Beautiful COOL Weather Puts Me In The Mood...

...... For more Crochet... I have afghans & blankets on the brain right now. Cool weather... You feel like making everyone warm & comfy... :-) They may not need them this minute, but wait til we have snow on the ground. Like this...

Our Snowy Front Porch Last Year... I need to look at these pictures to dream about the weather to come... :-)

And since it's so cool... all windows are opened and the breeze is blowing in clearing the air ! And it just made me clean & clean... And I'll probably clean again tomorrow. Today I washed window screens, windows, even some interior walls... I have no idea what got into me. Do you think I need help?

I'm back... I fixed Chili served over Angel Hair & topped with cheese.

I've been working on my Jacobs ladder afghan tonight. It's taking awhile to make that. The pattern calls for 116 rows.

Right now I'm watching the second game of the Reds double header ... we won the first game earlier today. And so far in this one , Reds are winning 3 to 0...:-)

A couple hours later... we won the game !!! Now its bedtime...

~ Susan

Flu Shot Time...

... I have an appointment to get one today at Kroger... Then I grocery shop... Talk about convenience... :-) Did you ever think you could get your Flu Shot at the store where you buy your groceries ? ... In California they are giving Flu Shots at a Drive Thru... Odd... Instead of ordering a Milk Shake at the drive thru, just ask for a shot. Huh ? * I prefer the Milk Shake... especially if it's Dark Chocolate *... Maybe I should get one as a treat after the shot? ;-) Nah... Don't need it. Just want it.

... I'm back.. I feel fine. A lady gave me the flu shot & I didn't even feel it. :-) She was better at giving a shot then most nurses & Drs. ... Since I didn't feel it when she gave it to me, watch my arm ache tonight. :-( ... Now for my treat for being a good girl while getting the shot... I went to UDF... Mocha Cappuccino Milk Shake!!! Loved it. Try it sometime.

Now for my crocheting... I'm finishing up 2 different afghans. I just have to wait for more yarn on one of them. Don't worry... I'll post pictures when I'm done with those.

~ Susan

All Used Up...

... yarn that is... ;-) I have used up the white yarn that I'm using for my Dad's afghan. So I ordered more. Now it's waiting that I have to do... And I'm not so good at it. While I wait I can work on my Jacobs Ladder Afghan now that Mary Grace ( aka MGM on Knittinghelp.com ) has shown me how.... You should take a look at her site. www.hookedonneedles.com If you ever need help with knitting or crocheting... she is the one to go to... She has wonderful videos in her Video Library explaining how to make certain stitches.

I can't believe that after going through my entire Stash, that I didn't have another Bernat White to use on the afghan. UGH.... But I found yarn that I bought intending to use for something and didn't get to it. *blush* I just see yarn in a store or even on line and think... " That is very pretty... I'll make something with it later... And later just doesn't seem to come up. "

Tonight our son is in Corona Del Mar,Ca ( We have relatives there. ) He's on vacation. I hope he brings a souvenir home for me.. :-) He knows I use to live there... So I don't know if will he or not. * But I only lived there for about a year if that much.*

The kids next door are having a pool party. I guess it's a Back To School Pool Party. Or maybe an End Of Summer Party. It just makes me think back... :-)

We have some stormy days coming up... Then COOLER weather... :-) Kind of like Fall... :-)

~ Susan

I Missed Writing....

Good Evening...

I know I missed writing the other day & the day before that. But I got a lot done.

Be sure to check out the button on the right side. It's a Bag Give Away!!!

Our son called called from Dallas & said all is well. He got a free room at The Hilton! ( Hilton Points ) But got stuck with 12 passenger van. ( Who ever heard of a car rental place that didn't have / or ran out of cars. )

I even had a nice lunch date with a friend. Then I went to JoAnn's and saw that they had ALL of their yarns on special. Check it out! ( http://www.joann.com/ )

See My little helper in the Laundry Basket... :-)

Later All... My pillow is calling me... ;-)


~ Susan

Look What I Got...:-)

Hi To All!!!

Look what I got in the mail today! The yarn is called " Black Rose ".... Its a pretty 100 % cotton boucle. .. I'm not sure what I'm going to make with it yet... But I liked it too much to pass it up.... And here is the hook I bought... I thought I would try an Addi.

