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Post by choney2 on Feb 20, 2017 13:40:32 GMT
Good morning fellow crafters! Just want to mention that we welcome any newcomers, here-please feel free to stop in and join us!
Meg, what I really like about this card, issued by the county- is that they did all the leg work, providing a list of most of the businesses that provide veterans discounts. I agree, special gratitude should be given to our combat veterans....but then my Dh, who was drafted- was slated to go to Viet Nam- the rest of his basic training group did- but was selected to stay stateside, and become an MP. Yes, those Cold War years were unnerving. Guess there is not much difference (in the level of fear for kids) between how we were trained to prepare for air raids (going under desks in school, or civil defense shelters) and what we now take for granted in anti terrorist protection. I do remember being somewhat traumatized by the air raid drills. So, which country (other than the US) was your favorite in Europe?
Ruth, I agree, the tassel is not something I would add either to the shawl. It's such a pretty shawl though! Had I had the time, I would have loved to make that for Dd- remember the wedding she was in in December? The girls wore basically spring bridesmaid dresses- yet they still took pictures outside in the 20 degree weather and FROZE. I would have loved to make shawls for the bridal party, but did not have the time as the wedding was planned in less than 3 months.
Ok,so now I have hit a wall and forget what else from your last posts I wanted to carry over to this new week. Forgive me...
Got a little work done on the hat last night, but I was tired. Yes, I am making the same hat I have made- so it's easy now.
I will try to stop back later on. Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Feb 20, 2017 19:46:14 GMT
Ginny, I forgot too what I thought last night that I would wait and say today.
This morning I spent at least a half hour trying to organize my yarn in my craft room. I have a lot more to do but I did bag up some yarn to donate. Half is Lion Brand chenille and half is Lion Brand suede. There are about 20 skeins of each. It looked great and it was a great thought but once I tried using the chenille I realized it's like Homespun in that you can't see the stitches when using it to crochet and it's just to hard to do that.I can knit with it but don't know what I'd make with it anyway. I've never even tried the suede but I don't know what I'd use it for either esp the colors I have. Someone, shopping at GW or wherever I decide to take it will have a use for it. If anyone wants it let me know, I'd be glad to mail it to you. I won't be going to donate anytime soon I don't think.I offered on another thread and no one there wanted it either.We do have a Methodist thrift shop here so I might donate there. I saw their ad in the paper a couple times and they mentioned selling yarn, etc. I'm not sure what they use the money they make for. I'll have to find out.I actually don't like giving to GW because I'm not sure the money they make is used well.Salvation Army is too far from my home and the Poverty Resistance store is so small not many go there and I don't want the yarn to go completely to waste.
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Post by cj59 on Feb 20, 2017 21:12:11 GMT
Hello Crafters - Hope you are all doing well today It's a beautiful sunny day here in Maryland and I haven't been outside once I actually started practicing my machine quilting today on two of my quilt sandwiches I'd made!! I tried two different kinds of batting too. Here's what I discovered from the practice today: - I liked the Pellon's Nature Touch batting for a flat batting. It's a 60 cotton/40 poly blend and it was easy to quilt over - I also liked the Quilter Dream Puff batting for a puffier look. It's 100% poly, but it was more difficult to maneuver under the walking foot - the batting just puffed out everywhere. - I don't like to stitch in the ditch because I have trouble staying straight on the seam. The next one I do I'm going to try to do diagonal lines instead, so I don't have to worry about staying in the seam. - I can't imagine quilting a large (maybe even lap size) quilt on my sewing machine. It is so difficult to move the quilt around with all the extra material, and this was just on small pieces. I will really have to think about purchasing a machine with a large throat if I'm going to continue to quilt my own quilts. - I tried a few other stitches, like zigzag and loops and those were kind of fun to quilt with - After finishing those two small pieces, I just had the desire to pick up some handwork for something calming to work on. I'm sure the more practice I do, it won't be as stressful machine quilting. I'm having some problems with my Kindle Fire, which is really irritating. All I want to do is read a book, is that too much to ask! I'm trying charging it up and doing a hard shut down and hoping that will work. Otherwise, it might be time to think about buying a new one. Take care everyone.
