Delights-Gems

2Good2Eat

2012-03-01T14:19:00.001-06:00

As if I don't have enough to do, I've inaugurated a third etsy shop called 2Good2Eat. Well, it was inevitable with so many fun and fanciful non-edible goodies to create. How could I not think of a shop filled with cupcakes, doughnuts, sundaes and other yummy delights? AND, they serve useful purposes, too.

ABOVE: Here's my new (for now) shop banner with yellow and white doughnuts which are actually knitted pincushions. One doughnut features lemon "frosting" over a dark chocolate base and the other is vanilla over a regular cake doughnut. They look yummy enough to eat but you wouldn't want to take a bite or you would have a mouthful of yarn and worst of all—straight pins. Yes, that's right, the "sprinkles" are actually metallic headed pins.

SECOND PHOTO: Here is the photo from which the narrow banner was extracted so you can see more of the doughnuts. I even found a doughnut box for this photo. Look at the variety of frosted doughnuts inside!

I found a great little pattern for these knitted doughnuts and want to share a link with you so you can make them, too. First, though, it is important to explain a few modifications I recommend for best results using the pattern.

Modifications:

1. The pattern calls for size 0 (2 mm) needles. The reason given for such small needles is to make the stitches tight for use as a pincushion. Instead, I used wool yarn and larger needles: size 6 (4.25 mm) and size 7 (4.5 mm). After finishing and stuffing the pincushions, I felted the doughnuts by putting them in with a load of towels in the washer and then dried them in the dryer with the towels. The felting (shrinking and fusing of fibers) made the stitches closer together. Be sure to have plenty of towels or clothing items in with your doughnut(s) because it is the agitation that makes for successful felting.

2. The pattern does not provide a finished size for the doughnuts but mine have a footprint of 3.5 inches (9 mm) to 4.5 inches (11.5 mm). I think this size is larger than might be yielded with size 0 (2 mm) needles.

3. After making a batch of these doughnuts, I found it best to use a slightly smaller size needle for the frosting half and a slightly larger size needle for the bottom (cake part) to make them even.

4. The pattern suggests using poly fiberfil for the inner stuffing. I found that this type of product, used in most decorative pillows, is not substantial enough to confidently support sharp pins and needles. It is too squishy and doesn't have a heavy enough feel. Instead, I rolled up felted wool (not too tight, not too loose of a roll) from old sweaters and made an inner ring around which the knitted outer doughnut fits. To do this, I made sure that the wool was wide enough so that the rolled cylinder was longer than necessary. Once rolled, then I basted the long edge to keep it together. I placed the knitted doughnut around the cylinder and began stitching the doughnut together. When I had about two thirds of the doughnut stitched, I trimmed the cylinder to size and hand stitched the cylinder layers together working from the back to the front. DON'T leave out this step; the cylinder must form a neat ring by being joined or your doughnut will not be uniform.

Links:

Okay, so here is the link to the pattern: Knitted Doughnut

And, be sure to drop by for a visit to my new etsy shop: 2Good2Eat

Finally, these are the best kind of doughnuts—ZERO calories!

Love Is Something If You Give It Away

2012-02-21T13:00:00.000-06:00

There is an old song that goes, "Love is something if you give it away… you'll end up having more." This blog post is about "love" given away on Valentine's Day in Wrangell, Alaska.

Here's the story: Suzie B., head cook at Wrangell Medical Center, saw a photo of my Valentine brooches and an idea came to mind. She thought it would be a cheery surprise for the 18 longer term care patients at the center to receive heart pins for Valentine's Day. She went to Jane B., who heads up the center's support services, with her idea. Jane embraced it and they went in together on the purchase of the brooches.

Once contacted, I selected the brooches and attached them on individual cards which I mounted on a covered piece of cardboard made to fit perfectly into a special box. The other two brooches were wrapped in tissue and placed loosely in the box with the others. Off the box went to Wrangell in plenty of time for the intended Valentine surprise. Above: This is the photo of 16 of the brooches as they appeared mounted on the display cardboard. Strips of gauze-type ribbon kept the cards and pins in place.

The day before Valentine's Day, Suzie and Jane took the pins to the center's day room and handed them out. Suzie says, "They were so happy and thrilled to receive them and wanted them pinned on." Sixteen of the recipients were women and two were men. One of the men opted to look at his rather than have it pinned on but everyone else proudly and happily wore and displayed their special Valentine brooches.

Suzie shares, "It was a wonderful feeling to give these seniors little gifts that brought them joy."

Now we have come full circle, back to the song, "Love Is Something If You Give It Away." Referring to love, another part of the song goes: It's just like a magic penny—hold it tight and you won't have any but lend it, spend it, and you'll have so many, they'll roll all over the floor. So, while Suzie and Jane were giving love away on this Valentine's Day, they got back so much more. In return they received back grateful expressions of thanks and big smiles, which are apparent in the first photo of four of the wonderful ladies wearing their pins and whose happy faces say it all.

Thanks Suzie and Jane for sharing your story but mostly for sharing your love to 18 seniors you care about. The Wrangell Medical Center must be a wonderful place with happy residents who are fortunate to have such a caring staff. Now you've spread the love and joy to the rest of us. Thanks!

And here's a little extra note from Suzie, "We girls in the kitchen just loved the pins and wish we had ordered ones for ourselves, too!"

Ed note: You can see more photos of Valentine brooches and a little about them in the post below this one.

Valentine Brooches, 2012

2012-02-10T07:55:00.006-06:00

Introduction:

This is my second year creating heart-shaped brooches for my favorite holiday, Valentine's Day. After making hundreds of pairs of mittens from felted wool sweaters in the fall of 2010, I was left with a big bin of wool scraps and wondered what I could create with these wonderful bits and pieces. With Valentine's approaching, I thought of little brooches to sell in my second etsy shop, fabriq. I made about 30 Valentine brooches in 2011 and between 40 and 50 this season. Above is a recent photo I took of just some of the brooches.

The Invitation:

In addition to completed brooches, this year I also made up some "do-it-yourself" kits. I sent 10 kits to creative women friends, eight of whom are ravelry.com members. Each kit contained basic die cut layers of hearts in various color combinations—enough to make two brooches. Also included were bar clasps, a general how-to and a photo of six completed brooches to get those creative juices going. However, something was missing: embellishments. Next came a gentle nudge and invitation for each gal to complete the brooches in her own unique style using whatever final touches she desired. Finally, I asked each of the ten to take photos for sharing in this Valentine Brooch Art Gallery for everyone to enjoy.

Welcome to the 2012

Valentine Brooch Art Gallery

Here are the creations, in the order photos were received:


	"Victorian Love" by Myriahann (ravelry name) Myriah says, *"Romantic! Filligree, shiny paper applied to the base red heart. All materials are from my stash. I love the offset hearts."* Along with chocolates, this brooch is for her mother-in-law who sustained a bad fall a week before Valentine's Day.
	"Happy Daisy" by braydenbugsmom (ravelry name) She says, *"This brooch is for my three-year-old buddy, Keelie. It was created from items on hand."* The focal point is a daisy button with crocheted leaves. The outer heart edge is crocheted, too.
	"My Fair Lday" by braydenbugsmom (ravelry name) Christina says, *"This is for my good friend and neighbor, Pat."* Ed note: Christina is a master of miniature crocheting. She crocheted the lacy edges with a fine steel hook and cotton SEWING THREAD!
	"Timeless Love" by Myriahann (ravelry name) Myriah says, *"A little lace and satin ribbon, silver bead flowers, a few faux pearls on wire and small chrysanthemums in yellow and blue give this heart an old world look. Elegant for any lady."*
	"Valentine Gem of a Decoration" by minervas-hand (ravelry name) Kim says, "Instead of making a brooch or hair clip, I decided to make a hanging decoration. My little girl loves DECORATIONS. I glued on some heart jewels (some sent to me last year by a ravelry friend, spookycuddles). Using 50 lb wt fishing line and jewelry clamps, I made intervals of beads. Then I glued the hearts into pace between the intervals. This decoration is hanging from the light fixture in the dining room."
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Fanciful Flower Potholder Crochet-a-Long

2011-05-18T11:40:00.357-05:00

Special thanks to misadeliege for permission

to use her wonderful photo for this blog page.

Introduction:

On May 1, 2011 the Fanciful Flower Potholder pattern was published (see previous blog post) and with the publication the start of a Crochet A-Long (CAL) was launched within the "Good Things Together" group on ravelry.com. Ravely is a one million member online organization for knitters, crocheters, weavers and spinners. More than 50 ravelry members representing at least 8 countries signed on to participate in the CAL event and in just over two weeks 50 of the participants crocheted 100 potholders.

The countries represented in this CAL include: the U.S. (about half of the states), Canada, the UK, Scotland, Norway, Greece, France, Australia and India. Additional supportive participants hailed from a few other countries, too.

Purpose:

The purpose of this blog page is to share a little art gallery, of sorts, featuring all of the potholders made in the CAL. Because each is a little "fiber work of art," crocheters were asked to select titles for their potholders for the gallery post. The creations are shown in the order in which they were posted as we went along. The chosen title and the creator's ravelry name is listed under each potholder.

The many variations of this Fanciful Flower Potholder pattern shown here will serve to inspire future pattern users because of the unique color choices and creative interpretations.

