A is for...

April! Which is coming to an end soon, so I have less than 2 months in Katowice ahead. I'm very happy about it! Living away for home for 6 years is more than enough for me!

Avocado! My sapling has grown so big! I put it in a small vase that was once used to grow a hyacinth. It took over 4 weeks to finally sprout, but in only a month it grew big and strong enough to be planted into a pot.

Allergies! Funny thing! I was never allergic to anything. This year I experienced my first hay fever. Luckily for me merciful rains washed some of the pollen away and I can use less paper tissues per hour.

 Ants! Well this is what you get for trying to dig out some wild pansies from a lawn. But aren't they beautiful?

Another stripe! My Ripple Blanket is 88cm long now and I'm starting to have problems with arranging colors. I didn't realise "random look" would be so hard to achieve.

Also..
Awesome gifts! Like this lovely bag I got from my sister! Yeah, it's probably a blasphemy to keep crocheted items in a knitting bag, but shhh... no one has to know!

and finally...
Appendectomy... which means I need to get back to work and study for my next exam :(

Have a nice...
Afternoon!

Gosia.

Ripple Adventure countinues...

What a crazy week!
Lots of traveling,  swift weather changes, my birthday... My progress on Ripple Blanket slowed a bit, mainly because I didn't have a free Saturday this week and did not take my work home with me. I study nearly 80km from my home town, so I have almost two hours on a train to crochet.

I'm using an old "C.F.I.010" steel hook. It's approx. 4mm.

I'm now a little beyond 50-60cm. And I love it more and more with every stripe! Maybe I will stop at 150cm and make it a baby blanket? Not that I need one already, but judging by the progress rate...
Also I am beginning to feel a bit worried about waving all the loose ends in.

And now it's time for garden news!
This year's spring is here for good now! 

Here's a lovely daffodil in morning sun. Full-sized this time:

And cherry blossom! Those are my very favourite cherries. Sweet and juicy, almost crunchy!

Have a lovely spring afternoon!

Gosia.

I love you, Ripple Blanket!

Ah, ripple blankets, don't you just love them?

Mine has now about 1/4th of planned length.

All loose ends are hidden on the other side :)

I bought one additional skein of yarn. It's a lovely shade between blue and grey (second one on the right). Also, I found one long-forgotten skein of turquoise acrylic in my stash! Fits perfectly! 

I love how I can choose whichever color I like to work with next. I am changing colors in an "interlocking" manner. This means making one double stripe and two single stripes of each color, Just like here. It turns out great with all those shades of blue and greenish blue. 

Almost like a lake surface. 

Actually it reminds me of this beautiful mountain pond we visited last summer. It's in Adršpach-Teplice Rock Town in Czech Republic. It looks different every time! The surface color depends on the weather, time of day and angle you are viewing it from.

My fingers are starting to itch... I think I need a couple more rows done today!

In the meantime we got from snow last Friday to over 20°C this Saturday!

Our dog enjoys the sunny day and is chillin' on our porch all day long. He adjusts his position only when the sunlight moves away :)

Ah, it feels so good! 

Have a lovely afternoon!

Gosia.

Yay! Tiny daffodils!

Easter

It's time for Easter eggs! Dyeing eggs in a "soup" made of onion's peelings is a common tradition in Poland. It gives them a rich, rusty color. The key to achieving a dark, even tint is degreasing eggs at first. I wash them with detergent, and then swab with 95% ethanol to get a dry, clean surface.

I also add few drops of vinegar to the mixture and cook it together for 10 minutes. 

Color can also be enhanced by greasing and polishing finished Easter eggs.

A year ago I found an interesting modification to that method. It involves different leaves (the more complex shape - the better) and old stockings/tights cut into pieces. I was a bit sceptical at first. We all now the bitter taste of failed Pinterest projects, don't we? But this is soooo great! 

I made those with my husband. I took us less than hour to complete it, including a trip to garden in a search of leaves.

My (Sn)uggly project has been suspended for the moment.

Why?

 Last Tuesday I got a message from my former classmate, who asked if I would like to "adopt" some yarn that she wouldn't need anymore. 

Best Easter Surprise Ever! 

Hasiok is also happy about it!

I got it all organised in my huge wicker basket and started working on my dream project! 

Ripple blanket!

 I adore all blankets made by Lucy from attic24 but the Neat Ripple pattern is my all-time favourite! 

Here are my small samples of all blue-ish yarns. They are different brands, but all of them 100% acrylic and in comparable weight.

I'm planning on making it approx 1x2 meters, so I can put it across my bed,over the pillows.  Oooh! Can't wait to get started! 

Have a nice afternoon! And Happy Easter!

Gosia.