Beaded Pineapple Crochet Earrings Pattern

I used different lighting for this photo in an attempt to get the beading to show up better.  I am not entirely sure it does but it gives you a slightly different perspective on them.









Note:
For ease in printing this pattern or others I've posted,  or elsewhere on the web, here's a comment Viola left on one of my patterns that may help you:

"...As for the printing, if you do a "print preview" first, you can select only the pattern pages. I just tried it and the print is small, but nothing in the pattern was cut off...."
(signed),
Viola's Hook
----
Thank you Viola!



Beaded Pineapple Crochet Earrings Free Pattern
copyright Aug. 2010 by Cynthia aka anitalite

Materials
size 10 crochet thread
size 10 steel crochet hook
40 small glass beads the thread is willing to string through. (optional)
2 post earrings or 2 earring hooks for dangle

Special Instructions:
Bead tr:  work tr as follows:  YO twice, insert hook into st, YO, draw through two loops on hook twice, slide bead up and work into very last YO before drawing through last two loops on hook.

Bead sc :  slide a bead up and add to your stich during the YO after inserting your hook

Bead ch:  slide a bead up and add to your stitch during the YO of the chain

Pull beaded stitches tight so beads will stay in place and not travel.

Gauge: 
Gauge for this pattern not very important but keeping tension "firm" or slightly tight will keep the stitches neat and uniform.  A loose gauge is okay too, the earrings appear even more lacy.  Have fun, experiment to get the look you desire.

Begin by stringing 40 glass beads onto crochet thread.
(You'll only need 19 for each earring but I always add an extra or two, just to be safe.)

ch 5, dc in fifth chain from hook to form ring.

Row 1:  ch 4, sliding bead up and work into 4th ch; (counts as 1 bead tr)  bead tr X 6  (total 7 bead tr)

Row 2: ch 4, (counts as dc + 1 ch)  (dc in next  bead tr, ch 1) across, dc in top of ch 4 from previous row.

Row 3: turn, ch 3, skip first ch 1 space, (bead sc in next ch 1 space, ch 3) X 6

Row 4: turn, sl st in first ch 3 space, ch 1, sc in same space; (ch 3, sc in next ch 3 space) across

Row 5: turn, sl st in first ch 3 space, ch 1, bead sc in same space, (ch 3, bead sc in next ch 3 space)  X 4

Row 6: turn, sl st in first ch 3 space, ch 1, sc in same space; (ch 3, sc in next ch 3 space) X 3

Row 7:  turn, sl st in first ch 3 space, ch 1, bead sc in same space, (ch 3, bead sc in next ch 3 space) X 2

Row 8:  turn,  sl st in first ch 3 space, ch 1, sc in same space; ch 3, sc in last ch 3 space

Row  9: turn, sl st in ch 3 space, bead ch 1, sc in same space;
Fasten off, weave in ends.

Repeat from beginning (following the stringing of beads)
to make your pair of earrings complete.

Attach hooks or posts to beg ring.  Shape and starch to hold shape as necessary.  I used a fine mist of spray starch on these and a flat iron on low to set the starch and hold the stitches in place.  You can learn about other ways to stiffen your crochet thread projects at Crafters Love Crafts site.


If you have any questions please contact me here
and / or leave me a comment below

Please remember :  It is okay to share this pattern using a link to THIS PAGE.  You may also sell the work you make from this pattern.  You MAY NOT sell this pattern or copy it for profit by any means.

"Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."

Sir Winston Churchill British politician (1874 - 1965)

Borrowed from The Quotations Page

This quote by Sir Winston Churchill helped me see the light when it came to my saddened heart when I look at Mom sitting next to me.  My heart felt sad for all she has to go through in aging (she's 84) and sadness that the aging has robbed her of her freedom, independence, ability take only five minutes to go to the bathroom, the ability to sleep through the night without getting up to go potty, and her memory of how to knit, which is something she loved to do and was very good at.  There's so much more that saddens me when I see Mom the way she is today, using a walker and shuffling slowly across the house, sleeping most of the day away in her arm chair, not being able to hear us even when we speak very loudly and slowly to her.  The tremors of Parkinson's Disease, the indentation in her tee shirt where a breast should be, the puzzled look on her face as she tries to figure out what people in the room are saying and if they are saying anything about her.

