beck's blog

Fairy Lights, Fairy Fey, and Fairy Fish Afghan

2011-12-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

I really didn't know what to call this afghan. Usually while I'm working on one I'll think of a million catchy things to call the afghan when I'm through. But this time words just failed me.

So here it is.
Green Sprite with Blue Fish (Click on the photos to enlarge them please).

This project all started a while ago when I was looking up Blue Fish Clothing on etsy. (Blue Fish is a line of clothing for larger sized women. They are pricey and etsy sometimes has some sellers with used Blue Fish clothes for cheap).

Anyway, I stumbled upon this one t-shirt sold by spitfaced. It's not from the Blue Fish Clothing line. It's just a t-shirt with a blue angel holding her pet blue fish. (At least that's the description from the seller). She still has more to sell on her site.

Well, I just loved this design for some reason. It's just awesome-looking!
I did buy the shirt but it's only a large and I'll probably have to make it into something else like a t-shirt bag or something.
The back of the shirt has a url for a now-gone website of some kind.

I used this photo of the t-shirt, uploaded it to Microrevolt, and graphed it there.
I decided to de-wing her as she looked so elegant running I didn't think she needed wings anyway.

I changed her from blue to green. I had more green yarn. That's basically why.

I added circles of colors like floating orbs to fill in the background where I thought there was too much blank space.

And I used a variegated yarn in fall colors. It's interesting using variegated yarn in tunisian crochet. You never know what it's going to look like.

Here's a photo of the back.

The afghan measures 28 1/2 inches wide by 46 inches high.
It's tunisian crocheted using a size J cabled afghan hook.

You know, looking at it as I'm posting this, and it being the Christmas season and all, I could say this was a green elf dancing around Christmas tree colored ornaments or lights on it. Hmmm. Don't some people call them fairy lights?
Hmmm, how about "Fairy Lights, Fey, and Fish?" LOL!
Or Fairy Lights, Fairy Fey, and Fairy Fish! That's it!
I'm going back to the top and change the title of the afghan now.
So unless you've read up to this point, it won't make sense 'til now. LOL!

I'd be fun to make her in different colors and different colored backgrounds too.
Well, I hope you all enjoy looking at it. It's really a fun design.

Hemmingway's Cat by Picasso afghan crocheted

2011-11-05T12:24:00.000-07:00

My latest project combines several different topics, artists, and mediums to achieve one of my all-time favorite afghans.
First off, here's the afghan... (Click on the photos to enlarge them)...

Ok, so, here's the story on the Picasso cat sculpture...

Ernest Hemingway visited the rue des Grands-Augustins,(Picasso's home), however, Picasso was out. The concierge, used to everybody's leaving presents, asked if he had a gift to leave for Monsieur. Hemingway went back to his car and returned with a case of hand grenades, on which he wrote, "To Picasso from Hemingway."

Well, apparently as a returned favor for that seemingly spur-of-the-moment gift, Picasso created this quirky ceramic 3-dimentional cat sculpture. Here is a photo of the original sculpture with a brief story on what happened to the it in the frame along with the sculpture, (and here is the replica by artist Bob Orlin which is currently on the mantle in the Hemmingway house in Florida. (Both of these photos are in ssallykat's flickr photos account. She went to visit the Hemmingway House which is a museum now.) You can enlarge ssallykat's photos to read the story in the frame.

Can you imagine having a Picasso art piece stashed away in your basement??! Sure, it was in pieces but wouldn't you try to get it restored??? Well, thankfully someone finally did do that.

This is a photo of the back of my afghan.

So, I haven't finished my story about how the afghan was made.

I loved the sculpture but it was still too difficult to make into a graph form in order to crochet it.So, I googled around and discovered a really talented lady named Judy. She makes and sells stained glass artwork as seen here on her website Stained Glass by Judy (I don't know her last name but if I find it I'll post it here).Here is her planned project of Picasso's cat she designed for a stained glass piece. I don't know if she ever did complete it but I hope she did because it's a wonderful rendition!

Anyway, so that's the photo I used to graph and create my afghan. I used a size J flexible afghan hook. I Love This Yarn and Red Heart yarns.The afghan is small. Like a crib size. 32 inches wide by 47 inches high.

I used Mondrian colors of blue, red, yellow, white and black. (You know how I love Mondrian!)

I changed the paws to look more like the sculpture. I'm sure Judy simplified them for easier stained glass work but since I don't have that problem I just added them back into the piece.I love how Judy's version with the stained glass look really made the piece pop out for me with the black outlining all the colors.

So, to sum things up, this project started with a Hemmingway whim, to a reciprocal gift by Picasso in ceramic form, to destruction by a true cat burglar, to a restoration by Orlin, to an interpretation of that restoration by Judy, in stained glass form, to a crocheted afghan in yarn by me done in colors reminiscent of Piet Mondrian and his cubist style.

YAY!

I love Art!

Snape Halloween Pumpkin

2011-10-30T18:35:00.000-07:00

I finally did it! It took forever and I know the left side didn't turn out perfect or anything but here he is.....

and here's a shot of the pumpkin in the light...

I got the stencil here
I hope everyone has a safe and Happy Halloween tomorrow!

United States of America Map afghan

2011-09-10T11:10:00.000-07:00

You know how you collect graph patterns and they sit around for a while, getting lost and then reappearing again every once in a while?Well, this next afghan is just that.
I found it online a while ago. I couldn't even remember where I got it and had to re-discover it's source so I could credit them with the pattern. (Please click on the photo to enlarge it).

It's so huge, (65 inches by 81 inches), that I had to enlist two of my sons to hold it up for pictures. (I'm sorry I couldn't get them to flatten it out better but, hey, they came and did this for me so I can't complain!).

It's from a pattern offered for free from Lion Brand yarns at their website HERE!
The pattern says it's for knitting but all you need is the graph to make it in tunisian crochet afghan stitch. There were 12 pages plus the page of how all the pages go together so be warned that this is one HUGE project!!!

What an excellent way to get rid of the many odds and ends of yarn balls that I had accunulated in my stash! (Warning! Massachusetts was larger than I realized and I ran out of that color yarn. Aaaaahhh! I hope you didn't notice it.)

Speaking of large states. First I thought Florida went on forever. Then I met up with Texas! Halfway through that state I thought, Man! We should be called Ameritexas because it takes up so much of the country! LOL! But then I went online and googled a map that had the contiguous united states with Alaska super-imposed over the top and then I truly realized just how massive Alaska is! People don't realize just how big Alaska is because when they usually see it, it has been shrunk, (like on my afghan), in order to fit it in a picture. Well! Now I know.

It makes this small Hoosier from Indiana pretty humble.

Here's the back for all you back-lookers.

For the border I did the basketweave stitch in red and white alternating rows. I thought it would look stripey and since the background was all blue it would look good. It's pretty busy though.

Finally, here's my sons Case and Mike. Thanks for the help guys!

I have no idea what I'm going to do with this behemoth afghan. But I'm glad I finally made it. It was a lot of fun!

I want to end this post with one of my favorite Simon and Garfunkel songs.
America I'll also throw in the lyrics for you. (They don't even rhyme at all. That's the genius of Paul Simon!)
"Let us be lovers we'll marry our fortunes together."
"I've got some real estate here in my bag."
So we bought a pack of cigarettes and Mrs. Wagner pies
And we walked off to look for America

"Kathy," I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitchhike from Saginaw
I've come to look for America

Laughing on the bus
Playing games with the faces
She said the man in the gabardine suit was a spy
I said "Be careful his bowtie is really a camera"

"Toss me a cigarette, I think there's one in my raincoat"
"We smoked the last one an hour ago"
So I looked at the scenery, she read her magazine
And the moon rose over an open field

"Kathy, I'm lost," I said, though I knew she was sleeping
I'm empty and aching and I don't know why
Counting the cars on the New Jersey Turnpike
They've all gone to look for America
All come to look for America
All come to look for America

New York State of Mind Afghan - Liberty Statue

2011-07-27T10:32:00.000-07:00

This afghan did not take very long to complete.
I wanted to make a it tribute to the 10 year anniversary of the 9 -11 disaster coming up.
But since it's finished early, I'm posting it now because I'm in a
A New York State Of Mind

(Please click on all the photos to enlarge them).

I wished I'd pulled down that bottom right corner just a little bit more to straighten it out better. Oh well.

I used this coloring book page offered for free by Shala Kerrigan online.

I graphed that photo at microrevolt's knitpro site.
For the buildings I extended out the afghan left and right by making the basketweave stitch. It's really neat because of it's textured "windows" effect, (if you know what I mean).

I tried to make the skyline sort of change up to clouds instead of just all solid blue.

Now, I wanted to let you know how meaningful it was for me to make this afghan.

You see, I actually went on a trip to New York back in the late 70's with my best friend Sue, (who lived in New Jersey at the time). Her awesome folks were so nice to drive us out to see the sights of New York City. (In fact, we drove all the way to Boston and saw a lot more places as well).

Anyway, I wanted to post a few photos from my old album. Yes, real photos. They are yellowing and sometimes blotched with a bit of age to them. But they are so neat.

First I want to say that my friend Sue had a beautiful heavy nice proper camera and she was really into taking pictures and developing them herself, so her photos are in black and white. Mine, on the other hand, were taken with a cheap Kodak camera. Yes, they are in color, but they are not nearly as good.

We took a ferry to the Statue of Liberty but we didn't go off the boat or climb the statue or anything.
There were lots of folks on the boat. Thank goodness I see there were refreshments on board! LOL!

Sue's camera with black and white film.

Oh dear! I'm breaking my rule of never posting my photo on the internet!!!! But I had to show you what a dork I was that day with my Beatles t-shirt and floppy hat with Beatles buttons all over it. LOL!!!!!!!!

Here's the World Trade Center towers taken by me with my lame camera. I wish all those folks on the boat weren't so much in the way!

Now this is Sue's photo. It's overexposed and you can only just barely make out the towers.

Here's both photos in my photo album side by side so you can see hers really does have the towers in the shot. They are just faintly there.

So then we did go up one of the towers to the observatory deck. This is a photo of two bridges from my camera.

Here's Sue and I on the observatory deck.

Yes, I saved this shot for last. Sue is now wearing my silly hat. If you're going to be a tourist, you must take some silly shots so that years later you can look back and have a good laugh!

I'm ending this post with my afghan again. I really like this one!

Let's see. I'm also going to end this with an old Grammar Rock song.
I had a great time on this trip and New York is an awesome place!
I took a ferry to the statue of liberty
My best friend went along with me.
We took a lift to the top of one tower you see,
and 30 years later it's just a memory.
I find it quite interesting
that
"Toleration and liberty are the foundations of a great republic."
Frank Lloyd Wright

Maxed Out Afghan

2011-07-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

Another Peter Max afghan.
This one is designed from a Peter Max American express credit card which I found online.
(Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

It's so hot out today and the sun made the colors in the afghan look different in the photos so I'm posting two shots of it.

This second photo is lighter and brighter looking than the first.
I like how both photos looked so here they both are.

Anyway, I know you crochet fanatics will want to see the back so here is that.

Not too messy at all.

So, I found out there are/were three Peter Max designs for American Express cards. Naturally, this one, (my fave), doesn't seem to be available anymore. Why am I always the last person to find out about cool things?
Anyway, the other two are the Running Man and the Love ones.

I think this falling man image is from an Earth Day; Every Day poster of Peter Max's

I think it's the perfect design for a credit card.
I see it as me - falling into debt. LOL!!!!
Truly! (In fact, I wasn't even sure if I could pick up my medicine at the pharmacy today because we are totally Maxed Out on our credit limits.) Happily, (or not), I was able to get the meds.

Anyway, the afghan is tunisian crocheted with a size J cabled afghan hook.
The yarns are either I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby or Red Heart yarn.
For the sun, I used two colors of a sparkly yarn called Bella. I'm not sure you can see the sparkliness in the photos.
Ok, my computer is telling me sparkliness isn't a word. LOL!
Too bad because I'm using it anyway!

I hope you enjoy looking at the afghan.
I just love Peter Max's work, as you know, and when I saw this credit card design I just had to make it.
Especially since I can't even get the darn thing on a credit card anymore.
(And even if I could get the image on a card, I couldn't even afford to put any money ON the card anyway so it's all moot, isn't it?)

Well, instead, why don't I just sit back and enjoy the image of myself falling into that big abyss of debt I've created, shall I?

Filet Crochet Carriage or Crib Cover - Baby Animals

2011-06-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a filet crocheted crib cover for a while now.
I've never really done a large filet project. Only a few small things. So this was a challenge for me.

It all started because I found this really great-looking pattern on etsy and I had to get it.

It was an old filet graph pattern that looks like a Laura Wheeler / Alice Brooks type. (Although there is no mention of their names on the pattern). The pattern is simply called Design 915. There's no date either. It just says printed in U.S.A. at the bottom. (Even though I purchased this from a Canadian lady on etsy).

I think it was a pattern you ordered through the mail and looks to be around the 1940's or 1950's, (just guessing here by the style of the baby animals).

ANYWAY, here's a photo of the pattern taken by the etsy shop owner from whom I ordered the pattern.

And this is the finished crib cover. (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

This is the back, (even though it is the same as the front except you can see the joining seams where I connected the six filet squares).

I used size 10 crochet DMC Cebelia crochet thread. Six colors and I had to order two skeins, (or are they called balls?), of each color in order to finish each square. So that's 12 skeins/balls. Plus two pastel rainbow skeins/balls of South Maid size 10 thread.
Also a steel Boye size 7 1.65mm crochet hook.

I had major cramping and numbness in my right hand from using such a small hook and I could only do a little at a time.
I don't know how you ladies do it who can crochet amazing things in thread crochet for so long!

I know you're supposed to "block" this type of crochet but I haven't done that.
I probably should have done that to each square prior to attaching them all and putting on the border. Ah well.

I love the vintage look of these critters. They sure don't make designs like this anymore. What a shame.

I'll end this post with a song. Hmmm, let's see.... I know!

Bless The Beasts And The Children by The Carpenters.

No Wedding Saturday Within The Month Of June...

2011-06-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

(Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

Nope. Not in June.
But actually on a day that some folks believed would be the beginning of the end of the world.
May 21, 2011.

This is the day my son was married.

Not in Westminster Abbey in front of a crowd of 1900 or so, like William and Kate.
Just a beautiful ceremony in a garden outside the landmark cottage of Stone Head in Nashville, Indiana.

It was an awesome day and, frankly, if the world was beginning to end, I can't think of a better place to be than with all our relatives, friends, and loved ones celebrating a union of two people in love.

The afghan is sort of a 'fairy tale / child's coloring book version of a wedding' theme.
(Their theme was actually video games so I hoped this would work.)

For the stick figures I used a free template offered here. Crafteeguiri's blog. It was designed to be used for cards or stamping but I just uploaded the picture to microrevolt and graphed it.

For the names and date I graphed them at a celtic cross stitch site here. Celticxstitch. I've used their graph generator to create a lot of the words for my projects. It's a great site.

The afghan is crocheted in tunisian afghan stitch using a size J cabled afghan hook.

I used Bernat Baby Coordinates baby yarns which have a sparkly silvery thread running through the yarn in each skein. It's nice, soft, lightweight and also kept up the fairy tale theme. The border was done with a basketweave stitch to look like a rainbow. I tried to get the border in the photos. It's really sweet.

I just free-handed the "Once upon a time... happily ever after." part with a variegated yarn.

Let's see. The guests and relatives have all gone home now, the honeymooners have just returned and are back at their jobs, the world is still spinning on it's axis, and love is all around us.

Life is good!
It's The End Of The World (As We Know It), And I Feel Fine

UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE! UPDATE!

YAY! Here's a photo of the happy couple with the afghan. Thanks, Kristina!

....and Myles to go before I sleep

2011-05-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been busy but haven't been able to post things because they were, (or are), gifts.
But I can finally post a couple of baby things.

First of all, meet Myles, born 4/20/2011 ...

Myles is enjoying the beanpod I crocheted from a pattern purchased by my niece from etsy shop I'll be Yarned
It's the Newborn Cocoon Pattern

This was really easy to make and it fits him perfectly! YAY!

Second, I have a Striped Long Tail Pom hat also modeled by the adorable Myles.

It has a huge pompom on the end of the hat tail but that's not in the photo. (If you check the link I gave to the etsy shop where the RAJK pattern is from you can see the whole thing.)

My niece sent me a whole bunch of patterns and asked me to make them for her new baby. So these are just a couple of them. Make sure to click on the photos for larger views.

Now my niece has three sons just like me! Myles looks like a sweetie and I can't wait to meet him at my oldest son's wedding May 21st!!!

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
and miles to go before I sleep,
and miles to go before I sleep.

ROBERT FROST

Thoroughly Modern Mona

2011-03-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

This project began in January when I received a couple of free art prints in the mail, (promising me if I'd just sign up, they'd continue to deliver these lovely masterpiece art prints until I decide to cancel - at any time, of course, blah, blah, blah...)

Well, anyway, one was Claude Monet's The Water-Lily Pond and the other was Leonardo DaVinci's Mona Lisa.

Thus began a fun-filled month of playing a newly invented game with my youngest son that I like to call, "Where's Mona?"
The game merely consists of hiding the Mona print throughout the house, (although, bringing her out to my car seat would not be considered an infraction of the game either, mind you). Anyway, the object of the game is to find the Mona. That's all. Nothing to it really. Then, once you find Mona, you must hide it and wait until the other person discovers her, (usually in a most unsuspecting place).

I once had her "dressed in my son's bathrobe, seated at his computer with an arm extending to his mouse. (Not to be outdone, I did come home from shopping one day to find Mona at my computer, dressed in my new Harry Potter Snuggie "robe"!) (Who would have guessed Mona was a Gtyffindor?!) LOL!

Anyway, with so much Mona on our minds, I decided to search the web for an easily adaptable picture of her to crochet into an afghan.

Oh. My. Gosh! Have you ever googled Mona Lisa images??!!! It seems everyone has had a crack at altering her photo into some hilarious, some disturbing, and some, well, just plain weird pictures.

I finally found this image on a flicker webpage belonging to "dirtchick" (also known as Nina), which was a picture she'd taken of a billboard sign in Charles de Gaulle airport on February 3, 2006 .
On further investigation, I found that this image is also displayed in many different tourist locations throughout France, (such as airports etc.), to remind folks to go check out the Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum whilst visiting here.

Soooo, are you still with me folks? That's how I came to the decision to use this picture of Mona for my next project. I changed the colors a little bit and graphed it at microrevolt again.

So, without further ado, here's my finished Mona... (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

This is the front. I used caron One Pound in Peach, I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby in purple, orange and true blue (at the border), and Red Heart blue also. It is tunisian crocheted using a size J cabled afghan hook.

This is the back of the afghan. It came out very neat. I like to do afghans with big blocks of colors. (Not a million and one color changes every few stitches like some of the other harder ones).

I'm ending this with the beautiful song Mona Lisa sung by another master craftsman; the fabulous Nat King Cole.

RedTango cats and Alan Rickman afghans

2011-01-04T11:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, everyone!

To start off this year I wanted to introduce you all to the talents of artist Cynthia Petrovic.
Her website is at Tangoland where you can see her wonderful artwork and animated characters.

She is also an Alan Rickman fan and has made some hilarious clips which are uploaded on You Tube under her name RedTango.
My favorite of these is her A Day With Alan Rickman.

I was inspired to make an Alan Rickman afghan based on one of her Alan Rickman portrait drawings which I saw on her web page in her art gallery section.

Soooooo, without further ado, here's my interpretation of Cynthia Petrovic's Alan Rickman drawing... (click on the photo to enlarge it please).

I added a purple sort of triangle to the background for color. I wanted it to look like a swanky boomerang. Unfortunately, it looks more like a "record" triangle on a tape player button instead. LOL! Ah well.

It's such a great drawing and she has a few others of Alan in character such as Mesmer and Slope, so make sure and check out all her work!

I also made an afghan, which I sent to her, of two of her RedTango cats.
Here's that afghan... again, click onto the picture to enlarge it.....

For this afghan I used two of her free Livejournal icons located on her "downloads" page at her Tangoland site.

Both afghans are tunisian crocheted with a size J cabled afghan hook.
Yarns used are Red Heart Pretty n Pink, black, white and lavender.

Good luck to all of you in this brand new year!

Happy Saint Nicholas Day! Mistletoe and Cranberry dolls

2010-12-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Saint Nicholas Day so Happy Day to all who celebrate it!

My niece asked me to crochet some Christmas stockings for her two boys so I looked all around the web to find a decent crochet stocking pattern.

I found one here that I really loved. It didn't look "blocky" like the other patterns.

So, here's the finished stockings. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them).

These are front and back photos.
After I crocheted them, I made the felt decorations from an old felt ornament kit. Then I sewed them on.

I also wanted to make them monkey dolls. I had gotten a kit from Herrschner's called "sock" Monkeys They aren't really made from socks but crocheted instead. I really had a hard time understanding the directions so I wound up just winging it.

Then I made the felt tunic and hats too. The red one I named Cranberry and the green is Mistletoe. (Their names are stitched on the tunics).

I tucked them into their stockings and sent them off to Wisconsin. Hope the boys enjoy them!

Fezzes Are Cool

2010-11-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

I've been needlepointing again.
I found another old kit on etsy by my favorite designer Judith Gross. (She created the awesome Peace Work needlepoint which I changed a little bit and made into a pillow.)

This kit was for a very wide, groovy belt and sort of shirt applique. Here's photos of the kit and what's left over from what I didn't use when I created my fez. (Yes, that's right. I said fez) Click on the photos to enlarge them).

The belt was supposed to be about 4 inches wide. Good grief! There wasn't enough material to make a belt for a, let's say, aging child of the 60s either. Plus, I wasn't thrilled with that weird appliqued design that you were supposed to stitch and then sew onto a t-shirt. Ick!

So, I started on the belt thinking, what can I make out of this? It's too cool a design to NOT make it into something. Then I thought, "I know! A hat! The belt part could go around the head and the big appliqued part could be the top of the hat. YAY!!!!"

That's what I had in mind whilst working on this. It was difficult to fit the pieces together. The canvas is rather stiff to work with. But I managed to get it done despite my aching fingers. Here's it is folks. Lot's of pictures to follow...

Let's see that's front, right side, left side, and two back shots.
The kit came with orangy colors and I added a lot of my own too. It's a very fall-colored hat.

Since I wanted it to look like a fez. I knew the tassel would be important. I looked through my jewelry box and found this really cute strawberry pendant/bead. It was perfect! Strawberries were very popular in the 70's.

For the front where a Shriner's fez would have had a curved sword, I found another old piece of jewelry in my box that I always thought was strange. It kind of looks like a wheat stalk on the top and at the bottom there's a red faceted bead that kind of looks like a cherry.

I sewed that to the front and attached the tassel to the middle so it could swing around. I also sewed tiny red beads in between some rickrack along the edge and in the middle of the fez but I don't think it shows up in the photos.

I found out a lot about fezzes while working on this by checking the web. There's a lot of interesting information on them.
Also, as some of you Doctor Who fans must already know, the Doctor himself briefly wore one himself, until his companions had a rather nasty reaction to it as seen here in a you tube clip....

"It's a fez. I wear a fez now. Fezzes are Cool."

The Shriek of Arabia Jack-o-lantern

2010-10-30T17:18:00.000-07:00

I have always wanted to make a really neat pumpkin, (jack-o-lantern), for Halloween. Mine are usually always the same.
Triangle eyes and nose, jagged mouth with teeth. Blah.
So, last year after Halloween I picked up this pumpkin-carving booklet on sale and threw it in with all my Halloween decorations in storage.

So, when I pulled out all my stuff this year, there it was. I leafed through it and there were different patterns ranging from easy to moderate, to difficult.

I picked out something in the middle range, (even though I had tried once before to make a cool-looking pumpkin and failed miserably), and today I set out to carve a great pumpkin.

It's called The Shriek of Arabia

So, here it is with the lights on, with them off and a larger photo too. (Click on the photos to enlarge them!)

I'm pretty happy with it. I could have pulled out more of it's innards but I was afraid of ripping off his face pieces and then I'd have nothing but a huge hole. Aaaahhh!

It took about two hours from start to finish. That's a super-long time for me as far as pumpkin-carving goes.

Once again, Happy Halloween everyone!!!

Mr Pickles' Costume

2010-10-19T11:58:00.000-07:00

Last month my niece called me and told me my sister, (her Mom), had just gotten a new dog from a co-worker. A chihuahua named Mr. Pickles.

Well, between her and my other niece's giggling, I managed to understand the true reason for her call.
She wanted me to crochet a pickle costume for Mr. Pickles.
(She'd been looking everywhere for a dog pickle costume but couldn't find one anywhere.) She also wanted his name on the costume.

So, without a clue as to the size of this dog, I jumped into this project whole-heartedly.
(A dog named Mr. Pickles MUST have a pickle costume!)

I finished it and sent it off last week.
I got some photos of the dog from my sister the other day.
(Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

Here he is in all his glory. (He looks like the Green Giant's Little Green Sprout. LOL!)

I used Simply Soft yarn in dark green.
I graphed the words "Mr.Pickles" at this Celtic Cross Stitch site with a free graph generator.
Then I tunisian crocheted the Mr Pickles graph with a J-size cabled hook.

Here's the back and the underside. See the seem on the underside? That's where I joined the costume by whip-stitching it there.

I then had to make two leg holes by single crocheting with a regular J hook. I had to guess as to the size and just hoped it would fit.

I also made a spiffy vine hat using a green pipecleaner/chenille stem.
Oh, I forgot to mention, I cut green felt circles out and sewed them all over the costume too.

I don't think Mr Pickles will be trick-or-treating this year but maybe he can help answer their door and pass out treats!

The Joker - Heath Ledger afghan

2010-10-05T12:02:00.000-07:00

Gosh, October's already here!

For Halloween this year, instead of crocheting a monster from old classic black-and-white movies, I decided to do a more newer "monster" instead. I chose The Joker as portrayed by Heath Ledger in the 2008 movie The Dark Night. (Yes, a Batman movie).
Please click on the photo to enlarge it.

There's the front and then the back of the afghan.

For the pattern I googled "Heath Ledger" and "Joker" and, boom, there's a great stencil someone had made.
I took the stencil and uploaded it to Knitpro to graph it.

It didn't take long to crochet from the graph because it's pretty simple with few color changes and big blocks of color too.

I tunisian crocheted it with a size J cabled afghan hook.
I used Red Heart yarn in black, white, and burgundy.

Now the border; that's another story! It took me almost as long just to single crochet the border than it took to make the whole afghan!

I wanted to do it in green, (reminiscent of his hair color). So I got out three colors of green I had and decided to single crochet it in the tapestry stitch. (That is; carrying the other two colors within the stitches as I went along. Exchanging them every third color. Well, after a first round of this I thought. oh my God! This is going to take forever!!!! Which it did. LOL!
It nearly drove me as crazy as The Joker himself!!!!

Happy Halloween and be careful out there!

In Search Of Scribblers

2010-09-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

Does anyone on this planet besides me remember the Scribbler school folders?
They came in black and white and you could color them in, (preferably with an awesome set of markers)!

I came across two such folders in my attic the other day. So I took them outside for some snapshots. (Click the pictures to enlarge them).

Here's the front and back of an Aztec-looking one. I actually still had Spanish class papers inside it!
The front was colored in but the back has only that one spot of red started. Clearly this was not my favorite pattern or I would have finished it.

Here's the inside with the folder flap. The manufacture is Camp/Ellingsworth of Baltimore,MD. Made by Eaton Paper a division of Textron. The Scribbler Portfolio No. 7460

Where has this company gone? Why can't I find anything about them on the web? There's even a patent number stamped on it. PAT.#3,516,599 Maybe that's where to start looking.

Anyway, here's my favorite one. It has the seasons theme on it.

The front was colored much better than the back. Having a yellow helped. Plus, the back looks like it was done with inferior mushy markers. Can you imagine how much more awesome you could make these now-a-days with the fancy markers they have today?!

Here's the inside flap on this one. I must have liked that ogre-guy.

Here's close-ups of the manufacturer. If anybody can find anything out about these guys, can you please comment here or e-mail me?
And if anybody else has folders, I'd love to see them too!!!! I know they made more than just these two patterns.
It must take a lot of time to color one of these in, maybe someone else saved their folders.
Here's hoping there's more out there! I'd hate to think I'm the only Scribbler left!

Zodiac Afghan Finished!

2010-09-08T09:30:00.001-07:00

Finally! A year in the making and I've managed to get them all together.
(Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

I had really tough time fitting the whole afghan into one shot. It's 81 inches by 81 inches squared. So I had to take photos in sections.
These first two are top and bottom shots.

These are side to side shots. I'm standing on a bench but I still couldn't get high enough to get the whole thing in. It's HUGE!
LOL!

To remind you all, this is tunisian crocheted with a size J cabled afghan hook. Done in 12 squares and then joined together.
I used the Zodiac Knits pattern book from Patons yarn. (Designed by B. Klunder. Printed in Canada from 1992.)

I used all sorts of yarns but mostly I Love This Yarn and Red Heart Yarn.

What a big project this was. This covers the entire top of a king sized bed exactly.
Hope you like it!

Some Indonesian Junket Out Of Town...

2010-09-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

I received another e-mail from Karen with photos of her travels with Singapore Snape over the summer!
Here's the letter with all the pictures. (Click on them to enlarge the photos).

Hi Becky: Here are some pictures from Snape’s (and my) travels this summer. The first two are from Bali in Indonesia . The first is little shrine outside our hotel in Bali . Snape thinks I should build him a little shrine in our sitting room. I said that the only throne he’ll ever find in my house is in the bathroom.

The second is Snape at the spa after his massage. (Notice he’s not wearing his robes – you can even see his tag, the little nudist!) I was a little annoyed that he had charged the massage to my account without telling me, but he insisted that “A relaxing, sensual massage [his words, NOT mine – and he pronounces ‘Sensual massage’ in that slightly sleazy British way. So instead of ‘SENSH-oo-al ma-SAJ’ he said ‘SENS-you-al MASS-aj.’ Blecch!] followed by a floral bath, was absolutely necessary for [his] continued mental and physical health, given the stresses [he] endured as a spy and Death Eater.” I grumbled that he’s “been milking that Voldemort excuse for far too long! -- Oh, I can’t take out the garbage because I’m terrified of snakes, and I think there might be one in the garbage chute! Sorry, I didn’t do the dishes, I was having a Cruciatus flashback! Poor me, I can’t pay the red-haired pizza delivery girl because she reminds me of my beloved Lily!” I’ve had it with his little guilt trips

OMG!!!! Look at him eyeing you with his eyebrow lift! LOL! He's really enjoying himself there. LOL!!!

The next is from Melaka in Malaysia . It’s a model of a Malaysian house Snape found in the courtyard of our hotel. Snape was beside himself with glee. He’s all prepared to retire there, maybe make a few bucks selling potions. Isn’t it great?

I think this photo of the miniature Malaysian house is absolutely fantastic and Snape looks right at home there. I wonder if he's measured the windows for curtains yet. Karen's gonna definitely have to get him one of those somehow!!!!

Then there are two photos from St. Paul ’s Church, built by the Portuguese in Melaka in 1521. The two pictures feature Dutch headstones from the 17th century. Snape thought we should decorate our place with skulls and headstones too. “Ugh, I said! Aren’t you a little old to be a Goth?!?”

Ooooh! They look like Deatheater decor for sure!

The next two photos are from A Famosa, the fort built by the Portuguese in 1511. Snape was enthralled by the cannons, and insisted that I take his picture with them. I said “Hmm. I wonder what Freud would have to say about your fascination with cannons.” Snape thought about this for a second, then fired a jelly-legs jinx at me, and stalked off in a huff. Even though I couldn’t stand up straight for a half-hour, it was totally worth it!

Hope you’re well, Karen

I am laughing at the thought of Karen taking these photos of Snape in the cannon with all these tourists around wondering what the heck is wrong with her. LOL!!!!

I'm so glad Karen sent me more photos and a letter! It's so boring here in Indiana right now. But I feel as though I've travelled a bit myself vicariously, thanks to Karen.

I decided to rewrite some lyrics to Surrender by Cheap Trick in honor of her trip.....(Just click on that link before you read my new lyrics so you can follow allong). :o)

Surrender (Vacation)
(original Words and Music are by Rick Nielsen)

Karen told me, yes, she told me I'd see something new.
She also told me, "Watch out for Snape, you'll never know what he'll do."
Just before the trip I heard their plans were being made.
Some Indonesian junket out of town.

Karen's alright, Snape is alright, they just seem a little weird.
Vacation, vacation, but don't lose your qi Feng shui ay, ay, ay.

Snape had said, "Yes, Karen's right, she's really hip on things."
"Before we became roomies, Karen served in the Canadian Poly Sci wing."
Now, I had heard the kanucks recruited offbeats for their peers.
But Karen's isn't one of those, I've known her all these years.

Karen's alright, Snape is alright, they just seem a little weird.
Vacation, vacation, but don't lose your qi Feng shui, ay, ay, ay.

Whatever happened to all this season's foibles of the year?
Ev'ry time I got to thinking, where'd they disappear?
When she woke up, Snape and Dingo were rolling on the couch.
Snape was losing, rock 'em sock 'em, got his shit kicked out.

Karen's alright, Snape is alright, they just seem a little weird.
Vacation, vacation, but don't lose your qi Feng shui, ay, ay, ay.
Ok.
Ok.

Sock Lion Rumbleroar and Sock Monkey Draco visit

2010-08-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

Some of you may have been wondering what ever happened to Sock Monkey Snape and Sock Monkey Dumbledore since there last posts here and here.

Well, just yesterday I spotted them on the deck in the back yard, laughing, chatting and catching up on things with a dear old friend of Dumbledore's named Rumbleroar. (If you've watched the Harry Potter musicals on You Tube, you will already be familiar with good old 'Rumby' (as Dumbledore affectionately refers to him as). For those who still haven't had time to watch the Potter musicals, Rumbleroar is Headmaster of Pigfarts, which every good wizard and witch will know is located on Mars). Just ask Draco, who was also there in the backyard enjoying the sunshine and free rides on Rumbleroar's back.

I took some photos of the friends enjoying themselves. (Click on them to enlarge).

Here's a nice group shot. I asked them to turn and face me and took the next shot.

Snape wasn't too sure Rumbleroar was friendly at first and kept pointing his wand at Rumby until Dumbledore told him to knock it off.

Here's two nice close-ups of Rumby and Draco. Rumbleroar is very friendly and protective of his students.

And finally, when it was time to leave, Rumbleroar helped Draco climb up on his back for the long trip back to Pigfarts. (Don't worry, they magically put on their spacesuits before disapperating just above the yard). I think I would like to visit Pigfarts some day. I think being anyplace other than here right now sounds wonderful. I'm already practicing their school song.

"Pigfarts, Pigfarts, here I come. Pigfarts, Pigfarts, yum, yum, yum."...

Butterflies Are Free

2010-08-22T08:43:00.000-07:00

I worked on this a few months ago but never posted it here. It's a rug that can also be wall art made with thick craft yarn on a canvas from a 1970's kit I bought on e-bay. (Click photo to enlarge).

I love the colors! The background was supposed to be all white but you know how I have to always go crazy on things and make them even more psychedelic. It's made with a simple half-cross stitch using a thick yarn needle.

Love Is Like A Butterfly

Starkid Afghan

2010-08-17T08:57:00.000-07:00

Have you all seen A Very Potter Musical on You Tube Yet?
Well, if you haven't, oh my Rowling, what are you waiting for??!
It's hilarious!

(My personal favorite is definitely Quirrel, Voldemort, um, QuirrelMort.)
The actors are fantastic, the music is so great, and the humor is spot-on for all Potter fans to revel in.

So I wanted to make an afghan to celebrate this "totally awesome" musical and I had a lot of ideas from "Pigfarts" to "Rumbleroar" to "Red Vines".
But I finally decided on crocheting their production company's logo "Starkid".
So, here it is, (click on the pic to enlarge the photo).

It's only 18" x 37". It would be great to hang on a wall or just to put around your shoulders or lap while on the computer.
I used all cotton Sinfonia yarn by Omega. The variegated pink really looks cool using the afghan stitch.

Now, if you're dying for more Potter Musical fun, they have just posted the A Very Potter Musical Sequel on You Tube as well.

This is also fantastic and I've watched both quite a few times already.
They even have soundtrack music available for free. Yes. Free!
It doesn't get any better than that, does it?
Unless they do a third Potter Sequel.
Now that really would be totally awesome!

Virgo Heather Square

2010-08-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

I've finished up the last square of my Zodiac afghan a little early.
This one is Virgo. (Click to enlarge)

My son asked me why did I make a Statue of Liberty square? LOL!
She does resemble the statue but I think it's really a lady with long hair who has a sun in the background behind her and the sun's rays are what is shining all around her head. (The Zodiac Knits book I used for all the patterns is from Patons yarn which is made in Canada and the book was printed in Canada and I'm fairly certain they could care a less about the Statue of Liberty).

Anyway, it doesn't matter because I'm done. Woohoo!!!!
I am now bordering all the squares and then I can join them together. It's going to be one huge massive afghan that's for sure.

Usually I end the post here with something related to the square. A song link or a picture or a story. But here I have nothing. Let me see... Well, I have a niece born September 5th. I think that makes her a Virgo. So this can be called the Heather Square.
Yep, that's right. Heather. She looks like a Heather, doesn't she?

Oh, and, what the heck......this too.

Now I'm off to join the squares!

Moondance - Van Morrison afghan

2010-08-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

Well it's a marvelous night for a Moondance,
with the stars up above in your eyes.
A fantabulous night to make romance,
'neath the cover of October skies.

I have been groovin' to Van The Man the whole time I was working on this, my latest afghan.
(Please click on the photo to make it bigger. A second click will make it even larger you know).

Van Morrison from the album cover Moondance. (One of my most favorite albums of all-time).

Here's a front and then a back shot side by side. I think the back turned out to be not so messy looking. That's hard to accomplish so I'm pretty dang happy about that too.

A lot of the yarn is that newish Vanna White yarn. She has some really great fall colors and it's really soft yarn.

I used a photo from Van Morrison's Moondance album here...

I then graphed it at microrevolt after adjusting the contrast and sharpness a few times to simplify the graph.

For the word Moondance, I went to that Celtic Cross Stitch site and just typed in Moondance and entered it. I thought it was only fitting to have a Celtic font for the "Belfast Cowboy". He really does have that Celtic Soul sound and I just love him to death!

While working on the afghan, I found a couple of awesome live performances and songs by him on You Tube.

This version of Caravan is even better than the album version. Just amazing!

Into The Mystic is spectacular.

And, of course, I have to end this post with Moondance. This version has the lyrics which are,of course, ..... fantabulous!

Oh! I also wanted to let you all know I put up that Jim Morrison afghan, The Harry Potter vs Voldemort afghan, and the Beatles afghans all for sale on e-bay yesterday. I'm pretty nervous about showing my stuff and selling it. I hope you can go check out the listings. All my afghans are special to me. My listings are under snapescape

That 70's Shift - Zig Zag Daphne Dress

2010-08-04T07:35:00.000-07:00

This is the hottest day of the year here in Indiana.
And I went outside to take pictures of my new totally 70's Zig Zag Daphne dress. ("Daphne" is in honor of Daphne from Scooby Doo. She'd wear something like this, (if they'd ever change her out of that purple dress!!) LOL!!!

It's 100% cotton and crocheted with Lily's Sugan 'n Cream yarn in lots of their summertime bright colors.
(You know the yarn. The stuff you make pot holders out of).
Needless to say it's as heavy as all get-out, (hmm what a weird expression that is; I wonder where that came from) and it shrank about 3 inches when I washed it.

So, without any more babble, here she is..... (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

I'm calling this the front but it really doesn't matter which side is front because they are both made the same.
The only difference is in the yarn color at the top. (I had to use a darker color surrounding the pink stripe in the back. Well, you'll see in a minute. I just didn't have enough to make it all the same front and back.)

ANYWAY, I decided to go throw on my hot pink capri pants because if anything was made for these pants, this sweater sure is!!!

Here's the back. My hands are on my hips to show you the full effect of the bell sleeves. I could have left it sleeveless like an ordinary shift dress but I just got carried away and decided, what the heck. It's already so screamingly eye-popping and funky I might as well go totally all-out and make the bell sleeves too.

I wanted to make this as simply as possible. That is; not have a million different tricky stitches to handle or measurements to deal with. It's just as it seems. Basically, two rippled panels for the front and back. Two one-rippled side panels not quite as long as the front and back - (to accommodate for the sleeves).

Then, I went to town on the sleeves. Keep in mind that it was even larger before I washed it. But I knew it would shrink up a whole lot so everything had to be big.

I would never wear this as a dress. But I think with some nice bright slacks or even sweat pants this would look neat.
I'm thinking of wearing it on Halloween to pass out treats - if it's cold enough! Man, this thing's HOT!!!!!

I also wanted to let you all know that I have finally decided to sell a few of my things. I have so much stuff, well, stuffed away and there really is no more room. And I need the money! LOL!!!!!

So, if you check in my gallery, I have put a sign up on 3 afghans to start with. I'm letting you know in advance since you're most likely a loyal blog-reader of mine if you are even reading this. I will put them in my etsy shop this weekend. (Unless I choose e-bay. Not sure which way to go with them yet).

The afghans on sale are:

1). The Jim Morrison afghan. It's huge!!!

2). The small Beatles afghan.
That's my son holding it in that photo. That's how small it is.

3). The Harry vs Voldemort afghan. This is about the size of a certain purple squishy sleeping bag. So, about a medium.

I tried to pick three different sized items and also have variety. Music and literature themes. I hope they might appeal to some of you. There's an email address at the very bottom of this blog which you can write to if you're interested in these or have any questions. (Look for the owl.) (If you want to contact me, you have to be weird like me and send an owl.) LOL!

