll show you the crochet project that is keeping me warm and cozy in the evenings now that winter is in full force here in New England.

In September, I started my first semester of the RN program at our local college after completing the previous two years of prerequisites and required electives for the program. We covered nursing fundamentals and long term care was our focus for our clinical experience. The material and the work this time around was so different than all my previous courses, and at the beginning I had some serious doubts as to what I had gotten myself into. But I pressed on, studied hard, worked hard, prayed hard, and in the end finished with a very respectable grade of 88 for the course. I was quite happy with that, and now ready to begin semester two which will cover maternity and pediatrics, two areas I have had a little bit of personal experience with already! So that's a quick update on my school situation.

Now let's talk about the fun stuff! I have actually completed a few projects that I did not post here just for lack of time. One was a new mitten for the Christmas mantel. This one was for our daughter's husband, so we could have a mitten for everyone hanging by the chimney with cheer. You can see our mittens in this old post if you're wondering what mittens hanging on the mantel look like instead of stockings! We love them!

At the medical office where I work, we had a Secret Santa swap before Christmas and I made a set of embroidered note cards for one of our nurse practitioners. I don't have pictures of those exact cards, but this old post shows some embroidered bookmarks I made a while ago using the same technique.

Between studying fluids and electrolytes, learning how to turn, bathe, medicate and assess patients, practicing inserting catheters on very life-like dummies, writing nursing care plans and making medication cards, I am sure there were a few other crafty projects I worked on in my spare time. For now though, take a look at the very cozy crochet project I am making for one of my nieces who is having her first baby in another month or so. Keep reading....



It really is a baby blanket, although these colors are not what comes to mind when I think of a baby blanket either! My niece asked for two shades of gray, so there you go...two shades of gray!

This crochet stitch I am using is an oldie that I have used many times before. I like it because, as you can see from the above picture, the front and the back each have an interesting pattern. It's also a very easy pattern that involves only double crochet and chain stitch, although it looks much more interesting than that!

The yarn I picked is Vanna's Choice which I was able to get at my local Michael's store with one of those great before-Christmas coupons. The colors are Charcoal Grey and Silver Heather.

The pattern I used is the cover pattern from this very old Coats & Clarks pattern booklet #299 which is still one of my go-to patterns when I want something easy, cozy and pretty.

You can tell this is an old pattern booklet by the price sticker. First of all, it is from Woolworth's, the Greatest Store Ever in the history of retail. I loved that store for everything! And then get a load of that price! A whole dollar! One entire dollar bought me 15 pages of knit and crochet patterns for babies, everything from blankets and booties to sweaters and sacks! Amazing! A real treasure too! If you ever find anything like this at a yard sale, don't leave without it! Great stuff in these little pattern booklets!

I purchased nine skeins of each color for this afghan and have used up a little more than half of it at this writing. The size of the blanket right now is what I would consider a good size for a baby blanket, but I don't really have any other use for the leftover yarn, so I have decided to continue crocheting this blanket and make it a size that this little guy will be able to grow into. The colors are much more Manly than Baby, so I'm hoping he will be able to use this as a cozy afghan on his bed as he grows up.

So that's what's filling my relaxing time in the evenings until I finish it up, wrap it up and mail it off to the great white north for a lucky little baby boy.

My school starts up again in just two weeks, and I have already received assignments to do before that, so keep those hands busy creating nice things for people in your lives and I hope to catch up with you again when I have another semester under my belt!


Happy Stitching!

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5 Comments:

  • So good to see your post - I have thought about you so many times. Congrats on your outstanding school performance. I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I love the baby blanket - grays are so popular now. I really love gray paired with yellow. Happy New Years to you and your family.

    By Blogger annemarie, At January 7, 2015 at 6:04 PM  

  • You've been making the most of your break from from school Mary Grace. I love the pattern in the baby afghan. I'm sure your niece must be thrilled with it.

    Great to hear from you and best of luck with next semester!

    By Blogger Jeanna, At January 7, 2015 at 8:39 PM  

  • I have e a friend who attended nursing school and the things she had to memorize is mind bollooging and u make so light of it. Ur starting materinity , i think she had 10 books to learn so i know what u r going thru and yet u find time 2 craft and run a houee and family.. congratulations. I will b praying 4 u. U need warrior angels to stand with u. Ha! Hang tough, know ur not alone..

    By Anonymous Luvmykats, At March 12, 2015 at 11:31 PM  

  • Can you tell me how you used DC and ch to make this blanket. It is beautiful and I'd like to try to make one like it.

    By Blogger Cronewbie, At April 13, 2015 at 4:15 PM  

  • Hi Cronewbie! Thanks for writing! You can do a google search for that pattern booklet and see if you can find someone selling one online. This pattern is the cover project from that booklet. Last time I checked, there were a few available.

    Hope this helps!
    MGM

    By Blogger Mary Grace McNamara, At April 13, 2015 at 6:01 PM  

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