Just Rambling 5/30/2008

Well, I had a winner in my last contest. I'm just waiting to see what prize she's going to choose. I'm not going to start another one right now since I've had very little time off to take care of things. The client I'm taking care of right now takes a lot of care and I've had very little time for my crocheting. I'm also working 6 or 7 days a week and have had no time at all for sewing, since I only do that whe I'm home.
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Last week I mailed out 3 infant sweater sets and a bunch more hats and booties for the Inuit tribes in northern Canada. I'm currently working on a baby blanket and don't really know where it's going to go.
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I'm a little stressed, but this too shall pass. The company I work for (In-home care for the elderly) seems to go in cycles between working like crazy and not getting enough hours. I've learned to take it all as it comes.
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Oh well, that's it for now. Won't be home again until Tues. (I have Jury duty that day so they had to let me off LOL) Maybe I'll have a few minutes to take a few pictures and share a new pattern.

A Quick Note

I am only home for an hour today, it was supposed to be my day off but one of the other caregivers quit without notice. I will be drawing the winner to my last contest on Friday evening. Make sure to get your entries in. I know the prizes aren't great but I promise to do better next time. I had a really nice little sweater set I was going to show you but I needed to get it packed up to send out and was in such a rush I forgot to take the picture. LOL I'll need to make another one so I can take the pic and write out the pattern. Anyway, I've got to throw all my things together so I can get back to work. See you all on Friday.

OK She Didn't win but....

She didn't suggest something for herself as a prize. Here's what she said:
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I would love to see everyone that posted here to make a hat for a group called Lil Troopers. You can find their link on my blog at: http://www.scarley-pooh.com/ They supply hats and such to our military babies that are born each month. A wonderful group, and it take just some scrap yarn to make a newborn hat. :) Is anyone up for that challenge?I think that would be a great prize in Deb's honor for all the beautiful patterns that she shares with us. Scarlet

So jump on over to her blog and check it out. I know I will!

New Contest!

Contest is closed. The winner has been chosen by the most wonderful 7 year old in the world (my grandson) who scientifically guessed a number. I have notified her and am waiting her reply.


A note about prizes first. I received a lot of suggestions for prizes in my last contest and have decided to offer --- All of them!! ---- Just not all at once. Every contest will have between 4 and 6 items for the winner to choose from. This contest will have books because that's what I happen to have right now. I tried to chose a good selection so there will be something to interest everyone. As I wander through various stores etc. I will be on the lookout for things that I think will interest my readers.
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The goal of this weeks contest is to add as many links as possible to my Crafter's Favorite Patterns blog.
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The Rules:
1. It can be any pattern for any craft, but should be suitable for charity crafting.
2. The pattern has to be free and not a site you have to sign up for to get to the pattern.
3. Although I can't check, it should be something you've tried and liked.
4. You can submit up to 5 links for 5 entries into the contest.
5. Please do not submit links for patterns that are already on the blog. However, if two or more people have submitted the same link before it's been added, they will all get an entry in the contest. Use the link above to check.
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The Prizes:
The winner will be able to chose from the following:.
1. The Country Diary Book of Crafts, Annette Mitchell, 100 craft projects, variety of crafts
2. A Little French Pantry, Quilting, cross stitch and some iron-on transfers
3. Four Quilt World issues from the early 80's
4. leaflet Blanket's & Booties, Crochet, 8 baby afghans and booties to match
5. Pure and Simple cook book from Neiman Marcus
6. Treasures from Throwaways 194 projects

To enter leave a comment with your link(s) and e-mail address. I moderate all comments and they will not be seen by anyone but me. Your links though, will mysteriously appear on the other blog.
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Privacy: Your email will only be seen by me and only used to contact you if you are the winner. After the winner is chosen all info will be deleted and destroyed.

And the winner is....

Marsha!!!! Marsha please contact me! Since one of the things you suggested was stitch markers and I just happened to order a set last week, that's your prize! I haven't recieved them yet but they're turtles and really cute, just hope you like them. Once I have your address and have received them myself I will mail them out to you.
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Marsha: You can send your e-mail or address in a comment, it will not be published. I'll be the only one who will see it.
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I will be gone again until Saturday, if you have answered by then we will make the arrangements to get your prize to you.

Just Rambling 5/15/2008

My youngest, my baby, my little boy turns 21 today. There is no way I can be that old. I'm trying to forget my oldest turned 30 last year. Time goes by so quickly!
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Don't forget to enter the contest posted below. This is not going to be my only contest and I desperately need ideas for prizes. I'll be drawing the winner next week on my day off (no idea when that will be).
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I'm not supposed to be off today, so it's a surprise day off. I don't know when I'll be back home next week as I won't know my schedule until Friday. Since I work as a live-in caregiver when I leave tomorrow to go to work I really won't be home again until my next day off.
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Lori from one of my quilting Yahoo Groups sent me a box of orphan quilt blocks. They are awesome, I'm going to work at trying to join some of them into quilts today. Thank you so much Lori.

Gone for Awhile and Contest Question

Contest is closed, The winners name is posted here.

I am going to be gone for at least a week and will not be able to moderate or respond to comments and questions. I will take care of that on my next day home.
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Now the contest. I have no idea what to offer for a prize, so my first contest question is: What would you like to see as a prize? Leave a comment telling me what you would like to win and I will draw a name when I get back. If I draw your name you will not necessarily get the prize you suggested. I can't offer much so if you would like to win a new car you need to go somewhere else.
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I will post the name of the winner here if I have no other way to reach them.

