Delightful gift.... crafted tote bag

Click on the photos to enlarge - then you can see the stitching

Just have to share photos of the delightful gift I received today.

This charming tote bag is made from old magazine pages sewn into the tote you see.

Lisa, my niece, made this one for me --- and see how personal she made it.

This side shows a sweater -- with felted pins on it. (I presume this was from an article on 

how to make felted pins from old sweaters).  The lovely matching pin attached to the handle was made by another talented niece, Lisa's sister Cindy.

The reverse of the bag is so appropriate -- socks in progress and part of an article written by Rachael Herron, a knitter and 911 dispatcher entitled:  Life's A Stitch -- it begins like this:

"When you deal with life-or-death situations every day, two needles and a ball of yarn have a way of providing the comfort you you crave".  I would like to read the whole article -- the part I can read is very touching.  Will check it out online or at the library -- Ladie's Home Journal, 

September 2011. The two ends are also "Aunt Jackie" directed. 

Lisa and Cindy -- you made my day. Thank you both so very much. I love it.

Just went on a search for the article and found a wonderful audio of it.

Click this link to hear the article.

Love these

It has been several months since I have regularly posted to this blog.  I just had to share these delightful yarn bowls with you.  They really work very well. Enjoy.


A few weeks ago I purchased a lovely yarn bowl at Sister Arts Studio in Chicago the bowls were potted by  Todd Pletcher Pottery. Love the piece and also how wonderfully it works in gently allowing the yarn to flow from the ball in the bowl to the clicking needles.

My next trip to Chicago I picked one up for a friend as she wants it as a gift for her daughter in law. I think I will keep the bluer one for myself.

Then I came across this beautiful one made by KIM BERGER for sale on Etsy. "Had" to have it. Oh, oh, I feel a new collection starting.

I really am still around............

Long time no post.

It has just been a crazy couple months.

Among other things, I have been busy with two groups creating prayer/comfort shawls.  

If you want to see a few of the shawls I have made, click  here:    SHAWLS I HAVE MADE

Also been having fun playing with the photographic apps -- kinda like the one of Polly (and me) -- the way Polly stands out in the picture is so neat.

Hat Stand arrived

August 16, 2011

My very fun ceramic hat stand arrived today.

Will try for a better photo tomorrow when I have more time, but 

had to share the fun with you:

I picked up Meg's and my hats today...

August 11, 2011

Well, here they are --- and I love them --- Meg's is such a beautiful rich brown and mine a lovely black. What great hats these are --- I must admit my Black Dog tee shirt doesn't exactly match the elegance of the hat, but it was hot today --- and I am anxious to show you how lovely they turned out. Anyone in the Elgin area wanting to take a class with Jill send me an email  

(or email Jill).  I want to do another one it was so much fun.

(Click photos to enlarge)

Rivendell Alpaca farm -- Wet felting hats class

What a wonderful day.

A visit with the alpacas, a delightful gourmet lunch prepared by Gordon, and then down to the business of making our felt hats from the wool of the alpaca.  Anyone wanting to spend a very special day learning to wet felt a hat  contact Jill at Rivendell Alpaca Farm.  Jill is delightful, knowledgeable and an excellent teacher.  One of the best classes I have taken. My niece, Meg, was able to take the class with me and it was wonderful spending the day with her.  Jan was the third student and what a delightful lady.  I will post a few photos -- for the most part, I was having far too good a time "visiting" the Alpaca (and one guardian Llama), eating a wonderful lunch, and up to my elbows in soap suds to do much picture taking -- the hats are drying and as soon as possible, I will post photos of the finished pieces.

I must say, not every one has a hat made with fur of an animal they have "met".  Meg's hat is from Cecile (she is the close up photo of the brown alpaca) and mine from Boris (close up photo of the black alpaca).  What fun.

Thanks to Jill and Gordon, Meg, Jan and Mother Nature for a perfect day.

On the way to comfort someone...

Tomorrow these shawls will begin their journey to hopefully wrap someone in love and prayers.  

I hope whoever receives them will feel the 

love put into each stitch.

The red one is different than the earlier pictured similar one.  This is a cherry red while the other one is a red brick color.

Finished Lattice Work Shawl + two More

This shawl is made with regular worsted weight (4 ply) yarn.  Only about 1/2 the cost of making one with the lovely Lion Brand Homespun yarn --- this was made with Caron "by the pound"  yarn (see photo below) and used up the whole one pound of yarn for a cost of about $7.00 total.  I will try a few other yarns and patterns to try to keep the cost down.

