good morning!

You know yesterday when I said I had published five patterns already for the month of May? Well, actual I was a liar – it was six.

Whew!

So I’d like to share with you my latest crochetvolution patterns… first, the Summer Triangle Shawl

The summer triangle shawl is an usually shaped triangle shawl – it’s a triangle, but not the normal, pretty, perfect triangles you see. This one is a triangle with different angles…

You can sort of see what I mean in this photo

and second, something different for me, a tapestry crochet water bottle cover, called Thistle Water Bottle Cover (thank you Melissa for coming up with such a great name!)

it was so hard taking photos of both of these projects! As I mentioned, these are both for the summer issue, and well… trying to take summer shots with snow on the ground was not easy! Luckily I was able to sneak the shawl photos in a couple of days later, after the snow had finally melted!

We spent the night pet sitting for my parents this weekend, and took the opportunity to get caught up on some photos. We brought Wedgie along, and man, was he ever happy when we left!

We took photos of this shawl…

which will be ready for testing by the end of this month

and took photos of this crescent shaped shawl / wrap, which is in testing right now…

Took photos of this finished wool scrap vest (crochet)

and finally took photos of my finished February Lady sweater, started on vacation last year!

black acrylic, to wear at work…

On the way home, we ran into a wild turkey

Yes, it’s Wednesday and another week with no WIP post to share. And as of right now, nothing to share for Friday FO, either. I’ve been plugging away on Jon’s socks – about 4.5″ of leg on both sock is complete, and I did take a photo – which is in my camera, which I left at work. I’ve been working on my afghan design – you know, the one where I spent 6 hours crocheting only to realize I skipped a complete row, the very first row I worked that am, so had to spend forever frogging it only to recrochet it all, only to discover I had made a serious error 6 rows previous – as in, I forgot which row I was even crocheting & wasn’t watching so just completely made up something new for half the row. Sigh. That’s what happens when you get sucked into watching Smallville (and yes, it’s for the first time, we’re borrowing the disks from the library).

So, with no WIP post to share, I thought I’d share interesting blog posts, I haven’t done this in a while.

on the webs blog, a celebration of crochet shawls
Kathryn wrote a very nice article about “niche” crochet skills to learn, like broomstick & hairpin lace. I was very surprised to realize I’ve done every one of the items on her list, at least a little – like crochet jewelry, which was a disaster, but at least I attempted it!
Totally tutorials shares how to crochet a brooch – great for a last minute easter gift!
Something I’ve been doing for years – dying yarn with easter egg dye
how and why to use a tapestry needle with your crocheting
tutorial – foundation single crochet
My friend Linda needs help naming her afghan she’s donating to a silent auction to raise money
how to make plarn
free crochet egg cozy patterns

Now, non-crochet stuff… I’ve been obsessing over canning lately, and Canning Granny is turning into one of my favorite daily (ha! like I read blogs daily!) reads. She’s currently comparing her life, to one of her favorite children’s series – Little House on the Prairie. Even if you don’t care for canning, it’s an interesting read

how to make reuseable snack/sandwich bags (sewn)

What has inspired you this week?

Good afternoon! how goes it with ya’ll? Hope you are having a pleasant day.

I wanted to share with you two new designs that I’ve recently published – one was last week & the other was about a month ago. Both are top down, basic sweaters suitable for any 18″ dolls. They’ve been tested and tried on a variety of dolls.

First, the Little Something Shrug

And second, the Little Something Cardigan

Thanks for looking!

I want to do something a little different today & talk about a lovely gal I met recently on Ravelry. My shawl designs are being featured this month in a cal on the 12 shawls forever group on Ravelry for NatCroMo, which means lots of my designs are being made by incredibly talented stitchers. It’s been LOTS of fun, let me tell you, but today’s post is not about that! One of them enjoyed making my shawl so much she decided to sell them on etsy AND kindly contacted me for permission (which I’ll happily grant, always, as long as your photos are nice & clear & well lit & you give me proper credits as designer). But, want to hear the best part, I mean, the very best part? She’s donating 5% of the sales to Alzheimer’s. YAY! I’m beyond thrilled. As a special thank you, I wanted to write a little about her and her shop here on the blog & share some good ole etsy loving… Please go check her out on Ravelry as well

From her bio on etsy, quoted with permission…

P.G. Wodehouse once wrote that “Women like her, who consider the day ill-spent if they have not churned out five thousand words…the ink gets into their heads.” I often think to myself that, rather than ink, yarn has gotten into my head. I do indeed consider a day ill-spent if some portion of it has not involved clacking away with needles and hooks, a ball of yarn unspooling at my feet, a cup of tea steaming at my side.

