A Star in Clovers...continued!

Well, the tatting is done...but now I have decided to mount this in a ring so that it can be hung for the holidays.  Again, the pattern is Star In Clovers by Jon Yusoff.  I think it came out prettily in Tat-alicious' beautiful "Patriotic" thread.  I used her size 20. 

If you chose to tat this, it takes 2 FULL clover shuttles with a shoelace trick in there somewhere.  I didn't load my shuttles quite full enough and had to add thread with just a couple of clovers left to go.  Another couple of yards would have done the trick.

Here is what this pretty star looks like thus far...

Grandma used to create some beautiful suncatchers with this method.  I loved them, still do.  I also remember that she used to hand me a ring and set me to work covering them for her...I imagine it kept a little girl busy, and I'm guessing she wasn't too fond of doing this herself.  It is tedious to say the least, but I really prefer the look of the rings being covered with thread to match the motif.  Today being Father's Day, I didn't get as much time as I would have liked to work on this...so it is still a work in progress. 

Star in Clovers...in progress...

I thought I would share what I am currently working on, so that you will know that I am still here and still tatting.  This is one of Jon Yusoff's patterns...Star in Clovers tatted with Tat-alicious' "patriotic" thread.  Hope to finish tomorrow, but here is a sneaky peak...

Spectacular Mail Day...

I enjoy seeing the goodies that other's receive in the mail or otherwise, but I haven't been very good about sharing my own.  I've received several packages recently, but we'll just work backwards from yesterday.  It was a rather spectacular mail day...

Two packages, one from Jess of Tat-alicious and one from Nancy Tracy at Be-Stitched.

Here is what I ordered from Jess' shop Tat-alicious...

Two of these are her red, white, and blue thread called "Patriotic"...in two sizes (40 and 20) for my stars.  (I need to show you those).  I love this thread...it is beautiful and vibrant.  Jess sent me some of this beautiful thread when I won one of her fun give-aways a couple of months ago (I need to share that too)...it was so perfect that I needed more, and some smaller thread in the same colorway too for the "bigger" stars.

I tried Jess' winding service too...I didn't have ANY Easy-Bobs or Bob-Eez or any such.  I just have dealt with the thread very carefully and used it off the hank.  Not really that fun.  I thought this would work out for me as then I would have 3 of these Bob-Eez and the thread would be ready to go.  She doesn't charge much to do it and I think it was well worth it!!!  Isn't it great how these flip down to protect the thread and flip up to provide ready access for the winding or admiration of the thread...

The third thread is a gorgeous fall-esque thread called "Tiger Lily-icious", it was simply so pretty I couldn't resist.  It will make gorgeous fall leaves or possibly some beautiful jewelry...which leads me to the next package...

This one came from Nancy at Be-Stitched...

Three new tatting books!  Tatted Jewelry by Marilee Rockley, Occhi (the book with the gorgeous peacocks), and the Lene Bjorn Tatted Bookmarks ~ cross-shaped.  All three of these are books that I have admired so many of the things others have shown, tatted from these books. 

Finally...three new Lizbeth threads in Christmas Green, Navy, and Golden Yellow Med.  I have never found the Christmas Green in the stores...and have several wreath patterns that I wanted to try last Christmas but I had no green in size 20, so I really wanted this one.  The other two are in my older daughter's school colors, and are sitting next to the cross bookmarks book as that is primarily what I will tat with them.  These make nice gifts for her teachers and friends at the school as it is a Catholic school and I enjoy tatting crosses very much.

At any rate, these were what I chose to use my Birthday money from my Mother-in-Law and Father-in-Law & his wife for.  It was very, very fun choosing what to get!!! 

I do think I need to finish a project so I can have an empty shuttle or two to wind Jess' "Patriotic" thread on and start tatting some more stars...even my new shuttle from LaCossette has something attached (the shuttle was a Birthday gift from my husband).  I'll have to show you all that too...but for now, well, I'm off to play with my new tatting goodies...

New Mexico Wild Flowers...

