Art, Craft and Needlework July 2014

[FelineFriend]

I got to play today. I had bought a potholder loom and loopies a year ago, wove them on, but could never figure out how to get them off, without losing the woven potholder, didn't want them to ravel apart, etc... I couldn't remember, from age 6 - 8, how I did it as a little girl. So I put it up, 1 year ago, and right now, I'm getting an ARC Donation together. I went to get my loom, book and loopies out to donate. But I thought I certainly can figure this OUT! I sat down, with my book, I DID IT! I ordered 2 more pkgs. of loopy things, 127 loopy things per pkg., so I can make more. I'm hoping that Dgs-10.75 will want to help make his own potholder gifts for Christmas, when he comes. We can wrap them in Christmas paper, I can save them for him, on Christmas Day, to give to his Dmom and DD, too. I notice how I can make a hen, a purse, a picture frame and bean bags, too. I need beans, but am afraid toddler grands would hurt themselves or break something. I COULD fill them with fiberfill to become soft toys to toss and juggle. It would be great fun for the youngest 3 AND the older boys could pay WITH the younger 3, too.

I also crocheted on Dgd-18-months Granny squares today. ♥

[FelineFriend]

I continue to crochet on Dgd-18-months' Granny squares. I'm hoping to get all 15 squares done completely through the edging round, by the time Dgs-14 returns home Sat. the 26th.

I found a "boo-boo" on my woven potholder, near the end. I need to untie the knot forming the hanging loop, to tuck in a loop I missed about 1-inch from the last loop near the end.

[FelineFriend]

I now have only 14 Grannies to edge in white MC, in HDC in each stitch and space around, and then I'm onto crocheting pink butterflies with raspberry CC edging on their wings.
Next step will be to sew the butterflies onto 15 squares...
Then, join squares alternating the butterflies Grannies with the CC center Grannies....
Then, ALAS, I'll be edging it, will be done, to put into a plastic bag into my hope chest.

Before Christmas, I'll wash it, dry it with a dryer sheet, to make it softer.

After Dgd-18-months butterflies afghan's done, I'll make her big brothers, ages 3 and 5.5 their afghans. It's an adult lapghan pattern, but you can make it into an afghan for kids, too. It's a nice warm weave, which I'll stripe at random, too. Having made it before, it's a "brain-dead" afghan, so easy to memorize.

The pattern I'm using, I printed up in 2011, for one of my grandsons, who is now 17. This is the link:

http://.www.jeanariespatterns.blogspot.com

I cannot get this to come up, when I click on the link HERE, but if you "Google" "JMSQ patterns", her blog comes right up- for me on my laptop.

The pattern there, is NOW called "Mom's Special Lap-Ghan", in the right margin as you scroll down her main page. It shows an older man sitting in a chair/ottoman and this Lap-Ghan, with built in feet pocket is in off-white and and forest green. I made it for Dgs-17, several years ago, in afghan size in colors of burgundy, grey, black, and white. I striped it in bands of colors, having the middle band one color and then out from there, the colors were evenly on both ends, which made it so very pretty. It was manly, too. This pattern is also good for larger Afghans and can be made for Baby Blankets! She adds pockets at the bottom (for feet) and ties for use in wheelchairs, too. Smart idea for nursing home patients! When ALL my Christmas crochet is finished, I'm going to make this afghan for me, in scraps, to stripe at random, too, to use up my stash.

I'm glad my dgd's afghan is progressing so nicely!

[Nancy]

I have another cream colored dush cloth off the knitting needles and ready to seam got new colors of yarn to work up too!

[FelineFriend]

My "Loopy Things and other little things" 2-pkgs. order has been delayed. It's okay because I've got other projects to work on instead, while I await the Loopy order to arrive.
I want to make myself some "Ugly, but Warm Hats," for winter because I'm getting a very short bob next week. The hats are 2-strand, attractive, and will keep my head warm.
Also, I've been thinking about making some "Ugly, but Warm Hats," for pen pals/friends, for Christmas, since they work up quickly with a M Hook? They're fun to make, do up in no time at all, taking about 20 minutes per hat.

Happy Crafting, artwork, needleworking, and sewing to you all!

[Harriet]

FFriend, I think there's a big difference between the regular and all-cotton loops. The regular make a pretty, crisp pattern, but the all-cotton are bigger, softer, and there is a heather-y look to them. They don't look very nice as loops, but good when completed.

[FelineFriend]

The loops I have, currently, are very vivid, bright, and nice-looking. However, my order was delayed, so I cancelled it. I have too many project pre-planned already than to add more weaving projects to the list.

[Nancy]

I have had trouble finding pot holder loom loopers as well luckily dgd still has plenty that came with her box.

I finished up a pot holder (white) yesterday, and a rainbow colored dish cloth.

[FelineFriend]

I finished edging the last 14 Granny squares today to make 15 of 1 design and 15 of the other design.
I made 2 butterflies, sewed them onto their squares, then sewed 5 squares together.
Dgs-14 took an email photo, to send his Dmom, but when *I* saw the photo, I realized the floppy wings need to be tacked down, so they don't look "morphed" into a blog of yarn. It'll make it look like the afghan's professional.
It's the butterflies afghan (there are 2 photos/1 fuzzy, 1 normal, folded across a chair back) at:

http://www.redheart.com

Just put "Butterflies Afghan" in their site's search engine and the 2 patterns come up. My butterflies are pink, edged in raspberry. Very pretty against the white Grannies.

[Nancy]

Finished another rainbow dish cloth today, yippee I can start the other color of dish cloth akso rainbiw but with white in this new yarn.