Croshique

Weaving Scarves

2011-02-17T14:10:00.000-08:00

Hi! How's everyone doing these days?

Here are some pictures of the scarves I've been making on my Triangle Loom. I'm making the same scarf over and over. I put 5 triangles together with single crochet and then just single crochet around to finish it off. I'm seeing how different thicknesses of yarn work out. This is the latest one I'm working on and the yarn is pretty thick. It's Loops & Threads Charisma yarn. It's a bulky weight acrylic yarn I found at Michaels. I have one triangle done and started a 2nd.

Here's a close up of the weaving. I would have to take a picture of the dark color of the yarn. It's not hard ... once you figure out what to do. What a dumb things to say! LOL! But really, once you get it, you're on your way.

This is the first one I made. The yarn is a wasted weight wool. Once I finish the scarves, I wash/soak them in warm water, block them and let them dry. The yarn doesn't really felt, but it just sort of settles in place.

I made this one for my husband. He wanted a "man" color, so I found this gray/off white wool blend for him.

This is another yarn I thought would look good. It's another wool blend and it's a little heavier than worsted weight.

So, enough scarves? I want to try another way of putting the triangles together. I could add fringe or crochet something around the scarf to change it up. You could also put 8 together to make a shawl. I have a 2' triangle loom. I know there are 3' and 7' triangle looms and different sizes of square and rectangle looms. I'll just play with this one for awhile. Let me know if you have any ideas or if you have a loom. I'd love to hear your ideas.

How about weaving?

2011-02-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hello There!

Well, I've picked up another craft. Yeah, I need another one. My DH and I were in MO a few months ago visiting family. We were in Columbia one day running a couple of errands and I saw a yarn shop. It's called True Blue Fiber Friends Yarn Shop. We stopped so I could check it out. They teach knitting and crochet, but they also teach weaving on tri looms. My DH was interested in them and wondered if I'd like to try weaving. I wasn't sure at first, but the staff showed me how to do it. I saw a simple scarf pattern I liked and decided to give it a try. I picked out some yarn and we walked out with a 2 foot tri loom and the yarn.

Here's a link to show you information about the looms: Hill Creek Fiber Studio and here's a link for Tri Loom weaving instructions. The hardest part of the process is learning how to start.

I tried to take pictures of the 3 scarves I've made so far, but the lighting was terrible. I'll try tomorrow when I have daylight.

So, what have you been working on?

Sewing a new top

2011-01-23T16:50:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

How's the first month of 2011 treating you?

I'm staying busy like everyone else. I've been wanting to sew lately and found time to make a new top. Kwik Sew Pattern 3658. I used a cotton/lycra blend from Sewzanne's Fabrics. The color is Spruce Green and it's 92% cotton and 8% lycra. I made size Medium and graduated to the Large for my hips.
I also made a long sleeve version in navy. I like the neckline and fit of this pattern. It was pretty easy to sew.

I think this would look good in a jersey knit or a sweater knit. I haven't tried either one yet so I won't promise the results. Let me know if you have any fabric recommendations for this top. I'd love to know what you tried or what you think.

I want to make some pants. I need to make some pants. I need to decide on a pattern and start working on a muslin. I made myself several pairs of pants many years ago. I decided it's time to do so again. About 97% of the time I have to alter any pants I buy.

What have you been sewing lately? I'd love to hear about it.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2010-12-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

We're in San Antonio this week visiting our kids and grandkids for Christmas. Festivities start tomorrow and continue off and on for a couple of days. It'll be a whirlwind time and a lot of fun. The little ones are so excited.

I hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Be safe and enjoy the holidays!

Ever recover a couch?

2010-11-28T22:08:00.000-08:00

Hello Again!

I was in Missouri a couple of weeks ago visiting my family. My sister and I coordinated our time so we could be home at the same time. She thought it'd be nice if we recovered an antique couch for Mom. Mom helped me recover a couch and chair several years ago so my sister decided I could do this with Mom's guidance and her assistance. We had one week to accomplish it. Here's a picture of the couch before we ripped it apart. I can't tell you much about it. It was my great aunt's couch.

I have no idea when the couch was made, but it was stuffed with horse hair, cotton and some stuff that looked like straw. It was made of hard wood, but I don't know what the wood is. It also had more than its share of tacks. It took a long time to remove all of them. Once all the fabric and tacks were gone, we made a few minor repairs to the frame and springs.

Mom decided some of the old cotton and straw were still good so we reattached it to the couch. We added new batting to the arms and started on the back. We got a little farther along than this picture shows, but I wish we had gotten more done.

Here's a close up of one padded arm.

Here's a picture of the fabric the couch will be covered in. The couch will be covered in the peachy beige fabric. It has small squares of teal in it so the teal fabric will be used for a bolster pillows.

Mom kept saying we got the hard part done. She can finish it on her own. No problem! No problem for her. She also has a chair in this room that she had started. She's older now and doesn't have the strength and energy she used to, but she'll finish these pieces when she's ready.

We had a great time working together. My sister and I kept telling Mom that they make couches in this design now. After the first day, we told her we'd chip in thirds and drive her to any furniture store in the US to buy what she wanted. Who knows, maybe we'll plan another trip home to finish the couch. One week just wasn't enough. Of course, we had to make time to visit with our dad too! ... and brothers, sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews. I also met our new great niece Mary Margaret, aka Molly. What a cutie! I crocheted a blanket and hat for her, but forgot to take pictures of them. Sorry about that! I do have pictures of Molly and that's what counts!

How was your Thanksgiving? I hope you had fun times with family and friends!

Quick Baby Blanket

2010-10-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Hi Again!

I've been staying busy "playing" with different projects. Last night I made a Mitered Corner Blanket. The pattern is from the University of Utah. A lady from a local quilt shop made it and it looked like a fun baby project. I have a new great niece and a new grandbaby on the way so this should come in handy.

You use 2 pieces of flannel. One piece is cut larger than the other. I cut the print flannel 32" square and the pink flannel 42" square. The pattern explains how to make it better than I can explain. Once the pieces are sewn together and the corners are mitered, I ironed the blanket and used a decorative stitch on the seams to hold the two pieces together.

Here's a better picture of the stitching. I washed the flannel before I cut the squares. It pilled pretty badly. I found out that I need to use fabric softener with flannel. I'm going to try and "shave" the blanket and rewash it. Hopefully, it will look a little better. I plan to make a couple more for the new little members of our family.

I've also been working a crocheted blanket. I'll post a picture soon. So how have you all been? What are your favorite projects right now?

Making a few new tops

2010-08-23T16:04:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

How's your summer been? Did you take any fun trips? Did you see friends and family you haven't seen in a while? Did you get to sew or craft more? It's flown by for me. Work was busy for me the first part of the summer, but we managed to get away for a couple of weekends recently. We have a few trips coming up too and they'll be a lot of fun. It's 103 today and I know we have a lot more warm weather to deal with, but it's August 23rd and that means we're closer to cooler days. Think positive, right?

I've managed to sew a little. I decided I needed some new tops and set out to make a few quick ones that I could wear to work. I tried Kwik Sew #3003 and loved it. I made size Medium and increased out to a large fit my hips. Perfect! It's a nice fit, not too tight and not too boxy. I didn't even have to adjust the sleeve width. I used fabrics I bought from Gorgeous Fabrics last summer. They're all polyester/lycra fabrics. I may make another one or two soon. I think I'll change the neckline to a V neck just to change things up a bit.

I also made the tank top from Kwik Sew #3232. I made size Medium again, adjusted for my hip measurement and lengthened it an inch. I made this turquoise top and another red one. The fabrics are cotton knits. These are great weekend tops for the weather here and I like wearing them under blouses if I need to.

Hope you all are doing great! Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Finished Quilt

2010-05-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I want to show you a picture of the quilt I started last summer and finally finished. I'm happy with how it turned out. I saw this quilt design somewhere on the net and don't remember where. The fabrics are all from the Sangri La fabric line from Moda. I worked on the quilt top over a couple of months and then I sent it out to be machine quilted. I added the binding and made a dust ruffle out of one of the red floral prints. I'll have to post a picture of the dust ruffle later. The picture I took didn't turn out very well and it's getting dark now. I made the shams several years ago. They're made out of a textured home dec fabric I found at JoAnn's. I want to make a few pillows for the bed. I'll get to them soon.

I have a busy and fun week ahead. Work will be crazy this week. I could work lots of overtime, but this week, I'll just give up my lunch hours. I plan to exercise a couple of evenings this week, I have a quilt class on Tuesday night, I'm getting together with friends Thursday night to make some cards and I may be going out of town next weekend. That makes for one crazy week. I don't really like being so busy, but it's just a week and it'll be fun.

What's going on with you this week? Whatever it is, I hope you fun!

2010-03-07T13:59:00.000-08:00

Hello Again,
I've been catching on blog reading this afternoon. It always feels like I get to catch up with all my friends. Check out Sheila's post today. She made some beautiful pillows and has plans to do some more home dec projects. Lori has also posted pictures of the projects she's done in her home recently.

