tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15808225705092067332024-03-13T07:35:08.053-07:00The Sequin TurtleUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-31644069928362471782019-10-11T19:40:00.004-07:002019-10-11T19:47:16.574-07:00Gemstones and Pearls Scarf Free PatternI posted this pattern for sale a couple of years ago, but due to life being life, I am no longer selling things on etsy. I have decided to post the pattern here.<br />
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This beautiful scarf is a perfect colorful complement to a gray rainy day. It is lightweight and the pearl colored lace section is a nice contrast to the gemstone colors of the yarn in the main part of the scarf. It is sure to bring a smile to the wearer’s face because, honestly, who doesn’t love a few pearls and gemstones hanging around their neck? <br /><br />Materials: <br />
<ul>
<li>2 skeins/330m fine (2) weight yarn (pictured: Deborah Norville Serenity Garden in Gems) </li>
<li>½ skein/105m super fine (1) weight yarn (pictured: Deborah Norville Serenity Sock Weight in Soft White) </li>
<li>I hook </li>
<li>Yarn needle <br /><br />Notes: This scarf can be made in a variety of colors and yarn types. These particular yarns were chosen for the colors (and honestly, for the fact that they were already in my stash). Gauge is not terribly important and the scarf can be changed to match your desired dimensions. You will, however, want to have a strong color contrast between the yarn of the main body of the scarf and the yarn of the lace section. <br /><br /> This scarf is worked in two sections. The first section is a simple double crochet rectangle. The second section, which will be worked into the beginning ch of the first section, is done in a pretty lace stitch. The two ends will then be joined together to create an infinity scarf. The scarf will measure 11” x 60” before the ends are joined. </li>
</ul>
<b>Directions </b><br /><br /><b>Scarf </b><br /><br />Ch 43 (or multiple of 10 + 3 if you want it narrower or wider) <br /><br />Row 1: dc in 4th chain from hook (counts as 2 dc), dc in each ch across (41), ch 3, turn <br /><br />Row 2: dc in each stitch across (41), ch 3, turn <br /><br />Row 3 - 90: repeat row 2, at the end of row 90 fasten off and weave in ends. This section of the scarf should measure about 11” x 45” when not stretched. <br /><br /><b>Lace Section </b><br /><br />Row 91: with the right side facing, attach second yarn to the beginning chain, sc in the first 2 chain stitches, ch 3, skip 2 chain stitches, *sc in the next 3 chain stitches, ch 3, skip 2 chain stitches, repeat from * ending with a sc in each of the last 2 chain stitches, ch 1, turn <br /><br />Row 92: skip first sc, sc in next stitch, 1 sc in ch 3 space, * ch 3, skip 1 sc, 1 dc in the next stitch, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in ch 3 space, sc in next 3 stitches, sc in ch 3 space, repeat from * ending with sc in the last ch 3 space, sc in the next stitch, sc in the turning ch, ch 1, turn <br /><br />Row 93: skip first sc, sc in the next stitch, *ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in ch 3 space, sc in dc, sc in ch 3 space, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in the next 3 stitches, repeat from * ending with sc in the last stitch, sc in the turning ch 1, ch 6, turn<br />
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Row 94: skip first 2 sc, *sc in ch 3 space, sc in the next 3 stitches, sc in the ch 3 space, ch 3, skip 1 sc, dc in the next stitch, ch 3, skip 1 sc, repeat from * ending with a dc in the turning ch 1, ch 1, turn <br /><br />Row 95: skip first dc, *sc in the ch 3 space, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in the next 3 stitches, ch 3, skip 1 sc, sc in the ch 3 space, sc in the dc, repeat from * ending with sc in the ch 6 space, sc in the 3rd ch of the ch 6, ch 1, turn <br /><br />Row 96 - 147: Repeat row 92-95 (there will be 14 repeats of the pattern at the end of row 147) <br /><br />Row 148: work 41 sc along the top edge (sc in each stitch and work 2 sc into each ch 3 space) to give you a solid place to sew or slip stitch the two ends of the scarf together. The lace section should be about 12” long before it is blocked (15” after). It will be narrower than the double crochet section at about 9”. <br /><br /><b>Finishing </b><br />
Block the scarf, if desired. The double crochet section doesn’t really need blocking in the particular yarn used here, but I strongly recommend steam blocking the lace section to open up the stitches. Simply pin the section to a heat safe surface (like an ironing board) and use an iron set to steam just above the crochet work. Do not touch the iron to the yarn! Once cooled, sew or slip stitch the two ends together, being careful not to twist the scarf. <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-64957365127042040772018-01-20T09:20:00.003-08:002018-01-20T09:20:51.606-08:00LEEP Procedure Cross Stitch Pattern<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
A few years ago, I had a cervical cancer prevention procedure called a L.E.E.P. I'll spare you all the details, but it did it's job and I've been clear from abnormal cells since. My friend is having one done next week, and she texted me all freaked out about it, without knowing that I had previously had one. I was able to explain the procedure to her (so she could stop reading message boards at 2am - which is never a good plan), and help her feel a little better. </div>
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Then I started with the jokes...</div>
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"We'll be LEEP buddies! We should have shirts made!"<br />
"It's like a facelift for your cervix! No more wrinkles!"<br />
"You should focus on videotaping [your husband] cause you know he's gonna pass out!"<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">After all, what are friends for?</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Next week, while she's having the procedure, I'm going to drop off a little care package at her house and it will include this little cross stitch that hopefully will make her smile</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpovoYxt31nwI-zgmBZ2Y0IpRoAkA0ryeHta5P-86XrfFp4WOeWKk-AOoaFRwMFgbrnB-Yqzv0vcpA-Egcq6ahhyTogNJNyk2pBOfgGGhezFTwAk9mIo4vVaGOUiFID_EbwHkll275p0/s1600/LEEP+Leap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1569" data-original-width="1296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpovoYxt31nwI-zgmBZ2Y0IpRoAkA0ryeHta5P-86XrfFp4WOeWKk-AOoaFRwMFgbrnB-Yqzv0vcpA-Egcq6ahhyTogNJNyk2pBOfgGGhezFTwAk9mIo4vVaGOUiFID_EbwHkll275p0/s320/LEEP+Leap.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Want to make your own for a friend, your doctor, or even yourself? Use the chart below. (Note: I don't keep track of my embroidering threads very well, so I have no idea which exact colors I used. Also, a few of the lines - like the # - are worked between the holes of the aida fabric.)</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: black; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX6Fla6AvNsmVDoav3UAIAvKFj4_6mYMtqd4c1c3PEv1P1huzJiPRqj5XKycRRsMmW-OTPZPMgQD7kUXML6RFE0JOIlA_g83kSb9BViwyWkH9tA6bIcvFWObHtcgi1mhrEKWzDRmL8tQ/s1600/LEEP+Leap.png" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration: underline; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><img border="0" data-original-height="973" data-original-width="984" height="395" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrX6Fla6AvNsmVDoav3UAIAvKFj4_6mYMtqd4c1c3PEv1P1huzJiPRqj5XKycRRsMmW-OTPZPMgQD7kUXML6RFE0JOIlA_g83kSb9BViwyWkH9tA6bIcvFWObHtcgi1mhrEKWzDRmL8tQ/s400/LEEP+Leap.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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Happy Stitching!<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-90185818953602469852017-06-22T08:05:00.001-07:002017-06-22T08:05:21.800-07:00Life Lately<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2D4bV_1PAcxYDw6njleGuFnm2riqQ0MswEvCWafyrVKB7Rn6x4PtFdQwKdvedQ_VMvUi1Xjogke5ooOYXJyXwUj8t1PXw7Er-PmXAtzbctEE3TnfKQbE01KQjn8CvQUDNdpBDeRDgpg/s1600/WP_20170621_14_21_32_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2D4bV_1PAcxYDw6njleGuFnm2riqQ0MswEvCWafyrVKB7Rn6x4PtFdQwKdvedQ_VMvUi1Xjogke5ooOYXJyXwUj8t1PXw7Er-PmXAtzbctEE3TnfKQbE01KQjn8CvQUDNdpBDeRDgpg/s1600/WP_20170621_14_21_32_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1186" data-original-width="1117" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2D4bV_1PAcxYDw6njleGuFnm2riqQ0MswEvCWafyrVKB7Rn6x4PtFdQwKdvedQ_VMvUi1Xjogke5ooOYXJyXwUj8t1PXw7Er-PmXAtzbctEE3TnfKQbE01KQjn8CvQUDNdpBDeRDgpg/s200/WP_20170621_14_21_32_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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We officially started our summer break Monday afternoon. Our first stop (we literally left Elijah's school and went there) was the airport to drop off my husband for another business trip to China - the 5th one since May 2016. Not my favorite, but at least this one is only for a week.<br />
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We made it through Elijah's first year of school relatively unscathed. I ended up being hired by the school district to help out in his class for the last 3 months of the year. It was a little entertaining filling out the application though. So, I'm applying to be a kindergarten classroom assistant and they ask about degrees. I have a Masters of Arts in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (MATESOL). Then they ask about your current title. Officially, although I don't agree with it because I don't have a Ph.D., my title at work is Professor. That's probably the most overqualified I've ever felt for a job I was applying for. But let me tell you, the degree and the title don't make working with kindergarteners any easier. There is a special place in Heaven reserved for people who do this for a living.<br />
