Bags and stylin' dog

I did finish the 15 bags late last night; but in my rush to pair some with a project bag, forget to take a pic of the 15 together. Meh.

Here are some of the sets I have put away for Christmas...

 

 

 

Faith and I just had to tool around town today as the weather was fantastic.  One of the credit union managers said that I keep wishing that Faith could be a therapy dog----but that she already is, because if I take her in on a Friday when the tellers are more apt to feel a bit frazzled and they get to hold her, even for 1-2 minutes, they say they can feel their blood pressure dropping.  Go, Faith!

She is here sporting her new harness. I wanted something easy to be able to throw on her (or say, throw her into?) if we have to bug out due to a tornado warning.  Sounds dumb, but this is after all the Midwest...... you can see she is enjoying herself immensely.  No, it was not hot out today----about 50 degrees....but her tongue comes out when she is excited, too.

 





Snow, sewing, and the BBC

Well it did snow a bit, still is----not sticking on the ground (yay!) but chilly chilly chilly.
I've been working on the (now 15) triangle bags, have five finished.  My thumbs are really hurting so I need a break. Knitting or crocheting are definitely out-----that's why I'm sewing.
I'm watching YouTube BBC documentaries.  I declare I probably know more of England's history than many Brits.  It isn't so much that I love their history-----I just find it pleasant to listen to. Barring the blood and gore, however......ahem.

Second seam set-up for triangle bag...this picture really helps me not make mistakes.

I've already thrown out 3-4 bags in the last month.  No more! Hurrah!

 

 

Five down, ten to go for the weekend.  Many of these will be paired

with projectbags.  They are really small and oddly enough make me giggle.



Zippers galore and more bags!

When I turned 55 a friend sent me 55 small zippers----I am enjoying them with the triangle bags. 

I'm posting a pic of the zipper collection I now have....the 14" ones come from
www.wawak.com, a sewing company. 

Until Feb. 28 if you buy two sets (25 various colors each) you get a third set free.
On the 14" zippers that works out to 26 cents each.  Added to fabric I already have, these bags (the larger project bags) make good and inexpensive gifts.

Who says it's too early to start on Christmas??????

The 7" zippers work out to 20 cents each.  I got the Wawak catalog from my hair stylist who is a quilter/seamstress.  She says the sale happens 3-4 times a year.

If you are a fiendish zipper fan or user, make sure to get in on the sale.

Probably 150+ zippers.....oh, the things I can make!!

 

 

Some recent project bags

 

 

Triangle bags prepped and ready.....after all, it's supposed to snow this weekend.



tea dyeing merino sock yarn

I've dyed homespun wool before using coffee as well as KoolAid.  I don't think I've used tea...
This is a "doll blank" I knitted with KnitPicks Bare Merino sock yarn.  I used the magic cast on and a 40" circular size 1 needle.  I started with 8 sts. on each needle end and worked up to 16 sts on each needle end.
I knitted in the round until the entire piece measured 5".  I then cast off, leaving a 36" tail (to be used as the nose, and for closing the doll body).

It is a bit hard to see the difference---but the Constant Comment tea (one bag in 2-2 1/2 C hot water) left the yarn a delightful light tan/flesh color.
Now, on to doll designing!

Bare Merino, knitted up

 

Bare Merino, soaking for 30 min. in hot water-----no agitation!

 

In rinse water, after soaking in tea for about 15 minutes.

 

Finished Constant Comment tea-dyed doll blank......happy.

 

 

This is Constance. She is inspired by Maidolls, which can be found on Etsy.

I made a crocheted cap for her wig then added mohair for the braiding.

I also made her arms and legs double-yarned.  She will join the other smalls that I have in my collection.

 



My Love

I never knew that love could just keep growing and growing when it comes to a dog....

Book Recommendation

Those of you who know me well know I rarely recommend a book.  My level of expectation is over-the-top---so I do especially apreciate books that speak to me when I find them.

This book was given to me yesterday by a local.  She said "I have something I think you might like" then pulled the book out of her tote box.

