Lillie Mae's Crafts, June Newsletter

Hi everyone....

My does time seem to be passing faster and faster.
Well the June newsletter is finished and ready. When I think of June I always think of a June bride. Perhaps because I was a June bride...so I just had to include a bridal pattern. Included in the newsletter is also a wedding picture of mine as well as a little short story of an event that happened at my wedding. Curious?

I do want to thank everyone who took a minute or two to drop me a note and vote about the doll pattern. I heard you all...and when I took a moment to really look at the Annie Blue Eyes doll I realized that you were all right...none of the patterns I was trying to select one from just simply weren't right for this pattern. So....I created a new pattern which seems to compliment Annie Blue Eyes much better. I hope you all agree.

Click on the picture to download the newsletter.

Have a great day everyone,
Brenda

Need help choosing a free pattern

Happy Easter everyone. I hope you all had a fun day filled with lots of Easter egg hunts and parades.

I have a favor to ask all of you. The pictures above are of a new pattern for the next newsletter (Annie Blue Eyes). I have two patterns, one of which I would like to include with Annie Blue Eyes in the same pattern....however, I can't decide which one I like the most.

Would you all please take a moment to look at the pictures here and drop me an email at lilliemaescrafts@yahoo.com and let me know if you like the small pillowcase doll or the prim doll.

Thanks much everyone for the help. Check back around the first of May for the next newsletter and to find out which pattern was voted in by all of you.

Blessings
Brenda

Happy Easter .. Pins Readers!

Gina-DearGina: Drawing!::::::Thread Gift For you!::::::::Drawing!

Gina-DearGina: Drawing!::::::Thread Gift For you!::::::::Drawing!

May Newsletter

Hi Everyone,

Can you believe it's May already? Here in Indiana it's starting to warm up and I'm lovin it. Anyway the May newsletter is finally done. I had some family emergencies which is why this newsletter is so late, but all is fine now. Click on the picture to download the newsletter.



Blessings,
Brenda

I've Got Mad Crochet Skills ;-)

Repost from Nadine of Apron Valley Road :)
I'm "pretty darned good" at quite a few things, and "satisfactory" at lots of others. But apparently one thing I truly EXCEL at is...LAUGHING AT MYSELF...otherwise, I'd never be able to post (for the two or three people who actually read my blog)
THIS:

Go ahead. Laugh. I know you want to. I can see that quiver/smirk starting at the corner of your mouth. And that "WTF is THAT!?!" look on your face. It's all right...I give you permission...

See, it all started here...Val, my partner in Aunt Pitty Pat's Easter Mug Rug Swap, sent this tuck-in with her swap package to me.

Now, I've used knitted or crocheted cotton dishcloths before. I have always found them to be heavy, bulky, and "hard." But something about this one that Val sent seemed different. It was so soft and light! So I decided to give it a go! Well, I've been using it every day to wash dishes and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I finally emailed Val to ask why it was so special. She said she used a "special yarn." I emailed back asking if it was something other than Sugar & Cream, which was the only cotton yarn I was familiar with. She said it was Peaches & Creme, which I had never heard of. A Google of "What's the difference between Sugar & Cream and Peaches & Creme" produced a number of reviews that said Peaches & Creme was softer. I checked Wal-Mart and JoAnn's, but neither had it, so I ordered a few skeins from fabric.com. While I'm waiting for my order, I picked up one skein of Sugar & Cream at Wal-Mart and decided to "practice" for when I got the "good" stuff. Val had included in her email the instructions she used (which she said were on the back of the Peaches & Creme label). Uhhh...I have to admit it was a foreign language, since I really don't crochet...full of things like "ss," "sc," "hdc," and phrases like "3 hdc at corner, hdc across, ss in top of 1st hdc."




Well, never mind - I have never been one to let ignorance stand in the way of creativity. I grabbed a crochet hook - any one will do! - from the stash of crochet hooks I inherited from my mom. I like the blue one - I don't care what size it is - yes, let's use the blue one, because it's pretty, and it kinda sorta matches the yarn, and isn't that what's important???!!!

So let's begin: Knit one, purl two...no, I guess that's knitting. I'm almost as good at knitting as I am crocheting! Well, let's just start doing SOMEthing and see how it goes. I'm really good at making that first loop thing and then a bunch more after that. In fact, I could make those single loop things all day long. It's when I have to turn around and go back down that chain of single loop things that I run into problems. So I just "made it up" and started sticking the hook indiscrimately in whatever loop I could find...obviously, that's what I did...yes..

After awhile, I decided that it was kinda sorta square-ish, but needed to be bigger, so I just started going around the edges, adding an extra loop thing here and there for good measure. When I felt it was big enough to wash a dish, I stopped.

Ta da!

I'm sure you've noticed by now that there are holes big enough to drive a truck through, and that it's not exactly square. Pish-tosh, I say! I'm only going to use it to wash dishes, after all!

That was yesterday. This morning, I was looking around for the remains of the skein of yarn and couldn't find it. I looked in the living room and the dining room and on the sewing table. I looked in the kitchen. I asked my hubby, and he said it had "probably run away to prevent me from making anything else with it." Harrumph! Then I found it - in the kitchen, under the big pull-out cutting board, hiding in the electric roaster, next to a pan of extra kitchen utensils (we are remodeling and purging and these items hadn't found a new home yet). It was obviously hoping that the spatulas and wooden spoons would disguise it if I came close, but I found it and snatched it up before the pancake flipper could give me the "Aunt Jemima Treatment"! 

