30 December 2010

My Crochet Projects in 2010

Here's the year's wrap-up of crochet projects. I know there are a few projects I neglected to get pictures of but this should be a fairly good representation of what I accomplished.



I didn't crochet nearly as much as I thought I did. Another year is getting ready to start and I'm working on projects for 2011! For the most part, I keep track of my finished projects in my signature at crochetville.org .

Listing from CV signature:
Finished in 2010: Spiral Simplicity Doily, Toddler Afghan, Potholder (3), Dishcloth (15), Scarf (2), Hat and Scarf Set, hat, rr afghan, magic ball afghan, g sq lapghan, rr baby ghan, doll outfit, spiderman ghan, teddy bear shirt, kk hat, rug, hanging towels (8) slippers (3pr), dog sweater (2), coaster set (2), doll (1), Xmas ornaments (4), men's hat (1), little girl's hat (1), edged towels (2), afghan (2), kennel koozie (1)

I can see several things that I don't have pictures of. I'll try to do better next year. Happy hooking everyone....


Crochet Happenings Here...

I missed the WIP Wednesday over at Everyday Crochet so I thought I'd post what's going on a day late.
I have some balls of a boucle like yarn that I got at a thrift store and I thought I'd make a scarf out of it:

I am using this pattern:

From this book (pg. 107):

I finally finished this throw (I know you've seen it as a wip many times):

Here's a closer look at the edging:

To make the edging, have the wrong side facing you and then slip stitch in one stitch and a treble (triple) crochet in the next--keep on repeating.This throw, you may remember, was to go to one of the guests I was expecting in December, but their visit had to be rescheduled.

Another guest had to reschedule their visit too and they were supposed to get this throw:

They're both planning to come through here in the spring so the first one here gets the first pick! :)

I'm not a person who stays focused on one project at a time. The other currently in progress project is a granny square ghan. My mil had found a bag of squares made and there was extra yarn included. I've been working on this for the last few days.I've been making additional squares and some of the squares were sewn together but the original crocheter wasn't paying attention to what they were doing and some were facing right side up and other squares had the wrong side up. I had to take the ones apart that were sewn together and I did have to make the last round on a few of them because I accidentally cut the wrong yarn. The original crocheter did do something that I'm not happy with and that is (s)he left short ends that could not be woven in. I'm concerned with the durability of this ghan with so many of the squares having the short ends. The colors of these squares are beautiful. Here's a look at a few of them:

I also made a pair of men's slippers. I gave them to my son but forgot to get a picture of them before he took off with them. :) (Love ya Matthew!)


29 December 2010

Another Free Pattern for a Round Afghan

I've been maintaining a list of free crochet patterns for round afghans. A new pattern is here. It is a lacy and feminine ghan. So far I've only made the pattern by Aggie May of crochetville.org but I'm going to break out of my comfort zone this year and try one of these other patterns. Here's a picture of one of mine:

28 December 2010

At Long Last--Pictures of the Dog Kennel Koozie!

Thought I would post a picture of my long time crochet project of a koozie for my granddogs kennel. I was pretty nervous about making something from "scratch" but with the exception of being a couple inches too long, it turned out pretty good. I used 2 strands of yarn: 1 strand of black and 1 strand of "magic ball" yarn. I used almost 4lbs of black yarn! Sorry for the picture quality--I used my cell phone to take it. Hugs to all and thanks for visiting...

27 December 2010

On 27 December 1990, The 1st Female Commanding Officer of a U.S. Navy Ship Reports for Duty

Haven't posted much on my other love lately (history).  Here's a bit of history trivia for you:
 On 27 Dec 1990, the first female commanding officer of a U.S. Navy vessel, Lcdr Darlene Iskra reported for duty on board USS Opportune (ARS-41) at Naples, Italy, serving until 1993. After retiring in 2000 and completing a Ph.D seven years later, Darlene Iskra is now a professor and an author of numerous publications about Women in the Armed Forces.
For more info:

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern 27 December 2010


Now that you are finished with your Christmas projects and have boxes FULL of yarn odds and ends what are your plans to do with it? How about slippers? Here's a great pair made from granny squares and making squares uses up leftovers as every crocheter knows. Is your hook in hand yet? Have a great week!

