Mama Nettie's Crochet

"Every new beginning....

2018-02-23T01:04:00.000-06:00

comes with some other beginnings end"

Our marriage of 11 years has drawn to an end. It's the most heart wrenching thing I've ever experienced and I know that without my beautiful children I would have given in to depression and just lost myself over the last few months.

I know that God has a plan and He know's what's in store for us, but I struggle with how different my life looks than I had envisioned. My kiddos are taking it all in stride of course. The baby is the one that struggles the most. Me?....well....if I'm not crying my eyes out, then I feel this sense of numbness that I can't explain. I'm stuck in a lease that I cannot afford, with a job that I absolutely adore, but doesn't pay me enough money and offers me no paid time off in the case of this week when my children have so lovingly passed a stomach bug around between them.

I have no idea how ends are going to meet. The gap seems too huge to bridge, but in my experience, God wants things to look impossible so that He can show His power and grace. I'm clinging to that with the last little thread that I'm hanging on by right now.

I haven't written in so many years and the words flow freely from me now. I'm pouring out my pain in verse. Sometimes it feels like God is punishing me for making bad decisions, but then sometimes I think I initially make the bad decisions to punish myself....seems like I need some serious therapy. LOL.

My HR company actually offers therapy for free to employees and their children, so I'm going to get involved in that. My life has been a series of the most unlikely events you can imagine. I want a different life for my kids. I want them to know God's love and grace, and I want them to live in the knowledge of their salvation, not in the constant fear of it's loss. Even now as I'm typing this I can hear one of my boys talking in his sleep. Their innocence and brilliance takes my breath away every day. Their potential is incredible and I get to be their vaulting board! What an exciting privilege and challenge to raise these children to follow God and to make this world a better place.

I don't know if anyone out there still even looks at my blog. I haven't posted in so very long, but if you do and you're reading this, please add my family to your prayer list. I'll be sharing my writing. I don't want to say that I'll post every day, or even every week. It seems like anytime I make a commitment like that I fall short because of life getting in the way. I'm just going to say that any time I can get on and post, I will. And that I thank you for reading and for your prayers in advance.

"To Fall Asleep"
By Lynnette

It seems like every 15 years
My world just disassembles
And showered with my deepest tears
No longer self-resembles

Awakened in a different world
With shreds of past around me
There's nothing of the life I made
And terror tries to drown me.

I reach to pick the pieces up
Of all I've loved and lost
But every speck is glued down tight
And all the wires are crossed

I close my eyes and draw a breath
And listen to my heartbeat
Just grasping at my signs of life
...the will to move my own feet

It comes down to that moment
when I have to make the leap
Deciding that I want to live
Or just to fall asleep.

"It Wasn't Mine"
By Lynnette

There's this quiet numb confusion
and it sits and festers there
in that ball of absolution
underneath my pillow hair

Where my dreams were formed and crumbled
where my hopes have decomposed
where I hide my deepest sorrows
where my insurrection grows

I am cold and hot in tandem
I'm surrounded but alone
I have suffered through the growing pains
then found I haven't grown.

My intention was the distance
yet somehow I'm on a track
Making circle after circle
even when I've doubled back

Here I am at the beginning
when I've reached the finish line
I ran till my race was over
then found out it wasn't mine.

Something New!!!

2018-02-13T20:49:00.001-06:00

I'm sure someone has tried this before, but I've never seen it :) I'm primarily right handed...but I've been teaching crochet for 15 years or more, so I've developed the ability to crochet left handed. It is helpful to be able to demonstrate techniques when I'm teaching a left handed person. I was designing a baby blanket last week and thought..."what would it look like if I crocheted right to left with my right hand, but instead of turning the project when I reached the end...what if I crochet left to right with my left hand?" It's beautiful :) It looks a lot like something that is worked in rounds.

I'm calling mine "Front Side" crochet.

Daddy is Home!!!

2015-02-06T14:50:00.000-06:00

I don't know how someone's presence can affect you the way that it does, but I've been so very sick and still I've hardly slept without John here at the house. Even when I did sleep it was quite fitful and full of strange dreams. I'm over the moon with happiness!! My honey is finally home. We got to the house at 4:30 yesterday afternoon, had sandwiches for a snack and we were in bed by 5. I slept like a rock. We woke up at 9 and I made fajitas and we all sat down for a really late dinner and we were back in bed by 10:30. Last night...none of that dreaming and rolling around...I just plain slept like a rock. Thank you Lord for sleep!

So much has happened over the last couple of months that I'm not sure what you all might want to know. Just look at this sweet card that Little B made for daddy in the hospital. I'm really proud of how my little ones have rolled with the punches through it all. There are so many things that have been blessings to us through it all. I want to take a moment to dwell on these things and share with you all.

We have learned how to function better as a family. Where I used to scramble to keep our house all on my own and my children used to complain and scream when asked to do anything, now, everyone pitches in. John helps me to communicate with the kiddos better and I help him to communicate better. We are on the same page and our family is a team for the first time ever. My local friends have been to the house and each one of them has asked me "what's going on?! Your house looks great!" Last night when I made fajitas even little L ate the peppers and mushrooms and onions like a little champ! My children have learned to be thankful for every little moment and find joy in taking care of their things.

Little L is super proud that he made his own bed!

Most of you know that I've been a coffee fanatic since I was pretty little. In fact, my PawPaw used to dip my pacifier in coffee when I was a baby!! :) Coffee is one of those things that reminds me every day that Jesus loves me. I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, but I take a sip and every single time I think "Jesus Loves Me" I think he was thinking of me when he made the coffee bean back in the beginning. Anyway...I tell you all of that nonsense so I can show you this funny picture that cheers me up :) I found it on pinterest while not sleeping one night.

I've had an espresso machine at home for nearly 3 years now. It was something that I never would have purchased for myself, but John brought it home for me and learned how to work it just so that he could show me and I wouldn't get frustrated. Well...on Thanksgiving day my espresso machine burned out, and that man drove to Wal-Mart and got me a cheap one to hold me over until tax return and he has been shopping for a nice one for me ever since!! He doesn't even drink coffee....it's just for me and to make my business run better. I teach crochet over coffee. I'm a future director with Mary Kay and I do a lot of training around my table over a cup of coffee just because my husband has made it a delicious place to have coffee!! Thank you Honey.

This string of events has resulted in a deep soul search for me. Thankfully my friend and colleague Ayla Kimmel had already set me to work on a soul search. She asked me "Nettie, what do you want your life to look like when you're dying and looking back on it?" That's not something I've ever written down before. I had a general idea...but nothing in writing or even in an organized thought.

I really didn't know where to start when Ayla told me to think about it, so...being a Mary Kay Business owner, the words of Mary Kay Ash came to my mind. "Don't go to bed without writing down your 6 most important things for tomorrow. It will get them out of your head and on paper, give you a sense of purpose when you wake up, and ensure that you don't forget anything." so I thought, why not make a "6 most important things that I want my life to be" list. So that's were I started!!

