just in time

My little neighbor isn't so little anymore. In fact, she's got her learner's permit. I still can't believe she is sweet sixteen! I worked up the perfect birthday present for her.

Tweet

Pretty Pink

Tweet

Four Months Late

Baby Maven's quilt finally is done. I can't believe it has taken this long.

Tweet

Snowflake Monday

The week before Thanksgiving, my sister had a biopsy. She called me the following Thursday night to ask what it means when the doctor calls after office hours and wants her back in his office first thing the next morning. I knew, and I was crushed. We had prayed and fasted for her. She does not see God in her life and doesn't really care to, and I wanted to try to help her keep her spirits high. When she called again the next morning, she didn't have to say the C word. I'd had all night to prepare. But my words for her wouldn't come.

Pinktober came a little late this year.

A few days later, I discovered this precious video on YouTube. It was exactly what I needed. Exactly when I needed it. But how could I help it be what she needed?

I was able to share the video with my sister-in-law, who also is a full-time caregiver right now while her dad battles terminal cancer. She is not of my faith, but we've had so many heartfelt discussions about faith and our Savior. We can read scriptures together as we talk or text on the phone. Our differences in faith have never mattered. I wished I could have that kind of relationship with my sister.

I decided perhaps that's what I need to pray for. The day before Thanksgiving, the opportunity arose during a painful phone conversation with my sister. I seized the moment and asked if I could send her the video. I acknowledged she doesn't have the same beliefs as me, and I told her I understand her apprehension, especially now. I told her I face my own faith battles from time to time, and I completely respect her point of view. She said to go ahead and send the video.

A few minutes after I sent it, she texted me a thumb's-up. I responded that it's really difficult for me to think of Parkinson's as bread, but I'm doing the best I can. "Understood," was her reply. I wasn't sure she'd ever confide in me again. I wasn't sure if I'd be the one she'd turn to with questions anymore. But I thanked God for giving me that brief window and helping me recognize it as an opening.

I crocheted these snowflakes in her honor on White Friday (which experience won't appear on my blog until November 2025).

I decided I should send her a bunch of pink snowflakes, the way I used to for everyone I knew who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Back before Parkinson's consumed so much of my life and so much of my husband's soul. Back when I did Pink Friday in honor of those battling breast cancer. As today's flakes were drying, my sister texted me and proceded to carry on a completely normal conversation. Thanksgiving lasted longer than one day for me this year.

I created a White Friday Snowflake rug from T-shirt yarn (tarn) seven years ago but never made a plain white (or pink) snowflake from the pattern until now. I might need to challenge myself to design a new snowflake pattern every White Friday...

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: 5.5 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, optional1-1.25" stone, jewel or charm for necklace, 12-inch or desired length of chain for necklace (although you also could crochet a chain or use a ribbon), 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

White Friday II Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 6 (counts as 1 dtr and ch 2), [1 dtr in ring, ch 2] 11 times; sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 6. Pull magic circle tight. For necklace, make 2 Round 1 discs, and bind off at the end of the 1st one.

Round 2: 4 sc in each ch 2 sp around; sl st in starting sc. For necklace, hold 2 motifs together and work 4 sc in each ch 2 sp around, inserting stone/jewel or charm 2/3s of the way around before completing 4 sc in final ch 2 spaces, sealing insert inside of snowflake center.

Round 3: [1 sc in same sc as sl st (or next sc in repeats), ch 1, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 1, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, 1 tr in next sc, ch 3, 1 tr in next sc, ch 1, 1 dc in next sc, ch 1, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 1, 1 sc in next sc] 6 times; sl st in starting sc.
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: Sl st in next ch 1 sp, ch 2 (counts as 1 sc and [ch 1), 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp, 1 dc in next ch 1 sp, in next ch 3 tip work (1 tr, ch 5, 1 dtr, ch 7, 1 dtr, ch 5, 1 tr), 1 dc in next ch 1 sp, 1 hdc in next ch 1 sp, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp, sk next 2 sc, 1 sc in next ch 1 sp] 6 times, omitting last sc of final repeat; sl st in 1st ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends. For necklace, work 2 sc/hdc/dc in ch 1 sp to provide more structure strength for heavy pendant.

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.

