minus straps! I fixed the blunder and it is wearable (both my husband & I don't really care for the print on this fabric) ... wearable is exceptable at this point in time! I still need to make the straps for it and since I have very limited fabric left for that purpose I don't dare cut it and end up with nothing for straps!!! The dress has been tried on and I can wear it with the shirt (acting as jacket) that I had originally planned so that makes it better ... once the straps are on & the hem is taken care of I'll be much happier.
As for the second dress I'm going to see if I can get some professional help in cutting the fabric properly in order to just have to sew the seams (yes the second one I want cut into a front & back panel with 2 side seams I believe that will take care of the excess needed to fit my ample hip area) ..... perhaps some help with the straps as well??? I have two ideas in mind so I'll see.
Meanwhile I need to get my hook flying on the two ruffled stoles I have underway. Time is running out!!!
Will keep you posted. And pictures when the dresses are finished.
Wave hat
An original design of mine in the works
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Sewing prayers!!!!
I'm not sure about my sundress ... I have even written to another blogger here at blogspot requesting her advice if she is so inclined to respond to me I would be forever grateful especially if it means I can make my second dress better than the first.
I purchased the ready to make sundress fabric on sale with the intention of simply sewing up the back seam & adding straps. But look who's talking about doing this "simple" sew job? Me LOL ... I know I have done a lot of last minute sew jobs in a pinch that look okay (if you're blind that is) but if it is for me I don't mind since I am not a seamstress & it saved me money in the long run.
Back to my dress ... I had asked at the store how one determined how much to purchase since it was sold by the inch & not by the yard... also keeping in mind I'm a heavy set pear with the emphasis on heavy on bottom while lacking on top... this fabric is already smocked with the elastic threads so there is "give" across the bust area if cut too generously it looks horrible ... if not cut generously enough one could guess that the bottom portion of said dress won't fit around the amply sized bottom it needs to cover. So I actually purchased this with a lot more generousity then necessary.
I found this in two prints the first one I actually like the second one I'm not too fond of but wanted/needed a second dress in this style so went ahead & purchased both. Decided I really can't wait until just days before leaving the country to deal with sewing them so pulled out the machine & grabbed the "eh" fabric and got to work. (mind you I did wash & dry both fabrics a couple of weeks ago ~ always wash & dry fabrics before making clothes out of them is what I was told so that is what I did) ... now here was the fun part ... I measured my bust and thought if I cut the fabric with just a little bit of generousity then I might get away with things. Sewed up the seam and discovered that the top was more generous then even I thought, sewed it some more and discovered I made it worse ... so I can see where I have to fix it but certainly don't wish to experience this with the second fabric. It would be so much better if I can cut it according to how it needs to be cut so that I can simply sew up the seam.
My grandmother (a master seamstress or what ever would be considered the highest compliment in the world of sewing) could look at any style of clothing anywhere & then take the features of any items she wanted to and make her own patterns and have the end result look like pure perfection which it was since it was a custom made garment ~ made just for me! Where is that talent when I need it? ... oh... you must know how to sew? You should work with fabrics & threads & needles? So not me. Talent doesn't just show up because I want it??? I have not taken any classes on sewing in over 27 yrs and the one I took way back when barely got me started on sewing clothes ... my area of fearless fun comes in the world of crochet. In sewing if you mess up you could be out a lot of $$ depending on the cost of the fabric & whatever else it may need/ call for ... in crochet if you mess up usually you just frog it & rework it & you're good to go.
I really would like to have both dresses for this trip to Italy so I'll go attempt to fix my blunder. But I'm not working on the second one just yet. Thankfully there is still some time to get that one done correctly the first time around.
Back to my crocheting once I finish the dress. Dear God HELP!!!! I need to make straps for this too!
I purchased the ready to make sundress fabric on sale with the intention of simply sewing up the back seam & adding straps. But look who's talking about doing this "simple" sew job? Me LOL ... I know I have done a lot of last minute sew jobs in a pinch that look okay (if you're blind that is) but if it is for me I don't mind since I am not a seamstress & it saved me money in the long run.
Back to my dress ... I had asked at the store how one determined how much to purchase since it was sold by the inch & not by the yard... also keeping in mind I'm a heavy set pear with the emphasis on heavy on bottom while lacking on top... this fabric is already smocked with the elastic threads so there is "give" across the bust area if cut too generously it looks horrible ... if not cut generously enough one could guess that the bottom portion of said dress won't fit around the amply sized bottom it needs to cover. So I actually purchased this with a lot more generousity then necessary.
I found this in two prints the first one I actually like the second one I'm not too fond of but wanted/needed a second dress in this style so went ahead & purchased both. Decided I really can't wait until just days before leaving the country to deal with sewing them so pulled out the machine & grabbed the "eh" fabric and got to work. (mind you I did wash & dry both fabrics a couple of weeks ago ~ always wash & dry fabrics before making clothes out of them is what I was told so that is what I did) ... now here was the fun part ... I measured my bust and thought if I cut the fabric with just a little bit of generousity then I might get away with things. Sewed up the seam and discovered that the top was more generous then even I thought, sewed it some more and discovered I made it worse ... so I can see where I have to fix it but certainly don't wish to experience this with the second fabric. It would be so much better if I can cut it according to how it needs to be cut so that I can simply sew up the seam.
My grandmother (a master seamstress or what ever would be considered the highest compliment in the world of sewing) could look at any style of clothing anywhere & then take the features of any items she wanted to and make her own patterns and have the end result look like pure perfection which it was since it was a custom made garment ~ made just for me! Where is that talent when I need it? ... oh... you must know how to sew? You should work with fabrics & threads & needles? So not me. Talent doesn't just show up because I want it??? I have not taken any classes on sewing in over 27 yrs and the one I took way back when barely got me started on sewing clothes ... my area of fearless fun comes in the world of crochet. In sewing if you mess up you could be out a lot of $$ depending on the cost of the fabric & whatever else it may need/ call for ... in crochet if you mess up usually you just frog it & rework it & you're good to go.
