447 Fiber Arts Friday: Art Quilt Thingamadoober

As usual I didn't start working on this project until 1AM last Friday morning ... then I spent all day enjoying my family, so I skipped last Friday. Sorry, most of the pictures are off my phone.

I bumbled my way through creating this. First I made a batting and fabric sandwich, two pieces offabric, batting, and one more piece of batting (that I hoped would cut down on snags, failed). I left a small opening so I could turn it, planning on sewing my pieces on top and having the finished edge ... then I realized that I would still have the raw outer edges (DUH). *sigh*

So, I cut another base piece to construct my quilt thingamadoober on. I placed my Earth piece and stitched it down. I then started adding my pieces around in a crazy (lazy) log cabin type way. Placing the new piece right side down and sewing it down, then ironing it flat before cutting.

Then I placed it facedown on the padded piece I had already created, stitching around except for a 4-5 inch opening to turn. I purposely did not make it perfect. Promise. And this is what I got ... and then I slept ;)



All ready for the fun part... embroidery! I slowly added some images over the past week.

Trying to decide what I wanted to add was both fun and a little frustrating. I didn't have a set idea, just making it up as I went along.

I wanted to add a tree ... it is one of the images that speaks to me most. I cut a shape from black felt and stitched it down while I watched the kids play in the front yard.



I am still adding to it. Stitching around the blocks, little designs. It is something small enough to schlep out to the park when the kids want to play, and it has been fun to work on. Nothing overwhelming.

Although everyone keeps asking me what it is supposed to be.... It just IS. It serves no purpose. It is something to do, and hopefully something that isn't horrible to look at. It can't touch the gorgeous art quilts that are out there, so I will just call it my thingamadoober and leave it at that.

443 Crochet Heart Pattern

Here is another OOPSIE pattern. I thought I could just grab up my yarn and hook and just remember a pattern ... I was wrong.

Small Crochet Heart
F hook
worsted weight yarn
yarn needle
stuffing

Chain 2

6 Single Chain furthest from hook

2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC) - [8]

3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC) - [10]
4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC) - [12]
2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC), 2SC, (2SC) - [16]
3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC), 3SC, (2SC) - [20]

4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC), 4SC, (2SC) - [24]
24SC - [24]

4SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 5SC, skip 1, 1SC - [20]
20SC - [20]
3SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 4SC, skip 1, 1SC - [16]
2SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 3SC, skip 1, 1SC - [12]

cut at least a 12 inch tail, pull through last loop to tie off
STUFF STUFF STUFF

switch to the yarn needle
Squeeze opening so that 6 stitches are against 6 stitches in a straight line
stitch closed

Bringing your needle to the middle stitch down through the top and anchor with stitches through the body to create the indent.

So, another late Fiber Art Friday ...

442 Crochet Ball - Free Pattern and Fiber Arts Friday

In defense of my stash of crochet eggs I had to come up with something to distract the kids. I was tired of finding eggs all over the house. I am not quite ready to play Easter Egg Hunt just yet (though Katie bought two bags of plastic eggs and some candy to play with her friends). I grabbed my yarn and just made it up as I went along... then I tried to remember exactly what I did. That is probably backwards, but it is how it usually works with me.

Of course, that ball has mysteriously disappeared. I made this multicolored ball today, and within two hours of Katie being home it was missing ... and when found it was dirty and covered with bits of grass. The pattern worked out great(and mostly I wanted to test it to see if it was readable).

Well, not great. I was unhappy with how the decreases looked when done with the different colors, although they didn't show too much in a solid color. It might work out if I had skipped a hole to decrease instead of yarning through two before joining. And yes, I am working this out in my head as I type, so just ignore the ramblings. :)

 Ball (with decreases)

worsted weight

F hook

yarn needle

stuffing

(2sc) will indicate that two single crochet stitches are done in one opening/hole

(sc2t) decrease by joining two stitches together. Yarn through two openings before joining

Chain 2

R1- 8 sc in furthest hole from hook [8]

R2- 3sc, (2sc), 3sc, (2sc) [10]

R3- 4sc, (2sc), 4sc, (2sc) [12]

R4- 1sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [18]

R5- 2sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [24]

R6- 4sc, (2sc) repeat 5 times [30]

R7&8- sc each around [30]

R9- 3sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [24]

R10- 2sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [18]

R11- 1sc, (sc2t) repeat 6 times [12]

STUFF STUFF STUFF - I like mine firm, you can roll between your hands when you are done to give it more of a ball shape.

R12- 4sc, (sc2t) repeat 2 times [10]

R13- 3sc, (sc2t) repeat 2 times [8]

R14- (sc2t) repeat 4 times [4]

R15- (sc2t) skip one, yarn though and slipstitch to finish.

Weave in your ends.

But like I said I wasn't happy with the decreases, so I figured the only way to get out of decreasing was to make two identical halves and stitch together.

Ball (no decreases)

worsted weight
F hook
yarn needle
stuffing

Make Two!

Chain 2

R1- 6sc in furthest hole from hook [6]

R2- (2sc) repeat 6 times [12]

R3- 1sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [18]

R4- 2sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [24]

R5- 3sc, (2sc) repeat 6 times [30]

R6&7-sc around [30]

Slipstitch to secure end

Leave at least 12-16 inches of yarn to stitch halves together.

 Position the two halves together, using one side's tail first stitch around ...

 leave a small opening to stuff through

 After stuffing sew to close.
I then took the other tail and stitched back around just to be DOUBLE sure it stayed together.

 The second round of stitches created that little ridge. I don't mind it, but I just wanted to warn you.

 The white balls were done with an acrylic worsted weight yarn, and the multicolored is a Lily & Cream cotton yarn.

Something quick to work up, and fun for your kids ... or a cat ;).

I also created my own egg pattern, but that will have to wait.

Happy Crafting!

Linked up this post at ....

441 Crochet Eggs for an Unbreakable Easter Fiber Arts Friday(ish)

I came across this post on Easy Makes Me Happy with a free pattern for crochet eggs and I knew I HAD to make a few ... I think I am at 21 eggs right now ;)

This is my modified pattern (because you know I can't totally follow instructions) but it is very similar and completely inspired by Tara at Easy - and because I hate to in any way have anyone think something is mine that isn't I only modified from Round 9 on (which works out to be the bottom of the egg) Swing on by Tara's blog for her whole pattern which is perfection. (she also gives instructions for two-toned and striped eggs) See, the link right up there ^^^ in blue ...

F crochet hook
worsted weight yarn (though it works with baby weight and a chunkier weight, too)

Rnd 9 – (sc in next 4, sc2tog) around. (20)

Rnd 10 – (sc in next 3, sc2tog) around. (16)
Rnd 11 – (sc in next 2, sc2tog) around. (12)

Now you will stuff your egg. Take your time and stuff it firmly, you can roll the egg in your hand and reshape it slightly later, but a lot of the shape has to do with how you stuff it now.
(and totally off the subject, I think this would make a great strawberry at this point)

sc in next 1, sc2tog (repeat 4 times)
sc2tog (2 times)
slipstitch to close
Weave in ends.

White eggs - worsted weight (shhh, it is from a big skein of Red Heart The Pounder I have had for years)
Solid Colored eggs - worsted weight Caron Simply Soft
Multi-colored eggs - worsted weight cotton Lily Sugar'n'Cream

These eggs will stand up a lot better than the traditional Easter eggs with my kids, and you don't have to worry about putting all your eggs in one basket (sorry, I had to)!

And there you go, another late Fiber Arts Friday... one day I will remember what day of the week it is.