I'm pretty sure you have already heard that introverts, couch potatoes, bookworms, and yes, crocheters love the coronavirus stay-at-home orders. It's what they have been training for their whole lives is how the punchline goes. While I love being "forced" to stay inside and craft, the regular options can get boring. I watched a TV news segment last night which featured an arts and crafts activity - cutting out paper hearts and taping them to street facing windows, doors, and mail boxes. It's a way to brighten up the neighborhood, and more importantly, it's a way to say thank you to delivery people, mail carriers, and others who have to work while most of us stay home.
I didn't even have to draw my hearts. I used my Print Artist program to print the hearts on card stock. Then I cut them out. I haven't done a window display yet, but I did this today:
I printed hearts on card stock and added a thank you,
One heart is taped next to the front door.
Another heart is taped to the inside of the mailbox.
I just received an email from Hainesport Township directing us to bag all trash for pick up. Loose trash left at the curb in cans could spread contagion to sanitation workers. My bag of trash for tomorrow's collection bears a thank you note.
Orchids are pretty. I had one once, and I killed it. My friend informed me that her husband has a way with orchids, and she invited me to attend the display at the New York Botanical Garden. Wow! What a feast for the eyes it was. After attending an informative class that was part of the show, I learned that orchids can also be a feast for the stomach. Who knew? Some are edible. Enjoy the pictures.
While most orchids grow in tropical forests, some have adapted to semi-desert regions. Here I am in the desert habitat. Desert orchids are smaller and less colorful than their tropical cousins.
The conservatory was huge, and the display went on and on. We went down these stairs and ...
... through this tunnel/light show to get to more orchids.
This is called the Dancing Lady Orchid. Was this the inspiration for Belle's dress in "Beauty and the Beast?"
These are Slipper Orchids. We have lady's slippers or moccasin flowers growing wild in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. They are North America's wild, native orchid. I had one specimen growing in my woods, but building the house changed the habitat, and it died.
This is a moth orchid, named for the moth shaped petals. I like the spots.
The conservatory covers a lot of ground. I would like to return to the botanical garden in warm weather to see the outdoor seasonal displays. Here's the website: https://www.nybg.org/
Not too often, but occasionally, I get to spend some time with young people. Over the course of an afternoon, my twenty-something companion and I conversed about oodles of things. It turned out that both of us soon forget a person's name, but never forget a face. That led to discussing how changes in grooming might effect our ability to recognize someone. A man might grow a beard that changes him from weak-chinned to ruggedly handsome; a woman might have a makeover that transforms her from fugly to fabulous.
"Yeah," I said. "Tom Selleck was an average guy in his high school picture. Growing longer hair and a mustache turned him into a lady killer."
"Who's Tom Selleck?" my companion asked.
I know I'm old, but geez, Tom Selleck still appears on TV each week in "Blue Bloods." I guess neither Tom nor "Blue Bloods" is popular with young millennials. Then I wondered if my friend knew that lady killers didn't actually murder women.
Tom Selleck's High School Year Book Picture
Google Images
This image is from Tom's early 1980s Magnum, P.I. days. LADY KILLER!
Google Images
When I started Happy in Hainesport, I designed a business card. I gave them to people who inquired about the blog. I tacked them up on community bulletin boards. I even left them in waiting rooms and on restaurant tables.
I decided that I might need other cards for other situations. How's this one?
The fiber artists of the South Jersey Crochet Guild are displaying their art in the Smithville Worker's House from now until mid-March 2020. Take advantage of the recent mild weather and go out to Historic Smithville Park. You can't beat the admission price - FREE! Smithville Park is located at 803 Smithville Road, Eastampton, New Jersey. The park is open from dawn till dust 365 days per year. The Worker's House is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Thursday though Saturday and from 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Kitchen Crochet
Adding crocheted hangers to dish towels is a classic. Crocheted grocery totes (upper right corner) are so much cooler than the plastic ones that are covered with store advertising.
Cotton dish cloths work up fast and can be done in a variety of interesting stitch patterns. Check out this video for making dish scrubbies: https://youtu.be/juiwV-EjEgw
The newest member of our group made this granny square afghan. I like the way she took a traditional pattern and used color in a non-traditional way.
We dedicated one room to children's items. What toddler wouldn't like a snowman or unicorn hat? I wish I had a Minnie Mouse pocketbook back in my Mouseketeer days.
The room is filled with layette items and baby blankets.
Edwarda Speziale is the leader of our group. This afghan called "Stars and Stripes" won best in show at the 2019 Burlington County Farm Fair. One side is a star pattern and the reverse side is striped. Ingenious! This afghan, as well as other items on display, is for sale.
Warm Winter Woolies
This case displays some of the items we made for animal causes - nests for bird rehabilitation, cat blankets and toys, and dog sweaters. The stuffed llama is an advanced crochet project made by one of our most accomplished members.
A Beautiful Shawl with a Lacey Fishnet Edge
This afghan is called "Tree of Life." It is also an advanced level project.
This colorful, round medallion afghan is unique.
There are plenty more items to see, but I don't want to show you everything. Go out to Smithville and enjoy the display.
Check out these fun storage baskets. I made all the baskets with three strands of yarn using a size N crochet hook. I got my instructions from a Jayda in Stitches video which I will include at the end of this post.
This one is the biggest. The base is 96 stitches in circumference. The diameter is a bit bigger than 14 inches and it is a little taller than 15 inches. I made a crab stitch border around the top edge.
I sized this one down a bit. The base is 88 stitches in circumference. Making the basket just a little bit smaller made all the difference in the rigidity of the sides. This version stands up nicely on it's own when it is empty. Mardi likes it!
Jayda makes an 80 stitch base for the baskets in her video. I found that my 80 stitch baskets did not work up as big as the ones Jayda made. That is why I added stitches (multiples of 8) for the first two baskets shown in this post. This colorful, pastel basket is a scrap project. I used up a bag of small balls of yarn on this one.
This one is also a scrap project. I had lots of little balls of black yarn to which I added a bunch of pink shades. These baskets are a great way to use up leftover yarn. Baskets made of acrylic yarn are machine washable and machine dryable.
I found the tutorial for making these boots/slippers on YouTube on the Sirin's Crochet channel.
First, I tried to make them Sirin's way, but I thought they were too thick. I used #6 yarn as directed, but the slippers were at least 1.25 inches thick, maybe more. Since I normally wear socks plus slippers, these boots would make my feet sweat. They were also a bit big, given the bulky weight of the yarn.
I made the following changes: I used a K hook (6.5mm) for the foundation chain of 19. After making the foundation chain, I used a 6 mm (J hook) as Sirin did. I switched from #6 Lion Brand yarn to Sugar 'n' Cream 100% cotton yarn which is a thinner #4 yarn. I made the soles with three strands of yarn and the uppers with two strands of yarn. The slippers fit my size 10 tootsies. The length is good, but they are a bit wide. My slippers are a little floppier than Sirin's. I think my cotton yarn will be long wearing. I also think it will washing nicely since cotton can handle hot water and machine drying.
If you follow Sirin's video to make these slippers, you will probably have to pause the action on each step. Sirin goes fast, and I found I could not keep up with her.