Now here is what I have been working on for Dad... An Afghan that will match his Easy Chair ( His Chair is a pale green)

And here is a close up on the stitches, They are all DC in the back Loop. Now you know why I have not been typing everyday. ;-) ... When I get yarn in the mail... I seem to get ENERGIZED .....

~ Susan

It's That Time Of Year!!!

Kids going back to school! That means Fall will be here soon... :-) That picture was taken in front of the elementary school here....

The stores are full of goodies for back to school! It's time to buy paper, pens, tape etc. for the year. ( Back To School Specials = Low Prices * most of the time * ) ...

Tomorrow is a party for our niece! She has graduated from nursing college. Smart Girl! We're all quite proud of her....

Last night I was straightening up my yarn stash & I found the yarn I bought to make Mom & Dad an afghan. After I get more of it done, I'll show you. ;-) See what happens when you clean out cupboards? It just ends up making more work for you. Although in this case, it's fun work. ;-)...

~ Susan

Get It On yarn...

Have you ever seen a certain color or hue and just WISH you had that on yarn? I do. I wish I had the hue of colors in the painting in our Family Room onto yarn.

I love the shades in this. Look at the mountain colors!!! I can just see an afghan or a sweater that you can snuggle in with those colors. Such quiet comforting shades...:-) Ahhh... And the yarn would have to be soft with a lovely drape... Soft like Pima Cotton or maybe even Malabrigo.. But Pima would need just a touch of acrylic for a bit of strength in it. Or maybe a LITTLE wool for strength. I'm not sure which would be best. I'm always look for great colors...:-)

~ Susan

Been Busy...

Good Evening!

I had a request from a friend to make her pair of the fingerless gloves I have posted on here. So I've been crocheting away on those. Almost done. She wanted Purple ones. ( I wonder if I could sell those? ) I checked on that Etsy.com site.
So many Handmade items on there. Does anyone know how much it costs to sell things on there? It just might be fun... :-)

~ Susan

Little Richie...

O.K. This is has nothing to do with Crochet... Except that I crochet while watching the show. Anyway, I digress...

Does anyone watch Mad Men? My cousin is in that. Richie Sommer.

You'll need to turn your sound up when you watch this...

Here... http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/fa76d0c6b5/mad-men-spoiler-report

~ Susan

Cora Gloves... Plus The Pattern For Them...:-)

Aren't they pretty ? I bought this yarn and love it. It's called Corabell... So pretty & soft . It's another cotton yarn that I like. Anyway, this evening I made another pair of gloves with it.

Here is the pattern I use for the fingerless gloves.

Loosley chain 23 for Med. Hand ( Large hand is CH. 25. )

Join chain with SL ST to form loop.

Chain 1, then.. HDC for total of 10 rounds ( If you want it to longer, this is where you could add more OR make less rows to shorten it. ) " Join each round with a Slip Stitch ".

Always chain 1 at beginning each of round.

THUMB HOLE ... next 3 rows you HDC and TURN. This leaves an opening for your thumb. At end of 3rd row, join with slipstitch. Then HDC 3 more times. Break Yarn and weave in ends.

( The pattern was free on the internet...I changed it a little for what I wanted. )

I got a bit tired of Dark Brown yarn. That's what I'm using to make the Afghan I'm also working on. ( There is a picture of it in progress in a few posts back.)

~ Susan

I Have been Making...

Fingerless Gloves today. I had no idea they were SO easy! I made these for myself... These are so light and open with that DC stitch. ( I'm suppose to use a HDC stitch) But I'll do that for Fall / Winter Fingerless Gloves. I used COTTON yarn. So soft. These took less then 77 yards.

Not much going on today. We spent most of the day at my parents house. But of course I took my crochet with me.

I have the news on right now... We're suppose to Thunderstorms starting Monday night to Friday.... Clears up next weekend. That messed up any outside
plans for the whole week. What is it with this year and storms. We have had more then before. So it seems. ...

Reds are playing tonight!!! So we'll be watching & eating in front of the T.V. !!!