I love to read and to write, and feel that knitting and crocheting are an important extension of that more creative side to me. I named my Etsy shop in honor of my grandmother, who I grew up calling “Grandma Sweetheart” because she never called me by my real name; she always called me sweetheart instead. She was an avid crocheter who passed away ten years ago. It was always her mission to give a handmade item for every special occasion: weddings, showers, babys, graduations, first communions, landmark birthdays… I like to think that SweetheartsStitches is carrying on her tradition, that through this shop I can make special gifts not just for the special occasions of my friends and family, but for yours as well!”

and the link to the snowdrop - thank you, Emily!

I don’t do swaps all that often, as much as I’d like to, because my time is so limited with the 3 jobs and all, but we recently had a scarf swap on my ravelry group & I couldn’t resist & joined in.

Finally sharing my photos of my lovely swap gift!

Dawn, my swap partner, also recently became a mod in our group, and was crazy generous…

First, the goodies…

She knows I love vintage patterns, and the yarn is to design more AGD stuff!

and now, the gorgeous scarf!

I’ve worn it every day, even when I was working in the steel in the back of the building 20 feet off the ground & sweating bullets…

Thank you SO much Dawn!

So, as usual, my wips pile have exploded… I’m in full, crazy, design mode, and currently have 5 tests going on, one of which is a mystery test, and one of which is this afghan…

I also have 2 pairs of socks on the needles (both for the men in my life), the EZ vest (still), several more afghans… and I know I’m forgetting stuff!

I’m not really reading much – I’m reading a few pages a day of “the Rules” and started several audiobooks (all of which expired from the library before I finished), but I’m basically in full fiber mode.

Good morning! It’s time for another progress report for our Crafty Book Challenge!

First, a new book I found that will count for the challenge – it’s called Hilda Hopkins, Murder, She Knit and it’s available for the kindle for FREE right now (please check the price yourself before purchasing). I did grab a copy but haven’t read it yet. Let me know if you find any more!

ps- I totally meant to save this post as a draft, until I had more of an update to share, but hit publish accidentally. Oh, well.

Through Rushing Water by Catherine Richmond

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sophia Makinoff is certain that 1876 is the year that she’ll become the wife of a certain US Congressman, and happily plans her debut into the Capitol city. But when he proposes to her roommate instead, Sophia is stunned. Hoping to flee her heartache and humiliation, she signs up with the Board of Foreign Missions on a whim.

This book draws you in from the very first page – you are routing for Sophia, you are heartbroken when her original plans for marriage go wrong, and you cheer for her as she falls in love with her new life as a missionary and the people she’s trying so desperately hard to protect.

It’s full of heartbreak and sorrow, and you can’t help but cheer for the Poncas, when something good goes there way – like shoes for the children for the winter, and you can’t help but cry when they begin to starve. For me, it was difficult to read these passages because you know how badly the Native American tribes were treated and you know just how many died because of starvation, hunger, cold, disease, etc.

The story, for me, first and foremost is the story of the Poncas, a tribe I had never heard of before, but it’s also the love story between Sophia and Will, another missionary bent on trying to save the small tribe.

I received a copy of this book for review through the Book Sneeze blogging for books program.

View all my reviews

You can read another great review of this book on “through the fog” or my books my friends

Fiber Friday!

LOVE my finished ripple! Isn’t it gorgeous? From allottastitches blog

I don’t have much to say about it, other than I am so pleased with this simple design that Linda came up with.

I can’t wait to make another one!

I also finished, & took photos the same day, of a corner to corner afghan (tutorial found on my blog from years ago!)

yes, you can tell I took these photos back in Nov, back when there was no snow!

I know, I’m always behind in my blogging….