and now the end is near...

oh wait, this isn't Frank Sinatra singing "My Way". It's just it's the end of the year and it seems like this year sped by.

Here's a few things I learned this year: Charity work is good, but don't pick a lot of different charities to crochet for because you probably won't have the time - just saying.

In my part of the world, the economy hasn't "recovered" from the "recession". I put quotes around those words because although the media seems to think there has been a complete recovery, it hasn't happened here (yet?) and I know more than a few people who live in different parts of the US that say pretty much the same thing.  So I need to work on my (huge) stash and also swap/sell/whatever the yarn I probably won't use. I have 3 skeins of beautiful bulky autumn varigated yarn. It's gorgeous. But it's wool and the likelihood of my using it is between slim and none. Wool makes my throat and sinuses clog up and that doesn't make for an enjoyable crochet project for me. Why did I buy it? It was gorgeous and I hadn't connected the dots between the watery eyes and my use of wool. (I bet you thought I was going to say "it was on sale";)) But don't worry, I have plenty of yarn.
That if I really plan to make some Christmas gifts or ornaments, the time to start is _now_...well, actually after I get thru the few projects I didn't finish for 2011.And yes, I got projects that go back a few years that aren't finished, unfortunately.

but it's a quiet night, I'm in my jammies so I'm not going to beat myself up about this anymore. I finish what I can, that's all I can do. I want to have more fun with my crochet instead of trying to rush through a project to start a new one. I think my wrist would also appreciate it. It gets pretty bad at work and sometimes (_eeek_) I don't want to crochet when I get home. I know, sounds crazy.

So I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year, I hope the New Year brings you all you could possibly want and to enjoy your crocheting.

Happy New Year

Tips for Maryland's Sheep and Wool Festival May 1 & May 2, 2010

If you are near the Maryland (Howard County) area this weekend, you might want to check out the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival http://www.sheepandwool.org/

To me, it's like Christmas and my birthday rolled into one - except _I_ am the ones getting all the gifts;) Sure somebody will get something I've crocheted out of the yarn - heck, I might even buy somebody a gift from there. (it's happened before).
But I want to give you a few pointers if you plan to go to MSWF. It is free admission but I'm sure you won't get out of there without spending any money - I know I can't;)
First, wear comfortable shoes. I know, seems like a no-brainer, but it makes a difference. I was clumping around sheep & wool last year with a brace on my foot (still recovering from the broken leg) and comfortable shoes made all the difference. You will be walking a lot - from the huge parking lot through out the shops, it is a trek with sometimes uneven ground. Maybe if you walk a lot, you won't think it's a big deal. But for me who spends most of her week behind a desk, it's a lot of walking.
Unless your dog is a helper animal (say a guide dog), please leave your dog at home.  MDSF does not allow any animals into the festival unless they are working at the festival. They will make you leave your dog in your vehicle. And they will also notify the Howard County police that you have a dog in the car - it will probably be warm and sticky and dogs generally are not too happy to be left alone in a hot and sticky car.
Dress appropriately - it might start off cool in the morning, but get progressively warmer as the day goes on. The last weather report I seen called for occasional thunderstorms, so you might want to take an umbrella along. If you have created a beautiful article of clothing with yarn, this is the time to wear it. You will receive so many compliments and questions regarding your creation. It's just nice to be with people who "get it".
If you want the festival's logo stuff, there is an express line available - one size, one style, one color. However, if you don't fit into that particular size, you can order your shirt online anytime through out the year. Yes, you do have to pay postage and handling. But it's better than waiting over an hour in a line while I'm out buying up all the good stuff.  Plus you can use more money for the MDSF and buy the stuff you generally can't get somewhere else.
They added more porta-potties this year, so that's a good thing. But you may not want to drink that Big Gulp while walking around the festival. You still got to wait to use the porta-potty. And while you're in the porta-potty, well, you know I'll be out there buying all the good stuff;) I could suggest adult diapers, but I'm not so sure  anybody wants to go that far.
Carry cash as well as a credit card. Some shops only accept cash. Sometimes it's easier to pay cash for an item than to wait in line for the credit card buyers. There are ATMs at MSWF. Of course, you want to exercise all your usual precautions with money and charge card usage at the MSWF. Yarnies are a goof bunch of people, but it's always possible a bad apple has slipped in with the bunch. Not that I have ever had it happen at MSWF or even know of anybody that it has happened to, just throwing it out there for you to consider.
If you want something, or think you do, pick it up and hold onto it. You can always put it back if you don't decide to buy it, but there's a good chance it will be gone if you decide to come back for it. So if that great yarn is calling your name, you may want to consider strongly buying it. I know if I double back to a shop, I can't find whatever it was I liked. And I hate to admit, I do get confused and forget which shop had the item I was dying to buy.
Make sure you collect any business cards or info from the sellers. They may have other products that you would like  but they just couldn't bring with them. Many places have online shops and mail order catalogs. You can drool over the yarn at home and make your choices when you are (or might be) more clear headed.
I always get overwhelmed by MSWF. So much yarn, so many books, sheep and lambs, alpacas and angora bunnies. They have a spot there that sells plants and will hold them for you until you are ready to leave the festival. They have Australian dusters. There's beautiful needlework and artwork to examine.  There are musicians playing. And than there is the food...
Almost anything you could want to eat you can buy at MSWF. If you love to eat lamb, you will have a lot of choices for breakfast, lunch or dinner. And of course, there's the usual funnel cakes and cotton candy, hot dogs and hamburgers and sometimes stuff that sounds intriguing - deep fried Snickers, for example. It's all good. You don't want to eat so much you fall asleep, however. If you do, I will probably be picking thru your stuff, stealing your yarn. Not that I have ever done that - yet. Apparently, people don't sleep that deep ;)
Some people go both Saturday and Sunday. I only go Saturday because I don't want to be broke;)  I've never been on a Sunday but there are those who say it is less crowded on a Sunday. And I would think you would be able to score some deals because the sellers don't want to pack it all up and take it back home. But I don't know because I've never done it.

