There’s _no_ way I could cope with a ruffly blanket as I would spend all the time trying to smooth it out and get grumpy when I couldn’t, so I decided to try tweaking the pattern a bit. I removed a tr from either side of the dtrs in round 6 then reduced the number of stitches on each side in the remaining rounds by 2.

Much better. Flat edges = no smoothing = happy me!

It’s totally not a joint order, by Anna and myself, for snowflake blanket yarn…

Definitely not…

It’s not going to be as big as I’d originally intended, but after more than a year of on/off Summer Garden Granny Squaring, I’ve reached the point where if I don’t finish then it’ll get parked and be a long term WIP. I did feel kinda sad working on the last ones, but better that than getting fed up and leaving them at the back of a cupboard somewhere.

So it’s on to blocking. Anna had a great suggestion of using a foam camping mat…

There are 46 blocks on there at the moment. I could have done more but I ran out of pins (and that’s after buying a pack of 200 specially for this!) Hopefully the blocking will be done by next weekend at which point I’ll lay them out and start sewing them together!

The other night I was thinking about what to do for my Monthly Make. I went for my crochet and saw the brooch bits – and bingo – that became my monthly make.

It really only took about half an hour to put it all together, so it doesn’t really feel like a “make”, but I’m just happy not to have the bits staring at me when I open my craft bag!

Note to self for next time – don’t sew in one spot when putting the layers together otherwise they can rotate. Sew in a circle (which is small enough to be covered by the button).

The snowflake pattern was pretty simple.

There was some head scratching and pouring over a crochet stitch reference what with it written in US stitches and me only having done trebles for the last year, but I got there in the end.

Unfortunately (for me) the puffy flower was also simple. Although it does require a magic loop which is a minor issue as me and magic loops are not the best of friends. However I got there, and there wasn’t even any swearing involved, so I consider that a success!

I do like how puffy it is!

So after all of that my willpower is crumbling. I know I should finish my blue block blanket first, but I really want to move onto snowflakes and puffy flowers!

1. I’m so loving this snowflake blanket that I posted about the other day.

It’s just gorgeous and I really, really, really want to make it. I was thinking maybe white snowflakes with a deep purple background? Although Anna pointed out that the royal blue in my blue block blanket has this lovely shimmer to it, so it would probably be lovely. Although I kinda fancy a change from blues after a year of blue granny squares. See I’m not even finished my blue block blanket and I’m already thinking snowflake colour schemes. Tis madness!

2. As if a snowflake blanket isn’t enough, I’m also loving this so much that I went and bought the pattern! I’ve never wanted anything enough before that I’ve bought the pattern, but I just love this. Isn’t it fab?!

I’d pinterested it ages ago but found out that the pattern’s just been released, so my willpower deserted me and the pattern was mine shortly after. Wouldn’t this be lovely in reds and pinks? Or red and aqua? Or red, orange and yellow?

It’s probably a mahoosive amount of work though. Perhaps a cushion might be more do-able. Or a coaster. A puffy flower coaster – that would be nice!

3. And then because I am clearly insane, I also want to make a granny stripe blanket like Anna’s.

We had a crafty club the other night and I got total blanket envy. I even went as far as online yarn window shopping before sanity prevailed. But I _need_ to make one of these. In red and pink. It has to be red and pink. I can just picture it.

I think I need help…

Key: In progress, Completed

#15 Crochet a blanket

100 blocks done.

#17 Make a Christmas wreath

I’m so, so pleased with how this turned out. I’d also forgotten it was on my list, so this one’s a bonus

I also made homemade cards so that’s the next one done too…

#18 Send homemade Christmas cards

#28 Use Orange Wednesday 6 times

1 of 6 (Sherlock Holmes 2 – awesome if only for the Stephen Fry breakfast scene. Pure genius…)

#29 Complete a 2000 piece jigsaw

Just in time for Halloween, I completed this cartoon haunted house puzzle over 4 days…

#34 Watch at least one film a month or cancel the LoveFilm subscription

1. Sherk Forever After
2. My Sister’s Keeper (rubbish – the book is way better)
3. Oops – I kinda missed this month :-/
4. Tron Legacy
5. Captain America

#42 Go once to each of the following: theatre, musical, opera, ballet, classical concert

Saw We Will Rock You earlier this month. One word. A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

#49 Play Skyrim

I haven’t finished the game but I’m head of the Mages Guild and I think I’m Skyrimed out.

