Dangling by a Painted Thread

New painting - Indian Chief Head Study

2011-12-14T13:41:00.005-07:00

So, last year I asked Jon McNaughton if we could do a head study of a dark skinned person and this is the result. I haven't been able to take classes for the last several months because of finances but had saved up so I could attend this class. I'm really really trying to spend more time painting but it's not easy when you're working full time and sewing items on commission just to make ends meet.

Anyhow, here is the painting:

The painting can be purchased in my Artfire shop as well as other locations.

Santa's Washing Errata

2011-12-03T16:33:00.004-07:00

As hard as I try, sometimes patterns get a few mistakes that hide until it's too late. I'll post any changes to the Santa's Washing crochet pattern here and also update the PDF pattern on Ravelry.

Socks:

Row 7: Ch 1, turn, sc in ea sc across. (6 sts)

Row 13: (Dec rows) Ch 1, turn, sc2tog, sc in next 2 sc, sc2tog. (4 sts)

Santa's Washing pattern available on Artfire

2011-11-19T23:38:00.001-07:00

I've added the Santa's Washing pattern to my Artfire store. No automatic download but once I receive payment notification from Paypal and get home from work in the evenings, the PDF file will be mailed.

Santa's Washing on Artfire

Santa's Washing Crochet Pattern

2011-11-13T17:05:00.004-07:00

I just uploaded a new crochet pattern to my Ravelry store, Santa's Washing. Pattern includes instructions for making a jacket, trousers, long johns, mittens, scarf, socks, and hat. I wanted to make sure the pieces could be made in any size yarn or crochet thread so only the thumbs on the mittens and the top part of the pants for the long johns are made in the round. The remaining pieces are all worked flat. So, even if you make them in size 50 crochet thread, you shouldn't have any problems!

Here are a few pictures of the finished banner, including a peek at the back of the long johns! Click on the images for larger views.

The banner hanging from my mantel

A closeup of the back of the long johns with the flap hanging open

A closer look at the banner

The pattern is $4.50 and can be purchased at Ravelry - buy now - pattern page

Also, the Fall 2011 issue of Crochet Uncut is finally out. Find out how to make African Flower Motifs and use them to make a purse, potholders, hotpads, and a pincushion, make a mat named BOB, and find out how to win a Knook!

Halloween Kit for Digital Scrapbooking

2011-10-16T01:39:00.006-06:00

I recently finished up some cool papers and frames for your fall or halloween digital scrapbooking. The kit includes 46 papers (12"x12"), 6 square frames (2.67"x2.67"), 17 doily frames (8.46"x8.46"), 11 text items, and a black pearl trim (12"x0.79"). Cost is just $12.00 for everything.

Click here to go to the product page

Make your own reversible project bag

2011-09-28T01:32:00.004-06:00

I've had several requests for instructions on how I make my reversible project bags and I finally finished the instructions. Now, you can make your own, or, if you don't sew, you can visit my Artfire shop and buy one!

The bags can be made from any fabric but if you're short on cash, two fat quarters and some cotton yarn are all you need (other than thread and a sewing machine) to make your own bag.

Click on the image below to download the PDF file. You can use the instructions to make bags for personal use or for small business sales, i.e., no mass reproduction by a manufacturing company ... like that would happen ...

Previews of the dresses

2011-09-17T16:13:00.004-06:00

Got some photos of my little cousin Anya wearing some of the dresses I sent. The other girls haven't had a chance to see their's yet but they plan on getting together so they can take group photos. Sarah also sent me a short video of Anya in the dress with the green bodice and pink flowers, but not a photo of it. Anyway, here's Anya wearing the roses dress, matching green pinafore, and the pink paisley dress. I added matching reversible purses for each dress (except for the baby) as a surprise.

Sarah also sent me a photo (finally!) of Anya wearing the dress I crocheted for her. She's been able to wear it for three years already and I think that if they add a pink shrug with a button closure in the front, then she should be able to wear it a bit longer before passing it on to another cousin.

Am so looking forward to seeing pics of the other girl's in their new dresses.

Two digital scrapbooking templates

2011-09-15T01:58:00.004-06:00

This first template was made at Heritage Makers using textures completely made by me in Paint Shop Pro except for the folded paper which was made in Photoshop following a tutorial I found.. The heart and flower have "stitching" around the edges.

This second template was done in Paint Shop Pro, mostly with textures I made myself. The flowers and vines are from Jungle 3D but not sure where the pearl "lace" tube came from. The button, brads, and ribbon were all made following tutorials I found online.

Not sure yet what I'll do with them. I may give them away but would have to redo the first one in PSP first. I'll have to think on it for a bit ...

Folded Ribbon Script for Paint Shop Pro X3

2011-09-13T22:22:00.007-06:00

While making some graphics for digital scrapbooking, I created a script to make a folded ribbon out of a horizontal one. You can create your own ribbon or use a photo of one that you've cleaned up.

The final ribbon will be 230x181 pixels if using the maximum horizontal ribbon size of 773x109 pixels.

The script is free for personal or commercial use. See the included readme for copyright, additional usage information, and instructions on using the script.

Download from Fignations of Imaginment - you do not have to create an account.

Tutorial for a similar ribbon but with angles cut opposite each other: Folding Ribbons in Paint Shop Pro X by Stacey Jewell Stahl.

Grosgrain ribbon made following this tutorial: Birgit's Grosgrain Ribbon Tutorial.

I would love to hear your comments on this script!

Designing 3D Clothing in Marvelous Designer 2

2011-09-11T17:14:00.007-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I won one of two first prizes in a review contest over at Marvelous Designer and got a copy of their software as a result. I had used the demo last year but couldn't afford the software but now I've been busy playing with it and first up is a ruffled tunic with leggings. The tunic is loosely shaped with slightly dropped shoulders and low under arm while the leggings are tight fitting. Click on the image for a larger view. Rendered in DAZ Studio with Victoria 4.

Of course, the meshes come out with triangles, which are great for Poser dynamic clothing but not so good for rigged clothing. I've been trying out a demo of 3DCoat and so far have seen awesome results. The image below shows the leggings from MD2, then retopo'd in 3DCoat, then tweaked in Cinema4D to remove the caps, adjust vertices, and UV Mapping. It does lose some detailing during the retopo but it's not enough for me to worry about. I'd rather have the general details that can be emphasized with textures than create more polys. I have high hopes. Click on the image for a larger view.

A few digital scrapbooking things

2011-09-11T13:02:00.006-06:00

Since being introduced to Heritage Makers, I spent most of yesterday evening playing with making background textures, a few buttons and embellishments, etc. I have some stuff I'd made last year for an online game but these are all new and thought I'd show them off. These were all made in Paint Shop Pro, including the buttons. Click on the image for a larger view.

A couple of cool scrapbooking products

2011-09-10T14:32:00.012-06:00

Okay, I am not a scrapbooker. Mostly because I don't have the time, but also because it can be more expensive than I can afford. However, the kits, pages, adornments, etc., are hard to ignore sometimes. You can find some really cute things at stores and on the internet.

Today, my sister Jessica and I went to the Scrapbooks USA show in Sandy, UT. I was disappointed at the number of vendors there as they were all around the edges of the room and the entire middle of the room was set up with tables and chairs. There were people working there and I can only assume they were meeting others they'd met online to work with. Otherwise, I can't see doing scrapbooking in public like that, but then again, I'm not a scrapbooker. I was really expecting a whole lot more than what was there. We heard several people express the same thing.

While wandering around, I found two vendors that interested me.

The first was Perfect Paper Crafting, which had a ruler type device that allowed you to cut perfect lines at a specific length away from another line. For example, you could paste a photo down on a background mat, then place the inside lip of the ruler against the photo with the outer edge of the ruler exactly 1/", 1/2" or 3/8" or whatever away. Then take an X-acto knife and cut a perfect line exactly that distance away for a perfect mat. No more trying to manually place the photo exactly in the center of the mat. They also had a "Tear" ruler that you lay along the paper, wet down with water, then tear the edge away. It's a lot easier than trying to cut it or tear it manually. The third product they have is a tool to make perfect squares every time. They have a fourth product, a marker airbrush set, but I didn't see it there at the show.

The second vendor was Heritage Makers (links to my consultant so if you join, she'll be your consultant as well), which is local to me. Their software is used online where you can select from over 40,000 templates and graphics to create notecards, story books, canvas prints, photo gifts (calendars, prints, posters, playing cards, etc.), recipe books, digital scrapbooks, and more. Once you put your item together, you can order the printed version of your work to be delivered to your home. You also get publishing points that can be used towards your next published item. No having to deal with shopping at multiple stores for supplies, having to cut out papers, glue trims, mess with glitter (gets in all the cracks) or stickers, getting ink all over you, finding more storage for your supplies, toting all your stuff around in huge carry alls, etc. I have enough problems with finding storage for my yarn and paints!

They have a free account that has 2 GB of storage, access to 2,000+ pieces of digital art, and 450+ templates; and a premium account for $19.95/month that has unlimited storage, access to 40,000+ pieces of digital art, 3,000+ templates, and access to special perks. You can also host a scrapbooking workshop or become a consultant to start your own business. A referral program is coming soon. Oh, and you can also create your own templates for you or others to use. If you have a free account, you can only upload JPEG format graphics but with a premium account, you can also upload PNG format graphics that can be used as borders, frames, and embellishments. Once you come up with template that others can use, you can submit it to the gallery for approval. Make sure you watch the training videos to get help on using the software (although it is fairly intuitive, especially if you've used a paint program before). The only thing I found missing was a user forum, where users can help each other and they can show off their work to each other and get advice. You can, however, quickly access your consultant by using the contact form. They respond quickly and do their best to help you.

While both of these products are most likely to be used by scrapbookers, I can see them being used by other types of crafters and artists as well. I like that Heritage Makers has products for business as well as personal use.

All Dresses Finally Finished!

2011-09-03T21:22:00.006-06:00

Tadah!!!! Took me long enough but all dresses are finally done.

First, I finished a dress for Kasia that I'd actually almost finished a week or so ago. It just needed a hook and eye added. This is the same pattern as I'd made for her before, but added little ruffled sleeves to it.

McCalls 5835

Next, I made a two dress set for Anya and Gabriella. A rose dress with little caplet sleeves and a matching "slip" dress. I added pockets to the slip dress since you can never have too many pockets. (Sorry for the fuzzy photo of the green slip dress. It didn't want to cooperate.)

Both can be worn separately or the slip dress worn under the rose dress. So cute as the green ruffle of the slip dress peeks out under the rose dress.

Simplicity 5226

Next, a dress for Isabella, to match the outfit I'd originally made for her but I think is now too small and will go to Zosia instead.

New Look 6877
Finally, I made a dress and pinafore for Isabella. The dress can be worn alone and the matching panties can be switched out depending on how she wants to wear them. I also made a pinafore to go with it if a bit of extra warmth (or cuteness) is needed.

Simplicity 9784

Hopefully I'll have all the dresses packed up and shipped out sometime next week.

All total I made 13 dresses, 2 pinafores, 5 panties, and 3 hats.

Two Paisley Dresses Completed

2011-08-20T05:49:00.002-06:00

Just completed two more dresses for Anya and Gabriella using Simplicity 2688. Am now going to try to get a few hours sleep before I need to get to JoAnn's to get some more patterns. They're having a sale on Simplicity patterns, 5 for $5, limit 10, and I was able to get 10 I wanted yesterday but still have a few others I'd like to get so I have more variety to make for the girls.

Another cute little dress done

2011-08-13T19:44:00.005-06:00

Love the circles on this one! This is the Kwik Sew #3907 again, size 18-24 months. I didn't have enough of one color of buttons so I alternated between pink and green for the back closure. Matches the dress so I think it worked out.

Wanted to get this one done so I can concentrate on the outfits for Marci since the patterns came in yesterday.

And another dress finished

2011-08-12T16:39:00.008-06:00

After cutting out the last dress pattern, with Truffles' help, I sewed the bodice and skirt up and attached the skirt to the bodice then had to go to bed as I needed to get to work early the next day. I needed to leave early for a dentist appointment so didn't want to miss too much work as a result.

After the dentist appointment, where I had two teeth extracted, I tried to sew a bit but the pain meds made me dizzy so I took a short nap. After getting up, I finished the dress by sewing the bodice and bodice lining together, top stitching the bodices, and adding the double ruffle.

And here it is, the dress for my little cousin Kasia:

Pattern used: McCall's M5835

I accidentally bought two copies of this pattern (sizes 1, 2, 3, 4), so if anyone (U.S. only) would like it, let me know. Listed price is $11.95 but I got it on sale for $2.99, so I'm willing to let it go for $4.00 (the extra is for shipping).

The patterns I'd ordered for Marcie came in this morning so this weekend will be spent cutting out the pieces and starting to sew them together. Not sure yet if I'll cut out all of them first then sewing them all at once, or cut them out one at a time and sewing together before moving on to the next one. I don't want to make a decision right now until the pain meds wear off a bit though ... :P

How my cat helps me sew

2011-08-11T01:44:00.003-06:00

This evening I was cutting out another little dress and, as usual, my cat Truffles decided to help. When he wasn't sitting on the fabric or pattern pieces, he was helping me place pins by nudging my hand to the correct location. Truffles is 19 in people years and the gray hairs have started to show up among the dark chocolate. Truffles has dark chocolate fur with a milk chocolate under coat, which is how he got his name. I've had him since he was four when a co-worker at Boeing needed to find a home for him after he got married and his wife was allergic to cats. Even though I'm also allergic to cats (and dogs), I really needed a cat at the time and agreed to adopt him. Fortunately, God found me the perfect cat as I don't seem to have any problems around him. Get me around just about any other cat and most dogs, and my hands and eyes start itching and swelling, the nose starts running ...