I really would like to have both dresses for this trip to Italy so I'll go attempt to fix my blunder. But I'm not working on the second one just yet. Thankfully there is still some time to get that one done correctly the first time around.
Back to my crocheting once I finish the dress. Dear God HELP!!!! I need to make straps for this too!
Friday, August 29, 2008
YaY sort of ...
LOL well the meeting went very well with the travel agent. She answered our questions and I felt much more at ease about everything and the way it is all set up. From there I went to check on how much I still wanted the new tops. I had actually discovered that I had a skirt purchased in June still in the bag with the receipt that truth be told I wasn't going to ever get around to using since it never made it out of the bag! Returned that item and then tried on everything that I had them holding for me... then tried on a few more things ... did I mention I HATE shopping? Well in the end I asked what the damages were and I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to pick up 2 pairs of everyday pants (sport style??) ~ means soft knit material that I can lounge around in or run around in depending on my mood / need at the moment. True one pair doesn't have pockets but still comfort goes a long way in my book. Then I managed to pick a tee- shirt that I really liked and fortunately for me they had it in several colors so even though it is the "SAME" shirt it is in different colors! Purple, brown?, tan, pink/red?, light green, and then a different T-shirt in blue with a bird on the front ... and my favorite shirt ~ denim with a 4th of July theme going on the front yet in a way that I could wear it anytime & not mind at all. (goes great with the pocket less red pants) Oh and the second pair of pants is lavender (light purple) ~ the purple tee might go perfectly with them. I'll have to see. In fact if it works well together it may end up being my "travel outfit". Time will tell.
Shopping Continued
I will be meeting the travel agent this morning (very soon in fact) to just go over our paper work ~ make sure that I understand what I need to do with our stuff ... get clear on just a few things (gee you'd think I never flew out of this country before but that isn't true!!)
From that meeting I will be back at the store (they were holding some shirts for me) the sale is supposed to be an additional % off the already clearanced priced items so hopefully I will save something in the process. The decision has been made that I need to replace my everyday tops so I might as well do so now and in the process if it means I can bring some of those items along on my trip so much the better.
I will still need walking shoes ... shoe shopping is the absolute worst in my opinion. I have one foot that swells and one that can if it wants to but basically I can't wear all the pretty shoe styles out there ... I'm lucky I can handle ballerina style slip ons for the majoritiy of my footwear (they aren't always as easy to find as you'd expect)... and when it comes to walking shoes in a wide width half way decent will cost you an arm or a leg! Hey do you have any idea how much yarn we are talking about here????? Let me tell you it's a lot!
So I've written out my clothing plan for packing and I think I might still have too many items I'll have to really listen to my daughter on this ... she said to put everything on the bed and pack if I have too much quickly decide what is staying home. Make sure what I kept packed will work together and move on to something else.
On a crochet note .... I began the ruffled stole ... that hopefully will work up fast (of course if I don't work on it it can't work up fast or slow) ... I have frogged & restarted the second scarf I had under way ... at least 3 times now. I even brought out my knitting needles thinking what I wasn't happy with in crochet I might care for in basic knit stitch on large needles. Wrong!
So I have decided to frog that yet again & this time I will approach it differently. Hopefully it will work and I won't have a breakdown without finishing all of my gifts in time!
Well time to get ready ... can't go shopping or meet with anyone while still in my jammies! LOL or as I've been known to say I can go but no one wants to see me like this in public!LOL
Wishing you all frog free projects :)
From that meeting I will be back at the store (they were holding some shirts for me) the sale is supposed to be an additional % off the already clearanced priced items so hopefully I will save something in the process. The decision has been made that I need to replace my everyday tops so I might as well do so now and in the process if it means I can bring some of those items along on my trip so much the better.
I will still need walking shoes ... shoe shopping is the absolute worst in my opinion. I have one foot that swells and one that can if it wants to but basically I can't wear all the pretty shoe styles out there ... I'm lucky I can handle ballerina style slip ons for the majoritiy of my footwear (they aren't always as easy to find as you'd expect)... and when it comes to walking shoes in a wide width half way decent will cost you an arm or a leg! Hey do you have any idea how much yarn we are talking about here????? Let me tell you it's a lot!
So I've written out my clothing plan for packing and I think I might still have too many items I'll have to really listen to my daughter on this ... she said to put everything on the bed and pack if I have too much quickly decide what is staying home. Make sure what I kept packed will work together and move on to something else.
On a crochet note .... I began the ruffled stole ... that hopefully will work up fast (of course if I don't work on it it can't work up fast or slow) ... I have frogged & restarted the second scarf I had under way ... at least 3 times now. I even brought out my knitting needles thinking what I wasn't happy with in crochet I might care for in basic knit stitch on large needles. Wrong!
So I have decided to frog that yet again & this time I will approach it differently. Hopefully it will work and I won't have a breakdown without finishing all of my gifts in time!
Well time to get ready ... can't go shopping or meet with anyone while still in my jammies! LOL or as I've been known to say I can go but no one wants to see me like this in public!LOL
Wishing you all frog free projects :)
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Shopping disappointment....
Shopping for clothes is not my idea of fun. And less when I actually find something I like but hate the price! And as usual I was looking for one or two dresses and instead of finding what I wanted I found new shirts that I need to replace my old ones! (I wear my clothes for years & years & then some more years!) So my old ones are at least 8 to 10 years old (according to some of my pictures anyway) ... yet that does not make me feel more inclined to spend almost $70 dollars on 5 new tops (nothing exciting mind you ... just something to be worn any day of the week knit t-tops if you understand me ... not button down shirts here). The original price made me choke (or I should say would have made me choke had I ever considered spending that amount on an every day shirt! But the clearance price left me feeling like I am out of touch with how much things really cost ... ummm since I wear my clothes for as long as possible yeah I can be out of touch. I mean I could still wear my old shirts for another year and save $$ or I can allow the old ones to be replaced at a cost and then have the old ones to sleep in or camp in or paint in or God forbid I actually think it ... Clean in... OUCH... to have clothes that I can clean in without fear of ruining them... nah that ... um, er... well... let's just leave that thought alone for now and never revisit it unless absolutely necessary!!!
