Wordless Wednesday

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Tea Bag Lady

Some tea bags are just too pretty to discard.

Tyvek Fed Ex Envelopes are indestructible. So they're difficult for me to trash.

About eight years ago I was inspired to combine the two items considered trash by many into something useful.


I'd seen a windbreaker made of Tyvek race bibs, crafted by Elevengear Cycling. Initially, I thought I could gather all my Ride the Rockies, Elephant Rock and MS-150 event numbers to have them made into a windbreaker. After seeing the price for the conversion, I decided I didn't really like the windbreaker after all. I'd rather have my numbers on a bulletin board, or maybe even as patchwork curtains in the basement.

The windbreaker, however, did ignite my urge to try sewing with the Fed Ex envelopes being discarded in offices every single day. I can't even begin to count how many cloth shopping bags I've been through; all of which sprung leaks and burst open when filled and most inconvenient.

I decided to make a stronger shopping bag with Tyvek, and I thought tea bag wrappers would be the perfect design element, somewhat like fabric charm squares but much smaller.




I got the front and the back of my first bag done in just a couple of nights. I didn't have enough foil tea bags to finish the bag bottom and sides, though. I'd incorporated a couple of paper tea bags because I liked and/or needed the color. I didn't want the finished bag to be even worse than the cloth bags, so I decided to wait until I could get more foil tea packets. My project got stashed for eight long years.

The other night I pulled it out to review what needed to be done to complete the WIP (work in progress) list item. I didn't remember saving the foil tea bags from an entire box of Good Earth herbal tea. I had enough foil tea bags to finish the project, as long as I didn't mind deviating from my original plan, which I didn't even remember.

About half an hour later, I'd finished a strap for a handle. Nearly two hours and a sewing machine needle later, the sides and bottom were done.


In retrospect, I wish I'd made the bottom and sides wider, but I have enough tea bags and used Fed Ex envelopes left to try again another day. For now, I've got one awesome shopping bag, and no one else has one just like it anywhere! Bet it lasts longer than cloth, too!


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

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Rock and Troll Monday

I absolutely love this lacy little collar for Citri Troll. It's too feminine for a boy Troll, in my opinion, but it looks great on the girls.

The Rock and Troll pattern is in my 2016 pdf snowflake booklet Sea Quell, benefiting the fight against multiple sclerosis, available only via tax-deductible donation of at least $15 to my dear husband's 2016 MS-150 fund here or my 2016 MS-150 fund here. Please note that I no longer have access to personal email (or my blog) during the work day, and I volunteer teach on Tuesday nights, so may be unable to respond until evenings and may not be able to respond at all on Tuesdays.


As in years past, if you make a donation and do not hear back from me or my husband within a couple of days, please email me at snowcatcher at att dot net to make sure I know your donation has been made. I do sincerely try to get pdf booklets emailed out the same day each time a donation is made if I am able.


In addition to the Rock and Troll pattern, this new pdf booklet includes 11 snowflake patterns and 9 snowflake frames. (I have republished two patterns from my blog in this booklet, the Moss Snowflake and the Vitamin C Snowflake Frame.)


Last week's pattern features three poncho versions designed specifically for the Trolls, and two weeks ago I shared the pattern for a Troll Necklace (plus a child-sized version for pint-sized Troll lovers). I'm hoping to work up one more cute little clothing essential for the Trolls for next week, and then I'll get back to snowflakes. Or flower flakes... We need some more spring, don't we?

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


Finished Size: 4 inches across folded out flat, 2.25 inches across shoulders folded flat
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook

NOTE: This project includes small parts that could be swallowed by children who put things in their mouths.

Troll Collar Instructions




NOTE: I didn't work the 1st Round of sc when I made the lime green, black and purple collar. Feel free to omit the 1st Round if desired and work Round 2 into the ch instead of into sc.

Ch 39. Taking care not to twist chain, sl st in starting ch.

Round 1: 1 sc in each ch around; sl st in starting sc.

Round 2: Ch 5 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3), sk next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next sc, sk next 3 sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 5, sk next 3 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 hdc in next sc, ch 3, sk next 3 sc, 1 dc in next sc, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 5 to form 2nd poncho point.

Round 3: Ch 6 (counts as 1 tr and ch 3), 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 tr in next ch 5 sp, ch 5, 1 tr in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 tr in next ch 5 sp, ch 2, 1 tr in 3rd ch of starting ch 6 to form 2nd poncho point.
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: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dtr and ch 3), 1 tr in next tr, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 tr in next tr, ch 3, 1 dtr in next ch 5 sp, ch 5, 1 dtr in same sp, ch 3, 1 tr in next tr, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 sc in next sc, ch 3, 1 hdc in next hdc, ch 3, 1 dc in next dc, ch 3, 1 tr in next tr, ch 3, 1 dtr in next ch 5 sp, ch 5, sl st in 4th ch of starting ch 7.

Round 5: [5 sc in each of the next 8 ch 3 sp, in next ch 5 sp work 2 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, ch 1, sl st in top of dc just made (picot made), 1 dc, 2 hdc and 2 sc] 2 times; slip st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends. Dab each end with a tiny dot of glue and allow to dry thoroughly.

Finish: Carefully fold ears over close to head and stretch collar over head of Troll, taking care not to catch neck edge on glued-on eyes.

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Friday Funny

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Hyacinth Rescue

Hyacinths apparently can begin blooming beneath a thick blanket of snow.

The combined weight of our final two blizzards of calendar winter was a little more than some of the budding hyacinths could bear, however. As the snow melted, I found several blossoms broken from the main stalk.

The scent of hyacinths is so heavenly addictive, I couldn't stand to lose a single flower. I salvaged the broken flowers and placed them in the dish of an indoor terracotta pot, not knowing if they would open with a little window sunlight of just wither and die.

Two days later, those tiny blossoms had scented my entire kitchen! I fully enjoyed about six days of severed hyacinths! I wish our computers could do scratch and sniff! What a treat!!!

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Wordless Wednesday

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Wave Immersed

Back in December, I bought a gift Mighty Lucky Quilting Club for my quilting friend Ruthie. When my husband seemed interested in the monthly challenge and my six-year-old neighbor begged me to teach her to quilt, I thought it might be fun if all four of us participate.

As is the case whenever lofty goals are set, life gets in the way, motivation dwindles, creativity doesn't spark and accountability wanes.

None of us have done a blasted thing on the challenge, although all four of us have been devoting at least some time to our respective sewing machines.

When the April challenge, Personal Photo as Piecing Inspiration, was announced, boy was my heart aflutter!

I have wanted to quilt The Wave ever since before we saw it in person the first time, and seeing it twice now has served only to deeply magnify that urge.

So I gave my Wave photos a quick spin, and I am in love with too many of the choices!!! Then, do I dye my fabric, or do I invest in another Kona color spurt? (A wave of red rock hues have been on my wishlist since the first time I saw Colorado National Monument, another quilting ambition one day...)

The easiest part of these choices will be the size. If I keep my project small, just like the challenge examples, I can always do more. And more, and more. I could even do a montage, if I like how they turn out. Or an artsy quilt installation. I could try to get back on the exhibition track.

Naaaaa. Let's just get the April challenge done for now! Gotta narrow down my choices:

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