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On the creative front, I've picked up a new hobby - hand lettering + drawing flowers (see image above). I've been using a couple of books to learn, and I highly recommend them. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hand-Lettering-101-Introduction-Creative/dp/1944515658/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498143078&sr=8-1&keywords=hand+lettering+101">Hand Lettering 101</a> by Sarah Snyder at ChalkFullofLove, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Botanical-Line-Drawing-Step-Step/dp/0998558524/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498142954&sr=8-1&keywords=botanical+line+drawing">Botanical Line Drawing</a> by Peggy Dean from ThePigeonLetters, and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/How-Draw-Modern-Florals-Introduction/dp/194451550X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498142990&sr=8-1&keywords=modern+flowers">How to Draw Modern Florals</a> by Alli Koch from AlliKDesigns. Today, I should be getting a package that includes an embossing kit, so we'll see how that works out...I have a feeling I will be Embossing. All. The. Things. for a while. :)<br />
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I haven't done a whole lot with yarn since the beginning of the year. My husband and I currently have a competition going on to see who can last the longest without buying guitar pedals (him) and yarn (me). We've made it almost 6 months, but it's getting irritating because I keep trying to make a blanket for my new little nephew who is due to arrive in August, but I keep running out of yarn before I'm able to finish. I think I just need to move on to a scrappy yarn blanket instead of a set color pattern, or break into the yarn stash I had saved for a bigger project.<br />
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Other than that, we've just been trying to get into the habit of getting out of the house in the morning and get 3 miles of walking in before the heat of the day (which, since it's June in the PNW hasn't really arrived just yet, although today is looking promising). Speaking of which, I need to hustle and get my kid out the door now.<br />
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I hope you all have had a fantastic start to your summer!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-53672621829801705102017-04-18T12:57:00.001-07:002017-11-05T15:31:17.237-08:00Stitch People PortraitsAbout a year ago, as a birthday gift to myself, I bought the <a href="https://stitchpeople.com/collections/books/products/cross-stitch-pattern-design-book">Do It Yourself Stitch People Pattern Design Book</a> because I wanted to make little stitch people portraits for each year my husband and I had been together (almost 8 years married + wedding) as an 8th anniversary gift. I planned to frame all the little portraits and hang them on the wall. Here's what I ended up with:<br />
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Well, I realized I would now have to make one every year until the end of time, so I bought another frame and got to work...<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6xURi27J5P2WcX5-qkJ_Ju0nNQq08kY75i8KqFQNDCaPaIr1zR3xuwZLEltKkweOLDsDgWfosR7v-_AW4d1WqynadsDu6n8l-cHj-5t840hHkRXJchh03G0lTPrAmvMrOsquMwVMYjJ4/s320/WP_20170313_001.jpg" width="180" /></div>
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I have so much fun designing these little portraits that I made one for my step-sister and her husband for Christmas...<br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaANe5j3ROAUDiZBLYury3V3TfTlFyMErH4Cg-GXDiml_A5gwHzJvAhVo2u10Pb_h9frtBxLdz-iPaN5iCUaXIWVIKOK1HcrawBaWgPtiX3otdODAjm3KSW3XvK-FS5dCznYwbr8Y3eYo/s320/WP_20160824_003+1.jpg" width="180" /></div>
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One for my coworker's birthday...although apparently, I forgot to take a picture of the finished piece.<br />
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And recently, I've been working on some wedding/birthday/new baby gifts...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu6tYlw62VsYxDDzdhoGsElwMkJJHPmNuiZXBM7a3E0GWgqXfiXAq9r2Ytx6K6S-j1a2uQgJ86SQ9q_fZM0pcOciMDRZ-jSeq0CAfW7keY-upo7S-N1Eh5qGzt2Wf9EoN8qGRiscDpeI/s1600/WP_20170418_12_28_40_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJu6tYlw62VsYxDDzdhoGsElwMkJJHPmNuiZXBM7a3E0GWgqXfiXAq9r2Ytx6K6S-j1a2uQgJ86SQ9q_fZM0pcOciMDRZ-jSeq0CAfW7keY-upo7S-N1Eh5qGzt2Wf9EoN8qGRiscDpeI/s200/WP_20170418_12_28_40_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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(the black canvas was a little different, but I like how the white stands out)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSf5nimdagNFTkbpiWvU7O_JySvT-goy0QNfOoIjmhOnIoVaH3aMnULtRmVOsTZJu0lRAZr_F0OnPjm6v4Zstt3bp_XMMZUCa3T1DVSxty60oYsX1ywV4mkmNee9klyFHSKbqj0DF7GU/s1600/WP_20170418_12_28_34_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsSf5nimdagNFTkbpiWvU7O_JySvT-goy0QNfOoIjmhOnIoVaH3aMnULtRmVOsTZJu0lRAZr_F0OnPjm6v4Zstt3bp_XMMZUCa3T1DVSxty60oYsX1ywV4mkmNee9klyFHSKbqj0DF7GU/s200/WP_20170418_12_28_34_Pro+%25282%2529.jpg" width="196" /></a></div>
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I just bought the Christmas pattern book and am going to try to get a head start on a picture for our Christmas cards, and maybe some personalized tags/ornaments for Christmas. Shh...I know it's April, but these things take time to make :)<br />
<br />
So, if you're looking for some easy, although a little time consuming, super cute gifts, I highly recommend this book. Happy Stitching!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-42607349085106734052017-01-10T08:53:00.002-08:002017-01-10T08:53:59.619-08:00I Hate Weather Forecasts!I don't know about where you live, but here in the Pacific Northwest, our weather is unpredictable enough that our weather forecasts are almost always wrong. With all the different mountain ranges, and large bodies of water, it's hard to accurately predict what various weather systems will do. <br />
<br />
For example, late last year, they were predicting a huge wind storm. At the last second, the system moved 50 miles off of the predicted course, and most of the area was left with a couple of big gusts that knocked over lawn chairs. Not the huge wind event with widespread power outages that they were predicting. It did give us this meme, which makes me laugh...so there's that...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXftRUdN_1V_Yzz0VELx3NO2Ocas8bTybpMXKfLggyiMwlSmXbvaWHvbKTz1KBzkGlj7tS_4CKlJWO8NejgRewmmtwXnzoYkTg9a1To0CYz5b1S2fGNt7Nd0eMfGWmXeid9Dmlnk6PiOU/s1600/we+will+rebuild.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXftRUdN_1V_Yzz0VELx3NO2Ocas8bTybpMXKfLggyiMwlSmXbvaWHvbKTz1KBzkGlj7tS_4CKlJWO8NejgRewmmtwXnzoYkTg9a1To0CYz5b1S2fGNt7Nd0eMfGWmXeid9Dmlnk6PiOU/s320/we+will+rebuild.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Then came the snow predictions. I think they've gotten maybe (maybe!) one of them right so far this year. They keep showing up on my phone, and then nothing happens! It's so irritating!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9EnqArRSDH8BrpgJpl3xzYP5Alodu9siXUKfFJ_Z3w17sX5Zh74flEtJz95dWW_DwctOd5PFa5W2lNtCCSDu12Z4RzVkDmKomfLnGMFR9Yya2bMtkgBHsdcd9PTDLC-VkqvY3tedcv0/s1600/InstagramCapture_1c3dfa4a-bd7f-4801-8cbc-97e51281c575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu9EnqArRSDH8BrpgJpl3xzYP5Alodu9siXUKfFJ_Z3w17sX5Zh74flEtJz95dWW_DwctOd5PFa5W2lNtCCSDu12Z4RzVkDmKomfLnGMFR9Yya2bMtkgBHsdcd9PTDLC-VkqvY3tedcv0/s200/InstagramCapture_1c3dfa4a-bd7f-4801-8cbc-97e51281c575.jpg" width="199" /></a></div>
<br />
Lies, all lies! We had one little flurry, and nothing stayed on the ground.<br />
<br />
Last night, there was another winter weather advisory, and they were predicting about 1-2" of snow to fall in the area overnight. So, at 10pm yesterday, I got a call from my son's school that they were going to preemptively delay school two hours. Sweet.<br />
<br />
This morning - no snow! No ice! Nothing! So, I'm chilling at home with my kid for two hours because of rain...awesome.<br />
<br />
Silver lining: I'm still in my pjs, drinking tea, and writing to you all, instead of rushing around trying to get my kid out the door, but still - I want some snow!<br />
<br />
So, weather people, I know you're trying your best to get the forecast right, and you'd rather be overly cautious, than not cautious enough, but please, stop getting our hopes up! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-65261352781110669012016-08-12T08:55:00.000-07:002016-11-24T09:24:39.069-08:004 Reasons Why I Like When My Husband Goes on Business TripsOut of the last 4 months, my husband has been in China for work for about a month. He took a two week trip in early May (after he convinced his boss that he could not leave the country on my birthday, so he left the day after), and he is currently finishing up another two week trip right now (he'll be home in two days). I hate when he's gone. I mean, sure, I miss him, but with Skype we probably end up talking almost as much as we do when he's home, so it's not really that. Mostly, I hate being a single parent. Military families and single parents - you have my undying respect. <br />
I seriously wonder if my son will survive each of these trips. He does, of course, as I would never harm my son, but I did get smart and shipped him off to Grandma's for one night each week this time, so I could take a break from the little tyrant who is acting out because he misses his dad.<br />
<br />
This morning, while enjoying my kid-free time, I was doing some chores around the house and started thinking about the things I like while my husband is gone.<br />
<br />
1. Because I only ever use the smaller silverware, I never have to sort it when I do the dishes. If there's a fork, it's a little fork. If there's a spoon, it's a teaspoon. No comparing sizes. Also, because I usually only drink water, I have one or two glasses that I constantly use, so there are very little glasses to put away.<br />
<br />
2. When I go to do the laundry, there's never a forgotten load already in the machine. Of course, my son's laundry is still in the dryer from yesterday, but it won't be an unpleasant surprise that it's there.<br />
<br />
3. Making the bed consists of pulling the covers back where they belong and putting the pillows back in their correct places. I hate his pillows (they're big and heavy and wake me up whenever they touch me at night), so I take great enjoyment of throwing them off the bed at night.<br />
<br />
4. Containers always make it into the garbage. For some reason, my husband has a mental block about throwing containers (bottles, milk cartons, etc.) into the garbage. He sits them on the counter next to the garbage instead and it drives me crazy!<br />
<br />
But really, that's about it. Sure, it's nice to have a break from those little pet peeves, but in the grand scheme of things, I would rather sort silverware, do extra laundry, remake the bed every morning, and throw containers away myself in order to have my husband home.<br />
