Whiskers & Wool

Crimson Lace Scarf Pattern - New in Shop

2012-01-22T18:26:00.000-05:00

This scarf is a quick and easy project, because it only has 3 rounds! I used Berroco Vintage Chunky (about 155 yards) and a size J crochet hook. The finished size is 4.25 inches wide x about 59 inches long, but the length can easily adjusted and it can be made longer or shorter by simply changing the number of the beginning chain. It also works up nicely in a worsted weight yarn, using a size H crochet hook.
The pattern is available in my shop or can be downloaded by clicking on the "download now" button below the picture. Price is $2.95

Heart Basket - New Pattern in Shop

2012-01-13T14:49:00.004-05:00

I have a new Heart Basket pattern ready just in time for Valentine's day. The basket is first worked as a flat piece, with heart design crocheted into piece by changing colors. Panel is folded in half verticially and sides are seamed together, then top section is folded into the bottom section to create a basket which is double thickness. Bottom piece is made separately, and then stitched to bottom edge. To finish; a cardboard insert is placed in the bottom of basket for stability and a decorative border is stitched around the top edge.

Finished size is 5" tall and 4" across the base of basket. The basket can be used to hold many things, but just happens to hold perfectly, a bag of chocolate kisses. Unfortunately, since my photo shoot last weekend, my basket is now half empty. Love those chocolate kisses! :)

Pattern is available in my shop and also can be downloaded by clicking on the "download now" buttom below the picture.

Finished Projects

2012-01-05T17:06:00.000-05:00

Here are some of the things I made for Christmas gifts this year.

I made my sweet little nephew Eli a football hat. I used a pattern that I purchased on Ravelry called "Touchdown! Hat" by Megan Hall. This is a very nice pattern and worked up quickly, and Eli seemed to like it too. :)

I made LOTS of knitted House Dishcloths. I used two different patterns. The first batch pictured was made using a pattern I bought on Ravelry called "House Shaped Cloth" by Alli Barrett.. The second cloth pictured was made using a free pattern available on Ravelry called "Nineteen Hundred House Dishcloth" by Amanda Ochocki. I really enjoyed both these patterns and will be making more in the future.

The Tissue Cover and Bookmark below were both made using video tutorials from the blog Debz Days. She has lots of wonderful tutorials and I have several more of them on my wish list to do soon. :)

And I finally got a pair of socks finished! My goal last year was to make a pair a month, but too many other things took my time and that didn't happen. But knitting socks is one of my favorite things to do, and I sure hope to make more this year. This pair went to my mom and she loved them. :)

House Dishcloth - New Pattern in Shop

2012-01-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Everyone!!

I thought I'd start the year off with a new pattern in my shop. Over the holidays I made some knitted house dishcloths for Christmas gifts, and it got me to wondering if I could design a crocheted house dishcloth. So I gave it a try and this is what I came up with. The stitches used in this dishcloth are: sc, dc, fpdc (front post double crochet), ch, sl st, and a bobble stitch. The finished size is 8 1/2" x 8 1/2".

It's available in my Etsy Shop or can be downloaded by clicking on the "buy now" button below the first picture.

Merry Christmas!!

2011-12-23T09:04:00.000-05:00

I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! :)

See ya in 2012! :)

Santa Eli

A New Member of the Family and Some Christmas Ornaments

2011-12-21T15:17:00.002-05:00

First of all, let me introduce Olivia, the newest member of our family! Olivia is about 6 months old, and was a stray kitten in our neighborhood. She actually adopted us, instead of the other way around. She decided she wanted to live here, and since the first time she walked in the front door, she has made herself completely at home and she acts like she owns the place. That hasn't exactly endeared her to Gus and Grace, however, and it's been a big adjustment for them. Things are finally starting to smooth out and although I wouldn't exactly call them BFF's yet, the growls and hisses are minimal now, and just yesterday I saw them all sleeping on our bed. So hopefully one day soon, they will all be best buds. :)

Besides being a kitty referee, I have also been busy making a few Christmas ornaments. My nephew Eli was born in March, and since this is his first Christmas, I wanted to make him a special ornament. I found the idea for this onsie ornament on Pinterest, but put my own spin on it.

Eli's First Christmas Ornament

I also tried my hand at modpodge for the first time and made some ornaments for our niece's new baby, Alex, and also for my godchildren, Sarah and RJ. I used this tutorial that I found on Brown Paper Packages, and put their names on the front and the year on the back. I loved doing modpodge and can't wait to do another project! :)

My ring ornament series came to an end last week, but Barbara from Made in K-town designed a really adorable ring ornament called Bobble Wheel Ornament, and I just had to give it a try. It was easy and fun to make, and I love how it turned out.

This next ornament isn't one I made, but one that was made for me! I got a wonderful suprise in the mail yesterday from my Dutch blogging friend Annette. She hand-stitched this adorable little heart ornament.
Thank you Annette, I love it! :)

I have lots of Christmas projects to share (some I'm still working on!), and I'll show those after Christmas.

Christmas Ball Ring Ornament

2011-12-13T08:27:00.001-05:00

Christmas Ball Ring Ornament is the 7th and last ornament in my "Ringing In Christmas" Ornament Series. Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

I've had a lot of fun doing this series, and I hope you all have had fun as well! I still have some more ideas that I would love to try, so maybe I'll do another ornament series next year, and you may even see some for other holidays show up throughout the year. But for now, I have to stop designing ring ornaments and get busy finishing up all my Christmas projects. :)

Abbreviations/Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
st = stitch
beg = beginning

Materials:
Caron's Simply Soft Worsted Weight Acrylic Yarn:
- Red
- White
2" Plastic Ring
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
Yarn Needle

Christmas Ball Ring Ornament:

Round 1) With Red, join with a sl st around plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st and sc in each st around, join with a sl st to beg sc. (36 sc)
End off, weave in ends.

Top of Ball:
Row 1) With white, join with a sl st in any st, ch 1, sc in same st and sc in next 3 sts, ch 1, turn. (4 sc)

Row 2) sc in each st across (4 sc). End off, weave in ends.

Stripes:
1) Center Stripe: Thread a long piece of white yarn onto a yarn needle and bring needle up midway on the right side of the ball, then take needle across ring to the left side and insert, as shown in photo below.

2) Top Stripe: Next, bring needle up right above the stitch you just made, then bring across ring and insert needle back down into the right side just above the center stripe, as shown in photo below.

3) Bottom Stripe: Bring needle up on the right side just below the center stripe, and bring across ring, and insert into the left side just below the center stripe. Weave in ends.

Also See:

Week 1: Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament

Week 2: Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament

Week 3: Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament

Week 4: Snowman Ring Ornament

Week 5: Rudolph The Red Nose Ring Ornament

Week 6: Six Point Snowflake Ring Ornament

Six Point Snowflake Ring Ornament

2011-12-06T10:40:00.002-05:00

Six Point Snowflake Ring Ornament is the 6th in my "Ringing In Christmas" ornament series. Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

A few have left comments saying they are having a hard time finding these 2" plastic rings. I usually get mine at Joann's or Hobby Lobby, and they are usually in the same area as the crochet hooks and knitting needles, although I have also found them in the sewing dept. They are also called "cabone rings".

And Cathy left this helpful comment: "Instead of buying 2" rings, I use drapery rings. They already have a hole on them in which to add an ornament hook, ribbon or other type of hanger. Plus, if you go to the thrift store, they are really cheap! I just purchased a bag of 25 for a quarter!"

And thank you for all the nice comments, I love hearing from you! Many of the comments are coming thru as a "no reply-comment", which means I can't reply to you. So even if I haven't been able to reply, please know I appreciate your comments very much. But if you have a question or comment that you would like a response to, please make sure to change your user profile to show your email address, or include an email address in your comment. :)

Stitches Used/Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
st = stitch
sk = skip
beg = beginning
mp = make picot (see instructions below)
mst = make snowflake tip (see instructions below)

Pattern Notes:
Make Picot (mp) = ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook
Make Snowflake Tip (mst) = ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in next ch st.

Materials:
Caron Simply Soft Worsted Yarn:
- White
2" Plastic Ring
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
Yarn Needle

Six Pointed Snowflake Ring Ornament:
Round 1) With white, join with a sl st around 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next st, *ch 5, sk next 3 sts, sc in next 3 sts*, repeat from * to * 4 more times, ch 5, sk next 3 sts, sc in last st. Join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (18 sc, 6 ch-5 loops)

Round 3) Ch 1, (sc, mp, sc) in same st as the beg ch 1, sk next sc st, and in 1st ch-5 loop work (sc, hdc, dc, mst, dc, hdc, sc), *sk next sc st, (sc, mp, sc) in next sc st, sk next sc st, and in next ch-5 loop work (sc, hdc, dc, mst, dc, hdc, sc)*, repeat from * to * around, sk last st, join with a sl st to beg sc. End off, weave in ends.

Ringing In Christmas Ornament Series:
Week 1: Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament
Week 2: Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament
Week 3: Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament
Week 4: Snowman Ring Ornament
Week 5: Rudolph The Red Nose Ring Ornament

Rudolph the Red Nose Ring Ornament

2011-11-29T13:07:00.000-05:00

Rudolph is the 5th in my "Ringing in Christmas" Ornament Series. Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

Materials Needed (for white reindeer shown above):

Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn:
- White
- Limelight
2" Plastic Ring
1/2" Red Pom Pom
Glue
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
Yarn Needle

Abbreviations/Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
st = stitch
beg = beginning

Rudolph The Red Nose Ring Ornament:
Round 1) With white, join with a sl st around a 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st and sc in next 10 sts, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st (1st ear made), sc in next 12 sts, (hdc, dc, hdc) in next st (2nd ear made), sc in last 11 sts, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (34 sc, 4 hdc, 2 dc) End off white, weave in ends.

