Well, that was ...unexpected....

Apologies upfront for not having done a blog in about a month.

I've been absolutely SWAMPED with other crafting.

Having neglected the majority of other crafty life in my quest to fill the display, I had a two ton PILE of catch up to play.

Like getting some paper-piecing done with my buds on Fandom In Stitches.

Or just doing some crochet  that made something bigger than a piece of food.

Also, I've been catching up on some reading and re-reading some old favorites.

But I have some interesting news....

A small portion of my work is going to be going up next week at Alpha Park Library in Bartonville.

I know a gal... ;)



Also, in preparing for the 3-day weekend, I will be doing some crafting as a jumpstart to my holidays...

Yes, I hate myself for saying that.


Next week, I'm hoping to host my first session of Crochet Camp for the library. It's a 4 session (once a week) learn to crochet boot camp. The class is limited to 10 people. There's a small fee of $5 to cover the cost of materials, and I hope people attend all 4 weeks....  But there you have it. I hope a least a couple of people sign up! I will eagerly be waiting!

Just a day or so left...

Until I tear down my display.

It's been a fun run...but it's time for it to move on.

BUT there's good news in all of this....

Rumor has it that a portion of this display will be going up at Alpha Park library in September...

In further crochet news, I'm going to be teaching a 4 part class in September at Peoria Public Library!!! I'll keep you posted about that too!

I'm going to have to gear up my muscles for the teardown of this display...because it's been a while since I lugged totes about....

And this is what happens....

When I clean my craft room.

I started doing a ...quasi-deep clean a couple of weeks ago.

I pulled out all my fabric because I had mountains of it around my sewing area and it was affecting how I worked. I also needed to clean up my scraps because it wasn't helping to spend 45 min looking for the right piece of fabric in a jumble of colors...

Sorting, separating, and storing my fabric took me two weekends as I get a little OCD when cleaning. (It's probably why I avoid doing it most days. ;-P )

I had done about half of it, getting the major scraps and sorts done the first weekend...but lost steam during the week day...

Then, this last weekend, I got itching to get my yarn put away...which had piled up outside of the yarn closet....but I had to finish the fabric stuff first...get it out of the way.

So, once again I dug into the piles and FINALLY got all the fabric put away...only to turn around and unceremoniously dump out every yarn storage bag I had.

Several hours later, I had made some form of progress.

Last night, I was convinced that I was mostly done. All that's left is a rubbermaid tub of half skeins that my mom likes to roll up for me.

However, this morning as I opened my one clothes closet to get out something, I found....another box with some yarn in it.

As I've told the many people I've told this tale to today, I foresee MANY crocheted blankets for Linus in my very near future...

Welcome to Yarnia!

I think I'm gonna do a giveaway.

I think at the end of the month, I'm going to do a giveaway of some of the pieces I have from my display.

Quite a few of the pieces are already promised to people (a few veggies, some fruit, maybe a few other things)...but I think I am going to find a few other pieces I can part with and do a giveaway.

I still have to ponder how to best do this as there are so many pieces I personally love. And even though I could always make more, there are actually several pieces that I can't help but weep at the thought of making again...

But what do I do?

Do I --

Wait until I get a certain number of followers on here or Facebook?

Have people comment what their favorite piece is?

Randomly pick a name off a list?



*sigh*

Perhaps I will ponder this tomorrow as I suffer through a root canal....

I have no words...

You know how it is, when someone does something so...incredible....that you are if not speechless, at least incapable of making yourself understood due to the SQUEAKING?

Oh yes, that happened to me today.

A very darling and dear friend of mine, Jennifer, did something SO sweet, like you WOULDN'T believe!!

She made a new pattern for her site, Fandom In Stitches, and dedicated it to ME!!!!

Why is this pattern so special?  Well, it's Cabbage Patch Kids!!!

And let me tell you, with all the fandom-y love I've had in this world, my first (and enduring) love, was for Cabbage Patch Kids...

I have well over 700 of them! I've been collecting them for nearly 30 years now and I always thrill to a new one!!!

And NOW, I have access to a pattern to make some of my own!!!

Oh dear....I think this was Jennifer's way of getting me to learn embroidery....

Tricksy, tricksy, I see what you did there....

Wow! Didn't expect that...

You know, when I started this little adventure, I thought it would be fun to have some of my work up in a display at my workplace.

I've had stuff on display before at conventions, friends' houses, and even at another local library, but never on this kind of scale.

But wow, the outpouring of love I've gotten from this is just mind-boggling. (And trust me, it's not hard to boggle my mind.)

Yesterday, WMBD (one of our local stations) had a segment on my display on their morning show.

WMBD News This Morning : Jun 28 2012

Then this morning, I got tagged on Facebook that a local author had written up a blog entry about me....

Judy Rosella Edwards: Tasty Textile Treats

Last week, my beloved friend, Jennifer of sewhooked.com (a favorite website of mine) did a blog about me...

Sewhooked : Cooking with Crochet

And in the middle of all this, people have been spreading the love by sharing links on Facebook and directing them back to me and my pages.

I'm overwhelmed with ....feelings.

Next week, I'm going on our tv show for the library, to discuss the display there as well.

Add to that, Crochet Today magazine left a comment on my blog. And the author of one of the food amigurumi books I adore, Rose Langlitz of Tasty Crochet commented too.

Feelings....I have ....feelings.

Oh, and have some thing sweet....

Time for some more pics....

Yes, I think it's time for some more pics....

I'm sure you want to see more of them.

Have I posted this one? It's a collection of fruits and cheeses, with some crackers and wine.

Among these pieces, some of my favorites to make were the pomegranates, and for some reason the pears. :D

As for the cheese and crackers, I love how the look on the cutting board!

Tomorrow, our PR person is going to take some of the pieces to one of our news stations. She's also having me do the library show next week.

Tomorrow, too, I am taking my aunt and cousin out to see the display. I think my dad may even come by!

Is it bad that I always get the giggles when I look at the hot dog?



In other news, I hope to get some more pictures up soon, and maybe even a vid!

That is....if life slows down just a bit for me to enjoy it...

Cheating on crochet....

Yep, I'm cheating on my first crafting love....and I have been all day...

Mostly because I'm working on some paper piecing... What is paper piecing? Well, it's a type of sewing/quilting that reminds me a bit of color by number.

I spent much of Thursday night pulling fabric out and cutting/finding pieces for the blocks I wanted to work on. Then Friday, since I had the day off, I spent that time sewing those pieces into quilt blocks. I'm terribly disappointed that I'm so slow at it, but I did get 2 quilt blocks done...and a 3rd started.

I would continue, however, I'm picking up my cousin tomorrow and we are going to visit an aunt of ours.  Should be a good time.

In the mean time, I have a dilemma....

One of the awesome designers for Fandom In Stitches, a site that I LOVE, has been posting patterns for Sesame Street characters.  Well, I'm working my way through it, but I'm kinda waffling between doing an actual quilt or just making them into pillows. Thoughts? (PS: FiS is an awesome site run by a very good friend of mine.)

Well, drat, I'm getting sleepy and I have to get up early tomorrow to get on the road!

Hook on!!!

The first 10 days....

Well, the display has been up for about 10 days now...

And as I sit just outside of the area, I watched someone pause to look at it. And it's kinda fun to watch them, but also a bit frustrating as I don't know what they are thinking...

However, this morning, the associate director stopped me to tell me that the Library Board (who met last night) were RAVING about it. Which I admit surprised me abit that they would go down to see it.

After lunch I ran into the PR person who also told me that the board had gone nuts over it. She said they had gone down to look at the newly shined floors in the gallery (where the display is) when they saw all the work in there.

I think I've been beet red twice....maybe 3 times today from it.

Today, they put up the sign that goes with the display...and our graphics guy came to me to ask if I had any yarn on hand to put in with the sign...well, yeah.... I also had an extra hook.

It's been crazy to hear what people are saying and thinking about the display. I'm more than a little overwhelmed by all the compliments.

One of our programming people today told me I need to accept that I am awesome.  Somedays...that's easier than others.  Especially since most days, I'm just me, surrounded by the awesomeness of others and a little bit gets spilled on me.

Display is UP!!!

Today the rather massive collection of amigurumi pieces went up on display at my library.

It's a little overwhelming to see all those pieces out there...

It's more than a little surreal to know I made every single one of those pieces...most within the last 3 months!

Now I just have to hope people come see the display and like it! :)

For another teaser pic, here's one of the display cases:

Monday, Monday, Monday!!!

So, Monday is tentatively the day that my display goes up. I have to admit, I'm getting a bit nervous about it now.