Her grandson, 11, was killed in July on a farming accident.  We talked about that a bit and she said, "Keep the book-----I hope it speaks to you."

I read it last night then read it over the phone to a friend who has recently been widowed.

If you know of anyone who has experienced loss or grief then I recommend this book highly.  The printing lends itself to being read to a child; but the story is age-less and I feel touches the soul deeply.

 

 



Sam I Am! Green eggs and ham

 

These are the crocheted green eggs and ham I've done for Michele's second grade class---littles celebrate Dr. Seuss' birthday on March 2.....

 

 

The extra (small) sets go to Michele's girls....and Michele coveted a triangle bag for herself.

 

 

 

 

A Love Story

For the Love of dolls---and Love

This had to have taken  place in the 60s….I was between 6-8 yrs. old.

I had the two Flintstone dolls, Pebbles and Bambam…..among a plethora of other dolls but these two had taken center stage at this time.

One Sunday I decided to take the dolls to church with me.  When we started to walk into the church (always as a family, back then) my mother turned and said surely you don’t plan to take those in????  Put them back in the car!

She and the family promptly went in to the church.

I went to the parking lot which was full by now.  I put the dolls in our car and went into church.

When the services were over and we came out to go home, I started to panic.  Why were we getting into the station wagon?  Didn’t we take my father’s VW Bug to church?

Somehow I was able to communicate to my mother that I had placed my dolls----my babies!!----in the VW.  She kept saying “but we came in the station wagon”…..by the time we drove the 4 miles home I was in hysterics.  My dolls were gone, kidnapped by some foreign VW Bug!

I couldn’t be consoled; I must have cried myself to sleep, because the next morning I awoke with my dolls in my arms.  How on EARTH???

I discovered my dad had decided to look into matters and found that the church friends who owned the VW had left for Wisconsin immediately following the church services for a summer vacation camp (we lived near Chicago)….so he drove the three hours to the camp to retrieve the dolls, then the three hours home.  Dolls placed under my arms; done.

Some of my siblings told me for years that he did that because he was sick of hearing me rant on and on about my missing dolls.  (I think the family would have returned home in a week’s time.)

Two years before my dad died----which would be over 45 years after the doll incident-----I mentioned how grateful I was that he retrieved the dolls for me. (I had mentioned this numerous times throughout the years.) This time  I added, “Of course, the kids say it was because you were sick of hearing me cry on and on about it.”

The look on his face haunts me still.  He looked like he’d been unsuspectingly punched in the stomach….he sucked in his breath and said,

“No...I went and got them because I love you.”

I no longer have the dolls; but this picture is seared into my brain and I hope it remains clear until I go to the grave.

Worthy of Note

I came across this website many weeks back and recently checked it out again.
Lindsey Wheeler runs the site and small business; she is the quintessential "lemons to lemonade" woman in my book....
Check out her site and be encouraged.

www.bottleoftears.com

Everests, smoking kitchens

.

Everest Three

 

 

Everest Four, hot off the needles this morning...

 

My KoolAid dyeing attempt

 

 I dyed wool with KoolAid in the early 90s....and set my kitchen on fire (okay, it went "WHOOSH" then extinguished itself).  Long story that still makes me shiver. So I bypass it. :)

Suffice it to say, this time I was more careful.  The KoolAid is safe; but last time I used nailpolish remover to clean the counter----while water was boiling....ahem......

Hanging my dyed mini hanks

 

One sock done.....the other will be started tonight.

 

 

I must put in a disclaimer here:  It takes me upward of two weeks to get one pair knitted.  The small work, needles, and yarn really do a number on the arthritis in my thumbs.  I have combined my pics here to try to keep my posts from being boring....I'd hate it to look as though I am cranking out socks each day!

 

 

Thirty years later....Brook's Cap--my Valentine's gift to you

Brook and I are old friends; we go back to the late 80s.  She is also a fiber fanatic; she crocheted this cranberry cap when she was in her 30s (before we met) and didn't have a pattern.  She has mentioned it over the years and I finally pinned her down and made her send the cap to me.

