What have I done with my heart?

Ahhh, thought that would catch your attention!

The heart patterns I've showed you in my previous post have proven very useful for making my heart shaped picture frames/Valentines/decorations for any occasion. HELP, I'm addicted. I honestly can't stop making them, look:

NOTE: the round picture frame above (with my photo in it) was made with a recycled shower curtain ring, so when I run out of heart bracelets, I can use those...

These are some of them (yes, I have more) from the front view. All they need is some embellishments, i.e. ribbon, beads, buttons and a hanger OR you can attach a magnet to the back and make them stick to the refrigerator. I still have a bunch of plastic child bangle bracelets in the shape of hearts to use up. I got them at the Dollar General Store. They were in the Party Favor section and cost $1.50 for a pack of 12.

And that's a view of them from the back side. That's where I crocheted the hearts and sewed them to the backside of the frame to keep the photo or note in place, but they look great without anything in them.

You see now why I'm so addicted to making these? Here are some reasons why, because:

1) It's the perfect project for using up scraps and the specialty yarns look great for the outside edging.

2) I love playing with color and it gives me an opportunity to switch colors and try different schemes.

3) They don't take very long to make, so you can sell them for cheap (if that's what you want)

4) Working with heart shapes makes me happy - it's just an all-around "happy" project!

Also, these are not restricted to Valentine's Day, but could be used for any occasion, either for hanging or sticking on to the fridge.

Next Projects

Ladies, what are you all working on or what are you planning to do next?

I swear I think my daughter's private school is out to get me. Okay maybe not. Some of the projects that have come up are self inflicted. =) Yesterday we received the weekly newsletter via email and it said the 3rd is western day. Excellent! Couldn't they have told me about this sooner? Yes we live in Texas, but that doesn't mean the child owns boots. So last night I did some research and now I'm tasked with making something western. Today they tasked me with making a Valentines box to collect all her Valentines in . I told my husband I was just going to cut a hole in the top of the drum I had to make for her to take to school today. LOL.. No, I'll come up with something better.

I'm in the process of doing IVF (yep, my daughter is a test tube baby) and need a project to keep my hands (and mind) busy. I know I'm probably crazy for going this route, but I'm going to crochet a baby blanket. I picked out this pattern and bought my yarn today.

My third project which I've put off long enough is a cardigan for my daughter. I picked up the yarn for this today too.

The yellow/green is for the baby blanket and the white is for Kaitlyn Joy's cardigan.

Now you all know my plans, what are yours? What projects are keeping your hands busy?

Crochet Pomp-Pomp Hat

Hey ladies! Yes, I've been reading the blog and yes I've made some things over the last month, but no I haven't posted on here. I've had a little problem... my camera disappeared. I last saw it on Christmas Eve. I was at my parents house over Christmas and thought maybe it was there, but mom can't find it. I called both grandmothers and they haven't seen it. I was hopeful it was at one of their houses seeing how I was at both of them the last day I remember not having it. *sigh* Well, I'll just share the pattern with you all.

I took my four year old to Wally World and let her pick out yarn. I tried to get her to go with some bright, multi colored yarn, but she chose one that went from lavender to white. What can I say the girl likes purple. Instead of doing the tassels with yarn, I did them with ribbon. My hubby gave me his camera last night when he realized mine is still gone. I'll add a picture of the hat later. You can check out the free pattern here.

A little boy in my daughter's preschool class has a new baby sister. I debated what to give the family and decided on hair bows. I know I could have sewn her something and really thought about embellishing a onesie. In the end I decided I already ribbon and clips on hand so I would go the cheaper route. I gave her five hair bows and two flowers. And yes, all seven were hand sewn. I had planned on showing them to you, but the blasted camera issue...

I need to go pull my conversation hearts fabric out and finish my bowl fillers. And grab my needle and give those crochet hearts a try. Hopefully they will go well with my conversation hearts.

Edit to add photos...

I've made four so far. Instead of sewing them together to make them bowl fillers I think I'll just lay them on the coffee table. I'm sure I'll spend the next three weeks telling Kaitlyn Joy, "put those back!" LOL... I left the crochet needle in the photo so you can see how big the biggest ones are.

And in case you all wondered if I did anything else productive with my day here's my other work of art...

Yes, that's right a Lego house front and pony cart. By the way the orange things in the cart are upside down carrots. I didn't catch until after the photo was taken that Kaitlyn Joy flipped them. They are now on the bigger chimney. =)

Final Photos of My Quilt

Bubb's quilt is completed and here are the photos that I promised... don't you just love how this quilt turned out.. so Manly :) Sorry about the rough back ground on the photos.. couldn't figure out where to photograph the quilts.. so the deck railing was it! I hope you enjoy my project!

Easy Crochet Hearts

Hello fellow crafters!

My name is Doris and I wanted to share a few tips for crocheting some easy and fun little hearts. I spent last night with Teresa watching her tutorials and made a bunch of Valentine's hearts. She has tutorials for several different shapes of hearts, including a three-dimensional, stuffed heart. Sometimes I just like having someone show me and simply crochet along, instead of reading a pattern.




I crocheted this lot of hearts last night while watching Teresa's tutorials and it was so much fun.