Sheila asked readers what type of home dec projects they like to sew. I've always liked to sew for my home. I've moved around quite a bit and planning a few new things every time we moved was fun. This is one area of sewing where I'm usually happy with the results. I never seem to find exactly what I want when I shop for home dec items and I have fun planning what I want to make. I've made valances, curtains, pillows, comforters, and bed skirts. My parents always did any home dec/renovations themselves. You name it, I think they've done it. My mother is an amazing sewer and has recovered and refinished a lot of furniture too. She came to visit me a few years back so we could recover my (their) couch and a (their) chair. I learned that's it not as difficult to recover a piece of furniture as I thought. LOL! I can say that because she was here to tell me what to do every step of the way.

Well, after all of this, I thought I'd show you a couple of things I made recently. I bought a bench with baskets for our bedroom because I wanted a little more storage. It came with a plain muslin covered pad so I covered it with this red tone on tone print. I a lot happier with it. The quilt in the picture is almost finished. I just need to bind it. I'm also going to make several throw pillows for the bench and bed.

The last picture shows pillowcases I made. These are great. I like these so much better than pillowcases I've bought. Of course, it's been awhile since I bought new ones. Anyway, I like them. I just used some of the cotton fabrics I used in the quilt. You can find several patterns for pillowcases on the web, but here's the one I used. I'll show another picture when I finish the quilt and pillows.

Oh, just one more thing. Do you like chocolate? Try these. The dark chocolate pieces are my favorite, but they have many choices. They're too good!

Have a great week!

How was your weekend?

2010-02-21T21:13:00.000-08:00

Did you have a good weekend? Are you ready to go back to work tomorrow? I'm not, but then I rarely am.

My friend Lorrie came over this afternoon and we made a few cards. We usually work on cards for a couple of hours and then have a glass of wine and dinner with my DH. He cooks for us. Are we lucky or what?

Here are a couple of cards we made.

I can always use birthday cards and I like this one because it can be used for anyone.

This one is hard for you to see. It's a trifold card. Lorrie brought this dress form stamp and I had to use it for a card.

Hope you all have a great week!

A Night Out

2010-02-13T22:02:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

DH and I had a night out at the Bellagio. We had dinner at the cafe, at chocolate crepes for dessert, walked through the Atrium decorated for the Chinese New Year and watched the water show outside. We had a great time!

Card Share

2010-01-18T21:59:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

I used to make cards years ago and got away from it. I also used to spend a lot of time looking at stamps and paper and ink and trying to figure out what to do with them. I found Sherrill, a Stampin Up demonstrator. I went to a few of her events and made a few cards and had a great time seeing what everyone made. I've been buying supplies from Stampin Up ever since. I like that they have papers and inks that match. They also have a lot of great stamps and accessories for cards and scrap booking. I thought I'd start showing you what I've made.

Here's what I used to make this card.
Stamps: Oval All stamp set
Card Stock: Whisper White, Rose Red and Rose Red Designer Series papers
Ink: Rose Red
Accessories: Rose Red 1/4" ribbon, rounded corner punch, larger oval punch, scalloped oval punch and scalloped edge punch (I love punches!)

Check out Splitcoaststampers
It's a great site with all kinds of ideas for cards and paper crafts. What's that saying? ... Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I copy of a lot of cards I see so I flatter a whole lot of people! You can click on my Stampin Up website link on the right side of my blog. Let me know if you have any questions and I'll do my best to help you out.

2010-01-07T22:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone!

How are you all? It’s been a long time since I blogged! I would say I’ve missed you guys, but I really haven’t. hehe I haven’t been blogging, but I have been reading blogs and keeping up with everyone when I can.

Like everyone else, I stay busy and just haven’t made time to blog. I’m hoping to change that this year. Let’s see how I do.

I have a couple of pictures to show you. I made a few scarves over the holidays. This first one is knitted. I found the pattern on Ravelry. It’s by the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl McPhee and it's called the One Row Handspun Scarf. I used Cash Vera DK weight yarn. It's a merino, microfiber and cashmere blend yarn. Love it! ... the pattern and the yarn. It feels great.

The second scarf is crocheted. This pattern came from Mimi at Crochet and Other Stuff. She has a new 3 pattern scarf pattern set and she let me test it for her. They’re lightweight scarves and perfect for Las Vegas weather. I made Painted Scarf and used fingerweight wool blend yarns. I plan to make the other 2 soon. I'll let you know how they turn out.

I also made a scarf for my DDs friend and 4 pair of fingerless gloves for the girls in my family for Christmas. They were quick to make and turned out really cute. I’ll post a picture of the gloves as soon as I make another pair. (I really do need to remember to take pictures of things I make.)

Did any of you make Christmas/Holiday gifts that you haven’t posted about yet? I’d love to hear about them.

I have also gotten into rubber stamping and making cards so I plan to post more about this in the future. I also plan to get back into scrapbooking. I get overwhelmed when I think about how many pictures I have to scrapbook. That’s keeping me from getting started with it.

Tomorrow is Friday. WhooHoo! Enjoy your weekend!

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T20:12:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2009-12-23T18:43:00.000-08:00

2009-11-25T18:59:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Trying to Crochet

2009-04-12T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Again!

I’ve been crocheting purses again. I’ve had requests for a couple of them. One request was from my mother. She asked me to make one for a friend of hers. Well, of course I did. I sent it off and received a really nice thank you card from her frined. It made me laugh though. Mom’s friend said she loved the purse, uses it all the time, and has received lots of compliments on it. Isn’t that sweet? She also asked if I made any multicolor purses because she’d really like one if I did. LOL! Well, I guess it's time to make a multicolored purse!

As luck would have it, I had started this one. It’s only 2 colors, but it's an idea I had and wanted to see how it would look. If I like it, I’ll make it again and use more colors. It's a start. So far, so good.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Quilt top

2009-03-30T13:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of the quilt top I'm working on. Sorry about that ... I thought I included a picture of it in my last post. It doensn't go very well with the rug does it? LOL. I'm still sewing the strips together.

My DH and I just got back from a Pilates class tonight. We go twice a week and we're noticing the difference in how we feel. I feel better and I like it because it's not all aerobic. I'm not into killing myself for an hour anymore. Is that lazy or what?
How's your week going?

Hi Everyone!

2009-03-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Did I drop off the face of the earth or what? No, I'm still here. I just haven't been blogging. I've had fun reading other blogs. I just haven't kept with my own.
What have I been up to? Well, not much really ... just working and "playing" mostly. "Playing" is my term for sewing, crocheting, making cards, reading and whatever else I get to do.
Here's a picture of a crocheted baby blanket I just finished. We are expecting our 7th grand baby in a couple of weeks. How exciting is that? And to think I just became a grandmother 5 years ago. My son put it this way, "we're multiplying like roaches!". I prefer to think of rabbits. We're multiplying like rabbits! Roaches don't give me that warm fuzzy feeling. By the way, this blanket will be for Hailey Alisha. We'll be flying to San Antonio again when she arrives.

Here's another project I've been working on. I saw a picture of this quilt design and then I saw this collection of fabrics and decided I had to put them together. I'm goofed though. I don't remember where I saw the quilt. The fabrics are the Sangri La collection from Moda. I played around with measurements and decided how much fabric I needed. I've been working on this off and on for a couple of months. I sew several strips and started laying them out. I know when you're putting a quilt together randomly you're supposed to do it randomly. Pick up a piece, sew, pick up a piece, sew. Don't spend time planning how the pieces go together. I discovered I don't do random well. My randomness had a pattern. The reds lined up, the blues lined up, the lights lined up ... you get the point. I took a few strips apart and tried to make them look more random. I spend a lot of time "playing" with the pieces. I now have my strips laid out and numbered so when I put them together, they'll look mixed up. I also want to make a couple of pillowcases and a bed skirt. I don't expect to complete this very soon, but I'll post pictures when I'm done.
I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday afternoon! I'm off to finish some laundry and bake some brownies. I've had a taste for them for several days now and I can't deny it any longer!

Aaawwww ...

2009-02-01T21:27:00.001-08:00

This is so nice! Karyn from Trailmix Designs sent this to me. If I'm lucky, I'll be meeting her in person soon! I love seeing all of her projects!

I'd like to recognize
Sheila at Sheilaz Crochetz, Knitting and Threadz
Lesa at Lesalicious,
Robyn at Crochet by Faye,
Lori at Girls in the Garden, and
Stacy at Stacy Sews.
A few of them have already been awarded this wonderful recognition. I have so much fun keeping up with them on their blogs and I think you will to!

It's 2009!

2009-01-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Am I behind or what? I've been busy playing and working and planning and now I'm sick. Well, I didn't plan on that. Bummer!

I've been making cards, crocheting purses, working on a quilt and trying to decide on a pants pattern to make. I need pants! That will be another post or two.

I'd like to post another crochet purse pattern.

I've made this several times in different color combinations. This one, one in black, wine and taupe, and one in black, royal blue and light blue. I want to make another one in some base color with purple and green. This is the purse pattern I used when I taught a crochet class last month. One lady made this in a solid color and it looked great. Please let me know if you have any questions or find any mistakes in the pattern. I'd love to see what you make if you try this.

Here's the pattern:

Simply Striped Crochet Purse

Materials:
Yarn: La Espiga Crochet Nylon, Size 18, 197 yds, 200 g per skein,
I ordered mine from Crochet Style Etc - www.crochetstyleetc.com

CA: Tan (main color), 2 skeins crochet nylon, Color # 44, Lt Beige.
CB: Blue (stripe color), 1 skein crochet nylon Color # 22, Blue
CC: Green (stripe color), 1 skein crochet nylon Color # 38, Mist

Size G (4 mm) Crochet hook
Yarn marker
7/8” or 1” button
1 Fat Quarter of cotton quilting fabric for lining, optional
Tapestry needle
Quilting thread
Sewing needle

Finished Measurement: Approximately 8" x 10

Stitch Pattern: Seed stitch (*sc in st, ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next st*, repeat)
Project Notes: This purse in crocheted in the round so there is no visible seam.
Purse is worked in the round from the bottom up.

