September: What's happening in your world?

[ruth]

I find crocheting to be very good for the nerves and productive at the same time. Nobody b****es when you sit around being productive and there's no guilt (speaking for myself here of course) like there is for being on the computer. Which is funny, meaning strange, to me. It seems to be alright for people to sit around for hours watching television, but using the computer for the same amount of time gets people up in arms. "Are you on that damned computer again?" Not that anyone has ever said that in so many words, but other indicators of that sentiment abound.

Anyway, I crocheted an afghan for my mom once, pink, red, and white granny squares, and then invited her over for dinner on Valentine's Day and gave it to her. This was all very symbolic for me, but I'm not sure that she got it. Maybe I underestimate her, I'm not sure. When she died, my sister and I decided that she should be dressed in white pajamas, not just any white pajamas, but very classy soft, flannel pj's with satin collar and cuffs from her favorite department store, and then covered up to the waist in the valentine afghan. Like we were tucking her into bed for the last time. This was hard for my dad to accept, being old school and all. He pointed out that she had a whole closet full of very nice dresses and suits. My mom spent the last year of her life in a vegetative state in a nursing home bed or a wheel chair.

I keep leaving hints to my daughters that I want a burial afghan made for me. Ideally, each of them would be involved by contributing granny squares that they crocheted. I envision mine as being a real crazy quilt of brilliant colors. I'm going to crochet one for my son and one for my husband.

[goddessoflubbock]

I need to start somewhat small, to have some completed things under my belt. There is a plethora of free patterns on the internet, and hubby talked me into buying the multipack of different sized hooks. I'm starting with a wreath

[adhocisadirtyword]

I like the idea of a burial afghan, Ruth. I want a natural burial with just a shroud and no coffin, but I can see a natural fibers afghan working nicely with that. I especially like the idea of a crazy quilt of granny squares that your loved ones made for you.

I've tried to teach myself how to crochet so many times, but something always gets in the way of actually spending time on it. I recently tried while on maternity leave waiting for the baby to come, but my hands and fingers were so swollen, I could hardly hold the needle and it aggravated my repetitive stress injury that I got from work.

My mom has made many blankets over the years - and I cherish those that I have from her since I know how much work goes into them.

My true passion is quilting, but sewing seems even more intimidating than crocheting, so that probably won't happen for awhile for me. I just love the geometric designs in different quilt patterns and the way the different colors you can choose works with them. I have so many in my head that I would love to make at some point.

I recently saw a blog post about wallpaper weaving, which gave me another quilt idea:

[richie]

Yesterday I bought an iPhone 4, a service upgrade from my iPhone 3G (a 2nd generation model I bought 2 years ago). So far I haven't had any problem with dropped calls or any of the other issues that people
had been complaining about.
Was going to start cleaning out the garden plot but too many other things cropped up....Had a surprise inspection by the realtor that I rent from and she left me a nasty-gram about cleaning up. I cleaned up
much of the mess and found that this place actually does have a floor!!!!

Hope to have more interesting news soon....




Post #151

[ruth]

My true passion is quilting, but sewing seems even more intimidating than crocheting, so that probably won't happen for awhile for me. I just love the geometric designs in different quilt patterns and the way the different colors you can choose works with them. I have so many in my head that I would love to make at some point.

I'd love to try quilting too, and I am also attracted to pattern and geometric design. Sometimes the senior centers teach quilting and other types of needle work. Maybe you could find out if there is anything like that where you live. When we had a convent here, the nuns had a needlework evening once a week for women in the community. I think there is something very wonderful about older women passing down their skills to younger women, and I think they really enjoy doing it. They should have some kind of program like that going on in nursing homes if they don't already.

I recently saw a blog post about wallpaper weaving, which gave me another quilt idea:

That is so cool!

[ruth]

I cleaned up much of the mess and found that this place actually does have a floor!!!!

Too funny!

I need to start somewhat small, to have some completed things under my belt. There is a plethora of free patterns on the internet, and hubby talked me into buying the multipack of different sized hooks. I'm starting with a wreath

A wreath sounds nice.

[goddessoflubbock]

Ok, maybe I'm daft....what use would you make of a wallpaper weave?

