Kimberlee Came to See Unci

Okay, Unci is the Lakhota word for grandmother-go here to hear the proper pronunciation.

Through the efforts of the American government, Christians and other well-doers, the Waccamaw (and many if not most Nations and Tribes) lost their original languages over the years. We do know that our language was Siouan based.

I'll not go into a history/language/culture lesson here, as that is not what this post is about. Suffice it to say that I choose Lakhota to learn and teach the grandchildren for a reason.

Kimberlee's parents, my Virgillia and her husband Ivy (also father to all 3 children), are divorcing. As usual, it is hard on the children.

IJ, the three year old boy, came to stay with me a week, two weeks ago. Now, its Kimberlee's turn.

We made my camping cot (which never gets used anyways) out in the living room. She usually sleeps on the couch but I decided that making it a bit more special this time would be nice under the circumstances.

We got it out and went and found a foam bed overlay that had been brought out for Mr. Bob, but never used. She helped me get that on it and then we folded a comforter in half and put on it. Then a set of new sheets and a comforter to cover up with. All nice and fluffy now.

She really did not want to go to sleep, which is actually unusual for her--bedtime is bedtime and Unchi does not believe in "spoiling" the grandchildren. Loving re-enforcement of the home rules is the way to go.

Kimberlee said she missed her Mama and would she come get her tonight? I reminded her she brought her clothes to stay and we read a Bible story. I did sit on the couch and crochet until she fell asleep. Which did not take long since she had been yawning for an hour!

She insisted on having her doggie pillow, a little stuffed doggie and the blanket her Mama made for her.

Today we are trying on clothes a friend sent over for all the grands. All she is really interested in is the shoes--she has always loved shoes!

We may bake a cake in little bit. Poor Man's cake with chocolate and cake spice. Yum-Yum!

Dakota Dream's Baby Blanket

Here is Dakota's baby blanket!

The main color is a yarn I found nine skeins of at Goodwill. The Coffee was some I had for an afghan my husband wants and the pink on the edges is one I received in an exchange I was involved in once.

Baby Blanket for a Friend

I have finally finished a blanket for a friend. She is expecting a boy and is doing his room in teddy bear browns.

Beaded Amulet Bags

I have just completed two very cute beaded amulet bags:

This one is made of beige 100% cotton thread with different colored, metal lined, glass beads.

This is made from variegated cotton thread with different colored seed beads.

Each of these are for sale in my shop on Etsy.com

Prayer Cloth for my Brother

I was checking out some blogs of others on CrochetList at Yahoo! Groups and found this pattern-Filet Prayer Cloth Pattern.



With a few changes as to hook size and yarn, the below picture is what my finished project looks like:



Yarn used: "Silkine" Pearl Cotton, Mercerized, #5 by The American Thread Company in a yellow.
Hook Used: Steel #3

I Am Selling My Crafts Online!

Someone sent me a link to their shop on etsy.com to look at their stuff. Well, I started exploring and decided to open a shop there.

It is so wonderful. Every shop there sells handmade items or supplies to make things with. Cottage Industry has itself a home on the Internet!!!

Everyone there is so friendly and helpful. They have groups of members that are either regional or they do similar crafts. There is even one group for homeschoolers that sell handmade items!

If you want to buy handmade and support cottage industry, etsy.com is the place to go!!!

Found Some Pictures

I was organizing some pictures on my hard drive and found some pictures of things I have made.


Hope you enjoy.

This is the blanket I made for my granddaughter Di'Chariah.

This is my Regalia. I made all but the cocunut shell belt and my son, Pistol Ball gifted me the raccoon skin.

Have a Stole in Mind

Well, I have been thinking on what to do with all that yarn I have left from the baby blnket, also posted in this blog.

A STOLE!

My shoulders get cold in the winter time so I plan to make a stole with it. I have 5 full skeins and almost a whole 6th left--that should be enough.

Right now I am planning on using the same stitch pattern.

Have to finish a filet cross first. It's for Mother for her birthday on eight days! I have had to rip it out twice now.

New Crocheting Books

WOW! I got several new crocheting books and pamphlets this past Saturday.

The first is Candy Crochet by Candi Jensen. It has the most adorable outfits, booties, blankets, hats, etc. in it. My grandbabies are going to be wearing a lot of these.

