I Wear A Red Hat

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 22:19:00 +0000

My husband and I used to love working outside, growing flowers from seeds (many from seed swap group I once belonged to) and vegetable plants. The house and property were more than I could maintain after he passed. I purchased a house in the city to be closer to my family. I created a blog and occasionally make notes to use as my journal.

Also some trees we planted years ago. Our very old and large Catalpa Tree blew over in a windy storm. I planted strawberries in it for fun. Over time a tree formed on top of the downed tree. It grew snakes. In 2004 I removed a couple of seeds and stuck them in a pot and yet another tree sprouted (2nd image below).

2019 July 16 as of five years ago. I will go visit to see how it's doing.

Each year we planted a 3' Blue Spruce, my favorite trees.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 16:18:00 +0000

Snuck in a few more painted rocks.

I think I have just found a new hobby; but first. I found this image on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/p/Urday-100093682065747/

Another image from Facebook. Printed both on fabric and made the frames on a laser.

And, having way way too much fun scaring friends and relatives with wind-up mouse I purchased online for around two dollars.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:28:00 +0000

Waiting on April and getting back to Rochester Makerspace. In the mean time I have been passing time painting on rocks and leaving all over Rochester, NY.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Thu, 29 Feb 2024 15:00:00 +0000

I probably shouldn't be posting this. What I don't need is hate mail. Weird sense of humor I guess.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 14:39:00 +0000

Overwhelmed, will get back to my previous post...soon. I took time off from Rochester Makerspace projects on the laser machine for the winter. OMG, it's as bad as blogging. When you don't stick at it, there are always changes and you have to start learning all over. Cutting/Etching/Engraving on wood/c
hipboard, stone and slate. Really, there are not enough hours in a day.

Darn, darn, darn. Now I can figure out how to rearrange images side by side. LATER...

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 16:58:00 +0000

If at first you don't succeed__try again. Need to put some clothes on her and she is about to lose her hair. That's my sisters wig!

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 06:40:00 +0000

I came across a video https://www.callmegrandma.com/how-to-make-a-doll-thats-a-life-size-version-of-your-child/ and decided I needed to make an adult size rag doll. To do this I had to convince my seventy-five year old sister to get down on the floor; I needed to trace around her body for a pattern. How she would get up we will worry about later (wish we had taken a video of her rolling over to sofa to pull herself up--without my help).

OMG, I will need to update the pattern! Found and SUBSCRIBED to the best link ever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=789lPgFLkJY&list=PLA205BC46D72EEB58&index=2&t=6s. She has died a death by scissors and gone on to doll heaven.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 09:10:00 +0000

What's new? My sister and I set up a booth in an Antique store for six months but made just enough to pay for the rental. The shop was half an hour from where we live, gas was high, so we closed shop. Nothing ventured "nothing learned". Ouch, what to do with left-over inventory?

I now have the burnt up laser machine in my garage, thanks to my little brother. He is going to get it up and running so my sister and I will have a new toy to play with.

Owing to the weather (it has been a long, but mild winter) we have slacked off going to Makerspace until Spring. Missing our Makerspace buddies---who take the time to humor us with our never ending questions.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Thu, 21 Apr 2022 20:15:00 +0000

OMG, it's been almost a year since my last entry; I have totally forgotten how to blog. Still missing my husband big time and trying to keep busy. I have made a few things since joining Rochester Makerspace and during the summer spent time wandering the beach for pebbles (pebble art).

Santa String Puppets. I made six for family members and hand painted

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 23 May 2021 13:34:00 +0000

My sister and I are beginning to get the hang of how to operate a laser machine and learning the necessary software to make and engrave wood cut outs. We are learning how to operate a chop saw, jig saw, table saw and much more, making mini wood houses, at the Rochester Makerspace, https://rocmakers.org/ , giving us access to their tools & equipment, free training classes that teach you how to be safe and productive with that equipment.

Dear Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Wed, 28 Apr 2021 01:51:00 +0000

Tuesday, April 27, 2021, my sister and I are learning how to make cutouts on the laser machine at Rochester Makerspace. It requires knowledge of the software program "Lightburn" which is free to download.

Class-Day 1: Learned how to Power Up and shut down Laser and to Never eve3r leaave the machine when operating.

Day 2: We were on our own. Spent 15 minutes for about a week just to get the machine running and shutting down when done.