Right Antler:

Row 1) With Limelight, join with a sl st in the 2nd sc st to the left of the right ear, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next st, turn. (2 sc)

Row 2) Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in last st, turn. (3 sc)

Row 3) Ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in each of the remaining 4 ch sts, then sc in the first sc st on row (1st antler point made), ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in each of the remaining 3 ch sts, then sc in next sc st on row (2nd antler point made), ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in each of the remaining 2 ch sts, then sc in last sc st. End off, weave in ends.

Left Antler:

Row 1) Skip the next 6 sts on ring that follow the right antler, and with Limelight, join with a sl st in the next st, ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next st, turn. (2 sc)

Row 2) Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in next st, turn. (3 sc)

Row 3) Ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and in each of the remaining 2 ch sts, then sc in first sc st on row (1st antler point made), ch 5, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in each of the remaining 3 ch sts, then sc in next sc st on row (2nd antler point made), ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook and sl st in each of the remaining 4 ch sts, then sc in last sc st on row. End off, weave in ends.

Finishing: Glue red pom pom at the bottom for the nose.

Also see:
Week 1: Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament
Week 2: Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament
Week 3: Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament
Week 4: Snowman Ring Ornament

Snowman Ring Ornamant

2011-11-22T11:47:00.007-05:00

Snowman Ring Ornament is the 4th in my "Ringing In Christmas" Ring Ornament Series.

Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

Materials Needed:
Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn:
- White
- Limelight
- Red
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
2" Plastic Ring
Yarn Needle

Abbreviations/Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
sp = space
st = stitch
beg = beginning

Snowman Ring Ornament:
Round 1) With white, join with a sl st around a 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st and sc in each remaining st around, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do Not turn. (36 sc) End off white, weave in ends.

Ear Muffs) With Limelight, join with a sl st in any st, ch 2, (hdc, dc) in same st, (dc, hdc, ch 2, sl st) in next st (first earmuff made), ch 18 (earmuff headband made), and sk the next 16 white sts on the ring, and in the next white st (17th st) work: (sl st, ch 2, hdc, dc), then (dc, hdc, ch 2, sl st) in next st (second earmuff made). End off, weave in ends. (NOTE: The chain sts that make the headband between the earmuffs lays along the top edge of the ring, it is not stitched into the stitches on the ring)

To Finish) Cut small piece of red yarn, and weave thru stitches at the bottom and tie into a bow.

Other ornaments in this series:
Week 1) Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament
Week 2) Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament
Week 3) Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament

Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament

2011-11-15T09:54:00.002-05:00

Christmas Wreath Ring Ornament is the 3rd in my "Ringing In Christmas" ornament series.

Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

Materials Needed:
Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn:
- Limelight
- Red
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
2" Plastic Ring
Yarn Needle

Abbreviations/Stitches Used:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
sp = space
st = stitch
beg = beginning

Christmas Wreath Ring Christmas Ornament:

Round 1) With Limelight, join with a sl st around 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 2,* sk next st, sc in next st, ch 2*, repeat from * to * around, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (18 sc, 18 ch-2 spaces)

Round 3) 5 dc in first ch-2 space, sk next sc,* sl st in next ch-2 sp, sk next sc, 5 dc in next ch-2 sp, sk next sc*, repeat from * to * around, ending with a sl st in last ch-2 sp. End off, weave in ends.

To Finish: Cut a strand of red yarn, weave through the ch-2 openings, and tie into a bow.

Week 1: Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament
Week 2: Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament

Snow! Potholder Pattern - New in Shop

2011-11-13T15:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't done a potholder in a while, and this is one that's been on the back burner for a bit, so I finished it up just in time for the real snow to start flying. I actually ~~hate~~ don't care for snow at all, but I can never resist a Snowman, they're just so darn cute. :)

Pattern is available in my etsy shop, and also can be purchased as an instant download by clicking the "buy now" button below the picture.

Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament

2011-11-08T06:45:00.001-05:00

Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament is the 2nd in my "Ringing In Christmas" ornament series. Each ornament is made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring.

Materials Needed:
Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn:
- small amounts Red and White
Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook
2" Plastic Ring
Yarn Needle

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
st = stitch
beg = beginning
chg = change

Pattern Notes:
Changing Colors: To change colors: when completing the stitch prior to the start of a new color, insert hook and pull up loop (this completes the first part of the sc st), drop the old color, pick up the new color and yarn over and draw the new color thru the two loops on the hook. This completes the sc stitch and you will now have the new color on the hook and are ready to continue stitching.

For more information on changing colors, see my "Changing Colors Tutorial" : http://whiskersandwool.blogspot.com/2010/07/changing-colors-tutorial-some-helpful.html

Peppermint Candy Ring Ornament:
Round 1) With White, join with a sl st around 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st, sc in next st, chg to red, sc in next 2 sts, *chg to white, sc in next 2 sts, chg to red, sc in next 2 sts*, repeat from * to * around. Change back to white after completing the last red st, and join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (18 white sc, 18 red sc) Cut red yarn, but do not cut white yarn, continue with white for round 3.

Round 3) Ch 11, sl st in same sc st as the beg ch 11, (ch 11, sl st) 2 times in next sc st (3 loops made to create first “wrapper”). End off white.

To make wrapper on the other side of the candy: Skip the next 16 sts, and in the 17th st, using white, join with a sl st, ch 11, sl st in same st as beg ch 11, (ch 11, sl st) 2 times in next sc st.
End off, weave in all ends.

To finish, use small strands of red yarn to tie a bow around each of the wrappers.

Also see Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament - 1st in my "Ringing in Christmas" Ornament Series:
http://whiskersandwool.blogspot.com/2011/11/lacy-snowflake-ring-ornament-ringing-in.html

Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament

2011-11-01T06:11:00.002-04:00

Lacy Snowflake is the first up in my "Ringing in Christmas" Ornament Series. All the ornaments in the series will be worked by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring, and I will be releasing one pattern each week. As of now, I'm not sure how many there will be as I'm still working on some of them. So I'll keep it going until my inspiration dries up, or Christmas gets here, whichever comes first. :)

Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament

Materials Needed:

Caron Simply Soft Worsted Weight Yarn - White

Size G (4.25mm) Crochet Hook

2" Plastic Ring

Yarn Needle

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

sl st = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet

mp = make picot

sk = skip

st = stitch

beg = beginning

Lacy Snowflake Ring Ornament

Round 1) With White, join with a sl st around 2” plastic ring, ch 1, 36 sc around ring, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do not turn. (36 sc)

Round 2) Ch 1, sc in same st and sc in each remaining st around, join with a sl st to beg sc. Do Not turn. (36 sc)

Pattern Note for Round 3: To make picot (mp): Ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook.
Round 3) Ch 1, sc in same st, sk next 2 sts, (dc, mp, dc, mp, dc, mp, dc, mp, dc) in next st (1st snowflake point made), sk next 2 sts, *sc in next st, sk next 2 sts, (dc, mp, dc, mp, dc, mp, dc, mp, dc) in next st, sk next 2 sts*, repeat from * to * around, join with a sl st to beg sc. End off, weave in ends. Each snowflake point will contain 5 dc's and 4 picots. (6 snowflake points, 6 sc)

It looks pretty in blue too!

Coming Soon! - "Ringing In Christmas" Ornament Series

2011-10-22T14:46:00.001-04:00

Christmas will be upon us before we know it, so I thought it would be fun do a Christmas ornament series. I have designed a set of Christmas ornaments that are made by crocheting around a 2" plastic ring. Below is a photo of the package of the type of ring I'm talking about. The kind I usually use are by either Susan Bates or Boye. And if you want to get your other supplies around and ready beforehand, I'm also using a size G (4.25mm) crochet hook and Caron's Simply Soft yarn in regular Christmas colors, like white, red and green, but there might be a little yellow and blue thrown in there too.

My plan is to release one pattern each week, beginning on Nov 1st. I've had a lot of fun designing these and I hope you'll join in on the fun! :)

2" Plastic Rings

Cupcake Pincushion Ring

2011-10-05T16:45:00.001-04:00

I recently saw a cupcake pincushion ring online somewhere (can't remember where), and it got me to wondering if I could make a crochet one using my "Cupcakes To Crochet" Pattern. This pattern can be made using either worsted weight yarn, sport weight yarn, or size 10 crochet cotton thread to make different sizes of cupcakes.

First I needed to find a ring that would work, and I found just the right thing at Hobby Lobby. And it was 50% off to boot!. Next up, I made the cupcake using size 10 crochet cotton thread and a size 7 steel crochet hook. Then all I had to do was glue the cupcake to the ring and I had myself a Cupcake Ring Pincushion. :) It was a fun little project. :)

A Yarn Swap

2011-10-01T15:58:00.001-04:00

Recently my blogging friend Miek who lives in The Netherlands and I decided to do a little yarn swapping. We had been discussing the cotton yarns, and the Sugar 'n Cream and Peaches & Creme cotton yarns that I use so often for many of my pattern designs are not available over there. So I sent her some balls of those and she sent me some Catania cotton yarn. She also sent some delicious dutch candy and a beautiful Holland thimble. The Catania yarn is SO nice, and I just can't wait to make something out of it. I've been busy looking thru Ravelry trying to decide what I will make. I have several things lined up and I just have to decide what to do first! :)

Thanks again Miek, I love all of it and it was so much fun swapping with you! :)

Spooky Eyes Halloween Bags - New Pattern in Shop

2011-09-21T12:39:00.000-04:00

I have one last Halloween bag design for the season. This one is called Spooky Eyes and the pattern is for a trick or treat bag and a matching goodie bag.

These were made using Red Heart Super Saver yarn. The body of the bags is worked flat, in one piece, the sides are stitched closed, and the handle is then stitched to the top of the bag.

Finished Sizes:
Trick or Treat Bag: 10" wide x 11" high
Goodie Bag: 4 3/4" wide x 5" high

Price is $2.95 for the set and can be found in my etsy shop or can be downloaded by clicking the "buy now" link below the picture. Finished items made from this pattern may be sold, I just ask that you give my etsy shop http://www.bearsy43.etsy.com/ credit for the pattern.

