New Free Pattern: Lacy, Beaded Hoop Earrings

This is my first attempt working with crochet for jewelry.  I hope you like them, I can't wait to design more.

I purchased the hoops (a set of five or six pairs on a card) at a 99 cent store.  If they bother my ears (because I'm allergic to some metals) I can paint the posts with clear nail polish.


I know I need some practice at this and I need to figure out what blocking and fabric stiffener does but this was a fun project and like I said, I'm looking forward to practicing on making new ones.  I am still getting the hang of things so don't give up on me yet, okay?

Here's the pattern, if there are any discrepancies let me know in the comments below this post.



Beaded Hoop Dangly Earrings
copyright 2010

This pattern is free.  You may not sell this pattern but you can sell the item you crafted using this pattern.
Here is where you can go to download the PDF file (without tutorial at bottom of page)
PDF

Materials

small amount of bedspread-weight cotton crochet thread purple

12 small pearl beads that will string onto the crochet thread

two hoop earrings, 1 1/2" diameter; 

steel crochet hook size 7

Special stitches:

Triple Picot:  ch 3, sl st in third ch from hook three times, join altogether with sl st in beginning ch of first picot, pull tight to close together.

Beaded picot:  ch 1, slide 1 bead into work for next ch, ch 1, join with sl st in third ch from hook (incl beaded ch)

Beaded triple picot:  ch 3, sl st in third ch from hook, ch 1, add bead to next ch, ch 1, sl st to ch preceding beaded ch, ch 1; ch 3, sl st in third ch from hook, sl st in first chain of first picot

--------

Important:

before beginning Row 1, thread all 12 beads onto the thread you have chosen to use (any color is fine, even two different colors)



Row 1:

Attach thread to one end of hoop  with a sl st and keeping the hoop inside your stitches,

sc 42 around  (if you need help with this, see photos at bottom of this post)

turn your work without a ch st.

Row 2:

sk first sc, sl st in next 8

sc in next, hdc in next, dc in next

Make beaded picot
(ch 1, add bead into ch st, ch 1, sl st in third ch from hook - including beaded ch -  )

sk next st, hdc in next, sc in next, and then sl st in the following 3 sc of previous row.

sk sc, in next sc: hdc, then make a beaded picot, hdc in next sc,  sk next sc, sl st in next

ch 4,
add bead in 5th ch, (keep stitches tight),
ch 4 more,  sl st in st at base of ch 4 preceding the last beaded ch
(beaded loop made)

sl st in next sc, make beaded picot, hdc in next sc

sl st in following 3 sc of previous row

ch 1, make beaded picot, then hdc in next sc.

sk 1 sc. sl st in eight remaining sc

Fasten off row 2,  and then proceed as follows:

Row 3  :
attach with a sc the same color or contrast color if you prefer of your choice for final round at ch st base (on side closest to middle of hoop) of first (hdc, beaded picot, hdc) cluster  (Photo at bottom of this post points to the exact attachment point)

hdc in next sl st of previous row,

dc in next  sl st, ch 3,

triple picot

dc into back loop of beaded ch st of the beaded picot of previous row

ch 2,

 triple picot adding bead to middle ch of middle picot...


sk next beaded picot of previous row (middle one),


dc in a loop of the beaded ch st  of next beaded picot in previous row

triple picot,

ch 3

1 dc in first of the three sl st from previous row, (preceding the last beaded picot in row 2 )
hdc in next,
sc in last sl st that precedes the last beaded picot of row 2

Finish off, weave in ends

Block and use fabric stiffener if necessary, to keep the frilly parts in place,

Note:  I, of course, being the lazy butt that I am, did not block or starch my earrings.  heh, heh.




Here are some photos showing positions of hook while sc onto the hoop (Row 1)

Photos showing sc onto hoop (Row 1)

How the hook is placed in sc onto hoop, the beginning of the sc

Yarning over to complete the sc onto hoop

This is what it looks like after Row 2 and fasten off.

Hook and finger pointing to stitch where Row 3 is attached and begins with sc

Heart Ornament - Free Pattern

I started out using the granny heart pattern by decafgreentea on Ravelry** which can be found for free, here

With a size 7 steel crochet hook and some red bedspread-weight cotton crochet thread, I made the first two rounds as the pattern goes. 
when the pattern calls to change color, I attached white, did the next round...

Wanting the heart to be more lacy to go with my other ornaments, I chose not to do the fourth round in that original pattern.

Here's what I did instead:

(Instead of changing color, stay with white and)
 
 sl st to the ch 3 space at top and left of heart. 

*(ch 3, sc in space) twice. 

 (ch 3, sc in next sc) 8 times
(you'll be about midway to point of heart)

(ch 3 sk 1 sc, sc in next sc) 4 times

ch 3, dc in point of heart, picot (ch 3, sl st in first chain), sl st in same dc, dc in same sc as first dc,

(ch 3 sk 1 sc) 4 times

(ch 3 sc in next sc) 8 times

ch 3 sl st in V of heart (top) and then sl st to join to last sl st in beg of this round.

fasten off and weave in all ends.

After this round the heart will measure approximately 2" X 2".


I looped red satin ribbon (1/8") through the space in the dip in top of the heart, tied a tiny bow, and instead of letting the ends hang down (which took away from the heart itself) I tied the ends in one slip knot above the heart for a loop to hang on my tree this year.
(I can't wait for Christmas.  Our tree is going to be even more beautiful than it was last year!)

I may try adding one more round (or two?) to make it a bit bigger but it's very cute as it stands at 2".

Note:  If I need to make corrections to this let me know, I'm not very experienced with writing patterns and I'm horrible telling people how to do something.  lol.