So my plan to wear mainly sun dresses is shattered due to the fact that I can't find sun dresses to add to my 2 that I need to sew... now my thought is if I purchased a basic pair of jeans (traumatic for me to be sure) along with those new shirts? then I could bring along the 2 dresses and have pants with a couple of tops and that would suffice for the whole trip (probably fit most of it in my carry on bag! Oh if I could actually pack just what I needed in a carry on bag for a 2 week trip out of the country wouldn't that be incredible??? I would try that you realize I'm not kidding right!??
Well now I've got to really think things through & decide how I want to do this. If I could manage to pack everything I really need for 2 weeks into my carryon bag I wouldn't have to deal with a checked bag at all. I wouldn't have to worry about anyone going through my stuff and possibly taking anything of mine (yes I've traveled out of the country before & had some small items go missing but worse was a friend of mine her jeans & bras were stolen out of her checked bag!) When you "check" your bag they take it away from you to inspect then they close it & put it on the plane you don't see them going through your stuff at that point ... when they go through your stuff in your carry on that is done right in front of you. Ummm not possible to carry all my clothing needs for 2 weeks & toiletries and gifts for the family ??? is it???
Okay so the one scarf is at the finishing stage and I love it! Not a fringe person but think I need to put some fun edge to it so that is what I plan on doing today and then getting the other scarf finished up. And if possible beginning the ruffled stole in lavender color. That makes me happy.
Wishing you all fun, frog free projects.
So my plan to wear mainly sun dresses is shattered due to the fact that I can't find sun dresses to add to my 2 that I need to sew... now my thought is if I purchased a basic pair of jeans (traumatic for me to be sure) along with those new shirts? then I could bring along the 2 dresses and have pants with a couple of tops and that would suffice for the whole trip (probably fit most of it in my carry on bag! Oh if I could actually pack just what I needed in a carry on bag for a 2 week trip out of the country wouldn't that be incredible??? I would try that you realize I'm not kidding right!??
Well now I've got to really think things through & decide how I want to do this. If I could manage to pack everything I really need for 2 weeks into my carryon bag I wouldn't have to deal with a checked bag at all. I wouldn't have to worry about anyone going through my stuff and possibly taking anything of mine (yes I've traveled out of the country before & had some small items go missing but worse was a friend of mine her jeans & bras were stolen out of her checked bag!) When you "check" your bag they take it away from you to inspect then they close it & put it on the plane you don't see them going through your stuff at that point ... when they go through your stuff in your carry on that is done right in front of you. Ummm not possible to carry all my clothing needs for 2 weeks & toiletries and gifts for the family ??? is it???
Okay so the one scarf is at the finishing stage and I love it! Not a fringe person but think I need to put some fun edge to it so that is what I plan on doing today and then getting the other scarf finished up. And if possible beginning the ruffled stole in lavender color. That makes me happy.
Wishing you all fun, frog free projects.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Breathe...relax ....
Panic attacks ... a person can survive them right? I mean they haven't really been the cause of death have they?
Okay normally I am not one to panic but I just realized how soon my departure date is in comparison to what today is & what I have yet to accomplish before I leave on my vacation.
The basic stuff is no big deal ... the breathing in & out in order to remain alive, that part I've got down, thanks! But the packing list hasn't been made, the actual gathering of the items I must bring with me has not happened yet, 2 of my planned outfits haven't actually been sewn yet! Now I am feeling the time crunch! Gifts for the family haven't been completed yet... and what's worse is my house looks like a I don't know what flew through it & left total chaos in it's wake. I can cheat & move most of my stuff upstairs (out of sight out of mind mentality here) but that won't change the fact that I will still need to deal with my stuff at some point in time (that decides it, must move as much stuff as possible upstairs this morning!) ...
As for packing, I think I have to go in search once more for a couple of outfits that I want & just have not been able to find (in the stores) perhaps being the end of the season I might be blessed beyond belief & find what I have been searching for ??? It's happened this way for me in the past so I have reason to hope that it could happen again for me now.
I just want to have some simple summer type dresses to wear (you know the kind you can wear during the day & still be able to get away with wearing it in the evening and not look out of place). Don't let me get started on shoes/ walking sandals etc. The search is winding down & I'll have to survive with what I have.
As I write this the panic has subsided & basically I'm left feeling like I must get over myself & get moving to accomplish all that must be done before I leave. So I can go & relax, really enjoy taking in all there is to see and just be blessed with the opportunity to spend time with family.
Wishing you all frog free projects & panic free days :)
Okay normally I am not one to panic but I just realized how soon my departure date is in comparison to what today is & what I have yet to accomplish before I leave on my vacation.
The basic stuff is no big deal ... the breathing in & out in order to remain alive, that part I've got down, thanks! But the packing list hasn't been made, the actual gathering of the items I must bring with me has not happened yet, 2 of my planned outfits haven't actually been sewn yet! Now I am feeling the time crunch! Gifts for the family haven't been completed yet... and what's worse is my house looks like a I don't know what flew through it & left total chaos in it's wake. I can cheat & move most of my stuff upstairs (out of sight out of mind mentality here) but that won't change the fact that I will still need to deal with my stuff at some point in time (that decides it, must move as much stuff as possible upstairs this morning!) ...
As for packing, I think I have to go in search once more for a couple of outfits that I want & just have not been able to find (in the stores) perhaps being the end of the season I might be blessed beyond belief & find what I have been searching for ??? It's happened this way for me in the past so I have reason to hope that it could happen again for me now.
