MARKING TIME AND SAVING MY SANITY WITH CRAFTING

Crochet is my present mode of marking time and sanity saving. As with a lot of you, crafting has been my therapy whether it was crochet, quilting, sewing, mosaics, beadwork, papier mache or whatever I was involved in at the time. Crafting is my way of keeping busy and working through instead of wringing my hands and pacing. In some instances I would have no skin left on my hands and no floor left under my feet.

  

The impetus to set aside quilting for a while and drag out my hooks and yarn  was fueled a couple of months ago by a young lady named Meghan when I read about her and her friends who were making blankets for underprivileged and sending them with missionaries on the mission field. You can read about  them in "Meghan's Ministry" at wwwTheAlabasterBox.blogspot.com.

Much has been crocheted in the last several weeks that normally would not have been finished because much has occurred-much pain, much waiting, much concern, much prayer. I have actually finished: 2 baby  blankets, 3 little girls' sweaters, 3 matching dresses, 4 hats, 3 granny square purses to complete the sweater/dress ensembles, 2 pairs of knee high foot warmers  and since this post was started a week or so ago, another toddler dress. Under normal circumstances, I would have been hard pressed to have one sweater done. Handwork like this is usually done as my Granny used to say in "snatches and grabs" instead of almost full time as recently.

One of the blankets was done as I sat with my sister-in-law who  was found to have a tumor on her brain and was rushed to have emergency surgery.  She did really well but has to have care 24/7. The squares that were brought out with coordinating yarn after I met Meghan and troop were put to use because they were so handy. These were finished in a granny square. I do a lot of granny square-it is kind of a mindless pattern that I don't have to think much about as I work.

The foot warmers were crocheted for my 2 oldest grandchildren to keep them from taking my pair that my sister, Jackie, had made for me for my birthday. Both were threatening to take them.  These were also done as I sat with my sister-in-law.

The second blanket was completed a week or so later as we  waited all day for word on grand nephew, Ayden, who is only 9 months old. A brain tumor had been found and he was having a scan and mri. They were expecting to have to do emergency surgery but that was scheduled for a week later. Prayers went into each stitch. I made sure the blanket got to him several days before  his surgery.

The day before Ayden's surgery my son, Jeff, had surgery on his shoulder. One of the sweaters was worked on as I waited during his surgery. The matching pieces were also worked on as I cared for him after his surgery during the waiting week for Ayden's surgery.

In all this,  news came that niece, Debbie, has breast cancer. More intense crocheting, crocheting, crocheting-something to keep busy, something productive to do, something of beauty to create for 4 beautiful little girls.

Having the girls' outfits done,  I had been searching for sweater patterns for my great grandsons so they won't feel left out when their sisters get their new outfits. An email arrived announcing new hard to find crochet patterns for boys from Hooked On Crochet at AllFreeCrochet. I will be using one of the new vest patterns-it is just what I was looking for.

You see, Debbie's surgery won't be for a couple of weeks and I need the calm of handwork. I started one of the boys sweaters earlier today.

Being busy is a blessing, being able to be busy is a blessing.

Below are photos of the 3 sweater outfits and granny square dress that I have been able to make for my great granddaughters-Hannah, Jenna,  Ashlynn and Maizin and the site where I got the inspiration and patterns.  My friend, Valerie, sent me the link that I have looked over almost every day. 

It is a site for all kinds of crafts with patterns and even video tutorials and instructions. If you work with children's groups, there are a lot of crafts for reclyclables and all of this is free. From that site, I have gone to several others that I didn't know about.

I have downloaded enough patterns to keep me busy for the next 200 years even if I work 24/7 and they are all gorgeous. 

The original site Val sent me is: wwwfavecraft.com and from that I have visited:

AllFreeCrochet-Hooked on Crochet

Redheart.com

crochettoday.com

knittingtodaymag.com

LionBrand.com

Caron.com

Annie's Attic
and there are many more

On favcraft, I seem to pick patterns designed by "doublestitch twins" [see photos-sweaters/newsboy hat, below] and Vintage Creations [see photos-dresses, below. There is also a beautiful crochet lacy duster that one day I may get to for myself].  

