4th annual Art from the Heart Show

Sweet Liberty Creations, will be hosting their 4th Annual Art From the Heart Show on Saturday, February 6th. Please come enjoy chocolates and refreshments with local Hill Country artists as we display unique Valentine's Day gift ideas for your sweetheart. I'll have plenty or red and rose colored function items and the always popular sparkle of dichroic glass jewelry. A portion of each shows proceeds are donated to a local charity for children.

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When & Where

Saturday, February 6, 2010

from 2:00-5:00 PM

Sweet Liberty Creations 

1000 Loop 332

Liberty Hill, Texas 78642

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No Cleo! NO!

Cleo!!!!! NO! Cleo stop!!! It has been a year since we brought precious little Cleopatra home and  we no longer have a single blanket that has not been impacted. Knowing I would be spending part of January convalescing at home, and hoping (foolishly) that Cleo at 15  months would begin to outgrow this bad habit, I broke down and purchased a new blanket. Poor thing (the blanket not Cleo). It wasn't in the house 24 hours before we noticed the first signs of damage. Isn't she the cutest little monster you have ever seen. Funny thing though. She has a blanket in the crate where she sleeps. She hasn't chewed that one up at all, go figure. Not that I'm bitter.

So in need of a blanket and with more then sufficient yarn and time on my hands, I set out to crochet a  small throw. Something easy to use and then store in a protected location, like a vault. Here is what I came up with.

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I used two strands of yarn, one Lions Brand Homespun Corinthian and the other Bernat Berrella "4" in Terra Cotta Mist worked together with a Q hook. The Berrella, a medium weight yarn, was for added thickness and warmth. The color blended into the blanket and what is seen is mostly the charater of the Homespun yarn. The Q hook made for large soft stitches and quick easy work. This item was simple to make. and a good project for any beginning crocheter. I chained the width of the thow and then began to single crochet (sc) across the entire width. At the end of each row I chained one and turned. I then worked the entire row in sc again making each stitch in the back loop only and repeating this process until I reached the desired length. Pretty simple.

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Now the really challenge. Protecting it from Cleo. I'm almost afraid to use it. Maybe I should start making our blankets out of Kevlar.

First SAGAG Meeting of 2010

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The San Antonio Glass Art Guild (SAGAG) is kicking off 2010 with a bang! Gwynne Rukenbrod, Curator of The Houston Center for Contemporary Craft will be presenting information on how to get your work into the public domain, creating a portfolio and how to write an artist statement. This should prove to be a great presentation. Not a member of the SAGAG yet or not a glass artist at all? Come anyway. This presentation is not specific to medium or material and would be valuable to any artist. SAGAG meetings are open to visitors.

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Where & When

West Avenue Panchitos

12403 West Ave.

San Antonio, Texas
Thursday, January 28th
Dinner at 6:30, Meeting at 7:00

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Idle Hands...

Still in search of things to do while watching Law & Order marathons with my foot propped up on on a small mountain of pillows, I came across a needlepoint kit  I purchased at a craft mega-store. The kit included:

• A little silk purse with the pattern printed on it
• Needles
  
• More then plenty of the two colors of thread 
• A package of small glass seed beads
• Instructions
  

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It took me one to two hours to complete. Considering I just about never do any needlepoint I wasn't too disappointed. Here is the completed item. I did switch out the little knot button with one I had in my household jar of old buttons.

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The item not included in the kit that you will need is something to cut the threads as you work. Yes, just about any pair of scissors will do and you can break glass with a hammer... But when possible you should use the right tool for the job. Since I have been doing all that crocheting I happen to have my Gingher Embroidery Scissors on hand. A finely crafted German tool that should be used strictly for cutting threads. This tool  is perfect for anyone who does needlepoint, embroidery, crochet or knitting. In the glass world a comparable tool would be your Toyo Cutter. I can't imagine working on glass with out it just as I expect my Gingher's to be in the pocket of my knitting bag when I reach for them.

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Chenille Scarves

 I told you there were more scarves...

These two scarves are made of Lion Brand Chenille Thick & Quick Periwinkle and Dusty Blue in long alternating strips. One was made in single crochet (sc) making it soft but firm. It holds is shape very well. The other was made with the same design but in double crochet (dc) which as a loser result that is easy to bend and twist. Both are soft and luxurious due to the Chenille. The thickness of the material had several benefits. It makes the scarf  particularly warm. It also made the stitches work up quickly.

To create these scarves I used a size P crochet hook. I simply chained 102. Then sc in second chain or dc in third chain all the way across. At the end of each row switch colors and chaining 1or 2 times depending on the stitch selected. Continue until you reach desired width. Add the fringe to each end and your done.
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Also available for purchase on Etsy

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Crochet Scarves

For the last three weeks I have been serving a term of confinement, which has left me not only stuck at home but off my feet and on my butt. In July of 2008 I had surgery on my left foot and it was only a matter of time till the right foot followed. I've never been one to sit still well. Since working on glass was presently out of the question, I had to find something to do with my hands while watching endless hours of daytime television. Crocheting came easily. It occupied my hands, warmed my heart and helped to count the passing hours stitch by stitch, row by row.

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I first flipped through a couple of books to get ideas, including Celebrity Scarves. This book, published in 2003, is People magazine meets the DIY network. Famous  actresses tell the stories of how the came by this craft, share a favorite pattern  and display superstar photographs of them with their scarves. Most of the book is knitters with a crocheter sprinkled in here and there. As knitting is by far the most popular of the two techniques this was no surprise, neither was it a disappointment. The stories and photos entertain and I walked away with a few good ideas. In the end I didn't follow any of the the patterns in the book. Instead I looked at the materials I had on hand (4 large bags of yarn I have been collecting for years), decided on a direction (thin and long, wide like a shawl, soft and lose, etc.) and started stitching.

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Using just 4 balls of TLC Wiggles, two yellow #158 and two red #322, I was able to make three scarves. The strong primary colors makes these casual and fun. All three were made using two strands of yarn in double crochet (dc).

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This extended scarf measures an 11 feet 9 inches long including the tassels but only 2 3/4 inches wide. Why so crazy long? So it could be wrapped around and around until it is as thin or as thick around the neck as  desired. It could be worn with long tails drifting behind them or dangling in front. The idea was to be fun and flexible. It was made with one strand each of red and yellow worked together.

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More typical this one measures 4 feet 8 inches from tip to tail. It's 4 inches wide in alternating strips of yellow and red.

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When in need of a little assistance I reach for an ageless resource, the Reader's digest Complete Guide to Needlework. My copy is from 1979 and although the pages have begun to turn a lovely ivory around the borders and the photos are obviously dated the content is none the less timeless and superb. This is the one book of it's kind I can not do without.

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Adding Lion Brand Fancy Fur to a plan ivory  made all the difference in this soft and decadent scarf. I used ecru and ebony Fancy Fur and a large Q hook to make this item light a fluffy. Without stretching it measures 7 feet 10 inches, including fringe.

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These are just the tip of the iceberg. During my first week home I completed 8 scarves, a hat and am working on a blanket. Please, spare my family and friends yet another birthday or holiday scarf. present. I am sure they love them but at this stage in my life I think they have all gotten their fair share and there are only so many  days (like 3) you can wear your winter gear here in South Texas. I'll be posting these items on Etsy.

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