Come September

It's been an exciting Summer..

Lots of visiting and watching the 'little ones' grow. My 'littles' are not so little anymore. They have lives, careers and little ones of their own now!

Emily is moving from talented Songwriter to Performing her music at local events!

She started college 3 weeks ago and keeps a full-time job as Administrator and Construction Estimator (she works off blueprints).





Carl started with the same company when he was 15. Between the two of them, they practically run the place!

He has a beautiful family and has brought me a daughter-in-law that I absolutely LOVE like my own. He is a complete family man..all his dreams come true.

Owen is walking on his own now and, according to Momma, is fully embracing the 'terrible twos'.

He turned 1 yr old this summer.

Kyle and his wife Stephanie just celebrated their first year anniversary.

The Navy life seems to suit them well and they have made good friends in Georgia.

Zachary is our youngest and the only kidlet still left at home.

He's not very little anymore..he has mutton chops on his face that make full-grown men jealous! School has started again and it's looking to be a good year for him.

Hubby is working hard as always. The economy hasn't done us any favors this year. His employer had to drop their health insurance this past spring and the cost of food keeps getting more and more rediculous. He has had to change hobbies a couple of times to something more affordable and tries to keep a good attitude.

As for Issie and me? We've enjoyed traveling to Missouri this summer and keeping up with everyone. I started selling off our pottery collection on Ebay so she has had lots of opportunity to bark at the mailman, which she thoroughly enjoys.

Issie got her first summer haircut and discovered that she LOVES 'spa day' for doggies at the 'salon'..LOL She especially loves the little bandana they give her afterwards and won't let me take it off of her for days!

We are rearranging the house a bit to make room for a 50 gallon aquarium. I've had fish since I was 10 yrs old and now my husband has taken to the hobby as well..YAY!

We got the new 50 gallon aquarium from a neighbor for FREE a few weeks ago. It needed some cleaning up but it is really nice. We are having a lot of fun planning what is to go in it and how to decorate it.  I'll be trying my hand at aquascaping for the first time with this one.

My best friend has a new romance and it's looking to be a very good relationship for them both. He plays blues music on weekends at this little blues & bbq place right on the water at a nearby marina...which has led us to discover a favorite new hang-out. There wasn't much of that for us until now because of my anxieties..but I absolutely love this place. I feel comfortable and enjoy spending time with everybody there.

Speaking of best friends, her oldest daughter is ready to give birth to a new 'little' of her own! This will be her 4th and has been a high risk pregnancy so we've had a few scares and anxious moments throughout. Keeping this girl on bed rest is nearly impossible but we are trying. Here is a pic of her beautiful 'littles'

Turning to Crochet..it's time to get busy again...and that's always a happy thought.
I've got a hat and booties to get made for our newest 'little' and that needs to be soon!  Grandma Cari is making her blanket on the loom so I've got 'bootie duty' LOL

 My Facebook friend, Anne-Pia Hansen, is hosting a Challenge this month (September). She is Danish but don't let that slow you english-only speakers back..both Google and Bing have great translation tools.
I have never found different languages to be a problem for me because we all speak the common language of Crochet. If you doubt for one second that crochet is an official language, try reading a pattern or visit a crochet forum. Nobody understands yarn-speak like we do!

Just got the news..looks like I better get to hooking 'cause I'm gonna be late with those booties..

--WE ARE HAVING A BABY TODAY!--

The Mystery of Our Crochet History

How old is our beloved craft?

Where does it come from?

How did it develop?

Well.. there are no clear answers to any of those questions!

It is commonly accepted that there are no surviving samples of crochet prior to 1800. But it must have existed before that. I can find things as old as the 1800’s by visiting nearly any antique mall in the country.

Turns out it may be easier to find crochet in our own personal histories prior to 1800 than to find evidence of it elsewhere. If we can find artifacts of knitting and embroidery..and we have..then we should also find crochet..but we don’t. Does this mean that it didn’t exist?

Historian and textile scholar Ms. Lila de Chaves of Greece has concluded that “interlacing with loops was used by the people of the Neolithic Age before the discovery of the spinning wheel and as far back as 5,000 years B.C.”

She adds, “We refer to such pieces as knotless netting because the fibers are interlaced with each other and without the use of knots … identical to the technique of crochet…” (Talking Crochet Newsletter Copyright © 2013. Annie’s. All rights reserved.)

So there is evidence that Crochet existed, but no surviving samples. I am ready to accept that. It’s still curious that no samples have survived for us.

As to the theories…

The Crochet Guild of America links to a report/paper by Ruthie Marks “History of Crochet” that suggests crochet evolved from “a very ancient form of embroidery known in Turkey, India, Persia and North Africa, which reached Europe in the 1700s”. It was called “tambouring,” from the French word “tambour”.

This theory indicates that crochet existed prior to 1700 when it reached Europe.

Tambour is a French term meaning “drum”

According to this report, “a background fabric is stretched taut on a frame. The working thread is held underneath the fabric. A needle with a hook is inserted downward and a loop of the working thread drawn up through the fabric. With the loop still on the hook, the hook is then inserted a little farther along and another loop of the working thread is drawn up and worked through the first loop to form a chain stitch.