Purse:
With CA, chain 45
Rnd 1: [3 sc in 2nd ch from hook], sc in next 42 chs, [3 sc in last ch], sc in next 42 chs along opposite side of original chs, place marker. Do not join. (90 sc)

Rnd 2: [Work in 3sc cluster: 2sc in first sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc], sc in the next 42 sts, [in next 3 sc cluster, 2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc], sc in each sc across. Do not join. (94 sc)
Row 3: Sc in each sc around. Do not join.
Place a yarn marker at the last stitch of this round so you'll know what side to finish on.
Row 4: *Sc in first sc, ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next sc* around.
Rows 5 - 11: *Sc in ch 1 sp, ch 1, sk next sc, sc in next ch 1 sp* around."
Row 12-16: Repeat row 11 alternating colors CB, CA, CC, CA, CB
Row s 17 – 21: With CA, repeat row 11.
Row 22-26: Repeat row 11 alternating colors CB, CA, CC, CA, CB
Rows 27-33: With CA, repeat row 11.
Row 34 – 36: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
Weave in ends.

Strap:
Chain as many as you like for the length of your strap.
(Remember, the strap will stretch as your carry your purse.)
Sc in the back loop of the 2nd ch from the hook and in the back loop of each ch, 2 sc in last ch, sc in each st on the other side of original ch.
Ch 1, turn. Sc in each st along length of strap. Fasten off.
Using tapestry needle, sew strap to each side of bag.

Button & Loop:
Chain 16. Fasten off and attach both ends of chain to the middle of one side of bag.
Weave in ends.
Sew button on opposite side of bag.
Use a strand of the crochet nylong or the quilting thread.
Purse Lining:
Measure purse height and width. Add 1" to the width measurement.
Cut 2 pieces of fabric by these measurements. With right sides together, sew 1/2" seams along 3 sides. Fold over 1/2” along top edge of lining. Press. With quilting thread, sew lining inside purse around top edge.

Enjoy!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

2008-12-19T16:35:00.000-08:00

We'll be off on our Christmas holidays soon. We're traveling to Texas to see family ... I can't wait to see my grandkids!
I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I know I don't post very often, but I read your blogs a lot and feel very lucky to have great internet friends! Enjoy yourselves and I hope you have time to relax too! Talk to you soon!

Crochet Purse Pattern

2008-12-08T22:04:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! Long time, no post! How's everyone doing?

Do you remember this purse?

It's a simple shoulder strapped purse using crochet nylon. When I made it I wanted to try my hand at writing a pattern. Well, I wrote this one and thought I'd share it with you.

Crochet Shoulder Bag Pattern

Materials:
Crochet Nylon, 2 skeins of La Espiga Omega Nylon, Size 18
G Crochet Hook
2 1” purse rings
1 1” button
4 5’8” buttons
1 Fat Quarter for lining (optional)
Quilting Thread
Tapestry Needle
Sewing Needle

Stitches used: Half Double Crochet (hdc) and Single Crochet (sc)

Directions:
Ch 45
Rnd 1: 2 hdc sc in 3rd ch from hook, hdc in each chain across, 3 hdc in last ch, hdc in each ch along back side of ch, join in top of ch 2. (88 hdc)

Rnd 2: Ch 2, turn, hdc in same st, hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 41 sts, 2 hdc in first st of 3 hdc cluster on previous row, hdc in next 41 sts, join in top of ch 2. (92 hdc)

Row 3: Ch 2, turn, hdc in same st, hdc in next 3 hdc, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 41 sts, 2 hdc in first hdc of 2 hdc cluster at other end, hdc in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 41 sts, join in top of ch 2. (96 hdc)

Rows 4 – 18: ch 2, turn, hdc in each st around, join in top of ch 2 of previous row.
Crochet Shoulder Bag, Cont’d

Rows 19 – 21: ch 1, sc in each st around. Fasten off.

On each side of bag, attach yarn with a sc, sc in next 3 sts. Ch 1, turn, sc in next 4 sts.
Repeat this for 15 rows. Fasten off.
Place strap through 1” ring, fold over side of bag and stitch in place.
Attach 5/8” button on top of strap and sew in place. Do the same for the other side of bag.

Strap:
Ch 5., sc in 2nd sc from hook, sc in next 3 chs. Turn.
Next row: ch 1, sc in next 4 scs, turn.
Repeat this row until you have a strap the length you want and fasten off.
(Note: Crochet strap a few inches shorter than you would like. It will stretch!)
Place each side of strap through 1” rings sewn to bag. Sew in place. Sew 5/8” button to outside of each strap.

Button & Loop
Chain 16. Fasten off and attach both ends of chain to the middle of one side of bag.
Weave in ends. Sew 1” button on opposite side of bag.
Purse Lining
Measure purse height and width. Add 1"" to the width measurement."
Cut 2 pieces of fabric by these measurements. With right sides together, sew 1/2"" seams along 3 sides of the pieces. Turn bag inside out and turn under 1" along top edge. Press. Place lining inside purse and sew in place using quilting thread.
(MSB 9/08)

Please let me know if you have any questions. Let me know if you make one. I'd love to see it.

I taught a crochet class on Saturday for making purses. I'd never taught a class before. It was a lot of fun. 3 of the 4 ladies knew how to crochet and just needed help reading patterns. The 4th lady learned to crochet as a girl and she picked it back up quickly. By the end of the class, all were doing great! We'll meet again next Saturday to finish the purses and I'll show them how to make the linings.

Enjoy your week!

Bad Pictures

2008-11-06T08:49:00.001-08:00

Sheila from Sheilaz Crochetz, Threadz & Knitz posted pictures of curtains around her home. How fun! They look fabulous! She mentioned that she wanted to check out cornices for her windows. I told her I'd post some pictures of what we've done. Well... I was in a hurry to take these pictures and post them, but I see I should have waited. I think some people should be banned from picture taking and leave it up to the professionals. (Sorry Karyn!)
Maybe, you'll get an idea of my window treatments.
We started in the family room.

My husband made the cornices out of plywood and I covered them with quilt batting and fabric. Love them! I was so happy with how they turned out that we had to make more. We made one for the sewing room window. It's a red velvet looking fabric with beads hanging from the bottom.

We also made a cornice for the Safari room. It's really just a small guest room. It got its name from the fabrics I picked out and from the fact that my husband loves to hunt and fish. I used 2 fabrics and centered one fabric in the middle of the cornice. The second fabric is on either side of the main fabric. I added black cording to each seam and attached small beads along the bottom of the cornice.

I decided I'd made enough cornices and wanted simple curtains in the living/dining room. I saw these "scarves" somewhere and really liked them. I added fringe to one side of the scarves and hung them over the side panels.

Oh! One more! My mother made the kitchen window valance. She saw some fabric she liked and thought it would look great with my red walls. She's amazing. She's great at sewing absolutely anything and can pick things out for me that I like better than what I'd pick out.

Sorry about the pictures. I'll try again when we get back from a trip.

I like to sew for the house. I'm usually happy with what I make. That's not alwyas true with sewing clothes. I know some people don't like home dec sewing and I can understand why. The projects can be big and there are a lot of long straight seams. Let's see ... I've always made my curtains. I've also made bedspreads, quilts, dust ruffles and lots of pillows. Dust ruffles are my least favorite thing to sew. I make them because I like the way they look.

So, do you sew for your home? Do you enjoy it? What's your favorite thing to sew?

2008-10-27T10:37:00.001-07:00

Hi!
Just thought I'd show you a picture of the baby sweater I made. I mailed it off and am anxious to see how it fits on my DGD.

I used pattern # 173 from Kay's Creative Crochet.
I made a size for 6 months, used a nubby baby yarn and trimmed it with Caron Simply Soft.
I took it to my crochet group to show everyone. I told you that we meet in a bar, didn't I? I'm a clutz and spilled beer on it ... not mine ... it was my friend's beer. Really! Anyway, I brought it home, washed and blocked it and it was a good as new. My baby DGD won't smell like she's been in a bar when she wears it.

What's up?

2008-10-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

How's your weekend going so far? I had many plans and ideas swimming around, but haven't accomplished much yet. I was "under the weather" yesterday and did't do very much. I woke up this morning feeling much better, so I hope to get a few things done

Here's a picture of the last t-shirt I made. It's Kwik Sew # 3003. I like how it fits. I made a size medium and tapered out to a large for the hips. It's made from a cotton/poly knit I found at JoAnn's. I made several tops before using KS # 3338 and KS # 2900. The fit of this one seems to be in the middle of them. The neckline of this one is fine and I think I can use the other 2 patterns to change it up some.

Ready for a picture of another purse? I can't seem to stop making them. This one is just a simple shoulder strapped bag. I used crochet nylon and half double crochet stitches. I like the size of it for what I carry around all the time. Here's a tip: crochet shoulder straps stretch! I purposely made this shorter than I wanted it and it has almost stretched to a length longer than I like. It probably has a great deal to do with what I shove in it, but I thought this might be a handy tip for someone.

