Friday Fantastic

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Home on the Range

Linking up with Alycia Quilts and Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

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Wordless Wednesday

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Uncorked

One of Lizard's favorite quotes is frequently uttered in admiration of someone else's accomplishment. When Disturbed covered the famous Simon & Garfunkle "Sounds of Silence", Lizard excitedly exclaimed (after listening to the song about eight consecutive times!), "Boy, did they uncork a big one!" I think that was the first time he'd described anything like that to me. I've always thought it's such a cute way of saying, "Wow!"

Well, now Lizard has uncorked a big one of his own. I wasn't sure we'd ever again get to travel more than about four hours. Being in a (tiny) moving vehicle is just too difficult for him. He experiences demoralizing tremors, anxiety and restless legs. As well as a few other unmentionable Parkinson's symptoms.

We wanted to do something special for our 20th anniversary, and I was looking for things within about a three-hour radius. When I discovered the public open house for the Farmington (New Mexico) Temple would be conducted right after our porcelain anniversary (yes, what a strange emoji for such a big accomplishment, right?!?), I asked Lizard how he would feel about a seven-hour drive, which we both knew probably meant about 12 hours for us. He was game. He knew it would be rough, but he wanted me to be able to go.

We made arrangements about six weeks in advance, and his anxiety got the best of him the night before we were to leave. He was up. ALL night. Which means I was up all night. And I would be the one doing all the driving...

The trip to Durango, where we would home base for three nights, took 11 hours. Not as bad as I expected, but it was incredibly hard on Lizard. We drove the hour to Farmington the next day, then the hour back, and because he'd had next to no recovery time, that short jaunt was difficult for him, too. The heat didn't help much. We took the next day as a rest day. He actually told me he wouldn't mind staying in the hotel all day. He didn't even want to go to the pool or hot tub.

I managed to drag him downtown for a quickie 20-minute walk. We hit his favorite Durango bike shop and the only remaining quilt shop. He got just about the best souvenir ever (a unique bike bag) (his favorite treat of all time is a Snickers), and he got pretty excited about quilting again because of a few quilts on display in the quilt shop.

He slept through the night that night, and the trip home took nine hours! We did it! We successfully uncorked a big one!!! And we both slept through the night back at home. Just that one night. But, man, we did it!

I decided not to take my laptop this trip. I decided I'd use my paper journal instead. I knew I'd probably have my hands full, be too tired to fire up the computer each night, and I didn't want to have to tote it around. I had not used my paper journal since I retired last year. It was so eye-opening to re-read what I wrote a year ago...

"I fired off bug bombs in the basement (because Lizard thinks the entire house is infested; it's not) before we left to spend the weekend with Lizard's mom. Lizard wanted to put up a sign to warn the *people* living down there. He thinks we have scores of homeless people squatting in our house, not paying any rent. I'd been telling him for three months the only way anyone can get in our house is if they come in under the front door, so they must be made of air. Typically, he blows them out the window like candles or tries to spray water on them. This time, I told him I want to poison the intruders. He thought about that for a while, then said, 'That's probably a good idea.' I couldn't help but giggle."

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Snowflake Monday

Last week's pattern took me seven tries before I finally came up with the desired shape. Today's pattern was going to be a mini Bridal Snowflake, but this was my first attempt. I wasn't able to make the succeeding rounds firm up the way I needed, so I had to start over from scratch on the third round. This was still an extremely cute little flake, so I decided to make it into a pattern of it's own and named it after how many methods it took to achieve last week's finished flake.

Then, I thought, perhaps this would be a fun flake to work up alternate tips, which I've done before – many times! I never get tired of trying to change up points to create whole new looks. Not sure at this writing if I can create seven different flakes from this one pattern, but Operation Ornaments needs more snowflakes, so I'm giving it my best shot...

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 3 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Seventh Heaven Snowflake Instructions

SPECIAL STITCHES:

Popcorn Stitch (pc)

Work 5 dc in designated st, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc.

Make magic ring.