** Ravelry is a wonderful site that unites knitters and crocheters (some call us "hookers" - tools of the trade, lol) in a close knit (trying to be punny) community that offers solutions to your yarn obsessions (knit it! crochet it!) and a multitude of awesome free patterns, groups that cater to a specific interest or need, designers, tipsters, forums, and a way for you to easily (I MEAN EASILY!) post your own yarn creations, keep track of your progress in a project, save favorites to your own file so you can get back to them after you've gotten through the fifty projects you already have going, interaction with a lot of really cool people (NOT just ladies, men too.)  There are female, male, teenage kids, elderly, middle age, you get the idea.  There are over 2500 members online at any one given time and there are over 10, 000 members in all!    That makes for a lot of people to meet, patterns to download and try, projects to discuss, designers to get to know, and friends to make who share the same intersts as you do. 
If you haven't checked it out already I strongly suggest you do.  Someone spent a lot of time making sure this site is extremely user friendly! 
There's so much at Ravelry that is awesome, helpful and beautiful, I can't get it all down here so you'll just have to see for yourself.  (smile)  Go Here

Crazy Cake Recipe

Crazy Cake
A delightfully rich and moist cake that is easy and fun to make.  Even a bachelor can do it and make a great impression on the ladies.

•  Using a 9" round glass cake dish, measure into a sifter and sift together right into the cake dish the dry ingredients:

     1 1/2  (one and one half) Cups flour
     1  C sugar
      1 tsp   baking soda
     1/2 (one half) tsp  salt (optional)
      3 Tbsp   unsweetened cocoa

• Stir together the ingredients above in the cake dish, mixing well.

• Make three well-holes in the dry ingredients with a spoon: 

1 large "well"

1 medium "well"
1 small "well"

• In the biggest of the wells put     5 Tbsp vegetable oil

• In the middle sized well, put       1 Tbsp vinegar

• In the smallest well put      1 tsp vanilla

• Pour 1 Cup cold water over all  

•  Stir all ingredients together very well using a spatula

to smash and mix in lumps and to scrape the sides and
bottom of the cake dish to make sure
all the dry gets mixed with the wet.

• Bake in a moderate oven at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.  

 (Note:
If you stick a toothpick into the cake to check for doneness it'll probably always come out with moist crumbs on it so don't use that for a test.  Just tap your finger on top of the middle of the cake and if it springs back and the cake doesn't smell burnt yet, it's done!)

• Now you can serve it as is (good warm and cold) with ice cream, or
• Let it cool and make it fancy by placing a pretty paper doily on top and then sifting powdered sugar over all.  Remove the doily and you've got a beautifully decorated cake

Uncle Don's Chocolately, Moist, "Crazy Cake" Recipe

My Uncle Don was a bachelor and not much of a cook according to Mom.  Her brother died in his sleep when he was only forty five and when we were going through his things in his home following his death, we came across this recipe for  "Crazy Cake".  We have no idea where he got the recipe but we've found this recipe to be tried and true for any occasion.  It can be a snack on Saturday afternoon or served for dessert after an elegant dinner.  If you love chocolate you'll love this yummy moist cake!  (Photo of finished cake at bottom of this page.)

Crazy Cake
A delightfully rich and moist cake that is easy and fun to make.  Even a bachelor can do it and make a great impression on the ladies.

•  Using a 9" round glass cake dish, measure into a sifter and sift together right into the cake dish the dry ingredients:

     1 1/2  (one and one half) Cups flour
     1  C sugar
      1 tsp   baking soda
     1/2 (one half) tsp  salt (optional)
      3 Tbsp   unsweetened cocoa

• Stir together the ingredients above in the cake dish, mixing well.

• Make three well-holes in the dry ingredients with a spoon: 

1 large "well"

1 medium "well"
1 small "well"

• In the biggest of the wells put     5 Tbsp vegetable oil

• In the middle sized well, put       1 Tbsp vinegar

• In the smallest well put      1 tsp vanilla

• Pour 1 Cup cold water over all  

•  Stir all ingredients together very well using a spatula

to smash and mix in lumps and to scrape the sides and
bottom of the cake dish to make sure
all the dry gets mixed with the wet.

• Bake in a moderate oven at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.  

 (Note:
If you stick a toothpick into the cake to check for doneness it'll probably always come out with moist crumbs on it so don't use that for a test.  Just tap your finger on top of the middle of the cake and if it springs back and the cake doesn't smell burnt yet, it's done!)

• Now you can serve it as is (good warm and cold) with ice cream, or
• Let it cool and make it fancy by placing a pretty paper doily on top and then sifting powdered sugar over all.  Remove the doily and you've got a beautifully decorated cake!

For a printable page (no photos)  of this recipe, click here

My Grandmother's Potholders

Grandma's Pot Holders

I found these potholders in a protective plastic bag with some of my mother's things.  We are trying to clean out her room a bit; she's a hoarder (not to badly but enough to make it impossible to have a house keeper come to clean things up).  The potholders have been used a lot, obviously, and are a bit yellowed from time and wear. 

