National Crochet Month

Good Morning March!

I recently discovered March is National Crochet Month! 

Of course, enthusiasts years ago determined a “Month” to celebrate all things crochet! I discovered the Crochet Guild of America’s website, but have yet to join. Oh, I did join the National Crochet Month's Facebook group!

Anyway, I plan to celebrate the month by sharing my favorites

… that’s what I do!

Over the years I’ve tried to make granny squares, but never could get them to look right. I stumbled upon directions at the Heart Hook Home website how to “invisible join” and will certainly use this method on my next project! Ashlea provides A LOT of crochet tutorials on her blog! AND she offers many (free) patterns for us! I’ve put Penelope on my to-do list!

I highly recommend visiting Heart Hook Home! Let me know if/when you do! 

 

 

Inspirational Crochet

Over the past several months, I’ve spent any spare time I can muster working on crochet projects! I’m truly hooked! When doing other things, especially driving the 50 miles to town and back, I think about crocheting.

From the beginning of keeping this blog, I’ve shared links to what I believe are fabulous websites, youtubers, and facebook pages to everyone/anyone that visits here. When something and/or someone comes along I’ve found inspirational, I always want to share!  

That’s the case with Canadian Michael Sellick. 

I was on Youtube looking up how to do Tunisian Crochet and discovered Mikey! 

Besides finding a fabulous reference for all things crochet, specifically Tunisian style crochet, I took the time to watch his video “Mikey Learning to Knit – Outtakes” and it’s then I discovered his amazing laugh/giggle! It’s soooooo contagious! Hearing him laugh/giggle never fails to bring a smile to my face and makes me laugh as well! What a splendid relief!

Since that day I’ve visited his website and have liked his all things Facebook. His Facebook page is The Crochet Crowd.

The kicker for writing this article after missing months, I wanted to share, once again, something I find inspirational. On his Facebook group, The Crochet Crowd Stitch Social, back on October 11^th, Michael posted the following: 

One of my favourite activities for in-person workshops is blind-folded crochet. People may not realize we have several community members who are blind. We realized this during one social visit to JOANN. The young lady was telling me that the explaining in the video of what I am doing is really good for her. While to someone who can see what I am doing, may leave a comment for me to get on with it, for someone blind, they need that extra explanation.

Why I love this activity is that the blind-folded person has a coach to help them along to be their eyes. To communicate the steps and motion to do with the hook should the crocheter be lost in their stitchwork. It's team-building.

This is also a group where other hookers share their projects… so inspirational!  

If you are into crochet (or want to be!), I highly recommend checking out Michael Sellick! 

And, anytime you need to laugh, or giggle, take a dose of Mikey!

Attitude Adjustment

Somewhat fretting over some mistakes I made in a crochet shawlette I created for Momma’s Mother’s Day gift, a friend asked me...

Have you ever heard of the Native American custom of purposely making a mistake in a blanket or other article, so as to not anger the gods with a "perfect" human-made thing?

This intrigued me to look it up and I discovered it is a common Navajo tradition. Their “imperfections” are purposeful because only God is perfect. Of course!

Rather than always seeking perfection, other cultures also have the same attitude. I like this.

One of the first major projects I ever worked on was a poncho for my sister’s Christmas gift. I think I might have been 14 or 15 at the time. I don’t really remember. It doesn’t matter. My aunt came in from Arkansas for a visit and I excitedly shared the half-finished project. Actually, I think I was almost through with it at the time. Well, she found a mistake way back near the beginning and began ripping it all out!!! I stood there absolutely stunned as she told me, “If you can’t do something right, don’t do it at all.”

Her voice continually plays in my head, until this morning.

From now on, as I’ve always done, I will do the best I can.
                   
Maybe someday I will make the “purposeful” mistakes rather than the oops! But until then, I won’t be so hard on myself that it’s not “right” - not “perfect.”

Thank you, Gail!

Crochet Techniques

This past Saturday I joined a group of lovely ladies that gather and work on various craft projects. Yes! We all brought our own projects and visited while working. It was also an opportunity to share or get help or advice on a project such as how to repair a tapestry edging, how to do a particular stitch, or how to scrapbook inside a journal bible.