I just want to have some simple summer type dresses to wear (you know the kind you can wear during the day & still be able to get away with wearing it in the evening and not look out of place). Don't let me get started on shoes/ walking sandals etc. The search is winding down & I'll have to survive with what I have.
As I write this the panic has subsided & basically I'm left feeling like I must get over myself & get moving to accomplish all that must be done before I leave. So I can go & relax, really enjoy taking in all there is to see and just be blessed with the opportunity to spend time with family.
Wishing you all frog free projects & panic free days :)
Monday, August 25, 2008
A walk down memory lane ....
And other things. Today would have been my dad's 73rd b'day if he hadn't left this world for his heavenly home 11 yrs ago this Dec. ~ As I prepare for the arrival of our newest family members (due to arrive this coming March, both my dear daughter & my dear niece are expecting in March)... I think about how much my dad would enjoy the great granddaughters that light up our lives every day. I remember when we had our daughter and my dad saw her for the first time. Someone mentioned that they thought she looked just like so & so in the family and my dad responded, "she looks just like herself"... such wisdom in those words. You know we all do this ~ look for the family resemblance and often we overlook the fact that we are all uniquely ourselves. Of course there is a family resemblance since she comes from the same ancestral gene pool she is bound to "look" like this one or that one in the family! Then I get to thinking how much my dad has missed out on ... but really the truth is I know he did Not miss out on anything! We simply missed his physical presence at each of the major events in our lives... like when the kids got married and then when their babies were born. My dad has been here in spirit all along. And very much alive in my memories (I suspect in others' memories as well.) so he has been here all along.
Now for a humorous thought ... okay not so much a thought as what happened. I am not one who believes in visiting the cemetry to "visit" those who have gone on ahead of us. In fact I think that you should check the grave site once in a while to make sure all is as it should be but that is enough. My dad has been gone for 10 yrs. and it was at least 8 yrs since I could recall stopping at the grave side to be assured that all was as it should be... and so I drove to the cemetry to put my mind at ease. I parked where I just knew his grave was located. Started walking around & could not locate my dad's grave at all. I walked way past where he should be thinking was I mistaken & he wasn't as close to the road as I thought? Maybe he wasn't as close to that tree as I thought? Well I must tell you I got to laughing as I'm walking all over knowing full well he was supposed to be near the road and not too far from the office and I simply can't find his grave. I starting talking to him, saying things like, "Okay dad where'd you go? Are you visiting someone else today?" "Is this your idea of pay back since I don't come here to visit??"LOL After a panic stirred up inside of me that I simply could not find his grave I left to ponder this nonsense. I know his grave is there & I know it is not far from the roadway & I also know that if you park near the office you really have a short walk to his grave. Why I could not find it is beyond me. So I related this experience to my husband. His response was laughter (along with mine) but also he stated he could find it ... after all we both know where he was buried how is it possible I couldn't find the grave?
Yes I did bring him to the cemetry & asked him to find my dad's grave for me. We both walked all over & way out of the area we both knew he had been buried in simply because we could not find his grave! Both of us left feeling weird about it ... like he simply moved just to teach us a lesson.
In the end we laughed it off & during the week I stopped in when someone was in the office ... they looked him up on their map & promptly showed me where his grave is... just where I looked for it mind you! Right near the roadside & across from the office. I found it funny so I share it with you. Funny because we can "know something" and still be wrong. We can look for something and it's right in front of us all the while we search for it. And funny because even though I know my dad has gone on to a better place to wait for each of us his sense of humor lives on in us.
My dad, was quiet, stubborn, entertaining, handy, strong, knew how to show emotion, knew how to hold his opinion until it was sought out... and so many more descriptive words can be applied but you still would have benefitted more from meeting him in person then through a second hand descriptive narrative. He was my dad. And even though he had his faults (like all of us) he was very much loved & he will remain in my heart, my thoughts & my memories. I will share stories of him with my grandchildren so that they might feel as if they have some memory of him too even though it is my memory they share.
I currently have two scarves started ... love them both & can't wait to see them finished. I also got the urge to work on my grandbaby's baby afghan so I now have that underway as well.
I need to complete my packing list & figure out what items I must shop for before our departure. My mom & I are both getting really excited. This trip will be so much fun I can hardly wait the 2 weeks it will take to get here.
So much to do so I will get busy once more.
Take care ... and I do wish you all frog free projects!
Now for a humorous thought ... okay not so much a thought as what happened. I am not one who believes in visiting the cemetry to "visit" those who have gone on ahead of us. In fact I think that you should check the grave site once in a while to make sure all is as it should be but that is enough. My dad has been gone for 10 yrs. and it was at least 8 yrs since I could recall stopping at the grave side to be assured that all was as it should be... and so I drove to the cemetry to put my mind at ease. I parked where I just knew his grave was located. Started walking around & could not locate my dad's grave at all. I walked way past where he should be thinking was I mistaken & he wasn't as close to the road as I thought? Maybe he wasn't as close to that tree as I thought? Well I must tell you I got to laughing as I'm walking all over knowing full well he was supposed to be near the road and not too far from the office and I simply can't find his grave. I starting talking to him, saying things like, "Okay dad where'd you go? Are you visiting someone else today?" "Is this your idea of pay back since I don't come here to visit??"LOL After a panic stirred up inside of me that I simply could not find his grave I left to ponder this nonsense. I know his grave is there & I know it is not far from the roadway & I also know that if you park near the office you really have a short walk to his grave. Why I could not find it is beyond me. So I related this experience to my husband. His response was laughter (along with mine) but also he stated he could find it ... after all we both know where he was buried how is it possible I couldn't find the grave?
Yes I did bring him to the cemetry & asked him to find my dad's grave for me. We both walked all over & way out of the area we both knew he had been buried in simply because we could not find his grave! Both of us left feeling weird about it ... like he simply moved just to teach us a lesson.