The weather is beautiful here in Vegas. DH and I took a walk this morning. Last weekend DH rented a bike for me and we went bike riding. It was great. I just may have to buy one soon.

Hope you have a great weekend!

New Purses ... Not

2008-09-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

How's everyone doing? I love reading other blogs and appreciate how often everyone updates their blogs. I can't seem to do so myself, but I'm so happy everyone else does!

I made a couple purses a couple of weeks ago. I liked them and thought I'd have fun switching purses around over the next couple of months. Well, here is where the "Not" comes in. I took them with me when I went to visit my family. I wanted to show them off to my mother and sister. They're gone now. My mother and sister picked them up to look at them and never gave them back. They did say thank-you though. That was nice. They eyed the one I was using, but didn't empty it out. That was good.

I think I showed you one just like this one. I made another one. I used the "Little Brown Purse" pattern from Maggie's Crochet. I changed the stitch pattern, but followed the pattern otherwise. I used Olive crochet nylon and a G crochet hook. I lined it with cotton fabric.

This is the 2nd purse I made. I found the booklet "Dual Pursenalities" by Ricki Bremer. It's made out of a placemat. The cotton fabrics are added for design and use. The bottom flap also makes pockets for the inside of the purse. The placemat is sturdy enough that a lining isn't needed. It was a lot of fun to make. I want to make another one for myself. Soon, I hope.

I have more things to share with you. I made a new t-shirt and I think I'm finally happy with the fit. I crocheted a baby sweater for one of my DGDs. It's a cute one and I need to make 2 more. 3 DGDs, 3 new sweaters! I'm also working on a couple of quilts. It'll take me a while to finish them, but I'll show you the progress of them. Pictures soon, I promise!

I'll stop here and let you all get over the shock of seeing a new post. Tomorrow's Friday! WhooHoo! That's always a WhooHoo! Enjoy!

2008-08-25T08:13:00.001-07:00

I've been staying busy for the past couple of weeks. I decided to sew a purse. I've crocheted purses before and, after seeing many cute purses on several blogs, I wanted to sew one. I found this pattern. It's called Catalina Sling and it's by Pink Sand Beach Designs. The directions were detailed and easy to follow. It's a bigger purse than I've been carrying, but I found bigger isn't too bad. I can stuff all kinds of things in it.

I ordered some fabric from Textile Studio Patterns and made another top. This is the same pattern I used before, Textile Pattern # 1201, Basic Top. I usually wear bright or dark colors, but I thought this light color was pretty.

I also made a pair of capris. This is Butterick pattern #4962. It has a waist facing instead of a waistband. I like how these fit. I made my usual fit adjustments, shortened crotch length and lengthened crotch width. The waist facing made these easy to fit. I used a stretch denim I found at JoAnn's last summer.
Ok, I found something else to work on. Cards! I used to stamp a little several years ago. My DD and I were talking and she told me she has gotten into it. Well, that got me started again. I pulled out some card stock and supplies and stared at everything for a long time. LOL! Well, isn't that productive? I looked at the colors and stamps and looked some more. I finally picked out a few things and this is what I came up with. I thought it would be neat to weave some ribbon through the card. I like it, sort of. It needs something. Color, for one. I'll keep playing and see what else I come up with.

I've been crocheting a little bit too. I'll post a picture soon.
I have a question. How many hobbies or crafts do you like to do? Do you work on one at a time or do you have several projects going?

2008-08-17T17:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
This is Simplicity Pattern #6762. I used a Juliet knit and made a size Medium, tapering out to a Large through the hips. It's a raglan sleeve with darts at the shoulder. I thought the darts stood out at the shoulders, but they really don't. Overall, I like this top and I think it looks a little better than a regular t-shirt. The neckline was easy to apply. I wasn't sure it would lay very well. Since the neckline stretches more at the seam or outer side of the neckline, I thought the inner side of the neckline would stick up. Does that make any sense? I sewed this neckline twice. The first time I applied the neckline, it did stick up some. It wasn't too bad and would probably lay better after being laundered, but I decided to try it again. I just shortened the neckline piece a 1/2" or so ... very little. It made a difference. The inner neckline lays a little better and the change didn't affect the outer neckline at all. I'd recommend this pattern to anyone. It's quick to sew and the directions are easy to follow.

We had a nice weekend. We went to our friends' home yesterday. They have a pool and we enjoyed swimming and relaxing for a couple of hours. We had dinner and watched some of the Olympics. It was a great way to spend a Saturday! How was your weekend?

Time to Sew

2008-08-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

I need new pants, so I decided it's a good time to try and make some. I chose this pattern ...McCAlls #5239.
It's just a good basic pants pattern. I used to make pants for myself a long time ago and I learned to fit a pair for myself using a former version of this pattern. I started with my new (bigger) measurements and took measurements of some RTW pants I have. I also read through some fitting books and went to work on the pattern adjustments. I shortened the crotch length and increased the crotch width on the front and back pieces. I made a muslin and they actually fit pretty well. I made this pair out of fabric I bought at Hancocks. It's a polyester something-or-other. I thought these would just be a 2nd muslin, but they fit pretty well. I finished them and wore them to work. They turned out ok. I plan to lengthen the legs on my next pair. These are ok as long as long as I wear flats. I'm thinking about shortening the back darts. I'll have to read more about this.

I also made a top out of fun rayon print I found at a local fabric store. I used Textile Studio Pattern #1201, Basic Top. This is simple top that can be made out of a woven or a knit. It's an easy to sew pattern. I serged all edges and sewed sleeve and side seams. Then I pressed the neckline under about 3/8" and stitched. I hemmed the sleeves and bottom and I was done. It drapes nicely if you use a light weight fabric. (It also looks better untucked.) The next time I make this I will widen the sleeve. They're a little snug. It's wearable, but it'd be more comfortable if I increase the sleeve width. (Funny, I never had to worry about this before.)

Next up, Simplicity Pattern #6762. I kept looking at the top on this pattern and decided it was time to give it a try.

Hey You Guys!

2008-07-20T21:38:00.001-07:00

Remember the crochet top I started? Here it is. I finished it! Yeah! It's a crocheted tunic top designed by Fernanda at FML Crochet. I didn't make it a tunic top though. I made it for my daughter, so it's a little small on my 'partner'. My daughter is smaller and shorter than I am, so it will look longer and better on her. I really like the stitch pattern and design of this pattern. I used Shine Sport yarn from Knit Picks that Fernanda recommended. The name of the color is River. This is a great cotton blend DK weight yarn.

I'll show you why it took me so long to finish this top and why I haven't posted in so long ... well, a couple of the reasons. This is Charlotte Joely and she's 2 months old. She looks so much my daughter when she was born.

And this is Kaitlyn Elaine and she's 5 days old in this photo. She and Charlotte are cousins. When Kaitlyn was 9 days old and Charlotte was 9 weeks old, they were both weighed. Their weights were 2 oz apart. Charlotte was so tiny when she was born. I don't know why, but Kaitlyn seemed smaller to me when I held her ... a lot more than 2 oz!

We spent a week in San Antonio visiting them and trying to help their moms and dads. They are just so sweet. I didn't pick up a crochet hook for the entire week! I keep looking at these pictures and I'm ready to go to San Antonio again!

I have a few things I'd like to work on over the next few weeks. Sewing, crochet and quilting. Now let's see what I actually work on.

Happy Monday Everyone!

Want to crochet a new top?

2008-07-02T08:29:00.000-07:00

I've been fortunate enough to test a pattern for Fernanda at FML Crochet. She's written a few patterns for some really cute tops. You can check them out at her blog and etsy shop, FML Crochet. I saw her new design on her blog and really liked it. It's a top down tank top with a nice stitch pattern and neckline. Fernanda contacted me when she had the pattern ready to test. Lucky me! She used Shine Sport from Knit Picks and I ordered the same. I hadn't used this yarn before so I wanted to try it. I picked the color 'River' which is a pretty dark blue. It doesn't give you a very good picture of stitch pattern, but I really like the yarn. It's a lighter weight cotton blend yarn and it's great for tops and sweaters.

Ok, about the top ... I worked on a gauge swatch and found that the pattern was well written. Well, as I said before, I feel very fortunate to test this pattern for Fernanda, but I wouldn't say she's as fortunate. She has written the pattern well, but, of course, I goofed at one point. You can see the mistake in this picture. The V part of the neckline is all wrong. Sometimes I focus so much on one point and totally miss something obvious! Duh!!!

So, I frogged the mistake and started again. It's a fun pattern to work and the only problem I see is that I am slow. I decided to post a picture of my progress so far. Fernanda may already have feedback from other pattern testers and I don't want to hold her up. Here's where I'm at right now. I'll finish working on the length and then work the neckline and armhole edging. Hopefully, it won't take me much longer to finish it. I plan to give it to my daughter. I think it'll look great on her.

Speaking of daughters, ... and sons, we're off to San Antonio again this week. We have a brand new dgd to meet. I really should look into buying a plane. LOL! We'll also get to visit our 8 week old dgd and the others. Life can be so amazing!