There is so much that saddens my heart for this woman, my mother, who used to be active with us kids and at our schools and our church.  She was famous at a pot luck for her lemon jello cake (yum!) or pineapple upside down cake, or her million dollar casserole (yum yum!).  She used to sew costumes at Halloween for all four kids, bake cookies for the school bake off, bake and decorate cakes for anyone and everyone for a nominal charge of $10.   She kept our doctor and dentist appointments straight, knew who needed what and when they needed it, she made sure we had it.  Our school and church clothes were sewn by her, our birthday parties always had a great theme and fun games to play, our house was always clean (except for my closet which is where I threw everything from my room into so my room would pass inspection) and we had a hot breakfast every morning, homemade well-balanced lunches for school (with two different kinds of homemade cookies in them) and we all had a homemade dinner together every night. 

She provided everything for us, made us take care of ourselves and our living spaces, kept on top of our chores, didn't give an allowance for anything because she saved every penny she could so she could give us the things we really wanted at Christmas and our birthdays. 

I am so highly grateful to this woman who did so much for me, for all us kids, by herself after Dad died in the line of duty when we were all small.  She was and still is amazing.  She never complains but once in a while, usually when something starts bothering her so much she can't stand it anymore.  (Like the jeans she can't stand to see me wear, the ones that you purchase from the store already torn and faded.. lol)  She says she doesn't have pain and when she does she won't say anything - I have to ask her to find out she needs her one aspirin she allows herself when pain gets that bad.

The quotation may not be exactly on the same train of thought but I think you probably get it.  When I would look at Mom and feel sorry for her, wonder how she can stand being old and dealing with all that old age has cast upon her, all the changes, all the losses, all the inconveniences, having to depend on someone else for her basic needs.  Now I am trying my best to look at her in way that she is walking through a journey, proud of what she has accomplished and all that she has done as a mother, the good friend and wife she was throughout her lifetime, (she is still very good friends with people she was best friends wtih in elementary school - that would be over seventy years of close friendship!).  She can be tired if she needs to be, be taken care of finally, after all the care taking she did through the years.  She can let me be here for her the way she was here for me when I needed her.  It probably feels good knowing she was a great Mom who did her very best without Dad, she's still loved by those friends from school way back then, and her family is close by and would do anything for her.  The way she always did for them. 
She still gets to enjoy the joy and glory of the climb and it's not over yet, thank God.  Hopefully Mom will be climbing in that joy and glory for many years to come.

And here's Mom, trying to stay awake while browsing a magazine for dinner recipes.  She's had a long day (me too!) as it was the day of her hair appointment.  Isn't she beautiful?

Face Scrubbie #4 Free Pattern

I've been whipping up these face scrubbies getting ready for Christmas and, hopefully, a boutique I am planning to open for pre-Christmas sales.  The scrubbies are going to be packaged in bundles of like color schemes, added to baskets with soaps and lotions and matching wash cloths and bath mitts.


Here's the instructions for yet another face scrubbie, this one is easy enough for any beginner and makes up super fast using remnants of cotton yarn from dish cloth projects.

For ease in printing this pattern or others I've posted,  or elsewhere on the web, here's a comment Viola left on one of my patterns that may help you:

"...As for the printing, if you do a "print preview" first, you can select only the pattern pages. I just tried it and the print is small, but nothing in the pattern was cut off...."
(signed),
Viola's Hook
----
Thank you Viola!----


Face Scrubbie #4 Pattern


With a size I crochet hook and a small amount of cotton yarn (size 4 such as Peaches N Creme or Lily's Sugar And Cream)


chain 2 loosley
Round 1:  In second ch from hook work (sc, ch1) six times.  Join to first sc with slip stitch (sl st)  if using contrast, fasten off.
Round 2:  Join contrast with sc in any ch 1 space, ch 2
   (sc in next ch 1 space, ch 2) five times , join to first sc with sl st (6 sc, 12 ch total)
Round 3: ch 1, (3 sc in ch 2 space, ch 1) around (total six times), join with sl st to first sc, fasten off if using contrast color.
Round 4: Attach main color wtih sc in any ch 1 space, sc in same ch 1 space, ch 1, skip next sc, sl st in next sc, ch 1, (2 sc in next ch 1 space, ch 1, skip 1 sc, sl st in next sc, ch 1)  around (five times) join with sl st to first sc, fasten off, weave in ends.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me or comment below

Caregiver Notes: Got A Medical Alert Button For Your Patient?

This morning I woke up to something banging, sounding something like the pipes banging whenever someone turns on a faucet in our house.
I listened some more and as the banging continued I realized it wasn't a faucet being turned on and off again and again to make the pipes bang.  All the dogs started barking wildly so I walked about the house trying to figure out what was banging like that. 