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We're in the home stretch, and next time I might be serious in my threat to make my husband quit if they try to send him to China again.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-28260914201816204192016-03-14T17:21:00.002-07:002016-03-14T17:21:25.556-07:00Hello Spring Break!Today is the start of my Spring Break. The weather here in the Pacific Northwest has welcomed this day with sun, rain, wind, and hail. "In like a lion" is no joke this year, especially after yesterday's wind storm!<br />
<br />
I spent the mid-morning clearing out my work binder and prepping for next quarter. I spent the afternoon crushing academic dreams, aka, giving a final exam and calculating grades. I spent the last half hour deciding on some Spring Break goals.<br />
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Normally during Spring Break, I do a big deep clean of the house. There are a few real cleaning things I want to accomplish - deep cleaning bathrooms and cleaning the carpets are high on the list - but this year I have a different kind of big clean I want to do.<br />
<br />
My brain feels overstuffed and overwhelmed with creative ideas. I plan on taking these next two weeks to help clear out the clutter up in my noggin. <br />
<br />
I started last week by cleaning out my Pinterest board. I only had one board - <i>Stuff to Make</i> - which I keep secret. I went through and deleted the pins I knew I was never going to get around to or my interest in had faded. Then I made a new secret board - <i>Stuff I've Done</i> - and cleared out all the pins I've already used. Let me tell you, this has really helped me let go of a lot of creative clutter in my brain. <br />
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This week, I want to focus on finishing projects that I've already bought the supplies for but never got around to doing. These include creating a new, shorter strap for my <a href="http://www.rudsak.com/en/men/bags/messenger-crossbody/laverne-cohiba">new leather bag</a>, <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/pin/104286547600401842/">sewing a bow scarf out of Dollar Store knit scarves</a>, finishing a crochet hat I started over the weekend, and working up some crochet items with the bulky yarn that has been taking up way too much space in my yarn storage area. I also want to work through my pins that simply involve printing something out (paper gem templates, cute coloring pages, etc.) and moving those to my new board.<br />
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Next week, I'll work on those ideas that I still need to buy supplies for, and maybe some bigger projects I need to do while Elijah is in school.<br />
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I'm looking forward to cleaning out my brain much more than cleaning out my bathrooms...<br />
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What's cluttering up your brain?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-17572985555161406162016-02-10T08:17:00.002-08:002016-02-10T08:17:18.130-08:00A Dream (I Didn't Know I Had) Come TrueAs of this past weekend, some of my crochet items are currently available for sale at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Once-Upon-a-Time-on-Queen-Anne-274878805223/?ref=eyJzaWQiOiIwLjE2NjQyNDQ1NzY5ODcwODQiLCJxcyI6IkpUVkNKVEl5VDI1alpTVXlNRlZ3YjI0bE1qQmhKVEl3VkdsdFpTVXlNRzl1SlRJd1VYVmxaVzRsTWpCQmJtNWxKVEl5SlRWRSIsImd2IjoiMjlmNGFkYjY2NzJlMzBhMGNjMDZkMDRlNDEzYmEwMWVjODM4ODUyZiJ9">Once Upon a Time</a>, a children's boutique on Queen Anne in Seattle!<br />
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The whole thing came about rather randomly, but now that it's happened, I'm realizing that a dream I never knew I had has come true. My stuff is in an actual store! How cool is that?<br />
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So, if you're local, stop by and check out some Seahawks colored hats like my Camden "Seattle Camo" hat...<br />
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Or these awesome scarves - Raleigh Racccon, Felix Fox, and Woodrow Wolf...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizhzONXq41IY0xLHX9raIg0eL0CzL5baNipYvSujqcYXAvmFWkAgfgtz0F_jeaQJ7RxvVIb1IFHTJmDHXZyBDZWbCGbFfdNZ0zpkpHUr6USgb0vMJRgTb5yj4U3nBUhPnhfwWr25i6HY/s1600/WP_20160122_001+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgizhzONXq41IY0xLHX9raIg0eL0CzL5baNipYvSujqcYXAvmFWkAgfgtz0F_jeaQJ7RxvVIb1IFHTJmDHXZyBDZWbCGbFfdNZ0zpkpHUr6USgb0vMJRgTb5yj4U3nBUhPnhfwWr25i6HY/s320/WP_20160122_001+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This opportunity has gotten me thinking a bit more about my brand. I don't know how far I want to go with this, but I have started an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesequinturtle/">Instagram account</a> (hurray for Windows Phone finally jumping on the bandwagon), and am working on starting up a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TheSequinTurtle/?view_public_for=822757514501073">Facebook page</a>, you know, just in case. Neither one is anything to get too excited about, but it's a start.<br />
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Right now, I'm just happy to enjoy the fulfillment of this dream I never knew I had, and the money that came with it :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-37672366063418941562015-11-21T14:38:00.000-08:002015-11-21T14:45:00.818-08:00Hamilton Hat Pattern<a href="http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SequinTurtle/338425170/Hamilton_Hat_2_small_best_fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SequinTurtle/338425170/Hamilton_Hat_2_small_best_fit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images4-d.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SequinTurtle/338425170/Hamilton_Hat_2_small_best_fit.jpg" style="left: -30px; top: -2px;" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Here's a new pattern, just in time for some holiday gift-giving! The Hamilton hat is made using sc, hdc, dc, fpdc, and bpdc. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The hdc crown is warm, the sc/dc combination gives the body an interesting pattern and texture, and alternating post stitches make up the brim. </span>Follow the directions below carefully for a XS (14”), S (17”), M (19”),
L (22”), or XL (24”) sized beanie.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Materials</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">2 skeins worsted weight [4] yarn (Vanna's Choice, Red Heart Super Saver, I Love This Yarn) in different colors. This amount of yarn will actually make two hats, if you switch the colors.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">J Hook</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I Hook</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Notes</span></u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do not cut the yarn after each round, just run it up the seam for the next round. Change colors with the sl st that joins each round. Instead of pulling up the color you are working with, pull up the color from the previous round.</span><b><i><u><sub><sup><strike><br /></strike></sup></sub></u></i></b></span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></u></b><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Directions</span></u></b><br />
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</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 1:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> With J hook and
color A, 9 hdc in magic circle, join with a sl st</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<br />
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 2:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1 (does not
count as a stitch) 2 hdc in each hdc around, join with sl st into first hdc (18)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 3:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next stitch, repeat from * around, join with sl st into
first hdc (27)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 4:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 2 stitches, repeat from * around, join with sl st
into first hdc (36) </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 5:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 3 stitches, repeat from * around, join with sl st
into first hdc (45) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(4” diameter, for XS,
add one extra stitch (46), continue to Body Rounds)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 6:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 4 stitches, repeat from * around, join with sl st
into first hdc (54) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(4.75” diameter, for
S, continue to Body Rounds)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 7:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 5 stitches, repeat from * around, join with sl st
into first hdc (63) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(5.5” diameter, for
M, add an extra stitch (64) and continue to Body Rounds)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 8:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 6 stitches, repeat from * around, join with sl st
into first hdc (72) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(6.25” diameter, for
L, continue to Body Rounds)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Crown Round 9: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">ch 1, *2 hdc in
first stitch, 1 hdc in next 7 stitches, repeat from * around, skip the last
increase stitch, join with sl st into first hdc (80) <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(7” diameter, for XL, continue to Body Rounds)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Body Round 1:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 1, sc into
first stitch, dc into next stitch, repeat from * around, join with sl st into
first sc</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Body Round 2: </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">change to color B,
ch 2 (does not count as a stitch), dc into the first sc, sc into the next dc,
join with a sl st into first dc </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Rounds 3-X:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Repeat body
rounds 1 and 2, sc into every dc, dc into every sc, alternate colors every
