see what you've done? here I am crocheting! how did that happen?

[NMDemDist2]

I wanted a tea cozy for my teapot. it began so simply. Tea cozies are not a normal item you find at Kohl's or Bed Bath and Beyond.

so here I am using a skein of yarn bought at a thrift store with my grammy's old crochet hooks, with the page open on my web browser of how to read the pattern I found and how to make the stitches (that I learned once 40 years ago and never was good at then)

<sigh>

I seem to be moving right along now (about 1/5 through) Wish me luck!!

My did I post this here? Because this forum has made me look at being more frugal and reusing/recycling what I can.....

should end up looking like this in two colors (I hope)

[InvisibleTouch]

1. Good for you!

Yours is a skill I wish I had. Doesn't it feel great not to be bilked for someone else's mark-ups, when you can do the job yourself - and far more closely to your own specifications? :)

[NMDemDist2]

2. Rofl My "SKILL" no way

this is the page I have open on the first 4 rows

http://www.denisecrochets.com/crochet-basics.html

now I'm on a roll, but I have pulled out 60% of the stitches I've done to do over

practice practice practice (and patience with yourself helps)

[WolverineDG]

3. if you really get "into" it

learn the "afghan stitch." i've made scarves & throws (small ones) with it & that stitch is dang near airtight & so easy to do! warmest scarves i ever had were ones i made myself with that stitch.

wish i had learned how to make socks & sweaters, hell, even to knit to do that stuff as well....

dg

[NMDemDist2]

4. thise piece is mostly double crochet stitches, i'll post a pic when it's

done

[NMDemDist2]

7. only need scarves and sweaters 3 months here

i doubt this will be a big hobby

[K8-EEE]

5. Very Cute!!

Those are nice, they keep the tea hot. Pretty colors!

[NMDemDist2]

6. no that pic isn't mine,

mine is rose colored with varigated thread

and I am half way done :)

check in tomorrow evening and i'll have a pic :)

[KitSileya]

8. Good going!

I am an avid knitter and cross stictcher myself, taught by my Mom. There was not much else to do those long Saturday and Sunday afternoons when there was only sports on tv and it's freezing cold outside (I grew up in Norway, with 1 tv channel, which has now expanded to 4, but it's still cold, and sports still dominates the tv schedules.) I find that while watching tv, I prefer to have my hands busy, so I'm cross stitching small Christmas tree ornaments right now.

I have refreshed, or rather relearned, crocheting this fall. I love that tea cozy, definitely an idea for the Christmas holidays, when we'll be sitting inside and watching tv so much. (There's only a couple of hours of daylight outside so far North, so the proper skiing season doesn't start until January/February, hence the sitting inside.)

Good luck on with the cozy!

[NMDemDist2]

9. ya know I always did better at knitting as a kid, the crochet stuff was

never my strong suit

i've started the other half and should have the thing done tonite (i hope)

[KitSileya]

10. Well, good luck with that.

I just finished a huge embroidery, something called an "åkle" in Norwegian. It's a piece of cloth designed to hang folded on a rod, with embroydery on opposite ends, so that both pieces of embroidery are displayed. The rod is fastened underneath a shelf, which also has a row of hooks underneath. That way, the åkle covers whatever's hung on the hooks, since these kinds of shelves usually hang in the kitchen, and the hooks are used for pot holders and tea towels etc. It's a birthday gift for my Mom. I'm pretty proud of myself for finishing it.

[LWolf]

11. I used to crochet a lot.

Blankets and clothes for my babies, xmas presents for people, etc.; I still have a bunch of christmas ornaments I crocheted 25 years ago. I don't know what happened to all of my pattern books, and I don't think I remember how to do anything more than crochet a single chain.

I guess I had more time when my kids were babies. I was at a friend's yesterday, and she was showing off the blanket she has crocheted for another friend who is having her first baby; it made me a little nostalgic for the years I had time to handmake things for people. These days, I'm just not home enough waking hours in a day to get anything like that done!

A couple of years ago, I made homemade salve for people for yule/xmas/etc. gifts. I really enjoyed that, too. It's all finding the time. Things are looking up on my job transfer in June; if all goes well, maybe I can go back to working a reasonable schedule, and catch back up with my life!

[KitSileya]

13. Actually, I have some theories as to where the time goes....

There were a couple of years some time back that I didn't have a tv, nor did my home computer have 'net access. I had loads and loads of time to read books and spend with friends. Then I got a tv, and vcr, and dvd player, and a new computer, with 'net connection, and time just flew away. I figure it's the same with children, when they start sleeping less, and walking, time disappears.

I am lucky, however, that watching more tv actually ups the amount of time I spend cross stitching and knitting, as I have a hard time doing only that. I must watch tv, listen to books on tape, or talk with friends while doing 'hand work' as it's called in Norway - otherwise I get bored. Those two years without tv didn't see a finished product from my hands. Now I'm making Christmas presents while watching LOTR Return of the King EE. The best of both worlds.

[LWolf]

16. That's perfect.

A perfect activity for tv watching.

I turn on the tv once a month or so, just to make sure it still works.

I do spend time on my computer, and read. I don't read as much as I'd like; I tend to fall asleep 10 or 15 minutes after starting. Too many work hours, too much to keep up with. As soon as I've moved my brain away from the "business" of real life, I fall asleep.

[LizW]

12. Cute! Good for you.

Knitting and crocheting are good stress reducers. Plus, there's just something happy about using something you've made with your own hands.

[Lorien]

14. I would like to learn needlepoint

I just don't know how expensive a hobby it is, or if I would have the time for it. I work as an artist professionally (illustrator), but I'd like to do some creative things just for myself, that have nothing to do with drawing and painting. My grandmother made some beautiful needlepoint chair cushions, which I love. I'd like to do similar work someday.

I'd also like to try pottery, but that a whole other topic!

[NMDemDist2]

15. go to a crafts store (NOT Micheal's tho LOL)

and get a small kit and try it out :)

I did a lot of needlepoint in my first few years of recovery. Gave me somthing to do with my hands and kept my mind busy and away from the "O Poor Me, I can't drink" thoughts :)

I had absolutely NO previous experience but got pretty good on the 5th or 6th project

It will be a small investment and give you a taste to see if you want more

we are talking of starting a Crafts/Do It Yourself Group. If you are interested sign in here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=236x1977

[NMDemDist2]

17. well, I don't think I followed the pattern

but here it is, and it works just fine LOL

[KarenS]

18. I like it!!!

The colors are wonderful!!

I revived my crocheting this season as well,,,, It started with seeing that ponchos are back 'in' and I actually paid $18 apiece for 2 little ponchos for my GrandDaughters,,,, however, before I got them home I was having second thoughts,,,, bought some yarn ~ a big crochet hook and after one failed attempt made 2 nice looking ones :) for about $4 each and a week's worth of work!! It made me so happy to do it :) I also made myself & my daughter in law each a coat scarf as well,,,, *sigh*

[NMDemDist2]

19. yes I see all the young gals wearing those ponchos

and they must be fairly easy to do

do you have a link to a pattern?

[KarenS]

20. try this one =)

http://members.aol.com/JSchlossma/osrcp.html

I don't know if non-aol folks can see this or hot,,,, let me know.

It's just basically 2 rectangles ~ I measured my 2 store-bought ones before I returned them ~ 10" by 20" rectangles for sizes 2-4 (little girls)


btw where in AZ are you?? I lived in the Phoenix Metro area for nearly 30 years, now I am in Colorado.

[NMDemDist2]

21. NW Phoenix here

Colorado's too cold for me :scared: