A few of my favorites

some of the projects completed this past winter.

More Thread Work

This pattern came from Karen's Variety, this is the link to this piece; Pineapple Pincushion or Sachet Free Crochet Pattern - KarensVariety.com, I used a larger hook (size 5) and larger thread (size 10) so I actually have a 8 x 10 inch doily instead of a sachet sized piece. It really is very pretty and easy to do. I think this would be so pretty on the top of a package. I think I will do in red and white and adorn with holly leaves for Christmas! Yikes, did I say Christmas??? In June? Well, you just can't have enough of Christmas!

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain."

When I think of summer,

I remember summer in the late 1950's ...


school was out,
the days were lazy,
the katydids sang loudly at night.
Hours were spent absorbed in Nancy Drew books.
Tetherball was a great game, leaving
broken or sprained fingers for most of the summer,
ahhhh, it was great!
We played baseball and soccer and
a two month long game of monopoly. Talk about
bailouts, we kept tally of the money borrowed to
keep us in the game. During the summer no one
was ever out, the same game played from July to
the end of August with the winner being the one
who owed the least.

It was 6 neighborhood kids who built towns
and cities, these also remained all summer, making
them come to life. These were built with
lincoln logs and building bricks (these were like
Lego's only made of wood).

It was dragging dining room chairs
outside and lining them up along
a tree line and pretending it was a
a passenger train.
It was playing outside all day, everyday and
by nightfall waiting for the next day to play again.

It was fun.
It was carefree.
It was a lace curtain blowing in the
gentle breeze from an open window
It was a special time, a special place.

67 years ago ...

June 17, 1942 ... this day, 67 years ago, my parents were married.
My father passed during their 58th year together; mom followed
4 years later.

I'm sure there is celebration in heaven for them for this day.

Happy Anniversary mom and dad.

With Love.

The greatest part of our happiness or misery depends on
our dispositions and not on our circumstances.
Martha Washington

What does crochet mean to you ...?

To me crocheting is a sense of accomplishment, an amazement that a length of string is formed into such beauty, a time of peacefulness, creativity, amusement ... I guess I could go on and on. I think most important is its like an old, trusted friend spending hours of comfort and gladness especially in an otherwise situation. During my parents' illnesses I spent countless hours crocheting at their bedsides. It helped relieve some of the weariness of those years and rendered some very beautiful pieces to my collection, mostly doilies as there was much less to carry when using thread. For many years I carried a bag in my car at all times with the few items that helped preserve my sanity during those times ... my Liturgy of the Hours for prayer and a ball of thread, a crochet hook and a doily pattern.

Crocheting brought about some wonderful conversations with hospital or nursing home workers as well as with others who were there visiting their families; watching and waiting.

I learned to crochet almost 40 years ago. My mother-in-law taught me. Although right handed, she patiently showed me, a left hander, the "ropes"! For quite some time I would go to her to have her start a project even though it was quite simple (easy for me to say now!). Afghans and baby blankets were the pattern of choice as their simplicity was needed as I could not make heads or tails out of reading a pattern and I would write down in my own words what I needed to do to transform a skein of yarn.

sweet little girl sweater, hat and blanket

This is such a sweet little sweater and hat, add a blanket and its a wonderful gift. Its an easy, very fun project which is done in no time. The pattern can be found here:

Puff Stitch Crochet Child's Cardigan & Hat Bunny Hop - baby or toddler - free crochet pattern for baby sweater - Crystal ...

success ...

To laugh often and much;

to win the respect of intelligent people

and the affection of children;

to earn the appreciation of honest critics

and endure the betrayal of false friends;

to appreciate beauty;

to find the best in others;

to leave the world a bit better,

whether by a healthy child,

a garden patch or

a redeemed social condition;

to know that even one life has breathed easier

because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson