Improvising; orThree Rows to Go and Out of Yarn

As predicted, I ran out of yarn with just three rows to go. I decided to try to use scraps of two of the fleck colors in the Vanna White yarn and went with red and orange. I am trying to decide whether to put a finished edge on it with a contrast color, with a bulkier gray yarn I have or let it go.

 I'm also thinking about embelishments. Buttons? maybe. Leather strap buckle? perhaps. Flower? um, no.

 The finished hat, using an Amour brand J hook and worsted weight yarn, is 22 inches at it circumference. That fits me really well, and I have a largish adult head. You could use a smaller hook to get a smaller hat.
 I've written the pattern and am now testing it for consistency. I got the idea for this hat from a cloche pattern that is in "It Girl Crochet".

 It's quite a bit different but after making it I decided to use the short row shaping to make a hat with vertical ribs throughout. What is your favorite crochet hat pattern or style?

Busy Days and Creative Moments

I'm still trying to get the tutorial made for the star ornament. The past week has been incredibly hectic, but in a good way. The musician who contributes our beautiful music to the Daily Prayer videos was in the area and we threw together a last-minute concert at Bethel UCC in Cahokia, Illinois. We loved it so much that I edited the concert and there are six pieces of it in our worship sanctuary this week instead of the usual weekly worship. If you get a chance, hop over to  Living Well of Bethel and check out Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and his PoMo renditions of the Psalms.
Also on the "why the tutorial isn't ready" list is the fact that my own personal video producer (wife) has been spending a lot of time at her two jobs (since she's the pastor of Living Well of Bethel and co-pastor of Bethel United Church of Christ-Cahokia)  and hasn't been able to set up the camera for me. In the mean time, I have a couple of #WIP pics to show you. I'm trying to design a beanie that is shaped with short rows at the crown. I'm doing a HCD and SC alternating rib stitch on it, so it's reversible, with one side having skinny ribs and one having fat ones.

I got a skein of yarn on clearance and am hoping that I don't run out before the hat is finished. It is not looking good at this point, though. This hat may end up having a wedge of a complimentary yarn, but remember as Bob Ross said, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents!

(I've made a bit more progress since these photos were taken)

What kind of WIPs do you have going? Are you gearing up for the holidays? I try to make all of my birthday and Christmas/Yule gifts but am a bit behind at this point. I really wish people would stop reminding me how close Christmas is!

It is my hope and prayer that you are finding time for peaceful reflection and time to be creative today and every day.

My First Crochet Pattern! (for someone other than me) Holiday Star Ornament

Have you ever seen something on Pinterest and found there wasn't a pattern for it? Then you search and search and find a pattern for something similar but your own ideas are quite a bit different? That's what happened here. I fell in love with this star and could not find a way to make it. This one is my version and I'm sure there are others out there, too. I was so happy with the result that I decided to write it down. This is the first time I've written a pattern that is for use other than my own. Now, I'm giving these ornaments to my grandchildren (all 9 of them) for Christmas and will also send some to my kids, too. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to make one of these, so it's a fast, easy and fun way to get in the holiday spirit!

 I welcome questions and suggestions and I am working on a tutorial that I hope to get up this weekend. 

Puffy Center Star

I used a worsted weight yarn and a J (6.0 mm)  hook, specifically Red Heart Holiday and made some with an Amour hook and some with a Susan Bates wood handle hook. This is a fairly heavy worsted yarn and the recommended hook is actually a K. You could use lighter (or heavier) yarn and an appropriately  sized hook and vary the size of the finished star. As I worked it, the star is about 4       inches at the widest point. You can make these into ornaments or even make a garland or a bunting. You could attach a big button to the center, too instead of using ribbon and small buttons at the top. You could also change colors on each round.

Materials: worsted weight yarn

                     Size J hook

                     Tapestry needle to weave in ends

For ornament: two contrasting or complementary colors of ribbon, one a bit wider than the other.

Glue gun and glue stick

Small buttons

*********************************

Gauge is not important to this project.