Search Amazon.com for crochet slippers patterns

25 December 2010

I'm Spoiled..

DH has spoiled me again this year. He bought me an electric yarn winder!  Whoo hoo! I'm gonna be a winding fool :). Even better than that is the Kindle he bought me! I'm sooo excited to have it. I've wanted one for quite some time. To be honest, I've been doing the Amazon Affiliate thingie and I've been trying to save my credits to get a Kindle but that  close-to-$20 I have wasn't getting there anytime soon (but I can download books with it). I'm really, really excited like a kid opening up a video game system or something like that. I've downloaded a free book already and I bet most of you can guess what book it is by looking at the picture. What do you the title of this book is?


Search Amazon.com for kindle

Search Amazon.com for electric yarn winder

24 December 2010

Just About Ready for Christmas...


After writing this post I got my rear in gear and accomplished all these tasks! We really downsized Christmas this year. Every year I had told myself to stop going overboard shopping and this year I think I have finally accomplished that goal. Of course, not getting in the holiday spirit in a timely manner helped out a lot with that goal. Anyway, without little ones celebrating the holidays with us, we decided to get a small tree that we can plant in our yard--this saved time tree decorating. I only made a few batches of goodies because there aren't enough of us to eat the quantities I made on other Christmases. There has been a change of plans, mil was to have Christmas dinner at her house, but those plans changed and I'm now (as of yesterday) making Christmas dinner at our home and she's making one on Sunday (I don't know why). So, I'm popping a small ham into the oven and stuffing a chicken too. I'm not going to go overboard (2 main courses for only 4 people isn't going overboard???) for dinner. I have to tidy up a little bit and do a little food prep tonight and that's it until tomorrow. Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Another Towel Ring Crocheted and Our Christmas Tree--Finally!!!

One more towel ring finished yesterday. I made it while dh drove me to an appointment in Louisville. This is probably a "spare" gift and will go into my gift drawer. Or, I might give it to a gentleman friend of the family. He's a single guy and this is kinda "manly." ;) I always like to see a man with a dishtowel in his hands lol!

Here's this year's little tree. I can only remember 2 times my entire life that I haven't had a tree to the ceiling. One year I'm not going to go into but the other time was when dh and I had transferred to Hawaii the week before Christmas and were in a hotel room with the kids. I bought one of those small little bitty trees in a pot and did all my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve--what an adventure that was! We had our Christmas feast at a restaurant and went swimming afterwards. It was really a special time for us and the boys were amazed that Santa Claus had found them so far away from where we had been living.  This little tree will be planted in our yard after the big day. I'm going to dedicate it to the special people in my family who are no longer with us.

No matter your faith and beliefs, may your day be blessed and the New Year too.

Christmas Truce 1914

A cross, left near Ypres, Belgium in 1999, to commemorate the site of the Christmas Truce in 1914. The text reads:
1914 - The Khaki Chum's Christmas Truce - 1999 - 85 Years - Lest We Forget.


Christmas 1914, WWI is underway and the troops are homesick, melancholy, stuck in the trenches--cold and depressed. The men on both sides call an unofficial truce and an amazing war-time holiday commences! Below are a few accounts of this holiday truce.

Though there was no official truce, about 100,000 British and German troops were involved in unofficial cessations of fighting along the length of the Western Front. The first truce started on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium.
The Germans began by placing candles on their trenches and on Christmas trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols. The British responded by singing carols of their own. The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were excursions across the "No-Man's Land," where small gifts were exchanged, such as food, tobacco and alcohol, and souvenirs such as buttons and hats. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Joint services were held. The fraternisation was not, however, without its risks; some soldiers were shot by opposing forces. In many sectors, the truce lasted through Christmas night, but it continued until  New Years Day in others. 