Here's my buddy

2008-06-19T20:11:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday!
I thought I'd introduce you to my buddy, Ray. His name is Razor but we call him Ray. I used to say we call him Ray because he's not that sharp. ...hehehe... I got him when he was 2 and a 16 year old boy had named him. We've been together 11 years now. That seems hard to believe. He always happy to see me and follows me everywhere. Well, almost everywhere. He doesn't like my sewing room. He sits outside the room when I sew. He watches and waits for me. I don't think he thinks he has enough room in there. DH says he doesn't like the pins on the floor. Ray doesn't hear very well anymore and I don't think he sees as well as he used to, but these things don't seem to bother him. He still protects us from pesky cats (when he sees them) and he keeps us on schedule. I can't imagine being without him.

Well, things at work should get back to a 'normal' pace pretty soon. I've been spending more time planning more projects instead of working on any of them. I am working on a new crochet top and I will post a picture soon. I've had this drive to make a perfect t-shirt and have tried several. I think my problem is that I'm not really sure what I want that perfect T to be. I have a pair of pants cut out and ready to sew. And, to make things more fun, I've been looking at scrapbooking and stamping. Why do I need more hobbies? Just because they're fun! There's really no other reason. I don't know when I'm supposed to work on all of these, but that doesn't seem to matter.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

2008-06-04T18:44:00.000-07:00

Hi!
Whew! I've been pretty busy at work lately and today was one of those days! It's time to shake it off, grab some chocolate and check in with some blogger friends and see what everyone's up to.

I wanted to show you a picture of the little purse I made. I really like the color. I've never had a green purse before. It's a little too small for what I usually stuff in a purse, but it'll still be fun to use when I just want to carry a small bag.

It's crocheted in the round using the seed stitch and a G hook. I used Omega nylon yarn #18 from
Crochetstyle Etc. This stuff is great for purses. I really need to make a bigger purse for my every day use. The purses I've made are really too small.

What's everyone been up to? Do you have some fun projects underway? Have you made plans for the summer?

Who likes to Crochet?

2008-05-29T11:23:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to check in and let everyone know I'm still here. I hope to post more soon, but I thought I'd add this bit of info for you.
If you do like to crochet, check out the new issue of Crochet! magazine.
I received it yesterday and had a great time going through it. There are some great designs and there are several I'd like to make. I can add them to my list ... the list that just gets bigger and bigger!

Since my last post, I've been to San Antonio to meet my brand new DGD! Her name is Charlotte and she's a doll! I made a new purse (crochet), started a new top (crochet) and have been able to fit a pants pattern for myself. I'm excited about making the pants, but I haven't found any material yet. I need to shop! Soon!

I'll be back soon!

Wow!

2008-05-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sure everyone is busy this time of year ... I know I am! Since my last post, I've been to St Louis. My DH had a meeting to attend and I tagged along so we could drive a little farther west and see my family. It was great! I haven't seen my parents in almost a year and that was a very short visit. I'm hoping to take more time off in September and see them for more than a couple of days.

While my DH was in meetings I took off to find a fabric store. I found Jackman Fabrics and had a lot of fun looking at everything. They had a great quilting section, fashion fabric section and a home dec section. I had plenty of time to look and play. I really don't mind my husband's meetings. LOL!

Work's been really busy and will stay that way for a few months. We're in the middle of budget season. Enough said!

A girlfriend of mine (Darlene) from CA came through this weekend for a visit. She's on her way to a week long workshop and had a chance to stop on they way. She brought a friend (Tami) along who's also attending the workshop. We enjoyed a couple of dinners out on our patio and we managed to do a little shoe shopping on Saturday. Tami mentioned that she needed some new shoes to go with a dress and she wasn't sure what to get. Well, Darlene and I looked at each other, grabbed Tami and headed to some favorite shoe stores. Tami left with 3 new pairs of shoes. Mission accomplished! It's just so much fun to shop for others and spend their money! LOL!

I managed to make a couple of things during the last few weeks. I made a little top for my dgd. I hope it fits. Check out this website ... Luv2Crochet. She has some really cute patterns for little girls and I just had to make one. I made this one out of Cotton Plus. I really like this yarn. I wanted to add some color so I made a little flower and added a button. Maybe DGD will like this added touch.

I also made another skirt to wear to work this summer. It's Simplicity 3506 and I used a rayon fabric I found at Hancock's last summer. I like the top and dress of this pattern, but I'm not crazy about the jacket. I plan to make a turquoise top to go with this skirt, but I'm not sure if I'll use this pattern or try something else. We'll see.

I also started a crocheted cardigan sweater, but it's been frogged already. I wasn't happy with it. I finished crocheting a purse, but it needs a lining. I'll post a picture of it when it's finished.

I hope everyone is doing great! Let me know what you've been up to. I love to read about and see what everyone else is working on.

2008-04-16T19:53:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I've tried to get some creative time in this week. Other things like work and meetings and dinners are keeping me busy.
I did manage to finish this top.
I used Vogue pattern 2925. I read the reviews for this pattern on Pattern Review and thought it'd be a nice top to try. I also like the jacket, skirt and pants in the pattern. I'm really hoping to sew more soon. Let's see. I cut a size 18 and didn't have to make any alterations to the pattern. (Wow!) I just turned under the neckline, armholes and hem and stitched with a twin needle. That worked great with this fabric. I bought the fabric from Gorgeous Fabrics last summer. It's a polyester/lycra blend. I really like how it drapes.

I had a great surprise this week. Sheila sent this award to me. Aawwww, Thank you! I was blown away. If you don't know her blog, you need to check it out. She's amazing! If she wants to sew, crochet or knit, ... it's done. She'll show the material or yarn she bought on her blog and the next thing you know, it's done! ... and it beautiful!
In the spirit of the award, I'd like to pass this on to Trailmix Designs, Sew Chic and My Hand Found. I love reading blogs and seeing everyone's creativity and fun!

Later!

Falling into place

2008-04-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Sometimes things just fall into place. I had plans to visit a girlfriend in CA this weekend. Plans change and it didn't happen. I'll get to see her soon, so all is well. I expected a pretty quiet weekend. Well, I contacted the local chapter of the American Sewing Guild a couple of weeks ago. I thought I'd check it out. I received a phone call telling me about the group and a special program being held on Saturday. They arranged a day with Sandra Betzina! How Cool! I was invited and I attended! For those of you who haven't heard of her, here's her Website. She's one of today's Sewing Gurus. She has patterns offered through Vogue Patterns and has written books and has a large collection of DVDs. There's a lot of information on her website.

This is a new pants pattern she has out. These would make a fun pair of pants.

She spent the morning talking about fit. I loved it. I seem to have this mental block when it comes to fit. It's probably more of hole than a block. Nothing's there! She made fitting sound sensible and she explained things very well. I already have a couple of her books and I'm hoping I can get better at this. In the afternoon, she had a trunk show. She showed us what she made from all of her patterns. She tried on a lot of them so we could see them "on person"! She used some great fabrics and explained some of her sewing techniques. It was a lot of fun!

What did I do on Sunday? Did I sew? Yes. Did I make a new top or pants and use this great fitting information? No. I have a quilting project that I needed to catch up on. It's going along fine, but I wanted to try a new top or something. Soon! Very Soon!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

What's your favorite color?

2008-04-02T18:18:00.000-07:00

Mine's red! I finished this top. I started it several months ago, but couldn't decide how I wanted to finish the neckline. I finally decided to just try a square neckline. It didn't turn our very square though. The top is made of double crochets in between stitches instead of in stitches. I trimmed the neck and armholes with rows of single crochet and the final row is reversed single crochet.

Here's a closer look at the edging rows.

So, tell me, what's your favorite color?

2008-03-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

I'm back from San Antonio. We had a great time and had a lot of fun seeing the kids and grandkids. 2 of our 3 little boys (ages 4 and 2) sat down for a couple of minutes to eat. We had a few minutes of quiet. They were very busy and loud the rest of time they were together.

Our little girl (17 months) is just a sweetie.

The baby shower for my dd turned out really nice. She received a lot of cute and useful things and got to catch up with friends she hasn't seen in awhile. I was able to help her set up her nursery, but didn't get any pictures. We were trying to take care of the nursery, last minute errands for the shower and a tired little 2 year old. Pictures fell out of priority. Bummer! I'll get to take pictures when the baby comes.
I did manage to finish a crochet top I've been working on and I made a little top for our little girl. I'll post pictures of these very soon.

Off to San Antonio!

2008-03-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

We're off to San Antonio for the weekend. I'm so excited! I lived there for many years and do miss a few things .... like the
Riverwalk and the Spurs and the food and margaritas! We aren't going for any of those things, ... well, maybe a margarita or 2, but we'll be seeing our grandchildren! We'll also be there for my daughter's baby shower and my other daughter just moved into a new house, so I know I'll be busy with everyone and everything! yeah! I'll let you know how the trip goes!
Have a great weekend!

2008-03-18T08:20:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I'm sorry for not posting sooner. I haven't had much to post about lately, but since I really enjoy reading other blogs, I decided I could at least post about things I'd like to do.

Have you ever seen something that just grabbed you? You loved it and knew you had to make it? Well, I found one of those. I came across this blog,
Bloom and Blossom
Great blog and this gal makes some really cute things.
I saw this picture and said "that's it!"
I'd been eyeing this line of fabric for awhile now and this quilt design looks like something I can handle. I'll be buying fabric in the very near future! I have no idea when I'll start on this project, let alone finish it, but I'll be ready.

