Crochet Hats

Just thought I would mention a really great group that I am blessed enough to be a part of. The Hat Ladies. This wonderful group was started by a couple of really wonderful women who saw a need and has expanded mainly by word of mouth. What this group is all about is making hats for Cancer patients. Men, Women, children.....even those who have not had cancer but another illness that causes them to have no hair and a need for some type of head covering. This group totally donates all their time, all hats are ALWAYS free. A few of the founding ladies deliver the hats to many different locations (see web site for the details) and the group gets some great yarn donations. We are always looking for more yarn and anyone who is interested in the group, for donating yarn, hats, for a need for hats or just to find out more, go to the web site and there is a link to email: www.thehatladies.org I recently was shown an awesome blog from a really talented crocheter (is that a word?) who makes some really cool things including an awesome Super Mario Bros. blanket for her husband (the lucky lucky guy!). Anyway, she had a picture posted of a really adorable watermelon hat and scarf. I had commented on how cute it was and if she ever posts a pattern of it, I would love to get the pattern (I was willing to buy it) but this awesome lady sent out an email recently to her post that now includes the pattern for the hat!! I think that the Lord will t0tally bless her....in fact, she is already really blessed with an awesome talent as an artist that can produce her own patterns. I have been crocheting for many many years and really have never been able to do that!! I usually have to follow patterns. Anyway, check out her blog, she is listed in the blogs I follow, or you can just look for gege-crochet! Thank you, Gege for the great pattern! I am sure the people who receive these hats are going to absolutely love them!

New learning

So for my first entry on here, I was thinking about learning new things. I am signed up for a class in the morning to learn how to do African Embroidery. I saw a great exhibit of this at "Road 2 California" (for those non-quilter crafters who may read this, this is one of the biggest quilt shows in the area of So-Cal). All of the pieces were hand embroidered on black fabric. I am not sure what is different in African Embroidery then in regular hand sewn embroidery, but that is one thing I hope to find out! What was really cool about this is that all the classes on learning this new art had already been filled up at "Road" and I was a bit disappointed. But I figured that it would be something I would look for in next years "Road" and try to sign up early. Well, as luck would have it, I didn't have to wait that long. One of the ladies in my Quilt Guild had taken the classes and had become a certified teacher of this new to me art! So of course, I signed up to take the class and it is being held in about 10 hours from now (I really should be in bed already.....after all, it isn't even Friday anymore, we are now into Sat.!) So, as I was contemplating learning this new craft I dug out my fliers and cards and such that I had collected at "Road" and found the one for this particular craft item and swiftly looked up the web site! I was pretty excited when I also found out they are having a contest of sorts and the winner can win some decent money! So, with that, I got a whole new excitement for learning this! The thought of winning at something that should be pretty fun to do is exciting all in it's own right, but another great thing that I like about entering into such contests is what you can learn from the comments from the judges and also from looking and studying the ones that DO win (supposing of course that my first time one wouldn't win, that is!) When I finish my piece I will be sure to post a picture of it! I am not sure what I will fashion it into yet, maybe a pillow. I have way to many other projects going on to take on something big like a quilt!! But a pillow is pretty easy to finish up. Or maybe a purse would be good. That would be something that not only I could enjoy, but I could show off this great art to all that see my purse! It is getting to be time to make a new one anyway! I have never been a big purse person, you know the kind, they have a purse that matches every outfit, a different kind for every style of clothes you wear, one for work, one for evening, one for casual, one for walking the dog.....whatever.....I usually have ONE purse. It is usually something that is easy to carry and has room for my stuff. I don't like changing all that stuff from one purse to another, and am always afraid that if I DO change that stuff, I will not put the RIGHT stuff into the new one. Besides, who wants to take up valuable storage space with purses when I can use that space for more fabric and yarn and books and sewing machines and doodads!!! But, lately I have found so many really cute purse patterns and some very creative outlets for using embroidery designs without having to take up a lot of extra time. I have made a bunch of purses that I brought to a craft fair to sell (of course it didn't do to well.....I think the people that came to the show already could make their own and so not much interest was shown at the show for these and if I try to sell them at a swap meet the people don't really want to pay more then a dollar or two for them!!) But anyway, if I try to do anything with them, I have to get someone to do the "sitting" for me as I cannot sit the whole day at a craft fair or farmers market or whatever......Anyway, I got away from the original topic.....African Embroidery. I am really excited, they use some really vibrant colors and I think I want to add some bling to it with beads and crystals and such! It should be fun and you can never stop learning!!