It is one of the most memorable episodes in military history: the famous Christmas Day truce of 1914 when the guns fell silent and British and German soldiers left their trenches to play football in the icy mud of No Man's Land.
The bitter enemies staged an unofficial ceasefire - shaking hands, swapping presents and autographs and singing carols to each other in what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle described as "the one human episode amid all the atrocities which have stained the memory of war."
Now a moving first-hand account of the break in the carnage on the Western Front - one of the most poignant incidents of the Great War - has surfaced in the form of a previously unpublished letter written from the trenches on that remarkable day nearly 92 years ago.
Despite the horrors of daily life for the British Tommy - knee-deep in the slime of waterlogged trenches - the young private describes it as "the most memorable Christmas I've ever spent or likely to spend: since about teatime yesterday I don't think there's been a shot fired on either side up to now."
In pencil on five pages of paper torn from an Army-issue notebook, he tells his "dear Mater" how on a frosty, moonlit Christmas Eve the Germans began placing "lights all along the edge of their trenches and coming over to us - wishing us Happy Christmas etc."
"They also gave us a few songs so we had quite a social party...Some of our chaps went over to their lines. I think they've all come back bar one from E Co. They no doubt kept him as a souvenir," writes the soldier, frustratingly only identified as "Boy."
"There must be something in the spirit of Christmas as today we are all on top of our trenches running about." "Whereas other days we have to keep out heads well down...I had a parcel from B G's Lace Dept containing a sweater, smokes, under clothes etc."
"We also had a card from the Queen, which I am sending back to you to look after please."
"After breakfast we had a game of football at the back of our trenches! We've had a few Germans over to see us this morning. They also sent a party over to bury a sniper we shot in the week." "He was about 100 yds from our trench. A few of our fellows went out and helped to bury him."
"About 10.30 we had a short church parade, held in the trench. How we did sing. O come all ye faithful. And While shepherds watched their flocks by night were the hymns we had."
"Boy" breaks off to help prepare Christmas dinner - "fried bacon and dip-bread followed by hot Xmas pudding", then "muscatels and almonds, oranges, bananas, chocolate, cocoa and smokes."
"You can guess we thought of the dinners at home. Just before dinner I had the pleasure of shaking hands with several Germans: a party of them came halfway over to us. So several of us went out to them."
"I exchanged one of my balaclavas for a hat. I've also got a button off one of their tunics. We also exchanged smokes etc and had a decent chat. They say they won't fire tomorrow if we don't so I suppose we shall get a bit of a holiday - perhaps."
"After exchanging autographs and them wishing us a Happy New Year we departed and came back and had our dinner. We can hardly believe we've been firing at them for the last week or two - it all seems so strange. At present it is freezing hard and everything is covered in ice..."
Near the end of the well-thumbed letter, he tells his mother: "As I can't explain to everyone how I spent my 25th, you might hand this round please...I never expected to shake hands with Germans between the firing lines on Christmas Day and I don't suppose you thought of us doing so."
"So after a fashion we've enjoyed? our Christmas. Hoping you spend a happy time with George Boy as well. How we thought of England during the day. Kind regards to all the neighbours. With much love from Boy." Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-410741/Historic-letter-telling-WW1-football-match-found.html#ixzz18CUF18ta





Kurt Zehmisch of the 134th Saxons recorded in his diary:
The English brought a soccer ball from the trenches, and pretty soon a lively game ensued.  How marvellously wonderful, yet how strange it was.  The English officers felt the same way about it.  Thus Christmas, the celebration of Love, managed to bring mortal enemies together as friends for a time.
The Truce lasted all day; in places it ended that night, but on other sections of the line it held over Boxing Day and in some areas, a few days more.  In fact, there parts on the front where the absence of aggressive behaviour was conspicuous well into 1915.
Captain J C Dunn, the Medical Officer in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, whose unit had fraternised and received two barrels of beer from the Saxon troops opposite, recorded how hostilities re-started on his section of the front.
Dunn wrote:
At 8.30 I fired three shots in the air and put up a flag with "Merry Christmas" on it, and I climbed on the parapet.  He [the Germans] put up a sheet with "Thank you" on it, and the German Captain appeared on the parapet.  We both bowed and saluted and got down into our respective trenches, and he fired two shots in the air, and the War was on again.
We must all remember this event as a symbol of what brings us together and what really matters in the world.  The world can be a cruel and evil place at times, but even in the middle of the carnage of World War I, enemy forces could embark from their trenches and shake hands. 
So in conclusion, I say to all on here (and yes I even include the Manchester United supporters) Merry Christmas and may God Bless you all during this special time.
The picture for this article is a cross, left near Ypres in Belgium in 1999, to commemorate the site of the Christmas Truce in 1914. The text reads:
1914
The Khaki Chum's Christmas Truce
1999
85 Years
Lest We Forget.


