Crafts after BC is good for the soul

spar2

sueUK, you are so very welcome.  We would love to have your blog addy here and check it out.  Hopefully you will learn to post pictures and we can see some of the things that you do and make.  Come post whenever you are feeling strong enough to.  I too believe crafts are good for the soul, busy hand, calm a weary mind.

spar2

Arnie, so good to see you checking in.  I have been praying for your DH, hope he is doing better.  Hope you are feeling ok after chemo.  How much more do you have to go?  hugs.

hollyann

Well it's been awahile since I was last here...I am currently working on a crochet prayer shawl......It has been so long since I made anything bigger than a baby bootie I am having trouble using this big honkin size N needle....I am a little over a thrid done though .......As soon as I figure out how to post pictures I will post some of my stuff.......Hope all of you are happily crafting away!.....

Arnie hope you and hubby are doing well......

GramE

I got myself one of the "Knifty Knitters" which looks like a long stick with 2 rows of pegs on it.  It says you can make scarves and ponchos, so we will see.   Since I do not have the flexibility in my wrist to crochet or knit, I figured this would be easier and says " ideal for bulky yarn".   And there is a web site for help. 

 I love seeing your pictures and will eventually figure out how to post.    

spar2

Lefty, I have seen those in hobby lobby and would love to know how it works and if you like it and how hard it is.

Hi, hollyann, you just have to learn to post pics so we can see some of your work.  Once you learn now you will be addicted.

GramE

spar, I got the small one, rectangular and with neuropathy, figured I cannot make too many mistakes with the pegs.  Will let you know when I get myself sat down and going on it.  Got a phone call from bro to send neck coolers, so got them cut out with the rotary cutter and have to sew up.  He has several friends who are Vietnam vets and knows I support the veterans strongly.  Last year I made over 200 for the Purple Heart group here to send overseas.   IF you decide to do this, get beige or light green fabric - camoflauge colors.   Camo fabic was very expensive, so I opted to go cheaper and make lots of them.    

spar2

exactly how do you make them and where do you mail them to?  My son was in the service for 9 years so I feel strongly about helping out when I can. What do you put inside the neck coolers?

GramE

You can google neck coolers.  I make them out of heavier cotton fabric, mainly solid colors.  2 strips, 3 inches wide and 60" fabric.  Stitch on machine with good side inside.   Turn right side out and tie one end about 12-14 inches from the end, use one scant scoop of crystals,  shake down, tie other end 12-12 inches from end.  You can stitch the "knots".   Use Schultz Moisture Plus - Watering Crystals - available at garden centers, but never saw at Walmart center.  Put in zip baggie with following note:

Soak in cool water for 20 minutes.  Mush crystals along the tube when they start to plump up.  Put in plastic baggie and in fridge if you have fridge.   DO NOT FREEZE.   Can be refreshed by soaking in water for 15 minutes.  

I know the husb and wife in charge of the Purple Heart group here (he is recipient) and I give to them.  They have also passed them out at Walter Reed Hospital.   They are among those who meet wounded when they come back from overseas and being sent to Walter Reed.   I tried visiting at Walter Reed as a volunteer, but it is too heart wrenching -- such young men...    This area has LOTS of military and when I ride the Metro and see them, I offer when it is hot.  Sometimes I have them already "plumped up" if I am feeling energetic.   And a bunch went to a Rolling Thunder "rider"  for his group.   

You may want to test one - measure exact amount of crystals, soak and see if it fills the tube or pops it too much.   Amazing that they plump up a LOT... and I mean a LOT ...

spar2

Very interesting.  Will try it and try to find where to send them here is oklahoma.  My son may have some suggestion.  I know when he was in saudi they would have been appreciated.

candie1971

Hi...Lefty, I know whtat those things are. I was at a flea market on a very hot,humid day a few years back and someone was ellign them. I bought one..wow did it keep me cool. They had big coolers of ice water that you could freshen them up whenever u wanted to. They work good.

Spar, love the quilting u are doing. I like the rice thingys. Think I am gonna do some of those for the craft fair. You all have such wonderful ideas!!

hugs and prayers

spar2

Candie, hope you do really well at the craft fair.  Oh boy do I want to see some of your crafts.  I bet you have some good ones.  Thank you, I am just learning to quilt and having a lot of fun with it.

arnie

Hi everyone!  Love reading through these posts and seeing how creative you all are...  We've had doctor's appointments all day sooo not gonna post much..but want you to know that I can't help myself and always check in to see what's new...  When things settle down here a bit I'll start crafting again and sharing ideas  

Thank you to all of you that have sent good wishes and prayers to my dh and I... here's a quick update...

Ok.... they did the TEE on Mr. Arnie today and there is no hole in the heart... (Coonie... I did have a hole in my heart that they found after I experienced 3 TIA's 2 years ago.  They go in with a device that springs open and creates a new wall... haven't had a TIA since)  Anyway, sooooo we go to the neurologist Thursday, tomorrow and see if he can find the source.   I had my onocology visit today and they don't like how swollen my right leg is above the knee....so I have to go have a venus doppler on that leg either Friday or Monday... I swear I'm soooooooo sick of doctor's offices and hospitals!!! lol   It was kinda funny today though cause while we were waiting for the doc I pulled out my cellphone.  My dd had tried to teach me how to text last week... So I tried to text her and all I could get was "Hi there, it's m"  dh said give me that and he couldn't get it either...lol The message went out ... "Hi there, it's moo"... lol   Before the doc came in she texted me back and said, "I love you mom...but you're such a dork"...lol  dh and I had a good laugh over it.

neesie

Just wanting to let you know that the Knifty Knitter and I are best friends!  I've got all the circular and oblong ones.  That's what I use to contribute squares to the Afaghan project here!  I have trouble with weight when it comes to afaghans......but 'hell' I've had trouble with weight all my life!!  (sorry)

Just remember.......when using regular yarn (which I do most of the time) use 2 strands as one or it will be very flimsy.

At Christmas last year I used a bulky soft yarn and made a few dozen scarfs and took them to our Cancer Center..............Hats are super simple too!

Enjoy!!!!

Denise

spar2

Neesie, did you teach yourself to use it?  Does it come with directions on how to make stuff?

Arnie, hopefully all these dr. appts will pass soon and you and Mr. Arnie will be all better. Texting is hard for me because the letters are too small and my fingers are too big.  I need a whole key board.

Goodnight all.  hugs.  Missing you Jazzy girl.

gibby

Hi everyone!

I'm looking for a quilt pattern that I saw while I was in Australia. I should have bought it there but I figured I could find it at home. Maybe one of you talented ladies have it or have seen it. It is called a Twisted Bargello. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

M.J.

lvtwoqlt

 MJ, I 'googled' twisted bargello quilt pattern and found this site. http://quilt-kits-quilting-patterns.com/quilt-books-patterns-prices.htm Is it the quilt pattern you were looking for?

Sheila

candie1971

Spar, yes I will post some pics one day...yesterday my DD was showing me how to get pics off of my camera. so one step at a time.

Hi Neesie, long time no talk to...I should get myself one of those Nift Nitters.

have a good day everyone!!

lvtwoqlt

I have looked at the nifty knitters but not gotten them yet. I do crochet but my wrists just don't hold up like they used to. I like to crochet cloche hats for the local wig bank but like I said my wrists seem to hurt when I crochet too much and if I lay them down in the middle of crocheting them, I lose track of where I am at on the pattern.

Sheila

gibby

Ivtwoqlt!

Thanks so much for your help. I can't tell you how beautiful that quilt was and I've been thinking about it ever since. Looks like alot of work but I think I can tackle it.

Thanks again;

M.J.

lvtwoqlt

M J, I am always looking for interesting quilt patterns and I haven't seen that one yet. Although I mostly work in wall hanging sizes or baby quilts. I hand quilt the wall hangings and machine quilt the baby quilts. The guild I am a member of make baby quilts and crib sheets for the local crisis pregnancy center and the hand detail on the baby quilts isn't important. the important thing is to give comfort quilts for the babies. Although we did do a challenge 'mystery' quilt last year and I put enough borders on it to make it queen size, I am getting a member with a long arm machine to do that quilting. I have seen that fabric long enough, I don't want to try and hand quilt it.

Sheila

gibby

Ivtwoqlt, I hear you. I have a few beautiful full size quilt tops that need to be quilted but I just can't look at them for a while. I love to hand quilt but they are just to big and I don't feel like getting into that right now. The bargello wall hanging quilts are really beautiful. They are completely different than any others I have done. You should try making one and don't get intimidated with the pattern at first as I did. It is a new technique but once you figure it out it is really neat. Now I want to try a twisted one.

M.J.

