Hi there!

I don't know if it's hot where you are, but in north central Massachusetts the mercury has blasted through the top of the thermometer and the humidity is residing consistently in the "tropical" zone.  As far as I'm concerned this weather is inappropriate for anything except exotic plants and certain members of the animal kingdom.  Humans (especially this one) not included!

At our house we have one air conditioner.  It's centrally located in the dining/living room and we gather around it in hopes of maintaining some margin of sanity.  So far so good, yet I question how long we (my family and the A/C) can hold out!

The one thing that the heat has not stopped me from doing is starting new projects.  It must be some sort of condition that I suffer from that causes me to thrive on juggling multiple tasks .  It's not just in the crochet world, but in the book world too, as I always have at least two novels and one audio book going as well as the reviews that are in the works.  It used to worry me, now I just go with it!  Eventually things get done, and those that don't must not have been that interesting anyway.

Turns out I never did get to that Yarn Along post.  I will tell you that the book, The Sisters Brothers is a quirky delight.  It's a western set in the 1800's and the main characters are outlaws.  But truly they are the most endearing hired guns you're likely to ever encounter!  Good reading if you like off-beat humor and unconventional sentence structure.

There is one more project that I've been toiling with this week - Hats. Specifically for the My Mountain project (more on that soon!) I'm working on some designs that combine my favorite granny square and doily components with traditional cloche styles.  I finished one that's good, just not perfect - yet... but don't you worry, I'll be sure to show you what I come up with!

So that's what's in my project bag today.  How about you?  What do you like to work on when the temperature hits broil? I'd love to hear how you stay cool.  I was also wondering how many of you work on multiple projects simultaneously.  And if you do, what's your secret for getting them finished?!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Even though it's Thursday, I'll be linking up with some of my favorite Wednesday blogs!  Scroll down the sidebar to see who I'll be visiting with.
Until next time friends,
Stay cool, be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Hey Everybody!

Lets face it. Controlling ends is a challenge.  No matter if they're split ends, loose ends or yarn ends.  The one thing that they all have in common (other than needing to be tamed and their overall messiness) is if you're willing to spend the money, someone has developed a product that is guaranteed to keep your ends in line. 

Even your yarn ends.

Now I'm all for free enterprise, but we live on a budget and spending money on frivolous conveniences is frowned upon. Hair gel, by the way, is neither frivilous nor a convenience when you have very long, very curly hair.  Especially when it's been in the 80s and 90s for weeks and the relative humidity flirts with 100% daily.  Sorry, where was I?? Oh right, saving money.  Anyway, I was flipping through a yarn catalog that the nice mailman brought me, not looking for anything in particular when I came across Yarn Wraps.   Smart idea.  For $4.99 plus shipping I can buy 3.  Closer inspection reveals that this particular brand are really no more than pieces of stretchy nylon fabric stitched into tubes. Huh.  I can do that.

I'd like to say that I was so motivated to get organized and save us money that I set to making my own yarn wraps that moment.  That's not what happened.  Instead I stored the idea away.  You could say I pinned it to the big board of things I want to do someday that lives in my brain.

A couple of months later I was doing a lot of thread work.  And even though I store the balls of thread in a big bin, when I'm using them I usually just toss them in a basket.  It was getting pretty messy so I decided it was time to make some wraps.  My first idea was to dig out a pair of pantyhose.  They would work perfectly. I hesitated though, because as far as I'm concerned they are an evil invention and I avoid wearing them at all costs.  No good can come from squeezing my Rubenesque figure into those sausage casings. In the end, I cast that idea aside since I don't even like handling them.  Something about the feel of that material just gives me the heeby jeebies.  Then I remembered the cotton/spandex leggings that were packed away to go to Goodwill.  Why not give them a try? In no time at all I had a pile of free and easy wraps ready to keep my thread from becoming a tangled, unusable mess!  I also considered using old gym sock (tube socks), or the arms from a cotton/spandex shirt.   If you don't share my pantyhose phobia I'd say they're the best choice, but if it's tubular and stretchy it probably will do the job.

I was able to keep the organizational momentum moving forward when my hubby came home with this adorable set of shelves later that week.  It turns out one of our neighbors was moving and put this treasure out with the trash!!  For ages I'd been telling him that I want shelves next to my chair in the living room to hold my ever growing collection of WIPs, yarn and books.  I'll admit that "Little Girls Room" doesn't exactly fit with the rest of our decor, but it's sturdy and clean and since we're pretty eclectic in general it's working out just fine.

So there you have it!  Any easy way to keep your yarn or thread from coming undone without spending a dime or having to touch the horrid pantyhose!!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Hi everyone!

