Just some favorite quotes from one of my favorite people.
“Anger never persuades. Hostility builds no one. Contention never leads to inspired solutions.”
"One of the best ways we can honor the Savior is to become a peacemaker."
"Charity is the antidote to contention."
"Now is the time to bury your weapons of war."
"Counting our blessings is far better than recounting our problems."
Do you remember last October when I imagined finishing this year's Halloween snowflakes early for my grands because I came up with a great new pattern after finishing last year's Halloween snowflakes? Guess what? I'm still not done yet!!! So here's a new variation, because 26 of the same pattern gets kinda boring. :)
You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Size: 4 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, optional second color (or any number of colors desired), googly eyes or other means of making eyes, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line
NOTE: I did not glitter these flakes.
Triple Shot IV Snowflake Instructions
With center disc color, make magic ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in ring; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Pull magic circle tight.
Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in same ch as sl st, 2 dc in each dc around for a total of 24 dc; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.
Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), [2 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next dc] 12 times, omitting last dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2. Bind off if making flake in more than one color. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Round 4: If using same color, sc in same ch as sl st. If using new color, 1 sc in any dc. [ch 5, sk next 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc] 11 times; ch 2, 1 tr in starting sc to form 12th ch 5 loop of Round.
Round 5: Ch 6 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 5), in next ch 5 loop work (1 dc, ch 7, 1 dc), ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 5 loop] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 6; bind off. Weave in ends.
Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.
Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.
If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.
My Saturday goal on Jelly Roll Day (the fabric kind, not the bakery variety) was to finish piecing the back of my Calypso skirt.
I bought the initial jelly roll many years ago, then later bought coordinating Grunge yardage to cut into my own jelly roll strips and alternate with the Calypso strips for what I hoped might one day be the coolest dress on the planet.
I was short on Grunge strips after piecing the skirt front, which is still awaiting more machine embroidery along the seams. I'm not looking forward to doing that time-sucking project on the skirt back. But I want to wear the dress one day. So I will somehow muddle my way through.
After purchasing three different Grunge blues last year in an attempt to match what I'd bought years ago, I settled for one that was reasonably close but never cut the additional strips.
Until Saturday. The official Jelly Roll Day.
I finally counted how many blue strips are in the skirt front, counted how many blue stips I still have and discovered I need only two more stips. And yes, I did get them cut on Saturday. The official Jelly Roll Day. I'm ready to assemble the skirt back. Let's hope it doesn't take until next year's official Jelly Roll Day!
We've been working hard since March to try to get my sweet Lizard back on his bike. We even got him back into PT in an attempt to regain flexibility and mobility. He has worked harder than ever and refuses to give up. Blessings continue to rain down upon us... my Lizard finally did it Saturday! He's back! He's back in the saddle again! (Hope I planted the Aerosmith song firmly in your ear! 🤩)
This is how you celebrate the best day of the year. (He was thoroughly exhausted. But he did it!!!)
Another week got by me, and I had to work up another quickie flake. Only 16 more until I reach 1,000!
You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!
Finished Size: 3.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line
Five-Minute Snowflake Instructions
Popcorn Stitch (pc)
Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.
Make magic ring.
Round 1: [1 pc in ring, ch 10, sl st in 8th ch from hook, ch 2] 5 times; 1 pc in ring, ch 2, 1 dc in starting pc to form 6th ch 4 tip of Round, ch 4, 1 dtr in top of dc just worked to form 7th ch 7 loop of Round. Don't pull magic circle too tight.
Round 2: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc over post of dtr directly below, [ch 5, 3 sc in next ch 7 loop] 5 times; ch 5, 1 sc in next ch 7 loop; sl st in starting ch.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.
Round 3: Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 1 sc in same ch as sl st, [ch 7, 3 sc in middle sc of next 3/sc group] 5 times; ch 7, 1 sc in same ch as sl st, sl st in starting ch.
