You can do this......I know you can!

 For me, it all begins with ....

Then, I search and I get

and the enjoyment of selecting

Then I spend the first hour

The days, the weeks, maybe into months

I get the enjoyment of taking my time and

and then I am excited and delighted with

I even feel a sense of accomplishment!

It wasn't so long ago that I would look at a pattern like this and be intimidated....telling myself that it is too complicated for me to understand.........but with the help of two good friends, one who showed me how to begin crochet with a simple chain stitch, and another friend who I could always call and she would explain a certain stitch to me..(this is before we had internet).....I managed to learn to make these types of doilies, bit by bit, over a long period of time and patience.  One important thing I did learn  and that really got me to understand how to crochet the things I wanted, was through the help of two lovely ladies who had a tiny little yarn shop in my town and showed me how to read the steps slowly.  

Now, especially in the days of "you tube" tutorials there is no reason that anyone can not do this same crocheted piece. I promise!  If you want to crochet a pretty piece, any piece, be ready to take your time........this is important.

On reading the steps, it was explained to me that just as we all learned in English grammar, periods mean to stop reading and pause. So read your first sentence in a step....or row and do that one thing before reading and going farther.  Once you have done that, read the second sentence in the step and so on. 

Which brings me back to the internet and "you tube".  If you do not understand a term or you are struggling .......simply find a crochet video on you tube, type the sentence from your pattern onto the screen, and a video with the steps ,while also showing you how to work the stitch, will come up.  The greatest thing about this is that  you can pause the video, work your thread, and go back to understand it again and again. 

You do not need to buy a lot of thread.....in fact I would advice to buy only what your pattern will tell you that you need.  I was very lucky to find the box of crochet thread in the above photo at an estate sale .......the whole box was only two dollars. That would be a great place to look, but do make sure you will have enough thread to finish your piece.  

You can find crochet patterns online, crochet books and booklets online and at craft stores as well as the hooks and thread.

The doily pattern for this doily came out of this booklet.

 So....come on.......you can do it!...........go grab up some crochet hooks, some pattern booklets.......and some very pretty crochet thread for doilies, not yarn...and enjoy being creative!

  I hope to hear about what you have chosen, what your struggles are, and hopefully get to see your finished piece!

MAGICALLY SO

 

May

 

Tinted California Poppy

I have had this design for the longest time.......I found it somewhere on the internet and knew that someday I would like to trace it off to embroider it.  I found a lovely vintage dresser scarf in my stash

and traced off the design onto that,

and then tinted the poppies and leaves .  I like to tint some embroidery designs, especially if the design if fairly large.  I have often wanted to plant and grow poppies, they are such a lovely flower.

I have tried sowing poppy seeds for years, but they just do not want to sprout for me.

So the best way for me to enjoy them, is to let my needle bring them to life.

Awake, thou wintry earth,

      Fling off thy sadness!

Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth

      Your ancient gladness...

                                               T. Blackburne, "An Easter Hymn"

 Here's wishing you a blessed and happy Easter holiday.

Slow Stitching and Vintage Dresser Runners

Slow stitching has become popular among creatives lately.  A fabric background is used and is embellished with  pieces of embroidery, fabric, lace, beads, and lots of intricate embroidery stitches to create a unique work of art. For me, it's much like "crazy quilting"

  I have started  for myself, a work of slow stitching, but wanted to share with you the idea of using vintage embroidered dresser runners as the background fabric.  The dresser runner in the photo has lovely lace edging and lovely vintage embroidery, which I did not want to cover up........

but as you see in the photo, it has a burn mark that cannot be laundered out. However, the runner itself, is made of good quality linen.

  Using bits and pieces of fabric and pieces of cut out embroidery from vintage embroidered linens, I covered up the burn mark. I think it's a great way to use vintage dresser runners that are still pretty and in fairly good shape.  I hope to make this into a unique and one of a kind stitched piece. The pieces and the layout may change as I begin to stitch.

I started on one corner.......I  embroider a spider web, appliqued and embroidered on the rose motif, and embroidered a few edges on fabric pieces................and I still have a lot of stitches to do.....as the term goes........"slow stitching" .  I will work on this as the mood strikes me.........on days when I just want to sit in my stitching chair and "slow stitch". 

Are you working on a slow stitch project?  I would love to hear!

 

Something pretty for coffee or tea

 

When friends wander this way and find themselves at the door ,

 it's always a good time for a cup of coffee

or a cup of tea.

I like to have something pretty to serve with the drinks or the treats.

I made a few granny square coasters that are just the perfect size for 

and mug of cup.  They work up very quickly.  You can find any pattern that suits 

your style on Youtube. 

So tell me..........which do you prefer?

Coffee or tea??

I would love to hear.

January

 

A new calendar for the new year has taken its place on the wall and a new month of the new year is already at its end.........

where does the time manage to go?.....I wonder. I look back on the old year with gratitude and  with many wonderful memories....what fun this past year brought to us!

Winter , here, has been dry, very dry......too dry with  days of  sun, and nights with extreme cold, and then days of pleasant sun and warmth with nights not so frigid.  This weather tries to encourage me to abandon my needle and the comfort of my sewing space to put my hands to work where much work is needed to be done......outside.

Just for awhile, I ignore the perfect weather conditions and decide to make a pair of whimsical bunnies.

I have an idea in my mind to create a whimsical box for this couple

Fixing a wardrobe, some bunny home comforts.....maybe a baby bunny....or two...or three....or four??

As for resolutions for the new year.....I choose not to have them these days.  There are the same things that I must do....many from last year in waiting....things that I hope to create, complete, and techniques I want to learn. I still have a stash of wonderful projects, unfinished and not yet started,  lying in wait.....and then there are the countless projects waiting inside of the pages of the books sitting in wait on the shelf.   I guess if I were to label anything from the list of things I need to do......I would like to call them "accomplishments" for if I am to ever get them completely finished.......that would certainly be an accomplishment!

I personally start this year with gratitude and contentment, with a hope of peace to stay with us throughout each day that comes.

So tell me........do you have resolutions?  Do  you have unfinished projects you would like to finish....or new ones to begin? I would love to hear.

Here's wishing you days full of creative energy and imagination to create what your heart desires!