Wow, it is almost Thursday!

As is with just about everyone this time of year we have been busy too!

You have your normal busy and then little surprises that pop up along the way that make you just one day realize that it is almost Thursday, again! My computer was on the fritz for awhile but I was able to get to it today and restore it's usefulness. We also had the school program and package wrapping...

I have been working on my white doily on and off for the last couple of weeks.  I finally completed it today and will share it with you at the end of the post.

Last week I shared with you that I had finished the dress I had made for Little Companion but we still needed to have the photo shoot. It is nice that my Little Companion lovingly complied and that we now have these pictures. 

We were going for a classy young lady look that was fun and a little vintage. 

I have had so much fun over the years with this.

She has an enormous amount of hair for a 7-year-old (and she is not too keen on hairspray).

Love this picture, gives you a little inkling that she is really full of vim, vigor, and vitality. 

Little Companion is a lovely young lady and a joy to be around.

***

On to the doily...

Now I don't mean to complain but I have to say this was ummm... difficult!

You had your tr, FPdc, FPtr, 5-DTR decrease, beginning 2-DC cluster, 2-DC cluster, beginning 3-DC cluster, 3-DC cluster, beginning split 6-TR cluster, split 6-TR cluster, ending split 6-TR cluster, and your picot. Yes ... difficult. I would have to put it down and really think about coming back to it. In the end I had to take out 3 rows, and re-do. 

But, in the end it was worth it. I have not washed it yet or blocked it in this picture but I did want to share. Now if you think this is an absolutely gorgeous doily that is because the pattern is from the Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies book by Leisure Arts. It is the Perfect Pineapple pattern. I definitely feel that I have climbed another rung on the crochet ladder with this one and am happy that I continued on to completion. 

Happy WIP Wednesday!

I am joining Marie Anne for Work in Progress Wednesday.

 

Please go over and visit her at http://macrochet.blogspot.com/ and see what everyone else has been up to.

WIP Wednesday

I am feeling a little better this week as I have managed to finish up some of my projects.

Finished up the crochet ornaments and got them hung.

Finished up the dress I was working on for Little Companion.

See the little bow in the front? There is a matching bow to go in her hair too.

Hopefully we will have some time to get a picture soon. She is very busy with school, Brownies, and all the holiday happenings!

Finished up the lap blanket.

Almost finished my hot cocoa gifts, just need to put some stickers on the jars. 

The first recipe I used tasted like it was just missing something so I started over. I found a recipe that used pudding as an ingredient and it was wonderful! 

I think if I do these again I will use smaller jars. This amount may last some folks years!

I also made this hat this week. 

Little Companion asked if it was for her and I told her no. 

She asked if she could try it on and I said yes. 

She said, oh, it keeps my ears nice and warm. 

Ya ... she walked away with it after all!

This doily I finished last month but wanted to wait to share it until after Thanksgiving.

Helps to add to the holiday spirit!

Happy WIP Wednesday!

I am joining Marie Anne for Work in Progress Wednesday.

 

Please go over and visit her at http://macrochet.blogspot.com/ and see what everyone else has been up to.

 

Crochet ornaments

Well, I really am moving on with my projects. Tonight I got the ornaments on my little tree.

Through the years I have occasionally had one or two crocheted ornaments on my tree and I wondered what it would look like to have a tree entirely decorated with crochet ornaments.

 The tree topper is a last minute improvisation that did not want to stay straight ... just ignore it.

Angels we have heard on high...

 Snowflakes, no two are the same (some are very close though!).

I heard the bells on Christmas day...

Snowflakes!!!

Ta Da!

Christmas Bells

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

 I heard the bells on Christmas day 

Their old, familiar carols play,

And wild and sweet the words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth good-will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth

The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;

There is no peace on earth, I said;

For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;

God is not dead; nor doth he sleep!

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men!

***
The poem is set to music in the video below.
Hoping you have a wonderful peaceful weekend!

Oh look, a doily!

My most recent completed doily...

As soon as I had finished this I tossed it over to my daughter and said, "there, I finished your doily." Ha, ha. Had I actually meant that? Well, whether I did or not daughter claimed it and she now has a new doily!

Okay, so here is my daughter's finished doily. I also have this doily in blue, which I had crocheted back in April (http://travelingthrough2.blogspot.com/2010/04/doily-day.html ).

This pattern is from The Complete Guide to Thread Crochet
by Leisure Arts and is the round doily.

Hope you are having a good week!

The end of the weekend

Well I finished my doily for the Crochet along hosted by Glor at 

http://glor-crochetgalore.blogspot.com/2010/10/crochet-long-1918-pattern.html. 

I used 

a variegated thread consisting of yellow, baby blue, green, and pink. 