1. I want my life to be JOYFUL

2. I want my life to be FAITH BASED

3. I want my life to be FAMILY ORIENTED

4. I want my life to be FUN!

5. I want my life to be FULL OF LOVE

6. I want my life to be WORTHY of the legacy that I leave my children

While laying in bed...coughing so hard that I saw spots, and I thought my head would explode...I have to be honest...I thought "what if I don't get through this? What if John doesn't get through this? Have we lived a life that we can be proud of?" It was quite a great realization that we have accomplished every single thing on my 6 most important things list!! It's not as pretty as I'd like it to be, but it's all there, and in all honesty I don't think that it was all there before this time of crisis hit us. We have grown more than I can express.

Thank you to all of you who have taken the time to pray for our family. Please don't slow down the prayers. I will keep updating you all on this blog. I was making a list and it's pretty funny: In the last 8 weeks we have had 2 broken bones, 2 cases of strep, 4 ear infections, 2 cases of the flu, 2 broken appliances, 1 house flood, 1 infected bug bite, 3 cases of pink eye, 2 cases of bronchitis, 1 week of severe diarrhea, 2 cases of chronic constipation, 2 surgical procedures, 4 trips to the ER, 5 trips to Temple, 1 hospitalization, and 1 chest x-ray! LOL What's Next?!!! Please don't stop praying!! We love you all. Thank you again.

Nettie

Remington Roller Coaster

2015-02-03T20:15:00.002-06:00

On December 7th my sweet husband John took on the task of getting the holiday decorations out of the attic. On his first trip he brought down our old Christmas tree with all of the bright colored lights. I put it together and set it all up and realized that some of the lights didn't work anymore, so I asked him if he'd get the other Christmas tree down for me. The kiddos were having fun decorating the broken one, but I figured I'd get the other one set up and they could help me move the ornaments and all. So up he went again. It was a great Sunday afternoon. We had all been a tad sniffly so we stayed in and had a family day. We were ALL in our PJ's. The scene was perfect for Christmas decorating. Music was playing, I was finishing up the dishes, and the kiddos were clearing the spot for the tree when we heard the crash.

It was surreal. I ran, wet hands and all, to the hallway. We have had the same ladder for years. John used it for installing dish network years ago and we've just always had it. Just a note of caution....ladders get old and their latches get faulty. I looked into the hallway and my husband was standing there with both hands held up in front of him and his arms were bent in the wrong places. He was very clearly in shock and looked like he would pass out any second. Shoes were stuck on without socks and I grabbed the keys and we were out the door to the emergency room.

This is his right arm. It looked worse than the left, but the break was a bit cleaner. It only needed one surgery. The left one...pictured below...had to have 2 surgeries.

His very swollen hand is to the left of the picture
and the right of this picture is toward his elbow.

It took a little over a week to get in to see an orthopedic surgeon. We were very frustrated. There was no relief for John's pain and he was so obviously broken and needed to be put back together. When we did finally see a surgeon he referred us to a specialist in Temple, at Roney Bone Institute with Scott & White.

Finally we got straight talk from a doctor. We saw Dr. Daniel Stahl. He was/is amazing. He sat down across from us both and said "You are in this for the long haul. Surgery can be done anytime within 3 weeks of the actual break before you have to worry about re-breaking anything, and surgery is NOT going to make you feel any better. In fact, it will make you hurt worse for a while. The purpose of the surgery is not to make you feel better, it's to make you heal better." That was our consultation with him. The surgery was scheduled for the following Monday.

My sister an her family were able to be here during that surgery and take care of getting B and E on the bus and off the bus. They brought their children so little L had playmates. John's surgery took 4 hours and his recovery took nearly as long. So it was all day before I got to see him. He has had previous breaks in his right hand from wrestling in high school, and for some reason the surgery exacerbated the pain from those injuries. They tried multiple pain meds and finally resorted to doing a nerve block in the right arm to get him out of excruciating pain. Eventually we were sent home with instructions to keep the arms dry and move the fingers every day. That was going fairly well when John began to develop a sore throat...

After about 3 days he had gotten to feeling so badly that we had to get him to the doctor. Much to our dismay, he had Strep. I was also running a fever, so they went ahead and put us both on antibiotics.

It was Christmas break for the kiddos so we had them all at home with us. We were trying to get ready for Christmas and little L's birthday was on the 21st... All of the days are running together a little bit for me now. John had his 2 week checkup at Scott and White locally, so that we didn't have to drive to Temple. It was supposed to be routine. He just needed a couple of xrays and casts to replace the ace bandages since the swelling was down. The kiddos and I sat in the waiting room while he went in. 20 minutes turned to 30 minutes....and 30 minutes to an hour...then an hour and a half. During which time little E began crying that his tummy hurt. I was holding him and he was moaning and crying. John had forgotten his phone, so I couldn't reach him to tell him that something was wrong. Finally he came out...not because he was done, but because he needed his phone. E's fever had spiked really high and John's nurse walked us around to the ER in the same building...while John stayed to finish his appointment.

Long story short, E had the flu and severe constipation. And while I was getting that news, John was learning that his right arm was better, but the left wrist had collapsed again. We had to make another trip to Temple to consult with Dr. Stahl. L was with us when we went, so John went in alone. When he came out he was distraught. They told him that it looked bleak. That they weren't sure that they could do anything else other than fuse the joint...which would make him lose ALL movement in his wrist. Later that night, Dr Stahl called John on his cell phone. Long story short, he had spoken to another specialist and they had an idea. They wanted to take a chunk of bone out of John's hip and graft it into his wrist.

3 days later we were in Temple again for the surgery. Going in, they informed us that there were several possibilities of what they might find when they started surgery. We trusted Dr Stahl and gave him written permissions to make important decisions regarding the hip bone and how to best repair the crushed wrist joint. I sat in the waiting room drinking coffee and crocheting for 3 hours. They didn't end up cutting into John's hip. I was so very relieved about that. He was already in so much pain. It was nearly unbearable for me to see him hurt like that, and the thought of them causing pain elsewhere was excruciating to me. They ended up packing the joint with sterilized ground cadaver bone.

They used a bar like contraption to ratchet the joint to the right angle. When they finished the surgery it looked really good to Dr Stahl so they left the contraption on for 3 weeks to give the bone a chance to get a good head start in healing before removing the screws.

My Aunt Tammy came and took the kiddos to visit with the rest of my family and have New Year's and a belated Christmas celebration while John was having his surgery. It was so amazing to know for sure that the kiddos were in good hands and also to have a couple of days of quiet to get John used to the external structure that was on his arm. As you can imagine it was a psychological challenge for him...and I guess for me as well considering that it was my job to remove the bandages and clean the screw holes 2 times a day.

