40 posts tagged “crochet”

After Thanksgiving, hubby was saying that one of his sister's girls was interested in crochet. Well, he couldn't remember which one. So, what I did for him was make 4 of these Mary Jane stockings. I had the cutest little "lips" buttons for the strap. I made these a tad smaller, because of time thingies. The dollar bill at the top kind of gives the idea of scale. Anyway, I gave them to hubby and told him to go ahead and mail these off to his sister and her 3 grown daughters. Hubby also has a "Mr. Bill" keychain for his sister too. 

But, even tho hubby's family and myself have not gotten along for all these decades, Christmas is still Christmas. I figured it was a nice gift to give my wonderful husband. . .   

Just thought I would post pics of the Santa I am doing while I am doing it. Hopefully I will be able to get to Mrs. Santa before Christmas. LOL 

I just Love the new book "Crochet Liberation Front". This is the second pattern I've done. The first one was the "UFO" tote by Carol Ventura. 

I used the pattern from http://www.ravelry.com/designers/zuleika-lambe-2

I really tried to finish this before Halloween, but, things in life have a way of changing ones schedule. LOL But, I finished the purse straps today. The pattern is from the book, "Crochet Liberation Front". It is a pattern from Carol Ventura done in Tapestry crochet. 

Boy, I wish I did have this finished for Halloween as I could really put a lot of loot in this bag. 

 I took this photo with the dollar bill so you can see size of this great purse. I still have to "block" the purse, but really wanted to get the photo up. 

If I wanted to sell this purse, I would have to say at least $100, due to it's size.

 This is the book I got in Sept that has the pattern for the skull purse. 

My neighbor is getting married this week and tho we are just neighbors, I made these for him and his bride. I used Red Heart yarn, tulle and the eyes are from http://www.suncatchereyes.net/ She has the best eyes I have found. 

The pattern is from the book; 

Really cute and easy patterns. 

Well, how many times does one get a choice in ones own kitchen? LOL Hubby and I differ on how our coffee is made. I'm really old fashioned and prefer the perk type. Tastes better to me. And yes, I do have a coffee pot that can go on the stove to "perk" coffee. Works for camping also. But, hey, how do you like your coffee cooked????? 
I only bring this up as do you know how difficult it is to find the "star filters" for my percolators? So far only target has them. And when I do find them I usually buy a dozen or so. But, next time you are in a store that sells percolators, see if they have those star filters. Most places don't. So, why sell the percolator without the filters-intresting . . .

I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day. I know I did. Except for going to see a surgeon for hubby. That one polyp he has that is very large, has to come out. Hubby will be getting a "resection" of that part of his bowel. Plus, his surgery is going to be on "leap day": Feb 29. Hubby will be spending a few days in hospital-Hoag in Newport beach.
http://www.hoaghospital.org/  I guess when one has a colonoscopy, the doctors can use a "loop device" to remove small polyps. The loop device goes around the polyp, then a small current of electricity is sent thru it. This cauterizes as it removes. Hubby's polyp touches the other side of the intestine, so not a good thing to try to remove with the loop. The electric current could cause the other side of the bowel injury. Let me tell you that hubby is really tired of "being probed" where the sun doesn't shine-LOL He says it must be like being taken to a space ship and the aliens are doing the "probing". Hey, hubby is an amateur astronomer, and thinks aliens from "outer space" have been here. LOL Me, well, those little "greys" need to come to my front door, ring the bell, and introduce themselves before I would think they were real-LOL.
I have made this Valentine cookie for years. It is really good and quite easy to make. I have a couple of heart shaped cake pans, a 6 inch and a 4 inch. But, any baking pan will work. Plus, did you know that Reynolds now makes parchment paper on a roll? No more buying the package of sheets.
Here is the cookie I made. And to date, there is only a small piece left. We had "cookie" with breakfast. A great way to start off Valentines Day. Hubby got me a card, some wonderful red, fuzzy type slippers, and a sterling silver pendant. I got him a card, cookie, dinner and well, lets just say that even after almost 38 years, (May 15 will be 38 years), it still sizzles in the bedroom. LOL

I bought myself a few more patterns. I know, I know, but it's an obsession with books and booklets. I have been crocheting for close to 35 years, and I do have a "wonderful" library of crochet and bead patterns. Along with my art books, reference books, antique and vintage books, and some great history type books. That's why I had to buy a larger bookcase.
Yep, I got a "good looking one". Why not? See all those books hiding behind the door . . .
The top 2 shelves are all crochet type books and pamplets. It's remarkable that I managed to keep these for so long. I did thin out the books. All those extras went to my granddaughter. She loved them. Poor thing has tonsilities. She's stuck at home. I heard she's crocheting a teddy bear while she gets better.
  I keep my hooks in the bookcase too. Now you all know what you can do with floral frogs and giant beer mugs!!
The new patterns I got are shown below. Plus, I am working on the "Strawberry Shortcake" and another doll. you will see the bits and pieces . . .


The Mr and Mrs Santa pattern comes from www.bluebearytreasures.com These are just so cute. I might make them with sport yarn first to get an idea of the pattern before I use thread-LOL But these are just so adorable . . .

Here are the "bits and pieces of 2 dolls I am doing. Now, I changed the size of the hook from a "G" down to a "C" as I prefer a smaller doll. I am using "Red Heart" Classic yarn, 4 ply acrylic. It's a lot of smaller pieces, just like doing one of those fanicer amigurumi. If anyone is planning to try these-let me see yours too!!






