An ugly phone I bought for just two dollars has had a beautiful make over. I love tissue paper and have a wonderful collection of it. I picked out a pretty rose pattern and I glued it onto the phone with Modge Podge. I left the dial plain and put a little Hello in the centre of the dial face. So here it is. I am very pleased with how it turned out.

I've also been working on a project to give as gifts. They have turned out nicely and I will share the pattern in this post. I buy a bundle of these plastic hangers very inexpensively at our local department store. Then I just use left over yarn from other projects. They are wonderful to use to hang those clothes that have that nasty habit of slipping off the hanger. The pattern looks a bit long and drawn out but it's just that way to give you an idea of the way it works up. After you have made one side of this, you will be whipping them up without even thinking about the pattern. It's that easy.

Coat Hanger Covers

Ch 4, join with slst to form ring.

Rnd 1: Chain 3, 1 dc , ch 1, 2 dc in ring, (beginning shell) ch 2, * 2dc, ch 1, 2 dc (shell), ch 2. Repeat from * twice more. Join to top of ch 3 with a slst.

Rnd 2: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. * Skip next ch 2 sp. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 2. Repeat from * twice more. Skip next ch 2 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 3: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 3. Skip next ch 2 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 3. Skip next ch 2 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 4: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 3. Skip next ch 3 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 3. Skip next ch 3 sp. join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 5: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 4. Skip next ch 3 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 4. Skip next ch 3 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 6: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 4. Skip next ch 4 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 4. Skip next ch 4 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 7: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 5. Skip next ch 4 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 4. Skip next ch 4 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 8: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 5. Skip next ch 5 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 5. Skip next ch 5 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 9: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 6. Skip next ch 5 sp, shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 6. Skip next ch 5 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Rnd 10: Sl st into next dc and next ch 1 space. Beg shell in ch 1 sp, ch 2.. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 6. Skip 6 ch sp , shell, ch 2 in ch1 space. Skip next ch 2. In next ch 1 space, shell, ch 6. Skip next ch 6 sp, join to top of ch 3 with slst.



Continue in this fashion until you reach 8 or 9 stitches between the two shell sets. I crochet mine with a 4.5mm hook and usually 8 stitches are enough at my personal gauge. Check your piece by sliding it onto the hanger from time to time. You may need to do more or less than I do. Remember to make these slightly small so they have to be stretched onto the hanger. That way they don’t become loose with wear and tear.



Make two of these and sew together at the ch 1 on each side. Crochet a flower or tie a ribbon at the top for decoration.

If you decide to try this pattern out, please let me know how it goes or if I need to make any changes. I'm not used to writing instructions for my work. I’d love to see how yours turn out. Happy crocheting!

crocheted throw

When my mom died she was working on an afghan made with worsted weight cotton. She had just started her project before she got really sick so she was barely into it. So I had four large skeins of cotton and an afghan project from a pattern I'd done before. I didn't really want to do it again so I made a throw from a Leisure Arts book called Our Best Baby Afghans. The pattern is called Itsy Bitsy Spiderweb.

Sometimes we overlook great patterns because they are in baby books. It never hurts to baby yourself though. This afghan is warm and just the right size to wrap up in while sipping hot cocoa.

I changed the border a bit. I did a sc all around. Then I worked *ch3, sc in third ch from hook, skip next sc, sc in next sc.* Repeat pattern. It's nothing too fancy but just enough to make the afghan look finished.

vintage patterns

Paul and I were at an auction with my Mom not too long before Christmas. We bid on a whole bunch of stuff and won most of it. One of the lots that Paul won for three dollars had a box of vintage patterns in it. At first I thought 'big deal' but as I went through them I found myself becoming very excited. They are a real treasure. I can't wait to get started on some of these. They range in size from 9 to 22+. The sizes are more realistic than today's size standards. My sister-in-law has offered to come out and give me a hand mastering my serger. I've had it for about 4 years now so it's time I made something.

The pattern above has a post mark on the envelope for 1942. The pattern beside it has an additional pattern inside that is cut from newspaper from WW2.

"What one loves in childhood

stays in the heart forever."

~Mary Jo Pulney

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They date all the way up to the stylish era when Simplicity patterns exorbitently priced their patterns at a dollar. My goodness, can you imagine getting a pattern for that price now? A lot of these ones were priced at twenty-five cents. Whoooa.

"Nothing makes a woman more beautiful

than the belief that she is beautiful."

~Sofia Loren

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I plan on making costumes with these patterns and perhaps a few dresses for myself. Most patterns are easy to adjust up one size or down one so the whole box of patterns offers a fit for almost anyone.

Whoever owned these patterns must have really favoured a couple of them because there are duplicates in different sizes.

"Oh, never mind the fashion.

When one has style of one's own,
it is always twenty times better."
~Margaret Oliphant

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There are also a few girl's dress patterns and one Mommy and Me set.

"Fashion is general:

style is individual."
~Edna Woolman Chase

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"When you are feeling low about how you look, it's important to put the magazines aside, and practice looking in the mirror and focusing on all that you have to be grateful for. Stop comparing youreself to the made-up fantasy images presented by the media; instead, be the best that you can be given the attributes that you have."

~Kristine Carlson

I love these two little gems. #9081 and 9257. There is quite a difference in the two sizes but I'm somewhere in the middle so I'm hoping to work something out.

"Fashion fades.

Only style remains."

~Coco Chanel

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"Those whose ideals of love face the future instead of the past will find it a very tender, beautiful, and spiritual expression of the human longing for a mate who shall be also friend, companion, and inspirer."

~Richard Wightman The Things He Wrote to Her.

There are about thirty more patterns but I posted only a few of my favourites. I was hoping to have my give-away for a few of the patterns left in the box in March but as there seemed to be no interest in this post I will hold off until this blog is more established.

"Fashion mocks individuality.

Style celebrates it."

~S.B.B.

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Fashion guesses,

style knows.

S.B.B.

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recycled Christmas cards

ere is a sweet little project to recycle some of those Christmas cards you received from last year. I cut out an oval shape out of clear plastic as a template. That way you can centre it over your card to get the best image. You can use two card front but I like to use one card front and the Christmas greeting from inside for the back. Place the two ovals together and punch holes around using a small punch.

To crochet:

Rnd 1: Sc into any hole, chain 4 or 5 chains depending on how far apart your holes are. Sc in next hole. Continue around. Sl st into first sc.

Rnd 2: Sl st into chain space. Ch 1, sc, hdc, 2 dc, tr, 2 dc, hdc, sc in chain space. *Sc hdc, 2 dc, tr, 2 dc, hdc, sc in next chain space.* Continue from * around, Sl st into ch 1. finish off.