Glory Design by Tiffany: January 2015

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Granny Waves Pattern

Ok, so this is going to be a super quick post. Mostly for my own benefit since I want this pattern written out.
*DISCLAIMER: This pattern is not my own - I am just writing it out from a video that you can find here*

I was at work yesterday joking with my coworkers that I've been itching for a "big" project to crochet. I had originally thought maybe I'd start working on a Ravens blanket for myself to go with the Jets blanket I made for Chris. But then...my coworker did a little Google search and found a blanket pattern she really liked.

The original inspiration

She wanted something with a beachy feel and she loved that this looked almost like waves. I originally found this pattern and tried to follow it...and failed miserably. Don't ask me why...I'm sure plenty of other people could and have followed it just fine but my lil ol' brain just could not wrap itself around it. So then, naturally, my...competitive? spirit came out and I just. had. to. figure. this. pattern. out. I had already bought the perfect colors of yarn

Perfect beachy feel!

So, I did my own quick Google search and ended up finding this video. I almost clicked away because...German. However, I decided to just try and watch the video and see if I could transcribe what I was seeing...and it worked! So, without further ado...here is a transcription of the Granny Spiral...or Granny Wave as I'm calling it.

You will need four colors of yarn (A, B, C, and D)

I used Caron Simply Soft in the following colors

A: Soft Green

B: Sage

C: Berry Blue

D: Ocean

And my Boye Crochet Dude size H -5.00mm hook

SS = slip stitch

SC = single crochet

CH = chain

HDC = half double crochet

DC = double crochet

With A, create a magic Ring (Here is a tutorial for the magic ring if you are not familiar with the technique). Chain 1. 12 SC in ring. Join with SS to first stitch.

Round 1:

Ch 1

*SC in next stitch. HDC in next, 2 DC in next stitch*. When you have finished with the last DC pull a large loop up of A. Remove hook from loop

Connect color B in the same stitch as the 2 DC, ch 1. Repeat from * around with remaining colors

Another shot of where to attach

Loop pulled up

where to attach the next color

How it looks at end of first round

Round 2:

Place your hook back in the loop of A that you left. *DC in the next stitch (this is where you joined color B and ch 1 from previous round)

2 DC in next 3 stitches

1 DC in last stitch* (the last stitch is directly under the large loop of each color. you may need to pull the loop a little to the side so that you can see where the stitch is)

Pull up a large loop of A, take your hook out of the loop and move on to the large loop of B.

where to place first stitch

Where to place the last stitch

Repeat from * with B, C, and D.

Round 3:

Place your hook back in the loop with color A left from previous round

*DC in same stitch. Ch 2. 2 DC in same stitch

DC in next 8 stitches*

When you are finished with color A, pull up a large loop, remove hook and place it in the loop with color B from previous round

Repeat from * with B, C, and D

Round 4:

Place hook back in loop with color A

*1 DC in next stitch

2 DC ch 2 2 DC in previous ch 2 space

DC in next 3 stitches

HDC in next 3 stitches

SC in next 3 stitches

SS in final stitch (that stitch under the large loop from previous round) and ch 1. Fasten off.

OPTIONAL: I did not fasten off my color A and instead continued around the square placing 1 sc in each stitch and 2 sc ch 2 2 sc in each ch 2 space. it cleans up the edges and I think will make it a little easier to join when all the squares are done. (I hope)

Before border

With border

2 done...how they will all look together

I will update this post with pictures to illustrate as I am going so it might help with understanding some of the different steps. If you like this pattern and want to give it a try...let me know if it makes any sense and any changes you would recommend. I'm also wondering if I can connect the squares without borders...so clearly this is still a work in progress.

Another friend of mine wondered if this could just be done as one big granny wave...which would be cool but I'm not sure how I would do that. Something else to figure out. Or another pattern to find, I bet there's one out there.

Happy Weekend ya'll!

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

White baby...stickers

Yesterday, Chris and I attended an introductory session about the Creighton model of NFP. (by the way, lets all ignore the fact that I haven't blogged in months and jump right back into this!)

I saw my doctor in November, and after hearing that Chris and I had been hoping to be pregnant for over a year she suggested we learn the Creighton model, especially considering my family history. I may have mentioned this, but the Creighton model and NaPro technology is what helped my sister get pregnant with my niece after 11 years of infertility.

We had already attended an NFP intro session when we were engaged and had been charting since then - but I still felt like I learned some new things during this session.

One sentence that really stuck out to me, and I don't know why I've never thought of it this way, was "If women are at most times infertile, then the couple is at most times infertile." It seems like one of those "well, duh" sentences and yet, I had never thought of it like that.

Anyway, so we reviewed anatomy and physiology and then got into the details of charting. We were already familiar with charting, but this time we will only be charting cervical mucus (I am 27 years old and still hate that word...) and using fun stickers! We are entering into a world of red, green, white baby and green baby stickers.

I am still holding out so. much. hope. Every month. "Hope does not disappoint." "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." Two of my favorite verses. I'm starting to feel a little ridiculous for letting this take up so much space in my mind and heart. There are so many other blessings in my life, why am I fixating on this one thing?? I keep thinking, well, maybe this will be the month, and then we won't need to worry about all this! My doctor will be shocked, our follow ups with the Creighton lady will be easy peasy. But, then I remember some other things I learned last night...some of the things I've noticed about my cycle seem to point to sub- or infertility and low progesterone. Although I probably shouldn't jump to any conclusions yet, right?

Ok enough about our journey into charting biomarkers (ha! I avoiding have to say...the "m" word).

Christmas and New Years were fabulous (and eventful, but we can leave that for another post). I have a recap in the works but in the mean time I figured I'd leave you with this. Maybe I'm back for good? Here's hoping.

Here's some pictures from the past few months to liven this post up a bit: