Saturday, November 29, 2008

Late Happy Thanksgiving!!!

WoW time just seems to be in warp drive lately. I am beginning to think that is just 'normal' for the age I am at. The older I get the faster time seems to fly by.

I finally got the last tatting exchange I join caught up. I won't tell you which one, as I am so embarrassed I got so behind. It is in the mail. I have been also doing a little tatting, crocheting, and knitting. This blog posting will be rather long,, I hope I don't bore ya all to death. AND if I repeat any of it, I do apologize.

Where to start LOL I'll start with what I have been tatting, since I originally started these blogs for my tatting.

I can't remember if I posted this before or not. So I do apologize if I did. This is a bookmark I got from this summer a bookmark exchange I was in. This beautiful bookmark was tatted by Dorcas Newkirk. She got the pattern from an old Workbasket. She also sent me a beautiful ball of DMC size 80 tatting thread and some matching beads! THANK YOU Dorcas!!!! I have used the thread on a bookmark in my round robin. I'll post a pic of that in a day or so. I have to get the pics downloaded from the camera first. Sorry I don't have a link to Dorcas so I don't know if she has a blog or not.

This is a tatting exchange I received back in August. This lovely snowflake motif, bookmark and card with tatting on, is from Dr Tammy Turner. She also sent me some beautiful lavender beads and DMC Cebelia thread that matches. She and I both really love tatting with DMC Cebelia thread. Just wish they had more colors. Smaller sizes would be great too. Oh well, I was very tickled to get my goodies. And bless Tammy's dear heart,,,,she did her best to stay away from pink LOL! I think she did an awesome job THANK YOU Dr Tammy!!!

This is a motif I did by Jon in which I still need to practice this a lot. This was my second try. I like how it turned out even though I do need more practice. I now have more colors to do it in as well. The purple thread I got from my tatting exchange back in August. The thread is a size 20 DMC Cebelia, and Ecru in the same size and brand. Thank you Jon for the beautiful pattern!

This pattern was designed by Heather Isn't it just beautiful! I didn't realize it until I was cruising through Heather's patterns, I have done several of her patterns. So many children as well as adults love the little teddy bears of hers I tatted when first learning to tat! I really enjoyed making this fan. Though mine isn't quite as nice as Heather's is. I can tell I kind of got out of practice this summer, by not hardly tatting. So now I am trying to play catch up. I made this fan using some of my Rubi thread that I received from BJ in New Mexico. (Still enjoying my thread Bev!). Thank you Heather for the wonderful patterns!!!

This is a bookmark I gave recently to a friend of mine who shared her art booth with me a couple of weekends ago. This pattern is by Ellen Lai aka Singtatter the name of the bookmark is Dancing Kristine. I had so much fun with this one, I also tatted it twice. I'll post my second one tomorrow. As I used the variegated pink from Dorcas on it, and it is my first bookmark exchange in the Winter 2008 Round Robin BookMark Exchange . Thank you Ellen for the beautiful bookmark pattern.

Oh BTW while at the Art N Craft show, I was sitting there tatting, and had several ladies comment on it. Then I had two different ladies come in real close, to see how tatting was done, and they both want to learn. One got my email addy so I could try to find someone in her area when she is ready as she wants to tat her wedding veil whenever she gets married (right now she is in training for RN). The other lady took my number and gave me hers telling me to call her, IF she doesn't call me. She wants to LEARN tatting!!! LOL later I was doing another demo for a couple of knitters, and ended up messing up my bookmark (working in size 80 LOL) so of course when I got home where I could concentrate better, with a magnifying glass, I had to frog it, (half a chain and a ring). All in all it was a pretty great day, considering I was just going to give my friend some support and nothing else! I even made a little cash!

Here is a photo of the vest back to the vest I am learning to knit. This is my first ever vest!!!! The pattern is by Lion Brand Yarns, it is the Vest-In-A-Jiffy. I have knitted many simple dishcloths, one afghan (before now) and a scarf before. Now I am branching out. I can't wait to see the finish result. My wonderful neighbor/friend who is a spinner, knitter, crocheter, etc (fiber artist) is helping me.

Here is the first part of the vest front. I am currently at a stand still, as I am to the next part waiting for her to help me. But as I have a dumb cold, and her hubby has respiratory problems, we aren't about to chance passing this on to him. So for now the rest of the vest is in Limbo. Oh the yarn I am using is Red Heart 4 ply worsted. The color is Dark Orchid.

This is a 'row' counter I made with beads. I got the idea and directions from a new friend on a knitting community I just recently joined. I made up a couple of these and gave one to my neighbor (who doesn't really like the stitch/row counters on the market), which she fell in LOVE with this. The idea is you can pin it on your work, clipboard, or chair arm,,,and just slide a bead down when ya finish a row. I used two different color beads, so one would be for like the knit rows, and the other for the purl rows, etc. I was told I should make up more and try selling them. I don't know if it would be a good idea or not. They are really handy though.