I hope this helps prepare you for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival 2010. I don't get a kickback (boy, would I love that!) from anyone for writing this particular article.
as always _enjoy_

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 11/17/08

I'm still hobbling around with this boot and thinking about the big Thanksgiving feeding frenzy at my house. I've been working on preemie hats and just shipped off 10 crocheted hats to "Knit One, Save One" in Brooklyn, New York. http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com/2008/11/knit-one-save-one-with-warm-up-america.html
The other preemie hats I make continue to go to the NICU at University of Maryland Hospital.


Not a freebie, but 50% off of Roxycraft Patterns is still pretty sweet.
http://roxycraft.com/

SInce Thanksgiving is in little over a week (in the USA) , it's time to polish the silverware - or maybe not....how about spending that time making crochet decorations for Thanksgiving? People will remember the Thanksgiving decorations longer than whether they can see their face in your silver?

How about starting with a turkey amigurimi?
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80744AD.html

Or how about this turkey?
http://planetmfiles.com/2008/11/11/free-crochet-turkey-pattern/

You might remember making a turkey drawing from tracing your hand - or maybe your kids did? Here's a crochet example of it in crochet - a turkey hand crochet
http://cecinatrix.blogspot.com/2008/11/turkey-love.html


Or how a turkey square that needs to be tested, according to the author - check it out
http://dayna.tdgservices.com/ShowPattern.aspx?PatternID=34

Here's something really cute - a pumpkin pie fridge magnet
http://www.crochetmemories.com/archive/november2.html

Or how about a turkey fridgie...
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/turkey.html

Here 's teddy bear pilgrim outfit and a link for a crocheted teddy bear
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa112297.htm

How about a cute turkey pin to wear on your apron or coat -
http://www.crochetdoilies.com/crochet_turkey.html

Or how about a pumpkin pin
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/fiber_arts/83799


As usual, no payola came my way for listing these sites.
_enjoy_

Stitches East

well. I worked the Discontinued Brand Name Yarn booth yesterday at Stitches (at the Baltimore Convention Center) and I had a blast. I proudly wore my "CGOA" pin on my Kimba shirt. The first part of the day I sat with Cheryl Potter of Cherry Tree yarns (http://www.cherryyarn.com/), author of "Skein For Skein". There were models for many of her designs - the "Ring of Supersox" was great. Yes, it was knitted, but it could be translated into a chrochet pattern. It was really cool to see garments made from the beautiful sock yarn of Cherry Tree Yarn. I talked about the call for designs and the "Sox" contest to the people coming into the show. I gave away small skeins of super wash merino and it was great. The second part of the day I restocked shelves and broke down boxes and that was great, too. I met so many nice people and had such fun talking to them. I got to look around the convention and see what the other vendors had for sale. I especially had fun picking my yarn out for payment. Oh, Sockotta:)
Lots of stuff for knitters and also a fair amount for crocheters. And of course, yarn doesn't care what you use it for. I was intrigued by a needle felted wool animal demonstration, but I managed to convince myself not to buy a kit. It was hard, but I already have too many hobbies (obsessions?).
So if you get a chance, go to the Stitches convention this weekend. It was a great birthday gift for me. And yes, I did get paid for the work, but the convention would still be great even if I hadn't gotten paid for it. I would have paid to go and spent more money, so it worked for me.

well...

