skaddie-whampus crochet edged baby blankets

Yeah...so this isn't some fancy-schmancy, new-fangled way to crochet baby blankets...I hope upon reading this you aren't disappointed.  But, I was disappointed to find out that

... this is what happened ---->

 

to the lovingly crocheted blankets that I made for our new grandbaby girl. 

 

 

The one above, originally looked like this:

 

 

I made several of them and after washing and drying...they turned out all skaddy-whampus.

Sad UGHs...and FRUZ-strations!!!

 

I put on my thinking cap (it's quite small, you know!!) and nothing came to mind...as to

what could've happened.  After a week ( I told you the cap was small! lol), I think, I

might've figured it out. 

 

I bought the 36" square, double sided flannel, already overlocked-edged and punched

with the holes (hemstitiched) for crocheting at a local fabric shop (won't be buying

pre-hemstitched there again).  So, 2 things, in my mind, probably contributed greatly

to the issue...

 

(1) - the fabrics were NOT prewashed

(2) - and, this is probably the biggest problem...fabrics were NOT cut on the grain.

 

Well, live and learn.  But, my daughter says they are still GREAT for catching lots of spit.

Guess they are still useful for their intended purpose.  Good looks will have to come in

second... or not at all!!  LOL

 

Here's the new leetle girl, content and all bundled in one of PoPo's blankets....

 

                         ~~~~~~~  *  ~~~~~~  *  ~~~~~~  *  ~~~~~~  *  ~~~~~~  *  ~~~~~~~~

 

Do any of you do crochet edgings on flannel blankets?  If so, what is your methods? 

Do you hire out the hemstitching (hole punching)?  Or do you do on your home sewing

machine? 

 

 

 



 

 



Visiting Washington...and bringing a bit back home

 

 

I left for Washington state a week ago last Wednesday.  I was half time visiting with our Son, his wife and three cute daughters.  The other half of the time, I was playing at the Madrona Fiber Festival. 

Lunch one day at the Hotel Murano with newly made friends.

 

Woolgatherings...beautiful hand dyed fibers.   

 

 

On my last day to the festival, the older grandgirl came with me.

 

She chose her thread, wrapped a weaving stick

...and wove a few inches of weft.

 

And, here is Emma modeling a fun hat knitted with pencil roving.

 

My stay in Washington lasted about 5 days.  Then, we...the two older grandgirls (7 & 10) and I, flew back to Utah. 

 

It's truly is one of my favorite things, to play with grandkids...when their parents aren't around.  I get to enjoy myself - with great company AND while eating over-buttered popcorn and watching chipmunks sing n'dance.  I can read books with crazy changing voices and the grandkids seem to have as much fun listening as I am reading. 

 

 

We went shopping for some pretty dresses. 

The two girls enjoyed some uninterrupted lego time.  Normally, they

would be hindered by their 2 year little sister.  They do love her.

But, it's also nice to have to creative play just the two older ones.

A cute pose on a big toad.  We visited the

Living Planet Aquarium and had lunch at Sweet Tomatoes

 

Sunday afternoon...quickly turned to Friday morning and it was time for

the grandgirls to go back home to Washington.

 

 

aaaw...do I have to

act like an adult now that the grandkids are gone???

 

 

 



Wonderful Wednesday...I'm in Washington state =)

I just landed at Sea-Tac airport about an hour ago. 



I'm now in an office/conference room where our son works...he picked me up at the airport.  The beautiful grey skies that so typically hover over the PNW...welcomed me.  I LOVE rain!  So, I'm hoping that I get to enjoy some along with the great smell of the "BUH-zillion" trees.  

It's wonderful to be able to spend time with our son, daughter-in-law and their 3 girls (2, 7, 10).  It's also going to be wonderful to go to the Madrona Fiber Arts Festival!

 

 

The Fiber Festival is located in Tacoma, Washington at the

 

Hotel Murano. 

The retail booths are located in the hotel's lobby.

 

I'm thinking that this could possibly be a dangerous weekend for me.  I'm going to have to make efforts to get in my walking, eat healthy (with considerable yummy stuff tempting regularly).  And, I will need to keep the padlock on my wallet too.  =P

 

 

May the force be with me!!!

 



 

 

I will post more later....