Welcome to

Our Fanciful Flower Potholder

"Art Gallery"

”Lily on a Lily Pad” by braydenbugsmom	”Crafty Chrysanthemum” by mrscampion
”Fiesta Flower” by spookycuddles	”Heart-centered Kaleidoscope Flower and Leaves” by Myriahann
”Strawberry Pie” by kdemoise	”Happy Scrappy” by Gwinzi
”Lily Pad” by warpspeedlinda	”Ruby Red” by Melanie702
”Royal, Ruffly, Round and Remarkable” by caseyplusthree	”Cheerful Spring Flower” by sarianastar
”Phlower Power” by Jadedrachen	”Sunny Sunflower” by spookycuddles
”In the Pink” by Whmsygirl	”Blueberry Tart” by kdemoise
”Tropic Passion” by KnitaStitch	”Cheery Day” by bluesaddiction
”Pool Party” by happyscraps	”Sunny Day” by AuntIda
”Pizza Party” by mehere7	”I Wanna Be a Peony” by KnitaStitch
”Pink Sherbet” by Elizabeth702	”Phall Phlower” by Jadedrachen
”Victorian Influence” by noynoyavery	”Lily Pad” by happyscraps
”Cottage Rose” by kdemoise	”Sweet Cinnamon” by MadeByHand
”Pistachio Fruitcake” by MadeByHand	”Tart ‘n Tangy” by happyscraps
”Berry Blossom” by Stoneybrooke	”Earth Eclipse” by KristyRecycles
”Mod Mustard” by KristyRecycles	”Sunny Side Up” by Sophietd
”May Flower” by noynoyavery	”Phantastic Phlower” by Jadedrachen
”Turquoise Surprise” by TracyMB	”Mother’s Day Potholder” by Futuregirl
”Pink Posey” by KnitaStitch	”Coconut Ice” by auchgan
”May the Fourth be with You” by warpspeedlinda	”Lavender in Bloom” by sarianastar
”Peaches ‘n Cream” by happyscraps	”Coral Flower” by chickennanna
”French Connection” by KristyRecycles	”Sugar ‘n Spice” by happyscraps
”Grandma’s Kitchen” by MadeByHand	”Hip Rose” by TracyMB
”Sweet Marmalade” by happyscraps	”A Melody of Lime” by feltedknits
”Purple Passion” by stashes	”Pretty in Pink” by Sophietd
”Rough Surf” by feltedknits	”Vintage in Bloom” by uryarntootin
”Sea Anemone” by delights	”Faded Denim” by chickennanna
”Grandma’s Pretty Pink Sky” by KristyRecycles	”Sweet Limetta” by Buhbye
”Sherbet Rose” by Sophietd	”Autumn Flower” by Gwinzi
”Lime Tart” by feltedknits	”Peppermint Delight” by Cajunflower23
”Arkansas Beauty” by aunteewee	”Peony Pizzazz” by TracyMB
”Rainbow Sherbet” by happyscraps	”Blueberry Hill” by itty
”Black-eyed Susan” by 10cowife	”Frippery Fleur” by PepperHollow
”Dandy Dahlia” by delights	”Scrappy Posey” by JuleeQue
”Lemon Souffle” by auchgan	”Frog’s Dream Lily and Pad” by Myriahann
”Lovely Bloom” by Rufarocrafty	”Purple Passion Hydrangea” by locteach
”It’s a Beautiful Life” by locteach	”Country Meadow Wildflowers” by JanetMB
”Soft Violet Swirl” by KnitaStitch	”Aqua Velva” by KnitaStitch
”Perky Poinsettia” by yarnedaround	”Crazy Mum” by manosa
”Gloria’s Flower” by manosa	”Pepper Blossom” by MadeByHand
”Blue Jean Baby” by MadeByHand	”Peachy Wild Rose” by delights
”Spumoni” by Buhbye	”Café Latte” by KnitaStitch
”Girlyman” by KristyRecycles	”Spring Green” by KristyRecycles
”Kaleidoscope Pie” by feltedknits	”Anemone” by Abby-Sophia
”Blueberry Coulis” by auchgan	”Grapevine” by JanetMB
”Butter Cream” by JanetMB	”Cajun Spice” by Cajunflower23
”Tropical Punch” by Irish	”Rose Petal” by JustJune
”Blau Blume” by sarianastar	”Tart aux Fruits” by misadeliege
”Cabbage Rose” by Julawells	”Blaze Rose” by aunteewee
”Tangerine Dreams” by Lazydaisy2002	”Tea Rose” by Lazydaisy2002
”Daisy” by yarnedaround	”Sunflower” by yarnedaround

Special thanks: I would like to acknowledge the moderator, auchgan, of the "Good Things Together" group for inviting and encouraging the inclusion of special events, such as this Fanciful Flower Potholder CAL, and for being an active participant, too. Thanks to all of the participants of this event for pattern testing, for creating interesting potholders and for all of the fun and supportive posts to the threads that buoyed and helped others along the way.

Fanciful Flower Potholders

2011-05-01T00:26:00.217-05:00

Introduction: These Fanciful Flower Potholders are made of 100 percent dk weight cottons in bright and bold colors. Cotton is the preferred yarn for potholders because acrylic yarns can melt when handling hot pans or dishes.

What to Expect: Your first Fanciful Flower potholder may take a little longer but after that, you can probably crochet one in under two hours. The finished potholder will measure about 7—7.5 inches across.

Delights-Gem's Difficulty Rating: Easy

Background: While leading my first CAL (crochet a-long) using a different potholder pattern I learned that, while I prefer finer and medium density cottons, most of the participants preferred denser cottons such as Lily's Sugar 'n Cream, Pisgah's Peaches 'n Creme, and Lion Brand Lion Cotton to make their crocheted potholders. I had to modify that earlier pattern so everyone could create potholders no matter what yarns or threads they were using. Since that experience, I decided to develop a pattern designed just for users of heavier cottons. The Fanciful Flower Potholder is the result. No modifications for crocheting this potholder are offered for other cotton weights. Here is a photo of some popular U.S. brands of cottons.

Objective: The purpose of this blog page is to lead crocheters through the creation of one (or more) of these Fanciful Flower Potholders. To that end, written pattern instructions and photos are provided.

This Fanciful Flowers Potholder pattern is copyrighted. You are welcome to use it with these guidelines: Be sure to attribute this source when posting or presenting potholders made from this pattern and refrain from publishing or selling the pattern or representing it as your own. Otherwise, no other restrictions apply. Enjoy making these for selling, sharing, gifting or your own personal use.

Supplies: You will need the following materials and tools to complete this project.

3—4 different colors of cotton yarn. (Heavier yarns such as Lily's Sugar 'n Cream, Pisgah's Peaches 'n Creme, and Lion Brand Lion Cotton.)
H hook (5mm)
scissors
tapestry or yarn needle (or you can substitute a small size crochet hook to fasten yarn ends)

For the example potholder in this tutorial, these are the colors and brands used:

A: White (Pisgah's Peaches 'n Creme)
B: Hot Purple (Lily Sugar 'n Cream)
C: Hot Grape (Lily Sugar 'n Cream)
D: Sage Green (Lily Sugar 'n Cream)

A few notes before starting: There is a lot of flexibility in the making of this potholder. That is, the exact number of stitches per round does not have to be absolute and changes in color can be made after any completed petal rounds.

The potholder (above) is the featured one for this tutorial. It has 3 hot purple petal rounds; three hot grape petal rounds; 1 sage green petal round and finally a scalloped edging of white.

Let's get started!

The starting point will be the back, or foundation, of the potholder on which the petals will be crocheted later. This part is all one color (color A) and all one stitch (rounds of half double crochets). The backside of this foundation potholder becomes the back of the potholder. The petals crocheted on this foundation make the potholder thick enough to be extra insulated for handling hot pans which means an additional back will not be necessary.

Foundation: With color A (white) and an H hook, ch 4. Sl st to the beginning ch to make a loop.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as first hdc), 8 hdc's in loop (9 total). DO NOT join. You will be crocheting one large, continuous spiral through round 8, you will work in BACK LOOPS, only.

If you are unsure what is meant by a back loop, see the photo to the right in which a wooden skewer is placed into the back loop. The front loop is just under the skewer.

Place a marker in the first stitch of each round. On even numbered rounds, you will be finishing the round in the starting st. Simply remove the marker, work the round as indicated, then replace the marker in the first st of the next round. This will allow each future petal round to complete a full circle so that the petals move up a straight line.

NOTE: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE THE EXACT NUMBER OF STITCHES AT THE END OF ANY/ALL OF YOUR ROUNDS. THESE NUMBERS ARE ONLY SUGGESTIONS. THE PETALS DO NOT DEPEND UPON EXACT COUNTS IN YOUR ROUNDS. THIS IS A VERY FLEXIBLE AND FORGIVING PATTERN.

Round 2: 2 hdc's in back loop of ch 2 and in back loop of each hdc around, do not join, 2 hdc in the first st of this round. (20 st)

Round 3: *hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st, repeat from * around, ending with hdc in last st. (28 st)

Round 4: *2 hdc in the next st, hdc in next 2 st, repeat from * around, ending with 2 hdc in last st, hdc in first st of this round. (38 st)

Round 5: hdc in next 2 st, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st, repeat from * around. (46 st)

Round 6: *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 st, repeat from * around, ending with hdc in last st, hdc in first st of this round. (57 st)

Round 7: hdc in next 3 st, *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 5 st, repeat from * around. (66 st)

Round 8: *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 6 st, repeat from * around, ending with hdc in last 2 st. (76 st) At the end of round 8, sc in next 2 st through back loops and then sl st in the next 2 st through both loops. This will help smooth out the end of your circle.

After 8 rounds, the foundation part of the potholder should measure between 6.25 and 6.5 inches across. The finished potholder will be about an inch larger when a final scalloped edge is completed.

Petals

Round 1: Starting at the first front loop at the center of the foundation potholder, attach Color B (Hot Orange) with a sl st. *In the next front loop: 5 dc's. Next front loop: sl st. Repeat from * around.

Please note: ROUND 1 IS THE ONLY PETAL ROUND THAT YOU WILL CROCHET INTO ALL OF THE FRONT LOOPS. In all other petal rounds you will skip every other front loop.