Terms used:

Sl St-slip stitch

Puff cluster-see round 1 for instructions. There will be 5 puff clusters into the ring when you complete round 1.

Cluster V1: 3DC-Ch1-3DC

Cluster V3:  3DC-Ch 3-3 DC

DC-double crochet

SC-single crochet

Ch-chain stitch

YO-yarn over

FPTC-front post treble crochet

If you have any questions about how to do crochet stitches, I recommend checking out Moogly Blog

Or any of the other great blogs that make crochet video tutorials.

Step 1) make a slip knot and chain 4. Join in first chain to make a ring.   You can try to make a magi circle but I found it’s too difficult to maneuver in because the puff stitches require so much manipulation.

Round 1) Chain 3. *YO-keeping tension on your yarn to maintain height of the chain 3, put hook into ring and YO, pulling up a stitch to the same height. Repeat 3 times. YO again and, holding down on the ring with your left hand, bring the yarn through all 9 loops on the hook. Chain 1 to lock the puff stitch, then chain 1 again.* Repeat from *4 times for a total of 5 puff stitches, each with a chain 1 locking the stitch on top and another ch 1 inbetween the next puff cluster.

Join w sl st in the top of the chain 3 to complete round.

Round 2) YO-Skip the first puff cluster. *3 DC-Ch1-3 DC in next ch 1 space between the puff stitches* Repeat from * to * around for a total of 5 cluster V 1 puffs. Sl st into base of the first dc you worked in this round.

Round 3) Ch 1, sc in space between cluster V1 puffs that you just made. It should be right below where your hook is located. * Skip 3 DC then -3DC-Ch3-3DC (cluster V3) in chain 1 space at the top of the cluster V1 stitch on round 2. Skip next 3 DC. SC into space between the cluster V1 stitches* Repeat around, except after last Cluster V3 stitch, sl st into first sc to complete the round.  Fasten off.

That’s it! Now weave in your ends and you have a star.

 

Variations:

To make an ornament:

1)      Heat glue gun with glue stick.

2)      Place about an 8 inch length of ribbon wrong side up and put a small bit of hot glue on the end nearest you.

3)      Place the star on it, wrong side down onto the glue.

4)      Put a small amount of hot glue on tip of star on the right side and bring the ribbon down, making a loop.

5)      Make a small bow out of a different or of the same ribbon and attach it with a bit of hot glue to the base of the ribbon loop over the star’s tip.

6)      Glue a small button onto the bow.

 

To Make a 4^th round in a contrasting color:

Start at the first dc of any cluster V3 and sc into the DC, sc in next 2 dc, 3 sc in ch 3 space. Dc in next 3 dc. Place a FPTC into the “locking” chain at the top of the puff on round 1. Be sure to leave the stitch behind it on round 3 unworked as the FPTC is that stitch. Repeat this around the star, joining with a sl st into the first dc after you work your last FPTC.

If you'd like to print this off, you can delete the photos and copy and paste the text onto your own document. I am working on a printer-friendly version but this will work while it's in process.

WIP Wednesday!
I'm working on a shoulder warmer/ponchette type of thing with a yarn that is new to me-Knitpicks Galileo in Luminous. It's very soft and lovely to crochet. I am using an Amour hook and it just glides through the fabric.

It's taking a bit of time to do this one as the knee injury has really made it hard to sit for long. That's another lesson I'm learning. I may have time to do things since I can't go anywhere alone or for long, but I can't physically do as much during that time. So this is a case, I believe, of being careful for what you ask.

I'm taking a brief break from video production tonight to post this. Back to work now so Living Well of Bethel has a worship service to upload tomorrow.

Oh, yes...we were able to get a sassy new camera for shooting video, but there is a MAJOR learning curve with it. You may notice some of the issues in this week's service modules but please be patient. We are working on getting things just right. In the mean time, I hope you join us to pray, worship, sing or meditate this week.
http://www.livingwellofbethel.com/
Peace be within you and all about you.

