Mystery Patterns

Mystery Pattern #1 - baby blanket Mystery Pattern #2 - toddler sweater Mystery Pattern #3 tote bag Mystery Pattern #4 - skirt Mystery Pattern #5 - fingerless mitts Mystery Pattern #6 - toddler boys Mystery Pattern #7 Halter Top and Shawl Mystery Pattern #8 - Tank Top

Mystery Pattern #9 - crochet flowers Mystery Pattern #10 hair bows Mystery Pattern #11 - baby Mystery Pattern #12 Shawl Vest Mystery Pattern #13 - flower Mystery Pattern #14 - baby blanket Mystery Pattern #15 - summer scarf Mystery Pattern #16 - lunch set Mystery Pattern #17 Flower

Booklikes Opoly

General FAQs and Rules this also allows people to post to their own personal blogs.
Main Game Play
Special Squares
Dice to Roll

Now, if you are like me and you have a very large TBR (to be read) list, then this game might help you get that accomplished. I have books for the girls, I have books for the husband and I have books for myself. I like to read and I seem to find more books daily.

This is a really fun looking game and I will be reading up on it and playing along. More info on Booklikes can be found on the link. Enjoy!

April Emails #3

April has been so busy. Appointments, Easter and just doing things. Free time is at a premium. To top all that off, I bought a new lead (30 foot and 20 foot) and stake for my dog. I get her a new set every year so that hopefully she will not escape. I got them from Rural King, but they don't have any others for an even exchange. It only took 11 days for my 40-pound dog to destroy a stake meant for a 120-pound dog.

She is a strong dog. If you bought something like this, you might want to check yours and see if it is having the same issues. 

I love to travel and explore and find things, so seeing Zoar Ohio listed as a place to visit interested me. I want to explore it, soon. There is also The Ohio Ice Cream Trail that sounds like a lot of fun to do, with kids, as well. 

Afghans:
Mom's Favorite Baby Blanket
Namaqualand Blanket
Ice Waves Argyle Afghan
Slip Stitch Sampler Afghan
I Love Color Afghan
Whisper from the Past Afghan
Colorful Chevron Afghan
M and W Ripple Afghan
Brighton Blanket
Crayon Blanket
Pastel Wind Chime Afghan
Watermelon Twist Afghan
Circles and Stripes 9" square
Spiral Crochet Afghan
Chinese Puzzle 8" block
Lace Cable Afghan

Amigurumi:
Easter Bunny Boo
Little Monster Easter Egg
Bunny Brite
Hippo Pillow with tutorial

Bags/Baskets:
Drawstring Gift Bag
Mesh Knit Market Bag
On the Go Bag
Leafy Cable Bag
Color Knit Bag
Chinese Wave Pouch
Tarn Basket - what is tarn? Tarn is T-shirt Yarn or yarn made out of old t-shirts. Another would be Plarn - Yarn made out of plastic bags.
Hooty Owl Crochet Baskets
Waves Tote Bag
Hexagonal Market Bag
Shopping Bag - I need to make many of these.
Coin Purse
Checkbook Cover
Grocery Tote Bag
Quick Little Bag
Knitted Clutch
Hexagon Market Bag
Striped Coin Purse
Textured Cable Tote Bag

Books and Reading:
Angel Bookmark
Bible Cover or Case

Cowls/Scarves:
Estee Refined Cowl
Spring Lace Infinity Scarf
Slanted Shells Cowl
Mermaid Isle Scarf
Dragonfly Bandana Cowl
Gathered Rib Scarf

Flowers:
Spiral Crochet Flower

Hats:
Spiral Rib Cap
Quick Knit Beanie
Chicken Rooster Hat
Joy Inspired Hat
Mickie and Minnie Hats
Swirl Hat
Helicoid Hat
Sherbert Slouch Beanie
Orange Sherbet Easy Fit Hat
Minty Morning Head Band

Kitchen/Cleaning:
Summer Fun Bikini Dishcloth
Simple Eyelet Dishcloth
Flower Coasters
Country Charm Dishcloth
Apple of my Eye Dishcloth
Beginner Tea Cozy
Americana Dishcloth
Cookie Jar Dishcloth