I so admire the people who have designed the wonderful patterns available. Robin Murphy on the Red Heart site has some of the most beautiful little girls' dresses I have ever seen-they are breathtaking.

For Hannah-size 6, Jenna-size 4-5, Ashlynn-size 2-3
BIG & LITTLE DRESSES by Groovy Crochet

NEWSBOY CAP PATTERN BY "DOUBLESTITCHTWINS"

Flower Child's Sweater by doublestitch twins-FAVECRAFTS

Vintage Rose Pattern-FAVECRAFTS

Granny Square Purse-use any Granny Square pattern to size desired

For Maizin-size 18 months

Granny Square Yoke Dress Pattern by Valerie Moffitt on RedHeart.com

I have really enjoyed working on these outfits for the girls in the light coral, yellow and white. 

Two of each pattern-one for me and one for my sister were printed,  put into page protectors and into notebooks. The extra set made a nice gift for my sister who is an avid crocheter and I keep adding to our collections.

HERE IS THE LINK FOR YOU TO GO TO FAVECRAFTS AND LOOK FOR YOUR FAVORITE CRAFT-I HOPE YOU GET AS MUCH ENJOYMENT AS I DO FROM THE SITE:

HAPPY CRAFTING!!

MY THERAPY-MY QUILTS~EL TIGRE

Marie Osmond showed her solace room today on Oprah as she told the heartbreaking story of her son's death. The room, she said, is where she goes for comfort and peace, to read and do her crafts. The walls are covered with memorabilia she has saved and made. There were quilts all around.

My quilts and other crafts have been my therapy and expression through the years in many situations. Creating has been a retreat that has smoothed the coiled nerves in my shoulders, decreased the knot in my stomach, help me even for a moment lessen the ache in my heart or forget the raging headache.

My 1990 physical showed nothing but my gynecologist insisted on me getting a mammogram. Suspicious spots came to light in the test and I was scheduled for surgery. A spot that could not be detected by the gynecologist a month or so earlier now could be felt by the surgeon and it was near my lymph nodes.

Not knowing how invasive the surgery would be, how long the recuperation or if follow up therapy would be required called for preparing some handwork I could do in that time. Just sitting, doing nothing drives me crazy.

"The Project" book came out. Now, "The Project" book had pages of ideas for quilts along with drawings, clippings, cutouts, pictures or anything else that would help get the idea to reality and there was the perfect "cancer" project. If everything were to be prepared so that I could sit and quilt, this is the one. This is the one that had been on the back burner because it would require so much sit down time and here was the opportunity.

So, "El Tigre" walked off the pages onto my fabrics to become a queen size quilt. I had imagined walking through a steamy jungle, pushing aside foliage to see a stalking tiger. At some point, the stalking tiger drawings gave way to a resting, peaceful one in a clearing as I became at peace with having cancer and leaving the outcome in God's hands.

A lot of preparation had to be done before surgery on "El Tigre". The back of the quilt was to be a tiger stripe so it was tie dyed orange and black to coordinate with the front. Each piece of foliage, tree trunk, flower had to be cut and ready for applique. The large foliage foregound was to be three dimensional to give the effect of peaking through it. The tiger, herself, was prepared to be reverse appliqued. I needed to get as much done as possible.

The surgery went well. The surgeon told my husband he was sure that he had gotten all the cancer.

A few days after going home, I was back at work on my cancer quilt. A month later my oncologist sent me back to surgery to have more tissue removed. She felt this would keep me from having to go through further treatment. The quilt was no where near being done so now I would have more down time. A few days after the second surgery, quilting continued and continued and continued.

I usually have to have a deadline in order to get a project finished so "El Tigre" was entered into a quilt show to make myself complete it. My husband worked nights so most nights were spent quilting til 3 or 4 in the morning, then catch a few hours sleep and back up to quilt some more. The cancer was forgotten and this is the only quilt that I have completely hand quilted.

I thank God that I have been cancer free for almost 20 years now. There have been other quilts-other situations, other inspirations. That big tiger on the center of the quilt, I have come to realize is me, peaceful, knowing that God is in control.

EL TIGRE

El Tigre has been called a piece of soft sculpture and has received honorable mention for its quilting and coordinating back.

PSALM 91:4

He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.