Rounds 2—3: Continuing in a spiral, *skip the next front loop, 6 dc's in the next front loop, skip the next front loop, sl st in the next front loop. Repeat from * around.

Tips:
• Change colors AFTER a completed round.
• When joining a new color, join with a sl st in the last sl st of the previous color.

• While crocheting your petal rounds, you will need to scrunch up your work with your other hand to get at the back loops with your hook. Handle your work in whatever way will allow you to crochet the petals into the back loops. It is flexible and will lay flat when you smooth it at the end.

Rounds 4 and beyond: Continuing in a spiral, *skip the next front loop, 7 dc's in the next front loop, skip the next front loop, sl st in the next front loop. Repeat from * until you have one complete round of hdc's left.

Photo on the right: This is the potholder with three colors: two purples and one green round. The only round left is a scalloped edging of white.

DO NOT make petals in the front loops of the final round. Instead, go through both loops when making the scalloped edge, as described next.

Final round (scalloped edge): Attach color A (your foundation color) to the top of your potholder with a sl st in both the front and back loops and leave a tail of 24 inches. (You will need this tail after you complete the round to assist in making a strong hanging loop.) *Skip the next st, 7 dc's in the next st, skip the next st, sl st in the next st. Repeat from * around.

By crocheting through both the front and back loops, your scallops on the final round will lie flat, which is what you want them to do. The petals stand up a bit; the scalloped edge lies down.

When you get back to the beginning of this scallop round, it's okay if there is a slight separation between the first and last scallops because this is where your hanging loop will go. Pick up the long starting tail of yarn from and chain 11 or 12 using both strands of yarn together. To complete the hanging loop, sl st to the potholder near the start of your chain. Secure yarn ends.

Secure all of the rest of your yarn ends, if you haven't done that already. You will find that hiding yarn ends will be easy by camouflaging them in or under petals.

All done! Wasn't that easy?

Special Thanks: to braydenbugsmoms for pattern testing and extra pattern support and to happyscraps for clarification and improvement of the foundation rounds.

EXTRA: Flower Centers
Maybe you have made one of the potholders and now you are ready to extend your creativity with something a little beyond the basic potholder. How about make it pop with a special center? Here are some close-ups of some Fanciful Flower Potholder centers. The two on the top row feature a ring of French knots to simulate pollen. The two flowers on the bottom row feature (left) a round of clusters, instead of hdc's and (right) a circle of chain stitches going round and round in a spiral.

Here's a close-up to the left of one that I am working on so you can see the French knots at the center. Normally when you embroider your needle goes straight down and comes out the back. But because your back side is visible when done, it will be important that you DO NOT go straight down and have any work showing in the back.

What I did to make the yellow only show on the front was to knot my cotton yarn and, because my center was already going to be knots, I inserted my needle sideways under/through a hdc post and made the knot appear on the right side to blend in with the French knots I was about to make. Then every time I made a French knot I also went under/through a post so that the yarn never penetrated the backside of my piece. I made about two dozen French knots here and then secured my yarn end. Now the petal rows can be started.

Here's an important tip: Besides being mindful to make your embroidery appear only on the front side, the other important tip is to embellish your center BEFORE you start your petal rows. Take it from me (because I did this backwards once) do it first. It is just too difficult to fancy it up after you have started crocheting into the front loops.

The BIG 2011 Potholder Swap

2011-04-25T15:00:00.023-05:00

April 25, 2011: Just over a year ago I was searching online for a potholder pattern. I kept finding references to a big potholder swap in which hundreds of participants sent in 5 crocheted potholders by a certain date after which the 5 potholders were replaced by 5 different ones made by 5 other participants and sent back. There were so many colorful, artfully executed potholders that I was hooked (accidental crochet pun).

The word "ravelry" kept coming up in the many blogs that covered the event. I discovered that ravelry was a free online organization to which hundreds of thousands of members belonged. (There are now over one million members across the globe.) The site is dedicated to knitting, crocheting and spinning/weaving. I joined.

This year I crocheted my 5 potholders so I could participate in the annual potholder event; I was too late last year. This year's deadline was April 16, 2011; I sent my five on March 15, 2011. I am currently watching the mail for the 5 that will come back to me.

Overview of the swap (this info comes directly from the swap organizers):

The Rules:

There’s no need to sign up or notify anyone in any way that you intend to swap. Have your potholders at the destination below by April 16 and you’ll be swapping. If you don’t have them there on time, they’ll be returned to you. Feel free to participate in the Flickr and Ravelry groups, but it’s not a requirement.

Your Potholders:
Each participant is required to crochet 5 potholders in the same pattern. Please do vary the colors as you see fit. We don’t want you bored to tears! Please be sure your hot pads and potholders measure between 6 and 8 inches across and are double thick. THEY MUST BE WITHIN THESE SIZE PARAMETERS OR THEY WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU. To make a double thick potholder, crochet the same pattern twice, or do a fancy side and a plain side, then join at the edge. Please make your potholders at a reasonably tight gauge. We don’t want burned fingers!

We’ll be using 100% cotton yarns exclusively. No blends, please.

Label each pad/holder with maker and care instructions. Feel free to include yarn and pattern info. Affix the label with a safety pin or tie it on. No straight pins, please. We had a lot of trouble with labels coming off during the first swap. We don’t want to accidentally send you one of your own potholders.

These are absolute requirements and if you don’t follow them, you won’t be able to swap.

The Actual Swapping:
After the potholders are received, your hosts are going to get together and have a grand time looking at all of your gorgeous work and selecting 5 different beauties to send back to you.

The goal of this swap is to produce and receive little pieces of crocheted art. Use beautiful yarns, color combinations, and patterns. Don’t feel pressured to use teensy little crochet cotton. Thicker cottons like Tahki Cotton Classic, Rowan Cotton Glace, and Elann Sonata make great potholders. Have a ton of fun.

Postage + Envelope:
US participants need to include a self-addressed, postage-paid, large First Class Envelope. You will have to provide your own Self-Addressed Stamped (Non-Priority) envelope. The current first class rate for a large envelope weighing up to 13 oz. is $3.75 (please note that this has changed from the original posting). We will make sure all packages stay under 13 oz. so that we’re sure your postage is covered. You will have to purchase the stamp(s) to cover this. Postal regulations have changed since the last swap, so to be sure you receive your package, we require first class envelopes only.

Non-US swappers, the only way for us to collect postage fees from you is PayPal. We expect packages to weigh under 10 oz., so postage should be between $4 and $8, depending on where you live. You must include your email address ON the outside of your package, with your address, so that we may email you for your postage fees. If you don’t, we won’t be able to contact you and send your package back.

My Potholders:
The five potholders I crocheted follow the basic rules: they are all of the same pattern and they are made of 100 percent cotton. The pattern is a variation of the Gahaelkelte Topflappen pattern. If would like more info on this pattern, tips, versions, etc. Click Here. This will also direct you to a site that translates the pattern from German to English. I changed the number of petals or spires from 16 to 14 because that worked best for me. I find 16 seems crowded and doesn't lay as flat as I would like. I used Tahki Cotton Classic and Omega Sinfonia to make the potholders and size F and G hooks.

In keeping with the German name of the original pattern, I asked my oldest son, Brian, who speaks German to tell me what Flower Potholder would be in that language and he emailed me "Blumentopflappen." That's what I decided to call this variation.

Swap organizers have emphasized that labels or tags need to be secure. In past years when tags came off potholders they found it difficult to match them with the potholders. I decided to make sure the tags were secured but in addition I made tags that included a photo of the five potholders on them so a visual connection was easily made just in case one came loose. I also used matching ribbon on the tags the same color as the center and edge of each potholder. That is, if the potholder had a yellow center and edging, then the attaching ribbon was yellow. Here is a picture of the potholder backs with the tags attached. I also added some visual and textural interest to the tags by applying a product called Glossy Accents to the picture of the five potholders.

April 27, 2011
I received my five potholders today back from the swap. Here is the photo.

Potholder 1: Starting at the top with the bright colored red, orange and hot pink one, the tag only indicates the maker's first and last names and from Seattle. By checking on the potholder group site I found that her ravelry name is schnitzel. Rather than give her real name, I am including her pseudonym. I understand the pattern name of this potholder is called "Kaleiscope." The yarn feels like Peaches and Creme or Sugar 'n Cream.

Potholder 2: Continuing clockwise, the potholder with the white background and red center was made by sonjar (her ravelry name) from Albany, OH in the African flower design on the front with a bobble shell edging to join the front and back. The back uses the same colors as the front but is more of a plain hexagon design in tight sc's. Sonjar used Reynolds Saucy Sport, 100% mercerized cotton.

Potholder 3: Next is a potholder by Melissa who gives a web address of oceaniaknits (hard to read but I think that's it) on the tag. Neither the pattern name nor the type of cotton used was included. This potholder is the one in maroon, dark plum and off white colors.

Potholder 4: The potholder that is in a granny square-type design and featuring bright yellow as the predominant color, was made by pawsandknit. She used Scheepjes Granada cotton to make this potholder.

Potholder 5: Unfortunately this last potholder, the one with the medium blue edge and dark blue center, has a tag without anything written on it: no name, no yarn, no pattern name. Ironically, I recognize the pattern as one that I originated and which I call the Ripple Potholder. This pattern and many variations, tips, colors and embellishments can be found on my blog. UPDATE: "smacklet" recognized the potholder and messaged me that "I can't believe I did that!" (attached a blank tag) So the mystery is solved.

Egg-citing Ukrainian Eggs

2011-04-09T12:39:00.038-05:00

At the time of this posting it is April and nearly two weeks before Easter, 2011. Lately I have been sharing Easter egg cozy patterns to knit or crochet, which are fun and lighthearted, but now it's time to shift gears and share something more traditional and very beautiful—Ukrainian eggs. I have admired the beauty of this art form since I was a teen after seeing amazing photographs of them in a National Geographic magazine.

