Where has the time gone?

My goodness! It's almost November. I've been so busy with church and other things that I haven't been around here much. I have quite a few pictures of crochet stuff that I want to upload. Since it's almost midnight, I think I'll wait a little bit. Hopefully I'll want to do it tomorow, but no promises! :D

The new love in my life

I have fallen in love again. No, I didn't get another cat! I fell in love with this purse. I've been looking around for a purse pattern that was big enough, but not gaudy. After several months of thinking on this issue, I decided I had to come up with my own pattern. A trip to Jo-Ann was in order (it was Sunday so Hobby Lobby was closed and Michael's only carries Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton....color choices are all wrong with Lily's). Thankfully, I quickly found a gorgeous color of green. Green is my favoite color...is that obvious yet? Anywho, I make my way home with yarn and Starbuck's. Does life get any better?

Since I decided to make my own pattern, I of course found the perfect pattern immediately after getting home. That's okay though considering I fell in the love with this bag. The romance with my own pattern might have been luke warm at best.

I lined the bag with an old black tee shirt. It was a pain to sew in, but I really dislike sewing. Anything that takes longer than 10 minutes to sew gets me peeved.

Without further ado, my pretty purse without a name....

BICO Sweater

I made this "Baby it's Cold Outside" sweater to give to a woman who is pregnant and was recently diagnosed with cancer. She isn't starting cancer treatment until after the baby is born. She is having a boy. I've wanted to make baby stuff (other than preemie items). This was an excuse! It's different making baby items than preemie items. Preemie items can be emotionally draining for me.

Xavier's fifth birthday

Today would have been my little X's fifth birthday. I miss him terribly.

Scrubby Dishcloth Pattern

Scrubby Dishcloth Crochet Pattern

Materials:Size H Crochet Hook

(1) Ball WW Cotton Yarn (will make more than one dishcloth)

Metal or Plastic Scrubber

Gauge: Not important

Directions:

Attach yarn under several rings of the scrubber with a sl st

Rnd 1: Ch 1; SC in same st as join; work 35 more SC evenly around scrubber; sl st in 1st SC; turn

Rnd 2: Ch 3; [ (1) DC; Ch 2; (2) DC] in same sp as join; *DC in next 8 SC; [ (2) DC; Ch 2: (2) DC] in next SC* rep 3 more times; sl st in the top of Ch 3; Turn

Rnd 3: Ch 3; *DC in each DC until the Ch 2 sp; [ (2) DC; Ch 2; (2) DC] in ea Ch 2 sp* rep around; Join with a sl st in top of Ch 3; Turn

Rnd 4: Repeat Rnd 3

Finish off yarn. Weave in ends.

For a bigger dishcloth, continue to repeat Rnd 3 until desired size is reached.

Let me know if you see any mistakes. Enjoy!

Fall Colors Comfortghan

I made this comfortghan for some friends. She and her husband are going through some rough times. Over at the 'Ville, I requested help from fellow crocheters to get enough squares. That place never ceases to amaze me. There are some of the most fabulous people in the world on the 'Ville forums. They responded and sent in all of the squares you'll see in this picture except the four I made. I have more squares at home that are going to be made into pillows with at least two more packages coming. I think it turned out great.

Friendshipghan in process

Here's how the friendship afghan is coming along so far. I have three squares that I haven't put on there yet. I also still need some more, but I love it so far. I started putting the squares together to practice the flat braid joining method. I'm making a comfortghan for a friend and want to join those squares with the same method.

Crochetville Swaps

This picture shows most of the items I received in the first Crochetville swap. It was "Gimmie that old time crochet". The swap was for vintage or vintage-like crochet patterns and thread. There was more to it than that, but that's the general idea. I received some amazing patterns and very cool old magazines.

This picture is from the Kit swap. It was for everything required to make a pattern that the person would enjoy making. My partner asked me to pick the pattern. It's lovely. An early post shows the cardigan that I made with the kit items. I also received a lot of extra goodies. Even the kitties received crocheted toys.

Vivienne Lacy Cardigan

This is the first clothing item I have made for myself. I absolutely love the color of the yarn and the pattern. I received the pattern and all of the items in a kit swap...post about that to follow later.

I have decided I need more crocheted clothing items. I'm going to make a poncho with the left over yarn and some other white yarn.

Afghan Squares

The pink squares are some more squares that I received from an Elf at the 'Ville.




The red, white and blue square is a 12" square that I made for a swap. I really like how this one looks.

A crocheted purse

I wanted to use the yarn I received from a pal at the 'Ville for something for myself. What else could a girl use, but a new purse!

This is the first purse I have crocheted for myself.

I plan on using the rest of the yarn to make a scarf. I think it would make a cute winter set.

You've gotta love Catholics

My signature on all my e-mails include a link to my blog. If you're here reading this blog then you know the link is http://stitchinwithkittens.blogspot.com. I had a few e-mails go back and forth with another Catholic person I only know online. She sent me an e-mail that said she saw the link to my blog and had to go see it because she couldn't figure out who St. Itchin was, lol. Only a Catholic would see the word stitchin and think of St. Itchin.