I'll be selling lots more too but I'm starting out small. I have so many different items. I kind of need to see what sort of things people might be interested in. If nobody likes this stuff, I guess I'll find out that too.

Anyway, thanks for reading my blog like you do!

Leo Square

2010-08-02T07:17:00.001-07:00

My Leo square is done just in time to wish my Dad a happy birthday this Thursday!

(Click on the picture to enlarge it). It wouldn't lay flat for the photo but after I attach it to the other zodiac squares it will be fine.
It's an eye-popping lime green and orange. It's so bright it just might melt your retinas to gaze upon it in person.

To celebrate, here's I Can Dance / Long Tall Glasses by a famous Leo..... Leo Sayer , that is.

Cancer Square - In Honor of Captain Phil Harris

2010-07-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

I've taken a long break from here, haven't I?

Well, that doesn't mean I've stopped crafting things. It's just that it's been crazy around here.

Anyway, if you're a fan of Deadliest Catch, then like me, I'm sure you've been mourning the loss of Captain Phil Harris from the Cornelia Marie crab fishing boat. Now I don't usually get all wrapped up in reality shows. But this one has really gotten to me in a deep and personal level.

It's been gut-wrenching to watch these last few episodes. And yet I can't look away.

Captain Phil has had to deal with so many issues, some totally blind-siding him, and as a viewer I feel I can relate to some of the terrible issues he had facing him right until the end.

This months zodiac square was Cancer, the sign of the crab. And as I watched Deadliest Catch I worked on this square. I watched the whole thing unfold. I cried for Phil. For his youngest son - admitting he was an addict. For all the pain they were going through. I felt it too.
I couldn't help but think of my own son. Our own turmoil. It's been hell, it really has.

And so, I'm dedicating this square, this Cancer square, to Phil Harris and to all the people who are going through similar things right now in their own lives.

I'm sorry that this post is not a happy post.
And I am once again bawling and can't keep my eyes dry.
I am barely hanging on myself.

I am ending this post with one of my favorite Indigo Girls songs.
Love Will Come To You
It makes mention of being born under the sign of Cancer.
It is a beautiful song and I'm glad someone used it as a background for their montage of friends so I could post it here for you to listen to.

Gemini Square - Hey There, Georgy Girl

2010-06-03T10:04:00.000-07:00

Well, the Gemini square is done.
It was the one square I was most dreading as I thought it looked a bit funny. (Like a two-headed George Washington.) LOL!
I'll let you all decide. Here it is... (Click on to enlarge the photo)......

Well, what do you think? Does it make you want to sing out "Hey there, Georgy Girl" by the Seekers like it did me?
It doesn't help that there's a G on the square for Gemini which, of course, is also for George.

I've decided to embrace this worst of the zodiac squares from the Zodiac Knits booklet and officially call it my Georgy Girl square. Although it should be Georgy Girls with an s.

Anyway, I do love the song so much!
Here's two live versions on You Tube. Both are great!
Hey There, Georgy Girl and
Hey There, Georgy Girl

I did see the movie once. (Georgy Girl) As I recall it was depressing. It had James Mason in it. And a Redgrave. I think it was Lynn Redgrave.

3 more Zodiac squares to go!!!!!

Snape Conquers The Big Easy

2010-05-12T19:18:00.000-07:00

I've heard from Karen and her Singapore Snape recently!!!
They've been traveling quite a bit. Here's her e-mail along with three new photos! (Remember to click on the photos to enlarge them).

Hi Becky: How are things? Is your family well? I’m finally getting around to sending you some pictures of Snape from Washington and New Orleans in February (How time flies when you’re slaving away at work!).

The first is from the bathroom in our fancy suite at the Madison Hotel in Washington DC (They upgraded me to a nicer room because I had been delayed for 2 days at O’Hare due to snow, and was quite overwrought when I finally got into DC). Snape was delighted with our room. He said, “I’m finally living the lifestyle I deserve. See here? A Jacuzzi designed with the crocheted Potions Master in mind. Now that’s what I call luxury: thoughtful, understated luxury.” I replied, “But, Professor, I think that’s a bidet!” He said, “A what?” I said, “Um, never mind. Maybe look it up when we get home.” He did, and was quite livid.

I hope she gave him a good scrubbing after that photo!!!!!!

As I mentioned, there was a lot of snow while I was in DC. The next picture shows Snape on our balcony in the second major blizzard.

Doesn’t he look cold? At first he was happy to pose for me, but, darn it all, none of the pictures I took turned out exactly right! So he had to wait out in the cold while I adjusted my camera and tried taking picture after picture after picture. After a half hour, he was getting pretty frosty, both literally and in the figurative emotional sense. (I think he’s getting soft in Singapore ’s warm, tropical weather.) Finally he shouted “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing!” and tried to hex me. However, he was shivering pretty badly by that time, and missed me by a fair distance.

Oh dear! A frosty Snape is not a jolly happy soul!!!!!

The last picture is from New Orleans , the afternoon after Mardi Gras. We had arrived the afternoon of Mardi Gras, and Snape immediately departed “on wizarding business,” he said. I didn’t see him for another 24 hours.

He finally appeared on the floor outside our hotel room in the condition you see here, and smelling of something vile. “Professor!” I said, “What on earth happened to you? And where did you get all these beads?” He groaned, “All I remember is having too many Raspberry Ice Picks, then crashing a society ball, then talking to a police horse, then puking on Bourbon Street , then nothing.” I was greatly concerned, and asked, “Was the police horse an animagus? Were you on a mission for the Order of the Phoenix ? And what’s a Raspberry Ice Pick? Some kind of vile potion??” He said “What are you talking about?? Um, oh yes, a potion….”

I LOVE this photo!!!!! I can totally see it made into a puzzle. (I love puzzles). It would be great!

P.S. - When I was in Canada I looked and looked for the red Olympic mittens, but couldn’t find any anywhere. I’ve been checking online since I got back, but again, no such luck. I guess they’re all sold out. I’m really sorry about that. Snape tried to transfigure a dishtowel into a pair, but they were of poor quality and he misspelled ‘ Vancouver ’, so I refused to send them to you, even though he insisted you’d never know the difference.

Karen

Oh, rats! No red Vancouver Olympic mittens! Oh well, thanks for looking. And it was nice for your Snape to even try conjuring a pair. I'll bet he could make a small pair for himself with some red felt and a white felt maple leaf on the palm. But what does he need mittens for in Singapore? Well, he does travel to places like Washington D.C. after a snowstorm.

I wonder what he's done to "earn" all those Mardi Gras beads around his neck. He must have flashed his wand to a lot of fans in The Big Easy!!!!!!!

Thanks for the photos and updates, Karen!!!!!

Old Friends - Simon and Garfunkel afghan

2010-05-01T10:49:00.001-07:00

I finished this last night and I'm posting it today before I go on a trip for 6 days. (Click to enlarge).

Here's the afghan. It was designed from a black and white photo of them.

Here's that photo.

Well, I'll just come right out and say it so you all don't have to.....
Why does Art look like George Bush??!!! WTF??!! LOL!!!!!
I have no idea why that is. But now I can't shake it. Oh dear. All that work.

ANYWAY, Did you know that Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel will both be turning 70 next year?
70! Paul was born October 13, 1941 and Art was born November 11, 1941.
It's as though God simply decided to create two incredibly talented people and made sure they would meet up and, "voilà!" Magic!.

Their upcoming ages remind me of the line in the song Old Friends when he sings;
"How terribly strange to be seventy."
It's one of my favorite songs by them.

I also wanted to add another video. This one is of The Boxer and was performed live on David Letterman when they were about to start another tour together.

I wanted to include this because they add a verse to the song which was cut from the original version of that song. Who knows why. Maybe people thought the song was too long. Here's the extra verse.

Now the years are rolling by me
They are rockin' easily
I am older than I once was
And younger than I'll be and that's not unusual.
No it isn't strange
After changes upon changes
We are more or less the same
After changes we are more or less the same

And yes, I do believe that after changes upon changes we are more or less the same.

I am so glad God decided to pair these two and gave them the talent and insight to put wonderful thoughts and sounds into poetic music which has continued to inspire me throughout my life.

April Come She Will

2010-04-27T12:43:00.000-07:00

I finished my Taurus square. (Click photo to enlarge).

Only four more squares to go! Woo-ha! Then I have to join them all.

Since the sign of Taurus begins in April, I'm posting a You Tube link to Simon and Garfunkel's April Come She Will

(Hint, hint. The last photo in that video is the next afghan that I am currently working on)!

Recycle Symbol Afghan

2010-04-19T08:27:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is coming again and I've made another afghan to celebrate it.
(Please click on the photo to make is larger).

It's tunisian crocheted with a size J cabled afghan hook.
I used I Love This Yarn in a color called Meadow.

Here's a close-up of the recycle symbol. (The colors are not true like they are in the first photo. I think I pushed that "white balance" button by accident and made the rest of the photos bluish. Why do they even have this button the camera? It's like the "Caps Lock" button on the keyboard. I think they only added them to make our lives miserable).

ANYWAY, I graphed out the recycle symbol on some graph paper. It was pretty easy to do. It's not perfect or anything.
I like the fact that the color is called meadow. It's very "earthy" and so is this afghan!
Hope you enjoyed it too!

Happy Earth Day!

Aries Square

2010-04-06T11:17:00.000-07:00

I finished the Aries square a while ago but I'm finally getting around to posting it. Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Things have been pretty crazy here. My husband has had a total knee replacement and I've been driving him around to therapy and doctors.

Our dog opened the refrigerator last night and got the Easter ham we had leftover. So I won't be making the bean soup I was looking forward to.

Anyway, I wanted to get that Aries square posted so I could put it away with the other squares in the closet. ( lol! I am envisioning a closet full of nerdy people right now.) .... Squares? .... Get it?

What can I say about Aries? I found a couple of cool items over on etsy that have the Aries ram on them.

This cool puzzle. I just love it!

This vintage Aries poster. So awesome!

And this vintage Aries purse. If I were an Aries I would so get this!

There's a ton of other Aries things over at etsy. It's a great site to shop and sell things.
If you haven;t checked it out over there, you really should.

Wriggly Trivets

2010-03-16T12:01:00.000-07:00

Top o' the mornin' to ya!
Happy St. Patty's Day!
I've made three more wriggly trivets. (Please click on the pictures to enlarge them).

The shamrock pattern is from the Hot Stuff trivet book here
and the other two patterns I made myself with graph paper.

For the shamrock trivet I tried to be different this time and chose a variegated minty-colored thread for the background.

I'm calling this the Mondrian Peace trivet. I used black thread for the peace sign and trivet itself and filled them in with the basic colors Piet Mondrian used in many of his famous paintings, (red, blue, yellow, and white).

And this is the tie-dyed smiley trivet. For the background, I used another variegated thread that is sort of a pastel rainbow mix. I thought this gave the trivet the look of actual tie-dyed t-shirts.

I love making thread trivets with the crocheted wriggly technique! It's so fun!

Pisces, Virgo rising is a very good sign...

2010-03-09T13:23:00.000-08:00

strong and kind,
And the little boy is mine.
Now I see a family where there once was none, now we've just begun,
Yeah, we're gonna fly to the sun.

Pisces square is done! Click on the picture to make it larger.

Danny's Song Loggins & Messina

What a great song.
March 13th, Happy Birthday Casey!!!! 21 years, where did they go?

Alice In Stitches Purse

2010-03-03T08:20:00.000-08:00

Alice in Wonderland is almost here.
I'm sure a lot of you will be going to the midnight releases Thursday, (well, really Friday), night.

I wanted to post my Alice in Wonderland cross stitch purse I made a couple of years ago. (Please click on the photo to enlarge).

Tadaa! First picture is of the front, second picture is of the back.

It's made from a vintage purse kit from Darice. I bought the kit on ebay. Someone had started the cross-stitch panel which was supposed to be a diamond pattern, but they gave up after making one diamond.

I removed their stitches and decided to make an Alice in Wonderland bag using a pattern in this old library book by Kathleen Thorne-Thomsen called "Alice In Stitches". (I also bought this book on ebay).

There are a lot of graphs in this book to do, but the purse I made using the one that is on the cover here. I had to modify it a lot to fit it in. The Cheshire cat had to go.

Here are some close-ups. Ugh! I see a tiny loose thread on one of the green spades! Please don't notice that!

I wanted to make the caterpillar on a mushroom but I couldn't fit him completely on it so I made him sort of climbing off of it. The mushroom design is from another pattern in this book.

For the tube leading from his mouth to his hookah, I chained together some iridescent blue seed beads and anchored them periodically to the design.

I also added some seed beads into the sky and the chess board which actually has the card suit designs on it.

I made tiny smoke puff rings in the sky with glow-in-the-dark thread. I also used that glowing thread in the white chess board squares at the bottom. Each white square actually has a fish stitched over the white in the glow-in-the-dark thread. So, if you hold this purse to the light and then take it out into the night, the circle smoke rings and the sea of fish show up.

As you can tell I really had a blast designing this purse.
Hope you all enjoy the movie!!!

Card Guards Afghan

2010-02-22T07:56:00.000-08:00

Alice doesn't live here anymore.
Did she ever live on the other side of the looking-glass, really?
It was more of a visit, wasn't it?
At any rate, she's gone.

But the Queen of Hearts still has her guards helping her cheat at croquet.

(Please click on the photo to enlarge it).
I tried to get this done for Valentine's Day but it wasn't, um, in the cards. LOL!
So, at least it's in time for the latest Alice in Wonderland movie to be released March 5th.

It's a small afghan and I used three, no four, different crochet stitches.
First I did the tunisian crochet, (afghan stitch), for the center guards. (Size J cabled afghan hook.)

Then, I single crocheted all the border hearts using the tapestry stitch. You actually carry over the yarn you aren't using in the design and it's sort of "trapped" within the stitch but still visible making it look sort of like confetti all around the hearts.

Then I did the front post double crochet/back post double crochet alternating between hot pink and white. (Ah! My eyeballs!)

Finally, in red, I did some clustered double crochets in bunches of five right down every other front post crochet.

I found the awesome card guard graph pattern at Jessica Tromp's knitting and stitching site. The graph is completely symmetrical so if you like that sort of pattern you'll find it there.

"You're nothing but a pack of cards!" - Alice

When the moon is in the Seventh House.....

2010-02-15T10:53:00.000-08:00

And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

I finished the Aquarius square. Yay! (Click on the picture to make it larger).

Here's the song. A blast from the past. Enjoy!
The Age of Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In

Seven more squares to go!

Capricorn Done

2010-01-21T08:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, (or possibly the day before yesterday), was the end of zodiac month for Capricorn.
So, I'm barely squeaking in with this finished Capricorn square.

It is tunisian crocheted with a size J cabled afghan hook.
I used I Love This Yarn from Hobby Lobby in Coffee brown and Limelight green colors.

4 squares done and 8 more to go.

That Little Bird - Embroidered Apron

2010-01-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

I don't always do crocheted projects. As some of you know who have popped in here from time to time, I do sneak in a needlepoint or cross stitched project here and there. (Click on photos to enlarge).

This is an embroidered apron which I'm giving to my cousin for her wedding. (Well, people don't usually wear aprons now-a-days so it's more like a wall decoration. I envision it as hanging on a hook somewhere in the kitchen to brighten things up.)

I'd ordered this apron online last year and was bummed out when I got it because I thought the bird print was for the entire apron- not just the top bib part. So I had tossed it in my closet and forgot about it.

Then, about a month ago I found a really neat item on etsy. A pattern to embroider this cute bird and quotation from Martin Luther, (a priest and leader of the Protestant Reformation). The etsy shop is HootinAnniesII

So, I ordered it and when I got it I thought, now what can I embroider this onto? And then I remembered the apron.

I thought, with the embroidery underneath, it would make the bird print above look like the leaves of the tree the bird was resting in. So, that's what I was hoping for anyways. I'm thinking of making some kind of fabric pockets for the sides.

I used many colors for the words and for the tree bark and bird I used variegated floss to make them seem to have more depth. I really like how it turned out. If you're having trouble reading it, it says:

"That little bird has chosen his shelter. Above it are the stars and the deep heaven of worlds. Yet he is rocking himself to sleep without caring for tomorrow's lodging, calmly clinging to his little twig, and leaving God to think for him." - Martin Luther

I hope she likes it!

--- UPDATE ---

I sewed on the pockets, added lacy trim, and also added a moon so it would look more centered. Click to enlarge.

Peace On Earth Afghan

2009-12-31T08:27:00.000-08:00

I finished this about a week late but I thought it was still appropriate for a New Year's wish as well as a Christmas sentiment.

I'm calling it my Peace On Earth Afghan. (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

It's about 72 inches by 76 inches. I had to stand on the couch arms to try and fit it all in the shot.

(Sorry about the messy rug. We just moved out my Mother-in-laws things and this room is now empty except for a beat-up couch and we haven't had any time to get the carpet cleaned or anything).

I made four squares. (Two in Bernat's Camouflage Outback yarn and White I Love This Yarn, and two in Bernat's Camouflage Renegade yarn with Antique White I Love This Yarn). Dark Thyme Green TLC Essentials yarn.

The squares were tunisian, (afghan) stitched using a size J cabled afghan hook.
Once they were done I single crocheted around the squares with a J hook about 12 times each.

Then I joined the squares from the back with a running chain stitch. (I'll post the back in a minute).
Then went around the whole afghan with a basketweave stitch - 3 rows of Outback and 3 rows of Dark Thyme Green).

Here's a shot of the front next to a shot of the back. You can see the joining seams, (done with Outback).

I got the idea for the peace dove from this dimestoreemporium etsy shop where they are selling pendants with this dove on them.

I wanted to use earthy colors and I had a lot of Camouflage yarn in my stash so it worked out perfect.

So, here's to Peace on Earth in the coming year 2010!
I hope all who are reading this have a peaceful year and the white dove finally does come home to sleep in the sand of wherever you live!!

"There are FOUR lights!" Cptn. Picard Afghan

2009-12-26T11:15:00.000-08:00

I've been dying to post this next afghan in my blog but I had to wait until after Christmas as it was a gift for my son's girlfriend, who much-prefers Captain Picard over Captain Kirk, (as far as Star Trek Captain's go). (Please click on the photos to embigger them).

I used a size J cabled afghan hook and crocheted it in the tunisian (afghan) stitch.

He was a bit tricky as I've never crocheted a bald person before. I hope his head is in good proportion to the rest of him. He does seem to have a smallish head in all the actual photos I could find on the web anyway.

Here's another front shot next to a shot which is the back of the afghan.

I made the "Star Trek" word part crocheting bottom-to-top. (Hence, the stripes here are vertical.) I used Simply Soft Shadows yarn in Merino.

When I crocheted the portrait, I stitched side-to-side so the stripes are horizontal behind his head. I joined the the pieces together and crocheted around the whole thing doing a basketweave stitch.

I'm glad I chose that yarn because it really makes the background look like "outer space".

Anyway, she liked the afghan very much!

Not only that, she and my son have become engaged as of yesterday!!!! Woohoo!
I'm celebrating now with some tea I received from her for Christmas.
Just like the Captain would have ordered it.

"Tea, Earl Grey, hot."

Every time a bell rings.....

2009-12-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

Here it is, another Christmas eve. Where has the time gone?

I received an e-mail from Karen in Singapore a couple weeks ago and thought I'd save it until now to post to you all.

First, there is the photo.....(click to enlarge).....

Yep, that's him alright. Singapore Snape. Up on top of her tree. Look out Santa 'cause you're in for some nasty, abusive language once you get into Karen's flat tonight!!! Here's her letter...

I’ve attached a picture of my Christmas tree. It’s a bit fuzzy, but that’s because I took it at night.
Take note of the rather distinctive angel on top.

I haven’t been able to find an angel tree-topper that isn’t ugly or cheap-looking here. I tried to make one out of felt, but the felt I bought for the face and hands was way too pink – like flamingo pink – so it just looked sunburnt and bizarre.

I managed to make 2 wings out of feathers, so while he was fast asleep on the sofa (after watching Christmas Vacation and eating a giant pile of sugar cookies) I grabbed Professor Snape and attached them to his robe with black pipe cleaners. Then I made a (crooked and dingy, of course) halo out of glitter pipe cleaners, and attached it to his scalp. Finally I used more pipe cleaners to tie him to the tree.

He was pretty ticked – not to mention terribly uncomfortable – when he woke up, but he hasn’t got his wand, so there’s not much he can do about it. Some neighbours dropped by yesterday and remarked that he is the meanest looking angel they’ve ever seen. Best, Karen

Oh....my...God!!! Look at him!!!!!

Someone better warn Santa! What about wandless magic?! I bet Snape could do some serious spells even without his wand!
(After all, he can fly like a human bat-man in the last book, couldn't he?
It's like poking a beehive with a stick I tell you!
If he's up there it must only be because he wants to be there tonight. Watching. Waiting for the fat man. What evil plans does he have in store for the jolly old elf? What mischief will he unleash?

Karen is very brave indeed. I only hope she's still safe!
I hope we hear from her soon!

I want to close this post with the same poem and comic strip page I set up a few years ago for you all.
The Night Before Christmas - A Visit from S. Snape
Enjoy your holidays and

Sagittarius Square

2009-12-20T11:50:00.000-08:00

Good Grief. Where has the time gone?
I've had a lot of major turmoil here and things are still in a semi-chaotic state so let me get this Sagittarius Square posted first before I forget. (Click to enlarge).

This is a square for the Zodiac afghan I'm making. Three down, nine to go.

I've got an afghan finished that some may have already seen but I still can't post it here until after Christmas.

I'm nearly done with another one which, if I can't get it finished before Christmas, it should be done by New Years.

I do have an awesome photo to post Christmas eve so hang in there on that. It's from Karen in Singapore and I know you all will like it!

Now, what's been going on here, you may ask.

Well. about a week before Thanksgiving, my mother-in-law, (who lives here with us), fell and broke her now-not-so-humorous bone. (She will be 80 years old in March). So, I had to call 911 and have them come out to get her to the hospital.

Then, after putting her arm in a sling, they send her back home here. No cast. No surgery to pin the thing together. Nothing.

The next four days are a blur of me and my three boys and husband trying to take care of Grandma. She can barely stand. We had to have her in her Lazy-boy recliner so the boys could push her chair from behind just to get her to stand up to walk to the bathroom.

She was constantly complaining of pain and her pain medicine never seemed to relieve her.

By day four, she started in wailing in pain around dinner time. I didn't know what to do. She kept screaming to call 911. That she was going to go into shock. That she was hurting so much. She couldn't move. Couldn't stand. Nothing.

Sooooooo, again I called 911 and they came and took her back to the hospital. They gave her so much pain medicine the emts asked if she was ever addicted to pain meds before because, if so, the body remembers and they need a lot more than normal to ever even have any effect.

Well, she's only my mother-in-law so I really didn't know her forever but I do know she's had many other ailments and surgeries throughout her long lifetime, (like once - before I even met her - she had fallen and actually broke both ankles), so I suppose it was entirely possible that she may have been addicted to pain meds at one time or another.

ANYWAY, they brought her back to the hospital, decided to do a surgery to pin the bone in place this time, and released her to a rehabilitation center where they are caring for her while her arm mends.

So, she's there now but her children, (my husband included), have decided she needs to move to an assisted-living center and have found a place in Illinois near her youngest child. She has Alzheimer's Disease and dimentia as well so this is hopefully going to be a good thing for her.

So these couple of weeks have flown by for me. I'm trying to get her things packed up and ready for the moving people. They start loading up the truck December 26th. They will be going the 27th. My husband will be driving her out there then too. She will not be coming home here. They thought that would be too hard for her.

Well, now that I've blabbed on and bored you all to death, I hope you will forgive me this most dullest blog entry ever.
I keep praying that things will pick up and get better soon and in the end it will all have been for the best.

Stay tuned for that Christmas eve post! You can all wake up now because this post is overwith!

No triskaidekaphobic be I!

2009-11-13T06:59:00.000-08:00

That's right. I'm not afraid of the number 13. In fact, today is my birthday.
I have a son who is also born on the 13th, (of March).
Sometimes, like today, our special day of the year falls on a Friday too. I once read in a Superstitions book that, if you are born on the 13th, then it is actually your lucky day. (Hopefully, if it's on a Friday, then it's an extra lucky day for you). Who knows?

Anyway, I'm posting my second completed zodiac square from that Zodiac Knits pattern book.

Here it is next to the Libra square. I think my camera is tired of photographing my projects. The flash always seems to pop up and go off now - no matter how sunny it is outside. I tried keeping my hand pressed down on the flash but then it doesn't want to take the photo at all.
So, as a result, I keep getting these over-exposed photos. The Scorpio square is actually a dark orange and black. And Libra is a darker pink and blue. Oh well. Once the squares are all done and put together, hopefully I can get a better photo of everything.

Oh yes! Another thing. I have joined the stitching community at Ravelry I am "beckykelly" there so if anyone wants to befriend me just do it! I haven't even made a post there yet. I have to figure out how it all works. I think I will start with this Zodiac afghan I'm working on. So, please, if you have a Ravelry account, feel free to send me a message! That is, if your not afraid to befriend someone born on the 13th, with a child also born on the 13th, on this Friday the 13th of November! LOL!!!!

Some Beach - Somewhere

2009-11-03T09:14:00.000-08:00

As promised Karen has sent me photos of her and Singapore Snape's vacation trip to Pulau Tioman as well as a letter about their trip.

Hi Becky: I’m finally getting round to sending you pictures from Snape’s and my trip to Pulau Tioman, an island off the east coast of Malaysia.

The first one is Snape posing in front of our rustic little cabin.

The coconut he’s leaning on was actually really rotten and full of ants. You should have heard him shriek when they started crawling on him. I haven’t laughed like that in a long time.

The second one is Snape waving from Salang beach.

The third one is Snape posing on a rock. I think it looks like a picture in one of those sexy men calendars. Except that the sexy man is Snape.

And the last one is Snape in a hammock. He’s a bit tipsy in that picture, and got a whole lot tipsier as the afternoon progressed. Then he got seasick in the hammock, and ended up throwing up behind a palm tree. He just can’t say no to the fruity tropical drinks.

Anyway, we had a good time. As I mentioned, we went with normal people, and I wasn’t too sure how they’d react to our surly little friend. But they loved him, and even suggested poses for him – for example, the hammock shot was their idea.

Hope you’re doing okay. Take care, Karen

Oh, It's so nice to see some warm sunny beach shots while the temperature here drops to freezing at night.
He looks a little too relaxed on that rock - like he's posed for quite a few too many in that position. LOL!
He's obviously having a relaxing and enjoyable trip. (I still love that swimsuit!!!!!!)

I hope Karen and Snape continue to keep us updated on whatever happens and wherever they get to. Life's a beach sometimes and it's nice to live vicariously when we a bit down ourselves. Thanks Karen!!!!
Some Beach; Somewhere

No Libra Sun........No Halloween.....

2009-10-26T11:18:00.000-07:00

I am working on a Zodiac afghan made up of "squares" each representing one sign of the Zodiac.

I thought I'd start with the current sign I was in when I started, (Libra), but I took longer than I thought I would and time has now crept into the next sign of the Zodiac, (Scorpio), so I have to start on that one right away next and catch up.

Anyway, I'm using this sweater knitting pattern book from Paton's called "Zodiac Knits" which I bought on ebay. It has graphs of each sign. Please click on the photos to enlarge them.

Here's a photo of the pattern book and a photo of a page inside showing the Libra and Scorpio designs once knitted.
Of course I only know how to crochet and so the pattern graphs will not be to scale, (as the afghan, (tunisian), stitch is a different size than the intarsia knitting stitches).

So, here's my Libra "square" which is more like a rectangle. I chose pink and blue as the colors because I googled "colors of the zodiac signs" and most sites seemed to agree that pinks and blues were for Libra. (Although they did say pastel colors). But I went with hot pink and a medium blue.

Now that I know what the size of each "square" will be, (18" wide by 24" high), I can now figure out how to arrange the squares of the afghan.
I'm going to make it three "squares" high by 4 "squares" wide. I think it should be 72" x 72" when all the squares are put together, (not counting the joining in between.) But anyway, it should be square-shaped when I finish. Should be. LOL!

While making the Libra square I kept having Stevie Wonder's song - I Just Called To Say I Love You - stuck in my head. LOL!
Especially the part that goes ...... No Libra Sun .....No Halloween ..... No giving thanks to all the Christmas joy you bring....
I'll have to end this post with a link to that song so I can get it out of my head!!!!

Let's see....what else?
Oh yes! I ordered two 2-dimentional Lego pumpkin kits a while back and put them together to create this awesome 3-dimentional Lego pumpkin following these instructions I found online. 3-D Lego pumpkin instructions

Here's a photo of my finished Lego pumpkin, an attempt at a photo of the pumpkin in the dark after I bought a 3-colored light thingie to put underneath, and a photo of the light thingie itself.

Happy Halloween!!!

No New Year's Day to celebrate
No chocolate covered candy hearts to give away
No first of spring
No song to sing
In fact here's just another ordinary day

No April rain
No flowers bloom
No wedding Saturday within the month of June
But what it is, is something true
Made up of these three words that I must say to you

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

No summer's high
No warm July
No harvest moon to light one tender August night
No autumn breeze
No falling leaves
Not even time for birds to fly to southern skies

No Libra sun
No Halloween
No giving thanks to all the Christmas joy you bring
But what it is, though old so new
To fill your heart like no three words could ever do

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart, of my heart,
of my heart

I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart, of my heart,
baby of my heart

I Just Called To Say I Love You

We're Out Of Pop-Tarts

2009-10-06T10:19:00.000-07:00

I've received an e-mail from Karen in Singapore confirming she received the patronus for her Snape!
Here's the letter... (as always, click on the photos to enlarge them)...

Dear Becky: Snape and I received the package on Friday, and we’re both delighted with it. Thanks so much! However, Snape claims that everything in the package was intended for him: he says the black and white bag is a sleeping bag, and the mug is actually a custom made single-handled potions cauldron, which is intended to be used to brew a certain kind of warm, fragrant pepper-up potion. (By which I think he means coffee.)

I couldn’t open the mokeskin bag, so I let Snape try. You should have heard the wonder and longing in his voice when he pulled out the bear. “Radar!” he said as he hugged it tightly. I laughed, “Radar? Isn’t that the name of Big Bird’s teddy bear?” The he shouted “You wouldn’t understand!” and fired a stinging hex at me. (I am SO tired of stinging hexes.) He’s right though, I don’t understand what’s going on with him and that bear. Though every once in a while I catch him cuddling it like he’s doing in the picture.

Awwwwwww. Look at how sweet that is! Kind of reminds me of this cute little avatar I found a few years ago... Well, Montgomery Burns had his Bobo didn't he?
I'm sure Singapore Snape feels much more secure and safe now with his Radar. (I would just like to point out here that bats, too, have radar.)

The patronus is working like a charm though (ah ha ha, nice pun!). As you can see, Dingo is quite fascinated with it,

so Snape can use it to distract Dingo while he makes a quick getaway.

Those are great photos! Dingo sure does seem to want to grab that patronus badly!!! No wonder Snape sent word he needed help!!!!

Snape also enjoys using it to send messages to me when I’m at work. (He’s tried to use the ‘fellytone’ but he always ends up shouting at phone operators, and he’s ruined two perfectly good cell phones by trying to use a quill and ink to write text messages. And the less we can say about the mess left by the owls the better!) As you can see, he uses the patronus to send only the most important messages.

OMG!!!!!! I can't believe he's using his patronus to send you such trivial messages! I can just picture him lounging around on your sofa in his bunny slippers eating all your Pop-Tarts and getting crumbs all over the place!!!!

Hope you’re well. I’ve also got pictures from our vacation, which I’ll send tomorrow. Thanks again, Karen

Well, there you have it! Singapore Snape certainly looks a lot more confident and safer now with his patronus at his side. (Or on some silly errand to remind Karen at her office how low they are on groceries!!!!) I'm really looking forward to seeing their photos of Snape's snorkeling trip these past couple of weeks!!!

I also have another update from Lee Mac on her "Brady Bunch"-like Hogwarts Hoard afghan. She's finished Dumbledore and it's really fantastic! He looks just exactly like ol' Dumby. See for yourselves.....

Count Dracula - Bela Lugosi afghan

2009-10-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Halloween is coming soon and I have finished my latest monster afghan.

It's Count Dracula as portrayed by Bela Lugosi.

I used a this photo to make the graph by messing with the tint, colors, and all those other fun buttonsmy computer lets me use to adjust photos. Then I graphed what I had at the Knitpro website.

It's crocheted using a size J cabled afghan hook again. I used all "I Love This Yarn" from Hobby Lobby so it's really nice and soft.

As you can tell by the actual photo I changed a few things. I definitely wanted to show his fangs as that was the most recognizable thing about this "monster" so I made sure his showed. Also, I made his eyes red. I looked all around to different websites and saw that most drawings and things had his eyes as red. There's even a contact lens called "Dracula's eyes" which is red so I figured this was acurate. And I made his ribbon medal thingy up as well. Most sites and costumes of draculas do show him with some sort of red ribbon "baron-looking" medal around his neck so I put one on him.

Here's photos of the front and back side by side so you can compare.

He will look right at home along with my Frankenstein's Monster and Bride of Frankenstein afghans!

Next year, who knows. Maybe the Wolfman or Mummy or Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Doe, a deer, a female patronus...

2009-09-18T05:19:00.000-07:00

I received an urgent message from Karen in Singapore a couple of weeks ago.

Hi Becky:
How is your summer going? Doing anything fun for Labor Day? I'm working because it's not a holiday here (boo).
Anyway, as you know, my dog Dingo can't resist bothering Snape. It seems that our esteemed Potions Master is destined to be bullied no matter where he goes. Snape mentioned that since the patronus charm is intended to protect witches and wizards from dark creatures, it might also help him fend off Dingo (surely the darkest creature in my flat). Unfortunately, he's been unable to cast him patronus charm since coming here -- he says it's my fault for making his life so boring and miserable that he can't summon the feelings of happiness required to cast the charm. I say he's been miserable before, and didn't have any trouble then. -- so we were wondering if you could help us out there? If you're not too busy, could you please crochet us a doe patronus? I'd imagine it would need to be in silvery blue yarn if such a thing exists.... What do you think? best, Karen

So I whipped up this deer to protect our dear Singapore Snape... (click on the photos to make them larger)...

She is made with a shiny silvery light blue yarn called Patons Brilliant and the color is Blue Shimmer.
(My Snape says that he had conjured it up for Singapore Snape and that I only think I had anything to do with it). Her eyes are green beads. Green. The color of Lily's eyes. Also, underneath that are silver leaf sequins. She is magical after all.

At any rate, Snape said this patronus should protect Singapore Snape from even the most formidable Grims by shoving it between himself and the Hell Hound. (Or at least it might distract the dog so he could make a clean get-away.)

Having finished that I was ready to send it off but Snape said he had another idea which also might help.
(This is where he began to get all bossy on me).
He insisted that I make a mokeskin pouch with which he could put into it a secret weapon which he said was none of my business.

I told him there were no moke lizards in Indiana and that I would have to crochet a "simulated mokeskin pouch".

He was outraged and began flinging things all around the room.
He said he would have to come up with all sorts of different incantations and modifications and why hadn't I started the darn thing already?!!!! He left the room mumbling coded words like "operation radar" and "brown fur" under his breath.

So, to make a long story even longer, I finally finished the thing here...

He attached some magical beads and feathers to it. I added a cat/moon pin to it and he snorted and said Singapore Snape would most likely rip that thing off of it in two seconds.

I also finally got around to making a houndstooth patterned bag in black and white which I am sending along to Karen.
I'm sure she can find a use for it. Snape liked the bag but scoffed at my present to Karen inside of it.
He said, "Who is she? Some sort of female Indiana Jones?" And I said, "Riiiight. That's it.", and rolled my eyes at him.

So anyway, he grabbed the simulated mokeskin sack and ran off with it.
He's only returned with it just today and said I must send this off post haste.

I wanted to check what he'd put inside but he snorted and said I knew nothing of mokeskin, simulated or otherwise, and that only the owner can retrieve what's inside the bag. I hope this won't be a problem with customs.

So. I'm off to the post office with this.
I hope I'm not too late.

Doe, a deer, a female patronus...

Halloween Throw and Mesh Purse

2009-09-16T09:56:00.000-07:00

I've been working on Halloween things for the past month now.
I've been trying to wait until at least October to post them but then I would have nothing to show for September.
Maybe some of you will want to try making one of them before Halloween anyway, so you may as well get started now.

First, I finished this Halloween Throw from Caron yarns.

That link takes you to the pattern. You can use whatever yarns and colors you like.

Here's my afghan. First photo is the front. Second photo is the back. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them).

I used mostly Red Heart and I Love This Yarn.
It was so sunny today the camera made it look a lot brighter than it actually is.
It's a pretty small afghan. About the size of a baby crib.

I made the border by doing the basketweave stitch using candy corn colors.

Next I have a mesh purse I made with black and orange Sinfonia yarn.
It took FOREVER!!!!

Here's the front and back laid on the deck.

And here I hung it up over the deck rail.
I did it tapestry crochet style switching from black to orange and carrying over the next color each time.
It was a difficult and at times tangly mess. It's hard for me to not get all twisty doing the tapestry technique.

Anyway, the yarn is a thinner cotton so it's difficult to even tell it's "meshed" in two areas with a strip of single crochet in between. Maybe I should have stuffed it with things to bulk it out so you could see how stretchy it is.

I added a cute witch pin on it.

It's the story... of a guy named Harry...

2009-08-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

UPDATE!!!!!!!!

I've heard from totallee again with more photos!

Wow! She's really plugging away at this afghan!!!! I LOVE the Drake!

UPDATE!!!!!!!!

I received the nicest e-mail a couple of days ago from an Aussie crocheter named Lee!
Here's some of what she had to say...

Hi there!

I'm undertaking my first 'blanket' at the moment and it just so happens to be Harry Potter themed -_^
I plan to make it in the style of the famous BradyBunch intro - 9 squares featuring my fave characters and when I put the call out for a great snape picture to use, someone put me onto your site and my eyes fell upon your INCREDIBLE Snape afghan!
Talk about the perfect picture to use!! Mysterious to the max!
So with your piece as my inspiration, I made my Snape panel! (see attachments)

4 panels down, 5 to go!! (that's if I can manage to cut down the amount of characters I want to have!! Proving to be EXTREMELY difficult!)

Once again, I''m a big fan of your work Becky! (Head swelling)
Can't wait to see what you come up with next!!
Much love,
Lee xox.

I've asked her and she was kind enough to let me post her letter and two photos she sent me.
Check out her finished squares so far!!!!! (Click on them to enlarge).

Aren't they FABULOUS!!!!!!!
What a great idea doing a "Brady Bunch" blanket with Harry Potter characters!!!!!
I LOVE it!!!!

Look at Hermione's hair!!!! It must have been very difficult to do that part. I love the off-centered positioning of the characters. Just like they were the Brady family moving around in their squares looking at each other.

Who will go in the center? Harry? (I would put Snape in there, of course!) LOL!!!!
Where ever she puts Harry, I hope she can put Snape nearby so it looks like he's giving the ol' "stink-eye" to the 'chosen one' forever! LOL!!!

I wonder who else she's doing. Dumbledore and Hagrid most likely, but then who?
I really can't wait to see how it all turns out!

My jaw dropped when I visited her site. Totallee.net
She has done some really great portrait pieces. You really should scoot over there and check out her work!!!!

AND she's posting the Potter portrait patterns to her afghan for free! Yes FREE!

Why are you all still here? Go check out her site!

Everyone's A Captain Kirk - Afghan

2009-08-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

Well, naturally I couldn't leave Spock hanging all by himself, could I?
So I made a Captain Kirk afghan as well and then joined them together, (as they should be), and added a Star Trek logo to the bottom as well. (Click the pics to make them super-huge!)

First off, here's Kirk alone. (I know what you're thinking you Trekkies out there. "Gasp! He's wearing a green shirt!")
Yep, well, as I was looking around for a decent representation of 'The Shat' that I could use, I stumbled upon the fact that the original series uniform for Kirk was actually an avocado, or lime green. Since this was the early days of television, colors were not a true representation of what they actually were. So, I decided I'd get him back in a green shirt. (Although I surrounded him in yellow because we're so used to seeing him in that).

This must explain why the "red shirts" always got killed by the end of the shows.
They clashed with the Captain's uniform! LOL!!!!

Here's the whole afghan. It was so big I had a hard time fitting it all into the photo.
My hubby wanted "Star Trek" underneath so I found a site that had a graphed logo, (albeit from a later Trek series).
I used that, but, since the afghan was so wide, I had to do the words starting from the side, (It's only 17 stitches across), and crocheting it that way and then adding the piece to the bottom. So, it's a whacky afghan anyways, what can I say?

Front and then back of afghan.
Since my two youngest sons were home today, I asked them to hold up the afghan. This gives you an idea of the afghan's size.
(My sons are both about 5 ft. 10").

I leave this post with a link to Nena's 99 Red Balloons
where "...Everyone's a super hero
Everyone's a Captain Kirk..."

Singapore Snape takes on Cambridge

2009-08-11T18:49:00.000-07:00

Singapore Snape and his trusty companion Karen have returned from Cambridge, U.K. with this report! (Click to enlarge pics!)

Hi Becky:

Snape and I are back from our trip to Cambridge , UK and have some good pictures to share. The first is from our room at Murray Edwards College (which is surprisingly NOT named after a man named Murray Edwards).

Oooooh, he does look rather sulky and surly there in that photo! Shivers!

I was in Cambridge to present a paper at a conference. Snape submitted a presentation proposal as well, but they thought his title -- “Draught of Living Death: Does This Potion Have Any Real World Applications?” – was some kind of a joke, so they turned him down.
Bwaaaahaaahaaa!!!!!
This meant that he spent the entire conference sulking in our room, and gazing wistfully out the window, as he’s doing in the picture.