One of my ravelry friends, Suzy, makes Ukrainian eggs (seen above) and it is my pleasure to share a few of her eggs with you and to tell you a little about them, in general.

Here are two of Suzy's eggs, which she sells on etsy. I'll provide a link at the end of this blog page to her tutorial on making them and another link to her etsy shop, in case you are inspired to purchase one to include as a part of your Easter traditions. Suzy calls the egg on the left, "Birds of a Feather" and it is a good representative of the geometric shapes often seen on Ukrainian eggs. The photo on the right is an egg that she calls "Bumblebee Party."

A Little Info About Ukrainian Eggs

What: Remember when you were a child and you used a crayon to write your name or draw a flower or heart on an egg before lowering down it into the cup of egg dye? If so, you will understand in a limited way about the process of making Ukrainian eggs. Ukrainian eggs are decorated eggs that go through a series of dye colors but instead of using a crayon between the color baths, a more finite stylus-type tool called a kystka or kistka is loaded with hot beeswax to scribe lines and designs onto the egg. These fine lines of wax prevent the dye from penetrating so that whatever color is underneath the wax at that step is preserved as it goes into the next color. The dyes start with lighter colors, like yellow, and go through progressions of colors to end with darker ones, such as black or purple.

At the conclusion, when all of the dye baths are complete, the egg is mostly covered with wax which then needs to be removed. The egg is carefully warmed so that the softened beeswax can be gently wiped away to reveal a treasured, jewel-toned keepsake: a pysanka.

Pysanka is the word given to a Ukrainian egg. It comes from the word psyalty which means "to write" because the lines and designs are meticulously scribed, like writing, with wax using the kystka, rather than painted with a brush.

Where: Since the term "Ukrainian" is so prominent in this art form, it might be helpful to show you where this country is located and where this form of decorating eggs evolved. The Ukraine is in Eastern Europe where some of its nearest neighbors are Russia, Poland and Hungary. It also borders on the Black Sea.

Who: After the children were put to sleep at night, Ukrainian women set about creating their eggs by candlelight. Because each egg is such a fine work of art, it could take a few evenings from start to finish for just one egg. With plans to share an individually designed egg for each family member, plus eggs for friends and significant community leaders, preparations began many weeks before Easter to complete all of the eggs in time for an Easter morning blessing by the priest at church. The larger the family and their community connections, the more eggs had to be readied. In a large, extended family as many as 60 eggs might need to be completed and that would be more than one woman could produce in a matter of weeks. As a consequence, mothers passed down their designs and secrets for making the eggs to their daughters. Working side by side, mothers and their older daughters created the eggs and thus by sharing and cooperative creating, the tradition was also kept alive from generation to generation over hundreds of years.

When: Long before Christianity was introduced to this geographical area, Ukrainian women decorated eggs. Because of their relative fragility, early samples did not survive but ceramic replications dating back to ancient times have been found. The eggs and design symbols, once representing deities, later took on Christian meanings and became associated with Easter. The egg itself represented new life, the important Easter message. Added designs and motifs refined or enhanced the meanings beyond the basic symbolism of the egg itself.

There were times in the history of the Ukraine when outside invaders and occupiers attempted to suppress the tradition of pysanky. As Ukrainian families escaped or immigrated into other countries they brought their traditions with them, including how to make the decorated eggs. By settling in North and South America, in particular, the eggs have found appreciative new audiences and even individuals, not brought up in the tradition, who aspire to create them because of their beauty.

*So, how does an egg go from this*	*.....to this?*

The question of "from this...to this" is what Suzy demonstrates in her step-by-step tutorial. Even if you don't plan to ever make an egg for yourself, you might want to see how the process goes from a plain egg to a finely decorated one. To appreciate art, it's good to know the patience, love and skill that goes into the creation.

To visit Suzy's Ukrainian egg tutorial: Click Here

To visit Suzy's Artsy Crafty Store on etsy: Click Here

Crocheted Chicken and Duck Egg Cozies for Easter

2011-03-15T11:17:00.113-05:00

Previously I posted instructions for knitted chicken and duck Easter egg cozies to share on ravelry.com but members kept prodding me for crocheted versions so here they are. The instructions on this page are for a chicken and duck as seen in this photo.

The egg cozies are open on the bottom for inserting hard boiled, plastic or candy eggs into them for Easter baskets. Other ideas: silly putty eggs inside for younger children and plastic eggs with money, jewelry or hair accessories for older kids.

Note: You may want to copy and paste these instructions into a Word document to print out to use at your convenience.

Crocheted Easter Chicken Instructions

Getting Started: For both the chicken and duck, you will need a size H crochet hook and a small amount of regular worsted weight yarn (about half an oz). Yarn suggestions: Red Heart, I Love This Yarn, Vanna's Choice, Loops and Threads' Impeccable. Cotton is also an option. Other items you will need: tapestry needle and scissors.

It is important to note that yarns vary so much that, even using the same pattern and hook size may result in varying size chickens. The photo just above and to the right is an example. All four chickens were made using a H hook but different densities of worsted and cotton yarns.

Before starting, there is another caution: For the first few rows (which will simulate ribbing), your work will want to turn inward. Be aware of this or the simulated ribbing you are about to make will be on the inside, instead of the outside where it belongs.

Instructions: Loosely chain 23 st. With a sl st, join together the first and last st's on your chain to form a circle, making sure that your chain does not twist.

Row 1: Ch 3 (first st), dc around and join to the beginning with a sl st. (even number: 22 st)

If you are unfamiliar with crocheting into the front post, you may want to view a youtube how-to on doing it before tackling the next two rows. Here is a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56eTH2LxBWw

Rows 2-3: Ch 3, *(dc in front of post, dc in next st). Repeat from * around ending on a front post dc. Sl st to join to start of round.
Row 4: Ch 2 *(hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 st, 2 hdc in next st). Repeat from * around. End with hdc's in last stitches and join with sl st to ch 2 start. (27 st)
Rows 5-6: Ch 2, hdc around. Join with sl st. (27 st) Leave off row 6 if you are using very thick yarn and think the chicken seems large.

Head shaping in rows 7-11
Row 7: Ch 2, hdc in next 19 st. Turn.
Row 8: No ch st. Hdc into next 9 st. Turn.
Row 9: No ch st. Hdc into next 8 st. Turn.
Row 10: No ch st. Hdc into next 7 st. Turn.
Row 11: No ch st. Hdc into next 6 st. Sc down the side of the head (this should be the left side as it faces you) about 3 st to get to the base of the head. Hdc in next 7 st. (start of tail shaping). 2 dc in the next st, which should be the very center back end/tail. Hdc in next 2 st, Sl st in next st. Turn.
Row 12: Hdc in second st from hook, hdc in next 2 st, sc in next st, sl st in next. Break off yarn leaving a 12 inch tail. Draw yarn through.

Using your tapestry needle and the yarn tail, close the chicken back from the tail to the top of the head. Secure loose ends on the under side.

Details: Add a chicken comb on the top of the head, a beak and eyes. Wattle is optional.

Comb: Using a thinner yarn or size 3 crochet thread and a smaller hook, *(insert hook into the top of the head on the right side and pull up a loop. Ch 5, sc in the second ch from hook. Sc in the remaining ch st down to the top of the head). Repeat from * twice more. Using a tapestry needle, secure yarn tails on the inside of the head.

Eyes: French knots, beads, wiggle eyes are some of the possibilities.

Beak: Beaks may be crocheted right on the chicken or cut from felt or fleece and either sewn or glued into place. A simple beak is to cut a diamond shape from felt or fleece and hand stitch it to the chicken at the widest part.

Crocheted Easter Duck Instructions

Getting Started: Read the opening paragraphs above about the chickens before getting started.

The first six rows of the duck are the same as for the chicken.

Instructions: Loosely chain 23 st. With a sl st, join together the first and last st's on your chain to form a circle, making sure that your chain does not twist.

Row 1: Ch 3 (first st), dc around and join to the beginning with a sl st. (even number: 22 st)

Rows 2-3: Ch 3, *(dc in front of post, dc in next st). Repeat from * around ending on a front post dc. Sl st to join to start of round.

Row 4: Ch 2 *(hdc in next 3 st, 2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 st, 2 hdc in next st). Repeat from * around. End with hdc's in last stitches and join with sl st to ch 2 start. (27 st)

Rows 5-6: Ch 2, hdc around. Join with sl st. (27 st) Leave off row 6 if you are using very thick yarn and think the duck seems large.

Head shaping in rows 7-11

Row 7: Ch 2, hdc in next 18 st. Fold duck in half so that the ch 2 start of your row (tail end) is on your left and the hdc you just completed is in front of you. You are going to join the last hdc you made across the other side of the body to form a circle. Before joining, count that you have 11 total sts to start your round. Sl st to join.

Row 8: Neck shaping decreases: Ch 2, hdc in same st, skip next st, had in next 2 st, 2 hdc's in last st. Join with sl st to top of your starting ch 2. (9 st)

Row 9: Head shaping increases: Ch 2, *(hdc in same st, hdc in next 2 st). Repeat from * around. Join with sl st to start of round. (13 st)

Row 10: More head shaping increases: Ch 2, *(hdc in same st, 2 hdc's in next st). Repeat around to end of row. Sl st to start of round. (19 st)

Row 11: Head shaping decreases: Ch 2, *(hdc in same st, skip next st). Repeat from * around. Hdc in last st. Sl st to start of round. (11 st)

Row 12: Ch 1, sc in every other st. Pull yarn through to secure. Break off yarn leaving 5-6 inch tail for closing up with tapestry needle at the end.

