Can I keep it?

I made this for my SIL birthday. I like it better than mine. I tried to justify keeping it for myself & giving her the previous one I made...but I just couldn't do it! lol I used beaded fringe trim all around. I didn't have black thread though. That would have looked much nicer.(it's my little secret though, since you'll notice that you don't see any thread. ;o} ) I almost made it reversible, but not quite. Learning from the larger bag I made first, I added a complimenting tie @ the top to keep it closed.

This is the front.

This is the view from the other side.

I think she liked it. :o)

My second purse & skirt.

This is the second purse I made. I cut the fabric into rectangular scraps & sewed them all together into one big loop. Then sewed it closed (w/ a few other monotonous details) to create this smaller purse. I learned from the first one. I added a darling dragonfly button (my favorite personal touch) to keep it closed.

Everyone loves this skirt. I prefer the longer one but this one is still cute. The style is a bit different & requires more pieces. I did not do as well of a job but it worked. I did the zipper just fabulously & then I broke it! arrrggghhh! So I ripped it out & sewed the seam closed where the zipper would have been. lol

My sewing...

This is my first skirt. The fringe is actually green, not as yellow as it looks. Below is the matching bag. (it's filled w/ yarn to make it look full! ;) )I did not use a pattern for the bag & purses I have made. I just fudged it using scraps of fabric & eyeing it.

Ok, the secrets out.....

I've been cheating on my hooks....w/ thread!

I've taken up sewing. I don't know if I can be called a sewer or not yet anyway. I wouldn't go that far. But I have sewed a few items lately & they have become big hits. After a frustrating run looking for a skirt, something that didn't show off my derrier'...I decided to make my own! I've sewed a couple of simple dresses for my dd & w/ my grandma's help. Nothing as large as a skirt or anything for myself before.

My grandma helped me w/ the first one. There was left over fabric so I just had to create a purse to match, which led to smaller scraps being used on flip-flops! lol

The second one, I was more in a rush, broke the zipper, said: to heck w/ it! & sewed myself right into it. I have to put it on over my head instead of feet first, but it fits!

I realized: I have a thing for beaded fringe! I bought some more fabric to make some more skirts, but w/o enough beaded fringe, I don't feel motivated. lol They were much easeir than I thought they would be. I have gotten lots of compliments. I like the longer one better. Such a bargain too because I found the fabric in the clearance bin for $1 a yard & the longer one only took 2.5 yards & that had enough left over for a fabulous bag. It's even large enough to hold quite a few skeins of yarn!

Everywhere I go....

I meet people when I am crochetting. Yesterday @ the park a boy came up to me & said: "Is it fun yarning?"
me:{huh?} "I like it."
him: "what are you making?"
me: "A poncho."
him: "What's a poncho?"
me:"well, you wrap it around you, like a sweater?"
him: "Oh like a shawl?"
me: "yep."

I thought it was funny that he called it 'yarning'. And this wasn't a little boy either. He had to have been @ least 12 if not older. I've noticed that having my crochet w/ me everywhere I go makes it easier for others to begin a conversation w/ me. And easier for me to participate in conversations w/ stranger as well. I just LOVE it!

Patterns of Life

I crochetted this blanket last year as a gift. It is columns of hearts. It came out rather nicely & I was surely sick of it by the end! lol I realized something quite interesting, though.

You see, when you are working on a project, especially a project as large as an afghan, you follow a pattern. It tells you what stitches to place where & how many. If you follow it correctly you end up w/ a project that resembles the picture right? BUT if you get distracted or somehow lose count or get off track....it can mess up the pattern.

The thing is...sometimes you don't realize you are 'off track' until you are a few rows past. Because sometimes, what you did previously, does not show as a 'mistake' until many rows later. Depending on the pattern, you can 'fudge' it & work around the mistake & it comes out ok, but the mistake is there, if you look closely or you are familiar w/ the project.

Other times you cannot conitinue w/ the pattern unless you go all the way back & correct the mistake. That means you must tear out & undue all the work you have done since you made the mistake, correct it & start over from that point. The work you did after the mistake is worthless!

This is how our life is sometimes as well. We mess up, sometimes it is no big deal & does not affect the 'pattern' of our life very much. Other times the consequences are more 'noticeable' but only to those close to us or are familiar w/ the details.

There are some times when the consequences of us straying from the pattern are easily seen & you just live w/ it. Other times the consequences are not noticeable until much later & then we must try & go back to repair the damage we have done.

Unfortuneately, it's not always as easy to go back & make corrections IRL as it is to do on a blanket! It is so important for us to follow God's pattern for our lives from the beginning. Then maybe one day we will turn out w/ beautiful columns of hearts too! ;)