Crocheted Lapghan for my Grandma

I found this wonderful and easy Crocheted Wheelchair Lapghan pattern on Kathy's Crochet Cabin blogspot. I followed her pattern and made this one for my Grandma.

It's made in all double crochet stiches--my favorite!

Kathy's pattern uses an "I"  a size "J" hook and starts with a chain of 104.

Her pattern is 41 rows but I made mine a little bit wider at 53 rows.

The finished size of my Lapghan (including the border) is 32"x35".

I just used what yarn I had and that I liked. I made it out of soft yarn for Grandma.

The pink was "I Love This Yarn". The yellow was some thriftstore yarn called "TLC Essentials". I'm not sure what the green was as it didnt have a label on it anymore, but it was very soft--more than likely it was some leftover "I Love This Yarn". The varigated didnt have a label anymore either but I think it was Red Heart.  And the white border was "I Love This Yarn".

I guess I should have just said it was made mostly out of soft yarn called "I Love This Yarn." LOL :)

I crocheted 17 rows of pink, 20 rows of yellow, 8 rows of green, 8 rows of varigated for a total of 53 rows, and then the white border.

I didnt start with a full skein of yarn with any of the colors so if I had to guess how much yarn I used, here is my best guess:

•  Pink, 4 oz
• Yellow, 5 oz
• Green, 2-3 oz
• Varigated, 2-3 oz
• White, 3 oz

So, a generous guess of total amount of yarn that I used would be 18 oz.

If you'd like Kathy's Wheelchair Lapghan pattern, please visit Kathy's Crochet Cabin and scroll down the right side and look for her "MY PATTERNS"  then look for "WHEELCHAIR LAPGHAN".
Thank you so much Kathy for the lovely pattern!  It was fast and easy to make. :)

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Cotton Crochet Dish Rags out of Sweaters

These I've made out of Crochet Cotton but below I'll show you the one's I made out of an old cotton sweater.

Assorted Dish Rags made out of Crochet Cotton



Pink Dish Rag made out of Crochet Cotton

Varigated Dish Rag made out of Crochet Cotton

My latest love is to unravel cotton sweaters and crochet something new, and in this case - Dish Rags.  I haven't bought dish rags from the store for years. I crochet my own. It's just a simple double crochet stitch. I suppose I can give you the pattern at the end of this post. I like to make these because they're fast, I don't have to keep track of rows or stitches, and I can sit in the front room with the rest of the family and crochet while we all watch TV.

I like to make dish rags out of sweaters made out of cotton. I think these make even better dish rags than dish rags make of of 100% crochet cotton such as Peaches and Cream. And you can make a LOT of dish rags out of one sweater, too! Find a sweater that is knitted. Rip the seams and unravel. There are lots of other sites where you can find more indepth instuctions about selecting a good sweater to unravel.

Okay, I've completely unraveled one sleeve and I'm ready to crochet. Yeah! :)

I've made one dish rag out of sleeve and still have plenty of more yarn to make another one.

Another dish rag I've made out of the same sleeve.

I've unraveled the whole sweater and made lots of dish rags and given lots away, too.

I'm getting down to the nitty-gritty last of my sweater yarn. I tried to find another sweater at the thrift store but havent had much luck. I'll probably have to wait until Fall when they put their sweaters back out again. When they put their sweaters back out to sell, this time I'll know exactly what I'm looking for and I'll buy a few to last me the whole year.

FREE DISH RAG PATTERN

I like to use a "G" hook.

I chain about  25 to 28 chains (I dont remember exactly, and it doesnt matter really).

Then dc in the 3rd ch from hook and dc in each ch to the end of the row, ch 3, turn.

Dc in each dc across. Keep doing this until you've got a square piece of cloth. 

Now dc evenly all the way around, crocheting 3 dc in each corner.

Then sc in bl (back loops only) all the way around, crocheting 3 sc in each corner. Tie off and weave in loose ends.

