I think this one is my favorite! Hobby horses were very popular when I was a little girl. I remember playing cowboys with the neighborhood kids. Sky King, The Lone Ranger, Gene Autry, Rin Tin Tin, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans all helped fuel our imaginations. This little boy will be snuggled in love!
I really didn't think I'd finish another blanket yesterday, but I did manage to finish this one before heading off to bed. What little boy doesn't like tractors?
It's sad, but another tree had to come down. Our blue spruce was badly damaged when a storm took down the first maple tree we planted. The white pine behind it also looks like it needs to come down. Our front yard is looking really bad!
I have a baby shower to attend the end of May. I decided that I wasn't going to wait until the last minute this time! One of my favorite gifts is flannel baby blankets. I use one yard of fabric, trim off the selvages, round the corners, and use a wing needle in my sewing machine to make evenly spaced holes. Then, I roll the hem and do a single crochet, chain 1 edging. I love making them, and they're always well received.
Celine from Bonded with tatting - doilies by Laura Bziukiewicz is coming along nicely. Luckily, I thought to read the pattern carefully, because the rings in round 5 are NOT all the same size!
I enjoyed tatting Anastasia so much that I decided just to move on to the next pattern in Bonded with tatting - doilies by Laura Bziukiewicz. Here's my start of Celine, using size 40 Lizbeth thread pack Garden Mix. The thread numbers are 138, 624, 124, 154, and 642. I think this will be another beauty!
There's not a huge difference between the pattern as written and my adaptation, but I think Laura's pattern adds that little extra pizzaz that makes this doily special. The two different color combinations make the doilies look so much different. I think I prefer it in two colors, but I love the feel of the doily done in size 40.
It's time to choose my next doily from Bonded with tatting - doilies by Laura Bziukiewicz. Choosing which threads I want to work with could be a challenge!
I'm using a size 40 Lizbeth thread pack called Cozy Cabin. The colors used so far are #654, #694, #121, and #168. The next color will be #684.
I really hadn't intended to get this much done, but I loved the way the colors worked together. I found that I was eager to see how the next one would look.
Mom is ready to work on the arms and legs for Kara's doll. So, I'm going to pick up my knitting needles and work on the bonnet. We're making slow progress, but we're both having fun!
Mom has been working on the doll body. I'll start working on the hat tomorrow. I'm done for today!
I'm pleased with the way my modified version of Anastasia from Bonded with tatting - doilies by Laura Bziukiewicz turned out.
What was my mistake? On the fourth round, every other center ring was supposed to have four picots. All of my center rings have three picots. That meant I had to adapt the fifth round or cut off the fourth.
Normally, I would have cut off the fourth round and re-tatted it. This time, I felt challenged to see if I could make the pattern work. It took a bit of aggressive steaming to make the doily lie flat. I think this one may benefit from traditional blocking.
I love the pattern, and I love the colors I used. My shuttles are wound for another one. I want to get this one right before moving on to another!
My adaptation for Laura Bziukiewicz's Anastasia from Bonded with tatting - doilies is working out. I feel better knowing that I could make the design work without snipping off round 4. However, I'm really eager to tat this one correctly. I already have my shuttles wound!
I started round 5 of Anastasia yesterday morning, and it didn't take long to realize I had made a mistake in round 4. It looks like my adjustment might work, but I'll have to tat this little beauty again... correctly!
I finally finished round 4 of Anastasia from Bonded with tatting - doilies by Laura Bziukiewicz. I love the simple elegance of this pattern, and I think the blue and green thread combo works great!
Three performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat were the focus of our weekend. The kids were fantastic!
Daughter Joanne and her three children attended Friday's performance with us. They loved it!
Saturday was filled with preparing for the dinner theater, the performance, and setting the gym up for Sunday.
Sunday morning, Joanne and family headed back home to Minnesota. Dave, Mom, and I worked on cleanup from the dinner in the morning. Then, my sister Janet joined us for the Sunday matinee performance.
Mom and I worked on more cleanup yesterday. We still have a little left to do, but we should be able to finish up today. Then I'll be able to get back to some serious tatting, knitting, and crocheting. I may even try my hand at Hardanger embroidery!
...about blogging! I've been busy working on things. I just haven't taken the time to blog.
I've added some new books to my library. I love books about lace, no matter what kind. I'll probably never make needle lace, but this is a beautiful book loaded with information.
If I ever do decide to tray needle lace, I think it would be wise to start with small projects, and there are some beauties in this book!
Granddaughter Kara has asked for a knit doll. Mom is working on the body. I started with the apron. We had hoped to finish it while the kids were visiting, but the yarn didn't arrive until late Monday. I guess we'll have to mail it to her when it's done!
My Equinox shawl by Lisa Overby is growing... slowly! I do like this pattern. I just haven't spent much time with it.
I ordered some of Marilee Rockley's hand-dyed thread. Her colors are always so gorgeous and hard to resist!
Daughter Joanne and her three arrived last Friday. We've really been enjoying each other's company. They'll be headed home this weekend, and the house will feel empty once again.
This weekend will be the high school performances of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, my favorite musical! Daughter Carol is exhausted, as she always is the week of the performances. Friday is opening night. Saturday will be dinner theater, and Sunday there will be a matinee.
That's what's happening in my world! What's happening in yours?
Despite being at school for most of the day, I did manage to complete round 3 of Anastasia. I will be alternating rounds of blue and green for this doily, but I'm already imagining color combinations for the next one.
Crocheting went well yesterday. I finished a ten row pattern repeat on the baby blanket, and I now know that it takes me about four hours to crochet ten rows of the waffle stitch baby blanket. I guess I'm not as fast as I thought!
That's about all I accomplished yesterday. I was feeling kind of lazy. Today I'm proctoring standardized tests. Crocheting makes the least noise, so I think I'll take the baby blanket with me so that I have something to keep me awake.
The kids are always amazed that I can tat, knit, or crochet while supervising them. As long as I'm working a simple pattern, I have no problem crafting and watching at the same time. It must be a skill I've acquired through crafting while watching tv!
