Grab your Koffee mug and come relax in my Lil' Korner of this big wide wonderful world . . .

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Feelin Like a Kid!

I am so excited . . I sold my first item on Etsy.com!  Embroidered Groom Socks . . of all things!  My daughter Kristie has an Etsy site, and is doing very well, I might add . . She started selling these socks on her site and I was doing the embroidering.  She decided to put them on my site which got me rollin'!

The socks are a custom order.  The woman wanted to know if I could embroider her and her future husband's names on one sock and the date on the other . . Of Course I Can!

Also in the same day I received another order for my Monkey Blanket!  The woman had certain requests which I am able to do for her.  She lives in Norway and has an 8 month old son.  She wanted a wool blended yarn with added rows because as she explained, it gets very cold in Norway. I can do that too!

Pictures will be posted to my Etsy site when these items are completed . . watch for them!
www.Etsy.com/shop/KarolsKraftKorner . . I have a few other things on there too!

and please visit my daughter Kristie's site on Etsy . . she "re-creates" items . .  tell her that her Mom sent you!  I have a little clout!

































Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Prayer Shawls

Last week I lost a member of my "in-law" family.  The brother of my ex-husband.  As I put it, the best of the family.  I don't recall any bad memories or any hurt feelings surrounding this brother-in-law.  He was one of the "good guys".

I haven't seen his wife or any of his three boys in a while . . as the saying goes . . only at weddings and funerals.  His wife and boys made me feel so loved during this sad time in their lives . . it should have been the other way around.  I wanted to do something for his wife but didn't know what.  So I made her a prayer shawl.  A prayer shawl is made via crochet, knitting, sewing or any way to produce one that is handmade.
As you crochet the stitches, you say a prayer.  You can find several online or say whatever your heart leads you to say.  I chose to say my own.  With each row, I tried to find blessings in my knowing Jimmy.  I prayed for his wife . . each of his three boys . . his grandkids . . his neighbors . . his friends . . anyone that might be affected by his death.  I found it very meditating, relaxing and oh so spiritual.  I found myself going to a very peaceful place . . a happy place.  Words cannot describe the feelings I was having while my fingers were busy "spinning straw into gold".  A prayer shawl is given for healing . . for comfort . . for friendship . .

I chose to crochet my prayer shawl as I only had two days to make it and crocheting for me is very fast.  I searched online and found the perfect pattern.  It was a shawl done in a pineapple pattern.  The pattern directions stated to make two separate sides and then when you sewed the two sides together, the pineapple pattern, in the center back, looked like wings!  Perfect!  I chose a light blue as this is one of her favorite colors . .  Deborah Norville soft bulky yarn . . and a size L crochet hook.  I did change the pattern up a bit (I have a bad habit of doing this) because using the bulkier yarn and such a big hook.  The ends of the shawl are shaped like a cathedral window.  I wanted a fancy edging than what the pattern called for so I did a picot edge which made a small ruffle around my prayer shawl. I also included a card with a small prayer that I found online.

I am not uploading any pictures because I think it would take away the specialness of the shawl that was only meant for her.  This prayer shawl did some healing for me too as well as comfort.  The prayer shawl works on both the maker and the intended.  I will be making more . . .

The pattern I used was the Angel Wing Prayer Shawl found at Allfreecrochet.com and designed by Maria Merlino - I do believe she has a web site.


Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Football anyone?

Can you spell Procrastinator? . . ah yes . . Reader's Digest Version . . . "ME!" . .
I am determined to finish my projects! . . One Project at a time . . one day at a time . . one hour at a time . .
Is there such a thing as Unfinished Projects Anonymous?!  If there is, then I must be the President of this organization!

Now to decide which one to work on! . . I WILL finish . . I WILL finish . . this might be an easy one.  My middle daughter Amy asked me to make her a stadium blanket.  I have three grandkids that all go to the same school district - 2 play football and 1 is a cheerleader.  Luckily they all play/cheer for the Newfane Panthers! . . Go PANTHERS !!! . . ummm sorry . . got a little off track there . . but I am a proud gramma!



So, I wanted to include a Panther and their last name on my blanket but how . . ?  I'm not good at writing patterns so I did what every other red blooded, yarn crazed, hook in hand crocheter does . . . I Googled it!!  What I found was sites that will turn your idea or picture into a cross stitch design.  sooooo I thought why not!  why couldn't I get the pattern in cross stitch and follow it while crocheting!  Good Idea!!  so I picked out a panther picture that I liked, ran it thru the web site, myphotostitch.com, chose 4 colors - blue, black, gray and white and it shot me back a pattern that I could follow. . . if you choose a stitch pattern with less than 1000 stitches your design is free.




Made a trip to Joann's . . coupons in hand . . and proceeded to buy the yarn.  I chose Lion Brand Hometown USA because it was thick and very soft.  The weather can get pretty cold at these games.  The weight is 6 Bulky and I am using a Q crochet hook. . . single crochet














the only problem with changing colors is the strands you get . . but I have found a way to weave them in without them coming loose . . I use just a dab of non toxic glue!  Genius right?!  I pull the strand . . put on just a dab . . cut the loose thread and stretch it back into place . . it goes in between the stitch so the ends do not show and it seems to hold quite nicely.

Well, this project has to get finished because I am making it to keep my family warm! Finished photo to come!

I am about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom . . and have to work on this in my air conditioned room as it has been in the 90's and muggy .. not the kind of weather to be crocheting a big warm blanket . . but with my past history, I have to work on it now or it will get put away with the other 27 projects in the "not finished" corner of my attic apartment ..

*With hook in hand I wave goodbye . . Happy Krafting!

Karol