~ Susan

Sissy Gets A Haircut Today...

We're off to Rhonda's Dog Grooming today. I know there is a beautiful LITTLE dog under all of that hair. ( I'm taking my camera for pictures... :-) )

Here is a PRE Grooming picture... Miss Bushy Hair. During The Haircut at Rhondas ... ( Look at all of that hair.!!! )


She looks like she wants to jump off of the grooming table.

Now we're back home and she doesn't want to get out of her Carrier because she KNOWS a bath is next!!!

And now the dreaded Bath in the kitchen sink!!! She looks like a little drowned rat. A cute rat.

She is still drying off even though I have dried her halfway with her blow dryer.

We'll be back when she has been Dried... Brushed... Combed... Pony Tailed & Chanel on her collar.

And here she is now...Nice & Dry & Happy! On the Family Room Sofa with Paul. And her Blue Toy Bone in her mouth wanting to play.

And that was our day. :-)

~ Susan

I'm Ready To Scream...

I can't figure out this pattern. It's called " Prize Winning Afghan "

here it is...
PRIZE WINNING AFGHAN

Finished afghan is 60 X 64 inches including fringe. You will need 35 oz. of your color choice 4 ply yarn. I like the no-match stuff, just in case you need or what it longer. You will also need a size "I" crochet hook and 13 one inch safety pins.

GAUGE 6 dcs equal 2 inches, 2 rows equal 1".Note: Count ch 3 at end of each rows as 1 dc. In the last 2 rows ch 6, not 10 for lps.

ROW 1: Ch 253, dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc in next 9 chs, ch 10 sk 10 chs (this makes lp) *dc in next 10 ch, ch 10, sk 10 chs. Repeat from* until there are 13 groups of dcs and 12 lps, ch 3, turn.

ROW 2: Dc in next 9 dcs, ch 10, sk lp, *dc in next 10 dcs, ch 10, sk lp, repeat from *, ch 3, turn. Repeat row 2 until there are 116 rows.

Fasten off.To finish lps: Start at bottom of afghan and with fingers pull first lp over 2nd lp, pull 2nd lp through, 2nd lp over 3rd, 3rd through, Repeat to end, fasten last 2 lps tog with safety pin. (Be sure all lps go in same direction.)

Fringe: Cut 10 inch lengths of yarn, fold in half. Knot one folded strand in each sc at top and bottom, trim fringe evenly.Now what do I do with all of those loops? I don't understand it.

I Can't figure out the last part. Where it says fasten Off & Fringe.

Here it is so far.

I think I'll hit the hay & try again tomorrow. Maybe I'll look at the pattern different & suddenly a light bulb goes on and I understand it!!! I know, I know... Lotsa Luck on that happening.

~ Susan

Another Stormy Day ...

And tomorrow is suppose to be stormy also. All of this humidity is suppose to bring the storms now.

At least I get plenty of time to crochet...:-) Right now I'm working on a something I copied from a website that had free patterns. No picture... It just said " Prize Winning Afghan " So I'll have to see what comes of it. I'm using a Knit Picks yarn. A Dark Brown Bulky Pima Cotton. I think it's 75 % Pima Cotton and 25 % Acrylic. But it's very soft.

Tonight I fixed Chicken & Dumplings... Very Good.

chicken, 1-2 pounds ( I tear meat apart for this )
1 can cream of chicken
2 cans chicken broth ( 1 .C of milk )
1 C. peas & 1 C. carrots & celery .
Cut chicken into small chunks to ensure it will cook.
Combine chicken, chicken broth, cream of chicken, water, peas, carrots, and your choice of seasonings, such as parsley, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. I also like Bacon Salt. Just a sprinkle of it.
Then for biscuits, I just take a small bowl and a put in 1 C. Bisquick and pour in milk til it's thick. Make the dumplings out of that.

Stir occasionally. Cover again until ready to eat.

~ Susan

Dreaming Of October...

Good Morning!

Yes, I'm dreaming of October. When Fall is beautiful & leaves are turning all shades of Red And Gold. But most of all my new car! It's on order & should be here in October. My first brand new one!!! It's a 2010 Ford Focus SES ... Well, lets TRY and get off of this subject.

