Art, Craft and Needlework, February, 2014

[Harriet]

Are you enjoying creativity or still formulating 2014 plans for it, following a busy holiday season? Getting new machines, setting up new spaces, learning new techniques - where will it lead in the rest of the year?

Our January thread saw some activity and some getting-ready.

LisaB posted the photos of her sewing machine gift
Twins' Mom is deciding on the new set-up of her crafty-desk
BookSaver has been hat-sewing and posted a pattern
Ivy has been learning about knitting, and crocheting scrubbies
Nancy has been knitting on her rainbow prayer shawl
Harmony came in and encouraged us
Cowinkie brought info on the new Cabbage Patch Kids hats
Harriet organized tag-making, bow-making and wrap supplies.

Let us know what you plan for February!

[Nancy]

I have been enjoying U tube for some instructions and ideas for some projects I want to do. I got some insparation and a couple of shawls that I have not been able to conquer hoping for success at some point when I tackle them again.

I got some yarn for scarves and want to try a couple of eternity scarves. I am toying with the idea of weaving again at some point.

And there is arm knitting that is intriguing.

[Ivy]

[color=#008000]I've found an old pattern for an afghan, I made once. It's called the "Simply Red Afghan." It's about 50" x 62". I'm planning on making the center in royal blue, for my 5-year-old grandson, who will be nearly 6 next Christmas. I'll edge it in red and white bands of color. I'll make it shorter than 62" of course, because he'll be a Kindergartener and won't need that long of length. It's a HDC, ch1 or ch2, HDC V-Stitch with a "J" hook and it's a warmer stitch, because the HDC doesn't let in a bunch of lacy holey breezes. It'll be perfect for a boy.

I want to start slow, in my spare time, because come Sept./Oct., I'll make the 3 youngest grands, those animal pillows they can throw over their shoulders, sit on, sleep with, or have sit on top of their beds for decoration. They'll be time-consuming. Adult women in my life will get kitchen items for their b-days and Christmas, so I thought I'd start a "stash". [/color]

[Nancy]

I finished up knitting the rainbow colored prayer shawl I have been working on. I have stared an eternity scarf.

[Ivy]

I made an itemized list to make my dfriend/neighbor a dozen handmade cards in a variety pack. I always give her crocheted items. I excel at collage cards, have all the supplies, as I used to belong to a stamping club and did "mail art" pen palling for years, too. My old fine arts teacher said I had a knack for collage, too. She marveled at my cards. I've run out of them, but I got out 11 issues of "Paper Craft" Magazine, which give examples of rubber made cards. I know I'll be getting excited when I browse through the pages, too. I plan to slowly get things out and done in baby steps and in order, so I don't have a sloppy and cluttered work surface. I want to go in with my eyes open and in an organized manner, to make the job easier to do and the outcome more beautiful, too.

I've not begun the afghan for the dgrson, but it's ONLY Feb.and it's a Christmas afghan. However, I have the yarn looped on the hook! A start?

[Nancy]

Knitting on a lime green scarf this week.

[Ivy]

The royal blue afghan I'm crocheting for dgrson is called "Simply Red Afghan" on the Internet at Ravelry and other crochet sites, but I'm certain a "Google" search would bring it up, too. It's a HDC-Ch-1-HDC stitch in every 3rd stitch across with a "J" hook, making it very warm, not holey or drafty. I made it before, in sage green for myself. Dgrson's will be edged in red and white though.

When I make the other dgrson's same afghan, I'll either stripe it or go buy 1 more Lb. of yarn in a dark teal blue, and will edge it in pastel blue and navy or a variegated color or white.

When I do dgd's afghan, it'll be striped in colors of lavender, pink, and white. I'll use a scalloped border for her, to make it feminine, for such a beautiful and feminine little girl. ♥

I deliver 3 crocheted dishcloths and 1 "scrubbie" at my dfriend's (who has dementia) tomorrow. I know her DH cooks, does dishes, etc... but my dfriend likes looking at pretty crocheted items and her DH uses them, too.

[Nancy]

I finished the green scarf and have started a blue verigated one, & will do a red verigated one
Afger this and I think I have some red white and blue verigated in my stash that will be fun to work up during tne olympics.

[Ivy]

Nancy, The afghan for dgrson will be red, white, and blue, too, but I won't have enough time to finish it by the closing ceremonies time. I'm glad your scarf will be a small enough project, so you'll be able to complete it by the end of the Olympics, too.

Perhaps I can crochet myself another hat (Seahawks pattern I used) in red, white, and blue, for the Olympics, too.

Nancy, I love how ideas bounce off you and me and ALL of here in these threads of creativity!

Edit here: I went to http://www.headhuggers.org and chose hat pattern #11 to do in red, white, and blue, where they've got their colors of rows. Will begin with red, then go white, then go blue, so it's stripey and patriotic.

[Harriet]

Gee, I'm jealous of dd because when she feels creative, she picks up a pencil. Sigh. For some reason, I tend to choose creative outlets that take so much prep to get started. Even the bookmarks I want to make with the pressed flowers - everything I read says to wait until you have a quiet house, enough time alone, a lot of clear table space, and will definitely not be needing to open a door! (Stands to reason - you wouldn't want all the little blossoms getting mussed and flying away while you were working with them, or if you had to leave the project for a while. )

I was planning to hem 2 new pairs of jeans but tried them on and the cut has changed since I last purchased and they don't look nice, don't hang correctly. Oh well, those are returned. I do have a couple other mending/labeling sewing tasks to do.

I'm studying pressed-flower and tissue paper combining in art pieces, thinking how I could use those ideas.