Shawls/Wraps:
Simple Lace Triangle Shawl
Marly Bird Triangle Shawl KAL
Crocus Shawl - French primary, English secondary
Lovely Day Shawl
Elegant Evening Shrug
"Stockinette Stitch Shawlette
Frou Frou Shawl
Southern Sky Easy Knit Shawl
Mezquita Shawl - very pretty.
Madison Shawl
Lavender Fields Shawl
Celtic Cables Wrap
Aeolian Shawl
Mystic Forest Shawl
Sunshine Shawl
Triangle Summer Shawl
Country Cottage Shawl
Greek Revival Shawl
Starry Night Shawl
Oversized Shawl

Socks/Slippers:
Knitted Slippers

State Inspired Knitting

I love things that are associated with states. They can be fun, entertaining and educational, trying to figure out why they chose a state for a specific pattern.

1. Illinois 
2. Wisconsin
3. Montana - I like this one, also. 
4. Maine - I will make a few of these. 
5. New York
6. Michigan
7. Hawaii
8. Arizona
9. Tennessee

Many of these make no sense and are links that will lead to Pinterest. Have fun. 

April and Kings Island

My teens stated at Christmas time that they wanted to go to Kings Island again and wanted passes so we could go frequently. Okay, that works, we will get passes and go to Kings Island all summer, fall and winter of 2017! I love that they have decided that Kings Island has decided to be open in the winter again. I never got to go when they did that years and years ago. They also have a new thing...you can pay $30 and have a bottle that you can fill with drinks all summer, fall, and winter long! We weren't sure, thought we would have to pay for the bottle, but was still a deal. I found out that you pay for the bottle and you get the drinks. Hey, that works! So we (the teens and I) got our bottles on Friday night and began walking the park and they would ride rides.

The night that we decided to go, was the night that there were problems with the electric and the rides. Many rides failed (one while we were on it) and the bathrooms were pitch black. On the plus side, we have passes and live close by and can come every day that they are open! Also, on the plus side, I walked 10,000 steps that day. I usually get pretty close, but there are days where my phone is not on me and I don't always show that I walked that much. 

Also, I bought a lead for my dog so she could be tied out front. She is happy....there are critters out front that she can chase and she can play in the flowers. 

Happy April! 

Favorite Stitch

Favorite Stitch?

That is a question I encountered in my email pattern links. I like all kinds of things, but I don't really have a favorite, I have favorite things to make, not stitches. What about you?

1. NEW! The Cable Stitch
2. NEW! The Jacob's Ladder Stitch
3. NEW! The Star Stitch
4. NEW! The Granny Ripple Stitch
5. NEW! The Crocodile Stitch - I like the video by Mikey of The Crochet Crowd best. 
6. NEW! The Vintage Shell Stitch
7. NEW! The Honeycomb Stitch

These are all tutorials to help you learn a new stitch. My only advice is, if you cannot learn it from these, don't stop looking. Check out books, other videos and search and ask questions, there are lots of people who will help. 

April Emails Post #2

Another day more emails. I am motivated and as long as I have one computer to use for a little while, I plan on doing some work emptying and sorting. I did notice that the last few nights, I have been unable to sleep well. Last night it was because I had grilled out again and someone else was burning and the smell kept me awake. I may need a nap to get through the day and stay up to work on other things competently, but we will see what the day brings.

I forgot that I had saved some other little things to my FB page, as well. The one I am most interested in is the Famous Book for every US State. I own some of these books already, but I think that next year, I might try to read all those books (even borrowing from our local libraries). I will see if I can get the girls to read them, too.

I found a great article that shows how knitting and/or crochet help girls with math.

I also discovered a place where I can track books I read, a little more than others...It is called BookLites.

I also have parks that are in Ohio and that are considered under-appreciated. I love taking the girls to parks to explore and see what we can learn. I have an expedition to plan! I also found where a city in Ohio has a "Potterfest" every year. That sounds like so much fun! It is near the Kent State University. This year they are going to have a 5K "Run Like You Stole From Gringotts."

Also, I am not a big drinker of alcoholic drinks, but every now and then I stumble across one that I would love to try....Bunny Shots in one.

