4.29.2012


It's time to finish this doily.

I mean!  Look at how gorgeous it will be once it is finished~




And since I started it waaaaaaaaay back here...




...and with the sweet fragrance of lilacs perfuming the air,


I am filled with a zeal that should never be ignored.




(Besides ---> I am embarrassed that I have waited this long to get this thing done!)



So, yes! I.will.finish.this. before the lilacs fade






& with ooooooooooonly 26 more rows to go ~~






~~well...I had better get hookin'.



4.21.2012

it's time to confess



I have a confession to make. 

Well, two actually.



First one:
I hate making crochet cables can't make crochet cables.  Let me give you an example of a pattern for crocheting cables:

Directions for cross cable row:
(for a six stitches wide cable) skip next 3 sts,
 tr ps around each of next 3 sts;
working behind last 3 sts, fold last 3 sts forward,
 tr ps around each of 3 skipped sts.


No, I have no idea what that means.

And that is a huge problem when asked to crochet cables in this.  

So this is my dilemma: 
Frog my aran afghan? 
Watch every online tutorial for mastering crochet cables? 
Pull out my hair? 
Admit defeat?...

...or how 'bout trying a knitted cable?


Finding Redheart's pattern for a knitted cabled throw & throwing caution to the wind, I started to knit cables.

Yes. Knit. A. Cable.

Me!

Wow.  Just let me say, comparatively speaking:  a knitted cable is much, much, MUCH easier to do than a crocheted cable.  And for someone who has struggled with knitting (me) I am amazed at how easily this is just flowing off of my needles.




Now for confession #2:
This is a before & after photo of my yarn.  I am ashamed to admit that I stashed my yarn in a rubber tub.  A huge 'no-no', I know.  Completely inexcusable, I admit.

           before                                       after






But then I started seeing paper towel tubes used as nostepinnes for achieving centered pulled skeins of yarn. (btw -- I could do a whole post on the simplicity & beauty of these wooden treasures, but a paper towel tube was much easier to come by.  But rest assured -- I have dropped subtle hints to kids & husband that I would love to have one/more of these handcrafted lovelies in my possession.)  I then proceeded to take every messy skein in my rubber tub & carefully wrap each one into a centered pulled skein of yarn.

A centered pulled skein of yarn is neat, orderly & so lovely to look at!







4.11.2012

a handbag for Ruth


It started with this flower.

From this book:


And it became the focal point of this handbag. 

A handbag for Ruth. 



And being that she is celebrating her 93rd birthday...


And blue is her favorite color....


And zippers don't cut it for a massive stroke victim --- but pockets for tissues and sunglasses (yes, she is still a diva needing her shades...) I sewed this handbag for her.  Now when we go out shopping (which we do frequently) she can do it in style.

~ ~ ~

This flower was so easy & quick to crochet that I started to think about all of the fabric in my stash.  And yarn.



A lot!

And since this handbag was so easy to sew ( I just drew out a purse template on cruddy paper and sewed it from there)...and the flower so fun & fast --


Well. 

It's the makings for some (a lot!) cute handbags with 'crochet-cute' flowers as added embellishment.