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Post by megk31 on Feb 20, 2017 22:37:40 GMT
Good day everyone, Linda. Thank you for getting us started on another week. My favorite country would be England because when we were there it was easy to go home to Northern Ireland. I did love living in Germany and we had a wonderful time there. I did try looking on line for retailers that give a military discount. I will ask someone in the military widows group of which I am a member but never go to meetings. One of those women might know. I will continue to search the net. I am glad your DH did not have to go to Viet Nam but he did serve during war time. When I was a child living in N.I. during WW2 we were bombed by the Germans. I can remember my Mother carrying me down stairs one night as the Germans bombed a housing area about a mile from where we lived. My Mother had baked a cake for something the next day and she got the cake out and we ate it. She said we might not be alive the next day. I don't remember being scared. I was about 5 at the time. Most of the bombing was over Belfast many homes and businesses were bombed.
I did spend quite a lot of time knitting yesterday and my b/blanket is growing. I listened to an audio book, no one was here so I didn't need the head phones to listen. Glad to hear that your hat is coming along.
Ruth, I am going to get rid of some of my yarn. I could give it to my Knit Wits Gp. but I have also been thinking that my DDs workshop might be able to use yarn as they do all sorts of art projects. I took a lot of used greeting cards and they were able to use those. I was given some more cards which I need to take to them and I will see if they can use the yarn. I hope you can find somewhere locally so that you don't have to mail them. Perhaps there id somewhere in your are where the have a workshop for the developmentally disabled.
cj, I have a Nook and when I have a problem I go into Barnes & Noble where they sell them and I can get help there. Perhaps if you go to somewhere where they sell kindles you could get help. My library also has people on the staff who can help with electronic devices. So perhaps you could check with your library. I love to read and just hate it when I can't use my Nook. I am addicted to it. Luckily I have not had much trouble with it. Good idea to do some hand work it is very relaxing.
This morning I was on UTube checking out knitting the bamboo stitch which is very easy so I may try it for something.
Have a wonderful day. Now I need to get off the computer and do some chores
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Post by megk31 on Feb 20, 2017 22:41:25 GMT
Ruth, I have meant to say that I love your avatar Just Kidding.
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Post by choney2 on Feb 20, 2017 23:40:22 GMT
Good evening! Yes, Ruth's avatar is hysterical.....of course you could substitute yarn too.
Ruth, For the same reasons as you, I dislike homespun. (My sister in law gave me a ton of it!).. I would donate it too. Not sure how far off the beaten path you are but SA will pick up from the home if necessary. Glad you got your yarn organized!!
CJ- I like using warm and natural because it is easy for me to quilt over and does not pull through at all. Instead of doing a true stitch in the ditch- some stitch in the ditch but move the line of stitching line a sine wave- you know a continuing S shape. That eliminates the need to be always in the ditch. Also if you use a variegated top thread, it hides imperfections considerably. Does your machine have an extender deck for quilting? Some use silicone covers to help slide the quilt along, I used a silicone spray for that purpose (and it helped!). I think everyone develops a technique that works for them. CHeck YouTube for how to. Handle a large quilt on a smaller machine. The quilt I made for my DSIL was full bed sized and I did manage with my singer quilter machine. I have read about special clips and rolling methods to accomodate larger quilts...
Meg- you had some great ideas for Ruth to donate yarn to. I would love to go to England and Germany- not sure if I will ever get there though! (Most likely not). I did enjoy your story about your mom baking the cake. Yes, I know folks living in war torn areas get that way- a sort of live for today we might not be here tomorrow approach.
SPent most of the am getting ready for our income taxes and taking care of bills. Going to take a shower and then crochet. Not really looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Feb 21, 2017 0:31:18 GMT
Well I did get the shawl edging done and now have only to weave in two ends and it's completely done. I won't wash it because my ddil always washes everything that comes into their house and we have that wood stove that makes things sometimes smell smoky.
I was working on my craft room as I think I mentioned earlier today and I found a beautiful baby blanket that I was making for my dgd who is now 7. It's knitted in a waffle stitch and is made with such beautiful bright white soft yarn. I coulnd't believe how beautiful it is if I do say so myself but the downside is it's nowhere near finished and since I'm not a good knitter at all I don't know if I'll be able to figure out what row to do next. I was keeping track on a piece of paper as I knitted,on which row I was on but I don't know if that's in with the blanket or not. I'll have to look again.I think it might be in a notebook somewhere.
I don't have a kindle or a nook. I just read books on my laptop or tablet so I don't know a thing about kindles or nooks.
Meg, people there must have been terrified at that time. I just can't imagine a young mother having to worry that her children would be killed.
I was wondering too how a person could quilt such a large thing on a sewing machine but it sounds like you're both saying that there are special machines for doing that and special adaptations for other machines. I never really understood stitch in a ditch. If you're sewing over stitches what do the new stitches hold onto?