But in any case, even though I thought I was done, I'm still working on pieces. I mean, I know I thought I was done, but then I found a bunch of new cute patterns to add...and let's just say, I'm still cranking away in my down time.

I'm really excited about the pieces I finished last night because they complement something I had already finished...and now the other thing doesn't look so lonely.

Pictures will come by next week I hope!

for your amusement...

Yesterday, I had the afternoon off, so I had arranged to take my amigurumi collection to the library....as a kind of pre-display look-see to make sure I had everything I needed for it.

And it was RAINING! So, if you know me, picture this... ME, hauling 3 large rubbermaid tubs out of the house, into the car, out of the car, into the building, on the elevator, off the elevator...all by myself.

I was quite proud of myself for that. Then, the programming, PR, and graphics departments joined me to look over the craziness that's been my life for the last 3 months.

And I don't know who's crazier...me for doing all the things, or them for agreeing to let me display them.

The display should go up sometime around June 11. And I'm sure I will have pictures of them up shortly after.

In the meantime, enjoy something healthy....

Vacation Creations...

I love vacations! I love the time away from work and parts of Real Life. I love it even more when I get to see someone I haven't seen in a while. As was the case with my most recent trip. I went off to see my beloved bestie who I hadn't seen in person for 4 years.

However, even visiting friends has downtime...so I did what I do best. I crocheted.

I had this project idea, and it was one of those projects that was simple enough to carry about. I mean, I didn't need to have 30 colors, a dozen sheets of paper, or even stuffing.

So what did I make? I made not one, but TWO cotton shopping bags! The second was based off a pattern I found on the Sugar and Cream website....well, actually, it was on a yarn band, but I hadn't brought that with me, so I checked their site.

And yes, I said second one...because the first one was one that I started out and designed on my own...through minimal trial and error...And when I had enough yarn after I was done, I started on the second one, using a pattern that I thought I had enough yarn for....and I did and more...

The glory of the cone of yarn!!!

Anyway, so this is what I finished...

The first bag went to my aunt, who I had started one for a while back, but ran out of yarn. Both of these were made using a 1 lb cone of cotton yarn...probably by Sugar and Cream.

Aren't they cute?

Something not amigurumi...

Working on a new piece. It's gonna be so cool. And in demand!

Excitement!

I found out yesterday that instead of a smaller (but still good sized) case in the Lower Level 2 of the library, my amigurumi display is going in the Gallery! Color me tickled and terrified!!!

And since I work in the Local History section which has glass walls to look out on the gallery, I will be seeing my work all the time! It also gives me a lot of time to ponder....until Jun 11 just how and where everything will be displayed to its best advantage.

I also (after my vacation this weekend) will need to make sure I have all the ...extra stuff that goes with the display...like the felt rectangles for placemats, some kind of silverware, and maybe a few other things....

In the mean time....

Celebrate with PBnJ....

I'm DONE!!!

Well, I believe myself to be done....simply because I set just about everything out today, looked at it, took pics and pondered...

And well....there's plenty there.

649 pieces of plenty. I'm pleased with this.

:D

This makes me happy.

just keep 'cheting, just keep 'cheting....

I've been keeping up on the crocheting, but at this point, it's all filler piece.... like I made 14 grapes over the weekend....but they are going into a small bowl because I don't want to make the cluster thing for it.

In good news, I am nearly done with the first part of a due "commission"...and I can get that off my list after tonight, I believe. The second part will have to wait a bit.

This week is going to be the week from CRAZYPANTS!!! Not to mention this weekend.

I hope to have another great deal of this stuff done by week's end despite the craziness.

Also, slight boo, but I did a quilt block this weekend...and I'm sad because it's supposed to be 12 1/2 in block...and mine came out 12 1/4 inches. *sad face*

Still going with the tasties....

Spaghetti and-a meat-a-balls....with some french bread...

As soon as I made this, I couldn't help but think of Eddie Izzard....(if you've seen Dressed to Kill, you know what I mean...)

Another piece done....

well, I have several more pieces done...this is just the one I have a pic of that I haven't posted here.



Om, nom, nom....tacos!!!


Thank you for looking! Check back soon for more pics!!

What DOES one do?

With nearly 600 pieces of amigurumi food?

The things in life to ponder....

Hungry for sandwiches?

