Winners

I wanted all to win, thanks for participating on my Blogoversary. Decided to add a second prize, similar to the first, but yet I have to go get the yarn and floss, so that will be a surprise.

We had no school today, that meant I had to do the drawing myself. Here's how I did it.

First, I wrote the contestants names on a piece of paper, pink for cross stitch, blue for crochet/knit. Of course, those who signed for both drawings have names in blue and pink.

Folded them in four parts and placed them inside each bowl.


Then I recorded the drawing so you can see how it was done and be part of the fun. Have to say that, as a stitcher I should have more dexterity using one hand only lol BTW Sorry for the lousy audio.

Cross stitch first prize

VinGirl, woo hoo!!! Please email me (see my profile page), you left no email to contact you.


Crochet/Knit first prize




Barbara, congrats!!!

Second prizes




Anastasia (crochet/knit) Please email me (see my profile page), you left no email to contact you. And Terry N (cross stitch)

Congrats to the winners. I'll get in touch with you over the weekend for addresses.

It's my Blogoversary!!!

Hey friends and crafters around the world. Today is my Second Blogoversary, so I'm hosting a give away to celebrate it.

First I want to tell you this has been delightful as well as instructive, reading your blogs and your comments here has led me to evolve as a person and crafter. Thanks for the time we've shared.

There are two prizes, one for cross stitch, one for crochet and knit. You can enter one or both, just let me know in which (or both) do you want to be included.

Cross stitch:
Six 59,5 cm x 29 cm pieces of cotton printed backing fabric. A 25 cm x 20 cm piece of my own hand dyed aida in Rainbowy colors with a matching 1335 Anchor floss + a o552 number 8 DMC floss (I think is a lovely combination).


Crochet:
A set of ten 15gr ombre acrylic yarn in blue (that's 150gr in total). A crocheted flower dishcloth and a one size fits all rainbow headband.


I've been training Goyo to help me with the drawing, but he seems more interested in eating the paper than giving it to me, so Yuseiry, one of my mentoring class students, will be the innocent hand to help me to pick up the winners. I'll make the draw and announce the winner next Friday, 29th so the sign ups are up until Thursday 28th.

Thanks for your friendship and good luck to all!

I love a-longs!!!

I love working on the same project with other people... Crochet-a-longs are one of my favorite type of projects, because you can see the results fast and it's wonderful to watch the creativity of the different participants.

I'm almost done with the sampler afghan. Decided to do only the four squares left to make it a rectangle. It will be only 25 squares instead of the 30 I originally intended. Anyway I'm not that tall lol What's yet to be decided is if it'll be backed with fleece or not.


It'll be good to finish that one and work only on the Lion Brand Motif Afghan CAL and the 2010 Block A Month CAL at Ravelry (2010 BAM CAL for future references) . The first one is still far from finish, don't know how large it'll be, probably as big as the yarn last.


Got a small amount of variegated yarn to test how it will look . Who said it needs more color? lol


For the BAM CAL 2010, gave myself a 10 year anniversary present and bought 22 balls of yarn to work on it. This will be the first afghan (or bedspread, not sure how big it'll be) with a color scheme lol All the other pieces I've done started out as practice and used leftover yarn...

First wanted to use colonial blue, dusty rose and ivory, then added the pistacchio green because it seemed that with the first three colors would be a bit off, needed some light. The pink I got is not the shade that was on my mind, but still I think they will look good together. Guess who's going to stay up late crocheting the first squares ...


At school, with Alexandra, been crocheting a table cover. She's doing a pretty white doily, but I have a plastic table that's all worn out, I'm sure with this it can still be used as a coffee table for the terrace. Just got some left over pabilo and started working in rounds, it has half, single double and triple crochet, also a round of roll stitch.


Hope to finish it tomorrow, will be hosting a mentoring class, more like a gathering, some students are beginners and other are intermediate, but also a few "pros" will come just to join the fun. It will be a mix and match because will be working with crochet, knit and cross stitch! I will propose a bag CAL for the crocheters. Small project to start a "club", maybe then will be doing monthly meetings :o)

Not part of any CAL but I haven't show you this step stool cover. Made it for Christmas time. At some point will have to do one for the rest of the year.