Baby Bumpy Sweater

I just had to do it, I had already designed patterns for the hat and booties, I just had to crochet a sweater to match. This months project in All_Crafts_4_Charity is for a maternity center in northern Canada that serves the Inuit tribes. I wanted to create something really warm and cuddly for the babies. I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease, the color is red sprinkles. This was on clearance at two local Michaels stores. There was only one color on sale which was why I checked at the second one. (Sigh) It was also the only color on clearance there, too. To make what's becoming a long story short, I bought all they had at both stores so the babies are getting a lot of red items.

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Matching Bumpy Hat

Matching Bumpy Booties

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Baby Bumpy Sweater

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Fits 0-3 mos.

3 oz. worsted weight yarn

Size J hook

Gauge 7 sts = 2 in

Starting at the neckline

Ch 50 and join to make ring being careful not to twist

V-Stitch: dc, ch1, dc in same stitch

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Rd 1: Ch 3, counts as 1st stitch here and in every row, 6 dc, V st, 9 dc, V st, 14 dc, V st, 9 dc, V st, 7 dc and join. Double check to make sure it's not twisted

Rd 2-6: ch 3, dc in each dc and V stitch in each V stitch

Rd 7: ch 3, dc to first V stitch, folding so 1st and 2nd V stitches are together dc in both to join them, dc to next V stitch and join 3rd and 4th V stitch in same manner, dc to end and join

Note: This creates the armholes, you will add the sleeves later

Rd 8-12: Dc in each dc, skipping the armholes

Rd 13: ch 1 and turn, working on wrong side, sc in same stitch as ch1, tr, *sc, tr repeat from * around, join

Rd 14: ch 3 and turn to work on right side again, dc in each st

Rd 15: repeat round 13

Rd 16-18: ch 2, hdc in each st join and end

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Collar

Join to neckline in back, ch 2, hdc in each stitch, repeat for another round, end

Sleeve

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Going through both V stitches where the sleeves were joined in the underarm, join yarn, if you don't do this there will be a hole in the underarm

Rd 1-5: ch 3, dc in each stitch, Check to make sure you have 22 stitches

Rds 6- 11: Repeat rows 13 -18 of body of sweater

Weave in ends

Ripple Stitch Afghan

This baby blanket is going to Afghans for Afghans. I bought the yarn, it's 100% wool, on Ebay. I was going to use it for hats but when I saw it, the first thing that occured to me was, Ripple Baby Blanket!!, so that's what it became. I love when a yarn speaks to me like that. I didn't really use a particular pattern but since there are so many ripple stich crochet patterns out there I'm not going to post it here. Just Google it to find a pattern the size you want. Most patterns have you changing colors but this was self striping yarn so it wasn't necessary.

The Ebay seller I bought the yarn from sells it regularly, I do not know this person and have no ties to him but if you want to buy this yarn click here.

Little Bugs Finger Puppets Free Crochet Pattern

These little bugs are the last of the finger puppet patterns. (for now anyway).I used a G hook and worsted weight scraps. Color changes are optional and as the mood (or scraps) move you.

Ch 4 and join
Rd 1: ch 1, 6 sc in loop and join
Rd 2: ch 1, 2 sc in each sc and join
Rd 3 - 5: ch 1, sc in each sc and join

Rd 6: ch 1, sc in next 3 sc, ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 3 chs, sc in next 6 sc, ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 3 chs, sc in next 3 sc, join

Rd 7: ch 1, sc in each sc, skipping over the legs, join

Rd 8: ch 1, sc in each scand join

Rds 9 - 14; Repeat 6, 7 and 8 twice

Rd 15: sc, sc DEC in next two st, 2 sc, sc DEC in next two st, 2sc, sc DEC in next two st, sc and join

Embroider facial features

Topknot: (optional) Use 2 - 4 strands of yarn and attach to top of head as if you were making fringe, trim to the length you would like it and separate strands to fluff them up.

Wild hair: (optional) Thread a yarn needle with worsted weight yarn. Make 3 or 4 large loops and then cut loops, tie using a square knot, trim to the length you would like it and separate strands to fluff them up

I also have these finger puppet patterns:

Boy and Girl Finger Puppets

Stripey Worm Finger Puppets

Recycling Old T-Shirts for Scrubbies!

I'm changing this post because, although I really like the idea of making scrubbies from old T-shirts I didn't care much for the way it was done. So I did a little experimenting and came up with my own way to do itI posted it on my new blog about crafting and recycling.
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Making the Yarn
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The scrubbie pattern

Swiffer Covers!!

I just had to share this with you all, hand made, reusable, Swiffer cloths. I found two patterns one to knit and one to crochet. They're a great green solution to the disposible kind and cheaper over the long run. Make several and throw in the wash when dirty. They can also be donated to charities that collect for household goods, clean-ups from disasters, etc.

Just Rambling 5/5/2008

My cats are keeping me company so this is going to be difficult to write. Something about the sound of me typing just fascinates Miss Sammi. I haven't had the most productive week, but it hasn't been that bad either. I made a hat and bootie set for the May project in All_Crafts_4_Charity and am working on a wool baby blanket for Afghans for Afghans.

I sent out two packages this week, one for Cooper Hospital and the second one was the finger puppets for Crafting for a Cause. No sooner did I get the finger puppets sent out then I found more I had made. So I guess I need to make some more so I can send another package.

I've been searching the archives of my Yahoo Groups for more pattern links to add to my Crafters' Favorite Patterns blog. Since they have to be someone's favorite (i.e. tried and tested and liked) it's a little more difficult then just going to another site that lists patterns and copying and pasting. So I'm asking my readers again, if you have a free pattern link that you have used and liked please leave a comment here or on the other blog and I will include it, it can be crocheted, knit, quilted, loomed or sewn.