In the end we laughed it off & during the week I stopped in when someone was in the office ... they looked him up on their map & promptly showed me where his grave is... just where I looked for it mind you! Right near the roadside & across from the office. I found it funny so I share it with you. Funny because we can "know something" and still be wrong. We can look for something and it's right in front of us all the while we search for it. And funny because even though I know my dad has gone on to a better place to wait for each of us his sense of humor lives on in us.
My dad, was quiet, stubborn, entertaining, handy, strong, knew how to show emotion, knew how to hold his opinion until it was sought out... and so many more descriptive words can be applied but you still would have benefitted more from meeting him in person then through a second hand descriptive narrative. He was my dad. And even though he had his faults (like all of us) he was very much loved & he will remain in my heart, my thoughts & my memories. I will share stories of him with my grandchildren so that they might feel as if they have some memory of him too even though it is my memory they share.
I currently have two scarves started ... love them both & can't wait to see them finished. I also got the urge to work on my grandbaby's baby afghan so I now have that underway as well.
I need to complete my packing list & figure out what items I must shop for before our departure. My mom & I are both getting really excited. This trip will be so much fun I can hardly wait the 2 weeks it will take to get here.
So much to do so I will get busy once more.
Take care ... and I do wish you all frog free projects!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Comments Welcome :)
I was just informed that in order for anyone to leave comments they had to sign in or open an account.... since that isn't the intent of my blogging & getting your feedback I have changed that option (once I found it) so that anyone may leave comments. (I hope I don't get a lot of nasty spam comments like I did on the moveable type!) ... Anyway feel free to leave me comments!!!
On to other things :)
Three baby afghans completed (all were finished before I went to bed last night but I didn't take any pictures until this morning~ so they'll be here soon).
Now on to the gifts for our cousins in Italy. I have the ruffled stole completed (and will be making another one) ... however I had made a cute half granny shawl with ribbon yarn and now I'm not sure I want to give it away to the cousins. I know exactly who I would like to give it too should I decide not to bring it to Italy. However if I were to give it to my friend I would first need to make a second (not necessarily the same item) for another friend ... they work together & I just couldn't pick one over the other to give this gift to. (umm Maybe the left over yarn from the stole could be used for the shawl???
In just about 2 weeks I will be going and you will have to be patient for my return & my sharing of the experiences & pictures I will share with all of you (that is if anyone even reads my blog! No comments to date & I don't know why... you used to let me know at the other location how you were thinking)
Anyway need 5 gifts for the cousins (3 adults, 2 teens) not making anything for the 2 men as I can't think of anything that would be nice, practical & fast to make for them.
Have one made ... will be working on the next project for this today.
Can't wait to get there & take a million pictures (or what seems like a million LOL) and pray that they all come out great... good enough for framing & giving to my family as gifts since I won't be purchasing any souvenirs on this trip. (not unless I absolutely can't live without it ???) LOL
Anyway I hope you leave a comment and let me know if you have found my blog easily enough... if you are enjoying it or not and if you have any questions regarding crochet or anything else let me know ... I may not have the answer but I will do my best to find one for you.
Wishing you all frog free projects today!!!!
Now on to the gifts for our cousins in Italy. I have the ruffled stole completed (and will be making another one) ... however I had made a cute half granny shawl with ribbon yarn and now I'm not sure I want to give it away to the cousins. I know exactly who I would like to give it too should I decide not to bring it to Italy. However if I were to give it to my friend I would first need to make a second (not necessarily the same item) for another friend ... they work together & I just couldn't pick one over the other to give this gift to. (umm Maybe the left over yarn from the stole could be used for the shawl???
In just about 2 weeks I will be going and you will have to be patient for my return & my sharing of the experiences & pictures I will share with all of you (that is if anyone even reads my blog! No comments to date & I don't know why... you used to let me know at the other location how you were thinking)
Anyway need 5 gifts for the cousins (3 adults, 2 teens) not making anything for the 2 men as I can't think of anything that would be nice, practical & fast to make for them.
Have one made ... will be working on the next project for this today.
Can't wait to get there & take a million pictures (or what seems like a million LOL) and pray that they all come out great... good enough for framing & giving to my family as gifts since I won't be purchasing any souvenirs on this trip. (not unless I absolutely can't live without it ???) LOL
Anyway I hope you leave a comment and let me know if you have found my blog easily enough... if you are enjoying it or not and if you have any questions regarding crochet or anything else let me know ... I may not have the answer but I will do my best to find one for you.
Wishing you all frog free projects today!!!!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
And changes have been made....
I was so close to completing the 4th sq. needed for the baby afghan ... until I reached the very last round to be worked and ran out of yarn. I know that white is not always white ... in the sense that the shades of white can vary greatly!!! This caused me to begin rethinking my options, and also to call on a friend to vent my frustration & ask for her insight or suggestions etc. Thanks Connie!!!!
It's me. I'm the one who always envisions a baby afghan to be large enough for the parent & baby to snuggle under in order to be happy with my gift of said afghan. When the first one I worked up only ended up being a 25 inch sq. ~ perfectly adequate for a baby, especially since it would be a great size for covering an infant car seat ~ I was beside myself thinking okay it will be given to someone else while I get working on something larger.
That is how I came to have two separate baby afghans under way right now, both in white & pink but one was ww while the other was sport or dk weight. Being happier with the results of the larger squares being worked in the ww yarn I settled in on that project. Then I ran out of the white yarn! Yes I will complete this sq & then I will use a different yarn to trim all of the squares with before joining ... hopefully this will help hide the difference in the shade of white.
Once I realized that I would switch gears & go ahead & give the smaller afghan already completed that meant I did not need as many squares to complete the second afghan ... I quickly laid out the squares I had already made and discovered I could accomplish this second afghan by working up only one more square then trimming all and then joining .... I will have this project completed by my deadline of Thursday.