I would love the pattern for these and if anyone know where a link to a free pattern is, let me know.  In the mean time I'm going to try my best to figure it out.  Afterall, it can't be that difficult can it?  lol

12 Signs And Signals You Just Might Be A Crochet-aholic

So far there are 12 signs and signals you just might be a crochet-aholic:

1. You thought your cat ran away but you found him!  There he was, attached to the thritythird potholder you made this week, the darn cat's tail crocheted right into the dang thing!
2. Your children are begging for food.  (That's an easy one, this happens early on in the crochet-aholic's family.  Usually it's the husband begging for dinner first and then progresses into the children begging and actually begging the neighbors for a home cooked meal.)
3. Your husband doesn't bother to kiss you goodbye when he leaves for work in the morning, he's afraid you'll crochet his lips to yours and post it on Ravelry as a project finished off, free pattern download included, sharing it with the one hundred sixty two groups you belong to on Ravelry.
4. The cat really did run away this time.  He left a note on the fridge saying something like "I HATE POWDERED MILK!  If you hadn't made me drink out of that crocheted bowl you made me, I could have had real milk, right from the milk bottle!  POWDERED MILK SUCKS!"    But it's okay that the cat is gone, (and so are the children and husband by now) ...  So the mice haven't left yet!  (You know this because you keep finding little tiny poops in the yarn stash in every corner of every room in the house.  You even found the sweetest thing  you ever saw - four cute,  tiny baby mice in a nest their mother made inside a fat bottom bag you started years ago but never finished.)
5. You haven't seen your sewing room floor in years, it's covered by grocery bags you've been folding neatly and saving to make that plarn bag you keep seeing on the net.  The only thing holding you back from making that plarn bag is that it will stop any excuse you have to go buy more yarn for yet another project.
6. You have frequent flyer miles at Lily's House Of Yarn.
7. The bizarre committee at church asked you to please stop dropping off your crocheted key chains and heart purses, their storage room is full and so is the youth room.  And so is the pastor's office and the nursery.  (I mean, sheesh, it's not like they have to buy them from you, you're donating them for crying out loud!)
8. You're  wondering  if crocheted dinner plates are microwave and dishwasher safe.
9. Your neighbor gives you funny looks whenever you bump into him on your way to Lily's House Of Yarn.  (I mean, r-e-a-l-l-y!  He's just jealous he doesn't  have a crocheted granny square car cover for his station wagon?  Sheesh!)
10.  You've lost twenty pounds in the last month except for your butt, which gained twenty pounds all by itself, all of a sudden, like magic!
11. Your hands are aching and your eye balls are squirtin' but you go on, for the cause, for the Crochet Liberation Front!  Crochet at all cost!  Life or crochet?  I choose crochet!  And on and on you crochet.

And the last sign you might be a crochet-aholic:

12. You're reading "12 Signs And Signals You Just Might Be A Crochet-aholic"

Now go get some help ! (with getting that granny square car cover off the station wagon so you can get to Lily's House Of Yarn!)

the above is purely fictional, of course, and in now way is meant to make fun of 12 stepping or crocheters in general.  It's just for fun.  ~ anitalite ;-)_

Mom's Hair Dresser

Mom had a hair appointment today.  She's been getting her hair done almost every week for the past twenty-something years, by the same hair dresser named Betsy. 

Betsy is very cool.  I know she's older than I am but I can't guess her age.  She has one of those faces that doesn't give away secrets like that.  She is a pretty blonde who has been living in our little town all her life, in the house her parents had when she grew up.  She's about 5'7" or so and has a lovely shaped body that her yoga classes help keep the kinks out of every week.  She works hard (when she's not working as a hair dresser, she does housekeeping). 
Betsy loves animals, has a new best friend Golden Retriever male who helps her feel safe.  Betsy is alone - no husband past or present, no children, but you'd think she was Mama Walton by the way she loves people young and old so much.  I'm not saying she's as pure white as Mama Walton appeared to be...

It surprised me one day when she said the "F" word.  I blurted out laughing because I never expected to hear that word come out of her mouth.  Like I said, she's very cool in ways I wouldn't have expected (saying the "F" word is not all I am basing her coolness on, BTW)  She has also said things I'll cherish in my heart forever. 

Betsy loves my mother.  The two of them see each other almost every week, and during the two - four hours Mom is with Betsy, they tell each other everything.  I mean, EVERYTHING!   That old advertising slogan by a hair product (Loreal?) that goes "Only my hair dresser knows!" holds true for my mother but not just about the color of her hair; only Mom's hair dresser knows E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G about Mom's life and the lives of Mom's children, myself included.

Betsy knew me when I was pregnant with my son who is now 27 years old.  She saw him grow up, as she did my daughter who is now 19 years old.  She knows every event that has happened in their lives (and mine) including the good, the bad, and the ugly.  She has cried with us and laughed with us and has given us the best of advice for any situation we are faced with.  She is the rational outside opinion from someone who knows all (somehow).  I trust her with my life, my mother's life, and the lives of my children more than I trust some of those with whom we are supposed to place that trust.  Sounds extreme, but it's true. 

Wrapped up in one sentence, Betsy is a jewel and we love her.  She makes my mother look better and feel better but not just by doing Mom's hair.  She is my mother's friend and psychologist too.  I don't know what Mom would have done without that woman in her life, going through all that Mom has gone through alone since I was eleven (when my Dad died - he's a fallen firefighter).  Betsy gives my Mom strength and courage, and offers support to build Mom up and a shoulder to cry on when she needs one.

There is nothing I can say about Betsy that isn't good.  Make that great.  What does a person do for a woman like that?  How do I show my appreciation of this woman who has been there for my mother all these years?  I rack my brain, search my heart, and there's nothing that I can do for her, no words I can speak, nothing I can give her that even comes close to how I (we) feel about Betsy.

I took this photo with the camera in my new cell phone my daughter got me (it arrived today)  I had no idea it had a phone in it till just a minute ago!  ha!  What'll they think of next?  I can send my cell phone photos to the internet!  SHEESH!  I love it! 

Isn't she beautiful?  Her hair looks beautiful too, doesn't it?  She's one tired Mom after all she did today.  Mom is really doing great for someone with inflammatory breast cancer, Parkinson's Disease, and congestive heart failure, right?  I think she's the most beautiful lady I know.  Okay.  She and her hair dresser.  lol.