No FM today. I am preparing for major surgery and I find I don't have the concentration to check links and sites today. I probably will not be here for at least 2 weeks (about 4 days in the hospital to start with) and obviously there won't be any FM or anything else posted here.
I will be trying to get a lot of crocheting done, depending on how I feel. I'm putting together a project bag so I won't have to search the house for the yarn of the pattern. I also have the new Bendy Carter book, a novel this time "Dying to Crochet". I have been holding off reading it until after surgery but it looks _good_. 10 projects in it (okay, I did take a peek at the projects. I'm not _that_ disciplined.)
I am very lucky to have my loving husband, Craig, to take care of me during this time of recovery. I am the luckiest woman in the world to have him as my beloved. I don't want to send him through out the house saying "I want the fuzzy pink yarn, no, not that fuzzy pink yarn, the _other_ fuzzy pink yarn. No, the _other_ other_ fuzzy pink yarn" He's a sweetie, but I would think that would qualify as spousal abuse.
At any rate, check out some of the old listings and some of the sites listed and hopefully, see you in about 2 weeks.

FM 1/21/08

I didn't know this, but you must label the items you make for sale. I thought just having care instructions with the article would be good enough, but apparently, I am wrong. For more info, check this site out:
http://crochet.about.com/library/bllabel_apparel.htm

I started reading "Woman's Day" a very long time ago, long before marriage and kids, while I was still in high school. I especially liked their craft pages (yes, they did have it back then - I even remember that they would have crafts on a sort of regular basis). I still subscribe to "Woman's Day" tho it seldom has any crafts. This month, however, it does have a link for crochet patterns. I particularly like the last pattern, the bag. Here's the link:
http://www.womansday.com/home/12725/12-crochet-crafts.html

Here's some more free crochet patterns, pretty cool stuff:
http://www.quamut.com/category/crochet

Yes, I know Dr Martin Luther King Jr's birthday was January 15. But the federal celebration of the holiday in January 21, so I'm including this today. Any day is appropriate for peace, in my opinion.
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/martin-luther-king-crochet-for-peace/2008/01/16/


Before you know it, Valentine's Day will be here. Want something quick and cute to crochet for Valentine's Day? Here you go:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/everywhere-a-valentine/2008/01/14/

I stumbled across this site and thought it was very pretty:
http://designismine.blogspot.com/2008/01/frenchknicker-faux-crochet.html
It is very similiar to Maggie Weldon's porcelain work with doilies, her stuff is _beautiful_.
And since I mentioned it, here's her site. The bowls are lovely, but i have to admit I'd be a little afraid to use them - afraid I might break them. Fortunately for me, she also sells ornaments, that I wouldn't be afraid of breaking. Here's her bowl work and you can check out the ornaments from there:
http://www.lacepottery.com/Pottery_large_bowls_main.htm

Want to see somebody crochet a baby amigurumi penguin - here you go:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Crochet-a-Baby-Penguin-Amigurumi/

I'm not a crochet designer (nor do I play one on tv;)) but here's a blog by one. Just in case you think crochet designers are "rolling in the dough" and that makes it okay to duplicate their patterns for your profit, Kim Guzman's here to point out the error of your ways:
http://kimguzman.bravejournal.com/

What can I say? I love M's Crone-Findlay's stuff. If I had a grandchild, he or she would be wearing this hat - at least long enough for me to take a picture;) I doubt I could get my sons to wear them now....but I could try;)
http://www.modadea.com/patterns/CTFEB07froghat.htm
Noreen Crone-Findlay's froggy hat


I know, I know - everybody thinks bunnies are so cute and so innocent. But on this particular blog, they are evil. You can ust the pattern provided to crochet an evil bunny (or a good bunny, whatever you would prefer):

Click here: Evil Minions « gnat on the windshield

As always, I do not get a kickback from any of these folks. I'd be willing to take a kickback;) but nobody offers any payola to be posted on my blog. oh well.