Here's the link if you'd rather click on it. She also has directions for left-handed crocheters.

http://www.youtube.com/user/tjw1963#p/u/1/HqSpIv8-O-8

I crocheted the bigger hearts from her video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2YzJOuSnJ4&feature=relmfu

These measure about 5.5" X 5.5" and would make great coasters.

You can also use cotton yarn or thinner yarn and a smaller hook, or just make the square smaller in the beginning for smaller hearts and add any border you like - in any color you want. It's a very fun and easy project for using up scrap yarn or as a take-along project for waiting at the doctor's office - makes the time go by really quickly. I think I'll make more today!

Thank you, Cathy, for suggesting me sharing this. I hope some of you will take advantage of Teresa's free patterns. She has lots of them on her You Tube channel that I subscribed to. She also has a blog here:

Art of Crochet by Teresa

were you will find more than enough free patterns to keep you busy all year. I also like Maggie Weldon's Best Free Crochet for free patterns and instructions. She's also on facebook: Maggie Weldon's Crochet and started to do tutorials as well, so between those two generous and talented ladies, we should have enough fun projects to keep us crocheting all year through.

Lastly, I'm having my January Giveaway on my blog. Everyone is welcomed! Last day to enter is Jan. 28, 2011!

Happy New Year everyone and have fun!

PHotO of ChriStmaS GiFts

I thought I would share a few photos, of Christmas gifts I made for the family this year. This little Annie went to my Bubba's Girlfriend ;)

Below you will find two of the three Quilts that I made for my family this year... the top one was for the Step Monster and the bottom one was for the Big Daddie O. No photo of Bubba's quilt yet.
I personally am still amazed that I got so much done... Several of you knew.. that I completed the hand stitched blocks just two weeks before Christmas.. then it was time to put the blocks together and construct the rest of the Quilts. I was able to get all of the quilts done except for the hand tying. The embellishments were on.... Then last weekend I finished them up and two of them are at their homes.. being enjoyed by the old people as they watch TV, resting in their reclining chairs ;)

I had a lot of fun making these quilts.. I just wish I didn't have to rush at the last min.. I spent over 6 months working on the blocks of these quilts... I know if I had sewn all weekend long every weekend.. it would not have taken 6 months.. but I did these blocks on my spare time. I figured out that each block took about 4-5 hours each for me... I was just very excited they liked them after all that work :)
If I was guessing these quilts are full size.. I think they ended up as 100X85 inches.
The main blocks were 18 inch blocks and there were 12 of those.

Crafting with Lillie Mae's, February Newsletter

Hi everyone,

Hope everyone is having a great New Year so far. The February newsletter is finished so please come join us and grab your free patterns. There are 2 new patterns in this issue and 2 that I wasn't able to finish in time but should be finished and up on my site in the next couple of days.

Just click on the newsletter.

Blessings everyone,
Brenda

A Special Request from APP

Hello Ladies .... :)

I have visited several blogs of our members... I have noticed there are very few of our Pins and Needles Badges/Buttons on your side bars... If you like our blog please post our link so others can find us and enjoy or site also..... We are always looking for new contributors .. for fun posts and projects.
Thank You!

An Afghan for my Daughter

I made this afghan for my oldest daughter and son-in-law. Their anniversary is 12/21. Jake's birthday is 12/22 and Lexie's birthday is 12/27, so I used this as a combo gift. Jake and Lexie's apartment is basically in black and white so I thought this afghan would be pretty.

I used a pattern from the book "200 Stitch Patterns for Baby Afghans" by Jan Eaton. I crocheted 3 rows of black and then 2 of varigated throughout and I ended up with an afghan the size of a double bed. I think it turned out so nice!

Here is my baby girl sleeping under the new afghan after a hard days work!

Sweet Dreams Lexie!

The pattern is really easy to make.

It is as follows:
Foundation chain: Using Color A, work a multiple of 10 chains + 3. I think I used about 363 chains??
Row 1: (RS) 1 dc into 4th ch from hook, 1 dc into each of the next 3 chs, *sk next 2 chs. 1 dc into each of the next 4 chs, ch 2, 1 dc into each of the next 4 chs; rep from * to last 6 chs, sk next 2 chs. 1 dc into each of next 3 chs, 2 dc into last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc) 1 dc into first dc, 1 dc into each of the next 3 dc, *sk next 2 dc, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc, [1 dc, ch 2, 1dc] into next ch-2sp, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc; rep from * to last 6 dc, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc tinto each of next 3 dc, 2 dc into 3rd of beg skipped ch-3, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3, 1 dc into first dc, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc. *sk next 2 dc, 1 dc into next 3 dc. [1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc] into next ch-2 space, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc; rep from * to last 6 dc, sk next 2 dc, 1 dc into each of next 3 dc, 2 dc into 3rd of ch-3, turn.
Rep Row 3, changing yarns on however many rows you want of each color.
Repeat for length desired. Fasten off yarn.

I went on and did 2 rows of single crochets around the afghan for a more finished look.

Sweet Annie

I'm starting this New Year out right by getting a little sewing into my daily plan.



And I just finished this little Annie for a dear lady who plays piano at my parents' church. Her skirt is covered in musical notes and praise ~ I sure hope she loves her as much as I enjoyed creating her!

Happy New Year!
Lea