Winter Whites

My mom is a really good present-giver. She got me a bunch of white yarn and dye packets. I haven't been adventurous enough to try the dye yet, but I did go crazy on the yarn.

The first is Lily® Sugar'n Cream® cotton yarn which I used to make a handbag from this pattern found on Ravelry. (Aran Sampler Tote by Ruth Shepherd)

I haven't lined it yet because I still can't decide if I want to dye it - I'm really digging it in white, as impractical as that may be. 

The other yarn I received was Bernat® Tizzy™ which has a really fun texture. Turned it into a soft and fluffy rug, no pattern, just kind of a shell stitch. This I definitely do want to dye.

Catching up - starting with an Owlie Blanket!

Let me start by saying that my intention was to make a granny square blanket using the random skeins of yarn I've been hoarding for too long. Well, you know, the best laid plans... I think I ended up back in the store 2-3 times to buy more yarn.

I was inspired by the pattern from the Repeat Crafter Me blog, pattern found here. But, I wanted to do something in fall colors (my secret goal was to get rid of the yellow yarn) with a little bit of a retro feel. I finished right around Thanksgiving.

It was 10 squares by 10 squares, and I think the hardest thing about it was arranging them - I must done have done at least 12 different color combinations. All of the yarn was worsted weight, most of it Red Heart Super Saver, some Loops & Threads® Impeccable™. 

But eventually it really did come together - I used a chain join described in this pattern.

And finally, four little owls in two opposite corners. It's pretty comfy, too!