My Bookbag

This is my bookbag crocheted with some scrap yarns. Very colourful, isn't it?

There are more pic in my blog if you would like to take a look: Cyn's Corner

Where have I been??

Well everyone, I went on insulin June 22nd, found out I have kidney disease right after that. Then from Aug 1st thru Aug 10th I was in the hospital (4 days in intensive care) with pneumonia. After I was home about 1 1/2 weeks, I got it again! Oh boy. Then, Yes, Sept. 12th I had it again, got a big shot of antibiotics the 15th and again the 18th. I think I'm over this terrible disease now! Keeping my fingers crossed. I'm still weak and very tired, but I'm coming back!! I just wanted everyone to know that I had not dropped off the face of the earth, just felt like it.
Crochet hugz,
Joyce

Cyn's Knitted Newborn Booties

This is my 1st designed booties. It is knitted and mixed with some single crochet st.



My blog:
Cyn's Corner

"New Shoes" in Annie's Attic

If you are looking at this on 19th of July, you can still get this free pattern at Annie's Attic.
Don't miss it!!! Get it now!

This is my 1st try. The toe portion of the right side is not very neat. Since the pattern is so easy, I will try to make another better one.


This is the side view



Today there are 2 free booties' pattern. I only finished one side for the "Newborn" booties.

Sorry I have been MIA

This summer has been a whirl wind for me and I am so sorry I have not been active here. I got to thinking about my crocheting and I realized I actually started crocheting a year ago this week! I can't believe all the things I have made and the progress I have made in one year. So my question is how long have you been crocheting and in that time what projects have been your favorite or stand out the most in your mind? Was it something you have made for a special someone? Was there a special baby item you are still hanging onto or is it that unfinished object that is still sitting in your closet that haunts you that you remember most?

June hooking progress

Still no socks!! But soon, I hope there will be some socks. In the meantime, here's what I did in June.

I thought I was making a simple sundress for my dd. But it wasn't so simple! The Caprice Sundress as designed just didn't work for me. It became quite a project as I ended up frogging, redesigning and re-crocheting the entire body of the dress. (all those links will take you to the full story - with pictures - at my blog!) I think I will end up lining it as soon as I can get to a fabric store.

I'm still working on the Drops Top we're doing at my Yahoo CAL group. I'm moderating this CAL which started on May 1st. Too many baby items in May and my dd's dress in June stalled progress on this. Nonetheless, I have finished the front panel. Working on the back panel now! I will finish this soon!!

While waiting for the sock-a-long...

...here's what I hooked in May...

First I finished the Seraphina Shawl done in Joann's Sensation Rainbow Boucle 'Dark Blues', with a 7.0mm Boye K hook. I had started this as a CAL with the my Yahoo CAL group. This was given to my ds's Kindergarten teacher (in honor of Teacher Appreciation week). I think she really likes it!



Next I started the Drops Top we're doing at my Yahoo CAL group. I'm moderating this CAL which started on May 1st. I've done 8 rows of flowers so far and am finally getting back to it after many distractions. This is a close-up of the cursed, yet beautiful, bobble flowers.


I put that down to begin Baby Gift # 1, a cute sweater & hat set. The pattern is Absolutely Precious, by Denise Black in 24-Hour Crochet Projects ed by Rita Weiss. I used Caron Simply Soft 'Light Country Blue' and my Brittany 4.0mm G hook. My dd's baby doll is modeling it here!



Next came some quick dishcloths for my MIL while she was visiting. I chose this set of 5 textured dishcloths. Due to an error the first one I made was a mini (so it was for me). I did successfully make the first 3 dishcloths before my MIL left (no photo, oops!). To finish the set, I started #4, but didn't like it so I frogged it and did #5. Then I saw the pattern for this Simply Circle dishcloth and I thought it might be nice for teacher gifts. Somehow it turned out tiny too, so I now have one large and two small dishcloths in my kitchen.


My next distraction was Baby Gift #2 - the Sideways Shell Baby Afghan. Due to time constraints I decided to make a small carseat blanket. I made this using an H hook with an acrylic, baby/sport weight, pastel variegated mill end yarn. It's for a boy. Don't tell me if you think it's too girly. I don't want to hear it!!


Finally, Baby Gift # 3 was a second Absolutely Precious sweater & hat set. I used a Brittany G hook (4.0mm) with Caron Simply Soft 'White' and RH ‘Monet’ for the edging. This is the one for my ds's kindergarten teacher's yet-to-be born grandchild!

No socks for me in April...

Why? Well my hooks have been a bit busy!! Here's what has come off my hooks lately.

My Jiffy Jacket. Pattern is by Kim Guzman available here at her site. Yarn is Caron Simply Soft 'Dark Sage'. Hook is 5.5mm Brittany. I made this with some friends at Yahoo Crochet-a-long. Kim even joined us to answer questions ans cheer us on!






My dd's Sweet Pea Cardigan. Pattern is by Candi Jensen in Winter 2005/2006 Interweave Crochet. Yarn is Dale of Norway Svale. Hook is 4.00mm Addi.












My dd's birthday poncho - the Lacy Shells Poncho. Pattern is by Chelle Grissam available here at her site. Yarn is a Caron mill end in pale purple. Hook is 6.5mm Boye.

More details on all of these at this post and elsewhere on my blog.

I promise more socks will come soon!!

Flower Plate Potholder ( from Annie's Attic)

This is the free pattern of today from Annie's Attic ( 6th of May).
If you are reading this on 6th of May, you can still catch the pattern at:
Annie's Attic

A fast crocheter can finish it within an hour.
I spent 2 hrs to make it.



Pls take a look at the one I made......I think my photos are too bright!



I didn't understand the instructions when it came to the "stems" part.
I guess there are some mistakes when I did this part.





This potholder is a bit "uneven" but the color is sweet, don't you agree?? LOL! TQTQ!!

Bullion stitch

It has to be one of those stitches that you need to practice a thousand times to get one right. I love the look of them and so far, mine have turned out horrible...More practice I guess. I was wondering if there were any socks out there that used the bullion stitch? I think it would look really good as a bed sock or for socks to wear around the house...or it could be that i am such a homebody that anything is good to wear at home...Well I must go and try and concentrate (got a cold) and see if I can finish the pattern that I am working on. Only the sleeves, collar, and trim to go on my Elegance sweater!!!

I made it, I made it in, finally!

Talk to everyone later.

Joyce

My Blog: Whizbang Crochet

Bullion Stitch / Crochet on a Roll

Today De asked about the Bullion stitch in the group.
I did tried it last month, just to see how it goes.
It is not as difficult as I expected.

These are the tutorial links I found:
Roll or Bullion Stitch
Bullion Stitch Tutorial aka Crochet on a Roll


My first try......

Hey there, its Julie

This is my family, my son is now 15 months old and a real bundle of energy...if only i knew how to harvest it.
Well this is me in my wedding kimono, with my husband and son, on our last trip to japan.
I have been crocheting for a long time now, since i was about 12. I really enjoy it, and am just learning to read patterns...i can crochet from a diagram with ease but from a written pattern, i need a bit of help...so I take things a little slowly.
I havent started a sock yet, but hope to do one soon, they look like a lot of fun and I would love to give it a go, but at the moment i am working a sweater.

RECYCLING PLASTIC BAGS INTO CROCHET MEDIUM

Jane West is showing you my current project-in-progress. It's going to be a purse or tote bag. Can you recognize what it is made from?
It's made from plastic bags from Walmart, H.E.B. and other places. The bags are smoothed out, and cut across into loops, which are then looped together into a long rope and rolled into a ball.I really like how this is turning out.
But now I need to cut some more plastic bags. This is a photo I took when I was cutting the first batch of bags. I really, REALLY like this project, not only because it is recycling, but because I like the look of crocheting with this free material. Besides bags, you can make useful floor mats from plastic as well.

Glitter Graphics




Easter Egg Bookmark ( crochet)
This can be done within half an hour.

Hi. Thank You All For the Invitation.