Here is Truffles helping me figure out where to place the pattern pieces:

And here he is taking a short break while trying to figure out why Mr. Darcy was moving around in his bed:

And finally, here he is holding down the fabric so it doesn't slide off the table:

Fortunately, Truffles doesn't mess with my yarns, unlike Mr. Darcy who has been known to chew through projects and yarn balls, especially if they have wool or alpaca in them, and hopelessly tangle recalcitrant skeins.

My Junior/Senior Banquet, 1982

2011-08-10T11:18:00.004-06:00

I thought I would post this photo from my Junior/Senior Banquet in high school during my Junior year. I went to our church school so no prom. This was in 1982 and I was obsessed with Princess Diana. I decided I wanted to make a "copy" of her wedding dress and found a pattern that was sold as "inspired by" or something. Anyway, the dress is made of white dotted swiss with the lining made from a white cotton sheet (cheaper than buying the fabric). We rented a hoop from a local costume shop and my Aunt Mary did my hair and makeup.

I still have the dress hanging in my closet although I'll never be able to get into it again!

If you can't sleep ... sew

2011-08-10T07:57:00.004-06:00

I've been having a lot of trouble sleeping lately so I've been spending my time sewing and finally got several dresses finished, buttonholes and buttons added, etc.

First up are the outfits I started last year for a cousin, Isabella. I finally got the buttonholes done and buttons added. My new sewing machine actually makes buttonholes that don't chew up the fabric!

This is the little dress with bloomers:

And the romper which can be worn alone or under the matching dress above:

Next are the dresses for Anya and Gabriella, although I'm only showing one of them. Since they are the same size, I put zippers in that are their favorite colors so they can tell them apart.

Finally is this adorable outfit that should fit either Isabella or Kasia. I originally bought the fabric as fat squares to make project bags for but decided to see if I could get a dress out of them. I tried to get more of the rose and green fabric but the store only had one rose one left and no green so I got the pink instead. Since the fat squares aren't that big, I added a 1/4" seam allowance on the front skirt where the fold should have been and just seamed it up. The hat is reversible and I made the inside all green. There are buttonholes on the sides so that the straps can be pushed through to use when the hat is reversed.

Patterns Used:

Toddler Dress and Romper - New Look 6794
Girl's Dress - Simplicity 2688
Precious Peony Dress - Kwik Sew 3907

One thing I found on the Kwik Sew outfit, the bodice back indicates that you should cut out 2 of the fabric and interfacing. It should have you cut out 2 of the fabric, contrast, and interfacing.

I've got some more fabric that's just waiting to be cut out ...

Sewing Tip #1 - Using all pattern sizes

2011-08-09T01:59:00.008-06:00

While I like being able to get multiple sizes in one pattern purchase, it is not always easy to actually use all the sizes you get. Since I have large family with lots of first, second, and third cousins (may be some fourth cousins in there too), I need all the sizes. I also prefer to use paper patterns over tissue ones since they last longer - for me anyway.

My solution is to trace the different sizes on to sew-in interfacing or butcher paper. The interfacing can be purchased in yards off the bolt and in a fairly thick version. Make sure you get enough to trace off all sizes of all pattern pieces. Some places, like Clotilde's, have pattern tracing cloth you can purchase but they tend to cost more. You can also use craft or butcher paper but you will also need tracing paper and a non-serrated tracing wheel since you can't see through the paper.

Supplies:

Medium weight sew-in interfacing, or
Craft or butcher paper with the following:

Tracing paper
Non-serrated tracing wheel or embossing stylus with 1.5 mm tip

Scissors (don't use your good fabric scissors!)
Straight pins
Ink pen (Bic or Pilot pens work great) or permanent fabric marker
Straight edge (ruler) if needed
Gallon sized plastic zip-lock bags (for pattern storage)

Steps:

If using sew-in interfacing or tracing cloth:

Cut out the patterns from the sheet they came on. You don't have to cut them out on the lines, just close enough to get them as individual pieces.
If using the sew in interfacing or pattern tracing cloth, lay it out on your work table. Make sure it is supported on any end that hangs off the edge of the table, either by placing it on a chair or folding it up on to the table and placing a book on it (or a cat if one is convenient and willing).
Place your first pattern piece under the cloth and pin the cloth and pattern together. Don't pin it as much as you would when actually cutting out the fabric. Pins at each "corner" and one or two along longer edges should be sufficient.
Begin tracing the first size. If you want to save the original patterns, start with the largest size, otherwise, start with the next size in.
Trace the outer lines first, including any notches.
Move the cat as needed.
Trace all other lines, including grain arrow, shorten or lengthen line, center back, fold lines, etc.
By this time, you may need to move the cat again. If needed, place a pillow where you want him to stay but that's no guarantee he'll stay there.
Mark text for pattern company, pattern number, piece number, number to cut, etc. Add size somewhere where it is easily visible, i.e., Size S, Size 12, etc.
Mark text for locations, i.e., Center Front, Back Seam, Neckline, etc. (optional but might as well). Don't move or look away or the cat will move on top of the piece you are working on. He may also call in the dog (or dogs as the case may be) for reinforcement.
Check over the pattern to make sure you got everything. Remove pins.
Move pattern piece over to a blank area, pin in place, and repeat until all sizes have been traced for the piece.
Shut the cat into the master bedroom with a treat and a toy or two. Ignore his complaints. Be strong.
Continue with each pattern piece until all are completed.
Cut all pieces out. Again, you don't have to be perfect since they'll be cut that way once you use them to make a garment.
Pin all sizes of each pattern piece together and place all pieces, along with the instructions and pattern envelope into the plastic bag for storage. Make sure the front of the pattern envelope is on the outside so you can see what pattern it is.

If using craft or butcher paper (see steps above for specifics):

Lay out the paper on your work table, supporting it as needed.
Lay the first pattern piece on the paper with tracing paper under it. Pin as needed.
Use the non-serrated tracing wheel or embossing stylus to trace over all lines.
Remove tracing paper and pattern piece.
Trace over all lines with a pen, add in text as noted above (steps 5-11).
Repeat until all sizes and pieces have been traced, cut out, and stored (steps 12-16).

Not all pieces will need to be traced. If the size lines are straight, the pattern piece is easily folded over while cutting out the fabric for the size you need. Of course, you can still trace off each size if that's what you prefer. Large pieces, such as for skirts can often just be folded back, or the entire piece traced off with all sizes on one piece, then cut lines intermittently on any curved edges so you can easily fold them back to the size you need. This saves the original piece for later use or re-tracing as needed.

While this seems to be a lot of work, it is well worth it and will save you time and frustration later when you realize you need a size that you cut out when making a different size.

If you have any sewing questions or have an idea for a tip, please feel free to mention them in the comments.

P.S. Using an embossing stylus is a good excuse for getting a stencil and some note cards and making some sweet embossed cards.

P.P.S. Can you tell I have a cat?

Sewing for Family

2011-08-06T12:18:00.003-06:00

My cousin Marci has asked me to make some costumes for some of her models to wear. The pattern she picked out is from pioneer days with a dress, chemise, and pantaloons. I'll be making three sizes and with the different pieces, she can get several different outfits from them. I'll also be replacing buttons and elastic with ribbons that she can change out for different colors and fit models that may be almost too big for one size but way too small for the next size.

Marci is an amazing artist and has won multiple awards and mentions for her work. Take a look at her stuff at her site - Marci Oleszkiewicz (betcha can't spell that last name with your eyes closed!). I love looking at her paintings and figuring out which family member she painted! I live so far away from all my family that it delights me to see them this way.

I spent this morning at JoAnn and Hancock Fabrics getting cream and white broadcloth for the outfits. With coupons and my VIP discount from Artfire, I saved about $20 from what I'd thought it would cost. Plus, I was able to get the patterns directly from McCalls for $3.99 as part of their BMV Club, plus $4 shipping for the two pattern packets. The pattern retails for $15.95 and even with Hancock's daily discount of 40%, I saved $8 even with shipping added in.

I also need to finish an outfit for my cousin Tony's little girls (just needs buttons), and cut out and sew two outfits, one for cousin Sarah's little girl and one for cousin Tony's older girl. Next, I hope to get two outfits for cousin Katie's two little girls. I've been trying to get them done for a while and finally decided that it was now or never.

Okay, off to pull the first load of fabric from the washing machine and into the dryer and start the second load .. then ironing will ensue ... :P

Catch up time ... again!

2011-07-27T04:17:00.003-06:00

Finally got the Summer issue of Crochet Uncut published. I didn't get any submissions for it so I took a bit longer to get an extra pattern ready. There are only three patterns in the issue but I think they're ones that will keep folks busy.

The first pattern, and one I'm particularly pleased with is the White Crocodile Purse which uses the Crocodile stitch as the basis for the front flap. The result is an elegant purse that can be made in different colors to match any special outfit.

(Pattern page)

Next is a Lacy Coverup that is more elegant than using a piece of fabric. I included several options for attaching the coverup so you can find the one most comfortable for you. I've worn it several times at work with that pink top and it certainly makes me less self-conscious and gets compliments every time.

(Pattern page)

Finally, what I called Petal Panty which uses small flower motifs to make a special panty. If you've seen the crocheted lingerie on some Polish sites, this is what inspired me (I am almost half Polish you see ...).

(Pattern page)

I also finished something I've been trying to get done for a while now and that is to get rid of the PDF icon for each pattern as it doesn't work right. I was told it was because I was using non-standard HTML but they couldn't tell me what was the non-standard part. To replace the automatic conversion, I've manually converted each pattern to PDF and added a download link next to the Ravelry project page button. So, if you scroll down a bit on a pattern, locate the Skill level and Ravelry button then click on the PDF icon to download the pattern.

In addition, I shaded every other row in the patterns so they are easier to see. I think this helps quite a bit, especially when looking at the patterns on the web.

I would love to hear what you folks think of having the PDFs available and the row shading added.

The Fall issue of Crochet Uncut is in the works and I have several patterns ready to go. I'm starting off with a motif pattern then making several project based on the motif. I'm also working on a Christmas pattern that I think you'll enjoy.

My painting is going slowly as it has been so hot lately and the window A/C isn't working so well. We've checked the filter and such but so far haven't figured out why it is acting out. So, my studio is not the most comfortable place to work right now.

I did finish a commissioned painting of two dogs that took me way longer than I had planned. This is Sarah and Roger who were best friends before both of them passed over Rainbow Bridge.

I did get some soaps made but haven't had the time or energy to make more plus it's too hot right now to deal with melting soap base in a sweltering kitchen. I'll see if I can get them packaged up and on Artfire soon though. I've also been adding my paintings, bags, aprons, stitch markers, and row counter bracelets to my website, just another place where you can find my stuff. Here's a link if you've never been there - CatBird Studios.

That's all for now and I will definitely try to post more often.

More new paintings

2011-06-03T12:36:00.006-06:00

Since my last post, I've been busy crocheting and trying to get projects done and patterns written for Crochet Uncut. It looks like the next issue will be a slim one with mostly reviews in it, but I still want to make sure I get an issue out soon.

I've also been painting ... one is a commissioned piece that I can't show yet but I do have several I can show off. I haven't taken any classes lately since I'm saving up for a workshop in November but I'm still able to go to Jon McNaughton's gallery and get advice when I need it.

These paintings are all acrylic on masonite, 11"x14" and unframed.

This first painting is called "Bridge of Light" from the February 2011 class:

This is "Wisteria Memories" from the March 2011 class:

This next one is an abstract, titled "Woods" that I painted in March 2011. I'm not a big abstract fan although there are some I do like and this one wouldn't leave me alone until I'd painted it.

The next two are ones I painted using a book by Pat Crum, "Painting by Design" but done in my own style.

This one is called "Spring in Europe":

And this one is called "Red Tree by the River":

I have a few more paintings in the works but not sure when I'll be able to finish them as I need to get the next issue of Crochet Uncut out.

In other news, my dog, Mr. Darcy, is a real hoot sometimes. He's learned the difference between "outside" and "bed" (and of course what "treat" is) so we have to spell them out. I dread the day he learns to spell!

Last night, he was lying at the foot of my bed when he jumped up and stood up with his paws on my lap desk and looked meaningfully at me.

"What is it Darcy?" I asked. He scratched on the desk with his left paw. "Outside?" Another scratch on the desk. "Do you want to go outside?" Another scratch. "No? Do you want to go to bed?" With this, Darcy's head perked up, he jumped off the bed and ran in circles. So, off to the living room we went where he ran into his crate and waited for his bedtime treat (bananas wrapped in chicken).

My sister has also taught him to ask for "more" when he's getting a belly rub. I'm hoping to get a video of him asking for more soon and I'll post it when I do. We got the idea from sister Jenny when she taught our youngest nephew to ask for more in sign language before he learned how to talk.

Painting hung and sewing news

2011-03-27T14:22:00.009-06:00

I was finally able to put Dora Woodrum's painting over the fireplace. It's not hung yet but leaning up against the wall since I'm not sure I can leave it there because of an outlet behind the center piece which may be a fire hazard. If not, I'll move it to my bedroom across from my bed where I can see it all the time. I just love this painting!!!

Since meeting Dora on the HGTV Blog, we've become friends and exchange messages on Facebook and Twitter. I hope one day to meet this amazing lady.