Day 3: Laser disaster. OMG did we power down incorrectly!!! Machine caught fire and melted inside. My brother works on most of machines and came in to check on us. First thing he asked "Was it us?"It was a couple of nerve-racking" days before we found out it is not us, but one the the regular operators.

First attempt at etching stones.

I just like to embroider

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 23:14:00 +0000

Maybe for a small footstool

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 23:09:00 +0000

Just another reason I love the Internet, Facebook, and YouTube

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 14:38:00 +0000

My sister, Melody, insists we go walking most every day, weather permitting. She knows all the parks in the area and we walk average of three to five miles. I click on all those little boxes to the left on YouTube and came across RocRocks.com on Facebook. We are now into painting rocks and hiding them along our walks, hoping someone will find one and post to Facebook and they can either hide them or keep them.

Loved doing this, not once--but twice.

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 13:16:00 +0000

Valerie Pfeiffer Harmonies Birds Chorus Line. I finished my first around January 2015 and eventually gifted it. I just finished the second one December 2019, I had to fudge a bit in doing the outline stitches. All that's left if to get it framed.

Never to old to learn . . .

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 15:04:00 +0000

While surfing the Internet came across this fun link: Learn to Draw

My six minute artwork

Still learning HobbyWare Pattern Maker Cross Stitch Program

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 14:43:00 +0000

Before image, sketch self portrait. Colors are off in finished cross stitch...suggestions appreciated!

This is pretty close to actual picture...

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 06:07:00 +0000

Help with cross stitch instructions.

If An Elephant Can Paint...

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 16:37:00 +0000

I can create a piece of DIY wood art from image I found on the Internet. Now all I have to do is figure out where to hang it...

My First Attempt at Pebble Art

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Mon, 16 Nov 2020 15:25:00 +0000

My husband passed away January 31, 2020, I am so sad each and every day. Knowing he would want me to get on with my life hasn't helped. OMG, I am so lucky to have siblings who are always there for me. I am long time retired and trying to learn new things to occupy my mind. Thank you Internet peeps.

My Redwork Footstool

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 13:10:00 +0000

I embroidered the cover for this footstool some years back. I have in mind another footstool I would like to repurpose. Any suggestions for choice of fabric would be greatly appreciated.

Today I made my first curved facemask!

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Tue, 07 Apr 2020 19:03:00 +0000

You can download the tutorial and pattern here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPOVb--3l1U

My Tunisian Crochet Hat for Kids

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 20:04:00 +0000

Oana is amazing; her tutorial is fantastic. I love this hat! I put the pattern in writing (so I don't have to sit in front of my computer while crocheting it). I will post my finished hat here along with my notes. Thanks Oana for taking the time to make this tutorial. I am not sure all is right with the pattern--I am just starting to work from it. I am about to be a grandma for #nine with another in the basket--all within three years! I NEED to learn how to crochet!

https://www.youtubhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=Ix8JCCnQHUce.com/watch?time_continue=23&v=Ix8JCCnQHUc

The video didn't have a written pattern so I typed the pattern best I could (below):

This is it beanie hat for a 0 to 3. You can work it in any kind of yarn and with any kind of Tunisian crochet hook. The chain will be the length of your beanie. The length of the stripe will be the circumference of the head. It's really easy to work in any size you want. I’m using a 5mm Tunisian crochet hook.

ROW1 - Cast On Stitches

Begin with 28 chains, work in on the backside of the chain. Insert hook under first bump, yo, pull through. Continue until the end of the row. (28 loops on hook)

YO, pull through one loop.

YO, pull through two loops until you reach the end of the row.

We will work four rows with the Tunisian purl stitch and three rows with Tunisian simple stitch and will begin each row with a decrease and end each row with an increase. You will need to know the differences between doing the Tunisian purl stitch and the Tunisian simple stitch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xkZENmBYi4

TUNISIAN PURL STITCH:

Begin the row with a decrease:

Push the yarn to the front (keep on hook), yo, push through the first two vertical bars.

Push the yarn to the front (keep on hook), yo, push through the next vertical bar until the second to last stitch.

Insert the hook into the chain and pull up a loop (increase).

Work your last stitch (Border)…insert the hook through two loops, yo and pull through.

yo and pull through one loop.

