FO: Versatile & Simple Cowl \ loomknit & crochet

Brrrrr... it's getting cold outside... here is a very simple cowl idea using the round knifty knitter loom and an easy crochet ruffle. It can be worn in a variety of ways.

This is a quick and easy gift idea... it's economical... using less than a skein of yarn... you can control the cost by the yarn you buy to make this ... (or you could make a unique multi-color cowl by using scraps... i love stash-busting!)

This cowl was made with a skein of wool-ease chunky in charcoal.

Loom knit a tube on the yellow knifty knitter loom until the desired length...i would suggest at least 10 -12 inches...it just depends on your preferences... i wanted mine to be long enough to use as a hood.

Use a crochet hook to add a simple ruffle on both ends... the stitch pattern i used: fasten on in one of the spaces between the knit stitches, chain 5, slip stitch into next space, chain 5, slip stitch into the next space... repeat around edge... fasten off & weave in ends.

Certainly you could use whatever ruffle or edging you like... plain or elaborate... you decide!

It's a versatile accessory... here it is "scrunched" around the neck.

In this picture, it is folded in half... with both ruffled ends at the top.

Here is a variation of the above style... ruffled edges down and the top cuffed.

This is the same variation... but upside-down with the ruffles up.

And here it is used as a hood ... perfect for those windy days.

Let's give Mr. FoamHead some applause... he wasnt happy modeling the cowl... but i think he looks soooo nice in it!

Crochet Christmas Decorating Links for a Homemade Christmas

The older I get, the more I cherish the handmade item over the mass -produced one.

Christmas has evolved into an extremely commercialized holiday; and I want to get off that rollercoaster... already, I usually gift my grown kids with at least one handmade gift. I hope that they understand how much love I put into each gift. It's not about money spent; it's about the time and thought investment. A token of my affection... even when we are separated by miles.

I wont have time this year to do it... but I am definitely going to try to decorate next year with homemade decorations. I searched the internet for ideas that utilized crochet (my fave fiber craft) ... I found some really creative ideas. Some of these fit my style perfectly... others I will want to "tweak" in some way... to make it more "me".

I thought that others might like to see some of these ideas and add something handmade to their celebrations.

So here are the links I found:

angel ornament

popcorn garland

Linda Permann's Cute Crochet Ornaments

Dottie Angel's Crochet Garland

christmas bulb ornament

granny square tree skirt

granny square christmas stocking

holly & berries ornament

tubular crochet braided wreath here is a color pic of this wreath

mistletoe wreath here is a color pic of this wreath

crocheted dodecahedron star (could be tree topper, toy or decoration)

snowflake

christmas hearts ornament

christmas ball ornament

christmas candle decoration

christmas granny square (lots of potential uses)

poinsettia

I would LOVE to find a free crochet Nativity set pattern! (so if you see one, please let me know!)

also... click on the magazine links (in the sidebar)... there are beautiful ideas (especially Crochet Today!) in there also!

I enjoy hearing about and seeing any handmade items you are crafting for this holiday season! I especially like crochet items but love all handmade stuff!

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season... No matter what holiday you are celebrating!

FO: Bubbles Baby Blanket for Baby Zander

Yes! I finally got down to business and finished the baby blanket that I was working on for my Grandbaby-to-be, Baby Zander!

Here is my DIL holding the blanket up at the baby shower. I hope Baby Zander can feel all the love I put into every stitch... just for him.

Since we live so far away... I want him to have a tangible token of our love for him!

This is the completed blanket. I crocheted this version of Deneen St Amour's (she is @yarnandmusings on twitter ) "Bubbles Baby Blanket". I gotta tell you, I really love this pattern... it is a simple pattern to remember...so it is easy to pick up after setting it down for a bit. It works up so nice in a reversible pattern that lays flat and doesn't need any edging. I like how different this pattern can be worked with different hooks and yarns for completely different looks.

It works up fast... unless you are a super slow hooker like me!

I modified the pattern by using a J hook and only 1 strand of worsted weight. I used Hobby Lobby's acrylic"I Love This Yarn!" brand in #20 Ivory. This caused the blanket to be thicker... not as "airy".

This will definitely be my "Go To" pattern for baby gifts!

Here is a close-up of the bubbles pattern.