_enjoy_

Freebie Monday

Do you like the look of the pinwheel coasters? Here's a pattern you will want to check out:
http://www.kaleidesigns.com/crochet/patterns/archive/coas008.html


Have you ever felt like you need to see somebody do something before you get the hang of it? Sometimes I do. And there's not always another crocheter around when you need him/her. So here's a cool site that actually shows you a video of a scarf being created:
http://www.instructables.com/id/crochet-scarf_1/


One of my favorite sites, Purple Kitty is offering free vintage potholder patterns. These are so cool looking.
http://www.freevintagecrochet.com/patternbook/starbook69.html

Wondering what you can do with all the soda can tabs you've saved? You have to drink 6 sodas (or collect them from other folks) to create a flower:
http://www.escamastudio.com/inspiration/diy.html


This article is interesting about a 3D crochet installation - but sorry, no pix.
http://www.nwipp-newspapers.com/fh/free/290719660707982.php

Can your "action style" (from Oprah) determine how to crochet (or anything else for that matter)? you may want to check this out. I think I'm more of a "combination" person myself.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/personal/01/08/o.wildly.successful/
--
As always, Noreen Crone-Findlay always has something exciting going on in her blog. This entry tells you how to crochet a wire mermaid necklace. I like the way it looks, but I think I'll pass until my tendons decide to settle down a bit.
http://www.hankeringforyarn.com/crocheted-wire-mermaid-necklace

I was sort of looking for a hat pattern for my older sister. She is losing her hair (nope, I don't know why) and of course, she's cold. She doesn't like a lot of fussiness, so I thought this pattern might be perfect for her cold head - a crocheted skull cap
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080104/NEWS01/801040345/1002/NEWS01


If you live in or around Pittsburgh, you might already know about this event. Part of me _really_ wants to go to check out all the cool stuff. The other part of me thinks "Are you _crazy_? They will probably have a snowstorm that weekend!". So I'd have to say right now I'm not planning to go, but it definitely sounds appealing to me.
http://www.pghknitandcrochet.com/

fm 1/7/08

I'm a bit discomboobalated here, it's hard for me to believe it's January 7, 2008 already...


Here's a good star to the New Year with New Years Resolutions
GREETING 2008 - A GOOD YEAR TO CROCHET

Want to see some fantastic freeform crochet? You must check out this site.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15617834@N04/

And to head off in 2008!
By SB&C
a _very_ expensive hat - approximately $5810.17 USD as of the quote I got _today_. I don't see what the attraction of the hat is, but if somebody's spending that kind of cash for a hat, I'm more than willing to make a few ugly hats myself.

and more New Year's Resolutions
Yarn, Crochet and New Year
I haven't posted my New Year's resolutions (or much of anything else) but really, I'll do it.( It will give my beloved something to laugh at when he reads it. Especially the stuff about "reducing the stash". I hope he's not drinking coffee at that point.)

Origami angels of peace and healing-Links
Not crochet related, but who couldn't use peace and healing in their lives?
M's Crone-Findlay's work is always so great.

and speaking of M's Crone-Findlay's work:
Second Chance Contest
This is for the doll she was giving away in December (I think). And don't use my theme "I wish I had a second chance to buy a winning lottery ticket";)

Remember the "Island of Misfit Toys"?
Advice for that misfit doll
Bizarre title but interesting perspective on charity crochet.


Want to join a "crochet-along"? Here's one for granny squares:
Happy 2008!

I thought these old fashioned potholders patterns were pretty cool. I doubt I'd make mine in thread, but it would still be neat to have them in cotton. If I ever had my own tea shop / bakery, I'd display that sort of stuff and sell it.
Vintage Crochet Potholders Pattern - Free Download


That's it for this week. Hopefully, I will become undiscomboobalated by next week & post the yearly horoscope and such. I have a small part of it done, but I must look deep into my crystal ball to see what 2008 brings for the crocheters ;)

FM 12/31/07

The last Monday of the year - how did it get here so _darned_ quick? I don't know either, but here's today's dash of freebies.