Goofin' Off; Christmas Ornaments And Snowflakes (Already!)

 

Okay, I know it's only February but I have a passion for Christmas decorations.  The more the better, as long as they go along with my Christmas color scheme of the year.  Last Christmas, 2009, I gathered all the poinsettia items I could find in storage, along with anything that was red or white, some golden.  Red round ornaments, white lights, baby's breath, any angel I could get my hands on including fabric angels, glass and crystal angels, and some pearl beaded angels.  Poinsettia ornaments that were big, red, and clear like glass, glass icecicles, more white lights, and pearl beaded garland along with anything else I found that was white or red.

Oh yea, red bows everywhere, on the tree, on the fireplace mantle, on the china hutch, attached to the evergreen garland that hung any place I could make it stick.

  It was a remarkably beautiful tree, all said and done and I loved sitting in the living room with the tree and a fire in the fireplace and just soaking it all in.  Made me feel warm and (ugh) fuzzy.  I felt comfort, love, family togetherness, and accomplishment.  I can't find a photo that does the beauty of last year's tree any justice at all so the one without a flash, that shows off the lights a bit will have to do.

This year I'm starting ornament making early because all those gooshy feelings I had before last year's tree turned brown and was cut up into little pieces and jammed into the Green trash can for removal, all those feelings are still gushing and I have to do something about it.  I figured making ornaments for this year's Christmas tree would help keep the gooshy feelings alive and well.

I was right.  I'm oozing with gooshy feelings.  (That song "Feelings, nothing more than feelings"..  keeps running through my head).  No matter what you or anyone else thinks, those gooshy feelings improve my days and spark creativity for me.  Even if my new creative experiments aren't perfect, they are inspired by a Christmas past that I will always cherish for my own weird reasons.

Here's the beginning of my creative genius at work (j/k):

The ornament in the upper left corner of this photo was made with some left over lace I had from fiesta queen bags I made for the queen's court, and some beads and satin rosettes.     The ornament in front has part of a doily pinned to it.  (I start things, don't keep the pattern, hook and project altogether, and don't finish them because I don't remember what's what.) 

 

This ornament (front) was made with beads and a snowflake I crocheted from this free snowflake pattern on MarthaStewart.com. 
I don't have starch and wanted to see my completed project (even small) at it's best because that's how I get my thrills (at my age it doesn't take much to get a thrill). 
I like how this turned out but I can see I really do need to starch it so I can use less straight pins to hold it in place.  I don't like how the pins show so much.  Maybe I'll try hot glue for the next one? 

And lastly, for now, this golden one was made for my friend who had a golden and white tree last year.  The hearts are a store bought ribbon (99 cent store) pinned on with straight pins and clear beads.  I topped it with a white satin rosette but I'm thinking I should have used a cream colored one instead.

Nice thing about these ornaments is I can change them around at will without destroying the ornament or having to start from the beginning to make the change.

More to follow one of these days.

My Silly Animals

I got back into crocheting  just recently.  My great, great, great (really!) Aunt Daisy showed me the fundamentals of the craft when I was young, I mean around eight or nine or so.  My mother and I were already sewing Barbie clothes and I loved to sew, and cook, and Aunt Daisy  showing me how to crochet was exciting, something I enjoyed very much.

Problem is, I've got animals.  Five now to be exact.  It probably doesn't sound like much, especially when you see the photos and see how small they are.  Don't let their size and cuteness fool you.  They are monsters, every single one of them.

The daschund mix that my daughter got from the shelter thinks she's a pitt bull.  (lol.  I typed pitt butt by accident.  lol)  Anyway, she has taken chunks out of our living room furniture for reasons beyond me.  They don't look like dainty little bites as you'd expect from a small mouth dog.  Nope.  The bites taken from the furniture look like a pitt butt (bull) broke into our house when no one was looking and took massive chunks out of the sofa and arm chair my mother loves so much.  Yikes.

Baby, our Chihuahua mix, is a boy.  All boy.  He's sweet, silly, curious, protective, and a lap dog.  Always in my lap dog.  He quietly barks to get my attention when he wants to get under covers with me.  He'll sit up on his haunces all day long to get whatever it is he wants, be it a cookie, a walk, to sit in my lap, to go to the store with me, and so on.  He cocks his head to one side to make the sitting up begging routine even more cute.

Sugar, my mother's dog, is a real character.  She's a malty-poo, according to the shelter, but I think she looks more like a bitchen-freeze (bichon frise) It doesn't really matter what she is except that she is Mom's dog.  Sugar is the most well behaved of all of our brood, humans included.  The only thing she doesn't behave about is barking.  When she sees someone walking a dog - or without a dog even, she barks her head off which gets all the other animals going.  Soon they are all howling the highest pitch song that would make any boy's choir sound as if they were singing baritone.  When the dogs all get together in this high pitched howl, it's enough to make a person crazy and/or drive someone out of the house which it's done to several door knocking solicitors.  ha.  Once they hear all the dogs going like that, the porch intruding door knockers turn on a heel and high tail it off the property.  Ha.

Now for the cats.  Bella is our black and white, slender, very feminine slender kitty.  Tigger is the grey striped, sturdy-borderline-fat kitty.  Both of them we rescued from the shelter when Mom said "Go get another cat, the shelter says it's over flowing", holding the newspaper up in her hands so I'd see the article as proof the shelter really stated that.  Well, my son and I went to the shelter and (my luck) they had a special on cats.  Buy one, get one free.  That's why we have two kittens, teenage cats now, instead of one.   Both cats pretty much sleep all day and suddenly, no matter what time we go to bed, the mischevious kittens decide it's time to play. 

