Crochet
Monday, March 01, 2010
Getting Creative for a Baby Gift
here is the Gift Bag I sewed on Saturday
from fabric I found in a box in my hobby closet, the liner, and a little re-cycled pocket inside, all came from the same box, as if waiting for the best weekend to be used
the handles were a bought-on-Clearance fancy crochet cotton worked on the knitting nobby spool, then sewed in between the outer and inner fabrics
I’m such a packrat, but times like this, it pays off nicely
talk about being easy on the wallet, something old made new
but oh the ooo-ing and aaww-ing from the guest and parents at the party
I’m thinking the big sisters might like it even better than the baby. He’s already starting out as “all Boy”
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
A Little Blue Bag
after breakfast, for awhile I’m crocheting nicely.
Began a little drawstring bag, got the bottom and about 1/3 of the height done, the second row up from the colors stripe
then went out to meet the mailman with a birthday card going Hello, Mary 
came back in, checked computer stuff, then picked up hook and blue thread again
It seemed to be taking a long time to get the bag done, even had to adjust the spaces for putting in the drawstring
when I set down my hook to fasten off the thread, my eye caught the size of hook I had been using
I had begun the bag with a size 3 which is 1.85mm
the hook I finished with is the one I use to crochet bookmarks, a size 7 which is 1.50mm
We wouldn’t think that .35mm is very much smaller, except I had to add in a row, plus those gaps for the pull string
Nobody else would know but my tired hand
this also explains why I am still in my bathrobe and forgot to eat lunch, yet it is already 2:00 in the afternoon
and I have learned to put the hook from the last project out of hand’s reach before beginning a new one so there are no mix-ups!
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, February 01, 2010
Bookmarks and Baby Hats
my most recent craft pile got started for the Mennonite Relief Sale, but several other events have come up, such as need for sympathy card tuck-ins, and a birthday.
I noticed last year that knit hats don’t sell very well in the Spring, so I’m not making so many right now. my best exception is the little hats for a baby or doll, which I have learned to peg loom knit nice and fast
these will go to newborns at the hospital
All these, and more not in pictures, are projects completed in the last week. I’m also trying to crochet some tote bags from a big bag of donated rug/craft yarn. The first one was admired at my Yarn Group, so I will likely go on to do more. As I mentioned, warm hats are more welcome at a different season of year.
And now that I have acknowledged that my blog is still here, I’ll get going on household chores and mebbe see what’s happening at FaceBook.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
First Crochet of the Year
Aunt Lydia’s bedspread cotton color is called Monet multi
first bookmarks done with it
Awhile back, I told someone the story of my yarn spindles
that one in the picture is my latest
it’s actually a paper towel holder, but when Husband said I should put it into the cart, I was happy to do so
Does a fine job of holding my ball of thread
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, December 14, 2009
Good Game Gift
On Saturday, Husband and I went to two partys (my chosen spelling).
The first, at Noon, was to celebrate college graduation of a neighbor/ friend. For her, I crocheted a little bag, put in some presidents dollar coins, then put that into a crocheted tote bag in ISU colors. Both she and her mother were impressed with my creative talent. Alas, with a story too long to write, I do not have a picture of the gift.
I will say that we had a nice time chatting, we met fiance and grandmothers. The potato salad and Folger’s coffee were simply wunnerful.
At 6pm, we went to a holiday party at the home of his boss and wife, with several of his co-workers also enjoying good company and tasty food, especially spinach and feta phyllo pockets.
We played a game where each of us had brought a gift worth about $10, nicely wrapped so nobody could tell what might be inside. Each person grabbed a number slip from the basket. Person #1 chose a package from the pile on the table. Person #2 could either steal that first gift, or choose another from the pile. We played along in number order.
Husband had purchased a small thumb piano at Crossroads crafts, very similar to this one, the picture of which I swiped from Google Images.
the guy who got it seemed smitten, it did not get stolen
Geo came home with a cool hour glass timer,
which he has taken to work to rest on his desk
After way too much worrying about what I would carry in for the party
I crocheted a burgundy color bag, filled it with kisses
wrapped it with 2 bookmarks
wrapped them with 2 potholders
then stuffed it all into a holiday colors bag
This item was chosen by game person #6, the lady of the house, who had already received a pair of potholders as a hostess gift.
She oo-ed and aahh-ed over each thing she lifted out, while others were impressed with my creative talent.
Her mate spoke up saying that none of the husbands would try to steal that one.
