Category: Crochet and crafting

any items related to crocheting or crafting

Pleasant Surprise

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

One of my faculty goes to Sweden with students.  I told her to bring me back some Swedish yarn, just a skein, nothing big.  I love yarn and it’s nice to touch what is available in other parts of the world. 

She is back and brought me a bag of yarn.  There is probably thirty skeins of yarn in this bag.  All of the writing on the yarn is in Swedish which is interesting.  Yet there are things I can still figure out.  On one skein there is a notation that it is 50 G which equals so many meters.  If I want to equate that with something I understand all I have to do is convert it to yards or feet from meters. 

Apparently one of her contacts over there just gave her the yarn.  She also gave her patterns which again I can’t read but there are some parts of it I can.  A couple of the patterns have graphs which I can read, the rest there is no way.  I thought with it being crochet shorthand essentially, it would be similar but it isn’t.  I’ve learned something new because of it.

To Sharon – thank you for the yarn.  It was a bright spot in my day.  To the Swedish person who gave her the yarn – wow how generous and kind!  Thank you. 

This proves my point that crafters everywhere are good people!

Yes, I do more than just crochet… sometimes….

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Yesterday sucked for pain but today is better fortunately.  I can at least close my hands today.  I’ve created a new pattern for a dish towel I like.  I have also found a basket pattern I really like.  Now all I have to do is have my hands able to crochet. 

Friday I go see John Edward.  He is a psychic who I’ve followed for at least ten years.  I’ve enjoyed his television shows and his newsletters.  I splurged and spent a lot of money on a ticket to go see him while he is in Milwaukee.  It will be interesting to see him speak in person and see if I get a reading of any sort.

Aside from that, this weekend will be about prepping for the girls to come home for my niece’s reception.  I am hoping to progress further on Virginia’s afghan.  Her yarn is such that I have to keep tight tension on it while I work.  This is tough on my hands which is why I’ve not been working on it.  I’m hoping to make progress this weekend. 

Work is finally settling back in to the normal chaos with registration issues calming.  It’s nice to go in and be able to get other things done instead of just troubleshooting registration issues for nine hours a day. 

Now I can turn my attention to Virginia’s afghan and two novels I’m working on.  I was hoping to have her afghan done by next week but unless I get very lucky, I don’t see that happening.  My backup plan is to have it done by the time we go visit them.  That way, I can take it to her and not worry about shipping it.  I’m in love with the material and the pattern.  It will be gorgeous when it’s done.  This weekend I’m going to listen to an audio book and focus on getting it done even if it means I have to soak my hands in hot water to loosen them up. 

I’m also hoping the weather is nice enough I can wander onto my deck and enjoy our backyard a bit.  I’d love to take some crocheting or even my journal out there to just sit and enjoy the quiet.  Hopefully it’s quiet, our neighbors just put in a trampeline so I guess it depends on whether they are out there as well. 

This spring has been cool in Wisconsin.  We’ve had a couple of days that are nicer but this week we’re having mid 50s and the nights are in the 30s.  While not uncommon for April, it is playing havoc on my arthritis especially when we have precipitation go through. 

Busy Saturday

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

Friday night, Ken and I went to Michael’s.  They had a sale on sugar n cream crochet cotton.  It was wonderful in that I got a lot of yarn at little cost.  I had a 20% all items coupon which made the great deal even better.  With tax, I paid about 82 cents per skein which is a huge saving because this yarn is normally 2 – 2.5 a skein.
I have already made one thing from it.  I found a pattern for a basket I like.  It turned out really well except that I learned we picked up scented yarn.  I’ve always avoided this yarn because scents tend to set off my asthma.  I was right in that this one did as well.  It turned out really nicely though and after taking an allergy med I didn’t feel quite so awful.

From the scraps of the basket, I started a trivet for Vicki.  She wants several so I just kept working with the variegated (not the scented) and started the trivet.  It is made completely from scraps.  It was a quick and easy project.