Meg, I was going to ask my dgd if her organization uses yarn and fabric for crafts but I forgot. She's a supervisor for an organization that takes care of developmentally delayed adults. I'll have to email her and find out.
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Post by megk31 on Feb 21, 2017 4:33:31 GMT
When WW2 started I was about 4 and we lived in Londonderry. Ships would dock there and the Germans were trying to hit the docks and missed and wiped out a housing area about a mile from where we lived. My father was a police man and of course he was not home he was working. My mother was home with my 3 older brothers and me. Londonderry was only bombed that one time. Belfast was bombed many times. My father was transferred there and we bought a house and moved there in 1944. At that time most of the bombing had ended in Belfast.
After the bombing in Londonderry my mother took me to see where the homes had been bombed. I remember the shop where they sold candy. It had been bombed but the big glass jars of candy were still on the shelves. Funny the things we remember. Now I've bored you enough with my memories.
This afternoon I worked a sample of the bamboo stitch. I may try it for a scarf or a baby blanket.
Have a good evening and sleep well.
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Post by gramma15 on Feb 21, 2017 7:22:10 GMT
Ginny, i have homespun too but I'm keeping that to make knitted prayer shawls. They're easy although it takes me forever to make one. I don't think prayer shawls would be too good in suede or chenille....well maybe chenille. I'll have to try one but right now I have too many other things on my list and I don't know of any prayer shawl ministries here anymore and if I find our a certain person needs one by the time I get one done the crisis is usually over.
I started a really pretty pattern for an infinity scarf but I made the mistake of using Red Heart plush yarn and it's like a homespun junior. It's hard to see the stitches. So I left that as far as I got and started one using a bulky yarn and it seems to be going ok but I'm not sure the colors in it are ddil's colors. I'll make some more of it and see how it looks. The only way I can describe it is it's a variegated yarn that has kind of Eastery colors...pinks, purple, white, pastel blue and pastel green.It's called Yarn Been mosaic twist so I guess from Hobby Lobby and the color is called Dahlia. I dont know where I got it because I'm sure I didnt buy it. It has a tag that says $6.49 and it's only 84 yards and it's just not my kind of yarn so unless it was a super good sale I would never have bought that. Maybe this was some of ddil's mother's yarn. Anyway if I had a regular worsted weight yarn in a nice color...one that I thought would be good for her I'd make it with that but with all the yarn I have I can't really find a color that speaks out to me.I do have a nice color called papaya which would be very nice with her skin tone,hair and all but I think she would feel that it's too bright. It would be perfect for her though.She would probably say she didn't have any clothing it goes with.But I'm experimenting right now so we'll see what happens.
Meg, no you are not boring at all. I love hearing about historical events from someone that was there. I can't imagine being in a place where a war was going on myself. When I worked I was always talking to my older patients about the history of this state.Many of the "old folks" were born here in little homesteader cabins and they lived the history. Of course when I moved here was 27 years ago and all those people are probably dead by now. I know some are because some were in their 90's back then.
Oh and I don't have all my yarn organized. I just organized what was on the shelves. I still have a lot in bags and boxes. When I go thru it or pull some out it kinda falls all over and gets itself all disorganized again.
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Post by choney2 on Feb 21, 2017 18:22:20 GMT
Good afternoon!
Meg, I am also not bored at all by your stories, especially in that they remind us of a different time or just life is not the same for everyone......we all face challenges. Yes, the irony of those candy jars remaining intact. What a striking contrast to distruction,
Ruth- so you have described why I stick with basic yarn like super saver! That baby afghan you started sounds so pretty- do you think you can figure out how to finish it? I am sure you can!
Getting yarn organized is no small feat.....mine is in boxes, and should be organized by color or something like that. But it's in boxes, out of sight, out of mind.
Gotta head back to work. Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Feb 21, 2017 19:56:00 GMT
Good morning Ginny and all.
Ginny, I do love this plush yarn. a few years ago I used it to make a knitted cable scarf for a friend. It worked great for knitting plus it was my first (and only so far) cable item. I still can't believe that I was able to do that. It was called a palindrome scarf because the cable was the same on both sides. I guess most cables are hollow on one side and there's a right side nd wrong side. A woman who was on Meg's knitting thread on the old WW board gave me the pattern. I've been meaning to make another one ever since. For crocheting, well you can see the stitches but not easily so I might finish it but I don't think right now. I do have another yarn I think will be great for ddil and that she will like so I'll start that one today. It's an easy pattern and SHOULDN'T take long at all to make. I also need to work down my to do list for today that will take me away from crocheting but things need to be done I guess. It's nice weather...well except for the wind...but winter will be back on Thurs
Oh and my point abut the plush yarn was to say that it's no longer available. Seems like when they get a nice yarn they don't keep making it yet the nasty homespun has been around for years and probably always will be. It's not only hard to work with but it frays badly too.