I'm now crocheting with a new yarn. At least it's new to me. Have you ever heard of a Deborah Norville Yarn? It's very soft. I'm trying out the Bulky one. I'm just making a simple scarf to try it. I saw it in the JoAnn's and bought one skein of the Variegated Brown one. My winter coat is a Dark Brown Suede, so it should go well with it. It feels like it has Nylon in it, but it says it'a all acrylic. I'll show it to you when I'm done. You might want to check out this yarn for yourself. :-) * But I still favor Knit Picks Pima Cottons. :-) *

My husband went to a Church Picnic with my parents. But it's just too hot & humid for me. So Sissy & I are home alone at the moment. She is sleeping & I'm typing to my friends. Later I'll be doing Laundry & fixing a light dinner for us.

This morning when I got up and went downstairs to make my morning protein drink, I saw the sun shining on our beautiful Coffee Table in the Living Room... And saw DUST!!! UGH! So today is also dusting day. Wanna Help?

~ Susan

I Finished The Purple Waffle Throw !!!

Have a look... It's all finished... But I may have a little problem...

Sissy really likes it... ;-)

I may just just end up keeping it for her. At least until her blanket is finished. I'm making a red one for her to match her little bow.

~ Susan

Crochet History 101

Good Afternoon!!!
I have been reading some of the History on Crochet. See what I have found. No one really seems to know EXACTLY who started Crochet. Or EXACTLY where it came from. What country was first to have it... etc. etc.

Much of the material for this article came from two excellent sources: "A Living Mystery, the International Art & History of Crochet," Annie Louise Potter, A.J. Publishing International, 1990; and "Crochet History & Technique," Lis Paludan, Interweave Press, 1995.

History of Crochet by Ruthie Marks

You & I call it crochet, as do the French, Belgians, Italians and Spanish-speaking people. It is known as haken in Holland, haekling in Denmark, hekling in Norway, virkning in Sweden.
Other forms of handwork knitting, embroidery and weaving can be dated far back in time, thanks to archeological finds, written sources and pictorial representations of various kinds. But no one is quite sure when and where crochet got its start. The word comes from croc, or croche, the Middle French word for hook, and the Old Norse word for hook is krokr.
According to American crochet expert and world traveler Annie Potter, "The modern art of true crochet as we know it today was developed during the 16th century. It became known as 'crochet lace' in France and 'chain lace' in England." And, she tells us, in 1916 Walter Edmund Roth visited descendants of the Guiana Indians and found examples of true crochet.
Another writer/researcher, Lis Paludan of Denmark, who limited her search for the origins of crochet to Europe, puts forth three interesting theories. One: Crochet originated in Arabia, spread eastward to Tibet and westward to Spain, from where it followed the Arab trade routes to other Mediterranean countries. Two: Earliest evidence of crochet came from South America, where a primitive tribe was said to have used crochet adornments in rites of puberty. Three: In China, early examples were known of three-dimensional dolls worked in crochet.
But, says Paludan, the bottom line is that there is "no convincing evidence as to how old the art of crochet might be or where it came from. It was impossible to find evidence of crochet in Europe before 1800. A great many sources state that crochet has been known as far back as the 1500s in Italy under the name of 'nun's work' or 'nun's lace,' where it was worked by nuns for church textiles," she says. Her research turned up examples of lace-making and a kind of lace tape, many of which have been preserved, but "all indications are that crochet was not known in Italy as far back as the 16th century" under any name.
Tambour gives birth to crochet
Research suggests that crochet probably developed most directly from Chinese needlework, a very ancient form of embroidery known in Turkey, India, Persia and North Africa, which reached Europe in the 1700s and was referred to as "tambouring," from the French "tambour" or drum.
In this technique, a background fabric is stretched taut on a frame. The working thread is held underneath the fabric. A needle with a hook is inserted downward and a loop of the working thread drawn up through the fabric. With the loop still on the hook, the hook is then inserted a little farther along and another loop of the working thread is drawn up and worked through the first loop to form a chain stitch. The tambour hooks were as thin as sewing needles, so the work must have been accomplished with very fine thread.
At the end of the 18th century, tambour evolved into what the French called "crochet in the air," when the background fabric was discarded and the stitch worked on its own.
Crochet began turning up in Europe in the early 1800s and was given a tremendous boost by Mlle. Riego de la Branchardiere, who was best known for her ability to take old-style needle and bobbin lace designs and turn them into crochet patterns that could easily be duplicated. She published many pattern books so that millions of women could begin to copy her designs. Mlle. Riego also claimed to have invented "lace-like" crochet, today called Irish crochet.