At the end of the 18th century, the background fabric was discarded and the stitch worked on its own. The French called this method “crochet in the air”. Crochet is a French term meaning “hook”..therefore to “hook in the air”.

It is thought that Irish nuns who were trained in a French convent introduced crochet to the poor in Ireland in the mid 1800’s. At that time “crochet was considered a pastime of the upper class, whereby they could create delicate and detailed items to decorate their homes or their clothing. “ (http://penniepackard.hubpages.com/hub/A-Brief-History-of-...) The demand for these finer things was great and the ‘Great Potato Famine’ meant hard times for everyone. It was cheaper to buy crocheted items from the county’s poor than to purchase imported thread and supplies to make their own. So our craft almost certainly brought in at least a meager income to a great many households during that time…and the intricate Irish Lace was born. Or so the story goes J

The earliest written reference to crochet comes from The Memoirs of a Highland Lady by Elizabeth Grant (1797–1830). It refers to slip stitch, or Shepherd’s Knitting.

Lis Paludan also discusses a slip-stitch fabric called “pjonting”. The earliest examples date from about 1820.

Personally, my crochet developed from watching my Aunties and enjoying all the beautiful crochet items in their homes. I was, and still am, amazed at the lovely designs that evolved from a single string on their hooks. When my mother learned, I begged her to teach me. I begged her until my father tired of listening to me and said to her “show her how” I remember the conversation. My mother replied that there was no way I could grasp this ..that I was too little. And my father said that it couldn’t hurt to show me how and if I couldn’t do it then fine!

But I could do it and I made my first granny square that day. I was four years old. I crocheted my mother’s scraps until my granny square was a fair sized blanket! I made a ripple afghan during my middle to teen years and it’s how I worked my way through those difficult growing times.

I am now the only crocheter in my family. My Aunts have all passed away. My mother long ago abandoned crochet for baking and basket making. My father is a wood worker and made our living making custom pieces. My sister is a professional long-arm quilter, my son is a painter and my daughter is a song-writer.

I am proud of them all and our artistic little family. But my only crochet friends are online despite the fact that our craft is growing in popularity.

Maybe it’s time that we all write down our own personal crochet history so there is less to speculate about in the future?

Fantastic June Crochet!

I've been out and about quite a bit this past month, so I really haven't done a lot of crocheting (just a little). 

My crochet buddies have been busy as ever though, so, today, I'm sharing what they have been up to this June!

First up..



We've got three great patterns by Dearest Debi

Freezie Star Wars Lightsaber Hilt

Cloth Pot Holder

Flower Bud Granny Square

                      

  These next five designs are from Sara Sach at Posh Pooch Designs 

        Opa's Hat              Dog Flag Bandanna     Sweet Treats Drawstring 

                     Summer Bucket Hat                           Cotton Table Runner

Next, I have five new projects from Celina Lane at Simply Collectible 

 Awesome Reflective Gear

Baby Rattle Blocks

Desert Hope Slouch Beanie

Not Granny’s Bangle Bracelet

Cutest Kittens Blanket

Rhondda Mol has four new patterns for us from Oombawka Design  

I Feel Pretty-Woman's Hat

Starlight Summer Shawl

Rhondda's Favorite Pot Holder

Waistcoat Stitch Pot Holder 

Jessie Anest Rayot, from Jessie At Home, has also just released this little gem, so I  squeezed it in! 

 And Rhelena Crochets offers her Easy Popcorn Bag Design at Crochet 'n Crafts 

I can't wait to see what July brings!

Tidbits and Life Hacks I was Happy to Discover...

I found myself wandering on the internet today and found some pretty helpful 'Life Hacks'...must share with you!

Do you know how to open any can during a zombie apocalypse? This guy does!



I wish I had known this early on, before I became a more experienced camper! How many times have you left home without the can opener?

I learned how to peel my Kiwis without totally making a mess of them too...same guy!



He has another video that shows you how to start a fire using steel wool and a cotton ball and a great many other things.

I also found this interesting tidbit...

...hmmm, kinda makes me think

Here's hoping you find these interesting too ...toodles!

Summer Love and Crochet Too!

I hope your Summer is as happy as mine!

I have been ...

Vacationing ...

Grilling ...

Emily Evans, we shall not speak about my burnt chicken LOL .. Thank You Carl Evans for being the true 'Grill Master' of our family!

Picnic-ing ...

Playing ...

Birthday Partying ...

Visiting Family ... 

Having Family Visit ...

Issie Dog got her very first Summer Haircut ever ... 

Long

Short

And I did manage to Crochet a few small items too ...

I made 4 of these Mug Hugs for 'The Girls' ..they have only been asking for some since Christmas! LOL

These are Can / Bottle Cozies for Summer Bonfires and Parties...

I also made some of these in Red, White and Blue using  "Chasing Chevrons" Glass Bottle or Soda Can Cozy Pattern by Jennifer Pionk.

I forgot to snap a picture of mine before I gave them to 'The Kids' but this is Jennifer's Picture.

The pattern is Great..I am definitely recommending it!

I'm thinking about making some more of the Chevron Cozies for our 4th of July Celebrations...and I want one of these too!  
 The pattern is by RepeatCrafterMe and is Free at her website.


I hope you enjoyed a peak at my Summer.  I have some more Fun Crochet Projects planned, so I hope to see you all again soon!