My Diary: January 24, 2022

I woke up this morning: and stumbled to the bathroom with my eyes closed.  Kinda ready to get up but not quite ready to wake up.  Still cold in the mornings... 26° when I let the dogs out this morning.  It got up to the mid 60s yesterday and is expected to do the same today.  Wanted to climb back in that warm bed, but decided if I did I wouldn't want to get up again until at least 9... lol

I look out my window:  and it's still dark.  The skies are relatively clear so the stars and moon are shining like glitter in the sky.  March13, 2022 daylight savings time will begin again and the sun will be up by this time.  

I am hearing:  the squeak of my chair as I rock back and forth.  Fixing that squeak is one of those procrastination things that I've put off for ...  oh ... 4 or 5 months.. lol  

I am thinking: not much this morning.  My brain seems to be on vacation without me.. sigh   I think I need more than my usual 1 cup of coffee this morning.  May need to add some strong chocolate with it to build up the caffeine.. 

I am thankful for:  the different blogs and posts I read.  Soooo much information... so many new ideas..it's hard to stay stagnant in your thoughts and ideas when confronted with so much new information. So many people now willing to share their ideas, their grasp of new crafts, new how-to information on the use of tools.. sometimes it's mind boggling. 

I am wearing: a plain, pink Walmart house dress.  No touchy anywhere.. just a loose, comfortable, very ugly dress..lol  My sister Tina introduced me to these dresses.. Her words?  "They're so ugly, but so comfortable!" 

I am hoping: that I can figure out a personalized pattern to make my own clothes.  As I've grown older the shape of the body has changed and generalized patterns just don't seem to do it.  

I'm also hoping to start knitting or crocheting again in the evening while watching television.  I miss having something to show for that time instead of Level 450 of some game on my phone.. sigh

I am reading: the 3rd book of the Riftwar Saga books by Raymond Feist.  I finished the second one last night.  I suppose at some point I will be tired of them, but not yet..lol  

I am learning: that it's a lot easier to square up your quilting before you start quilting than after.. sigh  

I am creating:  another full cloth quilt.  I've got the sheets almost ready for the batting to be added and then the tying begins. 

One of my favorite things: that little ceramic bowl in the picture.  My friend Pat and I made yarn bowls a few years ago at a ceramic shop.  I loved it...still love it.. has function and memories..

A few plans for the rest of the week:  include working on the quilt, spending some time finding the bottom of my desk (if possible..ugh),  and making a rug from the strips of fabric torn from 4 sheets.  Not sure I want a totally faded blue rug, but sometimes ya can't have everything.. 

Last thought:  I'm having a very hard time in this second year of the covid stay at home.  I've decided the only way I will survive is to spend more time outdoors, keep working on my crafts and use the phone a LOT to keep in contact with everyone I care about.  Hope you have a wonderful week.. Hugs.. 

My Diary... Jan 12, 2022

 

I woke up this morning:   with a little wet nose on my cheek and bell ringing in my ear.  It was not quite 5:30am but I got up anyway.  Sweet Katie was telling me it was time to rise and shine...so I rose, but definitely did not shine.. 😉

I look out my window:    and I can see the sun beginning to shine.  The thermometer outside says not quite 30° and it's definitely feeling it.  The trees are bare and the earth is definitely in sleeping, resting mode.  The winters have been cold and not my favorite part of the seasons until I realized one day that it is not a dead season, but a resting season needed for the revitalization of life.  Time to slow down a bit and revitalize myself. 

I am hearing:    the whirring of my printer.  It's enough to make me want to turn the thing off.  But the ringing in my ears helps to cover it..lol  

I am thinking:   that I can finally see patterns in my life... and as I do all those things one hears as child are true.  Be careful who you spend time with.. family is all important...early to bed, early to rise...and on and on.. I have heard and smiled at all my life.  Today, they don't seem so rhetorical at all.  

I am thankful for:   first and foremost..my sweet, caring, thoughtful husband who helps me through good times and bad, takes care of me even when he doesn't feel well himself.  My children..there is not a word that comes close to covering how thankful I am for my children.  Coffee.. lol.. what can I say about coffee..sigh

I am wearing:    My gown (black with tiny roses around the neckline) and my robe (horrible faded black t-shirt material with huge pink flowers on it.. ughhh).  But.. it's very comfortable.  Flows without any binding anywhere and I may just wear it all day.   

I am hoping:    that my children are well.  That Covid will soon pass into that thing that happens during flu season instead of all year long.  2 years stuck inside the house is enough already. 

From the kitchen:    doesn't come very much these days.  But I did put a corned beef in the crock pot a day or so ago.  LOVE THAT!  Still having corned beef sandwiches.  Made a couple of batches of chocolate covered peanuts and some peanut butter cookies.  Yum...

Around the house:   It seems the older we get the more often we don't feel well, so the house could use a good deep cleaning and de-cluttering.  You would think that being stuck inside during the Covid mess some of this would get done...but no.. hmmm

I am reading:    For the 5th or 6th time.. Magician Apprentice.. by Raymond E. Feist.  This is a series of fantasy books I read for the first time many years ago and have re-read many times since.  

I am learning:   seems to be not much lately.  I'm going to have to re-learn how to spin with a spindle since for the last several years I have used only my spinning wheel.  sigh... 

I am creating:   not sure I would call it creating.. but.. anyway I managed somehow to lose my coat!  Now.. how does a person lose a coat?  ughhh  ... so I had to make me another one.  It's not as warm as the one I lost, but it works in a pinch ..lol   I will make another one with some closer woven fabric, but I do like the way this one drapes. 

This is the coat and the pattern that I use.  I have had the pattern for years and am considering making it with very light material as a matching cover for just jeans and a shirt.  Anyway... the number of things I consider in just one day would fill a month's worth of time if I made them all. 😏😏😏

Now.. on to other things. 

One of my favorite things:  is following my children, grandchildren and friends on facebook.  Sometimes I think I should just get off it, but somehow that lasts about 1 day.  I love the photos.. what the kids are doing, what the grands are doing.. just LOVE it.. 

A few plans for the rest of the week:   not many.  To the beauty shop today but as far as plans, that's it.  Whatever gets done will get done when I decide.  Haven't felt too well for the last few days, so will see what happens later on.. 

Remember to smile at stranger, hug your friends and have a wonderful day. 

Around the World.....

Dad used to say "That guy would go around the world to get across the street!"  Well, that's just about what it took for me to be able to put this photo up... lol   But here it is, the photo of the quilt fabric I'm trying to work with.  I love the lemons and am trying to find a way to use bigger pieces to keep from losing them in the fray.  

Phlubliefitttzzz... :(

I have another blog.  It's called Fabric Follies Two and on it I have put up some free crochet and knit patterns for anyone who would like to use them.  But... I did NOT plan on Lion Brand taking them and calling them their own!  When they took the scarf pattern I sent them an email... this time I won't bother.  These patterns are the most popular on my blog and are listed as mine on Ravelry.  I'm not sure why I am so upset about this, but I am!







On a happier note, I have a new scarf pattern that I put together for one of my sons.  It's a combination pattern scarf using ribbing, long cable and short cable.  It's made from I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby.  It is 100% wool and knits up really well. It should be toasty this coming winter.. :)

The weather here has cooled.. and that's a good thing.  However, I am still having those "personal vacations in the tropics" causing rivers of sweat to cascade from my being every time I walk across the room.  My sweet DH has started wearing long sleeve shirts while I, for the first time, spend most of my time in shorts.. phew  I suppose if it keeps up much longer I will have to make a trip to the Dr. to see what's up with the hormones .. :(

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Have a great day.. :)

September 2006... Crocheted Slipper Patterns

I was wandering back through my old Fabric Follies blog from September of 2006 and came across a pattern that I have used several times over the years. It bears re-posting since it's coming soon...ta da... the Holiday Season!

These easy and quick house slippers are a great stocking stuffer.  They are called Abi's Slippers and the crocheted pattern for them is on her website.. Crotiques.com .  Hers do not show a tie, but I found that with the kind of yarn that I used the slippers were a little too stretchy and required a little help to stay on my feet. (Never let it be said that I would just crochet them a little big...;o)

I found another pattern in my look back to 2006.  It's one that I came up with in an effort to re-do some slippers that I had years ago.  I'm not sure it's exactly the same, but I liked them anyway.  Here's the original blog post from September 2006.  And here's the pattern.  (This pair is truly ugly, but I got that Homespun yarn at the thrift store...tons of it for about $2.00 and I thought I would never get it all used up. ;o)

Well...that's my "Blast from the Past" for today.. ;o)  I think I'll start doing this more often just to see what's been happening over the years..

