Crocheting Fun

Crocheting was my first crafting love.  I loved crocheting so much that for a year or so I made my living as a professional crocheter for Estelle Gracer.  I truly can't recall how many of these jackets I made (the first style I made, luckily I did get to make other styles), but I averaged 4 jackets per week.
Since I love crocheting, I'm always excited when another crafter gets hooked. Like Heidi.  Heidi wants to make a granny-square afghan, and has purchased yarn, but isn't sure she has enough.  I pointed her to this Lion Brand Yarn Site
From Heidi's site, I wandered over to Lucy's, and found that she had completed a BIG Granny Afghan in 2009, and she kindly shares her original granny square instructions.

Thinking about my time at Estelle's, I pulled out my original Q hook to show you.
The pen is there to keep the hooks from rolling away.  The hook on the left is the original, the one on the right one I purchased a few years ago to make a two sided afghan.  (Remind me to share with you how to make one - it's really simple once you get started, requiring only a basic chain and single crochets.) 

No, your eyes are not deceiving you - that's a hole in the old hook - worn there by countless crochet stitches (I only saved this one - I think I had to buy a new hook every 2-4 months back then).

And this is one skein of the yarn I bought on sale back during the summer.  I hope to either knit or crochet myself a sweater this winter.  It's tough to get the color right at night by flash - the color is blue mint, and it's much more vibrant than this photo shows.
I can only work with worsted weight yarns in the winter.  As the item grows, my lap gets warmer and warmer - so it's definitely a winter sport for me.

So, do you crochet?  Do you want to learn?

Thanks for visiting my blog today - come back anytime!

Dawn's Pincushion and I've been RAKed!

My friend Dawn wanted a pincushion that she could use when making stickpins.  Dawn does the most gorgeous work with mini albums and stickpins.  I know she likes mermaids, and she's a kind of whimsical person, so I chose a chart from my stash - the chart appears to be Chinese, and that is definitely the style.

I used some tropical fabric from my stash, and trimmed it with a bit of lace.

I dislike sticking pins in the cross stitched work, so I like to have plenty of fabric - and Dawn wanted to be able to assemble stickpins assembly line fashion, so this is one of the largest pincushions I've made.

It's about 9 inches x 3 inches by 2.5 inches, and stuffed with crushed walnut shells for weight.

I added a little pewter seahorse charm, just for fun.

Dawn actually featured this on her channel - go take a look.

Today, Dawn surprised me with a RAK of her own:

Buttons to add to my stash,  and hidden away in the matchbook style cover....

Five Gorgeous Stickpins! 
The paper is a heavyweight art paper, with little flecks in it, and the cut edges are burnished so the cut design really shows.

Each stickpin is unique, and uniquely beautiful.  Please click on the photo so you can see the awesome detail.

Thank-you so much, Dawn - I love them!

Receiving and Sending Exchanges (Picture Heavy!)

Lots of exchanges going on - and here are pics of gorgeousness received.

From Bonnie at PPTB , this lovely biscornu.  It's quite heavy for it's size and I suspect it's filled with crushed walnut shells. Aren't the colors so calm and quietly beautiful?

This exquisite hardanger Biscornu is from Shay.  I am in awe of her work - 'specially cause my own hardanger attempts are still so unsatisfactory, so I know what skill it takes to achieve this level of expertise.

Shay was also generous in sending extra prezzies.  Thank-you so much, Shay!

This delicate beauty was sent to me by Sheila - and look - my most favoritest motifs - butterflies!

Sheila also included extra prezzies - the Piecemaker needles (also a fav of mine) and the adorable scissors are much appreciated.

Lisa over at the PIF Stitchers sent me this package, and I have to say, I love her presentation:  oooh, the mystery and anticipation!  Opening it, I found this ornament - absolutely adorable.

I'm pretty sure the last batch (yes, I am shamefully behind - but steadily working to catch back up) of biscorni I mailed out have all been received.  PPTB is giving me a great excuse to stitch some of the neat charts I've collected.

To Despina, I sent this Tulip Bouquet biscornu.  What a joy to stitch.  I did use DMC threads that I had in my stash rather than the recommended specialty fibers.  The soft pink buttons were a lucky find.

When I started stitching this for Gillie, I was feeling whimsical.  I combined  a froggy motif from one of my stitching books with flies from Holy Mud! by Barbara Ana. 

For Mayté, I chose a Seaside freebie by Fée Rie.  I stitched it with the recommended DMC fibers - and it was hard with pride that I sent it off.

Last, but not least, was this Blue Rose (a freebie I'd had in my stash forever) that I stitched for Sheila.

I stitched it with HDF silks by Vikki Clayton.  These gorgeous colors were in a Detritus bag I received with an order - but it doesn't look like Vikki offers that option anymore :-(

That's all for now, dear friends and gentle readers.  My thanks to all my fellow exchangers - you each brighten my days!

THe ABCs of Me

Laurie had this on her blog in March - and I also thought it was cute - so here are mine:

The ABC's of ME................

