Crochet

 

 

 

   

Sat., Sept. 8, 1979 Crystal City, MO

Carol and Nathaniel leaving the hospital

I designed the yoke and sleeves to this dress.

Sun., Oct. 14, 1979 Hillsboro, MO

Nathaniels's Blessing Day

I designed his white suit, cap, and booties, too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sun., Aug. 2, 1987
Hillsboro, IL

I crocheted the yoke for this dress for Adrienne to wear home from the hospital.

Sun., Aug. 2, 1987
Hillsboro, IL

I made myself a matching dress by using a size 10 thread instead of the size 20 used for her dress.

   

I always loved to watch my paternal grandmother, Ursula Janie Tuck Buckley ("Sudie") of Richmond, Virginia, as she crocheted, but I couldn't seem to pick up on it until I was ten years old. My daddy took me shopping, and bought me a how-to book, some yarn, some crochet thread, and two hooks, one of which I still have, cherish, and use often. With the help of that book, I taught myself how to crochet, and I've been designing and crocheting ever since.

This is the booklet my daddy bought me.

Here's a photo from that booklet showing the first thing I ever made - a doily which I gave to my aunt, Virginia Buckley, for Christmas that year (1957). 
I chose a variegated pink to green thread instead
of the traditional white.

(Someday soon, I'll actually scan in this photo...)

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Favorite Designers:

Jacqueline Henderson

Anne Halliday

Maggie Weldon

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Favorite Sites:

http://www.priscillascrochet.com/patterns.html
I've searched a vast quantity of free pattern
(and patterns for sale) sites online,
and this is by far and away the best I've ever seen.

http://www.lionbrand.com/
This commercial site is also quite excellent,
and has a remarkable
number of free patterns
.

http://mars.skyhighsoft.com/patterns.html
Another great site!
 

http://www.crochettreasures.com/
freepatterns/archives.htm

This one offers free vintage patterns.

http://www.angelfire.com/pa3/
hop/designs.html

Christine Daugherty's crochet page offers
some nice designs,
 including things to make for preemies.

http://www.fastandfuncrochet.com/
This magazine is available online or
by subscription to your door.

http://www.crochetmemories.com/
This site, owned  by designer Cylinda Mathews
of El Cajon, CA,  specializes in original
thread crochet patterns, and offers free patterns,
patterns for sale, and a few completed
items for sale as well.

http://home.inreach.com/marthac/links.html
 Martha's Stargazer is a private site with a seemingly endless
list of links.

http://kaleidesigns.com/crochet/
Around the Crochet Table - Patterns and Recipes Shared
by Friends
This is an interactive group with free patterns and recipes,
as well as benefits for membership - which is also free.

http://www.craftown.com/projects.htm
Craftown Crafter's Resource Center is a very large site
with patterns available in many mediums,  For strictly crochet patterns, go directly to:
http://www.craftown.com/crochet.htm

http://www.berroco.com/pl_web_
exclusive_index.html
 
From Berroco Yarns comes an
extensive collection of free patterns.

http://www.digitalgranny.com/va/
Digital Granny's Virtual Afghan features 20 different designs.

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Really Unique Patterns for Sale

http://www.e-clas.com/~angel/
This site, Perfect Little Angels,  has gorgeous blessing
and christening gown patterns for sale.  There's even a tiny
 tuxedo pattern available to sew in satin and brocade.

http://www.onceuponapattern.com//c490.html
Once Upon a Pattern offers Victorian crochet and vintage
crochet patterns dating from 1850 to 1930. 
Sometimes you just have to have the old things!

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Crocheted Items for Sale

http://www.geocities.com/smwcrochet/
Sue's Crochet Designs is a really fun site!

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http://www.crochet.org/
Crochet Guild of America's Official Web Site

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http://www.craftyarncouncil.com/caps.html
Caps and Kids

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MY REMEDY
- Susan K. Minarik
 

Ben Franklin once said, or so I am told,
'Tis sewing that keeps women sane.
Some says it's knitting, and other folks hold
'Tis painting that's best for her brain.
But when my own world starts spinning too fast
And my hold on my sanity's fraying,
When my last bit of humor is crumbling at last,
I comfort myself with CROCHETING!

 

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As a new bride, Edna moved into the small home
on her husband's ranch. She put a shoe box on a
shelf in her closet and asked her husband
never to touch it. 
   For fifty years Jack left the box alone,
until Edna was old and dying.
One day when he was putting their affairs
in order, he found the box again and
thought it might hold something important. 
Opening it, he found two doilies and
$82,500 in cash. He took the box to Edna and
asked about the contents.
   "My mother gave me that box the day we married,"
she explained. "She told me to make a doily
to help ease my  frustrations every time
I got mad at you." 
   Jack was very touched that in 50 years
she'd only been mad at him twice. 
   "What's the $82,500 for?" he asked. 
   "Oh, that's the money I made selling the doilies."

This joke courtesy of my friend, Sarah Puckett Kressaty of CA - 03/24/03.  Thanks, Sarah!