The latest issue of "Crochet Today", March/April 08, has in their "products & news", page 6, an article of "handy Hooks" from Japan. I love mine for crocheting with fabric and really bulky yarns. I got mine tho about 15 years or so ago from "Annie's Attic". Which they discontinued. But, I have had carpel tunnel surgery wrist and elbow, ( it was from intense gardening when we lived in Washington state), and these hooks feel so good when working with them. So, if you were thinking of these hooks get them now! I went to the site and it is $8.00 for all three. But there is a waiting list as they sell out quickly!! The site is www.kpixie.com 
Oh, before I forget, I got a photo of Munch. She usually doesn't sit still for a photo, she really is a "scardy Cat. But, today was different-enjoy her little sweet face.
It is the right side of her face that is parlazed. You can just see the tiny "smirk" she has on the right side of her mouth.

Well, enough from me for one day. I will check in as hubby has to do a 2 and a half day clean out before the surgery. And all day on the 29th I will be at Hoag hospital.

Well, the crochet keeps on. I have a couple of larger projects I am working on, but had to do this elephant. I did her in hot pink! Hey, can never have to many "pink elephants"!!! LOL  Even her eyes are pink. I changed vanna's pattern a touch. I wanted the trunk up instead of down. And she is tiny, as you can see with her next to the pattern which is on an 8.5 inch X 8 inch piece of paper. This pattern goes quite fast as I finished her in about 2 hours. I used a size "C" hook also.


These little "owlets" are just so adorable. The pattern is super easy. I did one in an hour. He is about 2 inches across and about the same height.

And for the other things going on. Hubby is going to need surgery to have a very large polyp or mass removed from his colon. We see the surgeon tomorrow (Valentine's Day). So, due to things happening, I decided to wait to fall to try college again. I know, I know-why. Well for one, there is no one else to help when hubby goes in for surgery. Plus, it is so difficult to do homework when trying to do everything else. So, I am not a failure because I decided not to go this spring. Responsibilities come first. Course, I have always let responsibilities come first. It is just so difficult for me not to do my responsibilities. I really don't know how to just do for myself. Maybe just maybe if some of those so-callled friends I used to have had "stuck" around I wouldn't feel so disenfranchised from everything. I'm sorry to vent, but for heavens sake, do you know what it is like to be thrown in the trash by former friends and family? I've tried, really tried with the world. I believe it would be better to just be alone. Yes, I have asked for help, and the answer is always the same, sorry. Or that will cost you X-amount of money.   So, what else should I be doing?

My two cents on the mortgage bailout-figures that those people would get help. Let's see, they bought houses way over their budgets so they could "brag" about having it all. Then they bought all that fancy furniture, TV's, cars, etc. Now they "cry in their beer" abut not being able to afford things. Gee, it must be so nice to know that they will get money from the rest of us, who  just toughed it out, without even a glimmer of help then. So, what are people like me going to get? Those of us who stayed within our budgets. We didn't have the big house, fancy furniture, giant TV's, and newer vehicles. (I still drive my 78 Chevy pick-up). We didn't have stolen money to fund our kids schools and kids. No we were stupid and taught them how to live in this world by giving them chores and making them get jobs in the summer. Mine started working in strawberry fields at age 12. Our kids learned the value of a dollar. Todays kids are just lazy and do not appreciate anything that is done for them. All they want is more. And those kids grow up believing they can get bailed out from anything. Great world huh?  Well, that is my thoughts on the bail out. I say let them lose it all, maybe they will learn you can't have your cake and eat it too . . .  But, with the elections coming up, I can say I hope everyone likes to socialists. Cause that is what is going to happen no matter who gets in office.

 

Hubby also goes in today to get the second half of his teeth deep cleaned. Poor baby. After Mon, we can schedule him for the extractions of his back teeth. Cleanings were nessessary for overall health. Especially since extractions are in order. Then, after healing for a month or so, hubby will go back in, have the rest of his teeth extracted, and his dentures put in. The dentures will act as a bandage then. 

You have to understand hubby's disability. Innocent tremor is a brain problem. It's genetic.His hands shake.

It only gets worse with age. he's on medication and he still shakes. Imagine without the meds . . .  Hubby sometimes has to use 2 hands to hold his cell phone up to his ear. He had difficulty brushing his teeth, let alone flossing and all that. Washing dentures will be so much easier for him. And me too. Used to wash Mother's dentures. that I don't mind. 

So, I used to wash Mother's dentures, doing hubby's will be no problem.    

Finally got the handles sewed on to the string purse. Regular old cotton thread. The heavyweight stuff. I have some brownish and creamiest beads that I think I will sew or fringe along the curve of the handle seam. And maybe along the side edges. Just want to give it a bit of pizzazz. Living this close to the beach, these purses are great for the beach. The sand can fall out easier due to the spaces from the crochet.-LOL

Has anyone else been thinking about summer??? I made several of these a few summers ago. no pattern, just crochet strips with buttons crocheted on. Make sure you find the smallest hook you can to go thru some of the button holes. (I dislike drilling if possible.) 

How many of you have vintage buttons in drawers, jars, jewelry boxes for safekeeping. This is a wonderful way to display those. And with all the beautiful colors of thread yarn. 

I did this necklace when my Mother was in the Lions club. Blue and gold (yellow) colors. The lion's head as the focal. Just balance both sides of the necklace with regular buttons added in. Or not. make this necklace as full or not as you like. I love my peasant skirts in summer. With my tunic t-shirt tops, these are wonderful to wear.

Well, dentist first today, then milk, cat food, return movies, paint, stuffing, all on the way home. Maybe lunch out would be nice too . . . 

Later . . . everyone have a nice day