This is my favorite of the new quilts. It's made from a trad block called Indian Meadow and the combo of the bright variegated and the black is just stunning. Right now it is spread out on the futon and every time I walk by I have to stop and gape for a moment.




Another trad block, Idaho Beauty, with more variegated and solid, this time watercolor print and lavendar. I'll admit, I'm kinda disappointed in this one. The two yarns go together beautifully, but the final product is a bit blah. That's my Sinda in the pic. She has a sixth sense for when I'm taking pics. I may not like this one, but she sure does.




This one is a birthday gift for my little cousin Logan. The block is called Broken Arrows and I really really like this one. It's a tan/white variegated and bright red and together the yarns just pop. Really pleased with this one.




My hometown had a UFO sighting back in Jan/Feb of this year and the yarn, spring green, is very nearly the color of the little green men. I call this quilt Alien Stars since my first thought is always 'little green men!' when I see it. The block is called Elongated Stars.

Quilt blocks

I have gone just a little bit overboard with the granny square quilt blocks. Just a little bit, mind you, I haven't gone all the way yet. :) These are the ones I have finished so far, but I have a couple in the final stages that use a solid and a print yarn and they are coming out just gorgeous. There are all sorts of great yarns - Red Heart, Amore, TLC, I love this yarn, Carron - and there are all sorts of quilt blocks that can be made with squares and half squares, which means I have all sorts of opportunities waiting for me to go completely overboard. :)




This is a traditional block called Chinese Puzzle Block. I call this quilt "Why so Blue?" which is a horrible pun, but I can't help myself. It's made with Carron Simply Soft Black and Berry Blue. I am a fan of Amish quilts, with their strong, solid colors and there are some blocks that just rock out with black and a bright solid.



This is another trad block called Passion Flower. I made it with "I Love This Yarn" from Hobby Lobby, hunter green, dark raspberry and purple. It was originally for a friend, but after finishing a couple blocks, I decided it was pretty but did not suit my friend at all! I like it and once I finish the rest of the blocks, I'll put it up for sale on Etsy. The thing I really like about 'I love this yarn' is that is is thick like Red Heart, but much much softer.



This block is called Variable star and I went with the Amish idea again, using black and a bright solid, this time Carron Dark Rose Pink. I'm not normally a fan of pink, but this is just a beautiful shade of mauve and Carron always comes out of the wash so incredibly soft. Both Variable and Why so Blue? are going for charity.




This is called the Tea Rose block. I've used the same colors from my friend's original granny square afghan. She picked good colors and they really went together nicely for this block. I've tried other color combinations and none have looked as nice as this one. This quilt is for my uncle's wife, for christmas.

That is my second cat, Sinda, there in the corner. She has a sixth sense for when I am taking pics of my afghans and nearly always manages to sneak in.

Who needs spare time?

Mom seems to think I will get into trouble if she doesn't keep me busy. On the one hand, she is very right. When I am bored, I get into trouble.

She liked the rose afghan so much that she has me making afghans for two coworkers, her boss and the bosses secretary...by Christmas. She also has me making an unknown number of crocheted bookmarks.

On my list of things I need to finish sooner rather than later, is a filet throw I am making for a cousin's wedding in September.




This is from a pattern called Greenbriar over on Celt's. I'm really impressed with the way it looks and I'm planning on making one for myself...or keeping this one and making another for my cousin. :) Right now it's a lap throw. I'm planning on taking one of the bigger curls and turning it into a border pattern, getting it to the size of a full sized bedspread.




I finally figured out how to make ripples. For the longest time, ripples intimidated me and I simply could not figure out how they went together. Then I found a pattern book that showed ripples as diagrams and I could 'see' the pattern and it suddenly all made sense. This one was my first try and I kinda feel sorry for this afghan. First it was for my Dad, then I found something I liked better. Then it was for my brother, but he asked for a different design and now it's mine. :)





Both of these throws are little more than lap blankets. My feet get cold at night, even in the summer and having air (from the fan) blowing directly on my knees and lower legs is a recipe for muscle cramps, so even in the middle of the Texas summer, I have something across my legs. I like the colors in this one, though everyone's reaction is along the lines of 'eye searing'.





I love quilts and among my favorite quilts are sampler quilts. After perusing Happy Yellow House, I went through my quilt books until I found one that showed the different blocks diagrammed in a way that makes it's very easy to translate them into granny squares.

This quilt/afghan is only in the beginning stages - four put together with two more waiting and a plan to make about 30 in all - but I'm already real happy with it. It will most likely go to an aunt for Christmas.



And on the beading front, I'm making beaded headdresses for two friends. This was my original idea - a simple loop of beaded leaves, but I've since decided to make it more complicated. Should be fun. I'm also working on peyote bookmarks and bracelets.

Like I said, Mom seems to think she needs to find me more things to work on. :)

Is this not the coolest site?

Happy Yellow House

Those are quilt patterns made out of granny squares....*sigh* I honestly can't think of anything more perfect. I love quilts and I love granny squares and I can already think of several people who need a granny square quilt asap, as well as several patterns that can be made with the same technique. :) Some days are just good.

the crafting gods

Ah, the yarn gods were smiling on me today. Not only was I able to get the yarn I need to finish a couple projects, but I found more yarn AND IT WAS ON SALE. :)

Nearly 20 rolls, in various colors, of JP Coats Double Strand Royal Crochet thread, which I adore. It makes up great into just about everything from scarves, skirts, vests and even afghans. One of the colors will be a wedding afghan for a cousin's wedding in September. It was half price (1.97 when usually it's 4.49) and will end up making a couple three skirts, in addition to starting that afghan. :)

About 8 skeins of Sinfonia, which is a nice, just heavy enough cotton poly yarn from Hobby Lobby. I love the way it makes up into shawls and jackets. Heavy, with that hint of weather-protection without being stiff or bulky.


The fabric gods were also smiling. I went looking for the backing for a quilt and I found something I absolutely adore...in fact, I like it so much I think it's going to become a skirt and shirt instead! It's just too pretty...I'm being tempted to the dark side, lol.

My Mom likes roses. I'm pretty sure after nearly 30 years of us giving her roses for every conceivable holiday and reason...she's getting pretty tired of them. :) Hummingbirds as well. What can I say? We aren't real good at giving gifts, so when we find something, we tend to overdo it. Great thing about Mom though, she never complains, though she has been pointing out 'other' things recently as a subtle hint. Happy Mother's Day, Mom.

This pattern is from the May/June '08 issue of Crochet Today! magazine, page 53. I enjoy filet crochet and Mom likes roses and I had bought several skeins of yellow and off-white Carron Simply Soft for no apparent reason just days before...it was kismet. :)

My beading, let me show you it

I can do things other than crochet. :) This trio
of beaded necklaces are done the same way, but
made with different colors and sizes/shapes
of beads gives all three a unique look. Different
sizes of seed beads, along with pearls on the
green, chips of tiger-eye on the brown and
smooth seashell pieces on the red.





The picture doesn't show it very well, but this is
actually a lariat and two anklets. I made them to go along with a long velvet dress I wore to see Phantom of the Opera in San Antonio, back in March. Again with the seed beads (I'm just a bit predictable) and silver dividers.


I'm using the same pattern to make a friend a birthday present. Gold seed beads and pearl dividers, along with a pearl flower for a snazzy spring-flower type head piece. :)