We have a handicapped ramp in the back, for Mom in case we need to take her out in a wheelchair instead of her using the walker.  The ramp was built by someone who really knew what he was doing.  It is very solid, up to code, and very useful.  Even for the cats.  At nighttime the kittens decide to play tag or something and run up and down the ramp.  Well, you know how ramps are built, they are not solid underneath, and the kittens sound like a herd of elephants running about the house in the middle of the night.  Makes for an interesting night, to say the least.  Luckily Mom is very hard of hearing so she gets her rest just fine, not being bothered by the nighttime herd of elephants on the ramp.  Not so for the rest of us.

That's the run down on the animals.  We had more, not so long ago.  Our canary died, sadly.   I think the psycho albino parakeet he caged with is the reason for our canary's death but we aren't sure about that.  We are sure that the psycho albino parakeet killed himself somehow though.  He died not long after our sweet canary died and it wasn't a pretty sight.   We had a Chinese water dragon, too.  Our friend is convinced that the flourescent bulb we were using to illuminate the thing's cage was what killed the thing.  The thing was gross, I thought, but my boyfriend really misses the thing.  I had no idea until my daughter got the thing for my boyfriend that the term "Leapin' Lizzards" was something out of reality, not just something random that fell off someone's tongue one day.  Lizzards DO leap.  And this one swam as well, which made the thing even more gross to me.  We also had another cat.  He was a wanderer and the vet says he may have been poisoned.  Poor Charlie, an asshole as far as cats are concerned, died a horrible death.  The vet tried to save him but Charlie was too far gone.

So.  We're "down to" five pets and all are healthy, lively, playful, and a joy to have in our family.  Here's a few photos of our monsters:

Sasha, the dachshund mix
My daughter calls her "Sophie"
My mother calls her "Princess"
My boyfriend calls her "Ca Ca Dog" cuz she eats snacks out of the kitty litter box EUUUW!
Caca dog likes to pounce on anyone of us.  She's like a bomb dropped out of the sky.  You could just be sitting there minding your own business and suddenly, without warning, CacaDog drops out of nowhere, as if shot out of an airplane directly above, and lands in your lap.  And that's where she wants to stay, no matter what.  She can make herself heavy as an elephant so you won't get up if she wants to sit in your lap.

Tigger, Slayer of all that moves.  Every morning he grabs a piece of dog food out of the dogs dish, throws it across the floor and tears after it, as if it were a mouse, then carries it off to his room where he eats his "prey".

He loves to lick things too.  Licks everything, especially my son.  Any place you can imagine, he'll lick.  And lick.  And lick....  He even licked the tennis balls on Mom's walker.  ??

Bella the neck wrapper.  She loves to wrap herself around anyone's neck and being slender and slinky like a ferret she fits on anyone's neck comfortably, and then purrs like there's no tomorrow.  She'll stay there as long as you allow her to, even while you walk about the house or yard.
She's kind of aloof compared to Tigger who loves to be in the middle of everything one of us tries to do.
This <---- is her favorite place to sleep - on top of the antique trendle sewing machine - mostly on top of the doily I made for Mom.

Sugar, Mom's dog.  She was supposed to be an inexpensive gift for Mom for Christmas one year.  When I finally found her, the perfect match for the dog I was looking for, we found out someone else wanted her too.  So instead of paying the normal pound fees to get her out of "prison", we had to bid against the other person who wanted her.  The bidding went up in five dollar increments, and when it got to over $400, I began to think we weren't going to be able to take this one home.  The lady bidding against finally called it quits - just when we reached the end of our resources, all the money I had plus my friend's twenty something and whatever my boy had on him combined, was the exact time the lady said she could bid no higher and we won the auction!  Had she gone up one bid higher we would have had to bow out for lack of funds!  This one was definitely meant to be Mom's dog!

And finally, Baby, our Chihuahua mix.  His ears are laid back because he's embarrassed about the sweater I tried making him and put on him anyway.  He's kinda growling, I think, because Tigger is dorking with him - just outside the photo.  Tigger was probably making fun of him or something.  Poor Baby. 
He's the protector for me.  Whenever my boyfriend is hiding around the corner thinking he's going to scare me when I walk past him, Baby is the one who'll give him up so I know what's going on.  He'll start a certain bark and point with his nose to where Mike is hiding so he can't scare me.  lol.  Ha ha Mike!

Ruffled Black Choker - The Boredom Buster

UPDATE: 2/15/10
Well, the "boredom buster" is busted.  I got frustrated with the way it was turning out and scrapped it.  The choker became waaaay too ruffly.  I should just stick to patterns.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Anyway I got BORED with the boredom buster and trying to make it look the way I wanted to.

So much for that.


Starting:

I must have ADHD or ADD or ADWFI (Almost Done, Won't Finish It).  I can't seem to stay on one project until it's done and if I finish any project, it's a miracle and all the Angels in Heaven sing.  I'm the worst at finishing a crochet project and I have no idea why.  Maybe I just get bored with what I'm working on.

I think if I stopped my obssesive pattern browsing I could focus on the work at hand.  When I see something while pattern browsing that looks fun and interesting to make I download the pattern for it, or save it to my "Read It Later" bookmarks, or to my Favorites on Ravelry (where I have over three hundred favorites stored already).

Yesterday I put down the bag I am trying to design from stitch patterns I found in an old "howto" book.  I also put aside the Elegant Tissue Cover I'm making (and almost done with!) and I picked up a ball of black crochet thread and a size 7 hook.

Hmmm... I started crocheting a choker and added some pretty pink leaf thingys as I went along.  It's turning out quite beautiful for something random like this.  I never really made anything without a pattern and I'm finding it's quite fun to crochet on my own free will and imagination.