First Christmas Ornaments of 2009

For Christmas in July, I made two ornaments for a crochet swap group. They both were orginially written for thread, but I decided to make them with worsted weight cotton.

I think I will make some more for my own tree later in the year.

The death of Michael Jackson

Dark secret time –

I have been surprisingly sad about the death of Michael Jackson. I haven’t only been sad. I think it’s safe to say I’ve actually been mourning. Typically, I hear about celebrities dying and think, “Oh that’s too bad.” I move on without giving it too much of a second thought. Considering all of the media coverage, it was next to impossible to not think about again. One couldn’t have a television or radio on without hearing about the latest news. That didn’t bother me too bad. Honestly, it has been like a train wreck. I cannot turn away.

I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I can remember watching almost every video he put out. I wore out my brother’s Thriller record (yes, record). Admittedly, Vincent Price’s laugh at the end of the song freaked me out. I would always have my mom stop the record before it got that part. After Thriller, everything went to tapes. I had to re-roll my Bad tape several times from being worn out. I got all excited when HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book 1 came out.

Truly, Michael Jackson was along for the ride while I grew up (he and Elton John...okay, okay, The New Kids on the Block helped, too). The part that confuses me is that he hasn’t put out any new music in a long time. It isn’t like my favorite artist died at the height of his career. So, why am I so bummed about all of this?

I have this overwhelming desire to remind people that he was a human being. I’ve heard people saying things like, “The world is better off with him.” How can someone be so callous to another human being? He was person who was never convicted of a crime yet the world condemned him. I guess I’m getting soft as I get more and more Catholic. Everyone is deserving of love and life. Even criminals deserve to live and have a chance to reconcile with God. Michael Jackson was innocent of all charges. Was he eccentric? Absolutely! That doesn’t mean he deserves to be labeled a pervert and a child molester.

I suppose I’m writing of this here just to get it off my chest. The memorial service is tomorrow. Maybe then I can stop thinking about it all of the time. I truly hope that God has mercy on his soul and welcomes him to heaven.

2009 Holidays in July at the 'Ville

Am I blessed or what?!?! I received two more packages in the mail today. This is a picture of the Yarn Cutter Pendant from an Elf in New York. I just recently learned that these existed. I really wanted one, too. I was super excited to see this in the mail today. Thank you my special Elf!



Then, I see another package in the mail! I received two more squares for my friendship ghan. I'm really started to get a lot of them. I can't wait until that afghan is done.

On top of the squares, I got four bamboo crochet hooks. I discovered how much I love bamboo hooks in May. I used one for my Entrelac Crochet class. So, you see, I had to have all of the sizes!

I love that Pipsy's paws snuck into the top of the picture. I almost cropped it out, but decided that it was too cute to edit.

Thank you to my elves and to my fairy godmother. Y'all sure can make a girl feel special.

Crochetville - RAOK (Random Acts of Kindness)

I received a package in the mail today. It was from a fellow Crochetville member (crochetville.org). There are people who send out RAOK's (random acts of kindess) to other members. It's just a way to bring a smile to another human's face.

It definitely worked for me! I am so excited about everything I received. It's just wonderful.

The crocheted item in red is a 12" square for my friendship ghan. I'm collecting 6" and 12" squares. This is the first 12" square I've received. I think I have enough squares to start assembling now. :D I'm going to add some of my own squares also, but I want it to be mostly squares from other people. It wil lbe fantastic to wrap up in after a long day....an afghan full of hugs.

Recent Corchet Projects

This is a picture of the progress of my "Make A Joyful Noise" crochet quilt. It doesn't look like much, but it's getting there. This is after I had to frog the first three rows I had finished. I'm actually on row five now, but haven't taken any more pictures.
The picture below is a baby boy burial set. I donate something to the NICU Xavier was in every year for his birthday. This is the second year I've done burial sets. I'm also working on getting 30 preemie hats made. I'd like to get at least one more burial set done as well. I have the gown almost finished. The second set will be for a girl.

This is the second doily that I have made. I always avoided working with thread until recently. I decided I wanted to branch out when I looked into a swap over at Crochetville. It's an all thread and all vintage swap. I am participating in the swap and it's opened a whole new world of crochet to me.

This is my first doily. It looks nothing like it's supposed to, but I can't quite figure out what I did wrong. It was a learning experience. My second one already went much better.

I guess that's all for now. As I get more on the blog, I'll bring over my patterns from the other site.

Have a blessed day everyone!

Brand new blog

I was increasingly unhappy with my previous blog. Actually, it wasn't just a blog. It had all sorts of other things on it, which is nice but frustrating when I only wanted a blog. So, here it is...a pure and simple blog.

As with any new blog, I have to post pictures of my babies!

Above is my "little" Oliver. He's a very big cat. He was about six months old in that picture.

That one is Cooper. He loves snuggling with anything I've touched including my yarn and my purse.

This is Pipsy. She is snuggled up in her favorite "pirate ship". She is my only girl and also the oldest. She is the queen of the house...just ask her.

The last picture is Jackson. I took this picture after her injured his paw. He ripped out the two middle claws on his back paw. It was a pretty serious kitty injury, but he's fine now. Jackie is my sweetheart and my favorite kitty of all time (shh...don't tell the other cats).