Jack-O-Lantern Trick or Treat Bag and Goodie Bag - New Pattern in Shop

2011-09-14T13:10:00.000-04:00

Hello all! I'm still in a Halloween designing mode, and came up with a Jack O Lantern Trick or Treat bag with a matching goodie bag.

These were made using Red Heart Super Saver yarn. The body of the bags is worked flat, in one piece, the sides are stitched closed, and the handle is then stitched to the top of the bag.

Finished Sizes:
Trick or Treat Bag: 9 1/4" wide x 10 3/4" high
Goodie Bag: 4 1/2" wide x 5" high

Price is $2.95 for the set and can be found in my etsy shop or can be downloaded by clicking the "buy now" link below the picture. Finished items made from this pattern may be sold, I just ask that you give my etsy shop http://www.bearsy43.etsy.com/ credit for the pattern.

Copyright Change and a Potholder Pattern Sale

2011-09-10T07:07:00.000-04:00

In the copyright information for all my patterns, I've always allowed finished items to be sold at your local craft fairs, fundraisers, etc, but not anywhere online. Well, I've decided to change that rule for the potholder patterns, and now finished items made from any of the potholder patterns may be sold anywhere you like. I just ask that you give my etsy shop http://www.bearsy43.etsy.com/ credit for the pattern.

And to kick off that change, I am having a sale (first time ever) in my etsy shop. Any 6 potholder patterns can be purchased for $10.00. And there are 26 of them to choose from. Wow, what is with me and potholders?! :)

Have a great weekend Everyone! :)

Candy Corn Halloween Bag Set - New Crochet Pattern in Shop

2011-09-05T13:41:00.002-04:00

Fall is in the air finally, and I've been working on some Halloween projects. This pattern set includes a Trick or Treat bag and two sizes of goodie bags. I made them using Red Heart Super Saver yarn. You can add a face, or just leave them plain.

Finished sizes are:
Trick or Treat Bag: 10 1/2" high x 10 3/4" wide (at top edge)
Small. Goodie Bag: 5 1/4" high x 5" wide (at top edge)
Large Goodie Bag: 6 3/4" high x 6" wide (at top edge)

Price is $2.95 for the set and can be found in my etsy shop or can be downloaded by clicking the "buy now" link below the picture. Finished items made from this pattern may be sold, I just ask that you give my etsy shop http://www.bearsy43.etsy.com/ credit for the pattern.
And coming soon is a Jack-O-Lantern Trick or Treat bag with a matching goodie bag. :)

Gus and Grace Update

2011-08-29T20:48:00.000-04:00

I realized that Gus and Grace haven't made an appearance on this blog in quite some time. And I thought I better give them a little face time so they don't get jealous of baby Eli showing up so often. :)

It's a pretty easy update though, Grace is still sweet as can be, and Gus is still ornery as can be and still keeping us entertained on a daily basis. And yes, he is still carrying around his pet string. :)

Sweet, sweet Gracie!

Ornery Gus! :)

Scrap-Buster Coasters - Free Pattern

2011-08-23T11:07:00.000-04:00

Since I use cotton yarn for so many of my patterns and projects, I've accumulated a LOT of little leftover balls of yarn. I keep saving them, but haven't gotten around to using any of them, so I decided to come up with a pattern to use these small amounts of yarn. I had fun rummaging thru my scrap bag and matching up colors. :)

The coaster uses 2 yds of 3 different colors for the color strip, about 10 yards of white, and 4 yards for the border. Finished size is about 4" x 4"

Click on the "download now" button below the picture to get the pattern. :)

download now

New Patterns in Shop

2011-08-09T16:15:00.000-04:00

I've been busy working on a couple new designs for the shop. The first is Starburst Coaster pattern, and I've had a lot of fun making these up in all sorts of fun colors. I haven't tried making any using a varigated yarn, but that's next on my list to try.

I also finished up Pleats and Lace Scarf pattern, which I also enjoyed, but it was a bit more of a challenge given our recent heat wave. :) But I have to go where my ideas take me, even if it's making a scarf in 90+ temps. :) Both patterns are available in my etsy shop and can also be downloaded using the download links below their picture.

Starburst Coasters are made using worsted weight cotton yarn and are 4 1/2" across. They are made in two pieces, which are then connected when the border is stitched. Price is $2.50

Pleats and Lace Scarf is made using worsted weight yarn. I used Berocco Vintage Worsted for the model. It is made in two panels which are then stitched together at center back. Each panel is made by first stitching the pleated edge, then turning and working the body of the scarf. Price is $3.25

Baby Eli's Getting Big!!

2011-07-24T13:16:00.001-04:00

Here's the evidence that Eli is ready to move from sleeping in his bassinet and begin sleeping in his crib. My sister put him down for the night the other night and thought he was sound asleep and walked back into the room a short time later to see him peeking out over the edge of the bassinet. :) And she woke up this morning to see him again peeking over the edge and watching her. :)

"Hey I can see you!"

And here's yet another Mickey Mouse project. In June, Eli's big brother Zakk, who just turned 18, (yes, my sister has a 4 month old and an 18 year old!) asked me to make this little Mickey Mouse outfit for Eli. I agreed to make it if Zakk agreed to share the blame when Eli grows up and finds out that we dressed him up like Mickey Mouse. And he WILL find out, cause we have already have plans to show the pictures to his future girlfriends. :)

I made the outfit using some cute patterns from Affordable Wonders blog. The hat pattern can be found here, and the diaper cover pattern can be found here. I did make a few changes as I went. I made the hat a little shorter, and I also made the ears on the hat smaller. The only thing I changed on the diaper cover was instead of the little ruffles around the legs, I did a reverse single crochet border around the waist and the leg openings. It was a nice pattern and fit him very well, and I think he looks absolutely adorable in it! (and hopefully 16 years or so from now, he'll agree.) :)

Mickey Eli

Simple Stripes Dishcloth - Free Pattern

2011-07-20T15:13:00.000-04:00

Simple Stripes Dishcloth has a nice texture, making it great for washing dishes. It's also a great way to use up your leftover scraps.

Finished size is about 8 3/4" x 8 3/4".

Click "Download Now" link below to get pattern pdf

download now

Cute Little Backyard Visitors

2011-07-16T14:10:00.000-04:00

I looked out the window this morning and saw this cute little turkey family come out of the woods and walk along the edge of our backyard. The picture isn't the best because I had to take it thru the screen on our back porch. Smart turkeys though, I noticed they made sure to have an adult turkey bring up the rear so none of the little ones could wander off. :)

Bread Cozy - New Pattern in Shop

2011-07-15T18:30:00.003-04:00

Hello All! I haven't been a very good blogger lately. Summer just seems to be so busy,and the time is just flying by. :) I finished a new pattern for a bread cozy to keep the bread/rolls/biscuits warm. It also works nicely to wrap a homemade loaf of bread in for gift giving. I have some other patterns in the works and hope to have a few new free ones up soon! :)

Pattern is available both on etsy and by instant download thru ravelry $2.95

Mr. Mouse Coaster - Free Pattern

2011-06-28T14:33:00.000-04:00

For some reason, I keep making Mr. (Mickey) Mouse stuff lately. And since I like to make coasters too, I couldn't resist making him into a coaster. :) Click the "download now" link below the picture to get the pattern. :)

download now

A Few New Patterns in the Shop and a Visit from Baby Eli

2011-06-22T17:16:00.000-04:00

I've been busy working on new patterns and playing with baby Eli the last few weeks. :) He came to visit me the other day and he even had a special shirt for the day that said "Off to Auntie's". He's 3 months old now, and getting cuter every day. I noticed that he is starting to pay more attention to his surroundings, including the TV. So when he was here, I found a Barney movie on Netflix and set him in his little chair in front of the TV and let it play He smiled as soon as he saw Barney and was just mesmerized (well, for about 15 minutes). I took this photo of him watching Barney and he was so engrossed that he didn't even pay attention to me taking his picture. I emailed it to his parents who are just "thrilled" with the prospect of lots of Barney music in their future. LOL Hopefully, he'll still be allowed to come to my house. :)

"Wow, that Barney sure has some cool songs!"

And here are the new patterns. Both are available in my etsy shop and also can be purchased as an instant download by clicking the "Buy Now" button.

Lazy Daisy Potholder

Dinnertime! Potholder

Some Mickey Mouse Fun (And Minnie Mouse too!)

2011-06-08T15:28:00.003-04:00

I was playing around with some plastic rings the other day and came up with these Mickey and Minnie embellishments. They can be used as a decorations on a gift, magnets, or even as a Christmas Ornament. They are very quick and easy to make.

You need 3 plastic rings

Crochet around rings with black yarn (I used worsted weight)

Position the smaller rings like Mickey ears and stitch to larger ring

Add a ribbon & tie into a bow

And while I was in a Mickey/Minnie mood, I made some Mickey and Minnie keychains. I suggested to my husband that we could use them and have matching his and her keychains. But he politely declined. LOL I can't imagine why, I think they are very cute. :)

Aspen Leaf Potholder Pattern - New in Shop

2011-06-08T14:30:00.000-04:00

I finally got around to writing up the pattern for the Aspen Leaf potholder that I had made my mom for Mother's Day. :) It's available in my etsy shop, and can also can be downloaded instantly thru Ravlery by using the buy now button.

A Puzzle Card and a Strawberry Potholder

2011-06-03T11:05:00.000-04:00

A while back I bought a puzzle magic punch from Herrschners when they had it clearanced for $5.99. This punch lets you make a puzzle out of a 4 x 6 picture. I decided to try it out by making a birthday card for my goddaughter Sarah. I didn't have a photo to use, but I made up a little card in Word, then sized it to be
4 x 6, and printed it out on cardstock, then put it on a self-adhesive puzzle mat (which came with the punch), and then ran it thru the punch. It has a little drawer to catch all the pieces. It was a lot of fun to make, and Sarah loved putting together the puzzle to read her birthday greeting. :)

I also have a new strawberry potholder in the shop. It seemed like a good design to welcome in summer! :)
The pattern is listed in my etsy shop and can also be downloaded thru ravelry

Strawberry Potholder

Misc. Projects.....

