Fleeced

(affiliate links to my designs)

I've been crocheting in the evenings while listening to inspirational podcasts. I've purchased several of my Spoonflower designs on polar fleece through the years when an awesome sale hit, and I typically would just hem them and stick them in my Etsy shop.

I can't remember when I decided a crochet edging would be more special, but I've been doing it for a while now, and I guess because I so often use thread (for snowflakes), crocheting with yarn seems more relaxing.

The above fleece probably is the final patriotic item I'll be able to finish before the 4th of July, but I'm so pleased with how it turned out.

All the snowflake fleeces are created with my own photographs of my own crochet snowflake designs. I have really enjoyed collaging the images I've shot over the years to create what, to me, is beautiful snowflake artwork. I'm still kind of in shock that I just finished my 913th snowflake design!

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Deadline Frustration

My goal for this week was to finish the first three Moda Blockheads 2 QAYG blocks so I could show off the incredible joining method I dreamed up late one night back in 2018. I finished quilting the first QAYG block about two weeks ago and began crocheting around the edge, thinking it would take me about two nights to finish the simple double crochet mesh foundation stitching.

I finally finished the first block at 5:32 Wednesday night after struggling with the crochet edging for more than two solid weeks.

I've done crochet edgings on my sewing projects before, but I've never had one give me as much trouble as this one did.

My Most Recent Crochet Edging Finish, a Christmas Snowflake Skirt

My previous crocheted edgings have been mostly on clothing. So I wasn't working with (or through) batting. I'm guessing that's why this one has given me such headaches. And, literally, hand aches and finger aches. Before I even finished edging the first side of this oversized block, I decided I need to find a different way to do this because I will never finish if every block takes me this long. Plus, it takes the fun out of a unique project when it's so difficult.

Right now, I just want to take a very long vacation from this project. I'm tempted to hide it away where I won't find it for years!!!

But I've been so excited about my idea for joining the blocks for so long now, I just can't stop working on it yet. Thankfully. I will try something different on the next block to make sure I have a better way of crocheting around the quilted block.

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

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Round and Round

I'm sure it will look better on me than it does on the floor, but I just finished the crocheted edging of my Christmas snowflake skirt last night, and I pinned the skirt on my bed to shape the points. (I used a fine water mist and stainless steel pins, and I probably also will lightly starch the lace and then iron it this weekend.)

I bought the fabric for this skirt the year after we bought our house 16 years ago. At that time, my beloved Viking Husqvarna was in my bedroom, and so that's where I stacked all my sewing and quilting projects. (The 32-year-old sewing machine gave up the ghost in 2016.) My mother-in-law visited shortly thereafter (and her husband replaced all the storage shelves and hanging bars in all our closets) and pointed out the sun coming through my bedroom window while I was at work each day was going to fade the quilt on my bed, the wall quilt above the bed and all my projects within the sun's reach.

what we started out with

custom-built

much better now

I moved all my fabric into one of the new closet storage compartments (which it outgrew in just a couple of years or so!!!), and began closing the blinds during the day, a habit I still observe to this day. I didn't pay attention to what may have faded until I got ready to use each old thing. I had saved a couple of sheets to use on the backs of quilts, and one had suffered some pretty significant sun-bleaching when I pulled it out nearly five years ago! (Thankfully, the recipient of this particular quilt LOVED the mottled effect on the back! She said it gives the quilt so much more character!)

When I pulled out the white snowflake fabric last November to make the skirt I intended to wear all the way through the Christmas season, I discovered it had some extremely faded spots, too.

I went through my stash and found another few yards of whitish snowflake fabric, and I thought perhaps I could alternate panels in the handkerchief skirt I wanted to make.

When I sat down to begin cutting out the skirt panels, I realized I had more of the first fabric than I remembered buying. With a little bit of creative placement, I was able to cut out all eight pieces with minimal fade spots. Two of the eight panels have a bit of fading in them, but I put them in the back of the skirt, so who is going to notice, right? I then used the badly faded pieces for pockets (which are not included in the pattern but will come in so handy) and the waistband.

