100th post, 100th monkey has 100 things to say

I had such a fun time last night at book club chez Jenny! I got to meet new girls and chat with two friends I don't see nearly enough! Unfortunately, I bought my book for book club new and so I need to decide what to do with it now. I was joking when I suggested this, but now I think I might do it! You know how you get dollar bills that people try to track across the country? Well this is a way to track your book. You just leave it somewhere and hope someone logs in its location. It's a way to share your books so others don't consume more AND a fun experiment! Now where should I leave mine? In Ballard or on the airplane?

I didn't exercise for an entire week. I will go today, after I digest these three donuts.

I turned on the heat in my bedroom for ten minutes last night. It felt luxurious. It's 59 degrees in my living room and I need to go study, I'm tempted to turn it on out there for a little while to take the chill off. I don't know why I feel so guilty using heat.

I got my zen stone plus. It's bigger than a Shuffle, I learned that last night but I heart it still!

Oh AND Jenny gave me four knitted squares, my sister left one before she left a few weeks ago and my mother's coworker gave me 8 crocheted squares. YAY! Getting closer to being able to put this together!

I have learned that early elementary is not the place for me. I do not deal well with boogers and wet pants. OMG, please don't touch me with those hands! It was awful.

I just ripped the seams out of a favorite pair of underpants that were nearing the trash. I'm going to copy the pattern and try to make a new pair. And I JUST put away my sewing machine. Sigh.

Squares

I just found 6 mystery squares in my apartment! I think they came via my roommate who still works at my old job and I have a coworker there whipping them up like crazy! She's donated 14 crocheted squares!

My current count is:
Crocheted: 28
Knitted: 30

I can probably make one twin sized afghan if I combined them. Otherwise I'm about halfway on both. Admittedly, I've been slacking on making them too. I need to pick up my hook and needles!

Square!

I went home to my parents' this weekend and was surprised by 17 knitted squares!! Keep 'em coming folks! I'm starting to worry!

Mom also knitted me a sweater she claimed was too hard for her and wouldn't be able to make! It fits perfectly and is knitted to perfection. Lime green...and I think it will look smashing with dark brown pants!

Squares

Beth sent me two BEAUTIFUL knitted squares in the mail the other day! She also mailed them in a reused envelope because she's awesome! : )

Thanks Beth!

Update

This looks like it's turning into a craft blog. The theme is tied, really. Reusing, refashioning . . . it's all about saving energy and garbage out of landfills.

I made three and a half more squares this weekend. That equals two mostly used skeins that were filling up my yarn drawer that had no other use. Yay for cleaning!

I'm really excited about the support I've gotten so far. Several people have offered to knit squares. For others interested in knitting instead of crochet, I'm going to let you use your own creativity for the pattern. The only pattern I'd suggest staying away from is ribbing because of the stretchiness.

I should start a list a la Crunch on the side of those interested so I can keep track. : )

Crochet pattern

Excuse the optical illusion, they are the same size.

This will be the pattern for the crocheted afghan. I stole the pattern from 63 East-To-Crochet Pattern Stitches.

Using an H-hook and worsted weight yarn, please make sure your unblocked square measures 6 inches.

Chain 8, join with slip to form a ring.
RND 1: Work beginning Cluster as follows: chain 3, (YO, insert hook in ring and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, YO and draw through all 3 loops on hook (beginning Cluster made), ch 5, work Cluster in ring as follows: (YO, insert hook in ring and pull up a loop, YO and draw through 2 loops on hook) 3 times, YO and draw through all 4 loops on hook (Cluster made), ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 5, Cluster) in ring, ch2; repeat from * 2 times more; join with slip st. to top of beginning Cluster: 8 clusters.

RND 2: Slip st in first ch-5, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-5 sp, ch 2, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repatet from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 3: Slip st in first ch-3 sp, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2; repeat from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 4-5: slip st in first ch-3 sp, work (beginning Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in same sp, ch 2, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in each dc across to next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, *work (Cluster, ch 3, Cluster) in next ch-3 sp, ch 2, work 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, dc in each dc across to next ch-2 sp, 2 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, repeat from * around; join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster.

RND 6: Slip st in first ch-3 sp, ch 1, 3 sc, sc in every stitch to next corner (about 21 st), 3 sc in corner. Continue around, slip st. in top of first sc and finish off.

crocheters, knitters, do gooders

Dear friends, stalkers, and lurkers,

I need your help. Many of us have scrap yarn lying around. Why not put it to use? I am asking folks to help me make an afghan out of granny squares to be donated to Treehouse or a local Seattle homeless shelter.

This is a great opportunity to learn how to knit or crochet! And I am not asking you to purchase yarn but to use what you, or a friend, has lying around the house.

Please let me know if you are interested. I have to run to the gym now, but this afternoon I plan on settling on patterns and final instructions.