On a side note, I was able to get my new sewing machine out of layaway at Nuttalls which is near me in American Fork, UT. Awesome place, tons of fabric and machines, classes, helpful people, and they let me bring my dog inside. He's only peed in there once on a plastic display and they just laughed. Apparently another dog had done the same thing and Mr. Darcy had to respond like the gentleman he is. They have some sweet embroidery machines that would be a dream to have but a very faint dream for me right now. (sigh)

The new machine is a Brother Limited Edition Project Runway Innov-ís 40. My old machine is a Kenmore 30-stitch that is at least 20 years old. It still works great and was recently serviced but it was just too slow for me now. My mother has a Kenmore that they purchased when I was about four or five and it still works too. It has these awesome cams that fit into the top of the machine in order to make fancy embroidery stitches. Of course, this was because computerized machines were a far distant thing but I loved using the different cams when I was sewing. Mom taught me how to sew when I was nine and I've been sewing on and off since then, including two years in the Costume Department at Bob Jones University as a student worker.

I was able to buy some soap making supplies yesterday, not the good stuff but enough to get me started. Hopefully I'll have some made within the next few weeks and up for sale at my Artfire store.

That's it for now as I need to go paint ...

This weekend is for finishing

2011-03-18T12:26:00.003-06:00

I'm working on several paintings, one from my class this week, one from last month that needs a few final touches, an abstract that I think needs a splash of color, and a commissioned painting (that is super secret).

Hopefully I can finish most of them this weekend and post those that I can. I probably won't be taking another class until October since I need to go to the November Masterpiece class and can't afford to go to the classes each month and still pay for the masterpiece one.

I finally talked to Jon McNaughton about an apprenticeship which I'd been putting off because of the time involved and needing to attend workshops. I felt that I needed to get a good foundation in technique in the classes before I went all out since I'd have to stop the monthly classes for a while in order to pay for the masterpiece class.

I now am trying to make sure I get in at least 10 hours of painting a week, which I'm still struggling with since I've been on a Spring cleaning binge. I've been going through boxes that haven't been opened since I moved to Lehi or since I moved to Utah in 2006. If I haven't used it, thought of it, or needed it in two or more years, then I probably don't need it. I have boxes of receipts that need to go, home decor objects I don't use anymore, craft items, computer items (cords, connectors, modems, etc.), books, and more that are heading to a future yard sale or local thrift store.

The main consolation in this besides getting rid of stuff is that I'm probably driving my sister crazy with it all, especially when I drag her into helping out ... mwaaahahahahahaha!

Okay, lunch break is over, so back to documenting stuff.

If you like abstract art ...

2011-03-10T12:53:00.007-07:00

While obsessing over the HGTV Dream Home 2011, I met an awesome artist who does a lot of abstract art. Now, I'm not a fan of most abstract art even though I've done a few pieces in digital format, but I enjoy this artist's work. Her name is Dora Woodrum and you can see her work on her website - NiceModernArt.com.

Dora's work is reasonably priced and she's very open to working with you if you'd like different colors (and probably sizes too!).

I particularly like the piece below, titled "Circle of Life." The gold background with the red and black remind me of both the sunrise and sunset of each day.

Dora's Fan page is located on Facebook, so feel free to visit and like her page!

We may fall but we will save our drinks!

2011-01-05T14:03:00.003-07:00

A few weeks ago, after a large amount of snow had fallen, my sister Jessica and I were going out to get some fabric and a few groceries. Since we were also going to Petsmart to get some dog and cat food, we decided to take Mr. Darcy along with us.

Jessica had Darcy on the leash and was also holding a large styrofoam cup filled with iced tea. Darcy was so excited that he dashed down the stairs pulled Jess down the stairs as she slipped on the ice. She landed on her rear on the bottom step, still holding on to the leash and her cup.

This seems to be a family thing since I've fallen many times, usually by slipping on ice, but still managed to hold on to my drink and not spill any of it. Case in point, early last year as I was walking into work with my laptop case and purse over my shoulder, a small bag with my sausage biscuit in it, and a large styrofoam cup of iced tea. I was trying to avoid the icy spots but stepped on a spot of black ice and down I went. When I landed, both legs were spread out in front of me, my left hand had helped cushion my fall a bit, and my right hand was up in the air, with my cup intact. I was also still holding the paper bag and had not landed on the laptop or my purse.

And that's not the first time that has happened either. My mother can tell you that I'm clumsy or not paying attention, or both, so I'm constantly tripping over things, falling up or down stairs, bumping into corners, etc. And, if I'm holding a cup with something in it, I may break a leg but that cup will still be full when it's all over with. I don't think it's a conscious attempt to save the drink as I've thought back afterwards about what happened, it just works out that way.

Of course, now I've jinxed myself and the next time I'll not only drop the drink but land in the spilled contents too.

Only the beginning of winter and already tired of snow

2010-12-30T11:59:00.004-07:00

Today I am stuck at home because of the snow. I left work early yesterday because of the threat of snow and boy am I glad I did! Twenty-five minutes later as I entered Lehi, it began snowing really hard, but more like ice chips than snow. This morning as I tried to leave, the streets were still covered in a layer of ice and snow, then, I couldn't get the doors open on my car as they were frozen shut. So, I'm stuck at home but at least I'm able to get some other things done in the meantime, like catching up on my blog. Of course, all I can think of is the work I need to be doing at the office. It'll get done but not as soon as I'd hoped.

Mr. Darcy loves the snow though. He bounds around the yard, digging his nose in wherever he can, and rolling in the drifts. Last night, the wind was blowing some of the snow around and he was trying to catch the swirls. It was too funny. Truffles thinks he wants outside but as soon as we open the sliding doors, he realizes that it's too cold and there's snow out there. He just turned 19 which is quite old for a cat. There's some white strands of fur among the chocolate and some patches above his eyes that are going bald, but he still seems spry for his age. One of his favorite spots is up on my cutting table where Darcy can't bother him and that's a pretty high jump for him.

Now it's show and tell and up first are my newest paintings, all acrylic on masonite, 11"x14".

From the August class, Sunset:

From the September class, Trick or Treat:

From the October class, Pumpkin Patch:

From my November class, The Wise Men:

And finally from the December class, Christ Head Study:

Along with the Chester painting, I think the head study is one of my favorites. I'm also currently working on a commissioned painting that is coming along more slowly than I'd like but still going well.

These can all be purchased at my Artfire shop or my Artbreak gallery.

My project bags and aprons are selling well, which I'm happy for. I'm also making a few baby blankets and one thing I've found out is that fun fur is not fun while you're working with it. It's bad enough when I'm trying to crochet or knit it, but when you're dealing with fabric ... oh man, it's worse! There's strands of yellow fur all over the place, the stuff stretches and doesn't like to stay in place no matter how many pins I use.

Of course, my dog loves the soft fabric so I have to keep it out of his reach or it won't be fabric for long. For such a small dog, he sure can tear things up! We've bought him toys that are supposed to be "tough" and within an hour or less, he's found the weaknesses in it and there's filling and fabric all over.

Another thing about the blankies is that the fuzzy fabric is so expensive. I'm lucky if I can get away with the fuzzy fabric and backing fabric for $15 and that's if I can get it on sale.

Okay, that's enough for now. I have some fuzzy fabric to wrangle into some semblance of a blanket.

Still catching up

2010-11-13T00:12:00.006-07:00

Okay, crochet projects ... I'd have to say that everything I've done in the past year has been for Crochet Uncut, even if the items were for someone, the patterns went into the e-zine. Crochet Uncut has been well received and I'm getting a lot of items sent to me for review. So far, I've been fortunate in what I've reviewed and they've all been a pleasure to work with or read. One of my favorites was the Denise Interchangeable Crochet Hooks, which I adore using. For some yarn, I've designed patterns to use with them but haven't been able to do that for all the yarn. Hopefully I'll be able to work my way through them and publish patterns that show off the best of each one.

For the Summer 2010 issue, I had two patterns that I designed for my cousin Marci for her wedding, a garter and a keepsake bag. I also designed a bridal wrap but my dog decided it would make a good snack and ate it along with part of the remaining $18/ball yarn. I'm currently making a version of the shawl for a co-worker then will go back to the white version and finish it.

Take a look at all the fabulous patterns in Crochet Uncut at Ravelry. Each project page links to the pattern page in the e-zine and you can see who designed each pattern, how many folks like them, and how many are making the item.

I'm continuing to take painting classes from Jon McNaughton although it is getting harder each month to come up with the class fee. It's one of the few luxuries I allow myself each month. I posted the paintings I'd done over the last few months in my last post and since then, I've completed several more paintings over the last few days. I don't have photos of them yet except for one that I painted on my own based on a photo taken by a friend's SO. Some of you may know her as Bubbo at Ravelry and know that she has two dogs, Chester and Maddie. A few months back, Bubbo posted a photo that David had taken of Chester and I knew right then that I had to paint it.

I had my painting class on Wednesday and Thursday evening and I finished my painting for class about 45 minutes early so I went ahead and drove home. It was still too early to head to bed so I decided to finish the Chester painting and here it is:

(click on image for larger version)

I also posted three photos of the work in progress which you can take a look at on my Flickr gallery (click on image above to go there).

I have one more painting to finish up, then I'll varnish them and take them to Office Depot to get scanned in and saved to a CD. Which reminds me, if you'd like prints of any of my paintings, you can get them at Zazzle.com for about $12 for an 11"x14" print. Links are below to the different Zazzle sites for the U.S., Canada, UK, and other countries. Clicking on the link for your country will provide an affiliate commission for me no matter what Zazzle user you purchase from.
Fignations of Imaginment:

Almost forgot, I've also been making reversible project bags, half aprons, and needle/hook rolls in addition to my stitch markers and row counter bracelets. Sales of these items are used to pay the hosting fees for Crochet Uncut, so if you're looking for a cool items for Christmas, please take a look at my Artfire shop. The reversible bags can be used for crochet and knitting projects, treasure bags for kids, purses, gift bags, and more. The RapidCart in the right side bar shows different items available, just refresh to see different items, or just visit my shop!

CatBird Studios @ Artfire

Well, I think I've rambled enough for now and it is after 1 am so I think I'll play a computer game for a bit then try to get some sleep.

Catching up

2010-09-30T10:58:00.004-06:00

The other day I looked at my blog and was dismayed to see how long it had been since I'd updated it. I've painted several new landscapes and such, published several issues of Crochet Uncut, lost a beloved furry friend and adopted another one, made lots of row counter bracelets and stitch markers, and generally kept busy.

Not long after my last post, my little Shih Tzu, Kaylee, passed away after suffering seizures for some time. The medications weren't working any more and it finally got to be too much for her and she left us on October 19, 2009. A few weeks later, I adopted a Shih Poo from the local shelter that I named Mr. Darcy. He's twice as big as Kaylee was and now Truffles is smaller than the dog instead of bigger. Darcy keeps Truffles on his toes and still hasn't learned that hissing is not an invitation to play more.

The image below is of sweet Kaylee:

And these are of Darcy, the evening I brought him home and then five months later. He took to my sister right away.

The ladies at the shelter called him "Happy" because he was always happy to see people. His given name was "Wall-E" but that didn't sit well with me. My sister suggested "Mr. Darcy" so that one stuck.

Paintings ... now those I have quite a few of. I still have three I'm working on but hopefully will have at least two of them finished soon. The third one I just can't stand right now and it is now in the corner thinking about what it has done. So far it is unrepentant. I'm still taking classes from Jon McNaughton but trying to also find the time to paint on my own, which isn't easy to find time for.

The paintings are in no particular order, all are acrylic on masonite, 11"x14". They can be purchased at my Artfire shop (link is on the right-hand side of blog) or prints can be purchased at Zazzle. You can get an 11x14 print for about $12.

Springtime on the Farm

The Quiet Place

Old Truck with Sunflowers
(this one goes to my father)

Southern Utah

Self Portrait, 1983
(from my Senior High School Portrait)

Grandma's Garden

Cafe Lights

Girl with Flowers

Winter Wonderland

Garden of Weedin'

The Nativity

Okay, that's enough for now. I'll catch up on my crochet projects in my next post.

-dar

Benefit for Prune Belly Syndrome

2009-10-02T10:50:00.002-06:00

TinkerAndPo was looking for folks to donate items for a benefit auction for Prune Belly, a devastating illness that kills 20% of infants before they are born and 30% within two years due to kidney problems.

I decided to donate a 5"x7" painting that I'm currently working on. It's a smaller version of one I finished earlier in the month, Mountain Stream.

Read about Prune Belly and the benefit at Prune Belly Syndrome. If you can't afford to bid on items in the auction, please consider making a small donation on the site (and be included in some raffles as a result). Every little bit helps.

I've recently donated to diabetes research and pancreatic cancer research but since I'm not always able to donate money to more causes (even if I'd like to), being able to donate an item to auction off is just one way I can help.

This month, I'm also working on getting donations for the American Diabetes Association. My paternal grandmother died from complications due to diabetes and my mother's older sister is suffering from diabetes and the results of having it for so long.

-darlisa

Halloween painting ...

2009-09-23T20:50:00.004-06:00

New painting completed from the September class, titled "Welcome Home" ... Everyone's happy to see me come home except one troublemaker! Next month's class is a fall scene, with a pumpkin patch.

A few paintings to show off

2009-08-22T16:06:00.005-06:00

It's been a couple of months since I last posted but I haven't been slacking off, I guarantee that!

First off, I've been getting ready for the Fall Issue of Crochet Uncut. I've been having trouble accessing the site, along with Salt City Gifts, and the hosting company determined that there were two scripts being run on other accounts that were taking up all the CPU. So they were disabled. A few days later, the same problem came up and they found another script using up all the CPU. Everything was fine for several days, then lo and behold, it happened again. So the hosting company moved my sites to a brand spankin' new server ... Of course, this has put me behind on the Fall issue, but so far so good on the site access.