Round 4: 1 sc in same ch as sl st, [ch 9, in middle sc of next 3/sc group work (1 sc, ch 5, 1 sc)] 5 times; ch 9, 1 sc in same ch as sl st, ch 5, sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.
Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.
Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.
If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.
(Can't you just hear Bruce singing Noro Days?!? Now it will be in your head, with modified words, all day!!!) More than a decade ago, probably closer to a decade and a half ago, I was on a sock yarn kick. I bought every clearance skein I could find. I knitted or crocheted socks for all my female friends for Christmas. I still to this day have bins of luscious yarn, sometimes in color combinations that don't really tickle my toes anymore. At one time, though, those hanks of crazy sock colors were like buried treasure every time I found a new sale.
Noro definitely was my favorite. I bought quite a bit (not sock yarn) in one colorway fully intending to knit a sweater that winter. I also have a bunch of gorgeous purple silk sock yarn which also was supposed to be a sweater. They go together so well, perhaps I can craft something using both stashes one day...
During sleepless nights, I sometimes dig through my sock yarn bins and work up little Etsy projects with that exquisite sock yarn – in sometimes unusual colors. I was kind of looking for a project I remembered starting but never finishing a long, long time ago. I can still remember how that yarn used to make me smile. And I knew if I had my chance, I could make my crochet hook dance. And maybe I'd be happy for a while... (And now you'll have THAT song in your head, with modified words, all day long!)
I remembered designing this purse back in 2010 or so, and I would hunt for it whenever I had a few minutes of nothing else to do. I finally found it a few weeks ago, but not in the sock yarn stash. It was buried beneath a pile of beautiful black, satin-like vest lining leftovers. Along with a second purse I didn't even remember making!!!
Both were crafted with Noro highlights left over from projects I made back in my Noro days. Both needed to be lined, and both were stashed safely away for the day I could get around to hand-stitching a lining. That day has come. I cut linings for both this week, pinned the linings in place, then packed the unfinished bags in my neat little quilted crochet bag (formerly carried weekdays aboard the commuter train) so I can hand stitch the linings into place whenever I get a chance. I'm really hoping I'll be able to list them in my Etsy shop soon! Because they are so totally unique!
I've been collecting sunflower photos in my garden this year because the photos are fun to collage when I can't sleep at night. (I did a sleep study last month, and I have an appointment with my primary care this week to review options, now that we know I have sleep apnea. Perhaps my sleepless nights might be soon coming to an end. Let's hope the photo creativity doesn't jump ship with the sleeplessness...)
Last week I noticed pairs of sunflowers that looked like eyes. So, of course, I had to play in Photoshop. But first, I had to get just the right eye shot. I got a few "on the vine", so to speak, but I didn't really have enough room in the photos to later compose a smile, especially given some of the backgrounds.
After a few fun Photoshop smile attempts, I decided to shoot a few more eye shots with better backgrounds. During the process, I accidentally broke two of my Ring of Fire snowflakes from their mother stem. As a result, I got to pose them in what I thought might be more photographic locations.
The nice thing about removing a sunflower from its stem is that other sunflowers likely will bloom from the multiple side buds below. Especially with the red and chocolate cherry sunflowers!!!
I'll probably keep trying to create more sunflower smiles as long as I still have sunflowers. And inspiration... But for now, I have a few new to share.
I needed extra reasons to smile last week, and I hope these sunflower smiles make you smile, too.
Greg and Susan long for a child. Abused and abandoned five-year-old Gene needs a new family, The match of family to child seems perfect, but the past refuses to let go. Find out what it takes to rebuild a broken family and to heal damaged trust.
It's here! It's here! Now available in ebook format at:
The story of a serious automobile accident 24 years ago and how I finally got back behind the wheel, after battling six months of crippling fear, to continue the photographic journeys you enjoy every weekday here on Snowcatcher.
Available in ebook format at:
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