Little Granny Christmas Stocking

I made this one with WW and an H hook and it's 5" from toe to top.

ch 5, join w slst to form ring.

Rnd 1 - ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 2, (3 dc in ring, ch 2) x 4, join w slst to top of beg ch-3.

Rnd 2 - slst to ch-2 sp, slst in ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in same sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in nxt ch-2 sp, ch 1] x 4, join w slst to top of beg ch-3.

Rnd 3 - slst to ch-2 sp, slst in ch-2 sp, ch 3, 4 dc in same sp, ch 1, 3 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 1, [(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in ch-2 sp, ch 1, 3 dc in ch-1 sp, ch 1] x 4, join w slst to top of beg ch-3. Do not FO.

Rnd 4 - slst to 3rd st of "ch 3, 4 dc" shell of prev rnd (= toe), fold work in half, ch 1 , turn, sc in same st, sc halves together thru matching dc or ch-1 sp, 2 sc in "heel" corner, cont up side, 1 sc thru both top ch-2 sp, 1 sc in front ch-2 sp only, sc in ea st/sp around top of stocking to ch-2 sp, for hanging loop: ch 10, slst in base of ch-10. FO.

Copyright © 2009, Judy M Kerr. All Rights Reserved.

Problem (yours or mine)? - email me.

Merry Christmoose!

I have decreed that, this year and henceforth, the Christmas Season officially "kicks off" on the evening of 5 December (St Nicholas Day Eve). My mother was German and we always celebrated Nikolaustag when my brother and I were little. So - I may write some cards and wrap some pressies prior to the 5th but no decorations come out and no fruitcake gets eaten!

This morning I was in town posting some cards and looking for stick-on bows (why does everyone sell the nasty metallic ones and not the nice satin-type anymore?) when I popped into one of the charity shops. They had all their Christmas-y stuff together in a big display, but I went to the back looking for yarn (as I always do). There, stuffed in with all the other soft toys, was a little moose. He had a plain brown gingham bow around his neck but I knew immediately he was in the wrong place. He was a Christmoose!

I coughed up the £1.30 ($2.14), hurried home with my prize, ditched the gingham and dug out a proper Christmas bow. I can't tell you how silly-excited I get every time I catch a glimpse of him.

It's Chriiiiiiiist-maaaaaaaaas!!*

*Just in case there's anyone left out there who doesn't know: Noddy Holder at the end of Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody"

Garland

All men's miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room alone.

-- Blaise Pascal

"Letter to a dead husband: 11 November 1933"

Blessed are the peacemakers
Dear Arthur
Just wanted to let you know
that I’ve joined the Co-op women’s guild,
that we’re making white poppies for peace...
It started when Miss Millar
made her own, from white paper
and ribbons - we copied her.
She says we’re carrying
‘cargoes of grief on our cardigans
in memory of husbands, sons, sweethearts...’
We still respect the red,
honour the dead - but have
made our pledge, no more war!
It's a bit radical though;
last week my friend Ivy Brown
lost her job ’cos she wore one.
You remember years ago
in church when we had our banns called
when the vicar read from Isaiah
nation shall not lift up
sword against nation
neither shall they make war anymore
well that's what this is about see.
Us women believe in peace,
that war shouldn't happen anymore;
This Armistice Day I wear it for you Arthur
even though it's fifteen years
since you've been gone.
I wear it for all the rainbows
you will never see, our beautiful daughter
you will never kiss
- the sons we never had.
Your loving wife
Mary.

-- Denise Bennett

Garland

It is wisdom to know others; it is enlightenment to know one's self.

-- Lao Tzu

Another long overdue FGX update

Here are some more Crochet Partners Friendship Granny Exchange squares I've received:
Top row: Basic Granny, Pumpkin Square, Basic Granny
Middle row: Solid Granny, unknown, unknown
Bottom row: Angel (Beata Ball), Little Boxes, "Debbie" (so named because I received it from Debbie W, liked it but didn't recognise the pattern and so set about working it out. If you recognise it please let me know where it can be found. Otherwise, I'll post my pattern for it sometime in the not too distant future.)

And the squares I've sent:
Top row: Scrappy Woven Marvel (Definitely Different Afghans by Diana Lynn Sippel, LA #1288), Camellia, Tibetan Prayer Flags (my own design)
Middle row: Willow (200 Crochet Blocks for blankets, throws and afghans by Jan Eaton), Postage Stamp (Artsy Afghans by Kathleen D Garen, LA #4592), Postage Stamp variation
Bottom row: Star Stitch, Puffs & Posts (sadly, this lovely pattern is no longer available online as the pattern has been sold), my design (doesn't even have a name )

I received my 42nd square back in April and started a 6x7 square afghan (with a wide border) in July (it had to wait until I'd finished another afghan!).
I'm using Priscilla Hewitt's Flat Braid join to join the squares and I really like how it's looking so far.