The second snowflake fabric went back into my stash, where it may stay for a while. I had ordered it years ago when it went on clearance (because I can almost never resist snowflake fabric), and when I pulled it out of the package, it kind of turned my stomach. I still don't really like it very much (because it almost looks like snow that got peed on!!!), so I'm glad I didn't have to use it in the skirt. (I may overdye it one day to make it more lovable.)

I finally got to begin crocheting the skirt edging last week while I burned off some much-needed vacation time by visiting my in-laws. We have no overhead lights in our living room or bedroom, so working on the skirt at my mother-in-law's was a tad easier. I could crochet when the sun came through the windows because I wasn't tied to my work computer all day, and I could crochet a bit in the evenings because there is adequate overhead light in two rooms at my in-law's.

That first round took about 15 hours!!! I was so happy when I reached the end! The second and third rounds took about 12 hours combined. So there is a significant bit of work in this creation that won't be worn until next November! But, it's done, and done is better than waiting to be finished in the closet!

This is why we block our thread crochet.

After I finished the first skirt panel of the third round (both the second and third rounds were designed in my head as I went), I thought of an idea I liked better. Rather than frog that segment, I decided to do the new pattern on the second segment, hoping I could come up with six more variations, forming a sort of patchwork crochet no one will ever notice when I wear the skirt. Onlookers will just see the lace. They won't study the design.

And I did come up with six more variations! This is what I do sometimes when I'm designing a crocheted snowflake. I just keep trying out new ideas as I go. But a snowflake is a lot more forgiving. It's a lot easier to rip out six points than it is to rip out an entire skirt edging!

I've already designed one snowflake based on the skirt edging. Now I have seven more ideas I can pursue in snowflake stitchery as well!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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Snowcone Cozy Monday

I have this thing about handkerchief hemlines. Sugar coat the inspiration with white on white snowflake fabric purchased on clearance after Christmas, and my latest wardrobe enhancement takes wing.

This was the project I'd planned nearly all year to be able to share last week, but I just haven't had time to get it started until last weekend. I was hoping to have all the sewing done to share with you today. The edging is going to be crocheted. I'd hoped to show off at least the first round of my edging today.

I also finally made time to get back to my Moda Blockheads 2 project from 2018. It features scraps and leftovers from all the snowflake quilts I've ever made. I'm planning to put this baby together quilt-as-you-go, or QAYG, and I think you are going to love how I join the individual blocks. For right now, I used up almost every odd-shaped blue snowflake scrap in my stash making the backing for the biggest block and centerpiece of my quilt.

We finally got another tiny bit of snow last week, a half inch more than the pre-Thanksgiving dusting, and boy, did I get some snowflake photos!!!

I'm ready for the next snow, and I hope it comes soon. But instead of a snowflake pattern this week, I'm sharing a pattern I created for my second annual personal Christmas card challenge. I whipped this project up the night before our snow fell, hoping I'd be able to photographically capture critters feeding during the snowfall. I'm still waiting for the blue jays to discover the stash and hoping like heck the squirrel doesn't find it first and destroy it before I can get a few worthwhile photos!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowcone cozies you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 6 inches long without straps
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, waffle ice cream cone, bird seeds

NOTE: Gently check fit of waffle cone as you work and adjust by adding or subtracting ch 3 spaces as you go. A loose fit is better than a tight fit. Snowcone Cozy Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 2), 1 tr in ring] 5 times; ch 1, 1 hdc in 4th ch of starting tr to form 6th ch 2 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight. Weave in end now because it will be nearly impossible to weave in after the project is finished.

Round 2: Ch 7 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 3), 1 tr in next ch 2 sp) 5 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 4th ch of starting ch 7 to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 3: Ch 6 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 2), 1 tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 2, 1 tr in same sp] 5 times; ch 2, 1 tr in next ch 3 sp, ch 1, 1 hdc in 4th ch of starting ch 4 to form 12th ch 2 sp of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Rounds 4-5: Ch 6 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 2), 1 tr in next ch 2 sp] 11 times; ch 1, 1 hdc in 4th ch of starting ch 6 to form 12th ch 2 sp of Round.

