FM 8/10/09

The picture above was taken at the Toy Museum at Natural Bridge, Virginia. They have a lot of modern toys (South Park, Teenage Mutant Turtles, Barbies) but these are the only two toys that appear to be hand made from yarn. I don't know if the stitching in the larger doll shows up well but it looked like a combination of knit and crochet. The little yarn doll is similar to the thread dolls Noreen Crone-Findlay makes.http://www.blisstree.com/hankeringforyarn/busting-stress-with-old-time-thread-dolls/


I'm back. I went to Virginia for a couple of days, got a picture of me and my honey with a tiger cub. I have to post it sometime, got to figure out to work ii in;)
The weather is great, the avocado pit is growing and all is right with the world. Okay, with my world. I plan to go shopping (in my stash) a little later to get the yarn I want for a project. I think I have more yarn than A.C. Moore and Michaels combined. The last few times I was at either place, I didn't buy any yarn at all. That's how you know the economy is in the toilet. I'd like to lie and say "oh no, I was not going to buy yarn at all" but why lie? I just couldn't find anything I liked in either store. I know, that's _weird_. Anyway....


How much yarn do you need for a project? I can't ever figure it out. And don't even try to go back and get the same lot number. But Lion Brand has figured it out:
http://www.lionbrand.com/faq/96.html?language=-En

Not a pattern, but an article about the stress reducing benefit of crocheting (and knitting). I know I always feel better after I crochet.
http://www.favecrafts.com/Crochet/Knitting-and-Crochet-Tote-Releases-Stress

This is a very cute blog and video - check it out.
Fridge Critters: Where the Wild Things GO
http://woowork.blogspot.com/2009/08/fridge-critter-chelsea-chicken.html


There is a lot of tutorials on this site for almost anything you could need.
http://www.crochetsoiree.com/objects/view/30832/

How about a really cute granny square by SmoothFox?
http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/2009/08/smoothfoxs-cute-as-button-12-x-12.html

The "snuggie" is a bit deal though it probably won't be at the fall fashion shows;) They have even had a "Snuggie Pub Crawl" in Fells Point. (Of course I didn't go - I would have tripped over the snuggie;)) Here's an adult snuggle pattern and you can make it any color you want.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=34&page_id=9439232&query=adult+snuggle&hiword=ADULTES+ADULTS+SNUGGLING+SNUGGLY+adult+snuggle+


Yeah, it's August and in my part of the world, summer is drawing to a close. But you can always use a summertime tote
http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Magazines/CTJune0892+Summertime+Tote.htm


I thought this was really an amazing afghan - a personalized baby afghan Kim Guzman
http://www.crochetkim.com/patterns/perbaby.htm

But honestly, this is my pick for my great-nephew's afghan. I have looked thru books and online to find something I wanted to do that would be different than what I did for his two older brothers. So (drum roll please), a fish motif by by Eboni A. Francis and it looks fun and challenging. I will be sure to post a photo of it when I finish it (first I have to begin....). It's a fish motif.
http://in-a-pear-tree.blogspot.com/2008/08/crochet-fish-motif-finally.html


And just in case you want to know more about tessellations, here's a website for you
http://www.tessellations.org/

That wraps it up for this week. Of course, no economic stimulus passed my way for listing the sites. I'd take it but no one is offering anything - not even used Popsicle sticks.

_enjoy_

FM April 20, 2009

It has been very nice this weekend, though it might rain tomorrow. But I'll be at work, so presumably I won't see too much of it. Physical therapy is going fine, my right ankle feels more mobile. Even though I generally don't like to have my feet touched, I do enjoy the foot massage;)

I got the issue of "Apronology" at A.C. Moore. Very interesting and it has two aprons that use crochet - one uses parts of a doily. If you like aprons, you might want to pick this up. (Be warned - it's $15 so you might want to use a coupon in it).
Here's the free crochet patterns for this Monday:


This is a flower afghan from "Talking Crochet"
http://www.crochet-world.com/newsletters/talkingcrochet/pages/TCNL1709_patt2.html

I'm currently working on a baby afghan for a friend's daughter. But since I will be a great aut again sometime in August or September, I might choose this motif for a baby afghan from SmoothFox
http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/2008/11/foxs-baby-flower-motif-free-pattern.html


I thought this was great - instructions on how to use the motifs you have collected
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/more-motifs/2009/04/17/


This is a great idea idea if you have some old cds (or the clear plastic ones that you get when you buy the burnable cds) - a cd drawstring bag
http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/bags/f125001cddrawstringbag.pdf

This is quite lovely and good for my end of the world's (sort of) spring weather - a crocheted cardigan from Berroco
http://www.berroco.com/exclusives/aruna/aruna.html

I thought this was really cool - crocheted pinwheel sweater
http://www.elann.com/ShowFreePattern.asp?Id=351024

This is so neat - it's a crocheted cat afghan tutorial by Teresa Richardson, "Art of Crochet"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG5dt2dPYsY

And another great pattern from Teresa Richardson "Art of Crochet" - a bingo bag. I would think you could use it as a craft bag, too.
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2009/04/crochet-bingo-bag-or-craft-bag.html


How about a rose pin (or magnet)
http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/barbsfreepattern.html
from Crochet Corner
http://www.crochetmemories.com/newsletters/newsletter.html


This is really sweet - a flower pincushion from "Suzy's Stuff"
http://suzies-yarnie-stuff.blogspot.com/2007/03/flower-mini-pincushion.html

That's it for this week, folks, As usual, no econimic incentives were given for the sites listed here.
_enjoy_