So thanks to my friend & her great advice I will complete my projects on time and be happy with my choices.
Pictures of all 3 afghans when I finish them!
It's me. I'm the one who always envisions a baby afghan to be large enough for the parent & baby to snuggle under in order to be happy with my gift of said afghan. When the first one I worked up only ended up being a 25 inch sq. ~ perfectly adequate for a baby, especially since it would be a great size for covering an infant car seat ~ I was beside myself thinking okay it will be given to someone else while I get working on something larger.
That is how I came to have two separate baby afghans under way right now, both in white & pink but one was ww while the other was sport or dk weight. Being happier with the results of the larger squares being worked in the ww yarn I settled in on that project. Then I ran out of the white yarn! Yes I will complete this sq & then I will use a different yarn to trim all of the squares with before joining ... hopefully this will help hide the difference in the shade of white.
Once I realized that I would switch gears & go ahead & give the smaller afghan already completed that meant I did not need as many squares to complete the second afghan ... I quickly laid out the squares I had already made and discovered I could accomplish this second afghan by working up only one more square then trimming all and then joining .... I will have this project completed by my deadline of Thursday.
So thanks to my friend & her great advice I will complete my projects on time and be happy with my choices.
Pictures of all 3 afghans when I finish them!
Changes ....
Well now that I'm in deadline mode and the hook has been flying I have been informed that the shower(s) have been postponed to next month. Does that suddenly mean I shall relax and take my time finishing these afghans? NO! After all I will be away next month and the few little baby outfits I purchased to accompany my made for baby with love gift are to be used right away (chose not to purchase clothes suitable for next year this time around)... Babies have a way of growing out of clothes rather quickly yet when first born if you don't have the smaller sizes it can be difficult for the parents to properly dress their bundles of joy.
I currently have one afghan roughly 70% finished (yes I did not mention it as I started it Sunday night) and the other one that I did mention currently has 8 out of 25 squares finished ... my main concern is that I still don't know if I have enough yarn to complete the squares as per my design.
Goal for today is to complete the baby afghan I am so very close to finishing. Then to concentrate on the other one to see if in fact I have enough yarn or if I will need to revise my design. Also I hope to take a break this afternoon to deliver the gift to the parents of the new bundle of joy (one of the two babies expected arrived early in the morning on the 18th) so before I can't get them the gift I planned for them I hope to find them still at the hospital this after noon. (*so I had better get back to that afghan!!!) LOL
Wishing you all a great day ... frog free projects and if you enjoy reading my blog or have questions about crocheting or anything else please leave a comment & I'll do my best to answer you.
I currently have one afghan roughly 70% finished (yes I did not mention it as I started it Sunday night) and the other one that I did mention currently has 8 out of 25 squares finished ... my main concern is that I still don't know if I have enough yarn to complete the squares as per my design.
Goal for today is to complete the baby afghan I am so very close to finishing. Then to concentrate on the other one to see if in fact I have enough yarn or if I will need to revise my design. Also I hope to take a break this afternoon to deliver the gift to the parents of the new bundle of joy (one of the two babies expected arrived early in the morning on the 18th) so before I can't get them the gift I planned for them I hope to find them still at the hospital this after noon. (*so I had better get back to that afghan!!!) LOL
Wishing you all a great day ... frog free projects and if you enjoy reading my blog or have questions about crocheting or anything else please leave a comment & I'll do my best to answer you.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Baby afghan progress report
So far I have decided to use the baby yarn to make granny squares (7 rounds) to make the size I prefer (still on the small side) I will need 25 squares (I hope I have enough yarn!!) If I don't have enough with just my pink & white I will have no choice but to use the yellow to finish it off but time will tell as I have not used one skein completely yet to know just how far it will go leaving me with an idea of how much more is needed to finish the project.
Also I did start the second baby afghan with the ww yarn decided it will be a large granny and my intention is to make it approximately the same size as the one with the squares. Again the amount of yarn I have to work with will determine what happens. (And yes I do have some yellow yarn to finish this one off if necessary.)
I'm happy with my decision so far & believe I can accomplish both of these in the remaining amount of time (nothing else might get done but oh wait it rarely gets done when I'm not in a deadline situation LOL)...
Pictures when finished.
Also I did start the second baby afghan with the ww yarn decided it will be a large granny and my intention is to make it approximately the same size as the one with the squares. Again the amount of yarn I have to work with will determine what happens. (And yes I do have some yellow yarn to finish this one off if necessary.)
I'm happy with my decision so far & believe I can accomplish both of these in the remaining amount of time (nothing else might get done but oh wait it rarely gets done when I'm not in a deadline situation LOL)...
Pictures when finished.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Twice in one day!!!
So the baby afghan is lovely at 25 inches square (yes it will be saved for a later gift) ... Also I played with a 'new to me' 12 inch sq. pattern (I belong to a big sq. exchange so this one is for my partner this round)... I tried a square called Bobby's Square. It looks really cool but I'm afraid it should not be worked with a varigated yarn as a solid would show off the 'design' of this sq. much better. Also even though I used the recommended hook my sq. was 12 inches at round 10 (there are 2 more rounds according to the pattern) so I will be ending it with a simple sc edge ... I am not happy to lose the edge design but can't spend any more time making a new sq at this point in time. I have to get things cleared away as I will be gone in September. (Italy here I come! ~ that is another post entirely)
So back to the baby yarn for the next baby afghan (would be much easier if I just knew what I wanted to do with it!!!!
As always wishing you all frog free projects.
So back to the baby yarn for the next baby afghan (would be much easier if I just knew what I wanted to do with it!!!!
As always wishing you all frog free projects.
One Week to Go!!!