Row 13: With duck flat and tail end on the left and leaving an 8 inch starting yarn tail, join yarn at base of head on the side nearest you. Ch 2, hdc in next 8 st. Start of tail shaping: 2 dc in next st (center back), hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next 2 st, sc in next st, sl st in next st. Break off leaving a 4 inch tail. Draw yarn through.

Use the longer tail, the starting yarn tail, and your tapestry needle to close up the duck from the neck to the tail. Close up the top of the head, too and secure all yarn ends.

Details: Little buttons, beads or French knots will work for eyes. The bill can be crocheted right on the front of the duck or cut from felt or fleece and attached after it is cut and shaped.

These provided pictures demonstrate an easy way to cut and shape the bill by making two small gumdrop shapes, then overlapping one over the other and hand stitching securely in place before hand stitching it onto the front of the duck.

Special Thanks: I want to acknowledge all of the gals in the Crochet-A-Long in the Good Things Together Group on Ravelry who not only tested the pattern but found new and creative ways of making chickens and ducks with personality and flair. You will just have to imagine the innovations of many talented women from around the globe who came together for this fun event.

A special nod goes to Christina for always being first to test my patterns and always making good suggestions for clarity and understanding.

Thanks also to Audry, the moderator of Good Things Together for supporting and participating in the CAL and being such an inclusive leader.

You are welcome to make oodles of cozies for personal use or for selling. I only ask that you do not claim the pattern as your own or sell it.

Easy Pom Pom Making

2011-03-12T16:28:00.022-06:00

The purpose of this blog page is to demonstrate how to make easy and perfect pom poms for all of your projects. In this step-by-step tutorial, I will make the small pom pom that was ultimately attached to the crocheted Easter bunny egg cozy pictured here.*

*This same size pom pom would be perfect for baby and children's size hats, too.

Let's get started.

Materials and Tools: To get started you will need a small amount of craft foam, about the size of a small index card. If you don't have craft foam handy and want to make a pom pom right now, you could use cardboard that is about the same density as a cereal box. The reason that craft foam is recommended is the templates you are about to make, if cut from the foam, can be used over and over but the cardboard template may only last through the making of one pom pom.

Other items needed: pencil, ruler, tapestry needle, scissors and yarn.

Step 1: For a small pom pom like the one shown here, look around the the house for a circle that measures between 1 inch and 1.25 inches across (approximately 3 to 3.1 cm) around which you can draw to make two identical circles on the foam. A medicine cap might work, if it is small enough. For this project, it must not exceed 1.25 inches. I found a loose item in the junk drawer that was just about the right size.

Step 2: Draw around the cap or other item you found and make two circles. Pencil in two small circles in the center that measure no larger than 3/8 of an inch (1 cm) and then draw a radial line from the center to the outer edge on each circle.

Step 3: Cut out the circles, followed by the radial lines and finally the inner circles. The cutting doesn't have to be perfect, as you can see from the photo on the right.

Step 4: Align one circle on top of the other but position the radial lines opposite to each other with one on the left and the other on the right or one on the top and the other on the bottom.

Step 5: Thread your tapestry needle with your selected yarn so that the double strand measures at least 3—4 feet (more than 1 meter). No knots needed. Now, holding onto the tail end to start, go around and around the layered circles filling the hole and and distributing the yarn as you go. Your developing pom pom should resemble the photo on the left.

Step 6: If you have not adequately filled up the hole, as in the photo above, you may have to thread your tapestry needle again with more yarn to complete the process. When done, insert your scissors in between the two circles and cut the yarn going all the way around the template. DO NOT REMOVE the pom pom from the template at this point.

With a 20 inch strand of yarn, carefully insert it between the two circles, encircling all of the cut yarn. Bring the ends up and cinch very tightly as you tie twice to secure. You can go around again and tie it again. It is very important that the yarn is cinched as tightly as you can make it so that your pom pom stays in tact.

Step 7: Using the radial cuts to assist you for easy removal, you can now free the pom pom from the template.

Step 8: Holding the long yarn ends up close to the pom pom, stand over your trash and trim bits of yarn that stand out. You want your pom pom to be uniform all the way around.

Use your long yarn tails to attach to your project.

A few things to know about making future pom poms:

1. The larger the template, the larger the pom pom. A set of two inch circles would yield a two-inch pom pom. A set of one inch circles would make a one-inch pom pom.

2. The larger the hole in the center of the templates, the fatter the pom poms.

3. You could have a large template but a small center hole and the pom pom would be large across/around but it would not be very full.

Easter Egg Cozies

2011-02-22T07:03:00.024-06:00

A long time ago I knitted chicken egg cozies, like the ones featured here, to cover hard boiled or plastic eggs for my kids at Easter for their baskets. After a lengthy online search, I didn't find anything that resembled the pattern I remembered so I was forced to "reinvent the wheel." Somehow, more than thirty years later, I was able to generally recall the pattern and even improved upon it, by shaping the tail portion and concocting a duck, too.

After posting completed chicken and duck photos on my ravelry.com project page, I found that others were interested in this pattern, too, so I decided to write it up to share. The patterns for both the chicken and duck are included here for knitters who want to create something fun for the little people in their lives this Easter.

Chicken Egg Cozy

Yarn: To make one chicken you will need about half an ounce of worsted weight yarn. This is a good opportunity to use up leftover yarn such as Red Heart Super Saver or cotton yarns such as "I Love This Cotton." Other suggested yarns include Peaches 'n Creme or Sugar 'n Cream cottons. Personally, I preferred "I Love This Cotton" for the chickens and Loops & Threads' Impeccable worsted (butterscotch) for the ducks.

Other items needed: size 6 knitting needles, tapestry needle, scissors, tiny wiggle eyes, and little bits of felt or fleece for finishing touches

Here goes the pattern:

1. co 32 sts

2. ribbing of k 1, p 1 on enough rows to measure 1" (6-7 rows)

3. From this point on, all rows will be k rows. K 1.5 inches above the ribbing so that the main body of the chicken measures 2.5 inches.

4. To shape the first half of the tail:

k 5, turn

k 4 turn

bind off 10 st and continue k to the end of the row (22 st remain)

5. To shape second half of tail:

k 5, turn

k 4, turn

K 4, turn

bind off 10 st and continue knitting to the end of the row (12 st remain)

6. To shape the head:

Row 1—6: k across (12 st)

Row 7: k 10, k 2 tog (11 st)

Row 8: k 9, k 2 tog (10 st)

Row 9—11: k 10

Row 12: k 8, k 2 tog (9 st)

Row 13: k 7, k 2 tog (8 st.)

Row 14: bind off leaving an 18" tail of yarn

Fold chicken in half, matching tails. Using a tapestry needle and the long tail of yarn, join the two halves together starting at the head and ending at the lower edge of the ribbing. leave the bottom (ribbing) open to insert egg. Finish chicken with a top notch/comb, beak and eyes.

Finishing touches:

For the top notch, crochet right to the top of the head in three parts using thinner yarn such as sports weight yarn or size 3 crochet thread. Chain five st, sc into second ch from hook and in remaining st going down toward the head. Repeat the five ch and sc's for two more parts of the top notch. For a beak, just cut a small triangle from a piece of felt or felted wool. Fold in half and either tack or glue into place. Glue on small wiggle eyes.

Duck Egg Cozy

Yarn: To make one duck you will need about half an ounce of worsted weight yarn. This is a good opportunity to use up leftover yarn such as Red Heart Super Saver or cotton yarns such as "I Love This Cotton." Other suggested yarns include Peaches 'n Creme or Sugar 'n Cream cottons. Personally, I preferred "I Love This Cotton" for the chickens and Loops & Threads' Impeccable worsted (butterscotch) for the ducks.

Other items needed: size 6 knitting needles, tapestry needle, scissors, tiny wiggle eyes, and little bits of felt or fleece for finishing touches

Here goes the pattern, which is identical to the chicken, until the head shaping rows:

1. co 32 sts

2. ribbing of k 1, p 1 on enough rows to measure 1" (6-7 rows)

3. From this point on, all rows will be k rows. K 1.5 inches above the ribbing so that the main body of the chicken measures 2.5 inches.

4. To shape the first half of the tail:

k 5, turn

k 4 turn

bind off 10 st and continue k to the end of the row (22 st remain)

5. To shape second half of tail:

k 5, turn

k 4, turn

K 4, turn

bind off 10 st and continue knitting to the end of the row (12 st remain)

6. To shape the head:

Row 1: k across (12 st)

Row 2: (k 1, k 2 tog) 4 times (8 st)

Row 3: k across

Row 4: (k 1, inc in next st) 4 times (12 st)

Row 5: k across

Row 6: (k 1, inc in next st) 6 times (18 st)

Rows 7—8: k across

Row 9: (k 1, k 2 tog) 6 times (12 st)

Row 10: k across

Row 11: (k 1, k 2 tog) 4 times (8 st)

Row 12: k 1, k 2 tog, k 2, k 2 tog, k 1 (6 st)

Leaving an 18" tail, break off yarn and thread the tapestry needle. Draw the yarn through remaining stitches and close up the head. Fold duck in half matching tails and whip the two halves together from the head, over the back, around the tail and down to the lower edge of the duck, leaving the bottom (ribbing) open to insert egg. Stuff duck head with polyfill. Finish duck with bill and eyes.

Finishing touches:

For duck's bill, cut two fat triangles from felt or fleece and round one point so that each resembles a fat gum drop. Fold both in half and overlay one over the other. Tack together and then stitch or glue onto duck. Glue on beads or gems for eyes or make French knots.

Suggestions: After knitting a chicken or a duck, how about inserting a silly putty egg inside for a little Easter surprise? Even bigger kids would like to have a chicken or duck egg cozy if the plastic egg inside had a little money in it!

If you would like to purchase a printed pattern along with an already completed duck and chicken, visit my etsy site.

