Maybe for her first birthday?

             

   The last week of June 2015 I was on the phone with “Chantilly.”  The conversation went something like this:  “Nana, you know what Phe-Phe asked me?” 

                “No.” I replied, going along with the pretence.  After all, “Princess Phe-Phe” was only a day or so old.  I figured the Mama would know what the little one would want and interpret for me.

                “She told me,” Chantilly continued.  (I could hear the smile in her voice.) “that she would like for you to crochet her a pink blanket.” 

                “Really?  Well, since she asked so nicely, how can I say no?”

                Unfortunately, I’ve been slow in getting this project done.  Although I wanted to get started straight away, it was August before I made it to the Haberdashery shop to buy yarn.  It took me a while to find a pattern on-line.  So now that now that Phe-Phe is six months old, I figure it’s time to move this project up on the priority list.  

                 The square on the right is what the finished block looks like.  After they are all that size, I will sew them together into a blanket.  

 

                The link to the pattern is here:  http://www.allfreecrochet.com/Baby-Afghan-Crochet-Patterns/Baby-Blocks-Blanket-from-Bernat

                 

                 After I bake an applesauce cake, I’m going to park on the couch and keep my crochet hook busy.  At the rate I'm going, it might be for her first birthday! 

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,

“Lady Helene”

A 2007 Wedding Project

My oldest step-daughter, "Lacy Chantilley" married "Mr Biz" on 14th July 2007.  Of course, there is a lot to organise for a wedding.  She looked and looked for ring bearer pillows.  She found something, but it was beyond the budget.  Since I can sew, I told her that I'd make some for her--as she wanted two.  Her colours were pink and white.  

I took inventory of what I had on hand, finding a pink sheet that would work--and  I set to work.  She wanted a heart-shaped pillow.  The great thing about a pillow is that there are very few tricky measurements needed.  

To make the pattern, I made a nine-inch square.  Then, using a 9-inch cake tin, I traced a circle.  I cut the circle in half, taped them onto two adjacent sides and "ta-da" a heart-shaped pattern.  

I decided that the best way to do things was to make two pillows, then make two covers.  That required making another pattern so that the cover would have a slit in the back in order to put the cover onto the pillows.  The partial pattern can be seen here at the top.

I cut out six heart-shaped patterns and four of the "split" heart patterns. 

I sewed the pillows together.  Then I nipped and trimmed the round tops of the heart so that the pillows would lie flat and smooth once they were turned.  I also cut the tip at the bottom for the same reason.  

I left a small opening on one side.  This opening is where I would pull it right side out and then place the stuffing in.

Before turning the cusion, I pressed the seams open.  

I placed my thumb into the opening, then gathered the pillow down to the point of the heart.  I chose to start by pulling out the tip of the heart, because it would be the hardest part to get tight and smooth in the turning process.  

I guess I would call this turning process "leading with the point."  Hopefully you can see the right side and point coming out.

Here is the pillow right side out and pressed.  At this point I filled the cushion with some polyester pillow/cusion filling fiber/stuffing.  I tried to make the pillows very firm, pushing in as much fiber as I could.

Since my machine is a basic zigzag machine, there are no attachments to put on embellishments.  This meant I had to find a solution to embroidering their names and wedding date onto the front.  Then I remembered that I had some iron-on transfer sheets.  

I went into Microsoft Publisher, typed the wording I wanted and then Flipped it.  This was important because without creating the mirror image, their names and wedding date would have been applied onto the pillow backward.  Iron-on transfer sheets allow a person to create personalised iron-on designs.  The sheets are then fed into a printer one at a time.  The sheets also come with instructions on how to apply the iron-ons, how long to use the heat and what temperature settings.  But always remember to use a dry iron.  

I also used iron-on adhesive to apply the lace to the front of the cushion covers.  I did this before I sewed the cusion covers together.  

The pattern for the split side/back of the cushion had to overlap to make sure the covers fits properly.  At this point I stitched the straight edges first.  

 

Then I attached the lace around the edges of the front, folding the lace inward, toward the right side.  Once it was all pinned, I pressed everything and then sewed the lace down.  

Then I attached the two-piece back onto the front, right sides together.  Then I sewed the back and front together.  Once again, I turned the covers and gave them a good pressing with the iron.

 

 And this is the finished result.  To make sure she had something blue on the day, I added a little blue ribbon for tieing the rings on--and also little bells.  "Lacy Chantilly" was very pleased with the results.  She told me that she'll keep them forever.  That is a true compliment, and is sincerely appreicated.  

These were fairly easy to make, and I hope to make more.  After all, I have two more step-daughters to get married!