The second photo is from the top of Castle Mount looking out over Cambridge . Look at how his greasy hair is blowing in the wind! The third photo is from the River Cam, where we went punting. Snape might look happy in the picture, but he got a bit seasick in the boat, turning his normally sallow pallor to a greenish grey colour. The man was just not meant for an outdoor life!

Punting. I had to look that one up. 'Moving the boat with a pole.'
I have visions of Venice, Italy and canals with gondolas.
Did Snape try to "help" out by using his wand?

And the last photo is when I walked in on Snape after his shower in our dorm. He was mortified. I suggested that perhaps his hair would be less greasy if he washed it instead of just stuffing it into a shower cap.

OMG!!!! This last picture looks like my mother-in-law!!! LOL!!!!
I LOVE it!!!! It would make a great poster!

Hope you like the pictures and that your summer is going well (bad weather notwithstanding). I’ve got 4 more to send tomorrow, including one from platform 9 ¾ at King’s Cross Station. All best, Karen

Too bad he didn't get to speak at Cambridge. I can just picture him up there lecturing just as though he were back in his own classroom back at Hogwarts.

I can't wait to hear and see more about your trip!!!

------------------------------------

EDIT: I received a second e-mail from Karen today with the rest of her visit to Cambridge!

Hi Becky,

Back to our story. The first picture is from a bridge over the river Cam.
Snape insisted on going for a walk to collect some type of rare thistle, and made me go along to do all the fetching and carrying. That’s about all I’m good for, according to him.

Humph! That's so typical of Snape! He looks all smiles and happy there!

The next one is from a cow pasture where we got lost, after following Snape’s bad sense of direction.
Seriously, though, why would they put a cow pasture in the middle of town? Anyway, this is my favourite picture of Snape. I think he looks right at home there.

It's so green and beautiful!
He looks like he could just walk into that patch of grass and thistles and disappear on you.

The third picture is – obviously – from King’s Cross Station. There was a long line-up of people waiting to get their picture taken with the baggage cart. Snape was quite the hit with them. You should have seen him preening under all the attention.

OMG!!! You actually went there! He looks like "King of the World" on top of that luggage cart!
(I'm so glad you weren't too embarrassed to be seen with your Snape. I'll bet he just LOVED all the attention!!!!!)

And the last picture is from the Serpentine at Hyde Park , just after our Full English Breakfast, which contained among other things Black Pudding. Snape told me that contrary to popular opinion, Black Pudding isn’t called Black Pudding because it’s black, but because it was invented by the Black family, which explains why it’s so gross and weird. Wow. Live and learn.

Take care, Karen

LOL!!!! "Snape facts". He should write a book on his little-known truths. Snape-isms.
Thanks so much, Karen, for continuing to chronicle Snape's adventures for us to share!

Spock Rocks Afghan

2009-08-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

I've been having a slow summer. I'm always working on something but not everything is interesting enough to post.
Anyway, I've finished something I thought you-all would get a kick out of so here it is. (Click on the photos to enlarge them please).

Yes, it's old-school Spock! (a.k.a. Leonard Nimoy).

I used a pumpkin carving stencil from Pink Raygun's site. They have several pumpkin stencils of the old Star Trek cast. And they're free stencils. Free is always good.

Then I graphed it at Microrevolt again.

This is the back of the afghan.

It's not a very large afghan or anything. About the size of a beach towel.
I was thinking of making the Kirk and joining them alongside each other. But I'm not sure I like the Kirk at Pink Raygun.
I Googled and Binged around for a better Kirk stencil but haven't found any other good ones.

Oh well. For now Spock stands alone.

Live long and ~~crochet!~~ prosper!!!!

Singapore Snape has returned from England!!!

2009-06-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

I'm soooo happy, (and relieved), that I received an e-mail update from Singapore Snape, (and Karen - his flatmate), along with photos of their vacation to England this past May!!!!!

My mail always becomes clogged when I get too much at once so she's sending me the mail on separate days so this will be the first batch for us all. So, without further ado; here's Karen's travelogue. (Click on the pictures to enlarge them). (My own comments are in green).

Hi Becky: Snape and I are back from our trip to the UK , so I thought I’d send some pictures.

The first is out front of Buckingham Palace.
You can see Snape is wearing a sweater (or ‘jumper’ as he calls it) from my sister’s mother-in-law Shirley, who has a secret crush on Snape. He thought the colours were rather garish, but I told him they really brought out his skin tone. (*snicker*)

I LOVE the sweater!!! It's knitted, right? So nice and Muggle-looking on him!!!!! Shirley's awesome!!!!

The second photo

is from the train to Edinburgh , first thing in the morning. I asked if it reminded him of the many trips he must have made on the Hogwarts Express. He replied that it did, except that he preferred the Hogwarts snack carts to the terrible breakfasts served on our train. I am forced to agree with him on that point, as no amount of mustard could make my sausage bun palatable.

Oooo, look how crabby he is on the train! He also might be a little angry his sweater arms are a little long on him!!!!
I love that the sweater has buttons too!

The third and fourth pictures are Snape waving happily from Princes Street in Edinburgh .

The Castle is behind him in the fourth picture. I asked him why he was so happy to be back in Scotland , when, as far as I recall, the last time he was here he had been left for dead in an abandoned house. Could he perhaps be feeling nostalgic for Auld Lang Syne? Snape snorted derisively at this, then witheringly told me that he was glad to be back because he needed to stock up on Irn Bru – a Scottish soft drink – which is apparently the active ingredient in Pepper-Up Potion. He’s been using Red Bull in Singapore , but it’s just not the same.

Were there dungeons in the castle for Snape to roam around in and feel at home? I bet he'd have loved that!

That Irn Bru sounds alot like something my sons would love but which I should stay clear away from!!! LOL!

And about that last time we saw Snape; we Snape fans all know what really happened in that chapter - just after JKR cut away from his "dying" scene. It was all spelled out for us in the first chapter we met Snape to begin with. He simply popped a bezoar into his mouth. (An item that any Potion's Master worth a grain of salt would be carrying on himself at ALL times, thank you!!!) Thanks to the bezoar he recovered nicely from Nagini's poison and is now living a quiet, happy life, traveling the world, and enjoying himself !!!

But I digress.

This was Karen's first installment so stay tuned and I'll update this post as more e-mails come!!

Thanks, Karen! Glad you're home safe!!!!!

EDIT: I got Karen's second e-mail today!
Here it is.......

Here’s a set of photos from Edinburgh castle. The first is Snape by the front gates to the Castle. Doesn’t he look at home among the crags and stone walls?

Oooo! He really does look like he's in his natural environment of crumbly stone walls!

The second is near Foog’s Gate. It was an uncommonly nice day for springtime in Edinburgh , and Snape, being Snape, was worried that he would get a sunburn. I said that I thought he would look good with a bit of colour in his cheeks. He said that sallow off-white *is* a colour, thank you very much.

Ha! I love his response!! So typical Snape! (He does have a yellowish color to his skin! I'm sure it's due to his many many years of being stooped over a bubbling cauldron boiling up toxic, noxious fumes. (Even the people at Lego made sure to create his character a glowing Lego face piece. He is the most special and mysterious character of the series for sure!!!)
I also love the name Foog's Gate!!!! So awesome!

The third picture is from a set of stairs on the battlements. Right after I took this picture, a little kid ran down the steps (you can see the shadow of his head looming menacingly on the steps) and grabbed our esteemed professor. I literally had to chase a five-year old along the battlements to get him back. And then the parents gave *me* the old stink eye for taking Snape back. Snape was quite shook up by his misadventure. Not so much from being wizard-napped, but from the sticky mess left on his robes by the “monstrous little dunderhead” – his words, not mine.

Wizard-napping!!!! Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!! I'm shocked!!!!! How can parents allow this from their children??!! It's definately worthy of a "strong talking-to" so the kid understands he did something wrong and that he won't do it again!
At the very least the parents should have made him apologize! Absolutely unbelievable!!

The stone steps are probably very similar to the many steps Snape must have had to take hundreds of times a day on his way to his classroom and to the Slytherin common room as well. He looks so happy in that photo!! (Pre-wizard-napped!)

On a side note, I'm sure with a dunk in a sink of mild detergent and warm water, a gentle few squishings by hand, and a nice sun-dried hot day outside for a few hours will wash that stickiness from him. He might even enjoy all that!!!

And the fourth is from our hotel room in Edinburgh . I thought it was unbearably girly, but Snape quite liked it. He sticks out like a sore thumb in all that pink, doesn’t he?

This photo cracks me up!!!!! He looks so out of place and yet, I totally agree with you that I think he would secretly love it here!!!!! LOL!!!

Still more pictures to come – of Craigmillar castle, mostly.

I can't wait, Karen!!!!!

EDIT: Happy Fourth of July!!!!! I have another e-mail from Karen and Singapore Snape. Don't forget you can make the photos larger by clicking on them!

A Walk To Remember

Hi Becky:

This set of pictures is from a long walk that Snape and I took from Holyrood Park to Craigmillar castle. The first two,
and are from the Salisbury crags – a volcanic formation in Holyrood park – looking over the city.

In the first picture you can see Edinburgh castle in the distance; in the second you can see the Salisbury crags behind Snape.

The third and fourth pictures, and are from a meadow to the south of Craigmillar Castle , which is in the background (and is quite lovely).

Y’see how happy and relaxed Snape looks in the last picture, as he enjoys the warm spring breeze?
Funny story about that:
We were just beginning our walk at the Scottish Parliament, when Snape started grumbling for me to "slow down!", "Can’t we rest for a second?", "I’m so thirsty!", "Oh, my aching back!", "I think I’m getting a blister!" etc.

Apparently spending one’s days lurking around a dungeon -- or hiding from my dog under a pillow – isn’t the best way to prepare for a brisk hike.

After our fifth rest stop in as many minutes, I asked him if he wanted me to carry him for a little bit. He smiled at that (at least I thought it was a smile at the time. Now I know it was a sneaky Slytherin smirk) and said, “Oh, I don’t want to burden you!”

I said that it wouldn’t be a problem because, as you know, as a doll, he only weighs a few ounces anyway. (Though we tend to forget that ‘cause, as Jebediah Springfield says, ‘A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man,’ right?) So I picked him up and carried him to the top of the Crags, and then Arthur’s Seat, then through Prestonfield, and all the way to Craigmillar castle.

(Look it up on Google Maps – it’s a pretty long way!)

I think it would’ve been a nice walk – good weather, scotch broom in bloom, birds tweeting, and so forth – if it weren’t for the constant stream of complaints from Snape.

(You’d think being carried around all day would improve his disposition, but no. At this point I don’t think anything will ever improve it.) The whole way it was “I think you’re going the wrong way. Can’t you read a map, you dumb Muggle?” or “Don’t drink all the water! Save some for me!” or “Do you have to walk so bumpily? I’m getting seasick here! I’d have more comfortable journey if I rode a rampaging hippogriff!”

Finally, just as we were arriving at Craigmillar castle (more pictures of that next time) something occurred to me. “Hey!” I said, “Can’t you apparate places, and for that matter, can’t you fly without a broom?!? Why have I been carrying you around all day?!?” Snape had the decency to fake a contrite expression for a half second before laughing at my outraged expression, and then he apparated the rest of the way, leaving me behind. Lazy, lying Slytherin!

LOL!!!! Sounds like he played you like a fiddle!!!!! That scoundrel!

The landscape looks so beautiful there!!! And he looks so absolutely overjoyed in that last photo. He seems to have been having a wonderful time, (especially being coddled and carried around like a baby!!!! LOL!)

I love your use of Simpson-speak ( "embiggering")! I believe Edna Krabapple had quoted ol' Jebediah Springfield to her class and then remarked that she'd never known "embiggered" was even a word until she moved to Springfield! LOL!!!!
- Ah, that Mrs. Krabapple. Another crusty teacher who probably would have made a great match for Snape. (Or, at least, as a simpatico co-worker of whom Snape could join in the teacher's lounge to moan and complain about their worst students Bart and Harry. LOL!!!!

I'm looking forward to your next e-mail, Karen! Enjoy the holiday everyone!!!!!

EDIT: I received the last e-mail from Karen and Singapore Snape today! (Clicking on the photos will make them larger, remember!)

Hi Becky: Here’s my last set of photos from my trip with Snape. Sorry it’s taken so long – it’s been a crazy busy week at work!

The first three photos are from Craigmillar castle, after I caught up with Snape, who had just apparated inside in order to avoid paying the admission fee.
(Cheapskate!)

As you can see, Snape was quite at home in amongst the battlements and stonework and particularly the dungeons. He was almost giddy as he practiced swooping and billowing up and down the draughty corridors and spiral staircases. He said that he missed castles (There’s a shocking dearth of castles in Singapore , according to Snape) and that one day he’d like to retire to a castle like Craigmillar.

I was still ticked at him for making me cart his crocheted butt around all day, ( LOL!!!! ) so I replied “Retired from what? Sleeping in every day? Hanging around my house and eating my food? Watching muggle soap operas in your greying underpants? Doesn’t ‘retirement’ imply that you actually have a profession that you eventually decide to give up? And how can you afford to buy a retirement castle, when your only income you make is the chump change I give you for making dog shampoo and floor cleaning potions?” As you can see, his snarkiness is really rubbing off on me.

OMG!! It's so beautiful there!
I can just picture him swooping around the dungeons like a bat! (It's weird how he all-of-a-sudden learned how to fly in the last book, isn't it? Hmmmmm, almost like JKR got tired of having to explain how people got from one place to another when they couldn't apparate there, (due to enchantments and such), and so she just made up this flying thing to save herself some time.) But I digress.

Snape looks quite happy again and he's clearly in his element. You're such a great friend to bring him along on this trip. (Even if he won't ever admit it to you!)

The fourth picture is from our first class sleeper cabin on the train back to London .
(On the left, you can see me in the mirror in my sexy pyjamas!) LOL!!!!

As you can see, for a first class cabin, it’s pretty small.
Initially Snape was very pleased with our accommodations, and climbed right into bed saying, “I don’t know where they expect you to sleep, but this bunk is perfect for me!” After a brief tussle punctuated by several attempted sectumsempra and expelliarmus spells, I banished him to the floor, and claimed the bed for myself, - (Though he did manage to nick my ear with one spell – Ouch, it stung!)
He grumbled that, unlike certain dumb Muggles, he didn’t need a bed anyway, and would be very comfortable on the floor with a cushioning charm. So there. Nyah!

The last picture is from my laundry room after we got home.

As I mentioned, Snape had been accosted by a “reincarnated Marauder” in Edinburgh , and had been sticky with some mystery substance – I think it was Marmalade, he said it was Bubotuber pus – ever since.

Since Snape pays only the barest attention to his own personal hygiene at the best of times, I decided to take matters into my own hands and give him a bath. He was mortified at this, and made me promise not to take pictures, but I did get one of him hanging to dry afterwards. He complained that spending a day in that position was “worse than being subjected to 20 consecutive Levicorpus hexes!” I said that if he didn’t like it, next time we could use the dryer.

So that’s our trip. I never made it to King’s Cross Station, but I will definitely be there in August, so I’ll send photos then. Best, Karen

Look at him hanging up-side-down just like a bat! (I had always hoped that Snape had an animagus of which was a bat, but JKR must have decided that was too obvious and left it out of the book, (just like Dumbledor's sexual preference.)

I'm so glad you gave him a washing. I was worried I'd see a photo of him covered in flies. LOL!!

Since he likes castles so much, maybe sometime in the future you could plan a trip to the new Disney Harry Potter attraction they are building down in Florida. I think is due to open in 2010, (unless they change that date on us all as well).

I had mentioned to my sister that that sounded like it could be a lot of fun. I'm not sure if a "Snape's Dungeons" section is in the works or not, but I know they'll be at least some portions of the castle recreated, (like, perhaps, Dumbledor's Office or the Great Hall). I know there's a Hogsmeade village too.
ANYWAY, it's probably the closest I'll ever get to a castle. (Not shockingly, there's quite a huge lack of castles here in Indiana as well). LOL!!!

Oh, and Karen! About your next trip to England in August, did you know there's really a Snape Castle located in North Yorkshire? (Yes, I really have no life, it's true.) LOL!!!

Anyway, I hope you have another safe and fabulous trip!!!!
I'll be looking forward to more of Singapore Snape's Adventures from England!!!!!!!

Up-cycled Princess Pouffe

2009-06-28T09:01:00.000-07:00

When I saw this used Dora the Explorer stool at Goodwill last week I knew it was the perfect frame for making my own stool with a fabric I'd been saving for just this item to come along. (Clicking on the photos will enlarge them).

Here's the stool "before" shot and the girl's dress fabric I just fell in love with when I found it, (also at Goodwill), a while ago.
The Dora stool had a ratty-looking purple eye-lashy fringe going around it which I had already removed before this shot. You can still see pieces of it though. It was glued on.

So, I unscrewed the legs which was difficult as I could not get one undone to save my life.
Then I cut a nice size piece of the dress that I wanted to be centered on the stool and laid it overtop the Dora cushion.
I then hand-sewed the fabric all along the edge attaching the new dress fabric.
Then I placed the legs back over the areas where they previously were, only with the new fabric now on.
I couldn't get the screws to work. I think they must have had "nuts" at the other end which were now inside the puffy cushion so I went to the garage and got slightly longer screws.
I also got out my trusty crazy glue tube and went to town reattaching the legs.

Finally, here's a couple shots of the finished pouffe, (stool).
I sewed on my own fluffy pink boa to the edge of it.
If you look at the fabric it's definitely a queen or princess cat with an aide at her side.

The underside of the stool said it would hold 100 lbs. I seriously doubt that.
I wouldn't put more weight than 50 lbs on this.
It would make a nice side table to set things on.
It folds up easily for storage.

I still have the other half of the dress fabric. I wonder what else I can make with it.
It's such an awesome fabric. (The tag on the dress said "Xhilaration".) I think they sell that brand at Target.

Sock Kitty Sisters

2009-06-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Ah, summer.
A time to visit relatives, relax, and catch up on each others lives.
And this is where we find two particular sock kitties. (Click on pictures to enlarge them).

Meet two sock kitty sisters.
City Sock Kitty and Country Cindy Sock Kitty.
They've been exchanging gossip, news, and even outfits for each other.
City Sock Kitty is wearing a very trendy Organic Valley Farms kerchief dress that Cindy brought for her.

The back of the kerchief dress says "The Future is Organic".
Cindy Sock Kitty is wearing a crocheted a-line swing dress that City Sock Kitty crocheted for her sister.

They've been chatting since the moment they got back together,
but soon, one will have to journey back to her country farm in Wisconsin.
I hope she has a safe trip back!

I miss you and I love you!!!

( Herrschners has awesome sock animal kits, two sets to a pack! Check them out!! )

edit:
Sock Kitty Back Home

Got this post from my sister with her sock kitty safely home...

"She wanted to go outside to the barn and feed the chickens so that's right where we headed."

"She enjoyed throwing bread cubes out to them, good thing she had on her babushka over her head the chicken coop is sure dusty! "

"Then she spent sometime catching up with her barn cat friends."

"They all wanted to know what was happening in the city."

I love this last photo because it looks like they are whispering gossip to each other!!!

I haven't heard from Singapore Snape yet. I wonder how his London trip is going.

Crossing Borders - Peter Max Afghan

2009-06-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

Ever since I made the Yellow Submarine afghan,

I've been wanting to make a Peter Max afghan as well.

Although Peter Max had nothing to do with the making of the Yellow Sub, his style and wonderful pop-art, day-glo colors and vision must surely have been influenced by the film, (or is it the other way around??!) LOL!!!!

Anyway, I was googling around looking for one of Peter Max's paintings that I knew I could try to reproduce in crochet form.

I fell in love with this painting titled "Crossing Borders" that, from what I've read on the web, here was created in the 1980s and flanked both sides of the border crossing of the El Paso Stanton Street Bridge. I hope I've got that right. There wasn't much I could find on it. Not even a really good full shot of the picture.

So I used the photograph of the picture in the link above, uploaded it to photobucket, used the editing features to "fill out" and try to "straighten" the photo.

This is what I came up with...

A before and after of the photograph I used. (Click on the photos to enlarge them).

Then I uploaded it to microrevolt's Knitpro and made a graph of it to crochet.

Without further ado, here's my afghan. My tribute to the fabulous artist Peter Max....

My camera kept wanting to use the flash so I held it down in the first shot so there's no flash, and in the second shot I let the flash go off.

The afghan is 60 inches wide by 41 inches tall. This includes the wide border I put on it.

For the most part it is Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" brand but there is also a lot of Red Heart yarn too.

It is tunisian crocheted, (that's the afghan stitch), using a size J cabled crochet hook.

There are two colors of gold in the hair, you're not imagining it. If you notice the original photo, the gold color varies dark to light so I wanted to try and capture that on the blanket too. It starts dark gold to light to dark and again to light beneath the face. He's also a turquoise color rather than the blues.

Since I had to fudge with the bottom, I decided to make that a large Peter Max logo instead of the tiny one on the original.

I took a lot of photos of the afghan but they mostly look the same. It's hard to stand on a bench and hold the camera up high enough to get the whole thing in the shot.