Hello, all. Thanks for inviting me to blog with you all. I'm crocheting my second pair of socks - this time for my son. They are in "Wood" Woolspun from Lionbrand. I'm liking them but I don't think I really made them big enough for Son Joel. He says the first one is ok but if the second one fits him better, I might rip the first one back and do it over from the heel gusset. You can see pics (oops, not yet, maybe tomorrow) and stuff on my blog:
jeannieshandsatwork.blogspot.com
I've been crocheting for about 25 years. I taught myself to crochet one Christmas season with a "Make in an Evening" -Woman's Day promised me- bath mat. It was an Aunt Lydia's Rug Yarn pattern, and I was going to do bath mats for all the In-Laws, Parents, and Siblings. The starting chain was fine, I got that from the little how-to book. The double crochet was fine on the next row; got that. Third row: Dc in first 2 dc. Post dc in next dc. What?! My how-to book didn't have it. My knitting books -what few I had then- didn't say anything either. I ended up driving into town from the mountains - 50 miles round trip- to go to a yarn store where a woman helped me and was amazed that I had gotten that far on my own. Bless her, I don't remember her name, but I'll never forget her as she is responsible for me not giving up on crochet. Here I am 25 or so years later, and I teach and custom make things and Love crochet as much as knitting. :)
Happy Easter to all.
Jeannie

Have you ever seen this before?

It worked

Yhanks Ginny. It worrked so here I am. LOL
Some of my yarn stash.

Blink You Dot Com

Hello in a glitter way!~~~




There are many glitter names and graphics on the left of the site .

Click on the graphic.....



LOL!LOL!

Lacy Petals Potholder

Does it look familiar?
Yes, this is the free pattern from Annie's Attic on 5th of April . You can still get this pattern before 12AM in your area.



I love my choice of colour! Don't you think it is sweet?? LOL! (self-praising!~~)





If anyone is interested, I have more progress photos in.... Cyn's Corner

Ginny's finished socks

I tend to suffer from 2nd sock syndrome... not always... but definitely lately. It's all the wonderful crochet-a-longs I've been doing lately. I feel compelled to start the new projects with my friends so the 1st sock gets done, but then it sits lonely....
In any case I am happy to report that the 2nd sock for our sock-along is completed. Ta Daa! Here is my PAIR of "In your shoes ankle socks" using Patons Kroy Socks 'Vista Sea'. I also crocheted a "Classic Ribbed Cable" sock mate (pattern in Crocheted Socks by Janet Rehfeldt and Mary Jane Wood) using Swizzle sock yarn. This particular 2nd sock was put on hold so I could do the crochet-along socks with Yahoo CAL group, the sock-along with this group & my Crochet Olympics sweater. I also completed the well traveled bag & a cable purse and started another sweater and a Seraphina shawl before returning to finish this sock... Bad me! I was finally compelled to finish these socks because they were part of my March challenge at my Yahoo crochet challenge group. Now I have to figure out my April challenge!

MY RECENT PROJECTS

About the most enjoyable things I've crocheted lately are these two doll sweaters, and the doll purse. I collect vintage vinyl dolls like the doll on the left, and the smaller ones are in desperate need of clothes. I don't really enjoy sewing (except for quilt blocks), and don't like crocheting with thread, so when I found this free pattern, I thought I'd give it a try. On the first try - F hook and regular 4 ply worsted, I got the pink sweater that fits an 18" doll. My second try was with a smaller hook and baby yarn. It fit the 14" doll. I guess I'll have to try some other kind of yarn if I still want to try for clothes for my needy 7-10" toddler dolls.
This is the progress of a mystery crochetalong. It's turning out to be a poncho in stitches much more complicated and time consuming than what I normally do. Frankly, I never would have even thought about making this if I would have seen the whole pattern at first. That is one of the best things about crochetalongs - taken in small bites, you can really accomplish more than you think.
These are two projects involving little crocheted yarn hearts. On the left is a set of 4 mug mats or coasters tied together with a bow. On the right is two of the hearts sewn together and made into a small purse.
So what is everyone else working on?

Is spelling important?

LOL I always see these around and it never fails to shock me how easily I can read this. Lets see if you can read it too!

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

How did you do?

Socks and stuff

Just stopping in to say hello and let you all know what I have been up to. I just purchased a couple new patterns last night and I will be working socks with crocheted ruffles. I purchased the patterns from Crochet Garden called dainty lacy sock trims. This will be my first time working on the trims for socks. I had thought you needed to make holes in order to crochet into socks or any material for that matter but it seems you just crochet straight into the sock, no need to make holes to crochet into. I also went to the local greenware shop with my hubby's grandmother and picked out a mug to paint with a crocheting theme on it to hold my hooks if I want or to just drink out of. Here is a what it looks like:

You can see the ball of yarn


You can see the hook


Fancy schmancy handle lol



A view of the whole mug.

Once I get some socks done, I'll show those pictures off too. Wish me luck!