Deals! Deals! Deals!!! These make beautiful gifts for Christmas or any special occasion!

~ Most afghans $30-40

~ Large afghans $50

~ Large variety of hats $4-5

~ Large variety of scarves $7-10

~ Stunning shawls $50 (massive bargain!)

~ Other items such as dishcloths, washcloths, potholders, hot pads, wine glass holders, and more!

Please visit my Ravelry page at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller (click on the thumbnails), then message me or email me (rmiller@eatel.net) for availability. Shipping costs are additional and vary depending on your location. This is just a tiny sampling of my available items.

My two versions of the Waves Mosaic Throw. They're both done with the same main colors, just different background colors. The one with the solid white background is 34" wide x 49-1/4" long. The one with the different colored backgrounds is 42-1/2" wide x 46-1/2" long. I made this one a bit wider. More info and photos of the solid white background one can be found at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller/waves-mosaic-crochet-blanket. The colored background one is at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller/waves-mosaic-crochet-blanket-2. White background can be purchased for $30 plus shipping. Colored background can be purchased for $35 plus shipping. Just contact me at rmiller@eatel.net or Facebook so I can calculate the exact shipping price. Also, look around at my Ravelry page (https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller). I have a ton of afghans, hats, scarves, and shawls (and other stuff) for sale at bargain basement prices. (They make great Christmas gifts!) Most afghans can be purchased for $30-$40 (depending on the size) plus shipping. Hats are $4-$5 plus shipping; scarves are $7-$10 plus shipping. 

 This is my Radiant Glow throw, an overlay mosaic center-out crochet pattern by Daiga Talentiene (#bebablanket) that I tested. Done in purple & gray DK weight yarn, it measures 43" square. More photos and info on my Ravelry page at https://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller/radiant-glow. Pattern for this afghan is available at https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/radiant-glow.

"Superhero" Dreamcatcher Afghan

I made this "Spiderman" afghan for a friend's 4-year old's birthday. Made with Red Heart Cherry Red SuperSaver Yarn, Caron PerfectMatch Royal Blue, and Red Heart SuperSaver Black. Thanks to Gail E. (a.k.a. Stitch 'n Frog) for the pattern.

Classic Aran Afghan

This afghan is made with Caron's PerfectMatch Claret. It measures 39" x 56" before the fringe; 39" x 69" with the fringe. Designed by Angela Tate, this pattern is from the February 2002 issue of Crochet World.

Lacy Ripples Afghan

This afghan is made with some of my favorite colors: Medium Thyme, Light Thyme, Soft White,and Soft Yellow. It measures 47" x 53"

Gray Days Afghan

This afghan is made with black, dark grey, light grey, and white worsted weight yarn. It measures 45" x 58". Designed by Martha Stein, it's published in the August 2010 issue of Crochet World ("Green Day Afghan").

Aspen Scarf

Since returning home in early November, I've made 3 afghans and a scarf. This is the scarf. It's made with Red Heart Aspen Print and Warm Brown, and measures 8" wide x 53" long. Designed by Shari White, the pattern is from the August 2010 issue of Crochet World (called "Quirky Scarf").

I'm Back

I've been back home since November 6th. My daughter is all healed, miraculously in only 3 months! She only needed to stay in the halo brace for 2 months, then she went to a hard neck brace. She was supposed to stay in that for another 4 weeks, but she went to a soft brace in less than a week, and then no brace in just a couple of weeks. Once she was out of the halo, she was able to drive herself, so there was no need for me to be there anymore. She went to the doctor on Nov. 28 and the X-rays showed the C-1 was 100% healed!

So now that I'm back home, I'm back to knitting & crocheting. Started & finished three afghans, a scarf, and finished my Padua shawl (not blocked yet). Now working on an Advent Calendar Scarf (http://www.von-stroh-zu-gold.de/muster/?p=40 and http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/advent-calendar-scarf) in Zephyr Emerald.

No knitting or crocheting for me

My daughter, who lives in Massachusetts, broke her neck in a diving accident on September 5th. I have been up in Mass. with her since September 6th. It was such a last minute trip that I didn't have time to plan what knitting or crocheting to take, and I didn't know how much time I'd have to do it anyway, so I just didn't take anything. So I won't be adding any new items here for a while. She's in a halo brace and has to stay in it for 3 months. I plan on staying with her til she's out of that contraption.

Fancy Fulness Lace Shawl

Started August 21, 2010 and finished August 27, 2010. Made with Jaggerspun Zephyr in Coral. Finished size 52" wides x 34" long. Designed by Birgit Freyer. More photos can be seen on my Ravelry page.