 

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Current Projects:

At the moment I'm working on the following:

1. A white, lacy throw modified from a design by Terry Kimbrough entitled, "Rosebud Afghan",
and appearing on the cover of the Leisure Arts pamphlet, "Romancing the Rose". 
My version, begun in the fall of 2001, uses no rosebuds (did I mention "modified?!?"). 
It consists of 4-1/2" squares made by holding together one strand of baby yarn
and one strand of # 10 crochet thread, using a G hook. 
Progress: 23 of 63 squares completed and joined, and put aside for a while.

2. A Beribboned Tissue Box Cover from Crochet Collection by Leisure Arts. I made it
with white Simply Soft Yarn by Caron, held together with a strand of white Knit-Cro-Sheen,
and a size H hook.  Laced with red and royal blue ribbons, it's a decorative touch for my little
red, white and blue half-bath.
Completed on 08/14/02.

 3. A lime sherbet green and white "Vertical Stripe Sweater" which I heavily adapted from Rosanne Kropp's pattern in the Spring 1994 issue of "Crochet World".  
Begun 09/19/02, it's 3/4 finished. 
I've no idea why I set it aside in October...

4. A super soft  "Floral Bouquet Afghan" - a Coats and Clark pattern - which I'm making
for my living room using Caron Simply Soft yarn (yes, I know, that was tacky of me!) in white,
off white, and eggnog.  It features a popcorn stitch. 
 Begun in July of 2002, I have 15 of the 35 squares completed,
and my crochet hook mysteriously disappeared...Hooray! 
The hook just as mysteriously reappeared on 01/31/03. 
I'm back in business!

5. Another cuddly afghan for my living room, "Quick and Toasty Throw", designed by Maggie Weldon, from the October 1998 issue of "Crochet with Heart".  It's done with a Q hook holding
three strands together (once again, I'm using white, aran and eggnog).  It's a simple project,
great for making while watching TV. 
Barely begun (ran out of eggnog AND aran yarns - must go shopping!).

6. A basket of flowers done in ecru, eggshell, and white size 10 threads held double, to be appliquéd to an off white "curtain" for my living room bookcase.  The basket was designed
by Anne Halliday, and was found in her 1975 book, Decorating with Crochet.  The flowers
were from a design called "Basket of Flowers" from Issue # 26 (June 1983)
of Magic Crochet magazine.
The basket is done, the flowers begun, and the curtain just needs to be hemmed.

7. Christmas ornaments are a never ceasing ongoing project for my friends and family.  Almost all of the designs I made this year involved crocheting  over a plastic ring, and required no blocking.
 This design is actually a variation of a Photo Wreath pattern which appeared in the 1988 issue of Christmas Crochet magazine.
It's such a quick pattern that I even signed up for two online ornament exchanges!  Such fun! 


(The photo on the right enlarges.)

I lost count of how many ornaments I actually completed this year,
but there was a great multitude.

I came across a "Flower Motif Afghan", designed by Katherine Satterfield
Robert in the October 1996 issue of "Leisure Arts - The Magazine". 
It's a puff stitch design of 7" squares, very quick and very effective. 
Needless to say, I fell in love with it,
and am already working on two more afghans:

8. One for my living room with centers of variegated  ivory and pastels by Lion Brand;
"leaves" of sage by Caron Simply Soft; and surrounded by backgrounds of Red Heart Aran. 
Begun on  11/01/02.  I'll need 35 squares, and I completed and joined 24. 
Then I noticed a mistake in one of the corner joinings and started ripping,
ripping... and laid it aside for a while.
Hooray again! I repaired the error on 01/31/03, and on 02/04/03, I FINISHED!
The edging itself was of my own design.  I really like this afghan as well as
anything I've ever made. It has a nice weight, yet appears lacy, and the colors
are perfect for my living room.

9. One for our queen size bed in Red Heart Yarns: white, light and royal blues, two variegated
light blues (one is called "Ocean"), plus emerald green "leaves".  This friendship afghan will
have 99 - 8" squares.  I joined two online granny square exchanges, so I'll receive 6 - 7"
squares from three women in one group in late January (which will be in the bottom row), and
33 - 6" squares from eleven women in the other group in May.   I'll add white borders to the
donated squares so that they'll all measure 8", and crochet the other 60 squares in this puff
stitch pattern myself.  The May squares will form the entire center section of the afghan.
 Beautiful and exciting!  I started assembling it on 01/23/03, and by 01/25/03 
thirteen squares had been joined together.  Then I decided to redo the last two rounds on half the squares, so I completely dismantled it, and put it back
together again on 01/30/03.  It's much prettier now.  Then I ran out of white yarn. Rats. I bought more white yarn, and as of 03/23/03, there were 33 squares assembled:
L = light blue centers
O
= ocean centers
R
= royal centers
V
= lt. blue, pink, white variegated ctrs.
1, 2, 3 = January exchange squares
MOS = May exchange squares

My squares from the 11 other gals in
the exchange started arriving in May,
and by 05/14/03, there were 44
squares happily joined together,
as shown by the dark blue "squares":

L O R L O L R O L
R L O R L R O L R
O R V JAN FEB MAR V R O
L O APR JUN JUL AUG SEP O L
R L OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB L R
O R MAR APR JUN JUL AUG R O
L O SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN O L
R L FEB MAR APR JUN JUL L R
O R AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC R O
L O R L V L R O L
R 1 2 3 L 3 2 1 R

Having abandoned this entire project for over five years, I picked it up again
on 08/07/08, and within seven days I finished 27 more squares. By 08/13/08
there were 71 squares connected. I also decided to eliminate the top row
as it was long enough to be effective without it.  Now with a goal of 90 squares,
there are only 19 remaining plus the edging, and I will have completed it at last!

