Sarah's New Tunic

Every now and then I get an urge to crochet.

The knitting needles get set aside with all my wip's and out comes the crochet hooks and patterns.

A visit to the stash then follows to see what yarn will go with what project.  Or will a trip to the local yarn shop be necessary?

Well this time I decided to modify an easy pattern and make my little cutie a tunic top.

This is the result.

Sometimes she can be quite a pickle.

 But this time she was on board.

I think she actually liked it!

Happy Summer!

                                         Until next time....

                                                Terri

May Day and Giveaway

 Happy May Day!

When I was young and could hardly wait for warmer days to arrive my mom would recite the little poem,
March winds, April showers, help to bring the May flowers.

Well May is finally here and I am wishing flowers for each of you.

I also want to remind all my dear friends and followers who may have missed my last post...

it's not too late to enter the drawing for a Spring Scarf!

Made with love especially for one of you!

Just post a comment on my previous post. 

Until next time....

Terri

The Spring Scarf Giveaway!

One Sunday morning I was stopped in my tracks when I saw a friend wearing the most delightful scarf! It was lightweight and contained shades of spring blossoms, so soft that it looked like it would melt in my fingers if I touched it. The delicate silkiness was exquisite! I exclaimed, "Where did you get this"!  And of course her response was unsatisfactory... she had bought it at a local craft show, but didn't know who made it.  Ugh!

At this point I did what I think many of you would do... asked to see it up close.  This works best when the person is a good friend and knows your (or my) quirkiness and was willing to undress so I could examine the scarf in more detail. Well now there was no doubt that I would have to make "The Scarf".

Being a collector of beautiful yarns and ribbons, I began sorting through the softest, prettiest, and most unique materials I could find.  A trip to my favorite yarn shop soon followed and I came away with a riot of additional colorful yarns and ribbons.

These are a few of the results...

The scarves are so lightweight--almost like wearing a necklace. Each is full of the colors of everything in bloom. And so very, very soft and velvety!  Made to be warn with many outfits and combinations to take on a different look each time when placed with different colors. I plan to use mine when the chilly air conditioning is blowing down my neck this summer!

My secret ingredient!

To be a bit different though, in addition to lightweight, multi-colored, and multi-textured yarns and ribbons, in several pieces I've also included a secret ingredient.... a few strands of recycled sari.

The sari silk is hand cut by women in India who recycle their beautiful saris (the traditional clothing of Indian women) by cutting them into strips.  My purchase of their product gives them an opportunity to enhance their lives.

Like any dedicated crafter, when you have this much yarn and ribbon and sari, you can't make just one!  So, what to do with many Spring Scarves......

Have a Giveaway!

This has been a long, cold winter for many of my friends in the north so I thought I would give a Springtime Scarf away to celebrate the arrival and beauty of spring! 

This is the scarf I've chosen!

To enter,  just leave a comment on this post.  For an extra chance to win, share this post on your blog and leave a second comment letting me know you have :-)

A winner will be announced HERE on May 10, just in time for Mother's Day.  Please be sure I can contact you if you are the winner.  Congratulations to Seawashed Kerrie, the winner of this giveaway!

  

If you're not the lucky winner you can find more Springtime Scarves listed in my Etsy Shop, 

Pine Designs & Cache-Mire or email me directly.  A portion of the proceeds for each scarf will be given to Smile Train.

~     ~     ~     ~     ~   

I love win-win projects.  I have fun creating beautiful things while helping support worthy causes. It doesn't get much better than this.  Happy Spring!

                      Until next time ~
                           Terri

My Prize From Fuzzy Slippers

How totally appropriate that after my Adventures in Socks post a few days ago I would receive a gift I won at Vicki's Grow Your Blog Party from Fuzzy Slipper Designs!   It seems life is full of humor when we look for it and least expect it.

Well....Moriah sent me the most delightful assortment of handmade cards.  They are so lovely that it will be difficult to give them away!  Only my most cherished friends and relatives on this short list.

 
Of course, I guess I could always get more at her Esty shop :-) 

Thank you, Moriah, for this unique and wonderful gift!  I will enjoy giving them as much as those I love will enjoy receiving them.


                                           Until next time ~
                                                Terri

Adventures in Socks

I have always wanted to make socks.

I have friends who knit socks, lots of socks, and I am so envious of them. It seems so simple.  I've made blankets, scarves, hats, booties, sweaters....

Why am I so intimidated about making socks?  I think the double pointed needles are a start.

Well, our local yarn shop advertised a sock making class and I signed up.  This class teaches the magic loop method and you make both socks at the same time!  

So how hard can that be?

Well.....the first class was a week ago and the two hours flew by as I focused on keeping all of my dangling ends of yarn straight. Casting on, ripping out, casting on.... you get the idea.

The pattern starts at the toe, progresses through the gusset (I didn't know what that was until now), and then turns up the ankle and ends with ribbing at the cuff.

I liked this pattern because it uses worsted weight yarn which, for me, is much easier to learn with than the fine sock yarns.  I'm normally good at following instructions but with this adventure I somehow ended up with 52 stitches for my toes instead of the 46 I was supposed to have.

Well needless to say, my socks ended up being large.....very large.

Not wanting to become discouraged during my first attempt I decided to turn lemons into lemonade.

These are my new slippers!

                                                   Until next time~

                                                         Terri

Road Trip!! Cedar Key and Birthdays

This was the year of a "BIG" birthday and I wanted to do something a little special, so Ruth, our friend and travel agent, suggested we go to Cedar Key.  Having lived in Florida for more than 25 years you would think we would have explored every inch of the state, but to our surprise and delight we found someplace new and relatively undiscovered by the usual hordes of winter tourists.

We stayed at the Cedar Key Bed and Breakfast which is owned and operated by Alice, a delightful lady who really makes you feel like you are a guest at her home.

Since it was a special day, we booked the Honeymoon Cottage.

As you can imagine, the Captain's first reaction when we entered the room was 

"This isn't a guy's place."

And I had to agree :-)

Very Victorian, very frilly

but also charming and comfortable.

We wandered around the grounds

where there were little nooks and crannies with 

chairs and flowers everywhere

How many ways can you say delightful!

This is how close we were to the water.

We walked through the town where quiet takes on a new meaning.  

Not a Mickey to be found for miles! 

Looking down the main street...

Just peaceful and serene

There is a great fishing pier, complete with pelicans

and some nice shops where we

found some eclectic artwork

We had world famous chowder for lunch at Tony's where the food was so good 

I forgot to take a picture!

But did take a selfie at the pier:-)

And one of the Captain too!

Kayaking, sailing, fishing, boat rides, biking, hiking, golf carts...

everything within walking distance

and we were only there for one night!

While sitting on the porch at the B&B enjoying a glass of wine we met some new friends from the UK, and after sharing some great conversation they joined us for dinner at the Island Room.

  

This is a beautiful restaurant right on the water and the perfect

place to catch the sunset.

 

I ended up having such a wonderful day, meeting new friends, seeing new sights...

sometimes life can just surprise you with pure simplicity. 

~  ~  ~  ~  ~ 

The next morning breakfast was served here.

 Each couple has their own little table! 

The cookie jar was always full and the fridge always stocked. Can't wait to return!

~  ~  ~  ~  ~

For my knitting friends, Alice recommended a book "Spinning Forward" by Terri DuLong who is a local author. The book is about a lady who opens a yarn shop in Cedar Key and stays at the B&B. 

I've already read it and am looking for the sequel!

                        Until next time...

                            Terri

Pine Needle Pendants

After the GYB party many of you asked me about my Pine Needle Pendants so I thought I'd share a bit more about them.



I literally gather hundreds of southern long leaf pine needles, one at a time, in and around Tallahassee. This takes an incredible amount of time because the needles must be perfect.  Straight and not twisted. Clean with no discolorations.

I bring them home and wash them in a soapy bath to be sure there are no little critters hiding and then place them on my screen porch to dry. When they are dry, which the timing is hard to predict due to our humidity, I sort them again and cut off the stems which provides a bunch of individual needles.

Now the fun really begins!

Pendants are started  with cabochons which have been adhered to faux leather.  Coils of pine needles are attached by stitching with artificial sinew (waxed thread) while continually feeding individual pine needles into the coil.  After a couple of rows, this is the result.

The art of using pine needles to create baskets and other crafts had almost been lost. Fortunately the craft is being revived through interest in the creation and collection of this unique art form.

                                                                  ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

Here are a few pieces that are now listed in my Etsy Shop, Pine Designs & Cache-Mire.

The rich, turquoise color is like a bright blue summer sky.

This reminds me of a cameo.

 red jasper

and white howlite

a few are small, and some are larger

and black onyx is one of my favorites

I went to China a few years ago (before I started blogging) and now use a portion of my profits of this craft to benefit China missions. It feels good to do some good, especially when you enjoy the process.  Does that make sense?

Thanks for stopping by!


                           Until next time....
                                Terri