Show and Tell

Today I participated in the Online Craft Club Show and Tell.

Did you miss it? Oh, well... it is over on my other blog, Always, Alli. Oh, you didn't know I had another blog?

Well, the blog is all about me, me, me. I was feeling a little cramped here at home, what with two guys to contend with and very little space to have some me time, and I decided to stake my claim on a domain name, buy some hosting, and build a little online room for me.

Which means I am taking my crafting (I sew now!) and crochet over there to show off. If you want the low down on the bag Fuller took to Florida, made by his dear old mom, you can check out my show and tell there.

Crafty sisters and online craft club

It was a busy, fun weekend. My sister came up for a short visit. Yes, we just saw her last weekend and we saw her about two weekends before that. Who cares? She only lives three hours away!

We packed a lot of activity into two days, but it was so much fun!

During the afternoon on Saturday we did a tour of Hobby Lobby so she could pick up some crafty things. I was working on my laptop sleeve and dreaming of my next project, so I picked up a few little things and used a 40% off coupon to help reduce the price.

When we got home I was able to show Austina how to do a freezer paper stencil and her response was, "It looks too easy."

She is busy making some projects from Bend the Rules Sewing, which I would love to have a copy of.

One of the reasons Austina drove up this weekend was so we could go to the Clothesline art show at the Sessions House. She purchased a few fine items (I went halvsies on one piece that will be a gift for someone) and I refrained this time.

I am happy Austina likes to craft and we get to do stuff together like this. And if we can get Sarah-Ginny into it too, we can really be crafty sisters. My sister-in-law makes jewelry, so she can be part of our club! We can get jackets and stuff.

Or we can just all join the online craft club and post our progress once a week. Sounds like a plan to me!

Sew What?

Over Labor Day weekend my sister helped me get over my fear of the sewing machine and I went to town making a few appliqué things and a new apron for myself (I love aprons).

Today I finally got out Damon's sewing machine. I was successfully able to load the bobbin, cut out the material, and sew something. But I have reached the point of frustration in the project. One of the steps I have been skipping is the ironing part and it looks like I need to haul out the ironing board and actually press some seams. Otherwise, the material will not fit under the foot.

I won't tell you what I am making, but I think it is pretty neat. A complete picture tour of my project will be available when I am done. And those of you meeting me in Las Vegas will get to see it in person!

Math in real life

This afternoon Fuller and I stopped into a store to see if I could find a dress for an upcoming wedding. I found two distinct possibilities, but didn't buy them because there is a certain accessory I want for this dress.

I want to make a lightweight shawl.

Seems a bit silly, but I haven't had a lot of inspiration for crochet lately (other than baby hats, that I am behind on) and recently I saw this stash of lightweight yarn that I have had for a while. I thought a summer shawl/ wrap/ shrug would be perfect. And then I thought if I wore it to the wedding then I would have a deadline that I would have to meet in order to stay on task.

On my way home from the store I got a bit inspired on a pattern to create for this shawl and I knew I needed some help. See, the pattern is all in my head and requires some math and geometry, two subjects I am not too sure about.

But my friend Heather, she is a math whiz. She loves math and having math in real life to challenge her. After describing to her what I want (think Olympic rings, but many more) she was able to get my vision and turn into the evil math genius that she is.

Turns out the answer to my pattern is the Pythagorean theorem. And to figure out what A is, I need Damon to measure my back.

To be continued...

For my Knit Wit friends

Where wool comes from (found via Crochet Me).

Taking down the UFOs

And the hat extravaganza continues... or should I say, this is what started it all. A few weeks ago, before Jonas was born, I made him three hats. When he modeled them for us last night one was a little too tight and the other two were two big. Oh well, babies grow.

Today my co-worker and I turned in six hats for the cancer charity. I made four and my co-worker made two. She made this absolutley cute beret that will be awesome for some little girl. I know it will bring someone some cheer.

I still need to get to work on the other hats for the kids at Shepherd's Arms, but they take like 30 minutes.

I'm glad a found a quick project that can get me in the groove. I have so many UFOs (unfinished objects) in my stash that it can be really discouraging. But now, the stash and the UFOs are starting to dwindle. Yippee!

Crochet for charity

The Sunday School classes at our church are collecting money to buy hats for a local ministry in our neighborhood or are donating actual hats. Our Knit Wits group was encouraged to participate by making a few hats as well and I thought, "Sure, that is something I can do!"

Then last week at work a corporate announcement was made that a local knitworks group was collecting knitted and crocheted hats for cancer patients at local hospitals. With enthusiasm, a coworker and I volunteered to make a couple of hats. And as a bonus, another employee in a different department offered to buy the yarn since she didn't know how to knit or crochet, but she knew how to spend money!

So, hats for church and hats for work. There isn't a definitive number that I have to do, but I am going to go with four. Guess how many hats I have completed? One fourth, also known as a quarter, also known as not much.

