Bavarian Crochet (aka Wooleater) Blanket

I started this child's blanket quite some time ago (see its first post here).  Somehow it got put aside and forgotten.  I have rediscovered it and am trying to make some progress.  This is my current favorite take along project when visiting Dad. It is simple and repetitive and gives me something to do when he dozes off.

The idea is a rainbow blanket. I started with pinks, then moved into  purples, blues etc.  My goal was to only use the yarn I already had and not buy anymore! I have kept to that, more or less. I think, to date, I have only purchased two new skeins of yarn.  Now that's self control!

What is fascinating is how each new round of color or color family changes the entire look of the blanket and certainly how I perceive it.  Each time that  happens I go through the process of arguing with myself about whether to add more colors or stick solely the palette I've already developed.

I absolutely loved the pink, purple and blues together. I thought that perhaps I should just scrap the rainbow idea and repeat just these color rounds several more times.

But I decided to add the greens...

Wow! I loved the addition of the greens!

I was so happy that I decided to push ahead and add the greens.  I loved this even more than just the pinks, purples and blues.  Loved it sooo much I thought I should scrap the rainbow idea and

 repeat out only the pink to green palette.  I had pretty much decided to stick to this palette until I did some color experimenting...

Hmmmm... not bad.  I texted the photo to Carol and she agreed that I should forge ahead...

Wow!  Love how the yellow looks against the greens. Maybe I should stop right there...And so the argument, and, ultimately, the crochet continued...

The yellow and golds have totally changed the look of the blanket.  I began to feel a bit queazy...Did I like it as much as before... only finishing it will tell.  So its time to transition into orange.

Next,  into the reds...

Peace,

Cynthia

They fit!

Hooray! I finished the baby booties (read about them  here) fast enough that Averi's feet can still fit in them!  What a relief!

Baby Booties

This is sweet little Averi, born this past March. Her momma is my neice Kyra.  Needless to say, Averi is everybody's pride and joy.

Krya saw a photo of crocodile stitch baby booties and asked me to make a pair for Averi. I found and purchased a great pattern at Bonita Patterns .

The instructions were  wonderful.  My progress was less so, mainly due to life getting in the way of crochet time!

This is bootie number 1.  I loved the yarn and the colors.  But  I think I used a hook that was slightly smaller than it should have been for this yarn and the entire process was full of constant snags on the decorative threads. Slow going but I persevered finished it. Alas, Averi's foot had grown faster than my hooking and the bootie was too small!  I put it away with my other unfinished crochet projects, vowing to create its mate for another baby, another day.

Here is bootie attempt number 2. I chose a different yarn and a larger hook.  Both booties were finished last night - yes Carol, I have sewn in all my loose yarn ends (Carol knows this is my very least favorite hooky thing to do).

A few quick photos and now its off to the post office to mail them to Averi.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that her feet will fit!

Peace,

Cynthia

PS: The booties were photographed against the blanket Carol's mom Muriel  made for my son's baptism in 1998.

Muriel

Some recent projects. More on these in next posts.

Carol and I have been away from TwoLuLa for quite some time now. The fun of blogging disappeared as we dealt with some expected and one very unexpected turn in the road.

Expected was/is my Dad's continued battle with Alzheimer's. I can't even rightly call it a battle because this is a disease which takes away one's ability to comprehend and fight. I will write more about my Dad on another post.

Totally unexpected was the death of Carol's mother Muriel. If you haven't read it yet, please read the post before this one. Carol, very eloquently, shared her feelings about losing her mom and the long path of healing she is now on.

This is Muriel. It is a self portrait. Carol and I have a group of friends who get together to celebrate one another's birthdays, among other things. We each selected something special to do for our fortieth birthdays (yikes! That was a decade ago!) When my turn came I invited the gang over, gave each one a small canvas and asked them to paint a self portrait. I kept the collection of portraits (adding to it self portraits from my husband, children and dad) and made color copies of the complete set for each person. Take a look at our "About TwoLuLa" on the sidebar - those are the portraits Carol and I made (can you figure out who's who?).

I remember being sooo impressed with Muriel's painting! I knew of her talents in sewing and crochet, but I had no idea she was such a talented painter. Muriel was not just Carol's mother, but a cherished member of this group of friends. Muriel was one of the gentlest souls I have ever known. Gentle and kind, a great listener, but also absolutely straight forward with telling you what you needed to hear  (traits, my dear friend Carol, you have inherited from her) Her family meant the world to her and she was an integral part of each of their lives (husband, three daughters and five grandchildren) everyday. Everyday. I count myself as blessed that my family and I were among her adopted extended family.

Muriel's passing has left a great void in so many lives. It is difficult to watch as her family struggles with their grief. As I spend time with each of them I notice slight gestures or fleeting facial expressions, a spoken phrase or an intonation that is Muriel. It is so absolutely clear to me! I wonder if they recognize it in themselves and in each other. I wonder if it is as clear to them as it is to me that Muriel is still here with us through them.  At these times, I can't help but smile to myself and say "Hi Muriel. I'm so glad you visited me today. See you again soon."

Peace,

Cynthia

Five days after our last post, my mother lost her battle with two cancers.  She lived her last day as if it were like any other.  She made my Dad his favorite bread pudding and meals, watched their favorite TV shows together, chatted over tea or coffee.  My parents spent a leisurely afternoon just being together.  I received a phone call from my Dad just after midnight to come over because my Mom was really sick.  My husband and I were still up and drove a fast fifteen minutes to get to them.  I helped my mother in her final moments and never realized what was happening as it was happening.  Later at the hospital we were told that they had never been able to revive her.  The woman in my life that gave me life had lost hers. 

Now I feel a void. 

I am grateful for family and friends, friends like Cynthia (the other half of TwoLuLa) who listens when I ramble and rant, who holds my hand or hugs me when I feel lost and alone, who brings me back to life when I feel defeated.  A best friend.  I lost my greatest best friend in my mother.  I am more grateful for my other best friends now.  Always I have my sisters and my daughters, but now each of the women in my life mean so much more to me.  I treasure each one of these women because life is so precious and valuable and ends in the blink of an eye when we least expect it.  In the friendship of women I find parts of what I loved about my own mother.  I find some of what I have lost. 

Maybe God makes it that way so that we find what we lost in all of those around us that have always been here - men and women alike - but specifically that mothering sisterly bond grows stronger.  When we lose someone we love, the space left behind in our hearts for the love we received from that one special person, begins to be filled in with the love from others too.  We never fully fill up and forget, but we hurt less.  This is my hope, day by day, one day at a time, that me and my family and friends hurt less from the loss of one great lady.

Peace to you,

Carol