E got what everyone thinks was a mosquito bite while he was at my folks and it got continually bigger until he got home, and B came home with an absolutely terrible cough, a fever, and a sore throat. I took them both to the dr the next day and E had a secondary infection with his bug bite and B had a sinus infection. They both needed antibiotics...and neither could go to school for a few days.

B and E both returned to school that Thursday and Thursday afternoon they both came home miserable. It was back to the dr again on Friday. B had the Flu this time and E and L both had ear and sinus infections.

None of which stopped them from enjoying eachother's company....as you see in the photo below.

On the 31st of December I walked into the boys room to a squishy soggy floor. The dishwasher had sprung a leak and had to be unplugged for a couple of days....AND my dryer quit working and had to be repaired.

Through it all we have kept our smiles secured in place and enjoyed spending time together. It's been soul cleansing to have these few weeks at home with John and the kiddos...

It has been a roller coaster, but we have been closer as a family than ever before. I keep waiting for the challenges to slow down a little bit and I keep aiming my chin to heaven and praying my heart out for my beautiful little family....and the challenges keep coming.

As the kiddos began to get better, John started a deep scary cough in the night and his fever spiked. He was diagnosed with bronchitis ...very nearly pneumonia. A few days later I started having a severe stomach issue along with a sore throat terrible cough and headache. I was in the bathroom 25 times in 3 hours and there was no sign of anything slowing down. I was vomiting and having diarrhea, completely unable to retain any fluids at all..... We had to take me to the ER for an iv of fluids and blood testing. It was not the flu, but it was viral. Nothing to be done but stay hydrated.

One week later my stomach was better, but there was no improvement with the cough and congestion. I went back to the Dr and she prescribed antibiotics. The day that I finished the antibiotics...yesterday...we ended up taking John to the ER for severe abdominal pain. We thought that he had a blockage as a result of eating too quickly since he had gastric sleeve surgery a few years ago, but when we got there it turned out that his liver enzymes are elevated and his gallbladder is full of sludge. They still don't know what is going on exactly, but they admitted him to the hospital and he has been there 2 days now with no real end in sight. I'm still coughing uncontrollably and struggling with chronic chest congestion so today, between visiting John at the hospital and consulting with his doctors and caring for the kiddos, I had to go in for a chest x-ray...they think that I may have pneumonia.

We also kept a friend's dog for a few days while she went out of town and the dog ate a pair of my shoes and chewed the cord off of my vacuum cleaner....so...yeah...

Anyway, long story longer....I'm sharing all of this to ask you all for your prayers and thoughts over the next little while.

Wake up Mama Nettie....

2014-05-28T13:37:00.000-05:00

Live and enjoy life!!!

Thank you to all of you who have continued to check on me over the last few years. I've been so very out of pocket!! Here's a recent picture of B, E, and L!! Unbelievable right?!

Here's one of the projects that I've been working on over the last few months! Let me know if there's any interest in a pattern! I've got it written....that will prompt me to take the time to type it out!! :)

Today Maya Angelou passed away. She was a stunning person with such a beautiful mind and heart. She inspired me in so many ways, and her words touched my heart. When I heard that she passed on to be with God, I was convicted. I've been writing for so many years and I allowed life to stop my sharing! One thing that Ms. Angelou never ever did was allow life to stop her sharing her talents and touching peoples hearts!! Never again. So, Maya Angelou, wherever your beautiful spirit is today, thank you for being an inspiration to so very many exceptional people, and thank you for being an inspiration to me. May God rest your soul Sweet Lady.

In honor of Maya Angelou, I am going to share the last few years of my life with you one day at a time thru poetry. I'd love your comments. I believe the beauty of poetry lies in the eye of the beholder. That means that the state of my heart when I wrote it has less impact than the state of your heart when you read it. Share with me?? I want to know what it means to you.

Bound

By: Nettie

Weakness is the largest word I’ve ever tried to swallow.

I cannot seem to make its bitter taste go down at all.

I want to stand, I want to move, I want to give, to love, to live

I yearn to care for everyone and so I say “to hell with it”

I stand up and I take a step and tremble till I fall

And those who don’t believe me think I never stepped at all

I cry until my eyes swell shut because I’ve let them down

Then I reset my shining smile, refuse to wear a frown

My head pounds and my body shakes and no one can say why

My options may be limited, but the options are still mine

I choose to stand in times I can, and not sit idly by

There’s not a use in wallowing, though sometimes I may cry.

There’s strength inside this weakness, once it’s finally swallowed down

Accepting it and living still, is in itself a crown

And I will find the light in it, for there’s light to be found

For there’s a Savior died for me and onward I am bound.

Sunday Morning

2012-08-20T20:26:00.001-05:00

We made Allergy Friendly donuts...They were free from Milk, all dairy, Nuts, Wheat, Eggs, and Soy. They turned out really yummy so I thought I'd share!

This is my allergy friendly biscuit recipe, modified to make donuts. If there's a * beside it then it's a modification. Remove all of the modifications for yummy biscuits :)

Here's the recipe:

Mix these Dry Ingredients in a large bowl:
2 C Oat Flour
2 C Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
2T Baking Powder
2tsp Baking Soda
1tsp Salt
*1/4C Sugar*

2/3 C Butter Flavored Crisco
After mixing dry ingredients well, drop by small bits into mixer as it goes. (Or mix in with a fork or pastry blender)

Add:
1 1/2 C Rice Milk - vanilla or plain
2tsp Vanilla extract

Mix until it feels like regular biscuit dough. Pull off pieces and shape into donuts. Roll donuts in powdered sugar and lay on greased baking sheet. (At this point I covered mine and kept them in the fridge overnight so I could pull them out and put them in the oven fast the next morning.) Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.

Heat 1/8 cup of water for 2 mins in the microwave. Add 1 tsp vanilla and whisk in powdered sugar until it reaches a good consistency for icing. Dip donuts in icing while they are still warm and serve :)

On a crochet note!!! I sold a baby pod to another wonderful photographer this week! I included a hat just for kicks and he did something great with it. It was one of those elf hats that had the long braided tail on the end and he tied it in a knot! It turned out so cute!!! Check out the pictures!

My Dr appointments are this week so keep me in your prayers, and as usual...Happy Hooking to all of you!

Mama Nettie

Just a little blip

2012-07-30T13:58:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone! I know I've been a bit out of touch. I'm dealing with a few health issues. I'm sure that we'll talk more about them later on, but for now let's just say that I've fallen into the "Mommy Trap" and haven't been taking as good of care of myself as I should have been, so my immune system is not on track.