Click on photos to enlarge

_______________________________________________________

 I was able to put the finishing touches on two more shawls -- hard to photograph the true colors, but there are both very pretty colors. The one without fringe would be most appropriate for a man -- in lovely desert colors and no fringe.  The cotton candy parfait color is 

really much prettier than the photo shows. 

June already ---

Boy, the time flies by.

I do stay busy -- with lots of things -- lately, crocheting has been my main "crafty" thing to do. Lots of prayer shawls finished --- photos of a couple more I have finished -- and a pic of the pink one I am working on right now.  It is a different pattern and fun to do.  I have it about half way finished.

Also I worked on "pocket prayer" shawls.  These are mini-shawls.

  Email me if you would like more information on the pocket prayer shawls
I think by the time I quit for a bit, there were 75 of them in all.
Most have been gifted already.

Three more finished shawls -- love the pink parfait yarn that Lynn S. sent to me.  It made up a gorgeous shawl and was sent to a lovely lady who is undergoing chemo .

Cool blues, lavendar, touch of pink -- very soothing colors.

The red is a bit unusual, but everyone needs a splash of color.

Still around.........

Yes, I am still around --- just been super busy these last months --- to see some of the things I have been doing you can CLICK HERE.

We also went on a long weekend trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to meet with a group that we have met with almost every April since 1982.  These are wonderful friends, and the group meets in different places every year.

In the past we have met in Connecticut, Missouri, Indiana, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New York, California, Virginia, Nebraska, Tennessee. Texas, Iowa and repeated states but different cities.  In 2012 it is to be in Nevada.

What a treasure these friends are :-)

Prayer Shawl Crochet Class

Yesterday I finished giving  the second crochet class at one of our local hospitals.  What a great way to spend an afternoon -- we had 10 at the first class and 12 at the second.  I am so looking forward to seeing the completed prayer shawls these wonderful woman are creating.  These all will be for distribution to patients and family of patients -- this particular class was made up of women donating their time for the comfort and pleasure of others -- what a wonderful group of people.  My friend since kindergarten ( for those of you counting, LOL, that is 70 years since kindergarten) Barb and I work well together and the classes really went quite well.  Hope to post photos of the ladies completed shawls in the coming month. We have received donations of yarn -- we use the Lion Brand Homespun yarn -- and each shawl takes 3 skeins so yarn donations are appreciated -- another woman who had received a shawl for comfort when her husband passed away -- gave a large cash donation to purchase yarn so others could share the wonderful experience of feeling a warm, soft, comforting -- shawl -- each shawl is made with so much love and a prayer that who ever receives it will be comforted just feeling the shawl wrapped around their shoulders. 

Jackie and Barb

Second Block of Birdie Quilt #2 Finished

Second Block of Birdie Quilt #2 Finished - One More February Block To Do --

Then, bring on March

Birdie BOM Progress

A bit more done on the three Birdie BOM pieces.

Finished the February Black & White block now to embroider the next two.

Third Birdie Quilt Begun

This is a fun little quilt --- so, decided to work on a third one -- this in black and white --
It will have plain black sashing

Birdie Stitches BOM - #1 Finished

First block for the Little Birdie BOM is finished.

Finished second block with same pattern -- 

Border on this one is made from Moda Jelly Roll - Birdie

Birdie Stitches Block of the Month / January 2011

Here's how my blocks will look -- or part of them anyway.

I have transferred Birdie and the Snowman to block #1 -- now to start embroidering.

It has been a long time, and even though the stitches for these blocks are simple stitches, I am crossing my fingers I can make them look OK.

Happy New Year

Well, another year is here. Happy New Year to each and everyone of you.  

A friend sent me to an embroidery/quilting site that if I can possible squeeze in, I would like to join in the darling Block of the Month (BOM) group.  Don't know who I would be making it for -- somehow the 7 grandsons don't seem likely recipients of this quilt -- what do you think? Check the link below for photos of some of the blocks made up by group members.

Birdie Stitches

Blog Book

Received the book I had made from my blog -- from the blogs beginning in 2006 thru 12-31-2008.  At the end of this year (the end of the week, LOL) I will have another book made containing most of my blog entries of 2009 and 2010.  I am pleased with the way the book turned out.  Thanks for the link, Robin.  This is great.

New Favorite.........

Here are 5 more finished scarves -- the super soft yarn is a delight to work with.

I started making these cute designer scarves. Very soft and warm and colorful

Have 5 different colors to work with.

Here's a pic of how I wind it onto my yarn winder and then use it FROM THE WINDER -- since this is a really quick project there is no problem in using the winder in this manner.  The yarn pulls off easily and in lengths you want to use.  And this sure saves the frustration of having it tangle all the time.
 Hope this will help a bit.