It was a close race. Neck and neck between Granny Squares and Socks right from the beginning. I closed the voting on Saturday evening, and when the dust settled Exploring the World of Granny Squares won by just two votes! This was an event worthy of all the Olympic excitement in the air!

Now that I know what I'll be working on, I need a plan. I have a basic Granny Square dishcloth pattern that I'm going to start tonight.  But Granny's are so much more than that, and I really want to learn about them.  Where did they come from? How have they evolved throughout history? What can you use them for? After brainstorming this afternoon I decided that I'll do a series.  My initial search of the internet turned up about 3,250,000 results when I Googled "Granny Square".  And when I searched Granny Square books on Amazon there were 414 results. Clearly there is a lot of information available.  My goal is wade through, answer basic questions, experiment with colors and textures, hopefully create some great projects and share the whole adventure with you!

Thanks so much playing along and casting your vote. I'm excited to be part of the Year of Projects community. It's such a fun and encouraging bunch and I can't wait to see what happens next.

That's all for now friends! I'm off to begin my project.
Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Welcome friends! So glad you're stopping by today. It's been a crazy busy week, but even still I have a few little projects to share with you. I've been on a washcloth kick lately. Of all that I've made I think this simple square is my favorite.  The pattern - I Love This Washcloth - says it all! It's a cobble stitch that works up quickly and creates a fabric that's sturdy and flexible at the same time - exactly what I want in a washcloth.

This ear bud project was a lot of fun. I didn't follow a pattern, I just decided to give it a go. Initially I tried a SC (single crochet) around the wire, but it felt too bulky. Then I tried using a SS (slip stitch). Success! Working alternately over and under the wire I actually did this from start to finish in one (short) evening.  I was thinking about doing this as a project with the teen youth group at the library - I'm sure they'd love it. What do you think about my micro cassette player? Isn't it a trip?! I came across it packing at work, and while I don't expect we'll ever use it I think it makes a great prop for this picture!

I'm still working on the Graceful Gothic Cross  Bookmarks. I'm going to try stiffening them using a mixture of white glue and water. I've never done this before, but it seems easy enough - a little messy maybe. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm pleased to say that all of the things I made this week were with yarn from the stash. I'm hoping that makes up for the yarn I bought (for 60% off) last week!

And finally this weekend I'll be tallying up the results of the vote for my next YoP project. How fun it's been this week to watch the votes come in. There isn't a clear leader - so it you haven't voted yet I'd sure love to get your input! Click here to pick my next big project!

In addition to my fiber offerings, I like to participate in Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Baker's place. It's writing in the raw and if you've never done it, why don't you give it a try? It's really easy - you just:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat on this week's prompt with no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking - then post it just as it is!
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Here's what happened when I spent five minutes writing on the prompt "Beyond"

Above and beyond the call of duty.  That has absolutely been the theme of work this week.  Moving a library doesn’t even sound easy! And that’s what we, the librarians and student pages have been tasked with.  The reasoning is sound – why pay a moving company thousands of dollars when we can do it ourselves and spend that money on actual things for our new library.  In practice however, it’s been hard work! Not that I’m complaining. Really.  It’s satisfying work, but not what any of us we’re ever expecting we’d be doing. Sure we move books all the time, but only one or two at a time -  from shelf to shelf. Not thousands from one building to another! In a heat wave no less. But this is work to be tremendously proud of. Because we, a group made up of mainly middle aged women, are accomplishing something on a grand scale that will benefit our entire town and the surrounding communities that use our library. How wonderful is that!

I’m honored to be part of this historic undertaking. And I’m pleased to say that yes, I am willing to go above and beyond for my library. Because it’s totally worth it!

On Friday I like to link up with these creative folks and share my accomplishments. Then, the best part is visiting and seeing what everyone else has been up to. Why don't you join me?

This week I'm also joining in with Tricia and her Stash Bash. Click over for a look!
And, for those of you participating in the Ravellenics - good luck and have fun. I'll  be watching from the sidelines, cheering you on!

There you have it friends, another week is drawing to a close - and look at all the amazing things we've done. Thanks for sharing part of your day with me!
Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

This Wednesday finds me working on little things. Mainly, these thread bookmarks.  I struggled the first time I tried this Gothic Cross pattern, but persistence and faith did the trick and now it's one of my favorites! I'll be making several of these to give as gifts this holiday season.

The weather here in New England remains hot and humid. And in this weather we've been moving the library to our temporary location where we'll be living for about a year while our building is renovated.  It's a huge project on many levels, and as exciting as it is, the work is exhausting. We decided to handle the packing and moving ourselves so we could spend the money we saved buying cool things for the new library. You can check out our progress here. By the time I get home I'm not good for much. Last night I kept falling asleep while trying to finish the blue cross.  After I dropped it for the third time I decided to put it down!

I suppose that may account for my inability to choose my next YoP project. Enlisting your help was the brightest idea I've had in a while and the response has been amazing!  If you haven't had a chance to cast your vote, please click here to add your input. It only takes a moment. You just point and click! No comments required (unless of course you want too!)

As for books - as usual I have several happening simultaneously. Last week I started Knit with Love by Lisa Bogart. This little book is sweet and full of wisdom. For me it reads much like a devotional so I'm taking my time with it and giving the words a chance to simmer together to reach their full flavor.

Over the weekend I finished listening to Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. This is the third installment in the Hunger Games trilogy. As much as I'd love to offer a full review, I'm just going to say this -  I liked these books. They have a lot to say for a Young Adult series and if you haven't read them I suggest you give them a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

This week I started listening to Tom Brokaw read his book Time of Our Lives. I love Tom and his voice. He could read me the phone book and I'd listen raptly. Of course this book is much deeper than that as he explores life in America and the changes time has brought us. Interesting and thought provoking.

And finally a bit of murder among the beautiful people.  I'm pages away from finishing James Patterson's Guilty Wives.  It's been a long time since I read one of his books which seem to come off of a conveyer belt these days. I know that he has many fans - I used to be one. Not so much anymore.  This book, like the last several I've read, is just to formulaic for me. I knew from the beginning how it was going to end -  unless something totally out of the blue happens in these last pages. As much as I was hoping for more, I'm not surprised. If you've never read him, go ahead and give this one a try. Otherwise, unless you're a die hard fan I'd say your not missing anything if you decide to skip this one.  Maybe next time James!

On Wednesday there's always lots going on. I like to link up with my friends on there blogs and then I spend a while checking out all the cool projects everyone is working on. The links are below. I'd love it if you joined me - this  I guarantee will be fun!

That's all for me friends! Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

We have all been there. The indecision, the wavering, the inability to commit. It leaves us distraught and frustrated. You know what I'm talking about - choosing the next "big" project. Usually it's easy, we know just what we want to work on, and we're itching to get started. But every once in while, we can't make up our mind. There's plenty of yarn in the stash, heck you've even purchased some special, but you just can't decide what to do next. And that dear readers is where I find myself. All day I've been going back and forth over my list, and instead of narrowing my choices down, I'm adding things!  Then it struck me.  I'll ask you what to do.  What do you think? Will you help me?

From my big list of projects I've selected four.  I have the patterns and materials to do each of these. All you have to do is click on the one you think I should make and hit Submit. How easy is that? I'll leave the survey open until next Saturday, and on Sunday I'll add them up and let you know what you decided.

Thanks so much for helping me out. I'm so excited that I decided to let you choose! Now that you've done your part helping me, there are lots of other folks who actually know what they're doing and they've been making lots of progress. Stop over at Come Blog-a-long to see what they're up to.

That'll do it for today, friends! I can't wait to see what I'll be working on next.
Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Look what I made! Quick, easy and fun, these Album Coasters are a great way to use up bits of color, while finding a use for the black acrylic I had hanging around. They're not the most intricate design, but I think the concept comes across clearly. Plus there's the happiness and satisfaction that comes with finishing a project - no matter how small!  This week I noticed that several of my blogging buddies have made the knitted ear bud wraps (like these from Crafts from the Cwtch). Do you see my naked ear buds? I desperately would like to cloth them, but I still don't knit.  Ravelry to the rescue! I had an idea of how to get it done, but this pattern should help me if I get stuck. I'm thinking of using rainbow embroidery floss for a sleek, shiny look.