I had a marvelous time - until I discovered my hearing aid was missing!

This was after having breakfast with Gail at Mi Casa, a local restaurant, then her showing me how to do a foundation chain and single crochet at once and then working for about an hour or so on Bud’s afghan! It was only then I went to adjust the aid and discovered it was not in my ear!!!!

Long story short... I was in a rush to leave the house. I had taken it out to brush my hair while Anna ~ the doberman ~ wanted to go outside one more time before I had to leave. In my haste, I left it on the table outside. The cats found it and thought they had a new chew toy.

Oh well.

Things happen.

Anyway... Gail went to a website that had a clear video of how to do this technique. It took me several times at home to master the Foundation Single Crochet stitch, but  I finally got the method and will use it the next time I start a project that may need to be increased to fit! I won't chain x number of times, then single crochet back, only to discover it's not long enough!

Since then I’ve looked further on the Moogly site and have found a bucket load of tutorials for right and left handed crocheters!

This morning I got some scrap yarn and learned another technique! I’ve always hated the hole a “chain 3 then turn” leaves in the work. If you are a crocheter, you know what that means! Check out the “Improved Chainless Starting Double Crochet” video (one for right handed, another for left handed). You’ll never go back!

Still Hooking

I hope everyone’s New Year is off to a great start!

Lanetta’s Creations is much more than sewing, quilting, etc. As I mentioned last time, I am working on a few creative endeavors!

It’s during the early morning, before morning chores begin, rather than working online jigsaw puzzles, I crochet a detailed pattern. Yes. Bud’s afghan is still a work in progress. It’s the project I work on at night, after supper, while watching television. It’s a “mindful” pattern. The repetitive stitches allows me to know what’s happening in the program we’re watching! Win-win!

My current project for the early morning is the Erigencia shawl by Silke Terhorst I found on Ravelry.

When Mother, Gail & I visited Hobby Lobby last week, I found the perfect yarn for it! I don’t know why they named it “Cloud Control” as it’s a pewter to me!

I’ve never before read a “chart” - the universal language! But because of a YouTube creator showing me/us how, I now wonder if I’ll ever be able to follow the written directions! This lady is amazing... all the way from Kenya she has over 83 THOUSAND followers... because she explains and demonstrates things very nicely! I highly recommend The Secret Yarnery!

I would not have been able to create the Mobius Shawl without the help of Youtuber Fiber Spider!  He was great and I finished the snow white shawl in time to wear it to a special dinner! It wasn’t long enough to suit me, but okay for that evening. I bought another skein and will add to it... someday!

Oh, and I came across some lovely shawl pins at the Crafty Flutterby Creations! So many to choose from, I can't decide!

Back to hooking before the sun comes up!


 





                   

Creative Endeavors

Winter arrived after ten o’clock last night making today the first full day of winter!!! We’ve experienced the shortest day of 2019 and now, beginning today, the days (therefore daylight) will get longer and longer! I know the chickens will love it even more than I do!

In my last post I mentioned I was Looking for the yellow while working through the sewing room mess. Well, just yesterday I found it - out in my She Shed! Now it’s too late, but I now know where it is! It’s too late for the project I wanted to create with it because I broke down and bought a kit with 20 little skeins of different colors. I’m not all that excited with the quality of the yarn, but it’s a learning process. 

I’m starting Round 6 (of at least 113!). I don’t work on it everyday - just here and there while sitting at my desk (to view the instructions via laptop).

Besides working on the Save, Donate, Burn stacks in the sewing room, I have accomplished some creative endeavors!

Thanks to my friend wearing a lovely shawl back early November, she shared with me the link to the pattern on Ravelry. Now I’m sharing the link with you! Simple Ruffles Shawl. The photo doesn't do the colors justice! I see green when I look at the real thing!

I used 2 1/2 skeins of Lion Brand Yarns - Ferris Wheel - Imaginary Gardens to make the shawl. Now I'm creating a headband with the leftovers!

The afghan I’m working on for Bud's Christmas gift (won't be done by this Christmas!) is coming along nicely. I worked on it for 2+ straight hours while watching Die Hard! After the Christmas Eve they have, it really makes one appreciate Christmas, even if a bit chaotic at times.