We lived in the same community for 20 years.  I still feel I can safely say that we have talked daily for over 30 years.  That is not an exaggeration...it seems to average out to that.

We used to even swap furniture---yes, you read that right.  She has been a widow for almost 20 years and we would find some poor unsuspecting soul (male, with muscles) and use her van or his truck and swap mostly couches, if I remember correctly.

When we tired of the furniture, we'd swap it back.  Those days still make me chuckle.

     The cranberry cap came on Thursday this week.  I grabbed what I felt was comparable thread and really went to work.  The ivory cap is the result.
 

I give the pattern to you as a Valentine's gift.  The rights are mine; please don't take credit for the pattern but you are welcome to work it up and do with as you wish.
 

    I sent it out to her with Friday's mail.  I am hopeful that it will fit; she has directives that if not, she is to send it back and I'll make it right.  She can read a pattern so I would change the pattern to fit her perfectly.

(PostScript:  She now has it and  I went back and shortened it to fit her better.  The pattern now represents that.  You can still make it longer (deeper) as the instructions explain.)

 

Brook’s Cap

copyright 2017

All rights reserved.

 

Bernat Handcraft size 5 perle thread, one 400 yd. ball

Size B crochet hook

This cap is worked from the crown down. 

Ch 5; sl st to first ch to form ring; ch 2.

Row 1:  Dc 12 dc in ring.   Sl st to first dc.  Ch 2. 

Row 2:Work 2 dc in next dc (you just sl stitched into this) and in each dc around ; sl st to first dc; (24 dc). Ch 2.

Row 3: *Work 1 dc in next dc; 2 dc in next dc….work from * around. (30 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 4: *Work 1 dc in each of next 2 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (36 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 5: *Work 1 dc in each of next 3 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (42 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 6: *Work 1 dc in each of next 4 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (48 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 7: *Work 1 dc in each of next 5 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (54 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 8: *Work 1 dc in each of next 6 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (60 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 9: *Work 1 dc in each of next 7 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (66 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 10: *Work 1 dc in each of next 8 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (72 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 11: *Work 1 dc in each of next 9 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (78 dc)  Ch 2.

Row 12: *Work 1 dc in each of next 10 dc; 2 dc in next dc…work from * around. (84 dc)  Ch 2.

This completes the crown; if you have a large head, continue on with the increases for a few more

rows.

Pattern Row 1: Work 1 dc in first dc; ch 3; *skip 3 dc; 2 dc in next dc; ch 3…work from * around.

You now have 2-dc groupings with 3-ch loops inbetween.  Sl st into first 3-ch loop.  Ch 2.

 

Pattern Row 2: Work 5 dc in each loop, skipping 2-dc groups.  Just work in loops.  Sl st to first

dc, sl st to third dc.  Ch 2.

 

Work Pattern Rows  1 and 2, six  more times.  Try cap on.  You have THREE final rows to complete; determine how “long” you want the cap to be making sure to consider the three rows you will work to finish cap.  Work additional Rows 1 and 2 if you need to for a better fit.

Row 1 on Finish: Instead of Ch 2 at end of previous Row 2 of pattern, Ch 3 (after joining round).

*Skip 2 dc; dc in next dc, ch 1; skip next dc; dc in next dc, ch 1; work from * around….join to 2^nd of Ch 3.

Row 2 on Finish: Sl st into first ch-1 loop; ch 2, dc in same loop; *ch 3, skip next loop, 2 dc in next loop…work from * around to last loop, ch 2 and sl st to first dc.  Sl st into first loop and ch 2.

 

Row 3 on Finish: Work 4 dc in loop; *5 dc in next loop….work from * around…Sl st to first dc.  Leave a tail and weave in ends.

UPDATE 3-6-17
Brook says it is a perfect fit IF it is 1" shorter.  I will make note when I make a second one so I can tell her how many pattern rows I used for the perfect fit.