For the city, I crocheted it from the graph first, and afterwards, I used black Sinphonia yarn and stitched in the building windows and outlines with a yarn needle.

Here's the last two shots. One of the front and then I flipped over the afghan to photograph the back too. I know a lot of you crocheters out there always want to see the backs. :o)

I hope you all enjoy looking at this, it was a lot of fun to make.
Peter Max is an amazing artist and I hope he wouldn't mind my attempt at reproducing his work in yarn form.
Max Rocks!!!

Shiny Happy People Scarf

2009-05-28T08:03:00.000-07:00

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).

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).

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!

True Colors Tiger Needlepoint Pillow

2009-05-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

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

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.

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!)

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!!!!!

Freddie Mercury Afghan

2009-05-01T04:27:00.000-07:00

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).

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

(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!

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

Earth Day Tote

2009-04-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is this Wednesday and this year I made a really cool plastic canvas retro tote from 1979.
It's another Columbia Minerva kit. Vintage Columbia Minerva kits are my favorites!!

Here's the tote after I finished doing the needlepoint and joining of the front, back, bottom, and sides but before I joined it together completely. (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

Flipping it over, I sewed in the fabric lining. I chose a vintage orange fabric with tiny white dots on it.

Tadaaaa! Here it is all put together. I just love the bright colors!!
The second photo has the other plastic canvas tote I've made with flowers all over it. This flower tote kit is still available in stores. It's nice too but not as awesome as the bird tote.

This photo shows the two totes I've made and two kits I still plan to make. The columbia Minerva tote is vintage and is actually called Ecology Tote. I wanted to have this one done for Earth Day too but I ran out of time.
The other Lady Luck tote is also new and can still be bought in stores. I picked this one up for $8.00 at Hobby Lobby on clearance. I don't gamble but for that price, it was a steal! LOL!

Well, I hope everyone gets out there and hugs a tree on Wednesday.

P.S. I have some great news from Singapore Snape too!!!
He and his traveling companion Karen will be visiting the UK at the end of May and again in August.
First trip is London , Edinburgh and Stirling (which is also in Scotland ) and their second trip will be to London and Cambridge.

Plus, Snape has now acquired several Muggle outfits, (thanks to Karen's crafty crochet-hook-wielding sister), and Snape will be traveling incognito with various Muggle disguises to blend in with the crowds.

So we can look forward to Snape in some sweaters, a chef’s hat, a cowboy hat, a sailor hat, a scarf, horsebacking riding jodhpurs, a bathrobe, toques, and a pair of tight-fitting jeans (which Karen calls his ‘fun jeans.’)
(Hmmmm, sounds like he bought a Village People album. LOL!!!)

Karen has promised to send lots of pictures of his adventures and I just can't wait!!
I wish them a safe trip and hope Snape has time to visit Hogwarts via Platform 9 3/4 and ride the Hogwarts Express to his old stomping grounds. Bon Voyage Singapore Snape!!!

A Dingo Ate My Snapey! - Singapore update

2009-03-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

Actually, not really.
I just always wanted to quote Meryl Streep from that 1988 movie, "A Cry in the Dark".

Snape is fine, people, don't panic.
But he does have a new flatmate to contend with.

I got an e-mail update from Karen in Singapore and two photos as well!

Hi Becky: How are things? As promised, here are some pictures of Snape’s most recent adventure.

Snape and I have a new roommate named Dingo. Dingo thinks Snape is wonderful, and is always trying to play with him, but Snape is quite disdainful of Dingo. (Click on photos to enlarge).

He says it’s because Dingo is a ‘Marauder on four legs,’ who keeps trying to steal his wand and snuggle up to him (Snape does not snuggle!). But, I think it’s because Dingo bears more than a passing resemblance to a young Remus Lupin in werewolf form, and that Snape is actually a little bit scared of him. You can imagine how terrified Snape was when Dingo finally captured him and gave him a good mauling.

Snape now spends his days hiding from Dingo under a pillow on my bed, and trying to hex him if he gets too close. Best, Karen

Well, that doesn't seem like a very happy existence, cringing under a bed pillow! Hmmm, I might have to send him some hound repellent potion or something. Maybe a cloak of invisibility which only works on dogs. Something!!!

I know the problem all to well.

I sent Karen a photo of my hairy beast...

Here she is on our small sofa that used to have Harry Potter fabric on it.
She ate the fabric off. She's eaten at least 10 pairs of glasses, every remote of every appliance we've ever had, (including replacement remotes), (we don't buy remotes anymore), head sets, game boys, wallets, shoes, socks, gloves, you name it.

But anyway, it's great to hear from Karen. Maybe Dingo and Snape will become the best of friends somehow.

Thestral Tessellation Afghan - Read With Me!

2009-03-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've been working on this for a while now.
It's finally done. (Click on photos to enlarge).

I'm calling it Thestral Tessellation.

It's crocheted using my trusty size J cabled afghan hook and just about every color imaginable.
(Mostly I Love This Yarn and Red Heart yarns. Also some TLC yarn as well.)

The the theme is "written" on the front there.
It says "Read with me!"

It's an homage, again, to J.K.Rowling and her awesome creation of the Thestral, (which, for non-Potter-a-hol-ics, is a winged horse-like creature that is invisible to most people). Most children anyway.

I've also made a castle up at the top of the tessellation above the Thestrals.
The checks all around are some real and many imagined House colors. (I didn't have silver yarn, Slytherins. Forgive me).

I used a pattern from Jessica Tromp's site for the Thestral.
But only the bottom half of the chart. Then I repeated it a couple of times to the top of the last Thestrals.
I used a cross stitch alphabet chart for the words.
Then I just made up the castle part on my own.

One the whole thing was done, I added a sort of rainbow border, (minus purple as I ran out of that), around the whole afghan in single crochet stitch with a size J hook.

Here's the back just after I finished but before I wove in all the loose ends. And then a photo of the back when it was all done.

The first photo is the front just after I finished the chart. A bunch of bald-headed thestrals and no rainbow border with loose ends still not woven in the back. Then the second photo shows the finished afghan again. I surface crocheted the manes on with wispy yarns in orange, black, and blue. (Using the vertical stitches to crochet underneath. They don't show up on the back at all).

These are close-up shots of the bottom and then top.

And finally, just a big close-up shot of the middle part.

Yes, I know. Thestrals are black. Hmmm, perhaps the others are invisible. Anyway I needed contrasting colors.

I chose the "Read with me!" theme because I think reading with your kids is so important. (I was going to put "Read to me!" but I thought the word "with" was more interactive.)

I miss looking forward to the next Potter book. I miss the fact that my kids are all grown now and don't need me to read stories to them anymore. Thank you J.K.Rowling!

Rainbow-Rama Duffle Bag

2009-02-24T10:10:00.000-08:00

This colorful bag is made with left-over Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn.
(Click the photos to enlarge them).

Here it is squished flat and then with the drawstring rope pulled.

This is the bottom and where I began. I made the bottom circle starting at the center and then working in a spiral.
I used a size J hook.

I stuffed a blanket and pillow in it so it would stand up. One is with the drawstring open, the other closed.

Still stuffed with items, here's the other side which is exactly the same. I did the tapestry crochet stitch going 'round and 'round using a graph at that site I mentioned in my previous post below. The Jessica Tromp site.

The rope drawstring is attached to the bottom so when you cinch it closed and pick it up, the weight of the bag keeps the bag closed.

I used the leftover yarn I had from the Autism Awareness Puzzle Piece scarf (which I donated to Theresa in Kentucky.)
She said she would raffle off the scarf to raise money for her son's special education school, (Binet School in Jefferson County Kentucky). Hope that went well. Haven't heard anything yet.

Think Spring

2009-02-07T15:45:00.000-08:00

I bought a crocheted purse at Goodwill for super-cheap so I could make a copy of it.
It's made from a thick white cotton, (like Lily's Sugar 'n Cream). (The right side white purse).
It feels like a homemade purse. No tags on it, no lining in it.
(Click on to enlarge photo)

So I used three different greens of cotton yarn as well.
There are two long ties, one on each side, to tie the purse together for closure.

Here I stuffed some things in it so it would stand up and I could photo it that way.
I also attached a peyote "Spring" pin that I made last year from a kit.
It was fun to do the beading but you really have to be very patient to do that type of work.

And here I stuck in the photo my Hello Kitty purse I made to teach at Michael's last year. (Or was it the year before now? I can't remember.) No one signed up for the class, (as usual). Instead I had some teens ask me if they could buy the purse.

You know the saying, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."

Well, it's like that with me and crochet.
All I wanted to do was teach crochet. Show them how to make it and they could make a million of them at home all by themselves.

Yet, in this crazy, commercial, instant gratification world we live in; I guess it's much easier to just go out and buy whatever you want rather than get the satisfaction of making things on your own. It's so sad, really.

ANYWAY, I got the pattern for the Hello Kitty purse here...
Jessica Tromp
It is the most awesome site and you can never post the link on any forums because of copyright laws. (Some of her patterns are copyrighted cartoon characters etc.) It's a shame because her site is jam-packed with useful information for many types of crafts including crochet, knitting, needlework, yarns, measurement conversions, gosh too much to mention.

So, anyway, I'm "thinking spring" this week.

A Time For Peace

2009-01-24T14:04:00.000-08:00

Last year I found a needlepoint for sale that had barely been started. It had no thread or instructions with it; only the canvas.
The canvas had a small square cut out of the bottom left and, (I believe), was used to "patch" a spot in the middle of the canvas where someone had spilled something on it or poked a hole in it.

ANYWAY, I saw this needlepoint for sale and I knew I just had to get it and finish it.

I recognized the artwork as something I had seen on the wall in the office of my children's old pediatrician. I remember staring up at it many times and thinking how beautiful it was. Here is a picture of the actual painting. (Click on the photo to enlarge it).

I googled the painting and found it to be called
Mother and Child by
Artist - Irene Awret

I was surprised when I got the canvas that it had been started with 6-strand floss, (like you would use for cross stitch projects), and not wool tapestry thread like I expected. I have made a million cross stitch pictures and had saved every used card of floss since I started so I was happy to finally get the chance to use all this left-over floss.

So, here is my finished needlepoint version of Mother and Child by Irene Awret.

As you can see, I took liberties with the colors. I thought, since her sweater looked kind of Nordic, (as with the beautiful intarsia knitting patterns you see), that I'd give her red-gold hair and green eyes. I pictured the child with lots and lots of curly hair. I had to make his sweater striped since I didn't have enough of one red color to complete it all in that same red. Also with the mother's skin. Lots of peachy colors.

The "frame" of the picture was really fun. I used Many different colors instead of the all-gold for the background behind the words for Peace. (There are four words meaning Peace here. The top is Peace in English, French on the bottom, Hebrew on the left, and I'm not positive about the right side. It's hard to find a translation from a language that doesn't resemble the English alphabet, (like Chinese for example). But I think it may be Arabic.

Here's the horrible-looking back along with a photo of the front alongside my bag of left-over thread floss, (still overflowing).
Hmm, maybe she has other needlepoints. I know she has a whole series of artwork on "Peace".

I'd love to do the girl with flute I saw here on a blog which I believe her grandson has created to sell art prints of her work. I didn't see any needlework kits offered. Maybe it was sold as a kit back in the 70's when it was first made.

According to that site, there's one of her prints hanging in the White House. During the Jimmy Carter years I think.
Artist Irene Awret has also written a biography called, "They'll Have To Catch Me First" published by the University of Wisconsin Press. This page has a brief description of the book.

The life-saving power of art

Berlin 1939. A few months after Kristallnacht, eighteen-year old Irene Spicker tries to flee to Belgium but ends up in a Nazi prison. Freed after a few weeks, she tries again—this time, in the dark of night, she successfully crosses the frontier. The Germans invaded Belgium, and Irene was forced into hiding. Constantly on the move, she worked as a farmhand, at one point using false identity papers. Arrested by the Gestapo, she sat in a cellar prison cell destined for transport to Auschwitz. To calm her fears, she made a small detailed drawing of her hand which was to save her life. Incarcerated in the concentration camp in Mechlen, she was assigned to paint signs, posters and numbers for her co-prisoners to wear around their necks. This is Irene Awret's story of her first twenty-five years, from coming of age in a middle-class Jewish family to Mechlen where she met the young sculptor Azriel Awret, to liberation and freedom once more.

I'll have to see if I can find this book at the library. I read the small snippet from the grandson's blog link above and it sounds very interesting.

I hope she doesn't mind my changing of the colors of her artwork.
I really love this painting and her work. I can't wait to frame it!

Smithers, Release the Hounds!

2009-01-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

Smithers, release the hounds!!

Houndstooth; that is.

I thought the tapestry crochet technique was a perfect way to crochet a houndstooth pattern. I had looked around on the web and didn't find anyone doing it that way. Maybe there is some folks out there and I just didn't find them. Anyway, I used Sinphonia yarn again because I just love it for tapestry crochet. It's great!!! (But expensive. I buy it at Hobby Lobby and it's $4.99 a skein so I buy one at a time using the 40% off one item coupon each week they offer it).

Anyway, I didn't have black and white at the time. So I used black and rust colors.
(Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

Here it is right-side out.

This is inside-out which I thought might even look houndstoothier (lol!) because it's a little more "jaggeddy" looking.

And finally, here it is with the drawstrings pulled along with a black AND white skein, (for I plan to make a black and white version because, let's face it, houndstooth looks best in black and white.)

For this project I used a small sized D hook and this pattern I found on the internet...

And now, you'll really want to call the dogs on me after I bore you with some projects that I've finished and were Christmas gifts so I couldn't post them until today.

I finished the Tyler Lion pillows. The backs of the pillows are blue or red flannel. I see my husband loves his so much that, as I look across the room, it is barely noticeable peeking out from underneath the bed. Sigh. Why do I bother?

I made my brother-in-law this deer needlepoint pillow. The kit was from a Spoon Size Shredded Wheat cereal box offer in the 70's. I got it on e-bay to make. It's a Mule Deer. I used flannel for the back and this time I cut the edges all around, stitched some flannel to the sides of the needlepoint and cut those edges too, and knotted the raggedy edges like those purse kits you see people make.It looks rustic and it's very soft on the flannel side. The pillow almost looks like you are looking out the window of a cabin or maybe some sort of tree stand at a deer out in the open.

Anyway, I also embroidered these two felt picture books for my sister's grandkids.
The kits suggested you color the animals with actual crayons and ironed them. But do I ever do anything simple???

About half-way through the embroidery part I thought, "Good Lord! These kids will be reading...no,....graduating college before I finishe these things. Where are those damn crayons? Is it too late to go back and use them?" LOL!!!!

Now I must flee before those hounds tackle me to the ground and chew me up with their sharp houndsteeth!!!!

One Harry Afghan

2009-01-11T13:33:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I received a really nice e-mail from someone named Megan who had just finished up making an afghan for her friend for Christmas. (It blew me away it was so awesome!)
So I asked her if I could post it in my blog for all of you here who also appreciate crocheting and Harry Potter.

She wrote back asking if I'd wait until after she gives it to her friend around January 7th or 8th.
So, it's now the 11th and I am so happy to be posting this amazing afghan...(Please click on the picture to enlarge it)...

One Harry Afghan

Isn't it fabulous!!!!!
I wonder what her friend said and did when she unwrapped this baby.
(Maybe she's still out cold from the shock of it's beauty) LOL!!

Megan doesn't have a blog or else I'd give you all the link but she does belong to Ravelry which is a knitting/crocheting community so I'm sure you can find her there. What a talent! (And what a great friend too!!!)

There And Back Again - Snape visits North & Central America

2009-01-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

Singapore Snape has finally returned from his trip to North and Central America!
I received a wonderful travelogue e-mail chocked full of Snape photos and happenings as told by Snape's flatmate and begrudgingly-turned-luggage handler Karen whose e-mail I am now posting here for you all to enjoy.
(Please note that I didn't receive the last 8 photos mentioned at the end of the letter so, if and when I do, I'll be sure and add them to this post!). As always, to maximize the photo, please click on it. It will magically enlarge so you can properly see all of Snape's escapades.

Dear Becky, Happy New Year! Snape and I have gotten back from our trip to North and Central America, so as promised I’m sending you some photos. For maximum allowable attachment reasons, I’ll probably have to send several e-mails, but I’ll keep the story all together here.

First of all, you should know that Snape reluctantly invited me along on his potions gathering trip, because he needed a research assistant and, as he put it, I was “the closest thing to a qualified applicant (he) could find.” I replied that I didn’t recall having applied for the job at all, but was happy to assist if meant I could get a free trip. Little did I know that most of the ‘research’ work would entail carrying his substantial luggage from airport to airport. As you can see from the first photo, he certainly has a lot of luggage for someone who’s less than a foot tall, AND always wears the same outfit.

Anyway, our first stop was a brief layover in Tokyo. The flight was largely uneventful, though Snape had to hide from the covetous stares of the many small children sitting near us. They seemed to think he was nice and cuddly, despite his vehement protests that he was neither. If you look really close in this photo, you can kind of make out Mt. Fuji out the plane window beside him.

We next visited Calgary, Alberta because Snape wanted to see a Calgary Flames – Dallas Stars game, not because he’s a hockey fan, but because he likes Sean Avery. Again, not because of Avery’s mad hockey skillz, but because of the snide remarks he makes to the press. “It’s nice to see another snarky git doing so well for himself,” he said. Needless to say, Snape was terribly disappointed that Sean Avery was barred from the game, though otherwise we had a nice time. As you can see I convinced him to wear a Jarome Iginla jersey, so that he wouldn’t be lynched by the Calgary fans for supporting Avery.

This is Becky here again just wanting to comment that this photo is so adorable and I absolutely LOVE it!!! Now back to Karen...

We then left for Fort Lauderdale to catch a ship bound for several ports of call around the Caribbean and Central America

Imagines Snape singing....."The Loooooove Boat......Exciting and new.....come aboard.... we're expecting you.....

where Snape hoped to pick up his potions ingredients. I asked him again what ingredients he was planning on obtaining, and his reply was suspiciously vague. He again mentioned some type of crustacean, but he also referred to certain “local potions composed mainly of barley and hops, which, if brewed correctly, have several beneficial effects, including increasing one’s confidence with the opposite sex, increasing dancing abilities, making otherwise ordinary comments seem hilarious, and giving the user a sense of invulnerability in fights. If used improperly however, these potions can induce nausea, terrible headaches, and can lead to unwanted pregnancies.” He said that he would need to test several of these potions for efficacy during our travels, and that I would have to be close at hand at all times in case he required assistance to get back to his cabin, or needed someone to hold his hair in the bathroom. I didn’t understand his little joke at first, but I finally figured it out on our first night at sea, when I came across him cavorting with some rowdies at the ship’s bar. Locally brewed potions indeed!

Our sailing voyage was quite pleasant. As you can see from the photo, Snape used the time when he wasn’t testing potions (ha ha) to catch up on his ‘academic’ reading.

Our first port of call was Aruba , DSC00240).(I don't have photo DSC00240) The only potions ingredient we had to get here was Aloe, which Snape needed to soothe the sunburn he got from spending 3 days sitting on deck and reading Cosmo all day.

Our next stop was Cartagena in Colombia.
Oooohh, Romancing the Stone territory!!!!
Snape said he needed to visit his friend Pablo to obtain a “very special potions ingredient, which gives the user a sense of alertness and euphoria, and is widely available in the mountains of Colombia.” As I’m sure you understand, I was quite worried at this description, particularly because I would be the one carrying this mystery substance in our luggage. When he came back to the ship carrying nothing more than a bag of Colombian coffee, I was noticeably relieved. “Why?” he said, “What did you think it would be?”

We next sailed through the Panama Canal. Snape said he would use the opportunity to get some fresh crocodile scales from a Gatun Lake crocodile. As you can see, I got a picture of the crocodile he picked out ( it’s on the shore), but wouldn’t you know it, my camera battery died just as he leapt off the ship’s rail, swam over to the crocodile, wrestled it into submission, plucked off a handful of scales, and swam back to the ship. What rotten luck there are no pictures of that!

We didn’t stay long in Costa Rica.

Me again. OMG!!!! Look at his greasy hair flying in the breeze!!!! LOVE!
Snape said that he was tired from all the hard work of potions sampling, which I guess is Potions Master for ‘hungover.’ He was really off his game that afternoon too: even though until this point he had successfully evaded all the children who were chasing after him and his Hello Kitty beach towel, that afternoon one of them finally captured him.
He screamed and screamed for me to “save (him) from this monster! It’s got me like a Devil’s Snare!”, but I just laughed.

Snape with Devil's Snare. LOL!!!!

Snape was cranky and snippy for the next few days, and spent pretty much our entire time in Nicaragua sampling another one of those locally brewed potions, this time called Tona. When we got to Guatemala he disappeared early from the ship. I went to find him in the nearby town, and was shocked to discover that at 10:15 in the morning (see watch) he was already drunk on Gallo beer. I loudly berated him for his undignified behaviour, and he succinctly told me to stuff it. I left him, but the Guatemalan police soon found me and asked me to escort him back to the ship after he was found trespassing on some sacred Mayan ruins. He was pretty drunk by this point. We had to stop a couple times for him to be sick behind a tree – this is my favourite picture of all).
“I’ve never been so embarrassed!” I told him.
“Oh I find that hard to believe,” was his slurred reply.

