FM 1/19/09

It's been _cold_ here in my neck of the woods. And my leg still hurts, boo hoo. But here you go,
I do have the free patterns this week, if you can tear yourself away from the Inaguration and football....

You have to see this - it's amazing. I think Teresa should partner with a yarn company to sell this as a kit:
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/01/barack-obama-crochet-painting-with-yarn.html

Cjeck out this gallery of great crochet
http://crochetinsider.com/gallery6.html

I do recycle, but this is taking recycling to a higher level
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123180107217975103.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Is this the year you submit your crochet pattern to a magazine -
here's some info
http://www.thisiscrochet.com/2009/01/12/8-ways-to-create-an-attractive-crochet-submission-package-pt-1/

Here's a job I never would have thought of - crocheting for the movies:
http://www.granttribune.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=211:woman-creating-blankets-for-movie-has-family-in-grant&catid=37:lifestyle&Itemid=57

Here's a lovely scarf pattern from Australia
http://crochetroo.blogspot.com/2008/09/stingey-neck-warmer-and-fluffy-scarf.html

And how about a crochet purse?
http://www.allfreecrafts.com/crochet/purse.shtml

The next 4 are from Moomglow:
scarf stitch
http://www.orble.com/scarf-stitch/

a open motif
http://www.orble.com/free-rose-and-white-motif-crochet-pattern/

a crochet carrot bag
http://www.orble.com/free-carrot-carryall-crochet-pattern/

and a demonstration of one type of shell stitch
http://www.orble.com/free-large-shells-scarf-stitch-crochet-pattern/

And if you're like me, you got plenty of t-shirts that may be a little, well, sad. Here's how to make a rug out of t-shirts:
http://www.craftstylish.com/item/39345/how-to-crochet-a-rug-out-of-t-shirts

Here's a neat motif - a circle square
http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/circle%20of%20friends%20square.html

If you got a boy to crochet for, chances are he will love this - a gross eye patch
http://kellyskraftystuff.blogspot.com/2008/11/mad-eye-patch-free-pattern.html

How about a cute little beaver pattern
http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/damed_beaver/

You can't use it to hold hot water, but it's still cute - a crochet tea pot
http://knottsend.blogspot.com/

And there's a moose on the loose
http://yanaknits.com/projects/crocheted-toy-moose/

And here's a charity even coming up - V-Day. They are accepting donations for scarves for auction at Frostburg State University, but there are other events going on - www.vday.org
If you want to donate to the scarf sale, here's the info:

Office of Leadership and Civic Engagement

Attn: Dawn Lucas - V-Day Committee

20 Braddock Road

Frostburg, MD 21532

As usual, I get no payola from the sites listed. That's probably a good thing because otherwise I'd have to declare it as income on my income taxes and it would bump me to a much higher bracket;)

_enjoy_ (and stay warm!)

fm 12/17/07

So you're giving a book and think it needs a little something else? Or maybe you're sending a card out that you want a little something "extra" in? Here is a quick bookmark pattern:
http://jjkawano.blogspot.com/2007/12/free-pattern-bookmark.html

How about a tiny thread teddy beat tutorial? Edith Molina (she writes excellent patterns) has one online you can check out. Even if you feel too rushed now to make a thread bear, you can use it for future reference.
http://www.squidoo.com/thread_crochet_bears2

I asked a question about a size 7 hook for worsted weight yarn last week on Crochet Partners. I got a vey helpful answer from Wheat Carr. It's been on her blog but somehow I managed to miss it in my search to figure it out. M's Carr has plenty of cool stuff on her site, but I'm just giving you the conversion chart link right now - you can nose around to your heart's content.Here it is:
http://tinyurl.com/ynotql

Not a free pattern, but something to drool over....
http://www.yarnmuseum.com/

If you're looking for a particular pattern that you've seen done in Coats & Clarks yarn, you can get free Coats and Clarks patterns here:
http://www.knitandcrochettoday.com/kitl/kitl_dec.html

This is a really cool stocking - a fair isle stocking. Maybe next year I'll try it - currently I don't need a need stocking for anyone. But I might try my hand at it just to see how it works up:
http://www.annieshookedoncrochet.com/webbonuses.html


Just in case you have about 8 (or even 6) leftover granny squares, here's a quick & easy stocking. I can't tell you it's my original pattern, but I also can't tell you I have seen it in a pattern book. It's probably like a basic granny aquare - everybody knows the basics but nobody knows who thought it up first.
You take your 4 (or 3) granny squares and sew them in the shape of an "L". You repeat the same with the remaining 4 (or 3) granny squares. Now you can edge the "L"s with another color if you want or just sew or crochet both sides together and you got a stocking. You could put an edging on the top, then make s chain stitch hoop so the stocking can hang. I'm sure you can think of a dozen other ways to "gussy up" your granny square stocking.

