FM 10/27/08

I'm back. I'm still sad and confused, but the only way to deal with grief is to work thru it, so that's what I'm trying to do. I didn't post this last week but I still have the boot on my right leg for at least another month. The leg is not healing quickly because of "too much stress". SO hopefully by Thanksgiving it will be off or they will do "bone stimulation". That doesn't sound like fun. Thanks for all the emails and support...

Some of the links on my posts as well as the ones I have on the side may not work after October 31, 2008. AOL is closing down their blogs as of that date. As I find the new addresses, I will post them.

This site is just to look at - it combines 2 of my favorite things - crochet and buttons. Check it out: "Always a Bridesmaid" Kathleen Holmes' beautiful marriage of crochet and buttons
http://www.kathleenholmes.com/art/113/

On to the show:
Noreen Crone-Findlay's creation, Tottie Tomato has her own blog - and it features one of M's Crone-Findlay's pattern for a crocheted baby hat. Very cute.
http://tottietalkscrafts.wordpress.com/
In my part of the world, it's time to think of making afghans, maybe as a Christmas present. Look at this reversible afghan pattern:http://www.sarahanns.com/crochetworks/afgan.html

Priscilla Hewitt's crocheted mask. (This is an AOL site, so don't dawdle): http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/lffunt/mask.html
M's Hewitt's new site is http://www.priscillascrochet.net/

This is really cute - a crochet donut:
http://www.creativelegs.com/2008/10/we-are-back-with-sweet-crochet-donut.html

Lady Linoleum works her magic again - this time it's a bat applique in time for Halloween:
http://monstercrochet.blogspot.com/2008/10/free-pattern-vampire-bat-applique.html

There's a contest being sponsored by Caron Yarn and A. C. Moore. It's the "Naturally Baby Blanket" contest. Take a peek at it: http://www.naturallycaron.com/naturally_baby.html

Again, the "Art of Crochet" comes thru with Teresa's Lovely work - first, a crochet snowflake
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2008/10/crochet-snowflake-1.html
than a filet crochet angel
http://stylish-crochet.blogspot.com/

Want to know the "behind the scenes" of Carol Ventura's "Sunburst Bowl" which is featured in the September/October 2008 issue of "Crochet Today" - here you go: http://www.tapestrycrochet.com/blog/?p=470

Have a large stash you want to reduce without giving it away (to me?) The "Stitch Diva" Jennifer Hansen's has a stash buster blanket on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQlPEmNBt9k

As I have said a lot of times before, I receive no compensation for cataloging this sites. If somebody wants to give me some compensation, well, I'm all for it;) but I doubt that will be happening any time soon....

_enjoy_

In Memory of My older Sister Bee

I wrote this back in 2006, talking about my older sister and how she taught me how to crochet. She died this past week and we are having a wake for her at my house on Sunday. Therefore, no Freebie Monday this week. Bee would have been 58 next month. I miss her terribly. This rant started off as a response to the "Not your Grandmother's crochet" phrase.

(-)

My older sister, Bee, taught me how to crochet (and knit). She took dress design in her vocational school and that's something the students had to learn. She struggled teaching me how to crochet because I was (still am) very impatient. It seemed to flow freely from her hands, but I just couldn't seem to grasp it. It took me about a few months of practicing and watching and Bee showing me time and time again for me to get that "aha" moment.

I had to make something for my Home Ec class, any project, but it had to be crocheted or knitted. The Home Ec teacher didn't show us _how_ to do it, we were supposed to know. And we were also supposed to bring the item into class so she could see us actually work on it.
I choose yellow and green yarn for the colors (it matched my bedroom). The yarn I bought was rug yarn, I think. It was the least expensive of the yarns in the five and dime I visited and the start of my love affair with Boye hooks, a size H.

Bee did the chain stitch to start. I had great difficulty starting the project. Now I realize I pulled the chains too tight and couldn't work stitches in them, but I didn't know that then. I don't remember if Bee tried to get me to make them looser or not. At any rate, I was stitching along. Horizontal green and yellow stripes, done in double crochet, that had a sort of "rib" effect. I didn't know I was supposed to put the hook under _both_the loops on the top of the stitch. Bee probably did about 30% or so of the afghan. But having to take it to school and show my work made me try to learn the stitches better.
The teacher had doubts (reasonably so) that I was actually doing the work. I was slow and it would be unreasonable to think I had gotten so much done so quickly. But the day finally came when I could whip the project out of my duffel bag and actually accomplish some rows while in class. After that, the teacher didn't question my ability to crochet. I honestly don't remember what other people made. I can't remember if there were amazingly complex patterns or just ponchos (it was the late 60s). But I was sure glad I got that project done. And it certainly kept me warm.

The afghan is long gone now, a victim of time and moving. It wasn't that beautiful a project, but it was important to me. The joy of actually creating a project that big has stayed with me. I still enjoy the accomplishing of any project, whether big or small. And I've made a ton of afghans since that time, but that first one remains in my memory as an extra special afghan.
After all, how many crochet projects keep you warm, co-ordinate with your room and get you a good grade in school?

fm 10/13/08

Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadians in the audience. Lucky you, you're going to be eating turkey:)

There's a few things that aren't freebies, so let's get them out of the way right now.

If you're so inclined, I have put a button up (on the right hand side) for a donation for the "Race for the Cure"in Baltimore. It's next week, so I'm not quite sure if my doc will let me walk the mile or so. I signed up for it before I realized I'd be in the stinky boot so long. The money doesn't go to me, it goes directly to "Race for The Cure" which is working to find a cure for breast cancer. I've walked it almost every year, but not so sure about this one because of the broken leg. We;ll see what the doc says on Friday.

Peter Franzi (Hookerbear Creations) does some besutiful patterns - even for larger sizes. Until December 31, 2008, he is offering his great patterns at half price. Plus they are in a pdf form, so there's immediate gratification for thos of us who are pattern addicts. Check it out:
http://hooker-bear.com/

Here's something amazing (to me) - okay, it's not a freebie, but it really doesn't look that hard to make the Saks "Pacific Hobo Bag":
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/p/7509071.html

Thinking maybe the next few months will ruin your diet? Here's a suggestion for you - an amigurami food swap:
http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/22986

And to get you started, a pattern for amigurami candy corn
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80763AD.html?noImages=

This is a very pretty hat done in bulky yarn:
http://freshwaterfibers.blogspot.com/2008/10/bulky-crochet-hat-pattern.html

In honor of my two new kittens, Braveheart and Heidi, here's a cute kitten filet chart:
http://stylish-crochet.blogspot.com/2008/10/filet-crochet-kitten-chart-1.html

This patten is called "Divine Cap" and it really is quite divine - check out the other patterns on the site, too.
http://rheatheylia.com/index.php?page=patterns&id=0

Need a crochet Christmas tree here you go:
http://www.mypicot.com/christmas_crochet_patterns04.html

This is one of my faves because I have trouble working with thread - snowflakes using "woolen yarn"
http://www.mypicot.com/christmas_crochet_patterns04.html

But for those of you who do work with thread, here's some lovely thread snowflakes:
http://www.mypicot.com/christmas_crochet_patterns01.html

The Art of Crochet makes an appearance again with these crochet slippers on You Tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jUBskG-6V8

Want to learn how to make some beautiful lace - check out the basic Bruges lace shown here:
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/

As ususal, I don't get any payola from the sites mentioned here. I'd accept it but since I mention the sites for free, why would anyone pay me?
_Enjoy_

fm 10/6/08

Here it is Monday again. I really truly mean to post days other than for Freebie Monday, but life gets in the way. Here's today's offerings:

Pattern Making has two lovely designs - one is a beautiful afghan
http://www.pattern-making.com/crochet/afghan-sea-shells/
and the second is for granny square slippers for the whole family:
http://www.pattern-making.com/crochet/granny-square-crochet-slippers/

Since it's October, pumpkins seem to be a primary decoration. Here's a filet pumpkin chart:
http://stylish-crochet.blogspot.com/2008/09/filet-crochet-pumpkin-chart-3.html

or maybe you'd prefer a few amigurumi pumpkin patterns:
http://planetmfiles.com/2008/10/04/free-crochet-pumpkin-pattern-or-two/


Or to get into the fall mood (and warm up a bit), here's a falling leaf afghan pattern:
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/AfghansThrows/WR1039+Falling+Leaves+Afghan.htm

Red Heart has a website for the free patterns that come on the ball bands. So if you misplace that pattern (or maybe you never seen it), here's a place for you to check out:
http://www.redheart.com/patterns.html

Somebody out there has finished the Lion Brand crochet along and has a photo of her finished sampler - check it out, it's very pretty:
http://outtahere.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/its-finished/

Have you been looking for a Cthulhu pattern? Here's one for you and the wings look great.
http://cthulhucrochet.blogspot.com/2008/09/theyre-breeding-like-rabbits.html

Wormie has put her free patterns on one blog - Wormie's Pattern Place:
http://wormiespatternplace.blogspot.com/

This isn't a pattern but it may give you some ideas to do with plain t-shirts:
http://bonnindesigns.blogspot.com/2008/10/adding-zing-to-t-shirts-with-crochet.html

Here's another site that has free patterns - Sue's Crochet and Knitting patterns
http://crochetandknitting.com/patterns.htm

Noreen Crone-Findlay makes another appearance in this blog with her "Around the World" baby sweater and hat for Caron. Very cute:
http://www.caron.com/projects/ss/ss_around_world.html

As usual, I am not being financially supported by bribes or gifts by any of the sites I have mentioned. I keep waiting, but I think everybody's just too broke to do it;) - maybe when the economy takes an upturn;)

_enjoy_