#55 Store CDs in the attic

#61 Take meter readings each month

Meh. I just never seem to do this. I think I’m going to give up on this one.

#69 Try 2 new recipes every month

1. Beef stroganoff (from The Slow Cooker Cookbook)
2. Paprika pork (from One ingredient 4 ways)
3. Tuna & noodle casserole (also from One ingredient 4 ways)
4. Strawberry daiquiri mini cupcakes (from Cake Days. These disappeared so fast!)
5. Chicken and mushroom risotto
6. Blueberry crumble loaf (again from Cake Days. That book is bad…)
7. Linguine with smoked salmon and rocket (also from One ingredient 4 ways. Handy book that one…)
8. Chicken and vegetable casserole
9. Banana and raspberry loaf
10. ? No idea. I think I managed two each month but the details of the last one escape me!

#70 Make something with each unused piece of kitchen equipment

I made a bit more progress on this by making gingerbread cookies with my Christmas cookie cutters. I think I need to do an inventory to work out what I have left unused as I’m not too sure what’s lurking at the back of some of my drawers!

Overall, I think that’s not too bad going. Still got a lot left though!

Last night hubby and I went for an early meal out, watched Captain America then saw some of the city’s amazing fireworks’ display from our living room. We can just about see the highest fireworks if we squeeze into one of our window alcoves and peer sideways! It was a lovely start to 2012.

Normally I’m not really a New Year’s kinda gal. I don’t enjoy staying up late or going to pubs or all the other general New Yearsy activities. I’m a bit of a bah humbug about the whole thing. Christmas – yes (very definitely yes). New Year – no.

Another thing I’m not a fan of is resolutions. I’ve tried before and generally/always fail and I don’t enjoy that feeling. So instead of setting myself up for failure, last year I decided to start a 101 Things list (for which I have a majorly overdue post coming). It doesn’t feel like resolutions and I’m under no illusions that I’ll complete everything, but I’ve been ticking things off throughout the year and it’s been fun to do, so it seems to be working for me.

This year I’ve also decided to try A Monthly Make 2012.

It kinda does what it says on the tin – make something each month and post to flickr about it. I was tossing up joining Iron Craft 2012 (possibly because of the awesome button!) which is a themed make every two weeks.

But Anna brought me back down to earth with the reasoning that it’s just not going to happen, especially with work the way it is right now. She’s completely right (thanks for the reality check Anna ). It does sound like fun though. Maybe next year…

So that’s the plan for 2012. Continue with my 101 Things and try and do a make a month. That’s totally not a resolution. Absolutely not…

First up, I made a rosary pouch, from this tutorial, for my MIL’s Christmas present to go with a couple of religiousy books from her wish list. It was super simple to put together so I’ll be filing this away as a great last minute gift

I also made it to 100 blue block blanket squares the other day!

It’s been nice and relaxing to sit on the sofa and watch the pile of in progress blocks build up.

Although I’m beginning to lose the love for these blocks. Two rounds of the colour scheme will give me 112, and I’m hoping that if I continue to 121 for an 11×11 blanket, that’ll be enough. Although with blocks this size, I suspect it won’t (but I’m trying very hard not to think about having to make another round!).

I think part of the reason I want to finish is I’ve got need-to-make-it-itis for this snowflake blanket I saw on Pinterest. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it and may have bought some shimmery silver yarn yesterday to try a test block…

Then this morning I woke up really excited to do more on my blanket. It’s been so long since I was that excited about anything crafty and it’s a fab feeling. So up I got and did all this before breakfast. And I do like my breakfast!

Tonight I’m off to Anna’s for a bit more blanket hooky. I’m up to 91 complete squares, so I’m thinking I might be able to get to 100 today!