The usual disclaimers apply - I get no kickbacks from these folks. If they wanted to give me a kickback, I would take it. (just being honest with you)


_enjoy_

freebie Monday 11/12/07

Most of you probably know about the "Annie's Attic" site, but I especially liked this one:
_Annie's Hooked on Crochet!: Free Pattern of the Week - Ribbon Candy Afghan_
(http://www.annieshookedoncrochet.com/freepatternoftheweek.html)


I like Stevie Nicks, from Fleetwood Mac to her solo career. Another crocheter likes her so much, a lot of her crocheting has to do with Stevie Nicks:
http://www.theedgeof17.com/crochet/


How about a crocheted earring tutorial? This is really cool.
kardemumma - http://krumbukta.blogspot.com/

For those of you who can't get enough granny squares, here's a picture of a "granny square rec room".
http://pattihaskins.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/mocca_4.jpg


And here's the pattern for the purse you'll need in the "granny square rec room". You might lose it there, but what the heck: http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/mika/mika.html

Wondering want to whip up quickly for a gift exchange? Try this fancy dish cloth:
http://crochet.about.com/od/kitchenpatterns/a/cstfancloth.htm


Priscilla Hewitt has some lovely free patterns for Christmas (and other times as well). Check out her terrific website: http://members.aol.com/lffunt/christmas.htm

Another "quickie" for a gift exchange - you could make them in Christmas colors or maybe to match something else:
http://www.craftzine.com/blog/archive/2007/11/crochet_coaster_flower_pattern.html?CMP=OTC-5JF307375954

And now for the winner of the Sylvia Cosh "The Crochet Sweater Book". It's CrochetLassie, I have emailed her for her snail mail address. Thanks to all who participated in the contest.

Another freebie

I know Annie's Attic does a free crochet pattern a day
http://www.anniesattic.com/free_pattern_day/index.html
and there's some very cool patterns there. The other day Annie's Attic featured a pattern by one of my friends, Angel Rhett - and that was very cool. (I've crocheted for Angel before)...

but here's another one:

Click here: Free Crochet Pattern of the Day from The Daily Crocheter


so now you have at least _2_ free patterns to check out a day:) That's always a good thing.

And since we're on the subject of free patterns, I particularly like Lion Brand Yarns website.
here's their link:http://www.lionbrand.com/content-crochetPatternIndex.html
They have some great free patterns. I have to tell you that when I buy Lion Brand Yarns, I not only search for the dye lot number, but also I check out the patterns. I have been known to buy a skein of yarn I wasn't that interested in (color wise) because of the pattern on the sleeve. Stupid, I know, but if you ever searched for their sock pattern or the famous "tiny teddy", you know what I mean.

Speaking of Lion Brand Yarns, Jo-ann Fabrics is having a yarn sale at their stores. I purchased a few skeins of "Mystery" because this was the first time I remember seeing it and it was on sale to boot. As the clerk rang up the sale, she stated that Jo-ann's wouldn't be carrying that particular color anymore. I don't know if some colors are being phased out, but I thought "good grief, they are discontinuing yarn before I even have a chance to try it out". How can that even be possible? Are I just slow to catch on to the new yarn? Or do the companies get rid of yarn a lot quicker than they once did?

By the way, I don't get any kickback from any company I mentioned. I'd take it in supplies;)

Payton update:
He is recovering from the broken arm nicely. Hopefully, he will soon be able to enjoy his new playground in his back yard.

crochet acronyms for online groups

if you are involved with any online crochet groups, you've probably seen a lot of initials - you may know what some of the terminology is, you may not. Just to shed a little light on the acronyms and the meanings, I decided to post a list here. It's only a partial list, I'm sure there's a lot more out there I don't know about - or that may have slightly different meanings depending on your group.

