All the bags are done in a different pattern.
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Lots of Little Bags
Apart from the fact that the days of utter muggyness are finally over, and it was fun to go out again, our weekend was particularly successful with a trip to Big Lots and finding lots of cheap yarn. I found some lovely multicolored stuff and matching yellow and whipped up a bunch of little bags. I wanted to try different stitches from the book: The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet by Margaret Hubert, which I absolutely adore. Get it from Amazon, the price has just been reduced to $16.
All the bags are done in a different pattern.
The multicolored bag on the left with the shoulder strap and crocheted white flower, is finished and the crochet stitch almost looks like bargello embroidery. It is much less difficult than it looks. I used both the yellow and multicolored yarn alternately. The other multicolored ones are WIPs, as are the two yellow ones. The top yellow one is in a very thick sturdy stitch. I love its texture and have to think of making something special of it, with embellishments. Stay tuned!
All the bags are done in a different pattern.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Something old.... is a Little shopping bag
Here's the answer to my mystery item of a few days ago: It is a pouch with a net shopping bag folded up inside it.
The net bag fits between the two halves of the pouch and is crocheted atop one of the halves. The other half is attached on the other side of the half with the net. You open the pouch, take out the net bag part and then turn the whole thing inside out, so that the second circle does not flop about at the bottom. This one is rather small, but bigger ones can be made of course. The circles are easy to copy and the net can be any pattern and any size as long as the circles can hold it all. A Great Green Gadget!!
Clever, eh? FIts in your bag or purse. Thanks "Tante Marie"!
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
All Things Law And Order
Love, love, love all the Law And Order shows. I am so going to miss Bobby Goren and Alex Eames but am looking forward to the new and third season of Law And Order UK, on Wednesday, August 17, 2011, on BBC. After the "Bobby and Eames" show, I like the UK show the best .
Below a link to a site here on blogger about all the L&O shows. I was glad I found it. Lots of information and news updates! Check it out:
Kathryn Erbe and Vincent D'Onofrio
Always fascinating to watch!
Thanks for hours of fascinated nailbiting.
Thanks for hours of fascinated nailbiting.
Below a link to a site here on blogger about all the L&O shows. I was glad I found it. Lots of information and news updates! Check it out:
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Monday, July 4, 2011
Something old, something new
I had a few old aunts who knitted and crocheted. One of them almost sixty years ago gave this little thingamajig to my mother, who gave it to me. It is a clever little thing, about four inches in diameter - can you guess what it is?
I also made my first (and probably last) ruffle scarf and it did not come out at all as expected. Actually way large but nevertheless wearable and warm and it can be manipulated into a kind of circular collar with ruffles down the front.
Done with the scarves for now as well, way too hot for anything woollie down here in Socal.
It looks more like a giant insect..... and seems to take on a life of its own.
it is knitted in just pearl stitch with a border of matching multi colored eye lash yarn.
It is the Fourth of July - very troubled about the state of distress of our country and the world.
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Saturday, July 2, 2011
BSJ and Knitted Babes
On one of the knitting blogs I read, I learned about the "Baby Surprise Jacket" or "BSJ". This was a new one for me. It is a jacket you knit in one piece, and it ends up looking like a floppy rag:
The original design was created in 1968 by Elizabeth Zimmermann, a British woman who revolutionized knitting. Sounds odd, doesn't it, knitting and revolution? She also invented a way to enlarge garments, mathematically, which is very clever:
From which the following quotation:
Since, after you start the project you can change yarns several times, you really have no idea how the end product will look. I am assuming that, because I have not made one. I am pretty much done for now with the baby jackets and wanted to try this, but in an adult size. I found the pattern for $14.95 Incl. S&H, on line, and this pamphlet also includes the baby size and other kid sizes check out this great source for patterns and other needle stuff:
just scroll down the page a bit until you see this pamphlet and then click on the abcsj link
Another project I am working on is knitting a doll. From Amazon I recently ordered this book:
it is inexpensive as well, about $12 I believe, and also available, really cheaply, used. These dolls are so cute. They basically have a big head, smaller body and stringy arms and legs. They are finished quickly. Then you can give them hair, clothes, etc., to create their personalities.
Another blogspotter here , http://knittedbabes.blogspot.com/ has a lot of finished dolls and toys, really impressive!
Here is my WIP: got a long way to go. I found this wonderful thick, wavy colorful yarn which I thought was perfect for the hair. The undies are from the book. I like to put the face on last, after the doll is fully dressed. I don't know why. Perhaps "clothes make the woman"?
then you sew two seams or sides together and suddenly you have a jacket.
The original design was created in 1968 by Elizabeth Zimmermann, a British woman who revolutionized knitting. Sounds odd, doesn't it, knitting and revolution? She also invented a way to enlarge garments, mathematically, which is very clever:
From which the following quotation:
"Her "EPS" (Elizabeth's Percentage System) is still widely used by designers: it consists of a mathematical formula to determine how many stitches to cast on for a sweater, given that the sleeves and body are always proportionate no matter what yarn or gauge is used. Other patterns and techniques for which she is well known are the so-called "Pi Shawl," a circular shawl that is formed by regularly spaced increases based on Pi, 'i-cord' (or 'idiot cord'), and the "Baby Surprise Jacket," which is knit completely flat and then folded, origami-style, to create a nicely shaped jacket."