Work has been keeping me busy lately. I have been able to work on the things for my daughter's nursery. I finished the bumper pads and just have to bind the first little quilt. I plan to work on the second quilt this weekend. We're going to San Antonio soon and I want to have it all ready to take with me. We'll put everything up and I'll post pictures.

Enjoy your day!

Need Socks?

2008-02-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Howdy!
How's everyone doing? I'm back from a trip to Michigan where it was cold. We did just fine for not being used to that kind of weather. Work was and is busy and it's taking away from my craft time. Oh bother!
But, I do have something to show you. I made a pair of socks! WhooHoo! Can you believe it? I actually started and finished a project. Well, sort of. During the socks, I made a couple of pair of booties and started a purse, but I do have a pair of completed socks. See?

Don't mind the picture. They are the same size and by now you should know I'm about as talented at photography as I am at surgery. I joined in on the Sock crochetalong on Crochet Partners and Ravelry. These are called Ultimate Crocheted Socks and they're fun to make. There's another sock along starting on the Crochet Guild site if you're interested. I'm not sure I'll join this one because I need to focus on finishing the baby quilts and making bumper pads. I'm also trying to clean out a couple of closets and organize a garage. Ugh!
I'm not quitting the sock thing yet though. I started this pair. They're called South Bay Toe Up Socks and I'm liking these too! Here's the link for both socks patterns.
I'm a little stuck on the heel directions, but I'll figure them out soon! (I hope)

TGIF!! I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!

Sewing Time

2008-02-18T15:50:00.000-08:00

I spent some time sewing over the weekend. My DD found a cute "fish" mobile for a crib. That was what she picked for a theme. We found a turquoise colored fabric that looked like "bubbles" at Hancock's a few months ago. DD wasn't ready to commit to this fabric yet. Unfortunately, when she decided she wanted to use that fabric, she could only find 3 yards. My Hancock's didn't have any. I asked her to send me what she had and see if she could find anything else she liked. She sent the turquoise bubbles and found the same thing in pink. I found a busy, cute, bright fish print to match the turquoise and pink bubbles. I'm not crazy about using a lot of the pink, so I decided to use it as a trim on the valance and I'll use it to bind and back the quilt. Here's the valance and quilt top I made.

My DD takes care of my 2 year old grandson quite a bit. She has a toddler bed for him and it will stay in the baby's room. I found another fish print to go with the turquoise bubbles and made a quilt top for him.

So, I have a good start. I plan to make bumper pads and I still need to quilt the quilts!

New Top

2008-02-05T21:36:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone!
Here's a tank top I finished. This pattern is Elegant Shell from Lyon Brand. I used Sonata yarn from Elann. I changed the neckline a little and I'm happy with how it turned out. The pattern was easy to follow, so if you want to crochet a top that goes pretty quickly, this is a good one to try. Ok, maybe quick for others, but not me.

I don't seem to get through any project quickly because I don't usually work on one thing at a time. I work on several projects and usually start something else along the way. I eventually finish my projects, just not in the order I start them. Hhmmmm ..... maybe I do this because I have schedules to keep up with and have so many deadlines at work .... daily, weekly, biweekly, monthly,... you get the idea. This is my way of dealing with what I have to do. I can finish a craft project whenever I want, right? Right! Wow! I never thought of this before. I may have just come up with some new stress/personality theory! Naahhhhh, I just like to play when I can.

So who else does this? Do you start and finish a project before starting another or do you work on several at a time?

2008-01-28T20:53:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pair of baby booties. The white ones with the pink bows are my favorites. I used a pattern from Precious Baby Booties. I think I'll make a few more a little bigger and in different colors. A baby girl must have booties to match her outfits, right? The multi colored socks seem big. These are the Easy Newborn Socks I mentioned before. I used a sport weight yarn and I think a lighter baby weight yarn and smaller hook would turn out better. I'm sure these will still be useful. The little blue slippers are an experiment. I wanted to make a little 'slip on' bootie for relaxing around the crib. I'll work on these.

Need a gift bag?

2008-01-24T20:46:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone!

I had a birthday gift for a friend and needed to 'wrap' it. I love gift bags since they make gift wrapping so easy. I went out to buy a gift bag because I didn't have a large one on hand. Sometimes I feel kind of cheap ... the price for a large gift bags seemed kind of high. I thought for a little bit and decided to pick up a bargain bag and see if I could add something to it to make it special. This is what I came up with. I cut a few slits in the bag and wove some ribbon around it. I probably didn't save any money because I don't remember what I paid for the ribbon, but I did have fun.

How was your weekend?

2008-01-13T21:12:00.000-08:00

DId your get a lot of crafting done? I didn't think I did, but now that I think about it, I did. I went to Hancocks and a local quilt shop on Saturday. I was looking for material to make a curtain, a quilt of some sort, and probably a bumper pad for my daughter's baby. I'm waiting for her to send some material she picked out, but I wanted to look at patterns and get some ideas.
When I got home, I worked on fitting a pattern for a top. I think I mentioned that I was taking a class from Pattern Review, so I worked on making the muslin. I'm learning a lot. More instructions will follow on Monday so I'll be able to move on with it then.
I worked on a crochet top I'm making. The pattern is called Elegant Shell from Lyon Brand. I'm using this yarn from Elann in peacock green. I'm almost done so I will post a picture soon.

I also started some baby booties. I just had to start something for our new babies! Booties seemed the best project for now. I'm not sure what to make since it will be very warm in May in July in San Antonio. Anyway, I started with this pattern called Easy Newborn Socks. They're fun to make and the pattern's easy to follow. I'll post a picture of these too!

Ready to Sew

2008-01-09T21:40:00.000-08:00

Hi! I haven't really accomplished a lot since the new year began. I've had a lot of "interruptions". I have been able to play in little blocks of time though. I started crocheting a shell top. I've also been looking at baby patterns. It's time to start on some baby things for our grandbabies due in May and July. It's warm in Texas by May, so I really don't want to make sweaters and hats for newborns. We did find out that we will have a granddaughter in May! I'm so excited! We just found out yesterday. This weekend I'll shop for material to make a valance, bumper pads and blanket of some sort. I have an idea what my daughter wants. I'll see what I can find!
Tonight I worked on making a new top, Kwik Sew Pattern # 3338. (See link on side bar.) I signed up for a sewing class on Pattern Review called Build a Better T-Shirt. I have a mental block when it comes to fittng a pattern. I thought learning to fit a t-shirt might be a good place to start. I've never taken an online sewing class. It should be fun. I'll let you know how it goes. I'll post a picture of the t-shirt when I'm finished.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

I wish everyone a very happy new year!

So, who out there has made a list of resolutions? Do you have a to-do list, a do-better list or a new goal list? I don't usually make a firm list of things to do because I don't expect to accomplish exactly what I set out to do. But I have been thinking about this for a while now and have a few things to accomplish and a few goals to meet this year.

1. Typical resolution. I need to get back to eating better and losing a few pounds. I've been having fun the past couple of months eating whatever I want and that's not good. I like sweets and I like junk food and it's showing. Enough! I'll get back on track!

2. Improve sewing skills and projects:

a. I really want to learn how to fit clothing better and I'd like to perfect a few TNT (tried and true) patterns.
I've read several sewing blogs this year and I think this is very smart sewing tip!

b. Sewing for daughter and grandbabies. My DD moved into a new home and could use some window treatments.
She will also have a new baby in May (her first) and this new baby needs a pretty new window treatment and
quilt.
My DS and DDIL will have their 2nd baby in July and this one will also need his/her own special blanket/quilt.
This one may be crocheted. My DDIL doesn't need me to do any sewing for her. She does very well on her own.

c. New covers for chairs. I have 2 small rockers that need new cushion covers and skirts.

3. Crochet! gotta crochet! I have a few things going and want to finish them. I always have a list of things I want to make in
this category. With this in mind, go to #4.

4. Finish projects before starting too many new ones. (smile!)
I like sewing and crocheting and quilting and knitting and stamping and scrapbooking and ... you get the idea! I used to
criticize myself for working on too many projects at once. I finally realized that my fun was planning and working on
different things all the time. I eventually get things done, just not in the order I start them. That's ok. But, I think this
year I will focus on finishing my projects. I'll look back at this next year to see how I've done.

Well, I think this will be my New Year's resolution list. It'll be fun to see how I actually do this year. As I read through it again, I realize I have my year cut out for me already. I have a lot of traveling planned this year too. I should get started!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-23T19:43:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season. I've had so much fun this year reading blogs and making new friends.

I've been busy at work and had company and Christmas parties last weekend. My dh and I packed the car with gifts and goodies and took off yesterday. We have just arrived in Texas. It was a long trip, but everything went very well and we get to spend this week with our kids and grandkids. I'm so excited!

I'll blog again when I return to Vegas. Enjoy the holidays!

Cookie Authority?

2007-11-27T15:28:00.000-08:00

My office received our first holiday food gift today. It's Great and it's Bad. Great, because I love cookies and chocolate! Bad, because I love cookies and chocolate.
Anyway, here's the story. We received a big box of cookies. There was a list of what kinds of cookies were in the box. Before I arrived to eye the deliciousness, people were standing around trying to figure out which cookies were which. Does that strike you as funny or does this explain why I now have to watch what I eat? To me, it was a piece of cake, well, cookie. There were chocolate chip (my favorite!), double chocolate chip (my other favorite!!), peanut butter (also great with chips), spritz, chocolate dip spritz (now we're talking), white chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, sugar, lemon bars, rasberry bars, oatmeal raisin (skip the raisins, add chocolate chips), lemon poppyseed, etc. Ok, here's my point: Not know cookies? ?? I don't understand. How does this happen?
...One young lady asked me which cookie she would like since she didn't want anything too sweet. LOL! I suggested the spritz ... light, buttery, quite tasty. She liked it. Another lady asked for an unusual cookie. I handed her the cranberry white chocolate. She loved it. To another I offered the white chocolate chip. I am now the cookie expert. Now? I have always been a cookie expert! LOL! Notice I didn't pass out any of the chocolate treats. I'm also selfish!