I started a hat on the way to Ikea last Sunday but I messed up and tore the whole thing out today. I kept putting it off because it is so hard to just undo something that you spent a good amount of time on.

And as a result, I was a bit discouraged.

But today I decided that it had to be done, the undoing of the work, because I wasn't making a hat I would wear. And if I didn't make a hat that I would wear, why would I want to give a hat that I wouldn't want to wear? And that meant undoing the many, many stitches.

My co-worker who is also making hats for the cancer charity has helped spur me on, showing me her work in progress and asking for my help in figuring out a new (to her) stitch. I promised her that I would finish two hats this weekend.

And so, tomorrow morning, no blogging, just crochet. Because when it comes to charity, it isn't just the thought that counts. It is the action that I need to take.

Baby gifts revealed

During the first day of all things busy yesterday, I went to the baby shower for my friend, Joanna. I love the internet and being able to order things to go directly to people's homes. So I ordered her some swaddling blankets from her registry. However I also wanted to have something in hand for the party, so on Friday I quickly hooked these baby hats.

Our models are Gunther (the kakhi hat) and Newton (the blue hat). I have had Newton since I was 7 and Gunther since I was 8.

The hats are made from Caron Simply Soft, my favorite yarn for baby items. The blue one is just a basic hat pattern and the kakhi hat has a front post stitch for some side ribbings. I think they turned out well and it got me a bit inspired and now I am working on another newborn sized hat that is a bit on the funky side. If it turns out ok, I may acutally try to write up the pattern for submission somewhere.

I made hats for Luke last year (we had his birthday party yesterday too- pictures later!) and I should have just kept going, making as many as possible.

One of our new knit wit attenders is a post-natal nurse. I think I might see if her hospital take hats for the NICU. And as we all know, there are several babies I know being born soon that may need their heads covered.

Knit Wits!

This Thursday our Knit Wits group finally gets back together after our summer hiatus. I am so excited. Even though I crochet, I find the camaraderie of women crafting and gabbing to be a great stress reliever twice a month.

I have tried to learn to knit, so I can be like the others, and my friend Beth Ann even gave me a few needles to attempt a few rows of knit and purl. But somehow I still can’t get it.

American Knitter Learn to Knit DVD Lessons offer an alternative for teaching me those yarn over techniques and the instructions on the preview video look promising. And I wouldn’t have to use needles

I may have to attempt figuring out how to knit again. Or I could just make another granny square.

Shooting for the stars

I got out today to go get bribes prizes for the Sunday School kids. If they know their memory verse from last week (Psalm 23:1) then they get a glow stick. Glow sticks were a big hit with the kids over the 4th of July week, so I think it will be as a good treat for the Sunday School kids. Plus, I think the whole light thing translates since we are to be a light for Jesus, right?

Our class is named the Shooting Stars and we have been decorating the door with stars to remind them. I am thinking that we should branch out and think about different stars to decorate with… the asterisk, Brad Pitt, Starfish?

Actually Starfish are a pretty neat craft item, I think. Add a bit of glitter, sequins, and paint and you have a reminder of the stars in God’s creation. And maybe a great paperweight for Dad’s office desk.

SunDIY

Step 2- Cut out freezer paper Step3- Cut out stencil
Originally uploaded by sillyred.

Making a dent

Recently it was brought to my attention that I have a lot of yarn. Of course, most knitters or crocheters have a lot of yarn, but I just seem to have a lot of it because it keeps getting in the way of things.

Anyway, I have a rule that I can't purchase any more yarn until I get rid of at least a third of it. I may end up giving some away, but right now I am trying to find projects that 1) interest me and 2) can be done quickly. And since it is summer I prefer light projects that don't seem "hot." You know, no sweaters, blankets, or wool.

Well, I have done some filet crochet in the past and I actually enjoy thread crochet, so I started looking around for projects that were in that venue. Crochet Me is a a great crochet resource, with lots of modern crochet projects that make me excited to pick up a hook and ball of yarn.

I found this Happy Hippie Hair Tie in the Crochet Me archives and it begged to be stitched. As a plus, it works really well for my thick hair. I also made a pink version with white pony beads on the outer edge. It looks a bit more elegant but I had a hard time getting a decent picture. I used a cotton thread for both hair ties, so they stretch a little bit. Each one took me about half an hour. I would love to make more with beads, but since I can't buy any more yarn, I can't really justify starting a bead collection just yet.

One of the between issue emails that Crochet Me sent out recently included a free pattern called Hydrate! The purpose is to be a water bottle holder. In one evening I made this, using one ball of Sugar 'n Spice kitchen cotton (I think it is traditionally used for making kitchen dishcloths or hotpads). I liked the black and white because I like to think it will go with anything. And having my water bottle with me at all times really helps me keep my water intake to what it should be.