CROCHET RAG RUG MADE OUT OF OLD SWEATER

The next pic below was a different sweater (obviously) but I wanted to show it to you. This sweater was made out of a thicker cotton. This rug is made out of that whole sweater. I made it to be a rug, but I've found that I've since been using it as a cushion cover on my recliner. It's good for either. I like it very much. It was just a simple double crochet. If I remember correctly it's roughly 70 stitches across and 45 rows, and then I just took some black Red Heart yarn and single crocheted all around it with 3 stitches in each corner.  I think I used an "I" sized hook.

What's your favorite thing to crochet? 
Your favorite yarn? 
Your favorite hook size/brand?

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Jesus, My Father, the CIA, and Me by Ian Cron

Who can resist the intriging title and that cute little boy on the cover of this book?  Not me! He's even waving at me. What a doll! :)

Cron’s prose reminds me of old black and white family TV shows where it has a voice narrator telling you what the boy is thinking.

At Cron’s first Catholic Holy Communion he describes it as: “It’s the liturgical equivalent of becoming a “made man” in the Mafia.” I’m thinking, “Wow! A religious ceremony where you associate it to being inducted into the mob? Really?”

How does Cron really know for sure that his dad worked for the CIA? His dad’s work was a big secret, and no one knew who all those men in suits were at his dad’s funeral. Maybe his dad actually was a member of the mob, and maybe as a boy Cron invented the CIA job story for his dad so he would have something to tell his friends when they asked what his dad did for a living. The CIA sounds better than the Mafia. Right?

Basically, all Cron wanted to hear his father say before he died was a simple, “I’m sorry, Son, and I love you.”, but unfortunately Cron’s father never gave him that. All he said was, “Nothing’s perfect, Son.”  Okay, so later in the chapters when Cron says he heard a voice say “Forgive me, Son”, was that actually God’s voice whispering in his ear telling him what he needed to hear from his own father many years earlier? Because we all know that God doesn’t need OUR forgiveness.

I think Cron is an excellent writer and story teller. He’s very good at interweaving stories. I thought it was a good read, and I would recommend this book to anyone.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker

I downloaded the Kindle edition. It was easy to download right away to my Kindle, so I could start reading it almost immediately. I don’t know why there isn’t a cover page on the Kindle edition just like the book, but there’s not. I found a couple of typos, too.

Putting that aside I did like the book. It was a short, easy read. I wasn’t sure if I was turning the pages so fast because it was on a Kindle or because it was just that good. It was alright. The stories, I think, are the best part because— hey let’s face it—some of the secrets she describes everyone already knows, but not everyone practices: live below your means, pay on time, don’t use credit cards, and pay yourself first.

I would have liked to have seen a special Amish recipe or two.

I think over-all the book was okay, but if I was going to lay down some hard-earned bucks for it, I’d want a bit more meat and potatoes.

HERE'S THE SECRET I WANT TO KNOW!
I was shocked to learn that one Amish man paid $400,000 down on a $1,000,000 dollar house. I did the math and found that to be on average he saved $20,000 a year—that’s $1,667/month, or $385/week, or $9.62/hr. Now THAT’s the “secret” I’d like to uncover! Because I’m thinking, in order to SAVE $20,000/yr then he had to be EARNING about $40,000/yr—surely!

Now rewrite the book, Lorilee Craker, and tell us about THAT secret!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: Reggie by Reggie Dabbs

Oh my gosh! I absolutely loved Reggie’s book! His story is such an inspiration! After reading it I wanted him to come to my kids’ school to speak! Reggie’s story and book are so inspiring! I love how he tells the bible stories like they are current hit movies at a theater. He absolutely understands what he’s talking about and he knows how to tell these stories that make them so current and real to anyone. I can absolutely understand why kids naturally listen to him and love and adore him. He is just so passionate about finding you where you are and telling you how much God loves you and cares for you.

