suddenwhimsies

Inspiration-Hyperbolic Planes

As best as I can tell, this is some kind of mathematics thing. You can call it a hyperbolic plane, but I saw a flower pillow when I first read about this. Read more here.

The colorful one is a request from one of my daughters.

My coral reef is growing by the day. One day it will grow big enough to live in my bathroom. Until then, the kids are watching diligently, anxious for the day they can finally sink their little toes into the coral reef when they get out of the tub.

Here are the instructions if you wound like to crochet along with me!

Coral Reef Rug
I used two colors and alternated them between the rounds. By changing colors you are able to better keep track of what round you are on as well as how many stitches you've completed in each round.

Materials
D hook
4 skeins TLC Amore by Red Heart

Instructions:
Ch 2

Round 1: 6 sc in the first ch st. Sl st into the top of the first sc.

Round 2: Ch 1 by pulling through a loop of the new color (don't break off the first color). Sc around, sl st into the top of the first sc. 6 sc.

Round 3-7: Repeat round 2.

Round 8: Ch 1 by pulling through a loop of the new color. 2 sc in first sc, 2 sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc on next st, sc in next 2 sts, sl st into the top of the first sc. 8 sc.

Round 9: Ch 1 by pulling through a loop of the new color. *sc in next 2 sts, ch 2* Repeat the instructions between * * 3 more times.Sl st into the top of the first sc. Don't break off yet.

Joining: sl st to the ch 2 sp. ch 1. Line up two edges of two different rug units. Slip stitch along the edges joining the two units with 4 sl sts. Continue to join the rest of the rug together as you create more units.

And finally, some wonderful thrift store finds. These treasures are hand embroidered! I still haven't figured out what to do with them. I think I might frame them.

What Is It?

Hi Crafters!
What is it? Good question! I was shopping in Kroger a few weeks ago and saw the most awesome little bathroom rug. It reminded me of pictures I've seen of coral reefs. I wanted it. I really WANTED it.  The kids bathroom is done up in a colorful fishie motif and I thought that cute little coral reef bathroom rug was going to go perfectly-- until I looked at the price tag. Okay, at this point a familiar recurring sentiment passed through my brain, the one you all probably know as well--" I bet I can make something like that". I found the perfect yarn (TLC Amore by Red Heart), the right hook (D) and away I went. It's made of a bunch of individual units which are slip stitched together. If you would like to join me in making your own little coral reef, I will be posting the pattern soon.

Happy Stitching!

Meet Tyrone

Tyrone lives under the pine trees in our backyard. He's a very angry bunny. Last fall, it seems that a very mean lady (that would be me) harvested what he believed to be "his" garden.

Well, the lady (me again) was very sorry and crocheted him a sweater, hat and socks to make things up to him. It gets very cold here in Michigan.

Tyrone is not happy at all with his new clothes. It seems he's more of a black with red flames kind of guy rather than a stripe-y kind of guy. He also thinks the sweater is lame because it doesn't cover his belly button, and as my husband observed, "Tyrone needs pants."

I caught him in the act of ransacking my spice drawers. If you look closely enough to his outstretched arm you will notice a gesture involving a naughty finger.

He's trying to make off with some of my preserves. He's really a horrible house guest. I want to put him back outside but the kiddies are insistent on trying to convert him into a "good bunny".

The winter cleaning is going-------um, okay. This is what I'm up against folks! The bedrooms of my two oldest children could bring a grown woman to tears. I'm considering closing the doors and using the "forget-about-it" method.

Winter Clean Up

Hi Crafters!

I have always had an overwhelming urge to do a major cleaning and reorganization after the holidays. The cleaning bug never hits me in the springtime. I suppose I am too preoccupied with my garden planning and being outside to worry too much about the state of things on the inside.

 

This year I have resolved to better organize my crafting space - and keep it that way. Well, it's a goal anyway. You've got to have goals, right? So here's a nifty little idea I came up with to organize all of my crochet hooks, knitting needles and other crafting doo-dads.

This is a great way to recycle Campbell soup cans ( the base form of the cup). It looks like knitting at a quick glance, doesn't it? It's actually the crochet slip stitch worked in the round. The lining and the ties are made from a piece of linen I found at a thrift store (more recycling, Yay!) The tray/base is also crocheted with a piece of foam core inserted in the bottom to give it form. Lastly, I crocheted a rectangle piece and stitched it in over the foam core to finish it off.

Think Spring

 

We have been having some really wild weather here in Michigan. Not too long ago it looked like this:

 

Yesterday the temperature reached 60+ degrees. We even  had thunderstorms with tornado warnings! Very spring-like weather for the beginning of January! All of our snow is gone-much to the dismay of the kiddies! I am certain the snow will be back soon, in the meantime we are all enjoying the "taste" of spring.

 

Yes, this is my front door! Imagine my delight when I discovered my front door is made of metal! A nice place for an inspirational message. I'm already brainstorming to come up with ways to change the message with the seasons.

On a technical note:  The flowers and leaves are crocheted with cotton using a D hook. The center is a button that I've threaded with floss and then knotted. The stem is made of a chain of strung mini pony beads. The base is a large wooden bead.

Think Spring!

A New Year, A New Blog

Hello Crafters!

I have enjoyed crocheting since I was a little 7-year-old learning at the knee of my paternal grandmother! She taught me the afghan stitch and my first project was a hideous pink scarf that I made for my Mom for Christmas. You know how the afghan stitch curls? Probably not a good choice for a scarf, but my Mom (picture me chuckling at this point) "loved" it.

Ideas for new crochet projects pop into my head all the time (thus the name "suddenwhimsies"). I wanted to share my first whimsy of the year - a little birdie hand-warmer! Soon after the new year started we were hit with about 8" of snow. I had seen an idea for hand-warmers in a Martha Stewart Christmas publication a few years ago and loved the concept. She used little squares of fleece and blanket stitched the edges. She used pie weights to fill her version but I can't find the darn things anywhere -- or at least in any of the places I usually shop. So I decided to use rice instead.

Anyway, here's the idea-- the kiddies play outside in the snow and when they eventually come in the house, they drop all their gear on the drying rack while I pop the birdies in the microwave for about 30 seconds. They hold their heat for about 10 minutes and warm up those freezing little fingers--just long enough to prepare a nice cup of hot chocolate!

I played with another version right after Christmas. This little guy was crocheted and felted before his tummy was filled with rice. Yes, one leg is bigger than the others! Just consider it part of the charm of prototypes! The teddy bear was a hit with my teenager while the four-year-old and ten-year-old favored the birdie.