Here goes:

IMHO = In my humble opinion
FWIW = For what its worth
LOL = Laughing out loud (sometimes )
OTOH = On the other hand
OTOP = On the other paw
RT*M = Read the * manual (or RT*FAQ)
ROFL = Rolling on the floor laughing
TIA = Thanks in advance
TTYL = Talk to you later
AA = Annie's Attic
ASN = American School of Needlework
ACADD = Adult Crochet Attention Deficit Disorder
BF = Boy/Best Friend
BION = believe it or not
CLADD = Crochet Listers Attention Deficit Disorder
COC = Church of Craft
AFAIK = As Far As I Know
AFAICT = As Far As I Can Tell
ATM = At The Moment
BHG = Better Homes and Gardens
BTW = By the Way
CC = Crochet Cramp
CGOA = Crochet Guild of America
CL = Crochet List
CP = Crochet Partners
CREMA = Computer Reading E-Mail Addiction
CSTRX = Coaster Exchange
CTH = Crochet Tolerant Husband
CYL = Catch You Later
DD = Dear daughter
DF = Dear Father/friend
DH = Dear husband
DIL = Daughter-in-law
DM = Dear mother
DS = Dear son/sister
DW = Dear wife
FAQ = Frequently Asked Questions
FGX = Friendship Granny Exchange.
FIL = Father-in-law
FO = Finished Object
UFO = Unfinished Object
FUFO = Finished Un-Finished Object
FFUFO = Framed Finished Un-Finished Object
NTBFUFO = Never To Be Finished Un-Finished Object
Frog = Rip-it, Rip-it (Ripping out stitches to do over.)
FWIW = For what it's worth
FYI = For Your Information
GD4C = Granny's Daughters for Charity
GF = Girl Friend
HAMS = Have Actually Made Something
HAS = Hook Acquisition Syndrome
HOWB = House Of White Birches
HTH = Hope That Helps
HWHN = Husbands Who Hardly Notice
IAE = In Any Event
IMHO = In my humble opinion
IMNSHO = In My Not So Humble Opinion
IMO = In My Opinion
JMHO = Just My Humble Opinion
JM2C = Just My 2 Cents
IOW = In Other Words
ISO = In Search Of
ISRN = I'll Stop Rambling Now
ITD = In The Dark
JOMRS = Just One More Round Syndrome
KM = K-Mart
LA = Leisure Arts
LFL = Leaflets for Less
LOL = laughing out loud
ROFLPM = Rolling on the floor laughing peeing myself
ROFLWTIME = Rolling on the floor laughing with tears in my eyes
= Grin
= Big grin
= Very big grin
LB = Lion Brand (brand of yarn)
LYS = Local Yarn Store
MAM = Mile a Minute afghan
MAS = Magazine Acquisition Syndrome
MASS = Multiple Acquisition Syndrome Syndrome
MIL = Mother-in-law
NRN = No Reply Necessary
OT = Off Topic
PAS = Pattern Acquisition Syndrome
PCA = Pattern Collectors Anonymous
PIGS = Projects In Grocery Sacks (materials bought but project not
started yet)
PILL = Projects I've Lost Lately PLMK(Please let me know)
PMS = Procure More Stuff Puffy = the envelope that the exchange stuff
comes in
RACK = Random Acts of Crochet Kindness
RDFC = Running, Ducking For Cover
REMA = Reading E-Mail Addiction
RH = Red Heart (brand of yarn)
RSN = Real Soon Now
RTM = Read the manual (or RTFAQ)
SAHM = Stay At Home Mom
Sig. = The signature on the bottom of your post.
Sightings = Anything that is seen or heard about our craft on
television, in movies or on the street.
SIL = Sister-in-law
SITD = Still In The Dark
Snail mail = mail delivered by post office
SNB = Stitch and Bitch, the book or a group that meets for stitching (and I guess, bitching)
SO = Significant other (boyfriend/girlfriend)
SS = Simply Soft (brand of yarn)
TAS = Thread Acquisition Syndrome
TBD OOTD = To Be Done One Of These Days
ThUD = The Usual Disclaimers
(not affiliated with the company mentioned)
ATUD = All the usual disclaimers
TIFN = That's It For Now
TTFN = Ta Ta For Now
TY = Thank You
UDO = Un-Designed Objects
UPGS = Unfinished Project Guilt Syndrome
URB = Un-Read Books
USO = Un-Started Object
WCS = WIP Completion Speed
WIP = Work in progress
WIM = Work in mind
WM = Wal-Mart
WTH = What The Heck
XS = Cross Stitch
YAS = Yarn Acquisition Syndrome
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary


I have to admit, I forget a good deal of these myself and end up typing out the whole phrase. But at least if I type "Thanks in advance", nobody thinks I am talking about a transient ischemic attack (TIA).