Afghans:
Ocean Waves from the Crochet Crowd. Great site with fabulous tutorials. Check them out!
Spider Stitch Afghan
Many Mitered Baby Blanket

Amigurumi:
Stip en Haak lots of free patterns in German and English.
Crochetopus
Rainbow Teddy Bear

Baby:
Bohemian Baby Bib

Bags:
Chroma Bag
CAL Granny Tote
Mesh Knit Market Bag
Wild Strawberries Market Bag
Slant Pocket Bag
Boredom Buster Bag

CAL/KAL:
2014 Mystery CAL from The Crochet Crowd - giraffe (perfect for all those who were watching April)
2015 Mystery CAL Afghan
2015 Mystery CAL Afghan - Amigurumi
Mike the Monster
Scarf CAL

Cowls/Scarves:
Gallatin Scarf - I really need to make this one.
Seashells Scarf

Hats:
Balmy Breezes Hat
Meagan's Rainbow Hat
Arctic Sunset Cable Hat

Kitchen/Cleaning:
Praying Hands Dishcloth
Angel of Welcome Dishcloth
Blooming Flower Dishcloths
Aunt May Dishcloth
Follow the Yellow Knit Road Dishcloth
Angel of Welcome Dishcloth
Tea Cup Pot Holder
Fruity Trivets and Pot Holders

Shawls/Wraps:
Angel Shawl
Southern Sky Shawl
Peaches and Cream Lacy Shawlette
Allegro Shawl
Amazing Mitered Shawl - Love this shawl, too.
Belize Wrap

Slippers/Socks:
Peppermintoes Socks
Alpha Socks
Tulip Socks

Spa Kits:
Knit Spa Kit
Crochet Spa Kit

April Emails Post #1

Easter has come and gone. We had my husband's family up (or down depending on your view of their homes). We had a cookout and we were concerned that the weather would be against us, but thank God, we had gorgeous weather and I was able to grill all the meats and potatoes and I had plenty of food and more came in. We had plenty and were able to send home with others. My sister-in-law, whose son is working in another country, has noticed that now she only has to buy food for herself, she needs a lot less. She said she had recently discovered how much he had been eating. I know what she means....I have 3 locusts (aka teens). Don't read this wrong, I love having my teens, but there are times where I buy something for a meal and turn around and find it missing. Do you have that problem, too? I have friends who hide special items in boxes that their teens won't touch! Do you have an interesting place to hide chocolate or other foods? My teen likes Mangos and I found Dried Mango at Aldi's and it doesn't last long.

I decided that since this is April, I might try to empty the emails that are dated for April and just work my way through that way. I have to figure out how to make it happen. Do you get emails with patterns or recipes that you like? How do you sort them?

Afghans:
Kaleidoscope
Round Stained Glass Afghan
Picket Fences Lapghan
Mountain Mist Afghan - striped afghan
Spring Trellis Square
Mitered Squares Afghan
Light Spectrum Afghan
Crochet Stitch Sampler - I love this one and want to make one, using yarns from my stash.
Drop in the Pond Lap Robe
Rainbow Sherbet Afghan
Rustic Ripple Afghan
Shells in the Meadow Throw
Crochet Diamonds Throw
Mermaid Afghan
Juicy Fruit Afghan
Stained Glass Rainbow Afghan
Rainbow Chevron Afghan - very beautiful afghan
Bear Claw Throw

Amigurumi/Toys:
Colorful Caterpillar Toy
Owl Stuffy
Blue Bunny

Animals:
Granny's Kitten Blanket - can be made larger to be for children or adults. This was made for a kitten.

Baby:
Baby Booties Rain Boots
Micky and Minnie Baby Hats

Bags/Baskets:
Rainbow Dragon Bag
Rainbow Happy Fun Pouch
Hip Hobo Bag
Toy Basket
Brea Bag
Boredom Buster Bag
Ruffle Bag
Crocodile Clutch Purse
Market Bag - My sisters-in-law can use these. I may make several for them.
Drawstring Gift Bag
Sunrise Market Tote

Boot Cuffs:
Knitted Boot Cuffs
Cabled Boot Cuffs
2 Needle Boot Cuffs
Reversible Boot Cuffs

Cowls/Scarves:
Splash of Spring Cowl
Alana Lacy Scarf
Dragonfly Scarf
Month 8 Scarf
Botanical Cowl
Arrowhead Lace Cowl
Winter Waves Chevron Cowl
Cat Hooded Scarf
Snow Bear Hooded Scarf
Checkerboard Lace Scarf
Gallatin Scarf - one of my absolute favorites.

