Half-Shell Blanket


I finished this blanket last August 2007 while I was on a blogging hiatus. I love this pattern so much--it is so easy and creates a beautiful texture. I also love the border, which you create by crocheting from left to right instead of right to left. It was awkward at first, but makes such a pretty frame for the blanket.

Pattern: Easy Patterned Throw by Vera Hannaford (from the website Crochet Me)

Yarn Used: Lion Brand Wool-Ease Solid, 10 skeins in Natural Heather

Bonus Picture!

Here is a picture of Sadie running in the fields around my Dad's house. We went to Arkansas to visit some family there a couple of weekends ago. I think this city dog looks so cute against this back drop of yellow flowers, running wild and free!

Last of my handmade Christmas gifts!

Here are the twenty journal covers that I made for my friends for Christmas gifts! I used a stretchy cotton fabric, which made it easy to create a snug fit on the journal. I embroidered them using my mom's Janome embroidery machine, which took quite a while! Once we got the design figured it out, it took about 15 minutes to embroider each one (15 minutes X 20 journal covers = 5 hours!). I used a different color embroidery thread for each one too, and tried to use each person's favorite color. On a different day, I sewed them together. Actually on two different days. I think they turned out really well! (By the way, this picture shows the covers before I sewed them together and put journals in them.)

Now, here are some gratuitous dog pictures! Here is a sleepy Sadie:


















And here is another sleepy Sadie on Christmas Eve:













And here is Sadie in her most prissy pose!

Crafting Supplies Bring Happiness!

I have purchased or received lots of new crafting supplies in the past couple of weeks, all of which have lightened my mood after stressful days at work. First, the almost infamous hedgehog fabric from Superbuzzy!!:














I checked the Superbuzzy website patiently every day, knowing that the hedgehog fabric was going to be for sale soon. One morning, there it was! I ordered some right then, and it came in the mail last week. I got these cute little hedgehog buttons as well.

I also went on a felt-buying spree at Michael's last week. I was actually there to buy some more yarn for the blanket I am working on, but couldn't resist stocking up on these felt squares. Felt has the lovely advantage of not needing a seam allowance, and I learned to appreciate this when making my scottie dog. I plan on making some more plushies with this felt, and experimenting on some other projects. What could be better than a rainbow of felt!




This item is definitely in the same league as these! My friend Jennifer gave me this yarn keeper yesterday, and it really made my day. Right now, I'm using a big black bucket to hold my yarn while crocheting, but this will be much more compact and cute. It has a hole in the top lid, and a handle for easy carrying! Thanks so much Jennifer!














Bonus picture!
Here's Sadie again, sitting in the kitchen waiting for Mike to come back inside.

Cute and Easy-to-Make Baby Hats

It seems that I am at the age where everyone I know is having babies! Of course, I like to help new parents out by sending them stuff from their baby registry, but I can't just stop at shopping. I have to give them something handmade too! Hence, these very cute little baby hats! I used a modification of this pattern on the Bev's Country Cottage website. Instead of using single crochet, I used double crochet in both the front and back loops. This website also has a head size chart, where you can adjust the circumference of your hat from preemie size on up to adult size. The basic rule is to make the circumfence 1 to 1 1/2 inches smaller than the person's/child's head.


For the pink hat, I added a row of single crochet in seafoam green yarn for edging, and a flower in the same color. I used the free pattern at this blog, which also includes another type of flower and a butterfly applique. I made this pink hat for a coworker of mine that had a baby over the summer--I made the blue hat below for the son of my cousins-in-law, and the yellow hat for our friends' baby.











There are hundreds of free crochet, knit, and sewing patterns for baby items out there on the internet, and these items are wonderful for giving to charities. Here is a link of charities in the US where you can donate handmade items to. Most of the major hospitals also take newborn and preemie hats for their neonatal units.

Bonus Picture!

Here is my dog Sadie looking oh so cute! She is carrying a soft bone toy that I made for her out of fleece. Enjoy!