Tying Up Loose Ends

I’ve been (literally) tying up loose ends over the past day or so.  So many little projects that are halfway done, almost done, need woven in, need just a couple of details, ran out of yarn right before I was finished … most of them I’ve either taken care of or have a good list going of what I need to pick up to finish them up.  It feels good to have my crochet-to-do list narrowing down just a little (just a little…).

We had a respite – a ONE day respite from the icy cold, where it got up to 50!  I packed the kids up and we went outside, regardless of the chilly wind gusts, and we made it almost an hour before those winds started to chill us to the bone again.  It was such a relief, and at the same time, it made me a little antsy that winter still wasn’t over (it snowed that night).  But I know the end is in sight.  You’ll have to excuse me; every winter by this time I am just climbing the walls to have the cold weather end.  I feel like the kid before Christmas, who’s handled all the activities up to the big night with grace but is just bouncing off the walls with impatience.  Come on, spring!  Well, we are forecasted some high 40s today, so maybe we’ll bundle up and get a little sunshine.

The one good thing that comes from all this cold weather is the crochet work that I pump out (my projects are noticeably slower in the warmer months).  Although we’re almost a third of the way through March before I finally finished up the BAMCAL squares yesterday, and even made my square for the Crochet Sampler Favorites crochet-along.  (As always, follow the links to join in anytime!)  And here they are:

First is the appropriately named Winter Dream Square.  This one was super easy to whip up, but it’s one of my favorites at the moment.  I love the way the colors look so retro next to each other, and the simplicity of the pattern rounds (I changed up the last couple of rounds but not by much).  I’m still trying to master the art of photographing purple, so I included the side view to better show off its true color.  The free pattern can be found here and the crochet-along for this one is Crochet Sampler Favorites Crochet-Along, here on Ravelry.

The next two are for the BAMCAL that I’ve been plugging away at.  To be honest, I didn’t have as much fun with these two as I did with Le Vesinet, the filler square.  There was a lot of frogging and more than a little frustration (which had nothing to do with the pattern and everything to do with my distraction while reading it.  But I am glad that they’re done and I am glad that I did them instead of just taking the month off.  The first is the Spring Fling Square (I’m laughing now at the Winter Square/Spring Square thing; I didn’t even realize!)  I obviously heavily altered the pattern after the initial center, which I maybe shouldn’t have done because of all the hassle it gave me, but now that it’s completed, I like the bright outline of the dark center flower.  The free pattern can be found here. 

And finally, my 6″ squares turned into 4″ squares somehow.  These are Rippling Loops.  I think if I had added another two rounds that they may have come out to 6″.  If I’m feeling super ambitious, I may just go back and change them up…. hmmm.  It’s an incredibly cute pattern, I love the lacy effect of the loops.  The free pattern is here, if you’re interested.

There’s a lot still in the works as I wait out these last few weeks of winter.  But a few more squares off the to-do list is a like a breath of fresh air – of springtime fresh air, that is!

~Mellie ★