Sunday, August 30, 2009

Kahlil Gibran

I'm feeling rather philosophical tonight. I first read Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet about 10 years ago. It was such an inspiring piece of literature for me and truly helped me through a very rough patch in my life. He speaks of life, faith, and religion in a manner that applies to all paths. I highly encourage everyone to read the poem in its entirety.

Below is an excerpt. It's my favorite passage. :)

~~~

On Joy and Sorrow
Kahlil Gibran

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?
And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits, alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.
Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.
When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

F1

I'm not usually so inept when it comes to the computer. Uggg...

I joined Facebook because it was recommended by a crochet designers only group that I belong to. "It's a great way to promote yourself as a designer" they said. WTF!? I have yet to figure out what designing and crochet have to do with Facebook!

Honestly, when I first heard about it I thought it was a blog site of sorts. Somewhere more "happenin" than Blogger (sorry blogger...)

But that doesn't seem to be the case. If it's a blog site, I have yet to figure out how to use that function. In fact, I have yet to figure out anything about the site other than how to log in, and how to click "accept" when someone wants to be my friend... And boy do I get plenty of those requests!

For it seems you see, that when I signed up, Facebook notified the entire known universe because people started crawling out of the woodwork to add me as a "friend". I have a good selection of friends so far, mostly people I know from my groups. And I'm seeing stuff about playing games, and someone gave me an orange tree?

No offense... I just don't "get" it.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Heat Wave


Finished size: 12 inches

MATERIALS
Approx. 4 ounces worsted weight yarn (Light Coral used for example)
US size "I" hook
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends

Gauge: Rnds 1-3 = 4 1/2 inches

PATTERN NOTES: dc next 2 sts tog = yo, insert hook in next st, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook in next st, yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook.

ch 4

Round 1: 15 dc in 4th ch from hook, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3. (16 dc)

Round 2: ch 2, dc in next st (beg dc dec made), ch 3, (dc next 2 sts tog, ch 3) 7 times, join with sl st in top of beg dc dec. (8 ch 3 sps, 8 dc dec)

Round 3: sl st into next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in same sp, ch 1, (5 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 1) 7 times, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3. (8 ch 1 sps, 40 dc)

Round 4: ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, skip next 3 sts, *hdc in next st, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 1 sp, hdc in next st, ch 3, skip next 3 sts, sc in next st, sc in next ch 1 sp, sc in next st, ch 3, skip next 3 sts, rep from * twice more, hdc in next st, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 1 sp, hdc in next st, ch 3, skip next 3 sts, sc in next st, sc in next ch 1 sp, join with sl st in beg sc. (8 ch 3 sps, 12 sc)

Round 5: ch 3, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, dc in each of next 3 sts, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 3 sts, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, dc in each of next 3 sts, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, dc in each of next 3 sts, rep from * twice more, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 3 sts, 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts, join with sl st in beg ch 3. (76 dc)

Round 6: sl st in each of next 2 sts, ch 1, sc in same st, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) twice, *(sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, sc in next st, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) 6 times, rep from * twice more, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, sc in next st, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) 3 times, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, join with sl st in beg sc. (28 ch 2 sps)

Round 7: sl st into next ch 2 sp, ch 2, dc in same sp, ch 2, [yo, insert hook in next ch 2 sp, yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook in same sp, yo, draw up loop, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook, yo, draw through 3 loops on hook (cluster made)], ch 2, skip next st, dc in next st, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in next st, (ch 2, cluster in next ch 2 sp) 6 times, ch 2, skip next st, dc in next st, rep from * twice more, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in next st, (ch 2, cluster in next ch 2 sp) 4 times, ch 2, join with sl st in top of beg dc. (32 ch 2 sps, 24 cluster sts)

Round 8: sl st into next ch 2 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, 3 dc in next ch 2 sp, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts, skip next st, (3 dc in next ch 2 sp) 7 times, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts, rep from * twice more, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts, skip next st, (3 dc in next ch 2 sp) 5 times, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3. (116 dc)

Round 9: sl st into next st, ch 1, sc in same sp, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) twice, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, *(sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) nine times, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, rep from * twice more, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, (ch 2, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st) six times, ch 2, skip next 2 sts, join with sl st in beg sc. (44 ch 2 sps)

Round 10: sl st into next ch 2 sp, ch 1, sc in same sp, (ch 2, sc in next ch 2 sp) twice, ch 2, *(sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, (ch 2, sc in next ch 2 sp) ten times, ch 2, rep from * twice more, (sc, ch 2, sc) in next ch 2 sp, (ch 2, sc in next ch 2 sp) seven times, ch 2, join with sl st in beg sc. (48 ch 2 sps)

Round 11: sl st into next ch 2 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same space, 3 dc in each of next 2 ch 2 spaces, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, 3 dc in each of next 11 ch 2 sps, rep from * twice more, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, 3 dc in each of next 8 ch 2 sps, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3, fasten off, weave in ends. (148 dc)

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Pattern designed and written by April Moreland
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