Tuesday, January 12, 2010

dish cloth

A friend at Michael's was making a bunch of cotton dish cloths for Christmas gifts. So, I thought I'd try my hand at crocheting again. I bought some Fily Sugar'nCream 100% cotton yarn. I used a G crochet hook and chained 40, then used a double crochet stitch to get a 10 X 10 dish cloth. It took almost the whole 2ozs. It looks uneven, but it isn't. Actually, I am quite proud that I finally learned how to get the ends straight. I think I'll make more.....

Monday, January 11, 2010

Quick and Easy??

Hummmm..... it said for beginners.....I was beginning to doubt my abilities....... Well, I was looking for a quick and easy pattern to satisfy my craving to do something quilty and finish it quickly. A new magazine had a hot pad that said for beginners and looked easy because I already knew how to make a 9 patch and knew how to applique. It was just a matter of picking my fabric. I even had insul-bright to sandwich inbetween layers to keep hands and tabletops from getting too hot:-) I had my plan to cut 2" strips, (experienced quilter kicking in. lol) sew them, cut and sew them together(again to make 2 nine patch) to make a 9 patch instead of cutting 2" squares and sewing them together(like pattern said to do) PLUS for my applique I was going to sew fusible interfacing to applique pattern (turn)to avoid raw edges or hand edge turning. I had a plan, until the directions said my 9 patch, sewn, before adding triangles, would be 4.5". hummmm.... mine measured 5", 2+2+2-1 in my book is 5. That threw off the applique fitting right(the heart shaped part).... so after alot of ripping out and sewing over and over, because I was determined to get this right, I figured it out and was able to make the adjustments to the second one to make it work. The first one is ok.....I finished the second one the next day. I was determined to NOT have anymore UFO's. My cousin Gails voice was playing in my head to make sure I finished it. She is my inspiration to try and finish what I start because she does so much and finishes them before moving on. So, quick and easy for a beginner?? NOT!! Not for me anyway. lol The first one is always the hardest for me. Now I could probably whip one out alot quicker since I have it all worked out. I put notes on the pattern so I'd remember the changes if I was to make it again.... and I just might do that.



Until next time..........



Have a GREAT DAY ALL. Stay warm...