Minnesota Blog of the Day

I was the featured "Minnesota Blog of the Day" on City Pages' website (back in January but I just found out last week.) I'm so happy that I was recognized, it is the first time I've had any type of "press".
Here is the link http://blogs.citypages.com/blotter/2006/01/124_morning_com.asp

Warm somebody up!

I completed the edging for the 2 Warm Up America afghans. For the pink/mauve/white afghan, I did a shell stitch edge in white, which turned out really cute. For the black/teal afghan I did a simple wave edge in black (5 hdc, 5 tc) that's it. The edge pulls it all together.

Soon they'll be off to warm somebody up - my next meeting is Wednesday.

How am I of value?

In every aspect of our lives, we ask ourselves, "How am I of value?" Crocheting for charity not only helps someone else, but it can help you.

This is where you create, you give, you help, you are of value.

Never before has there been a need to feel a sense of purpose and value. I don’t think I’m alone in this feeling. I crochet for charity; Warm Up America www.warmupamerica.com is my charity of choice. Crocheting squares for WUA and attending meetings to join donated squares has allowed me to step back from everyday chaos, escape, create, and feel good.

I meet with a great group of ladies on the 1^st Wednesday of the month at the Joanne’s in Apple Valley from 10am to 12noon. I’ve been with them for 3 years. The core group of ladies have been together for years. This is a dedicated bunch of knitters and crocheters.

This month, I’ve got two afghans to put an edge on. The pink/mauve/white afghan on the right, I’m going to put a shell stitch edge on with white. For the black/teal afghan on the left, I am thinking a simple 2 rounds of single crochet in black.

I’ll post pictures when I get them done. If you’re not familiar with WUA, check out their website and find a group near you, or you can send your 7 x 9 squares to their headquarters. Do it and feel good.

Blanket Edging

I purchased this fantastic fabric remnant, not sure what I was going to do with it, I just loved the colors! This fleece remnant became the perfect infant blanket.

A friend of my husband's was having a baby boy and I found out the baby's room was done in green and the theme was frogs on a pond. (cute eh?!) Doesn't this fabric and edge go perfect with that?

I punched holes in the edge of the fabric and crocheted around the edge, creating a one-of-a-kind gift for the new baby.

Celtic Cross Granny Square

I have always been intrigued with Celtic knots and the Celtic cross. Two years ago I began to design crochet pieces with knots and crosses. I think the Celtic cross is beautiful; the ornamental value is stunning. For me, it's not necessarily the religious aspects, it is pure beauty. The symbolism of the Celtic cross is varied and everyone can interrupt it in their own way. Many believe the circle behind the cross is the symbol of eternity, others believe it emphasizes the endlessness of God's love. Others say the Celtic crosses were carved from the standing stones on the lands of the Druids and were phallic symbols. I've read that the New Age interpretations suggest the circle is the symbol of the sun and the cross itself relates to the 4 navigational directions (north, south, east, west) or possibly the 4 corners of the mother earth. Check out the great info. on this site http://www.celtarts.com/celtic.htm

While others believe that the Celtic cross was an ancient instrument that kept time, created the zodiacs, was used in mathematical equations, used to navigate the oceans and ultimately help design the great pyramids. Check out this great site and read about it. http://www.crichtonmiller.com

For me, it is pure ornate beauty.

In designing my Celtic Cross Granny Square, I wanted the ornate look and feel to be obvious. I wanted the cross to extend out, raised up, visually and texturally. I also needed to boarder the cross to make it a true Granny Square. So, like the Celtic Knot Granny Square, I’ve done at least 5 versions, this is the latest and I like it, but I’ve got one more version to design, this one has no boarder and the cross looks like it is floating inside the square. I have also created a necklace with just the Celtic cross, no boarder, it’s cool.

Fan Stitch Scarf Crochet Pattern

Measurements – 3 ¾” wide and 60” long
Crochet Skill Level – Intermediate
Materials – Size K Crochet Hook and ½ skein of Carons Perfect Match yarn or any other worsted weight yarn, gauge is not important.
Pattern Stitch = Fan Stitch is a cluster of 5 dc in one stitch

Foundation Chain = ch 14

Row 1 – (this row has 2 “fans” in it) start in 3rd ch from hook, 1 dc, skip 2 sts, work 5 dc in next st, skip 2 sts, 1 sc, skip 2 sts, work 5 dc in next st, 1 dc, ch 2 and turn

Row 2 – (this row has 1 “fan” in it) 1 dc, skip 2 sts, 1 sc (this on top of the previous row’s “fan”) skip 2, work 5 dc in next st, skip 2, 1 sc, skip 2 sts, 1 dc, ch 2 and turn

Row 3 – (this row has 2 “fans” in it) 1 dc, (no skipping sts this time) work 5 dc in the next st, then skip 2 sts, 1 sc (this on top of the previous row’s “fan”) skip 2 sts, work 5 dc in next st, (no skipping sts this time either) 1 dc, ch 2 and turn

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until you reach desired length. I suggest you end with a Row 2, has a nice end to it. That’s it!

Self Portrait Tuesday 02/07/06

This is what I look like in my dreams.

Freud would interpret:
Big Ball of Yarn = The World
Big Hook = Power
Bell Bottoms=My wish to not age past 16
Long Hair waving in the Wind=Freedom

(I'm not sure how to interpret the missing hands and face. I think the floating hook and yarn implies I can make things gravitate.)

I was tagged

Four jobs you have held:
1. Maid (at a motel that was super gross, explains why I hate scrubbing the bathroom!)
2. Bartender (those ole college days - way too much fun!)
3. Museum Tour Guide (for 4 years, at my home town museum)
4. Software Quality Analyst (for 8 years, hunting “bugs” in code)

Four places you have lived:
1. Southern Minnesota (hometown born and raised)
2. Really southern Minnesota (college town 30 miles from home)
3. Southern California (for 3 years, but found my way back home)
4. Middle Minnesota – (in our dream home)

Four vacations you have taken:
1. Black Hills and the Badlands (when I was a kid)
2. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
3. Jamaica (twice!)
4. San Diego, California

Four vehicles you have owned:
1. Ford Galaxy 500 (could fit 8 comfortably)
2. Mazda RX7 (faster than *&^%$!!)
3. Ford Blazer
4. Honda Hybrid (gets around 50 MPG!)