Art, Craft and Needlework, November 2014

[BookSaver]

We have our Holiday Preparations thread ongoing as well as this one. Twice the fun with creativity!

[FelineFriend]

Thanks for opening this thread up for us, Booksaver !

I'm crocheting #3 butterfly wings right now. The pink wings are done, I'm currently edging the wings in raspberry yarn. Then, I need to make some decisions:

1- Do I crochet 1 wing pair at a time, edge them, to get all 13 done at once....
2- OR do I take the wing pairs and bodies, attach them to each Granny square, one at a time?
3- Do I work on 1 square at a time....
4- OR do I make 1 row of 5 Grannies across, at a time?

I think I'll play it by ear, do both, until I get the thing finished. I guess it doesn't matter what route you journey on, as long as you get to your final destination.

[FelineFriend]

I dunno where my mind was, but....

This summer, I crocheted 2 butterflies bodies, sewed them onto the Granny squares, crocheted the wings, edged them, and sewed them atop the body, so you saw butterfly wings, with a head and tail. It looks very "stupid"!

This afternoon, I sewed the body over the wings, directly onto the Granny, then tacked the wing edges in the CC color, down onto the Granny, so the body's on top of the wings! It looks more like a REAL butterfly this way! I'm so glad I've "discovered" my mistake by accident after 2 wings were made. Now, I'll go back, make 2 more bodies, sew them over the wings, hiding the bodies under them, and this is so much more better-looking, tidy, and prettier, too. Whew! Am so glad I caught this before it got way outta hand!

[Nancy]

Back from spinning meeting.
One gal was doing socks in navy for the main part and pink ombre for the top, another worked on a sweater pea green withe pink cream and lav home spun yarn accent colors. The leader had her small table top loom. I worked on two prayer shawls one pink and one yellow and a bit on a rainbow colored dish cloth all knitting. I brought my crochet teal one but did not work on it.

At the store I saw a nice color of ombre lavender for accent color in a future project.

[FelineFriend]

DH and I talked. He feels, since each grandchild gets $50, why should I knock myself out to crochet a ton of gifts for the 3 younger ones. I've decreased the list to be:
1- 1 afghan apiece for 3 kids.
2- 1 puppet in colors, to match each of the 3 kids' afghans.

After the Christmas crochet is over, I'll make for the New Year b-days:
1- Jan. vest for DGD.
2- Feb. cat neck pillow for DGS turning 6.
3- April cat neck pillow for DGS turning 4.

I'm going to concentrate on crochet for myself for a change, after the Christmas crochet is done and b-day crochet, too, which is a scrap Granny Ripple Afghan, to use up my "stash".

Also, DH feels, since I've crocheted afghans, for 2 - 3 years, for the youngest grands (MORE for the older boys!!!), I don't "NEED" to do ANY afghans for Christmas 2015. It's way too hard to take care of my home, my health, AND writing job AND do 3 afghans, plus a toy, TOO. I'll just crochet each of the 3 younger grands a toy next year, with the $50 cash, it's more than enough. I can't be overdoing it, sitting to crochet constantly for months, when I sit to write stories. I need to move around, be more active, and take care of me. I think it's high time how I make an afghan for our home, too. Why should I keep sweeping my wants under the rug. I want to be good to myself,too. Then, if I'm good to myself, honor my own needs, I'll not be resentful of giving to others. ♥ It'll be a joy again. Instead of a drudgery.

[blessedw2]

spinning how fun!D Nancy I have an old one that one of my dogs ate a piece of of it and I can't get a replacement unless I get a piece professionally made
Great job d friend. that is really awesome that you can see you need to let go of the project and the stress that it would bring
thanks d book!

[blessedw2]

I have gone through all my crafts again and now have limited it to what I have always wanted to do.

I have had a quilt christmas tree skirt (squares of different style of quilts attached together - picture is pretty) I have had for 25 years
red and white quilt for wall (early american) I have had the picture for 30 years
sampler I started and never finished but want to
photos finish for each girl

[FelineFriend]

I'm having so much FUN joining the Grannies with a single crochet stitch, which super-secures the squares together. I'm SO excited in fact, that I WANT to make Granny Ripple Afghans for the 3 grands for Christmas next year. But I do believe the adult size is too large, the baby size is too small, so what in the world will I do????? Maybe I'll just do a rectangle Granny afghan, but once I get to the 2nd round, DC in each stitch around, so the weave isn't "holey"? I'd love the Granny Ripple is it wasn't for babies OR adults only. Maybe a regular ripper for a teenager? The little ones at Christmas in 2015, will be nearly 3, nearly 7, and nearly 5. They'll be ready for a bit bigger size than the baby size, but toddler size may work. All I know is, I want to use scraps for the afghans. There are many afghans with squares, which you can join together, too, which would work, also.

I prayed to God for an "attitude adjustment", whereas the gift crochet was concerned, so since it's so relaxing to crochet for others, then bless them, leaving me with a good feeling of accomplishment, I decided to continue to crochet gifts for others. If I DON'T- WHAT WILL I DO WITH SEVERAL BINS OF YARN???? I love the actual process of crocheting, so decided to not complain or feel frazzled about it, but just change my POV.

[FelineFriend]

The adult size Granny Ripple Afghan is something like 53" x 68" or 67". I'm thinking how 53" across is a great size for my grandchildren, for Christmas 2015, but I wouldn't make it as long as for an adult. My idea is to make it something like 53" x 55" - 58" somewhere. I'll use scrap yarns, featuring favorite main colors, of each child, for the most-appearing yarn, in the afghan. I can get to work on it, after Christmas, after the 2015 b-day gifts are crocheted: 1 vest, 2 cat pillows. I have a hanging dishtowel to do for a neighbor-friend's kitchen, in red-white variegated to match the potholders I'm giving her for Christmas. They'll match her other accent colors in her kitchen, for Valentine's Day, too.

[Nancy]

I had to add a row for the older gkids when I made grsnny sq. Afaghans. A joy was eldest one sewed rather chrocheted her own together while made the extra squares for hers!

I got a row done on the granny ripple last night in the blue ombre and today got one row of touq. Done my wrist was sore I could barely finish that row so I took a break from it.