An heirloom in crochet

My Mom can crochet just about anything.  She's been crocheting for over 70 years (most of her life).  She's turning 80 this week and is still going strong.  She's an amazing woman who raised five children and I think she did a good job.  To her delight and due to her dedication to us, we turned out pretty well.  

She has many talents and she's generous in sharing them with others.  She's crocheted and donated over 1,000, yes you read that correctly, 1,000 plus children's hats.  I think she can crochet those in her sleep.

I asked her if she didn't want to crochet something a bit more challenging.  She chose to make and donate this to her church.  It's an alter cloth and it took her 270 hours of labor and 14 spools of crochet thread to make it.  There are 510 circle motifs in the cloth which she then crocheted together.

Did I mention how amazingly talented and patient she is?

Love you Mom.

Happy Birthday.

Little Fox

Introducing the newest Little Fox.  

Each one has their own little personality;  see how he has just a slight little tilt to his head.  He's just a little over 8 inches tall.

I seem to take photos in the late afternoon and the light in the winter is not the best. 

 Here he is in his birthday suit.  I let him have a little more dignity by turning him sideways.

Here's a back shot.  See that teeny tiny little button on his right shoulder.  That's a little loop so his shirt can be removed.  His pants come off too if you are really really patient.  They're hard to get off over his tail.

This photo has the truest color.  It was taken in the daytime.  His soon-to-be adopted mother had a choice of pant colors.  I definitely think the blue tweed was the right choice with the blue striped shirt.  Those single row stripes were not quick to knit.  Lots more weaving in of yarn but I really like the shirt now it's finished.

He's off to a new home today.  It's a bit hard to let him go.

An L.A. Bridesmaid Dress

Abby was blessed to get a wonderful roommate assignment her freshman year in the dorm.  Rachel turned out to be the perfect roommate.  In fact, so perfect that the two girls roomed together for the next 3 years.

Now Rachel is moving on to another chapter in her life and Abby is traveling to LA to be a bridesmaid.
Rachel's choose orange and peach for her wedding colors.  Abby couldn't find a dress that fit Rachel's casual style and colors so I made her one.

 One seriously altered redesigned pattern, two bright 100% cotton voile fabrics,

five covered buttons, two hey-hole sleeves and a shawl collar bound with custom bias bindings, one satin sash,
a peach underskirt, six crocheted belt loops...and it's finally done

I'm happy with how it turned out and Abby loves it.  It's wearable and colorful and current (Abby's sister Rachel thinks it looks like an Anthropology dress( and most of all it's cool.  LA's hot in the summer.

Congratulations Rachel Fish!  We love you and wish we were all flying down for the wedding.

Owls (Granny style)

I am teaching another crochet class at The Wool Cabin.  I "work" there on Thursday afternoons.  The shop owners asked me to teach another crochet class and they wanted to focus on on Granny squares, which are a great project for a beginning student and a good project for teaching crochet stitches and reading patterns.  I want my students to take home more than just a finished class project.  I try to teach them skills so they can execute projects on their own.  Being able to read a pattern is the skill that will help them the most, so that's one of my class goals.  Granny squares can be as big a project as you like...from pillows to blankets and even these little stuffed owls.

While they aren't technically Granny's they are close cousins.  They are lightly stuffed and 3 dimensional.  I found the pattern here on Bunny Mummy's blog; she's British not Egyptian ;).  Click on the link to get her tutorial.  She's generously sharing it for free and has nice photos for beginners who might not be experienced at following written instructions.

These are a quick crochet and are good way to use up bits of leftover yarn.  I found buttons from my button jar for eyes.  Unfortunately, the green-headed owl looks like he might have a cataract; black buttons probably would look a bit better. You could use safety eyes or embroider eyes with yarn if you are worried about a choking hazard for small children. Wouldn't they make a colorful mobile above a child's bed, or be adorable hung across a ribbon on the wall?

Getting There

I've been away from the blog....knitting.  And knitting and knitting.
I also made the food for a church Christmas breakfast for 250 and got our refrigerator repaired.  It's been out at the Homestead for 8 weeks now.  How is it possible that a 5-year old appliance can have a part that is no longer available????? The computer board had to be sent off to another state to be rebuilt.  But it's back and seems to be working now.  Finally, I managed to get a bit of a breather to just enjoy the Christmas decorations in THE HOUSE.  The drapes are drawn because it snowed two days ago and I am blinded with them open.  It's cozy.

I managed to knit two pair of socks and to crochet two green hot pads for my Mom this week. 

And the Fallberry Mitts are on the needles.

A few more items to knit and I can relax my fingers.  

Our daughter is boarding a plane in Tel Aviv as I write.  She's been studying in Jerusalem for the last 4 months and I am counting down the hours until she gets home.  It will be the best present ever this year.

But just in case your daughter isn't coming home (I suggest buying one of these boxes for yourself...and hiding it) and you need a gift for someone else, I give you the link to my favorite homemade toffee.  At Garden Gate Candy the same family has been making this toffee for 68 years in the same storefront.  Garden Gate is only open 2 months of the year, so if you miss them this year, try again next November or December.  They make the best toffee, dipped on both sides in chocolate (milk or dark) and covered in almonds.  I give them for gifts.
And they ship.  You might want to stock up.  Next November is a long way away.

Crocheted Star Garland

Rachel stopped by today and fell in love with these and these.  My newly crocheted stars were sitting on the counter too.  She asked if I would make her a swag.

 So I did.

You can find the star pattern here.

Linked to Sat Nite Special.

Crocheted Heart bookmarks

Just suppose you wanted to make the crocheted heart string I blogged about last post but you don't have time to make one.  Or suppose you have lots of friends to and just want to make a

"little something' for each of them.

This is the project for you.  If you know how to crochet these work up fast.  I can make a heart in less than two minutes start to finish.

Follow the instructions from the last post for the hearts and then hook a slip stitch onto the wrong side of your heart .  Chain a long tail and tack it down to the back of the heart and crochet a little glass bead on the end as a weight.  (It wouldn't hurt if the bead was cute either). 

VOILA...Heart bookmarks, the perfect thing to tuck into a Valentine Card.

Heart Strings

Crocheted hearts on a chain for my Valentine. 
You can  find the heart pattern here.

 Get that crochet hook out.  You've got 3 more days.