Crochet Containers

Something tells me that these containers just might be a good idea.

Thanks to Rachel Choi and her great blog, www.crochetspot.com, I have gotten patterns for making flat circles, and now... a lidded box. Watch for that one to appear after the holiday.

Another way to flatten these when slightly bowl shape is to wet them and place a glass of sand or something heavy onto them while they dry. It's easier to just crochet it flat to begin with and that is what is so easy with Rachel's free pattern at her blog. Take a look. She is available for questions and problem solving, too. Thanks Rachel. Merry Christmas to all.

Crochet Evolution

One the way to making a rag rug, I lost my way. I started practicing my crochet. I still have my balls of fabric strips, and I am making more and more all the time. I want to have my "pallette" of colors ready before I start the rug. Visualizing the finished product is important, putting colors together in certain ways. I did not make this rug, but someone put some thought into the colors and design.

Anyway, I started crocheting with yarn that was given to me, not great quality. I started with rectangles which became snake-like. Then I tried circles. This technique has been the most rewarding.

First I just made... a circle -- which became a ruggy for my cat.

One day realizing that I needed more yarn, good quality yarn, I visited my first craft supply store, Quilter's Quisine in Newport, VT. I discovered what can be done by felting things. This took me down a new road, thinking about shrinking! This led to washing an over-sized wool sweater in hot hot water to see what would happen. It happened, and if fits me better now!! Meanwhile, I saw a rolled-brim hat that had been felted at this shop and thought how wonderful. I started my first hat. This led me to the task of following directions, learning how to interpret them and of course, doing the correct stitches. Here we are at the hat stage of evolution....

What happened next has changed my entire life... the hat looked like something from Alice in Wonderland, so.. I ripped it all out. Searching for something that would be good in course, stratchy, stiff yarn, I came upon a purse pattern, possibly to felt. It looks nice as is. What do you think?

Still having some trouble with rectangles, I returned to the circle and discovered something... hiding inside the beginnings of another hat was a..... container!And then, of course this vessel needed a top, so....viola!

With some sort of a handle to take the top off, I have arrived at the somewhat, African-looking, crocheted container for things, like.... hair ties, buttons, thread, hair pins, circular bracelets, the sky is the limit.

I will use up the old yarn that led me to these little miracles, and then move on to the world of wool with colors and textures that are more tasteful. I will continue to practice for the rug adventure to come, always with my leather bag of yarn and hooks by my side. This new world is full of very interesting people. In the new year there will be meetings with my new friends and endless cups of tea. Thanks for all the weblinks, ideas, and support that everyone has given me, I really needed it, have a Happy Wooly New Year.

Felted St. Nick

I was recently talking to Carolyn about needle felting, and I remembered I had a photo of this St. Nicholas I had made for a Christmas gift several years ago and thought I'd post a picture of him. I had never thought of myself as a sculptor, but needle felting is a very enjoyable and satisfying way to try this type of art! All that's needed is a foam pad, a few different size felting needles, and some wool roving. The possibilities are endless!

~Reba's prints

Chickadee Christmas Card

I've always loved chickadees. They are so lively and seem to be joyful, no matter what mother nature dishes out! So here they are on my first 2009 Christmas card.

Later on when I had finished, I realized I should have put them on an evergreen branch since pussy willows bloom in Spring! Oh well! I guess this would make a nice Springtime note card as well!

~Reba's Prints

Making Christmas Cards

Reba got me thinking about Christmas Cards. I've been making my own Christmas Cards since the mid 1960's, and it has been a wonderful way to send a personal holiday greeting to all of our friends. I started out by making silkscreen prints, but gave up on that method finally: the solvents were very bad to work with, increasingly hard to get, and the water-based alternatives didn't work as well for the prints I was making. Since I'm a biologist and botanist, all my cards have been related to plants with some holiday connection; thus I needed a method that would present the color and detail of the subject well. The mistletoe, done in colored pencil, was the image for last year's card. The clubmoss, Cattleya orchid, and red maple are images from Christmases past.

Now I use either colored pencil or watercolor to make the images for my cards; then I photograph or scan the artwork and then use a high quality color printer to make giclee prints on card stock. I order the cardstock (and matching envelopes) from a supplier of high quality paper.

Here are a few images used on past Christmas Cards:

I was inspired to start making cards by a friend of my husband's parents named Oley Speaks, a composer and songwriter who every year composed a Christmas Carol, printed the music, and sent it as a card to his friends. I can remember thinking that this was one of the nicest things someone could do: give something of themselves to others at the holiday season.

More Printing Photos...

Well, I'm finally back with a few more printing photos! I hope this will give everyone a little bit of an idea of the process. This first photo shows the carved block on the left with it's matching printed card on the right.

After ink is rolled onto the carved block, paper is then laid on the face of the block and pressure is applied to transfer the design.

Coming up next.......Christmas cards!

~Reba's Prints

Printing Cards

With the dawn of a new season, comes the change over from garden and outdoor activities to replenishing my craft inventory. To give you an idea of what I'll be working on in these colder months, I've put together a sampling of some of my printing blocks and cards, highlighting part of the printing process. I am now busy at work on a selection of Christmas cards which I hope to share with you soon!

~Reba's Prints

P.S. For one reason or another, I'm having some difficulty uploading all the photos I wanted to share with you in this post, so I'll try publishing them in my next post. Thanks for your patience, and please check back again soon!

Rag Rugging - The Beginning -Equipment

When the rug braiding workshop was cancelled, my mission of using up old clothes and leftover fabrics for a rug disappeared. Or did it? I had heard about rag rugs, but what were they? I think I have found a new way to recycle old cloth, and there is someone else in the NEK who does this, too! Rag Rugging. This is done with enormous crochet hooks and one inch strips of fabric, or heavy yarns or fabric and yarn together and on and on, what ever one can dream up. So here is what I have come up with so far. Don't forget, Youtube, you can see what this is immediately. I am going go be a while. So...first we have the tools: electric scissors, cutting mat, good cutting shears, cloth cutting tool and rulered straight edge with handle. Rolled balls of the cut strips keep things tidy. Next, cutting tips.

Restoring Log Homes: Before and After

Over the summer, the log house needed attention.

The weather and UV light change the color of the wood's surface to shades of gray.

The cost of cornblasting the surface is very expensive, so with some simple tools

and time, the prep work was done

and the new golden colored stain was put on.

The stain is called Wood Guard and will protect the wood for many years.

A job well done. And that's is where I have been since August, ( and fishing)

Autumn Pride

When the first buds of the white clematis appeared,

I wasn't sure there would be flowers this fall.

The show has gone on and on, just as I had planned,

topping the roottree by the entrance, Perfect!!