2011-05-26T14:17:00.003-04:00

Hello! I've been busy working on several different projects lately. Not all of them were the crafty kind, so I'm branching out a bit. :)

Project 1: Bookmarks
The first one is crafty, papercrafting to be exact. I saw this fun tutorial on making page corner bookmarks. The tutorial was easy to follow, and they worked up quickly.

I made some monster ones for my book-loving little goddaughter, Sarah, who will be celebrating her 6th birthday this weekend.

I also made a couple of adult ones for the book-loving ME. :)

Project 2: Fire and Ice Pickles

A few months ago, my husband and I were given a jar of "Fire and Ice Pickles" to try. And wow, were they good! They're a little bit sweet, and a little bit (or a lot) hot, depending on your preference. We finished that jar pretty quickly and wanted more.

Fire and Ice Pickles

But you can't buy these in a store, you have to make them yourself. So I did what I always do, and googled it to find a recipe. Our first attempt, we followed the recipe exactly, but although you could taste the sweetness, the hot didn't really come thru. So we experimented and kept gradually adding more of the hot stuff until we got it how we liked it. Here's the recipe with our adjustments:

Fire and Ice Pickles

2 (32 oz) jars of DILL pickles

4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce (we used Louisiana Hot Sauce)

1 - 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

3 garlic cloves, peeled

A few slices of Jalapeno pepper (we used peppers that came in a jar, and also poured in a tablespoon or so of the juice)

First pour pickles into a strainer in the sink and let them drain.

Then cut pickles into chunks and put in a big bowl

Add the sugar to the pickles, and stir a bit. Then add all the remaining ingredients and stir until everything is mixed together.

Cover the bowl and let sit on the counter for an hour or so, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

Once the sugar is dissolved, spoon mixture back into the jars they came in, or divide them into smaller canning jars. Refrigerate for 3-7 days before serving (although we've eaten them earlier than that). Store in the refrigerator. Warning! these are very addictive! :)

Project 3: Homemade Laundry Detergent

I have seen on a few blogs lately that some people are making their own laundry detergent. It seemed easy enough, and it was very cheap to make, so I was intrigued enough to give it a try. I made mine following a recipe I found on this blog.

You only need 3 ingredients: Borax, Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda (not baking soda), and Fels-Naptha soap. I was able to find the Borax and Super Washing Soda in the laundry aisle at Wal-mart and found the bars of Fels-Naptha soap for $1.29/ea. at my local Ace Hardware.

First you have to grate the bar(s) of Fels-Naptha Soap

Then mix grated soap with the borax and super washing soda following this recipe:

2 parts grated soap

1 part Borax

1 part Super Washing Soda

Two bars of grated soap = about 3 cups, so I added 1 1/2 cups of each the borax and the super washing soda, mixed together and stored in a container with a lid. I use 2 tablespoons of detergent for a regular load of wash. I've been using this for the past few weeks and so far it seems to be working just fine, and I love the price. :) Maybe with all the money I'm saving, I can buy more yarn. :)

A Cat Fishing Tale...

2011-05-15T20:12:00.000-04:00

Gus and Grace have a little play tunnel with a big opening right in the middle of it.

He thinks I can't see him. :)

I've found that if I use a certain someone's pet string as the bait, and dangle it into that hole,

I can catch me a big ole Cat Fish!

Works everytime!

The cat fishin' hole where the Cat Fishies are always biting. :)

Yet another Pet String game to add to our growing repertoire. :)

Mother's Day Projects

2011-05-09T10:26:00.001-04:00

Hello! I hope everyone had a very Happy Mother's Day!

Here are a few things that I made for my mom this year:

A handmade Mother's Day Card:

I made this card from a cardmaking kit I had

My mom LOVES Aspen trees, so I made her an aspen leaf potholder

And I made her some Criss-Cross Coasters using this tutorial from Allsorts. I've made these coasters several times before, and it's a fun and easy pattern. The fabric is a "Birdie" charm pack from Moda.

I also got a visit from my sweet little Eli (my nephew) this weekend. He brought me an adorable photo collage of pictures taken of him on Easter, where he's posing with his chocolate bunny that I for made him.
He has this expression that he's made since day 1, where he furrows up his little brows at us, like he can't figure out what the heck we're doing. I love this expression, and it cracks me up everytime he does it, so of course that was my favorite picture taken on Easter. So my sweet sister made sure to use that one as the main one for my photo collage. I LOVE IT!! THANKS BECKY!! :)

Close up of the "furrowed brow" look.
He's thinking "Grandpa, WHY do you keep pointing that little black box at me?"

Springtime Needlework Caddy - New Pattern in Shop

2011-05-02T14:34:00.000-04:00

I designed this needlework caddy so that I can have all my supplies handy when I'm working on a project. The sections hold the items pretty firmly, so it's also easy to move around from place to place, without things falling out. I made my mom one of these, that she keeps on her sewing table and it's loaded to the hilt with all kinds of supplies . We always laugh at how many items and the variety of items we can stuff into the thing. :)

Needlework Caddy is made using worsted weight acrylic yarn (and actually the stiffer the yarn, the better), and is made up of 4 individual single crochet sections, which are then put together to form caddy.

Finished size is about 3 1/4" high x 4 1/4" wide.

Pattern be purchased in my Etsy Shop or it can be downloaded thru Ravelry by clicking the button below.

I made a plain one in bright colors to be used as an Art Caddy

Gus Wins!

2011-04-27T15:32:00.005-04:00

Gus is a notorious little (ok, not so little) yarn thief, and he's sneaky and he's quick. I'm trying to work on a new crochet pattern design today, and I have my little tub of yarn close by.
Bored Gus + Tub Of Yarn = TROUBLE.

*I'm working and not paying attention to him, so he decides he wants the yarn, and jumps up, grabs a ball of yarn and takes off running with it. And of course, I have to chase him to get it back, because he can't be allowed to play with yarn for his own safety. And of course he runs to the basement, his favorite place to be chased. And since he loves to be chased, I humor him and chase him around the basement for a bit, finally retrieve the ball of yarn, put it back in the tub and get back to work*.

And just like in a crochet pattern: repeat from * to * (at least) 6 times!
FINALLY, after about the 6th time chasing him to the basement, I clue in that this has turned into a game for him, and I've been playing right into his little paws.

Score today: Gus = 1, Doni = 0

"Yeah, she's nice, but she's sure not the brightest bulb in the box".

Easter Projects

2011-04-19T17:13:00.001-04:00

I've been working on some Easter basket projects for Eli and my godchildren.

I made some felt chocolate Easter bunnies using this free adorable pattern from Art Chick Studio. I stitched names and the year on each one with my mom's embroidery sewing machine. Love this pattern!

Then I made a pile of crochet Easter eggs using this free pattern on Lion Brand's site. Very quick and easy to do.

And of course I added some of my own Easter Marshmallow Bunnies.

And to finish up, I made some simple Easter cards.

Doily Dishcloths - New Pattern Set in Shop

2011-04-17T16:24:00.000-04:00

Doilies and Dishcloths....I thought that would be a fun combination. :)
My new pattern set includes 2 dishcloth patterns: Lacy Doily Dishcloth and Picot Points Doily Dishcloth. Finished size of both dishcloths are around 8 3/4" across.
Pattern is available in my etsy shop and on Ravelry.

Easter Marshmallow Bunnies - Free Pattern

2011-04-11T20:45:00.001-04:00

I've been working on making some things for Easter baskets and decided they needed some little marshmallow bunnies. And they're sugar free, fat free, and calorie free. :)

download now

Easter Egg Chick Potholder - New Pattern in Shop

2011-04-06T14:15:00.000-04:00

Finished up this cute little Easter Egg Chick Potholder just in time for Easter. :)

Pattern is available in my Etsy Shop and also on Ravelry.

Gus and His Pet String

2011-04-01T20:01:00.002-04:00

A few months ago, I wrote about Gus and his "pet string" that he found somewhere in our basement. You can read about it here. It's still his favorite toy. He seriously loves that thing, and he never gets tired of playing with it. He started out wanting to catch it and play "tug of war", then he would let go of it so we humans could make it move again for him. Somewhere along the line, he has changed the rules of the game. He still wants us to make it move for him, and he loves to chase it. But once he catches it, he only wants to play tug of war for a few seconds, and the new rules of the game involve me letting go of my end of the string and then to chase after him while he runs down to the basement with it. This game is just between Gus and me, because for some reason, my husband is unwilling to chase after him saying "I'm gonna get you Gussie! I'm gonna get your string", while Gus races away with it down to the basement (although he does enjoy watching me do this and make a fool out of myself) :)

These pictures reflect Gus's side of the game. Thank goodness, there are no pics of my side. :)

After catching the string, he waits for me to start chasing him, then he races off towards the basement stairs with it.

He pauses at the top of the stairs and checks to make sure I'm still following him.....

Then it's off down the stairs. It's fun watching him run down the steps trying to not trip on the string while he goes.

At this point in the game, I usually just chase him to the top of the stairs and watch him run down to the basement. He'll wait down there for a few minutes to see if I follow him, and if not, he will drag the string back up the stairs again to start the game all over again.

Heading back up to do it all over again!

Grace likes to chase him too. :)

Smile! Potholder - Free Pattern

2011-03-30T07:11:00.000-04:00

I'm smiling because it's spring (even though the temps don't yet reflect that!) and so this is a just for fun potholder.
Click "download now" link below picture to get pattern.

download now

Flower Coaster - Free Pattern

2011-03-22T08:17:00.000-04:00

I've been spending most of my time this past week hanging out with Baby Eli, who just seems to get cuter every single day. :) But I'm so happy that Spring is finally here, that I took some time to make up a set of flower coasters to celebrate the occasion. :)

Click on the "download now" link under photo to get pattern pdf.

download now

Baby Elijah is Here, and I'm Completely Smitten :)

2011-03-14T11:19:00.000-04:00

Eli arrived as scheduled on Friday, and he is amazing! He is 6 lbs 6 oz, and 19 inches long. I was in love instantly, and I've spent many hours the past few days, holding him and loving on him. It's nice when they're too little to resist getting kisses. :)

Here's a picture when he has his eyes open, which hasn't happened a whole lot yet. But when he does, he seems to be looking around and checking things out.