Since, after you start the project you can change yarns several times, you really have no idea how the end product will look. I am assuming that, because I have not made one. I am pretty much done for now with the baby jackets and wanted to try this, but in an adult size. I found the pattern for $14.95 Incl. S&H, on line, and this pamphlet also includes the baby size and other kid sizes check out this great source for patterns and other needle stuff:
just scroll down the page a bit until you see this pamphlet and then click on the abcsj link
Another project I am working on is knitting a doll. From Amazon I recently ordered this book:
it is inexpensive as well, about $12 I believe, and also available, really cheaply, used. These dolls are so cute. They basically have a big head, smaller body and stringy arms and legs. They are finished quickly. Then you can give them hair, clothes, etc., to create their personalities.
Another blogspotter here , http://knittedbabes.blogspot.com/ has a lot of finished dolls and toys, really impressive!
Here is my WIP: got a long way to go. I found this wonderful thick, wavy colorful yarn which I thought was perfect for the hair. The undies are from the book. I like to put the face on last, after the doll is fully dressed. I don't know why. Perhaps "clothes make the woman"?
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Dr. Michael Colvard in Encino, CA and Cataractectomies
Haven't been here for a while, again. Turned out, two weeks after I had my right eye fixed, there was a sudden opening and I had the left one done sooner than expected. It all went super! I cannot believe that I can even read decent size print and watch TV and read the subtitles without glasses or contacts. A not so minor miracle!! Should have done it last year. There is absolutely no pain, and very briefly some pressure which is completely tolerable without any type of aenesthesia. Although it is available.
Remember, If you need a cataractectomy, it is now recommended not to do that without lens implants. Why go through the trouble and then have very little improvement in eye sight, while still needing glasses. I also noticed from reading message boards that some people are sent home without eye drops. I can hardly believe that, but I would make sure that your physician prescribes something like Zymax the day before and 3 days after the surgery, and a steroid like Presnisolone (anti inflammatory) as well as an NSAID like Ketorolac for 4 weeks post op, first 4 x/day x 2 wks then 2x/day x 2 wks. I'm just saying: no eye drops sounds very odd to me.
Anyway, it is a ton of eye drops, especially if the surgeries overlap, so the blog has been a bit neglected, although I have been working on a lot of projects, all in progress now, and also, mostly, without glasses, yeah!
My husband and I both had the absolute best and dearest doctor: Doctor Michael Colvard of the Colvard Eye Center, in Encino, CA.
Dr. Michael Colvard, M.D., F.A.C.S.
We both had bilateral cataractectomies and lens implants, and as a retired health care professional, I recognize superior practices and procedures.
Dr. Colvard and his entire staff, both in his office and at his Vision (surgery) Center are professional, knowledgeable, extremely kind and caring, efficient, and all have a great sense of humor. Additionally, Dr. Colvard teaches his finely developed surgical procedures to other ophthalmologists, has designed a variety of instruments, of which the "Pupillometer", used preoperatively, is used by many other eye surgeons.
He has collected multiple awards, including best doctor, and has founded the "Friends of Vision Foundation" which takes him to third world countries on a regular basis to perform pro bono procedures for people who otherwise would be without sight.
In case you are wondering: the removal of cataracts and lens implants is truly nothing to worry about. The procedure is quick, no more than 15 minutes at most, once you are in the operating room. There is no pain; there is a brief moment of pressure on the eye. There is an instrument that makes the most amazing "new age-y" sounds, and light anesthesia is available, but I didn't need it.
We give the highest recommendation to this wonderful doctor.
Thank you Dr. Colvard and staff!!!
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
Friday, June 10, 2011
One Eye at a time...
I haven't been active on the computer for a bit because I am having cataracts removed, one eye at the time, with lens implants. The right eye is finished and the left will be done by the end of the month. It is all going exceedingly swimmingly and if any of you are considering this: no worries, you won't feel a thing, but a little pressure for a short while, and suddenly the world is much clearer and above all brighter: "white" with my left eye, now looks dingy; with the right: vavavOOM!
So while taking it easy I made a few things:
And I tried my first (for me) big knitting project and a circular needle: a cuddle sack - the hat is crocheted. I am a slow and uneven knitter but I must say with a circular needle it speeds things up a tad. All the yarn was "doubled" for extra firmness and warmth. It is about 22 inches long and 20 inches in circumference - at the bottom I slowly knitted two at the time until I had about 20 stitches left and sewed that together. That was the hardest part. My circular needle was too long once I started to reduce the stitches and I had to transfer it to four double pointed short needles, which I am not good at even with two eyes... anyway, lots of *&%&$#$%#, but it did come out nice I think. For more detailed instructions click on http://fanaticalfroebeler.blogspot.com/p/how-do-i-do-that.html
And here are some other little items:
The sweater and jacket are basically the same pattern from the book "The complete Photo Guide to Crochet", which I have mentioned earlier. The hat is based on a hectagonal flower from AllFreeCrochet.com and then I just added rows of half double crochet (purple) and double crochet (pink) with a purple edge and finally an edge with yarn left over from the jacket. In that regard my bunting was really also a stash buster, using the rest of the multicolored pink yarn in little rows.
So while taking it easy I made a few things:
Remember my naked bunny? I gave her a face and undies and a dress
And here are some other little items:
Little fluffy hat with flower
Head Bands and "Necklaces"
Little Jacket
Sweater
The sweater and jacket are basically the same pattern from the book "The complete Photo Guide to Crochet", which I have mentioned earlier. The hat is based on a hectagonal flower from AllFreeCrochet.com and then I just added rows of half double crochet (purple) and double crochet (pink) with a purple edge and finally an edge with yarn left over from the jacket. In that regard my bunting was really also a stash buster, using the rest of the multicolored pink yarn in little rows.
☯
~ Tranquility and Tolerance ~
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