round (For XS: X=6, for S: X=6 or 8, for M: X=8 or 10, for L: X=10 or 12, and
for XL: X=12) Increase X for a longer hat, end with a Color B round. Note: For an average kid size I would make the L with 10 rows, and for an average woman size, I would make the L with 12 rows</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brim Round 1:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> change to color
A, ch 1, sc into each stitch around, join with a sl st into the first sc</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brim Round 2:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> change to I hook,
ch 2 (does not count as a stitch here and throughout the brim), dc into each
stitch around, join with a sl st into the first dc</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brim Round 3:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> ch 2, fpdc around
the first stitch, bpdc around the next stitch, repeat from * around, join with
a sl st into the first fpdc </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Brim Rounds 4-5:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Repeat round 3,
fasten off and weave in ends. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(For XS, end with round 4)</i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span></i></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
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</span><br />
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-17953965221943330082015-08-03T13:23:00.000-07:002015-08-03T13:23:17.892-07:00Off the Hook: Dream Catcher Necklace HolderI've been working on making a bunch of these <a href="http://www.heartmadeblessings.org/Patterns/dreamcatcher.php">Dream Catcher Squares</a> to make a blanket for our friends' baby. I tried making one of the squares with some scrap yarn that I had, but I ran out before I was done. Darn. I loved the way it looked and the color, so I frogged it back to round 10, attached it to a metal ring, and added an easy chain loop for hanging. It seemed like it was missing something, so I hung a couple of necklaces from the bottom. Perfect!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIJLiyy7s7imy__4BUw-8NLqjdwK6PjhujuajdpLH7LBdnNagpW4CpGg43HK5H-MytaqpSMnR9NJKdq1OQeoHaxO2AdwSihJJyN0jONE19FIVWta8bQglxiO9dqq1aYuXv_Yl1tkrkbc/s1600/WP_20150803_002+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIJLiyy7s7imy__4BUw-8NLqjdwK6PjhujuajdpLH7LBdnNagpW4CpGg43HK5H-MytaqpSMnR9NJKdq1OQeoHaxO2AdwSihJJyN0jONE19FIVWta8bQglxiO9dqq1aYuXv_Yl1tkrkbc/s320/WP_20150803_002+1.jpg" width="168" /></a></div>
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My 1/16th Native American (Lenni Lenape, if you're interested) is pleased!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-31273073405240595482015-07-29T12:07:00.003-07:002015-10-21T10:40:57.269-07:00Free Cross Stitch PatternsSome good friends of ours recently found out that they are (85% sure they're) having a girl, and we are so excited for them! (Okay, actually, I was really hoping for a boy so we could pawn off all Elijah's clothes and old toys, but I'm very happy to welcome another little girl into my life as well.) I decided to get a head start on some gifts for her (or maybe him). I don't know what their theme for the nursery is (I don't even know if <em>they</em> know what the theme is), but after some Pinterest stalking of mutual friends, it seems there is a tribal/native American themed baby shower in the works. Working within that theme, I decided to put my cross stitch skills to good use and design a few simple patterns. My plan is to put them into small frames as nursery art. <br />
<br />
Here they are!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tribal Arrows</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinILgTFExEY_Sc400Xwf2pbYVzrdyT7Ak_mhjJ5n8r8hPvU0x-J1nQPyp5L4sKnvQxQgefWGEHdOkEC0MNyhhzcsnnmJre6gFC0VNczXgXXvH7Bw4Yn5fsHjO24cTYp8ZSPZnEacmmXVY/s1600/DSC_0021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinILgTFExEY_Sc400Xwf2pbYVzrdyT7Ak_mhjJ5n8r8hPvU0x-J1nQPyp5L4sKnvQxQgefWGEHdOkEC0MNyhhzcsnnmJre6gFC0VNczXgXXvH7Bw4Yn5fsHjO24cTYp8ZSPZnEacmmXVY/s320/DSC_0021.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Dream Catcher</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a36WH0Q4sEgxUMhfCdMt7Ai4ZOznDdxP2LvzpzTt89AAUb8W1VvZ2xL-OyVRjSzinTQdDN7hXfWqT7V2FaoRkMH7oJ9exdCsCeoROoIQb-KPpZwi6ZziE0xtfL__lnQO4s_-jWcaAcg/s1600/DSC_0020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8a36WH0Q4sEgxUMhfCdMt7Ai4ZOznDdxP2LvzpzTt89AAUb8W1VvZ2xL-OyVRjSzinTQdDN7hXfWqT7V2FaoRkMH7oJ9exdCsCeoROoIQb-KPpZwi6ZziE0xtfL__lnQO4s_-jWcaAcg/s320/DSC_0020.JPG" width="319" /></a></div>
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Teepee</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dESWpiQrqdeJXVRpvzsvmZ4dtMx67RawCkj6QiQNWuAa5XW8LACjRtMamj6-1i0E5m5Mq5Wqg8cK9suj-WiwbyAtbzTqxOaVE_IITmcY4p8jW_TbE-8KnTr_g0rdsvi_twwE6RPg8XA/s1600/DSC_0022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_dESWpiQrqdeJXVRpvzsvmZ4dtMx67RawCkj6QiQNWuAa5XW8LACjRtMamj6-1i0E5m5Mq5Wqg8cK9suj-WiwbyAtbzTqxOaVE_IITmcY4p8jW_TbE-8KnTr_g0rdsvi_twwE6RPg8XA/s320/DSC_0022.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Want to make some? You can download my patterns here:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3Xj2qg3gb1ZYU5lQ3NBN29SV0E/view?usp=sharing">Tribal Arrow Cross Stitch Pattern</a></li>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3Xj2qg3gb1ZODdyclRESkxPdUE/view?usp=sharing">Dream Catcher Cross Stitch Pattern</a></li>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3Xj2qg3gb1ZaEs2WkJJM2lHNTA/view?ths=true">Teepee Cross Stitch Pattern</a></li>
</ul>
<div>
Note: There seems to have been some issue with the sharable links. I have tried linking them again. Please leave a comment for me if they aren't working. Thanks!</div>
<ul>
</ul>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-475538303214965532015-07-22T21:04:00.003-07:002015-07-22T21:04:39.941-07:00Tapestry Crochet Sea Turtle PatternHaving recently discovered tapestry crochet, I've become a bit obsessed and been inspired to create some new patterns. First up is this little sea turtle:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n4BTmx1AWJZYQQD5NaKzFkjBFfmYGlvYl103Z4fZkEcn6gLsX2Vvvx1KTPWeufozq3MMFkES1tsniJAJbGVMJyjDZOMdjqi7DEQbA5EXyG2ZbgS6hQcP1L-8fHaEerRZ2XNx6iQWBoY/s1600/WP_20150722_005+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8n4BTmx1AWJZYQQD5NaKzFkjBFfmYGlvYl103Z4fZkEcn6gLsX2Vvvx1KTPWeufozq3MMFkES1tsniJAJbGVMJyjDZOMdjqi7DEQbA5EXyG2ZbgS6hQcP1L-8fHaEerRZ2XNx6iQWBoY/s320/WP_20150722_005+%25282%2529.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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This would make a cute pillow or blanket, but I used the pattern to make a zipper pouch. For someone who LOVES sea turtles as much as I do, this is awesome! This pouch measures 6.5"x8.5", the perfect size for a 7" or 8" tablet or a journal.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTXYxpg5c3_uksCF-NJ48LXIxumv4GTpmGuBA5wD3e8umAhtp9wSI2dALIV8OT5ryIBB1EO7SXnmiGjp1cB9w6v8ytmX3oEKS9_K77omeKxgBr9FC6KP4Va0LQtPESIbvn75xQ4XwFiI/s1600/WP_20150722_007+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTXYxpg5c3_uksCF-NJ48LXIxumv4GTpmGuBA5wD3e8umAhtp9wSI2dALIV8OT5ryIBB1EO7SXnmiGjp1cB9w6v8ytmX3oEKS9_K77omeKxgBr9FC6KP4Va0LQtPESIbvn75xQ4XwFiI/s320/WP_20150722_007+%25282%2529.jpg" width="255" /></a></div>
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To make this pouch, follow these directions:<br />
(If you need some help with tapestry crochet, check out this <a href="http://acrochetjourney.com/2015/05/07/tutorial-crochet-colourwork/">awesome tutorial</a> from <em>A Crochet Journey</em>.)<br />
<br />
Materials:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 colors of Cascade Ultra Pima yarn. I used about 1/2 a skein each of Major Teal and Bright Olive</li>
<li>3.25 mm hook (I used a Boye steel 0/3.25mm hook, but a D hook is the same size), but you can use a smaller hook for a smaller pouch with a denser fabric, or a larger hook for a larger pouch with a floppier fabric</li>
<li>zipper (or closure of your choice)</li>
<li><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3Xj2qg3gb1ZSXhUVWZuMlVsRTQ/view?usp=sharing">pattern chart (and organizer)</a></li>
</ul>
<u>Directions:</u><br />
With color A, ch 50<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 1:</strong> sc in 2nd ch from hook (place marker), sc across until the first chain (48 stitches), in the first chain work 3 sc, then sc across the back edge of the chain, in the last chain (the same one as the sc with the stitch marker) work 2 sc (100 stitches total) - do not join<br />
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<strong>Round 2-50:</strong> Hold color B and work your stitches over it until it is time to change colors, working in the back loop only (BLO), sc around following the pattern chart, changing colors when indicated. You will work each round of the pattern twice (once for the front of the pouch, and once for the back). Move your stitch marker up at the end of each round (or don't and suffer the inevitable consequences). At the end of round 50, fasten off and sew in your zipper or the closure of your choice.<br />
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Note: While an color change worked in the wrong stitch here or there won't make much of a difference in the overall pattern, you will want to be extra careful when placing your second color B stitches in round 3. If your count is off, your second turtle will end up off-center (ahem, not that I know this from personal experience or anything...) but even then, it's not the end of the world.<br />
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Tip: If you're using a zipper, I have found that it works best to use my sewing machine to sew a guide line on the zipper to help me hand-sew it into the pouch.<br />
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Hand-sewing without guideline:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U72nvj0rWyuDTD_hzwlUtqDQiXCW4iZNFl4pvFhSCNpBU-WNkIZBOxX0m2putIlRtf3Pl-64hqd2a2wZdnofPP72RVcF2PDZARCpogiw1LQp7COFfU6ceETnnNBa0u9t6QHngISYkfE/s1600/WP_20150722_012+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2U72nvj0rWyuDTD_hzwlUtqDQiXCW4iZNFl4pvFhSCNpBU-WNkIZBOxX0m2putIlRtf3Pl-64hqd2a2wZdnofPP72RVcF2PDZARCpogiw1LQp7COFfU6ceETnnNBa0u9t6QHngISYkfE/s320/WP_20150722_012+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hand-sewing with the a guideline:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-246sIDFPbKeX2KLsrmHIU4ij36DV7W56EFLNhv3NHQ5oB_RlQfV3_phiAoJej2cEpQCsj1noiQAVef7EqeEAOTpEu9AWGgXRF7p0TB0n98RLJvb8mxlFamReaHyg6uhefU4QHcpA06Y/s1600/WP_20150722_011+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-246sIDFPbKeX2KLsrmHIU4ij36DV7W56EFLNhv3NHQ5oB_RlQfV3_phiAoJej2cEpQCsj1noiQAVef7EqeEAOTpEu9AWGgXRF7p0TB0n98RLJvb8mxlFamReaHyg6uhefU4QHcpA06Y/s320/WP_20150722_011+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So much better, right?<br />