Serving Jesus, Author of our faith--"Lady Helene"

December Days in a Daze...

     Truly, I intended to write a lot during December...like writing about the gifts I was making; experimental craft projects; the result of my appointment with the Rheumatologist and of course, Christmas.  Now, not only is December almost over...so is 2010!  

     Around the first week of December, whilst cooking dinner, I heard Midnight Man's mobile cock-a-doodle-do.  This Rooster-Song is the quirky, yet highly identifiable ring tone Midnight Man has chosen for his portable mode of communication.  The caller was his oldest daughter, T-Girl.  She had a favour to ask--would me mind having her two oldest sons--Grandsons M & K--for a week during their school holidays?  Mmmmm...okay, why not?  This gave me a couple of weeks to consider what to do with two rambunctious boys (ages 13 and 11.5).  Well, given my tiredness, they might have to deal with Nana D taking a nap everyday!!! 

      In the meantime, I did a little knitting--trying to make good use of the time to make some Christmas presents.  I made a valiant effort...meaning I got three pairs of mini-mittens knitted but got overwhelmed with the idea of needing to knit another 14 pairs!  And they are tiny!  The photo shows the three pair I did get done laying next to a 12 inch/30 cm ruler!  So, I've decided that I have a start on next year's Christmas gifts.    

      The idea is that each year for all 14 of the grandchildrens' Christmas Presents I will make at least two or three ornaments--each marked  with the year and each child's name on it.  I haven't been as successful as I would like.  However, I have managed a few years to achieve my goal.  The teddy bears were the 2008 project.  Each teddy was hand-painted with the favorite colour of each grandchild.  The name and year was marked on the back.  This way they have a keepsake to take with them for their own Christmases in the future.

      

     Another thing I've had to learn this December is how to put a group of photos into a Microsoft Publisher file, save it  as a JPEG File Interchange Format in order to insert it into the blog.  If I want more than one image, then I must make a photo montage with several photos on a document that can be saved in a JPEG format, thereby creating a single and insert-able image. Trying to maneuver an inserted image in this blog -creating -mode is limited to the optional commands the website gives me.  So, this led me to experiment and find a new way to use publisher and also accomplish my objectives.

    

     The teddy bears are made out of a non-edible dough made with flour, salt and water.  You roll it out like roll-out cookies.  The link to the recipe is here:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Dough-Ornament-Recipe/Detail.aspx  I used acrylic paint to decorate them.  

     If I think about why I make the ornaments, there are at least a couple of reasons.  Perhaps the most obvious is that both Midnight Man and I are unemployed due to illness.  So we must be wise with our resources.  With four grown children, their spouses/spouses-to-be and 14 grandchildren, buying Christmas presents requires a create deal of creativity.  We could shop year-round when we find good deals...but then we don't have the space to store things.  

     Another reason I like to make gifts is that I am giving of my time to create something unique for each person or family. I am constantly praying for each person while I'm working on a project.  I am not just giving them from my hands, I am also giving something of who I am, reflecting back to them the love they give me.  

     Making things with family creates memories--which can be a real treasure.  By making a point of making things each year, I am also creating a tradition.  Traditions can be boring--but they can also become anchors that create stability for us in an ever changing world.  Imagine the first time you were away from home at Christmas.  Singing along with songs you sang with your parents, siblings and close friends hopefully made you feel less alone.

    It was a Christmas in the 1970's that started a tradition between Grandma Cox and me.  Grandma Cox was my mother's mom.  Grandma made a set of feather pillows for my older brother, my younger sister and me.  Along with each set of feather pillows, she handmade pillow shams from old flour bags, embroidering each case with special designs, and trimming them with hand-made lace she had crocheted.  I was so excited by those pillow cases, my grandmother made a set for me each year until she died.  I still have these pillow cases.  Each time I use them, I feel touched by her hands.  I am now trying to replicate that type of tradition--and hope my "Step-" family feel their lives touched by the love I invest in what I make for them. 

      So, that kind of covers the topic of making gifts.  I hope that I will complete some of my experiments and give you some interesting blogs in the future.  

      Regarding the result of my appointment with the Rheumatologist, I am happy to report that my body is clear of any rheumatic complaints or conditions.  All along I had believed this to be the case.  However, after the New Year, I'm going to pursue seeing and Endocrinologist.  I have a reasonable amount of energy each day--provided I get at least 10 hours of sleep a night.  The Rheumatologist recommended light exercises, such as Pilate's.  I have two videos to work with...so hopefully I will get motivated with that soon.  

     My time with Grandson M and Grandson K deserve a blog of their own...and I will be writing more soon.