A Crocheter in the Family

First off I want to praise my baby cousin for being a wonderful and creative crocheter.  She makes and sells these jumpsuits.  It's her own pattern.   She makes them quickly and they are perfection.  She has sold several already.

A bit about my Family

This post began as one thing but grew into something else because I can't talk about one baby cousin without speaking about the other siblings.  

Baby Cousins

Baby Cousins are the children of my first cousins.  I really feel like they are my nieces and nephews since my first cousins were more like my siblings.  Now these two began ballet lessons when they were wee ones.  They are now just turning 20 and 21 and are at university now.  

As you can imagine we are quite proud of them !

Even their little brothers are taking ballet lessons.

Hope you all have a great weekend !

My Day so far...

• This morning I ordered a manicure set from Amazon because no matter how clean my nails are the cuticles are trying to be the boss of me.
• There is a book I saw reviewed on MSNBC called An American Marriage written by Tayari Jones.  The book is included in Oprah's Book Club which I stopped following over a decade ago.  Most of the books were good quality reading but boring as in dead boring.  An American Marriage however has been endorsed by Michelle Obama so I'm in.  My dilemma has been whether to Kindle it or get the actual book.  
• I am grateful to my friend's Facebook post this morning stating that she was watching the Unsung episode on Minnie Riperton.  This helped me seeing as for over the last week I kept the television running on MSNBC and CNN.  For some reason  I need to know every single detail of the virus, the Michigan flooding, the George Floyd killing, the Minneapolis riot, Trump's careless comments all of it I need to stay in tune with it all.  I'm happy to say I'm watching Unsung with a bit of knitting.

How I'm seeing this craziness 

My friends and neighbors have asked me how I keep so disciplined staying in all the time without even sitting on the porch.  There is no need to explain since they have chosen to stop social distancing.  Staying in doesn't bother me.  My Mom in Michigan has been down about all of the people that have passed from the virus and are still passing.  It has helped that my daughter speaks with her a couple times a day.  They are close and look forward to each other's conversations.

This may sound funny or corny but I would say my attitude towards what's going on with the world right now has to do with the history of my reading.  In the mid-80s I became an avid science fiction reader but before that I was a Stephen King and Peter Straub fan.  So the strangeness of what we're going through globally is not so strange to me.  It all feels familiar.  Has anyone noticed how many deaths of band members and character actors there have been ?  These are not people that you would know right off but after a while you're like "Oh yea, I remember".  There have been loads of them and not all have passed from the virus.  No one can say for sure but is it possible that had the officer responsible for George Floyd's death been arrested immediately perhaps there may have been No riot or much less of a riot.  So after the riot began they decided to arrest the officer.  Very poor decision !  the fact that social distancing is being viewed by many as an imposition and a violation of civil rights instead of the government trying to protect people.  What about instead of seeing masks as a necessary protection they have become a political issue.  It  doesn't help that Trump just won't quit with his careless words.  Thank goodness no one really takes him seriously.  What about the flood in Midland, Michigan ?  As a Michigander I'm here to tell you that waters may rise but we never flood especially to that capacity.  How about it was reported that children were not affected by the virus then they were then a few passed then the virus has now been connected to the Kawaski disease.  All of this to show us for the millionth time that the scientists have made no headway with the virus.  There are just so many things that are happening at once.  It all feels Stephen Kingy, science fictiony to me.  We will probably never know the reason but there is a reason why this is happening. It is above our heads and not meant for us to know.

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Projects

I'm still working on my Granny Striped afghan.  I just ordered a few more colors to give it even more punch.  It's coming along quicker than I thought.

Enjoy Your Weekend !

Some Projects are too Cute to Resist

It's been a few years since I crocheted something.  I see cute crocheted projects, I see how advanced the patterns for crocheting is now and how makers are even using good yarns for crocheting not just acrylics like we used when I was crocheting.  In terms of working with yarn I started out crocheting but after picking up knitting I never went back.  When I crocheted the patterns weren't that much of a challenge.  Knitting has always given me some type of challenge.  Crochet or not I did fall in love with this little hat.  I mean who wouldn't love it and besides, it will be perfect for my latest grandson.  It's the Aviator Hat by Sarah Zimmerman.  I would call it an easy peasy project.

One of my ear flaps is a little different from the other.  

Where did Your Crafting begin ?

I'm not referring to the projects they had us do in Art class in school.  I'm talking about the crafting and creativity that came from you.  I think I must have been about 8 years old when I first started making clothes for my Barbie dolls.  I wasn't using material but tissue or napkins and tape.  I would use the tissue as the material then tape together the design.  My Dad was the first one that noticed what I was doing and he was amazed and impressed.  He  went up to Woolworth and purchased needle, thread and remnants for me.  He kept my supply up for me.  I was only interested in creating doll clothes nothing else and as time passed my friends began requesting that I make their dolls clothes also.  they paid me (.50) but because we were kids the pay was never good.

In Junior High I became friends with a family of girls who were into crocheting.  No one could really teach me how because I was left handed but somehow I learned on my own.  I spent many weekends over their house making scarves with the occasional hat.  On a daring day we would attempt to crochet flowers.  Crocheting was so simple back then.  One of my friend's older sisters named Vicky was better at it than we were.  She used these exact pamphlets to make vests.  Would you believe she sold them for $5.00 a piece.  That was around 1971 and even then I thought the price was a bargain.

