ANNOUNCING PROJECT TWO!

Happy New Year, Cricketeers!!
As you can see, our first project, Grandma June's Afghan, is nearly finished- Woo-hoo!!! Mom and Pol, get me pics! You guys can plan a little party to give it to her, be sure to wrap it up all pretty, and take lots of photos so we can all see, whether she looks at the camera or not!. I'll work on a little photo/scrapbook about us making it to mail to her as well.

Now that that first project is almost in the bag, let's get some more started!!

PROJECT TWO:
Pol had a lovely idea- in honor of Cricket, let's make projects for all of Cricket's kids. So for our second afghan, we are going to be making it for a certain Uncle down in Oregon whose name starts with a M. Here are the specifications:

YARN:
Lion Brand Vanna's Choice only. (http://cache.lionbrand.com/yarns/vannasChoice.html) After our first afghan which experimented with any acrylic we could get our hands on, this acrylic yarn by our favorite Wheel of Fortune Diva came out on top. It is inexpensive (about $3.00 a skein), widely available (at all Michael's, Joanns, and almost any store that carries Lion brand yarns), come in beautiful colors that look good together, is strong and soft, and doesn't split when you work with it. You'll get about two blocks out of each skein. Plus- come on, Vanna's still a real looker, and her mug is on every skein! AND proceeds from the sale of this yarn go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital. You can't ask for more from an inexpensive acrylic yarn!
Colors: Any of the solid colors of the Vanna line except for pinks and purples, because this is for a man, and we want it to be manly. I promise the colors look better in person than the site I linked to above. Solid color yarns only please for this afghan, the size and shape of the blocks we're making cause the variegated yarns in Vanna's line to look... well, strange. Mom tried one, and the colors kind of clumped together, she thought it looked like the Eifel Tower.

NEEDLES/HOOKS: Straight needles size US 7 (4.5 mm) or 8 (5.o mm). You can use circular needles of these sizes and just knit back and forth on them as if they were straights too. Crochet hook size G (4.o mm) or H (5.o mm).

BLOCK SIZE: DIFFERENT THAN PROJECT ONE! In order for the crocheters to be able to make Granny Squares, we are changing to square blocks (instead of 7x9 rectangles like the first project). Make your blocks for this project 10 inches by 10 inches. These will be a bit bigger than the other blocks, so we'll need fewer of them (only 30), and the crocheters will be able to have more fun with patterns.
Knitters: Cast on 40 stitches to get 10 inches (or as close to 40 as your chosen pattern allows). Keep knitting until you get to 10 inches long, then bind off.
Crocheters: Chain 43 (or as close to that as your pattern allows), crochet until it is 10 inches long, then stop. OR make a granny square that is 10 inches on all sides.
TIP: Make a plastic or cardboard template that is 1o inches square to quickly and easily measure your squares, keep it in your knit/crochet bag with your yarn and stuff.

CROCHETERS: When you go to get your yarn, think about picking up this book: Vanna's Choice Color It Beautiful Afghans. I've seen it in most places Vanna's yarn is sold. It has patterns inside for many beautiful 10 inch square crochet blocks using the exact yarn we're using- it may make your job easier and more fun!

KNITTERS: You can use all the same patterns as before, just cast on about 40 stitches and keep going an inch longer. Tired of the same old patterns? Go pick up a "stitchionary," (knitting stitch dictionary) like this one by Leisure Arts I see at Michael's and Joann's, or treat yourself to a nicer one with better pictures like the Harmony Guides from the yarn store or online. If you are really getting into knitting and like to experiment, it is a good investment.

Call, e-mail, or post here with questions!