Really makes me think of cotton candy and Easter when I look at it.

Thank you Glor I had a wonderful time with this!

We are not thinking of Easter at this time here in North Dakota, we are all waiting for winter to hit. The snow is supposedly set to begin sometime Wednesday or Thursday. While driving home today from church we passed this sign.

Ya, nice thought but I don't think it's going to work! 

Hope you have a cozy week.

I will also be linking up with Sally at 
http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ for Blue Monday. One of the colors in the doily is a light baby blue. Happy Blue Monday!

Blue Monday - Doiley

We are joining Sally today over at http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/ for Blue Monday. Thank you, Sally, for hosting!

My most recent crochet doily just happens to be ...

BLUE! 

(Imagine that)

This is the Harmony pattern from the Leisure Arts Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies book and is worked with a #7 crochet hook and size 10 South Maid crochet thread.

Let's put my Crate and Barrel teapot on it along with the vase my youngest daughter crafted some years ago.

Now we are going to need a teacup. Let's use the Royal Doulton in the Elegy pattern. See the sweet little blue flowers!

Now put it on a tray and tote it over yonder.

My dulcimer stand doubles just perfectly as a tray table!

Okay, ready for tea. 

Happy Blue Monday!

Doily daze...

I bet you thought my doily days were done, didn't you!

Well, think again...

I just haven't posted any the past couple of weeks.

Ready,

Set,

Doily!!

This is my first attempt at filet crochet. I enjoyed the outcome but found the process a little tedious. If I had been able to enlarge the pattern a bit and use a highlighter to mark out finished rows I probably would have found it a little more enjoyable. The mint green is a fun spring color.

This is Arabella. I had a lot of fun with this pattern and enjoy the process as well as the end product immensely. I used DMC Cebelia crochet cotton for this and just love everything about it from the color to the feel. I enjoyed it so much that...

I had to make some coasters to go with it.

I have hand washed every one of the doilies and coasters now and they will be ready to travel clean and fresh. After hand washing and blocking I also understand now why you should do this instead of ironing them. They turn out fluffier, the parts that need to be turned get turned, and it just has a nicer overall effect. I would highly recommend this method versus the washing and ironing route.

 

I will enjoy being able to use these when I catch up with my dishes in a couple of weeks.  

We are off to Valdez tomorrow on a quest to peruse a glacier up close and personal.

Have a safe weekend!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mother's Day is a wonderful day to celebrate!

Look what I received from the Big Kahuna himself.

Isn't that sweet!

Let's look inside.

Just look at all the tea goodies, how fun!  It smells very good.

Let's put a doily under it all. 

This pattern is called Anastasia and is worked with Aunt Lydia's Bamboo Crochet Thread in Zen Green with a #7 hook.

My thanks go out to you big Kahuna for thinking of me this mother's day. See ya soon!

White Doily

It's Thursday and that means it is DOILY DAY!

This week's pattern is called Peacock Pride and came from the book Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies by Leisure Arts.

Here it is on top of last week's doily.

I worked this in white with a #7 crochet hook.

I'm thinking by the time we leave Alaska I should have enough doilies to cover any potential doily need!

Happy Thursday!

Doily Day...

My doily pattern today comes from The Complete Guide to Thread Crochet
by Leisure Arts.

The pattern name is Round Doily.
I worked this with Aunt Lydia's Bamboo Crochet Thread size 10 and used a #7 crochet hook.

The color is Still Pool.

The bamboo thread gives it a very soft feel, drapes well.

Will enjoy being able to use these with my tea things when we get back to "the lower 48."

Happy Thursday!

Green thread crochet doily

The pattern for this doily is Harmony and comes from the book Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies by Leisure Arts. I worked this with Royale Classic Crochet Thread size 10, in green, and a size 7 crochet hook.

It was supposed to end up 16 inches in diameter and is about 15-1/2 inches. I find it is easier to get more tension with the Royale thread although I really like the feel of the bamboo in the Aunt Lydia.

I am enjoying this thread crochet a lot!

Thread crochet stuff

Here are a couple of current additions to my thread crochet work.

This pattern is called Pineapple Patch and also comes from the Leisure Arts Absolutely Gorgeous Doilies book. It is worked with a size 7 crochet hook and the thread is #10 Royal Classic Crochet thread in red.

This doily is Christmas red and I figure it can be used during the Christmas season, 4th of July, or just anytime I have a hankering for red!

My second item is this little pink ponytail band.




I used a size 6 crochet hook and left-over thread. The pattern is in The Complete Guide to Thread Crochet by Leisure Arts.




You actually string the beads on and then slide them up as needed. It was a fun little project although somewhat tricky trying to keep everything in your hands at one time.




Little Companion was kind enough to try it out after school.

Happy Thursday!