Jane

It's Mardi Gras, today! That means tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent has always been a tough one for me. Yes, we can "give up" things and that can deepen our spirituality, but I have always tried to find something positive TO DO during Lent. This year it's been difficult. I find myself needed to lose weight again and thought I might give up Diet Coke or join Weight Watchers and use the discomfort that I feel to ponder on my life and how I want to be comfortable all of the time. Then I read about March Forth for Justice. Yes, it's on Mardi Gras, but it's a day to actively do something for a justice cause. I chose the renewal of the Voting Rights Act as my cause and wrote my congresspeople, tweeted and blogged about it so others can do the same. Why did I chose this particular cause? Because when we start to make laws that determine who can and can't vote, we have taken a step towards a fascist society. It may sound like a good idea; to make people show ID to vote, but these laws are designed to keep the elderly, women and minorities from voting. And many of them vote Democrat so it's really just a way for Republicans to win an election by cheating. Many members of today's Republican Party identify as "Christian" conservative, white men and their wives. Since I happen to believe Jesus didn't exclude people or judge people or cheat, I have an issue with calling these people Christians, or perhaps "followers of Christ", which is what I consider myself. I am a Taoist at heart, I believe the divine is in us all, in every thing in this world. This does not conflict with my belief that Jesus came to teach people about kindness and love and acceptance and forgiveness. So this Lent I am going to find a way every day to encourage these values. I need to be more kind, more loving, more accepting and more forgiving,especially when it involves people that I think are trying to take over my nation and mold it to their narrow and hateful ways. See, there I go again. We lead by example. So I'm inviting all those Republicans to also be more kind, more loving, more accepting and yes, more forgiving. Let's spend Lent walking in Christ's path.

It's WIP Wednesday! Here is my work in progress. I'm working on a window treatment for a friend. What do you think?

Two years flies by when you're having fun...

Wow, I haven't been back on this blog for two years! Life's journey really took off and I've been sledding downhill since my last post. I'm going to try to make more regular entries and talk about things have made a difference in my journey of healing and growth. The most amazing thing is, right after my last post, I started learning how to become a video producer and now for over 1 1/2 years I've been daily producing videos for the internet. With peace and joy in my heart and spirit I help make daily devotionals, meditation moments, music video slideshows, green screen technology-worship videos and healthy living messages. It's amazing! Two years ago I was recovering from a nearly fatal illness and now every single day is full. I'm still not able to work, part or full-time because I have permanent damage to my vision, my memory and my balance but my life is more fulfilling than it has been since my children have grown up.
And in the past two years I've welcomed two more grandsons and gotten better acquainted with my other grandchildren and my children. I've found that life after serious illness is a gift and every day is precious.
One more thing I've learned is that gluten sucks! Since eliminating gluten from my diet I have completely been relieved from severe neuropathy pain and most of my fibromyalgia symptoms...and I don't get migraines any longer. I'm off some very potent and hazardous medications and no longer feeling their side effects.
And, Libby, my wife has graduated from seminary and has been approved by the United Church of Christ for ordination. And I got a cat...a really cool cat named Ziggy who we rescued on the very day our website went live. I wanted to call her "GoLive" but was overruled. I'll tell the Ziggy story another day, but let me just say this-she is definitely someone special...sometimes she looks at me and I just ask her, "Who are you?" because I know she, at that moment, is someone's spirit in a cat's body. I know this sounds crazy, but you have to meet her to believe it.
I'm still crocheting every day. I miss making jewelry but with my vision loss I cannot really do it any longer. I know it sounds a little uppity to call myself a fiber artist, but sometimes that's what I feel like. Sometimes, though, I just feel like a crocheter (or a hooker, as some say).
Like the T-shirt says, "Life is Good". Not perfect and sometimes very scary, but good. I am loved and my life is rich. Oh, and the website is www.livingwellofbethel.com  No matter who you are, who you love or where are or have been on life's journey, YOU are welcome here. Love, Jane