ThE wAvE MoVeMeNt!

Well, I did it!  I joined the wAvE MoVeMeNt and completed my "Simplicity Wave Lapghan" and I just love how it turned out. It's so cheerful to gaze upon. At first, I was having some difficulty with knowing where to end my row. After I watched some fantastic Curtzy Crochet - Free Lesson videos starring the wonderfully talented Mikey on You Tube here,  

http://www.youtube.com/user/CurtzyCrochet?feature=BF

My understanding was clear.

 I really enjoy learning how to crochet from videos placed on You Tube. If I don't get how to the first time I just stop, reverse, & play it again as many times as it takes until I finally get it & if I don't feel I am learning well from a teacher there's plenty more who kindly uploaded videos to help us at all levels of our learning. I also learned that I had to trust in the pattern, even though at times it felt like the stitches I was making would no way continue to make the wavy pattern.
Happy New Year & 

~sMiLeS~

(¯`*•.¸•.:*¨¨*♥ღஐƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஐღ Tammy in Northern Michigan! ღஐƸ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒஐღ♥*¨¨*:.•¸.•*`¯)

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch!

Pattern from: The Christmas Thief based on a Grinchy character from Snappy Tots! 

As you can see I had a horrible time finding a model that could best represent the mood! :)  This was my Very first hat that I have ever crocheted, I had so much fun creating it! I made this in two sittings and found the pattern easy to follow. He just departed in a box heading out to my 4 year-old granddaughter in California. Her daddy is going to be overseas for Christmas so I hope this brightens her up a bit! Happy Holidays!

~sMiLeS~

 ¸¸.•´¨¯`)¸¸.•´¨¯`) ¸¸.•¨¯` Tammy

The Grinch Song

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
You're as charming as an eel.
Mr. Grinch.

You're a bad banana
With a greasy black peel.

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders,
You've got garlic in your soul.
Mr. Grinch.

I wouldn't touch you, with a
thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile.
Mr. Grinch.

Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the seasick crockodile.

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty, wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks
Your soul is full of gunk.
Mr. Grinch.

The three words that best describe you, are as follows, and I quote:


You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You're the king of sinful sots.
Your heart's a dead tomato splotched
With moldy purple spots,
Mr. Grinch.

Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing
with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch.
With a nauseaus super-naus.
You're a crooked jerky jockey
And you drive a crooked hoss.
Mr. Grinch.

You're a three decker saurkraut and toadstool sandwich
With arsenic sauce!

Scandinavia Owl Wool Applique

I find owls so irresistible! What more can I say, they are such cute little buggers! I started noticing them popping up more and more in different crafting blogs and websites.  Seeing them brought back memories of an owl pillow I made in Home Economics. This was back in the days when school budget cuts didn't deem classes in the Arts as low priority, Grrr! I have so many fond memories of our teacher showing us how to make things and among those memories is the owl I sewed together through a kit I had purchased. For some reason I am not the patient person when it comes to sewing. So, making that owl was rather the feat for me.

I am still playing around with different bobble ideas for the eyes and then I need to stitch and stuff them still. I still have half a dozen of them to still add fancy stitches too. They are turning out a little more time consuming to craft then I thought they would be. I imagine they will look nice on the Christmas tree or just hanging around the house as a decoration.  I'll post a another picture for you when I have completed them.

  I still have some work to do on them and hopefully when all is said and done mine will look as cute as these in the lower right side photo.



Simplicity Blanket / Lapghan

I finally made up my mind and decided to try my skills on a Lapghan. I am making this using the "Simplicity" wave pattern in the book, "154 Crochet Wave Patterns" by Darla Sims.

I'm really excited that it appears to be turning out pretty good for me. I am learning something new with each project.  With that mentioned, I noticed that even though all the yarns I used are of aran/worsted weight, they don't all behave the same. I had some yarn that stitched up tighter each time than the rest. So, I had to try to stitch looser than the rest for these rows, to keep the pattern even. 

~sMiLeS~

 ¸¸.•´¨¯`)¸¸.•´¨¯`) ¸¸.•¨¯` Tammy

Holiday Spirit

Some Awesome Blanket Square Ideas

As I have been bouncing around ideas of what project I would like to do next, I decided to try out a few new stitch techniques. There are so many different Stitches and ways one could  construct a blanket with. As I contemplated this, I was excited by the realization that the possibilities are truly endless!

Intermeshing Crochet

Take for example, these blocks created Using a stitch guide pattern from Margaret Hubert's fantastic book called, "The Complete Photo Guide To Crochet".

This pattern can be found on page 242. To quote from the book it states, "Double filet intermeshing consists of two layers of traditional filet mesh that are crocheted at the same time, one row of each alternately. The stitches are intermeshed so that the two grids become woven together into one fabric." It looked complicated to me but, after a few unravelings I was crocheting it like a pro! This stitch would make for a thicker, cozier blanket, just what I need for the colder Northern Michigan nights we get here.

How about  this beautiful" Clever Block" (This pattern can be found in, " The Complete Photo Guide To Crochet" also on page 119) stitch square? With different colors this could make an interesting blanket/afghan. Oh and I can't forget the Unholy Granny, which is already one of my favorites (lower center Picture)! I also tried the "Framed Church Window" by Elizabeth Ham (Lower right side). Click for the pattern, Framed Church Window . Who can blame me for having such a hard time deciding  with so many possibilities! Take care for now, my friends!

~sMiLeS~

 ¸¸.•´¨¯`)¸¸.•´¨¯`) ¸¸.•¨¯` Tammy

A Burst of Granny Bolster Pillow

Well, here it is! What do you think of my "Burst of Granny Bolster Pillow"? When I first began this project I was set on making a standard couch/chair pillow.

And then...

The what if happen and my pillow magically changed shape overnight. Before I assembled the end caps to the main body I lined everything with a lightweight wool fabric, something that would stretch a little while being stuffed. My teenage daughter has already requested that I make two for her bedroom using black, instead of the light color, for the background.

I can't wait to see all the other projects I make as my crocheting skills improve!

~sMiLeS~
¸¸.•´¨¯`)¸¸.•´¨¯`) ¸¸.•¨¯` Tammy

Sunburst Granny Square Bolster Pillow

This is what I have been working on lately. It is going to be a Sunburst Granny Square Bolster pillow, when I am done.  The Pattern for the Sunburst Square by Priscilla Hewitt can be found by clicking here at Raverly. I just finished whipping the blocks together last night and I still have hopes of starting on the side end-cap pieces this evening. I have envisioned the sides being the Sunburst design and keeping with crocheting in the round. I am really not sure if I am going to just keep alternating the bright colors or using white after the Sunburst. I'll probably have to make one of each to see what I like the best.