Folklore Crafts-Afghan

THIS AFGHAN PATTERN fascinated me when my daughter made it and the story behind the pattern.  Legend has it that the pattern was created by slaves who could only count to ten.  So they used multiples of 10 stitches to create this wonderful design.  After the stitches are completed for the size desired, the raised braid effect is created by linking the loops from bottom edge to top much like the method we used to make rope leads for horses many years back.  The effect is quite stunning and I love the bold color my daughter used for this particular one.  I am attempting my own but fear that I did not start out with enough stitches.  When you link the loops one over the other, it shortens the width necessitating twice as many stitches at the start which I did not allow for.  So I will be ripping out and restarting .....or end up with a doll afghan-ha! My daughter learned this from a grandmother she met who is in her 80's and very with it.  She is part American Indian and is most talented in crafts. 

Do you have a craft you can share the history for its creation??  I would love to have you share!!

Some of my Original Artwork

The carolers above are a product of my imagination.  I have been making cards and gift tags a few at a time and just wanted to share!  To see more, please visit my TWO HAPPY blog link in the sidebar.  Thanks for stopping, come again!

Where the wild things are....

My hubby has a wall in the den with just things he has made from wood that he treasures.  All but the fans are Intarsia figures.  They are cut into small pieces and put back together like mosaic.  In fact that is where the Italian word Intarsia came from.  It means mosaic and the technique is a mosaic in wood.  It takes many hours to create these pieces but he loves making them.  We have a special order for the Buck Deer and he is making another right now.  We always keep the first one made.  Thanks for looking and come back soon!

A SPECIAL GIFT TODAY

Hi!  I just wanted to share a home made gift that I received from Heidi over at Fairy footprints in the Sand blog http://myarizonaangels.blogspot.com/ .  My name was chosen from her give-a-way and I was truly thrilled!  Heidi does such beautiful work and I will treasure her hand decorated domino made into a necklace!  Here is a picture that I know will awe and inspire you!  ♥ Kerrie

I would love to make one of these but I am certain it will not be as beautiful as this one.  Thank you Heidi!

Beautiful Handmade Collector Doll

GOOD MORNING!  Last evening I finished my one of a kind collector doll.  This is all hand made with muslin, yarn, beads, buttons, lace embellishments, earrings and bracelet, hair bow.  This is a collector doll and not for babies or small children as there are little pieces in her make up.  She is dressed in a dress with short sleeves trimmed in lace, petty pants with lace on the legs, Large satin hair bow, hand sewn yarn hair and embellishments.  She is 12 1/2 inches tall and 10 1/4 inches from finger tip to finger tip.  This is a non-dressable doll meaning that her clothes are permanently sewn to the body.  You could give her a hat and coat however and socks.  I had her tucked away for years after cutting her out and adding the stamped face and was so happy to finish her, giving her "birth"!  I name her Jessica but you can give her your own name if desired.  She will be on Etsy or you can buy her now here for $29.00 plus postage per your instructions.  Thanks so much for visiting my craft site and come again often.  Next project will be felt baby booties, so darling!

Sweet Little Baby Dolls

ADORABLE BABY DOLL PAIR!  Soft, washable without undressing.  All handstitched and created by seller.  Lace trimmed bonnets, pink print dresses with ribbon and button trims.  These make wonderful newborn gifts or for toddlers.  Also doll collectors.  Smaller doll measures 7 1/2"H and larger is 8"H.   Just $12.50 plus postage for the pair!  Will mail per your instructions.  Priority cost is 4.80.

          Thank you for stopping and please see my other items offered!

Free Give-A-Way

Buzz on over to www.favecrafts.com/sweeps/Bronze-Metal-Clay-Giveaway#  They are having a great give-a-way for Bronze Metal Clay, perfect for you crafters who make jewelry!  I would love to win this item.  Hope all you crafters have a wonderful Friday the 13th and please visit my other blogs in the sidebar for more about the 13th.  Kerrie

Baby Crocheted Ski Hat

Here is a colorful little crocheted Toddler ski cap.  I just love the combination of pink and green together and the pompom of the 2 colors tops it off.  This took hardly any time to complete.  $10.00 plus postage per your instructions.  Priority is 4.80. 

Baby Bonnet and Preemie beanie

SWEET LITTLE PREEMIE beanie with green stripe and crocheted flower.  Soft acrylic yarn in knit pattern.  Perfect for that tiny little head.  $5.00 plus shipping per your instructions.  Priority is $4.80.

Detail of flower embellishment

Wonderful lacey crocheted bonnet with brim in soft acrylic varigated yarn.  Brim can be worn forward or rolled back revealing popcorn stitch for accent.  $8.00 plus postage.

I love hand crocheted and knitted patterns!  I cannot always follow the patterns easily but these items came out just fine!  I love the soft colors and yarn texture.  My favorite yarn is Simply Soft and can be purchased at Wal-mart and AC Moore Craft Stores. It washes beautifully and is dryer safe.  When I make afghans in this yarn, I wash before giving or selling and they come out beautiful!

                                               

Original Baby Bonnet design

UPDATE:  THIS WAS A ONE OF A KIND ITEM AND IT IS SOLD!  THANKYOU for visiting and come back soon.I have created a new Baby Ski Bonnet of a wool blend varigated yarn.  I used a combination of cross stitches, single and dbl crochet.  I used picot stitch to trim the face edge and was pleased with the result.  It is stuffed with tissue to show form.

I love all hand and lap work that I can sit while watching TV and make myself useful!  I am not so good at improvising with knitting but crochet is much easier for me at least to created my own shapes and stitches.  This yarn was so nice to work with. (Bernat wool blend)  It is so soft!  Now I just need to make some booties to match.  Now that it is cooler weather I can go back to finishing 2 quilts that I have been working on for literally years now-ha!  One is Cathedral Window Pattern and the other is made from Yo-Yo's.
  My friend of 62 yrs is 67 and is a grandmother to a new Grandson, Ben.  This is her first!!  I am so excited for her and will have to make something special for the new baby boy!  My youngest grandchild is 11 now so I have no little ones to cuddle here.  I make baby items all the time so that I have something on hand for babies that come into my life through friends, old co-workers, etc.  I met my friend in Kindergarden and we taught together in the same school during the 1970's.  She is a wonderful life-long friend and I love her dearly.  She is far away though in miles in Buffalo, NY. 
   Do you have a very special friend from way back in your memories?  Tell me about it.  I would love to hear.

Crochet hat and booties

This is my first attempt at 2 new crochet patterns:  Hoping I will improve in quality with the learning process!  I do Love both of these items!

I just love the cupcake baby hat and the little cross straps on the booties.  If anyone is interested on these items, please e-mail for information on pricing and mailing.

LACE AND BEAD CHOKERS

Beautiful bead and lace choker with an adjustment hook and eye for closer fit. One has a beaded flower and leaf embellishment at the center of the neck.  It is handbeaded with pearls across the middle on each side.
The second is decorative lace embellished with glass seed beads across the top and larger glass blue beads across the middle. A pearl is at the end of every point.  Hook and eye closure with a second set for a tighter fit.  Hand made by Kerrie and will be offered on Etsy.  These will be sold for $21.00 whichincludes postage.  Thanks for visiting. 

Color of the embellishment is white and the fault of my camera that it appears yellow.