I was game person #7, and I chose a new package from the table. It held two goblets, with the labels Mr. Right and Mrs. Always Right. Which I believe is an accurate description of us as a couple of old married folks. It’s what I came home with. I’m not sure what fate they hold.
The packages which got “stolen” a couple times were a box of 4 wine glasses, made of a nice glass, and purchased on Clearance to be within the price range. The other was a “movie night” which had popcorn and pop, sweet treat, maybe a gift card?
It went home with the guy whose wife had filled and wrapped it, then put his name on it. Much razzing about that.
There was also a box of different flavors of homemade fudge. Our host ended up with it, and he laid it out on the counter to share with us guests.
By 10 that evening, we were all talked out.
And now I’m all typed out. And the sink is full of dirty dishes which need to be placed into the machine where they will get washed and rinsed and ready to be used again.
Hope your week is off to a good start
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, December 07, 2009
Holiday Hat, knitted in a day
My weekend project
was a peg loom knitted hat in holiday colors
made of 4-ply acrylic yarns
I set it up on container of hot chocolate, hoping for a better show of how the colors came together
but, baby, it’s cold outside so I didn’t want the door propped open any longer, even if the light is good on this dreary day
It’s comfy and warm, and all mine own, for when I’m doing playground duty and other fun times, such as last evening when we went to WallyWorld.
Folks try to keep their eyes from staring, but because my hat is one of a kind, they can’t help but look.
Maybe I’m a bit of a show-off in this case.
Hope your week is beginning well.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Baby Blankie and Dinner Out = Great Friday
what I have been working on while I’m away from here
crocheted using a 4.5mm ADDI hook and leftovers of Bernat Cottontots yarn and it’s going to our nephew’s new baby girl
This week has passed in a blur of rain, jobs, favorite television shows,
chores such as ironing, yarn, phone calls,
and dentally prescribed drugs 
our whole property is covered with leaves too soggy to rake or mow over with the mulching mower
Husband and I went out Friday evening to finally celebrate our anniversary properly. He said someone at his office was describing the Loaded Mashed Potatoes at a new place across town called SKEWERS and he knows how much I love squishy spuds, so that’s where we went.
It turns out, the owners are the same guys who own the Garden of Paradise where we have breakfast on Saturday mornings. One fella came over and said he was glad to see us, so I mentioned the potatoes have a reputation already, and we were doing our wedding anniversary in style.
Geo had a steak dinner, done perfectly, and I had a chicken wrap, and th 
se potatoes.
Yummy, with portions so big that we both brought home half of what was on the plates.
When the check was brought, our Skillet Cookie dessert had been marked Complimentary, then the server said Happy Anniversary!
Today’s big outing together was whipped cream to go on the Apple Cake made this afternoon with the last half bag of fruit brought home weeks ago from the church library.
I guess going somewhere is not the mission, it’s the companionship.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Monday, September 28, 2009
An Extra Special Gift
A grand surprise came my way on Sunday.
You already know about how Husband bought crochet hooks from overseas for me
More An Extra Special Gift... below the fold
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Center of Attention
This morning, I was chauffeur for a friend who had an appointment. She says it usually takes about an hour and a half, so I carried along my latest yarn project, a nice baby blankie crocheted using the Diagonal Box Stitch of pastels and pale yellow, finely soft 3-ply yarn.
I am on the Decrease sides of the square, meaning that the yellow stripes are showing up nicely on the diagonal.
The waiting room had many folks who seem to be looking for jobs along the bus routes. Going outside for a smoke was quite important, with anybody out there making sure that somebody else in the room knew the customer number to come get ‘em and not miss their turn.
And the talkers… twitching… restlessness
in the room was unending.
Which is why my crochet comes in so handy.
I would be a pacer if I don’t keep my hands busy.
The pastels blanket was quite an object to get conversations going. Guys mention knitting, but I would hold up the hook and say what I’m doing is crochet. One woman said she learned to crochet the last time she ‘did time’ but does not have the money to buy yarn now.
She asked who I am making it for.
I told her it will be donated to a charity crafts booth.
A guy nodded, saying that everybody’ll get good out of it.
When I got to the end of a row, I had to pick up the blanket and arrange it for the return.
The receptionist noticed it then and gave a small smile.
One very tall fella came over, squatted down beside my chair to be able to look right into my face. I recognize this, I work in classrooms with Special Needs students, so I set down my hook and looked back at him until he could come up with the words.
“Can I touch it?” he asked.
I grinned from ear to ear, held it up, and nodded.
He straightened up again, tall and proud, then reached out his hand and touched it with finger and thumb as if it would break. I shook it a bit and told him he could grab on, it was good enough for a baby to wear it out.
This seemed to be a signal that anybody could come over and feel its baby soft goodness. A little parade of jostling shoulders and reaching hands and nodding heads lasted for several minutes until I could settle in again and proceed to add on more crochet stitches.
When my friend came out of the office, she had to wait a minute for me to get all my stuff gathered and put back into the bag.
One guy commented that I must love to do the work, because I sure have a bunch of stuff to keep track of.
As we passed the desk, the receptionist said that my crochet is beautiful, and Thank You for being so kind to share it.
In my own mind, I wonder what I would do if I don’t have such a wonderful hobby to make beautiful things.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Friday, August 14, 2009
Hats and Yard Sales
Having used Christmas gift money to buy a coveted peg loom, I figured I should use it to knit more than the one baby hat donated to the Relief Sale last Spring.
It was purchased from DaLooms. Since their handmade loom orders are filled as they come in, it took about a month to arrive.
The gauge is called Fine Sett Baby Loom, and the pegs are only ¼” apart, which is ju-ust right for using 3-ply sport weight yarn.
Each hat takes about 6 hours to knit, since the yarn is so fine and the pegs small and close together.
these colors were purchased when the yarn was on sale at Hobby Lobby
the label calls ‘em multi shades, but the effect of knitting on a round loom makes the pattern come out as a spiral
this one was a weird yarn with all the little lumps
it sure gets good compliments from folks who have seen it
and nice and warm for a little head
I went out into the neighborhood on my bicycle to check out some yard sales. My mental motto is “If I can’t get it back home while riding the bike, then I don’t need it” but I am getting exercise on a nice morning.
Sure enough, good stuff
a winter coat for me $3 (my current one has served 8 winters)
a vhs tape starring Harrison Ford in the movie $1
a serving bowl for the church kitchen $2
two t-shirts to sew into tote bags $1
bake set of 4 small loaf pans $1
little cloth purse for craft use 10¢
see how much fun I have for less than $10?
At two different stops, the hostess was asked the price of the bicycle. One did not even know what the customer was talking about, but I spoke up to say it was mine and not for sale.
The other place, the girl looked the age to be a college student, was quite persuasive, saying she would buy it, REALLY.
So I asked how would I get home if I sold my bike? and she offered a ride in her dad’s van there!
and what surprised me was that I hesitated a couple seconds before saying NO
knowing full well that I could not come to love any other bicycle as much as I do for this one
Ah, Yes, a good morning, indeed.
the last Friday before school begins
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Pinks Bookmarks for Donation
In a couple weeks, my friend Linda from Yarn Group will be sitting at a booth selling crafts to benefit breast cancer research.
to help fill the basket and display a bit of variety
I crocheted a half dozen bookmarks
the white and pinks shaded cotton arrived awhile back, in a care package to me from Mary at Momma’s Corner… a gift which keeps on giving
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Sunday, Sweet Sunday
Today my memory is all gone away.
Must be the heat. Real Prairie Summer happened overnight.
There was a breakfast this morning for Sunday school teachers of the coming year. I’m a Substitute, and had an invitation. Did not remember at all, until the leftovers were served during Fellowship Hour. My book was stuffed into the church mailbox.
This afternoon, I had an invitation to a neighbor’s party, her son who graduated high school with our youngest is now a New York City musician is home and willing to do a bit of a recital. Sounded like fun when she mentioned it over a week ago, and it was written on the date in my Planner Book.
Meanwhile, Husband and I rented the movie Gran Torino, went up and got sandwiches to go, then made plans for an “at home afternoon in the air conditioning we pay for”.
I completely forgot the music thing until I saw other neighbors carrying their folding chairs around the corner.
After our movie (a great one, my Dad would have loved it)
I set up the ironing board. I could hear the notes of the saxophone floating on the breeze, but I had work to do at the time.
Chances. Choices. Consequences.
Now I know that everybody is on the edge of the seat waiting for pictures of Lucas and Milly’s blanket to show up either on this blog or the Inbox. And Yes, we went over to the Atrium of the College of Business where there is adequate light and plenty of space. Husband took many pictures of the project, by itself and with me.
They still need a bit of loving care before being ready for public viewing.
Meanwhile, since I have finished the summer’s major big work of love, I figured out how to crochet the Diagonal Box Stitch pattern. There are several spots with instructions on the ‘Net if you have an interest.
the potholder on the left is the first practice = it is two pieces done the same size then crocheted together around the edge
the white cotton dishcloth on the right came next
and now I am working on a baby blanket done in Softee acrylic 3-ply light blue and white which is getting many oooo-s and aaawwwhhhs all over when I bring it out of the tote bag
Gotta go for now.
My backside needs to do some moving using the treadmill.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Blanket is Finished
29 July 2009 10:37am CDT
APHGAN COMPLETE 
the Northwoods color, granny squares aphgan
with border is DONE
just as Joe Fox was asking Kathleen Kelly to meet him in the park on my vhs tape of You’ve Got Mail
then I sat awhile longer trimming cotton tails, all the time until the tape stopped playing
Details with Pictures will come whenever my in-house former professional photographer is able to provide service
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
While I’m Gone, You Look Over There
Writing is not the first thing I want to do with my time, which is probably why I have not been here at the blog in a whole week.
For one thing, 5 days was a time of taking painkiller tablets after a root canal. Both dentists say to give the tooth more time to settle down, and repairs to the crown will help as well. Too bad that part doesn’t come until Aug 11. However, I am beginning to believe them, because yesterday (Monday), I was able to chew roast beef cut into tiny tidbits for supper, then have ice cream in the evening at Concert on the Quad, and went to bed without any medicine at all.
the Lucas aphgan has single crochet stitches all the way around as the first row of the border, with double crochet stitches as the second row going onward. Next time I pick it up, I will be ready to turn the first corner again.
Meanwhile, Tell Me A Story is begun by Elizabeth H who does quite well with writing but does not have a club near to her house.
Since I am not doing much here these days, maybe you might like to visit/comment there.
~~love and Huggs, Diane
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Catching Up a few days in summer
What’s happening lately:
All the paperwork has been turned in to say I will be a Teacher’s Assistant Substitute again, for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year. I asked if I need Continuing Education hours, the response is No, not to Sub. I did enclose a photocopy of my CPR renewal class.
Saturday was a wedding at church, with the seating tables and food service tables arranged in a way I have never seen before in all the 25 years I’ve been at services inside that building. Goes to show it’s not the place, it’s the people.
Sunday was a luncheon and program honoring a retired couple who are moving to a state out East, to be closer to many of their relatives. We of the church family are gonna miss ‘em bunches.
Monday morning I got a root canal on a tooth, upper left second from back. That one has been a leetle ache since last summer, then a beeg ache through Thanksgiving and most of Christmas break.
When I finally got the new permanent crown the last week of December, I thought the dang thang would settle down, but still, I wake up with my knuckle pressed against my cheek just outside that tooth.
It seemed odd to have a different dental person working on my mouth, but he came highly recommended from the dentist I’ve been going to for 21 years.
Perhaps I should not be typing after taking a prescription ibuprophen.
Monday evening was the Concert on the Quad, with a nice Samba trio. I carried a folding chair and my Yarn bag down the street, found an open spot to sit near the lamp, then bought a dish of ice cream, whose profits go to music scholarships. Ice cream during the evening after a root canal is a leetle mistake.
While listening, I peg loom knitted a bright stripes baby hat. The gal sitting next to me gave it a thumbs up, seemed quite fascinated with the tools I used.
On the walk home, I bumped into a former neighbor heading towards her car, so we stood on the corner for a half hour catching up on the deeds of our children, our current jobs situations, medical ailments after age 50.
This overweight body, with these knees and tendon problems, well, standing on concrete for a half hour should not soon be done again.
so here it is, Tuesday with a few chores around the house done by 9am already. Then I put in a videotape from the cabinet, made myself all comfy on the couch, with the granny squares aphgan on my lap.
I crocheted the last seam, the LAST SEAM!!! stopped the tape, ate some ramen noodles for lunch, hung the bathmats on the clothesline outside, then got all comfy on the couch again, started the tape, and crocheted 18” of the first row of the border.
Youngest Son Chris has returned from his trip to DC, yet has not returned my camera to me. I’ll probably have the aphgan done by the time I have the means to get documentation.
Husband has put a notice on his blog that he will not post very soon….hhmmm, he has been studying a very detailed book about a computer program. It looks like his job has moved to top time-consumer for awhile.
As mentioned, lingering toothache, but am told this is to be expected, and a new pill can be taken in 9 minutes. Supposed to call the doc on Wednesday about bothers or progress.
Hope you and yours are doing fine on a summer’s day.
~~love and Huggs, Diane