I pulled out the yarn and one of the hooks today, just to see. I was very surprised that my fingers seem to have remembered how to do it, the stitches just flew on. I reviewed a few different stitches, and they came right back. Just the proper counting is hard - which I recall having trouble with before .

It's something I'll do when alone - the kids are in school, etc.

[Sophist]

Ok, maybe I'm daft....what use would you make of a wallpaper weave?

It would look interesting just to have something like that matted and framed, a geometric designs piece of artwork.

Yesterday I bought an iPhone 4, a service upgrade from my iPhone 3G (a 2nd generation model I bought 2 years ago). So far I haven't had any problem with dropped calls or any of the other issues that people
had been complaining about.

iPhone...

[ruth]

It would look interesting just to have something like that matted and framed, a geometric designs piece of artwork.

You could get wall paper odds and ends on clearance. I was thinking maybe wallpapering smooth thin wood slats that are flexible enough for weaving. Or painting the slats. You know, like things made out of popsicle sticks but on a grander scale. It would make a great wall sculpture either way. Ooh, I like this idea. You could add all kinds of objects including colored rope, bells and whistles unlimited. I better stop now. This could become obsessive.

[Aspen]

I have a pink and white afghan my mom crocheted for me, a very large granny square. I know how to crochet, but knitting was too hard for me to do, for some reason. I know how to quilt because my grandmother taught me when I visited her and I have her old Kenmore sewing machine now.

I also have some embroidered quilt squares my mom started for me and my grandmother finished, which I still haven't made into a quilt.

[goddessoflubbock]

The only thing in this world of my mother's I ever wanted was her sewing machine. She made me take sewing class at Sears, promising I could use her machine afterwards. She lied. I was never able to. She never used it after I was 5 or 6 so it seemed a waste. It makes embroidery on its own, it has a cam system.

I rebelled, and when she was in the hospital for 30 days I used the machine. It was a dream. Of course I could never let her know!

I have the pattern for the wreath now so I'm going to start it.

[Civet]

That wallpaper weave is really cool! First I pictured it was meant to actually wallpaper a wall and wondered about the logistics of that and also how busy the wall would look. But as an art piece it is really nice . I also think quilts are very interesting though I've not really made one myself. It's something I'd like to learn at some point, though.

Like adhoc my repetitive strain injury (ie tendonitis) prevents me from doing things like knitting or crocheting. My friend tried to teach me how to knit once before I had problems with my wrist and I still had immense difficulty with it, though, so I think knitting is just not for me. That is ok though as I have plenty of other artistic outlets.

[Sophist]

It would look interesting just to have something like that matted and framed, a geometric designs piece of artwork.

You could get wall paper odds and ends on clearance. I was thinking maybe wallpapering smooth thin wood slats that are flexible enough for weaving. Or painting the slats. You know, like things made out of popsicle sticks but on a grander scale. It would make a great wall sculpture either way. Ooh, I like this idea. You could add all kinds of objects including colored rope, bells and whistles unlimited. I better stop now. This could become obsessive.

***pictures ruth coming home this afternoon from the craft store with arms loaded***

Like adhoc my repetitive strain injury (ie tendonitis) prevents me from doing things like knitting or crocheting. My friend tried to teach me how to knit once before I had problems with my wrist and I still had immense difficulty with it, though, so I think knitting is just not for me. That is ok though as I have plenty of other artistic outlets.

About as far as I got to knitting was buying the knitting needles... lol.

[ruth]

:lol: ***pictures ruth coming home this afternoon from the craft store with arms loaded***

Slight change of venue. It was Burlington Coat Factory and I came home with a red Calvin Klein cardigan and a brown Calvin Klein kitted pancho with leather trim. OOh La La This was after trying on boots and dresses for two hours. Back was aching and a** was dragging. Reunion is just a week and a half away and "I don't have a thing to wear."

[Sophist]

I've been doing some online clothes shopping meself and will continue my shopaholism later this week during a trip back home to St. Louis.

I've been very stressed and depressed lately and I can't say what an occasional shopping spree does for the spirits, if only temporarily. I got some of my Halloween KitKats and my credit card, I'm good to go!