Free on Friday: Sweet Embroidery Patterns

I always love it when I find a cute FREE embroidery pattern. I recently ran into this one on Pinterest and wanted to share it. Thanks to Rhonda Hetzel and her Down to Earth blog. Rhonda's creativity is a blessing for the rest of us!

Review: Crafter's Secret Yarn

I'm trying out a new worsted weight cotton yarn: "Crafter's Secret." This is the proprietary brand of yarn for Hobby Lobby. I know it isn't new to some of you. Hobby Lobby created this label three or four years ago. But each Hobby Lobby store is different in what they choose to carry. It appears to be up to the buyer for that store and they aren't required to carry their own brand of yarn exclusively. I didn't notice that my local Hobby Lobby stores were stocking "Crafter's Secret" yarn until recently. So this brand is new to my workbasket.

I'm liking it, generally, and will buy it again. It feels just a tad thinner that my usual "Sugar and Cream" by Lily or the "Peaches and Creme" that I often pick up at Walmart. It has a definite thinner feel than Lion Brand cotton. Of course it is still worsted weight, meaning that it is 4 ply. But it just seems a tiny bit thinner overall. Because of different fibers and spinning techniques, there can be a difference between one kind of worsted weight yarn and another, even though the ounces and yardage on the label say the same thing. I like the thinner feel in my hook and a slightly thinner fabric, but that is truly a subjective opinion.

I don't like not being able to count on colors being regularly available. It may be a local issue, but it seems that even online I am unable to count on a wide color selection. Right now, online at Hobby Lobby's website, there is no blue to be had. That's unfortunate.

The yarn is made in Turkey. I'm okay with that. The blog has a number of readers who are from Turkey. There is a long-standing fiber handcrafting tradition in that country as well as women who have a similar tradition to the hope chest. While I prefer to buy from companies who support our domestic product and manufacturing, I also admit that I don't understand all the reasons a company would choose not to. I recognize that it is a complicated issue. I can live with a product produced in Turkey. Just FYI, "Sugar and Cream" and "Peaches and Creme" are manufactured in Canada, which is a little closer to home, and Lion Brand "Kitchen Cotton" is made in the USA.

The color shown is #116, a variegated yarn called "Classic Print." The ball is 2 oz. (27gms) and measures 95 yards (86 meters). It is 100% cotton. Made in Turkey. The regular price is $2.29. And, just so you know, there is no complimentary pattern on the back of the label. What a shame.

Do any of you have a particular preference for kitchen cotton yarn?

Tutorial: Ruffly Dish Scrubby

I really like the vintage dish scrubby that I posted about here. However, that pattern calls for thread and is so ruffly that the scrubby has a hard time drying. If you try to make the pattern with a worsted weight cotton yarn, you'll end up with a HUGE problem. (See this funny post on a website called Pinstrosity!) [edit--and this one in response to this post-km] I still like the idea of the ruffly scrubby so I rewrote the pattern to better fit the more common thicker yarn. The scrubby is a little less ruffly than the original but still cute and, more importantly, better able to dry out before mildew sets in. I have made a number of these now and enjoy using them. I think they are just the right size. Just hang the scrubby over the faucet to dry.

Materials: worsted weight cotton yarn (such as Peaches and Cream) and a size "H" hook. I used two colors, but you can use just one if you wish.You can see that I've used all the leftover bits from the crocheted dishcloths made for the Retro Set.

Chain 8 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 3. (counts as first dc now and throughout) Make (dc, ch 1) 21 times in the ring. Join with a slip stitch in top of ch 3 at beginning of round. You should have 22 dc and 22 ch-1 spaces.

Round 2: Chain 3. Make (dc, ch 1) in the first ch-1 space. (this is the space between the beginning ch-3 and the next dc stitch). (Dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1) in each ch-1 space around. Join with a slip stitch in top of ch-3 at beginning of round. (44 dc) and (44 ch-1 spaces)

Because you are doubling the number of stitch groups you put into the spaces, you are beginning to see a bit of ruffling in the fabric. That's just what you want!