I've also taken two more classes from Jon McNaughton and finished the paintings - which you can see below. Click on the images to see larger versions on my Flickr gallery.

This painting is called "Hollyhock Path" and while I still can't get the hollyhock stalks right yet (they're too "lush"), I'm still quite happy with it. There was also supposed to be a little girl on the path, but I decided not to put her in on this one.

Acrylic on masonite, 11x14

This next one, I'm not so happy with when it comes to the aspens (too uniform) and the clouds, but I love the mountains, pines, and stream - so I guess it balances out. This one is called "Mountain Stream."

Acrylic on masonite, 11x14

This next painting I went out on my own, kinda, using a lesson from Inspirations Vol. Two by Jerry Yarnell. I mixed his directions with my own style and some of Jon McNaughton's techniques and, so far, this is my favorite painting. This painting is called "Resting Wren."

Acrylic on masonite, 11x14

The class for September is a Halloween scene, October is a pumpkin patch, November is a Christmas scene, and December is a head study. Jon's also hoping to have a 3-day workshop next year on painting figures and I told him that if he did, I'd definitely take the three days off work to take the workshop.

I've been paying about $3.50 per masonite panel at Provo Art & Frame and while that's not a bad price (especially with my discount), it still adds up. I spent about $35 last weekend on ten 11x14 panels so this weekend, I decided to go to Lowes. There I found 4'x8' sheets of masonite and for a $9 cutting fee along with 4 panels, I paid $44 for the following (odd sizes were from scrap left after cutting the main sizes):

Main sizes:

5" x 7" - 48 panels
8" x 10" - 27 panels
11" x 14" - 71 panels

Scrap sizes:

4.5" x 8" - 3 panels
5" x 9" - 4 panels
10" x 11" - 4 panels
10.75" x 11" - 4 panels
11" x 11.25" - 3 panels
3" x 24" scraps

So now I have plenty of panels to do lots of paintings with. I'm planning on using the smaller panels to practice painting flowers on. I figure the small size will let me do one or two flowers without overdoing it. If I had purchased the main panels at the art store, I'd have paid $356 plus tax.

I'll post my progress here as I go and you can also keep an eye on my Flickr gallery to see what's been completed.

Getting back into the painting groove

2009-06-16T14:19:00.005-06:00

I've been extremely busy lately but finally have a few minutes to post something.

The Summer issue of Crochet Uncut has been published and it is a very nice issue with plenty of patterns and articles. Go check it out!

Last week I took a two day painting class from Jon McNaughton, a local Provo artist. He does a lot of gorgeous landscapes but his religious art is absolutely breathtaking. I've been wanting to get back into painting since I haven't done anything since 1983 unless it was a digital painting or painting on nested dolls.

Anyway, I finished the painting from class and varnished it last night.

Click on the image to see larger versions if you'd like.

As soon as the varnish is dry, this painting will be on its way to my father for Father's Day.

I've started a second painting, same scene, so I can practice more and improve my techniques. I enjoy using acrylics as there are far fewer smells and stuff that can make me ill.

I'd really like to take one of Jon's three-day workshops, but I'd have to take three days vacation in order to do so. Maybe next year?

Excuse me while I digress for a moment ...

2009-04-30T16:36:00.003-06:00

I.WANT.A.THERAMIN!!!

That is all .... now back to your regularly scheduled day.

No spinning for me and flying yarn

2009-04-28T11:25:00.006-06:00

I've been asked when I'm going to start spinning to which I answered, "Never!" - not because I don't want to but because I cannot handle another hobby. It's hard enough working a full-time job, doing contract work, publishing an e-zine, crocheting, designing, knitting, and now dying yarn, while trying too keep up with my cross stitching, weaving, pysanky, sewing, and painting nested dolls! Oh, and don't forget finding time to do my artwork ...

Anyway, I was balling up my Mango Madness yarn last night because I didn't like the way it had re-skeined on the swift and wanted to redo it on my warping board. I was trying to keep the yarn loose so it would come out easily and the first skein went very well, no problems. The second skein was doing well, behaving, etc. and I was watching the pretty colors fly by, turning the handle on the ball winder ... fun! However, I was apparently turning too fast and not holding the yarn with enough tension and suddenly I saw a flash go in front of my face and land on the floor. After a moment of shock, I noticed that the ball winder was empty and there on the floor was the half finished ball of yarn! (sigh) So I had to untangle it and start over. This time I made sure that I had more tension on the yarn and it behaved this time.

I also re-skeined the yarn I'd dyed over the weekend. The colors started with a yellow on one end but it ended up too muddy even though I only put a couple drops of black in the dye mix. So, I dumped some red dye in the pot (don't ask how much, I don't know as I just added dye until it looked pretty) and dumped the rest of the skein in the pot.

And this is the result, which my sister named "Lobster Bisque" and has a bit of a burnt orange mixed in where the original icky yellow used to be:

Not too bad for a "ewwwww ... fix it" dye job!

This is using a Knit Picks Bare yarn and it is available for purchase (two skeins available) in my etsy shop along with the two skeins of Mango Madness.

Yarn therapy needed

2009-04-27T09:54:00.005-06:00

I think I need some therapy to get over my addiction for learning new things ... like dying yarn.

My first attempt at dying was Skacel Merino Lace, 1375 yards in a gorgeous green. Of course, as I was trying to wind the finished skein into a cake, my swift decided to start sticking which meant that the ball was too tight and I had to re-ball it. Lovely, soft stuff. I'm hoping to design a wrap for it.

Here's the yarn hanging up to dry:

And after being made into a fairly nice cake:

So that was on the 19th and 20th. Over this last weekend, I dyed two skeins of Trekking sock yarn. One was Wool/Nylon while the other was Wool/Bamboo. I put an extra knot on one of the ties so I could tell which one it was and promptly forgot which one it was.

Here is the yarn in the glass pan after I had nuked it:

This is the one I think in the nylon mix:

And the one I think is the bamboo mix:

My sister said they looked like mangos, so I called this colorway "Mango Madness."

Taxes and stuff

2009-04-17T11:02:00.003-06:00

Taxes are done! I'd put doing them off until the very last day, partly because I knew that my sister and I would both owe a ton of money and partly because I'd lost most of the W-2s and 1099s. So, on the 14th and 15th, I was frantically going through every pile of mail I could find to no avail. Finally, about 9:50 pm on the 15th, I saw an afghan on a box and picked it up to find all the missing paperwork - Woot! Thankfully, I still had plenty of time to do both of our federal and state returns on HRBlock.com.

In other news, remember that I'll be on the Getting Loopy podcast on Monday, 4/20. I hope you'll listen in join in the chat!

Lime & Violet

2009-04-13T13:16:00.003-06:00

I have become addicted to Lime & Violet ... I started at the last episode and am working my way back to the beginning. So far I am to episode 61. I've been downloading each podcast (to save on bandwidth) and listening as I work.

Getting Loopy and other stuff

2009-04-01T21:02:00.005-06:00

I'm usually a very mellow individual, not much gets me excited or angry, but every so often something happens that makes me totally giddy. I've been listening to the archived podcasts at Getting Loopy and PM'd Mary Beth on Ravelry telling her that I'd been listening to them at work. While I love my work as a tech writer, it can be pretty tedious at times and having something cool to listen to helps the day go faster. Anyway, MB asked me to be her guest on Getting Loopy on April 20th to talk about Crochet Uncut and whatever else comes up. If I weren't so tired right now, I'd be squeeing.

Besides work, I've been keeping busy with several projects, one of which is continuing to set up my craft room. I still have a lot of stuff in boxes, especially books and haven't yet been able to get my looms and sewing desk in there. Soon my precious ... soon ...

Another project has been rendering the Flamie awards in larger sizes and printing them out for the winners who want them. I had to go buy all new ink cartridges since the ones in the printer had been there since before I'd moved to Utah and had dried up. I figure I can get about 10 awards printed before I have to change cartridges again. The ink isn't easy to find since the printer has been replaced with a newer version and I've only been able to find them at Office Max for about $15 each. Since I need 7 different colors (not including the gloss cartridge), that's $105 for the ink plus the photo paper, cardboard, envelopes, and shipping. I'm only charging $10 per printout, $18 if the person won two awards, so I'm actually losing a bit on this deal but it is totally worth it!

A third project has been updating my art website, Fignations of Imaginment. It's been a very long time since I've added anything to it and I never actually finished the previous revamp. I figured it was time to finish it up and get rid of some old stuff that isn't useful anymore. I'd forgotten that my Bryce preset pages were still there and since the files are now included as default presets in Bryce since version 5.5, the pages need to be deleted from the server. It's not like it hasn't been two years already.

Oh, something else - since I've caught up on the Getting Loopy podcasts, I've started downloading and listening to Lime & Violet and thankfully have 85 episodes to get through. I was able to listen to three of them today and spent too much time laughing and trying to do it without bothering my office mates. I'm totally addicted already.

Mystery Laceweight Shawl CAL

2009-03-08T05:12:00.003-06:00

I've joined my first real crochet along at Ravelry, the Mystery Laceweight Shawl CAL '09 by Tracey McCorkle. I'm using the Knit Picks Shadow yarn in Spring Green that I was going to use for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery KAL last year but decided against doing until I'm a more accomplished knitter. I meant to keep track of how long each clue takes me but I forgot for the first clue so I'll need to redo it with some scrap yarn to get the time.

Clue 1 was released on 3/1/09 and here is my completed clue for rounds 1 through 4:

Clue 2 was released on 3/8/09 and it took 45 minutes to complete rounds 5 through 7:

I'm hoping to one day be able to design my own shawl and this is excellent practice, plus, I'll have a gorgeous shawl in my favorite color once it is completed!

Crochet Uncut Spring 2009 Issue Released

2009-03-02T20:43:00.002-07:00

The Spring 2009 issue of Crochet Uncut has just been published! The issue includes articles dealing with hand/arm health and being an LYS-friendly crocheter, reviews of Tunision Crochet: True Entrelec Diamonds by Angela "ARNie" Grabowski and Crochet Bouquet by Suzann Thompson, two Q&A items on turning chains and twisting yarn, and six patterns ranging from Spring puppets, to an end of winter hat to a Spring scarf and kerchief!

Check out the issue and then queue them up on their Ravelry project pages!

2009 Crochet Award Mesh Images

2009-02-27T20:12:00.002-07:00

As promised earlier today, here are the mesh images of the 2009 Crochet Awards "statue" and CLF Logo:

First, here's the CLF Logo, the rendered image and then the mesh image:

And the award statuette:

You can see larger versions in my Flickr photostream in the CLF set.

I've been stalked!!!

2009-02-27T14:49:00.002-07:00

And yes, it is a good think in this case .. I got an e-mail that a set of my nested dolls up for sale on etsy had been included in a post on nested dolls at Etsy Stalker ... so cool!

2009 Crochet Awards - Hook the Vote!

2009-02-27T13:23:00.004-07:00

The Crochet Liberation Front is hosting their first ever crochet awards, the 'Flamies' and voting is now open. If you crochet (or knit) and would like to vote for your favorite crochet designer, patter, magazine, etc., then please do. The online magazine I publish, Crochet Uncut, is up for best online magazine ... too exciting!

Vote for the 2009 Crochet Awards!!!!

Read about the Awards on the CLF Blog

I also designed the award using 3D items: Victoria 4 and her Fantasy Wrap from DAZ3D.com, a crochet hook a friend modeled for me since I didn't have Cinema 4D on the computer I was working on, and a ball of yarn I made in Bryce 6. After I made the ball of yarn in Bryce 6, I launched DAZ Studio from inside Bryce, then imported the crochet hook and the ball of yarn into Studio. I posed the figure, placing the hook in her right hand and the ball of yarn in her left hand like scepters. I selected the fantasy wrap to give her a kind of "every crocheter's fantasy" look, short hair (modern woman), and bare feet (tradition). I then closed Studio and the figure was imported into Bryce automatically. I deleted the imported ball of yarn from Studio then resized the original ball of yarn to fit into her hand and placed it back into her left hand. Next, I added a stand under her using cylinders and tori, and added a sphere with a flame texture to the top of the crochet hook. Later, I made a plaque using cubes, with the corners cut out with cylinders, and screws made from a squashed sphere and two cylinders to cut out the indentations. Once the winners are selected, I'll be "engraving" the award and the winner's names on the plaques using terrains that will boolean out the text on the plaque.

I'll also be offering the winners a printed copy of their award for the cost of printing and shipping. Details to be given after the awards ceremony has been completed and I figure out the cost of printing.

Oh, I also made the Flaming Hook of Justice Award and a 3D version of the CLF Logo. I'll post screen caps of the 3D meshes of the awards and the CLF logo as soon as I can.

Go Vote!

I have no whimsy ...

2009-02-03T00:03:00.004-07:00

Something's been bothering me for a while but I couldn't figure out what it was and tonight, whilst I was reading some blogs, it hit me - my blog posts are boring! Oh, sure I can inject a bit of humor here and there, but those times are few and far between. It's not that I don't have a sense of humor but it's not one of those that come out at will. It likes to sneak into conversations, drop a small bomb, then quietly leave. If I try to force it, it sulks in the corner and nothing I can do will bring it out.

I can read funny blogs, I can laugh at what I read, but I can't write them myself. I'm hopeless!

Ah well, I'll just have to go drown my sorrows in some Mountain Dew (caffeine free - yes, I drink it for the taste - HA! so there!).

All Moved In ...

2009-01-02T09:00:00.004-07:00

We're finally moved in to the new place in Lehi, tons of room to spread out in which creates the black hole of new places to lose stuff in and pile stuff on. We're still surrounded by boxes but I'm trying to at least open several a night and put then in the right room - or the room which the box contains the most stuff for anyway. By the week before moving day, I was just throwing what would fit into boxes although Jessica was trying to be more careful. But that's only because she's the one who'll have to do the most unpacking since I'm working full time and she's not.

