Potholder and Dishcloth Completed

 

 

Yesterday as dh and I went to the VA Hospital for my appointment, I sat in the waiting area and worked on this potholder.  I finished it last night and had only a small amount of one of my colors to make this dishcloth that I finished this morning.  The reason behind making a potholder is that I was looking at my potholders and they are TRASH!  I hate to waste them just because they're not pretty but the ones I have are way beyond the "not pretty anymore" stage.  I made this potholder to be functional.  This basic design is the workhorse of potholders.   The pattern is a freebie from Lion Brand Yarns.  It whipped up pretty quick and I'm going to make a couple more and throw my current (store-bought) supply in the trash.  The dishcloth is just one row single crochet and alternating rows that are double crochet, chain one and then skip a space and double crochet again all the way across. A single crochet edge finishes it off. Thanks for visiting...Sharon 

Look-Up #1 Song for Specific Dates Since 1940 and On This Day 05 Feb 1953--"Sweets" Rationing Ends

Are you ever curious as to what the #1 song was on the day you were born, married or other special day?  You can go to this page and look up #1 songs for dates since 1940.  OK, let's look at an event that happened this day in history and see what song the people back then were listening too.  On this day in history, 05 February 1953, Great Britain ends rationing of sweets--candies and confections.  Sugar was still rationed until September of that same year.  You can go here for more information on this event.  Anywho, in the UK, they may have been listening to Perry Como sing Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes. Here's the song for your listening enjoyment.  Note:  To turn off the blog's music player and to more comfortably listen to this song, go to the blog column on your right and scroll down to the music player.  Click on the pause button to turn the player's sound off.

The Ripple Toddler-Sized Afghan is Complete!

This is a picture of the toddler-sized afghan I was working on.  It is finished!  WoooHooooo!  It was very easy to make.  There is a problem with it though and it's not because of me unless you consider the fact that I went "cheap" by using mill ends to make this.  Ok, here's the scoop.  The claret-colored yarn is mill ends that I ordered some time ago from a now defunct company.  Anyway, mill ends also equals "seconds" as far as quality.  In approximately the middle of this little ghan, the claret yarn is much thicker.  I think it will be alright as long as I throw in some baby booties or hat to go with it when I find someone to gift it to.  What do you think?  The yarn is soft and very pettable--crocheters and knitters know what I mean by this lol!  Here are 2 other posts I've made about it #1, #2.  Hope you enjoy.  Hugs...

The January Snow Here at Home

The things we do for our kids.  When we had our "big" snow of 4-6 inches, that was a big deal for our little chihuahuas, Opi and Nellie Belle.  If you think about it, that amount of snow hits them in the middle of their faces!  DH, the good doggie daddy that he is, shoveled an area for them to go outside to do their duty.  Here's a glimpse of  the "rest area." Barney, our "big girl" didn't have any problem with the snow as you can see by all of her foot prints.She loves to frolic in the snow.

DH thought I should put this picture in here so you can see what our pond fish are living under. He made this cover to put over the pond to keep all the leaves and winter debris out of the pond to save beaucoup effort to clean it in the spring.

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern

Today's free pattern is for a crocheted baby set and afghan done in the shell stitch.  Enjoy...

Ripple Blankie for Baby/Toddler.. a WIP

Still working on the ripple for a little toddler.  I'm slow, what can I say lol!  The pattern I'm using is a compilation of 2 with the color design my own based on what was in my stash.  The claret yarn is a mills end from Caron.  The thickness of the yarn varies quite a bit from skein to skein.  Oh well, it's still nice, I guess... Hope you enjoy.

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern--Dog Sweater with Stripe

Today's free pattern is for a dog sweater.  I made this one and it was pretty easy.  It was a little big for either of my chihuahuas so I gave it to my brother for his little terrier-mix.  The picture here is my mil's fur baby modeling it.  I thought the rug yarn the pattern called for was a bit stiff but I bet some of the chunky or bulky yarns we have nowadays would be better.

New Link for Crocheted Round Afghan Pattern

Edited for bad link.

As some of you may recall, I have been keeping a list of links for free patterns for round afghans to crochet.  I found another one today in an email from redheart.  Here on this page you will find a pdf of this pattern.  Hope you enjoy,,,

A Cute Video About the Food Chain

Yesterday when I subbed, I collaborated with a science teacher for one of the class periods.  The kids were studying the food chain.  To help them understand it, the science teacher had found this cute video on youtube.  The kids loved it and sang along with it.  I thought it was so cute that I just had to come home and find it for you to see too.  So here goes...

Ripple Baby Afghan/Blanket--A WIP (Work in Progress)

Here's my latest wip.  It is a baby blanket based on a pattern I found at Lion Brand Yarns.  I am making it out of sc instead of dc for a tighter weave.  It looks narrower than I expected.  Originally I was going to give this to a toddler I know but I think after I finish it I'll put it in my "gift" drawer and give it to the next little boy born in the family.  I thought this color scheme, burgundy and white, was more appropriate for a toddler--I'm still of the old-school mind-set and like pastels for newborn babies.  I get rather nostalgic over ripple baby afghans/blankets because that is what I made for my older son before he was born.  I started it when I first got married just to have something to do.  I didn't have the stick-to-it-ness and I finished it about a week before he was born 2 1/2 years later!  I have speeded up some in recent years so I know the one I'm working on now will be finished in a few weeks.  Take care y'all...Hugs...

Monday's Link for Free Crochet Pattern--American Heartland Afghan

I  have decided that on Monday, I will post a link to a free crochet pattern.  So, with no further ado, here's the link for today's pattern, American Heartland Afghan.  Enjoy...

