Art, Craft and Needlework, July, 2013

[Ivy]

Ddil loved baby Megan's round halter, would like another, and I've measured her neck-to-torso measurement so a fancy halter's not too long nor too short. Also, the hoody can wait and be made later this summer, to give to them when the last of the grandsons go home on Aug. 25.

Dfriend, whom I was going to crochet potholders for, doesn't want them. Instead, she wants quotes from me. Have been writing quotes and Irish blessings down.

[Nancy]

Today I got to the end of the ball of yarn I've been working on and started the next one yea for progress this is the last one.

[Harriet]

LOL, BookSaver. Sorry about that. I can get a little carried away.

Right now I'm a little worried about a new purchase and how all my quilts are going to work with it. HRH has found us a new dining room table and 6 chairs at an excellent price. We've been looking for a while. We've felt it was the wrong time to buy new, frankly, with tiny grandboys and my ddad spilling so often. So we've concentrated on used sets.

Although I see the improvement it will make in good, sturdy seating, I'm not sure how I feel about it because I am used to a very country set of butcher-block table and painted wood chairs. But our chairs were evidently not well made and haven't stood the test of time for sturdiness. The one he's found is much more formal with dark, shiny wood and cloth seats. I just don't know how this is going to work in a house that is full of country quilts. He says I need to get my ddad spill-proof placemats (with the butcher block we never worried, even though my ddad spills all the time - now we'll have placemat edges to cause glasses to "trip", too). I'm also thinking about the fact we have 4 little boys who eat at that table from time to time. The seats couldn't be worse for spills - white cloth. They'll have to immediately be changed, or extra pads added right away.

[Nancy]

Harriet you could always get a plastic country print table cloth for now!

[BookSaver]

VermontCountryStore.com has oilcloth tablecloths in several pretty prints. Also chair pads that tie on.

Check your local fabric stores for oilcloth by the yard.

Or department stores that carry picnic cloths, plain or fancy.

Even some shower curtains have gotten fancy enough to be used in other rooms, as long as no one else sees the package from the store. Cut off the grommets at the top and hem or bind.

[Ivy]

I finished dgd's halter. It's aqua RH Luster Sheen with pink Aunt Lydia's Crochet Cotton Thread #3 shoulder ties. The front 2.5" bodice has 2 white kitties on them (buttons) with pink ear lining lines and nose, etc... I added a shell-stitch skirt because the stitch they explained, didn't "work" at all. Don't know if there was an error in the pattern or in me. I have two button enclosures in back, I edged a ch-5, slip-stitch between next shell, lace edging. It turned out so cute! I'm very pleased.

[Ivy]

I finished dgd's round motif halter. When I started a tunic dress for her, I noticed where they stated, "ch-3, %! & %%." Well, they MEANT "Shell", but I decided since the placement of the shoulder ties needed to be fitted to the baby, once finished with the tunic, to scratch that. I have a hoody in the works, so will send it home to dil in Aug.

I discussed with Ddil on July 4, if she prefers rectangle Granny afghans OR square Granny afghans, which are made all one-piece. She said the kids love the big regular Granny square because they wrap up in them in the mornings when they're cold. She's referring to grandson-2 and grandson-4.5. I got out dgd's Christmas Granny afghan yarn in lilac, lavender, pinks and whites. I have 2 large totes, so might make myself a lap robe to match. So Granny at home can have a warm lap, after Christmas, while dgd is matching me, keeping warm at home, too.

[Ivy]

The large one-big Granny square afghan for baby dgd will be awesome. Pink, lavender and white are the colors. It makes me feel so GOOD I finally got a grand-she after waiting nearly 17 years!

[BookSaver]

Finished crocheted face cloth #5 last night. There is still lots of cotton yarn left on the cone, but I decided I should launder the ones I've done so far before making any more.

Also last night mended a pair of jeans. That's not very "creative" but at least it was fabric in my hands.

I've written a Wish List of personal projects to take to sewing day camp next week. Now I need to whittle down the list to a more reasonable number for only 3 days at the machine, keeping in mind that several hours each day will be kitchen work and helping others with their projects.

[Nancy]

Well, I'm thinking I might need some emergency cloth diapers so considering getting some of those made up for just in case moments.

No crafting done here today but I have been working on a crochet grey project this week ripped it out once and started over but it's going fine this time.