It's funny. I was thinking the other day that I haven't posted anything about chocolate and it's one of my favorite things. I'll have to work on that.
I don't keep any around my house anymore because I'll eat it. I don't bake very much anymore because I'll eat it. I can only bring home what I want, no, will, no, should, yes, should eat at one time.

So, who out there likes chocolate? Do you have a favorite? candy, cookie, cake, dessert? Are you going to make any chocolate goodies for Christmas?

Let's try again

2007-11-14T20:00:00.000-08:00

I've started this scarf again and I think I'm getting the hang of it. It's a simple lace stitch pattern, but when I make a mistake knitting, I don't know how to fix it. It's easy to fix a mistake in crochet. You just pull the stitiches out and try again. Well, this one, so far so good. We'll see how it goes. Who knows? I may get beyond knitting scarves after this!
So, maybe someone can explain this to me. If I knit or crochet too long, my left arm hurts. I'm not sure what I've done to my arm, but isn't that the pits? I never expected to have trouble working on something I have so much fun with. Oh well... I'm sure I should probably quit crocheting and knitting for awhile, but it doesn't hurt that much ... yet.

Hi There!

2007-11-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

I suppose it's time to get back to blogging! Sorry it's been so long.
I've been busy with travelling and company and deciding on what I want to work on.

I started a Seraphina Shawl
. It'll be a Christmas present for one of my SILs. In my generation of my family, we draw names. I have 6 brothers, 1 sister, a BIL and 5 SILs. We decided a long time ago, it'd be just fine to draw names. That way, we could afford to buy something nice for the person we draw (or at least nicer than trying to do something for everyone). We also play the game of keeping names a secret. Well, that's not really true. We try to keep the secret from the person we draw. We usually do a lot of phone calls and messages about "what does he/she want?", "where do I get it?", "Come on, give me some idea!" to everyone else. My mom gets a lot of phone calls during this time. LOL! It's always a lot of fun for us. So, anyway, this shawl will be part of a gift. I will probably make a purse too and find something fun to toss in.
So, are you making gifts for Christmas? What are you making? ... if you can post about it before Christmas. My family doesn't really know about my blog, so I'm safe for now. I won't post gift ideas for my kids. They'll peak!

Simple Tank Tops

2007-10-14T13:26:00.000-07:00

Here's a top I crocheted and I made it about a year ago ... I think. It's the first top I made and I thought a tank would be the simplest piece for me to work on. It's a simple stitch pattern - single crochet, ch 2, single crochet in next ch 2 space. That's it ... well pretty much. There isn't any shaping involved. Once I figured out the measurements I needed and the hook size I liked, it went together fairly quickly. I just did 3 rows of single crohet around the neck, arms and bottom to finish it. I used Lustersheen in white and a F crochet hook. That's probably a little bigger hook than normal for this yarn, but I liked to the look of the stitch pattern when I used this hook. I made another one in turquoise just to see if the tank would turn out ok again.

These two tanks gave me the confidence to go ahead and try to my hand at some designs. I'd like to try some shaping in a pattern sometime, but for now I'll be happy to make something that fits ok.

Time for Crochet

2007-10-11T20:47:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I've been working on several things at once ... again. This is a crochet top I started a while back. It took several swatches to decide on a stitch pattern and hook size I wanted to use. I crocheted the front and back pieces to this point and stopped. It's been sitting around until I decide how I want to finish it. I think I'd like to finish with a V neck. I haven't decided about sleeves yet. When I figure that how and how to do it, I'll continue. That's one of the reasons I work on several things at once. When I do finish it, I'll post a better picture and try and tell you how I made it. Right now I can tell you I'm using Patons Grace yarn in Bluette with a G hook. I'll post more pictures of some of the other things I'm working on soon.

Happy Friday!

A little blue ...

2007-10-01T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
My daughter and grandson visited this past weekend. Gabriel is 20 months old and is one busy little guy who is very smart. Do I sound like a proud Nana or what?
He loves airplanes, trucks, busses, cars, animals and balls. He also had a lot of fun riding a bike and playing with ice. (DH laughed because I was worried he didn't have enough to play with.) We took a walk to a little lake near where we live and he liked watching the ducks. My daughter and I managed to shop a little while he napped one afternoon, so we had some time together. It was so much fun having 4 days with them. We had a great weekend. I knew I missed them and the rest of our kids, and this visit proved it to me even more. It's was so hard to take them to the airport and watch them leave. I'll see them again soon. I keep telling myself that. Hmmmm... it's not working yet.

I'll get the house cleaned up and see if I can interest myself is some crocheting or sewing.
Oh, I do have one bit of exciting news. We have another grandbaby on the way. My other daughter is expecting so we will have a new baby next May, I think. I'll be planning new baby items very soon.

8 Things About Me

2007-09-26T14:47:00.001-07:00

Lesa from Lesalicious
tagged me with this a few days ago and I'm just getting to post about it. (She loves to crochet and has the 2 cutest little girls!) The rules are to tag the person who sent it to you, list 8 things about yourself, tag 8 people and let them know they've been tagged. Ok, here goes.

Love chocolate! ... cookies, cake, candy ... it's all good! I don't get to eat as much as I used to, but it's still my favorite food group.

I'm married for the 2nd time, for almost 3 years. Hmmm. I mentioned chocolate before my husband. Maybe that's why I'm married for the 2nd time. lol

I have 3 dks and 2 dgks. My dh has 3 dks and 2 dgks ... So now we have 6 dks and 4 dgks. Sounds like a Brady bunch, doesn't it?

I was born and raised in Missouri.

I have lived in Mississippi, Crete, California, Germany, San Antonio and now, Las Vegas.

I have 1 sister and 6 brothers and a lot of nieces and nephews. (My maiden name and current last name is Brady.)

I have a dog named Razor. We call him Ray because he's not that sharp. Get it? Not sharp? Lol...I kill me. I got him when he was 2, so I didn't pick his name. He's 12 now and he's been my buddy since we met.

I love crocheting, sewing, quilting, knitting (I'm learning), making cards and scrapbooking and everything that goes with all of this. I often think I should pick 1 or 2 crafts and concentrate on them, but Naahhhh! I have too much fun with the messes I make.

I'm going to cheat here. I love reading posts about everyone, but I really hate to put people on the spot, so if you feel like joining in on the fun, please do so. Consider yourself tagged by me!

2007-09-19T20:23:00.000-07:00

Remember this? Never the Same Twice jacket pattern?

Well, here's my finished product.

I have a few minutes and wanted to post a picture of the finished jacket. I'm happy with the way it turned out. I think the jacket will be fun to wear and since it's just 2 layers of cotton fabric, it'll be perfect for Vegas. The pattern was not hard to follow, but there was a little trick to collar area. Not a trick, really. It was just easier not to worry about matching the layers perfectly. Let them fall where they want and then stitch. Gotta go ... time to work!

Made My Day!

2007-09-17T15:31:00.000-07:00

This is so nice! Karyn from Trailmix Designs nominated me for this award. She has a great blog and everything she makes turns out so cute!

Now I get to pass this on to 5 bloggers. I've been enjoying making new friends and keeping up with already great friends.
So, Angie at Number1NatureGirl, Mindy at Crochet of Many Colors, Marty at But Then I'm Nobody, Lesa at Lesalicious and Sheila at Sheilaz Crochetz ... You guys are newly awarded! I love your blogs and your creativeness and your friendship!

Back from Vacation

2007-09-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
I'm baaacckk! Well, actually, we've been home for a week now. It took me awhile to get back in the swing of things. We had a great time in Michigan. Come to think of it, this is probably my first, honest to goodness, vacation. I've always taken off to see family or meet family or something with family. It's all been great and I have gone away for weekends without family, but this is the first whole week of vacation and only vacation. We stayed in a cabin in northern MI for 4 nights and then went to Mackinaw Island for a few days. It was all gorgeous. The weather was perfect and the trees were just starting to turn colors.

I've done a little crocheting, but it hasn't resulted in much. I made close to 3 purses and then frogged them all. I started over on one, but it's not complete yet. I've been thinking about sewing a few clothing items and that's about it. For the last couple of days I've been slowly cleaning out a few closets and cabinets. I want to work on the garage and get some more shelving out there. I asked my dh to help me and he said I could handle it by myself. I said "ok, I'll take care of it." Well, he changed his mind quickly. My tone and look told him that whatever is out there that is his (which is most of it) will be completely organized .... and gone! LOL!! The look on his face was classic!

Here's a picture of the river outside the cabin we stayed in. So peaceful!

It's me ... Hi! .. on a boat ride around the area.

Have a great weekend! I hope to post a few pictures of crocheting or sewing soon!

Hello!