Round 3: Ch 3. (dc, ch 1) in first ch-1 space. (Dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1) in each ch-1 space around. Join with slip stitch in top of ch-3 at beginning of round. You should finish this round with 88 dc and 88 ch-1 spaces. Fasten off with  this color and weave in the ends. In this picture you can more clearly see the ch-3 "rise" at the beginning of the round. This ch-3 is the partner to the single dc in the first space. Every other space in the round should have a (dc, ch-1, dc, ch-1) group of stitches.

Each round doubles the number of stitches, creating the cute ruffly effect. It might get a little awkward as the yarn starts to fill up your hand. Just keep pushing it all to the side and keep going.

Edging Round: Cast on in any ch-1 space with the contrasting color and chain 4.*sc in the next ch-1 space. Ch 4. Repeat from * all around. (88 sc and 88 ch-4). Join with a slip stitch in the bottom of the beginning chain 4. Fasten off.

Hanger: Attach the contrasting colored yarn to original loop between stitches. Chain 9.

Join with a slip stitch around the original loop (between the stitches) on the opposite of the hole.

Turn and slip stitch in each chain of the hanger, reinforcing along the length. Fasten off. Tie the ends and then weave them in. Finished.

Here is the pattern without the tutorial breaks.

Ruffly Dish Scrubby
Materials: worsted weight cotton yarn (such as Peaches and Cream) and a size "H" hook

Chain 8 and join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Round 1: Ch 3. (counts as first dc now and throughout) Make (dc, ch 1) 21 times in the ring. Join with a slip stitch in top of ch 3 at beg. of round. 22 dc and 22 ch-1 sp.
Round 2: Ch 3. (dc, ch 1) in the first ch-1 space. Make (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1) in each ch-1 space around. Join with a slip stitch in top of ch-3 at beg. of round. 44 dc and 44 ch-1 sp.
Round 3: Ch 3. (dc, ch 1) in first ch-1 space. Make (dc, ch 1, dc, ch 1) in each ch-1 space around. Join with slip stitch in top of ch-3 at beginning of round. 88 dc and 88 ch-1 sp. Fasten off with  this color and weave in the ends.
Edging Round: Cast on in any ch-1 space with the contrasting color and chain 4.*sc in the next ch-1 space. Ch 4. Repeat from * all around. (88 sc and 88 ch-4). Join with a slip stitch in the bottom of the beginning chain 4. Fasten off.
Hanger: Attach the contrasting colored yarn to original loop between stitches. Chain 9. Join with a slip stitch around the original loop (between the stitches) on the opposite of the hole. Turn and slip stitch in each chain of the hanger, reinforcing along the length. Fasten off. Tie the ends and weave in.

Oh Bother!

As Winnie the Pooh would put it...

I really don't understand the ins and outs of Blogger. Maybe you have even noticed this. It's probably time for me to update the look of my blog and do those other necessary housekeeping tasks that I just ignore for the most part. It seems enough for me to manage to get pictures taken and posts written, let alone keep up with technical details related to how this all works. I was rather distressed to read the following this afternoon when I went into my dashboard:

"Starting the week of January 11, we'll [meaning Blogger-km] remove the ability for people with Twitter, Yahoo, Orkut or other OpenId providers to sign in to Google Friend Connect and follow blogs. At the same time, we'll remove non-Google Account profiles so you may see a decrease in your blog follower count.

We encourage you to tell affected readers (perhaps via a blog post), that if they use a non-Goggle account to follow your blog, they need to sign up for a Google Account, and re-follow your blog. With a Google Account, they'll get blogs added to their Reading List, making it easier for them to see the latest posts and activity of the blogs they follow.

We know how important followers are to all bloggers, but we believe this change will improve the experience for both you and your readers." 