My mom and I made him a few last minute things too. We had some ribbon left over from the baby shower decorations and stitched it onto some burp clothes we had machine embroidered with his name.

And with leftover fabric from his quilt, we made this bib, using this really nice online tutorial (thanks Jeannie for sending me the link).

Lots of baby cuddling on my schedule for the rest of the week. :)

Baby Quilt Finished!!

2011-03-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

I'm still a novice quilter, so this quilt isn't perfect, but I sure enjoyed making it, and it has lots of love stitched in. I hope that Elijah will enjoy many happy hours snuggled up in it.

Gus kept wanting to "help" me while I was working on it, so it's a wonder I was able to get it finished in time. I finally had to warm up a batch of towels in the dryer and put them on the bed to lure him away. He LOVES taking naps on warm towels (yes, he is a tad spoiled, lol), and that usually buys me a few uninterrupted hours.

My sister is having a scheduled c-section, so Elijah will be here on Friday, and I sure can't wait to meet him! :)

Gus and Grace, 1 Year Later...

2011-03-02T15:26:00.003-05:00

Today is the one year anniversary of the day we adopted Gus and Grace. I call them our little heart-healers because we were broken-hearted after losing our precious cat Bear (pictured below), who was almost 18 years old. When we brought them home, we were still broken-hearted and missing Bear (and actually still are), but those two little kittens were like a bandage of healing love being applied to our hearts, and have brought us much joy, laughter and love in this past year. They seem pretty happy with us too. :)

I wanted to take a current picture of Grace and Gus together for today's post, but I couldn't pull that off, so I had to take them separately. I now know where the saying "like trying to herd cats" came from. :)

Grace
She's looking a bit wild-eyed because I am holding the bag of cat treats up trying to get her to look at the camera. :)

Gus
I tried holding the bag of treats up to get Gus's attention too, but he soon tired of waiting for those treats and just fell over. He's such a little drama king. :)

Bear 1992-2010

We knew we would get another cat, and we wanted to adopt from our local shelter. The problem was, neither of us wanted to go to the shelter to look, because we would have wanted to bring them all home. I went to the shelter's website to see if they listed photos of the pets online that we could look at, which fortunately they did. I was stopped in my tracks when I saw the photo of little Gus. He looked just like Bear did as a baby kitten and as soon as I showed it to my husband, he had the same reaction and we both knew we HAD to get this little guy; he was meant to be ours. And because I wanted Gus to have a playmate, we also choose Grace from the photos on the website. She turned out to be as sweet in life as she looked in the picture. Gus loved Grace right from the start, but she took a little while to warm up to him. Now they are the best of friends. :)

I didn't actually name either one of them. Grace was about 5 months old, and her name at the shelter had been "Sugar". That was a sweet name, but it just didn't feel right. My family had come over to meet them that first night, and my sister was throwing out some name suggestions, and one of those was Grace. As soon as I heard it, I knew that was the perfect name for her.

Gus was about 2 months old, and had been named "Buford" at the shelter. My husband thought it was hilarious and wanted to keep it. To say I didn't agree would be an understatement! I didn't like that name at all, and told my husband he could name him anything but that. So after some thought, hubby decided to call him Augustus. I like to call him Gussie, and my husband always says to me "His name IS Augustus!". lol

Here's a few photos from those first few days:

Baby Eli Arriving Soon!

2011-02-28T12:38:00.000-05:00

My sister and her husband are expecting a baby boy and he's due to arrive in less than 2 weeks. His name will be Elijah Allan, and we're all VERY excited to meet him. :)

We had a baby shower last weekend, and my mom and I made the decorations. We made the cupcake toppers and the baby banner using the Cricut and the Cuttlebug. The little onsies on the cupcake toppers were painstakingly cut out by my mom, all 48 of them! :) The centerpiece is a diaper cake, which we decorated with ribbon, and some felt hearts and a little felt sign with Eli's name that we stitched using the embroidery machine. We also made a bunch of little diaper favors, which we forgot to take a picture of.

Instead of all the traditional baby shower games, we put paper crafting supplies on each table with some blank cards and had all the guests each make baby Eli a first birthday card that will be given to him next year at his first birthday party. Everyone seemed to enjoy that, and we're looking forward to seeing them all next year.

Baby quilt in progress...

I have also been working on a baby quilt for Eli. I really need to get it finished before he gets here! It's all pieced and today I plan to add the borders and get started on the quilting.

February's been a very busy month for me, and because of all my baby projects, I didn't have time to make a pair of socks for my sock stash reduction project. I'm glad March is a long month! I'm hoping to get back on track and get a pair made during the month, but I'm also planning on doing a lot of baby cuddling, so who knows! :)

Lazy Gus

2011-02-22T07:38:00.000-05:00

Now THIS is lazy! Gus can't even be bothered to stand up to play with his toy. :)

And that ratty cardboard thing beside the toy is their scratching pad, which Grace always uses like she's supposed to. Gus never scratches on it, he lays on it, he chews on it, and bites little pieces off of it (which is why it looks like it does), but he never, ever scratches on it. He is such a stinker! :)

Grand Central Station...

2011-02-19T07:19:00.001-05:00

I'm doing a happy dance that we've had lots of sunshine and warmer temps this week. All that snow is almost gone! But when we were getting all of that snow, our bird feeders turned into Grand Central Station. We had all sorts of visitors show up to grab some nibbles. Unfortunately, our feeders didn't fare too well thru all of this. The turkeys especially tend to be hard on them and knock them to the ground. And one of the feeders is actually now missing. Apparently, one of the critters dragged it off to enjoy his snack in peace. :)

Sometimes even the birds get a chance to eat from the BIRD feeders.

Notice the black squirrel hanging upside down and eating from the feeder on the right

Grace and Gus have loved watching all the action at the bird feeders. Those tails were swinging like crazy!

It's a Hoot! Owl Potholder Pattern - New in Etsy Shop

2011-02-15T12:53:00.003-05:00

I have been inspired by all the cute owls I keep seeing around, and decided I needed to make some of these cute little guys into a new potholder pattern :). Pattern is available in both my etsy shop and also on Ravelry

Snowflake Dishcloth - Free Pattern

2011-02-12T16:11:00.000-05:00

I've ~~harped~~ talked about how much I don't like snow. But I do like snow if it's made out of yarn. :) So I designed a snowflake dishcloth that will never melt and never make your hands cold. :)
Click on the "Download Now" link below the picture to get pdf pattern.

download now

Icicles Scarf Pattern & Knitpicks

2011-02-10T18:31:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone! I'm very excited to announce that I've had another scarf pattern accepted into Knitpicks Independent Designer Program. It was listed on their site today. This scarf was so much fun to design. I've seen a lot of knitted scarves that have the long, curved edge with a decorative stitch, but I haven't seen too many crochet patterns for something like that and decided to try my hand at it.

It's made with Knitpicks Swish Worsted Yarn, which was so nice to work with and it really is perfect for this pattern. The scarf is crocheted all in one piece, with the body of the scarf stitched from tip to tip, then the piece is turned, and the lacy, scallop border is worked along the long, curved edge. It's finished by stitching a single crochet border along the remaining edges. The finished size is 6" wide (at the widest point) and it's about 6' long, although the length can be adjusted if desired.

My beautiful sister Becky is modeling it for me (she's due to have a baby in just a month!). My wonderful, photographer dad took these great pictures. And a big thank you to Stacey at Knitpicks, who, as always does a great job and is wonderful to work with. :)

Scarf is available for download here at Knitpicks, and is also available in my etsy shop.

Computer Malfunction..

2011-02-05T13:55:00.002-05:00

I was having a hard time using my computer the other day. Turns out it just had a little cat hair in it. :)

"Dreaming of Spring" Dishcloth Pattern - New in Etsy Shop

2011-02-02T10:08:00.000-05:00

I'm ignoring the huge piles of ~~nasty white, cold stuff~~ snow outside and I am dreaming of spring. In honor of the hopefully, fast approaching spring, I designed a new set of dishcloth patterns. :)
These are available in my etsy shop and can also be purchased on Ravelry.

Grace, Gus and a Finished Pair of Socks

2011-01-30T14:50:00.000-05:00

I spent some time organizing things in my craft room yesterday and emptied out a basket that had some misc. projects in it. Grace soon discovered it and settled in for a nice nap. Which kept her out of mischief for a bit. :)

"Please don't take pictures of me while I'm beauty-napping"

And the always helpful Gus was giving my husband some assistance on the computer. He loves to sit on my husband's lap and he wasn't going to let a little computer get in his way. He jumped up on the couch, walked across the keyboard and made himself comfortable. :) He always has to go through a little routine of rolling around and getting himself situated just right. He's been known to get so carried away with that, he rolls right off onto the floor.

"I am Googling catnip!"

And I finished my first pair of socks for the year. The pattern is the Jaywalker Sock pattern, which is free on Ravelry. Very nice pattern and easy to follow. Now I just need to get February's sock lined up and get to work on those. :)

Heart Coaster - Free Pattern

2011-01-20T15:23:00.000-05:00

Here are some fun heart coasters for the upcoming Valentine's Day. :) Click on the "Download Now" link below to get pattern.

download now

When Gus is Bored.....