2007-08-28T08:34:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't posted lately. I was out of town for a long weekend and then I was home for a week without a computer. The computer's back, along with my DH. We share a computer at home and it's fine until he has to travel. I may get one of my own very soon.
We traveled to San Antonio to see our kids and grandkids. I'm always excited to go, always have a great time and am always tired when we get home. My DH and I have 6 kids and 4 grandkids between us. It's great they're all in SA. When we visit, we get to see everyone! I love it!
I've been working on different things ... again. A purse, a top, a quilt top. a jacket and yearbooks for a group I'm in. The yearbooks took up most of my free time last week. When I got tired of them, I'd pick up something fun to work on ... the purse, the top, etc.
I took a jacket class last Monday night at a local quilt shop. I finished it last night. Well, almost. I have a little hand sewing to do and I need to find a button for it. Here's the pattern - Never the Same Twice from Indygo Junction. (Can you believe it? a link! WhooHoo!) I have to admit ... when I saw the pattern I wasn't crazy about it, but a friend was teaching the class and I decided it would be fun to make. When I saw other jackets people were making, the class was even more fun! I'll post a picture of it very soon.
Have a great day!

My Weekend

2007-08-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
This weekend started out with a list of things to take care of. You know how that goes, don't you? You start thinking about what needs to get done, what you want to get done, the other things you should get done ... and then you do something else! Well, a new skirt sounded like more fun. I used New Look Pattern # 6470 and some fabric I bought at JoAnn's. The skirt has an elastic waist and separate pieces added to bottom to make the flounce. It goes together pretty easily. I'm happy with the fabric and the fit. That's a rare combination for me.

Another thing ... my DH has a new employee at work. He and his wife just had a baby boy. I wanted to make something for them, but didn't think I'd have enough time. I started on this little blanket and should be able to finish it tonight. One side is flannel and the other side is cotton. I serged around the pieces and am now crocheting an edging with #10 crochet cotton. I'll let you know how it turns out. I think I should add a little extra to this gift, like a new outfit or keepsake for the baby ... or a donation to the college fund. I'll think about it a little longer.
Ok, I'm off to work on the list of things that need to get done. Later!

Well, it's about time!

2007-08-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

I did say I liked to crochet, didn't I? Yes I do. I'm just not very fast and sometimes I start on something, frog it several to many times to get it the way I think it should be, work on it for awhile, set it aside and start something else, and then go back to it and either finish it, or repeat the process of starting something else. Sometimes I wish I were one of those people that started something and finished it before something else distracted me, but that ain't and it ain't gonna happen. So, I've learned to accept that.

Ok, so I finally finished the 'Sweet White Sweater' I was working on back when. It needs blocking, but you can see it now. I used this Sweet Sweater pattern found on the Crochetme website. I decided to make a cardigan for the summer. This is what I came up with. I'm more into simple designs because that's all I'm capable of working on right now. I'll let you know how I like it after I wear it.

Have a good one everybody!

What happens in Vegas ...

2007-08-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a member of the Las Vegas Hookers. Really? Yep! We're a crochet group. All of us crochet and some members knit too. We're an official chapter of the CGOA - Crochet Guild of America. Another fun fact: We meet in a bar. I wonder if that rates us up there with "Not Your Mama's Crochet". My 'Mama' laughed when I mentioned this to her. I'm not too sure she didn't choke at first, but she laughed. (I grew up in a small Missouri town.) Anyway, we had a meeting last night and, as always, had a great time. Maybe it was the beer or margaritas or drink of choice, but I think it was the company and the yarn. We started about 3 years ago and our membership has grown quite a bit since then. We used to meet once a month. Now meetings are held weekly. Not all of us make it every week, but we try. Crocheting and Knitting sure are poplular!

Little Bits

2007-07-29T22:29:00.000-07:00

Hi All! Time flies. I've been putzing around this week. I crocheted a little, knitted a little, did a little sewing, shopping and reading. I haven't completed any projects, but I haven't started anything new. I think that a good thing.
Here's a picture of new crochet stitch. Well, I mean it's new to me. It's called 'Split Single Crochet' and I wish the picture was better for you. I like the stitch pattern. It's from the Crochet Guild. They have a Yahoo group called CGOA Group and they started a "Stitch a Week" thing. They plan to post a new stitch every week. I think some people plan to make the squares every week and put them together for an afghan. I think it'll be fun to check it out and see what new stitches I can learn. Check 'em out and see what you think!
I hope to post again soon and show you a finished project. Enjoy your week!

Saturday morning!

2007-07-19T20:38:00.000-07:00

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Now why is it that during the week I can sleep and don't want to get up and on Saturday morning when I can sleep I wake up even earlier than I need to during the week and I'm wide awake and a million things of what I should be and could be doing keep me awake and I get up and it's really early? I'm wondering if I had just a little too much coffee this morning... lol!

Let's see ... about the picture ... it's reversible tablecloth. The pattern is called "Reversible Tablecloth". Isn't that a clever name? It's from a local quilt shop called The Christmas Goose. I made one side with a wine print fabric and the other side is coffee fabric. There are coordinating prints and the border coordinates with both sides ... so it's reversible. The center is large square of your theme fabric and a couple of borders are added. This would be fun to do for gifts and for holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas, or Valentine's Day and Easter.
Well I guess I'm off to figure out what I want to do today. Have a great day everyone!

Quilting Anyone?

2007-07-19T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well, it's about time isn't it? I haven't posted lately. Here's a picture (and not a very good one) of a table runner I made. The pattern is from the book 'Dining at the Lodge' by Helen Thorn. You can see it at www.pinetreelodge.com. Sorry ... I thought I was figuring this blog thing out. I kept getting an error when I tried to add a link here. I'll keep working at that. Anyway, the quilt book has cute patterns for placemats, tablerunners and small tablecloths. The directions are detailed and pretty easy to follow.
Ok, who out there is good at working on one project at a time? Do you start and complete a project before you start another one? I don't!
I often think that if I focused on one projectc at a time, I might actually get a few things done and get to be pretty good at something. But, that's not me. I like a lot of different crafts and I like planning them and working on them all at different times. Sometimes I focus on one and sometimes I work on several different things at once. It's really all about the fun of it, so I guess it really doesn't matter what I do when. These past few months I've been crocheting, sewing, quilting and knitting a little bit. So, I'll post about whatever I do and either confuse or surprise you all! Happy Friday everyone!

New Skirt

2007-07-09T20:16:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! Well, here's a picture of a skirt I made last week. It's a Textile Studios pattern ... basic skirts pattern. It's a 4-gore skirt and easy to sew. The fabric is a polyester from Fabric.com. I'm learning more about the fabrics I like to sew and wear. I like the colors and pattern of this fabric, but I'm not crazy about the content of the fabric. It's still a good skirt for work.

My dh and I made a whirlwind trip to OK over the weekend. One of my dbs got married and most of the rest of my family was there. We had a great time. I know we'll be ready to take it easy this weekend!

Something else I've been working on

2007-07-04T21:37:00.000-07:00

Happy July 4th to everyone! Did you BBQ and watch fireworks? This year my husband and I had a quiet day. He loves to BBQ so he made dinner. Yeah! We didn't go out to watch fireworks this year. We're travelling this weekend and decided a quiet day at home sounded good. It's also 100 and hell degrees outside these days! (I heard that the other day and thought it was pretty funny!) The summers in Vegas can be brutal!

Well, who cares about all that? On to more fun things. I managed to sew this morning. I finished a red Tshirt, made a white Tshirt, lined a purse I made and hemmed a pair of capris. Wow! Don't I sound efficient? I never feel that way. The purse in the picture is crocheted and I actually finished it a while back. I thought a picture of it would be good. It's a pattern from Maggies Crochet and I used crochet nylon. It's harder to work with than yarn, but I like the look of it for purses. I think the purses hold up better too. I've made a few purses and will make more, I'm sure, so be prepared for more purse photos.

First Picture Post

2007-07-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

I finally have a picture to post. This is what I've been working on ... starting, restarting, restarting... I couldn't get to a point where I was happy with how the neckline and front were laying. I think I'm ready to move on now. This is a version of the Sweet sweater from Amy O'Neill Houck posted on Crochet Me. It's a top down sweater and I thought it'd be nice to make a summer cardigan version. It's hot here in Las Vegas, but sometimes it's cold in my office. This might be just the thing to throw on ... if I can finish it before it's time to pull out the winter jackets. Before I forget, I'm using Patons Grace in white and am using V stitches. I'll keep you posted on the progress!

Good Morning!

2007-06-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Good Morning everyone! I'm just starting my day at work and it's going to be a hectic one. I just thought I'd pass on a note about Karyn from Trailmix Designs. She makes some very cute bags, change purses and cards. She is showcasing her wares on Etsy today. I love the colors she puts together.

On a more personal note, I've been trying to make a summer cardigan. I seem to be 'frogging' more than I accomplish. I think I'm getting to the point where I will continue on with it. I'll try and post some pictures very soon.

Have a great day!

How did you come up with a name for your blog?

2007-06-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

Hello World! I decided to jump on the blog bandwagon. I had trouble deciding on a name for my blog. There are so many creative names out there! Well, I love to CROchet and Sew and I'm slowly learning to knIT. When I combined those interests, I came up with 'Croshit'. I decided that wasn't a very nice name. I tried again. CROchet, Sew, knIt, QUilting ... and cHocolatE. That's how I came up with 'Croshique'! I think this blog thing will be fun!