Monday, July 29, 2013

Patchwork in Yarn



Ashley was sweet enough to lay out the 49 squares of mostly crocheted patchwork. I tend to over think projects like this and want to rearrange and rearrange and it would never be done so I promised myself that I would run with her arrangement and not change a thing. Soooooo much easier this way!


I am so pleased with the the colors and variety and especially using up so much yarn left over from projects over the years.


And I have the first row crocheted together with black yarn ... love it!


Along with being a superb stash buster, I think this will eventually make a nice gift. And it's a great project to work on in front of the TV. I'm on season 3 of Downton Abbey -- spoiler alert if you haven't seen it yet -- I cannot believe they killed off Sybil, the nicest person on the show!!! I may have cried.

So many projects, never enough time ...

Thursday, July 25, 2013

49 Squares

I have a Yorkie sized stack of afghan squares ... count 'em, 49!

This is a stash bustin' project that will result in a patchwork afghan and several empty shelves where yarn used to hang out.


Miles cannot believe his eyes. Seriously, this pile of tiny blankets is the reason you've been unable to scratch my ears while we're watching TV?


Now comes the laying out of all the pieces -- I'm hoping to coerce the granddaughter into this portion of the project. ;-)


Then the assembly. I'm going to try crocheting them together rather than whip stitching, but we'll see how it goes. I'll let you know.

So many projects, never enough time ...

Friday, July 19, 2013

Don't Forget to Remember the Special Moments

Once upon a time, my youngest daughter and I owned a stationery store. Because we love paper and invitations and note cards and holiday cards (oh, the lovely holiday cards) and gifty items, it was a fun and wonderful business.

We worked with hundreds of brides over the years on all things wedding and it seemed that many of them were focusing so intently on producing the perfect wedding that they were missing out on the joy. I would remind them to stop at random times throughout the planning -- and especially on the big day -- to look around and remember the moment.

Take mental snapshots of where you're standing, what is happening around you, close your eyes and listen to the music, the voices, inhale the lovely fragrances wafting through the air. Feel it, memorize it, enjoy it ... and someday when you need it most, you'll be able to recall that moment and all of the sensations surrounding it.

We are in the wedding planning stages with this same youngest daughter and as we have worked our way through appointments with caterers and bakeries and dress shops, I've felt her stress bubbling up through the happiness. Unfortunately, it's human nature to want everything to be perfect. A wedding is such an unusual, relatively short moment in time in a couple's married life and who doesn't want to look back at photos and videos and see loveliness and perfection?

So I've been reminding her to stop ... and look ... and listen ... and feel ... and enjoy ... and remember. And to commemorate the thought, I made a little sign that can be downloaded as a reminder.


While this was created with brides in mind, it is also for the groom, the parents of the happy couple and other members of the wedding party. 

I find myself doing this at moments that have nothing to do with weddings. Remembering moments of joy and storing them away for later. Grinning from ear to ear at a rodeo with the love of my life, feeling the music pulse through me during a singalong at my granddaughter's 16th birthday party, hanging around the kitchen counter with the family eating Monkey Bread on Christmas morning, laughing at our Yorkies wrestling their way through the family room, standing in line at a special donut shop with my future brother-in-law and sisters who live far away, sitting here on a peaceful morning with my coffee and creme brûlée creamer writing this blog post.

Making lasting memories!

Friday, July 12, 2013

Projects & Patterns in Progress - July 2013

Have a few projects and patterns in progress. Drafting a pattern for a smock-style apron based on those worn by my great-grandmother ...


Picked up a huge crochet hook and some chunky yarn and started blasting out these lush, gorgeous, fast full circle drape or double scarves. Working on this pattern as well ...


Went digging around in my UFOs (unfinished objects) and found 7 squares I had started knitting years ago to make an afghan. I've become so enamored with crocheting lately that I decided to pick up the project again. Been using up all the leftover worsted weight acrylic yarn on my shelves. The afghan is made up of 49 squares -- only 15 to go before assembly. I'm planning to put it all together with black yarn ...


So many projects, never enough time ...