In addition to these two smaller projects, I finished the graduation gift for my student worker.  No pictures for now as she hasn’t gotten it yet.  I like how it turned out and hope she will as well.

I started a skirt for a friend but as I’m looking at what I’ve done, I’m not thrilled with it.  I have an idea in my head and will probably be tearing it out to try to make the project match what’s in my head.

I also started a dishtowel which I hope to finish this morning.  This is also made from scraps.  I just keep tying on a new little ball when I run out of yarn.  My middle daughter has asked for several new dishtowels, this will be the first to use up some of my scraps.  I also have actual full skeins she bought so I’ll be using those as well over time.

I finished reading both Cast in Peril by Michele Sagara and Remember When by Nora Roberts and JD Robb.  I’ve gotten the audio books for the next in each series on my fire.  I’ve been flipping back and forth between audio and text.  When I’m crocheting, I listen.  When I’m too tired to crochet, I’ll pick up the book and skim through the books.  It goes faster and I can skip the parts that annoy me.  Cast in Peril this was key in.  Love Sagara’s writing and her Cast in series but Peril was just tedious and not really a complete story.  I hear that the next one – Cast in Sorrow is the same way.  I’ll see what my tolerance level is for it.  I might end up skimming through parts of it as well.

I also downloaded Divided in Death.  Having just finished the short story, I’m trying to decide if I listened to the other two short stories before this.  I’m going to have to go look.  I don’t think I did.  That means I may have to just go through and do a quick read on both of them.  I’m trying to read her series in order including the short stories.  I’ll go back and catch these two up before I start the next one.

This should keep me busy for a bit and out of trouble – maybe.  I have a bridal shower to go to today so you never know what sort of mischief I’ll get up to.

Weekend Options

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life

The weekend looms in front of me with a large list of things to do.  It is pay week so that means all the normal errands.  In addition, I want to go to Michaels for their sale.  They are having a sale on crochet cotton which I use a great deal of.  It’s on sale for 97 cents.  I downloaded their app for my smart phone and got a 20% off my entire order coupon.  This means the crochet cotton will be about 78 cents a skein.  Normal price – anywhere from 1.97 to 2.50 or so.  It is a deal I can’t pass up.

I also have to go to the DMV to renew my license.  This promises to be an interesting event.  Ken is going to go with me.  Hopefully we can accomplish both this afternoon.  If we do, it will leave tomorrow for errands.

Sunday I’m going to my niece’s bridal shower.  I’m so happy for her.  I can’t wait for her to see the gift I made her.  I hope she likes it. 

It will be a busy weekend and yet in my head I’m planning out what else I might get done.  I am nearly done with my student worker’s wristers.  I hope to finish them tonight.  After they are done I’ll turn my attention back to my daughter’s afghan.  My hands aren’t as bent with arthritis.  I can actually make a fist and tighten it with only a small amount of pain.  Her project is not portable.  It will not travel well.  The yarn is delicate and fussy, though exceedingly beautiful. 

If I end up going around while Ken does errands, I’ll probably through a crochet project in a small bag and take it with me.  I have four going on right now and only two of them are overly portable.  Ironically I wouldn’t take any of the current ones with me.  I’d probably take the left over crochet cotton so I could work on trivets or dish towels. 

It promises to be a busy weekend and I’m hoping it will also be a productive one. 

Crochet Projects

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Last weekend when I was down by Vicki, I worked on crocheting things for her.  She has these pieces but I thought I’d show some of the pics I took of them.  She got a couple of dish towels.  One is pink, peach, yellow, and white.  The other is green, purple and white.  I love this pattern and it makes up in about an hour.  She wants a million more of these.  I told her I doubted I could make that many.

One of the stores we went to we picked up buttons as I wasn’t going to haul my little drawers of buttons down to add them to the towels.  The yellow one popped better than the others on the pink/peach one.  The purple stood out best on the other. I think they turned out nicely.