That's a whole lot of crochet. Will have to show some cross stitch next time, after telling you how the mentoring went. Until then, happy crafting!!!

Back on track

Good news, I've been discharged from physical therapy. Just have to behave, not to sit at the computer for long periods of time, avoid heavy bags, keep doing the head-neck exercises and be back in a month for follow up... Good thing is now I can get back to crafting, with new good habits the therapists taught me.

As a thank you present I gave them chocolates, and couldn't resist to sew a lunch bag for one of the therapist's little girl, turning 8 this month. She lives in Cuba, the therapist was very grateful and happy with my small gesture. My mom helped me out with the sewing because I wasn't allowed to do it at that time.



This one is a new model, has a tie cord and insulated thermal fabric inside...



Still misbehaved because I crocheted a placemat for her using Krystal's pattern.


Also made a small water bottle keeper, with the thermal lining too.

Hope to blog on a regular basis now. Despite the lot of work this New Year seems more organize time wise.

Have a Happy New Year, lots of stash and blessings for all of you.

BTW Stay tuned for the 2nd blogoversary giveaway. Stitches and hugs!!!

Whiplashed

Hi there! I don't know if that's even a word, but I am whiplashed. We had a rear end collision past Friday... Results? I'm wearing a cervical collar and I'm on rest and physical therapy. The worst part of it is that I had to cancel New Year's Eve dinner, can't stay up cooking for so many people grrr... The lady who hit our car is a TV actress, she's happy up, around and about while I'm here sleepy, dizzie and without the possibility of at least doing my crafts.

Anyway, I'm not suppose to be sitting at the computer, but I do it once a day, otherwise I'll go crazy lol I just wanted to show you something I knitted with a new technique. Clara, from work, taught us how to knit with a loom. I started my scarf (what's easier for a starting piece?), and at some point reversed the stitch...


Now, ask me how I did it, really have no clue. Frustrated as I was, decided to start it over again, better yet with my old sensible pair of regular needles, but then I saw what was ready and kind of felt bad about destroying it.



Was thinking what to do with it, too short for a belt or a scarf. too thick for a headband. Then I recalled a collar pattern on a Lionbrand newsletter, and Annie's Cable-stitch neck warmer, thought it could work out. I think it did. Everyone was admired of how my piece was different, when I wore it to show it at school. They didn't realize it was an adaptation to correct a mistake until I couldn't hold the laugh anymore. Here it is:


The buttons are from my collection, bought at Shelly's buttons and more. You know how often you find a heavenly match between a yarn and some buttons, even though they were bought at different time and places... Love those tiny mittens! And the part that has the stitch reversed is as tick as the rest of the collar, so it seems it was made like that on purpose :oD

And this is how it looks on, this is from before the accident. Yesterday I tried it on and guess what, it's perfect to cover the cervical collar, so it will become handy because now the temperature has dropped to 15ºC (about 59ºF), and lower early in the morning... The yarn is a Bulky, variegated 15% wool, 85% acrylic, Royal (TAMM) made in Mexico.


Happy stitching! I'm counting the days to get back to mine.

Christmas around the corner

Seems Christmas is just around the corner, and Heather in England just got the ornie I sent for her on wXSw ornie exchange 2009. I'm really glad, she'll will be able to display it before Christmas.


Chose an LK pattern I got on an exchange a while ago. Then finished as a mini pillow:

Did a small card.

Added a small piece of fabric and red and green DMC floss as a present.

I was decorating the house past Sunday, I was suppose to do it next weekend, but it'll be Kathe's Church wedding, so don't think I'll do anything on the house front. Here's a slideshow of how it looks:

BTW my 4yo God-daughter Nathaly was having her first Christmas recital at school, her mom asked for help on dacorating a T-shirt, this is what I did.





She liked it, but it was too big for her, she couldn't wear it that day, but she put it on the very next day... I thought so, but her mom gave me the T-shirt, I would have bought it smaller :(

Happy stitching!!!