What I Have Been Up To?

Here are some of the projects I have been finishing up and I also wanted to share my little visitors that stopped by yesterday...are they not too cute???

I made this little cap for a young adult or teen, and all the material is for tote bags, round bags, and aprons, the red white and blue bag is not finished yet needs lining and handles, Nemo is a pot holder, and my eye glasses case is done....don't cha just love MAry Englebright? I am adding that to an apron...love that saying too...and then the polka dot bag I just finished embellishing...I have been busy...Oh the apron was what I got from my Apron swap...It is so pretty and I love the big pockets...thank you Joyce!!! :)

Saturday Just Hanging Around

I been shooting some shots around the house and thought I would share them with you.
My fish in th epond are growing, they sure take good photos
And the bee was just stopping by on one of my daiseys.

this varigated pink geranium is a favorite

Of course I went over to Alamitos Bay Yarn shop and got some hemp, Noro Daria, and a cute knitting note card

Sweet hubby got me a swift for my birthday,,,,yeah....now I need the ball winder.

this yarn is so great I bought 3 colors and a silver handle to boot on our yarn field trip with my knit group on th 5th of April
These are all the books I bought I just love some of the designs...

And DH got me this cute tea pot for my counter top from Polly's pies.

Some buttons I found at one of the yarn shops






I love love this top!!!!!

We have some huge lemons on the tree out back

How to Connect Squares Knit and Crochet

First I have to mention the "ABCs of Knitting" site as it is excellent for knitting ideas and "know hows". http://tata-tatao.to/knit/e-index.html

Second to find all about crochet try "Free Crochet" for all the abbreviation explanations, videos, and free patterns.

I love this site for learning "Crochet 911 & Knit 911"

When joining an afghan there are many ways to choose from depending on the look you are trying to accomplish??? A few options are: sewing with a whip stitch, cross stitch, running stitch, back stitch or other variation, crocheted slip stitch, single crochet, knitted 3-needle bind-off. There are dozens of choices!

The overcast seam, as illustrated in Weave-It manuals, is easy to execute and challenging to make look decent—at least for me. I tend to get either a hard, ugly ridge, or one that’s full of holes. If you choose to use it, take your time in experimenting with seam yarn, which doesn’t have to be the same yarn that you weave with.

The lacy stitch seam is just a variation of an overcast seam, going through fewer loops. I do like this seam for felted items because it’s quick and the seams pretty much disappear in the felting process. (However, I stitch having all pieces in the same orientation, not mirrored as pictured below.)

Weave-It Cross Stitch Seam
If you want your seam to be highly decorative and visible, the cross stitch seam has much to recommend it. Be aware that the method illustrated in Weave-It and Weavette booklets only crosses in the front. My cross stitch seam is crossed on both sides and is completely reversible.

The Bucilla loom manual suggests another sewn seam that is similar to the mattress stitch that knitters often use to join seams. It’s easy, fairly inconspicuous and on small items that don’t equire very strong seams, it’s not bad at all. Try it for items made of laceweight wool or mohair.

A lot of crocheters prefer this favorite seam method. It is the crocheted slip stitch. It’s strong and flexible. (If your weaving yarn is bulky, you might want to choose a lighter weight for the seam.) With a contrast yarn, it’s a decorative design element. With a matching yarn, it’s subtle—only hinting at pieced construction. Mirrored edges are overlapped. With a crochet hook, enter two overlapped loops; pull up a loop of seaming yarn from below; *enter the next two overlapped loops; pull up a new loop and bring it through the loop on the hook. Not too tight. Repeat from * to end of seam. (Check tension often.) This makes a chain stitch on one side, with the appearance of a backstitch on the reverse. Either one can be used as the public side.

A variation of the slip stitch seam is the alternating slip stitch. Definitely choose a light weight yarn for this seam. Pieces should all be oriented in the same direction. Butt the sides together and work slip stitch as above, but only go through one loop at a time, alternating from side-to-side. It makes a highly decorative zigzag chain on the front and a simple zigzag on the back.

Single crochet seams are easy. They make a bold statement when worked on the public side of the project. With sides mirrored, hold pieces with wrong sides together. Single crochet into each set of loops across.

There are several ways to connect squares whether knitting or crochet:
* One way is with single crochet connecting them both at the same time. This way is ok but leaves a ridge if your looking for that effect:

* another way is to sew them together with a slip stitch it is popular way and used by many


* another way is to slip stitch the squares together.

* but the way I love to connect squares together is to sc them. You start with square A and sc and then ch 1 and then sc in square B the 1st st, ch 1, sc in the 2nd st of square A, then ch 1, and sc in the 2nd stitch of square B, and so on around, when you get to the corners I sc in both A dn B in the corner stitch then ch 1 and sc in the next stitch back and forth between square A and square B....like a W. I hope that makes sense...