Round 1: [1 pc in ring, ch 3] 5 times; 1 pc in ring, ch 1, 1 dc in starting pc to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round. Don't pull magic circle too tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, [in next ch 3 sp work (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc)] 5 times; 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 11, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 5 times; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

I Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 15, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 5 times; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 15, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

II Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 5, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 5, 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 dc, ch 5, sl st)] 5 times; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

III Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 5 times; sk next dc, 1 sc in next dc, 1 dc in each of next 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc sk next dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, 2 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 sc in 3rd ch from hook, ch 3, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

IV Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next 3 dc, 5 dc in gap between next 2 3/dc shells, sk next 3dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 3 dc, ch 9, 1 sc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, 3 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 5 times; sk next 2 dc, 5 dc in gap between next 2 3/dc shells, sk next 3 dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 3 dc in same sp, ch 9, sl st in 4th ch from hook, 1 sc in next ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

V Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 8, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, ch 8, 1 dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, ch 6, 1 hdc in 3rd ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc, last ch 3 and last sl st of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

VI Alternate Round 3: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 6, sl st in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), ch 4, sl st in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), working back down point sk next picot, next 2 ch and next picot, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook (picot made), ch 2, sl st in next ch, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 6 times, omitting last 2 dc, last ch 3 and last sl st of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

And since we're already almost done with summer (I was done with the high temps more than a month ago; what about you???), maybe it's high time I make another rock covering...

Round 3, Rock Covering: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc over post of dc directly below, ch 3, sl st in same sp, [sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, in next ch 3 tip work (sl st, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, sl st)] 5 times; sk next dc, 1 sc in each of next 4 dc, sk next dc, sl st in next ch 3 sp, ch 3, 2 dc in same sp, ch 1, 1 dc in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 3 tip of Round.

Round 4, Rock Covering: Ch 7, (counts as 1 dc and [ch 5), 1 dtr in 3rd sc of next 4/sc group, ch 5, 1 dc in next ch 3 tip] 6 times, omitting last dc and last 3 ch of final repeat; 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 7 to form 12th ch 5 sp of Round.

Rounds 5-?, Rock Covering: Ch 7 (counts as 1 dc and ch 5), [1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 5] 10 times; 1 dc in next ch 5 sp, ch 2, 1 tr in 2nd ch of starting ch 7 to form 12th ch 5 sp of Round. Continue with Round 5 until snowflake fits snugly around rock, leaving about a 1- to 2-inch opening on the back or bottom side.

Final Round, Rock Covering:Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in each ch 5 sp around, inserting rock after about 2/3rds of Round, gently stitching while finishing Round and closing up hole so as not to damage crochet hook; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off, leaving 4- to 5-inch tail. Weave end through final Round of dc and pull tight. Bind off again, weave in end. Place in garden!

Finish: I've been stiffening my flakes with undiluted, full-strength water soluble school glue for quite a while now, and I've been squishing the glue onto and throughout each flake with my fingers (yucky mess!!!) instead of gingerly painting the flakes with glue. Yes, it's a mess. But it's faster. And stiffer.

Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

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Friday Fabulous

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Soap Opera

It began so innocently. We were visiting Lizard's parents in 2022, when it was safe to be in the limited company of trusted others again, when I received an email from a favorite quilt shop advertising the cutest table topper kit. Lizard's mom's favorite color is teal, and her entire house has a western theme. I showed her the ad, and she fell in love with the table topper. I ordered the kit. It arrived at our house the day after we returned home. I couldn't wait to get started!

I was so excited to make something Lizard's mom might actually like. She loved the advertisement photos of the project, and she commented how perfect the table topper would be for her dining room. Unfortunatley, I was so excited, I didn't thoroughly read the instructions. I ran out of fabric and had to order more because I cut 2.5-inch strips instead of 1.5-inch strips. In my defense, I think the larger strips show off the fabric far better.

I made a HUGE table topper! I presented it to my mother-in-law on Mother's Day. Thankfully, her table wasn't too small for the giant. (I'd made one of like size from stash leftovers for my mom in her favorite color, blue, and she loves it, even though it is as big as her little table for two.) Lizard's mom asked if I could make a smaller one, too. I bought more fabric to comply.

I presented the smaller table topper to her later that year for her birthday. She loved it. She still uses both but favors the smaller one. I had enough leftovers to make a third table topper in the smaller size for my Etsy shop. (I loved the pattern so much, I made a dozen more table toppers from various stash for my Etsy shop. Only five remain!)