Truffles is having a ball tearing around the house, especially after he's had a good BM and scaring the crap out of Kaylee, who keeps getting lost. Since she has cataracts and is going deaf, it's hard for her to figure out where we are at any one specific time. I'll be in the bathroom and see her standing up by the bed trying to find me .. poor baby. When we take her out for walkies, she keeps trying to fly off the far end of the porch instead of going down the stairs. She's not fond of stairs because of her hip dysplasia, but there are only two of them which she can manage without any problem. She's already learned not to run flat out when leaving the house as there is a step down, then a short bit of porch, then snow that is two feet high. First time I took her out, she did a major face plant on the porch. She ran out faster than I could stop her but now she hesitates and carefully jumps down before heading off to the far end where she then tries to jump off it.

The house has a really weird layout with the main bathroom in the middle so you have to go around it on the left to get to the den, kitchen, and master bedroom; or through it on the right to do the same thing ... very easy to get lost so it's no wonder Kaylee gets lost.

Truffles is recovering from an abscessed tooth that burst through his cheek. About a week before we moved, Jess noticed that his cheek was puffy and the day before we moved, we took both Truffles and Kaylee to the vet. The doc gave Truff a shot of antibiotics and said that the tooth would need to come out soon so have to start saving for that. Later that evening, Truffles came into my room, jumped up on the bed and sat down by me on the bed. I looked at him and noticed some watery red stuff dripping from his whiskers ... the abscess had burst right through his cheek. Over the next day, we kept it clean and dry and now it seems to be healing. At least until the next time, but hopefully not before I can afford to get the tooth pulled. Truffles is 14 years old and he's getting quite a few gray hairs in his chocolate coat. He's still extremely active with no obvious health issues besides his teeth so we expect to have him around for a very long time.

And I have to get back to work now ...

Squiddy Mitts Finished

2008-12-14T02:13:00.001-07:00

Love love love these! Soft, warm, but not too warm, long enough to keep my hands warm but short enough so I can still type ...

Busy Times ...

2008-12-12T18:33:00.004-07:00

I've been extremely busy lately, what with starting my new job, doing documentation for DAZ, and getting out a special Christmas issue of Crochet Uncut. I've had a little time to work on some new fingerless mitts with Andeys Originals Sock Yarn. This is the same Spirogyra pattern I made before but it's such a great design and so easy to remember. I just don't like making the thumb section, but that's not the pattern's fault.

I'll be moving closer to my new job right after Christmas. My current commute is over an hour, double or triple that if there are any accidents. Moving should cut the commute down to about 20 minutes. I'll finally have enough room to set up my craft room again and pull out my sewing machine and serger again! Woot!

Now, off to do some packing...

Painting Nested Dolls

2008-11-10T20:54:00.004-07:00

Zim's Crafts went out of business on 11/1 which is a sad day for everyone who shopped there. They were the only place I could find the blank nested boxes I need for my nesting doll sets. I was in the store in August, just after I was laid off, and all their blanks were on sale for $1, instead of the usual $5 price. The manufacturer where they got the boxes had gone out of business and they were clearing out their stock. I splurged and bought most of what they had and now have a stash of the blanks.

Of course, when I moved to Utah, I gave all my paints to my sister, Jenny, so, I'm now trying to get my paint supply back up to par so I can paint a few for Christmas and hopefully sell them. I went to Robert's Crafts this evening (I got my first paycheck from my new job - Praise the Lord for that blessing!) and all the 2 oz. acrylic paints were $.99, regular $1.39. So, I was able to get almost 50 bottles instead of the 30-35 I was planning on getting.

Now, the only thing I need to find is my purple craft box that has the patterns for the nested Nativity set I need to finish up. What is really sad is that the box is not small ... it's 19"x10"x11" and not something you'd think would just up and disappear - but it has (sigh). It's probably behind a stack of boxes that I had packed stuff away in.

If you'd like to see some photos of a couple of the sets, they're up on my etsy shop. As soon as I paint some more, I'll post photos here as the ones on etsy are from several years ago.

CatBird Studios on Etsy.com

Crochet Uncut Published!

2008-11-04T22:27:00.004-07:00

After a few months of hard work, the first issue of Crochet Uncut was published on the 1st. There were a few problems, mostly with formatting, but they've all been fixed. I was also able to put up a PDF version of the magazine so it could be downloaded but you'll always find the online version on the site.

The next issue is due out on March 1, 2009 with the deadline for submissions on 1/31/09. That gives you folks three months to design, write, and get your patterns tested! Theme is patterns for warmer weather, but not the heat. Non-clothing items also accepted (no theme needed).

There will also be a special issue sometime soon, maybe between the Spring and Summer issues that will deal with weddings or babies - haven't made up my mind on that one yet. Keep an eye on the CU blog (linked in the main menu of the mag) or on the Crochet Uncut forum at Ravelry.com for more information as it becomes available.

Crochet Uncut - read the first issue
Crochet Uncut forum @ Ravelry.com
Crochet Uncut Pattern Listing @ Ravelry.com

I found a job!

2008-10-22T22:25:00.005-06:00

After three months of sending out hundreds of resumes and going on multiple interviews, I got two job offers today, one was temp to perm while the other one was perm and for more money, so I took the second job. I start Monday and am so grateful! It's a smaller company with a more laid back atmosphere but seems to have greater challenges and opportunities - which I like.

I'm trying to decide what do about the WalMart job since I just started there about two weeks ago and hate to leave after only being there a short time, but the new job is in Provo and it will be very difficult to get from there to Murray in time to work an evening shift. I'll be getting off at 5 and it takes 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to get home depending on traffic. Guess I'll have to talk to my manager at WalMart to see what to do next. It's a hard job but I actually enjoy it other than the back pain and my feet killing me ... LOL!!!

I do have a cute story that happened on my first day as a cashier. I was shadowing another cashier and a woman came up with her little girl in the shopping cart. The girl was about two years old and holding a doll. When her mother tried to take the doll so it could be scanned, her daughter wouldn't let go. The lady calmly picked up her daughter, held her over the register, and the cashier scanned her. Was soooo cute!

One thing I like to do when kids buy stuff or their parents are buying things that are obviously for the kids, I'll use the real small bags and put each child's items in their own bag. The kids love it and the parents are happy too. One lady just beamed and said, "Oh! You have just made his day!"

Oh, almost forgot, when my sisters and I were growing up, our mother made us knitted slippers every year for Christmas. We always looked forward to them, not just because they were warm, but because our mother had made them just for us. She tried to teach me to knit but it never clicked. I taught myself crochet around 1994 after a friend and co-worker made a doily for me for Christmas. Once I found out how to knit Continental style, I started asking mom to find that slipper pattern for me. Well, she found it a few weeks back and today, it came in the mail. I'm just thrilled and am going to make a pair as soon as I can.

Fall Socks completed

2008-10-20T00:09:00.005-06:00

In between getting Crochet Uncut ready to publish, working part time at WalMart, doing some contract work, and looking for a full time job, I was able to finish another pair of socks using Zitron Trekking Hand Art yarn. I selected the yarn because of the colors but thought it might be too scratchy for socks, but once I started the socks and tried them on, I was pleasantly surprised. The yarn is warm and comfy. I think I have enough left to make a pair of wrist warmers.

Check out my Fall Socks Ravelry project page.

On my lunch hours at WalMart, I'm working on a new project for Crochet Uncut and am hoping to have it completed before it's time to publish the first issue.

Working hard

2008-10-04T05:47:00.004-06:00

The deadline for submissions for articles and patterns for the premier issue of Crochet Uncut is coming up on 10/15/08. I've been working hard on figuring out the magazine software I'm using and getting things ready.

Of course, I'm still looking for a full time job and should be starting part time at WalMart in a few days. With the contract work I have and working at WalMart, I just might be able to squeek by ... maybe.

Shorah Y'all!

Decorating cakes - a fond memory

2008-09-29T04:19:00.004-06:00

So, I'm watching some episodes of the Ace of Cakes on Fancast.com and it reminded me of how I once dreamed of owning a cake decorating business.

I grew up watching my father decorate cakes for folks in our church. He had some Wilton books that he used to learn how and we'd watch him. I remember one time when the eldest daughter of my mother's best friend was getting married and when the took the top layer out of the box, it fell. In a panic, they called my father to see if he could fix it. He mixed up the buttercream icing and once we were all dressed for the wedding, headed over to the church and he was able to fix the cake so it looked like it had never been dropped.

Anyway, when I moved to Houston, I took the opportunity to take some Wilton courses at Michaels and loved it. In 2001, I had moved out to Alvin and hadn't decorated any cakes in over four years but my neighbors across the street, Michelle and Chris, were getting married and had a tight budget. I offered to decorate their cake and another neighbor offered to bake it.

Please pardon the bad photos, I had a really cheap digital camera at the time.

On Wednesday, 7/25/01, I made the roses and left them out to dry. Not bad for not having made any in over four years.

Here is the basic cake that I put together on 7/27/01. I didn't level it quite right, so it's a little crooked, but hey, I never said that I was a professional. I put it in the frig overnight to thaw.

Saturday morning, 7/28/01, I decorated the groom's cake (note to self: never make buttercream icing with real butter in July in Texas). Once that cake was put in the frig to delay the melting of the icing, I started on the wedding cake again. I added another layer of icing around the sides and on the top. This photo is after I added some scallops and trim. I was really starting to worry because the cake really looks tilted from this angle and I wasn't sure if there was enough of the decorations on it.

After adding the roses and some leaves I felt much better about the cake. It really looked quite nice.

Here's another view of the cake. This is at about 3:00 pm Central time on 7/28/01, the wedding is at 5:00 pm. At 4:30 pm, Jessica carried the grooms cake over and I carried this cake. I was handed the topper and I placed in on the cake. The groom's cake started to melt because I had used real butter in the butter cream icing and it was very hot an muggy that day. Both Michelle and Chris were extremely pleased with both cakes, so I'm happy that they came out well.

Enough of memory lane ... I wanna decorate something ....

Shorah Y'all!

Squid- O-Licious Socks Finished!

2008-09-28T08:31:00.002-06:00

I love these socks and the stripes from the yarn! I'm wearing the socks right now and my feet are warm and comfy!! I'm definitely going to buy more of this yarn when I can afford it.

Shorah Y'all! Blogs of Note

Italian Sausage with Green Peppers and Onions

2008-09-27T17:20:00.006-06:00

One of my favorite dishes is Italian sausage with onions and green peppers. It's extremely easy to make and tasty to boot.

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

Italian sausage (4-6 links), mild or hot, pork or turkey
Olive oil
2 Green peppers
1 large or 2 medium Yellow onions

Boil or grill the sausage. I don't recommend frying them as the outside will be cooked long before the inside is. When done, cut sausage into slices on a slight angle, set aside.

Cut up the peppers and onions into 1.5" to 2" squares. Add 1.5-2 TBL olive oil to a large frypan over medium heat. Add peppers and onions and cook until onions are semi-transparent but still crunchy. If you like your onions softer, cook until they are slightly carmelized. Add freshly ground salt and pepper then toss in sausage, stir. Cook just long enough to make sure the sausage is hot then remove from heat. Serve.

Shorah Y'all!

Squid-O-Licious Socks & CLF Book

2008-09-27T14:02:00.005-06:00

I bought two skeins of sock yarn from AndeyLayne.com in her Squid-O-Licious colorway. The yarn is 75% Merino and 25% Nylon and squishy soft.

I decided to use one skein to make a pair of arm warmers and the second skein to make a pair of socks. Starting with the socks, I selected the Ultimate Crocheted Socks by Dorothy Hardy. I started out making the large size but they were too large so I frogged the sock and started over making the small size. The instructions have you stop 2.5" from the back of the heel then begin increasing for the gusset however, this made the sock too long and too big. I frogged again until I was 3" from the back of the heel and this time it worked perfectly, well except for doing the heel wrong because I didn't read the pattern erratas in the comments. The cuff is a ribbing but since I wanted a looser cuff, I did a simple ch2, sc in each st around. I'm to the gusset on the second sock and once it is done, I'll have a comfy pair of scrumptious footies. I just love how the pink and lime sections form gorgeous wavy stripes up the foot.

Ultimate Crocheted Socks Ravelry Page - make sure you read the comments on the actual pattern page about the extra marker in the pattern
Squid-O-Licious Socks Ravelry Project Page

Now, for the "Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book" which has just been published! I have a pattern in the book for arm warmers and one of the ones I made (the green one) is on the back cover of the book. If you love crochet, then you must get this book. It has patterns, stories, and tips & tricks.

Eleanora's Arm Warmers Ravelry Project Page
Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book Ravelry Page - page has link to Amazon page so Ravelry gets a bit of cash from the sale

Shorah Y'all!

Noodle Bowl

2008-09-27T01:12:00.004-06:00

When I worked for Boeing in Houston, the cafeteria in the building I worked in would have a special each week and my favorite was the noodle bowl. I love it so much that I started making it at home. It makes for a nice fresh meal with tender rice noodles and crunchy raw vegies. The hardest part is finding the noodles.

This dish is great for a buffet style lunch or light supper. Just place the bowls (you'll need some fairly large bowls as this will become a family favorite) at the top of the table, then the noodles and chicken, then the bowls of vegies/toppings, then the broth to pour a bit over the noodles and vegies, and finally the sauces to top it all off.