The doctor has put me on an almost 100% Super Foods Diet! Here's a LIST if you're interested in checking it out. It's really yummy and I've had fun finding recipes. I'm sure I'll be sharing some. It's been exciting and a bit challenging combining my already complicated grocery shopping for L's food allergies with my list of Super Foods :) But I did it!! Go Mommy!!

On a crochet note, I got an email today that included this really neat video on how to change colors without using knots at all! Check It Out! I think I'm going to start using this technique! It is super easy and actually looks faster than tying a knot! One thing that I've discovered that I'm not sure many people do unless they sell their work to people who do not crochet or knit, is that when you hide your ends, if you put a tiny drop of fray stop on the tip of the yarn and then stretch the project to pull the tip inside the stitches and hide it, the fray stop locks it in place and then, in my experience, even in the wash it doesn't come out unless you want it to. You can still pull it out of course, should you so desire, but it will not come out of it's own accord. :)

Happy Hooking,
Mama Nettie

Lovely Lace Pattern Stitch

2012-06-12T23:11:00.000-05:00

I saw a beautiful cardigan on a lady at church on Sunday and thought, I need to try to make a stitch that is similar to that! The fabric of her cardigan was crocheted pentagons which was beautiful and definitely doable, but this is the first pattern that came to me, and I think it's really pretty and worth sharing!

I worked my swatch in Sinfonia thread with a size F hook, but it will work up beautifully in whatever thread you love...so as I always say, use what you love to make something you love for someone you love and love every stitch!

So Here Goes:

Chain multiple of 4 +1

Row 1: hdc in 3^rd ch from hook, hdc across

Row 2: ch 2, turn, hdc, ch 4, sk 3, (2 hdc in next stitch, ch 4, sk 3) across, hdc in last 2 stitches

Row 3: ch 1 turn, sc, (ch 2, sc in ch 4 space, ch 2, sk hdc, sc in hdc) across

Row 4: ch 5, turn, sk sc, 2 hdc in sc, (ch 4, sk sc, 2 hdc in sc) across, ch 2, tc in last sc

Row 5: ch1, turn, sc1, ch2, sc in hdc, (ch 2, sc in ch 4 space, ch 2, sk hdc, sc in hdc) across

Row 6: ch 2, turn, hdc in sc, (ch 4, sk sc, 2 hdc in sc) across

Repeat rows 3-6 for pattern, ending with row 5

2^nd to last row: ch 2, turn, hdc in sc, (ch 3, sk sc, 2 hdc in sc) across

Last row: ch 2, turn, (hdc in each st, 3 hdc in each ch 3 space) across

When working something that will have a border, you may opt not to do the foundation row of hdc or the finishing row of hdc. On the swatch that I made while creating this pattern I found that it helped to keep everything aligned better.

An extra special thank you goes out to my dear friend Sarah for taking my convoluted gibberish and simplifying it into a much easier pattern!

As always, I can't wait to hear from you! Comment or message me if you have questions.

Happy Hooking,
Mama Nettie

Check out the latest blog I'm following! I found her because she found me!!!! Click on the picture below!

The Winner

2012-06-07T00:15:00.000-05:00

And the winner of the May drawing is.....[Insert drum-roll here]......The Swiss Army Wife! I'm sure you're all completely astounded, as she was the only one who entered! So, this month you'll know that it's probably going to be an easy win so enter quickly if the drawing is for something that you like!

So here's what's going on in my crochet world. I made a pattern that I decided to sell. I hardly ever crochet from a pattern and rarely write down the patterns that I make up as I go....until recently, and you've all seen what's come of that! But for the first time ever, I made something and thought, "I might actually pay a couple of dollars for that pattern" so I listed it for sale and it's really taking off! It does help that little B loves to ham it up for pictures!

Click to Visit My Etsy Store!

So Cute!!! I know I'm biased, but really....look at those dimples!

Because I've enjoyed this so much and gotten such an excellent turn out from it, I am currently working on several other patterns and projects, but I don't want to spoil it! There's more fun to come next week!

Happy Hooking,

Mama Nettie

I Got A Leibster Award!!

2012-06-05T15:44:00.000-05:00

I got a Leibster Award!

A HUGE Thank You! to Sarah from Engineered Crochet for nominating me!

Blogging has been one of the most enjoyable pastimes that I've discovered in the last 30 years! It's a beautiful way to share your life with old friends and new friends alike, and it is a lovely avenue for sharing a craft or interest! The 5 blogs that I've nominated are ones that I think really capture that. They are great at sharing and lovely to read!

Here are my 5:

1: Crochet Lounge
2: Andromeda's Fiber Studios
3: Unravel Me Designs
4: Ambassador Crochet
5: Apricot Corner

Here's how you CLAIM your Leibster Award:

1. Post about your win on your blog.
2. Link back to the blogger who presented you with the award.
3. Copy and paste the award button to your blog.
4. Present the Liebster Award to 5 blogs that have fewer than 200 followers that you think deserve to be recognized.
5. Let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

Playing Catch Up!

2012-05-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

Well, we are still under the weather, but in a different fashion. The pink eye has finally left us but we have come down with a nasty cold, so, sadly, we are still under quarantine. I've been so sick, and then with sick kiddos to care for it's been quite challenging. I just haven't been up to doing anything by the time I get to sit down in the evenings.

Today, I just decided that life has to go on, sick or not we have to get moving a little more. So, here's the first post of several to update everyone on all that's happened since the last time I really posted.

*****The Dance Recital*****

It was so wonderful! B danced her little tush off! She was a little diva and loved every moment of it. By the time we left she was asking when she would get to go on stage and do that again! It was SO GREAT!

B after Rehearsal

E after Rehearsal

L after Rehearsal

B and E enjoying the fountain after Rehearsal

L being "Captain America" on the other side of the fountain!

My beautiful girl after the Recital!

Walking with PaPa (My Daddy) after Recital

What a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend! I got to see my mom, even though she didn't get to stay for Sunday. It was great to see her and get to hug her neck! I got a great surprise and one of my best friends came into town for B's recital and came over to hang out for a while afterward!

Thank you to all of you who came to support our little dancer! She was so proud to perform for you all!

Quarantine....

2012-05-23T18:13:00.000-05:00

with 3 toddlers is the pits! My crew has pink eye this week so we are trapped at home. I am exhausted! John doesn't have any sick time left until the end of June so I'm the only one who can touch the children at all, and they are VERY NEEDY!!

We have been up through the night with children terrified because their eyes won't open...even though we've talked it over that their eyes may seal shut in the night and not to worry we can wash them with a cloth. Then we have those moments of "Just hold me, Mommy" that are so precious and sweet....followed by "That's my Mommy! Get away from her!" and a fist fight!

Anyway, Long story short, Mommy is about ready to take a vacation, and she may very well do just that as soon as this round of antibiotics is done! I can't tell you how many times I've called out "Please don't vanquish your brother! You will want to play with him tomorrow!"