Tired of that 9 to 5 life, all the phone calls, all the paperwork and that lousy "coffee" in the break room. Maybe you'd like to be a crochet designer. Sounds cool but it's a lot of work. Crochet Craft Gossip offers some books to help get you started:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/crochet-designer-could-you-be-one/2007/12/25/

This person is lucky enough to know Vickie Howell - well enough so M's Howell names a yarn after her. And well enough to score some free yarn from M's Howell. Sounds pretty sweet, doesn't it? However she had a slight problem with her gauge and found a different way to solve it rather than ripping the whole hat out.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/home/articles/1229crafty1229.html


Ever try to figure out how to make a pattern, but for some reason or another (tiredness, too much work, not enough caffeine) you just can't remember? Here's a tutorial on making a shell stitch pattern:
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/2007/12/crochet-shell-stitch.html


I love Crochet Craft Gossip. She always has some really cool stuff. In this particular blog, she presents thrifted sweaters to have fun with - making mitten garlands or crocheted scarves. So if you have some old wool sweaters or snag some from your local thrift store, here's something you can do with them:
http://crochet.craftgossip.com/recycled-sweater-scarf-looking-ahead-350-days/2007/12/28/
Yup, I'm back on the coral reef fascination again. This is a coral reef made from hosiery.
http://www.prokopowicz.org/bonnie/reef1/reef1.htm

This site claims it's for threadies, but they are so wrong. It's for anyone who crochets, you can adapt the patterns for worsted weight or sprots weight yarn. Plus a big advantage - patterns for crocheted snowflakes made from yarn as well as thread. Check it out:
http://www.mypicot.com/patterns.html


I hope all of you have a safe happy New Year with lots of good surprises coming your way!

_enjoy_

Happy Boxing Day......

well, it's the day after Christmas & time to "box" things for the service folk in your life - if you're the type of person that does that sort of thing.....I guess I'm not as I haven't done it.

I got some great Christmas gifts, 2 killer gifts from my sons (who were also good enough to fix Christmas dinner at their place and clean up afterwards - themselves. Excellent turkey dinner)
One is "Crochet Embellishments" by Jean Leinhauser and the other book is "Everyday Crochet" by Doris Chan. Pretty cool books.

But I thought I'd take a poll and publish the results on January 15, 2008. If you're interested in participating, here's the questions:

1) Top crochet books of 2007. If you give the title of an e-book, please give the website. For a book to qualify as a "top crochet book", at least 50% of the patterns have to be crochet. Why? Because I said so;)

2) How many projects do you estimate you made this year? How many were gifts? How many for charity? And did you really make something for yourself this year and if so, what was it?

3) Christmas gifts - a _lot_ of people crochet Christmas gifts. Did you? Did you finish in time? My youngest sister offered to give me a new hobby this year - cross stitch;) She's making a cute bunny picture but didn't quite finish it. I said no, I have enough hobbies;)

4) What project are you looking forward to doing in 2008? Any crcochet challenges or crochet alongs? Maybe trying a new technique?

5) Your blogs or your favorite blogs or both. I'm always curious to see what other folks are writing about.


That's it, inquiring minds want to know;)

Please just put the answers in the "comments" section or you can email me at blazelaflame at g m a i l (.) c o m (you know the proper way, just trying to avoid spambots).
Thanks!

_enjoy_

fm 2 weeks worth

*See "shameless plug" at the bottom of this post.

Sorry for disappearing last week. Blogger apparently was not happy and would not post this blog. I tried for a few days but I gave up Wednesday night. I had to worry about putting together a Thanksgiving dinner.

Okay, here's a mixed bag of freebies as well as interesting articles for you:


Want to whip up a quick gift? This dishcloth looks really cool. You could co-ordinate it to match your or someone else's kitchen. Who couldn't use more dishclothes?
Crochet Garterlac Dishcloth
Crochet Patterns Only - http://crochetpatternsonly.blogspot.com/

Want to know what Vickie Howell from "Knitty Gritty" is doing while she's not on tv? I mean, besides writing books and making personal appearances? She's got a blog where you can learn more about the show and Vickie:
http://vickiehowell.blogspot.com

Do you get inspiration from a photograph? This is beautiful, but the site says it can also be used as a wine bag. Would it be proper to put Boones Farm Strawberry wine in a $100 bag;)
check it out:
Christensen & Sigersen Crochet Purse Evening Bag
http://allwomenstalk.com/christensen-sigersen-crochet-purse-evening-bag/

Soap bags - despite the name of the blog, the soap bags are crocheted. They are pretty neat.
Simple Knits - http://simpleknits.blogspot.com/
Despite the name, it's crocheted. It's also beautiful.

