Drop Dead Fred

My thumb is brown after all. :(

Whoever said you can't kill a succulent has never met me.

He was doing so well. I managed to keep him alive for 10 whole months with only minor mishap. He even had a little bud at the base of his stem. Life was good for Fred. But the move out here proved to be his demise. Well, not the move itself actually, it was me, I'm a horticultural murderess.

When we arrived in Ohio on Saturday afternoon 3 weeks ago all I wanted to do was escape from my cramped quarters in the backseat of Cyndi's Lancer. But in doing so, I left my healthy green companion sitting in the back window of the car, and thus subject to the heat of the car on a hot summer day. My absent mindedness cooked (literally) my poor little friend.

R.I.P. Fred, you will be missed :(

Moving Vans, Beef Lo Mein, & Birthday Cake

The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. ~ Lucille Ball

There have been lots of happenings lately on the Left Side of Crochet. First of all, our stint in Missouri came to an abrupt end a few weeks ago. To quote Popeye, "That's all [we] can stands, and [we] can't stands no more."

In short, the economy got the better of us.

So we packed up our gear, (including over 20 boxes of yarn!) and started heading East. We came to rest in a quaint little town in NE Ohio situated right on Lake Erie. It has that perfect little hometown feel. Not too slow as to be boring, but not too bustling as to feel frenzied.

It wasn't a random pick. We chose the area, #1, because it's a factory town with plenty of jobs for the taking, and #2 (and most importantly), because it is where my youngest daughter lives.

It's so incredibly good to have the family together again!

And just in time for my special day...

Surf & Turf

Chain a multiple of 15 + 2

Row 1: dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each of next 2 ch, *[skip next 3 ch, (4 dc, ch 1, 4 dc) in next ch (shell made), skip next 3 ch], dc in each of next 8 ch, rep from * across to last 11 ch, rep between [ ] once more, dc in last 4 ch, ch 3, turn.

Row 2: dc in each of next 3 sts, *[ch 3, skip next 4 sts, sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, skip next 4 sts], dc in each of next 8 sts, rep from * across to last shell, rep between [ ] once more, dc in last 4 sts, ch 3, turn.

Row 3: dc in each of next 3 sts, *[skip next ch 3 sp, (4 dc, ch 1, 4 dc) in next st, skip next ch 3 sp], dc in each of next 8 sts, rep from * across to last shell, rep between [ ] once more, dc in last 4 sts, ch 3, turn.

Row 4: dc in each of next 3 sts, *[ch 3, skip next 4 sts, sc in next ch 1 sp, ch 3, skip next 4 sts], dc in each of next 8 sts, rep from * across to last shell, rep between [ ] once more, dc in last 4 sts, ch 3, turn.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 to desired size.


You can see my previous blog post about this stitch pattern here.

Majesty Square

Finished Size: 12 inches square

Materials: Worsted Weight Yarn: approximately 2 ounces in each color A, and color B*; US size "H" hook; tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

*In example shown Red Heart Super Saver in Lavender was used for color A, and Red Heart Super Saver in Soft White was used for color B


With color A ch 5, sl st in 5th ch from hook to form loop

Round 1: ch 3, [2 dc, ch 2, (3 dc, ch 2) 3 times] in loop, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3.

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

Round 3: ch 2, dc next 2 sts together, *ch 3, skip next ch 2 sp, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next sc, ch 3, skip next ch 2 sp, dc next 3 sts together (cluster made), rep from * twice more, ch 3, skip next ch 2 sp, (sc, ch 3, sc) in next sc, ch 3, skip next ch 2 sp, skip beg ch 2, sl st in top of next st to join, fasten off.

Round 4: Skip next ch 3 sp, join color B with sc in next ch 3 sp, *ch 2, skip next ch 3 sp, (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in next st, ch 2, skip next ch 3 sp, sc in next ch 3 sp, rep from * twice more, ch 2, skip next ch 3 sp, (4 dc, ch 2, 4 dc) in next st, ch 2, skip next ch 3 sp, join with sl st in beg sc.

Round 5: ch 3, *2 dc in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 4 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 4 sts, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, dc in next st, rep from * twice more, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 4 sts, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, dc in each of next 4 sts, 2 dc in next ch 2 sp, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3, fasten off.

Round 6: Join color A with sl st in any ch 2 sp, ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *(ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts) twice, ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 3 sts, (ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts) twice, ch 1, skip next st**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, rep from * three times more ending last repeat at **, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3.

Round 7: ch 3, dc in next st, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, (dc in each of next 2 sts, ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp) three times, dc in each of next 3 sts**, (ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts) three times, rep from * three times more ending last repeat at **, (ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts) twice, ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3, fasten off.