Here are some of the squares
I made in this puff stitch pattern
for one of the exchange groups.

(This photo enlarges.)

BEFORE:



07/27/01
Colonial Heights, VA

(This photo enlarges.)

10. A filet lace sleeve border for my black short-sleeve dress from the August 1987 issue of "Magic Crochet" designed by Maria Loisidou.  It's done by holding two strands of #10 black thread together, and using a size 1 hook.  Left sleeve completed and attached on 07/26/03; right sleeve completed and attached on 08/02/03. 

I really LOVE this lace!  The dress looks entirely
different now.

 

AFTER:

08/24/03
Fayetteville, NC

(This photo enlarges.)

11. A pair of Christmas booties done in
emerald green, white and red for an
adorable little four-month old baby boy
in my life. 
Started AND completed on 12/07/02.

12. A LONG stocking cap for my son, Joshua.  I designed it according to his
specifications, waist-length, and striped.  Made using Lion Brand yarn, "Edwardian"
(a dark heather gray) Homespun, and "Yukon Gold" Chunky with a size K hook,
it uses a couple of different stitches.
Begun on 02/09/03 and completed on 02/19/03.

13. A leper bandage as part of a service project for my church. 
It's 3" wide and as long as the ball of thread allows, and made with
white Spring Maid D54 thread and a size D hook.
http://www.thefamily.com/countrycottage/charity/bandages.html
Begun on 02/19/03, this should be a snap, but it is incredibly tedious,
and I can't seem to build up any speed.  ARGHHH!

14. A long white lacy vest, made with a size H hook and white Red Heart Yarn, with a row
or two of white Caron Simply Soft yarn thrown in here and there for variety. 
The bottom edging is a variation of the "Fuchia Flower Wide Edging",
adapted by Sandi Marshall from an antique pattern:
http://crochet.about.com/library/weekly/aa020103.htm
Begun on 03/03/03 and completed on 03/17/03.

The original design from Annie's Attic


Bunny and Ben - 04/03/03
Adrienne and Ben - 04/14/03
15. A Carrot Bib for Ben, in honor of his portrait with the Easter Bunny.   Based on a
design from
http://www.AnniesAttic.com, it's made in the Crochet 'N' Weave
technique with a size G hook.  I used a grid of sage yarn by Caron Simply Soft,
with a picot edging of white Red Heart yarn.  The carrots were also of Red Heart
yarn -  vibrant orange carrots with hunter green tops.
Begun on 04/05/03 and completed on 04/05/03.
16. Three Tiny Easter Baskets for three of my friends.  Made with Red Heart Aran yarn
and a size G hook, these are of my own design.  The bases are 3" plastic canvas
circle for added stability.  A size 7 hook is used for this step. 
Begun on 04/06/03 and completed on 04/12/03.

17. A Winter Cap made with blue, vibrant orange, and Aran Red Heart yarns and a
size G hook.  Designed by Ruth Jacksier, this appeared in the 1991 issue of
Christmas Crochet magazine. 
Begun on 04/13/03 and finished on 04/14/03.

This sort of thing drives my poor husband crazy, but I've found that whenever I'm working on one project, my mind is working on the next one - and I DO finish them all - eventually...

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Crochenit

 

 

 

 
   

Friday, October 12, 1979 Hillsboro, MO

Nathaniel Joseph Harty five weeks old

I actually crochenited this snowsuit jacket and blanket for Joshua a couple of years earlier.

   

 

 

 

 

       

Mon., Dec. 16, 2002
Fayetteville, NC

Ben
almost five months old

I designed this crochenit hooded sweater which back-zips in basic and knit stitches for extra warmth.

 

In 1976, while living on Cape Girardeau, Missouri, I was introduced to the art of crocheniting by Barbara Lewis, who had recently moved there from California. (I had recently had my fourth child; she had just had her tenth!)  It is a combination of crocheting and knitting which uses a big, long double pointed hook. The beauty of it is, it requires less time and yarn than either crocheting or knitting, while being amazingly versatile. Barbara taught a class at church, and I became "hooked".
Thanks, Barbara!  And thanks, Mary Middleton, for promoting this craft, and developing it to an art form!

crochenit.net 

stitchguide.com/stitches/crochenit

crochetmagazine.com/free_patterns/pdfs/march_2002.pdf

Current Projects

At the moment I'm working on the following:

1. A 9" x 59" scarf in high stitch, designed by Judy Crow and featured in the September 2002 issue
of "Crochet! Magazine", which I'm doing in two shades of pale pink sport yarn. 
COMPLETED 10/30/02!

 

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