Small things...

This week I've been working on several projects, but everything is still in WIP status.

The thing that got the most attention is still my cross stitch.  The partridge is basically done, though some back-stitching is needed to define the wings a bit. I just need to decide on or buy the right color floss for that.  I also need to not forget to give that bird an eye!

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Besides time spent on cross stitch, I also worked on some small crochet projects (that were Crochet-A-Longs in Our Happy CAL Place).

First, were a couple of bookmarks crocheted with thread:

These take me back - to the 1970's to be precise.  

Gotta love granny stitches and fringe.  Though I felt compelled to braid my fringe...

Because I was feeling all retro, I tried use colors that reflected the 1970's (and that I had in my stash).  I love these and think they would look fun made in more modern colors, too.  I'm sure I'll be making more before I've gotten these out of my system.  They'd make great little gifts to have on hand to maybe tuck inside a card  - or a book, of course.  But these two are for me.  😊

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Mid-week I realized I was going to need to host a CAL on OHCP, so I picked a quick-ish project that I've been wanting to try.  Scalloped Edge Hanger Covers:

Now, I'm not one who previously thought I'd crochet hanger covers, but ever since I saw these on Ravelry, I've been curious about them.   Who doesn't have at least a few garments that are prone to slipping off the hanger?  I thought I'd find out if this is a way to resolve that issue.

I'm happy to say, Yes!  These crocheted hanger covers are a total success.  The cuteness factor of the scallops is honestly what convinced me to give these a try, even though the scallops add not one bit of purpose to the non-slip factor.  

To be completely honest, the whole thing is a bit fiddly to make, but I think I'll make at least a few more.  If you're at all interested, I seriously recommend watching this video (of Mikey from Crochet Crowd) to walk you through it. It explains how to start the crocheting - something I was struggling with before watching the video.

I'll go ahead and explain that in following the video, one will end up with a piece of yarn across the front of the hanger - like this: 

 At first that was off-putting to me, but then it occurred to me (or maybe Mikey mentioned?) that that piece of yarn is a great place to  thread a ribbon:

So that's what I did, and then tied it into a bow.  While I'd use a bit thinner ribbon if I had it handy, I have to say I think my wide brown ribbon is kind of cute on my new pink hanger in the first hanger picture above.  😉

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I also did some crocheting on my Bertie Baby Blanket, and I'm sooo close to being finished.   I'll hold off with a picture because until I add the border, there's really nothing different about it (from the first picture I showed weeks ago) except that it's larger.  Hopefully, next week I'll be able to check that off my WIP list.

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And finally, I am going to join the chorus of voices that are amazed that another YOP year is nearly over.  While some YOPers begin their YOP year in January, July 1st is the traditional start date of each new YOP year.   I mention this in case anyone reading has been considering joining the fun.  July 1st is a great time to jump in.  All that is needed is a blog, a free Ravelry membership, and the desire to join the Year Of Projects group and share progress on projects throughout the year.   Check us out here!

Artsy magnets & bookmarks...

A week and a half ago I started a project where I was using pictures from old art books to make magnets and bookmarks.  

Here is the post I promised showing the end result.  I don't have pictures of every single magnet or bookmark made, but this is a good representation of the variety of pictures I chose to use.  While this is a photo-heavy post, I'll try to keep the verbiage to a minimum. 


First of all, I cut out lots of pictures (narrowing down what pictures to cut out was the hardest part):

Before laminating, I used a glue stick to glue pretty (or coordinating) decorative paper to the backs of the pictures.  When possible, I also cut out and glued on the reference information for the pictures and artists):

Excuse that everything above is already laminated, I didn't think to take photographs before laminating.

After each picture had backing paper, I laminated everything using an inexpensive laminating machine I bought years ago at Aldi, of all places.   

Note:  I was in Walmart yesterday and I noticed that they sell laminating machines that are comparable to this in the price range of $10.00 - $20.00.  Such machines are cheap, but the laminating sheets are moderately expensive.  I used 3mil thickness laminating sheets, which was perfectly fine for my purposes.  While I was in Walmart, though, I picked up some 5mil sheets - more expensive, but I'm curious how much thicker and stiffer they will make items like this.  We'll see.


After laminating the pictures, I cut them out with scissors, and to the backs of what I wanted to make into magnets, I glued a variety of magnets:

I used round as well as strip magnets, and even cut pieces of magnet from a supply of magnets I've saved that come from all sorts of places, most printed with promotional material:

I do suggest testing the strength of these types of magnets.  I'm afraid at least one of the ones above was pretty weak.  I learned this too late.  It still worked, it was just a bit less strong, magnetically, than the others.

I glued the magnets to the backs of the laminated pictures using E6000 adhesive (purchased once upon a time at Hobby Lobby):

And some of the laminated pictures made terrific bookmarks:

 

One could punch a hole in the bookmarks and tie a decorative ribbon on, but I like the simplicity of these.  

And that's all there was to it!  Some made their way into the Advent calendar project I made last week, and some I've saved for myself!

I blew it...

Yep, I blew it this week.  I really blew it.

It all started when I wanted to make this Winter's Breath Doily:

 ...and I couldn't find the teeny tiny crochet hook I needed to make it.  I knew I had one somewhere because I used it to make the only other doily I've ever made -- two years ago.