I had some bamboo thread in a lovely blue / turquoise color.  We bought a new book and there was a lovely pattern in there.  It was a trim book and I have enjoyed all the patterns I have done so far from it.  We saw an ad for the book in a magazine and the shawl they showed was beautiful but of course the pattern wasn’t in the magazine so we had to go buy the book.

Vicki wanted some trivets.  The blue/tan one is the pattern she had me make while I was down there.  It was a complicated and annoying pattern.  I told her if she wanted more of that specific pattern she was out of luck.  However, if she was willing to let me make my own pattern, I would be willing to make her more.  She was and I did which is the purple, blue, yellow and green picture.  I’ve got the pattern for sale on my web site.  I think it turned out nicely.  I want to play with different designs on the part that stands up.

Once I was back, a friend of mine said she was looking for light weight scarves for spring.  I had one of these done and the second I made up for her quickly.

The pink one is a long chain of ribbon which is textured.  She tried it as a scarf in a variety of styles and then tried it as a belt.  I think it will be versatile for her.

This weekend I’ve managed to get a lot of my book work done at my computer in my office.  I paid for the time at the desk yesterday with being in pain last night.  I updated a website for a friend this morning and did more book work today.  My legs don’t hurt as much today so perhaps I won’t have as hard of a time tonight.

It feels good to get a lot of things off my to do list.  I feel like I was productive and accomplished things I needed to.  I feel like I’ve finally caught up.  It is a weight off my mind and now I can work on other things – like Virginia’s afghan.

Easy Trivet Crochet Pattern

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Life, Writing

Last night I spent a bit of time working on a revamp of a pattern Vicki liked and I hated.  She likes the way it looks and I hated the pattern.  The end result – a new pattern written.  Ironically, I was all I don’t want a new phone.  I don’t need a smart phone and yet the smart phone helped me get to the point where I could publish this pattern.  I used the note app to write the pattern as I worked.  I used the camera to take pictures of the project.  It turned out nicely and will be available for sale on Amazon and Smashwords today.

This trivet is three dimensional so it cushions your hot pan from your table.  Quick and easy, bright and cheerful, this pattern offers an alternative to a hot pad and a way to use up scrap yarn.  Made with crochet cotton, it is durable, practical and pretty.

Go to my web site to check it out

http://eileentroemel.weebly.com/

End of Crafting Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting, Writing

I’m back from my long weekend of crocheting with my daughter.  I got some stuff done and definitely organized a bunch of other things but I didn’t accomplish as much as I wanted to.  I have two shawls started for her and one I’m hoping to finish this week.

Tonight has been recovery from driving.  I’ve got my feet up but still in a bit of pain from the drive.  I’m trying to stay awake so I can take a second dose of Tylenol before I go to sleep.

It was great to sit at my daughter’s apartment and work.  I got some stuff done but the time with her was wonderful.  I thoroughly enjoyed my time with her.

She had all sorts of goodies for me including the softest most scrumptious afghan she knitted.  It is absolutely lovely.  I LOVE it.  She also made me a shawl and wristers and spoiled me thoroughly.

Now it is back to the regular schedule.  Spring break is over on Monday and I’ll be facing advising issues as well as registration issues which starts next Monday.  It will be a busy month for April.  I have a lot of work to get done for writing and crocheting.

My niece is getting married the beginning of May and my daughters are all going to be home for it.  This in and of itself will be wonderful but I want to have my oldest daughter’s afghan worked on so I can show her it – maybe finish it (it is complicated not holding my breath on that one).

I have two novels I’m working on and hope to finish sooner rather than later but you just never know how the creative flow is going to go.  However, my day job is going to be stressful and busy for the next few weeks with registration so crocheting is generally a better option.

It feels like this year is flying by and I don’t have nearly enough time to get all the things done I want to.  We are already at the end of March, a quarter of the year is gone.  How does this happen so quickly?

It doesn’t matter, I’m just going to work on balancing all the things I have going on.  Bridal shower, wedding, daughters visiting, us traveling, and so much more.  It’s all good.  I just have to keep it all straight and balanced… don’t worry I’m not holding my breath on it… just doing the best I can.

