Yarnjeannie's Crochet Cache

I was up early this morning. DS Tom signed up to work overtime today - 5 hours at double-time pay for him. So here I am, with a dog snoring on my lap, updating my little piece of cyberspace. I'm still making hats and blankets for the NICU. I've been having some fun with the hats. I've got an idea or two floating around in my brain, so I'll have to see if I can make my ideas into an actual hat this week. I made a cute cloche-style hat in an adult size, and already have an order from someone I work with to make another in her choice of colors! What a surprise! I hope to get over to see my sweet grandson today - his mom said that he's discovered that he loves bananas (nanas) and that he reads books to his mom. Of course, we don't understand everything he is saying, but who cares. And apparently, there is ANOTHER storm on it's way to use early this week. The piles of plowed snow are starting to resemble Mount Everest and it may not all melt until June. ...

Looks nice, but enough is enough. About 12 inches of snow again. What a long strange trip it's been. Surprise snowfall yesterday morning, when they didn't expect it, a lull in the weather in the afternoon to allow the smart ones to escape work and head home, and then the back of the storm blew through, dropping 2-3 inches of snow per hour. Thundersnow - flashes of lightning and low rolling thunder that really gave the Christmas card landscape a distinctly spooky feel. Now it's over and folks are digging, plowing and scraping their way back to the real world. I took the day off from work again. I'm sure I'll find something to do today. Oh yarrrrn???? Where are you??????? Come out to play!

I don't bake often, but when I do, I go all out! 2 loaves of bread today - although they were bread machine loaves, so not as labor intensive. The first one that came out of the machine today was magnificent. Really, the nicest, tallest, and most evenly colored loaf I've ever made. It was Sunflower Sesame Seed bread. Since I got my breadmaker, this recipe has been calling out to me. Today was the first day I tried it. Tasty, but I think I'd leave out the cumin seeds next time. The second loaf is in the machine now. Depending on what it looks like, it may be a birthday present for my boss. If it looks sad, then I'll be putting another loaf together to start baking early in the morning. My oven is still working - I have two pans of brownies in there now. Also, for the birthday celebration tomorrow.

  There really is a whole doggie in this photo. He's just hunkered in for the evening. Miniature pinschers seem to love burrowing in blankets, and he finds this giraffe patterned fleece to be very comfortable.

I worked on another baby hat yesterday. It was my birthday and it was a nice quiet day - a real lazy day where I didn't get out of my jammies until after noon! I had a very nice dinner out with DS, his fiancee and my grandson, as well as DH. My younger DS was feeling a little under the weather. I crocheted a baby hat, but it's not suitable for charity purposes. It wouldn't be comfortable for a NICU baby. Instead I've decided to list it on Etsy . It's back to work tomorrow after a nice 3 day weekend. I might be going in late, if I don't take another day off. We are currently getting some freezing rain. I checked the front door and it's a sheet of ice. I need to go through my stash and see what other yarn I have to continue making baby hats for the NICU. It's 3 am right now, and I am hoping to be able to get back to sleep...

This is a pattern for an infant hat. The hat measures approximately 14.5 inches in circumference. When working in joined rounds, you may have a problem with a visible spiral seam. The embellishment on this hat disguises it nicely! I used worsted weight yarn and a G hook. Work in rounds, join at the end of each round, do not turn Rd 1 - Ch 2, 6 hdc in second chain from hook, join with sl st in first st Rd. 2 - Ch 2, hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st around and join (12 st) Rd. 3 - Ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st around and join – 24 st Rd. 4 - Ch 2, 2 hdc in next, , (hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join - 36 st Rd. 5 - Ch 2, hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc in next 2 st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join – 48 st Rd. 6 - Ch 2, hdc in next 6 st, 2 hdc in next st, (hdc in next 7 st, 2 hdc in next st) around and join – 54 st. Rd. 7 - Ch 2, hdc in each st around and join – 54 st Rd. 8 – 11 - Repeat round 6 for 6 more rows – 54 st Rd. 12 - Ch 1,sc in same st, ...

Home from work today - it snowed overnight. In my old age (ahem!)I'm not as adventurous when it comes to driving on winter roads. In fact, on a trip to my sister's house on the weekend, my brother almost threw me out of his car because I reacted to the slip-sliding at the stop light. Yikes! I promised I wouldn't scream again and he put it in full time 4-wheel drive and I was quiet for the rest of the trip. Pretended I was sleeping all the while we drove through heavy snowfall to reach our destination. I was praying instead. LOL! We arrived safely. But it's not the kind of driving I relish anymore. Instead of going to work, I'm going to make a few more baby items for the hospital and bake a loaf or two of bread. I have a recipe I want to try. Attaching a photo of the finished baby items which are intended for a NICU in California.