Though I'm not understanding the reasons for the change, I quite understand that it will happen without my say-so. The way to follow blogs changed once before and I didn't comprehend it. I just adapted. I do wish Blogger would detail how this change will improve our experience. I quite doubt it will be a positive change for those who have to create a new account. I am distressed because I know there may be some of my readers who will be affected by this change and I hope you can manage it without too much frustration. I sincerely appreciate all of my readers. I hope you'll stick with me.

A Peek Inside - Recipe Book

Miss Abigail received this recipe book for her hope chest in September for her birthday. It is the third recipe book that our club published and I think it is my favorite. There are some really good recipes in here. Abigail didn't have a stable copy yet for her hope chest. I have bought these cookbooks by the stack to use as wedding gifts and if I needed one and didn't have any at the house, I have been known to rob Abby's hope chest and then replace it again with the next purchase. Our good friend Peggy took care of this problem by presenting Abigail with a sweetly inscribed copy, especially intended for the hope chest. Thank you Peggy for circumventing my proclivities.

Peggy has contributed several items to the hope chest, and I think there is something from all the ladies Abby grew up with in there now. I love that Abigail will use these items and remember these wonderful women all through her life. They have been exceptional examples of the term homemaker.

This recipe for Pita Bread Pizza helped Abigail win her first 4-H contest. She was just nine years old and competing officially in 4-H for the first time. There is certainly a lot of water under the 4-H bridge. What a fun memory.

Hope Chest Christmas

Miss Abigail received two major gifts for her hope chest this year for Christmas - dishes and flatware. Some months ago, Abby and I went window shopping to see if we could find dishes and silverware that she liked. The parameters were simple. She had to like the patterns (she likes classic looking patterns.) They needed to be of high quality and they needed to be affordable. We went to several stores just to look and we found a flatware pattern that she liked right away - Oneida's "Camlyn" pattern. Abigail likes the contrast between the brushed finish and the shiny. I was happy with Oneida's quality and availability. We looked and looked at dishes. Abigail wanted a neutral color and thought white would work. She liked the idea of Corelle partly because that is what is in my cupboard and because these dishes are so sturdy and lightweight. But the white is very plain and the current patterns just didn't appeal as much. Then we saw these wonderful embossed Corelle dishes in Kohl's and she thought they were just the ticket, but they are so much more expensive than the regular Corelle. We kept looking and found them in Bed, Bath and Beyond as well - equally expensive. So we've just kept looking for all these months and never found anything else that she likes as well. Earlier in December I went shopping for Christmas and lo, and behold Target had this Corelle in stock and it was on sale for a very nice price. Hooray! They also had the Onieda "Camlyn" pattern and it was also on sale. Thankfully, I've been saving money for quite some time for just this purchase and was so pleased to get both the dishes and the flatware for much less than I thought I would have to pay. Thank heaven for tender mercies.

 

These crystal tumblers were Abigail's hope chest birthday gift this year. She likes the idea of these tumblers as a kind of compromise between everyday sturdy glasses (plastic perhaps) and the fine crystal goblets she has from her grandmother. Both the embossed Corelle and the flatware are fancy enough for dressed up dinners, yet simple enough for everyday. Abigail can also buy additional patterns of Corelle from the open stock to mix and match if she wanted to create a different look or theme. The crystal tumblers really dress up the place setting.

So, there are two very big items crossed of the list. I'm pleased to have that purchase made.

Christmas Eve in Santa Fe

Miss Abigail and I send happy Christmas greetings! Because we had no company this year, our little family took advantage of the traditions of past years and strolled up Canyon Road in Santa Fe. Most of the art galleries that line that well known street stay open late on Christmas Eve. They decorate with beautiful lights and luminarias, and some even have little bonfires. It is a fun tradition though very crowded these days. Then we walked further downtown to see the lights on the Plaza and listen to the bells from St. Francis Cathedral. It was a truly nice evening. Tonight is New Year's Eve and we also wish you the happiest New Year!

P.S.

BTW - I have GREAT NEWS! I finally (as of this morning) have the internet at our home. Hooray! I can't tell you how happy I am to finally be connected at the house. It will hopefully make posting to this blog much much easier. Yea!!