Happy Friday ----

The patterns in this book have been around my mom's house in some incarnation as long as I can remember. I even made the pullover that the little girl is wearing in the picture above when I was a pre-teen, only mine was made in harvest gold - tan - yellow - and cream. I made it by the pattern exactly and I wore it with pride. It may even still be around somewhere.

Mom found the book at a community yard sale and bought it for me. It is where I relearned to make the Wagon Wheel block. Because this has so many patterns that I drooled over in her stuff for all those years, this is one of my favorite possessions.


Look at the pincushions - are those fun. I'm thinking this could be reinterpreted as christmas ornaments too.

I am left handed (kinda). Anything that comes naturally, I do left handed, like write and eat. But things I learned how to do, I may do right handed. I throw right handed. I bat right handed. I use right handed scissors in most cases, however my pinking shears are lefties. I can easily use a twist style can opener, which most lefties struggle with. I know - just a little strange.

My mom is right handed, my Nanny was right handed, so crochet was difficult for them to even think of teaching me. But I REALLY wanted to learn. I studied all the books (even the leftie ones). I frogged. I did it again. I frogged. I QUIT. I QUIT. I QUIT. Yes that's plural. Ad I drooled over the pineapple shawl that my Nanny made and wore to church. I wanted to wear a bright red poncho like my mom made and wore often - never mind that red ain't my best color. I still have it - I may even wash that poncho and wear it Saturday night to the art show.

I looked at afghans and ponchoes and towel edgings. I looked at all the pattens in books. I fingered their crochet cotton and acrylic yarns (wintuk and red heart eggshell color was my Nanny's signature color)

I spent a lot of time with Nanny. Her house was layed out funny in the living room. Her recliner was in front of part of the couch. I sat many an afternoon on the open end of that couch and watched her hands fly as she crocheted. One day I got a hook and some scrap yarn, as I watched over her shoulder, she slowed her stitching and I simply copied her. That is how it came to pass that I am a right handed crocheter.

More pictures from the book. Love the tote bag. Anthropologie had one in last fall's line almost exactly like this. I may never make one pattern exactly like anything in this book, but I will look at it over and over and adapt the ideas for other things. I am so happy that Nanny was patient with me. I can read patterns now and there is very little I can't figure out in crochet. But it really was about the time she took with me and let me watch as I figured all of it out.

Now I am the crafty Mom. Everyone knows I will have something with me to work on. Last night one of Molly's teammates told her Mom that she needed to learn to do some of this. Lost of kids think its cool that I do this. Monday night, a coach commented that I never went anywhere without something to do. The great thing about so many handcrafts, is just that, they are handcrafts and by the nature of the term, they are portable. Gotta love that.

My favorite piece in the entire book is this shawl. Looks like a stained glass window to me. I may have to interpret this in some way into my work.

26 Days til surgery. I had an offer from Junking in Georgia for more information about this type of surgery. So I fired off an email and I want to thank her profusely for the input. One of the things she said was that she felt I was majorly apprehensive about the whole thing. I am a little, but not hugely. The countdown is more for tracking and scheduling than anything. My work is demanding and specialized. There are many details I really have to keep track of. We are also a small operation - personnel wise - so it will be an inconvenience for others. I have a huge tracking sheet on my desk with tons of notes and orders and schedules on shipments and receipt dates. That is what the countdown is about. Each job has a folder and I am adding copies and notes and information to it constantly. I have a people pleaser issue - my real apprehension is that I will cause someone a delay or that a coworker will have to figure something out. I do however have a small project to work on as I recuperate. Christmas in progress Christmas packages are being put together and I would like to have those finished by Dec 1st to mail.

Thanks Vallen for having us all to her place for potluck. I printed off several recipes to try and found some new friends to visit. That's always fun. MaryAnn - we did miss you though.

This is the Friday before a restful Saturday (LOL) - we have no sports activities tomorrow. What we do have is a house suffering from neglect that will get everyones attention. Dust bunny wars to begin about midmorning tomorrow. Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.

Teresa