From a hat to a scarf....

Judy B was back to taking Chemo.....again. I met her at my Sister-In-Laws house with the other 3 wood carvers and learned that she would be going through the treatment for a second time.
I felt impelled to knit her some hats and asked if I could. She was elated!
At home, I got out my yarn catalogs and decided on the yarn called "Great Adirondack". [pictured is 1 of 3 hats]
I purchased 3 different colors and just loved the way the yarn felt as I knit love in each stitch.
I presented her the hats and her eyes just lit up! She was so happy someone made her some "new" hair.
Just before the last of her treatments, I got the brainstorm to "repurpose" the hats into a scarf. Judy B was good with that and gave me back the hat she wanted a scarf made from.
Here is the reincarnated hat....which is now a scarf.


Judy B has been "free" for 5 years now.

James Wilson Hathaway [1892-1954]

I've been busy with Ancestry.com so I haven't been blogging.........Here's a little TRUE story to keep you with me. :)

There once was this gal named Nancy [me] who grew up to believe she was a granddaughter of Ramon and Maria Bejarano Vega......until she got in her mid 30's.
I will now tell the story:
I was surprised by my Auntie Francis Vega Olmos with the story of who her father was....James Wilson Hathaway. Auntie told me James used to "visit" Maria quite a bit and that is how she and my father, Ramon, came to be in 1938......twins....
That meant he was my grandfather!
Needless to say, I was in shock for quite a few years and then decided to meet some of my family. Sometime in the 1990's, I made an appointment with James David Hathaway [one of James Hathaway's nephews] who was the Appellate Court Judge in Tucson, AZ. I was sitting, in the office, when this man walked up to me with the nicest smile..............I thought it was my father! Judge Hathaway and I had a pleasant meeting. We talked about our children, etc. Then I asked him if he knew about my father and auntie. He said he did but they didn't speak of those things in those days.
We couldn't visit too long as he had a very busy day ahead......but oh, was it nice.
I have since found out that my grandmother, Maria, wore a gold band given to her by James with this simple inscription on the inside - Jim -
So, there it is in a nutshell....the "Other" Hidden Treasures of Santa Cruz County......
NOTE: I have another aunt and her name is Margaret. She IS the daughter of Ramon and Maria.

Tatting and Martha Washington

I finally got gauge with my Martha Washington Motif! It only took two tries!
This motif was introduced to me by a dear, departed friend named Donneen Wavra years ago. She had crocheted many table clothes for her family, as well as, doilies. Her work was exquisite and I, too, was one of the lucky recipients of her doilies.
My tatting wanted to be in the picture, too.....:)

OT: Can you believe it's already March?! It seems the older I get, the faster the arms of the clock go

Antique Baby Shoe

I need YOUR help. Someone, somewhere, somehow, has got to have seen this pattern.......I feel it in me bones!

I crocheted a pair of these little shoes more than 10 years ago from an antique pattern.

Do you recognize it?

Question.....

.....Reba wants to know:

"Does this picture make my butt look big?"

Starting over.....

....for the 3rd time!

Oh, well, I'd rather get it right anyway. Besides, I'll know the ins and outs of THIS pattern! You can find it [FREE] here: Doily-of-the-Month. This one was the Member's Choice and I've learned...when in doubt....ask on the group because they will help you so you'll only have to attempt to make it Once.

I'm using the color, Pumpkin, and US sz 8 steel hook.

Lost City Denise....

...how did she DO that?! I ordered some of her precious silk in the Wild Violet colorway, got it today, opened up the package and the fragrance of a field of lavender came out! OMG!

Check out Denise for her scrumptious variety of hand-dyed yarns. I just HAVE to go here and order some of that Lavender!

Stay tuned to see what I will knit from this luscious silk!

Top it off, she's a nice lady!

NOTE: Photo is property of Lost City Denise and used with permission.

Another doily completed..

Ahhhh, there's something to be said after you have crocheted a "new" family heirloom. My hope is for this to be passed on from generation to generation....to be proudly displayed.
It's interesting to see how everyone else's doily turns out by their color choices, etc.

With crochet thread and hook in hand...stop by and join the Doily A Month group. If you join today, you can vote for one of the choices [in the new poll] for NEXT month's DOM!

Can you identify this motif?

If you can, please tell me where I can find it..........AGAIN!

I can't believe that I sat at my lap top, crocheting it and now I can't remember where I got it!

I would like to crochet a tablecloth from it.

If I don't come across the pattern, I can always dissect it.........but I'd rather some brilliant person [who knows crocheted motifs] tell me where they've seen it.