Click Here

__________________________

SPECIAL THANKS to Ellblo (Ellen's ravelry name) who so graciously tested the pattern by making up a few chickens of her own.

Chocolate Dipped and Drizzled Strawberries

2011-02-19T07:58:00.018-06:00

Just before Valentine's Day I saw a grocery store ad in color that caught my eye. I cut it out to keep as my inspiration for a creative project. Here is the ad.

And here is what I made: An amigurumi Box of Chocolate Dipped and Drizzled Strawberries.

Before joining ravelry.com, I had never heard of the word amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese word that combines ami, which means crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, which means stuffed doll. Amigurumi often refers to small, stuffed crocheted or knitted animals but can also be used to apply to items of other representational shapes that are aesthetically pleasing but particularly that are cute or fun.

The Strawberries:

The strawberries are all crocheted with leaves and stems cut from felted green wool. To simulate the white drizzle, I used puff paint. While the puff paint was drying, I made a folded paper box to hold the strawberries.

The Box:

The folded box, just over four inches across, is comprised of two pieces of 12 inch square paper: one for the top and one for the bottom. I chose an understated print for the top and a sheet of plain black for the bottom. Before folding, I trimmed the black sheet by about 3/8 of an inch on two sides (side and top) so that the paper was a slightly smaller square. When folded, this smaller size made it possible for the top of the box to fit snugly down over the top of it. For a finishing touch, I wanted ribbon to crisscross on the top. In my spools of ribbon I found two colors to match the strawberries: a dark green grosgrain and thinner, bright red satin. I wanted to layer the ribbons with the wider, dark green color, on the bottom and the red satin ribbon on top for a two-color look. The ribbons are glued into place on the interior sides to become a part of the top of the box. That is, they are not intended to be removed. Finally, I placed a shiny, gold seal on the very top.

Assembly:

You cannot really see them here, but little silver candy wrappers hold the strawberries in the box. Five chocolate dipped and drizzled strawberries were placed into the box with one in the center and the others at the corners.

What a fun, guilt-free, calorie-free little gift!

Amigurumi Box of Chocolates

2011-02-02T18:09:00.032-06:00

I have been participating in a Valentine Swap in which partners exchange handcrafted Valentine-themed items and thought I would share one of the items, an amigurumi box of chocolates, made for two swap friends, Kristy and Sparkle.

Before telling a little about the chocolates, I should share about the swap. The swap is a special event this year within a group called From Trash to Treasures, a subgroup of ravelry. Ravelry.com is a free, online organization that boasts a membership of more than one million international knitters and crocheters (with some weavers and spinners, too). Through ravelry, members document their projects, share patterns and ideas, participate in subgroups from among thousands of choices, communicate with like-minded crafters, and, in general, extend their handcraft skills. I belong to five ravelry sub groups; most ravelry members belong to many more.

Before joining ravelry, I had never heard of the word amigurumi. Amigurumi is a Japanese word that combines ami, which means crocheted or knitted, and nuigurumi, which means stuffed doll. Amigurumi often refers to small, stuffed crocheted or knitted animals but can also be used to apply to items of other representational shapes that are aesthetically pleasing but particularly that are cute or fun.

Above is a box of amigurumi chocolates that I made as part of my swap items. I crocheted the chocolates (and the chocolate dipped strawberry) from regular worsted weight yarn and embroidered some of the tops with embroidery floss.

The folded box, just over four inches across, is comprised of two pieces of 12 inch square paper: one for the top and one for the bottom. However, I trimmed the bottom box (the white part) by about 3/8 of an inch on two sides (side and top) so that the paper was a slightly smaller square. When folded, this smaller size made it possible for the top of the box to fit snugly down over it.

I purchased little candy wrappers from the grocery store to hold the amigurumi chocolates and adding to the fun and to suggest that the sweets are real. Eventually I glued ribbon on the box top so that it appeared on the outside but did not have to be removed to lift off the top but I did not take a photo of the finished box.

February 10, 2011:

Here's a second box of chocolates I finished yesterday. By adding this set my purpose is to share two things: an acknowledgment to a friend and a great hint for anyone wanting to make a box of chocolates, too.

First, I want to acknowledge Christina, a friend of mine, who made amigurumi chocolates for her mother-in-law for Valentines. Over the phone I walked her through the process of making a box for them to fit into and then when she was done and I saw the pictures of her chocolates, I was impressed with a few that she embellished with tiny crocheted flowers. I told her that if I made another set I was going to add delicate little flowers, too, because hers were so perfect. Well, I had a few chocolates already crocheted and thought it might be good to finish the set to put into another box and put little flowers on a few of them. Now for the great hint: This set of chocolates was embellished with puffy paints. I happened to have a few colors on hand, one of which was brown, perfect for the swirls and drizzles on some of the milk and dark chocolates! Then, with a few of my pastel colors, I created tiny little decorated flowers on the tops of two of the chocolates. This is a super duper hint because:

1.) it is a fast and easy way to embellish amigurumi chocolates and

2.) the puffy paint glistens like real icing

Of course you have to wait several hours for the puffy paint to dry (I let the chocolates dry overnight) but then they can be positioned in a box without fear of disturbing the finishing touches on the tops.

Thanks, Christina, for your idea of tiny little flowers on your chocolates. It's great to have creative, sharing friends.

Valentine Brooches

2011-01-14T15:29:00.019-06:00

Christmas is over, mitten making and selling on etsy are slowing down, and that means I can breathe again. Well, just for a moment, because now I am making brooches for Valentine's Day at my second etsy store (fabriq). But I thought I would take a little time to share a sample of the brooches here on my blog.

Above: This is an enlargement of one of the more traditional Valentine brooches. Actually, the little pins measure only 2—2.25 inches across.

Below: Here is a photo of nine of the brooches so you can see a greater variety. The brooch shown above is in the upper right hand corner of this photo.

Background info: When I was cutting felted wool this fall and winter for mitten making, I saved scraps in a paper bag beside my chair thinking I might find some use for bits and pieces. In addition to this scrap bag, I have two trash bags of sweaters that felted up too much to use for mittens. I thought I might also find other purposes for these. I don't like to toss materials out if I think I can repurpose them in some way.

I didn't have an idea in my head for using the scraps but, as my husband quotes from time to time, "Luck is preparation meeting opportunity." Opportunity happened in the "From Trash to Treasures" group on ravelry when some of the group members signed on to participate in a Valentine Swap. As Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday, I sort of promoted the swap and was glad when others came forward to moderate the event and still others embraced the idea. Okay, so back to luck, preparation and opportunity....

One of the possible swap suggestions was to create something wearable in a Valentine theme for our partners. Before being assigned a partner, I started knitting a pair of red, wool mittens but when assignments were made, I learned that my partner (Jenn) was allergic to wool. Okay...I guess that wouldn't work so I decided I could list them on my etsy mitten shop after I embellished them with felted wool hearts cut perfectly using my Sizzix machine. Worked like a charm! If you don't know what a Sizzix machine is, it's just a little manual die cutter with a handle to to cut shapes. I happened to have one die with four different size hearts on it. Here is the pair of Valentine mittens I knitted and the heart embellishments.

Well, since I couldn't include the mittens to Jenn, one thing led to another (luck, preparation and opportunity...) and I was inspired to create a Valentine brooch for her piggybacking on the embellishments I made to put on the mittens. Of course, I had to make a brooch for Jenn out of fleece but most of the brooches I have made are of felted wool.

Materials: Felted wool (or fleece), beads, satin roses, embroidery floss, thin ribbon, buttons and other plastic embellishments make up the creative part. On the backs are pin clasps. (See below.)

Tips: Above are two felted wool pins, one face forward and one from the back. The brooch on the left is made of fleece. I found the fleece more difficult to work with compared to the wool, in this regard: I can crochet lacy edges on the wool but have to embroider the edges of the fleece because even a tiny crochet hook will not penetrate the fleece.

The main reason for sharing the above photo is to show the clasps. I always check the clasps first to see that they open and close easily, that they are not bent or misshapen, and that they are right side up. I hand-sew the clasps to the largest heart before assembling layers so I can hide my stitches and knots on the reverse side. At first I was using regular thread but found that by stitching with embroidery floss I don't have to make as many individual stitches because there are multiple strands of floss. I was using three strands and that meant it was like making more passes of stitching through the clasps with one stitch. I matched the floss to the color of the felted (or fleece) heart. It is best NOT to glue the clasps because the dried glue will make your pin stiff and the clasp will not be as secure.

I did use glue, however, to attach the satin roses. I used glue intended for fabrics (Liquid Stitch) but didn't want to use it to attach the heart layers or the pins would have been rigid to the touch. By embroidering layers together, the brooches are soft and more visually and tactilely appealing. To secure the roses in place while the glue is drying, I use little plastic clips to hold them. The clips are not as strong as clothespins and therefore do not smash or flatten the satin roses.

To visit my second esty shop that features these brooches for Valentine's Day, Click Here

(The name of my second shop is called fabriq.)

Marvelous Mittens

2010-10-31T06:12:00.034-05:00

Hello everyone and Hola! to my new Spanish-speaking followers.

If you have checked in lately, you may have noticed that I have not blogged for a month. That's because I have been busy with a new project. After coaxing on the part of some of my ravelry friends, I started an etsy shop. For those of you who do not know what an esty shop is, here is an online definition.

Etsy is a social commerce website focused on handmade or vintage items as well as art and craft supplies. These items cover a wide range including art, photography, clothing, jewelry, edibles, bath & beauty products, quilts, nick-knacks and toys.

As a test, I started a shop featuring one product line: mittens. Here is an example of my mittens.

The mittens are made from repurposed wool sweaters that I rescue from thrift shops. I bring the sweaters home to wash and dry them. This is what is known as the felting process. As the wool sweaters shrink up, the fibers mesh together and become more dense and often more lush. This felted wool is perfect for beautiful, soft, warm mittens. Of course some of the sweaters I buy are already felted (unintentionally) and that is why they were donated. This week, for instance, I purchased a beautiful striped Abercrombie & Fitch sweater that someone presumably loved but, probably assuming it was acrylic, the sweater was washed and it shrunk up. The sweater, though no longer useful for wearing, will now become about five pairs of Marvelous Mittens.

Once the sweaters are felted, the next step is to cut the ribbing from the sleeves and main body. Next the sleeves, backs and fronts are cut away at the seams. The four pieces are now flattened and serve as wool fabric from which three pattern pieces are cut. Once cut, the pieces are sewn together. The ribbing that was cut from the sweater is used for the cuffs and a set of matching buttons are hand sewn on to complete the mittens.

Sometimes it takes a parts of two or three different sweaters to complete a single pair of mittens. Here on the left is the photo of the same pair of mittens but in this view one of the palm-side mittens is shown. You can see that two colors of solid blue were cut from other sweaters to complete the pair mittens. I have used green colors on the palm side with this same striped knit pattern which illustrates that the same sweater can yield different color combinations for an interesting variety of choices.

I started making mittens from sweaters in 2009 with the intent of selling them at a few holiday fairs. I sent a pair to my Aunt Margaret in another state to match a hat I had knitted for her birthday several months before. Aunt Margaret liked her pair so much she ordered ten pairs from me. After she received her order, she took the box of mittens with her to the dog park where she let her little dog, Mac, play with other dogs while she visited with her many lady friends whose dogs were also there to romp and play. Soon I was filling orders from her friends and sending mittens across the miles as gifts to their family in other states or for their own personal use.

This season I had about several pairs mittens left from last year as well as some I had sewn in the early months of the year to be ready for the next winter. In all, I think I had about 50-75 pairs on hand. I sent one pair to a ravelry friend as part of a "From Trash to Treasure" personal exchange. That friend coaxed me share a photo of my mittens with the other women in the same group. I did and that's when some of the women suggested I start an online shop through etsy and one even gave me some pointers about getting started.

Here are a few more pairs of mittens for you to see a little variety. Up to this week I have been making mittens in three sizes: small, medium and large. The small size fits grade school children, the medium fits ladies and teens, the large fits men and older teen boys. In the past few days I added two more sizes: preschool (3-5 year olds) and toddler (18 month-3 year olds).

Starting up a shop was confusing and overwhelming at first. There were so many decisions to make. One of the most difficult was coming up with a name. Every shop name I tried seemed to have already been taken. Finally my husband said, "Marvelous Mittens!" And so it was. After that I had to write a bio, make up a shop banner, choose all kinds of perimeters like shipping information, and so on. Taking photos of the items and writing up descriptions took some time. Finally, I was up with my banner which gave me a "store front" and a few pairs of mittens. To my surprise, a few orders started coming in and I began shipping mittens to various states in the U.S. and to Canada, too.

Addendum: Happy Ending!

I am happy to report that, unbeknownst to me, a friend purchased this pair of mittens from me though my online shop. My long distance friend's name is Sherry. When I was readying the order I thought, "I know who this is! It's my ravelry friend, Sherry!" Sure enough, it was. I was so thrilled because I love these mittens and I was glad to know this pair went to a very special person. After Sherry received her mittens she posted this comment to the blog:

"I bought these mittens from Delights’s Etsy store. Each individual color jumps out at me! I love the blues along with the pinks and greens! On my hands they are like a soft fuzzy blanket! My fingers are nice and warm! I love them so much! They are so cool! I love these things!

Here's a picture of them on my hands!"

Thanks, Sherry!

To visit me at my new etsy shop. CLICK HERE

Stop by for a visit!

Fast and Fun Holiday Wreath Pins

2010-09-22T15:18:00.039-05:00

Wondering what little something you can share with co-workers during the holidays? These little wreath pins might be just the answer!

The purpose of this blog page is to share the instructions for the larger of the two sizes of wreath pins or brooches (pictured above) so you can make as many as you desire this holiday season. The finished measurement of the larger pin is 2 and 3/4 inches across.

This is a holiday accessory that has been around for decades; I did not originate it but I developed my own particular version and am sharing it here with you. You are welcome to use this pattern with these guidelines: Be sure to attribute this source when posting or presenting pins/brooches made from this pattern and refrain from publishing or selling the pattern or representing it as your own. Otherwise, no other restrictions apply. Enjoy making these for selling, sharing, giving or for your own personal use.

A few interesting points about these wreath pins:

• they are fast and easy to make (about 10 minutes start to finish)

• they make perfect little holiday gifts for family, friends, acquaintances and co-workers

• each can be made uniquely to match the personality or color preferences of recipients

• you can create multiples for yourself to match your outfits for work, church or holiday parties

Supplies:

Other than the worsted weight yarn, the above photo shows all of the supplies you will need to make these pins. I want to say a few words about some of these items because I have specific recommendations about a few of them.

1. Unique Stitch glue or Liquid Stitch glue: I think either of these brands are the best glues to use for this project. Unique Stitch and Liquid Stitch glue are especially designed for fabric and are washable—not that you would wash your wreath pin—but these glues are flexible and waterproof. I use either of these glues to adhere the pin/clasps to the back of the wreaths and to decorate the fronts. Two advantages: a.) the glue dries fairly fast and b.) the glue dries clear. With one squeezable tube you can complete dozens of wreath pins. For me, this type of glue is a MUST in my arsenal of craft supplies. You can purchase one or the other of these brands in the notion section of fabric stores but, just in case, you want more information about it, I am including the following info: Unique Stitch glue is manufactured by the W.H. Collins company in SC. The company's website is: www.collinsnotions.com. Liquid Stitch glue is manufactured in Spartanburg, SC by the Dritz company: www.dritz.com. I purchased Liquid Stitch at Wal-mart.

2. Plastic Loop: The loop size used for this wreath is 1 and 1/2 inches. This size, or something close to it, is another notion that you can find in fabric stores and often in craft stores, too. I also buy a smaller size and make wreaths that are about an inch smaller, when finished.

3. G Hook: For this larger wreath pin, I use a G hook. For the smaller one, I use an F hook.

4. Yarn: You can use any worsted weight yarn. My personal preference is to use heavier cottons to make the wreaths, such as Lily's Sugar 'n Cream, Pisgah's Peaches 'n Creme, or Lion Brand Lion Cotton. For this example, I used Lily's Sugar 'n Cream, Dark Pine.

5. Clips/clothespins: To firmly adhere the pin onto the back of the wreath, I like to use clips (seen left, above in the photo). If you do not use a clip of some kind, you can put a tiny amount of weight on the glued clasp until it dries. A clothespin can work for this. Be aware that you want the clasp to remain upright and not tilted.

6. Decor items: I bought garlands of decor that come in two small sizes: tiny and tinier and cut them from the stringing for wreath decor. Beads will work, too. Sometimes I use puffy paints for little holly berries and glitter puffy paint for little Christmas decor or accents.

7. Clasps/pins: When I first started making these brooches, I used little brass safety pins. Since then I graduated to purchased brass clasp pins that come in little plastic baggies from the craft store. The pins are about one inch long.

8. Ribbon: I have very thin ribbon on spools that I use to embellish the wreath pins. I also have some tiny pre-made velvety bows that I attach to the fronts of the wreaths. Thin metallic "ribbon" that I saved from packages received works nicely, too. Use whatever you have on hand or can adapt that will work.

Okay, lets' get started!

The how-to is so simple, you will only need the following photos with brief instructions to make holiday wreath pins to your heart's content.

Finish by decorating the fronts of your wreaths, as desired. Here's a close-up of one with tiny packages on the front. (I didn't "wrap" the packages. They are commercial items.)

Here are a few more wreath pin photos for possible inspiration.

One more thing:

Here's another oldie, but goodie: two little ice skates with paper clip blades. Free-formed; no pattern. But, because they were not as fast and easy to make, I set them aside. Maybe someone can create or share a good pattern. I'd be happy to publish it here.

Someone has kindly left the following web address in the comments.

http://nannysnook.netfirms.com/ornaments.htm

It features several little Christmas ornaments and instructions, including more interesting skates than the ones I posted. There are some good ideas at this site. Thanks to "anonymous" for sharing.

From Trash to Treasures

2010-09-13T10:36:00.037-05:00

One man's trash is another man's treasure.

Creative women I know see the beauty, usefulness and possibility in all kinds of items that the ordinary person would throw away or recycle. One of my ravelry friends, spookycuddles (a.k.a. Brenda) is one of these women. She gets excited about turning trash into treasure and even belongs to a group called From Trash to Treasures within the ravelry community.

Her enthusiasm for this kind of creative challenge is infectious and, although I don't belong to her group, she inspired me to make some trash to treasure items for her.* [See end of blog page.] Below is a photo that Brenda took for me (because I accidentally erased my photo) of the items I sent to her to keep, gift, swap or share as she pleased.

This blog page will detail the items made for Brenda with the hope that others may be inspired to turn more trash into treasures that can be enjoyed by others.

Here's how it all started:

Brenda had been sharing her excitement about her upcoming swap with her Trash to Treasure group. She had said she was doing detective work on her secret swap pal. After that, all of her messages will filled with ideas of what she planned to make for the swap. In the spirit of the swap news, I had told Brenda that I had been saving some plastic, cylindrical containers that I hated to throw out because, after all, I am a Trash/Treasure person at heart. About these cylinders and other "too good to throw out" items, I thought, "Maybe I can find some use for these."