All you fellow crochet people and lovely mom's out there please say a prayer for me today! We have 5 more days to go because this started on Saturday and we couldn't see the Dr until Monday afternoon. :( So next Monday will end our very long quarantine.

Family Day...

2012-05-11T16:40:00.000-05:00

So it's been one of those weeks where I have so much going on that by the time I sit down at the end of the day I am...and I know...this even sounds foreign to me...but I promise it's true...I am actually too tired to even crochet!! I don't know what to do with myself.

I haven't made a blog post on Love in the Stitches in well over a week, I'm worried you guys are going to think I forgot you. I promise I didn't......I did forget my name once...and my children's names several times, but you guys...never! LOL

All joking aside this is what my weekend holds. Let's start with the beginning...L sat in something that he's allergic to and has a rash on his tush. I can't seem to get it to go away so I took his itchy little bottom to the Dr today for some special cream. Also, little B is coughing up a lung and has a sore throat, so she needed to see the Dr as well. So, we went to the Dr this morning first thing. On the way home, we stopped to pick up Kristin and run by the grocery store because I needed a few things for the birthday party that I am hostessing for one of my best friends tonight. The children decided to have a melt down on the way to the store which always results in them not having the privilege of going in, so Kris went in and then I went in after she was done.

After dropping off her groceries we had to make one more stop for a Birthday gift and then take her home. On the way home I needed to run through the drive through at the drug store and pick up L's cream and B's medicine so I went to CVS, but the line was so long in the drive through that I just unloaded the brood and went in....L proceeded to throw a tantrum in the floor of the store because I wouldn't open his candy right then. (keep in mind that he is 2 and it's nearly 1:30 at the time and he's hungry and tired...he is usually a really well behaved child) but still, we don't reward tantrums so his candy treat was placed back on the shelf and the others got candy while he did not. Now that WAS an uproar. Anyway, we were gone from the house from 8:45 this morning until 2:30 and now I'm trying to get these kiddos down for nap. The biggest are out for the count, but little L is too tired to sleep I think.

So...tonight we have a birthday party, and in the morning at 8:30 is B's dress rehearsal for her first dance recital! Then tomorrow afternoon at 4:15 we have to be there for the actual recital which starts at 5, and somewhere in the middle of it all my parents are coming in. The recital will probably end around 7 and Mom and Dad will have to head back home, then Mother's Day is Sunday and we have company coming Sunday night and then Monday is my friend David's birthday so company again.....I'm so exhausted thinking about it that I'm having trouble making my feet move to get started. And crochet??? Well, I've started a pillow for David's couch for the 4th time, and I'm also working on another purse pattern. Another friend of mine asked me to design a shoulder bag for her, so there are things in the works, they just aren't anywhere close to done so today, no crochet pictures, just WELCOME TO MY FAMILY.

Beautiful Boutique Bow Holder

2012-05-04T15:25:00.000-05:00

Hey guys! I've been wanting to put up this pattern for a while and I thought it would be the perfect time. It's time for the May Giveaway and we are giving away 2 of these Beautiful Boutique Bow Holders!! Each comes complete with 3 sets of 3 inch Handmade Boutique Ponytail Bows!

This pattern is extremely versatile and very adaptable! Kristin uses one exactly like the one in this pattern for her little K-Bug and my little B uses one that is adapted to be just a little bit larger. This one will hold up to 17 bows.

Anyway, here's the pattern:

Note: I prefer 100% Cotton for this. It holds up best.

It's important to use a small hook for this, it needs to be tight or the weight of the bows will make it sag and twist. We want it to stay sturdy so I use a G hook.

Special Stitches:

Picot = ch 2, slip stitch in 1st ch

Fptc = Front post treble crochet

Ch 12

R1: hdc in 3rd ch from hk and across

R2-3: ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across

R4: ch 2, turn, hdc in next st, fptc 2 rows below, hdc in next 5 sts, fptc 2 rows below, hdc in last 2 sts

R5-7: ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across

R8: ch2, turn, hdc in next 4 sts, fptc 2 rows below, hdc in last 5 sts

R9-11: ch 2, turn, hdc in each st across

R12-20: Repeat rows 4-11

R21-28: Repeat rows 4-11

R29-36: Repeat rows 4-11

R37-44: Repeat rows 4-11

R45: Repeat row 4

R46: ch2, turn, hdc in each st across.

TRIM-

Rnd 1: Chain 5, dc in same st (corner), going across top, sk 1 st, dc in next st, ch 2 dc in same st, sk 2 sts, dc in next st, ch 2, dc in same st, sk 1 st, dc in corner st, ch 2, dc in same corner st, (now starting down the side) Continue to skip about the distance of 2 sts, *dc, ch2, dc, in same st, sk 2* repeat from * down the side, when you get to the corners the sts will be a bit close together, but it will help with the corners anyway. When you get back to original ch5, sl st into 3rd ch.

Rnd 2 of Trim

Rnd 2: sl st into large chain space(do not turn) ch 3(1st dc)3 dc, picot, 4 dc in same corner space, *1 dc in next chain sp, 2dc, picot, 2 dc, in next ch sp* Repeat around besides corners. In corner chain spaces: 4 dc, picot, 4 dc.

Corner

Time for the May Drawing!!!!

2012-05-04T10:39:00.004-05:00

Time for what I know you've all been waiting for! I know that we are all busy people. We have lives that we fill in various ways, and I cannot tell you how honored I feel that you take time out of yours to visit my blogs! I hope that they are helpful and fun! I love blogging and I love crafting!

My plan is to do a giveaway in a drawing each month. I want to get to know you! So here's this months "little catch" #1, you can't win unless you are a blog member! So follow Mama Nettie's Crochet! #2, post a comment on this post. Tell me a little about you.(Are you a first generation crocheter or has it been passed down? Why do you love crochet? Does it add something to your life?)Maybe even link us to your own site showing something that you've made!

So, Be a blog member/follower old or new, and post a comment and you are entered to win this darling bow holder! Also, as an added bonus, these handmade bows come with it!! 3 Sets of Pigtail Bows! The drawing will be held on May 15th!

This is Navy with White Polka Dots

Ever since B was very small she's loved being dressed up and looking all girly and sweet, so one of my best friends, Kristin, has hand made her bows. Kristin is so talented and takes a lot of pride in her work. B is nearly 5 years old now and I have had some of her bows for nearly 3 years. They are beautiful and durable!

Even if you don't have a little girl of your own, this would make an amazing gift! Not only are the bows Mama Nettie tested and Approved, but the bow holder is the same design that Kristin and I both use for our girls!