Here's a photo of the choker, in progress of course.

It'll get put on the shelf with the rest of the projects I've started but for now it's a great boredom buster.  It's fast and easy and fun.  For now.  Until I get bored with this one.  Then what??? ack.  I'll have to pick up one of the other projects I'm working on and try to finish ONE of them. 

The Angels in Heaven are not holding their breath, waiting to sing, believe me.

If I do finish this super easy choker I'll post the pattern for it, granted I can remember what I did.  lol.

The Socks Are Officially DEAD

Well, it wasn't a good idea to try to crochet socks for my boyfriend's birthdsay the night before his birthday and expect to have them done for him on time.  It was a failure from the start.
I pulled out all the stitching I did and decided his socks will have to wait until I can stand to look at another sock pattern again.

Sheesh.  I thought (by looking at them) that socks would be easier than doilies.  NOT!  Not for me anyway.  I'd much rather crochet a doily than a sock.

If anyone has an easy sock pattern for a MAN *The pattern I was trying to use was for a woman, size 9-11 - duh.*  please post me the link to the pattern in the comments section below.  Thank you so much.  Maybe I'll get around to the socks sometime before midnight of the eve of his next birthday.  lol

anitalite ;-)_

Giving Up - Update.

Update on Mike's Birthday Socks...
As I said in the first post on this subject , Mike bet me fifty dollars I wouldn't have his socks done by his birthday tomorrow.  He said I'd have them done by his birthday - next year. 

Well, it's 6pm, the eve of Mike's birthday.  I've been working on this stinking pair of socks on and off for 2  1/2 hours (mostly off).  I keep getting interruptions - someone in my family needs me to find something for them.  (This is what I do all day - look for stuff other people misplaced).

I did finally find my boyfriend (Mike) and got him to sit for a moment so I could measure his leg and foot. 
(stinky foot).  I should have done the measuring this morning right after he got out of the shower, or at least before he had a chance to put his foot in his stinky boot.  Here's the measurements I took hoping to modify this pattern to fit him:

Circumference of mid-calf   14"  (he wants mid-calf socks)
Circumference of ankle         10"  (my ankle is almost the same, sigh)
Length of foot                          11 1/2"  (not too big)
Circumference of foot at widest part 10 1/2"

Okay.  So I made the ribbing (top of sock) with no trouble at all.  It's 25 rows (7 sc wide) and stretches to the 14" so it will fit snugly around his calf, not be too tight, not fall down.  yadda yadda.

Now I get to the rest of the sock.  I stitched the short ends of the ribbing together, sc around enough times so the sock would fit around his calf (the pattern calls for 20 sc I think I did 24)  I tried to keep track of how many sc I did around but I keep getting interrupted (see excuse above). 

Okay.  So far so good, it's coming along nicely.  And then I get to the next part of the instructions which might as well be written in Russian because I just don't get it.   I'm trying to visualize what it is these words and symbols are trying to tell me to do with this partial sock in my hand and I just don't get it. 

I give up.  For now, anyway.  What I thought would be simple and quick turns out to be one of the worst headaches I've had so far this year.  I'm going to take a Fiorocet and lay down for a while.  Maybe when I come back to it something will click for me and I'll "get it". 

Oh, my aching head.  !!! 

Mike's Birthday Socks

My boyfriend is probably the hardest worker I've ever known.  He works constantly, doing things for people that no one else is willing to do, and he gets paid nothing for all of it.  He does everything (most everything) for the sake of helping someone in need, not for the money.

Mike goes through work boots like there's no tomorrow.  I bought him a pair for Christmas, he already needs new ones because he's worn these out from working so much.  He doesn't drive, and so when I'm not around with the car he walks everywhere which is quite a feat from our house which is isolated from any bus stop - hard to get a cab to come here too.

Okay.  He wears his boots out like that -- can you imagine what his poor feet look like?  Or worse yet, what they FEEL like?  He gets blisters on his feet and the back of his heels as big as the palm of my hand!  Ouch!  Yet he keeps on working, helping anyone who needs him.  So...

I am going to make him a nice, thick pair of socks for his birthday tomorrow.  Hopefully I will make it to Michael's in a few minutes to get the yarn for his socks and get them stitched up today.  The pattern doesn't look too hard so I think I can pull it off.   My main concern is fitting them to his enormous legs.  He's very muscular, especially his legs.  We'll see, I'm not sure how to fit them and follow the pattern.  I'll just wing it I guess and hope for the best.

 Update:

It's 3:30pm and I just got back from Michael's with the yarn for these socks and for a lot of other things I plan to make.   (sigh)  I went in for two balls of yarn and ended up spending $100.00  (14 cents away from 100, actually).  Ugh.  Oh well, at least I have something to keep me busy crocheting for a while.

The two balls of yarn I got for the socks were on sale:  2 for $9.  Considering these are regularly 6.99 each, it was a great bargain (if I had stuck to just getting the two balls for the socks.)  They really got me when there was a sale sign on almost everything in the store! 


I'll post my progress with the socks as I go along.  This will be my first sock attempt, so wish me luck.  I have to get them done by my boyfriend's birthday.  We have a bet going .  He said he won't get them till his birthday - next year.  I told him they'd be done by tomorrow.  (I think I'm going to loose this bet!)  And then he said, okay, fifty bucks and I couldn't pass up the chance to show him I can do it.  ...
Then he said, "Well, you know my birthday starts at midnight tonight!"
ACK!  That gives me (counting on fingers)  only 8 1/2 hours to get these stupid (now they're stupid!) socks done!  ACK

The Beginning:

Here's my start.  My boyfriend has huge legs - very muscular - and this pattern is for women's sizes 9-11.  Oh brother.  I don't think one of these would fit over his big toe!  Sooooo...
I'm going to have to alter the pattern a lot.  I have to measure his leg, calf, ankle, and foot (and big toe) and make adjustments in the pattern as I go along. 
Like I said, this is my first attempt making socks for anyone, let alone making them for the Incredible Hunk Mike.
(That old Carpenter's song "We've Only Just Begun" keeps running through my head.)  Now all I have to do is figure out where my boyfriend snuck off to so I can measure his massive legs and feet.  (Don't be jealous, you've all heard about the size of a man's feet are proportionate to the rest of his body... ) 
ack.