Somewhere in the midst of our exchanges, I decided to make some Trash to Treasure items

for Brenda. I started with these plastic cylinders (see photo of Kroger peach tea powered drink) that had been accumulating because I was sure I would find SOME use for them. I go through two or three of these per month. Once the label is removed, a strong, white cylinder remains—too good to throw out. Hmmmmm, what could I make for Brenda with some of these? Some of my ideas for the cylinders: a large peppermint stick, a large firecracker, a bank of some kind and a faux candle. I settled on making a candle and sending two additional painted, but unfinished ones to send to Brenda for her to create as she wished.

As long as I planned to send these items to Brenda, I figured I would fill the cylinders with other little Trash/Treasure items. From there, the whole thing took off and I began making and collecting all kinds of things for her, just because I wanted to and because she is such a fun person and friend.

My next project was a plarn project bag. Here it is.

Looks pretty good and you would not know what it is made of unless you are a creative person and you know what plarn** is. Plarn, is the combination of the words "plastic" and "yarn." This bag is crocheted using plastic grocery bags. I cut 48 plastic bags (one at a time) into spiral strips to use as the yarn-type medium for making this waterproof bag. The three kinds of bags I used were Kroger bags (brown with dark blue printed words and logo), Fiesta bags (gold with red print) and Wal-mart (white with blue print).

General instructions for how to make the plarn bag appear near the end of this blog page.

**Another of my ravelry friends, Braydenbugsmom (a.k.a Christina), mentioned this word to me in a conversation. I said, "You mean there's a word for this?! Who knew?" Yes, indeed there is. Thanks Christina for expanding my creating vocabulary.

Candle: Here is the finished faux candle. To make the candle: I started by soaking and removing the label. Then I painted on three coats of craft acrylic paint followed by a final coat of clear acrylic spray. I painted white "drips" of candle "wax" with craft acrylic paint and then added a little dimensionality with some puffy paint, also white. Using some of the plastic left from the plarn bag, I cut and twisted some goldish color plastic to make the flame and inserted it into a small cross cut I made in the center of the lid. All done.

Orange Mittens: I made these mittens from a repurposed wool sweater. I washed and dried the sweater on high to shrink/felt it and then cut out the pattern pieces and sewed them up to make warm, wooly mittens that are perfect for cold weather. (I have made about 150 pairs of wool mittens in the past year.) I chose orange for Brenda because she likes Halloween so much. Speaking of Brenda and Halloween, here is a perfect opportunity to mention her ravelry name, spookycuddles. Those of us who know Brenda thought her ravelry name might be a special endearment that she is called at home, but Spooky and Cuddles are the names of her two cats. She put both together and made one word to use as her "handle."

Table napkins and coasters: I sewed and quilted (by hand) four tiny Halloween coasters that are seen here on the far right. I tied the four together with an orange ribbon. A few years back I found brand new Halloween napkins at Goodwill for a very cheap price and tucked them away thinking, "The price is right and I am sure they will come in handy in the future." Well, this is the right time and they match the coasters! Having purchased them at Goodwill qualifies them for Trash to Treasure.

Dish cloths: I didn't make these dishcloths but they are brand new and nicely crafted. I found a whole bag of 28 of these knitted dishcloths at Value Village in a bag for 10 cents each. A real steal! Someone donated them to the thrift store and, to me, this qualifies them as Trash to Treasure. I picked out two from my stack and rolled them up. I specifically chose one in colors that was somewhat Christmasy because I wanted to put them into the candle. They fit perfectly inside.

Wreath pin: I sent two small wreath pins (under 2 inches across) to Brenda wrapped in tissue and inserted into one of the red cylinders. One wreath was completed (pictured here on the left) and the other was ready to be decorated. I also sent a little ribbon and some tiny Christmas balls for decorating so Brenda could complete it using these decor items or...she was free to decorate as she pleased. I wanted to send her a third one, a larger, unfinished one (2 and 3/4 inches across), but it didn't fit into the cylinder unless I scrunched it, so I didn't send it.

(Right) Here is a picture of a larger wreath pin that I made after I sent this Trash to Treasure package to Brenda. I am including it for the purpose of letting readers know that the directions for making this have already been posted. Make and enjoy!

Magnets: Wrapped in tissue and inserted in the final red cylinder, these refrigerator magnets were made from cut-out glossy magazine pictures that I glued to the backs of glass "rocks" from a package I bought at a craft store. Powerful little magnets were glued on last. I chose a sunflower specifically for Brenda because she had just completed a sunflower potholder for herself. Of these magnets, Brenda said she is keeping the rose and sunflower (she has lots of magnets) and plans to share the orange and horse toy with a family member. (She is doing exactly what I hoped, keeping what she wanted and then giving, swapping or sharing the rest.)

Cards: Using glossy magazine pictures or scrapbook paper and my sizzix machine (a little die cutter) I cut out little purses and used them as the focal points on some cards. I inserted optional sayings to insert into the cards along with the packet of five cards/envelopes that read, "Friends are like purses...you can never have too many of them."

Six-inch squares: I sent two completed six-inch squares worked up in the same pattern in the plarn bag. Brenda is always mentioning squares for a group in which she participates. Most of the yarn in these two squares that I crocheted is left from a project I finished up last month. Also I sent her the pattern for the squares and a few other patterns, too. This was a new pattern but she had some of the other patterns I sent her so she plans to share the duplicates with others.

General Directions for Making the Plarn Bag

To make the spiral strips of plarn:

Cut off the top handles and the bottom seal of a bag.
Using scissors, start at the top and make a diagonal cut to one inch.
Continue going around and around the bag in a one-inch spiral strip to the bottom.

To make the bag:

I used a G hook and, because I wanted a tight stitch to lessen any stretching, all stitches are sc's.
I made a bottom gusset and then worked up the sides going around and around to make the body of the bag in one piece. (no seams) I didn't count, but there are more than 120 stitches around on a single row.
Here was my pattern up the sides: six brown rows, 4 gold, 6 brown, 4 white, and so on.

Special thanks to Brenda for taking some of these photos because I accidentally erased photos from my camera before I downloaded them for use on this blog page.

* Update: October 5, 2010. I joined the From Trash to Treasures group, too. October's challenge is turning denim (old jeans) into something useful, wearable and/or attractive. I have two projects in mind...

Suzy's SW Potholders

2010-09-10T20:22:00.012-05:00

September 1, 2010: This is the fifth month of twelve in our Dazzling Dozen Potholder Swap group at ravelry.com. This time it is Suzy's turn to be the recipient of eleven potholders made by the other eleven members of our group.

This is Suzy and she has granted

me permission to use her photo.

When asked about her preferences, Suzy posted, "I'm easy to please. But if it helps, my kitchen is decorated in a Southwestern theme. Colors are burgundy, gold and deep blue." When pressed for more information about her SW theme, she answered, "I love Native American art. On the shelf above my kitchen cabinets, I have about 50 different ceramic pots and chiminea. The rest of the kitchen is decorated with kokopelli, lizards and tons of suns. In fact, my husband had to put a halt to the sun purchasing."

I had no idea what Kokopelli meant and, being curious, I decided I would like to find out. Here is what I found at the Wikipedia site:

"Kokopelli is a fertility deity, usually depicted as a humpbacked flute player.... He presides over childbirth and agriculture. He is also a trickster god and represents the spirit of music."

And here is the Kokopelli graphic Wikipedia uses to depict how this trickster god looks. I found a few more graphics which were all very similar.

Hmmmmm, this seemed like a fun element to use for Suzy's SW Potholder. Keying off of Suzy's three stated colors: gold, burgundy and deep blue, I decided to make a Ripple Potholder* using Lily's Sugar 'n Cream cotton and put a little Kokopelli embellishment in the center. I didn't find a sandy gold for what I imagine is Suzy's wall color and so I had to substitute a brighter yellow. The other two colors seemed like they were probably close. But then I took one look at these three bold colors together and experienced something new: color anxiety! Normally I don't shy away from color combining but WHEW! these were strong colors!!! I pondered softening their impact with rounds of ecru to separate them but then I had a good talking to myself about just throwing caution to the wind and "going for it."

After crocheting the main body of the potholder (both front and back sides), now I had to decide how to execute the graphic element of the Kokopelli. I was constrained by size: it could not be larger than 2 1/4 inches high to fit in the center of the potholder. There were too many finite parts to crochet it so embroidering it seemed the best way to capture the details.

Using a charcoal colored piece of cloth stretched on an embroidery hoop, I sketched out my version of a Kokopelli directly onto the fabric. Then, using three strands of DMC cotton embroidery floss, I stitched the outline all around. I completed the body using the satin stitch. When done, I secured the Kokopelli on the backside with a layer of washable, flexible fabric glue called Unique Stitch. The next day, after I was sure it had ample time to dry, I cut out the little figure close to the stitching line and glued it in place on the potholder using the same glue. After several additional hours of drying, I was ready to stitch the little hair protrusions directly on the potholder to finish up Mr. Kokopelli. To finish this project, I crocheted the two sides of the potholder together and completed it with a hanging loop.

Below (right) is the completed Kokopelli potholder.

You can see from this photo that there is a second potholder. I like to send something extra to each of our Dazzling Dozen members when it is their turn to be the featured recipient. Sometimes I send a sewn crochet hook pouch, other times a second potholder. A day or two after making the first potholder, I started a second one. This time I decided on a different embellishment—a ceramic pot. I crocheted the little pot using six strands of DMC cotton and a size 2 hook.

September 10, 2010:

Suzy received her two potholders today and so I can post this blog. Here is what Suzy had to say:

_____________________________________

Hi Claudia!

I just wanted you to know that I received your beautiful potholders last night and they are just amazing!! The center stitching even brought gasps from my teenage daughter and let me tell you, that is a rarity.

The colors are perfect and match my kitchen to a tee. Thank you so much for such a wonderful addition to my kitchen!

Suzy

____________________________________

Suzy, it was my pleasure.

*Instructions for making the Ripple Potholder can be found on this blog in a previous posting.