beck's blog

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Shiny Happy People Scarf

I finished this a few months ago and thought I'd get it posted so I can put it away.
(Please click the pics to enlarge them).


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It's a skinny scarf tunisian crocheted using a size H cabled hook.
The yarn is that thin Omega brand Sinfonia which I also love to use for tapestry crochet bags.
It's 100% cotton and really nice.

I used a cross stitch chart for my name.
(It was a foreign language site and there was a squiggy over the e but I just ignored that while stitching it up.)

I made the stick figure myself on some graph paper.
(It's really so not me because I never wear dresses and don't really smile a lot but, lol, oh well).

After stitching it, you fold it in half and join in the back. The second photo shows the seam.
This way all the ugliness is hidden inside the scarf and no one sees it.
Plus it makes the scarf super-warm and snuggly.
So, even though it's a skinny scarf, it's pretty heavy and should keep the neck toasty.

I also have finished another Project that I started many moons ago.

Using size 10 thread, I wiggly-crocheted card suit trivets, (like the seasonal trivets I made a long while ago).


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The first picture is the front of the trivets, the second shows the backs.

I'm sure I have other finished projects laying around that I haven't taken photos of yet.
I'll have to get around to that too.

Let's see, what else?

Oh yeah, I noticed the other day that Yahoo Geocities will no longer be a hosting site so now I have to somehow move my best pages that people visit the most to some other web-hosting site.

Especially the Recycled plastic bag Eco Tote, Retro mosaic tote, and the Pop-Top granny square page.
Anyone who has any good suggestions on where, (and how), I can keep these pages intact and move them to another web-hosting site would be greatly appreciated!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

True Colors Tiger Needlepoint Pillow

I bought this unfinished needlepoint on etsy April 6th. (Please click on the pictures to enlarge them).


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It's a Paragon needlepoint that is probably from the 70's. The tag doesn't have a date. It says it's a completed design and that all you have to do is fill in the background with whatever stitches or design you choose.

Well.


You know me.

I did go crazy on it.

Firstly, I just loved how shy and unsure of himself the tiger looked.
Yet, he has the most outrageously colored stripes!!!

It made me think of the True Colors song sung by Cyndi Lauper.
I thought the lyrics were perfect for this cat.

So, I added them onto the background with a sky, sun, rainbow, ground, and grass.

And here is the finished pillow.


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The pillow inside makes it hard to see all at one angle so I took a few pictures so you can get an idea of what it all says. (I should have taken a photo before I sewed the pillow in!)


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This was so fun to do! I just "winged it" and didn't even graph out the letters or anything.
So it's not perfectly centered or each e is exactly the same or anything like that.

Why are the older needlepoint designs so much more bold and creative and exciting?
I wish someone would put out some sort of "retro needlepoint" design kits from the 60s and 70s.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this pillow.

Don't worry about the tiger.
He now knows he's more beautiful and real than the rainbow he's standing in front of!!!!!

Friday, May 01, 2009

Freddie Mercury Afghan

It's been a while since I've done a portrait afghan. I've been working on this one for quite a while but had to keep putting it aside to work on other projects. Anyway, here it is in all it's 55 X 78 inch glory. (Clicking on the photos will enlarge them).


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My tribute to Freddie Mercury of Queen.
The afghan is so huge I couldn't fit all of it in the photo. The weather has been too lousy to take pictures out on the deck in back so I had to try and photograph it in sections.


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The right side has this awesome portrait of Freddie by artist Lynda Pedley that I found while searching the web.


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Whoever she is, she captured him so well I knew I just had to crochet it!
It's based on the image at the right which was flipped and appears reversed.

Below that is his name which I found on a Freddie Mercury tribute site. I don't know if it's his real signature or just an awesomely cool cursive font but I love it.


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The left side of the afghan has Freddie from a time when he wasn't sporting his famous mustache.
The nearest time frame I can get to when this was from was a concert tour he did, (including Japan), in 1978.


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He had no 'stache and sported this leather outfit.
I graphed the words "KILLER" and "QUEEN" from two different albums, (one being this Pain is so Close to Pleasure cover.

I'm sorry I cut it off in the photo. It runs down the left side of the afghan.


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(On a side note, while looking for photos to use I discovered that my Coke Joker cross stitch I did a few years ago looks exactly like Freddie in this outfit.) How wild is that??!

ANYWAY, what can I say about Freddie Mercury?
He was an amazing man. He filled up the stage with his presence and had an awesome voice.
Is there anyone now-a-days that even comes close to his talent and on-stage theatrics.
He had a way of reaching out to everyone in the audience. I wish I could have seen him in concert.

I have two Queen albums, (yes, actual vinyl records), which I've literally played to death in my teen years.
As a 16 year old, I remember working at McDonald's and, when we'd close down and have to clean up the place, my manager would blast their Night at the Opera album through the speakers.
One of my faves from the album was '39 - which doesn't have Freddie singing lead on it - but Brian May, (although Freddie did sing it in concerts). '39
What a great album!



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Somebody To Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Killer Queen (acapella)