 

The weekend went fast...a bit of a recap

    
Friday   was busy with errands, one of which was to go to a real estate office to get some copies of escrow documents for a longtime friend. Her and her husband recently bought a second house that is a rental.  But, there were so many mishaps and she was being bullied around by the previous owner's

management company.  This is her first experience with buying an existing rental property.  The seller's agent, her agent, the title company...all dropped the ball with regards to information on paperwork securing the rights of a new owner as a landlord.  The management company totally refused to give the deposits that were given to them by the tenants.  And, on top of that they spoke rudely as they informed my friend that they were washing their hands of the agreement with the current tenants, that they had no obligations to do anything with a new owner.  It infuriates me when people see someone vulnerable, they just turn their face and hurry away or they directly take advantage.  This was happening to my friend and I had to help.  So, my husband and I spent several hours on Thursday evening looking over the documents my friend received.   We noticed that many things had gone wrong along the way...and it had started even before escrow was closed and money transferred.  We have bought and sold rental properties over the years, and we know certain things that should be included in an offer and on closing documents.  My friend didn't. (You would think that between TWO real estate agents and a Title Company that there would have been SOME knowledge of how things should be done??)  So, we decided to help her out and talk with people to get something going on her behalf.  We wanted to make sure she got the monies due her from the unscrupulous Management Company.  We also wanted to make sure that she had a legal document between her and the those renting the property that she now owned.  Husband and I did get a chance to have a nice lunch out, after the errands.  =)
Update:  I found out this evening, that all things with the rental problem, have been resolved.  =)

 

 

Saturday   I went the Knittin Pretty.  yarn shop. I met a friend there about noon and we worked on our projects while chatting with the owners and other ladies that dropped in.  I had a pair of socks that I had been working on ( pre-Sweet Tomato Heel).  The old-traditional heel had gotten me stuck and so I thought that being at a knit store could be advantageous to getting over the "mid-evil" (mis-spell intended) way of doing sock heels.  I was right!!  I got the boost I needed and now the socks are well on their way to being completed...

 



It started to snow big flakes outside the knitting store window.  It was about 3pm by then and outside it was getting cold fast.  The friend that met me there had offered to take me home.  Where I live has several roads that are steep hills and when it snows it can be VERY slippery.  My husband was going to be gone until about 10pm.  He and our daughter were going to watch the U of U gymnastic meet.  My friend and I had planned to go get a bite to eat after the knit shop.  Then she was going to come my house for awhile to get me started on a pair of knit-felted slippers. Those plans were quickly, sadly smashed by the looks of the weather.  I didn't want her to drive home in bad weather and icy roads, especially when it was dark.  She drove me home while it was still daylight.  I hung out in the evening and did some spinning.  It was relaxing...but, not as much fun as it would've been had my friend been able to stay. 





Sunday   came and reading a book (Pillars of the Earth) just started absorbing the morning hours.  Late morning brought on a bad tummy ache.  Something I ate, did NOT want to stay with me and it was loudly/painfully complaining.  So glad that I was able to stay home, in my PJs and deal with it.  I did do a bit more spinning, and some reading too...between visits to the "powder room".  I did get to feeling better by late afternoon.  We ended up watching some of the Grammy Awards and I did a bit more knitting on my (old tradition heel) socks. 

Just need to decrease to make the toe...

 

Sweet Tomato Heel - blue one on the right

"Mid-evil"  traditional sock heel on the right..

Which do you think would fit a "normal" foot better?

 

 

The "pink" sock heel on the right is the same as the lavender one in the above pictures, eee-GADZ, how can it change so much with a bit different lighting??  Oh well, the real point with this picture is to show the difference between these two ways to knit a sock heel.  The one on the right is a buhzillion times easier to knit too!  =)  Can you tell that I'm sold on it?

 

Boy...the weekend went fast!  And, now it's almost Tuesday!






How was your weekend?  Did you have time to rest or relax...or do anything fun? 
 

A friendly-fiber "Outlaw" retreat

On January 17th, I left my home about 9am to embark on a weekend like I've never had before.  I talked myself out of going at least 100 times in the previous weeks. The weather around my home was in the teens during midday for the past week.  Where I was going was going to be even colder. I was sure (almost) that it would be lots of fun,  even if it was a bit of a drive to get to the destination AND, that I had wanted to pack up and load into my car a great DEAL of crap stuff -  to make it more comfortable and more fun.  I'm the kind of person that says, "YES"to a party a few seconds after I discover the information.  Then, after a few days, I start to think about all the negatives...talking myself into how it might be more work than fun.  Do you ever do that?  Or am I just weird??? (don't answer yes to the weird part so fast!)