I think I'm going to cry........

I love, I mean LOVE, counted cross stitch

I finally took a picture of it. DH picked this one out and it was a very challenging counted cross stitch. There were many stitches that used 2 different colored strands at once...........but boy did it make [IMHO] a stunning piece.

Most people, that see this, think it is a painting.

Do you like to cross stitch and what have you done? Please include a link to your work in the comments.

Doily for Marilyn.....

.....is finished and blocked at 15 1/4" across. I had forgotten how wonderful it was to crochet doilies and have been making a few more.
This one is called "Curtain Call" and is in The Ultimate Doily Book #1185. I used sz 10 crochet thread and a US sz 5 hook to get gauge. The pattern called for bedspread-weight cotton and US sz 7 hook.
Well, I'm off to get this in the mail to Marilyn! I know she will be happy to have it to replace the one burned up in the house fire.

Icelandic Sweater finished and mailed...

...to my son. He asked me to knit this a couple of years ago and sent a picture of a band member wearing this design.

I hymmed and hawwed and dragged my feet a bit. Why?

Well, because this was the first time knitting an Icelandic Sweater, my son has loooooonnng arms [6'4"] and I doubted my ability to get it to fit right.....the first time. I'm the only one....right?

He sure had faith in me or he wouldn't have asked me to knit him one.

I actually had it knit up with gauge in stitches...........HA. Since I haven't knitted something in a yoked pattern, I didn't think gauge in rows was needed. Well, I was wrong and had to frog my first attempt and start over.

I am so glad I did. I am so happy I did.

Thanks to EZ and Meg's way of thinking [and now mine], I made the back a bit longer to avoid that dreaded frontal droop AND the back of the neck is raised a bit, too, so there wouldn't be that dreaded uncovered neck.

The unfinished sweater traveled with me, at Christmas time, to visit my son. He tried it on and oh did he look fine......except that I needed to add an additional 2 3/4" to EACH sleeve. Ha! That was an easy fix! Once I got back home, I snipped a thread about an inch above the needed sleeve increases and picked a whole round out. I then knit the required length, grafted the sleeve back on, weaved the few threads in - here and there, soaked, blocked, dried and mailed it.....

I hope to post a photo of him wearing it real soon!

Tube socks

These tube socks are pretty small. They are for Newborn's and will be leaving my house and going to Bev's. Bev takes them to hospitals in kits for the new babies.

They took me a very short time to knit using wooden US sz 4 dpn needles and Cascade 220 Superwash. The pattern is written for knit OR crochet.

Read about her charity, make just one pair and send 'em to her. You'll be glad you did!

A doily for a friend....

....I just found out their house burned down.

In 1998, I crocheted this same doily for Marilyn in MO. She picked this pattern, after looking through several of my doily books. It's called Curtain Call and it can be found in 'The Ultimate Doily Book' from the American School of Needlework.
I started this yesterday using Steinbach Wolle (sz 10) and a US sz 5 crochet hook. I should be finished with this today, block it and mail it off. She doesn't know I'm crocheting her another one.

The Swatch is done......

....actually, this has nothing to do with the pattern except to see how you like the way your yarn and needles play together.

I like the way this looks.....after I changed to US sz 4 [3.5mm] needles. The yarn is Ornaghifilati Merino Oro in a light blue.

Can you believe that I didn't have the yarn, I needed, in my stash?! Thank goodness for my LYS, Yarn & Things. I called her, yesterday, and she put the yarn away for me. DH picked it up today and I was able to knit the swatch AND knit Clue 1!!!!

Not even a bad head cold can stop me!!!!!

.....from the FIRST MMario MMystery KAL......nothing! It started yesterday!!

I am armed with Chicken Noodle soup, Merino Oro lace wool (color 030), and 3.75mm [US sz 5] AddiTurbo Lace needles. So, off to do my swatch!

My Son's Moose.........

I love, love his moose. Just LOOK at him!

My son was 3 [he's 20 now] when he made this creature.......with the help of a very wonderful caretaker.

I had to share this with you all before leaving to visit with my son for a week.....but I'll be back!

What's that under the moose, you ask? Why it's some knitting I did for Glenda Hunt! I love, love this, too! ;)

Snowflake Earrings

This very handsome snowflake is crocheted with DMC Metallic Silver Floss, crochet hook US sz 5/1.7MM and sz 6 Clear Crystal Silver-Lined Beads. I buy most of my seed beads from Beadwrangler.

It turned out so beautiful. The designer is Mindy Albright and the Free pattern is on HMG.

