Motif Medley Sweaters

Way back in 2016 I had put together this table runner called Motif Medley.  The pattern for it is in the April 2017 issue of Crochet World.  It is made up of 3 sizes of motifs and 3 different colors.  I liked how all the colors came together and it was very easy to adjust the size and make it larger or smaller.  

So I had all these little samples in a bag I had made while writing up the instructions for the runner and was wondering what to do with them.  Then I got to thinking why wouldn't this pattern make a neat t-shirt type sweater?  I have never had any success in the past with making clothes to fit me or anyone else!!  I just gave up trying because it's a lot of work when the end result doesn't fit!!  So the thought occurred to me what if I laid out a t-shirt that fit me and made the motifs to fit that shirt..... wouldn't that make it fit me when it was finished?  So I took the motif sections I had and added more to them laying them on  top of a t-shirt as I went for sizing

I made them to fit the front section first, then decided where the neckline would be and then went out for the sleeves.  To make the back fit the front I did the same thing but where the sides and top of sleeves were I had to remember to connect them to the front in the process so it would be joined on the go and finished when all was done.  Then I added in the little fill in motifs.  All of these motifs are the same ones in the pattern for the runner.  

I wasn't sure what to do about the open section in the underarm area so I used the same motif as before and just connected it in the joined areas of the motifs instead of into the shells.  That filled it in just right!!  

Here is a close up of how the larger motifs are joined to each other....

.....and here is how the fill in motifs are joined in. 

Around the neckline, sleeve edges and bottom edge are the same edge motifs from the runner as well.  This is a picture of it being blocked.  To block it I just hand washed it in cold water then stretched it out on a towel and pinned it out with stainless steel pins to air dry. It could be machine washed but I like to do it this way. 

And this is all the little tails I cut off after it was blocked !!  I like to wait and trim the tiny tails after blocking so the threads are  more secure before trimming. Usually I use a magnifying glass and tweezers to make sure I can find them all!!  

I just couldn't believe how easy it came together and that it actually fit me!!!  

So after that I got the idea to make one that was more of a cardigan or shrug style to wear with a black sleeveless dress I had.  

I did this the same way.  I used the same rows of motifs since the first pattern fit and just didn't join the  middle front. As  I guide for this one I used a little jacket that came with the dress I was going to make this for.

  

This one  used 3 colors as well.  I really like how they look with the black behind it.  

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After it was all together I put it on the blocking board.  I put little pieces of wax paper behind the buttons because I was afraid they might rust laying on the wet thread while it dried.  Don't know if it would but I just wanted to be careful after all that stitching!!

This is the back side of the cardigan on the blocking board

I used these metal buttons I thought looked good with the motifs and the colors.  I just made the one chain space on the center front larger for the button to slip thru.  Really the neck opening is large enough that I don't need to open the buttons but it's an option this way.  

I love how this one turned out, too!!

So then THIS idea popped into my head to do next!!  

I wanted to try it as a tunic with long sleeves in a solid color. 

This one is Navy Blue and has a little decorative opening at the neckline with a button decoration, it doesn't function as a button...

This is the back/shoulder area....

... and this is the middle back.

On this one I wanted more of a bell sleeve so I didn't put the little fill in motifs on the ends of the sleeves this time.  

All of these were made using Aunt Lydia's size 10 crochet threads and a size 7/1.65mm steel crochet hook. They took a good amount of time to make but I had other projects to make in between so I guess it seemed to take longer than if I had started on them and not put them aside so many times.  

I am really happy with how they all turned out and with the fit as well and it was so easy by doing it in sections this way over a shirt that fit me.  Maybe this technique will work for you if you have trouble making anything to fit you well!!  

Evidently the judges liked them all too :)  

I've got another idea in mind for my next clothing project so stay tuned...... ;)

Wood Slices

Back last June we had a wind storm that broke off a few limbs of one of the Maple trees.  They had such nice smooth bark on them I cut up a few of them and stuck them in the wood shed for another day....

I've been seeing some neat ornaments lately on Facebook made out of little slices of wood so I thought I'd give my own version a try.  The tiny slides for the ornaments seemed to need a sturdy base instead of just gluing them together so I added some bead board circles to glue them to and also added the tree and snowman.  Very easy to do, no need to paint very much at all!!  I like the wood natural like this.  

I had one limb that was a bit larger so I cut those slices and made them into a wreath.  I used a stencil to spell out Welcome instead of my sloppy handwriting.....

I went thru my craft supply stash and found these bells from a wedding reception we went to and also some pretty ribbon.  I'm pretty happy with this project, too!!  It was very easy to just wood glue the slices together.  When Rick saw it before I had it decorated he asked if it was going to be a hot dish holder...... hummmmmmm wonder how that would work.......The ideas just keep coming!!!!! 

Playing with gourds....

I had a little time this week between loads of corn to work with a couple of gourds in my clean gourd stash.  I had seen these really neat ones on a Facebook page I follow where they hollowed them out and put little scenes in them, some of them quite tiny for ornaments!!  I had a couple that weren't quite right to make snowmen out of so I though I'd give this a try.  They were pretty easy to cut and clean out.  I painted the inside navy blue to give it a night time affect.  I am surprised I didn't get paint all over the outside in the process but I lined the cut edges with painters tape and was very careful......

