Just finished this last weekend. Took about 10 days to finish because I don't have much time to knit - less than an hour a day. Turned out very cute!
Pattern is here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-ziggy

This is my very first doily.  I'm discovering I love working with thread!



The pattern is available at http://ninasatmyhouse.blogspot.com/2009/05/gift-doily.html.  Any comments or suggestions are welcome.  I did try blocking it (also my first), but it almost looks like it could use a bit more.

This is only the second thread bear I've ever made, and I'm calling him "Mint Delight":


The pattern came from http://www.squidoo.com/thread_crochet_bears2.  I used size 10 thread for the bear and size 30 for the muzzle.  After stuffing the parts, I used a tip I learned this week and used sinew to attach the parts to the body - that way the limbs still move, but the sinew is very strong and less likely to break.

I was prompted to make the bear because of Yahoo Group threadanimals (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/threadanimals/).  The April Challenge was "What is your bear's PURSEonality?"  We were to create a bear with a purse - inside, holding, or whatever.  I also made the purse:


Not sure if you can tell, but it's made up of shell stitches - using size 3 thread.  The pattern for the purse is a Crocheted Hobo purse (http://shortylamcrochet.blogspot.com/2006/11/nordstrom-hobo-bag.html) that I've made once before using yarn, but I liked the pattern so much I wanted to try making it in thread for a smaller version.  I "finished" the purse a few months ago, but never got around to adding a lining and zipper (because I hate sewing).



Looking forward to hearing your comments!   

Here is how you justify stashes.

This is the exact same argument I make , except substituting the word "books" for "yarn".  I'm working on figuring a way to use old books as a building material next....

And what if you have stashes of books AND yarn?  Is that even more energy efficient?!  (DH probably won't think so - he just shakes his head at me).
I've just recently organized my stash.  I'm running out of closets to take over - the office one has shelves and is full of books; and I'm in the process of converting a guest bedroom into a craft room - so the closet space in there is going to have yarn:


This is not everything.  I just found another tote and bought some more yarn this week as well.  My storage solution was to create "crates" out of some boxes we had around the house.  I originally was trying to store in totes in the basement - but having them upstairs and visible is priceless!  I keep re-discovering yarn I'd forgotten about ... oh, yeah, I was going to work on that project NEXT!   

I decided to participate in a Challenge this month.  It was held by Yahoo group's threadanimals.  The idea was to create a thread animal of our choosing, using any pattern / make up a pattern, but at least 75% of the animal and all embellishments needed to be RED for Valentines Day. 

This is what I came up with:


His name is Crandall the Cranky Crab  .  I thought the french knots I used made him look cranky -hence the name.  He doesn't come from a pattern - I just played until I got him "right".  The great part about Crandall is that he was made with recycled yarn.  My first attempt at recycling a sweater seemed like a "bust".  I knew enough to check the seems to see if they were cut, but my mind didn't grasp the concept that a STRIPED sweater would result in lots of little balls. Oops.  The nice thing was that the sweater was made from a 6-ply cotton yarn, so I split the yarn and used 3-ply for the body and 1-ply for the legs.

And yes, he's only the size of a quarter.    Hope you enjoy!

(click for larger image)

I finished my squares almost two weeks ago, but never got around to posting the pictures.    I got ambitious and am trying to do the Craftster CAL, the Ravelry CAL (12" only) and a Mystery Cal on Dishcloth Diaries blog (http://dishclothdiaries.blogspot.com/2009/01/calendar-ghan-cal.html).  I'm hoping I can keep up and I should be able to since it only took me 3-4 days to finish all three in January (I only have a few hours each night to crochet).

I originally decided to make each month in a different color with the 12 months coordinating into an afghan.  Although I have to say I almost with I had thought otherwise - I really like some of the multiple colored ones other people have done.  Maybe next time  .

These are all done using Red Heart Super Saver - Dark Sage.
Esther square:


Mandala square:


Dishcloth Diaries - Winter Dream
My center looks a little different than hers, but it all seemed to work out in the end.

It's really bugging me that I can't post my finished projects on my blog!     I spotted this pattern this summer when my mom gave me some of her "old" crochet magazines (this was from Annie's Favorite Crochet, December 2004).  I immediately thought of my in-laws.  Partially because their family room has several of these colors.  I started it back in Sept/Oct.  I'm glad I did! - it took a long time to finish.  At times the whole thing seemed "tedious" (same stitches), so I ended up switching off to other projects for something different.  It wasn't a difficult pattern.  You basically create a "grid" like filet crochet of DC, Ch stitches and then dozens of chains that are woven into the grid to get the plaid look.    But I think it turned out great!  It's really warm since in most places you have two layers of worsted weight yarn.



Close-up view of stitches and weaving:

I wasn't sure where to post this, so I'm hoping here is ok.  DH is totally enthralled the with Harry Potter books.  So, for Christmas this year, I decided to give him a HP Christmas.

First item I finished was a Gryffindor scarf.  I know the colors aren't quite "right", but I don't think he'll care.  This is crocheted.  [Doll is something mom made YEARS ago - she really needs to get her neck restuffed and to have some other clothes!]


The second item he'll receive is a bottle of "butterbeer".  Actually, it's a bottle of Butterscotch Schnapps, but I found a cool label online, and will give him the recipe I found with it.


The big item is the shadowbox.  This was the toughest of all to figure out what to make and put in there.  The map in the center was purchased online.  We had the "Every Flavor Beans" from over when the last book came out (I don't think they're edible anymore anyway!).  The glasses are an old pair of mine that I tried to make look a bit more like Harry's.  The crests from the 4 houses were also found online and printed on "parchment" paper.  I found a little bottle around the house and put a tag of "Veritaserum" on it.  The wand was a stick from our yard that I stripped the bark from, varnished and polyurethaned (just one coat so it's not too shiny).  Then I made a polymer clay handle to fit on the end.  Unfortunately you can't see, but there's a little serpent (also in black) wrapped around the handle.  And finally the strange gold thing up in the left corner is supposed to be a Golden Snitch.


I think my parents are getting him the latest HP book (Tales of the Beedle Bard).  I'm also going to give him an "acceptance letter" to Hogwarts that I printed up and burned the edges to make it look more like parchment.
I hope he likes it!

I finished this a couple of weeks ago but finally am getting around to posting about it.

We found about 5 weeks after it happened that a friend/neighbor broke her leg at the beginning of May.  I wanted to do something to cheer her up.  I thought about taking over some chocolate and flavored teas to enjoy while she was house-bound, and then tried to figure out what to bring it in.

The gift was delayed a few days because I decided it would be neat to whip up one of those Nordstrom Hobo Bags that I had seen in Craftster  (http://shortylamcrochet.blogspot.com/2006/11/nordstrom-hobo-bag.html is where the pattern is located).

I think it turned out great!  I didn't have time to run to the nearest city to find leather straps or magnetic snaps, so I improvised and made my own crocheted straps and found a cute button.


Unfortunately with the black yarn I used, it's hard to see the stitches in the photo, but it looked really good.  Here's the back of it:


I'd do somethings different if I were to do it over again.  I think I like the "smoother", shinier yarns that I've seen this with - the yarn I used was pretty fuzzy.  I'd also get a much thinner ribbon.  But I love the look with the button and bright pink ribbon!

But, shhh... don't tell my friend that I bought both the button and lining material on clearance!  

Here's a picture with the goodies inside:


If you want more details as to the slight modifications I made, you can see them here http://nulandnews.blogspot.com/2008/07/cheer-up-bag.html
Let me know what you think!