Someone else did the research on this... "I" just Googled... ;-) ( But I gave the information above of just who did the research. )

Enjoy Reading.
~ Susan

Hi Lu! Welcome To My Blog... :-)

It's nothing fancy... Just me, myself & some things I wish to share... Sometimes things about life... Crocheting... Recipes...Pictures...News... Etc... Etc...

Today I got my membership to the CGOA ( Crochet Guild Of America.) It's pretty nice! I love the section on " History of Crochet.* But I'll read more later. And speaking of reading, I've been neglecting mine. Unless reading patterns counts. But I don't think so. I'll have to get to the library.. Or I can just go to...
www.cincinnatipubliclibrary.com ... Order what I want to read & they let me know when it comes in. ;-) Quite handy. Heck, I remember when we had to go to the " Book Mobile " :-) Does anyone remember those days? The Book Mobile was a big thing here in the middle of the Corn Fields. I was quite the book worm. * And yes, where we live use to be ALL CORN FIELDS. *
The dryer is BUZZING... I better go...
~ Susan

Have You Ever Had...

Tomato Pie? It's very good. I fixed that tonight along with open face Chili sandwiches topped with Cole Slaw. The tomatoes were fresh from our garden. Here is the recipe. ( It's by Paula Dean )

Tomato Pie (By Paula Dean)

4 tomatoes, peeled & sliced
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/2 C. chopped green onion
1 (9-inch) pre baked deep dish pie shell
1 cup grated mozzarella
1 C. grated cheddar
1 C. mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place tomatoes in a colander in the sink in 1 layer. Sprinkle with salt & allow to drain for 10 minutes.
Layer the tomato slices, basil, & onion in pie shell. Season with salt & pepper.
Combine the grated cheeses & mayonnaise together. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes & bake for 30 minutes or til lightly browned.
( I didn't use Pie Crust this time. Came out great.)

I'm working towards filling a box with the Bottle Bags I'm crocheting. (I made 2 more of them.) But I need some more colors. Then we can take them to the hospital to give them to cancer outreach.

I don't have any plans for tomorrow, except, Laundry, Cook & Crochet. We're suppose to get rain tomorrow. So it might be good shopping weather. ;-) I'll have to check Dept. Store Ads before heading to bed tonight.

~ Susan

Good Sunday Morning.. umm Afternoon... ;-)

O.K. .. O.K... So I missed a couple of days on the blog. This is what I was doing then...

First I had My Sister's Cancer Free Party we attended on Friday, ( 7-31-2009) The band! Squeeze Box Scott, Lisa, & Randy! They are good!

Then the next day was my nephew's party for his Search & Rescue Co-Workers.

Picture of the bon fire at hs party. And the crowd under some tents. ( above)

Then I was making these also. I found the pattern on one the blogs I follow. (Thank You for the pattern ) I just made a few changes til I decided it was just right for this use. The Bottle Bags are for Good Samaratin ( Good Sam ) Hospital in Cincinnati to give to patients. Cancer patients MUST drink a lot of liquids or else the Chemotherapy can harm their internal organs just like it kills the cancer cells. Only liquids prevent this. So... I decided to make these that they can hang on I.V. poles their bottled drinks will be in, near their bed, on their arms, over the shoulder, hang from your purse etc... etc... As you can see, I'm also making the little Can Cozies from the same pattern. Handy for ANYONE can use. I'm using 100 % cotton yarn, so water / condensation just soaks up in the cotton. * I Don't know why, but I got the same picture here twice. I can't get one off.*


And once in awhile I crochet a few stitches on the Purple Waffle...LOL It can wait a bit longer. It's still hot out, so there is no need for it yet.


~ Susan