We got bread, cheese, meats, and veggies for your sammie...

I think we need more bacon and pickles...

Good morning all....

It's still morning for 20 min here...

A lovely April day, and I'm stuck at work. Course, if I were home, I would be either planted in the living room with my crochet, or huddled upstairs by my sewing machine....

Or, who knows, probably still sacked out in bed. Insomnia sucks.

However, it's a Garden Party Blog Hop over at Sewhooked, so it's worth getting up.

And I finished my first block of it last night....totally going outta order, but I gotta do what I gotta do....

:D

This one is by Amy, and is day 11, of the Garden Party....

Welp, I have to get back to the working thing...I have a genealogy presentation to do later today, so I'd better get going.

Have a great day!

Just one of those days....

where I get a moment or two to myself and need to post some pics of what I'm working on....

I've finally started getting enough done on my amigurumi list to make the pieces actually LOOK like something....

Like this:

A roast beef dinner with yorkshire pudding, carrots and a salad. May still add something to this...it looks...unfinished.

Or perhaps you prefer....

Chicken with mashed potatoes instead...with some green beans and crescent rolls?

Not into meat? Maybe you'd rather have....

A veggie tray?

Feeling up for something different?



Maybe some pita with falafel?

I will probably post more pics of stuff next week!

Thanks for looking!

Some Amigurumi...

I've mentioned before I'm working on display pieces for an Amigurumi food display for this summer at my library. I finally have a few moments for some pics....if I can get them to work....

Some of my favorites so far....

A "Dagwood" sandwich...while not as impressive as a real Dagwood, I love it. It has bread, ham, cheese, bacon, tomato, onion, lettuce, and pickle....with an olive on top. ;D

Bell peppers in a variety of colors! I've since made another green one. :D

A small variety of the veggies I've been making. This includes potatoes, carrots, chili peppers, tomatoes, and squash...

And some fruits. This pic has the apples, oranges, lemons, limes, and strawberries. I've also added plums and pears.

More pics some time soon.

Enjoy!

Woot!!!

This month's TABABOM pattern is UP!!! And guess who got to be a sponsor for this month's prize?  Yep, me.  How cool is that?

You can check out Fandom In Stitches for this month's pattern and see pics of the prize!

Also, if I get a break tonight, I'm going to post LOTS of pics of the amigurumi project I'm working on!!! Nearly 25% done!!!

Huh...

I really thought I posted an entry last night. But it seems either I didn't or it got eaten...

No worries.  Basically, I was just excited to tell all 1 of my readers that I am currently at the 20% mark for getting this HUGE list of amigurumis done for a display for my library. :D

I'd share photos today, but the interwebs at work are having issues with social media websites. New filtering system is blocking a bunch of things it shouldn't be blocking. :(

Plans for March...

A few things on my plate for March....

-- Work on amigurumi display I mentioned...with nearly 600 pieces planned for it, I need to be cracking on it.

-- Work on trade piece and finish.

-- Make 2 pillowcases. Can't say more on that...

--Make at least 2 more SS character squares.

-- TABABOM next week!!!

--Finish scrap piece for Linus

Whew, I'm tired just READING THAT!!!!

*needs sleep*

Crochet musings...

This year's Summer Reading theme at our library is "Reading is SO delicious!"

Makes me want to make an amigurumi display.

And I started a list at home...with check boxes ...

Harry help me, I'm a fool for this craft.

I think what I have in patterns alone right now, I have enough for a rather full fruit basket, a veggie basket, and several "dishes" of foods....but I've been thinking, maybe I need to find more...

Oh, dear...I've given myself a new project...

Also? Why can't I....

reply to comments? Do I need to change a setting?

Busting stash...

I like the idea...but sometimes, it really goes against everything I am and do to stash bust. You see, I am the type that plans out my pieces, picks the yarn and knows at the end of the project I will have a bunch of little balls of yarn that I won't know what to do with until another project comes along.

Or maybe I break out the amigurumi books....

That said, I've been doing some stash busting with the Project Linus's Sideways Shell pattern. It's a fun and easy (and if you know what you are doing, a QUICK) project.

I think on Sunday, after I get the first floor cleaned up a bit that I will consider going through my stash and planning out how to finish the patchwork piece I'm doing....

Then maybe I can get around on Monday to working out a piece that's kinda in my head, kinda on paper...