Gloves/Mittens:
Mad Men Mittens

Hats:
Pop Star Slouch Hat
Newsboy Slouch Hat
Very Hungry Caterpillar Hat - for toddlers
Little Lady Bug Beanie - for toddlers
Bright Stripes Baby Hats
Peaks Cable Hat
Camo Crochet Hats
Terzetto Hats
Colorwork Recipe
Basic Ribbed Knit Hat
Spring Hat
Entrelac Baby Hat
Starbucks Mandala Hat
Chihuahua Beanie Hat
Ripple of Kindness Hat
Cladach Hat
Scrapbuster Hats
Sponge Bob Square Pants Hat
Anthro Inspired Hats

Kitchen/Cleaning:
Garden Boy Dishcloth
Easy Keyboard Duster
Monkey Crochet Potholders

Shawls/Capelets/Wraps:
Bahama Warmth Capelet
Flower Triangle Shawl
Paris Shawl
Stella Luna Lace Shawl
Triangle Shawl

Socks/Slippers:
Crazy Monster Eye Slippers - These are so fun...I would wear them and so would my girls.
Random Tracks Socks
Knee High Socks

Spa Things:
Hot Pack Rice Bag
Sleepy Owl Mask

Pop Culture Knits/Crochets

Still working on the emails. They grow faster than I can clean them out, but I try to get through a few every now and then. This one popped up and it is kind of fun and I think I might know a few young ladies for the Snow Queen Hat and a couple of young men for the Frankenstein Hat. What interests you? 

1. Frozen-Inspired Snow Queen Hats Winter must-have
2. Downton Abbey Arm Warmers 
3. Joy from Inside Out Hat Pattern
4. Frankenstein's Monster Hat NEW!
5. Star Wars Crochet Lightsaber
6. Crochet Groot Everyone loves him!
7. Darth Vader Hot Sauce
8. Fit For a Movie Villain Scarf NEW!
9. Despicable Me Minion Pattern
10. Dr. Seuss's Thing 1 and Thing 2 Hats Crazy cute
11. Game of Thrones-Inspired Throw

100 Books about Books

If you love to read, you might enjoy reading a book that describes or tells about other books. For instance, I just recently watched "The Novel Murders" from the Hallmark Movies, I taped it. It has the main character searching through books she has read looking for a mystery that matches the one that just happened. They look at 3 different stories. Agatha Christie's "A Murder in Three Acts," and 2 others that I don't remember, I only remembered the Agatha Christie, because I like Agatha Christie, but I know that if I get a chance, I will look up the other books mentioned and read them, too.

This list came from 100 Must-Read Books about Books, but I put the list below because I want to look up some of these books and read them.

1. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie

2. The Bestseller by Olivia Goldsmith

3. The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly

4. The Book of Speculation by Erika Swyler

5. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I have this on a Kindle and I keep meaning to read it. 

6. The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald

7. The Bookstore by Deborah Meyler

8. Booked to Die (Cliff Janeway #1) by John Dunning

9. The Camel Bookmobile by Masha Hamilton

10. The Case of the Missing Books (Mobile Library Mysteries #1) by Ian Sansom

11. The Children’s Book by A. S. Byatt

12. The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte

13. The Eyre Affair (Thursday Next #1) by Jasper Fforde

14. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - I recently read this one. I am trying to get my girls to read this one. 

15. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

16. First Impressions by Charlie Lovett

17. The Forgers by Bradford Morrow

18. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

19. The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

20. If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino

21. Ink and Bone (The Great Library #1) by Rachel Caine

22. Inkheart (Inkworld #1) by Cornelia Funke - I know that one of my girls would love it....should she listen to her old mother. 

23. The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler

24. The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George

25. Matilda by Roald Dahl - we have all read this book, 2 in a book club and 1 because I made her. 

26. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan

27. The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco

28. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende - another book they would love. 