2011-01-12T16:32:00.000-05:00

He has to find something new to get into. And he's bored a lot! :) This morning I heard a bunch of racket coming from the laundry room area. I knew right away that Gus had to be up to something and went to investigate; but when I got there he was no where to be seen. I figured he must have gotten behind the washer and dryer and was stuck (because he's not the skinniest cat around). So I leaned over to have a look, but nope, he wasn't back there either. Puzzled, I walked away only to hear noise again coming from the same area. I headed back, knowing he had to be there somewhere. Finally, I was smart enough to look up, and sure enough there he was, on top of the cabinet above the washer, just watching me, waiting for me to see him, and I swear he was laughing at me. As usual, I have no idea how he got up there. But I did go get a chair and helped him down so he wouldn't break his neck. He owes me big for that one! :)

On an unrelated note, it's snowing at my house today and here's the view from my front porch.
If I was a fan of snow, it would be pretty. But I'm not, and it isn't. :)

Wine Bottle Gift Bag - New Pattern in Etsy Shop

2011-01-08T16:09:00.001-05:00

If you like to give a bottle of wine as a gift, here's a fun way to gift wrap it. :) Pattern is available in my etsy shop and also can be downloaded in ravelry.

2011....Year of the Sock Yarn Stash Reduction

2011-01-03T09:51:00.001-05:00

My Sock Yarn Stash

Several years ago, I took a sock knitting class at my LYS and was immediately hooked, and socks became one of my all time favorite things to knit. I quickly accumulated a stash of sock yarn, but with other projects always seeming to take priority, I didn't get very many socks made. I've been inspired by what I've been reading online about the "Self-Imposed-Sock Club" started by the Yarn Harlot and decided that 2011 would be the year I would make a dent in my sock yarn stash. I'm not quite as organized as the Yarn Harlot and others, where the goal is to have the yarn matched up with a pattern and stored in a ziploc baggie, one for each month of the year. I'm going to decide as I go what pattern and yarn I will use. And since some of my sock yarn is of the "non-washable wool" nature, I'm hoping to find other items to make with those, other than socks. Learned that lesson the hard way after knitting a few pairs of socks that now need to be hand-washed. They make lovely socks, but since I don't enjoy having to hand-wash them, I rarely wear them.

After counting my stash, it appears that I have enough yarn for approx 37 pairs of socks. At one pair of socks per month, this endeavor could take me 3 years to complete. I guess I better get started! :)

Random After Christmas Stuff....

2010-12-27T16:54:00.006-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We attended several celebrations and had some great family time.

Grace and Gus got a new kitty tower. It's been difficult to get a picture with both of them on it, because for some reason Gus seems to think it's his and his alone. Every time Grace jumps up on it, he plays King of the Jungle and runs her off. I'm not sure why he's being so possessive about it. My husband, who has a man-cave garage, says Gus must think it's his man-tower. I suggested that maybe he should haul the man-tower out to the man-cave and he and Gus and can hang out there together and bond. Men! lol
And Gus is still carrying around his pet string. If you look closely at the first picture, you can see it laying beside him on the left. And heaven help Grace if she tries to play with that string, cause he doesn't like to share that either. :)

"It's MY tower, and MY string!"

Gus was also a big "help" with gift wrapping this year. :) While I was wrapping, my tissue paper fell to the floor and within about 15 seconds, I heard rustling sounds and looked down to find this:

"Um, can you pass the tape?"

I also thought I'd share one of my favorite (and easy) recipes. I have to admit that cooking/baking is not one of my favorite activities, so when a friend shared this recipe with me a few years back, I put it high on my list to make, because it's quick and easy, and yet so good. I usually make it for any holiday gathering, and it's always a hit. In fact, my brother, who never eats dessert, loves this cake and always wants some to take home.

Rum Cake

Mix together:

1 box yellow cake mix

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cup water

Spray a Bundt pan with Pam, then sprinkle 1/2 cup of chopped nuts over the bottom. Pour in cake batter and bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes. (mine is usually done at 40 min)

Rum Glaze:

Combine in a saucepan and bring to boil:

1 stick margarine

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

When it begins to boil, remove from heat and add 1/8 cup Rum. Pour over cake.

The Scarf That Almost Wasn't

2010-12-22T14:17:00.001-05:00

Awhile back I bought a lovely hank of Tosh Merino Light at my LYS. Because I've learned the hard way that I need to keep my yarn (especially the nice yarn) out of reach of the cats, I put it safely away on a shelf in my craft room. Once again, I under-estimated Gus. He's very resourceful and can always sniff out anything new. He soon spotted it, stood on his back legs, stretched and reached up his arms and used his claws to snag and grab that hank of yarn. I then moved it to a new, and also supposedly safe spot, but he was still able to get to it. After this happened a few times, and since this yarn was still in a hank, I figured I better get it wound up into a ball and see how bad the damage was. I laid it out carefully, trying to smooth the strands, when Grace decided she wanted to help and jumped onto it before I could even react, messing it up even more. Sadly, this too happened more than once. (Yeah, I know. I should have seen this one coming.) At this point, there was no way I was going to be able to use my ball winder, so I slowly started hand rolling it into a ball, thinking it would probably take me about an hour to wind it all up. That turned out to be wishful thinking. I sat on the couch for 7 straight hours, untangling and winding, untangling and winding, only glancing up occasionally to shoot the cats a dirty look, while they happily napped, totally unfazed. :)

Had I known beforehand that it was going to take over 8 hours altogether to untangle, I probably wouldn't have bothered and would have just tossed it. But I'm glad I stuck with it. After finally getting it untangled and wound up, the yarn itself wasn't damaged and I used it to knit a scarf using a pattern called Saroyan which is a free pattern on Ravelry.

This yarn is so beautiful and it was such a pleasure to work with. I love the results. I like this yarn so much that I've already bought another hank, and it's currently locked up in a closet where it's safe until I'm ready to use it. Well, it's safe until Gus figures out how to open a door, then I'm in big trouble. :)

"I laugh at your precautions! No yarn is safe from me."

Gus's New Obsession

2010-12-13T20:22:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, Gus was nosing around in the basement and as usual, getting into things he's not supposed to. He found this green string and brought it upstairs. It's been his constant companion ever since. He is obsessed with this string.

Gus and his "pet" string

He even takes it with him when he eats

He'll drag it around and play with it on his own, but mostly he wants one of us to dangle it and make it move so he can chase it. Once it moves, he first "captures" it by stomping his paws down on it.

Then he bites it, and wants to play tug-of-war.

He never gets tired of playing this game, and he doesn't like it when we stop. He's a smart little guy though, and he's figured out how to get my husband to pick the string back up and keep playing. First he drags the string over by his feet and sits and stares at him.

Who could resist this face?

If my husband doesn't take the hint quick enough, Gus will reach up and tap him on the leg and make a little meow sound. THAT works like a charm every time, which Gus figured out very quickly, and so the game continues.... :)

Some Fine Feathered Friends....

2010-12-09T16:04:00.000-05:00

Gus and Grace love to sit on their little kitty tower and look out the window watching all the birds. They got a little surprise yesterday when a flock of wild turkeys showed up in our backyard. These turkeys show up every year when the weather starts getting cold, but since this is Gus and Grace's first winter with us, they hadn't seen them before. Sometimes the turkeys just sort of migrate thru the yard and back into the woods, and sometimes they hang out for a while, trample the yard, and raid the bird feeders. They should provide some entertaining viewing for the kitties this winter. :)

"Wow Grace, those are the biggest birdies I've ever seen!"

Another Batch of Christmas Ornaments..

2010-12-06T14:51:00.001-05:00

Each year, my sister buys a special Christmas ornament for her son. She always looks for one that reflects something in his life for the year. She wasn't having any luck finding just the right one this year, so I said I would try and make one for him. Zakk is 17, and is very much into music. He plays the piano (keyboard), guitar, and also writes and sings his own songs. I found all the designs as usual at the Embroidery Library. You can't really see very well in the picture, but the bottom section dangles from the top section, and when hung on the tree, the bottom section can twist in the opposite direction to add dimension. Although it's not a traditional looking ornament, it does capture his interests very well, and I sure hope he likes it! I did add the red bows to make it more Christmasy. :)

Front Side of Ornament

Back Side of Ornament

One of my friends has a new grand-daughter this year, and she asked if I could make her a 1st Christmas ornament. So this one is for baby Alison. :)

A Few Christmas Ornaments and a Hat

2010-12-04T18:41:00.000-05:00

Every year I make a Christmas ornament for my two godchildren, Sarah and RJ. These were machine embroidered on my mom's Janome 11000, and I purchased the designs from the Embroidery Library site. I love that place! My mom and I have used many designs from there and have never been disappointed.

Back Side of Ornaments

And I also learned that RJ was in need of a new hat for the winter. I found this really nice and well written free knitting pattern called Rib-A-Roni Hat by Jane Tanner. The pattern can be found here. It worked up easily and quickly and hopefully it fits RJ's noggin. :)

Christmas Wreath Coaster - Free Pattern

2010-11-30T07:16:00.001-05:00

Click "Download Now" Link to get pattern pdf.

download now

Snowflake Coaster - Free Pattern

2010-11-28T17:43:00.003-05:00

Snowflake Coaster Pattern - click "Download Now" link to get pattern.

download now

This snowflake can also be made out of worsted weight acrylic yarn and used as a Christmas tree ornament. :)

Sweet Swans

2010-11-26T12:29:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We celebrated the day at my parent's house, and had a great family time, with lots of good food. My mom always makes everyone up a bag of yummy leftovers to take home, so we'll still be eating good for a few days more. :)

This is a picture my dad took the other day. He was taking pictures of a black swan, which you don't see too often, and was also to capture this pair of swans making the heart shape with their necks. I thought this was really sweet!

Black Swan

Peppermint Parade Christmas Ornaments - New Pattern in Etsy Shop

2010-11-22T06:51:00.002-05:00

This is a fun set to stitch, and I had a whole lot of fun designing them. I've spent the past few weeks with crochet hook in hand, and ~~buried in~~ surrounded by red and white yarn. Besides making snowmen, one of my other favorites are things with peppermints or peppermint colors. There's just something about that red & white combination that I love, especially this time of year. :) Pattern is available in my etsy shop .