Ingredients:

Rice noodles, cooked
Chicken broth (can use broth after cooking chicken or purchase ready-made)
Cooked chicken breast, cut or torn into bite sized pieces
Soy sauce
Fish sauce and/or Oyster sauce
Variety of Asian sauces, mild or hot or both
Salt and pepper
Variety of vegies, chopped as needed into fairly small pieces

Broccoli,
Green peppers
Green onions
Bean sprouts
Garlic (finely chopped or pressed)
Tomatoes
Jalepenos
Cabbage
Spinach
Bamboo shoots
Water chestnuts
Mushrooms (fresh)
Any other fresh vegies and herbs you can think of

I am so craving this right now .... guess I need to double my efforts at finding a job so I can afford the vegies, eh?

Shorah Y'all!

Diagonal Box Stitch

2008-09-26T22:24:00.004-06:00

Someone made a blanket using the Diagonal Box Stitch and brought it into the Unraveled Sheep in Sandy, UT. Several ladies were interested in learning how to do the stitch and so we scheduled a class - but no one signed up. Quite disappointing after all the interest was shown in it.

Anyway, this stitch can be used to make just about anything, from items for the home, such as washcloths, blankies, afghans, and blankets, to clothing items.

Shorah Y'all!

Linoleum Stamp

2008-09-13T23:26:00.002-06:00

I was applying for a job and remembered I'd carved a design in linoleum for an art class several years back and went looking for it on my web site. I found a photo of the stamp but not of the finished project, so I pulled examples from the class portfolio and scanned them in. All of my projects for the class used variations of designs found on Ukrainian Easter Eggs.

Stamped on a piece of colored cardstock for practice:

Stamped on a piece of handmade paper (yes, I made the paper) and framed:

The rest of the projects from the class can be seen on my website: UHCL Gallery - look for the pottery jar, ostrich egg, and clay tiles.

Shorah Y'all!

Crochet Uncut - A New E-Zine

2008-09-13T22:56:00.003-06:00

I've been working on a new e-zine, called Crochet Uncut, targeted towards crochet articles and patterns and the response on Ravelry has been tremendous! I'm so excited and already have a featured columnist who will be writing patterns specifically for beginners along with a dose of humor. I also have a voluteer editor who will be checking submitted patterns against the submission guidelines and for readability. Several other Ravelry members are also working on patterns to submit for the first issue due out at the beginning of November.

Just to give folks a sneak peak, I designed a childs hat specifically for the first issue and it is adorable, if I say so myself!

The pattern will be released with the first issue of Crochet Uncut, but you can check out the Ravelry pattern page for it and favorite it or queue it up.

Shorah Y'all!

Vegie Pizza

2008-09-09T23:49:00.003-06:00

It's been a while since I've posted but I've been trying to find a job - with no luck mind you. Anyway, I thought I'd post one of my favorite recipes. Hope you enjoy it!

Vegie Pizza

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Shredded Pizza Cheese or other cheese, such as feta or blue depending on taste
Fresh vegies (broccoli, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, black olives, tomatoes)

Take the can of crescent rolls from the fridge and allow to warm up a bit while preparing the vegies. Check the can of crescent rolls and preheat the oven as directed on the can. Wash and slice/chop the vegies. Open the can of crescent rolls and spread it out on a cookie sheet. Pinch the edges of the triangles together and gently push the dough to cover as much of the cookie sheet as possible, being careful not to tear the dough.

Use a small brush to spread a thin layer of olive oil over the dough then sprinkle salt and pepper over the olive oil. Cover the dough with the vegies and then sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake the pizza based on the directions on the can of crescent rolls.

The crescent rolls give a slightly sweet flavor to the pizza which goes well with the olive oil, cheese, and crunchy vegies. You can use any brand of crescent rolls but the Pillsbury ones are the best for this pizza.

Shorah Y'all!

My Fairy Name ....

2008-08-13T00:59:00.000-06:00

Your fairy is called Oak Goblinwitch

She is a bringer of riches and wealth.

She lives in forests of oak and lime trees.

She is only seen in the enchanted moment between sleep and waking.

She decorates herself with leaves and berries. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.

Get your free fairy name here!

Shorah Y'all!

Make your own Cord Coils

2008-08-12T20:22:00.003-06:00

I was having trouble finding cord coils that weren't out of my price range or the exact size I needed. I started thinking about it and remembered that I had some eye pins that I'd purchased but never used. After a bit of experimenting, I came up with a quick way to make my own.

And used them when I made my row counter bracelets which are available for sale in my Etsy store.

(not a good photo, sorry)

Anyway, I put together a small tutorial on how to make your own cord coils.

Download here

I'd love to hear if this tutorial helps out when making your own jewelry.

Shorah Y'all!

Gifts ready to ship!

2008-07-30T23:43:00.004-06:00

Katie had her baby girl the other day and I think I've made enough items for her to send them on their way. I made another of the "jacquard" hats, two washcloths, and a simple hat from Crochet from the Heart by Kristin Spurkland.

Shorah Y'all!

Little Boy's Hat

2008-07-20T22:30:00.002-06:00

Finished the second hat in a 24-month size for Katie's little boy. I finished it off with four rows of 1x1 ribbing and a crochet bind off. This is the same pattern as the yellow and pink ruffled hat but without the ruffle.

Shorah Y'all!

Ruffled Hat & Completed Yarn Quest

2008-07-19T20:44:00.004-06:00

I finished the hat I started while waiting for my car's A/C to be fixed. It's adorable and the Bernat Baby Jacquard is so soft!

Ravelry Project Page

I picked up some gorgeous yarn while completing the local Yarn Quest. At Three Wishes Fiber Arts in West Jordan, I picked up three skeins of ONline Linie 12 Clip for $4.99 each, in pink, green, and yellow. At The Needlepoint Joint in Ogden I picked up two skeins of the Tahki Cotton Classic in a light green that I've been trying to find. At the Needlepoint Joint, I also found a book I'd been thinking about getting, "50 Baby Booties to Knit" by Zoe Mellor. I'lll probably do at least one of them in the Bernat Berries & Cream Baby Jacquard to match the hat above. I also saw a cute little knitted dress in the window there and bought the pattern. It is called "Spring Flowers" by Fiber Trends. At the Black Sheep Wool Company in SLC, I found a Dale of Norway pattern book with some adorable knit patterns for babies.

My sister Jessica came with me on the quest as did my dog, Kaylee. She was oohed and aahed over at each store and even piddled on the carpet at Three Wishes since she'd smelled the owner's male dog scent in the store.

When we walked into the store, I saw they had several looms on the left with a wall of yarn for weaving. I told them that they were officially my second favorite store because of the weaving supplies they had. "What would it take to make us your favorite store?" one of the ladies asked. I laughed and said they couldn't as The Unraveled Sheep was my favorite.

All of the stores in the quest were wonderful places, everyone was extremely friendly and helpful, and all had crochet sections which I appreciated.

Now, I can only cross my fingers that we win one of the wonderful prizes from the quest!!!!

Shorah Y'all!

Another beanie and some booties

2008-07-18T22:10:00.002-06:00

I'm almost finished with the second Fair Isle Beanie for Katie's forthcoming baby. I purchased some additional yarn in white so I could follow the original pattern more closely and it's adorable! I just need to weave in the ends (which is one of my least favorite tasks).

I also made some booties following a free Bernat pattern:

Ravelry Project Page

I stopped by the Firestone in Draper today to get the AC in my car looked at as it wasn't working - hot air is not a good thing in 90+ heat. I had to wait a bit (2 hours) so I walked over to Michaels in the same parking lot and bought some Bernat Baby Jacquards yarn and needles. The yarn had a cute baby hat on the label so I worked on that while waiting on my car. I'm almost finished with the top of the hat and about to start on the main part of it. I'll post pics when I'm finished with it. I'm making one for a 3 month old in pink and one for an 18-24 month old in blue. They'll go to Katie for her newborn girl and little boy.

Shorah Y'all!

Baby Beanies!

2008-07-13T23:22:00.002-06:00

The local yarn stores are having a yarn quest this week and on Saturday I made it to
The Wool Cabin in Salt Lake City, Unraveled Sheep in Sandy, and Heindselman's in Provo. At the Wook Cabin, they had some adorable knitted baby beanies and the pattern was free with purchase of the Cotton Classic yarns in the pattern. My cousin Katie is having a baby soon and I knew these would be perfect!

I finished one of them, a Fair Isle Baby Beanie although I modified it slightly as I had only gotten three colors but it was my third finished knitting project and my first attempt at a small Intarsia project.

So, here's the finished hat and I'm working on a second one with a band of seed stitches.

Shorah Y'all!

What kind of whatever am I?

2008-06-22T16:43:00.003-06:00

Decided to take a couple of those "What kind of ... are you?" things. Here are a few of them.

This one couldn't be more off:

You Are a Brownie Cheesecake

A little chunky and a little gooey, you pretty much run on sugar!

You take hedonism to the extreme.. And people love you for it.

What Kind of Cheesecake Are You?

Now this one is ironic since mint makes me ill even though I love it (is one of the issues I have with Fibromyalgia):

You Are A Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Girl

Creative. Expressive. Unique.

What Flavor Ice Cream Girl Are You?

hmmm ... maybe ....

You Belong in Spring

Optimistic, lively, and almost always happy with the world...

You can truly appreciate the blooming nature of spring.

Whether you're planting flowers or dyeing Easter eggs, spring is definitely your season!

What Season Are You?

Shorah Y'all!

More photos of sundress

2008-06-11T18:06:00.001-06:00

I was able to get some nicer photos outside after I got home from work.

Shorah Y'all!

Sundress Finished

2008-06-11T10:21:00.003-06:00

I've been working on a crocheted sundress for my little cousin Anya and finally finished it this morning around 5:30 am when I couldn't sleep and figured what better way to spend a sleepless night than to finish this project?

The pattern is by Joyce Nordstrom and is found in Crochet Today! May/June 2008 issue. I did make some changes to the dress, like a third row of scs for the neck and arm edging instead of reverse scs (was taking too long) and added some little crocheted flowers at the waist.

The color is way off in these photos, the dress color is more of a light green. I'll have to take photos outside to get a more realistic color.

oooh, the color is more like this image:

Queue up on Ravelry

Shorah Y'all!

Finished the Spirogyra Mitts!

2008-06-09T11:56:00.003-06:00

Finally!!!! Am tickled pink ... The first glove ends in orange and the second glove starts out with the end section of the orange and continues, so they aren't "perfect" matches, but I love them anyway.

Shorah Y'all!

Catching up

2008-06-07T19:15:00.003-06:00

I'm a bit behind on posting here as I've been very busy with the charting software and my knitting and crochet projects. I also found some older projects, some finished, some not - which I've added to my Ravelry projects.

The first project is a baby hat I've started using the Spirogyra Fingerless Gloves pattern. I wanted to do another baby hat using the Jaeger Trinity yarn I have but the pattern I found required that you have another pattern from a book or magazine, neither of which I have. So, since I like the Spirogyra pattern so much, I decided to use it instead which means that when I've finished with it, I can post the changes here and not worry that my readers can't get hold of the original pattern.

The next project is one I'd made back in 2003 - just because it was so cute! It's a bobble hat for a little girl from the September 2003 issue of Crochet! Magazine. It uses Plymouth Wildflower D.K. yarn which has some beautiful kid colors!

I also found a threadholder I'd made from an e-pattern I purchased at e-patternscentral.com. It works great when traveling so my balls of thread don't roll under the plane seats or across the waiting room.

I'm also to the palm on the right glove of the Spirogyra mitts and just about to get to the thumb section.

The final project is the first half of the Mystery Shawl for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Knit Along. This will be my first knitted shawl, first circular knitted piece, and first time using lace weight yarn. I've struggled with the gauge swatch and have resigned myself to using a lifeline every other row. However, I love the Knit Picks Shadow yarn in Spring Green that I purchased. It is lovely, soft, and ... green ... which is always a plus for me.

Oh, and how could I forget the scrumptious yarn I purchased from Three Irish Girls in their Teague colorway ... this will go towards a very special project that I have not decided on or have any idea what it will be ... oh the joy of anticipation just to see what I'll come up with!

Shorah Y'all!

New Crochet/Knit Charting Software in Development

2008-06-02T03:33:00.004-06:00

I'm currently starting on the design and development of a crochet/knit charting software program that will include symbol charting and radial designs. I want this program to be something that crocheters and knitters can use so I'm asking for your help in designing the features to be included.

Take my interest survey and then come join my Ravelry group to discuss features and ideas.

Please pass this on to anyone you think would be interested!

Shorah Y'all!

Purple Haze Arm Warmers

2008-05-25T20:08:00.005-06:00

My newest design is a pair of arm warmers that can be made fitted, loose, or very loose. I used Filatura Di Crossa Multicolor for mine but any fine yarn will work, with a larger hook to give a lacy, soft feel to them. The version below is fitted so it won't flop around but I'm working on a much looser version in a lighter yarn for summer wear in the cool evenings.

I have the pattern up for sale at Ravelry for $1.50, a reasonable price, and only because I need some extra cash right now. I hope you enjoy it!

Shorah Y'all!

Branching Out Scarf

2008-05-24T16:07:00.004-06:00

Last night I started on the Branching Out Scarf by Susan Lawrence with the Filatura DiCrossa Multicolor yarn in the Green/Blue/Purple/Pink/Yellow colorway. The photo below is after completing the first 20 rows. The yarn is soft and fluffy and probably not something I should have used for a first lace project. I did have to frog it a few times as I just could not get the stitch count right and kept ending up with too many or too few stitches.

Note to self: Never try to knit by candlelight ...

