Monday, February 22, 2010

Show Business

- like no business I know.

Only now, I do!


Had 2 pieces juried into the Metaphoric Fibers exhibit at the Textile Center in Minneapolis.


The Show:

Promo Post Card


The pieces:

"Life Blood" and "Depression"


The artists:

That's me at the big blue arrow.


I have no idea if it is okay to post my photos of these pieces before the show, but I am too excited to hold off any longer.

I received notice of acceptance back in October and have kept it to myself for irrational reasons based on proven scientific superstition: "Don't talk about it or it might go poof on you."

Well, the pieces are at the gallery and I'm more happy than paranoid just now so I thought I'd share.

Although I can't make it to Minnesota for the show, I want to spread the word.

Come one, come all.

And if you would be so kind, I'd love to hear all about it.

Hook On
C

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day 2010

A little love never hurt anyone. Of course, there are consequences.

Kitty Valentine


At least they seem happy.

;-)

Hook On my lovelies.
C

Monday, February 1, 2010

Groundhog Day - Eve

I don't usually celebrate Groundhog Day - not much of a huge-family-fiasco/dinner-but-maybe-with-presents kind of day is it? But for a rodent, groundhogs are pretty darned cute and I love cute animals. I also love trying to make cute animals even cuter in an applique kind of way. So here's my contribution to the festivities. A day early but it's a fast pattern to work up. Available at Ravelry (or scroll down).

Hmm? I didn't crochet a little shadow to go with him but then maybe I'm hoping for a short winter? Not that it matters much in Texas. My apologies to the blizzard barricaded citizenry for gloating over our global warming flavored climate. Not so much joy in Summer, but in Winter... tee hee. No. No. Again, I apologize. ;-\ (Smirky McSmirkington) No. Really.

I better go while the getting is good.

Hook On
C



Groundhog Day CA Lira 2010


Yarn: Aunt Lydia’s Classic Cotton Crochet Thread – size 10
Colors: Copper Mist, black, Fudge Brown, Green, Ecru, White
Hook: size 9, 1.25 mm
Gauge: not important for this project
Abbreviations: chain (ch), slip stitch (slst), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc),
double crochet (dc), stitch (st), skip (sk), back loop only (blo), front loop only (flo), sc decrease (scdec)

Begins at top of head – text color matches diagram

With Copper Mist
1) ch 6, sk ch closest to hook, work 2 sc into next ch (the 2nd ch from hook), sc in each of next 3 chs, 2sc in last ch, ch1 turn,

2) 2 sc into 1st sc, sc into each of next 5 sc, 2 sc into next sc, ch1 turn

3) 2 sc into 1st sc, sc into each of next 7 sc, 2 sc into next sc, ch1 turn

4) 2 sc into 1st sc, sc into each of next 9 sc, 2 sc into next sc, ch1 turn

5) 2 sc into 1st sc, sc into each of next 11 sc, 2 sc into next sc, ch1 turn

6) 2 sc into 1st sc, sc into each of next 13 sc, 2 sc into next sc, ch1 turn

7-9) sc in 1st sc, sc in each of next 16 sc, ch1 turn

10) scdec across 1st 2 sc, sc in each of next 13 sc, scdec across last 2 sc, ch 1 turn

11-16) sc in 1st sc, sc in each of next 14 sc, ch 1 turn

17) scdec across 1st 2 sc, sc in each of next 11 sc, scdec across last 2 sc, end off.

With Black and in back loops only
18) on right side of body, count up 4 rows from bottom and attach thread with blo-sc into the side of stitch

19) working down along bottom of body, work 2 blo-sc into the side of next st, 2 blo-hdc into the side of the next st, 2 blo-sc into the top of the next st, blo-sc into the top of each of next 11 sts, 2 blo-sc into top of next st, 2 blo-hdc into the side of the next st, 2 blo-sc into the side of the next st, sc into side of next st, end off.

With Fudge Brown
20) attach thread into base of 1st black st on right hand side, slst into top of each st in rows 18 & 19

With Green in front loops only
21) attach thread into 1st slst on right hand side of row 20 with a flo-sc, flo-sc into each slst of row 20 (the free loop of the brown sts should be clearly visible) , end off.


Ears

-Right hand ear:

With Ecru
1) on the right hand side of head, count down 6 rows from top and attach thread with an sc into side of stitch

2) working back up along side of head, sc into the side of each of next 2 sts, ch1 turn

3) scdec across the 1st 2 sc, sc in next sc, end off.

With Copper Mist
4) attach thread with an sc into the base of the same st in row 6 as in step1

5) working back up along top of ear, space 5 sc evenly along outside of ear shape, sc into the head directly adjacent to ecru st, end off.

-Left Hand Ear:

With Ecru
1) on the left hand side of head, count down 4 rows from top and attach thread with an sc into side of stitch
2) working down along side of head, sc into the side of each of next 2 sts, ch1 turn
3) scdec across the 1st 2 sc, sc in next sc, end off.

With Copper Mist
4) attach thread with an sc into the base of the same st in row 4 as in step1

5) working down along top of ear, space 5 sc evenly along outside of ear shape, sc into the head directly adjacent to ecru st, end off.



Paws (make 2)

With Copper Mist
ch 5, sk 1st ch closest to hook, sc in next ch, dc into each of next 2 ch, sc in last ch, slst to end off, leave long tail

Use tail and a tapestry needle (or sewing needle with a large eye) to attach the paws to the bottom of the groundhog. Align the flat chain base of paw with the bottom of last row of Copper Mist on the body. The paws should extend out over the black, brown and green rows to create the appearance of little rodent hands resting on the edge of the hole. With black, straight stitch 3 vertical lines evenly spaced along each paw for toes (see photo).


Face

surface crochet = holding thread behind piece and using the crochet hook to pull loops through the piece up to the front so chain stitches can be worked on the surface of the piece – like embroidering, but with a hook. If preferred, embroider satin stitches with the crochet thread and a sewing needle with a large eye.

With Black

for eyes, surface crochet 5 chains into two tight black circles as shown in diagram over rows 6-8 and positioned as shown in photo

for nose, surface crochet 3 chains in a triangular pattern over rows 9 &10 as shown in diagram and positioned as shown in photo


With Ecru

surface crochet the muzzle shape starting at upper edge of left hand side of nose, using approximately 8 chain stitches work around in an oval shape down to bottom tip of nose and again using approximately 8 chain stitches work back up and around to upper edge of right hand side of nose in another oval shape as shown in diagram and positioned as in photo.


With Black

surface crochet 7 chain stitches between the bottom points of the muzzle shape creating a slightly curved smile



With White

surface crochet 6 chain stitches into each of the teeth shapes as shown in the diagram and as positioned in the photo

straight stitch two tiny lines in each corner of eye as show in photo for that glimmer of intelligent life