I've also been seeing hexipuffs running rampant.  Knitters everywhere are making these adorable little puffs. But how am I going to join the craze? Thankfully Valerie Lawson has created the Apiary Puff pattern.  Her crocheted interpretation is available for free. Thank goodness! Now I can find out for myself what the fuss is all about!

In addition to these new ideas, I have couple of things still on the hooks that I hope to finish soon - really, how many times can I show you my unfinished Juliana Mod Wrap as part of Wip Wed??  I also need to decide what to work on next for my Year of Projects.  I've narrowed it down so I'll either be working with thread or fabric.  We'll see. Check back Monday to see what I decide!

In addition to my fiber offerings on Friday, I like to participate in Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo Bakers place. It's writing in the raw and if you've never done why don't you give it a try? It's really easy - you just:
1. Write for 5 minutes flat on this week's prompt with no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking - then post it just as it is!
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Here's what happened when I spent five minutes writing on the prompt "Enough"

That’s it! I’ve had enough!  There’s just never enough_____. Do you have enough? There are so many ways that you can use this word. But it either implies that you’re lacking (never enough) or have plenty (more than enough!) I hope to lean towards having more than enough or even just enough to get by.  After all, I don’t need anymore than that.  More becomes excessive. And in our world it is easy to have that become negative.

Today I have been fortunate to have gotten enough sleep.  I’ve had enough to eat.  At work, there was enough to do to keep me busy and enough help so that I wasn’t overwhelmed.  I have enough time with my family and enough money to pay the bills.  I haven’t always had enough. At least I didn’t think that I did.  Now I know that I can be happy, very happy with what I have and do and think and feel.  And that really is enough for me!

There you have it friends. Another Friday is upon us.  It's been a really long week at the library, and I'm looking forward to some R & R. Moving is hard work! Our website has lots of pictures if you're interested in what I'm doing when I'm not crafting! Now it's time to settle down and get to visiting! I love seeing what you've been up to this week! Plus, I always make a point to stop in and meet someone new.  Why don't you come with me? I promise we'll have a great time!

Until next time,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Greetings friends! So happy to see you this fine Wednesday. As you know, I don't knit, I crochet. Today in addition to the 3 fun crochet projects I'm working on, I have 2 books themed around knitting to share with you. I recently received a copy of Knit with Love: Stories to Warm a Knitter's Heart from the author herself, the funny and charming Lisa Bogart. I've only just begun, but already I feel a connection to the people and their stories as Lisa tells them. I'm looking forward to this one, and to sharing my review with you next week.

On the hook with this week's book is another washcloth. This one is a square and it goes quite nicely with the circle I made last week! The pattern, I Love this Washcloth!, is a simple cobble stitch. It's working up quickly and is producing a fabric that's sturdy and flexible at the same time. 

Cast on, Kill Off by Maggie Sefton
June 2012 - Berkley Publishing / Penguin Group

I really wanted to like this book. I tried really hard, but it just fell short for me. The gang at House of Lambspun are excited to be planning a wedding for one of their regulars. All the events have been organized, menus are finalized and the ladies are putting the finishing touches on the shawls they're knitting to go with their bridesmaids dresses. Everything is perfect until Zoe, the seamstress making the gowns turns up dead. Who would want to murder the dressmaker? Everything points to her abusive, alcoholic husband.Or is it her sister Vera who steps up and takes care of finishing sewing the gowns and slips easily into running the shop. Then there's Leann who publicly accused Zoe of stealing her (award winning) wedding gown design.

There are plenty of suspects for amateur sleuth Kelly to ponder.  All while balancing her flourishing accounting career, rekindling her love life,  playing softball, knitting the shawl, and drinking copious amounts of coffee. (They're all very busy people!)

So why didn't I like this book? Because of the dialog. It's stiff and proper and way to formal for a group of young friends hanging out at the yarn store, or at dinner, or driving in the car. It made the characters all feel flat and phony. I just didn't believe anything that they told me. It was like a poorly acted Sunday movie - you know the kind I mean.

I know there are lots of you who will love this book so I won't tell you who did it. Sadly, as much as I love fiber arts this one has way too many dropped stitches for me!

At the library Tuesday, my co-worker suggested that we should start including my book reviews on our web site.  I was surprised and flattered. Surprised because I didn't know she read my blog, and flattered because I do know that she reads a lot of reviews! For her to deem my book thoughts worthy is a great compliment, and I'd love to share them with our patrons.  In the meantime, I'll continue to write honest, uncomplicated book reviews for regular people who read regular books, and share them here with you!

There's so much to see and do on Wednesday.  I link up with my friends at their wonderful blogs, and then I like to stop in and visit the other crafters. I always find inspiration and encouragement in the variety of projects people are working on. Why don't you join me?

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Pulling my pictures and thoughts together for today's post I'm struggling to find an appropriate opening line or catchy title. Typically I'm not at a loss for words - especially when I'm talking about crochet.  Strangely enough, this Tunisian washcloth is a different story. It seems to have left me flat and uninspired. Weird isn't it? I love learning new techniques, and the excitement that goes with beginning a new project.  I had all of that when I got started last week, but sadly it seems to have fizzled out.  I think the reason is that I didn't really enjoy my first foray into Tunisian Crochet. That's not quite it. It's not that I didn't like it. Let's just say that we're getting to know each other and I'm not sure how close we're ever going to be! 

It felt awkward at first - with that big hook wobbling around, and I wasn't sure where to hold on. After a few (okay 8 or 9) rows of the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS)  I got a little bit of a grove on. (Notice the book is close by offering reassurance.)

I decided to try the Tunisian Knit Stitch (TKS). And since that was alright I thought what the heck and tried the Tunisian Purl Stitch (TPS). That was hard to do. It took a long time and lots of grumbling to complete two rows. I recovered by creating a pattern with a few more rows of TKS before switching back to the Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS). Which is what people usually mean when they refer to the Afghan Stitch.

In addition to not knowing where to put my hands, my work was extremely curly. I significantly loosened my tension on the second half, but as you can see it remained unruly and determined to twist. I thought finishing it off with a SC border might help. It didn't. I know that this is a washcloth and destined to be wet, but I felt compelled to block it into submission. Mostly just to see if I could!

Overall, I liked seeing all those loops on the hook, and it did go quickly in the TSS once I got the hang of it. That said, I'm still spastic with the big hook and it never felt natural to me. Also, I noticed my wrist was sore. I'm not sure if that's because I was holding on so tightly or because I was moving my hand in a strange way! Since this is a washcloth I used cotton. It's absorbent, but not very flexible while you're working with it. The fabric I made is very stiff and the thickness varies greatly with each type of stitch.

What will become of me and Tunisian Crochet? I can't say for sure. I've been considering making a Tunisian Entrelac washcloth as part of my Year of Projects quest. Since it's done with a regular hook I think that it might be easier for me. Other than that, I don't see it being a big part of my future. I am glad that I gave it a try. Now that I'm done I can cross it off my list and move on to the next big thing.

Now if I can only figure out what that is!!

Thanks for stopping by. There's a whole group of us at Come Blog-a-Long on Ravelry taking part in a Year of Projects. I'm going to go see what everyone else is working on this week. Why don't you come with me? It's always a lot of fun! While we're out, let's stop by Nicole's at Frontier Dreams. She hosts a charming bit called Keep Calm and Craft On. Who knows what projects we'll be inspired by?

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Here on the east coast of the US the weather has been hot. Dreadfully hazy, hot and humid. The atmospheric elements that are the least conducive to getting your creative groove on. At least for me they are! Desperate for light and easy projects I decided that I was onto something with my Tunisian washcloth. Scanning the Ravelry library of patterns I found lots and lots of washcloths. Here are two that I finished this week:

Both patterns are from Lion Brand. They're quick and easy and it felt so good to be able to whip one of these babys up in an evening - even after a long day of packing the books at the library. (We're moving so we can have an addition built - very exciting, and very hard work!)

The orange variegated cotton is a DK weight (?) from my stash. No idea of any specifics as it was a freebie without a label. But it's pretty and nice to work with.  As much as I like that one, I have to admit that I am in love with the Peaches & Cream cotton stripes. The colorway is Sweet Pea and I want to make something to wear out of it! It's soft and comfy and I think the colors are terrific together!

On Fridays I like to link up and visit my friends at these terrific blogs. There are always lots of great projects to see and wonderful new people to meet. Why don't you come with me?

That'll do it for me this week.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

In case you were wondering about my Five Minute Friday writing in the raw - Lisa Jo is on vacation this week. I thought about picking my own prompt, or even asking John for one, but then I got lazy and decided not to.
I really need that structure to keep on task!
I do enjoy this writing exercise and encourage you to give it a try at least once if you've never done it. Who knows what kind of story you might have inside you!

Work is progressing on my Juliana Mod wrap. It was slow going last week as the heat wave we were enduring made work on anything that rests in your lap unbearable.  That lead me to search for something light and cotton to work on. Washcloth patterns are plentiful on Ravelry and I popped several into my queue. I decided on this simple star pattern. It's proven a good choice and I'm certain in no time I'll have a collection going.

Keeping the washcloth mojo going, as part of my Year of Projects I'm continuing my lessons in Tunisian Crochet.  As with any type of crochet technique there are simple stitches, and complicated multilayer stitches that take lots of practice.  I'm still getting the hang of working with the extra long hook, so complicated isn't in my future - yet! Check in on Sunday for my YoP  update and I'll tell you all about it!

The fiber theme continues into the world of fiction with the latest knitting  mystery from Maggie Seffton, Cast On, Kill Off. This is the tenth installment in the series. Set in Fort Connor, Colorado, the House of Lambspun is the LYS that keeps the varied cast of characters connected.  Plans for Megan's wedding are all coming together, until her seamstress is found murdered.  Then the gang at Lambspun put down their needles to figure out who-done-it so they can get back to happily ever after. I call these books "mystery lite". They're often more about the relationships than the mystery and so far that seems to be the case here. Easy reading after a long, hot day!

Wednesday is a busy time, with lots of project updates and books to hear about. I hope you'll come along and visit my friends at these great blogs:

Thanks for stopping by! I love it when you leave me comments and let me know that you were here. I always try to pop over an see what you're working on too!

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Sewing, baking, gardening, canning, carpentry, metal work and jewelry making. My maternal grandparents were both amazingly talented and resourceful creators of all things handmade.  Living through the great depression and two world wars they both learned early to make and build the things they wanted and needed. From sewing clothing and furniture coverings to building their home (and even a car!)  Bobcha and Pop-Pop could do it all, and do it well!

Pop-Pop was a foundry worker at Bethlehem Steel, and when he wasn’t at the factory he was in his shop in the basement or tinkering in the garage. If something broke, he fixed it. And if he couldn’t find the part, he’d make it.

One of the most cherished things he ever made was this jewelry box for Bobcha. An anniversary present (sadly I don’t know what year), it held a place of honor on her dressing table. I remember from the time I was a small girl watching Bobcha choose her jewelry for the day and thinking there was magic in that box. Many of her favorites were pieces Pop-Pop made for her. He spent countless hours cutting, shaping and polishing the stones to create unique designs.

Bobcha taught me to sew. In their tiny kitchen we cut, pinned and stitched. Stuffed animals and dresses, sometimes with a pattern, but often without she was a wiz with her machine and nothing was ever too hard for her to make.

Teenage angst and the excessive 80s were not lost on me. I reveled in leather and heavy metal and thought the handmade meant poor. But they knew better and loved me still, standing quietly by while teenage rebellion turned to venturing out on my own. Living on a shoestring I began to realize that handmade meant so much more. And I was thankful for all the lessons learned.

Now the jewelry box proudly sits atop my dresser. It holds treasures made by Pop-Pop and earrings that John and I made together. It is handmade with love, and has magic inside.

Today’s post is part of the Holiday Stashdown with Marie at Underground Crafter, where we’re sharing stories about our most cherished (or not!)  handmade gifts.

Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!