I Love the NHS

Greetings, American readers.

Things are going a little crazy in your neck of the woods. Just wanted to drop my 2¢ in here.

I lived in the United States for 11 years. Some of my family still does. I had really good medical cover through the company I worked for and, thankfully, never needed any major medical treatment. If either of those hadn't been the case, I might well not be "talking" to you now.

Our National Health Service (NHS) isn't perfect - no system ever is - but it's wonderful. If I come down with Swine Flu or get hit by a bus or need an operation I don't even have consider how much the treatment is going to cost me and whether I can afford it. I can concentrate on getting better.

My family has needed the services of the NHS on many occasions over the years, sometimes for very serious complaints, and I am thankful and grateful for the excellent care we have received.

And if you're not sure what I'm talking about, may I recommend Michael Moore's "Sicko"?

Stay healthy! xx

Know Thyself

Wandering the internet as I do, I regularly stumble across other peoples' avatars. I've always thought how nice it must be for them to have a little graphic Mini-Me that inhabits their cyber-world. I have coveted those avatars and have spent a fair bit of time working away on various avatar-creator websites in search of an image to call my own.

I have not been successful.

No matter how hard I tried, no matter how many noses and hairstyles I sampled, nothing I created bore the slightest resemblance to Me. Perhaps all those other avatars don't live up to their owners' expectations either. Perhaps they deliberately designed an "alter-ego" - a completely different and separate internet persona. Perhaps they just picked the best of a bad lot.

No, I have not been successful. Until now.

Yes, I have at last found perfection. The cartoon creation that captures my essence, my soul. The pixel portrait that would enable any of my readers to instantly recognise me should they ever pass me in the street.

And where did I discover the real me, you ask?

South Park.
I should have known.

Crocheted Baby Hat Pattern Links

I'm back with those pattern links I promised you in my previous post.

Top row, left to right:
1) Adjustable Ribbed Preemie Cap
2) Teresa's 10 Minute Preemie Hat
3) Bev's Newborn Roundie Hat
4) Stretchy Crocheted Hat
Bottom row:
1) Pattern on Ravelry - Andrew's Charity Hats group
2) Barb's Seamless Crocheted Baby Hat (flower pattern here)
3) Gotcha Covered #2
4) Pattern on Ravelry - xoxoMargot's Baby Hat

As of Saturday, 20 June Andrew had received 719 hats, and there are more on the way!

Update 23/6/09: 849!

Spiral Baby Hat

I've been inspired by a ten-year-old named Andrew to make baby hats for Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC (see his project page at DoSomething.Org and more info here at Ravelry). In the process of trying out the various lovely hat patterns I found online (pics and links to follow) I had an idea for this one:

Spiral Baby Hat
(American notation)

Yarn: Light 3 (Double Knit, Light Worsted)
Hook: G/4mm
Finished size:
H 4½”, W 5½ ”




Base:
Make a Magic Ring (instructions here) or ch 4 and join to form a ring.
1) In ring work sc, hdc, 10 dc – do not join but continue working around
(12 st)
2) Working in the back loop only (blo) 2 dc in ea st (24 st)
3) In blo (2 dc, 1 dc) around (36 st)
4 – 7) In blo 1 dc in ea st (36 st)
8) In blo dc in nxt 32 st, hdc in nxt 2 st, sc in nxt 2 st, slst into both loops of dc at beg of rnd. Finish off.

At this point my hat was 4½” high and 5” wide and looked a little too narrow. But once I worked the contrasting spiral stitches it stretched out to 5½” wide and looked more in proportion.

Contrasting Spiral:
Join the contrasting colour with a slst in the unused front loop of the first sc of rnd 1, ch 1; continue to (slst, ch1) in ea front loop to the edge of hat; continue pattern around edge working into both loops; end with slst into 1st slst at edge. Finish off. Pull the beginning tail thru the centre hole of the hat and weave in.

© Judy M Kerr, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Please email me if you spot any goofs or have any problems with this pattern - sofar_sogood at btinternet dot com

Andrew has been making hats himself on a knitting loom. His original goal was 200 hats by June 20, but he's had such a wonderful response from all the knitters, crocheters and loomers out there that he's topped that already. His new goal is now 500 hats! Piece o' cake.