GramE

How I envy you being able to hand quilt.   There is a quilt here that my mother started LONG ago when she had appendicitis just before her high school graduation.   octagon shapes in the form of flowers with an off white center for each flower.   She is now 96 years old and it is yet to be finished.  I was thinking I could work on it bit by bit, but my fingers will not cooperate.   And I have all the original fabric to be able to finish it.... maybe one day for MY grand kid - when that happens.   

She kept it in her cedar chest that her father made for her and I keep it in MY teak wood chest that my Dad sent to his Mother before WWII, when he was in the Navy.    

gibby

Wow! What a treasure to have. You should get someone to finish it for you. That will be a true family heirloom.

lvtwoqlt

Nancy, that sounds like the pattern 'grandmother's flower garden'. that is a treasure especally with original fabric to finish it.

We have pieces of a quilt top made out of octagons that was created around the 1900's by a great-great-(forget how many greats)-grandmother made out of silks while she was coming to America from England as a bond servant seamstress. My grandmother (father's mother) had it in her cedar chest and after her death in 1988 all (7) of the children wanted a piece of that top and my mother (being a quilter) had the challenge to cut it apart equally for all the children. Her piece is framed in a 10x12 frame with mats and glass on both sides so you can see her handwork. She has some smaller pieces (about 6x6) that she stashed for myself, my sister, and sister-in-law (all quilt or sew). We haven't gotten them framed yet.

GramE

Hi everyone.   I got out the knifty knitter and I LOVE it.  First time in my 63 years I can "knit" and it is sooooooo easy.   I used double strands of regular pastel pale muted yarn and it is gorgeous.  (already has the yarn for who knows what reason)...    Guess what every one will get for Christmas???    Sport team colors, maybe one or two in chenile?   Oh, the possibilities...

lvtwoquit, my mom is 96 years old, so this was begun back around 1930...  Yours sounds beautiful.

lvtwoqlt

Nancy, If you read my log in name it is love to quilt and quilting is a passion for me. I love to learn stories behind old quilts and new techinques for piecing quilts. Another interesting story about my antique quilt, Fanny was brought over to the US with a 1st class ticket on the ship. She ran out of silk scraps while at sea and several men on the ship gave her their silk neckties to use in the quilt top. The whole top you could tell when she was using the donated neck ties with the colors. She used the 'English paper piecing' technique (aka wasted paper) and there are still pieces of paper  tacked on the back of many of the quilt pieces. And my mom corrected me, the quilt top was made in the late 1800's. Here is a link describing the English paper Piecing techinque.  http://www.museum.state.il.us/muslink/art/htmls/ks_tech_epp.html 

Sheila

GramE

Thank you Sheila for the link.   Very interesting.  I will have to have my brother ask Mom how she pieced them together, if  she remembers -- she is 96 and in a nursing home.  I live almost 300 miles away.   

lvtwoqlt

Nancy, About your knifty knitter and christmas gifts, I don't knit (I also crochet) but I do have a fun slipper that is easy to make and I think the knifty knitter would be perfect for this project.

 Make a rectangle about 9.5x8 inches. fold long sides together (piece is doubled 4.5x8) and sew up one of the 4.5 ends to make the heel. To make the toe, from the other end sew across the 8 in side about 3 inches and with a running stitch sew around the open end (4.5 inch side) and pull to gather up. Tie off end. Make another one with the same dimentions. You can finish off the top edge with crocheting or leave it plain. Also you can make pompoms and sew on the toe to decorate.

This is the basic instructions I have used for crocheted slippers that my mother taught me. When I was little she made (knitted) slippers for all the nieces and nephews in her family. this pattern can easily be modified for various size feet by increasing or decreasing the size of the beginning rectangle. Let me know how this works.

Sheila

GramE

Thanks Sheila.   I have no idea how to crochet, but I understand the idea of the slippers.   One lady friend I showed the knitter to, has arthritis and said she HAS to get one.  She made me some of the crocheted pot holders because you cannot find any cloth ones anymore - they are all that silicone plastic.   

Anonymous

Hi fellow crafty ladies! I really want to look back and read through your posts. I am all about crafting! I love it! But the problem is that I have so many threads that I am a regular at and SO LITTLE time. But this thread is right up my alley. I make lots of fun "things" and from what I've read so far... you girls are VERY TALENTED. I would love to share my ideas and suggestions... Hope it's okay to barge in.... I did post a few months ago... and really want to make an effort to keep up to date with you girls.