Our last few days were pleasant though. We swam and stopped in Mexico for a few days R&R on the beach before heading back to Asia.

To my annoyance, we missed our flight out of Tokyo, so we had to spend a night in Japan. Snape was quite pleased though. I thought our hotel room was terribly cramped but he thought it was ‘just right.’ “Like your opinion matters!” I snapped. “You’re only ten inches tall, AND you used to live in a dungeon. You’re hardly a good judge of what constitutes adequate living space! “That night while I struggled to wedge myself into the tiny bathtub, he went to the Karaoke clubs and hit on Japanese women It was all going well until one lady’s boyfriend – who happened to be a ninja – got ticked off at Snape’s flirting and he ran back to the hotel.

We got home the next day. All in all, it was a successful trip, insofar as Snape got to try a lot of ‘potions’ and neither of us killed the other. Snape’s next trip probably won’t be until spring or summer, but I’ll keep sending photos of his local adventures. Best, Karen

And there it is folks. A fabulous entry from Karen and I want to thank her for including us on her trip with Snape by sending us this e-mail. I'm dying to see the photo of Snape being sick behind the tree as well as the angry ninja chasing after him. I'm also looking forward to more of Singapore Snape's adventures and travels!!!!
Thank you soooo much, Karen!!!!!!

Edit: I finally managed to get the other photos. (My computer was not cooperating for a while there). I'm still missing #DSC00240 but I'm going to look again and see if it's lurking somewhere on here.
ANYWAY, I love the sun bathing Snape! The photo of him on the beach with the people in the background underneath the umbrella is so great! I can't believe they weren't staring at him!!!
Snape swimming is fabulous! I want to jump in there with him and give him a good scrubbing. (It looks like he needed to get a lot of sand off his feet there in that one photo!)

Have a Snapey Christmas!

2008-12-24T18:09:00.000-08:00

I made a new stocking for myself this year. (Click on photos to enlarge them).

I started out with this really neat houndstooth stocking I found at Hobby Lobby.

Then I got a great photo manip. someone made a few years ago with Snape as Santa, printed that onto an iron-on fabric and then ironed it onto the front of the stocking. I added a red ruffle lace border to make it stand out.

Here's the back. I did the same using the original photo without the Santified Snape. It already had a "frame" as a border so I just left it plain like that.

I also added two black and white face pin-back buttons I had already. One's a mime. One's a lady. This side didn't have black buttons like the reverse so I thought they would look nice there.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and thank you all who visit my blog.

Once again, here's a Snapey Christmas poem and card from me to you...

A visit from S. Snape

Triple Nips (LCR) dice game covers

2008-12-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

Sam: "What's up, Norm?"
Norm: "My nipples, it's freezing out there."

Ah yes. Who can ever forget the Cheers t.v. show? And it certainly is that cold out right now too, Norm.

But this quote really has nothing to do with my next project except for the word nipple which is always fun to throw in as an attention-grabber.

Anyway, I've tapestry crocheted covers for the dice game officially called "Left, Center, Right" (LCR).
Click on photos to enlarge.

But if your living in the quirky towns of Oswego or Montgomery in Illinois you'd probably know this game by it's unofficial title; "Triple Nips". a.k.a. "Triple Nipples"
Now I'm not sure how or who first started calling it this, but that's not important now.

What is important is the fact that it's a really fun dice game that anybody can play from kids to grown-ups. It has three dice and some playing chips in the container along with the game instructions. But we've never played using the chips. We always use quarters or pennies.

They used to sell them in stores like Target or Walmart or Walgreens I was told. But I couldn't find them there so I had to order mine online. It's cheaper to buy in numbers so I got three. One for each of my sons for Christmas. I had already made two covers for games which I gave to my nieces over the summer and I haven't heard back yet about whether they've played the game yet or not.

The covers really make the simple dice game feel like you've got something more valuable and important in your hands. It also attaches the lid to the container so you don't lose it. You don't have to remove the container from the cover, just tip out the dice. And you only need one dice game for a whole group of people to play. My guys will be going back to college so they can each have their own game with them.

Now, one more word on this game. It seems to become a lot more fun the more folks you have playing and the more you have to drink while your playing.

To play the game, I hope you all have someone like my absolutely insane former neighbor named Pam who will do a hilarious sort of "Triple Nips" dance movement whenever she rolls three dots. It's really a highlight of the game and we always hope she'll get those triple nipples just to watch her go!!! LOL!!!

Coke Joker Cross Stitch

2008-12-16T07:07:00.000-08:00

I'm still here. I'm just working on making presents that I can't post here yet.
So, to keep you-all busy I thought I'd post something I made almost 4 years ago but never showed anyone. (Except maybe my sister).

So, first, let me say that I love old playing card jokers.
(I know. It does sound weird. But that's just how I am). LOL!

So, when I was surfing ebay one time, looking for interesting old joker cards, I saw this one that looked so awesome.

This is a photo of it I just lifted from the auction so many years ago.
I think it was from a Coca Cola deck of cards.
See how the joker is balancing a coke bottle on his tray there?

Alright. So. I thought this would be a great picture to cross stitch.
So I enlarged the photo on my screen, held a sheet of paper up to the screen, and literally traced the whole thing onto the paper.
Then, I traced that image onto a sheet of graph paper.

Then I went about stitching the thing.

Here's the finished design...

He kind of looks like Sideshow Bob from the Simpsons. LOL!

Anyway, I used variegated floss and simply filled in the diamond shapes of the jokers bodysuit and hat.
The trick to remember with variegated floss is to always complete each X as you stitch. (Instead of going ///////and then returning back going \\\\\\\ because, if you do that, you will mess up your colors really badly.)

Here's a sideways version of the design.

I embellished it with real jimgle bells. (You can get these at any craft store. They are so tiny, yet, they still "jingle".
I also used a metallic gold floss for his lute strings.

I still don't have this framed or anything. It's folded and placed inside a Ziplock bag, (like most of my projects).
It's nice to see it again.

Mondrian Umbrella

2008-12-12T08:09:00.000-08:00

Look what I bought at the Goodwill store last week! (Click to enlarge pictures).

Yaaaaay! A Mondrian umbrella from Totes! I saw it just hanging on a hook on an endcap of an aisle of baskets and snatched it up. Then I began foaming at the mouth and falling over backwards.

Well, ok, that last sentence was a Monty Pythonesque joke but I was doing a sort of "happy dance" of joy. LOL!

This photo reminds me of the last scene in Miracle on 34th Street. Only my santa is a way-cooler Mondrianmaniac! LOL!

People Let Me Tell You 'Bout My Best Friend...

2008-12-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

I've been working on Christmas presents. I feel safe in posting this one because I don't think she checks in here very often. (Like, maybe once a year).

So, here goes.
(Click on photos for enlargement).

This is a tote I decorated with an embroidery of my friend Sue on one side. The other side has the "give green a chance" words on it.

The tote I bought at Target (from Xhilaration).
The embroidery kit I got on e-bay for $1.00 !!! Woohoo! It's an old Caron kit from 1977.

When I saw it listed I flipped out. It was so cool and retro-looking and the price was a steal. Obviously the seller wasn't looking to make money. Just to pass it on to someone who would actually make it. I love people like that!

Here's a shot of the whole tote.
And now I will tell you about my best friend Sue.

Sue and I met in 3rd grade. In elementary school you had the same kids in every grade. You just advanced along with the same group. So we shared class throughout 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.

We were like the offbeats or something. Two people who others thought were just too weird to hang around. Two people who were lost within our own crazy world. Two people that, without each other, would have probably been chewed up and and spit out by all the "normal" kids out there.

I thank God for Sue!!!

We would make up games to play like unscrabble. Using a Scrabble game, you'd made up a word with the letters you had on you tile holder. BUT, you had to think up a definition for that word too. (We even made a list of all the made-up words we had. (No, really!) LOL!

Or, on field trips on a bus we would make up all the words we could from one bigger word. (It usually started with the word CARPENTER as that was the name of the bus manufacturer and was printed on the seat in front of us.

Or "two-word story" where we would write a whole story, (each only contributing two words at a time in turn until the story was finished.) God, that was great! (And, of course, we wrote down all these stories and they do exist somewhere out there still.)

Oh! In the fall, we would rake all the leaves up in our yards, (whichever house we were at), and arrange the leaves into "walls" of a layout plan for a house. (No, I'm not kidding you). If we didn't have enough leaves, we would steal leaves from neighboring houses. (I'm sure our folks would have just loved that if they ever knew!) LOL!

It is no surprise that Sue became an architect. She went on to Cornell and designs homes, (especially bathrooms), for a living now. Isn't that great??!

She was always so smart and so bright. (But she will never let you go on about it.) Because she's just that way. Very unassuming. She would always let me be me. Even if I wasn't the sharpest crayon in the box. She just accepts you for who you are. I think she prefers the used, rough-rounded, peeled crayon wrapper, stub of a person that I seemed to be. (Am).

She called me on my birthday in November, (like she always does), and we talked and talked and caught up again on a years worth of happenings. This is how I found out she is taking another class. (She is a forever-student. Always taking something. Always learning new things).

Her class this time is on a "greener" lifestyle, I guess you'd say, and how to convince your potential clients, (in this case her future home owners), why and how they should be trying to have a more environmentally-friendly home. Sometimes the cost scares people away. I guess this class will help her to convince them that -in the long-run- it does pay off. For everyone.

ANYWAY, that's why I chose this tote for my gift to her.
And I knew the profile of the girl was just perfect.
1977 is about the time she moved away from me. But this is how I remember her.
I love the wild Farrah Fawcett hairstyle and the thick false eyelash look. (Obviously this was never her, but it does capture the time and the spirit.)

I also added her name at the bottom of the embroidery. I didn't like how the original picture kind of just gave up on that area.

I wanted to find an avocado green to border the picture with, (like on the other side that has the word "green" on it). But you just can't find that color anymore. So I had to settle for a hunter green felt and a Christmas green lacy trim.

When Sue moved away, it was somewhere around 7th or 8th grade in between. I thought I would die. But thank goodness there's always square pegs out there like me who find a way to meet others like us!

We wrote to each other, sometimes weekly if you can believe it!, throughtout highschool.
I still have every letter. (I am a packrat as you may well have guessed). Sometimes my Mom would bring up my letter from Sue and shake her head and say, "I can't believe the mailman could read this!", because Sue would write out my address in such bold insane graphics with colored markers, (all our letters had to have colored markers, usually each paragraph was a new color), that it was like deciphering a code in order to read the address! God bless mailmen too!

I feel sorry for people who think they have a million friends when, in fact, they've never really had one true friend at all.

A best friend.
Someone like Sue.

My best friend.

I love her.

What's Big and Red and Eats Rocks?

2008-11-26T21:43:00.000-08:00

What's Big and Red and Eats Rocks?

Everyone who has read this book knows the answer to that question.

I really loved that book as a kid!

I'm currently working on a needlepoint which looks very similar to this rock-eating beast, (please click on the following photos to enlarge them).

He's actually a Tyler Lion.
Harry Tyler of Jefferson County, N.Y was a famous weaver of coverlets back in the 1830s.
Here's a corner sample of his work...

The name of the person who commissioned the coverlet as well as the date were woven into the fabric too.

I got my first Tyler lion needlepoint earlier this year from ebay.
The auction stated that the kit was from 1975 and was put together by the Jefferson County Historical Society Museum's members including Mrs Dexter Williams and Mrs. Francis Taylor.
It even had a newsclipping which was inside the kit...

Isn't that sweet?
Well, I finished the first Tyler lion needlepoint earlier this year...

I even personalized it like the real sampler picture above. But, as you can see, I haven't made it into a pillow yet.
Anyway, I saw from the newsclipping that the kit was available in red as well.
So I tried finding out if this Jefferson Co. Historical Society still had a "Collectors Corner" store. But I couldn't find anything so I gave up.

Well, I was so surprised to find another Tyler Lion kit on ebay earlier this month. They didn't call it the Tyler Lion. It was a kit offered from Family Circle magazine back in 1972 along with other kits available called the White House Heirlooms Collection.

Here was the photo for the second needlepoint. It's in black and white and I had no idea if it was red or blue until I received it.
Boy was I happy when I saw it would be red!!!!

This page from Family Circle was inside the kit when I received it from the ebay seller.
All the ad says is that this kit was designed by Jebba. It doesn't even give credit to Harry Tyler, (the coverlet weaver and original designer of this lion). Anyway, if it's a White House Heirloom, they must have one of his coverlets in the White House. How cool!

Soooo, this is the kit I'm currently working on.

Here's a photo of the two pillow top needlepoints together. The Big Red Rock Eater looks a little larger than, ummm, the Baby Blue Ox, I mean lion. The mesh for the blue one is a smaller gauge. Plus there's the fancy background that Mrs Dexter Williams and Mrs. Francis Taylor worked so hard in recreating. (I wish they had done that awesome tree I see in the sample picture. That looks so neat!)

One last photo for you all.
I thought it would be nice to post the graph from the second kit. I think everyone should make their own Big Red Rock Eaters.

Just be sure and give Harry Tyler of Jefferson County some credit!

Hello Dark Mark

2008-11-22T14:39:00.000-08:00

I received my first e-mail from Singapore Snape's flatmate KJ.
Apparently he's currently packing for his trip....My comments are in green....Click photos to enlarge as always...

Dear Becky,

Since part of his trip to the Americas will entail visits to some beaches to gather various crustaceans (he says there’s no point in explaining to me what kind or what they’ll be used for, because I just wouldn’t understand) Severus has been accumulating beach wear. First of all, he transfigured a handkerchief (see photo – I might add that he did not ask if he could ruin one of my hankies for this purpose) into a pair of swim trunks (see next photo – very J-Crew, eh?). <----Oooooh! Do I detect a Canadian somewhere here?

Actually, these are the second pair he made. He initially made a little Speedo number, but changed it to the present, more modest form after I laughed at him and told him that no one wants to see a pale, skinny chemistry teacher cruising the beach in a banana hammock.
To which he replied, “Potions teacher…. There’s a difference… And what’s a banana hammock?”

After sulking for a bit, he asked me to pick him up a beach towel.
Being slightly spiteful myself, I picked out a Hello Kitty towel for him (see third photo).

Oh. My. God!!!! I want a poster of this!!!!!!!

To his consternation and my lasting amusement, he has been unable to magically remove the Hello Kitty picture. He says that Hello Kitty is itself a sort of Dark Mark, and thus one has to know several specialized counter-curses to get rid of it.

Snape has been working steadily for the past two days to try and break the cursed mark, but so far without success, which, he says, is a clear indication of how truly evil Hello Kitty really is.

Oh, and you can also see from the last photo that Snape is one of those men who wears black shoes and socks with his bathing suit. When I questioned him about his choice of footwear (and the fact that he is apparently planning to wear a black long-sleeved shirt to the beach too), he said, “What’s wrong with that? They’re my favourites. And you can’t be too careful about the sun, you know.” Dork.

Best, Karen

Awwwww, he's not a dork, he's hard-core goth through and through!

I hope he never gets rid of that Hello Kitty mark. It's adorable! (I'll bet he secretly loves it just like the pink feather quill and umbrella in his drink.) And just like a man walking a puppy or pushing a baby in a stroller at the park, the beach towel will surely be a chick magnet for him. (Too bad the chicks he'll attract will most likely have an average age of 7). LOL!!!!

Halloween High Jinx

2008-11-17T21:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know about all of you, but I had a really wild Halloween!!!

In fact, I wrote to KJ in Singapore because I was worried that maybe she had some sort of similar experiences with her Snape doll too.

Here's part of my e-mail to her...

Dear Karen,

How have you been?

I'm not sure about you; but I did have some trouble with my Snape on Halloween.

It seems while I was answering my door to some trick-or-treaters; Snape had dashed out wearing a cap and heart sweater stolen from one of my other dolls with a sack slung over his back, and proceeded to trick-or-treat the neighborhood demanding only candy corns. (He had developed an addiction to the candy corns over the past month as I couldn't seem to keep my candy jar stocked with the stuff when all along it was him!)

He used a fall themed gift sack to collect the candy in and when he got home he put it into a glass square refrigerator container and declared it's contents off-limits to everyone but himself! *See enclosed photo (click to enlarge)

The following week he was a sugar-crazed madman hopped up on candy corn and apple cider.
(It was during this time that I believe he went on a bizarre voting rampage November 4th. He returned that evening with " I voted" stickers covering his entire body from head to toe and cackling something about "change" and "hope" and "yes I can!!!!" Well, I'm sure you heard the results of that night.

He's only now beginning to "come down" from his "high".

You know. I was surprised to realize that Snape even celebrated Halloween. I thought it was merely a made-up American holiday. But he informed me that the holiday had caught on to England years ago and it was the one time of the year he could "let his hair down" and cause mischief among muggles without retribution from the M.O.M. It seems they have a leniency for that day and that day only where they allow witches and wizards to have their fun as long as no muggles are injured during the process.

ANYWAY, it got me to thinking about you and how you are doing. I hope your Snape has been a good fellow. (But I seriously doubt it as it is in his nature).

Wishing you all the best,

~Becky~

So that was my wild Halloween. Fortunately, none of these things happened in Singapore. But I'm so happy to say that Karen wrote back this...

Snape tells me he's going on a long
vacation (He says in part to collect rare potions ingredients, but
mainly to get away from me) to Canada, Florida, Colombia and Panama in
December. I'll ask him to send you pictures if you want them for your
Blog. Best, Karen

So, of course I wrote back saying ...

Oh my gosh!!! ABSOLUTELY!
I'd love to see all the places he visits! Wooohoooo!!!!
I can just picture him now in a Panama hat, a pink flamingo shirt from Florida, a camera around his neck, sipping some Colombian coffee, with moose slippers on his feet.
Or maybe at an Edmonton Oilers game throwing steaks onto the ice rink. Or squid at Red Wing players, who knows!
Oh, I can't wait!!!

~Becky~ *doing the happy-dance as she types*

So now you've all been updated as well.
This is the best birthday present for me! (My birthday was November 13th and I've been feeling down.)

I'll be posting any and all photos of Singapore Snape whenever I receive them. (Unless he winds up completely naked participating in the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club's annual event at English Bay on New Year's Day.) (Those photos I'm keeping for myself!). LOL!

Recycle/Ecology Flag Bag

2008-11-05T06:35:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait until the next Earth Day to post this. So, here goes...(Please click on the image to enlarge the photo)....

This is not crocheted. It is needlepoint that I did onto an existing large straw tote that I picked up from Goodwill for 99 cents.
One side has the Ecology flag, (it's not seen much today but I remember it being very popular in the '70s). The other side is a recycle symbol done in many colors. I used all left-over yarns I had stashed away so this truly is a recycled bag through and through.

Just before I finished it, I realized I should have taken a "before" picture so, while working on the last side, I stopped to snap a photo.

The whole bag was this heavy straw mesh weave. The bag has a tag on the inside that says it's from The Gap clothing store and it was made in the Philippines. It's very durable and still flexible even with the designs stitched on.

I don't think I'll line it with anything.
It's very bright and would hold a lot of yarn for sure!

Troublesome Flatmate

2008-10-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

A concerned Mariana from Georgia, (U.S. of A.), asked in her comment from the previous post below...
"Any new news on Prof. Snape? Hopefully he's recovered from his umm little falling over accident!"

Oh! Mariana, I'm so glad you asked that!
As a matter of fact, I did receive another e-mail and photo on the well-travelled Potion's Master!!!

Snape's new flatmate, Karan, (but I like to call her Jane), writes this.....
-------------------
"Hi Becky: Well, it's been quite the week.
Severus is a lot more trouble
than I thought he'd be.

Last night after I went to bed, he graded all of
my midterm exams. I think he was trying to be helpful, but his grading
scheme is just bizarre! I mean, I can't give back tests with a grade of
'Troll' or 'Dreadful'! And the class average is 'Dreadful +'.

Tell me, how I'm supposed to enter that into the computer?
Oh, and he transfigured my feather duster into a quill to do the grading (see
picture) (click on to enlarge)

- you can see he looks quite pleased with himself) and now he
refuses to turn it back and use a pen like a normal person.

Also, weird items keep showing up on my shopping list. Asphodel? Mandrake roots? I
asked him if I could get these at Cold Storage or Carrefours, and he
rolled his eyes and said that any apothecary worth its salt would carry
them.

So now I have to find an apothecary. I don't know about Indiana,
but there aren't a lot of apothecaries in my neighbourhood.

He also said he needed shrivelfigs, but the closest thing I could find were fig
newtons. These ones were a bit old and shrivelly, so I thought they
would work in a pinch.

He rolled his eyes and said he should never have expected more from a dumb muggle who gave him a wand made out of an old chopstick. Sor-ry!

And when he told me he needed beetle eyes, I politely suggested he might make his own, considering there are beetles
everywhere here.