I think someone of any age would enjoy reading this book, and it may even get you to open your Bible to read for yourself the stories he talks about in the book. At the end of each chapter there are ten questions that can be used for an individual or a group study. I would definitely buy this book and recommend it to anyone--young or old--who needs some inspiration and to know that they matter in this life and they can make a difference in other lives as well.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

The Final Summit is a sequel to the Traveler’s Gift. David Ponder is a common man who applied the Seven Decisions in his life that he discovered in the Traveler’s Gift and it brought him much personal and professional success. Now 28 years later he is asked to head up a summit to discover in two words what is the most important principle that will save mankind. Even if you haven’t read the Traveler’s Gift this book will make sense, but if you have read the Traveler’s Gift you really want to read this!

I have yet to be disappointed with a book written by Andy Andrews. He makes history so interesting! He takes true things or obscure stories that no one has heard about that he finds through research, discovery, and his own lessons learned in life and builds wonderful stories that teach life lessons and principles for success.

The Final Summit takes lessons from history and great leaders in the past and applies those ideas and principles in today’s world. This story itself is fantastic, but the principle in this book will change everything for the person who is searching or looking for answers about family situations or financial situations in their personal life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Book Review: A Power Based Life by Mike Flynt

I loved Mike Flynt’s book titled The Power Based Life! This book is power-packed to the max with extreme wisdom and inspiration! Basically, he says if you’re good at something, that’s your niche; Make yourself even better at it. Focus on that and be the best you can be at it.

Even Mike’s dad was an extraordinary man who was filled with mercy and compassion—even in war. Mike tells a story he learned about his dad who fought as a young man during World War II. He told about a decision his dad made when he was ordered to shoot a prisoner who surrendered. His dad had mercy and compassion toward him. Does that remind you of anything?

Mike has a great “Been There, Done That” attitude and tells us basically what he has learned in life. He shares great stuff with us in this book! His stories are encouraging, inspiring, and uplifting. Here’s a wonderful concept: He says, “You have to want it more”, but he says more importantly, “You have to want it longer.” What does that remind you of? Keep your eye on the prize. This is a great book and I would recommend it to anyone! I give it Five Stars!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris

I got my March 2011 (and my April 2011) issue of Woman's Day magazine today in the mail and on page 20 of the March issue it has a snippet about a new book titled Letters From Home by Kristina McMorris. I checked my library to see if they have it: They do, but it's in the cataloging department right now. Then I Googled it to see if I could read the first few pages online.

BOOK GIVEAWAY

Well the first thing I found was a blog that was giving away a free copy of the book from the author. I'm jumping up and down with my hand up in the air: I want it! I want it! Do you see me?  Please pick me! I want it! :)  Alyce is the blogger who is giving away a copy of the book from the author. Alyce's blog can be found at http://athomewithbooks.blogspot.com/2011/02/giveaway-letters-from-home-by-kristina.html.  Her entry deadline is 11:59 PM (Pacific) on Sunday, March 6th, and she will draw a winner on Monday, March 7th.  Go to her blog and do what she says to get your name in her drawing.  Good luck!

The plot sounds really good. It's based on love letters the author's grandfather, Morgan, wrote to her grandmother during WWII. It says the story opens with Morgan meeting reserved Liz and her two roommates, Julia and Betty. After Morgan goes overseas and begins writing to Betty, Liz--who cant get him off her mind--ghostwrites Betty's responses with her blessing. They soon worry about how Morgan will react when he learns the truth about the letters.

I cant wait to read this book to find out!

The snippet about the book also says to flip to the end for '40's-era recipes and cook them as you read to truely transport you to the women's world. I like to cook, too, so I would love to be a winner of this book!

Find out more about Kristina McMorris and her book Letters From Home at  http://www.kristinamcmorris.com/home.php?pg=books.

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Crocheted Rainbow Bag

Here's my latest crochet project, a huge Rainbow Stripped Bag!  I got the pattern from Lucy's Attic24 blog, but I lined my bag with a floral fabric.

Here are pictures so you can see how it looked as I made it.

I love this bag, and I've gotten lots of compliments on it. I think it will be my new roomy bag to keep my current crochet projects in and ready to go! :)

Here's a link to Lucy's blog: 
http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/crochet-bag.html.

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