Ice Goddess Shawl

Started August 9, 2010, and finished August 20, 2010 (12 days to knit). Made with Jaggerspun Zephyr in Teal. Finished size: 69” across tip to tip x 30” long. Also used 2,568 Sz 8 White Luster Beads from FusionBeads. Designed by Renee Leverington.

Bella Roque Shawl

Started July 25, 2010 and finished August 2, 2010 (9 days to knit). Made from Jaggerspun Zephyr in Emerald. Finished size: 70” wide x 24” high. I just love the edge on this one. Designed by Birgit Freyer.

Ostara Shawl

I started this shawl May 4, 2008 and finished it October 8, 2008. However, it only took me 18 days to knit it. During this time, my mother was in the hospital for 2 months and I was in Massachusetts to be with her. Then she died and I stayed in Mass. for another month. It took me a while to get back to this shawl to finish it. It's made from Jaggerspun Zephyr in Lilac and has 684 white E beads (similar to size 6 seed beads). You can't really see the beads well in these photographs, except for the last one (the closeup). Finished size: 32” wide x 57 long. Designed by Renee Leverington.

Summer Mystery Shawl 2010

Started this shawl August 3, 2010 and finished August 8, 2010. 75” wide x 38” long x 55” along sides. Made with Jaggerspun Zephyr in Daffodil. Designed by Renee Leverington.

I guess it didn't come out as bad as I had originally thought. It's still slightly felted and much smaller than it should be, but I guess it came out OK. The beautiful gold beads don't show up that well in the photos, but they look great in person!

I have more photos posted on Ravelry here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/RitaMiller/mystery-shawl-17

My Petroglyphs shawl ruined!

Well, as luck would have it, I RUINED one of the most beautiful shawls I ever made! It was another of Renee Leverington's Mystery Shawls, MS17 - Petroglyphs. I am so upset at myself! I was soaking the shawl and couldn’t believe how much dye was coming out of it. So I kept soaking and rinsing and squeezing and re-soaking all day long. Finally, the last time I went up to rinse it yet again (in the evening), I noticed how weird the shawl felt. When I looked at it, I saw that it had felted!!!! I couldn’t believe it! I guess I must have “squeezed” it a few times too many. I didn’t wring it, I know that, and didn't use warm or hot water, but I guess the constant squeezing and soaking did it in. Lesson learned! But why did it have to be on one of the prettiest shawls I ever made?!


I was ready to just throw the whole thing away, but I decided to try to block it despite the felting. I had to pull the shawl apart in several spots that had felted together, especially along the neck edge, where the “eyelet” border is. I couldn’t even see the eyelets! But eventually I got that edge all pulled out and got the shawl pinned down. But the beauty of my work is gone. You can see that it’s felted: there’s no definition of stitches and the shawl itself is WAY smaller (and denser) than it should be, more like a shawlette now. Normally, these shawls are about 72” x 36”. This one is about 60” x 27”. And it just doesn’t have the beautiful delicacy that laceweight shawls have. I really loved this shawl and especially loved the yarn-bead combination that I used (Cinnabar Zephyr with metallic gold beads). I may make it again in the future just because I loved the bead pattern in it. I’m just not sure. All I know is I am devastated about it.

Anyone else ever had a yarn where the dye just wouldn’t stop coming out?

Found it!

After my sister told me that she remembered giving me this pattern from a tear-off sheet, I looked through every place I could think of where I might have stored tear-off sheet patterns. As I was getting down to fewer & fewer places to search, I found the pattern! It's called "Summer Shine" and was put out by J & P Coats LusterSheen, leaflet #LW1177 ©1995. I looked on the Coats & Clark site and couldn't find the pattern to download, but at least I have it on paper. I've scanned it into my computer so now I have a digital version of it, too.

Anyone know this pattern?

I made this top for my sister some years ago (actually, I made two, another one in white & beige), but I can't remember where the pattern is. It may be in a book or a magazine. I have literally thousands and just can't look through them all. So I was wondering if anyone recognizes it and could tell me what book/magazine this pattern might be in. Thanks for any help.

Some of my recent shawls

 

Shetland Garden Faroese Shawl (knit) by Sivia Harding. Pics on Ravelry here.

=======================================

Flying Diamonds Shawl (crochet) by Vicki Mikulak. More pics at Ravelry here.

=======================================

  

Sari Lace Triangle Shawl (knit) by Sylvie Beez. More pics on Ravelry.

=======================================

  

Ostrich Plumes & Pineapples Shawl (knit) by Glenda Hunt. Ravelry pics here.

=======================================

Orchard Hill Shawl (knit) by Vicki Mikulak. More pics on Ravelry.