ENTER TO WIN A SECOND TIME!! CLICK HERE

Tips on the Classy Clutch

2012-04-30T13:44:00.000-05:00

When putting the Classy Clutch to the test, there was one thing that became blaringly obvious quite quickly. I don't like the way that it hangs open and comes open so easily when it has something in it unless it is sewn together in a very specific way, so here's the way to do it. Fold up the side flaps and sew them on all edges. EVEN THE TOP.

Welcome to my kitchen counter top! :)

Once this is done it leaves only the front open under the flap and is much easier to use. I LOVE IT! I love it just for me, but mostly I love it to use for my kiddos! Mom's, this just became my top must have! Especially for allergy mom's like me!!

L cannot be left anywhere, even Sunday School class, without an epi pen. Also, they often feed the kiddos snacks in Children's Church which can be an issue as you might imagine. I know I've written about it briefly in the past, but L's allergies include ALL Nuts, Milk, Egg, and Wheat.

So, in this classy little clutch (which fits beautifully in my purse I might add) I can put a diaper, a snack, and an epi pen! It is easy to hand to the teacher all in one beautiful little bundle!

Also Non-Allergy Mom's, it would be super convenient to put just a diaper a tiny pack of wipes, and a snack. I think I'll make one that doesn't have the ornate front on it to use for L on a regular basis, since this one is not very boyish. Maybe I'll make one that is brown and cream and blue or something like that. I'll post a picture if I do.

I'd love to know if any of you have tried the clutch. Share your thoughts!!

Happy Hooking,
Mama Nettie

Classy Clutch

2012-04-25T23:32:00.001-05:00

Let's make a pretty clutch handbag! Grab a pretty mercerized cotton and follow along! This project will help you master 2 new techniques and leave you with a great new accessory for yourself or someone you love!!

My personal favorite mercerized cotton is Sinfonia. It comes in a variety of gorgeous solids and several variegated threads and can be found at Hobby Lobby. Don't forget to take your coupon! When working with Sinfonia, I prefer to use hook size E. (For a variation: use a large hook that leaves big holes and line your clutch with a nice fabric!) OR, add a strap!! This pattern is very versatile!

To start, chain whatever width you want your clutch to be. I am chaining 39 because it looks just about large enough to hold a checkbook/wallet.

R1: HDC in 3rd ch from hk and in each st across. (38 hdc across, counting first skipped ch2 as 1 hdc)
R2-14: Ch2, turn, HDC across

When you reach the end of R14 CH 19

R15: HDC in 3rd ch from hk and in each ch across and each st across when you come to the end AbInc(Abrupt Increase) 18 times. (click on the link to familiarize yourself with this technique if you're not a regular follower of Love in the Stitches or just haven't had an opportunity to try AbInc out yet!)

R16-19: ch2, turn, HDC in each st across

R20: sl st in 19 sts, bringing you back down the "arm" of the pattern to the body. Ch 2(first hdc), HDC in next 37 sts.

R21-36: Ch 2, Turn, HDC across (This makes up the back and the top of the clutch)

For Simple but Elegant: continue to repeat R21 until you finish R44

R45: ch1, turn, follow shell stitch pattern across the edge ending with sc. tie off and hide ends
sew together.

For a Little Something More: Follow these directions for a Cabled Front

R37: Ch 2, Turn, HDC in next 15 sts, fptc around 4th, 5th, and 6th sts from hk 2 rows below, fptc around 3each of the 3 skipped sts 2 rows below. HDC in last 16 sts.

R38: ch 2, Turn, HDC across

R 39: Ch 2, Turn, HDC in next 14 sts, fptc around next 3 fptc, HDC in next 2 sts, fptc around next 3 fptc, HDC in next 15 sts.

R40: Repeat row 38

R41: Ch 2, Turn, HDC in next 13 sts, fptc around next 4 fptc, HDC in next 4 sts, fptc around next 4 fptc, HDC in next 14 sts.

R42: Repeat Row 38

R43: Repeat Row 39

R44: Repeat Row 38

R45 - 52: Repeat Rows 37-44

R53: Repeat Row 37

R54: (scalloped edge) ch1, turn, sc in first st, follow shell stitch pattern across the edge ending with sc. tie off and hide ends. Sew together.

Watch for our drawing! I will post pictures of the May giveaway next week!! Everyone who is a follower of the blog and posts a comment to the Giveaway post will be entered to win!

Click HERE for some Tips on the Classy Clutch.

As always,
Happy Hooking!
Mama Nettie

Well, the nails in the

2012-04-18T12:30:00.000-05:00

board in the backyard found my baby boys foot...or rather his foot found them on Monday. My poor little E Bug was stuck so badly that I had to pull him free. Thank heaven he is up to date on his tetanus shots. We still made a fast trip to the doctor and got him seen about.

Have you ever had one of those days where you remain totally calm on the outside, but on the inside your flipping out???...yeah...that was totally Monday for me. Of course E picked 12:30 to step on the board, so the Dr's office was closed for lunch. I got him cleaned up and bathed he and L and got all of the kiddos ready to go with full knowledge that we'd be either going to the Dr or to the ER as soon as I spoke to the nurse, but when she called me back she said that they were booked up for the afternoon and I should, and get this all you other mom's, I should go to the ER and then IF they decided that he needed a tetanus shot I could call back and schedule an appointment for the following day with his dr's office.

Well, I don't know about you guys, and I'm not sure how your ER's work, but I am an extremely busy woman. I blog, I crochet, I keep my house and 2 other houses on the side, I take in laundry, and I care for my 3 beautiful children, one of which has severe, life threatening food allergies...so it's complicated and time consuming. I don't just have time to sit for 2-3 hours in the ER and then drive across town again the following day and sit in the Dr's office for an hour. So, as you can imagine, I was a little frustrated with that suggestion. I was very calm and sweet and I said, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to be contentious and I trust the nurse and will do what she thinks is best, but can you ask her why she wants me to go and sit in the ER with all of my children today and then come back into your office tomorrow?" Suddenly, and quite conveniently for me, there was a cancellation and we were able to get E in to see the Dr and start a round of antibiotics.

While we were at the dr's office L peed through his clothes (He does that in one pee!!) and guess, just guess what I was completely out of in the diaper bag!!!!!! I'm that mom. That crazy wierdo mom that carries a huge diaper bag and has everything from neosporin to a change of socks for my potty training kiddos and a baggie to put the wet things in. It was so foreign to me to be without a diaper that I nearly fell to the floor in tears. You should have seen the dr's face. She could tell that I was having a completely off day. I just looked at her and said "I guess everyone has to have their off days once in a while." and she nodded and brought me a diaper.

So, to make a long story only slightly longer, Monday poured over onto Tuesday a tiny bit, but by 4:30pm things were finally normalizing again. On a crochet note, I got the drawing prize mailed out and I crocheted a short sleeved summer cardigan for B. I used this pattern which I've used before and love! I made a couple of variations to it to make it fit B, and I made a flower for the lapel, and didn't it turn out darling?!!

