Anything you can do I can do better!

Crochet gets a bad rap. In reality crocheters can do anything knitters can do, and most likely they can do it faster. I have wanted to cable for the longest time, I knew it was possible, I just didn't know how. Three words: Front Post Stitch!



What better way is there to practice a new skill then to make a scarf? I found this awesome pattern in Crochet Today December 2006 issue.
http://www.coatsandclark.com/NR/rdonlyres/A871F022-8B5C-404F-8942-32C8ADFD3086/54630/cables.pdf


Ingredients:

Hook - 6.0 mm (J)

Yarn - Manos del Uruguay Manos Silk Blend

3 skeins = 450.0 yards (411.5m)

Color - Olive

Sassy Crochet Flower Pin

Working at Spark Craft Studios I have to occasional design new classes and events. I was recently asked to come up with a Crochet Wine and Craft project and developed this gorgeous flower pin.



Ingredients:
11 yards Manos del Uruguay in Flame (flower)
Five yards Worsted Lambs Pride in Kiwi (leaves)
Crochet Hook - Size G
One pin back
One decorative bead for flower center
Coordinating embroidery floss or thread to attach components
Hot glue gun (optional)

Flower Pattern:
ch 5 and join with sl st to form ring.
Rnd 1 – make 10 sc in ring. Join with sl st.
Rnd 2 - Working in front loop only of ea sc in previous rnd, ch 8, sl st to same sc. *Ch 8, sl st to next sc. Repeat from * to end of rnd. Join last ch 8 loop to first with sl st. (11loops)
Rnd 3 - Sl st to back loop of sc *ch 3, skip 1 sc, sl st in back loop of next sc. Repeat from * four more times
Rnd 4 – *Sl st into next ch-3 space (1 sc, 1 hdc, 1 dc, 3 tr, 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc ) in same ch-3 space. Repeat from * four more times. Sl st to first sl st. Fasten off.

Leaf Pattern:
ch 12
Row 1 - *Sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 2 sts, sc in next st, sl st in last st. Rotate work to crochet down opposite side of foundation chain.
Row 2 – Sl st in first ch, sc in next, hdc in next 2, dc in next 3, hdc in next 2, sc in next, sl st in last ch

Do NOT fasten off. Continue to make second leaf. Ch 12, turn. Follow directions for first leaf.

Finishing:
Weave in ends. Attach flower to leaves with a few tacking stitches, keeping the leaves evenly arranged behind the flower. Attach decorative bead to center of flower, working through all layers of flower and leaves and pin back. Hot glue gun threads around pin back for extra strong attachment.

Wabanaki Basket Weekend

I took my friend Cheryl home to Maine for Presidents Day weekend and we had a basket themed weekend.

Saturday we went to the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance in Old Town at the Wabanaki Arts Center Gallery. We learned about the basket makers, materials and techniques. We were able to view antique baskets as well as brand new baskets of every shape and size (berries, corn, acorn and pumpkin shaped baskets). All the basketmakers use traditional materials like sweet grass and ash. For more information and pictures visit the Alliances website. http://www.maineindianbaskets.org

The next day Cheryl and I tackled our berry basket kit made by Basket Weaving 101. The kits are very nice and have great supplies except the photocpied instructions were a bit hard to follow. We are the strike out on your own type of people and really enjoyed the whole process. (Jeff was of course a hindrance to our crafting, but we persevered.) We tried to incorporate some of the design elements that we saw at the Gallery and were happy with the loops and twists that we made. You really have to soak the reeds well, and the colors bled a little in our hot water, but that made it that much more fun and colorful. The trickiest part is finishing the top of the basket, it took me several tries but I am very happy with the outcome. Here are our baskets. (The pink one is Cheryls and the green one is mine)

Christmas Decorating

We decorated for Christmas early this year, so I have had a lot of time to put stuff up and adjust so that it is nearly perfect.

Mom bought us a artificially Christmas tree last year for Christmas. It was the perfect gift! Last year Jeff loved our live tree so much he could not bear to part with it (it sat out on our porch until May). So now we can leave the tree up as long as we want.

The tree is a pre-lit 7.5' slim mixed pine. Our color theme this year is Champagne and Gold. We used wide gold and champagne snowflake ribbon as garland, as well as a couple of strands of white metal doves from Possibilities. Over the years we have collected a spectrum of beautiful matte, shiny and sparkley glass ornaments of all shapes and sizes. We used gold, white and champagne glass ornaments in bell, ball and icicle shapes. Jeff and I have taken up the tradition of buying a Hallmark decoration for the tree each year, we read the poems on the back of the box for each Hallmark ornament as we put it on the tree. We also purchased some vintage inspired Martha Stewart metallic glass clip on bird ornaments with real feather tails. Tucked in among the branches are gold and white silk poinsettia blossoms and gold and pearl berries. Topping off our tree is the beautiful cream metal star Mom gave us.

My tablescape starts of with my white jacquard tablecloth as a base. Over that is a red, claret, burgundy and maroon stripped table runner. Each place setting has a burgundy place mat and gold charger. On the charger is a white jacquard napkin in a red berry napkin ring from My Favorite Things. The centerpiece is a twig and red berry wreath from My Favorite Things and a pumpkin spice birch bark candle that I made with birch bark mom gave me.

I made a wreath for our front door, that matches our tree, using the grapevine wreath I re-decorate each season. I used the same wide gold and champagne ribbon as I did on the tree as well as the gold and white poinsettia blossoms and a couple of gold sparkley twirls.

Lexington Avenue of the Arts

Here is Think Pink Crafts at the Lexington Christian Academy for the first annual Lexington Avenue of the Arts. This was an amazingly well organized and very pleasant craft show, over 5o vendors participated! Unfortunately, there was a Nor'easter coming through and turn out was low.

Here I am at my booth!

Setting Sail with PMC

Monday, Marissa O'Brien, a visiting expert/creativity consultant at Spark Craft Studios gave us a free PMC basics class. I am totally hooked.

PMC is Precious Metal Clay, it consists of microscopic particles of silver or gold suspended in an organic binder to create a pliable material with a consistency similar to modeling clay. After firing, what remains can be hallmarked as .999 silver or gold.

I made these great earrings. The back disk is imprinted with a Japanese wave design, the front with a starfish. I burnished them and hammered them into dome shapes. I then put a patina on them with liver of sulfur to highlight the grooves and burnished them again to shine up the raised parts of the designs.

I am soooo pleased with myself and the other pieces that I made. I think that I just formed a new and expensive habit.

Rainy Day Sheep

I have been home sick and bored out of my mind. The Amigurumi craze is irresistible. I found a really cute crochet lamb pattern online and made it yesterday while I was at home in bed. I used Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair in Tundra for the body and head, lion brand worsted weight black for the legs, ears and tail. I used pink crochet cotton for the mouth and nose and am on the lookout for some buttons for the eyes. This little cuttie measured 5 1/2 inches from nose to tail.