Queue up on Ravelry
My project on Ravelry

I purchased a purple skein of the same yarn to make the same scarf for my sister, Jessica. She wanted the green one since there was purple in it but I'd already claimed it and Unraveled Sheep only had one skein of each. I'd love to get hold of another skein of the green to make the Silk Sleeves in the One Skein book by Leigh Radford.

While doing some sorting through stuff the other day, I found a purse crochet project I'd started back in June of 2007. I did most of it while on a plane to Seattle and over the weekend there while at a friend's wedding. I'm almost finished with the front of the purse and the back is almost identical and while the pattern called for size 10 crochet thread, I'm using size 20.

The purse pattern is from Annie's Attic # 87Z30, The International Collection of Crochet Patterns.

(Sigh) The photo isn't very good but I never seem to be able to get a good photo of light/white yarns, even when not using a flash.

Queue up on Ravelry
My project on Ravelry

Shorah Y'all!

Finished ... Left Spirogyra Glove

2008-05-21T22:49:00.002-06:00

I'm sometimes easily amused and finishing up the left glove of my Spirogyra project has me dancing in the hall, much to the confusion of my Shih Tzu. I was able to get the main part of the mitt done yesterday and finished up the thumb this evening. I love it! Now on to the right glove ...

Here's the glove from yesterday with the thumb still left to do:

And the finished glove on my arm:

And just the glove showing both sides of it:

Dar does happy dance ....!!!

Shorah Y'all!

Back to Cris' Arm Warmers

2008-05-10T15:39:00.006-06:00

The Patons' SWS was just too itchy even after washing it so I've switched to Mountain Goat yarn from Mountain Colors in Sweetpea. I've finished the left arm warmer and am about to start on the right one. I also submitted the pattern for the CLF book.

WiPs used to finalize pattern:

Green version:

Brown/Navy version:

Shorah Y'all!

Spirogyra Part 3

2008-05-03T19:14:00.003-06:00

On the second row after switching to the #2 needles, at exactly the same spot as before, the yarn pulled apart again. I’ve started keeping an eye out for potential sections that might pull apart and twisting the yarn a bit to give it a bit more strength. So far I haven't had any more do this but I've probably jinxed myself by saying that ... The short mitts have 20 rows of pattern with the longer version having 50 rows, so I decided to go with 30 rows to get it a bit in between, especially since I have short arms. Next, I’ll switch back to the #3 needles for the lower hand section but need to stop for a bit as the fingertip of the finger I hold around the needle with on my left hand is numb and I need to wait until I get the feeling back in it.

Here's the mitt so far ...

And trying it on ....

Shorah Y'all!

Spirogyra Part 2

2008-04-29T22:00:00.004-06:00

I just finished the first 20 rows of pattern on the Spirogyra mitts and am about to switch to the smaller needles to continue the piece. I'm quite pleased with my progress. The yarn pulled apart on the last set of 12 knit stitches and I had to undo a few stitches to tie the yarn back together but since I felt the yarn going, I didn't lose any work other than the ones I undid myself.

Isn't this yarn gorgeous!??!!!

Shorah Y'all!

Glamour top and Spirogyra Fingerless Mitts

2008-04-28T23:50:00.004-06:00

Two of the many projects I'm working on will probably take me some time to complete.

The first is the Glamour top from Patons using their Grace yarn. I'd started it in Ginger for my sister Jennifer but yesterday found enough of the Azure colorway at Michael's to switch to that color. Especially since she really wanted the blue anyway. I'll save the green for another project for myself.

You can see the top here on the Paton's site: Glamour top - it's the one on the cover of the booklet. The instructions are a bit obtuse on some points so I started a post at Ravelry in the Patons Beehive forum to discuss it.

Since I restarted the top last night, I have one of the sleeve medallions done and about an 1.5" of the back completed.

Here is the back portion:

and the sleeve medallion:

Queue up on Ravelry

The second project is the Spirogyra Fingerless Mittens by Lynne Vogel, available for free at Knitty.com. I've started over on the mitts several times since this is only my second knitting project and switched from using four DPNs to using five. Lynne has been very helpful with suggestions for working the mitts and her Spiralling Leaves Fingerless Mitts as well (which is my next knitting project as I have the pattern and yarn all ready to go).

The image below shows my progress on the Spirogyra mitts, after 6 rows of ribbing and 10 rows of the pattern.

Apparently, I'm also knitting inside out as when I work the right side of the piece is inside the round when it is supposed to be on the outside ... oh well.

Spirogyra pattern at Knittyspin: Spring 2008 - free pattern
Spirogyra page at Ravelry
Spiralling Leaves page at Ravelry

Shorah Y'all!

A few finished projects

2008-04-18T22:47:00.003-06:00

One of my bosses ordered an afghan for his mother, the Vanna's Choice 8-Color Afghan. I started it on March 21st and finished it on April 15th. It is made up of 48 squares instead of the original 36 called for.

I also made a few bath items from the Annie's Attic Pamper Yourself booklet. I was able to get it in PDF format from e-Patterns Central, which I love being able to do (no books lying around to trip over). So far I've made the bath mitt, body puff, and soap holder. I believe the back scrubber will be next.

Here's the soap holder made with Lily Sugar'n Cream Cream color and an H/8 hook:

And the bath mitt made with Lily Sugar'n Cream Sunshine and Cream colors and an H/8 hook:

And the body puff made with Elmore Pisgah Peaches & Creme in Gumdrop, with a bit of Fiesta since I ran out of the Gumdrop, and an H/8 hook:

The bath items were easy to make, but the body puff got a bit awkward to hold, especially since I have small hands. It was also a bit more time consuming than I would have liked but it's a good project to pamper yourself with.

A note on e-Patterns Central, when you order the PDF patterns, they are stored in your account so if you ever need them again, they are there waiting for you. They mostly have individual patterns but also have some booklets and magazines (knitting, crochet, beading, etc.). They have patterns for knitting, crochet, sewing, quilting, plastic canvas, cross stitch, and crafts.

Shorah Y'all!

A new knitting project

2008-03-28T23:39:00.005-06:00

I'm a bit behind posting this but I finished the second Irish Hiking Wrist Warmer on 5/23/08 and have been wearing them ever since. It started to get warm here and then yesterday morning, it snowed again. Most of it was gone by noon but has stayed cold since and the "warehouse" where my cube is stays a bit chilly.

After work today, I stopped by the Unraveled Sheep yarn store in Sandy. My sister Jessica asked if she'd failed in her mission and Verla (the owner) asked what that mission was. "To keep me out of here!" I told her. Of course, she then showed me the new sock yarn that had just come in and I was so tempted but I was looking for yarn to make the Spirogyra Fingerless Gloves by Lynne Vogel. I ended up selecting some Noro Silk Garden Lite, colorway 2029 which is variegated with green, pink, purple, and orange. It is wonderfully soft and is made up of 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 10% lamb's wool. Verla showed me a purse made with this yarn that had been put through a wash cycle. It had softened up even more with barely any shrinkage.

I also showed Verla my finished wrist warmers and she said I was doing great for a beginning knitter.

The photo below shows my start on the Spirogyra gloves after the first six rows of ribbing. Next row starts the actual pattern. A pretty good start for a second knitting project!

I'll post more photos as I progress.

Spirogyra pattern at Knittyspin: Spring 2008 - free pattern
Spirogyra page at Ravelry

Shorah Y'all!

Weave-It Purse

2008-03-21T23:43:00.006-06:00

I was going to put this purse pattern up at Ravelry as a PDF file, but since it is so simple, I decided to just post it here and link to it at Ravelry. I originally made the purse for a 2005 fiber arts class at the University of Houston - Clear Lake and it makes a fun purse for a little girl, or, when made with less garish colors, could even be a sweet party purse.

This little purse uses squares woven on a Weave-It Loom along with crocheted straps. Weave-It looms can be found on eBay and at flea markets or antique stores, but newer versions of this type of loom can be found at Buxton Brook Looms and Hazel Rose Looms. You can also crochet or knit 3.5” squares instead. Different weaving patterns can be found in several books and downloads. You’ll find links to these sites at the end of the instructions.

Queue up on Ravelry

Supplies:

Loom: Weave-It, Weavette, or Hazel Rose 4” square loom and weaving needle
Yarn: Sample uses Red Heart Kids Solid: Navy, Lime, Orange, Pink, and Yellow
Button: 1” button to match yarn used
Fabric: Approx. ¼ yard matching fabric for lining
Crochet Hook: I/9 or size to match selected yarn

Body:

Weave 2 plain weave squares each of the lime, orange, pink, and yellow yarns.

Weave 1 patterned square of the navy yarn. (See the eLoomaNation site for some patterns.)

Note: If you use a thinner yarn, you may need to double up when warping the loom and weaving, otherwise the holes will be too large.

For front of purse, use the navy yarn to whip stitch four squares together, one each of the lime, orange, pink, and yellow. Repeat for back of purse.

Place the navy square in the center of the purse front and sew it to the front using the navy yarn.

Place the front and back together, wrong sides together. Use the navy yarn and stitch three of the sides together, leaving one side open. Note on the sample that I used a very simple in and out stitch over two threads. It doesn't have to be perfect either.

Strap:

With navy yarn, attach with sc to the front right corner loop of the front piece. Sc in each of the next 4 loops at the top of the woven square. *Ch 3, turn, 1 dc in each dc across.* Repeat from * to * until strap is as long as needed. Sample strap is 20" long. When strap is long enough, attach with sc to the left corner of the back of the purse (see photo below).

Closure:

Closure is made separately then sewn to the back of the purse.

Ch 10, turn, ch 2, hdc in each ch across, turn, ch 2, hdc in each ch across, turn, ch 1, sc in each hdc across. When you reach the end, ch 1, sc in end of first row of hdcs, ch 10, sc in end of next hdc row, fasten off.

Place finished closure at back of purse, on the outside, centering it over the top two squares. Use the navy yarn to attach it securely to the back.

Button:

Fold the closure over to the front of the purse and mark where the button will go using a straight pin. Attach the button at the marked location.

Lining:

Measure the purse width and height and add 1" to each measurement, for example, purse is 7" sq + 1" = 8". Cut two squares of the lining fabric using the measurement just taken. With wrong sides together, sew three sides together using a 1/2" seam. On the open end, fold down the edge 1/2" with the raw edge on the wrong side. Turn the pocket right side out and put inside the purse. Line up the top folded edge of the lining with the top of the purse, making sure the folded edge is below the loops of the woven squares. Sew the top of the lining to the purse top edge. It can be hand sewn, but a machine sewn stitch will be stronger.

And that is it!

Links to sites to purchase small looms and instructions, or find free patterns, etc.

Buxton Brook Looms – Basic instructions online and flip book: Modular Textures: Patterns for the Weavette® & Weave-it Looms with 30 patterns
Weavies – Weavies One book, 16 projects
eLoomaNation – Exploration of small looms, history, download PDF versions of old Weave-It booklets and user guides for different versions of the small looms
eLoomanator – Blog for the eLoomaNation site, ideas, patterns, and more.

Shorah Y'all!

Sante Fe Phone Cozy ...

2008-03-12T01:36:00.002-06:00

I showed my first cozy to several co-workers and one said that she wanted one, so this evening I pulled some yarn out of my stash (I'm looking for projects to use up some of my stash) and made her a phone cozy. The yarn is a discontinued Lion Brand Jiffy (color: Sante Fe). When I was in Houston, Michael's had them at a large discount because they were being discontinued and I bought all they had.

Anyway, while making this cozy, I realized I'd made an error in my original pattern and was able to fix it. Hopefully, Amanda will love it (although I'm not that crazy about the beads I used but they were all I had). Hmmm ... may have used too much color correction on the photo ... ah well.

Shorah Y'all!

Tangled Thread Project #3 Errata

2008-03-12T00:42:00.003-06:00

Oops ... update to strap instructions for cozy - see red text below.

For cell phone or mp3 player, ch 22 (or more if longer strap is needed), hdc in third ch from hook, ch 1, sk 1 ch, hdc in next ch (buttonhole made), hdc in each ch across, join with sc in sc on other side of stitch marker on the back side of the cozy (do not join in same st as marker).

Pattern post here and PDF file on Ravelry has been updated as well.

Shorah Y'all!

Tangled Thread Project #3

2008-03-11T10:40:00.011-06:00

Yes, I know, I posted a project yesterday but I'd been wanting to make a phone cozy and since my internet connection at home was down, I pulled out some yarn that had been lying around for a while and started in on the project. The pattern is extremely easy and can be modified to make cozies for small game systems, like PSP and Nintendo DS, mp3 players, or even purses.

Accessory Cozy or Purse

Quick, seamless cozy for any accessory: cell phones, mp3 players, PSP or Nintendo DS system, or even a purse … just adjust the beginning chain to fit the accessory and start crocheting up! The cell phone cozy is just big enough to hold your phone, a credit/debit card, and a few dollars extra. Attach to your belt loop and head off for shopping or a day of fun at the boardwalk.

I wrote these instructions as I made the cell phone cozy so please let me know if anything needs correcting, especially for the game system cozy or purse.

Supplies:

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted Weight (version in pattern uses Autumn Print) or any other similar weight yarn; can also double up a thinner yarn. Variegated yarn works wonderfully with this design.
Buttons or Beads: Coordinating with yarn, large enough to hold strap and flap closed.

Crochet Hook: I/9 or hook to match selected yarn

Base:

For cell phone or mp3 player, ch 11 (more if item is wider, less if smaller) sc in second ch from hook and each ch across to end, sc 3 in first ch and continue around with a sc in each ch to last ch, 2 sc in last ch, join with sc in first sc. Mark as RS near last st of round.

