Sublime Stitching

Hello there!
Today I'm blogging about hand stitching. I absolutely LOVE it. I'm still not very great at it, but it's something I'll have to practice more at. That means, I'll have more stuff to decorate my walls with!! I'm excited about that! We don't really have much on our walls, and I'd love to have them almost covered.
So I do have one finished project I was able to get a picture of. It's the white rabbit from Bad Birds blog. It's a free pattern and they're great for taking them and changing them just a tad. Here's what I came up with

Now, I didn't change the pattern a lot, just a little.

So, I got some books with patterns for hand stitching. Here's a great site for pretty much everything you need to start and finish your hand stitching projects. Plus there's so much free info on their, it's really worth checking out. Here you go, Sublime Stitching. There's really so much cool stuff there. It really makes you feel comfortable about starting a new craft. So if you're not into hand stitching because it's never been something you tried, just give it a shot. You don't know how awesome you'll be at it, if you don't try it, at least once. At best, you have an awesome piece to give as a gift, frame for yourself, or sell. At worst, you have something you tried and found out if you liked it or not. I hope you enjoy yourself with any project you try. So, I encourage anyone that happens upon this blog, to try something new! Share your progress or your issues with it!! There's bound to be someone that can help you! And if you're not a skin, we can't help.

Until next time,

Tonya @Woollyghoulie

Hand Stitchery

I've been getting back into hand embroidery the last couple of days. I found a blog, BadBirds, and there's a bunch of cute and free patterns. I fell in love with the rabbit patterns. They're adorable, kinda creepy and simple. Perfect for me, because I'm not very good at the stitching thing just yet. I really enjoy it, it's relaxing, and you can pretty much stitch whatever it is that you want. I've just been stitching for my personal use  because, like I said, they're not very good. I'll have a couple samples of my work here in a couple days. I have ordered some books, to help me out with the details. They have patterns and tips and tricks! I'll be posting about them too. I'm really excited about those books. I do have a couple other books on hand embroidery and cross stitch, I'll dig those out and share them with you also. There's a bunch of cool cross stitch patterns that are more modern and creepy. I'm really excited about that! I can't to get some patterns stitched up, and even start making my own!

On another note, I will be crocheting some wash cloths, face wash cloths and dish cloths soon, and posting them with the stitches I use. I can tell you this, they'll be simple, cute and cotton. I think that cotton is best for wash cloths.

So there's some things to be looking for from yours truly!
Until next time,
Tonya@Woollyghoulie

Crochet with Color

I got a new book today! It's called Crochet With Color ,25 Contemporary Projects for the Yarn Lover by Kazuko Ryokai.

I LOVE this book! It's full of info on how to read charts, not just written out patterns. There's pictures and very detailed instructions for every pattern. There's cute pictures of this adorable little girl wearing her crocheted accessories and loads of other colorful pictures.
I got this from Amazon.com and I ordered it used, from someone with great feedback. If you're crafting on a budget, I suggest doing that. Used is just as good as new, as long as you do your research on who you're buying from. Just read the feedback.

I also found this from Urban Threads

It's an embroidery pattern that I think is probably the coolest one I've ever seen. I plan on ordering this and getting it done sometime this spring. I love doing hand embroidery, even though I haven't mastered it yet. It still turns out pretty neat. It's a lot of fun when you wing it, but I like to work with patterns, because I'm not very good at drawing my own designs. There's a butt ton of sites out there to help you learn the stitches and knots and how to get started and what you need. There's probably videos on YouTube also. Just check it out, start out small and give it a go. What's the worst that can happen? Yarn poke your finger or you just don't like it. You won't know until you give it a chance. Who knows, it might be your calling. Just try new things and enjoy yourself!!
Until next time,
Tonya @Woollyghoulie
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Granny Square-O-Rama!!!

Granny Squares are an easy crochet pattern for anyone with some yarn and a hook. I like them because I can knock them out in hardly any time and use whatever color scheme I want. I can keep email all the same, or change them up. I can make them as small or as big as I want. I can put them in any pattern I want, it's all up to me. The granny stitch is pretty versatile on its own. You don't have to keep it square. Make as many corners as you can, or keep it round. Use different yarns for different textures, just as any other stitch.
The squares I've got here, are for a blanket I'm making for our bed. It's going to be very vivid and bright and awesome.
I've been using Schachenmayr Original Bravo yarn for this project. The same yarn I use  to make the perfect triangle scarf I posted about before. Same colors too! I love this yarn so much. It's an acrylic DK weight yarn made in bright colors. I order this yarn from Craftsy. It's usually on sale, and I can get it a decent price. They've listed other yarns made by Schachenmayr also.
To make these granny squares, I've been using a size D/3 hook. I really like the stitch tightness with this yarn and hook together. Smaller hook doesn't work out, and neither does a bigger hook. So I suggest using a D Hook with this yarn.
Well, I hope this inspires someone to hook up a neat granny square blanket, top or pillow or something.
Until next time,
Tonya@Woollyghoulie

Tree Bark Planter

Hi folks!
I've been doing some time outdoors! The weather has been super lovely and bright, permitting some gardening. So my garden is tilled up, ready for some carrot seeds to be stuck into the ground. I have four trays of Zennias, different varieties, started and a tray of different varieties of sunflowers. Once these next few days have gone and passed with the cold weather, I'll be planting my bulbs! I have Double Freesias and Ranunculas to plant in an old rusty wheelbarrow we have. I have more sunflower seeds to plant, but I'll wait until the weather is a little better, that way I have sunflowers all spring and summer. I also have some extra Zennia seeds I'll start in a couple weeks, to give me different stages.