I'm working on the baby afghans (one actually) and found that I may have chosen poorly. I finally decided the best way to go with the yarn from my stash was to make one large granny square ... I'm working with some Jiffy (Lion Brand yarn) that someone had sent me (in a *CAT PAC)... but never realized until I started the last ball of it that each ball was only 2 1/2 ounces! (about 7 1/2 ounces in all)
It's working up lovely and small. It will be finished today so I'll be able to evaluate what to do with it ... either keep it for a different baby gift or if it is actually large enough to give away next week. The only concern I have is that I would prefer both afghans to be about the same size.
I know I can manage this situation with yarn I have in my stash already it's just losing the time spent on this one that bugs me in the end.
Wishing you all frog free projects!!
It's working up lovely and small. It will be finished today so I'll be able to evaluate what to do with it ... either keep it for a different baby gift or if it is actually large enough to give away next week. The only concern I have is that I would prefer both afghans to be about the same size.
I know I can manage this situation with yarn I have in my stash already it's just losing the time spent on this one that bugs me in the end.
Wishing you all frog free projects!!
Monday, August 11, 2008
FO & WIPS
So my ruffled wrap is finished & I LOVE IT!!! Can't wait to make the next one.
Sq has been started for my exchange partner & I am not sure if I will have to begin again. I just like working with a particular size hook when making 12 inch sqs so have a little difficulty following pattern directions when it calls for a smaller size then the one I prefer. So even though what I'm working on looks great so far I am not sure if it will work up to the correct size.
And I'm all set to begin the baby afghans ... now that I have my yarn settled. Just not 100% sure what pattern I want to go with or if I will simply work something off the top of my head as I often do when faced with a deadline and no real pattern in mind.
Wishing you all frog free projects & if you followed me here I wish you'd let me know ... leave a comment~ ok?
Sq has been started for my exchange partner & I am not sure if I will have to begin again. I just like working with a particular size hook when making 12 inch sqs so have a little difficulty following pattern directions when it calls for a smaller size then the one I prefer. So even though what I'm working on looks great so far I am not sure if it will work up to the correct size.
And I'm all set to begin the baby afghans ... now that I have my yarn settled. Just not 100% sure what pattern I want to go with or if I will simply work something off the top of my head as I often do when faced with a deadline and no real pattern in mind.
Wishing you all frog free projects & if you followed me here I wish you'd let me know ... leave a comment~ ok?
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Crochet ramblings of a restless mind ...
Baby showers (both at the same time) requires a gift ... which of course if you knew me at all you would know my favorite gift to give is an afghan (one large enough for the mommy & baby to snuggle under) ... but I have them listed as working on when in fact I haven't even picked up my hooks & yarn to begin at least one of the two! Time is running out & I'm in need of some me time .... everyone has a need of my time & I can't begin my creative process while I'm away from home. Away from my yarns & my patterns & my comfy zone to sit & begin the project the way I want to start.
Baby showers aren't the only thing on my mind ... that wrap for a gift that should be finished by now (after all I only needed roughly 10 more inches before working the edging) has hardly been touched ~ unless you count pulling it out to work on only to be put away because I needed to do something with or for someone else.
There you have it ... I'm in need of some "me time" ... the camp sounds better & better however I don't think my family would really understand my desire to "get away" from all of them.
Especially with my upcoming trip to Italy! Well that settles it I just have to get moving on these projects so that they can become portable!!!
Enjoy your day & may your projects be "frog free"!!!
Baby showers aren't the only thing on my mind ... that wrap for a gift that should be finished by now (after all I only needed roughly 10 more inches before working the edging) has hardly been touched ~ unless you count pulling it out to work on only to be put away because I needed to do something with or for someone else.
There you have it ... I'm in need of some "me time" ... the camp sounds better & better however I don't think my family would really understand my desire to "get away" from all of them.
Especially with my upcoming trip to Italy! Well that settles it I just have to get moving on these projects so that they can become portable!!!
Enjoy your day & may your projects be "frog free"!!!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
A time for teaching...
Crochet that is :)
Yesterday afternoon my niece & I met at the library for some quiet crochet time. She just needs encouragement to continue to practice until her hands find this new skill comfortable & relaxing. I'm very proud of her and how well she has started off with her crocheting.
Today I will visit with my students at the Alpha Pregnancy Care Center and see how they have been progressing. I volunteer my time there to help teach the women who attend parenting classes there and it is so nice to see a group of women sitting around crocheting & knitting together talking about what is on their mind or what's important to them at the time. Even better is to be a part of that same group able to share my own experience with them and help them to chose projects that will allow their skills to grow while at the same time meeting a need they may have in their homes or as gifts for family or friends.
Time to pack up my tote bag with my current projects for them to see what I'm busy working on and see what help they may need or want from me.
Wishing you all frog free projects today!
Yesterday afternoon my niece & I met at the library for some quiet crochet time. She just needs encouragement to continue to practice until her hands find this new skill comfortable & relaxing. I'm very proud of her and how well she has started off with her crocheting.
Today I will visit with my students at the Alpha Pregnancy Care Center and see how they have been progressing. I volunteer my time there to help teach the women who attend parenting classes there and it is so nice to see a group of women sitting around crocheting & knitting together talking about what is on their mind or what's important to them at the time. Even better is to be a part of that same group able to share my own experience with them and help them to chose projects that will allow their skills to grow while at the same time meeting a need they may have in their homes or as gifts for family or friends.
Time to pack up my tote bag with my current projects for them to see what I'm busy working on and see what help they may need or want from me.
Wishing you all frog free projects today!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
These pictures show my pattern.
Here I've posted 3 pictures of my original sq. Anne's Square ~ the top photo shows 4 squares worked to 16 inches (instead of the usual 12 ") joined to make a lovely baby afghan. Below that you see a Red & White sq. that repeats the trfp stitch around the outside edge of the sq. Below that you see the Orange & White Sq where I only used the trfp stitch in the center of the sq.
I have used this pattern to make several baby afghans and always with great success. I hope you will enjoy working with it too.
I have used this pattern to make several baby afghans and always with great success. I hope you will enjoy working with it too.