If you getting a gift for a child this year, you might want to think about making it instead of buying it due to all the Chinese toys being recalled (and more every day). Check out this site for Caron Rainbow Bear
http://www.michaels.com/art/online/projectsheet?pid=e06095&categoryid=122011

Here's a site that haws a lot of free crochet toy patterns:

Click here: A Crochet Toy Chest: Retro Patterns

Here's something I think is unusual - a Darth Vader Tabasco cover - crocheted. I'm not a Tabasco eater, but I imagine it could be useful for somebody:
http://dayna.tdgservices.com/ShowPattern.aspx?PatternID=31

A brain slug is what I feel like somedays. Apparently, now I can crochet one:

Click here: crochetcrochet: free brain slug pattern

This site has patterns for some of the most amazing crocheted animals I have ever seen. The detail is wonderful - you have to see it.
http://littlegreen.typepad.com/romansock/

Here is the code for free shipping from Herrschners for orders over $35.00 until December 24, 2007: B12
www.herrschners.com

Want to make something a little different for yourself or a loved one? How about bead crocheting? Here's a tutorial from the "Beadwrangler" herself:
Click here: bead crochet dot com



*This is a shameless plug for my own Cafe' Press store:
http://www.cafepress.com/whitelionshop
And yes, if you buy something from this particular Cafe' Press store, I do make money off of it. I d0 _not_ make money off the other sites given. I would take a kickback, but nobody offers me one;)

"Comfie Bear"

I've said this before, I have the "Crochet Pattern A Day 2007" on my desk at work. There's many great patterns in there, but the Wednesday, November 7 pattern really touched me. (It's also for the 8th & 9th.) It's by Noreen Crone-Findlay and it's "small but powerful". I am a great fan of M's Crone-Findlay's work and love reading her blog - especially the "Tottie Tomato" stories.
www.crone-findlay.com

The pattern in the calendar is for a small bear, maybe all of two inches. The head is shaped perfectly, the face has a lot of character to it. That's always hard to do with stuffed animals - or at least I think so. M's Crone-Findlay has a lot of experience making great dolls and animals - she wrote the "Creative Crocheted Dolls: 50 Whimisical Designs" book which I find very helpful. Maybe to me the most powerful image is the heart button. It reminds me in some vague way of the panda bear I made to be buried with my younger sister. Something about this little bear image comforts me in a way I don't quite understand. I just wanted to bring attention to this particular pattern to see if anybody else felt the same way.

As usual, I get no kickbacks from anything I mentioned. And as usual, I will say I am always open to kickbacks;) I'm just pointing out a sweet little pattern.

Scrips & scraps for October

Last weekend I visted the "Stitches" convention in downtown Baltimore. It was geared mostly towards knitting (hey, the ad says "Knitting Universe" on it). But there were lots of crochet items.
For instance, yarn. Yarn doesn't care if you knit or crochet or weave - and it especially doesn't care if it sits in a shopping bag waiting for me to figure out what to do with it. I bought a a _lot_ (okay, too much) cool yarn, but the one that intrigues me the most is the "Jelly" yarn.
You probably know that "Jelly" yarn isn't yarn in the classical sense. It's sort of like plastic lacing, but cooler looking. They had glow-in-the-dark yarn. Of course, I had to buy it. Obviously, I'm not going to make a scarf out of it, but what to do, what to do? I also bought the gold "Jelly" yarn. I don't have a clue what to do with that, either. I'm sure I'll figure out something;) They do have patterns on line and "Adorn" also has a pattern for a "doughnut bracelet". The website showcases the free patterns for knit as well as crochet.
http://www.3dimillus.com/

I happened to see Lily Chin at one of the booths. She was crocheting (amazingly fast) with a pale pink fingering yarn. It looked (to me) as if she was working on a giant granny square, but I didn't see the whole project. A lady with a camera phone tried to get a picture and we laughed. Mis Chin said it would "just be a blur". I would guess M's Chin was teaching a class at the convention. I didn't sign up for any classes because almost all of them were for knitting. M's Chin said what she really needed was a yarn puller. I laughed and said my younger son would have loved that job. There were lots of books at the booth and one knitter was asking M's Chin about learning how to crochet. M's Chin pointed out her book "Couture Crochet"* and offered to sign it. I was wishing I had brought my copy along so she could sign it. And I felt a little too cheap to buy a book I already had just to get it signed. So I didn't.