Round 8: Join color B with sl st in any ch 2 sp, ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *dc in each of next 4 sts, dc in next ch 1 sp, (dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in next ch 1 sp) twice, dc in each of next 3 sts, dc in next ch 1 sp, (dc in each of next 2 sts, dc in next ch 1 sp) twice, dc in each of next 4 sts**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, rep from * three times more ending last repeat at **, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3, fasten off.

Round 9: Join color A with sl st in any ch 2 sp, ch 3, (dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in same sp, *(ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts) four times, ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 3 sts, (ch 1, skip next st, dc in each of next 2 sts) four times, ch 1, skip next st**, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, rep from * three times more ending last repeat at **, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3.

Round 10: ch 3, dc in next st, *(2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp, (dc in each of next 2 sts, ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp) five times, dc in each of next 3 sts**, (ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts) five times, rep from * three times more ending last repeat at **, (ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, dc in each of next 2 sts) four times, ch 1, skip next ch 1 sp, join with sl st in top of beg ch 3, fasten off.



Pattern designed and written by April Moreland
© 2010 All rights reserved

Wordless Wednesday

2-D Butterfly

In honor of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust
Read more about The Butterfly Project


Materials: any weight yarn or thread (scrap amount in main color, 10 inch piece in contrasting color), hook size appropriate for yarn/thread used, tapestry needle for weaving in ends, fabric stiffener (optional)

Finished Size
Thread (shown above) with (US) size 7 steel hook: 2.5 inches x 1.75 inches (blocked)
Sport (3) with (US) size D hook: 3 inches x 2.25 inches (unblocked)
Worsted (4) with (US) size H hook: 4.75 inches x 3.5 inches (unblocked)

Special Stitches:
Picot: ch 3, sl st in 3rd ch from hook

ch 5, join with sl st in 5th ch from hook to form loop

Row 1: ch 3, dc in loop, [ch 1, 2 dc in loop] 5 times, turn. (12 dc)

Row 2: 5 dc in next ch 1 sp (shell made), shell in next ch 1 sp, sc in next ch 1 sp, shell in each of next 2 ch 1 sp, sl st in top of beg ch 3 from previous row, ch 1, turn. (4 shells)

Row 3: {dc, in next st, 2 tr in next st, (tr, picot, tr) in next st, 2 tr in next st, dc in next st} (upper wing made), sl st in sp between shells, [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, (dc, picot, dc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st] (lower wing made), sl st in next sc, rep between [ ] for second lower wing, sl st in sp between shells, rep between { } for second upper wing, sl st in same st as last dc made. Fasten off, weave in ends.

FINISHING

1. Measure the center most portion of your butterfly from top to bottom (where the body would normally be on a butterfly. See Fig 1.) Fold contrasting color yarn or thread in half. Wrap folded yarn around center of butterfly from back to front. (see Fig 2) Tie an overhand knot close to top of butterfly as indicated in Fig 3.

2. Making sure not to twist the loop, place the folded piece around the center of the body and pull knot through the loop. (see Fig. 4) Trim antennae to desired length.

3. Stiffen as desired.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Fig. 3

Fig. 4

Made with Worsted Weight (4)

Made with Sport/Baby Weight (3)

Pattern designed and written by April Moreland
© 2010 All rights reserved

A Day at the Fair

Cyndi, Ben, and I spent this past Saturday splashing in the mud and playing with fiber! We visited the HFA Fiber Fair 2010 in Marshfield, Mo. It rained off and on most of the day but everything was in the pavilions so we stayed dry (for the most part) and had a blast! :)

We weren't there but about 3 or 4 minutes when a woman handed me a card and said, "You've won a door prize!" It was a lovely assortment of Goat's Milk bath products in a basket shaped like the state of Missouri, provided by Misty Woods ~ Home, Health, and Goat's Milk Products.


Next it was off to look at the craft tables and all the fiber goodies. There were so many gorgeous handmade items. And the yarns were so much fun to look at. I bought some hand dyed wool for Cyndi to play with:


And I got myself some pencil roving so I can try my hand at Kool-Aid dying and needle-felting:


Oh, and we picked up a couple of hot chicks too! (Pot holders) LOL


But the real reason we were there, at least as far as Ben was concerned, was to look at all the animals:

Little Lambs

Alpacas

Alpaca after shearing

And the most impressive: A lady spinning angora directly from the bunny while he's sitting on her lap. Sorry for the dark picture... the lighting was bad for that one. :(


After the fair we went up to Springfield to visit A New Yarn (my favorite LYS!) where I bought some Noro Silk Garden to make myself a new bag. :)


Well, we were exhausted when we got home but it was totally worth it! We will definitely be going to the fair again next year! :)