See how the flat the edge lays... no curling... no edging

And here is Tallulah trying to persuade me to stop working on the blanket and let her get into my lap! :-)

FO: BUTTERFLY Canvas \ based on 'Crochet Adorned' pattern

Here is the butterfly wallhanging i recently completed. It is based on the butterfly-pocketed apron in Linda Permann's book, "Crochet Adorned". I made an error on the bottom wing (probably due to a few too many Fat Tire Beers! lol); and so had to repeat the error in other wing for matching purposes. then appliqued the motif on some freeform work; which i then stretched over a canvas. Even with the errors, i like this piece!

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I AM GOING TO BE A GRANDMOTHER!

SugarDaddy and I recently found out that we are going to be grandparents next spring!
The due date is Feb 18th.

so soo soo exciting! (and i truly appreciate that the kids waited until i turned 40 before making me a grandparent... lol the due date is the day after my 41st birthday!)

i am sure that i will get some flack for this... but i dont want to be "grandma", "granny", "mawmaw", "meemaw" ... let alone some of the other names that i have heard bandied about... (i.e. "big mama", "fat ma", "gangan", etc...) ... i like "Nana", but that is what my mother goes by...and i think "Nami" is a little close to Nana.

so i spent some time looking for a name... something different... i found this site ... i tried all the names out with SugarDaddy... and i think the winner is "Ajji" for me and "Ajja" for him. seems to be an easy-to-pronounce set of names... and i have to say, very different ... at least in my circle.

the 2nd thing i did was to search around for items to make for the baby... i found this pattern for a simple pullover... i thought it might be a good start for my foray into baby wearables.

i picked TLC cotton plus yarn in a blue & green varigation (since we dont know the gender of the baby yet)

the top's construction seems simple enough... make a front & back and stitch together. i decided to add a row of bobble details to the front side... i dont know why... but i just cant leave things alone! lol

here is a little better pic of the bobble addition... i really need to work on my photography skills!

here is the stitching-together process... decided to trim with green... still seems safe if the baby is a boy.... and if it is a girl, i will probably add some ruffles to the sleeves and maybe a bow.

i havent blocked the top yet... will probably wait to see if i will add some embellishments...

FO: WOVEN & SPOOLKNIT \ 'WUBBY THE WOBOT'

I have been in a blogging funk recently... not really feeling like posting much... but i have been keeping myself busy. Here is a little handwoven "weavagarumi" based on an idea from one of my weaving idols, Noreen Crone-Findlay.

i started out weaving squares on a metal potholder loom. Noreen has great tutorials for using yarn to weave on potholder looms:

i made 2 squares on the potholder loom and then 2 squares on my weave-it loom (i used pink for wubby-- but forgot to take pic... please excuse substitution...lol)

spoolknit some arms and some legs

and then added a few buttons ... i dont like how the button i used for the mouth turned out... so i will probably change it later... but i would say as a prototype... it turned out ok!

SUGAR DADDY IS A MARKED MAN --- HE GOT A TATTOO!!!

Sugar Daddy surprised me today by saying he was ready to go get a tattoo. He has been talking about it off and on for a few years... but i never thought he was all that serious about it! i mean this is a guy who went thru the 70's & 80's with nary an ear-piercing! lol

So after we dropped the Barbarian off at work, we stopped by Physical Graffiti on Haywood Road.

Allison Hall was the tattoo-ist (is that the correct term?). She was very nice and friendly - answering all of our n00b questions; explaining the process and relating experiences. She was also very quick!

Here is SugarDaddy waiting at the counter while someone draws up the design.

He sits in the chair to have the stencil applied.

We got a laugh out of this sign... and I am happy to report that SugarDaddy did NOT break down into a teary blob... he took it like a Man... our sons can be proud!

See? this is his serious face.

it was a process of many emotions... he was even able to break a smile occasionally.

And here is the finished product... Awwwwwwww, isn't that sweet?
My name tattooed on him like a prison number... lol.

This is the bandage to protect it for a few hours.

And after it is all over, SugarDaddy can still bring himself to smile... maybe he is just happy that needle-time is over!

Here are some more recent pics of Tallulah & Jubal

As you can see, Tallulah is fitting in rather well at the FiberDeviant Household!
isnt she just a cutie-patootie?

she and Jubal run and wrestle all over the house!

