Dishcloths

I haven't felt like working on my cross stitch, but instead have done a lot of crocheting.  I had a lot of Sugar 'n Cream yarn sitting around, some full skeins, some leftovers, and we had a need for new dishcloths.

I learned about the Foundationless Chain technique earlier this year, and I am hooked on it (no pun intended).  There is an excellent tutorial here and other instructions here.  The one thing I have never have enjoyed about crocheting is the chain row, and then the very first row of the pattern.  With this technique, I have a much more even foundation row with much less frustration.

These dishcloths are done in half-double crochet, and are 34 stitches across by as many rows as needed to make a square.  I crocheted in the back loops only, giving them a bit of texture.  Although you can't see it in the pictures, I then crocheted two rows of single crochet around all four sides.  It takes me a couple of hours while watching TV to make one.

I did use all the full skeins I had, and am now mixing and matching (the best I can) the leftovers I have.  These dishcloths are plenty thick and work much better than the ones I've previously made from fancy patterns. 

I've Taken Up Quilting!

With paper, that is.

I became intrigued with quilt cards after seeing some on Pinterest.  (Take a look at my Quilt Cards board here.)  My mother-in-law is a quilter, so I thought for her 91st birthday I'd make her a quilt card.

I used paper from DCWV's Linen Closet Matstack. I cut each of the 25 squares with one of the dies from Spellbinders Classic Squares Small set, which was a lot of cutting.  (I since have purchased 3/4" and 1" square punches.)  I embossed the completed square with Spellbinders M-Bossabilities Mystic folder.

The quilt square is mounted on two pieces of cardstock, then affixed to the card base.

My sentiment is from Verve Stamps, and is cut out with an oval punch from Stampin' Up!, then layered on a larger size of oval, also from SU!  I mounted it on top of a brown ribbon using pop dots.

I have since made several other quilt blocks, which I will share soon.  These are fun and addictive!

As this post goes live (I've written it in advance), I am in my orthopedist's office, discussing knee replacement.  It's time.  And I hope the doctor will agree.  If he does, I will get the surgery as soon as possible.  Doesn't recovering from joint replacement seem like a great way to spend my summer?    (It sounds better to me than continuing in pain!)  I will let you know what happens.

Thinking of You

Several ladies in our church had surgery not too long ago, and another needed some encouragement.  And I needed some practice with my Silhouette Portrait.

The design is a freebie from Bird's Cards.  I added the sentiment - an old Sweet Impressions stamp - which I stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink and cut out using Spellbiners Labels Twelve.  I also glued a piece of pink cardstock behind the cut-out front of the card.  These cards are small, around 3" square if memory serves, but give just enough space on the inside to write a quick note.

Another Birthday Card

This birthday card is more complicated than the card I showed in my last post.  Ready?

First, my inspiration was this card.  (To see more of the kinds of cards which inspire me, start here on Pinterest.)

I started by stamping the squares with images from Inkadinkado's Flourishes clear stamp set.  This is an awesome set; I had trouble choosing which stamps to use!  After mounting the designs, which I cut out by hand, on blue cardstock, I evenly spaced them on a piece of yellow cardstock.  I cut the lace-edged border on the bottom of a piece of white cardstock using my Silhouette Portrait.  It was a free design I found on the Internet. 

The Happy Birthday stamp is from Verve, and I stamped it with Memento Bahama Blue ink, which matched the cardstock I used for the background of the card.  I mounted the sentiment on yellow cardstock which I cut with Spellbinders Fleur de Lis Rectangles.  Most of the rectangle is covered by the sentiment, so all you see is the edge, which is a nice effect.

I embossed the blue background with the Cuttlebug folder Wicker Weave.  I really like that folder!  The ribbon is actually two - a piece of white underneath a sheer polka dot one.  Oh, and to finish it off, I affixed the blue rhinestones because I thought the card needed a bit of bling.

I am pleased to say that the recipient loved the card.

A Birthday Card for My Mom

It seems I am in good company among bloggers:  I keep reading things like "I've been such a bad blogger lately".  Enough said.

Back at the beginning of April, my mom had a birthday.  Of course, I made her a card.  :)

My card is almost an exact copy of this one.  I used the same embossing folder from the Cuttlebug set Just My Type.  The label is Spellbinders Labels 4, and the stamp is by Verve Stamps.  I used Brilliance Pearlescent Purple Ink.  The baker's twine is from Home Sew.

This card isn't complex, but I love all the colors, just right to welcome spring!