Anne's Square my original 12 inch Sq pattern
Anne's square
Please be respectful of copy rights ... please direct your friends here to get the pattern don't print it out for them!
Chain 4, join with a sl st.
Rnd 1: ch 3, 2dc in the ring *ch2 3 dc in ring repeat from * twice more, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch 3
Rnd 2: ch 1, turn work then ch 2 more, 2dc, ch 2, 3dc all in corner sp *3dc, ch2, 3dc in next corner sp repeat *twice more join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3
Rnd 3: ch 1, turn work, ch 2, work a treble front post stitch into the center dc of round one, dc in space of round 3, ch 1, dc in corner space then work trfp around the next dc of round 1, dc in corner sp of round 3, ch 2, dc, trfp around the next dc of round one, dc in corner space of round 3, ch 1, dc in next sp (of round 3) trfp in next dc of round 1, (the corner went : dc in corner sp then trfp around the next dc of round 1 dc in corner sp of round 3 ch 2 dc trfp around next dc of round one dc, ch1,) when we work all around this round 3 you will end up with 12 trfp it will work all around the round one dc's the trfp always takes the place of the second dc of round 3 & complete in same manner around to join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch. The very last trfp of round 3 is worked into the last dc of round 1 and makes the square you now have look a bit puffy
OPTIONS FOR FINISHING:
Just remember you ch 1, turn ch 2 and then continue as for a regular granny square. You can just finish this as a regular granny (work until it's 12 inches) or you can chose which round you want to work the trfp stitches you work them always in place of the second dc of the shell & always into the second round below so if you are on round 5 you work them into round 3 make sense? You also can chose to just work them in the corners & not all around on the round you want to. Or you could do the trfp around the other trfp sts.
Note: I use an “H” hook and normally work 10 rounds for a 12 inch square. When working the treble front post (or as it may also be called a front post treble) always work it towards the front of the square.
This is my original pattern do not sell it for any reason. You may direct anyone who would like a copy of it to my blog to get their own A Lefty Crochets at http://aleftycrochets.blogspot.com/
Please be respectful of copy rights ... please direct your friends here to get the pattern don't print it out for them!
Chain 4, join with a sl st.
Rnd 1: ch 3, 2dc in the ring *ch2 3 dc in ring repeat from * twice more, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning ch 3
Rnd 2: ch 1, turn work then ch 2 more, 2dc, ch 2, 3dc all in corner sp *3dc, ch2, 3dc in next corner sp repeat *twice more join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3
Rnd 3: ch 1, turn work, ch 2, work a treble front post stitch into the center dc of round one, dc in space of round 3, ch 1, dc in corner space then work trfp around the next dc of round 1, dc in corner sp of round 3, ch 2, dc, trfp around the next dc of round one, dc in corner space of round 3, ch 1, dc in next sp (of round 3) trfp in next dc of round 1, (the corner went : dc in corner sp then trfp around the next dc of round 1 dc in corner sp of round 3 ch 2 dc trfp around next dc of round one dc, ch1,) when we work all around this round 3 you will end up with 12 trfp it will work all around the round one dc's the trfp always takes the place of the second dc of round 3 & complete in same manner around to join with a sl st to top of beginning ch 3, join with a sl st to top of beginning ch. The very last trfp of round 3 is worked into the last dc of round 1 and makes the square you now have look a bit puffy
OPTIONS FOR FINISHING:
Just remember you ch 1, turn ch 2 and then continue as for a regular granny square. You can just finish this as a regular granny (work until it's 12 inches) or you can chose which round you want to work the trfp stitches you work them always in place of the second dc of the shell & always into the second round below so if you are on round 5 you work them into round 3 make sense? You also can chose to just work them in the corners & not all around on the round you want to. Or you could do the trfp around the other trfp sts.
Note: I use an “H” hook and normally work 10 rounds for a 12 inch square. When working the treble front post (or as it may also be called a front post treble) always work it towards the front of the square.
This is my original pattern do not sell it for any reason. You may direct anyone who would like a copy of it to my blog to get their own A Lefty Crochets at http://aleftycrochets.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Here I Am ....
I am sad & excited all at the same time. You may not know this but I have had my blog, "A Lefty Crochets" for a while now but not here at blogger. So why move if I've had my blog all set up for a while? Well, since you asked so nicely I'll tell you. I was visiting the Lion Brand website one day and was very happy to see that they had "lion blogs" where several people were blogging about their crafting (mainly knitters) and I wrote & asked about having a blog of my own there to represent the crocheters (not only crocheters but Left handed ones too!) I was so happy when they wrote me back and things got started. So I have been a lion blogger for a couple of years now and recently (about a month or so ago) they sent the usual email newsletter announcing the changes to their newsletter & their website.
Now that made me happy to see that they were improving their site and I couldn't wait to see what changes they made. Imagine my surprise, shock... outrage??? when I discovered they no longer had a link for the lion blogs ... in fact they have A Lion Blog but it has nothing to do with any of the original bloggers ... no longer could I say to anyone interested in my blog, " just go to Lion Brand & see my blog" ... and I wasn't even sure if anyone would still be able to read my blog where it was if they had not saved it in their favorites.
So here I am making the move ~ keeping the name (after all it is mine) and hoping for some new readers to join my faithful readers! (who I hope have no problem finding me here!!!)
Now that made me happy to see that they were improving their site and I couldn't wait to see what changes they made. Imagine my surprise, shock... outrage??? when I discovered they no longer had a link for the lion blogs ... in fact they have A Lion Blog but it has nothing to do with any of the original bloggers ... no longer could I say to anyone interested in my blog, " just go to Lion Brand & see my blog" ... and I wasn't even sure if anyone would still be able to read my blog where it was if they had not saved it in their favorites.
So here I am making the move ~ keeping the name (after all it is mine) and hoping for some new readers to join my faithful readers! (who I hope have no problem finding me here!!!)
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