<br />
Happy crocheting, fellow sea turtle fans!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-73624410108161667362015-07-09T09:03:00.002-07:002015-07-09T09:03:56.084-07:00Hot off the Hook - Magenta Moroccan ToteHere it is, my finished <a href="http://acrochetjourney.com/2015/05/23/free-pattern-moroccan-tote/">Moroccan tote</a> by A Crochet Journey!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhYi9v2UqCarwO2lIxvAKfPRzl9moyC4UMoHpUtvD78gqoBTsjOgh1x7hqTwme6GgFzAjKQXefMJbhfdgnXOOfE7WAdKuKi4HcD2lbno4RKe2Z8AOpeGE9eJGY2Yr-2AjYmrwf1EB9B4/s1600/WP_20150709_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhYi9v2UqCarwO2lIxvAKfPRzl9moyC4UMoHpUtvD78gqoBTsjOgh1x7hqTwme6GgFzAjKQXefMJbhfdgnXOOfE7WAdKuKi4HcD2lbno4RKe2Z8AOpeGE9eJGY2Yr-2AjYmrwf1EB9B4/s320/WP_20150709_001.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWN1HlUDR8_Ya7iaxefclpRC_nu3p5ILQIsMocYJcYYyNXQeUB_ad4OOJe8VikgnysZwpZ6hmG1K8gEbhATxAD51YPUiOc2HxbNnkuYxYDqGEiN2RZB8F8E3qOwKdGt1VzvmAKFPmVc5I/s1600/WP_20150709_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWN1HlUDR8_Ya7iaxefclpRC_nu3p5ILQIsMocYJcYYyNXQeUB_ad4OOJe8VikgnysZwpZ6hmG1K8gEbhATxAD51YPUiOc2HxbNnkuYxYDqGEiN2RZB8F8E3qOwKdGt1VzvmAKFPmVc5I/s320/WP_20150709_002.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<br />
It has <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/237440676/23-byhands-genuine-leather-camel-purse?ref=shop_home_active_18">real leather handles</a> and a lining that was hand sewn in with teeny tiny stitches. I machine sewed the lining (with interfacing to stiffen it up) and then used the machine sewn line to guide my hand sewing. I love it, and I'm really excited to use it!<br />
<br />
But, whew, that was a lot of color changes...<br />
<br />
Now, what to make next...<br />
<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-3631129218094548642015-07-03T08:51:00.000-07:002015-07-03T08:51:34.751-07:00Crocheting with Kids - Getting Creative with LegosIt used to be easy to crochet for an extended amount of time. Before Elijah, I had TONS of time to do whatever I wanted (hurray for being a college instructor and only working 2-4 hours a day). After Elijah (and the initial sleep deprivation), there were 3 hour nap periods. Now, he's 4 1/2, rarely naps, and isn't usually in bed until 9:30. During the day, my crochet work gets interrupted to put shows on TV, make food, play games, clean up messes, etc. During the evening, it gets interrupted by my need to sleep :). I've had to get creative with how I deal with all the creative things going on in my head, and still spend quality time with my kid. <br />
<br />
(Case in point, while writing the above paragraph, I stopped to straighten a blanket on the floor, to get Elijah a granola bar, to get him a glass of orange juice, and to change the Netflix show.)<br />
<br />
Enter Legos.<br />
<br />
Elijah has only recently gotten into Legos. We have a box from when I was a kid, and we got a couple more boxes of blocks for Christmas. Both James and I love playing with Legos, so we're excited that Elijah is entering this phase. The other night, I decided to do some crochet planning while playing with Legos.<br />
<br />
How cute with this be as a granny square blanket?<br />
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<img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIdTUHpOweW9hu-mEUEHiemj6iF5VIi8dd8Ne7W6yn4rjN3GU3OrZeNXTVZimRqPB3wawRIvhpmDJAxojpldLfFJcCqEkWsA8pLhTxKHZ8VY6YH33c251kG097K4ZwM494copBwFF9_YE/s320/WP_20150622_003.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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And those tiny 1 square blocks? Perfect for planning tapestry crochet designs. I was imagining a little coin purse.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocmrOCjyXiltkVyDOiORsOKtToXMdsZya5iww89BMK97KyknTQ4T9GHb28DkoC_WfBo9hbcytd9gTjQPMOlDhOqaU4FN0qAqNk47rTu2wPuI89Q0dKDykwN9dqbjpQAa-5pP0U0mpIfw/s1600/WP_20150622_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhocmrOCjyXiltkVyDOiORsOKtToXMdsZya5iww89BMK97KyknTQ4T9GHb28DkoC_WfBo9hbcytd9gTjQPMOlDhOqaU4FN0qAqNk47rTu2wPuI89Q0dKDykwN9dqbjpQAa-5pP0U0mpIfw/s320/WP_20150622_004.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
For me, this is the perfect solution. I get to work on my stuff and play with Elijah at the same time. He has now even started to make his own "designs", which just means he fills up a board with random blocks. I just might take a picture of one and make him a blanket of his own creation at some point. How sweet would that be?<br />
<br />
Even if you don't have kids, using Legos to plan out crochet projects is fun, but expensive if you don't already have the blocks. Weren't these things cheaper when we were young? <br />
<br />
How do you get creative when crocheting with kids?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-59714063917590057162015-07-03T08:24:00.001-07:002015-07-03T08:24:53.967-07:00June Yarnbox LuxeAs a birthday gift to myself in May, I signed up for Yarnbox Luxe and I am so excited! Yarnbox is a subscription box club that sends out curated boxes of yarn, knit and crochet patterns, and other notions. They currently have 4 different subscriptions that you can sign up for - Classic (monthly), Sock (monthly), Plus (starting in July), and Luxe (quarterly).<br />
<br />
Even though the Luxe is really only geared towards knitters, I signed up for it anyways because I wanted the more luxurious yarns, and the other notions they include in the box. Turns out, in the December box, they will have a crochet option - yay!<br />
<br />
So, here's the box.<br />
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And here's what's inside:<br />
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7 (!) skeins of <a href="http://www.shibuiknits.com/Yarn/Colorways.php?Yarn=Linen">Shibui Knits Linen</a> yarn from Portland - this is the muted neutral colorway of ivory, ash and field. Each skein of this linen yarn has 246 yards, so I have 1722 yards to play with. The yarn feels a little rough, but I hear that linen softens as you work with it and after it gets washed.<br />
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Octave, a knit scarf/wrap pattern by Shibui - this is a cute scarf/wrap, and while I have considered making a crochet version of it, I have found a couple other patterns that I might make instead. Check out the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rococo-waistcoat">Rococo Waistcoat</a> which is currently in first place on my list. I could use a pretty neutral vest this summer.<br />
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<a href="http://shop.splityarn.com/category/wee-lil-pouches">Wee Lil' Pouch</a> from splityarn - this is cute and will probably end up holding my yarn needles and stitch markers...or change in my purse.<br />
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<a href="http://www.blingyourstring.com/product/summer-shell-stitch-markers-single-marker">Stitch Markers</a> by Bling Your String - I plan to add lobster clasps to these so I can use them for crochet<br />
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All of this for about $75, which includes 2 day priority shipping. I am overall very impressed with this box and am looking forward to using my new yarn and seeing what comes in the next shipment in September!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-38771005234927329592015-07-03T08:23:00.000-07:002015-07-06T19:15:37.419-07:00Yesterday AfternoonThis is what I was looking yesterday afternoon:<br />
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Elijah and I were holed up in the studio with the portable AC unit on full blast. I had my feet up because they've been swelling from the heat, and I had an ice pack in my lap that Elijah has his head on. We have been dying in this heat. It was the first afternoon in forever that he hadn't been asking me every 3 minutes if we could go outside. Thank goodness for that small mercy.<br />
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Now, I know across the country upper 80's/low 90's is nothing to write home about, but here in the Puget Sound region, it's HOT. And I mean AC units and fans are sold out across the area, there are cooling stations for the homeless and the elderly, and we're under an excessive heat warning HOT. James and I are feeling a little smug about the fact that we ponied up the cash back in April for a new AC unit since it is now selling on craigslist for twice what we paid.<br />
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And there's no end in sight to the above average temperatures. Sunday is even daring to have a high temperature of 97. Really? Ugh...is it October, yet?<br />
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In other news, also seen in the picture is the Moroccan Tote Bag I've been working on. Only 19 more rounds to go! I've enjoyed working on it, and I am loving tapestry crochet, but I'm excited to get this bag off the hook so I can use it! On the table is a scrap yarn rug that I've been working on and off on to whittle down my yarn stash. That clothes hamper in the background is full of donations, including two bags of fabric (gasp!). That's probably sacrilege to someone, but I was running out of room and I need to pare down some things, so it's got to go!<br />
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As we head into this holiday weekend, I hope you have a fun and safe 4th of July! Hopefully, I'll be back next week with my finished bag!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-17670713674244032702015-06-18T12:18:00.000-07:002015-06-18T12:18:32.828-07:00"It's a Girl!" Again...This past weekend, I traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate my best friend Sarah's birthday with her and our moms (who are also best friends). Sarah found out that she was having a girl back in mid-April (at 16ish weeks), so I planned to give her my "It's a Girl! gift on our trip since I hadn't even started anything for her at that point (shh, don't tell her!). You can check out the "It's a Girl!" gift for her first daughter, Elladie, <a href="http://thesequinturtle.blogspot.com/2013/03/naptime-day-6-sarahs-having-girl.html">here</a>.<br />