I opened Mom's bedroom door and there she was, on the floor, banging the little vanity trash can on the floor, trying to get someone's attention.  It was about the time I normally get up, luckily because if she had fallen in the middle of the night who knows how long it would have taken me to wake up?


Mom has one of those little buttons she wears around her neck while at home in case something like this happens and no one comes to her aid.  The button calls an operator working for the medical alert company who in turn pages the house on a box asking if she requires a paramedic. 

Well, apparently this service is not working because Mom said she pushed her button again and again for help and ... nothing.  That little button is doing her absolutely no good and costing she and her insurance plenty of money for that nothing.

If your patient has a button like this here are some things I suggest:

• Go with a reputable company, not just the one the insurance pays for.  The more well known companies are not that much more per month than the co-pay for the insurance - paid company. 
• Make sure whatever company you choose does a monthly operations check.  By this I mean the little box that comes with the button is programmed to remind you once a month to push your button for a safety check.  (The company we are using now does not do this.)
• Make sure the little box has an alarm on it that can be heard throughout the house.  Our box is way across the house from where my bedroom is.  I am moving it to my room tonight.
• Ask questions.   Write a list of questions you might have before you call the medical alert company.  You will be talking to a salesperson, most likely, and cuold be snowballed into getting a service you don't really want.  This is for the person who is depending on you for everything - make sure the button company is reputable and worthy of taking care of your patient as you are.

That's about it.  Do your homework.  Don't settle for cheap.  It's worth a few extra bucks to get one that you and your patient feel comfortable with.

As for Mom?  She's fine, a bit shook up still though.  I think her pride is hurting more than anything, but for her tailbone maybe.  She's says that's the only thing that's really sore.  I told her  "well, Mom, you've always let me know I'm  a pain in the a...."   I don't think she heard me.  ha. 

Here is the Google search results for Medical Alert Systems
Have fun browsing through them, there are many and I haven't a clue which to recommend to you. 
http://www.google.com/search?q=medical+alert+systems&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Caregiver Notes: Off Topic - People To Take Seriously

This is a list of links that I urge you to visit.  Each site has valuable information that can benefit you and your family in some way.
Please indicate what site or sites you visited and what you think of them in the comments below.  I would love to know your reactions.

• Gentle Recovery; Tips And Tools For Healing From Trauma
• Embracing The Journey
• A High And Noble Calling
• The Glow Academy
• The Hal Lindsey Report (videos) : Author of The Late Great Planet Earth and more

I spent some time reading and listening to these sites and am deeply moved by them, especially Hal Lindsey's Report.  He is saying all the things I have thought about and felt in my heart for several years.  I can't really go into his dialog, I think it's better if you listen for yourself. 

All the sites have many useful links to other pages as well and if you have the time I would advise you check them out. 

Please do comment below if you are so inclined, after viewing these sites.  Thank you ahead of time.

Delicate Butterfly Doily Finally Finished

 I started this project - Delicate Butterfly Doily.... well, I guess it's been months ago now, and last night I sat down with it, determined to finish it off.  It has been hibernating in my pile of WIP (works in progress) for quite some time.  I am struggling with forcing myself to finish the WIP that I put aside before I begin anything new.  Yea, like that's going to happen!  Give me a break.  ha.


The beginning of the butterfly is posted HERE, if you care to take a gander at it.


I stupidly thought it was okay to use a crochet thread size 3 just because it was a pretty color.  It's okay to use size 3 thread - just not with a size 7 crochet hook.  If you're going to use the size 3 thread I recommend using a larger hook, possibly a 5 or even a size 3 hook.  The pattern itself doesn't have a material list so it's basically up to you.  The crochet bug that posted the pattern used size 10 thread and a size 7 hook which sounds like it would be great for the butterfly but it'll come out smaller than the one I made.


Here's the updated photos, please let me know if you've made this public domain pattern.  It's beautiful and I would love to post your photos of your delicate butterfly doily to show off here for others to be inspired and just say "Ahhhh, isn't that pretty?"  (grin)

Notes are below photos...

 The pattern was relatively easy to follow as long as I didn't have any distractions and was able to concentrate intently on each word and abbreviation in it.
Keeping careful track of the stitches and rows I made made it go along smoothly.  Once I forgot what row I was on and it was hell trying to figure out where I left off. 
Mark your pattern and your work as you go along and it should be okay.  (The rows are hard to count as they aren't in a straight line - advanced crocheters may not have a problem with this but I can see where a beginner might.  Keep in mind this pattern is do-able for a beginner, but definitely a good challenge.)