Gingham (Oops!) and Sewing (Yeah!)

Gingham Blanket.

I'm getting use to handling two yarn strands of color. 

 And learning how to drop a color, start a new color and carry the dropped color along by stitching it into the next color stitches.

The stitch is easy just double crochets.  

The trick is handling the double strands of yarn - and changing colors and stitching in the carry over color.

A little bit of practice helps.

So far there's only one spot on the back side where I didn't catch the dropped color into the next stitches. 

 I'm not frogging back to fix it... I can live with it.

The back side has a nice pattern too...sort of gingham on a slight diagonal.   

And, of course, here is the front side with the gingham pattern.  

It's looking good!

I started a new row and while taking these photos I realized I'm using the wrong color combination on the new row.

Duh...

The white and pink (watermelon) yarns should be pink (watermelon) and the ruby red.

 Easy to frog out and correct.

 So glad I caught it.

Source: google.com via Debbie on Pinterest

Today Hubby and I went out to exchange my new Pandora bracelet (it was too small).

When leaving the Pandora store I noticed the new store next to it was a sewing and vacuum store and it had a sign for Janome sewing machines.

Of course I had to go in to see the Janomes.

I have an early 1980s computerized New Home (Janome) Memory Craft 6000 sewing machine that has served me well over the years.

I have always dreamed of upgrading my sewing machine when I retired for one with more embroidery features.

This January we have been retired five years already.

I think it is about time to upgrade.

So into the store I went (went Hubby's blessing I may add!)

I looked at the Memory Craft Special Edition 11000 and Memory Craft Horizon 12000 Janomes.

Wow!

They are fantastic sewing, embroidery and quilting machines.

The 12000 may be more machine than I need (it's very large and very heavy and I would need a new sewing table/cabinet) but the 11000 Memory Craft Special Edition seems a more perfect fit.  Not as large nor as heavy as the 12000 MC and it may still fit in my current sewing cabinet.  

I'm thinking of trading in my Viking Serger that I have never used (expect for one class session) for the new Janome.

I learned the sewing store has been there a year and the store where I purchased my Viking Serger several years ago closed and consolidated with another store into this new store location.

They even had me in their computer records for purchasing my serger.

So funny!

Plus - they offer lots of free classes too.

I may return to the store tomorrow.
  

Gingham Blanklet

I got restless last night and probably FINALLY tired of crocheting doilies. 

 I wanted something NEW to crochet.

I grabbed some crochet books and started looking through them for INSPIRATION. 

 I spent time in Ravelry looking at Santas. 

I must find something!

Nothing was happening until my eye caught this cute gingham blanket in Melody Griffiths' book "crochet afghans." 

 That looked interesting...a gingham blanket {{{yippee}}} a new stitch to try.

I pulled some shades of red, blue and green Caron Simply Soft yarn I had in my stash. 

 I decided to go with a ruby red (forgot the name of it), pink (watermelon) and white for the three colors. 

 I'm using an H hook.

I worked up three rows..errr...top looked ok but not the bottom. 

 You could see my yarn colors threads stretching across the back. 

 That didn't seem right but I couldn't see how else to do it. 

 Then I studied the book's photos and realized Melody showed both the front and back of her throw.

 There were no threads loose across the back. 

 Obviously I wasn't doing the stitch correctly. 

 I googled "gingham stitch video" and found a video for this stitch.

It wasn't a great video - no close ups - but the author's commentary helped me figured it out.

Back to my project...frogged back to the ruby red foundation second row and started again. 

 This time it worked like a charm. 

 This gingham pattern is tiny just three double crochets - but you could make it larger if you wished.

This stitch would be great for potholders too. 

 It may not be the last time I use this interesting stitch.

I highly recommend Melody Griffiths' book "crocheted afghans." 

 You may remember I made her "Sunshine and Shadows" throw previously (see it here).  

That's the beautiful afghan shown on the cover of her book!

Off to another sweet DO NOTHING day except what I want to do. 

 Life is GREAT!

Happy New Year 2013