After I searched off and on over a couple of days I decided I just needed to buy another one.  It's a Yarnology hook available at Hobby Lobby and I really like the cushioned handle.   A hook like this is just a few dollars and with a 40% off coupon this is no. big. deal.  Right?

Wrong.  I knew stepping into any craft store was dangerous business for me, a yarnaholic who's been sober on a yarn-buying moratorium for the last 6 months.  And might I add, just the day before I had posted my "stash-used" totals in a goal thread on Ravelry.  All confident-like I reported that with my yarn usage to date, I was really hopeful I would be able to meet my goal of using up 100 skeins of yarn this year.  Maybe even surpass my goal.

Well...  That was Thursday.

On Friday I headed to Hobby Lobby.  

I knew I needed to be strategic. 

Once inside I made my way straight to the crochet hooks.  They had been moved since I was last in there, and much to my dismay I had to walk to the end of  a yarn aisle (where every color available of Hobby Lobby ILTY was stacked to my left).  I pretended I had blinders on and didn't dare turn to look at it.   

I readily found the hook I needed.  Hook in hand, I then did what I knew I shouldn't do.  Instead of just walking straight back out the way I came in, I went the direction of the cotton thread - you know... just in case they had a new color I might want to make my doily in, as opposed to simply using any of the colors I already had...

I turned the corner from where the hooks were hanging and saw that their Artiste cotton thread was on sale.  At 30% off.  Wow!  I don't think I've ever been in Hobby Lobby when this cotton thread has seen that kind of discount.  The best I'd ever been able to do was use a 40% off coupon, but when doing that I could only ever buy one ball at a time.  But do you think I could just buy one ball of cotton thread and walk away that day?

Nooooooo.

They had new colors.  They had many more colors than I ever recalled seeing before.  It was mesmerizing.  I started picking them up.  Soon, I had several in my hands and realizing I had too many to hold I went to get a basket to carry them in.  I came back with a basket, and after arguing with myself that while I didn't go in there to buy crochet thread, since I'm on a moratorium wouldn't it be smart to get what I want now - or else... what???  I'd never be able to buy cotton thread again????  

I just know that once I felt decided about my final selections... once I had chosen colors I felt I really couldn't live without...  I had no fewer than 10 new balls of cotton thread in my basket, and then as if I wasn't in control of my own legs, I found myself walking to the front to check out.

As I walked, I kept telling myself, "Don't do this.  Don't do this!!!"  I even meandered through a few aisles hoping for sanity to take hold.

But it didn't. 

I came home with a new hook and 10!!! gorgeous shades of size 10 cotton thread.  

Because I was mesmerized by all the pretty colors.

Sigh.

Well, as luck would have it, on Saturday, in Our Happy CAL Place on Ravelry, this week's CAL turned out to be bookmarks.  Bookmarks that use size 10 cotton thread and beads!

I really was in luck.   

Not only did I now have a pretty collection of different colors of cotton thread, but I also have a humongous hoard collection of beads.  Unfortunately, I only had a few beads with holes large enough to use with these bookmarks, but fortunately sanity had once again taken hold and I was resolved to work with what I had.  I'm pretty happy with how they turned out:

In fact, I was happy enough with how my first one turned out, I decided to make several so I can give them as gifts to some friends I've been doing a book study with this summer.  Wednesday is our last day to meet and while I previously felt no compulsion to bring gifts to our last gathering, I'm sure my friends will all think these are fun. 

So...  

Now I only need to make several hundred more bookmarks, or dozens of doilies, or frankly... I don't know what else I might be able to make, to use up my cotton thread.  

All I know is my goal of using up 100 skeins of yarn in 2018 doesn't look quite as attainable as it did just three days ago.

But I'll keep plugging away at it.

Or maybe I'll just admit defeat and give some yarn away.

How's this?   If by year's end I haven't met my 100 skein goal, I'll re-home however many skeins I need to to meet that goal.  That sounds like an idea I may be able to do.

Meanwhile...  I'll keep crocheting.  Trying to beat myself at my own game.  Though I have no idea how I'm supposed to win if I'm playing with a cheater...

Sigh

That's all she wrote.

To see what other YOPpers are up to, visit our group on Ravelry.

Small things...

This was a quiet, yet profound, week with the burial service for my father-in-law on Thursday.    While his funeral service over a week ago was lovely, Bernie's burial brings a level of finality that we hadn't been able to experience until now.  While no one would have planned these two services to be separate (weather was in control of that), it actually made for a very personal and deeply meaningful graveside service having it on a separate day.  I hope you'll read the short post I wrote about it yesterday.

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While I'm continuing to crochet away on two Spicier Life blankets, they really don't look different enough to post a progress picture.   Maybe next week.

But I did squeeze in two smaller projects.  I'm hosting a CAL this week in the Our Happy CAL Place, and to fit into the theme "Kitchen & Bath" I found a pattern for this cute Turtle Washcloth:

What a fun washcloth for a child, or a kitchen in the woods, or even a potholder - if made doubled.  If doubled, I suggest only doubling the center shell part.  And then joining and finishing the turtle's legs, head and tail with a single layer of crochet.

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And then I decided to join in last week's CAL and made a bookmark (using this pattern for the stem):

 Using this pattern, sport weight cotton and a size G hook, the rose turned out crazy big.

But I sort of LOVE it!

To see what other YOPpers are working on, visit our group by clicking on the graphic below.