Yarn Work and Links!

I've had a cold. I could hire myself out as a fog horn when I have a cold. I feel sorry for myself, too. I'm feeling much better now and thank all of you for your good wishes for a quick recovery. I put my *down time* to good use. Got some reading done (saving the books for another post) and finished the baby afghan for my niece. I used up all the yarn I had in my *baby* stash, too. That means I get to buy more yarn! You can't have enough yarn!

The baby afghan is ready to be washed and blocked.

Then I started another crochet project. (For those who may be wondering -- the lacey stole is still in the closet!) Mr. Dragon really likes how this one is going/looking. I'm making a lap afghan. Most folks make their lap afghans for football season. I'm making ours for baseball season! College baseball starts this month. They started practice on February 1 (that's also for another post) and we were there! It will be cold for awhile at the beginning of the season and we will be happy to have a little lap comfort! I just need to crochet faster! I have changed the pattern up a little since this picture was taken. I like the puffs or bobbles, but the triangular shaped *things* made my fingers hurt -- so listening to the old arthritis, I changed the pattern a little. I like how it looks and I think you will, too. I'll share when the afghan is a little further along. Anyway, it has passed the Mr. Dragon test with a *golly, that's cool looking*.



I've been trying to keep up with the gypsy caravan at One World One Heart. Lisa now has at least (when I last checked) 880 participants! WOW! I've tried to visit all of the blogs at least once - quickly. Now I am working my way through them again and this time really trying to stop awhile, visit, and read. In the process I've added a few blogs to Link Mania and would like to give you links on this post for a few of them.

A Scrapbook of Inspiration is the first one. You must go visit Karen Harvey Cox. You'll find beautiful pictures, wonderful words, artwork to knock your socks off and soothing music. A real treat!

Next is my new friend Sarah and her family at Cottage Garden Studio. They are sweet young things! Go have a cup of tea with Sarah, read her blog, look at her pretties and say hello. You'll be glad you did.

I love monsters and Nicole at Mealy Monster Land is the place to visit. You'll smile all the way through. What talented people these doll artists are!

Lastly, you must spend some time at Shibori Girl. You'll find a little bit of everything here. Art. Food. Sunday is What's Cooking Sunday with good recipes! Enjoy!

If you visit any of my new friends, please tell them you saw them here first!

Thank you. Come again.
Have a wonderful, germ free day!
Achoo!

Dragonflies, Teddy Bears, Elephants and Classes

Here are some more pictures of things that keep me busy! I have made four dragonfly afghans so far. I love the pattern. Easy to carry around and work on as it is crocheted in squares. This sage green (have you figured out that green is my favorite color?) was the first dragonfly afghan I made. I usually make something first and keep it -- figuring the pattern out and getting the mistakes made and corrected -- then make it again and give it away. The afghan pattern is called Dragonfly Dreams and I found it in the July 2006 issue of Crochet Magazine.



Another one of my favorite things -- Teddy Bears. The pattern for this bear and his toys can be found in two booklets -- Birthday Blankets and Bears Volume I and Volume II (1993). Each bear comes with a toy and his own crocheted blanket.

This little elephant (not so little) -- Ellie Phunt -- is my latest finished project. She is going on a journey today to California to her new home. Every time I look at her, I laugh. She is soft, funny and has a great multicolored tail that you can't see in the picture. Ellie is from the booklet Safari Friends. Safari Friends includes directions for 6 friends: elephant, tiger, giraffe, lion, chimp, and alligator. I ordered this booklet from Annie's Attic.

Today Dick starts the fall semester with a new art class. He was off early this morning trying to miss the school traffic (also first day of school for all the kids in town). Mid-September I start an online class that will, hopefully, make me make time for more mixed-media.

It amazes me how busy everyone gets with the first hint of Fall and the start of school. I've been trying to schedule time with two good friends for a Girl's Art Camp and it's tough. I know we'd have a great time and I'm not going to give up!

Lady Bug Afghan

The Lady Bug Afghan is one I made for the Linus Project.
I raided the button stash for her eyes.
The pattern is from the book Easy Living Crochet
edited by Carol Alexander.
I found the book at Half-Price Books.
This is an easy pattern to make in different colors and
add a different critter to the middle.
Fun!

Crafty

Being crafty or handy has been off again, on again with me. I think the first time I held a crochet hook I must have been around 8 or 9 years old. My mother would send me during the summer to the home of the mother of one her co-workers. Her name was Vicky. She was from eastern Europe, had a heavy accent, and spoiled me. I loved being with her. She made crepes with strawberries and the best stuffed cabbage I've ever had. Her home was filled with the doilies she crocheted. Vicky did her best to teach me. I remember the small metal hook and the tiny thread and think all I mastered was making a very long chain. The seed had been planted.

Later when I was in college I picked up the hook again and my biggest project was a pineapple design afghan. I still have the pattern. I taught myself to knit and made a baby sweater.

I don't know why I quit crocheting and knitting. Life just interrupts sometimes. Some 30+ years later I rediscovered the joys of the hook and needles along with embroidery and counted cross stitch. Maybe it's all the beautiful colored yarns that call to me. (I love nail polish and paper -- all the wonderful colors!) Perhaps the delight in finishing a project and then starting something new. Maybe it's just relaxing - a way to meditate.

The blanket pictured was made for a special little girl in California. The yarn is Cotton Tots by Bernat and from the Bernat pattern book - Sweet Sets. When I was going through our pictures looking for the crafty things I've made I noted that I didn't take pictures of everything. Shucks.

I'll have another show and tell post tomorrow.