Here is a Prayer Shawl I have been working on for about a year or so. I started it I guess last winter so it hasn't been quite a year. This I am knitting out of 100 % cotton yarn by Peaches & Creme in the 'Shaded Denim'. Not really using any certain pattern, just putting together some of the skills I learned in knitting my dishcloths. I am getting more anxious to get it finished now.

This is what I have done of a leg warmer I started this late summer, when I knee first started hurting so bad. None of the leg warmers I have are large enough, so I thought I would just make my own. At first it was moving along pretty fast, but then it kind of got laid off to the side. I am using Red Heart worsted 4 ply. The color is Heather. I need to finish it up, before it really does snow and gets cold. Pattern again is just what I have come up with using previous skills in knitting.

This is an afghan I have finally finished (except weaving in the tails) I have been knitting off and on for the last 2 years. It is made from Red Heart Bulky and Lofty yarn I think it is called. In Citrus Lemon, I think the color was. I found the yarn in the discontinued aisle at Wal-Mart back when our first grand baby was born. At first I thought I would make it for her, but then the further I got, I though, nope this will be a great 'grammy snuggle grand babies' blanket. Sooo Yep I'm keeping it. It sure was warm too when the temps dropped down to 20 degrees F.

Ok. I'll end here, if I haven't already put you to sleep LOL! Or if you stayed with me this long. I'll try to get the rest of my posting all caught up tomorrow with the pics. Which will be more tatting, knitting and some crochet.

Hope everyone in the US had a great HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Hello My Friends and Fellow Bloggers

Just an update real quick. I think I may be pulling out of this bug (whatever virus I caught) No sore throat anymore, just itching like crazy. So far (knock on wood) I don't have much of a cough, but still have a somewhat stuffed sinus'. Getting better I hope. Energy level is slowly picking back up as well.

I just finished last night knitting a blanket/aphgan I had been working for better part of a year on. It is made from a really bulky fluffy yarn. I'll post a pic as soon as I take one. Sure was nice working on, as it kept my legs VERY warm. Last night our temps dropped to 20°F so it was really nice covering up with through the night (even if I still need to weave the tails in LOL)!! I also finished the 'back' of my vest the neighbor is kindly teaching to me knit. I did that a couple days ago. I only have about 3 rows done on the next section. And I finished knitting a dishcloth I had been working on off and on all summer. So that is what I have covered in the knitting section while being sick and staying off my knee.

For the crochet UFOs,,,,I haven't gotten anything done there. Only finally dug out the other night. I will start working a bit at a time on it. I went online to try and find where I could order more yarn for it at a decent price since the closest Wal-Mart doesn't have the colors I need. I'll have to search a bit more, because I didn't find any. I am using 'Peaches & Creme 4 ply 100% Cotton in the 1 lb cones Colors #130 Shaded Pastels and #26 Light Blue. This thing is going to be REALLY HUMONGOUS when I get it finished. Maybe large enough to fit a King bed. It was really only suppose to be queen size, but well things don't always come out like I intended LOL!

Lastly is the Tatting,,,,I finished a bookmark, but as I was finishing it, I realized I had made a mistake in it further back than I was going to take out. Soooo I finished it anyway (except working in the tails) and started it over again. Only this time using a smaller thread. I went from size 30 to size 80 WoW what a difference!!!! I keep finding myself asking how in the world did I ever tat with quilting thread!!!!!!!!!!!! Good thing with tatting one can still tat without seeing 'real' clearly the stitches. My buddy the magnifying glass has been real close on hand again he he he.

Anyway, looks like I am going to have a passel of pics to take as before too long. I have about 5 tatted pieces, 1 afghan, 1 partial vest, and a dishcloth all to take pics of. LOL Which helps in my photography too LOL!

Hope ya all are staying healthy and warm or cool if you are wayyyyyyyy in the south. Take care n Blessings

~~RRose Connie

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Latest Happenings

Well I am almost finished with the jams. Actually I am done with making jams, just going to finish off the rest of the apples making juice and sauce. But for now I am kind of out of commission for a bit as I have a knee that is just killing me with pain! I don't know what is wrong with it, but hubby wants me off of it for a couple weeks. Sooooo with that being said,,I'm trying my best to stay off, which is pretty hard with so much to be done. But,,,I getting some UFO's finished!

I'm working on knitting, crochet and yeppers even tatting!!!! I am FINALLY getting some tatting done!!! NO pics yet, but will just as soon as I can!

My neighbor (who is an awesome spinner, she has alpacas,,,,) has me started on knitting my very first vest! I keep thinking I should take some photos of beginning, and as I progress,,,I'll see about doing that. That is if anyone is interested.

Other than that, I am enjoying the grand daughters just as much as possible. And doing a little with some of my photography (photos I took through the summer that is).

Well I better run, hubby's turn at the puter. :)

Blessings, Connie

P.S. NOT happy with the elections. I'm now in mourning AND praying for the USA.