Have a wonderful day.  They say our 100° days will be back soon, so I'm going to enjoy these cooler days while I can.. ;o)

Kitchen Towel Holder Pattern

I was wandering the web the other day looking at some of my favorite craft sites and came across a pattern for something almost like this.  For the life of me I cannot remember where it was.. sigh  If any of you know where to find that pattern, please let me know and I will give the author of that post the credit she deserves.

I did make one change to the pattern, but this one is almost completely the same...

What I needed:

1 metal clothes hanger
Cotton yarn ... I used Sugar and Cream Cotton  Yarn by Lily but this pattern would work with acrylic or wool in either sport or worsted weight
Crochet Hook  size I

The first thing I did was have my DH cut a metal clothes hanger to a length of approx. 10 inches.  Then we curled the 10 inch length into a circle with the ends overlapping about 1 inch.  I used tape to hold the ends together.

Row 1:  Starting anywhere on the circle, attach the yarn.  SC as many stitches around  the metal circle as it takes to hide the metal circle. Join with a slip stitch to first sc.

Row 2:  Ch 1, sc in same stitch and in each sc around the circle.  Join last sc with a sl st to first sc of round.  Ch 1, turn,

Row 3: sc in same stitch, sc in next 11sc,  ch 1, turn.

Row 4 thru 14: , sc in same stitch, sc in next 11 sc,  ch1, turn,

Row 15: sc in same stitch,  sc in next 4 sc, ch 2, skip next 2 sc, sc in next 5 sc, ch 1, turn, (The skip 2 sc and the 2 ch stitches make your buttonhole.)

Row 15: sc in same st, sc in next 11 st, ch 1, turn,

Row 16:  sc in same st, sc in next 11 st. ch 1, but do not turn.
 Now sc in each stitch completely around the piece.  Fasten off.

I used a button about 1" across.  Fold the top of the piece down until it just touches the circle.  Find the button hole and use that as a guide to place your button.  Sew the button on using either the same yarn as what was used in the piece or any sewing thread that you like.

Now sit back and enjoy your Kitchen Towel Holder.. ;o)

This is a really quick project.  This was crocheted in about an hour last night while watching tv.  I hope you enjoy it.  It would make great quick gifts for Christmas... throw in a couple of kitchen towels, a few hand knitted dish cloths and there ya' go.. ;o)

The summer sun is still hanging in there giving up 100+ temps every day.  Even the birds get all their running around done in the morning or evening..

Have much to do today... Hope your day is good and that you are staying cool.. ;o)

Maybe 3rd Time is Charm

Blogger seems to have the hiccups these days... This post was written twice yesterday and both times it just disappeared into cyberspace and then Blogger wouldn't come up again to re-write... so it was just not meant for me to post yesterday...lol

I am really wishing that I had taken the time years ago to practice and work with knitting more. Knitting has a much better feel than crochet and is not any harder to do once a person is comfortable with the main stitches.

The feather and fan is a pattern that has long been one of my favorites...even if I didn't know it had a name...lol I think I finally have it down... I went to Hobby Lobby yesterday and bought slightly larger needles and some soft yarn to make this scarf.

Jackie at Heart Strings Fiber Arts.com has a feather and fan pattern baby blanket pattern that is gorgeous. I will make that next and change the size yarn and needle to larger...making it an afghan.

Just in case you didn't know, there is a give away in progress over on Fabric Follies Two... as a way of saying "Thank you!" for the 300,000+ hits that have come that way in the last 22 months. Pop over and say hello...

Knitting at night...

As I sit watching television in the evening with my sweet DH, I usually have to have something to do with my hands. Lately I have been knitting. I am totally in love with Yarn Harlot's pattern for this scarf...I use it for everything...

This alpaca blend feels wonderfully soft when done in this pattern with really big needles.

This spindle spun lace weight yarn is also done in the same pattern. Quick, easy and one that I don't mess up too badly...lol

The next thing I am going to do is make a baby blanket with this pattern. I think it will be totally soft and lovely....