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Post by choney2 on Feb 21, 2017 23:11:54 GMT
I live about 75 minutes from a lion brand outlet- where, according to some women who attend my church you can get huge bags of yarn (assorted by color) for only a few dollars. The group from the knitting and crochetting group went there a year or so ago and took a novice crochetter, who fell in love with some pink/rose colored yarn. Oh, it's pretty yarn, but it's homespun. THe woman who bought that huge bag of yarn (my guess is about 10 skeins of the stuff!) is so frustrated at working with it. Cannot say that I blame her on that one. And I have not asked what she is going to do with it after this!
I do have a nice pattern for an afghan, it's forgiving and not difficult. I have not had the chance to work on it much- would be very pretty if I ever finish it! My DSIL gave me the bag of homespun that she got (for free) which is in jewel tones...will make a lovely afghan, should I finish it.
Ok, better get the dishes done....I do want to get some crochetting done tonight.
Have a wonderful evening. Ginny
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Post by gramma15 on Feb 21, 2017 23:43:43 GMT
Ginny are you crocheting the afgan? Some of the colors are really pretty in Homespun but to me the colors don't make me want to struggle to crochet with it.
I worked more in my craft room...found another Homespun but I think it's the same color as the prayer shawl in progress so I'll add it to that bag. I also found a cotton yarn that I can use for a little thing I'm planning on making for ddil. I also was looking up cabone rings online and ended up buying a couple Peaches and cream. They actually had that one that has the aroma but I didn't get that kind. They had camomile and vanilla. If they'd had lavender I would have had to buy it. I always have these visions of making lots of kitchen things for friends with it but that hasn't come to the top of the list yet.
Speaking of Peaches and Cream and what's the other one...well whatever it is I got a nice surprise in the mail the other day. One of the ladies that was on the old WW board for years and stops in on proboards now and then sent me knitted dishcloths. They're so pretty that I hate to use them. I guess she knows that those of us that knit and crochet never make anything for ourselves.Meg knows those dishcloths because it's the pattern she uses for some of her baby blankets. This woman uses the same one but eliminated the holes at the edge. They're really nice
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Post by cj59 on Feb 21, 2017 23:52:48 GMT
Hello Everyone - Hope you are all doing well today I want to say to all of you that I really enjoy hearing about your projects, even though I don't always comment about them. Ginny - Thanks for the tips on machine quilting. I purchased a Sew Steady table for my machine last year and that really helps with moving fabric/quilts through my machine. I'm looking forward to trying some different techniques on the next practice quilt sandwiches. Ruth - Stitch in the ditch stitches go straight down the seam between where you have pieced fabrics together. It probably helps to reinforce the quilt, but when you don't stay right in the ditch, then you can see your stitches off to the side. And there's no way I can keep my stitches straight Hope your weather doesn't get too bad. Meg - I really enjoyed hearing about your experiences as a child. I've always been fascinated with WWII history and that time. I couldn't live without my Kindle, since I'm always reading a book. So today I went out and bought a new model Kindle Fire. I've had my other Kindle Fire for several years, so I feel like I got my money's worth out of it. I also a regular Kindle that I keep up to date with books that I read. That way I have a back-up. But it's nice using the Fire since the screen is bright and also I can get on the Internet with it. I went out and got my shopping done today so no time for any crafting. Take care everyone!
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Post by phyl on Feb 22, 2017 0:49:47 GMT
hi, still haven't done any crafting. been coloring in the book. mary jo and I decided yesterday not to go to sew and sew today. maybe next week.
did go for a walk today. also stopped and voted. took less then 5 minutes to vote. 4 were running for assembly. two for park and rec department. we are hoping kelsey wins. she is a friend of margies.
tomorrow will be our last beautiful day for awhile. we might hit 65.then back to the 30's and 40's. which isn't bad if we don't get a lot of cold winds.
I have a stitch in the ditch foot and that helps alot. just spread the seam where the patches are sewed together a little bit and don't push the foot to the metal. when kyle was In middle school they were making drawstring bags. he told the kid don't do that. well the kid pushed the foot to the metal and got his finger caught with the needle In phyl
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