He refused to dignify that with a response, and is currently sulking in the office, while I work frantically to erase some
of his more abusive comments on the midterms. (Magical ink is quite
difficult to cover up with white-out, I'm finding.)

And he won't tell me what he needs all that stuff for, but I found a recipe for something
called Draught of Living Death. So now I'm worried he's planning on
using that on me. You know, you might have warned me that he would be
this way.... Take care, karen"

---------------------

I love how his new quill is pink!!! I giggled when I saw the photo. (It does match the pink bunny slippers I had made for my Snape doll a while ago).

I think it may be his favorite color. I'll bet he uses that pink parasol from his drink all the time when it's raining over there in Singapore. (Not that there's anything wrong with that). :D LOL!!!!

ANYWAY, I am now concerned about the other Snape doll I sent to North Carolina.
The last we'd heard from them was March 7th 2007. You remember the photo...

(Click on the pic for enlargement).
He didn't look too happy being among the moose. I hope all is well over there......

Spooky the Black Cat - Pillow

2008-10-23T14:24:00.000-07:00

I bought this old pillow kit from e-bay two weeks ago. (click on pic for larger view).

I really loved how it looked. It's called a "primative embroidery" pillow. It came with felt, thread, and the pillow front and back.
Plus a side stip and felt for the piping even. They sure don't make kits as nice as these were. At least; not for the price you can pick up for one on e-bay.

ANYWAY, I just finished it.

Here's the front.(Click on it). Yes, I changed it somewhat again. Most notably the cat's eyes and tongue.
Cats are too dignified to have a tongue lolling out of it's mouth like they intended for it to have in the picture on the package.
And the eyes. Ugh! The original eyes look terrible, don't they?
Well. I added some cat's eye fasteners used for a stuffed animal cat. Then I embroidered around those. Wow. It makes such a huge difference.

Also, I decided the blue leaves had to go. Blue leaves????? So I cut them out and used them as templates over some felt I had already. One was a tiger print. One a leopard print. And yellow felt.
I used the left-over blue felt to make flowers instead of embroidering them.
I also decided not to embroider the weird eye on the sun. I flipped it over so that the outline for it didn't show.

Now for the back.....(Clicky)

I used a needlepoint picture I had already made a while ago but didn't know quite what to do with. (The original one in the package was just plain ecru fabric, (like the front but with nothing on it.) I used the blue leaves here adding them among the butterflies. It's stuffed with a square pillow. You can see where I sewed it shut on the back here at the bottom.

This pillow was so fun to make! It was another Columbia Minerva kit. Vintage kits are the best!!!!
(I'm calling the cat Spooky.)

Kangaroo Pouch

2008-10-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

G'day, mate!

(Front and back).
I made this Kangaroo Pouch to go with the Aussie Flag Bag I made last year. It was supposed to be cell phone sized but it turned out to be 7" x 7". Ah well. After the drawstrings are pulled it does get smaller. And it's 100% cotton so if it were washed it would shrink I suppose. (But the colors might bleed into the white.)
The pattern of the kangaroo was a freebee I found here...
deirdre nelson's blog
(Just scroll down to the bottom.)
I used size 3 Aunt Lydia's denim crochet thread and a size H hook.

Bride of Frankenstein Afghan

2008-10-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

Halloween is almost here. I have a surprise for you all......
(please click on the photo to enlarge it).

Tadaaaaa!!!!

The Bride of Frankenstein Afghan.

I'd been panning to make her for almost a year now. She's supposed to go with my Frankenstein afghan I made last year.
I wanted to post pictures of them side by side to see how it looks.

Ah, the happy couple at last.
The border around the Bride is actually a shocking electric purple but it looks blue in the photo.

This is the back of the afghan.

Happy Halloween!!!

Sing-a-Sling, You Sassy Thing...

2008-10-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I received two owls from the Perpetual Potions Professor Snape with some pictures as well!!! (Please click on the photo to enlarge them).

The first letter, written by his new flatmate explains:

"Hi Becky:
He says it was a terrible flight (thank goodness for the
motion sickness potion) but Snape has finally arrived in Singapore. He's
spending the morning sitting on my computer tower, enjoying the view of
the jungle, and frightening students who are coming by to ask about
their term papers (Old habits die hard). I've promised that when we get
back to my flat, I'll give him his wand and a Singapore Sling. I'll send
pictures of that too.
Best, Karen

P.S. - Thanks again. He's really adorable (I'm sure he would hate to
hear that though.)"

(She actually made him a wand out of a chopstick! I couldn't wait to see it!!!)

Then, I received this owl with two photos.....

"Hi Becky: As promised, Severus and I shared a Singapore sling when we
got back to my flat (See first photo --

his is the smaller drink on the ledge). Even though he offered extensive criticism of my potions
stirring technique, he was forced to admit the drink wasn't bad. In
fact, he finished both of them, and after getting all maudlin and
complaining about his miserable life, he passed out on the floor (see
second photo).

I suppose he was drinking on an empty stomache, and the
drinks were rather huge, but still.... Anyway, when I left for work, he
was still asleep on the sofa. Best, Karen"

Now this last photo is a moving, magical photo which I can't seem to capture on Photobucket so you'll just have to imagine this for yourselves folks. As can be expected, his speech was a bit slurred by this time. He reaches for his drink, (the aforementioned Singapore Sling), and he sings a happy toast which goes like this...
"Sing-a-Sling, you sassy thing!
Come to papa
before I drop ya!"
This is where he does, indeed, topple over after downing the rest of his umbrella-laden beverage.
I don't think I should mention, (but I will anyway), how, after he rallied, he lifted up the umbrella and began singing "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" from the musical Mary Poppins and danced rather dangerously on that ledge behind him doing a sort of high-wire act. Luckily there is glass in that window!

Anyway, I'm so happy that he is enjoying his new digs and I wish them all the best!!!!

Do You Know The Way To Singapore?

2008-09-27T20:28:00.000-07:00

Alone in his dungeon office, after another gruelling day of exploding cauldrons, berating children, and punishing leech-peeling detention supervisions, Sevvy now relaxes in his own special way in front of his mirror....Karaoke Snape!!!

"And now for a bit of Burt Bacharach music, Ladies and Gentlemen..." *Swishes his wand and the music begins to play...*

"Do you know the way to Singapore?
I've been away so long. I may go wrong and splinch myself.
Do you know the way to Singapore?
I'm going back to find some peace of mind in Singapore.

Hogwarts is a great big Azkaban.
With a hundred ghosts all hangin' 'round.
In a week, maybe two, I'll get the heck out
Weeks turn into years. How quick they pass.
And all the dreams that never were
Because of Lily's foolishness.

Do you know the way to Singapore?
They've got a lot of space. There'll be a place where I can stay.
I was born and raised at Spinner's End
(That was a drag. I have to say.)

Fame and fortune never found me.
That Brat-Boy Potter stole it all
With a dream of Merlin's Order on my wall.
Dreams turn into dust and blow away
And there you are without a friend
You pack your broom and fly away

I've got lots of friends in Singapore.
Do you know the way to Singapore?
Cant wait to get back to Singapore."

This Snape is right now headed for Singapore with a promise of bottomless Singapore Slings once he arrives.
I hope he remembers to send us a postcard!!!

Peace Work Needlepoint Pillow

2008-09-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

About a month ago I bought a needlepoint kit from ebay which was so way retro cool I knew I had to make it.
The kit was called "Peace Work" designed by Judith Gross and it was dated 1971.
Here's a photo of the kit.

So, I finally finished it and got a pillow form and used a really thick dark green felt for the back and made a spiffy pillow.
I did change the design somewhat. I really love it!!! (Please click on the photo to enlarge it).

I used the same peace sign graph that I did for my striped peace laundry duffle bag.
The smiley is supposed to be like a sun with it's rays shining down.

Tiger Wrap

2008-08-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

(Please click on the photo to enlarge it).

This Tiger Wrap is tunisian crocheted with Sinphonia in orange and black and with Lion Cotton-Ease in charcoal. (I ran out of charcoal and had to finish the rest in black so he's sort of half and half). LOL!

It wraps around your shoulders and ties in the front with the long ends you see on the sides of the wrap.

Here's a closer view. I used a tiger cross stitch chart which only had the tiger's eyes. (I made the cross stitch a while ago and have it framed. It's actually a white tiger. I had a lot of orange yarn so I decided to make the tiger in crochet too).
You could wrap it around your waist too and tie it. But it is rather long and would look best on a full-figured person to show off the tiger's face.

A Human ...Being - Afghan

2008-08-13T10:32:00.001-07:00

This afghan is called "A Human...Being". (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

It is made with Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" in black and white.
I used a size J cabled afghan hook.
It's 36 inches across and 51 inches long.
So it's more like a lapghan.

I began with this photo I found on the internet, (I don't know where the photo originated from)...

...and used Photobucket's really nice photo editing options to make the picture as you see it on the right.

Then, once I had this made, I took the photo to the microrevolt - knitpro site and uploaded the image to their graph generator making a workable graph to crochet.

I graphed the words at Celticxstitch graph generating site.

Puzzle Piece Scarf

2008-07-25T09:41:00.001-07:00

I made a puzzle piece scarf using the same graph pattern I posted here about a month ago for the poncho. (Click on the photos to enlarge them).

Here's my son wearing it. It's made with all cotton sugar n cream yarn so it's very very thick. Especially since it's folded over from side to side so the ugly back is hidden inside the scarf and you don't have to look at it. So it's super-toasty-warm.

Here's a front shot and a back shot. I think my camera's flash actually went off, (outside in the full sun!), so the second shot is very hard to see. Naturally it's the one I wanted you to see most because there is the seam running up the back where I joined the sides together.

Use the same graph crocheting tunisian style with a size J cabled hook just as before only instead of five puzzle pieces across, you make only four. This way when you join the seams in back, the puzzle pieces will "match up". You also have to pay attention to your colors so that they will co-incide with each other at the joining seam. My scarf is 16 puzzle pieces long but you can make it as long as you want.

This may be a bit easier to do instead of the poncho for people who are just starting out learning tunisian crochet.
I think people will definately spot you in a crowd for sure! LOL!

Tapestry Crochet Totes

2008-07-19T08:33:00.000-07:00

The blazing heat of summer is upon us.
What better time to work on smaller projects?
Ones that won't smother you while you are still creating them? LOL!

Many of you are familiar with Carol Ventura's fabulous technique of tapestry crocheting.

If not, when you have lots of time, slip on over to her site where she has wonderful tutorials and free patterns to get you going on this super-fun and addicting type of stitch.

Tapestry Crochet

Over there you will find the free pattern for the first of my totes. The Kitty Bag pattern. (please click on the photo to enlarge them).

I'm calling mine Cat's Halloween because I used Halloween colors.It's on the left in this picture.
I used Omega brand Sinfonia yarn/thread. (I'm not sure if it's a "yarn" yet it's thicker than thread).
I'm a big fan of Sinfonia. I love it!!
I used a size F hook.

I made up a drawstring closure instread of her wrist strap.
One color pulls to one side, the other color pulls the other side closing it in the middle.

After I made the cat bag, I made up another pattern using a honeycomb peyote bead pattern from here. Aunt Molly's Bead Patterns It's the pink and black pattern sort of in the middle of the page. (As I was working on the cat bag I realized you could use any peyote bead pattern just by turning it on it's side.)
The top part of the back is simply alternately switching black with whatever color I was using in that row.
It's a really pretty effect. I really like this bag.

Then I took a peyote bead alphabet and came up with this Love One Another tote.
This time I used DMC's Senso thread (size 3), in a sort odf neon green and a "rainbow" beige. It doesn't show up so well in the full sunlight. It's much easier to see indoors.
The middle part was just me goofing around with the technique. The bottom part is from an old celtic design and boy was this hard! I began at the bottom so I did this pattern first and there was no way I was going to repeat it through to the top. Aaaaa!!!! LOL!!!

I decided I like the Sinfonia yarn better so I went back to using it on this next bag I'm calling Hare's Nightmare.

Hare's Nightmare is from two different patterns.
First I found a turtle pattern from About.com
Turtle Safety Pin pattern
It's a pattern to make a pin from safety pins and beads. I left off the tail because it looked funny when crocheting it.

The wonderful rabbit pattern I found in someone's blog who got it from Wiseneedle knit pattern site.
I'm posting the pattern here. It has an explaination of the origins of the rabbit and also some rules about using the pattern.
So please read it carefully!

Anyway, it was such an awesome graph and it really inspired me. I need to make the drawstrings for this bag. So, at least you can see what it looks like before I do that.

Finally, if you're not bored to tears yet, I have the last tote. It's a wrap-around design beginning on one side and ending on the other.

I'm calling mine Fishbone. But it's from a pattern called Jollyfish, (get it? instead of jolly roger?), from a site called knittingjuju. Someone named Julie designed it.

It's also at Craftzine too. Here's their link...Jollyfish What a great-looking graph!!!! I couldn't wait to get started!!!!

The anchors are a pattern I found at CrochetMe. It was for a hot water bottle cover.
Hot Water Bottle by Chloe Nightingale
I used a green Sinfonia and a Aunt Lydia's white cotton thread. The closure at the top is some rope, I thought it would give the purse a nice nautical touch. I used the peyote bead alphabet to spell out AHOY. (It was going to be Yo Ho Ho but I thought that might be misinterpreted. LOL!

So, now I'm totally hooked on this tapestry crochet thing. What am I going to do with all these bags?? My kids think I'm nuts.
Ah well. Enjoy your summer!

50th Anniversary Afghan

2008-07-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Next month my family will all converge at my folk's house to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
(It's actually officially in January of next year but we realized that no one would be able to get together then right after the holidays and the bad weather as well).

So, August it is!

In honor of their anniversary, I decided to make a sort of "banner-looking" afghan that maybe they could hang up for the day or whatever.

Here it is in all it's wildness. (Click on the photos for enlargement please).

It's done using TLC Wiggles yarn so all those "flecks" you see that look like confetti are "wiggles" that bump out and really add texture to the afghan. I used a size J cabled afghan hook.

I did something I've never done before. I got their latest photo, (the one in the middle), and a wedding photo from the attic.

I took the pictures of the photos with my digital camera. Then uploaded them to my computer.

Then I got some special craft iron-on sheets in which you feed into your printer and print your own image on the iron-on fabric. Then you just iron it on to whatever you want.

So, I'm a little ahead of myself here because first thing I had to do was, of course, crochet the afghan.

I found something I thought would work great here...

Heart and Roses by Marsha Itro.
The graph link doesn't work so I had to do it by "row count" which was ok except I had to add in my own 50 in the center of the heart and it would have been so much more convenient to have had it in a graph form. I had tried to write to her in e-mail and asked for the graph, (which you can clearly see in that tiny thumbnail), but I got no response.

Anyway, I also had to find or create their names and the word anniversary too.

I used the Celtic cross stitch graph generator for their last name and also anniversary. For some reason the lower case r is capitalized like R so I just went ahead and followed the graphs. It makes it more interesting anyway.

I found a cross stitch site for their names, (only it was a foreign site and they spelled them differently so I wound up having to copy several graphed names and piece them together to spell out my names correctly. (Right now you are all thinking/wondering just what kind of a crazed, obssessive madwoman I really am). LOL!!!

Once again here's the front and then the back. For the back I used a super soft felt-like material that actually has raised "bumps" on it.

Here it is close up. I use a hand held leather hole punch and two different sized crochet hooks. A tiny hook to insert into the hole punch to grab the yarn through, and a size J hook to make the actual crochet single stitch which is the border. Once I had the whole backing attached, I did one more row of the basketweave stitch completely around it.

So, anyway, I hope they like it. I can't wait to see everyone. I hope the weather is good.
Not many people now-a-days make it to 50 years. They deserve a great party!!!!

"Enid Collins - Sophistikit" backpack

2008-06-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

(Click on the photos to enlarge them).

I love Enid Collins' work. She was a designer/creator of beautiful handbags back in the '60s and '70s.
This link has a nice mini-bio of her and a few of her cat purses are pictured. But she didn't just do cat designs. She has sooooo many different purses you could spend a year on e-bay collecting all the different photos of purses out there that she had designed.

I decided to attempt a recreation of a cat on her "Sophistikits" wooden box purse.

I began by getting a photo of a "Sophitikit" purse from e-bay.

This one sold for lots of money. I love the turquoise and black colors and the shape of the cat.

I was also lucky enough to find a prototype of the cats someone was selling on e-bay. I saved that photo as well here...

I took this photo to the Microrevolt Knitpro and uploaded it making a graph that I could use to crochet. (I only used the middle black cat for my project).

Once I had the graph I crocheted it with the size J cabled hook and Red Heart yarn. I wanted to use those nice 60s and 70s colors she used so I got aqua, pink, and gold along with the black and white.

After the cat was done I really went to town embellishing it.
Enid used multi-faceted plastic gems. I found some similar ones at Hobby Lobby. They were actually patches so I cut them up and made them into flowers and some small bugs. The center of my flowers have metal "coins" which were from Habitat For Humanity mailings. (I never throw anything away). They are really neat. One side says Habitat for Humanity. The other says Bless this House. (Enid used fake coins on some of her purses too.)

I used a yarn needle and black yarn to "write" Sophitikit on there.

I used stuffed animal eyes and nose which you can just buy really cheap at any craft store. They have a backing which keeps them stuck on. I snipped the post down a bit because I didn't want it to poke through to the other side of the backpack.

I went around the edge a few times in single srochet alternating black with the three colors.
Then I began from the bottom of the piece and crocheted stripes up the other side to create the back. Horizontal stripes are super-easy in afghan stitch.
Once I made enough to meet up with the top of the cat side, I ended the stitching and sewed the sides together. Then I made two straps and attached them to the back. The top has a drawstring rope through it for closure. (Double crochet, skip a space, double crochet). I also added a bit of black Fun Fur too. I may add wooden beads at the end of the rope like I did with the Beatnik Cats bag, but I'd have to go get more as I am out of that.

My favorite Enid Collins bags are her Zodiac Bags. They are so awesome that I have created a link which contains photos I've been collecting of these Zodiac bags HERE Just click on any of those zodiac months and you can see the photos of Enid Collins purses from that zodiac sign.

I wish there was more written about Enid Collins. She must have been an very interesting and creative person.
Her work is truly American Folk Art at it's finest.

Autism Awareness Puzzle Piece Poncho

2008-05-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

I finished my Autism Awareness Puzzle Piece Poncho and got my son to take a few pictures of me wearing it on today's sunny day. (Please click on the photos to enlarge them).

There really is no front or back side. It can be worn either way facing front.

Here's with my hands on my hips. I wanted to spread it out so you can see the whole thing clearly.

Here's the "back" with my hands still on my hips. I wish I had had one taken from the back with my arms down but I didn't think of it at the time. It looks like I need to twist it just slightly over a bit around my body too so that it would be perfectly symmetrical. Oh well. I can never seem to get a perfect picture no matter what! LOL!

It is made in two panels and then joined end-to-side and end-to-side. It was tricky to try and make sure as I was crocheting it, that two of the same colored puzzle pieces weren't right next to each other. AND to make sure that, where the panels are joined, I had the same color of the puzzle match up with it's other panel's color too.

It's tunisian crocheted using a size J cabled afghan hook.
I drew out the puzzle pieces on graph paper myself. It's a simple repeating pattern.
The best part of this project is that, once again, I was able to use up my tons of left-over yarn bits to make it. I made sure that if I didn't think I had enough for a whole puzzle piece, I wouldn't use it. I didn't want to get stuck not having enough of the right color. (If you'll notice, on the ends I was able to use smaller bits of colored yarn I had that were only needed for the round "head" of the puzzle).

After joining, I needed to trim the edges to stop curling and to make the poncho fit nice and snug around my neck.

So I used some really soft yarns I had. I combined Moda Dea Chichi yarn with Fun Fur. It worked great.
It's really soft right where you want it to be most. Around the neck and where the arms stick out.

The "symbol" which represents Autism is usually a piece, (or several pieces) of a puzzle.

The following is a brief definition of Autism from quickoverview.com.

Autism is a neurological disorder, which affects three main developmental areas: social interaction, communication and imaginative play. It is called a spectrum disorder, which means that the effects from it can range along a spectrum, from severely affected to a very highly functioning person who might only be described as quirky. No two people with autism are the same, so remember to never generalize, such as 'People with autism don't speak or like to be around people', because that simply isn't true in many cases. Some of the friendliest, most personable and charming kids you'd ever want to meet are on the spectrum. They are all different with a few common traits, that is the key.

Currently, one in every 150 children in the United States are diagnosed with Autism. (Source, T.A.C.A.).

This Autism Awareness Puzzle Piece Poncho would surely grab anyone's attention. LOL!

edit:

I'm adding the graph I made because a lot of you were asking for it. (Click on it!)

Each puzzle piece is 13 squares across, (minus the "heads". If you keep that number in mind you won't mess up.

The outlined area is what I used for the poncho. (But the third row is really a repeat of the first row).
All you really need to remember is two squares across and two squares up.
(But it does help to draw out more of it to visualize it in your mind better).

I'd love to see the things you all make with it!