Tell me about your off days...let me know I'm not alone! I'd love your comments. Also, don't forget to click the link and check out this pattern. It is the easiest and most fun cardigan I've made, and one of the only ones I've made more than once in 28 years of crochet! (Yes I am counting all the way back to the moment that my Mama started teaching me to chain stitch and if you don't then you should! I think it's when the love for crochet was embedded into my soul!)

I was watching...

2012-04-14T13:36:00.000-05:00

my babies play together today. B is getting ready for her first really big dance recital and as the oldest in the family she has taken it upon herself to teach the steps to her younger siblings. I am listening to them giggle and laugh and run and tumble into one another in the living room floor. When I turned to watch for a little while B is doing her "professional" (for a 4 year old) dance moves while E stands next to her in an over sized t-shirt and underpants that are on inside out and backwards, and does his best to copy her movements, and then there's my little L quite literally running circles around them both and singing "go L, go L" at the top of his lungs(always so proud of his accomplishments).

Suddenly tears sting my eyes and my heart is overflowing down my face as I am taken back 20 years to my own childhood. I remember my brother's first Tae-Kwon-Do demonstration. I remember how proud and excited he was and how he loved teaching us each step and technique in his routine. I remember how much love I felt for my brother and sister during the time that we were learning and playing together like that. It was so beautiful to look at my children and see that love between them.

B noticed that I was taking pictures and said "hang on mommy. Ok, now!" and set down her bubbles and struck a pose! L is looking at her like "you are crazy..you know that, right?"

So, for now dance is to them what Tae-Kwon-Do was to us. I wonder what their camper will be! We had an old camper. The kind that was built to slide onto/into the bed of a pickup. It was tiny, but it was ours! We spent hours out there playing. I was the little mama even then. I would clean and make curtains and pretend to make dinner...out of chips and sandwiches that I brought from the house, while Brandon and Crystal would play games. I was the banker in Monopoly. I didn't even play most of the time, but I loved to be the banker!

There are days when it is really difficult to have babies so close together. I know my mother felt the same way. But I look at them and how well they communicate with eachother the majority of the time, and how much they learn from one another, and I wouldn't change it for the world. There are so many priceless moments every day, so many moments that take me back and remind me of my precious family, and so many moments that make the future look so bright and beautiful!

What do your kiddos do that takes you back? I'd love your comments.
Mama Nettie

The Winner!!

2012-04-13T11:11:00.003-05:00

Hey guys,

This was my first drawing ever! I know lots that I'll do differently. I'll post this on the correct day for one! I did message the winner, but I haven't heard back from her. ANNIE!! You won the drawing!! Please get back to me and let me know where to send your prize! You can contact me at mamanettiescrochet@gmail.com.

I look forward to hearing from you!
I will do another drawing next month, so if you didn't win, don't give up! Just follow my blog and let us hear from you!!

<3 Nettie

On the Birdie Band Wagon!

2012-04-09T17:22:00.000-05:00

A while back I posted a picture of an "Angry Birds" hat that I made for my son L. He loves it and several people have requested the pattern so I decided to go ahead and write it down. I'm sure that it isn't without issues. Again, I'm new at writing down my crazy, spur of the moment, "I can make that!" moments! If you have problems, please message me and let me know so that I can correct the pattern. As always, thanks for visiting my blog, and Happy Hooking!!

Angry Birds Hat

Supplies Needed:

Size I hook and a yarn needle

Red yarn

White yarn

Orange yarn

Black yarn

Small amount of stuffing

*PSM – Place Stitch Marker* (I recommend moving a stitch marker up as you go, you can use an actual stitch marker or a safety pin or a small length of yarn. )

Basic HDC Beanie with 4 rows of White, 7 rows of Red and then basic decrease and top closure. The beanie can be made any size, so alter it to fit anyone you like! If you have trouble, just message me at mamanettiescrochet@gmail.com and we can alter it together! The Angry Bird’s face will be great no matter the hat size!

Beginning with White:

Chain 55, sl st to make lp

R1: sc1, PSM, HDC around

R2-3: HDC around, PSM as you go

R4: HDC around, sc in stitch with stitch marker, tie on red, sl st in next st (leave a length of white and cut)

R5: sc 1, PSM, HDC around

R6-11: HDC around, PSM as you go

R12: dec over st marker, 4 HDC,( dec, 4 HDC ) around

R13: dec over st marker, 3 HDC, (dec, 3 HDC ) around

R14: dec over st marker, 2 HDC, (dec, 2 HDC ) around

R 15: dec over st marker, 1 HDC, (dec, 1 HDC) around

R 16: dec, 1 HDC, (dec, 1 HDC) around (will be really small)

R17: dec, dec around. Ch 1 and pull tight to make a knot. Leave a length of yarn to sew top shut and cut.

Face Decals:

Eye Brows:

Ch 20

R1: HDC in 3^rd CH and next 7, dec over next 3, HDC in remaining 8 sts, tie off leaving a long length of yarn and cut.

Eyes:

Tie onto bottom of brow. Eye will be 5 sts wide, center it on each side, or you can ch 5 to start and sew the eyes on separately.

R1: 5 sc

R2: 5 HDC in center sc, sl st to last sc. Tie off and cut

Beak:

R1: Ch2, 3sc in 1^st ch

R2: SC in 1^st sc, PSM, (2 SC, 1SC)around

R3: 2SC in next st, PSM, (1 SC, 2 SC) around

R4: 1SC in each st, PSM

R5-6: (2SC, 1SC, 2SC, 1SC) around

Tie off leaving a length of yarn and cut

Feathers:

Big Feather:

CH2

R1: 6sc in 1^st ch

R2: 2Sc in each st (12)

R3-5: Sc in each st around

R6: (dec, sc 4, dec, sc 4) around

R7: (dec, sc 3, dec sc 3) around

R8-11: sc in each st around

Small Feather: Repeat big feather stopping after R8.

Take a small length of black yarn and make a knot to make a pupil for each eye.

Stuff the beak and feathers, sew the decals to the hat and there you have it! Ready to go!

Enter To Win!!

2012-04-02T22:58:00.006-05:00

Hey guys! I am posting a pattern for my first time! If you try it I'd love to know what you think. I wish I had a tiny baby to photograph this blanket and hat set on and with but my sweet little ones are getting so big! Anyway, the pattern for the blanket is below, I wasn't brave enough to try writing out the pattern for the hat just yet.

I will also be GIVING AWAY the finished set that you see in these photos! Follow my blog and post a quick comment and you'll be entered to win! Even if you don't have a tiny baby who would enjoy this set, it would make a wonderful gift!

You have until 12:00 Noon on Monday, April 9th to enter and the winner will be announced on the following Tuesday morning! Best of luck!