Yo and pull through two loops, continue to the end of the row. (28 loops on hook)

ROW2

Push yarn to front (keep on hook), push through the and second and third vertical bars, yarn over and pull through two loops (decrease).

Insert the hook under the next vertical bar, yo, pull through until the second-to-last stitch (the last stitch of the row that we are working will always be the increase of the previous row) - 28 loops on hook.

Insert the hook into the chain and pull up a loop (increase).

Work your last stitch (Border)…insert the hook through two loops, yo, over and pull through.

yo and pull through one loop.

Yo and pull through two loops, continue to the end of the row.

The last stitch of the row you are working on (26^th loop) will always be the increase of the previous row. (I have a hard time finding the increase of the previous row so I am going to insert a marker here).

Repeat this step two more times (four rows with the Tunisian purl stitch). Start Row3 and Row4 by inserting the hook through the second and third vertical bars.

Work three rows with the Tunisian simple stitch (keep decreasing at the beginning of the row and increasing at the end of the row).

TUNISIAN SIMPLE STITCH:

Insert the hook under the first three vertical bars, yo, pull through two loops (decrease).

Insert the hook under the next vertical bar, yo, pull through until the second-to-last stitch.

Insert the hook into the chain and pull up a loop (increase).

Work your last stitch (Border)…insert the hook through two loops, yo, over and pull through.

Repeat this step two more times (Start Row2 and Row3 by inserting the hook through the second and third vertical bars).

(You create a border with the increases. The last stitch of the row you are working (26^th loop) on will always be the increase of the previous row, place a marker here.)

Repeat seven rows--four with the purl and three with the simple stitch Tunisian stitch--until you will reach the circumference of the beanie (the circumference for a zero to three month is for a baby boy).

Next step is to bind off with simple Tunisian stitch-- the length is about 33 centimeters, the width is about 12 centimeters.

Insert hook through the second vertical bar, yo and pull up two loops, insert hook in next stitch, yo, pull up two loops, until the end of the row. When you finish the bind off, cut a long yarn.

Next is the mattress stitch to sew the parts together and to create an invisible line

Insert the hook into the first stitch (side with cut yarn).

Go out into the second stitch.

Go on into the other side, insert the hook into the first stitch.

Go out into the second stitch.

Insert the hook on the other side where you got out and get out into the next and the same thing on the other side.

Continue like this until the end—from time to time pull strand of yarn to close it (put a marker into this stitch to be sure where you have to work you stitch).

Don't cut the yarn because we want to close the beanie on the upper part.

Insert the hook into the stitch and then into the next and then into the next and then into the next and so on back and forth until you have the beanie ready to work the border.

To work the border you will need the Tunisian crochet with the cable (if you don't have it with the cable don't worry--you can work the border with a normal crochet hook and crochet three or four round of single crochet).

Place a marker in the last stitch. Work the first row as a round.

Make a slip knot with yarn on ball.

Insert the hook into the first stitch (next to the sewing line).

Loop into each stitch, pull up a loop. Go on all around.

When you are about at the half way mark, pull stitches to the end.

Repeat--Make a slip knot with yarn on ball.

Insert the hook into the first stitch, place marker here, loop into each stitch, pull up a loop. Go on all around.

Place hook in stitch with marker and pull up loop.

Pull stitches to the end.

Remove marker and work the stitches as round.

YO, pull through one loop.

YO, pull through two loops

Go on three or four rows and sew the parts together and attach the pom-pom (can find tutorials for pom-pom on Internet).

My progress to date:

My Crochet Better Late Than Never Beanie Tutorial!

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Sun, 05 Jan 2020 15:57:00 +0000

Thanks Margaret for another great tutorial (Click here for link):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cErieYfuUek&t=3s

My tails were facing me and I couldn't let it go so I tore it out and started over. Actually, I needed the practice; your instructions are fantastic; below, right, is my finished hat!

How to Clean Sheet Pans

noreply@blogger.com (Lucie) — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 02:58:00 +0000

My daughter-in-law sent food down in a sheet pan; it was almost identical to the one in this video. I also tried it on a copper bottom stainless steel pan (of which I have several that are over 50 years old). I didn't think to take before pictures but I posted the results below of my first two pans! I am going through all my old pans to give them a good cleaning. This time I will post before and after pictures. Click on the link below for instructions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6R0Ndz_7Ls