Okay, so I have one more to make...:O)

The Raspberry Rabbits

Oh, oh, oh!!!! Just look what I got in the mail!!!

I ordered 3 items and got 5! Michelle packaged it so beautifully and gave me some chocolate and a 100-page journal!! What a wonderful and pleasant surprise! Thank you, Michelle!

I will be stitching the 12 days of Christmas Ornaments with these items. I selected the same variegated blue floss, as she did, and for almost the same reason.....my sister Doris' eyes were a bright blue [8/58-11/97].

I need to also order the linen Michelle has on her website.

It's a little cold.....

....in Chehalis, WA!!! Just look at the Timberland Library's lovely fountain! It's in freeze mode....

This is very unusual for this area.

When I walk outside, the grass crunches under my footsteps, my breath can be seen and my nose gets cold......I also feel alive..

I would love to hear how it is in your part of the country....and please include a link!

My tatted flutterby.....

I actually don't set aside enough time to do this. Since teaching myself, with a video from the library, how to shuttle tat - I've developed a real love for the old craft.

This is tatted with sz 10 crochet thread.

Once, on an airplane sitting between two men, I took my tatting out and began working. They both leaned forward and asked me what I was doing......we talked the whole trip about tatting!

Who would have thunk!

Christmas Ball and Christmas Calendar

This wonderful Christmas Ball is found in the 'Christmas Workshop' section of the Garnstudio website. I knit it with some left over sock yarn and US sz 1 needles.

If you like to have a little treat every day until Christmas, check out The Christmas Calendar which starts today!!! A surprise a day........until Christmas!

Happy knitting and crafting! I am so blessed and thankful to each and every one of you who visit and read my blog. Thank you!!!!!

A sad day today.....

.....as the TV goes on all day about 4 Lakewood, WA Police Officers murdered this morning.
As a police widow, many years ago, it breaks my heart for the families left behind.

Pattern can be doubled!

..and I mean, doubled like in - as a dish cloth OR an afghan square! How cool is THAT?

I knit this out of Cotton Classic, Color #3443 - Pink.
It finished up [for me] as a 6 inch square.

This pattern can be found here.

Undyed Opal turned into this!

My friend, Kimberly, dyed this sock yarn. I love, love the colors and the yarn bloomed just the right amount.

This pair was knit on my CSM with a 1x1 rib for 1 1/2", 1x3 rib all the way down the leg and the top of the foot.......and it knit up like a dream.

To find out what else can knit up on the sock machine, visit Jenny's website.

Jenny Deters and CSM's are good friends....

....CSM's have been around for a very long time. I barely learned about them in 2004 and own two now.

I've gone to a few retreats to learn more about what else can be 'cranked' on the machine.....and that's when I met Julie. Julie is a friend of Jenny's and was demonstrating how to do fair isle on the CSM! OMG!

Jenny has compiled her lace sock patterns into the first book. In her second book, you get socks and much more than socks! You've just GOT to check it out!

If you want to read more about this fantastic designer, it's here! While you are there, check out the FREE pattern.

If you want to check out her two books, you go here. I have these two books and [with no affiliation] am very impressed with her work. The patterns are super easy to understand.

The Yarn Grove

When The Yarn Grove says they strive to ship your order quickly......they mean it!
I ordered on Sunday night, it was sent out Monday, and my mother called to say the package arrived!
Great company and very good prices!

Knitting socks with worsted weight yarn

I'm knitting socks for Ed with this yarn because he loves the color. It's Cascade 220 [Color 5011; Lot 5258] and, since I want to get 6 sts/1", I have to use US sz 2 wooden dpn's.

I am a loose knitter, therefore I knit with smaller needles. {sigh}

There is no pattern. I figured (10" circumference x 6 sts/1")-10%, for fit, +2 sts. Why 2 sts? So I can knit a 2x2 rib.

Do you knit socks without a pattern?

Bagatelle fulled/felted!!!

Here is the cutest and quickest little bag, to knit up, ever! It finished up 8 1/4" wide by 6 1/4" tall (not including the handles).

My previous post, of this bag, got some interesting comments. I loved reading each one and learned so much more about how the word, Bagatelle, originated......depending on location, too.

Balloon Bag fulled..

The beginning dimensions were 12 1/2" wide by 8" tall.

It is now 11 1/4" wide by 6 3/4" tall. Looking for the perfect button.

The pattern was introduced at Bag-A-Holics and is FREE.

I have made so many of the beautiful bags from that group.

If I was feeling better, I'd be knitting another one. I've got a cold and I feel crummy....