So with all of this dirt playing, I've done some crafting too. Not a bunch yet, with the garden, but there's one neat thing I'd love to share. It's a planter I fashioned together from tree bark and an old plastic pot. We had a log cut up in the back yard for our wood stove, and I used a section of it as a seat. Well, I noticed that the bark had begun to separate from the log. So I got it off in one piece and decided I wanted to do something with it. Paul suggested a planter, and I thought it was perfect. So I took my rotary tool, drilled some holes in it to lace it back together, and shellacked it to preserve the bark and stop any further breaking. Here's my outcome:

It will look much better when I get my plant in there. I'm not sure what I want to plant in it yet, maybe a fern or something else leafy and green. I'll share it once it's full. Also, I realize I did a sloppy job on the lacing, but I was just trying to get it to stay together. It broke off and I had to double lace it. I'll just put it towards the back. 

Well, I hope this got your mind going on how to get crafty in your gardens! Enjoy the weather, and get out of the house!!! 

Until next time,

Tonya@Woollyghoulie

New Crochet Book For Me!!!!

Hi folks!
  I received this awesome little gem in the mail about two weeks ago. It's called Mollie Makes Crochet 20+ cute projects for the home plus handy tips and tricks. It's a part of the Mollie Makes line. There are tons of different project books, for different types of crafting. There's a magazine out, mainly in England, I think. I would subscribe, but it's quite expensive being in the good ol' U.S. of A.

I read this book and browsed through the patterns. There are PLENTY of crochet patterns. There's over twenty things for the home to crochet. There's tons of info for the beginner crocheter and even the novice. I've been crocheting since I was a little girl, and this book told me a few thangs!!! There's a bunch of tips and ideas. This book is jammed full of visuals like charts and how to read them and projects that have been captured in a beautiful light. This is a book for the thrifty crocheter and the Hooker that wants a few thrifty looking items in their home to give it more of a comfy feel. I love this book. 

I got it from Amazon, and it was cheaper than the original listed price on the book. It's brand new, no missing pages or food stuck to it, so that's a big plus! 

Some of the patterns have me so excited!! Here's one I can't wait to get started on! 

 Three Russian Dolls!! I love it!! I also love the little stories it gives you do each pattern. Kind of an idea where they creator got the idea. It's inspiring to read about other people coming up with these awesome patterns, and how they did it. 

So I give this book 5 Stars!!! I'd give it more, but Amazon won't let me. This is my new favorite book. I have a bunch of other crochet books I'll share with you at another time. But I highly recommend this book!!!! I might try to get my niece a copy for her birthday. She loves to crochet, but I think she likes videos. We'll see. 

Until next time,

Tonya@Woollyghoulie

Blankets and Gardening.

Up until a couple days ago, I was crocheting my fingers to the bone! I made my step dad a blanket for his birthday. It was a simple blanket, but it took me an entire week to crochet, at a non stop pace. My hands were so sore, I almost stopped. But, I did finish it, it turned out great, I completely forgot to get pictures of it, but maybe my mom will send me some once they get their camper completed and put the blanket in there. It's a NYJets themed camper, so I made the blanket with that in mind. I do have a small peak at the stitch I used throughout the whole thing.. here, take  look see.

This is actually the backside of it. Ha! I'm sorry, folks. I just took a quick picture to show my mom. Once you look at it from the right side, the white doesn't show so much. I used a mixture of the spike stitch and granny stitch. It will be a VERY warm blanket. But what are blankets for? 

I'm working on my mother's blanket still.. the mixed stitch one from before Christmas. It is taking so long, because  I have had to put it aside to get other things done. And it's going to be huge. She will get it. One day. I promise! 

I have been making some granny squares on the side, for another blanket I'm working on. But it's just when I'm taking breaks from my other projects. 

Aside from crocheting, I did get some seeds started yesterday! Zinnias!!! Giant Zinnias!!!! I'm really excited to see what they're going to be like in the garden this year. I'm going to have plenty of flowers, some veggies and some shrubbery planted this year. We need to get our yard looking like a yard instead of a mud hole. We will be fencing in the back half of the yard for the dog, and I'll have some plants back there, but not too much. Don't want him to shred everything up. 

I have some things I've got to work on, projects to finish, stuff I want to start on, but it's just going to make some time. I hope you all have been doing great, enjoying the warm weather, if you're getting any, and if not, I'm sorry. 

Have a great day!!! 

Until next time,

Tonya @Woollyghoulie