22 December 2010

Still Not Ready for Christmas; Made a Plan!


Christmas seems to creep up on me every year and before I know it the day is about here and I'm not ready. Some sad things have happened close to Christmas in years past and I have to give myself a virtual kick in my backside (virtual because I'm not in very good shape!) and remind myself that life has been very good to me and that there have been so many more special Christmases and only a few sad/bad ones will not tarnish other Christmases--besides that I really have many, many blessings in my life and memories of tons of happy Christmases (decided "tons" was an appropriate word--tons of food, presents and that sort of thing). All the pretty decorations, projects, foods, trees and other neat stuff folks in blogland have posted are motivating me and making me feel a wee bit ashamed of myself for not being ready yet. So, here's the to-do list:

To-Do List
1. Gifts--Shopped for 1st time yesterday! Got all the gifts except 1 1/2! Need to finish crocheting dog crate cover for grand-doggies! Only need to finish-up sewing the pieces together and then weave in an almost infinite amount of yarn ends.
2. Tree--This year we got a "real" tree. Real as in planted in a pot and ready to be put in the ground. Need to decorate and it should only take 1/2 hour at most :). I chuckled when I first saw it and told dh that I hoped one of our strands of lights was SMALL enough lol!
3. Run to grocery store for just a couple items.
4. Bake some cookies. The big day's meal will be at mil's house so I don't have that to worry about that.
5. Misc crochet projects--If it ain't done by now it ain't gonna get done.


Plan
1. Get my rear off this chair in front of the computer and get moving!
2. Get the tree decorated and bake cookies today
3. Tomorrow I have an appointment with doc so while I'm in town, go to grocery store and get the last of the gift shopping done.
4. Friday night--make hot chocolate and eat cookies while wrapping presents.
5. The next few evenings, finish up grand-doggies crate cover while watching the tv with dh.

Sounds easy-peasy so that's my plan and I'm sticking to it! 


Hugs to all of you and yours and may your holidays be joyous....


20 December 2010

Hobby Lobby Coupon

Hobby Lobby Coupon - Hobby Lobby

Remember to read the fine print because there are a few exceptions. Anyway, this time of the year saving a little money at the store comes in VERY handy.

Monday's Link to Free Crochet Pattern 20 December 2010


Need a last minute little gift to stuff a stocking with? How about a Santa pencil topper? This is a cute project and small so it should go fast. Have a great week...

19 December 2010

More Towel Rings with Christmas Dishtowels


I made 4 towel rings today and paired them up with Christmasy dishtowels. One of these is a "duplicate" of 1 I've already posted so I'm really not posting a pic of the same one twice :). I'll gift these to some of the ladies in my family this Christmas. They don't read my blog so I don't have to worry about them seeing the pictures. Hope you have enjoyed visiting and thanks for stopping in. Hugs to all...



17 December 2010

A Crocheted Set for the Kitchen

I started this set a while ago, as a matter of fact I think I showed you the dishcloth and towel ring already. The trim on the towels I just crocheted separately and then sewed on with my machine. Don't know who is getting this set but I'll figure it out. I was going to make a potholder but didn't get around to it so I'll call this set completed. Thanks for looking and stay WARM! lol!



16 December 2010

Date with the Angels: A Christmas Episode ca 1957

Here is a Christmas episode from an old sitcom called Date with the Angels (1957-1958). Angel is the surname of a young couple--the wife is none other than Betty White! If I'm not mistaken, Nancy Kulp aka Miss Jane Hathaway of Beverly Hillbillies fame is also in this episode. This story illustrates the lesson that kindness to others brings happiness to one's self. Hope y'all enjoy...

If the blog's music player is on, please scroll down the column on your right and you will be able to mute the music player when you see it.


A Date With the Angels, Vol. 1

Crazy Weather

The schools around here are shut down for the day and businesses have delayed openings. Whew, must have been a heck of a big snow storm! Nope, not at all. There may have been a little dusting of snow (I didn't see any) but what we did get was an ice coating on everything! Son #1s plumbing froze at his house and he wanted a ride over here to use the shower before work this afternoon. I walked out my front door to go to my car and I slid on my fanny! Don't worry, I have a "plush" fanny and wasn't hurt--but decided that he could be a little stinker for the day ;).
Looks wet but it's ice. (This part of the porch is new and can't be painted until spring so that's why it's 2-toned)

See what I mean about ice on everything?