I had Vicky make this one for me in white.

I also had her make this one for me in white, yellow and orange.  the colors sound wild but hey It was the 70s !

Thinking back to those days of my group and I being teens in the 70s gathering to crochet and craft I don't know whether that was a common thing or not.  It certainly does not seem to be common these days.  We were definitely a special group of young ladies.

So where did your crafting begin and what was the craft ?  Was it something you began by yourself like I did or was it a craft you did with your family.  I would love to hear about it.

Enjoy Your Week !

More Sock Adventures and How about that Eclipse...

My goodness August went fast.  It's been a good August though.


After completing August sock #1 I thought I was going to sail along and start sock #2 right away and complete it with the quickness.  This didn't happen.  My nephew from Illinois, his wife and sons came twice to Georgia for softball games and most things changed.  The first time they stayed three days then on the second visit the stay was for a week.  I found myself driving a half hour each way to where they stayed in Georgia to catch up on old times and try out wonderful Atlanta restaurants.  It was good to see them considering I don't have much family here that I actually visit with.  These activities threw off my Knitting Schedule a bit but It was good and I needed to get out of this small Georgia town.  I was knitting a minimum of ten rows a day and hunks on the weekends until sock #1 was complete.  I was jumping with joy after closing the toe.  Progress feels good and I needed to start the second sock soon.  Like right away.  I would knit a few rows then put the sock down then knit a few more then put the sock down.  This happened several times. Where was my groove ?  Where was my knitting zone ?  I was letting myself be distracted which wasn't normal.  What was going on ?  Guess what.  I was bored at least I hoped it was boredom and not a burn out.  Either one was the last thing I needed to be for a KAL.  I had to talk to myself and strategize.  I had well over two weeks before the end of August and the second sock would be completed no matter what.


Plan A.  Knit a minimum of 15 rows a day.  If I didn't feel like it then force myself. 
Plan B.  Put the sock down for a week.  Work on another project then go back to it hoping it will feel like a new project.
I tried Plan A. and found myself making excuses not to knit.  Plan A sucked.
Plan B.  I worked on a Christmas present and ordered yarn.  When after a week I picked up the second sock I was ready.  Success !  So August 25th I was done with both socks.  Whoo-Whoo !

I've gotten so many compliments on these socks regarding the color combination.  My decision went like this. "Look that brown in this yarn matches the brown and yellow in this yarn.  Okay it's a match !"   I made socks out of Lion Brand Sock Ease Solids earlier this year and the yarn was soft, felt good but Lion Brand Sock Ease Print colorways are not soft at all.  The socks are very warm and when I put them on It felt like they were hugging my feet.  Patons yarn of course never disappoints.  I can't say enough good things about Patons Kroy.  I love the all their colorways too.

My August sock pattern is the Vanilla Frappe made from Lion Brand Sock Ease Print in Lemon Drop.  The accent yarn is Patons Kroy Sock in the colorway Flax.  These are done on US 2. 

There were a lot of posts on Facebook complaining about the Eclispe and the hoopla surrounding it.  I could not relate to this at all because I was excited and couldn't wait.  Two weeks before I was on Pinterest looking up Eclipse cookie and cupcake designs and Eclipse activities for my neighbors grandchildren.  To be excited about an Eclipse is normal to me.  You can't imagine how pleased I was with the Eclipse themed patterns that came out on Ravelry.  I didn't have a lot of time for creating this month but I knew I wanted to make these Eclipse coasters.  These were my Eclipse quick-fix patterns.

The first Coaster Solar Eclipse Coaster is from a pattern by Tamara Adams.  The second coaster is called Solar Eclipse Coaster  by Jennie Claver.  Simple circles and edgings done in one sitting.

Both coasters are made from Lily and Cream cotton.  I wanted a much brighter yellow but Michael's was out.  I only made two because they're just for me.

I'll be going through my mind thinking of which hat pattern to start on, which fingering for my October socks and I'd like to crochet something. 

Have a Great Week ! 



Happiness in My little Crafting World...

A Short Post

This isn't the best photo of my sock-in-progress (bad photo color contrast).  I am happy and pleased with this combination of Patons Flax and the Lion Brand Lemon Drop.  The Flax colorway picks up the Browns in the Lemon Drop.  The pattern chosen is Vanilla Latte.

One sock down and one to go. 

I discovered on August 13th that Instagram has been having a Granny Square Day for the last three years or so.  Did any of you ever participate ?  I hardly ever crochet but found myself madly searching for the perfect yarn that would photograph well and move smoothly over my aluminum hook.   I have plenty of scrap cottons and bamboo yarns but I chose a Noro Kureyon  colorway 102.  A nice simple square and the best thing about this square was I didn't need to change colors.  

I've missed Granny Square Day the last few years but next year I'm there!  Check out the #Grannysquareday, #Grannysquareday2017, #Grannysquareday2016, #Grannysquareday2015 tag's on Instagram.  They're all so pretty.

Have a Good Day.  Talk to you soon !