Special Stitches: Note – read these stitches even if their names are familiar. I may do mine differently, and of course if you have any trouble, do not get frustrated, message me first. I’m a crochet person…not a pattern writer, I’ll gladly walk you through.

CTC - Crossed TC stitch: Skip 2 sts, Work TC in 3rd st, ch 1, Work Tc in 1st skipped st going in front of previous TC (so that stitches cross making an X) Note:To work this stitch in the corner, do not skip any stitches, Work TC in corner stitch, ch 1, and work another TC in corner st in front of previous TC to make an X

PUFF - Puff Stitch: Yarn over, Draw up a loop, 3 times, 7 Loops on hook, Yarn over and pull through all 7 loops.

This pattern calls for 2 colors of Bulky weight yarn.

Size K hook

Basic Blanket:

With color 1: Chain 41

Row 1: HDC in 3rd ch from hk and in each ch across. (ch 2 = 1st HDC throughout)

Rows 2-30: CH2 and turn, HDC in each st across(Do not tie off...do not cut)

Border

Round 1: Chain 5, Do not turn, work crossed TC stitch in the corner, Work Crossed TC stitches around and join with slip stitch in 3rd ch of ch 5. (note: There will be a couple of times when you have to put a TC in a stitch that you've already stitched in, in order to finish out the edge, that's ok, it is incredibly forgiving and the next row will make it lay beautifully.)

Round 2: Tie on color 2 and cut color 1. In the corner Ch 1 space, PUFF, ch2, PUFF, *Ch 2, PUFF, Ch 2, PUFF, ch 2 * across. In corner Puff St, Ch 3, Puff St. Continue around. Slip stitch to top of first puff stitch to finish round. Note: Puff stitches go in the ch 1 spaces of the previous row.

Round 3: ch 2, do not turn. 2 sc in each ch 1 space and 1 sc on top of each puff stitch, 6 sc in each corner space between 2 puff stitches. slip st to connect.

Round 4: Ch 2, HDC in each st around, except around corners: in corners - HDC in the first 2sts, 2 HDC in the next 2sts, and HDC in last 2 sts. Slip st to connect.

Round 5: Chain 5, do not turn, work round of crossed TC stitches.

Change to color 1.

Round 6: Work round of PUFF stitches, same as Round 2 above.

Round 7: Work round of single crochet 2 sc in each ch 1 space and 1 sc on top of each PUFF, 5 sc in each corner space between 2 PUFFS. slip st to connect. tie off and weave in ends.

So I fell off...

2012-03-12T23:52:00.008-05:00

the blogging wagon in a bad way! There are about a half a dozen new posts begun to get me back on track, but after missing a year and a half, WHERE DO YOU START???!

So, my thinking is, you just start or you never will. I know it's not incredibly deep, but it's what I'm telling myself so that I'll go ahead and post even though there's a huge gap of time. I want to know you guys and I want you all to know me! I'm a mom too! I'm a hard working, barely sleeping, sometimes crazy mom. Just like all of you....admit it...I already know it's true. (If you're not, this is not an invitation to inform me...If I'm a weirdo then I prefer to stay in the dark about it!)

Things about me that are new since my last post... We found out that my youngest baby, L, suffers from severe life threatening food allergies.

His allergies include Nuts, Milk, All Dairy, Eggs, and Wheat. We have to keep a label on him at all times since some of his most severe allergens can be used as binding agents in emergency medications. I found a wonderful store on Etsy.com called Creative Clam that is run by really wonderful people. Tracey helped me design these ribbons for L and I sew them on the sleeve of each of his shirts.

They wash great and transfer easily when he outgrows his clothes. Figuring out what to feed him was quite a challenge at first, but it was nice to know why he had been crying so very much at night. His little tummy just hurt all the time. We also had several close calls with anaphylactic reactions to nuts, milk, and egg.

That's the only really big change for me, it altered the way we live life around here as you can imagine. We are all healthier for it though.

As far as crochet is concerned lots is going on as usual. Let's just jump right into the last few weeks. I received a custom order for a wool skirtie! It turned out really cute! I used a slight variation to

stitch 18 from Leisure Arts Triple Play Pattern Stitches, an absolutely wonderful resource for

anyone who loves crochet! Ok, here's my variation. When doing this stitch in the round, you have to chain 5 instead of 3 when starting the row of crossed treble crochets. The chain 5 counts as the first tc and ch1. You can see that the skirty increases in size as it comes down from the waist. I did the increase on the row with the puff stitch. Between every other puff stitch I added an extra chain. Then on the row with the single crochet, I added one extra sc on each chain space that had an extra chain. It worked out perfectly.

My friend Sarah shares a pattern for a baby blanket using this stitch in her blog Engineered Crochet as well, and she shares her own border pattern! You can also see how the stitch can look

quite different when using a larger hook! Crochet is so awesome that way! It is so easy to change and adapt to whatever you want it to be by changing something as small as the hook size or how tightly you hold your thread!

I don't know about you guys, but my children have totally jumped on the "Angry Birds" band

wagon and are completely nuts for the game. They have so much fun playing, and even more fun with the plush toys that we were given at Christmas time. So...I got this idea that I could make a hat for my youngest. L has a special love for Angry Birds, so one night I just sat down and designed this hat out of my head. There are definitely a couple of changes that I'll make on my next one, but all in all I think it turned out really cute!!

And, last but not least, here is a teeny tiny little space alien that I made as a birthday gift for my friend Step to set on her desk. I found the pattern at JoAnn Fabrics when my son E and I went in there after his last check up from having tubes put in his ears. It

was a free pattern, but I can't seem to find a link for it. It was SOOO simple. Just a basic round ball using 2 threads a regular yarn and an eyelash thread. The antennae and eyes are rather self explanatory. If you decide you want to make one and can't figure it out, just message me and I'll walk you through it. I added a tiny bit of gravel in the bottom to make it heavier and make it sound a little like a hacky sack when you move it around. It just turned out really cute!

What an amazing week it has been...

2010-09-12T00:39:00.012-05:00

Nix that! What an amazing month it has been!! Things have been insane!! Mostly in a good way. L has hardly slept and is fighting the idea of eating anything besides breastmilk....so...I'm exhausted! I've finally found that he prefers anything that I am eating, or Italian foods, such as spaghetti, or ravioli, or lasagna!

Lasagna sauce on his forehead and pure joy in his eyes!!! I LOVE IT!!!!

As far as crochet is concerned...

I have made another pair of wool Sock Monkey shorties, like the ones that I made for Brandi a few months back, and I came up with a pattern that I'm calling Sock Monkey Sally!! It's a darling little sock monkey shorty for a girl!!

Here is a picture of the little skirt/poncho's that my mom designed!! Aren't they awesome???!! Check out the other new product photos that Brandi has done for me on my etsy page!! So awesome!

2010-07-28T11:07:00.011-05:00