"Oh nooooo, she's coming! Hide me!!!!"

I'm quite sure those skeins of Peaches & Creme are shaking in their knitted booties in the UPS truck on the way to Apron Valley Road.... Now, what shall I make next?

Crocheting Swap

Clip art from All about Crochet.. Click photo for helpful tips and other patterns.

Sorry Ladies it has taken so long to get back to you regarding this swap. I have been sort of busy these last few weeks. In fact so busy I haven't even sat down at the sewing machine for 3 weeks. That is a first for me! I have re-opened my Etsy shops and they are taking a lot of my time right now. Once I get them up and running again that will slow down some. I did take the time out to make the patterns for this swap though :) Yeah for you!!!

I have rewritten the 1958 Workbasket pattern into a PDF and it should be very easy for you to read and follow. Once again the pattern for this swap is a surprise ;) Those that crochet might be able to figure out the items fast... If you figure it out right away.. Please don't disclose it to the others. I am hoping by having the pattern as a surprise, it will make this swap fun to join.

To join in this swap send the following info to:
auntpittypatsfun@yahoo.com
I need the following:
Name
Address
Phone number (a must to play .. for my eyes only!)
Blog
Will you ship international?
Have you been in my swaps?

You will be making one of each patten that is in the PDF. That means two different items. They are small so hopefully everyone will be able to complete your items eaisly :) I don't know anything about crochet..but the skill level looks beginner to me! You can use scrap yarns, new yarns or what ever embellishments you want to finish off this project. Make it your own and have fun with it.
I will send you the PDF when I assign partners.
If you have questions about the pattern please send me an email. I copied the pattern by each symbol from the resource page. If the pattern doesn't make sense I will try to find the needed corrections from a more experienced needle artisan :)

Ok back to requirements of swap
One of each item in pattern (total two items)
One plastic item to fit inside one of the projects
One summer drink item
One of your favorite summer food recipes

Disclaimers:
I APP don't know slip stitch about crocheting....
APP will not be playing in this swap, but would love a gift set of the crocheted items..
For her personal use :)
If your interested in being my Angel I will send you my address ;)
If I have more than one taker on this request I will put your name in the hat ;)
Ladies thank you in advance for your generosity and kindness!!

Pins and Needles will not Angel any swaps listed on this blog. Enter at your own risk! I will make every effort to check blogs.
You must be a member or a follower of Pins to play!!

Swap will be limited to the first 50 players.

Sign ups start Today and End April 22nd. I will assign partners within a couple of days. Projects have to be at your partners house no later than May 28th.

Sew Fabulous Quilt Shop Blog: April 2011 Giveaway - Montego Batiks

Sew Fabulous Quilt Shop Blog: April 2011 Giveaway - Montego Batiks: "Happy April! Yet again, I apologize for the delay in posting April's Giveaway. If you read my last Blog Post, 'Bella The Bunny' you'll und..."

Mother's Day Apron Swap

I hope you're all not swapped out yet, because I thought a Mother's Day apron swap would be a nice way to celebrate motherhood. Has everyone completed the spring apron swap and are enjoying your new aprons for the new season? We'd love to see them on our Flickr group, just head over to Flickr and search for CP Apron Swaps, ask to be invited and once accepted, you can post your photos for all of us to see and aww over!

Ok, same rules apply to this swap as with the others, so if you've swapped before, you know how this works. If your new and would like to make and and swap aprons with us, just sign up on this post only over at Country Pleasures. Everyone one who wants to join in on this swap must sign up on this post, just make sure you leave me your email address, to keep it easy for me! You have till April 15th to do so, then you will be assigned a partner, then it's up to you to get the mailing info., likes and such. Mailing date is April 25th since Mother's day is May 8th. Tuckin's are required but please don't stress over them, just add a couple of goodies for Mom to go along with her new apron. Tea towels, stationary, candy, etc. are just a few examples. The style of apron depends on you and your partner and can be decided once you exchange emails.

So, there you have it, the next apron swap, and I for one, am anxious to get creative again and come up with a classy/sassy apron to celebrate the best job in the world, motherhood! Who's joining me?

Sorry I jumped the gun

Thank you everyone for your kind words of welcome. I must apologise for jumping the gun in regards to our project. I wrongly assumed that if i had my copy it would be on the web. So I am very sorry about that. Enthusiasm and excitement are my only excuse. Not a good start for my 1st post. Oh dear!!
Michelle

Hi From Rag-tag Stitchin'

Hi My name is Michelle and this is my 1st post for Pins and Needles. I thought I would share with you that This Months Bonus web project in Homespun magazine was designed by myself and my friend Tracey Bormann of Rose Petals Past and stitched by me. You can download the instructions and pattern from Homespun's web site http://www.completecraft.com.au/
I am very excited to be part of this lovely group. I am very new to blogging so you may have to bare with me for a while. Anyway If you chose to stitch our project I hope you enjoy it.

Blessings Michelle


Note from CJ ~
Michelle's project will be uploaded to Homespun's webpage on
April 6th. The link is above.