Gus and Grace....Keeping Warm!

2010-11-19T19:23:00.004-05:00

With the colder temps these days, the cats are on the look-out for warm and cozy spots. Gus knows a good thing when he sees it, and seems to have an instant radar anytime I take a load of warm towels out of the dryer. I managed to fold only one towel before he hi-jacked this pile and settled in for a nap.

Now if he could only learn to help fold them after he's done napping on them.

The one towel I did manage to fold caught his attention as soon as he woke from his nap. He knew there had to be a way to get inside, and he kept nudging it with his nose until he could crawl inside. Why?, I don't know, but he appeared to be pleased at having accomplished his mission. :)

Grace, on the other hand is fascinated with the fireplace. This was the first we've had it on since we got her, and she seemed spell-bound. She sat there just staring at it for a very long time. I don't think she's quite figured out what it is, but she does seem to like it. :)

"Wow, it's pretty and WARM"

Winter Coaster - Free Pattern

2010-11-17T13:19:00.000-05:00

The weather's getting colder, and winter will be here before we know it (Darn it!) As I was designing and working up this coaster, the blue and white combination made me think of snow and winter, hence the name. It's made using a strand of cotton yarn and a strand of crochet cotton thread together. I also made it up in a red/white and green/white combination. The red/white combo looks like peppermint to me and a set of the red/white and green/white would make a cute set of Christmasy coasters. Click "download now" link below to get pattern.

download now

Blue/White Winter Coaster

Red/White Coaster

Green/White Coaster

Andy......Former Runt of the Litter

2010-11-13T17:48:00.004-05:00

This is Andy. He is a Ragdoll cat and belongs to my parents. I love this little guy a lot, and I've often threatened to kidnap him and take him home with me. I have some kinks to work out on that plan though, since my parents know where I live and if he were ever missing, my house would be the first place they would check. Andy is one of the most beautiful cats I've ever seen, with gorgeous blue eyes (I love his eyes so much that I use a photo of them as the banner photo in my etsy shop). He also has a sweet, gentle, laid back personality. My parents got him in Nov 2004, and he was the runt of his litter and very tiny. That's hard to believe seeing him now, because he is BIG, about 15 lbs. The vet says he's not fat though, he's just really tall. :) I was going thru a box of pictures the other day and found this photo of Andy shortly after my parents got him, so I thought it would be fun to do a comparison of then and now.

Baby Andy

Andy all grown up

Andy with the pretty blue eyes. :)

Fall Decorating...

2010-11-08T16:01:00.000-05:00

My mom made this very cute fall pumpkin decoration for her front door. It's actually a double-sided decoration. It's made with felt, and one side has a Halloween pumpkin face, and the other side has leaves and curly pipe cleaners. After Halloween, she simply turned the pumpkin around and filled with dried flowers for a fall decoration that will take her through Thanksgiving. She wants to make a Snowman door decoration next, and I'm thinking I need to make one of those too! :)

Fall Pumpkin Door Decoration

Halloween Pumpkin (other side of Fall Pumpkin)

New Pattern in Etsy Shop - Snowman Potholder

2010-11-04T10:39:00.000-04:00

I love making snowmen! (but only out of yarn, not actual snow) :) This little guy was a lot of fun to design because his expression can have a variety of looks just by changing the placement of the eyes and mouth. On the red hat version, I held a strand of size 10 crochet cotton thread along with the yarn to give the hat a tweed effect. Pattern is available in my etsy shop.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

2010-11-03T09:58:00.000-04:00

Today is my mom's birthday and she is a very special lady. Not only is she a great mother, she's my best crafting buddy! We spend a lot of time together working on all kinds of projects, and she's always game for trying something new. She also has crazy good sewing skills, which come in very handy when I get in over my head on some of my projects. :)

My mom was only 17 years old when her own mother passed away, so I never knew my grandmother. A few weeks ago, my mom was looking thru an old cookbook and a recipe card fell out. It was for a Mayo Cake, and it was written out by my grandmother. My mom was kind enough to give it to me, and I'm thrilled to have this recipe in my grandmother's handwriting. My mom said she made this cake many times when she was young, and since green was her favorite color (and still is), she always iced it with green frosting. So in honor of her birthday I used the recipe to make Mayo Cupcakes with green frosting. :)

Happy Birthday MOM! I love you!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Mayo Cake Recipe:

1 c. sugar

1 c. mayonnaise

2 c. flour

1 c. warm water

4 T cocoa

2 scant tsp soda

1/2 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

Moderate Oven (I baked at 350)

Happy Birthday Grandma! (YOUR daughter just woke us up for this!)

A Batch of Christmas Ornaments

2010-10-31T16:18:00.000-04:00

The last few weeks I've been busy working on Christmas ornaments. The redwork snowmen ornaments are from a machine embroidery disk called "Snowman Collector" that was purchased at Erica's Craft & Sewing Center . There are 24 designs included, and it is also available in a hand embroidery pattern. I used a digitizing program to reduce the designs from their original size to ornament size, then stitched them out on felt using my mom's Janome embroidery sewing machine. These were a lot of fun to make, and I plan on stitching more. :)

The snowflake ornaments are made using my Snowflake Ornament Potholder Pattern, but instead of worsted weight yarn, I used Knit Picks Palette fingering weight yarn and a small hook to make them a smaller size. Finished size is about 3" across.

New Pattern in Etsy Shop - Home Sweet Home Potholder

2010-10-27T13:06:00.000-04:00

This is a fun pattern to stitch, because the look can be changed just by using different color combinations. I first made it up using bright, funky colors, then thought it would be fun to make a holiday house. Besides changing the colors, I also stitched french knots around the house to make the snow, and made little lollipops beside the house instead of flowers. Pattern can be found in my etsy shop www.bearsy43.etsy.com

Pumpkin Coaster - Free Pattern

2010-10-20T13:06:00.000-04:00

Click "Download Now" link below to get pattern

download now

Gus is a Bad influence on Grace

2010-10-17T16:31:00.003-04:00

As I've mentioned, Gus is very ornery little guy, and spends most of his waking moments trying to figure out something new to get into. A few weeks ago, I found him sitting in a basement window, located way up high near the ceiling. I couldn't believe he found a way to get up there. And Grace, as usual was sitting nearby watching him. She loves being his sidekick and watching all his antics, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she started trying some of the things she was learning from him.

For the past week, there have been times when I haven't been able to find Grace. She likes to find little places to hide and nap, and I figured she must have a new spot that I had yet to find. This morning I was looking all over for her, and made my way to the basement to take a look. Unable to find her, I was headed back upstairs when I noticed Gus staring up at something. As I got closer, I saw what looked like a tail dangling from the ceiling. Took me a minute to process what I was seeing, but apparently Grace had climbed up a bookcase, jumped into the window that Gus had been in a few weeks back, and from there climbed up into this tiny area between the top of a 2 x 4 where the wall has been framed in, and one of the ceiling beams. I don't know how she squeezed in there, and I sure didn't see how she was going to get back out. Eventually she did come out, and as soon as she did, I moved the bookcase to another wall, and hopefully she won't figure out another way. :) Gus is enjoying his status as the "good" cat today, (although I know the only reason he wasn't up there too, was because his hind end is too big to squeeze into that small area) :)

Payback Time for Gus

2010-10-15T20:29:00.001-04:00

Gus is usually the little ornery instigator in our house. And Grace is usually the sweet, gentle one. It must have been time for a little role reversal. Gus loves when I take warm towels out of the dryer. I was folding a warm load of towels, fresh from the dryer and Gus came over to check it out. I laid a warm towel down for him, and he crawled under it and was happily settling in to take a cozy nap. Only he made the mistake of leaving his tail sticking out from under the towel and that proved just too much to resist for Grace. She ran over, jumped on him and attacked his tail. So of course, he came out to wrestle with her. She would wrestle a bit, then run away, and he would crawl back under the warm towel. But again he would leave his tail sticking out, and again, Grace couldn't resist and would attack. This happened 3 or 4 times. Finally Gus just gave up on his warm towel nap and walked away. Poor little guy, I even felt half bad for him. :) But Gracie was quite proud of herself. :)

Princess Grace "He had it coming and I'm glad I did it"

New Pattern in Etsy Shop - Snowflake Ornament Potholder

2010-10-13T17:45:00.000-04:00

Lately, I've been spending my time working on Christmas projects. So of course, I had to come up with a new Christmas potholder pattern. :) Pattern is available in my etsy shop www.bearsy43.etsy.com

Trick or Treat!

2010-10-07T16:46:00.000-04:00

My mom and I made these trick or treat bags for my two godchildren, Sarah and RJ. My mom has a Janome embroidery sewing machine (actually she has TWO!) and lets me come over and play on them. Machine embroidery is great, and we've spent many fun hours making all sorts of things. For these bags, I downloaded the designs from our favorite machine embroidery site www.emblibrary.com. Now hopefully, Sarah and RJ will like them so much, they'll share some of their treats with me. :)

Halloween Kitty

2010-10-02T15:17:00.001-04:00

Meet Symon. He's a black Persian, and although he is my sister's cat, he currently lives with my parents. Symon's not a typical cat, he actually likes riding in the car. In fact he gets quite upset if he doesn't get to go for a ride at least once daily. He and my dad are good buddies, and he loves going for rides in my dad's truck. He usually rides with him to the post office every morning and to get the daily newspaper in the afternoon. I've been there when he decides it's time to go for a ride, and he will very verbally let my dad knows that he's ready to go. My dad is a photographer and took this picture of Symon a few years ago. I love this picture so much that my sister had it printed onto a tote bag for me.

Halloween Symon

My favorite tote bag

And here's my favorite Halloween decoration. My mom made this for me and I love that it has a black kitty on it. :)

More Pumpkins!