It seems like ages since I've blogged a simple little post.  I tend to get carried away and want to show you every detail of each project!  So in the spirit of keeping it simple, here are a few pictures for you.  I crocheted these adorable little baby hats for my co-worker. There aren't many (okay any) babies in my circle (until now), and I had no idea how much fun it is to make these itty bitty creations.  I'm a bit of a magazine and pattern book fanatic, but I usually skim over the baby items.  Not any more!  Now I find myself oohing and aahing over tiny sweaters, snugly blankets, little booties and stuffed animals! I want to make them all!  Alas, I know that baby doesn't actually need 5 blankies and multiple pairs of booties that look adorable, but won't stay on those little feet. So far I've made a littlestuffed kitty, these hats and a lap/stroller blanket.  

I have one last gift on my hook.  It's a cocoon in camo yarn to match the hat.  The new mom and dad are huge fans of Duck Dynasty (you know, the reality show about the crazy, bearded hillbillies that make duck calls!) I thought it would be appropriate to pay homage to their favorite program by decking out the newest member of the family in camouflage.  I'm not sure how much use they'll get out of the cocoon.  If nothing else, it will make for some good pictures!  They (the cocoons) seem to be tremendously popular, with patterns showing up everywhere.  I imagine that baby might like the swaddled feeling, but it seems to me a blanket is just as effective when folded around the little one burrito style.  Anyway, I'm sure they'll get a kick out of it and I'm happy to have a little one to lavish my handmade goodies upon!

If you're interested in making the set yourself, you'll find the pattern in the December 2012 issue of Crochet World magazine.  It's the Cuddle Bug Bunting Set by Dianne Gochenour.

That'll do it for now! Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

It was truly a moment of unexpected inspiration.  I was looking for the right materials to make a display rack for my earrings.  Since John has gotten bitten by the beading bug I have earrings and bracelets to match every outfit in my wardrobe - and then some. Believe me I am not complaining, but they need a proper home instead of laying all over my dresser waiting for kitty to decide they would make great toys.  My plan is to take a picture frame, pull out the glass and cover the back with fabric or a decorative paper.  Then I'll run rows of yarn across giving me a nice place to hang all the little gems.

Yesterday I was rooting around and I found a frame.  Since most of the fabric that I have is scraps and small squares I rummaged through the closet looking for volunteers.  If you're like me you have plenty of clothes in the closet that you haven't worn in 10 or even 20 years and most likely will never wear again (can anyone say miniskirt?? how about leather miniskirt??!).  I grabbed a few likely candidates and headed to the dining room table.  That's when the doily caught my eye.  It's actually the first one I ever made and it's been hanging out on the table (under stacks of books, mostly out of sight).  I was considering using it as part of the earring hanger project when it dawned on me that it's round body fit perfectly in that square frame.  And holy cow, wouldn't that just look pretty smart hanging above the table where I do most of my writing?!

I quickly abandon the earring project and got busy creating my own framed work of art!  All it took was  a roll of heavy duty packing tape, my scissors, a ruler, some vinegar and water to clean the glass, a piece of cardboard to cover the messy edges and a label to record the details.  In less than an hour my masterpiece was hanging proudly.

It's so exciting when a project just springs to life like this one did.  Of course I've seen and admired framed crochet pieces.  And I've even thought what a great idea it is, but I never actually set about doing it.

Sometimes when I think to hard on something, I think all the fun right out of it.  It's easy for me to get consumed with the planning and trying to make sure that I have just the right ingredients to make it come out perfectly. 

This however was purely a spur of the moment event, and I know that I couldn't have planned it any better!


That's all for now.  Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Greetings!The warm weather has arrived in New England, and that means it's time for me to break out the ankle socks. (Do any of you call them Peds?  I always have, but I'm not sure if that's a brand name, a regional thing, or just old fashioned).  Anyway, I'm a sneaker girl. Don't get me wrong, I love shoes: heels, sandals, boots you name it.  I've just learned that no matter how cute they look in the store, I won't wear them. Ever. I didn't figure this out overnight!  It's been a long, expensive lesson.  I'm finally willing to admit that comfort is way more important to me than fashion.
But that doesn't mean that I have to forgo style!  That's where the little lace socks come in.  You see, not only do I always wear sneakers, but in order to keep my feet the happiest they can be I usually wear white cotton socks.   Kind of plain and boring I know...  I've looked for alternatives, but never with great success.  And then it struck me!  Why not add a little lace to the socks I have?!  It can't be that hard, and then I can make them as colorful and frilly as I want.  Brilliant!

So I headed for the sock basket, found a matching pair, and got to it.