For necklace, stiffen same as snowflake, taking care not to get glue on stone/jewel/charm. Once dry and removed from pinning surface, attach chain (or attach thread/yarn and crochet a chain). Brighten the life of any Frozen-loving little girl with a White Friday II Snowflake Pendant!

Tweet

halfway there

Tweet

Pinktober, the Sequel

(affiliate links to my designs)

I was so excited to receive my newest Spoonflower cheater quilt panels. It was difficult to decide which one I should use for the new baby quilt, and I ultimately chose the original. I used some stash batik and some pink Grunge for the border, and the top was done in just a couple of hours.

The second panel is similar to the first but square instead of horizontal. The second two panels are going to be so fun to work into quilts once I finish the baby quilt. Then I'd have a couple of pink quilts ready if another little baby girl comes along...

In the meantime, I have to finish the quilt back. I began with 36 pink charm squares from the temperature quilt stash I was hoping to make into a real temperature quilt in 2023. I'm not so sure I will make an actual fabric temperature quilt now, so I didn't mind robbing the stash. But then I realized the 6x6 stitched block wasn't near big enough for the already finished quilt top.

So I dug into my pink scraps stash and added one more row of pink charm squares, then cut some 2.5-inch patches for an inner border. I really like the new size and the improved design, but now I'm stuck! I can't decide what to do next, and it needs to be more than ten inches wider and longer. I want to use fabrics in my pink stash, and I have pink charm squares, my own 2.5-inch strips and even a few layer cake squares. Ir, I could dig into some pink stash yardage and make a solid border, which I'm actually considering. I just have come up with something I think will look pretty not too busy.

Tweet

Pinktober

(affiliate links to my designs)

One of my little neighbors has a new baby sister. I knew she was coming; I saw mama walking in the neighborhood a couple of months ago, and it was pretty obvious. But I didn't know it would be this soon. Time to get quilting yet again. Late, as usual, these days!

Big sister got a quilt from one of my digital Spoonflower panels, and her mother absolutely loved it. She always compliments my garden when she walks by. I thought it would be fitting for baby sister to receive a quilt from one of my own floral cheater panel designs.

Except I didn't have any pink or floral cheater panels left in my Spoonflower stash!!! How could that possibly be?!? Especially in October!

I did find some butterfly fabric of my own design, but I'm planning to make a dress for me from that.

I know, I know, last thing I need is yet one more new quilt project. But I couldn't resist. I created a new panel, and I'm hoping to have it in hand one day next week so I can begin sewing. I think this one will be SO much fun!

On my phone, I had created a really fun cosmos collage with flowers in my garden the second (I think) year of the pandemic. I thought I'd created a cheater quilt panel from that image, but I guess not. The original image was too small, and I had not played with the idea to create a proper-size image. I certainly meant to. I guess this is just another case of proving how tangled life got during the last few years.

All it took was the motivation of finding out the new little one has arrived. I have so many other things I need to do, including mending a coat for a very elderly neighbor who will need the coat before the weather cools off, assuming it might one day...

Yes, I made a card, too. How could I not???

I probably could have finished the coat in the time it took me to design a new Spoonflower cheater panel for the new baby quilt, but one more day on the coat won't matter, right?!? I promise, that's my next project!!!

In the meantime, I created a few more pink floral Spoonflower panels, and I ordered a few of them, too. Now I'll be ready next time I need to quilt pink!

Tweet

A Whole New Fab

(affiliate links to my designs)

Spoonflower had another fat quarter sale, so I had to make some new fat quarters.

I'd made a valentine card with six weeks of heartflakes on pink in digital temperature quilt style.

If I made the blocks three inches wide, I would need only a handful more to complete a fat quarter panel.

The pink version turned out so well, I decided I should do the same thing with the blue digital snowflake temperature quilt blocks I've been doing each day this year to see how an all-blue temperature quilt would look. I LOVE IT!!!

I most definitely will crochet a blue temperature project one day using my own hand-dyed blues. Yes, I have enough, and now that I know I don't want to use up all my hand-dyed thread, I don't have to ration my hand-dyeing anymore. I just have to make time. I. CAN'T. WAIT.

Gosh, I made the coolest greeting card, too. I could do a whole series of these and never get tired of them.

I cannot wait to begin sewing these new fat quarters. I might have to add them to last year's digital snowflake patchwork fat quarters for perhaps another quilted jacket!!! I would have the coolest jacket in the galaxy!

Tweet