CGOA Design Contest

I was totally blown away when I saw the results of the CGOA Design Competition online the other day.  They chose my Sunday Best Purse for first place in the Accessories category!!  Then on down further in the list I saw it also won for Technical Merit. WEBS and Mary Maxim sponsored the awards for those categories so a BIG THANK YOU to both of those companies!!! and also to the judges and the CGOA.  I'm so honored you chose my purse!! When I was making it I was working on it a little at a time when I had a chance then one afternoon that was free I sat down with it and crocheted for about 6 hours. It is worked in Aunt Lydia's size 10 thread in Antique White, Olive and Wood Violet with a size 7 steel crochet hook and the pattern is in Mosaic crochet using "I" stitches and single crochets.  I laid the purse down to measure it at the end of the day to see how much more I needed to add to the body of it only to discover I had made a mistake on the very first row that I started that day..... needless to say I wanted to cry.... but I jumped in the Frog Pond and rippppped it all out.... Since in Mosaic Crochet every other row is single crochet I had worked two rows with the "I" stitches back to back and it was very noticeable after I stood back and looked at it but I love how it turned out and all is well that ends well :) 

 

More Diamond Filet Scarf....

 

Here are the professional photos of my Diamond Filet Scarf in the Fall 2016 issue of Love of Crochet magazine courtesy of  Caleb Young Photography. I think they did an awesome job of showing off the scarf!!  Thank you Love of Crochet!! 

Diamond Filet Scarf

Last September I made this Diamond Filet Scarf in Aunt Lydia's size 10 French Rose with a double knot fringe.  I submitted the design to Interweave Crochet and they bought the pattern!!

 

The other day a complimentary copy of their new issue of Love of Crochet Fall 2016 came to me... 

.....with my scarf in it done in the Black they had me make it for them in. 

 



 

I love how it looks in black and how they have it styled in the magazine.

Thank you Love of Crochet for choosing my design!! 

Get your copy at a craft store near you!! 

Pretty days

We had some nice low humidity days last week so I took advantage to do a little crocheting on the swing under the tree.

 

The flowers look so pretty right now...

 

I've never seen black petunias before.  Last year in this bucket were the prettiest deep dark burgundy petunias and now this year these totally black ones came  back in the same bucket.  Guess that's how the burgundy ones came back this year....

This cute little bunny has taken up residence under my wood shed

 

The Apple Blossom Geraniums are pretty right now, too. 

 

So are the petunias in our old shoes. 

 

 

 

And also the Tiger Lillies

 

Such a pretty time of year before the heat of summer makes them all wilt away. 

This 'n That Doily

 

Just released this doily pattern it's available in my Etsy and Ravelry shops for digital download.  It's called This 'n That because it has a little bit of this and a little bit of that to make up the design.  It has motifs, lattice, scallops, front and back post stitches and colorwork but it's not as difficult as it looks!!  Check it out:)

Green and Red Tractor Sculptures

 

 

A few months ago I saw a tractor basket that really caught my eye.  It was in a contest that I was not qualified to enter and if it was for sale I would have bought it in a heartbeat but it got me to thinking about trying to crochet one. Not only did I do one but I did two!! 

 

 

The patterns for these two tractors are now available at http://www.ravelry.com/designers/joyce-geisler and also etsy.com/shop/JoyceGeisler

They are about the size of a 1/16th scale toy tractor. They are pretty easy to make, an advanced beginner could make these and the pieces are made and stiffened around easy to find objects.  There are lots of photos included to help with the construction of these tractors to make it easier to understand.  The hard part is always trying to explain to someone how to make them!!  I hope you will give them a try:) 

Cutting Wheat & Sowing Soybeans

 

It was a beautiful day to start cutting wheat on Thursday

 

 

 

 

Looking out over the corn fields it was a sea of green!!

Then it was time to start sowing the double crop soybeans on Friday.

 



 

Couldn't have been a prettier day!!

 

Trying to finish up today before the rains come.... 10 acres to go here hope we make it!!!