Topaze Purse Crochet Pattern, BEAUTIFUL!

Are You Noticing A Pattern Here?  (Pardon the pun)

The pattern being the content of my posts.  I keep coming across absolutely astoundingly beautiful crochet patterns all over the internet, just waiting for me to start working on them and sharing them here, in this blog.

I hope that's okay.  I mean, I hope you don't get tired of  me posting the things I think are too beautiful not to share here.

I have an obsession in crochet pattern browsing.  I do it day and night.  It is getting somewhat out of hand and I'm ready to take the first step and admit I'm addicted to pattern browsing.   I can't help myself, I love to see all the beautiful things we can make with crochet thread or yarn and I am captivated by what I see people have done with just a hook and some yarn.  I've seen everything from an Irish Rose Afghan, to a Lion Bath Blanket for babies, to Snowflakes, Santas and Nativity scenes, and even vegetables - a BEET even!  I almost fell out of my chair when I saw someone actually made up a Strong Bad character in crochet!  HA!  (If you don't know Strong Bad, you either don't have kids or you just this minute got your computer and have never been on the internet in your life.)



Here's the real problem.  Each post is turning out to be about my very "next project".  I think I've racked up over fourteen so far.  I haven't published all those posts and don't think I will.  This blog would be nothing more than a link - a - minute - blog with each post highlighting a superb pattern I found while browsing through thousands.

It's got to stop somewhere, sometime or else.  But not here and not now.

My NeXt NeW PrOjEcT is.... (drum roll please...)

The Topaze Purse I found on Kreinik.com

If you've made this purse or are going to soon, please let me know!

Starting A Project, Finishing A Project

Do you finish every project you start?
How many unfinished projects do you have laying about your house, waiting for you to pick them back up and finish them?
What makes you stop working on a project you started?
How do you get yourself to finish something you put down?

I am notorious for not finishing my projects whether it be crocheting, oil painting, even learning a new piece on the piano. It seems like I get to a certain point (never really the same "point" in any project) and something makes me put it down. Sometimes it'll be years before I get the (?) whatever it is that I can't name - to pick up the project and work on it again. For example, my 12 year afghan.

Another example would be all the sewing I started, mending I never finished, and on and on.
Or a piece that Eric Clampton wrote that I love and was teaching myself to play on the piano. I got through the first few stanzas, it started sounding pretty good and then - ? - I stopped, left the sheet music for "Tears In Heaven" on top of my old upright, never to look at it again.

What makes me do this? Am I afraid to finish anything for fear it won't be perfect?

Leave a comment and tell me what you think. It's driving me nuts. It's driving my family nuts too because I have little piles of projects all over the place that I don't put away anywhere, waiting for me to work on them. I am afraid to put them on a shelf in the closet (there wouldn't be room there anyway!) for fear I would forget about them.

How do you get started?
More importantly, how do you make sure you finish your work?
What do you do with your project when you're done with it?

I would have posted photos of all the messes I have - well, projects I am working on all over the house but it's too embarrassing. lol. Maybe I will anyway.

Easy Chihuahua Sweater Pattern; can be modified for larger dogs

Make sure to check out a few variations of this sweater I did, in a slide show at the bottom of this post...!

Using thick and quick chenille and size N hook,

(one skein of thick and quick (Lion's Brand) was just enough for this sweater sized for a chihuahua)

chain 25, join with sl st to beg ch, ch 1

Forming turtleneck:

Round one:

sc  in each chain around; join with *(sl st to beg sc, ch 1) here and at the end of each round as indicated by asterik *

Round two:

sc in back loop only of each sc around, * (see round 1) 25 sc, 1 ch

Round three:

Repeat round two until last sc, 2 sc in last sc; 26 sc * join to ch of round two, ch 1

Round four:

Repeat round three

(From here, turn work at end of row.  For ribbed effect, stitch in back loop of previous stitches)

Row 1, back of sweater

hdc in 16 of the sc from last row of neck, ch 1, TURN

Row 2

2 hdc in first hdc, hdc across till last of row 1, 2 hdc in remaining hdc of row 1.  ch 1, turn. ; 18 hdc

Row 3

same as row 2; 20 hdc

Row 4
(if back is now wide enough to fit your animal, follow row 4 instructions.  If your animal needs the back to be wider than it is at this point, follow row 3 instructions until desired width is accomplished)

hdc across, ch 1, turn

Rows 5 +

Repeat Row 4 until desired back length is reached.  For my Chihuahua, I repeated row 4 ten times.

Fasten off.
Attach yarn to the third sc (from last row of neck, same side of neck that back starts) so there'll be an even number of empty neck sc on each side, between the back and the underpiece.

Underpiece:

Row 1

8 hdc in sc of neck piece, ch 1, turn  (or enough stitches across for width that suits your dog best)


Rows 2 - 7

hdc in each hdc of previous row, inc 1  in each end of each row

(You can cut the number of rows here or add rows, depending on size and gender of your animal)

When desired length for under  piece is completed, do not fasten off, but ch 1 and turn work sideways.