First Ever Crocheted Doily Made by Me

I finished crocheting this doily about a week or so ago.  Tonight, I starched it and ironed it to shape.  The pattern was very easy to make.  The problem I had was "seeing" but it did get a little easier as it progressed.  The pattern is called spiral simplicity doily.  I made it for my uncle who requested doilies for the arms of his couch; one down and one to go!  I'm not sure if I used the correct gauge thread because the label was missing when I bought my stash of crochet thread at a thrift store and I really don't know much about crocheting with thread since this is only my 2nd time to ever crochet with it.  Anyway, if you're looking for a simple, not flowery doily to crochet you  might want to consider this one.  Hope you enjoyed looking.  Hugs....

15 January, 1947, Elizabeth Short's (aka Black Dahlia) Mutilated Body Found

Today I think we'll take a look at an unsolved crime from the 1940s.  

On this day, January 15th, 1947 the mutilated remains of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, who came to be known as the "Black Dahlia" were found in a vacant lot in a residential area of Los Angeles, CA. Short was born on July 29, 1924, at Hyde Park, Massachusetts. She was murdered on January 14, 1947.  Numerous persons were questioned in the murder of Short, but her killer was never found despite investigations by the FBI and local authorities.  This murder has been the subject of numerous movies.

If you're interested in the 2006 movie The Black Dahlia, here's a trailer for it:


More information:
FBI Electronic Reading Room records

13 January 1922 Conference of Cannes Ends

on 13 January1922:  Conference of Cannes concerning German retribution payments ended.  Germany had been having a difficult time paying reparations established by the Treaty of Versailles (related to their actions in World War I).  This conference eased the requirements for repayment of this debt but it was still more than the Germans could realistically afford. Originally, Germany was required to formally admit guilt, relinquish lands, reduce military to only 100,000 and pay monetary reparations.  "The final sum amounted to 132 billion gold marks; the schedule of payments drawn up in 1921 would have burdened the German economy until 1988." (Richard Overy, The Road to War Revised and Updated Edition, (London, Penguin, 1999), 28).  Germany's economy entered crisis mode and after the Conference of Cannes, a more realistic system of payments was instituted.  The system of payments continued to cause hardships to the German economy and individuals and ultimately helped to set the stage to put Hitler in power and the start of World War II.


Here's a newspaper article concerning this conference:


German Delegates Start for Cannes

For more information:
Resolutions adopted by the Supreme Council at Cannes, January, 1922 
Conference of Cannes 

On 11 January 1892 Paul Gauguin Marries in Tahiti

Gauguin, Self Portrait

Paul Gauguin was a struggling Post-Impressionist artist.  On 11 January 1892 he married a 13-year-old Tahitian girl.    You might say this marriage made him a  bigamist because he was still married to his first wife Mette (nee Gad) until his death in 1903 of syphilis.   There is little online information of his marriage to the Tahitian girl.  It is interesting to note that Gauguin became a celebrated artist but in his personal life he tended to enjoy seamier practices and habits than what was considered the norm.

For more information on Gaugin:
Discover France.net article on Gauguin 
Time Magazine article 

Florida Secedes from Union--January 10th, 1861

Sites of Civil War Battles in Florida 

 

On January 10, 1861, delegates to the Florida Convention in Tallahassee voted to secede from the United States of America. By February, Florida and six other southern states had formed a new government, the Confederate States of America. Four other states joined a month later. The Confederate states were South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, Texas, and Arkansas. Jefferson Davis, from Mississippi, was elected President and Montgomery, Alabama was selected as the capital, though it was soon moved to Richmond, Virginia.

More information:

Florida's Role in the Civil War 

Civil War Florida 

I Was "Goofing Off"...

I love to find new "toys" to play around with online.  You can make some cute things at this site.  Counldn't resist making this and posting it.  Of course, my "kids" are grownup and on their own so maybe I should have tinkered around with this application and made them adults.  Guess that's for another playtime.  Take care everyone and have a blessed day.  Hugs...

We Had a Snow Day Today

Here in Hardin County, Kentucky schools shut down whenever it snows.  I'm not kidding you.  We had 3 - 4 inches predicted today and before the first flake floated out of the sky schools were canceled.  Being originally from the great northern state of Illinois, I could use the story that my dad always told me about walking to school as a kid in the winter, uphill both ways for a couple miles with knee-deep snow!  I won't tell you that but I will tell you that it wasn't uncommon to have 6 inches or more on the ROADS and still get on the school bus.  I love snow...the looks of it but ONLY on Christmas day; the cold temperatures I can do without. Here are a couple looks at today's snow that did not reach the top of my fat feet...

The spruce tree in the front yard

 

The back yard

Barney thinking:   "Why don't they make indoor toilets for dogs?"

 

Leaning Tower of Pisa Closes to Public 07 January 1990

On this day, 07 January 1990, The Leaning Tower of Pisa was closed to the public. The accelerated rate of "leaning" raised fears for the safety of its visitors.  The medieval tower took over 200 years to build.  The tower reopened in 2001 after stabalization but there were additional stabilization problems.

It is believed that Galileo did an experiment on the tower and discovered gravity.  Here is a short NASA video that demonstrates this experiment.

Why do I find this interesting?  Despite the problems with this building, look at how long it has stood-- Europeans hadn't found their way to the Americas yet!  Think about how many buildings in the New World have NOT stood the test of time and you will realize that the Italian craftsman really did quality work.




For more information:
BBC
Tour Italy Now article

Here's a Link for a Round Lapghan

Just a quick note here---

I love round afghans/lapghans/baby blankets and have been trying to keep a list of free crochet patterns for them available on the Internet.  Here's a link for another pattern.