Strange and Terrible Week

What a very strange, sad and terrible week we are having.  First the horrible bombings in Boston, The Fertilizer Plant explosion in Texas, and forgive me, our ridiculous government spatting about background checks for those who buy guns.  I try not to be overly political on this blog, even though I am overly political in life.  But to see the faces of the parents of the children who were killed in the Sandy Hook shooting, after simple backgrounds checks were denied is devastating.  So many people have been killed, hurt and maimed this week, and it still doesn't come close to how many get killed each and every week in the United States by guns. Really when does all this craziness stop?  I don't want a gun and I hope I never do, but I certainly don't think we need to protect ourselves with military style assault weapons that can shoot 30 rounds in 5 seconds. I feel ashamed of the Senator's that voted this down, how they can sleep at night is beyond my comprehension.

If you are still with me I am off my ranting now and onto other things.

As you know Stitchy McFloss is having a doily CAL and KAL.  I held strong and steady for the CAL, not joining in.  But when I saw the KAL I flew out of my chair and started rummaging through my yarn stash.  After I smacked myself upside the head in an attempt to gain some sanity, and took a couple of deep breaths, I still could not get this pattern out of my head.  The Knit Flower Doily is a real beauty.  Even though I told myself not to, I printed off the pattern and placed it next to my computer where I could see it glaring at me.  Oh course Ms. Stitch, who is a very bad influence, kept pestering me in her very sweet way, and finally I succumbed.

I made this last weekend while watching the Boston Red Sox plummet my Rays. It helped me get through those two rough games, you can stop snickering now my sister Claudia who is a huge Red Sox fan.

This pattern requires size 10 thread and size 2 double pointed needles.  I knew that was not going to happen here at my house so I looked for yarn I thought I might like to use.  I ended up with Naturally Caron Country in Renaissance Rose.

This doily took about 100 yards of yarn.  Had I known that it would take so little I would have made it with another yarn, maybe in a cream colored cotton.  The original doily is approximate 8 inches across, mine is close to 15.  I used size 8 double pointed needles. 

It was a fun experience and I am glad I joined in.  I will not be making another one anytime soon, I have way too many other projects on my mind, but I am keeping the pattern close by in case the doily bug bites me again.

 My Gardenia's have been blooming for the last two weeks, much earlier in the season than I am used to.  They usually bloom the first week in May and are here until Mother's Day.  Gracie, I believe these are your favorites, so these are for you.  They smell divine!

As the news has been so grim lately I wanted a bit of color to play with.  I made this whirly twirly ruffle crochet scarf with some Misty Alpaca Pima Cotton Silk yarn I had on hand.  I Chained 167 stitches with a size J hook, Double crocheted 3 rows and then went around the outside of the scarf placing 3 double crochet stitches in each stitch from the previous row.  On the ends I placed 5 double crochet stitches in the stitch from the previous row, to make it a bit more whirly twirly.

Easy peasy and a fun project to play with.  This scarf took 200 yards of yarn.  So I am now up to 17 completed projects for the year with a total of 6,820 yards of yarn used so far. 

How is your week going?