I found a huge crochet hook(SizeU) at Bagsmith. Yes, they have absolutely gorgeous kits for purses and great yarns, but the lady knitting with what appeared to be broomsticks caught my eye.
(http://www.bagsmith.com/site/index.asp)
She said the knitting needles were a great stash buster and to prove it, she had maybe 7 different types of yarn on her needles. It looked great. Than she show me the size U. Of course, I don't _need_ another hook. I mean, I have a lot of hooks but I didn't have a size U hook. But now I do;) So as I use up my stash, I can buy _more_, right? I got to keep the economy from cooling off;)
I stopped at the Yarn Barn of Kansas booth. (http://www.yarnbarn-ks.com/)
They had a yarn "playpen" with lots of bags of yarns at a very good price. I spotted the yarn I wanted, but the price I was originally quoted was a little too high (for me). I wandered off and looked at some other yarn but found myself drawn back to the yarn playpen. Some enterprising young woman grabbed up the yarn I wanted - for shame. But she got a price of almost half of what I was quoted. Of course, I bought some, too.
Now you may wonder what my darling husband thinks of all this. After all, he attended the "Stitches" market with and obviously I wasn't able to hide the yarn**. Well, Craig _encouraged_ me to buy the yarn and was digging for more yarn for me to buy. I know that sounds crazy, but there you are. He is _definitely_ a _keeper;)

So now you know I spent all my money (well, almost all of it) at "Stitches". Hopefully if you're expecting a gift from me, you're willing to accept yarn or something I make with the yarn. If not, well, there's always a pound cake for you;) Anyway, if you get the chance to attend one of these markets and you can afford it, definitely go....
Next year, it's here on my birthday....I better start plotting now.

* You can look up M's Chin's book on the Amazon button I have on this blog (shameless self promotion).

** I don't hide the yarn anyway, there's no place to hide it. But sometimes I end up hiding from myself, which isn't good.

No, I don't get any kickback from any of these folks (unless you use the Amazon link - I am an Amazon Associate). I would take kickbacks, but nobody offers them to me.

60 scarves in 60 days

I'm sure most, if not all of you, are familiar with the "Crocheting With Dee" blog. In it, Dee descibes the various items she has been crocheting, her attempts at gaining knitting proficiency, the classes she teaches and projects she supports. One project she supports (and I got involved in) in her "60 scarves in 60 days". You don't have to follow a particular pattern or use a particular yarn. You don't have to give it to a particular charity - you can choose a local charity if you want. That's what makes it so cool.
This year, I made 8 scarves. I particularly enjoyed working with all the different yarn. I made a lovely one (if I do say so myself) out of Plymouth Encore "Colorspun", an oatmeal color with other colors in it.l color. I also used Caron's "Simply Soft Shadows" for 2 of the scarves. I love the way they feel and the way the yarn works up. I also used an old favorite, Red Heart. Say what you want, but I _know_ Red Heart is durable. It will be softer once it gets washed.
I didn't really use any special techniques to crochet the scarves. On the red scarf, I made a graduated fringe, which I have never done before, so that was neat. But I used the basic double crochet or half double crochet because it could be used for male or female. I didn't use any fur yarns just because (to me) they seem feminine.
The church I go to has a homeless shelter for women and children. I will donate the scarves there. Even if it's a relatively warm winter (according to the "Old Farmer's Alamanc", it's supposed to be for this area), it still gets windy and cold and a soft scarf is a great companion.
If you want to check out Dee's blog, you can use the "Crocheting With Dee" button I have on my page.

Apple jacket

On some list I am on, somebody posted a picture of a knitted "apple jacket". There was much laughter about it, but the apple jackets are selling for $18 each.
http://store.roseandradish.com/product-exec/product_id/1596/nm/Jacqueline_Dufresne_Apple_Jacket

So I thought, what the heck, I bet I can crochet one. So I did. I used Lion Brand Nature's Choice cotton
http://cache.lionbrand.com//yarns/naturesChoice.html

I finally got around to taking a picture of it and posting it here. I haven't sold any, but I also haven't offered any for sale. I made the pattern up, so it's all mine;)

So if there are any requests, I'll write up the pattern and make it available. The apple in this jacket happens to be a large Gala apple which is going to be sacrificed shortly as a midday snack. It must be hard to be a model in the cruel world;)