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Elladie had a peacock themed nursery and Sarah was planning on keeping the same theme for her new daughter, Avarie, but I wanted to give her something a little special and unique. So I decided on a flamingo theme. The colors are the same as the peacock theme (teal, aqua, and white) with some pink thrown in to make it special.<br />
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The most time consuming part of the gift was this blanket. It is worked in a 7 triple crochet shell stitch with a 4 round single crochet border and measures about 36"x36".<br />
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A flamingo appliqued beanie. There's no pattern as I just made this one up as I went, but it turned out pretty well.<br />
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Luckily, since it was almost summer, there were flamingo themed clothes available at Carters.<br />
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I also ran across a flamingo print hooded towel.<br />
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A paper embroidery design to match the one that I made Elladie for her baby shower.<br />
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And a simple bag to put in all in.<br />
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For Sarah's birthday present, I made 4 stretchy bracelets with different bird charms for each of her kids. <br />
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The eagle is for her son, Wyatt, the peacock for Elladie, the dove for Charlee, who was miscarried, and the flamingo is for Avarie.<br />
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Sarah, happy birthday and congratulations on your soon-to-join-us-on-the-outside little girl! Avarie, I'm looking forward to you arrival!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-35172152808883307642015-06-10T13:24:00.001-07:002015-06-10T13:24:53.227-07:00Hello, Summer!Hey! It's been awhile. How have you been?<br />
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The last few months have been busy and not busy at the same time. Work was busy, Elijah was busy, my crochet hook was busy, but this blog has been pretty un-busy. That's not that I haven't had anything to say, I just haven't had the inclination to actually get on here and say it.<br />
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First, I've been whipping up baby stuff like it's going out of style. So many of my friends are pregnant right now. I've made 3 different Seahawks themed hats, a couple of lovies, some crochet lined fleece blankets, and a whole "It's a Girl" gift for my best friend, Sarah. I'm giving that to her this coming weekend, so I'll post the pictures after she has seen it first. <br />
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I've been working on a couple of projects for me, as well. I'm working on a purple and teal "blip" blanket, similar to <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-waves">this one</a>. I've also got the <a href="http://acrochetjourney.com/2015/05/23/free-pattern-moroccan-tote/">Moroccan Tote</a> by <em>A Crochet Journey</em> on the hook. I've been enjoying learning tapestry crochet, and just this morning I designed a pattern for a sea turtle that I'm going to try to make into a zippered pouch in tapestry crochet. <br />
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For my birthday early last month (Hello, 31!), I bought myself subscriptions to <a href="https://yarnbox.com/">Yarnbox</a> Luxe and <a href="https://vip.fabfitfun.com/welcome/?&referer=">FabFitFun</a>. They are both quarterly subscription boxes - 1 for yarn, 1 for beauty and health products. I got my first boxes last week, and they are so much fun! My dad also got me a 3 month subscription to <a href="http://www.hammockpack.com/">Hammock Pack</a>, and that first box arrived two days ago. I love getting fun stuff in the mail! I signed my husband up for <a href="http://theramenbox.com/">The Ramen Box</a>, and he is looking forward to seeing what arrives. Do you receive any subscription boxes that you love?<br />
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Also, for my birthday, I wrote down a list of 31 Things I Want to Do Before I Turn 32. Mostly it's things I've been meaning to do (get all my yearly doctor/dentist visits in - ugh), things I think I am gradually getting to old for (chalking my hair, getting a henna tattoo - of a sea turtle, of course), things I want to make (crochet a pair of socks, dye a skein of yarn), and places I want to go (Winthrop, San Diego). It was fun thinking of the list, and it's been fun crossing a few things off of it (read a new series - Check! <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Silent-Grave-Lady-Julia-Novel/dp/0778328171/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1433967825&sr=1-1&keywords=lady+julia+grey+series+by+deanna+raybourn">Lady Julia Grey</a> series thanks to birthday present from a coworker; take a flowing water picture - Check! Narada Falls, Mt. Rainier).<br />
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As I write this, 12 students are sitting in front of me, furiously scribbling away on their finals. Once they are done, I plan to correct them, submit my grades, and say "hello!" to 16 weeks of Summer break! It has been a good class, and a good quarter, but I'm ready for a break. I'm hoping to be around this space more often, but I make no promises, because life is life, and life lived off the computer is good.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-27521595912202190092015-05-31T22:14:00.001-07:002015-05-31T22:14:17.545-07:00On the Hook - A Crochet Journey's Moroccan Tote<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="center">
Seriously, how cute is this bag?</div>
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<img src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/SolCole/304221822/IMG_0545_small.JPG" style="left: -14px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; top: -55px;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: A Crochet Journey</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's not often that a pattern I've seen keeps me up at night. When I saw the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/moroccan-tote">Moroccan Tote</a> by <a href="http://acrochetjourney.com/">A Crochet Journey</a>, I knew that I had to make it at some point. "But, wait! I don't know how to do tapestry crochet," I said to myself. "That's okay, there's a tutorial on the blog. I'm sure I could figure it out...eventually." And then came the sleepless nights. I was literally dreaming about finding the perfect yarn and making the bag. What the heck?! I mean, I love crochet and everything, but I don't dream about it. I honestly kept waking up in the middle of the night thinking about it...<br />
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Okay, at this point I should probably also mention that I had just been diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis and was given a tetanus booster shot in the same arm (worst decision I've made in a while), so the pain I was feeling could have also played a part in the waking up...but still, I was constantly thinking about the pattern, so I knew I needed to make it sooner rather than later. Luckily, I had just finished the last big project I had on my hook (more about that later), and I could easily put the smaller things aside for a while.<br />
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So, yesterday we stopped by a new yarn shop (<a href="http://www.acornstreet.com/">Acorn Street Yarn Shop</a>) in Seattle and I bought the 3 skeins of <a href="http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-UltraPima.asp">Cascade Ultra Pima</a> I would need to make it. I went in wanting a deep blue, but walked out with a beautiful purple-y magenta (you know how it is when you're standing in front of all those colors) and white.<br />
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And now that Elijah's in bed, it's time to get to work. Whenever there is counting involved in a pattern, I have to wait until my little "Oh you're counting? I can count, too!" helper is down for the count. <br />
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Wish me luck on the tapestry crochet, and stay tuned to see how it turns out!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-40182910810612702015-04-27T16:40:00.000-07:002015-04-27T16:40:07.517-07:00A Monday SurpriseToday, when I picked Elijah up from school, I noticed that he had something shiny in his sweat-soaked hair (they had just been outside). I fished around and pulled out a sequin. I showed it to Elijah, and do you know what he said to me?<br />
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"I was hiding it for you, Mama!"<br />
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That kid. Anytime he sees a sequin he gives it to me - a mini sequin probably lost from a little girl's shirt at the mall play area, a bigger sequin someone dropped at the beach, and now pilfering one from school in his hair. What can I say? He knows what I like :)<br />
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It sure made my Monday, and I hope you are surprised with a little something wonderful to make your day just as sweet!<br />
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(In other news, I am surrounded by pregnancy announcements and baby deliveries...my crochet hook can not keep up, but my Facebook newsfeed is certainly exciting.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-89180217820679241532015-04-01T09:32:00.004-07:002015-04-01T09:32:46.358-07:00March UpdateHappy April Fool's Day! <br />
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Here's Elijah's idea of an April Fool's Day joke...that he did in mid-March...thanks random April Fool's Day Caillou episode!<br />
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Let me tell you, he was SO proud of himself! It was pretty cute!<br />
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In like a lion, out like a lamb...<br />