Now, these two projects may not have made a terrible dent in my stash, but it has helped me get inpsired to keep crocheting throughout the summer months. I plan on attacking a thrift store t-shirt and attempt my own version of the Galaxy Top. And I have a few bag patterns rolling around in my head as well.

Maybe by Fall I will have met my goal of using at least a third of my yarn. And if I am truly inspired, maybe I'll have exceeded it.
(Click pictures for larger view.)

I never thought I would do this...

Damon recently gave Lively a hair cut. He cut the hair really close, so she barely has any hair at all. Well, as she has been sitting around the house, I could see her shivering and it bothered me. Damon said she was shivering on purpose, cause that is just the kind of dog she is, but I didn't think so. So after staring at some dog sweater patterns on the internet, I just came up with my own. I used Lionbrand Woolease that I had in my stash. It is all double crochet, except for the slip stiches used to create the neck. It was done flat and I sewed up the seam to make it into the proper sweater shape.

The thing that I wasn't too sure about was how Lively would take to wearing it. In the past if we put any kind of costume on her, she would refuse to move. And I know that in this picture makes she looks a little stiff, but I think she warmed up to it (literally and figuratively) and is now prancing around the house like normal, with no shivers in sight.

At (knit) wits end

I just got back from Knit Wits. It is a group of women, mainly from our church, who get together twice a month and knit; or in mine and Amber's case, crochet.

About half an hour before I was to leave for Knit Wits, I was getting my stuff together. I had my yarn, my hooks, but I could not find my patterns. I looked for 20 minutes and could not find them anywhere. I have a few projects underway and no roadmap on how to finish them!

I quickly printed off a pattern that I knew how to find quickly on the internet, but it is still bothering me that I can't find them.

When I go to work tomorrow, exhausted from lack of sleep, it is because I still can't find that stack of papers.

Augh!

P.S. I got over my stomach bug after a nap in the afternoon. I'm still a bit tired, but not weak or anything. I have been eating just fine. And Austina, thanks for the get well thoughts and e-card!

The new fall line

Little Luke needed hats that fit, so I tried my hand at preemie patterns. However, once I finished the two hats and finally got over to Esther's house, the hats didn't fit! So, I tried again.

The hats are made with Caron Simply Soft, and are a basic cap pattern. Only without the silly ribbon. Luke is too manly for that.

On one of the hats I did a front post ribbing pattern, to give it a little substance.

And hats are so quick to make! One hour of TV watching equals one hat for someone. (Half an hour for someone Luke's size.)

I knew that Fuller would need something to keep his precious head warm this winter, so I set out to find a pattern to make for him. I found a basic helmet pattern, and dipped into my stash of Nana yarn. (Yarn that I got after she passed away. She's the one who taught me to crochet.)

I found 50g of offwhite chunky cotton blend and it took almost the entire ball for the hat. The green edging is from another skein that I had in my yarn stash, some basic worsted weight acrylic. I used a K hook for most of the hat, but the last two rows and all the green were done with a J hook.

He looks really cute in the hat, and for the most part, he will leave it on his head. For about five seconds.

Pretty punchy poncho

My last completed project was a present for one of my favorite little girls- my niece Miss Viv. I realize that I mailed it to her a little bit (like a month) after her birthday so it isn't actually weather appropriate (unless some cold spell hits South Louisianna soon), but she will hopefully be able to wear it next year.

Anyway, the technical stuff is that the pattern was a free one from Lionbrand. I added the little flower on the shoulder as my own embellishment. The yarn I have no specific knowledge of except that is a chunky type. It is yarn that I received after my Nana passed away. (I got all of her remaining yarn, which was quite a lot.) The pretty lavendar color reminded me of Vivian, so I knew I had to make her something with it.

I have to give special thanks to my mother-in-law because she is the one who helped me figure out how to put the pieces together. For some reason, the diagram on the pattern just didn't make sense to me. So, Linda "wore" the pieces for me so I could get the vision of the project.

Right now I am working on my first pair of socks. Hopefully that will go quickly, as long as I keep at it.

My pretty, pretty hat

During my pregnancy, I had carpal tunnel and I wasn't able to crochet anything. Fortunately, the condition went away within a month after Fuller was born and I was able to start on my first project- Fuller's Christmas stocking. It took me a while to get it going, but once finished, I had that bug again. The bug that gets me to create and work my hands and fingers to crochet things.

My next project was a request from my mother to make her some arm rest covers. They ended up being glorified placemats, but were easy enough to get done while watching TV.

But while working on the arm covers, I started thinking about what to do next. I never made anything for myself, so I thought it would be nice to make a nice scarf and hat set that was cute and hip.

What do you think, did I succeed?

Yarn used: Caron Jewel Box, color Emerald 0009, 2.5 oz
Bernat Boa, color Bluebird, 1.75 oz
Pattern: from Better Homes and Gardens, Crochet 2004