A. Age: 55 - I'm still not speeding!

B. Bed size: King

 C. Chore you hate: I have two: Unloading the dishwasher and putting up groceries

D. Dogs' Names: Annie Bebop and Nellie Grace (black lab mix sisters)

E. Essential food item: chocolate!

F. Favorite color: yellow (except when it is blue, green, or burgundy)

G. Gold or Silver: Silver

H. Height: All the way from the floor to the top of my head

I. I am: overworked, underpaid and loved by the dearest man in the world

J. Job: Which one?

K. Kids: daughter, son, daughter (and six grands)

L. Living Arrangements: Split level in a suburb in Alabama

M. Mom's Name: Wilma - and today is her birthday - Happy Birthday, Mama!

N. Nickname: Daddy has always called me Pete

O. Overnight hospital stay(s): Three births (see Kids), one broken vertebrae -and one scary stay 11 years ago.

P. Pet peeve: Telephone etiquette (phone rings. Me,"Hello".  Caller "Who is this?"  Me, "Who were you calling for?" 

Q. Quilt Block: Dresden plate - or any nine patch!

R. Right or Left handed: Right sometimes, Left sometimes

S. Siblings: 3 - One older brother, one older sister, one younger brother

T. Time you wake up: When my eyes open (3-5am)

U. Unique thing about your car: What is in the trunk - lol!

V. Vegetable you hate: Tomatos - I think they are pretty and still can't stand them (and yes, I still call myself a Southern girl)

W. Ways you run late: All ways

X. X-rays you've had: Too many to remember

Y. Yummy food you make:  Pecan Pie - from a prize-winning recipe that used to be on Yellow Label Syrup

Z. Zoo animal favorite: Butterflies!

And now - will YOU share your ABC's?

Thanks for visiting today!

Humbug!

I'm happy to say that Jenna (no blog) has received the humbug I angel stitched for her for the TTE, Too Humbug Exchange.  Better still - she likes it, she really likes it!
I had a wonderful time taking one motif, and creating companion motifs for this humbug - altho, I had to do a fair amount of frogging (no, that needs to be 2 stitches over and 1 stitch up....) - the placement was tricky, but I was very pleased with the result.

The stitched piece before assembly:   It's stitched 2 over 2 on 32 count linen - which wasn't a square weave, and that was it's own set of problems.  I used DMC 351 Coral, 807 Peacock Blue and 3765 Very Dark Peacock Blue.

 The Center Peacock Motif

 One Side Motif - maybe it should have been another stitch closer to the center?

And the matching gift/floss tag (you can see the other side in the 2nd photo up).

I've been busy stitching, and hope to have a WIP finished to share soon - a project for me - hurray!

I've been very busy living as well - lots going on, not the least of which is the US Income Tax deadline looming :-(

Til next time, thanks for visiting today!

TUSALs, Biscornu, Needlebook and SABLE

Lots and lots of pictures!
Not only am I late with March's TUSAL, I'm shamefully late with the TUSAL for February!

 This is February's picture
and this is March's:

I guess I need to explain that I'm using a large empty medicine bottle next to my stitching spot, and transferring the contents to my TUSAL jar when it gets full - which seems to happen roughly monthly.

Michelle received the February biscornu from me for the Please Pass The Biscornu exchange.  I used a freebie chart from Louison, a very talented lady!  I added clear beads for sparkle where they seemed to want to go.

Michelle's picture is so much more attractive than mine - click on the link above to visit her blog and see it, if you wish.

Remember the other needle book I mentioned angel stitching for Tiny Treasures Exchange, Too?
It has been received, so I can share pictures now.

I evidently forgot to take a picture of the inside :-(.  I took the color scheme from the fabric that lines the needle book.  Rats!  I'll have to check my stash and see if I have a bit of the fabric left to take a photo.

SABLE - Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy.  Even though I've drastically reduced my SEX (take your mind out of the gutter - that stands for Stash Enhancement Experience!), the kindness of another crafter has increased my stash!  A sweet lady I work with was showing me an altered album (beautiful!) she was working on.  I remarked that although it was tempting, I refuse to start another hobby, because my various stashes are already overflowing my craft room.   A few days later, she brought me box of goodies!

Here, in no particular order, are some of the goodies:

Lots of books!

Some really cool grommets!

Charts

  Including this by Mosey and Me

This reminds me of Sloss Furnace, in nearby Birmingham, Alabama

I see a Butterfly Fairy being stitched in the near future. - That's Lavender and Lace # 42 - Fairy Grandmother.
If you've stuck with me to the end  congratulations on your endurance!
Thank-you for visiting today!

The Friday 56 - 12 March 2010

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is Fantasy in Death by J. D. Robb. 

"Admiring you doesn't mean taking the fall for you.  He's not quite as dumb as you think...."

I've been reading this series since it's inception, way back in 1995.  Fantasy in Death is the 30th book in the series (not counting the 7 In Death novellas).

*Looks like I have access again - at least for now.  It makes me nervous that there is not a good explanation for why I have had only intermittent access for over three weeks.  Keep your fingers crossed for me!

**Special note for the Chinese commenter - if you will stop including XXX rated links in your comments - I will approve them.  Blogger does not allow me to edit the comments - and I choose not to endorse your link.

对中国的评论者特别注意 - 如果你将停止包括在您的评论第三十额定链接 - 我会核准。 Blogger 不容许我编辑的意见 - 我选择不同意您的链接(Thanks to Google Translate for the translation)