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Apparently March here in the Pacific Northwest did not get the memo. The lion decided to take some time off, and sent the lamb out early. We had beautiful weather for most of the month. That's not to say we haven't had our obligatory rainy days, but they really have been few and far between this winter. Instead of gray skies and drizzly rain, which would be the norm for the beginning of April (and May...and June), I'm looking out the window at clear blue skies and sunshine. Seriously, Mother Nature, what's up with you?<br />
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March was a pretty good month. I finished out Winter Quarter, enjoyed a week and a half Spring Break, and have been back at work for 2 days. My mind has been pretty occupied with work stuff, so there hasn't been a lot of crafty-creative things going on around here. I've been working on reading guides for a couple of different novels to use in class. Up first was updating and correcting the guide we made for <em>The Book Thief</em> over winter break to get it ready to use this quarter. I'm still finding a few errors in it, but every quarter it gets better and better. I'm also working on one for <em>Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet</em> which I want to use in class in the future.<br />
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I've also been trying to find some new books to read for class, so I've been working my way through some books set in the Seattle area.<br />
<ul>
<li><em>Songs of Willow Frost</em> by Jamie Ford - more difficult language as well as a more difficult story dealing with topics I would rather not discuss in class (rape, abortion, suicide)</li>
<li><em>The Art of Racing in the Rain</em> by Garth Stein - cute story, relatively easy language, but not really classroom appropriate</li>
</ul>
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I did manage to get one more pattern up in the shop - the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/226617955/pattern-only-crochet-billi-beanie?ref=sr_gallery_1&ga_search_query=billi+beanie&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery">Billi Beanie</a> that I originally made for my aunt who is going through chemotherapy, so I'm still on schedule for accomplishing my New Year's goal of publishing 12 patterns this year.<br />
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The only other thing we did creatively this month was making a batch of salt dough egg and butterfly ornaments to hang on some twigs we collected from our neighbor's yard. Have I mentioned how much Elijah loves eggs? It's bizarre, but he has been obsessed with eggs since he was probably 18 months old. Easter is by far his favorite holiday! It's cute and weird at the same time.<br />
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I got a new Microsoft Band last weekend, which has been fun. I know it's mostly used for fitness, but I actually got it because I miss so many calls and texts. Either Elijah has my phone, I forget to take it out of my bag during class, or I'll have it in my back pocket where I have little feeling because of having nerves cut during back surgery when I was 12. It's been reassuring to know that my wrist will vibrate whenever I get a call or text so I don't always have to keep remembering to check my phone. The Microsoft Band isn't terribly comfortable, but it's not uncomfortable either. I think it just takes a little getting used to. <br />
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We also took Elijah to the Pacific Science Center for the first time last weekend. Man, it seems so much smaller than it did when I was a kid. Amazing how that happens, huh?<br />
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I hope you had a great March, and that your April is filled with lots of fun things and good weather!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-15234047139400019652015-03-17T18:00:00.002-07:002015-03-17T18:00:40.116-07:00New Pattern for Sale: Billi Beanie
There's a new pattern in my shop, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/226617955/pattern-only-crochet-billi-beanie?ref=shop_home_active_1">The Billi Beanie</a>.<br />
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">Created as a
chemotherapy cap for my wonderfully crazy aunt Billi, this beanie is made of a
soft cashmere-angora-wool blend yarn in beautiful colors. It is sized for an
average adult, and it measures 22” around and 8” in length. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-59955003643448784982015-02-28T21:41:00.001-08:002015-02-28T21:41:30.113-08:00February UpdateHere's what I've been up to the last month...<br />
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I found <a href="http://www.123stitch.com/item/Dimensions-Peacock-Pendant-Cross-Stitch-Kit/K72-74067">this kit</a> from Dimensions and made a cute peacock feather cross stitch necklace.<br />
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I bought some fantastic <a href="http://www.appleyarns.com/collections/yarns/products/noro-shiraito-yarn">Noro Shiraito yarn</a> (color 31) at <a href="http://www.appleyarns.com/">Apple Yarns</a> in Bellingham, WA on our way home from celebrating Elijah's 4th birthday, and made this hat for my aunt. The pattern will be available sometime in March.<br />
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I played around with some funky rainbow colored yarn from Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny (Fiesta). The hat is my <a href="http://thesequinturtle.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-ruby-turban-1920s-flapper-inspired.html">Ruby Turban</a> pattern, and the <a href="http://www.lalylala.com/?port=jellyfish-mobile">jellyfish</a> is from <a href="http://www.lalylala.com/">Lalylala</a>. (Be sure to click on the EN tab to get the pattern in English.) These are also for my aunt.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jb6BwxPnbMyvbAO5GTKXa4u32OxKK4q2NTJ1Nlz5X219ml48YqCtsSkwfdamGgKuYX7ucb2C3S3ZlWy99FxkReClFSmOkWkXvs2Qwq4bhSnJOw8_T8T_Ai_uV4ofH_MWWb4f5KeQ_Z0/s1600/010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jb6BwxPnbMyvbAO5GTKXa4u32OxKK4q2NTJ1Nlz5X219ml48YqCtsSkwfdamGgKuYX7ucb2C3S3ZlWy99FxkReClFSmOkWkXvs2Qwq4bhSnJOw8_T8T_Ai_uV4ofH_MWWb4f5KeQ_Z0/s1600/010.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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I made this simple cute <a href="http://made-in-k-town.blogspot.de/2012/05/little-spring-mandala.html">mandala</a> from <a href="http://made-in-k-town.blogspot.com/">Made in K-Town</a> to hang in my kitchen, which has been rearranged and has gotten some new textiles.<br />
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Just this morning I made <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aidans-elephant">this cute little elephant</a> for one of my coworkers. It's a bit bigger than the fingertip sized crochet elephant she jokingly posted on my Facebook page, but I think she'll still love it. I work the pattern using Loops and Threads Soft and Shiny in Gray with a G hook. I also left the wings off and added a <a href="http://thesequinturtle.blogspot.com/2014/06/crochet-bow-ring-tutorial.html">bow</a> and a simple sc scarf (ch 41, work 40 sc, extra sc in the last stitch, 40 sc along the other side of the beginning ch, extra sc in last stitch, join with sl st, fasten off, weave in ends).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0rDSza1lY2GaQEAB8UK9aWFnuvhwTCDjrOa3KaJAzle_zEPmYIrKgC7hBO4ZbuB6YLpBj-vNHYx4jfABQOblV0Ez8Mbq4g6YcPv6pG7di1Nq-G50ODAuNL62DelEG-c1FjxifRvKwSM/s1600/17-ElijahFour-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0rDSza1lY2GaQEAB8UK9aWFnuvhwTCDjrOa3KaJAzle_zEPmYIrKgC7hBO4ZbuB6YLpBj-vNHYx4jfABQOblV0Ez8Mbq4g6YcPv6pG7di1Nq-G50ODAuNL62DelEG-c1FjxifRvKwSM/s1600/17-ElijahFour-17.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi0Vrqn7mRbgwXZXijXLBzdOMrDt4ocGkjzwNzPYbWVNPE-9l-EdOoRDvFmXw2JGsLudeigEj7w9UTJ0y7yzsDQvkS2ZR4v16EFJUleOhYjnokMNuBHLkKmHdINu-_gjEdMQc9KZ0i80/s1600/29-ElijahFour-29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEi0Vrqn7mRbgwXZXijXLBzdOMrDt4ocGkjzwNzPYbWVNPE-9l-EdOoRDvFmXw2JGsLudeigEj7w9UTJ0y7yzsDQvkS2ZR4v16EFJUleOhYjnokMNuBHLkKmHdINu-_gjEdMQc9KZ0i80/s1600/29-ElijahFour-29.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
We got our family pictures back from <a href="http://www.cassandrahamiltonphotography.com/index2.php">Cassandra Hamilton Photography</a>. You can check out the rest of our pictures <a href="http://www.cassandrahamiltonphotography.com/blog/elijahs-turning-four-tacoma-family-photography/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Missing-Manuscript-Jane-Austen-ebook/dp/B0095ZP45W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1425075163&sr=8-3&keywords=syrie+james">The Missing Manuscript of Jane Austen</a> by Syrie James. <br />
<br />
All in all, it's been a good month. I hope your February was full of lots of wonderful things. Now, on to March!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-1323738593730281312015-02-13T09:27:00.002-08:002015-02-13T09:27:52.516-08:00New Pattern for Sale: Tears of the 12s<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">The 2014 football season
was a pretty emotional one for Seahawk fans. We were up (beating the Packers in
the season opener), we were down (losing at home to the Cowboys in Week 6), we
were shocked (Percy Harvin trade), we were worried (6-4 record), we were
excited (#1 Seed in the NFC), we were speechless and dumbfounded (NFC
Championship miracle comeback), and we were crushed at the end of Super Bowl
XLIX. This hat is inspired by the unbelieving tears of the 12s (Seahawks fans).<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyd4NqrM9xDtGeZTLrpQj1R4Y9XhOeYZKqaqQtYCcXEZ2Cd8YdLjYutGPbmYAURdniZIpjr6UvUa51HnBGwYRQ_8Zf-onALnLnGFPn0mMUSPPKsxgJcAefV7z3BcmvGQGUVlOb3N913pc/s1600/020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyd4NqrM9xDtGeZTLrpQj1R4Y9XhOeYZKqaqQtYCcXEZ2Cd8YdLjYutGPbmYAURdniZIpjr6UvUa51HnBGwYRQ_8Zf-onALnLnGFPn0mMUSPPKsxgJcAefV7z3BcmvGQGUVlOb3N913pc/s1600/020.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPJb3sS8tRd6SddbXdfzYjUQ2AJIo0fJ7OUbRLhSlUzSl4mW1LCc_PoB_6ADln6Lw0bv67fSdvBQ9vVqNLqDFmMmtz-e10urq8mZJNet-yF0EkHeMCCmrqY44An0Ou1xiEWBMZ4-eSjM/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkPJb3sS8tRd6SddbXdfzYjUQ2AJIo0fJ7OUbRLhSlUzSl4mW1LCc_PoB_6ADln6Lw0bv67fSdvBQ9vVqNLqDFmMmtz-e10urq8mZJNet-yF0EkHeMCCmrqY44An0Ou1xiEWBMZ4-eSjM/s1600/021.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12pt;">This hat is worked
in two layers, so it is extra warm and cozy – perfect for those cold game days.