The next one is 100 Crochet Projects by Jean Leinhauser & Rita Weiss. It again has lots of really great designs but for adults. Tops, sweaters, afghans, doilies, even earrings and prom purses!

Look out birthdays--I'm going to be ready!

Purchased a wonderful crochet reference book in 200 Crochet Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets by Jan Eaton. I'll never run into a problem or a pattern I can not decipher again.

The two pamphlets are Sunny Day Dresses for Babies and Toddlers by Diane Simpson. It only has three dress patterns in it but they are all simple, elegant and beautiful.

And lastly, The Bernat Tiny crochet Baby #542023.The dress is beautiful but I bought this for the bonnets and booties. The blanket is very pretty but it's baby colored grannies. Everyone knows that one.

Looks like this here blog is going to be filled with more and more posts of crocheted items I have made for my grands!

Another Crocheted Bookmark!!!

I did this one last week at work. Its fans and V's. I really like it but the pattern was hard to follow. Too many words. I may re-write it for my own personal use so that it's easier to follow.

I plan to do several more in other colors with tassels and some with beads.

The pattern can be found here. I did not do the edging she has, just sc around.

Baby Outfit & Bookmark

I finished the outfit for my grandson Isaiah. He's 6 months old. I'll see him Friday & Saturday of this week and hopefully get pictures of him in it.

And here is my first ever filet crochet. It's a bookmark. Probably will thread a ribbon through the center and give to my Mom for her 71st birthday next month. She is still very active. She works two jobs, travels and reads a lot!

Finished a Baby Blanket

Finished a baby blanket!

This is 100% wool purchased from Yarn Treehouse on eBay. The color is CK21.

It's the first time I have worked with 100% wool. I wish I had bought more of this as it would make a beautiful sweater!

It took four skeins and just a touch of a fifth.

The pattern I used can be found at Lacy Small Afghan Pattern. I recommend only doing 131 for the beginning chain. About.com recommends in many patterns to just do a chain, then cut off the extra after doing the first few rows. I think that would make it more likely to unravel. (I have noticed this in several books now also.)

For the edging I just did a 3dc shell around, doing a shell in each corner.

Earrings I Made

I have dabbled in making jewelry. I happen to have pictures of some pieces.

The crocheted pieces came about due a dear friend/sister. She ordered me some crochet "cotton" on eBay, thinking it was worsted weight and I could re-coup from a recent illness by crocheting washcloths.

Well, it was thread, mostly #10.

The beaded pair are the results of combining beading and Dream Catchers.

The pair here was made for my second daughter. They are also the pair I submitted, by detailed photo, to the Arts & crafts Council of my Tribe to become a certified Native American Artisan. (I also submitted my profile picture as that Regalia was made by me and a leather bag I made. They'll be posted if I ever discover which CD they are stored on.)

Granddaughter's Easter Outfit ON HER

We got it on her!!!!

She was a bit feisty about it--see her Daddy works on the road and he had just gotten home that day and she is most undeniably a Daddy's Girl!!!

But I promised pictures when she got it on so here is the one we were able to get.

Isn't she just adorable??????

Handmade Easter Outfit

I was waiting on a friend to have surgery and of course, although it was a simple surgery, it was an all day thing.

I had obtained a pattern called "Sweetie Dress"(click the title to be taken to the pattern), intending to make it for my 3 year old granddaughter.

The pattern printed on four pages. After crocheting for a while, putting it down umpteen times to talk with doctors, nurses, etc. and picking it back up, I thought I was on the last page and finished the dress off.

Uh-oh!!! I was only about half way through.

Time for the thinking cap!

It became a top. I decided to get some denim and make her skirt to wear with it.

So I proceeded to Wal-Mart to get the required denim. While I was browsing through the yarn (after having obtained the denim) I noticed this plain, pink cowgirl hat discarded in the yarn bins.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm, Kimberlee loves hats. So in the buggy it went.

Then I had to get something to dress it up, so through all the spools of yarn rick-rack, and everything else to decide what to trim it with. Purple and white.

This entire thing is totally handmade. I have sewing machines, but nowhere to set one up. (We have two Alzheimer's patients in the house and that is another story.)

So here is the resulting outfit. I am going out to visit next week and will take pictures of it on her.