Baby Jackets and Hospitals

Grandma has hit a rough patch health-wise, and had to go to the hospital on Friday.  They packed her hand-work (but no clothing) so I was able to finish her latest baby jacket for her while we visited her there.  Isn't it cute?  This one is already spoken for.  We have not done a white one in awhile. 

Grandma is doing pretty well (really exceptionally well for 103) and should get to go home on Monday.  She had a nasty infection, but the IV antibiotics seem to have gotten it under control pretty quickly.  She was much happier after her doctor allowed her to remove the (really tight) compression stocking from her sore ankle. 

I told the nurse that Grandma learned how to crochet in 1916 when her family was quarantined when her father had smallpox.  She could not believe it.  How many people alive have actually seen smallpox?  It was eradicated in the US in 1949.  One hundred three is really old.  Remember baby Sybil on Downton Abbey?  Grandma would have been old enough to babysit her!

Must crochet faster!

Grandma finished a second baby jacket and I hadn't even finished the first one yet.  I finally got the lavender jacket edged Saturday night while visiting with Grandma.  Her ribbon supply was getting low after making so many jackets, so Larry and I hit Hobby Lobby on our way to Shreveport and picked up a selection of pastels. 

There is always lots of yarn left (from two skeins) after making this pattern.  At my suggestion, Grandma combined the pink and variegated yarns to make this darling little jacket.  I edged all around the top, arms and front with the variegated yarn, which was then almost completely used up.  I edged the bottom in the pink.  

I really like how mixing up the edgings unifies the design.  I had just enough yarn leftover to make a little variegated rosette to pull it all together.  I think this pink jacket might be my favorite one yet.  It was certainly the most fun to work on, and it definitely doesn't look like it was made to use up leftovers.

Larry and I are just a couple of enablers.  We made another trip to Hobby Lobby after we got home to buy more variegated yarn for Grandma.  Now she can use up more partial skeins.  I think there is more crocheting in my future - at least I have gotten much faster! 

Nearly Wordless Wednesday - Crochet

It's official.  I can't keep up with a 103-year-old woman.

Wordless Monday

Another Baby Jacket Complete!

Larry

Confetti Baby Jacket

Grandma has been keeping me busy with her baby jackets.  Isn't this confetti one adorable?  I still have to finish off the armhole edges and weave in the ends, then it is off to Grandma's house to select a ribbon.

Thank God it's Friday!

Happy quilting,
Susan in Texas

Wordy Wednesday - Baby Jacket Presentation

Grandma had some pink ribbon, so we were able to quickly finish the pink baby jacket on Sunday.  Grandma was very pleased with the new cap sleeve version, which was good because I forgot to add any extra rows to the sleeves!

Her friend, Janice, has a brand new granddaughter, and was even more pleased than Grandma with the jacket.  Janice is the administrator at Grandma's assisted living facility in Shreveport. Grandma is by far the oldest resident there at 103, and they spoil her so much!  It is nice to be able to return the favor for a change.

Of course, Grandma already had another baby jacket ready for me to edge, but that's a post for another day.    

Friday round-up: Crocheting, Tatting and Knitting

Grandma has been on baby jacket kick again, so I have brought her latest creation home to complete the fancy edging.  She does not like to do that part anymore!  I don't mind; this is the yarn we gave her at Christmas, and it is very soft and lovely to work with.

Larry has completed the tatting for this handkerchief that Grandma started.  His tatting has gotten so good!  The only difference I can tell between his tatting and Grandma's is that his rounds are a bit further apart from one another.  I will have to mind my stitching to keep the rounds the same distance apart on the hankie. Constant vigilance!  lol

I finally finished the scarf I have been working on at Grandma's place.  The skein seemed to be endless.  There was a large, poorly handled knot towards the very end of the skein.  I decided that was a sign, and ended the scarf before I had to deal with the knot.  It is certainly plenty long.

We are having a bee this Sunday.  Perhaps I can finish edging the baby jacket and the hankie there, then I won't have to schlep my sewing machine along with me.

Happy stitching,
Susan in Texas

Tatting Tuesday - Crocheted Granny Squares

Since the crochet pattern I attempted first was too hard, I have taken up granny squares as a simpler pattern to learn the art of crochet.  My first attempt:

First Granny Square - half my work

After I tried to get one started several times, this granny square was started by my wife Susan and I finished it.  She said that crocheting into the first few stitches was the hardest (and, of course, she was right).

The next one, I did from start to finish myself:

Second Granny Square - all mine

The most obvious problem is that I am still crocheting too tight. There is barely any room to see the pattern that was clear in the first one.  And, of course, it makes it much harder to make a stitch when you can barely pull the yarn back through the loops.

More practice! That's what I need.

Larry

Tatting Tuesday - Progress

I was going to post today about finishing my Hearts Bookmark project, after correcting my mistakes in a previous post.  However, I haven't made a lot of progress since last week. All I've managed to do is put one set of the top arches on a heart, before making a new mistake.

Little Progress

I'm certainly seeing firsthand how crochet is a lot faster than tatting, and unbelievably easier to undo mistakes!  So far I have already started with a little practice piece to learn the basic stitches.

Learning basic stitches

And I've started a project (a bookmark - what else?), beginning with a long chain and double crocheting back in what I hope will be an interesting pattern.

Beginnings of a bookmark

I will try to keep up with my tatting projects better, as well as explore my new hobbies.

Larry

New Hobby for Larry - Crochet!

When I started tatting as a hobby, Susan told me I could do many of the same things with crochet, and that crochet would be easier and lots more forgiving than tatting.  So, with that in mind, I have decided to give crochet a try and see how I like it.  

To start with, I needed some tools and materials...

Crochet tools and materials

Some crochet hooks of my very own (I am sure this will help keep Susan's hooks from going missing). Some lovely fibers to work with (I am not sure I am worthy of them yet - that blue stuff is silk!) And a booklet on beginning crochet techniques and patterns.  

You can see, in the middle of the picture, I have managed to do a short section of chain stitch.  I will be posting my triumphs and tragedies in this new arena as they occur, perhaps on a new day of the week.  I am not giving up tatting at all; I just want to try something where mistakes are easier to correct for a change.  

More to come!

Larry