Linen Stitch cotton crochet bath mat

All stitches are US crochet terminology

100% untreated cotton, worsted weight (such as Sugar’n Cream by Lily)

4.25mm hook (gauge isn’t important, use hook size you prefer to get finished product the size you want)

Linen stitch is created by using a sc, ch1, sc repeat. Check key below pattern before you start so we can be sure to agree on what abbreviations and symbols stand for. 

Begin: chain an even number to create the length of mat you would like, then add ch3 for the turn.

Row 1: sc in 3^rd ch from hook, ch1, skip 1 st, sc. *sc, ch1, sk st, sc* repeat to end. Ch2. Turn

Row 2: sc in 1^st ch1 space from below, ch1, sc. *sc, ch1, sc* repeat to last sc. Ch1, sc in ch2 space from last row. Ch2  turn.

Repeat until desired width is reached.

Tips, tricks and ideas:

Make sure you make the last sc of each row into the 2 chain created at the end of the previous row, not in the top of the last sc of the row below. If you accidentally put it in the sc, you will end up with a wonky line up the side that isn’t anywhere near straight.

Try alternating colors of yarn each row. I have tons of cotton yarn, so I randomly striped my rug; the only pattern I used for the colors was to make sure I didn’t put two of the same color too close together.

If you alternate colors, or if you just want a fringe at the edges of the rug without having to add fringe at the end, start each row’s color change by chaining 12 , then sc into the 2 ch of the previous row. At the end of the row, after the last ch2, ch12 sts into nothing and tie off the yarn. It really has a nice effect and you can use up all of your yarn leftovers.

Abbreviations: US terminology

Ch = chain stitch

Sc = single crochet

St or sts = stitches

*__* indicates a repeat. Repeat sts between the asterisks.

I finished my afghan (king sized crocheted)

This is the king sized, crochet afghan I've been working on for the past few months. It's finally finished. I initiated it last night by dumping a drink on it and having to hurriedly wash it. Luckily, it's still in one piece. I am so excited that it's finished. This is the biggest crochet project I've ever completed and I actually made it for myself (another first).

 

Legitimate Rape song by Taylor Ferrera

King sized crochet afghan, a work in progress...

 

I have been working on a very large afghan that I intend to use on my bed. I started off wanting to use a Lion Brand Yarn pattern, but strayed quickly (as I tend to do) and ended up making up a pattern as I went along. I have some pictures of the squares uploaded and I am going to post those now. Then I'll go spread the giant thing out and take some more pics of it so you can see the pieced together blanket. It's quite large and I am in the process of adding a border to get a bit of hang-over along the edges of my bed. 

I did most of it with Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn", though a few of the colors are Lion Brand "Vanna's Choice" and then, finally, the "glue" (or the lavender yarn) I used to stitch it all together with and the white I've added around for the border, are both Lion Brand's "Pound of Love". I will attach a materials list and a pattern (instructions, general guidelines, whatever) when I get the pictures take; if anyone is interested in undertaking this mammoth task. 

I worked an assembly line with this, making the initial circles, adding the colors, etc. to each until I had 9 giant piles of squares. I had 8 color patterns that I used to make 10 squares each with (80 total) and then also ended up with about 20 additional squares of random color combinations that I guess I just made along the way every once in a while to try something different. 

President Obama on why it's okay to discuss Romney's business dealings with Bain Capital:

Quoted directly from a Q & A given on May 21, 2012 at the NATO conference:

This is part of the debate that we’re going to be having in this election campaign about how do we create an economy where everybody from top to bottom, folks on Wall Street and folks on Main Street, have a shot at success and if they’re working hard and they’re acting responsibly, that they’re able to live out the American Dream.
     Now, I think my view of private equity is that it is set up to maximize profits.  And that’s a healthy part of the free market.  That’s part of the role of a lot of business people.  That’s not unique to private equity.  And as I think my representatives have said repeatedly, and I will say today, I think there are folks who do good work in that area.  And there are times where they identify the capacity for the economy to create new jobs or new industries, but understand that their priority is to maximize profits.  And that’s not always going to be good for communities or businesses or workers.
And the reason this is relevant to the campaign is because my opponent, Governor Romney, his main calling card for why he thinks he should be President is his business expertise.  He is not going out there touting his experience in Massachusetts.  He is saying, I’m a business guy and I know how to fix it, and this is his business.
And when you’re President, as opposed to the head of a private equity firm, then your job is not simply to maximize profits.  Your job is to figure out how everybody in the country has a fair shot.  Your job is to think about those workers who got laid off and how are we paying for their retraining.  Your job is to think about how those communities can start creating new clusters so that they can attract new businesses.  Your job as President is to think about how do we set up a equitable tax system so that everybody is paying their fair share that allows us then to invest in science and technology and infrastructure, all of which are going to help us grow.
And so, if your main argument for how to grow the economy is I knew how to make a lot of money for investors, then you’re missing what this job is about.  It doesn’t mean you weren’t good at private equity, but that’s not what my job is as President.  My job is to take into account everybody, not just some.  My job is to make sure that the country is growing not just now, but 10 years from now and 20 years from now.
So to repeat, this is not a distraction.  This is what this campaign is going to be about -- is what is a strategy for us to move this country forward in a way where everybody can succeed?  And that means I’ve got to think about those workers in that video just as much as I’m thinking about folks who have been much more successful.

I haven't posted much lately and I'm not sure I've ever made a political post on this blog, which is odd because I am very interested in politics... anyway. Obama makes a lot of sense and I thought this was one of the greatest retorts to the constant mantra about Obama not being good with business. Our country isn't about being profitable and he elaborates on this idea so beautifully I had to share.

Hexagon Market Bag

Made from pattern available from Lion Brand Yarn: here

Adam Yauch, MCA of the Beastie Boys died today

At least 20 times a day, during random conversations or something I overhear, I start to sing a Beastie Boys song because the overheard words trigger my constant B-boys soundtrack.

This is so very sad. Sad for me personally. Sad for the world. Sad for music. Sad for the other B-boys. I'm sorry his life had to end so quickly.