The outside I just used two coats of clear gloss poly on to give them a little shine.  I didn't really want the outside to be painted. (unless there happened to be a slip of the paint brush... whew!!!  .)

I cut out this little snowman and tree which are about 2" tall and painted and distressed them a bit

Then I added a little fiberfill and a battery light string with 10 tiny lights on it. I just wound them around my hand to make a circle and placed them around the two figures.

I'm so happy with how they turned out!!  The other one I am waiting on a light string for and the way it's shaped I couldn't cut out the star section at the top, but it turned out just as well as this one did!!  Usually when I make something experimenting like this I end up doing it over and over..... can't believe these worked on the first try and no extra paint where I didn't want it!!  

Can't wait to start Christmas decorating!!

Turkey Time

This year is flying by and it's time to get out the Thanksgiving decorations!!  A few years back I made this little turkey sculpture

The body is a 4" ball and you wouldn't believe it but the head/neck is actually shaped around a plastic spoon!!  

The wings and the feathers are stiffened against a 4" ball, too to give them shape.  

I added him to the set of candy corn and pumpkins I had out for October.

They are a free pattern download I have on Ravelry but the turkey is a paid pattern on Ravelry and Etsy.  

The large doily they are sitting on is a pattern from Crochet World I think October 2001 if I remember right without looking it up.  I saw the magazine in the grocery store of all places and that pattern was on the front.  It was the first I had heard of Crochet World.  I'm so glad I started subscribing way back then!!  They have been very good to me over the years !!!

If you want to check them out for more detail go to 

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/turkey-sculpture

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/autumn-decor

Down on the Filet Crochet Farm....

 Way back in 1992 I think it was I got into designing Filet Crochet patterns.  We were still milking cows and I couldn't find any farm theme patterns much so I thought why not make my own!! So I got out some graph paper and gave it a try.  

At the time we were into dairy farming so I went with that kind of theme.  Tractors, cows, silage wagons, combining..... we have always been into combining!!  (please excuse the poor photography on this one...)

On a whim I sent it in to Crochet World and they published it!!  It was in the August 2007 issue if you would like to look up the pattern and try it for yourself sometime.

So from that pattern I started to branch out and pull out different designs from it to do other things.  

I made this valance in two different lengths.  One for a regular window and one for a 6' wide doorway.  I am using this smaller one now over our closed up fireplace.  Kinda like it there!!

Then I made some with just one object on  each end.... a cow, a tractor, a truck, combine...Some like this, some with one item in each corner.... lots of possibilities!! (and I can't find the pictures of the others right now.....

Then I put in a few other elements as our farm life changed...

A sprayer and a spray nurse tractor trailer.

I also made some little strips of some of the items and added to the front of my toaster and tea maker machines. 

Then a few years ago a friend asked me to make her son a runner for his new house.  She liked the original one I made but I didn't think that was a good fit with the things he liked.  He had just come off a summer of working with a custom combine crew in the mid-west and also loves to hunt so I pulled up the filet crochet computer program and started playing with ideas.  Needless to say it was a big hit!!  Has been very popular on my Ravelry and Etsy pages as well!!  I made myself one to hang over the edge of a shelf on our TV.  

Then a few years ago the idea popped into my head to incorporate all these things and a few more into a large wall hanging.  It took me 3 months.... (size 60 thread and size 13 hook) counting ripping out mistakes.... to get it done!!  I'm pretty happy with the results, tho!!  I added into this one also a drill and called it Fall on the Farm.  I tried to incorporate all the things that happen in the fall of the year.  I don't have a pattern available for this particular design, it was a job enough just making it the first time!!  So if I ever do make it up for sale I'll post the info but for right now it's just mine.  

So as you can see there are many possibilities of things you can make using the filet crochet technique with a little graph paper or a nice easy computer program that actually shows you what the finished item will look like!!  Don't know what I ever did without it!!   

Lacy Trees

Recently my Lacy Trees pattern was published in the Annie's special edition called A Very Crochet Christmas.  Below is their beautiful picture of the trees....

There are 3 sizes - 7 1/4", 10 1/4" and 13 1/2" from the bottoms to the tops of the stars.  The larger star has a six sided star, the other are 5 sided.

They are stiffened and stretched over 6", 9" and 12" Styrofoam cones.  

A tip for stiffening the trees..... put two or three layers of the plastic wrap over the tree it makes it much easier to pull the Styrofoam cone out when it is finished drying.  If you kinda twist the cone it will come loose easier.  

They have a crocheted garland wrapping around them but would be pretty as well with small battery lights swirled up inside of them.

Originally I had  made them in Antique white with Forest Green and Burgundy garland.  I crocheted the Forest green chain then went back and added the Burgundy berries.  The printed pattern the berries are worked in as you go. 

I also made them in Forest Green with little simple crocheted ornaments that are just 6 single crochets worked into a magic ring, join in first sc and fasten off.  

All the trims are attached to the trees with permanent fabric glue making it super simple to put together.  

They really add to a holiday grouping as well.  Winter Buddy snowman is pretty happy in the middle of the "forest" !!  

If you would like the link to make your own trees go to :

https://www.anniescatalog.com/detail.html?prod_id=150811&cat_id=468&source=cfmnew

to get your copy of the magazine or your local craft store news stand and if you would like to make the Winter Buddy snowman pattern you can get the pattern at:

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/winter-buddy-snowman