My mother-in-law loved the fabric of the table toppers so much, I decided I would try to teach her to quilt. I bought a yard each of two of the teals in the Home on the Range fabric line and a charm pack. I thought one teal might make a great backing, making the quilt reversible. I cut the background teal into charms, and we returned at Christmas to help Lizard's mom make a cute quilt with fabric she liked. Even Lizard was going to help, if he could. I'd been trying (unsuccessfully so far) to get him back into quilting as part of his art therapy.

The Christmas visit didn't go as planned. We encountered some resistance every time we tried to sit down to the sewing machine. Finally, Lizard's mom confessed she did not want to learn to quilt. She said she's an old dog and doesn't want to learn a new trick. I was pretty discouraged because I'd done all this prep work for her. I decided I'd make the quilt for her. Maybe I could teach Lizard to longarm again so he could quilt it for her... I hoped she'd still like it, even if it wasn't her own creation. I even found a fat quarter bundle of coordinating solids, and I bought it, thinking I could make the quilt larger than lap-size.

Along came a variety of health challenges for Lizard, his mom and his stepdad, plus, Lizard unexpectedly lost his stepsister just a few months later, and then I unexpectedly lost my dad six months after that. All the stress accelerated Lizard's Parkinson's. I don't think I touched my longarm or my sewing machine for two whole years, except for emergency clothing repairs on the fly. Life seemed so non-stop out-of-control. I began feeling guilty for not finishing that quilt while Lizard's mom could still enjoy it. I think it became my most dreaded project. I got depressed every time I walked by the quilt-in-waiting.

A few months ago, I learned my neighbors were expecting their first child, and they were decorating his nursery with a western theme. I thought (hoped) I'd have enough Home on the Range leftovers to make a baby quilt. That meant I'd have to finish at least the flimsies for my mother-in-law first so I'd know how much fabric I'd have leftover and if it would be enough. I found charm squares AND one layer cake of the Home on the Range line, even though it's going on four years old now. I was SO tempted to order another charm pack and a yard of background fabric so I could make a matching quilt for the baby.

Especially after I finally finished piecing my mother-in-law's quilt top! Man, did it ever come out cute! Much cuter than expected, too. I still got depressed every time I looked at the stack of fabric, but, man, did the finished quilt top improve my quilting attitude! I was able to get a little more size out of the charm squares by incorporating all the teal squares in the charm pack (and cutting a few more), which I had not planned to do in the original MIL quilting lessons design. (I originally had wanted to keep it simple so she wouldn't get frustrated and not want to finish.)

Next came the backing for the first quilt. I didn't have enough of any single fabric for an entire backing, and I've always been a fan of pieced backings anyway. I decided to try to use up as much of the teal as possible because it's Lizard's mom's favorite color and to get rid of the fabric I couldn't stand to look at for so long. I am so pleased with how the backing turned out! (And I used up almost all of the teal!!! There's just enough left for the binding.)

I was beyond tempted once again to buy another charm pack and another yard of background fabric (which was still available online in two different shops) so I could make another top similar to the first one, just in a different color scheme. (The dark brown and cinnamon burlap weave prints are still available in yardage.) I didn't do anything for two days because I was fighting the almost overwhelming urge to buy more fabric. Finally, I decided to cut up my leftovers into six-inch squares and use the coordinating solids to make my own non-standard charm squares. And to use up as many of the leftovers as I could.

I'm not sure now which top I like better because they both came out SO stinking cute. (Plus, I twice resisted the fierce impulse to buy more fabric!!! YAY!!!!!) I had one full yard left of one boot fabric, so I cut it up and pieced in stitched leftovers from the table toppers to create another GREAT backing. Now I just have to quilt. Home stretch!!! I can finish up at least the baby quilt in a couple of days. I can take my time with the MIL quilt because I will give it either as a birthday present or a Christmas present. The pressure is gone. I'm hoping if I give it enough time, I won't hate the fabrics anymore, and the rest of the chore will be fun. How can I not love quilting such adorable quilts?!?

Linking up with Alycia Quilts.

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