This is a very flexible and forgiving project.  Rather than give you an exact, stitch my stitch pattern, think of this as a guide. Here's what I did:
I knew that the fan pattern I wanted to use works in multiples of 4 plus 1.
Using my favorite steel hook (no pre-poking holes required!), I attached the thread at the back of the sock and did a round of sc.  I stretched the ribbing open and put one stitch between each rib.  How much you stretch and how close together you put your stitches is up to you.  Just remember if you don't stretch before stitching the sock won't fit, and to count the number of stitches you put in the first sock, so you can make the second one the same! Seems like common sense doesn't it? Alas. I speak from experience (head slap)!
Next, I did a round of (ch5, skip 3, sc) to make a base for the fans.  Then I did 5dc in each ch5 around.
That's it!  Next time I do these little fans I'll make the base smaller (ch4) and the fan bigger (ch7).  I think that will give it a fuller look. And I'll make sure to count my stitches!

I was looking through my magazine collection and there are so many edging patterns that you can adapt to your socks.  And with all the amazing colors of thread that are available you can create one of a kind designs that will make everyone take notice!  My next pair will be pink, purple and green I think, or maybe I'll do little flowers hanging off a vine.... No matter what, I know my feet are going to be happy!!

I wore my lacy little socks yesterday and they're perfect!  So I ask you, who needs a closet full of shoes that make your feet hurt, when with a little thread your comfy white socks will turn your sneakers into the cutest shoes ever!

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

I had no idea that there would be such a big variance in the size of the squares.  Two inches is a lot, especially if you consider that there's only .75mm difference in the hook sizes.  I'm not sure how much thicker the worsted yarn is, but I imagine it's 1mm or less.  I'm a nerd at heart, and I'm partial to math and the role that it plays in crochet.  That means that I had to see what would happen if I made the same square out of thread!  This time I knew that the difference would be much greater, but how much?  As you can see it's half the size of the dk/sport square.  Now my love of math is elementary, so figuring out what yarn thickness, coupled with which hook size produces stitches that will make squares of what size is way beyond me.  What I do know is size matters.  And the only way to definitively know how big (or little) your square is going to be is to grab your supplies and get hooking!

I hope that you enjoyed my little foray into size, swatching and squares!  Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

For these I didn't bother to add a SC border, and since I didn't have matching lilac thread I used the crochet thread.  I cut a piece to length and pulled it apart so I could use just one of the plies.  It worked like a charm!

Well folks, I hope that today's tutorial has been helpful and that you might even be inspired to give this type of applique a try.  You can use this technique on so many different things.  On blue jeans, and denim jackets, shirt collars and pockets, pillow cases and sheets, curtains, tote bags - if you can imagine it, you can do it!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

It's official.  I'm hooked on making things for babies.  I had no idea how fun and satisfying these little projects could be.  It makes sense though.  They're cute and small.  They don't take that long to finish so you get to enjoy the feeling of accomplishment.  They're usually soft and cuddly and make you say things like, "Isn't that adorable!" and "I've never seen anything so cute!"

Thanks to a pregnant co-worker I've discovered a whole new world of yarns and patterns to explore.  My problem now is I want to make everything that I see.  This is dangerous for me.  Especially lately as I seem to be excellent at starting, but not so good at finishing!!

The other potentially problematic issue is a shortage of babies.  I'm from a very small family, my baby days are long gone and my son is much too young to make me Nana (please, oh please, please, please don't make me a Nana yet!!).  At the library there are a few other age appropriate candidates for mommy-hood, but given the other necessary components I don't see it happening any time soon!  So once I've overloaded Goisa with gifts for her first baby I don't know what I'm going to do.

Today, just for fun I started making a little penguin from the baby book.  He's more complicated than the kitty, but I feel confident that he'll be adorable when he's done.  So far the patterns that I've used have been accurate and easy to follow.  Now, if I can just get myself focused on her "real" present.  I have a tendency to keep starting new things before I finish the old ones.  While that's not usually a problem the baby is on his way, and I'd really like him to enjoy his gift before he heads off to college!

Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.  Don't forget about the giveaway!  You can enter once or once a day (check out the "tweet about it" option on the entry form). Good Luck!
Until next time friends,
Be blessed and stitch & read with love!

Day Two: A Mascot Project
Your task today is to either think of or research a project that embodies the house/animal you selected. It could be a knitting or crochet pattern – either of the animal itself or something that makes you think of the qualities of that house. Alternatively it could be a type or colour of yarn, or a single button. Whatever you choose, decide upon a project and blog about how and why it relates to your house/creature. You do not have to make this project!

As soon as I finished reading today's task the idea of creating a project that contains both knit and crochet techniques came to mind.  Specifically, a sampler blanket.  Being the Bee that I am, I'm always excited to start something new.  The thrill of each new cast on or starting chain must be how the bee feels when he lands on a flower and prepares to sample the nectar for the first time. Ahhh, the anticipation.  How will it taste?  Will I like it?  How long will it take before I've had my fill and I'm ready to move on?  What's on the horizon?  Is that something I might like?  Will that one be better than this one?    I don't think there is anything that better exemplifies the desire to try new things than a blanket made of blocks showcasing examples of knit and crochet stitches.