Second Day for Crocheting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Vicki went to work this morning leaving me at her apartment.  I worked on a trivet for her.  The concept of the pattern was pretty and nice.  The execution of the pattern – miserable.  I liked the technique was good but the pattern was poorly written.  I had to read sections multiple times.

She came home for lunch and we ran errands in the afternoon.  Joann’s, eye doctor, grocery store, Walgreens and home for supper.  Joann’s was wonderful (of course) and her grocery store has a wonderful craft section where we found some amazing yarn.  We also got these great new bags which will be great for carrying craft projects around in.

This evening I worked on a scarf for her.  We were both tired though and she crashed early.  I dozed, being too tired to work long on the scarf.

Tomorrow, she has a few errands she wants to run.  While she’s gone, I’m going to work on the scarf and whatever else I feel like.  I’m looking forward to a full day of crocheting.  I’ll share pictures when I get home and can download them.  She’s definitely spoiled.  

First Day of Crafting

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

I made it to my daughter’s with no traffic issues at all.  I stopped and got gas and of course the next three places I saw were all less expensive.  We talked till 2 in the morning.

At her work, I sat and crocheted while she worked.  I finished one dish towel and started another.  I am hoping to finish it before we go back to her apartment.  I don’t have buttons for them but we are going to Joann’s tomorrow.

We went out to lunch and in the same mall, there was a Michaels.  She still had over 30 minutes before she had to be back so we went to look at yarn.  I got some on sale and a crochet magazine which she grabbed before I could look at it and tagged it already.

I have the material to make her one more dish towel and will try to finish those tonight.   Tonight we are going through all the yarn she has claiimed and I plan to make a detailed list of what she wants from each yarn.  

She fed me lunch and now I just want a nap.  She’s offered her keys for me to go back to her apartment but that just seems silly.  I will either put my head down on her desk and nap or I will be a good mom and work on her dish towel.

When I got here she had goodies for me and I LOVE the blanket she made me.  Apparently people have offered to take it and I said absolutely not.  Well okay I said fuck no and if they try I’ll chop off their hands (it is that nice of a blanket).

Hopefully tonight will be an earlier night but I’m not holding my breath.  We always stay up late talking.

Craft Weekend

by eileentroemel, posted in Crochet and crafting

Tonight I’m running away from home.  Okay I’m driving to my middle daughter’s apartment and spending the next four days with her.  My task – take all the yarn with me she has claimed, organize what she wants done with it and start getting some of the stuff done. 

This weekend we plan to watch movies – like the Jane Austin movies – and work on crocheting for me and knitting for her.  I’m looking forward to it.  Ken has opted out of the crafting weekend.  He didn’t seem overly interested in hanging out while we watched these movies or while we crafted. 

I think my gout has backed off enough I’ll be able to make the drive.  I may have to take things easy tomorrow but I’m hoping no ill effects from the trip. 

My schedule is crazy busy over the next few weeks.  I have a bridal shower and wedding reception to go to for my niece.  The girls are all coming home for the reception.  This will be WONDERFUL!!!  I can’t wait to have them all in my house for a few days.

I have three books I want to publish which will be a weekend of work at the computer desk in my office and then planning and plotting how I’m going to promote each of them. 

It is going to be hectic and crazy but wonderful.  I can’t wait.  I made gifts for my niece and I hope she will like them.  I’m pretty sure she will. 

Once I’m back from the middle daughter’s I’ll be turning my attention to my oldest daughter’s afghan that I promised her.  I would like to have it done before she visits or at the very least before we go visit her later this year.  It will be my focus.  I also have to schedule time with a friend to whom I promised a gift.

Plus I’ve got two novels I’m working on.  I’m going to have to schedule my time.  Once I’m back I think I’ll spend a week (provided writing doesn’t insist on being done) listening to books and crocheting.  Hopefully that will get me through a chunk of the afghan.  Then I’ll be able to determine how much time the afghan will take me.