Contemplating On God's Blessings

God's blessings abound and yet in my busy and distracted life I failed many times to see them. In my ungratefulness, I oftentimes, see and dwell on the bad things that surround me. The darkness is an illusion of my darkened heart. Offer this darkened heart to God. Let His eternal sunrays penetrate every corner and subdue the dragons and the lions that made their dwelling place there.
Let the Light of Truth shine so that the lie recedes until it comes to nothing as I come closer and closer to the source of Truth and Life.

Our Orthodox Kids Crafts

This will be the crafts that we are going to do this Sunday. The children (3-4 years old) will help us paint the background for the words by using stamping or imprinting techniques. I think they will enjoy painting activity. We selected Psalms 107:1 "Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercy endures forever."

Materials:

pressed, dried leaves from different trees.
yarn
yarn needle
small paper clips
scissors
different color water base acrylic (non-toxic) paint
foam brush with flat round end, 1/2 to 1" diameter
paint dish (I use bottom end of plastic water bottle, with the top cut away)
papers where each word of Psalms 107:1 is written.
Water to dilute the paint
loose T shirts (to wear over kids clothes so they will not soil their clothes)
Table cover to keep the classroom table free of paints.
push pins (to hang the crafts on the wall)

I pre-strung the leaves using a yarn needle. This string of leaves will then be hang on the classroom wall using push pins. The words will be hang on this string by means of paper clip and
yarn. See the photos. The brown leaves should show better against the classroom's sage colored wall.

Misty Morning

It was cold and misty this morning. I tried to capture the morning sun as it peeks out on top of the ridge. Our gas stove was on to drive away the morning chill. I would have walked early but it was just too chilly for me, so I did my aerobics instead. I actually walked later but brought a crochet project with me. Halfway through my walk, I sat on a bench, in a sunny location, and crochet a while. I need some vit. D from the sun, so I need to keep this as a regular routine--to crochet outdoor and enjoy nature and my favorite craft. Crocheting in the sunshine is a good way to chase away the blues.

Red Hat & Red Shawl

This is the red hat that I have been working on. I did not find a red fabric that I like to make as decorative band so I just made a crocheted one instead. The flower serves as a decoration as well as a closure. The band is removeable.

I have made the shawl a while back and had not worn it at all I think I'll wear it during Christmas Holidays.

I want my scarf to "rock" but not to "roll"

(I don't mean to have everything here underlined but I can't seem to fix this problem, so I'm sorry, but I have to post what I have to post. It is obvious I have a lot to learn, so please bear with me). When crocheting scarf using stockinette or garter stich, the edge rolls. So to fix this problem, I turn the crocheted fabric (ws) wrong side up and crochet 1 to 2 rows/rounds of the edging, then crochet (rs)right side up next and (ws) up alternately. This makes the edge to lay flat and not roll towards the right side of the fabric.



The photo shows a portion of a crocheted scarf (wip) with the (wip) edging. A photo of a knitted scarf with crocheted edging is shown in "tips and tricks" section of Crochet Me.

Self Imposed Pressure

Hello everyone!

I hope you have had a great day today. It's been raining here since yesterday so I just mainly stayed inside our little cabin and try to concentrate on crochet. I'm not very good at pressuring myself to keep my focus on what I need to do. I developed this habit early in life of functioning and focusing better to meet other people's expectation. Left to my own device, I just let my creative imagination run wild which interferes with my finishing my current project. So to focus and get back on track of the 15-20 hat self challenge I will post the hats that I have completed. I will not post the red hat because I cannot find the appropriate fabric to make the decorative band.

These hats have adjustable band that can be tightened or loosened and will fit adult sizes.
The depth of the brim is also adjustable and can be folded over for a narrower brim or pulled out to cover ears and forehead well during very cold days. The band is removeable so that different colored fabric or crocheted yarn band can be used to match the color of the clothes.

I'm currently self testing the pattern for these hats that I designed as I make them.
I intend to publish the pattern after Christmas.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Your input will be greatly appreciated.

Happy Crocheting,

zoe

Time Out From Crochet

I met my hat qouta for this week (2 hats made) and I'm starting another one. I plan on making at least 3 next week. so far so good. I will post the photo when I make the trim it will be a lot prettier. I'm looking to see these black hats trimmed with fabrics in different colors.

In the meantime, I want to take a time out from posting crochet photos, so here are some pictures that I took while walking yesterday and this afternoon. I am collecting some tokens (colorful leaves, twigs and wild flowers that are still in bloom at this time of year). I also took a picture of my shadow.

Fashion Hat For Cold Weather

Ok, so I'm running a little bit late on my schedule. I'm finishing the last row of the hat I started yesterday. Its color is red. In the meantime, I decided to go ahead and post this hat that I made prior to my starting that self crochet challenge. The red hat will be made just like this, only the trim will be different. I either crochet a red band with crocheted flower on it or find a soft sheer red fabric to decorate the hat. The lady that I'm making the red hat for likes red color.

Crochet Challenge

This is a crochet challenge to myself ( and anyone who care to join). The purpose is to make 15 to 20 hats by December 22, 2009. These hats will be given away for Christmas on Dec. 24th. This is the date when my family gathers up and open presents. This will be my surprise handmade gifts to everyone.

Starting Date: November 4, 2009
Ending Date: December 22, 2009

I started my first hat at 2pm today. I can't do it continuously, of course, because of other house chores but it is halfway done at this time and hopefully I will be able to finish and post the photo by tomorrow evening at about this time. I do better at anything when there is a challenge involve and that is why I'm doing this. So please join in if you want. Your project does not have to be a hat, it may be a scarf, a mitten or a pair of socks, dishcloths or other small home dec items.

I have to set aside other projects and concentrate only on making hats until the ending date.
So I better go to bed for now, I have a very challenging day tomorrow--that is to finish the hat that I started today!

Happy Crocheting,

Zoe

A Shawl Tie -- How to use (continued)

As one can see in the photo, the buttons keep the shawl tie fasten to the shawl at all times (so it would not be lost) and one can put the shawl on or take it off without unfastening the buttons; still one has the choice to take out the tie and use some other closure on the neck area. This shawl is my favorite for now. I'm sure I'll come up with another different design which will end up being my next favorite.

A Shawl Tie -- How to use (continued)

Tie it as one would tie a shoe lace.

A Shawl Tie -- How to use

After threading shawl tie through the ch3-space( of the shawl), pull each end of the tie in even length and as tight or loose on the neck according to one's preference.

Please see the first step on:

http:crochetme.com/tips
and the following posts with the same title.