29. The Night Bookmobile by Audrey Niffenegger

30. Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier

31. A Novel Bookstore by Laurence Cossé

32. Parnassus on Wheels by Christopher Morley

33. The People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

34. Possession by A. S. Byatt

35. The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald

36. S. by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst

37. The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay

38. The Shadow of the Wind (The Cemetery of Forgotten Books #1) by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

39. The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

40. The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

41. The Summer We Read Gatsby by Danielle Ganuk

42. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

43. Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal

44. The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

45. An Unnecessary Woman by Rabih Alameddine

46. Unwritten Vol. 1: Tommy Taylor and the Bogus Identity by Mike Carey and Peter Gross

47. The Violets of March by Sarah Jio

48. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff

49. 1,001 Books You Must Read Before You Die by Peter Boxall

50. At Home with Books: How Booklovers Live with and Care for Their Libraries by Estelle Ellis

51. Bibliotopia: Or, Mr. Gilbar’s Book of Books & Catch-All of Literary Facts & Curiosities by Steven Gilbar

52. The Book by Julius Friedman

53. Book Crush: For Kids and Teens – Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment and Interest by Nancy Pearl

54. Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason by Nancy Pearl

55. The Book of Lost Books: An Incomplete History of All the Great Books You’ll Never Read by Stuart Kelly

56. The Book on the Bookshelf by Henry Petroski

57. Books: A Memoir by Larry McMurtry

58. The Bookshop Book by Jen Campbell

59. Browsings: A Year of Reading, Collecting, and Living with Books by Michael Dirda

60. Classics for Pleasure by Michael Dirda

61. The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe

62. Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman

63. Forgotten Bookmarks: A Bookseller’s Collection of Odd Things Lost Between the Pages by Michael Popek

64. A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books by Nicholas A. Basbanes

65. A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel

66. The House of Twenty Thousand Books by Sasha Abramsky

67. How Reading Changed My Life by Anna Quindlen

68. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler

69. Howards End Is on the Landing: A Year of Reading from Home by Susan Hill

70. Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading: Finding and Losing Myself in Books by Maureen Corrigan

71. The Lost Art of Reading: Why Books Matter in a Distracted Time by David L. Ulin

72. The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett

73. My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop by Ronald Rice

74. My Ideal Bookshelf by Thessaly La Force

75. My Life in Middlemarch by Rebecca Mead

76. My Reading Life by Pat Conroy

77. The Novel Cure: From Abandonment to Zestlessness: 751 Books to Cure What Ails You by Ella Berthoud

78. A Passion for Books: A Book Lover’s Treasury of Stories, Essays, Humor, Love and Lists on Collecting, Reading, Borrowing, Lending, Caring for, and Appreciating Books by Harold Rabinowitz

79. Phantoms on the Bookshelves by Jacques Bonnet

80. The Pleasure of Reading: 43 Writers on the Discovery of Reading and the Books that Inspired Them by Antonia Fraser

81. The Polysyllabic Spree: A Hilarious and True Account of One Man’s Struggle with the Monthly Tide of the Books He’s Bought and the Books He’s Been Meaning to Read by Nick Hornby

82. The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester

83. Rare Books Uncovered: True Stories of Fantastic Finds in Unlikely Places by Rebecca Rego Barry

84. Read This! Handpicked Favorites from America’s Indie Bookstores by Hans Weyandt

85. A Reader on Reading by Alberto Manguel

86. Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them by Francine Prose

87. Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

88. The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared by Alice Ozma

89. Ruined by Reading: A Life in Books by Lynne Sharon Schwartz

90. Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books by Paul Collins

91. So Many Books, So Little Time: A Year of Passionate Reading by Sara Nelson

92. Ten Years in the Tub: A Decade Soaking in Great Books by Nick Hornby

93. Tolstoy and the Purple Chair: My Year of Magical Reading by Nina Sankovitch

94. Used and Rare: Travels in the Book World by Lawrence and Nancy Goldstone

---

95. Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell

96. When Books Went to War: The Stories that Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning

97. Where I’m Reading From: The Changing World of Books by Tim Parks

98. The World Between Two Covers: Reading the Globe by Ann Morgan

99. The Year of Reading Dangerously: How Fifty Great Books (and Two Not-So-Great Ones) Saved My Life by Andy Miller

100. The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, a History by Lewis Buzbee