_enjoy_

The Corner Cottage

This little shop is in Gloucester, Virginia on 6813 Enfield and Main. If you're on your way to Virginia Beach, you might want to stop in. I visited it when I was visiting my grandmother. Yeah, I know I should have been visiting my grnadmother, but my brother was there, so she was occupied.
The owner of the shop (at least I think it was the owner) was very helpful. She didn't crochet, but her mother did. She said she never learned how to crochet, but she could knit. There were some lovely handmade wooden hooks there (no, not the Brittany hooks, a different kind) and of course, lots of lovely yarn. She was even nice enough to point out the bargain basket for me;) But I actually came to check on Plymouth's "Jelly Beanz", which she had a lot of - and about 6 skeins less when I left. We talked for a little bit while my sister-in-law looked around the store. SHe also sells needlepoint, the printed canvas as well as the filled in canvas. (But we're not going there, it took me forever to finish my oldest son's wolf needlepoint. )
There was a lot more yarn I wanted (of course) but I was trying to restrain myself;) After all, the Stitch conference is in town this week and I want to save some money for the yarn there;)
If you get a chance to stop in this yarn filled store, take it. The hours are Tuesday thru Friday 10am to 5:30pm and Saturday 10am to 3pm. You'll find lots of goodies.

And no, I don't get a kickback from them, but I'd take it - in Jelly Beanz yarn;)

it just proves what I thought all along;)

A hospital in England declared knitting a "hazard". Apparently somebody thought the knitting needles and the yarn were dangerous to visitors as well as patients. I'm not surprised. Many the times I have used my knitting needles to "sword fight" with my sons. I have also used them to pierce the noise box of a particularly annoying toy. I have tried "sword fighting" with my cat Spike, but he is more interested in holding on to the knitting needle.

so here's the article:
ttp://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/health/s/1016599_knitting_declared_a_hazard

I guess crochet escaped notice because the hooks are shorter and there are no sharp points. We crocheters are luring people into a false sense of security. Soon, we will take over the world;)
(oops, I think it's past my bedtime;))

scientific study about buying yarn;)

Since I work in the medical field (medical records), I am very interested in the way the body works. Apparently there was a recent study done on women that showed there is a scientific reason for having a "yarn buying frenzy" when you (or I) enter a yarn shop. Sadly, they did not test this hypothesis on men, so I am left to wonder if women are more likely to suffer from this because women generally have a better sense of smell or does more research need to be done on this particular subject.
I was enlightened by this article and I hope you are, too;)

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A recent study indicated, that yarn and thread gives off certain pheromones that actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase unreasonable amounts.

When stored in large quantities, in enclosed spaces, the pheromones, (in the yarn,) cause memory loss and induce the nesting syndrome, (similar to the one squirrels have, before the onset of winter, i.e. the storing of food,) therefore, perpetuating their species and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut into pieces and mixed with others.

Sound tests have also revealed, that these yarns, emit a very high-pitched sound, heard only by a select few, a breed of women known as "loomers." When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants, "Buy me, loom me, and wind me into a ball ".

In order to overcome the so called "feeding frenzy effect," that these yarns cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear plugs, to avoid being pulled into their grip.

(One must laugh, however, at the sight of customers in a yarn store, with WW2 army gas masks and headphones!).

Studies have also indicated, that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread the effects, that these yarns have on the human population. They are called "YARN STORE CLERKS".

It's also been experienced, that these same pheromones, cause a pathological need, to hide these yarn purchases, when taken home (or at least blend them into the existing stash.) When asked by a significant other if the yarn is new, the reply is, "I've had it for awhile."

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I didn't write this, but I _wish_ I did. I swiped it from somebody else's blog (yes, I asked permission and received it). She didn't know who wrote it either....

Author Unknown

Red Scarf project

If you participated in the 2007 Red Scarf Project for the Orphan Foundation of America, you may want to know there have been some changes made. The date the scarves are due has been changed to September 1, 2007 to October 15, 2007. This might seem a bit early, but the group can process the scarves earlier and get them to the recipients earlier when they are more useful. OFA is also requesting each crafter (it can be crochet or knit) to contribute no more than 5 scarves. Apparently, charity crocheters and knitters gave so much for the 2007 project, they had scarves left over.
The scarves can be navy, teal, olive and gold for the guys in the group. (I think black, too.)Please check out the guidelines for more details:

http://www.orphan.org/index.php?id=40