Winter Stash Busting

It has been cold here since the New Years. Now, we have a wind chill of somewhere between - 13 (Buffalo) and -15 (Niagara Falls.) 

The last time the husband and I were out was Monday morning. I needed to mail some blankets home for the girl who cuts my hair. She was collecting blankets, food, collars, leashes, etc for the local Humane Society. Last year we had bought the softest, cutest blankets for dogs at one of the local stores, for about $5 each. This year we went back and they had two, each with a dog and Christmas decorations. So I sent her those two and a check to  help out.

Then, after Christmas I thought about the soft, fleece blankets that everyone sells . . you know, the ones that come rolled up and look like a small sleeping bag until you unroll them and they are the softest throws around?

We went to WalMart and found some for $2.88 . . . they weren't on sale for 50% off, but at that price I could afford them. So on Monday, I mailed 9 of these home for the Cass County Humane Society.

Then I had to do a yarn run. A friend from Indiana liked this braided cowl and wanted me to make her one in just red and black.

I bought one skein of red and one of black . . . should have bought two of each because each one makes one of the strips . . . so, today I am headed back, cold weather and all, so I can start on the third strip which will be variegated. Yes, you read it right, in two days I have used two skeins of yarn :(

PLUS, I have finished these cowls . . . 

This is what a "crap load full of cowls" looks like.

This may go to my oldest niece, once I get the hat finished.

Eye balls (buttons or circle) or sleepy, closed eyes.
Decisions, decisions :(

I do love the braided cowls . . .
this one is so soft it will look like a wreath around a neck.

This is the beginning of the "leftover" yarns.
Find two that are close in color and make something . . .
Do I hear the words STASH BUSTING out there?

For a "tie" to hold the loops together
I made a FSC chain with long tails on both ends.
Used the tails to attach the buttons
then loop the chain around the cowl and slip it over the button . . . VOILA

This cowl is between 5 and 6 feel long.
Sounds HUGE, but to wrap it twice around the neck
one needs some length.

This cowl is probably 36" around.
But, it is stretchy enough to wrap twice
AND
pull it over your head for a scarf.

This looks like the cowl above but it is different.
It is made form the same brand/type of yarn
but it is another 5-6 footer.

I started with left overs from the blue skein.
So the bottom of the cowl is one color scheme
while the top is form a similar skein
only with some brighter colors in it.
And the best of all . . .
It is SO SOFT!

Again, one of the simple ties done with a FSC chain and 1" button.

Another combination of yarns form the family shown above.

This looks similar to the one three pictures above.
but there are more grays and gray blues
and the top has some awesome variegated combinations.

Last, but I know not the least,
this one is made from Blanket Yarn.

If you haven't seen Bernat Blanket yarn
get ready for some fun.
It is a Super Bulky (#6) yarn
calling for an L/8MM hook.

I am using a K hook
since the L hook was being used in the variegated cowls
directly above. 

I was going to make a round of the brown tweed,

then go to a brown variegated Blanket Yarn
but I didn't gave enough of the plain brown tweed.

So I may do 3 rounds of the brown variegated
then add the tweed,
back to 3 rounds of brown variegated
 and finish with 3 rounds of the green variegated.

More to come when the last one gets finished. And the patterns will be posted also

Oh, by the way . . . we didn't get to the yarn shop today. Only made it to the grocery store . . 20 degrees outside. I ignored the wind chill since we were basically in the car.