Again, the photo doesn't show its true colors. It's Premier Puzzle, Backgammon.

Here is the yarn from Amazon...

Big difference in the colors than what shows up in my photo! Wonder what's wrong with my phone?

The e-book I’m reading, Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana White, is hitting it on the nail. I love her humor and straightforwardness style of writing. She's a great motivator.

Last Thursday I actually took a truck load of clothes, household items, and miscellaneous goodies to the local mission! Goodness. It felt good! Can hardly wait to get another truck load ready!

It's time to bring in more Christmas decorations to organize. That reminds me... the 10 tubs we brought down from the attic the other day have been gone through and I filled up two trash bags of stuff not worth saving any longer! This is the first time since 1992 I have had all the decorations at one house! Yes!

I'm excited I'm getting stuff done while still completing creative endeavors! "It's a good thing" as Martha would say!




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Looking for the yellow

One never knows when you’ll learn about something new!

I love learning about new things... last night... I ventured out... I attended the L-M Garden Club meeting in Lometa.

I’m not fond of driving at night (or early morning) - the absolute darkness that the countryside brings then the occasional bright headlights - albeit few and far between - makes me nervous. And then it’s the deer, or raccoons, or armadillos, or skunks crossing the road.

Twice a skunk crossed in front of me. I did manage to avoid both encounters - one on my way to town, the other on my way home! Had I been "unfortunate" neither place would have wanted me to stay!

I know, I attended a “garden club” meeting and learned something new about crochet! A friend told me about the year long effort she made creating a “Sophie’s Universe” afghan. She explained how it starts out as a circle and each row around is basically a new stitch/technique - a circle that ends up becoming a square. Several times she said she learned so much while creating it. This intrigued me!

So this morning I did a bit of research...

Oh. My. Goodness.

I found exactly what Gail was talking about at Look at what I made!

Then I found It’s all in a Nutshell Crochet, a fabulous YouTube channel with tutorials on each step!

I downsized my yarn stash a few years ago. I've never regretted, and still don't, giving 99% of it to a friend...

Oh well. I think I saw a touch of yellow somewhere yesterday while working on the Save, Donate, Burn sacks tubs and boxes in the sewing room... I will keep looking for the yellow.

Thank you Gail!

Creating an Action Quilt – Part 7

Thinking outside the box …

I won’t be using the following doo-dads on this Action Quilt I’m making with you. I do, however, want to share how / what some “unconventional” things or ways I’ve used items on other Action Quilts. It’s “thinking outside the box” when it comes to doo-dads!

A large yellow acrylic bead threaded with grosgrain ribbon. I also took a piece of felt and cut slits large enough for the bead to go through. I stitched both the ends of the ribbon and the felt strip securely within the seam allowance of pieces.

Rubberized shelf liner… now that’s a cool texture for Loved Ones to have on an Action Quilt! It goes through the home laundry cycle (cold water/low heat) beautifully!

String ball shaped buttons on a metallic cording! Of course, I secured the ends of the cording within the seam allowance.

Take a piece of gingham and do a cross-stitch design!

Here I embellished a purchased dolly by crocheting a fun yarn around the edge, then doubled each button set and knotted a narrow satin ribbon through their holes. Knots and more knots on the back side secures the buttons – only scissors will get them off!

I bought a package of stretchy headbands… I made the ceramic pendant years ago (I rarely throw anything away) and put them together! I stitched the ends of the headband securely in place. Now the Loved One using this Action Quilt has something to put in the pocket! (In addition, with the pendant tucked inside the pocket and the caregiver using a safety pin to keep it in place, it will protect the washing machine & the dryer when going through the laundry process!)

A nicely covered pony tail band used as a slider…

I like using strap sliders on ribbon…

Sometimes, something catches my eye… like this scrapbook page design “Layering Papers”. I have it pinned on my Pinterest Action Quilts Board.

So I created something similar out of fabric…

 Tomorrow I’ll start putting the pieces together. I’m thinking I’m going to need one more fabric piece cut. It will be a perfect place to put a clear pocket for a photo!