Crochet Madness

I feel life is conspiring to make it hard for me to sew lately.  First we had 9 windows replaced, which meant cleaning and organizing and moving heavy furniture. Then it was deep cleaning of rugs (mainly done by my husband) but more moving of heavy furniture and cleaning.  A visit from my sister from Massachusetts and now organizing the basement where we have been putting "things" that the girls have outgrown or we just don't want upstairs in case the guests we plan on having over for the girls 4th birthday party want to move downstairs.  More cleaning and organizing.  I just want to sew!!!  Thank goodness when I take breaks and put my butt on the couch I can at least crochet! I've made a soap saver (hanging in my shower), a bath mitt for the girls and a coffee cup cozy.  I tried the cozy today and I think it did keep my coffee warmer longer.  I'm going to bring it to work.

Bath Mitt

Audrey gets clean with a crochet 100% cotton bath mitt.

Previous windows

Workmen working in subzero weather. 

New windows.  So happy we can open these windows now!

My girls seem to be mocking my cleaning effort by making toy displays all over the house like this one on the stairs.  When I ask them to clean they say "I don't have energy to clean".  Ahem, that is my line, girls!

I hope you have a nice week.

Craftsy Block of the Month January

I decided to join the Craftsy BOM hosted by the lovely and talented Amy Gibson from Stitchery Dickory Dock.  Two blocks this month and I have completed one of them, the Asterix Block.  Amy makes it look so easy not even pinning, but I have to say I sweated every step and slashing was nerve racking.  I am hoping to learn some tips and tricks and I love the visual - so much better than You Tube! And it is Free!

I am going to read some of the questions on Craftsy.  I bet someone else has asked why the white part gets so wrinkled-looking.  I wonder if I am suppose to press without steam?

My Wonky Pound sign.  I'm not happy with it.  See the seam ripper there.  I think I'm going to try one more time.  Not looking forward to ripping on a bias, yikes!

My second wonky pound sign.  Seams are matching better, but looks wonky!

Thought it might be fun to have part of the constitution on it but with 1-1/12 inch strips it didn't turn out as nice as I thought it might in my imagination.  But I can choose which wonky block I want to use later.  I've decided to do a cowboy theme,  I think The Pioneer Woman Cooks blog is making me appreciate that kind of life.  This fabric because it matches the cowboy fabric coming up sometime in the year.

I came home to my girls just plum pooped out.  Making a huge mess can be tiring, I guess.  It is tiring for me just looking at it.  Oh well, I want them to have fun because that is how they learn.


Have a great week!

Embroidery WIP

I have been working on getting the quilt of my girlfriend's hands completed.  I am enjoying the process of how this quilt seems to have a way becoming so different than what I had first envisioned.  I would never have imaged this embroidery going on it, but here it is.

I never thought a backstitch would be challenging or even a french knot and a lazy daisy.  I think even as little as 5 years back I would never have the patience for embroidery.  I guess having children does give you enjoyment in slowing down.

This is the first time I've ever embroidered a lazy daisy.  So for me, I post it, flaws and all and am proud of my efforts.

I hope you will be getting some good news.  Nothing is a lost cause when you have faith.  I'm still working on what faith means to me.  Faith feels like a loaded word. A word so easily popped with the prick of negativity...and yet a life line out of negativity... kind of complex for me.

Found these dove pictures. I see the dove as a symbol of hope and change, but in the pictures below the dove represents peace and life.

Artist: Pawel Kuczyski

Artist: Rafal Olbinski

Hooded Scarf Completed

I finished the hooded scarf over the long holiday weekend.  I did not realize as I was crocheting it that it was a skill level intermediate.  I think by the time one is an intermediate it must go without saying that one must adjust to desired length.  I'm not sure what happened, but the hooded scarf barely fit my 3 year-old daughter.  It was also suppose to have a nice round silhouette on the back of the head but I put that on the wrong end (by neck and not top) and the back of the head turned out rather pointy.  I added a shell border around the face and made a pom pom to accentuate the pointy back.  I do look forward to making one for myself, now that I know what needs to be added, mainly many more rows of crocheting.

It was a nice sunny day so I asked my lovely daughters to model my new hobby (crochet) hats.  This was during my lunch hour and my camera overexposed, but my girls sure do make my hats look so cute. And my hats make them look like little old ladies, hehe.

My girls were having fun and I think they liked the sun on their face.

I hope you have a wonderful week!