Belt 


First part of belt, extending from underneath piece, around to middle of back of dog

ch 1, sc in the side of the underneath piece, approx. 4 stitches depending on the width you'd like the belt to be
ch 1, turn

row 2

sc in each of 4 sc across, ch 1, turn

Rows 3 and on

Work same as row 2

  to proper length for your dog:

  until this part of  the belt would reach around animal to middle of its back, plus 1.5 "

Fasten off when desired length is met for belt.


Second part of Belt

Attach yarn to opposite corner side of the underneath piece for rest of belt piece, opposite the first belt part.

Repeat Rows 1 through ? as you just did for the other side, stopping just before the last two rows that would make this part of the belt the same length as the first.


Second to last row

After ch 1, turn, sc in first sc, ch 2; skip 2 sc, sc in last sc ch 1, turn
(Makes hole for button or crocheted flower or heart)

Last row:
sc in first sc, sc in next two ch, sc in last sc; fasten off.
weave in all loose endings and then

Attach a large button or you can make any number of cute crocheted "buttons" - hearts, flowers, circle, etc.  by using patterns easily found on Ravelry in their free pattern search.  When I put some of my little "buttons" on paper, I'll post them so you'll have something more to chose from and will find them easily.

Now that the basic sweater is made, think of all the possibilities you can to make this sweater uniquely yours - or your dogs, I should say.  For a female I would add some edging to the back and neck, probably in a contrast color such as white.  You could also add flower motifs all over the back or make some wings as a bat would have.
With this basic pattern there are endless possibilities to challenge the creativity you possess, so get creative and have some fun with it.  If you do something extra special to this pattern for your dog, please post a link to it's photo online somewhere.  (Flickr or Photobucket for example, or Ravelry!)
I would love to see the ideas you came up with for your dog sweater.

Chihuahua Dog Sweater

 (That is our weirdo cat Tigger who always has to barge in on the act, see what everyone's doing, and give his approval)


This sweater started out as "Slouchy Socks" on Lion Brand Yarn web site.  I got several rows into the socks and started wondering which of my family members would appreciate them and actually wear them.  I looked over to my "little boy" Baby, my Chihuahua mix (I think he's part pitt bull by the looks of his build), saw him shivering cold and decided he would appreciate a sweater more than anyone else would appreciate socks. 
I took the part of the sock that I started and tried fitting it over his head.

It slipped over his head AND his big ears just fine, fit around his broad neck (for a chihuahua) without choking him, and was wide enough to fold over into a turtleneck.  This would be the start of a nice sweater for my poor little freezin' boy, I thought. 

We've purchased sweaters for Baby many times and they never seem to fit him comfortably due to his chunky stature.  He is built like a mini pitt bull.  If there was such a thing, it would look just like Baby.  I don't think I've ever seen a Chihuahua  quite as broad-shouldered and muscular as Baby.  The store bought sweaters always cut into his shoulders and forearms so when he takes a step it restricts his movements and probably hurts somewhat.   I was excited to begin making a sweater for Baby that kept him warm AND fit him comfortably.

Taking the part of the sock-turned-sweater that was already done from following the pattern for Sloucy Socks, I started hdc across just one side of the round, turning my work now instead of working in a round like the sock pattern would have me do.  I kept up with the hdc, increasing every other row to make the back of the sweater wide enough to cover my Baby.  I measured it against his body as I went along, making sure it wouldn't be so wide that it would get caught up in his gait. 

After I worked the back as long as I decided it to be, I finished off and attached my yarn to the other side of the original "sock" for the underneath part of the sweater.  I measured across his chest with the work I was doing and used the hdc stitch back and forth until it was long enough without interferring with his little doggie wee wee. 

Instead of fastening off I turned the corner at the end of the underneath piece and worked four hdc in the side of that piece.  ch 1, turn, 4 hdc across, ch 1 turn, 4 hdc across until one side of a strap was the appropriate length to go just past the middle of his back (giving enough slack to use a button or velcro as a fastener to keep the sweater in place)

I fastened off the end of the strap and attached my yarn to the opposite side of the underneath piece, ch 1, 4 hdc in the side of that piece, ch 1 turn, 4 hdc , and so on until it was long enough to reach just past the middle of Baby's back and fastened off.

After weaving in all the loose ends I attached velcro to the ends of the strap for a closure.  This was a bad idea because the velcro sticks so much to the yarn, if it's not placed perfectly it pulls on and ruins the yarn it is stuck to.  A button or belt buckle would have been a much better closure for this.


Baby does like his new sweater.  When we take him for a walk and I hold his sweater in my hand asking him if he wants to put his sweater on, he sits up and begs for it.  Cute. 

I am going to make another sweater for Baby with some chenille thick and quick yarn I have.  When I do I'll write down the specific instructions so anyone can follow them and make their own.  (hopefully!)

Double Soul Slippers - Making Slippers Non-Skid

My next project for Mom is going to be the doubled souled slippers by Kim Kotary.
The store bought slippers she has (most of the store's slippers are the same way) have a very thick spongy sole on them which I thought would be comfortable for her.  Problem is, her feet slide to the sides of the cushioned soles and the edge of her foot hits the hard wood floors causing great uncomfortableness while she putts about the house.

I found the pattern for the double souled slippers and thought they'd be the answer for Mom's slipper dilemma and painful putting.  lol.  My only concern was that they would be very slippery on our highly glossed (gymnasium finish) hard wood floors. 

I Googled my question about making the slippers non-skid and right away found this answer to my question!:
Plasti Dip is something used to make the handles of tools non-slippery and can be found in hardware stores.  Just paint it on the bottoms of the slippers, let it dry and tada!  That's it!  yea!

Now that I know I can make the slippers safe for Mom I can't wait to get started on them!