Back in the Saddle... or where i have been

ok... i know that i have been neglecting this blog as of late... i have a post in draft that i have been working on for a few weeks... but every time i begin to work on it... i get emotional and cant get any where on it... so i have decided to let that post stay buried.

the draft post is titled "King Solomon's Choice" ...

here is the short quick & dirty jist of what happened

-- a dear friend died suddenly of a heart attack

--we had been told by her (years ago) that she wanted us to care for her kids if anything ever happened to her

--we find out that we have absolutely no right to these kids

--and have to turn these kids over to someone else to raise

there is a whole lot more to this story... but i just cant bring myself to get into it... my heart is cracking right now just telling this much... i am hoping that time will help ease my feelings here...i get to talk & text & "facebook" the children often... that helps.

i know GOD has a purpose for the way things happened... i just dont know what it is.

a few more pics of miss tallulah

i just got back from shopping and buying Miss Tallulah a pink collar and leash set, an id tag and a little stuffed duck toy.

when i got home, i saw that Ms GW had sent a few cell phone pics of Miss Tallulah... so of course, i gotta share them!

i can't wait til Saturday!

IF ONE MINIATURE POODE BRINGS SO MUCH JOY & HAPPINESS -- HOW MUCH WILL TWO BRING?

I think we will be adding a new doggie to our pack this weekend!!!

For a couple of months, we have been looking for an addition to our family, in the form of a miniature poodle companion for Jubal.

We wanted to adopt an unwanted doggie if possible instead of buying from a breeder. This proved to be much more difficult than originally thought!

I placed an ad on craigslist spelling out exactly what we were looking for: a female miniature poodle in the 12-18 lb range... preferably in the 1-4 year range... preferred colors were chocolate, red or black... but would consider any color.

I received several replies to my ad... but all were for toy poodles, not mini. (Jubal is 16/18 lbs-- we want a similar-sized dog so that they can play together without fear of injury).

I searched the petfinder site and contacted a few candidates... but most were actually mis-labled toys.

Miniatures are an obviously misunderstood segment of the poodle world!

So without too high of hopes, we called a shelter in Alabama and learned about a parti-colored mini who weighs about 16 or so pounds. She is about 5 years or so old; and she is already spayed. From how the operator of the shelter describes it, her personality seems perfect for Jubal and our family!

After speaking to the operator of the shelter, we have made arrangements to go visit her (and hopefully bring her home!) on Saturday!

Please wish us luck!

I will update as we progress in this new adventure.

Here are the only pics that I have right now of her:














i know its wrong to steal... but i wanted to have something to look at until saturday... these are the pics that were on the petfinder site (sorry Petfinders and Ms G!)

... but Ms G is going to try to send me a few more pics today! woo hoo

But here is the first look at the future Miss Tallulah Banx Head!

Jubal & Tallulah... has a nice ring to it, doesnt it?

(to be continued)

FO Posting: Cleaning Set

Here is my latest FOs: Reversile Swiffer Sock, Dust Mitt, Tawashi and Cotton Dishcloth (woven w\ crochet trim). This matching cleaning set was my gift to my Mom for Mothers Day.

First up is the Reversible Swiffer Sock (for dusting & mopping). This is from a pattern on the craftstylish website. The pattern calls for two solid color yarns for a striping effect; but I prefer the way this variegated (Banana Berry {color 0994} Red Heart Super Saver) yarn worked up.

This is a fairly simple pattern... it only takes a few hours (even for a slow hooker like me!)... when first reading the pattern, i couldn't grasp it... but the accompanying pics (with further explanations) made it crystal clear.

This is the view from the top.

According to the the pattern, the acrylic yarn will build up static electricity, which will make the dust and dirt cling to it... so i modified the idea just a bit to make a dust mitt.

I was running out of the variegated yarn and so added stripes in Spring Green and Bright Yellow Red Heart.

(i seem to have a lot of red heart in my stash)

here is the matching tawashi (which is actually the first piece made of this set)... this one is my own design with sc, hdc, dc and 3-stitch bobbles (for a little extra scrubbiness).

and lastly, here is a dishcloth made from two hand-woven (on a weavette-type rectangle loom) rectangles; and trimmed with crochet. this was made in in matching colorways in Lily Sugar'N Cream cotton yarn. (also from my stash)

i think it looks really nice when folded like this

but when unfolded, you can see the yucky looking middle seam... i just stitched the loops together... but it really turned out ugly. i can tell that i need to experiment with connecting the individual woven pieces!

in hindsight, i think i should have trimmed each rectangles with sc and then crocheted them together and then trimmed with crochet.

any advice or suggestions regarding joining handwoven pieces is much welcomed!

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i really liked the eco aspects of using the reversible swiffer sock and am working on one for myself to test the usefulness of these (and waiting on my mom's review); if the results are positive, then i will probably make me about 3 for myself to use.