Rounds 6-7: Ch 7 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 3), 1 tr in next ch 2 (or ch 3 sp on Round 7) sp] 11 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 4th ch of starting ch 6 to form 12th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 8: Work same as Rounds 6 & 7, increasing twice evenly spaced (make V-stitches in two ch 3 spaces, one on each side) for a total of 14 ch 3 sp.

Round 9: Ch 7 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 3), 1 tr in next ch 3 sp] 13 times; ch 1, 1 dc in 4th ch of starting ch 6 to form 14th ch 3 sp of Round.

Round 10: Work same as Round 8, increasing twice evenly spaced (make V-stitches in two ch 3 spaces, one on each side) for a total of 16 ch 3 sp.

Round 11: Ch 7 (counts as 1 tr and [ch 3), 1 tr in next ch 3 sp] 18 times; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 6 to form 14th ch 3 sp of Round. Gently insert waffle cone.

Round 12: Sl st into next ch 3 sp, ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc in same ch 3 sp, 3 dc in each ch 3 sp around; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2.

Hanging Straps: Ch 30; taking care not to twist chain, sl st in opposite side of cozy (24 dc around if you have a total of 48 as instructed), sl st in next dc, turn, 1 dc in each ch back to start, sl st in ch next to start, sl st in each of next 12 dc, ch 14, 2 sl st in top middle of first strap, ch 14, sl st in middle dc of opposite side of cone, with straps forming an X on top; sl st in next dc, 1 dc in each of next 14 ch, 2 sl st in top middle of first strap, 1 dc in each of next 14 ch, sl st in ch next to strap start; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Fill with bird seeds, unsalted sunflower seeds, unsalted pumpkin seeds or unsalted peanuts. Or a mix of some or all. Hang securely if you live in a windy area as I do so cone won't blow away. If you have squirrels, cone may not last as long, but you should still get at least a bit of enjoyment out of this project! Would love to see your photos!

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Wrapped Up in The Wave

(affiliate links to my fabric designs)

Spoonflower recently introduced a lightweight fleece, and oh, boy, did I have to try it!

I selected a photo of The Wave, of course, and had a full yard printed.

I barely got home with the printed fabric two weeks later when it arrived because everyone wanted this cute little blanket, even before I got an edging on it!


I'd recently participated in a fleece blanket drive for Children's Hospital, and my group cut and tied more than 100 blankets of varying sizes. The fleece we use for those blankets is thicker than Spoonflower's fleece and also features print on both sides.


Even though Spoonflower's fleece is low-loft and is printed only on one side, I still like it. It doesn't ravel and so doesn't require a hem, and it's perfect for cuddling.

I knew before I ordered this fabric I wasn't going to tie the edges like the charity blankets. I wanted to crochet around the entire piece with my hand-dyed cotton. When I auditioned my madder-dyed, avocado-pit-dyed and iron-dyed cotton yarn, I didn't really like the colors together. So I opted for black acrylic yarn for the edging.

I wanted the blanket to be washable, so I didn't consider wool yarn.


The most difficult part of this project was using an awl to poke holes all the way around the edges without poking me. Once the holes were finished, I filled them with yarn via a size G crochet hook. I finished the crocheting during our recent trip to San Rafael Swell and Canyonlands National Park. Except for the awl, this was a perfect traveling project during cooler weather. The fleece kept me warm while the spring weather pulled yet another winter on us.


I'm as crazy about The Wave as I am about snowflakes. And now I can show my Wave pride in a fashionable way!

The winner of last week's Quilts from Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks giveaway is Mary Marcotte at Fleur de Lis Quilts. The magazine is going out in the mail today. Thank you to everyone who participated!








Linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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