Thursday, September 22, 2011

Come Swim With Me, Pumpkin Crochet Pattern, Etc.

I swim 3 times a week, M-W-F for 1 hour.  I swim here at LA Fitness in their salt water pool.  My favorite lane is this one, by the wall of windows - and I love it when the sun shines in.  One of the neat things about the time I swim is I have a whole hour to think about things, figure out problems and come up with new ideas.  :-)
I finished my little pumpkin that I was crocheting today while I was volunteering at Multnomah Falls.  I took my little pumpkin out and "posed" it on the granite stone wall leading up to the falls.  Isn't it cute?  I want to make at least 2 more in different sizes and shapes for my fall decor.  This one is quite small, the size of one of those mini pumpkins you can buy in the produce section this time of year.  I used cotton yarn from Knit Picks.. their "Dishie" yarn.
Here is the little pumpkin at home with the other decorations on the table.
Closer...
Tiny Pumpkin Crochet Pattern 

Materials - I used Knit Picks Dishie cotton yarn & stuffing
I used a D hook, American crochet terms are used in this project
(NOTE: You can either work in continuous rounds, or at end of each row, slip stitch into 1st sc, ch 2 to count as first sc)

Rnd 1 - in Orange, make "magic ring" and sc 6
Rnd 2 - 2sc in each st - 12 sts
Rnd 3 - (sc1, 3sc in next st) x6 - 24sts
Rnd 4 - sc2tog, (2sc in next st) twice x6 - 30 sts
Rnd 5 - sc around
Rnd 6 - (sc2tog, 2sc in next st, sc1, 2sc in next st) x6 - 36sts
Rnd 7 - sc around
Rnd 8 - (sc2tog, 2sc in next st, sc2, 2sc in next st) x6 - 42 sts
Rnds 9-12 - sc around (I goofed and only did one sc round!)
Rnd 13 - (sc2tog, sc 5) x6 - 36sts
Rnd 14 - (sc2tog, sc 4) x6 - 30sts
Rnd 15 - (sc2tog, sc3) x6 - 24sts
Rnd 16 - (sc2tog, sc2) x6 - 18sts
Rnd 17 - change to green - (sc2tog, sc1) x6 - 12 sts, stuff head
Rnd 18 - (sc2tog) x6 - 6sts
Rnd 19-21 - sc around
Rnd 22 - sc2tog, sc4 - 5 sts
Rnd 23 - sc2tog, sc3, 4st
Bind off and sew closed (I fudged a bit on the stem)
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I took these photos of our black bamboo stand.. I love this bamboo!
Below are a few small branches I cut to cut into beads.  I need to try cutting it with my Dremel tool as the pruning shears I was using was crushing the canes as the blade wasn't real sharp.
Below is a photo of Multnomah Falls today - see how little water is coming over the falls?  The water source is snow melt from Larch Mt., rainfall and a spring.  This is mostly spring water as the snow has melted and it hasn't rained much lately.  I'll show you more water coming over the falls when the rain comes back in earnest.
Driving home.. I love this section of the Historic Columbia River Highway.. like a tunnel of trees.
And I pulled out in the "Viewpoint" just West of Rooster Rock State Park and got this luscious photo of the late afternoon light over the river.
And to end up I thought I'd show you the Fall wreath on our back door and our antique thermometer, which really works!  Everyone enters through the back door, hardly anyone comes to the front door, only if they don't know us. LOL
And so.. time for rest and relaxation.  The new Fall season of television programs have started this week - time for some "Big Bang Theory" is a favorite of ours.  And leftover Chinese food!  

My daughter is busily trying to get her new home in order in Ohio - unpacking boxes and organizing things.  Jenna, the almost 7 year old, started 1st grade there on Monday and Paige, the 3 year old, is going to pre-school 3 times a week for half days.  They've been staying with her husband's parents for a week now, and plan to move to their rented townhouse tomorrow.  Her husband is finalizing things here in Oregon with his work for 2 weeks and then will drive to Ohio next week, stopping to visit some old friends along the way.  My daughter has been very busy taking care of everything and will be glad when he arrives.