We spent the weekend at my husband's family's ranch in North Eastern New Mexico...we wanted to get down there and spend what time we could while Spring was still touching the land. 

I thought I would share a few photos of the wildflowers that were blooming, they were incredibly beautiful...like jewels hidden among the grasses.  I will let the flowers speak, my words being inadequate...

"What greater delight is there than to behold the earth apparelled with plants as with a robe of embroidered works, set with Orient pearls and garnished with the great diversitie of rare and costly jewels. But these delights are in the outward senses. The principle delight is in the mind, singularly enriched with the knowledge of these visible things, setting forth to us the invisible wisdom and admirable workmanship of almighty God."

- John Gerard, 1633, The Herbal 

May your life be blessed with and inspired by the sight of beauty in your surroundings as these blessed and inspired me this weekend!  Until tomorrow then...

A Rose for Rosie...

These are another way I have used the rose pattern I used on the baskets...made in smaller yarn, this makes a lovely hair clip...this one is Rosie Posie's, though I have made another for my older daughter as well...

Summer Rose Shrug...

I showed you the start of this pretty shrug yesterday, and promised to share the result.  So, here are some photos of my older daughter modeling it. I found the pattern for this on the same blog, Crochet in Color, as the basket pattern I used for Mother's Day gifts.  The shrug pattern is another design of hers, titled "Spring Shrug" on her blog. 

 Really a simple pattern, took maybe 4 hours to work up...with some breaks.  It's just an easy V stitch...but it certainly makes a very pretty lacy looking fabric.  I used a stocking weight acrylic yarn that I had in my stash and the recommended hook size from the pattern.  The pattern says to use size 3 fashion cotton crochet thread, but I thought this would be a similar weight and the yarn I had on hand was a lovely rose color that I felt would be very pretty on my daughter.  I think it came out well, and more importantly, she likes it!

Not to be left out, little Rosie Posie had to have her picture taken too...so here are the girls together.

Today, we went hiking and enjoyed the beautiful day, gorgeous views, the wildflowers, and the clean air...so I didn't stitch a thing...but tomorrow I will have a couple of hours in the car.  I am hoping to fill that time with tatting...something just for my own pleasure this time!  Until later...

A Pretty Bed for the Babies...

Last Saturday, we struck proverbial gold while out yard sale-ing, at least in the mind of one little girl.  A little bit of paint, some sewing, and a bit of fussing...and I do believe I now agree with her...

This is now the "best ever" dolly bed in my Rosie Posie's own little words...

But it didn't start out that way.  I was a bit excited to get started when we got home with it...so I didn't think to get a before picture until I was ready to give the bottom side it's first coat of paint...

The whole thing was sort of an oakey brown color.  Not horrible, just not quite what I wanted to see...and it was a bit worse for the wear besides.

...and the bedding, well, that left a lot to be desired.

So on Monday, new pillows were made from batting and some fiberfill, and a couple of layers of batting were added to the "mattress" along with bright and pretty new gingham pillowcases and an envelope style "sheet" for the mattress'...and the bedding was much improved. 

This fabric was some that I had in my stash. It seemed perfect for this. I really do love how these came out.  Rosie Posie liked it too...

But, then she tapped her cheek with her finger and said "what missing, what missing, hmmm...."

Babies must have blankies...

These are, once again, my favorite giant granny square afghan pattern.  Fifteen rows and an edging is enough to cover a baby doll...but these still took most of my crafting time Tuesday and Wednesday to finish up.  They are each a little different, I like them both.  Thought about making matching ones, or contrasting like the sheets and pillows...but I got a little tired of that and had to play...so here they are...

There we go...all tucked in...

A kiss goodnight...

...and a hug.

The baby dolls are happy...and my baby is the happiest of all!

She's been playing with the babies and their new bed almost constantly...

Definitely a project worth the time spent.  I believe I am at least temporarily done, until the little Rosie Posie says "what missing, what missing..." and needs something else created for these babies.  Like a quilt, or a top sheet, or who knows what...my Rosie Posie is quite observant and likes her play things to be just like the real thing.  She is fun...