Sending all my friends a virtual hot chocolate!!!
Ooops, there's a bag of ufo projects in the corner! lol!







15 December 2010

Getting Ready for Winter Storm

Down here in Kentucky by Fort Knox, we're getting ready for a major storm with snow, freezing rain and sleet. Had to go and get bottled water, canned foods and extra batteries for the flash lights. The gas stove we have now locks up and it isn't possible to light the burners with matches like our old stove so I got some propane for our camping stove just in case we lose power. We were without power for almost a week a few winters ago and it was kind of cozy sleeping on the futon mattress in front of the fireplace with the 2 chihuahuas snuggled with us. Hopefully we'll keep power this time. I'm ready for whatever happens. Y'all have a nice night and stay warm...

Ice storm January-February 2009

Anyone Want a Corvette for Christmas?







DH is finally willing to sell his Corvette. It is kept in the garage AND under a car cover. He just put over $1000 in it doing a fancy-smancy tune-up. Why??? I don't know because he only takes it out and drives it around the neighborhood every now and then. I think he'd keep it in a giant sized curio cabinet if there was such a thing. Anyway, it's a 1986, and the first $6500 takes it. Now don't you just want to put it in your driveway or garage? It's a "man-toy" needing a new man to adopt it and take home before the holidays.

14 December 2010

Remembering Our Troops and Veterans This Holiday Season--


Here are a couple poems remembering our veterans this holiday season. The first 2 are courtesy of Robert A. Hall, a veteran of the Marines and Massachusetts State Senate. You may visit his blog here.


A Veteran’s Christmas Wish


Each year when Christmas comes around again,
I pause on Christmas Eve to take a dram
Of whisky, and I think of absent friends,
And Christmas in a place called Vietnam.

I think of boys who never had the chance
To see their kids on Christmas Eve at play,
Their lives were spent that freedom might advance,
From Valley Forge right up through yesterday.

They fell at Belleau Wood and Normandy,
At Gettysburg, at Iwo and at Hue,
They gave their lives to keep our people free,
And never saw another Christmas Day.

So take a moment from your festive joys,
To think of soldiers who were young and true,
And say a prayer on Christmas Eve for boys
Who gave up all their Christmases for you.

Robert A. Hall
Former SSgt, USMC
           
Spell check notes: Scotch whisky has no “e.”
Hue (Vietnam) is pronounced “way.”

The Christmas Gift

There is a gift that comes
From those out on the lines,
It is not wrapped in bows,
But, oh, how bright it shines.

There is a Christmas gift,
A pearl beyond all price,
From those who ask for naught,
But make the sacrifice.

They risk their blood and bone
On endless weary tours,
For that is all that keeps
The evil from our shores.

You worship as you will,
You freely have your say,
And all that is a gift
From sentries far away.

There is a gift that comes
From troops who guard the line,
That lets us live in peace
And joy at Christmastime.

We say “Support the troops,”
But hardly pause to think
What honor really means,
Or how near looms the brink.

There is a Christmas gift
From those who hold the line,
And you and I, my friend,
Get nothing more sublime.

            Robert A. Hall
            Former SSgt, USMC

Here's another poem I found by another author:

A Soldier's Christmas Poem

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
 I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
my daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree, I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

 My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep
in perfect contentment, or so it would seem.
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.

The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eye when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.

My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
and I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,
to the window that danced with a warm fire's light
then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,
I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night"

"Its my duty to stand at the front of the line,
that separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.

My Gramps died at 'Pearl on a day in December,"
then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red white and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
 Away from my family, my house and my home,
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat,
I can carry the weight of killing another
or lay down my life with my sisters and brothers
who stand at the front against any and all,
to insure for all time that this flag will not fall."

"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone.
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.

For when we come home, either standing or dead,
to know you remember we fought and we bled
is payment enough, and with that we will trust.
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us.

By Michael Marks, Christmas 2000