I Survived The Learning Logs

Well, in the on going story/dilemma that has been associated with the Learning Logs Ghan...I can report progress is being made.  I added a log to the right side of the grey log which helped pull that side out a bit.  Then added the log of bright green and rose to smooth out the bottom a bit.  It was getting closer to being the same size all the way around; but not there yet.  The bright green and rose, like the earlier bright green and blue is such a tight pattern it really pulls so...I added the stripes in garter stitch to the right side.  Bingo...finally that side was smooth, didn't curl, and didn't pull.  I also bumped up my needle size by 1 size.  The good old garter stitch gave it the body it needed I think.  And now the bottom...where you see my toes holding down the yellow log.  That's a pretty heavy log which worked to pull out the green and rose strip on that side.....but still some curling.  However, I think once attached to another square and blocked it will work.  But, the left side, next to the solid tan...needed perhaps one more log to help pull out the ends of the yellow and green striped log.

So, one final log was added.  I used the same stitch pattern as the center square as it laid nicely in the beginning.  I did not start or end rows with slip stitch as the pattern called for, in order to avoid the holes created by doing so previously.  My square has 10 logs plus the center square, the pattern called for the center square and 6 logs, and the logs were only on 2 sides.  I think, though it's been quite a trial, I can consider this square DONE!

I will start the 2nd one, making the changes I learned and NOT follow the pattern next time.  I'm hopeful, things will then go much better and I won't be quite so looney!  There are 9 colors, 8 different stitch patterns.  It measures 23 x 23, so I think making a total of 4 squares to join will make a nice size lapghan.  The pattern called for 6 smaller squares.

2015 Donations:

Hats: 118
Scarves:33
Mittens: 42
Slippers: 47
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 12
Shawls: 1 
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Crocheted Hats for the Homeless

Thank you Marsha M from Ohio for this awesome donation of crocheted goodies.  Marsha's been very busy crocheting hats in lots of different sizes and colors and styles.  And I think some are knitted too?  Correct me on that Marsha.  There were both?  She'a also included some scarves.  Though we've recently experienced some warmer temps and most of the snow has melted, we're now into the gray wet period so these nice warm items are still very much needed and appreciated.  

The worry of frost here in Central Ohio typically isn't until Memorial Day, so we still will have plenty of cold nights.  The calendar says it's Spring in March 20th, a week from now, but the signs of spring I rely on are seeing the pussy willows starting to open...which they hadn't when I took a walk the other day, and or the blooming of the yellow Forsythia bushes.  And they haven't even started to bud yet......plus there's the whole we always get one more snow after the Forsythia bloom.....so to my way of thinking...it will be a while until I'll be dancing in the streets because it's Spring.  It's all a process.

2015 Donations:

Hats: 101+17=118
Scarves:31+2=33
Mittens: 42
Slippers: 47
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 11+1=12
Shawls: 1 
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Friday the 13th!

We have a few days before it's St. Patrick's Day, but I thought I'd turn this post Green.  The luck of the Irish perhaps to offset the the lack of luck often on Friday the 13th.

If you're Irish I hope you have something special planned for the day.  Hubby and I aren't Irish, but always enjoy watching our favorite movie, "The Quiet Man", with John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.  Typically we have corned beef (which isn't true Irish, but Irish-American), and hubby enjoys Genesis.  

Things have been greening up here this past week, almost all the snow has melted giving us glimpses of green grass, which is most exciting.  I hope it gives hope to those Homeless that their trial with this nasty winter will indeed come to an end.  

Doing a bit of looking back, thought I'd post the numbers from this time last year.

2014 Donations:
Hats: 303
Scarves: 116
Socks: 49
Afghans: 11
Slippers: 25
Rain Ponchos: 
Mitten: 9
Cotton Washcloths: 118
Shawls, Sweaters, Vests, Poncho's, Skirts, etc. : 5
Neck warmers, cowls, gators, wrists warmers and other misc items aren't tabulated; as well as personal care items.

Followed by our numbers to date this year.  Hats and scarves are down quite a bit, while mittens are up!  Socks are about the same, rain poncho's up a smidge, cotton washcloths down.  Keep in mind previously cowls etc weren't counted so that skews things a bit.

Happy Crocheting and Knitting to everyone, anyone making something Green?

2015 Donations:

Hats: 101
Scarves:31
Mittens: 42
Slippers: 47
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 11
Shawls: 1 (just realized it wasn't listed, don't think I missed any?)
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Learning Logs is Making Looney

 Might need to add to the name of this ghan, Learning Logs, thank you SSeger (Sue), might need to name it Looney Learning Logs........cause I am going a bit looney.  I'm like weirdness of the colors, and variety with each section (log) being different with color and stitches......but.  Can you see how much some of the logs are pulling against the other stitches.  I am officially done with the class I took for this Log Cabin Style Afghan, and I've learned alot.....mostly how to alter the pattern do things differently next time.  Seriously, this Lion Brand Pattern leaves alot to be desired.  Notice the bright green and blue log...pointed out in a previous post....the right side edge is no longer curling thanks to the fun 3 color checkerboard log to it's right......but the progressive creeping up of the bottom edge is really bad.  Next to the center square the bright blue, the grey starts the creeps, followed by even more with the vertical stripes log.

Strange how much brighter the first picture is, think this is a bit more true to color.  Just another view from a different angle.  The next log is suppose to be to the right side of the solid tan; but since that's a nice edge....I'm electing not to add the log there and try to pull out the left side.  The 3 color log at the bottom is very think...would be super warm as a hat.......I think.

Will keep you posted on the progress of my looney demise, or the possible improvement on the creeping of the left side, or..........my throwing in the towel all together with this frustrating pattern.  I like mixing the colors in such odd ways, that's kinda fun, and that was the only part of the lesson that was worthwhile.  However, I think they should tell people to use light weight yarn (which would take longer) and then be prepared to back the ghan.  Much discussion in the group about the back side, the rough seams (resulting from where stitches are picked up to avoid holes because they broke some fairly standard rules of knitting about slip stitches at beginning and endings of rows, purls at beginning and ending of rows vs having a border of garter stitches to keep things flat and even), and perhaps the need to put a backing on it.  Thus my thought about lighter weight yarn.  WW yarn and backing....think it would very heavy?

2015 Donations:
Hats: 101
Scarves:31
Mittens: 42
Slippers: 47
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 11
Shawls: 1 (just realized it wasn't listed, don't think I missed any?)
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Donating Creative and Caring Crochet

 This is what I call really creative crocheting!  Thank you Paulette.  This looks like such an awesome idea, and something we might be able to be really successful with.  Mittens as you all know is one of the items we receive the least amount of......they are hard to make for many of us.  Awhile back our good friend RoseMarie wrote a crochet pattern for wrist warmers/finger less gloves etc.  (I know, I did that whole history of what they were called and already have forgotten, lol), fingerless gloves are certainly better then none, but definitely not as warm as a real pair of gloves or mittens.  Paulette J....you're awesome!  Seriously YOU ROCK!  She's made a bunch of fingerless gloves......and paired them with a pair of gloves.  Most of them are those lightweight stretchy gloves that fit a variety of hand sizes.  I often wear them because they're far less expensive then sized heavy gloves.  By themselves they're not as warm, but pair them with the fingerless and you've got a real double punch.  Plus.......they can be worn either way, if someone needs to have their fingers out.

 I'm trying to demo them for you.  Left hand has the black glove on, beneath it is the paired glove and fingerless glove

Here I am modeling the paired duo.  I couldn't take the photo all at once, lol

 Paulette has been very busy and very generous...awesome warm slipper socks, all nicely tagged with size!

Look at the variety of colors and sizes folks.  This is great, lots of warm feet.  Her slipper socks are I think double thickness because they feel nice and cushy and warm!

Keep up the good work Paulette, and many thanks for coming up with that idea!  What pattern are you using for your fingerless part?  Is it the one we have posted here on the blog?


2015 Donations:
Hats: 101
Scarves:31
Mittens: 27+15=42
Slippers: 20+27=47
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 11
Shawls: 1 (just realized it wasn't listed, don't think I missed any?)
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.

Crocheted Donations for the Homeless

 Time to wash up!  Pictured here are cotton washcloths crocheted by our good friend Diana K.  LOTS of them.  Cotton washcloths have several uses and are greatly appreciated by many.  They are donated to folks as they enter a shelter, as they leave the shelters for their permanent housing situation, and for the folks living out in the elements.  They can be used as personal cotton washcloths and or dishcloths.

 Diana has been very busy, as you can see she's also crocheted matching hats and scarves in a variety of colors.  I LOVE the color choices Diana, something appropriate for both the men and the women.  The Chevron style scarf is really very nice.  Using solid colors the texture shows up so well.

And as you can see, the hats have a nice thick brim for added warmth.  Hats with brims are also nice for heads of varying sizes.  Many thanks Diana for your generosity and please keep up the good work.

2015 Donations:
Hats: 94+7=101
Scarves:24+7=31
Mittens: 27
Slippers: 20
Rain Poncho's: 3
Cotton Washcloths:23+30=53
Afghans:2
Socks: 47
Fingerless gloves/wrist warmers:
Cowls/Infinity scarves: 11
Shawls: 1 (just realized it wasn't listed, don't think I missed any?)
Misc: personal care items and anything not listed above

All donations regardless of size and number are valued. All donations are appreciated. The Power of One is awesome, and when we work together The Power of One becomes The Power of Many.