But for now...I think it's big sister's turn to have something made for her.  This is a pretty rose colored summer shrug in progress earlier this afternoon, finished it up this evening...perhaps my beloved older daughter will model it tomorrow.  Until then...

Paisley Swirls with Cream...

Here is something I did a little while back and never managed to share with all of you.  I loved this fabric from the moment I laid eyes on it, the colors are just beautiful and the design is so elegant...paisley fabrics are really lovely. 

The intricate paisley pattern with the cream background just called for a simple edging that highlighted the beauty of the fabric and let it just be what it is...

I chose to add a simple shell edging.  A foundation row of single crochet right on the fabric, piercing the fabric with the hook as I went.  The second row is three single crochet, skip one, four double crochet in the next stitch, skip one, three single crochet,etc.  The corner has eight double crochet.  This produces a nice simple edging that lays flat with no ruffling.  I think it was just the right accent to make this beautiful piece of fabric into a lovely throw...

It is so pretty, light for summer, and soft.  It is a favorite and I love having this one at hand.  That this is an easy care fleece just makes it even more so...it's been washed several times and still looks like the day it came off the hook.  I love that!

These are an easy, quick, project...just an edging on a beautiful piece of fleece.  It makes a nice gift, with out the enormous commitment of time that an afghan brings.  It still has that touch of handmade...and can easily be tailored to the recipients tastes.  These are my throw of choice to make these days...though I know I will still be working up at least a couple of full fledged afghans, I have two beautiful, well loved, daughters who seem to require one each (having not made one for either since I stitched their baby afghans)! 

There is more to share, progress on the baby doll beds and bedding, tatting, a beautiful new shuttle, etc...but it is late, and I would like better photos than I can take tonight...until tomorrow then...

An Afghan's Story...

Yesterday, I shared with you the felted bird pillow that I created and promised to share the story of this afghan today...

They look really beautiful together, do they not?  There is a reason for that.  Towards the end of blanket stitching the edging of the pillow together I ran out of the variagated brown yarn that I was using...and had to go on a hunt through my stash to find something that would work.  I did not locate anything in my stash...but did find a project bag with a yarn that would work.

That project was this afghan...which I started probably 14 years ago (cringe).  At the time, I typically would finish an afghan like this in 2 weeks to 1 month.  I always had 2 or 3 of them going. 

But, suddenly, life was busy.  I was newly married, a number of cousins were having babies and I was making smaller afghans for them, then I was pregnant,  and then had a new born, etc.  It got set aside...and I pulled it out occasionally to try to finish it, but it was too daunting and I was too busy.  It gets harder the farther you go with this giant granny square pattern...it's a long long way around those outer rows.  It never feels like you are making progress at all!

Somehow, using a bit of the yarn intended for this afghan for another project was the impetus needed to finally stitch those last 6 rows and the edging (yes, truely, that was all that remained)...

The edging alone took close to 6 hours...it's a long way around that last row!  But I finally finished this up this past Friday evening...and I am so very pleased with it...it is simply gorgeous, everything that I had hoped it would be when I started it.  These were the colors I wanted to use in my new home.  While my color pallet has changed and expanded a bit over the years, these colors still fit in quite well.  The yarn is a lambs wool, synthetic blend.  It is so warm and feels rich to the touch, but is washable...washable is good!

So...after all that time, here it is, complete!  The two now rest on my favorite chair...something warm to cover my legs as I stitch and a pillow to rest my back or arm as needed. 

I thought I would tell this story so you all would know that there is hope for those long term WIPs after all.  A project is always a WIP (Work in Progress) until you make a concious decision that it is a UFO (unfinished object) and will remain so. 

I recently read a comment on another's blog from someone who follows mine and who's blog I follow, who had an afghan they had started for a grand daughter a year ago...to you, Diane, I say that there is hope and it is not hopeless...you will pick that hook back up to finish someday soon and that star afghan will be beautiful and loved by it's recipient.