It can, of course, be worked in your favorite colors or the colors of your
favorite team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It measures 24” in
circumference and is sized for average adults. See notes for resizing
information and other pattern options.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
This pattern includes pictures for most steps and permission to sell finished items.<br />
<br />
You can by the pattern <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/222512508/pattern-only-tears-of-the-12s-hat?">here </a>in my Etsy shop.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1580822570509206733.post-88050458695431770932015-02-13T08:23:00.001-08:002015-02-16T19:45:36.188-08:00Fight Like a Girl Slouchie Hat and Infinity ScarfGreat news! My aunt's genetic test for the breast cancer gene came back negative! This means that I will not have to have genetic testing and my risk for breast cancer in the same as the general public. My aunt's cancer did not spread, and she had clear margins, so it was good news all around. She will definitely need to have radiation, and it is up in the air whether or not she will need chemotherapy, so prayers are still appreciated.<br />
<br />
With Valentine's Day coming up tomorrow and my aunt being away from home, I wanted to give her a little something special to help her "fight like a girl" - her favorite breast cancer phrase. So, I whipped up this little slouchie hat and infinity scarf set for her. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hJ14-td3l1y3lqJUtJ-6dMLopQSzGEbJxZi8JTJhDWR3PM6aYU3xwYTHVADB2NWwR90h3QeGs-69hOUt703eJZZHq03oU6AkNf0rJvts6rISa6sev2FNDvEYROsKNJcLCapl0cYZuzA/s1600/032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7hJ14-td3l1y3lqJUtJ-6dMLopQSzGEbJxZi8JTJhDWR3PM6aYU3xwYTHVADB2NWwR90h3QeGs-69hOUt703eJZZHq03oU6AkNf0rJvts6rISa6sev2FNDvEYROsKNJcLCapl0cYZuzA/s1600/032.JPG" height="200" width="138" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0QPI6gdUgeDVpZOy7x2AnG9wvNY3dqs3hjhL_r_vf8LNd0BPd2xg1kU01hz0MwL10lbC4NqsB9FF44WvzPe-BHAQ6e3yo9PwKe1qTJxzBCjEZLsZ8vYSTMB97m_X1hf-D-YXZGhqwhk/s1600/031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO0QPI6gdUgeDVpZOy7x2AnG9wvNY3dqs3hjhL_r_vf8LNd0BPd2xg1kU01hz0MwL10lbC4NqsB9FF44WvzPe-BHAQ6e3yo9PwKe1qTJxzBCjEZLsZ8vYSTMB97m_X1hf-D-YXZGhqwhk/s1600/031.JPG" height="200" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtwitZfQcSvCnggmLr8Odo532ZHSmKWznOS44pjMnXl-6v47vIIk5_9nWijznAyuyqUYwUot5JKQ6iqEGQ-HNXynMOdq2XMhU8dULotdOWI5cXOemeJj7Ts0eO2uK3k-yQZdEbygbgAs/s1600/023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtwitZfQcSvCnggmLr8Odo532ZHSmKWznOS44pjMnXl-6v47vIIk5_9nWijznAyuyqUYwUot5JKQ6iqEGQ-HNXynMOdq2XMhU8dULotdOWI5cXOemeJj7Ts0eO2uK3k-yQZdEbygbgAs/s1600/023.JPG" height="200" width="135" /></a></div>
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The hat measures about 21" around unstretched and is 10.5" long. It is sized to fit the average woman's head (22-24"). The scarf measures about 40" around and is 5" wide. It is also sized to fit the average woman. The scarf pattern is a variation of the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crochet-awareness-ribbon-scarf-pink-for-breast-cancer-or-other-causes">Crochet Pink Awareness Ribbon Scarf</a> by <a href="http://naztazia.com/">Naztazia</a>, which is pretty ingenious. <br />
<br />
<u>Materials:</u><br />
<ul>
<li>Anne Geddes Baby by Red Heart in Taffy (or other baby weight (3) yarn)</li>
<li>G hook</li>
<li>Breast Cancer Pin (I got mine at Hobby Lobby) or iron-on patch (optional)</li>
<li>3/8" Ribbon (optional)</li>
</ul>
<u>Slouchie Hat Directions:</u><br />
<br />
<strong>Round 1</strong>: 12 dc in magic circle (12) join with a sl st<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 2</strong>: ch 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), dc in same stitch, 2 dc in each stitch around (24)join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 3</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (36) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 4</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 2 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (48) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 5</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 3 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (60) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 6</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 4 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (72) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 7</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 5 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (84) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 8</strong>: ch 2, dc in same stitch, *1 dc in next 6 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch, repeat from * around (96) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<u></u><br />
<strong>Round 9</strong>: ch 2, dc in each stitch around (96) join with a sl st to the top of the ch 2<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 10-22</strong>: repeat round 9 (make this section longer if you want a slouchier hat)<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 23</strong>: ch 3 (counts as dc, ch 1), *skip 1 stitch, dc in next stitch, ch 1, repeat from * around (48 dc, 48 ch spaces) join with a sl st to the 2nd ch in the ch 3 (this row is where you will weave the ribbon through if you use it)<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 24</strong>: ch 1, sc in the same space, sc in each stitch and ch 1 space around (96) join with a sl st to the first sc<br />
<br />
<strong>Round 25-30</strong>: repeat round 24, fasten off and weave in ends<br />
<br />
<u>Finishing:</u><br />
Add any embellishments you would like. The hat can be also be worn as a regular beanie by folding the brim up. It has a bit of a Downton Abbey feel to it this way.<br />
<u></u><br />
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<u></u><br />
<u>Infinity Scarf Directions:</u><br />
Ch. 23<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 1</strong>: dc in 4th ch from hook, dc across (21), turn<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 2-7</strong>: ch 3 (count as dc throughout), dc in each stitch across (21)<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 8-10</strong>: see <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgHuYICfxdQ&index=35&list=PL967A411A9D90AA96">here</a> for the pattern for making the awareness ribbons (5 ribbons)<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 11-12</strong>: repeat row 2<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 13-75</strong>: repeat rows 8-10 (at the end you should have 14 repeats of the ribbons and end with sc row (Row 9). Of course, you could make this as long as you want.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Row 76</strong>: ch 1, work 148 sc down the long edge of the scarf (two for each dc row and 4 in each space along the ribbon row), attach the two short ends with a sl st seam (21 stitches) being careful not to twist the scarf, then ch 1 and work 148 sc around the other long edge of the scarf, fasten off and weave in ends.<br />
<br />
<u>Finishing:</u><br />
Add pin. If you are going to attach iron-on patch to row 2-7, you can use my method <a href="http://thesequinturtle.blogspot.com/2014/12/12-days-of-christmas-hats-day-4-adding.html">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2