There were 3 of us in car and (almost) enough stuff for an entire Boy Scout Troup!  But, it was ALL necessary important (sorta). After a windy and bit icy, 2 1/2 hour drive we arrived at the fairly small college campus.  We found the building where we were to "camp".  It was a clean, carpeted, large multipurpose room with full service kitchen attached.  We were quite glad to find a VERY nice male college student who happily asked if we needed any help to take our stuff from the car and into the multipurpose room.  We happily replied, "Oh, yes...thank you".  Several trips in the literally freezing temps and it was all in.

In hindsight, I am so very-VERY glad that I talked my "not-so-sure" self into taking advantage of this wonderful weekend of relaxing, fiber-licious fun!  Below are some pictures of the "way it was" =D

Julie and Danielle are dragging out the racks of folding chairs to use as dividers.  We divided the room, one side for sleeping and the other side for chatting, watching movies and our fiber antics.

 

Utah State University...a branch in Roosevelt, Utah

 

There's my white blow up mattress, all dressed up to be comfy =) 

 

 

An overhead view or the "bedroom area" 

 

 

 

Here is the wonderful kitchen, dishwasher, stove, microwave, all the perks of home!

 

Oh...no puppies were aloud.  But, I nabbed the chance to hold this sweetness until his new (human) mom arrived to take him home.  

 

The was the 2-table long/2-table wide set up FULL of prizes for the regular drawing!!!  Everyone that came to the retreat was to bring at least 6 gift items for the table.

 

 

There were soooo many fun things it was really hard to choose when my name was drawn.

 

Oh! and here is just the start of the goodies/muchies counter.  By the time everyone arrived, there were twice as many "dangerous" foods =P.

 

The circle of friends and fiber fun

There were many different kinds of spinning wheels.

 

Some ladies were spinning and some were knitting too.

 

The long knitted item on the floor was a combination of rows that were knitted by different people and then attached together.  This is only about half (or less) of the finished length.  It was part of a "yarn bombing" in a nearby city a few days later.  It became a 58 foot-long scarf for a huge pink dinosaur.  (Click HERE to see pictures of the Dino and read more about the yarn bombing)

 

This yummy fiber is called "Confetti".  I bought it from one of the merchants that

was there to sell her luscious wares.  (Dangerous for the wallet)

 

50% soft Merino wool and 50% tussah silk

 

A bit of it spun onto my Pocket Wheel.

 

Here is one strand of what will eventually be a 3-ply yarn.  I am planning to do 2 thin strands and one thicker one.  The plan is to create a chunky textured yarn for a fun neck warmer. 

 

We stayed up late...got up early.  We had good food, lots of funny and friendly conversations.  We watched a couple of good movies in the two evenings while relaxing in our PJs. We made new friends and won fun prizes.  It was a great experience that I'm sooo glad I had the opportunity to enjoy.  (...and, to think I almost talked myself into not going).

 

Saturday morning we took down, packed up, had a late breakfast and headed for home about 1:30.  I have to admit it took this old body of mine a few days to recuperate.  But, it was worth any inconveniences that it might of cost for all of the pleasant memories deposited in my memory bank.

 

Thanks to the Fiber Outlaws Spinning group who organized the wonderful events of the weekend!

 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

**Don't forget about the giveaway!  click HERE for more info, ends 2.3.13

Howz your Holiday Countdown going?

Are you all done with your Christmas shopping?

 

 

...barely started, kind of in the middle?

 

I'm almost finished buying presents thanks to the

ability to shop online.  Whew, saved gas, time...and

lots of foot aching.

 

 

I've been up to some other forms of mischief tho, besides

buying fun stuff online...

 

Ida (the long arm) and I quilted  a couple of small lap quilts

 for that a long distance friend, who asked me to do for her.

 

 

Did a bit of shopping with DH, (well, it was more of just a nice

walking experience because we didn't really buy anything) 

....at the new Traverse Mountain Outlet stores.  There is a cute

50's style coffee shop called Johnny Rockets

We enjoyed some yummy food and 50's music from the jukebox.

 

 

 

Doing a little bit of spinning on my Pocket Wheel.  This fiber is

70% alpaca and 30% silk.  It spins into a pretty yarn but...

boy!..was it "fly-away" stuff! 

 

 

And...I've been doing some playing on Bertha (big Bernina).

 

It's a machine embroidered pattern called Pillow Talk from

 Claudia's Creations

There are a group of seasons in the one pattern.  They are

so fun to do...yep, I would consider them addicting! 

 

...sewing on a stripe binding.

 

 

 

So (or SEW)...what have YOU been up to lately?

How are you doing with Holiday preparations?....what do you

do to keep a bit of relaxation in all of the holiday commotion?