Then I need to pull up the other patterns I drew up for Linus Connection...and pull the yarn for those.

Man, I wish I liked putting granny squares together....but I just DON'T....

What do you think of granny squares?

Log Cabin...ish -- A pattern!!!

I've always liked the idea of a log cabin pattern, but I hate trying to decide how big is big enough before I get bored...so I've solved that for me....and maybe for you too!!! I'd love to see pics if you try this! :D

•      Pattern is designed for 9 diff colors. Color 1 uses just over one full 7oz skein of Red Heart

 

Directions

Chain 136.

Row 1-15: Starting with 2nd chain from hook, EXSC 135 with Color 1 (c1). Ch1, turn.

Row 16: EXSC 15 with c1. Add Color 2 (c2), EXSC 105. Add Color 3 (c3), EXSC 15. Ch1, turn.

Row 17: EXSC 15 with c3, 105 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Rows 18-30: Rep Row 16 for even rows. Rep Row 17 for odd rows.

Row 31: EXSC 15 with c3. Add Color 4 (c4), EXSC 15. Add Color 5 (c5), EXSC 75. EXSC 15 c2, EXSC 15 c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 32: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 75 with c5, 15 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 33-45: Rep Row 31 for odd rows. Rep Row 32 for even rows.

Row 46: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 15 with c5. Add Color 6 (c6), EXSC 45. Add Color 7 (c7), EXSC 15. EXSC 15 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 47: EXSC 15 with c3, 15 with c4, 15 with c7, 45 with c6, 15 with c5, 15 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 48-60: Rep Row 46 for even rows. Rep Row 47 for odd rows.

Row 61: EXSC 15 with c3, 15 with c4, 15 with c7. Add Color 8 (c8), EXSC 15. Add Color 9 (c9), EXSC 15. EXSC 15 with c6, 15 with c5, 15 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 62: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 15 with c5, 15 with c6, 15 with c9, 15 with c8, 15 with c7, 15 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 63-75: Rep Row 61 for odd rows. Rep Row 62 for even rows.

Row 76: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 15 with c5, 15 with c6, 30 with c8, 15 with c7, 15 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 77: EXSC 15 with c3, 15 with c4, 15 with c7, 30 with c8, 15 with c6, 15 with c5, 15 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 78-90: Rep Row 76 for even rows. Rep Row 77 for odd rows.

Row 91: EXSC 15 with c3, 15 with c4, 60 with c7, 15 with c5, 15 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 92: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 15 with c5, 60 with c7, 15 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 93-105: Rep Row 91 for odd rows. Rep Row 92 for even rows.

Row 106: EXSC 15 with c1, 15 with c2, 90 with c4, 15 with c3. Ch 1, turn.

Row 107: EXSC 15 with c3, 90 with c4, 15 with c2, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 108-120: Rep Row 106 for even rows, Rep Row 107 for odd rows.

Row 121: EXSC 120 with c3, 15 with c1. Ch1, turn.

Row 122: EXSC 15 with c1, 120 with c3. Ch1, turn.

Row 123-135: Rep Row 121 for odd rows. Rep Row 122 for even rows.

Weave in ends.

For the piece pictured above, I added one row of single crochet border to the edges, putting 3 in the corners.

Let's hear it for fandom

I love fandom. I love knowing there are people just as crazy (and in some cases, crazier, but not often) for the same things I love. And it's SO much better as an adult than when I was a teen before the internet was popular...and I thought I was the ONLY person in the world who collected Cabbage Patch Kids (which I still do...)

Anyway, one of the best things I love about Fandom, is getting to know people I may never have without it. A good example is the fact that most of the best friends I have are people who live pretty far from me....like states and countries away...

And getting to know them means getting to know their hearts! I mean, I know lots of good people locally, but watching my friends band together to fight for a cause? POWERFUL.

Take, for example, the recent Love for Lily fundraiser I took part in. People from EVERYWHERE getting involved to save the life of a stray kitten who worked her way into all of our hearts....and the spearhead behind the cause? Jen O....one of the sweetest, kindest, MOST GENEROUS people I know in this world.

That said, lemme share with you what I offered up and sent off to some good homes....

Now, aren't those FUN?

Update time...

Have you missed me?

I know I promised a pattern last time I updated like nearly a year ago...but in true tradtion I forgot.

Given a chance, I'm going to try to do some updating this week, okay?

Much love to you!