2010-09-26T16:34:00.000-04:00

I enjoyed making my painted monogram pumpkin so much that I decided to crochet a monogram pumpkin potholder using my Happy Halloween Pumpkin potholder pattern. I drew a letter "S" on graph paper, and inserted it into the pumpkin design.

Monogram Pumpkin Potholder

I also found this adorable amigurumi pumpkin pattern on Ravelry by Karla Fitch. It was a very well written pattern and easy to follow. It worked up very quickly, and I love how it came out. It's currently the centerpiece on my dining room table, and I hope to make a few more soon.

Amigurumi Pumpkin

New Pattern in My Etsy Shop - Happy Halloween Pumpkins

2010-09-22T16:38:00.003-04:00

After buying several real pumpkins last week, I decided to crochet some for my kitchen. After finishing the Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin, I decided I needed a black kitty one too. It's just not Halloween without the black kitties. :) Pattern set is available in my etsy shop www.bearsy43.etsy.com

BOO! Coasters - FREE PATTERN

2010-09-20T14:42:00.000-04:00

BOO! Coasters

I'm getting ready for Halloween with this fun set of Boo! Coasters. Hope you enjoy! :)
Click download link below to get pattern pdf.

download now

They Just Grow Up So Fast.....

2010-09-17T18:20:00.001-04:00

I'm talking about kittens! We adopted Gus in early March, and he was about 8 weeks old. Right from the beginning he really liked to sit on my husband's lap. I took a picture of this soon after we got Gus, and then took another picture this past week. I knew he had gotten big, but I was still surprised at the difference. And I don't think he's finished growing yet. :)

Gus in early March 2010

Gus - Sept 2010

I'm Getting Ready for Fall!

2010-09-15T15:04:00.003-04:00

My homemade monogram pumpkin

A few weeks ago I was at Hobby Lobby and they had these really adorable ceramic pumpkins with a monogram painted on them. And they were 50% off! I thought it was my lucky day until I realized they were all out of my letter. So I decided to figure out a way to make my own. This past weekend, a nearby farmer set out a wagon full of his first batch of pumpkins for sale. I was looking for one that was on the tall side, and found just the right one. Using the Word program, I typed in the letter S, enlarged it to size 650 font, then clicked to make it bold. I printed it, cut it out and taped it to my pumpkin. I traced around the letter, then using black acrylic outdoor paint (got it in the craft dept at Walmart), I painted it. The hobby lobby pumpkins had some really beautiful swirly designs around the letter, but I'm no artist so I had to improvise on that part. I took a ruler and drew a straight line (well as straight as I could get it on a bumpy, rounded pumpkin) above and below the letter. Then I took a quarter and traced a partial circle on the ends of each line. To finish it off, I painted a dot inside each partial circle using the end of my paintbrush. I then painted vertical wavy lines on each side of the letter. It's definitely not perfect, but I'm a pretty happy camper. I got the monogram pumpkin that I wanted and I don't have to find a place to store it at the end of the season. :)

New Pattern In My Etsy Shop - Daisy Dishcloth & Scrubbie Set

2010-09-12T10:57:00.000-04:00

Daisy Dishcloth & Scrubbie

Back of Scrubbie

In an earlier post, I showed a potholder with a daisy in the center that I was making for a potholder swap. I really liked how the daisy turned out and wanted to use it in a new design. Because the petals on the daisy are raised and textured, it seemed meant to be a dishcloth and scrubbie. So after playing with yarn for the past few weeks, this is what I've come up with. The scrubbie has a front and back piece, with a handle stitched to the back. And since it's double thickness, it could also serve as a small potholder.

I also made a set using the new denim colored cotton yarn that Lily's Sugar 'n Cream has come out with. They have 3 shades, and I used the lightest one called "stonewash". I really like these denim colors and hope to use them again soon.

Daisy set using denim colored cotton yarn

And sadly, my first potholder swap did not have a happy ending. Turns out, the only ones to complete and turn in their 5 potholders was the lady organizing the swap, and myself. So I'm soon to get back my own potholders. Such is life sometimes. :)

Gracie.....Our Well Behaved Cat

2010-09-08T21:32:00.002-04:00

I talk a lot about Gus, because that cat is always up to something, and gives me lots of material. :) But we also have a sweet kitty named Grace. She is almost a year old now, and she was about 5 months old when we adopted her from our local animal shelter. She's a bit skittish, and shy, and nowhere near as boisterous (or ornery) as Gus is. She has a very sweet and quiet personality, and although she doesn't get into things like Gus does, she is usually his little sidekick, observing all his antics (I hope he doesn't corrupt her) :). Here are a few pictures of our little Gracie.

Beautiful, Sweet Gracie

Peekabo Grace

All tuckered out after actually SCRATCHING on her cat scratcher just like she's supposed to. (unlike Gus, who bites and chews it, and then scratches the furniture instead)

A Day in the Life of Gus....

2010-09-05T09:30:00.002-04:00

As I've mentioned before, life with Gus is never boring. I always have my camera nearby, because he's always up to something. He's a ~~little~~ big brat, but he's also adorable, lovable, and makes us laugh everyday, and we sure love having him around. :)

He likes to help "dust" the back porch

He likes to "help" me take pictures of my crochet projects


He LOVES to eat and when I buy new food and fill the container, he has to dig in, even though his own dish filled with the same stuff is a mere 6 inches away


He takes naps in my knitting bag.....


And on my ironing board, although that lamp doesn't look like a very comfortable pillow.


He BITES his cat scratcher instead of scratching it. Notice all the little pieces on the floor that he's chewed off. I have to pick these up a few times a day.

He may be part Black Lab! (he HAD to check out the dog biscuits I keep around for a visiting neighbor dog.)

And the words he hears daily?....."You are SO lucky you are so cute!"

Bluebird Potholder - FREE PATTERN

2010-08-29T16:53:00.002-04:00

Here's my latest new free pattern. Stitch a pretty bluebird potholder for your kitchen. This potholder is stitched in single crochet and includes both a color chart and row count instructions. If you need any help on changing colors, please see my changing colors tutorial listed on the left sidebar. Hope you enjoy!
Click on the download link below picture to get pattern.

download now

Potholder Swap Part 2, and a Little Bit of Felt Crafting

2010-08-24T20:16:00.002-04:00

Usually when I make up a new design, I let it "simmer" a few days and then end up making changes. That's what happened with my swap potholder. I finished the first one, thought I had my design figured out, but after looking at it for a few days, decided it was just a little too plain and decided to bring in a little more color. Here's the latest version. I'm currently working on the 5th and final one, so no more changes! :)

I've also been working on some ornaments based on one of my potholders. I've made 6 of these this past week.

Being a Stinker is So Exhausting....

2010-08-19T19:04:00.001-04:00

Although my cats are notorious yarn thieves, I'm always nearby and don't let them play with it unattended. The other day I'm working in my craft room and Gus comes in and starts snooping around as usual. He found my knitting bag and as I watched, he proceeded to pull everything out of it. Apparently, this is a very taxing process, because he just plopped down right in the middle of it all and fell fast asleep. I had no idea being a brat was such hard, tiring work. But it does explain why he sleeps so much. :)

Even yarn thieves have to sleep sometime.

He also struck again in my closet. I walked in to find all my purses on the floor and the shelf they occupied, now occupied by Gus. He stayed up there so long, he fell asleep and took another nap. I'm really starting to see a trend with bratty behavior and sleepiness. :)

"What???, The purses JUMPED off the shelf, honest!"

My First Potholder Swap

2010-08-16T12:56:00.000-04:00

Awhile back I was invited to join in a fall potholder swap. I've never participated in a swap before, and thought it would be fun to give it a try. I'm supposed to make 5 potholders of the same pattern. I wanted to do something different than a pattern that was already out there, but I needed to keep it fairly simple, since I have to make 5. So I've been playing around with some ideas for a few days and came up with this one. The potholder itself is made with worsted weight cotton yarn, and the little daisy flower is made with size 10 cotton crochet thread. I don't think this is one that I will actually write up into a pattern, but I really liked how the flower came out, and may do something in a pattern using that. So stay tuned! :)
Ok, now I just have to make 4 more!

A Little Bit of Papercrafting

2010-08-14T16:43:00.002-04:00

I really love to try all sorts of different crafts. One I really enjoy is making cards. I'm still very much a beginner, and have a lot to learn, but I do put a lot of love into each and every one. My mom and I own a Cricut machine together (although I hog it most of the time and keep it at my house), and I love playing around on it and cutting out designs to use on cards.

This week I made birthday cards for a friend's two kids that both celebrate their birthdays this week. Jillian is turning 4, and I made her a cupcake card.
Please excuse my poor photography, I didn't have very good lighting when I took these pictures, plus, I'm just not a very good photographer. :)

Trevor is celebrating his first birthday, and his daddy is a big Chicago Bears fan, so I incorporated that into the card design.

Trevor's room is also decorated in the Chicago Bears theme, so last year when he was born, this is the baby afghan I made him.

SPOOL MAGAZINE....coming this fall!

2010-08-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

There's an exciting new magazine coming this fall. Spool Quarterly is an eclectic 11" x 17" needle arts tabloid published each season, featuring: Knit, Crochet, Cross Stitch, Needlepoint, Embroidery, & Punch Needle.

The first issue will be published this fall. I'm especially excited, because my coffee cup and teacup pincushion patterns may be in this first issue. I'm also looking forward to this magazine, because I love all types of needle arts and this magazine has them all!

De Selby is the publisher of this new magazine, and she is one funny lady. So in addition to all the great patterns, the magazine is sure to be lots of fun too. Here's the link if you'd like to check it out, or to get your own subscription.

Life with Gus......

2010-08-08T01:17:00.002-04:00

Life with Gus is never boring! :) A few days ago, I walked into my closet. I THOUGHT I was alone when out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. It startled me and it took me a few seconds to figure out what was there. Then finally my eyes settled on this little face peeking out from behind some clothes. Yeah, I don't even want to think about which clothing he climbed to get up there.

He's also a great "help" when it comes to making the bed.