For game systems, ch as many ch as needed to cover length of accessory, plus 1 ch, sc in second ch from hook and each ch across to end, sc 3 in first ch and continue around with a sc in each ch to last ch, 2 sc in last ch, join with sc in first sc. Continue around with sc in each sc and two sc in each of the three end sc. Join with sc in first sc. If base is wide enough to fit the end of the accessory with a bit of room to spare, continue to body, otherwise, do another round. Mark as RS near last st of round.

For a purse, decide on how high, wide, and long purse is to be. For beg ch, subtract an inch from the length and crochet a ch to that length. Sc in second ch from hook and each ch across to end, sc 3 in first ch and continue around with a sc in each ch to last ch, 2 sc in last ch, join with sc in first sc. Continue around with sc in each sc and two sc in each of the three end sc. Join with sc in first sc. Continue crocheting in the round until base is as wide as needed. Mark as RS near last st of round. Make a not of width of base as this will be needed for flap.

Note: As you add scs for body, the piece will start to curl up. If needed, flip the piece so that the RS stitch marker is outside the piece … or fasten off and provide a local faerie or your favorite house pixie with a sweet bed.

Body:

For cell phone, mp3 player, or game system, crochet in the round with sc in each sc around until body is long enough for the accessory to fit in comfortably with room to spare. Stop before the side of the cozy on the same side as the base stitch marker. Lay piece flat and mark st at each end.

For purse, continue until body reaches the needed height. Stop before the side of the purse on the same side as the base stitch marker. Lay piece flat and mark st at each end.

For a cell phone or mp3 player, if adding a strap, continue placing a sc in each sc until you reach the st before the first marker, sl st in that st (not in the one with the marker in it).

For a purse, if adding a strap, continue placing a sc in each sc until you reach the second st before the first marker, sl st in that st.

For all, if skipping the strap, continue placing sc in each sc until you reach the stitch marker, remove marker and sc in that st. Do not fasten off and skip to flap section.

Strap:

For cell phone or mp3 player, ch 22 (or more if longer strap is needed), hdc in third ch from hook, ch 1, sk 1 ch, hdc in next ch (buttonhole made), hdc in each ch across, join with sc in sc on other side of stitch marker on the back side of the cozy (do not join in same st as marker).
If not making a flap, sl st in same sc as marker and fasten off. Skip to bead/button section and add side bead/button only.

For purse or game system, decide how long strap needs to be and ch as many sts as needed for length. Attach with sc to second st before marker on other side, on front side of purse. Sl st in next sc before stitch marker, sc in same sc as stitch marker, hdc in first ch of strap and in each ch across. At end of strap, sc in same sc as stitch marker, sl st in sc after stitch marker (back side), sc in next sc, hdc in first hdc and in each hdc across. At end of strap, sc in second sc after stitch marker (back side).

Flap:

For cell phone or mp3 player, continue placing sc in each sc on back side of cozy across to second st before marker. Do not sc in st before marker. *Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across to sc before strap*, ch 1, turn. Repeat from * to * four more times (6 rows).

*Ch 1, turn, decrease over next 2 scs, sc across to last 2 scs, decrease over last 2 sc*, ch 1, turn. Repeat from * to * until only 3 sts remain.

Ch 3, turn, skip middle sc, sc in last sc, ch 1, turn, 10 sc in loop, sl st in first sc of last row of three, fasten off. Button loop made. Weave in ends.

For purse or game system, continue placing sc in each sc on back side of purse to last sc before strap on other side. *Ch 1, turn, sc in each sc across to sc before other side of strap*, ch 1, turn. Repeat from * to * until flap is twice as long as the width of the base (you did remember to note
that down, right?).

*Ch 1, turn, decrease over next 2 scs, sc across to last 2 scs, decrease over last sc*, ch 1, turn. Repeat from * to * until only 5 sts remain.

Ch 5, turn, skip 3 sc, sc in last sc, ch 1, turn, 15-20 sc in loop depending on how many you like, sl st in first sc of last row of three, fasten off. Button loop made. Weave in ends.

Note: If loop for purse is too small or large for the selected bead or button, increase or decrease the ch for the loop and adjust how many scs in loop to match.

Buttons or Beads:

Attach a button or large bead at side of cozy/purse, opposite of where strap is attached. Fold flap over to front and mark where button/bead should be to go through loop. Attach the button or large bead at that location. See image below for example of placement.

Please do not distribute this pattern without permission, instead, send them here or to the pattern page at Ravelry. You may sell what you make using this pattern as long as it is not mass produced (i.e, a few items at a craft show are okay). If you'd like to sell more than a few items, please contact me. Making items for personal use or as gifts or donated to charities is not restricted at all.

Enjoy!

Shorah Y'all!

Tangled Thread Project #2

2008-03-10T02:22:00.006-06:00

My second Tangled Thread project is a fun Watermelon Purse I designed for a class a few years back. I'd love to see what you folks do with it!

Watermelon Purse

Supplies:

Base and tie: Small amount of medium worsted weight green yarn.
Body: Green eyelash yarn, such as Lion Brand Fun Fur Lime, Crystal Yarns Fizz in Electric Lime or Grass Greens, etc.
Seeds: Lion Brand Fancy Fur, Firecracker Red or Party Pink
Top: Small amount of medium worsted weight pink or red yarn (select yarn color to match the Fancy Fur color selected)

Crochet Hook: I/9

Base:

With green yarn, ch 5, join with sl st, ch 2 (beginning hdc), hdc in same ch, 2 hdc in each ch around, join with hdc, hdc in same st. Continue placing 2 hdc in each st around until circle is 3.25-3.5” across. Fasten off.

Body:

Row 1: Join green eyelash yarn with sl st to last hdc on bottom piece. Ch 3 (beg hdc plus 1 ch), *hdc in next hdc, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around. Join with.sl st in top of second ch of beginning hdc.

Row 2: Ch 3 (beg hdc plus 1 ch), *hdc in next hdc, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around. Join with.sl st in second ch of beginning hdc.

Row 3: Sl st in first space, Ch 3, hdc in same space, ch 1, *hdc in next space, ch 1, hdc in same space, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in second ch of beg hdc.

Rows 4: Ch 3, *hdc in next hdc, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in second ch of beg hdc.

Row 5: Repeat row 4.

Row 6: Ch 4, *sc in next hdc, ch 4*, repeat from * to * around, join with sc in first sl st.

Row 7: Sl st in first space, ch 4, *sc in next space, ch 4*, repeat from * to * around, join with sc in first sl st.

Rows 8-10: Repeat row 7.

Row 11: Sl st in first space, ch 3 (beg hdc plus 1 ch), *hdc in next space, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in second ch of beg hdc.

Row 12: Ch 2 (beg hdc), hdc in each space and hdc around, join with sl st in second ch of beg hdc.

Rows 13 & 14: Repeat row 12. Fasten off at end of row 14.

Seeds:

Row 15: Join pink or red Fancy Fur with sl st in any hdc. Ch 2 (beg hdc), hdc in each hdc around, join with sl st in second ch of beg hdc. Fasten off.

Top:

Row 16: Join pink or red ww yarn with sc in any hdc, sc in each hdc around.

Row 17: Ch 2 (beg hdc), hdc in each sc around, join with sl in sec ch of beg hdc.

Row 18: (Tie row) Ch 3 (beg dc), dc in next hdc, ch 1, *dc in next 2 hdc, ch 1*, repeat from * to * around. Fasten off.

Note: If you find that you have an extra or one too few hdc when ending this row, adjust the last set of dc by putting 2 dc in one hdc or skip two hdc instead of one at the end.

Tie:

Measure the circumference of the top of the purse. With green ww yarn, make a chain the length measured plus 12”. Fasten off.

Loop the chain through the top row of the purse, leaving about 3” of the end of the chain at the beginning. Halfway around, leave a 6” loop hanging out and continue threading the chain through. At the end, knot the ends together. To close the purse, hold both loops in one hand, wrap other hand around the loops and pull down.

Note: to make a stronger tie, make the chain with two strands of yarn.

Use the purse as is or add a simple lining.

Other fruit suggestions:

Strawberry: Use Lion Brand Fancy Fur Firecracker Red for the body & seeds section, with red ww for the base and top, and green for the tie.
Red Apple: Use a solid red eyelash yarn for body and seeds section, with red ww for the base and top, and green for the tie.
Green Apple: Use a solid green/lime eyelash yarn for body and seeds section, with green ww for the base and top, and green for the tie.

Or how about a blueberry or a lemon or ….

Please do not distribute this pattern without permission, instead, send them here or to the pattern page at Ravelry. You may sell what you make using this pattern as long as it is not mass produced (i.e, a few items at a craft show are okay). If you'd like to sell more than a few items, please contact me. Making items for personal use or as gifts or donated to charities is not restricted at all.

Enjoy!

Shorah Y'all!

Finished ... one knitted wrist warmer

2008-03-08T16:47:00.002-07:00

I'm a couple of days late with this but I finished the first wrist warmer on Thursday evening and started on the second one yesterday. The photos below show the finished wrist warmer. The first is before I sewed up the side and the second shows me modeling them. Not bad for a first finished knitted piece.

Shorah Y'all!

Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers

2008-03-04T21:27:00.004-07:00

So ... yesterday, I frogged the dishcloth as it was too boring (I can't stand doing repeats of the same stitch for hours on end) and started making the Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers by Delia Rau (Ravelry Pattern Page). I picked this pattern because I'm obsessed with wrist warmers, I had the right weight yarn, and the knitting needles matched the only pair I've been able to find in all my boxes.

The photo below shows the first wrist warmer after I'd finished just over 2 repeats of the pattern. I'm hoping to finish the set within a couple of weeks, in between everything else that is. I'm using the yarn left over from making Britney's socks and it is so soft!

I have to stop browsing the patterns at Ravelry. I'm finding so many wonderful patterns that I'll never be able to make or wear. (sigh)

Shorah Y'all!

Cris' Arm Warmers

2008-03-01T21:52:00.004-07:00

I've almost finished the first arm warmer for Cris, just need to sew up the cuff and weave in the ends. I'm now starting on the second one and on a set for myself in a smaller yarn. Hopefully I'll remember to write down the pattern as I go this time!

The image below shows the full arm warmer:

And this one shows the detail on the back of the hand:

I'm quite pleased with myself at the moment.

Shorah Y'all!

First Knit Washcloth - in progress

2008-02-27T12:50:00.004-07:00

Okay, so my first real knit project is about a third of the way done. The scarf I tried to knit a couple of years ago doesn't count since I never got past the first few rows (due to frustration).

I'm making a washcloth from the Annie's Attic Cheery Dishcloths to Knit, using the Pistachio Nut Surprise pattern with Peaches and Cream Lemon-Lime cotton yarn. I got the downloadable version of the booklet from e-patternscentral.com and was using a different pattern from there but I had to keep frogging it and got a bit frustrated. This pattern is a bit less complicated and going quite well.

Shorah Y'all!

Aha! Mild Success ...

2008-02-17T22:43:00.002-07:00

Here's my first attempt using Continental knitting ... the edges are wonky but I think I did admirably for a first try.

Shorah Y'all!

I shall overcome ... knitting

2008-02-17T20:53:00.004-07:00

So far, knitting, other than basic knit and purl has eluded me ... and even that much makes me throw what little I've accomplished across the room.

However, I'd heard about Continental knitting and did a few searches on Google, found a few nice videos and illustrations, and I like it much better than English knitting. I never got throwing the yarn and with Continental knitting, I can hold the yarn much like I do when crocheting which comes more naturally to me (and is easier on my carpal tunnel syndrome). So far, I've just done a few rows of knit stitch, which I keep dropping stitches on and having to frog, but this just might be what I need to get my head around knitting.

Not that I'll ever give up crochet, far from it as it is my first love, but I see so many knitted items that I would love to make and always have to pass them by ...

We'll just have to see how it goes from here ....

Oh, and Ravelry is evil ... totally addicting but with wonderful people, and I'm learning tons. You can find me there as "fignations."

Shorah Y'all!

Grateful for choices

2008-02-09T20:44:00.000-07:00

With the first anniversary coming up of the Trolley Square shooting here in Salt Lake City, I was reading an article on one of the survivors (Surviving a day at a time) and it makes me even more grateful for the choices I made that day.

I rarely talk on the phone while driving but on February 12, 2007, I had called my father on my cell phone. I was paying particular attention to where the cars were around me so I didn't do something more stupid than I already was. By the time I got off the phone, I realized that I was several miles past my exit so took the next exit I could. I headed east and came upon a span over the road that said "Trolley Square" and looked to my left and saw the shopping center. "That looks like a cool place," I thought, "maybe I should go in and see what's there." I was about to get into the turn lane when I looked at the clock and remembered that my dog would be frantic by the time I got home, so I changed my mind and continued driving. Time: 6:32 pm

Shooter begins rampage killing five and wounding four. Time: 6:44 pm

I arrived home, took the dog for her walk, fed her and the cat, and settled down to do some work on the computer. Time: 7:00 pm

Turned the TV on to watch the news and heard what had happened. If I had turned instead of going home, I would have just entered the square when the shooting started. Thank God for choices, dogs, and watching over me. Time: 7:30 pm

Turquoise Socks Photo

2008-02-08T15:43:00.001-07:00

And finally a photo of the finished Turquoise Socks.

Shorah Y'all!

I hate being sick

2008-02-08T13:22:00.000-07:00

This is the third time this winter I've had bronchitis and I'm tired of it. I need to find some ginseng tea.

Shorah Y'all!

Im in!!!!!

2008-02-05T19:57:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! My invite to Ravelry finally came at 1:42pm MST and I've been madly joining groups since and even started a group for crocheters in Utah. The site is totally addicting and boy am I in trouble now......

Shorah Y'all!