With so many places on the internet to find patterns I figured that it would be a snap to find just the right one.  After all, there are lots of people who do both with equal skill and enthusiasm.  So I did what any modern girl would do.  I created a Pinboard and set to tracking down my ideal project.

Of all the patterns that I've seen, the Groovyghan is the one that most appeals to the Bee in me.  There's so much going on that it may be one project that I could create from start to finish without working on anything else!  It also seems to welcome the addition or substitution of knitting where there has only been crocheting. I'm longing to make a cotton blanket and I can already see my version of this one waiting on the back of the recliner when I snuggle down on Sunday nights to watch my favorite Mad Men!

There you have it friends!  Thanks so much for stopping by and spending a bit of your day with me.  Be sure to come back tomorrow and see what I come up with for Day 3.  For more posts on Day 2 of Blog Week, type 4KCBWDAY2 into the search engine of your choice or click here.

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

Day One: The House Cup.
A bit like Harry Potter, but not quite, this year’s Knitting & Crochet Blog Week is split into 4 houses. Don your favorite knitted or crocheted hat and let it guide you to which house you will be in.

The House of Bee: Bees are busy and industrious, but can flit from one interesting project to the next as bright and shiny things capture their interest.

The House of Manatee: Manatees are gentle, calm and cuddly. Relaxed and unflashy they represent the comfort and soft side of knitting and crochet.

The House of Monkey: Intelligent and with a fun loving side, Monkeys like to be challenged with every project presenting them with something new and interesting.

The House of Peacock: Peacocks take something good and make it brilliant. Buttons, embellishments and a bit of sparkle prove that perfection lies in the details – like a Peacock's Tail.

I like to think that I'm well rounded and have a little of each house mascot in me, and while that's probably true anyone who visits regularly knows that I am in constant motion flitting from one project to the next.  For me there's something so satisfying about starting a new project.  I love the challenge of learning and I push myself  into the unexplored territory of new techniques, stitches and skills on a regular basis.  It's not unusual for me to work on two or three different pieces in the same sitting.  I suppose this makes me a bit of a hybrid monkey-bee, but in the spirit of blog week I pledge my allegiance to The House of Bee!


When I started crocheting about  3 years ago I was at a point of transition in my life.  Having experienced my share of hardships made all the more tumultuous through a succession of poor choices I was finally moving in the right direction.  I was looking for something to do.  Something to keep me busy and entertained that didn't require much physical exertion (because I'm lazy) or cost much (because well you know why...) I  started dabbling in quilting, but it was a  display at the library of projects made by the knitting club that sparked an interest I didn't know I had.

Like most beginners, my first project was a scarf.  Day after day, row after row of the half-double crochet.  When I finished I was so proud! But I couldn't wait to try something new.  For the first year or so I was diligent in completing my projects.  I made lots of hats, fingerless mittens (both of them!), more scarves and even an afghan for my son. I was learning skills, building my confidence and delighting in the joy of making gifts for my family and friends.  I was a manatee. 

So what happened?  How did I go from manatee to bee?  I think there are a few reasons.  Blogging is the big one.  When I started the blog a year ago it was just a way to keep track of my projects. Then something awesome happened - you started visiting me.  How cool!  Even though I didn't know anything about writing and maintaining a blog I did realize that if I wanted you to keep coming back I needed more to write about than the one cardigan that I was still working on!   Early on I noticed that lots of beginners are hesitant to try new things.  I decided instead of just keeping track of my projects I would use the blog to show you what happens when I try something new.  By sharing my learning experiences I hope to encourage others to see  that they can do it too!

I think the other main reason for the manatee to bee metamorphosis  is I get bored easily.  I'm totally pumped up with the thrill of picking a pattern, choosing the yarn and getting things started, but once the project is established I tend to loose interest in doing the same thing over and over again.  My enthusiasm picks up as I near the end, but the middle can be a struggle.  I'm not sure why because I love working with the yarn, the way it feels in my hands, and watching the stitches grow one by one into something lovely. 

So today I am a bee.  And it's working for me.  Every project that I start is an opportunity to learn something new and an adventure to share with you.  I get to enjoy the thrill of kick off.  Because I have so many different things in the works to choose from I don't get bored nearly as easily as I used to.  The downside might be that it does take considerably longer to finish something.  Happily I don't often have deadlines so that's not much of a problem.  Do I miss being a manatee?  No, I don't think so.  Even though I'm busily bouncing from project to project I immensely enjoy what I'm doing.  Knitting and crochet bring me great pleasure and have become so much more than "something to do".  They're a way of life for me now, and because of the blog you are too.

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