Our youngest son and his wife have had us for dinner twice this week, they are so good to us!  It's so nice that we have 2 & 3 year old little grandsons to play with.  Our older son and his 2 boys visited with us yesterday and we all went out to Chinese dinner.  :-)

I hope you're having a wonderful week!  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 

19 comments:

  1. That's a cute pumpkin. I love the green trees and water. I could sit in your pictures for hours.

    Wish I could swim. Had a bad experience when I was three and I'm still terrified of water.

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  2. LOVE the pumpkin!!! And I love those FALLS!!! Wow! You volunteer there? What fun! I also love the wreath at the back door. We are back door folks too!!!
    Hugs

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  3. That pool is gorgeous! And your pumpkin is so sweet. My mom is from OH and moved back to her hometown several years ago. We visit there when we are in the States for the summer. The area you live in so beautiful. Have a great weekend. Tammy

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  4. Oh wow .. those falls are awesome. Beautiful pictures, as always.

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  5. Such a cute pumpkin, thank you for the pattern! I always enjoy so very much your pictures of the waterfall and the river, such beauty... Love your Fall wreath, your back door looks very very welcoming I must say! :-) xxxx

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  6. You are very busy. I love your Autumnal wreath it looks great. Your pumpkin is cute too. :)

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  7. The pumpkin is adorable! And you know I LOVE your pictures of the falls. Your picture of the highway reminds me a lot of some of the more rural roads here in the south with the tree branches growing over them. I love that cool feeling it brings in the summer. Have a lovely weekend Sweet Lady!!

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  8. Love the pumpkin! Gorgeous pictures, wonderful family! ;-)

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  9. I love to swim. Looks like it was nice and quiet when you took this picture too. Quiet thinking time is good for everyone. Love your little pumpkin. Thanks for sharing the pattern. I know you are missing the girls. Bless your heart. Have a great weekend.

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  10. Another beautiful post, Teresa. Thanks so much.

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  11. Thanks for sharing! We don't have indoor pools here that I know of. That one looks nice and relaxing. Love the falls pic. Hope your weekend is good!

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  12. I LOVE your little pumpkin! I'll have to work that up sometime this week :) Thanks for the pattern! I adore autumn and all that accompanies it. That bamboo looks so sleek! I can't imagine how much skill it must take to make pretty little beads out of it. Seeing all of your nature pictures is always a joy. Such a beautiful state! Granted, we Ohioans have beautiful landscape as well, it's just a very different kind of beauty. And to end on a side note, enjoy Big Bang Theory :) It's one of my favorites too; great show!
    ~Lacey

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  13. Hello Teresa I love the 'Fall Wreath' always have a Christmas one but that's the first time I have seen an Autumn - sorry Fall one. That looks like a fab place to swim. Your photgraphs as usual are stunning and I love the black bamboo. Take care Anne x

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  14. What a beautiful day, and I love your pumpkni. Thanks you for the pattern, I am thinking it will be on my hook very soon. Also a big thanks for the update on your daughter and grandbabies. I have been thinking about all of you.
    Happy Weekend,
    Meredith

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  15. Hi Teresa, I'm back and starting to get caught up! But first things first, my blog buddies!!! Love your tiny pumpkin, will be great fall decorations! All your photos are beautiful. I would think you can never get tired of such beauty. Happy your daughter and grand daughters are doing well and starting school too. I will keep all of you in my thought and prayers,
    xoRobin❤

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  16. Hello Teresa! What an adorable little pumpkin, and thank you for sharing the pattern too. I found some bunches of dahlias in our greengrocer's the other day, grown by a local grower, so I bought a bunch and thought of you! They are not so multi coloured and varied as yours though! Have a hapy weekend.
    Helen x

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  17. Teresa, thank you for the beauty you bring into my life through your wonderful blog. Although we live not many miles apart, I appreciate so much your effort and artistry in capturing and sharing the loveliness around us while still sharing some of the hard parts of life... the hard things that in contrast can help us appreciate the lovely all the more. May you and yours continue to know much joy... (:

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  18. The pumpkin is so nice as well as the lovely photos.
    Could you advise how to make larger pumpkins using your pattern...I would like to make the one pictures and a middle size and large one as a threesome for a gift.
    Thank you for your response.

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    1. Hi Kay, my pumpkins are the size of an apple -- you should google for a bigger pattern, or just add more expanding rows to the pattern I posted. Good luck!

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