* This next video shows you how to crochet seems together on a knitted garmet or squares.


* The Crochet Dude has a great method of joining 12" squares.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!!!

Happy Birthday To Crochetoholic!!!

Its my birthday today!!!

Swaps, Pen Pals, and Ebay Buys

Isn't this tea set the cutest? I got this from DaBookLadys BABEs March "true story" book and bookmark swap, along with a "Marilyn Monroe" book to add to my collection of memorabilia of MM stuff....I also got a whole box of stitckers that I can always use when I mail my pen pal letters.

Speaking of which look at the cute things my Canadian pen pal, Sharon, sent me for my "B" day coming up here real soon!!! A key chain, pen, and a Cancada hat pin. And I got the patterns I ordered on Ebay, cute cute animals in crochet and she also included a fun plant hanger pattern and delicious recipe. If you enlarge this picture you will see all the animals I can make from the booklets.

Now this next photo is what I got from my Fat 1/4 Swap bot partner for the month of March. I cannot say enough as she really outdid herself and sent me some wonderful items, All that is required to send is 4 Fat Quarters, green thread, something green, and a notebook, but I got tea, candy, ribbon, beads, sequins, suckers, bath stuff, a cute green tub container, a wonderful collection pack of green stationery, and clothespin clips..She spoiled me good!!!

Great Estate Sale Finds and Other Things I've Been Doing

Hello, I have been slacking on posting here, but I wanted to share a few of my finds over the weekend at an estate sale, look at all those beautiful flowers in my favorite color, Pink!!!! A whole box full just waiting for me to make an afghan...yippy....I want one of those flower makers, my mom and granny used to make this same afghan with black and multi colored yarn...I will be making it with brown trim, since I love brown and pink together... and check out my progress on my "Flirty Apron Swap" project, isn't coming along great....I love the bright colors, and once I attach the belt I am going to add buttons and ribbon. Speaking of buttons...look at the cool button book I found at "Tuesday Mornings" shop for only $4...WOW....it is so cute with projects and ideas on how to sew on buttons to types, and history of the button...

Now this shot I took while sitting at my pond. It is a pretty angle I thought of my new wooden duck I got at "Home Goods" that store is fantastic and dangerous as well...because I always find waaaaaaaaaaay too many things I absolutely Must Have!!! :)

This is a cool shot of my pond fish at feeding time...they all rush over to grab the food. They are getting so friendly, but where are those silly Polly-wogs I just got???? They are hiding so I cannot see them. I got 4 over the weekend and the store told me there is no way to know what kind of frogs I will get from them??? hmmmmm mayb ebull frogs or even water frogs...or little green ones...I can't wait to see...

This guy is a favorite of my statues around my pond.. and look I still have a pumpkin, and yes it is real...and my flowers are all a bloom...I love spring

Vacation in Laughlin

Well hubby and me went to Laughlin for 4 days with our car club PCC...it was loads of fun and in the high 80s all the time. This is the view from our room...We got to take the River Taxi between casinos and also gambled a bit, I only won $50, but at least I didn't "bust" then we went to the car museum at the Riverside and also saw the watch man where I of course got a new watch.

I came home to 2 packages from swaps. :) one from All Around the House , 2 nice placemats, and the other from Crochetoholic's Swap... a whole box of goodies from Penny, Got lots of goodies, and then I received a really nice surprise from an almost swap partner at HSKS4 [ Ingrid Ze Insightful] what a sweetie..It is a Red Hats fat 1/4, she knew I was a Red Hatter.... thank you.. :)

Contest Won and Free Pattern

Hello blogger friends...I have been really busy and now I am getting ready for my weekend trip to Laughlin....we are driving there with our car club. It should be fun....but before I go I thought I would announce the winner over on DaBookLady's Reading Blog;

Congratulations toTasha who won our Bookmarks Contest!!!!
Remember that you could be the next DaBookLady Reading Contest winner by commenting on here for our monthly contests!!!
So hop on over there and try your hand at the new "Books in the Tub" March contest!!!!

And also to the "All About Recipes" contest....

Oh and here is what I have been making ....they are really easy and great to use for your pins and needles.

• Just cut out two squares in felt, any colors,


• Just make sure one is larger than the other
• 
  
  Then lay them flat one on top of the other



• Sew up the middle several times with matching colored thread
• Fold in half and iron
• Embellish as you wish [I used 2 felt circles and a fancy antique button I got from my swap partner over on the Buttons, Buttons, Who's got the Button's Swap.....]
  Fun and easy and makes a great gift!!!!