Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Showing posts with label Handiwork. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Handiwork. Show all posts

Monday, January 15, 2024

Still Cold

 Today the weather is 0°F, with a wind chill of -15°F. 

The forecast was for cold weather for the weekend and maybe Monday.  Now the sub-zero weather is predicted the entire week.

We have cold water, but the hot water pipes froze.  Many people in our area are dealing with all frozen pipes.  We installed heat tape over a year ago too.  The horrible high winds, combined with the bitter wind chill are just too much this winter.


Here is the crocheted scarf I finished.  It literally used an entire skein of yarn.  I'm happy with the coloration too.  Just in time for this freezing weather we are having.

Stay warm!

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat

 Winter time is the best time to catch up on handiwork, but I am also very busy trying to catch up on abandoned home projects that need finished.



Finished!  One more scrap yarn lap afghan done.  Although it looks too short in the photo.  I need to re-measure and make sure it's large enough.  It's checked on my unfinished project list now.

I'm still tackling the rest of my list, but it's getting done.  I have, however, started a new blanket, but this was a plan from spring of last year, to use up other yarn I have.  Winter is the best time to crochet blankets (small or large).

I have had to frog two blankets, and I think it's due to me trying to finish them faster than usual.  Ugh.  I have more on the handiwork list to finish.

Bad weather is moving in fast.  It has been pouring down rain and the forecast is saying snow next.  It's not good. I am hoping it misses us, or for the most part misses us.  The beginning of next week is looking like there is the possibility of below zero temps.  I'm tellin' ya' the weather is all over the board right now.

We were not able to pick up straw due to repairs on the truck.  First, we replaced the front rotors.  Next, we thought we only needed two new tires, but we ended up with 4 new ones (which took 2 hours to get done).  Now, it's the back brakes.  If it's not one thing, it's another.


. . .from the handiwork journal ~ Chit Chat © Jan 2024 by Kristina at Pioneer Woman at Heart

Tuesday, September 26, 2023

...from the handiwork journal

 I have not ordered or purchased yarn in a while, because I am trying to use up my supply I already have.   However, at some point in the past, I purchased cotton yarns from Herrschners online.  


Beware, that the Village Yarn they sell, is made in China.  They do not tell you that on their online store.  They simply say "imported" and I somehow missed this.  Luckily, I only have a few balls of their yarn, but wanted to let all of my crochet/knit people know.  I also feel it is thinner than the typical 100% cotton yarn from Peaches & Creme/Sugar & Cream.


. . . I am back to knitting dishcloths for a winter Holiday craft show.  I thought I had a bunch of dishcloths already made, but when I looked through the totes, I did not.  I have a lot of cotton balls of yarn, as it was one item my Mom always liked, and purchased from me (she was always gifting someone).  It takes me almost 3 hours to knit one of these.  I make mine 52 stitches.  I will not offer a 3 for $ price on these this winter.  They take took much work to make.  Or am I just a slow knitter?


. . .I have had a request from someone for an XL hot pad, so that is on the afghan hook.   These are crocheted, and my own pattern.  I am limited to colors for this, as I need my cotton yarn to be on a cone.  They have discontinued many of their yarn colors that are sold by the cone.


We are getting rain.  I think the rain will not end until Friday this week.  Sunday looks great though.  I changed the menu a bit, and we had home canned tomato soup and grilled cheese last night.  My husband wasn't feeling all that great.  

A co-worker that works with my husband came to work sick last week, and now my husband has a sore throat, feels fatigue and not well.  Wonderful.  He has been taking Four Thieves Vinegar.

I'm busy in the kitchen, but hope to get a bit of order back in the rest of the house.  I gave up on finding some grocery items I needed, and placed an online order.  It's frustrating, that I cannot find healthy ingredients in the stores anymore.

If the rain quits a bit today, I hope to go check on the hot peppers and bell peppers today.  I am trying to focus on getting the herbs either dehydrated or frozen before the fall frost arrives.

Sunday, July 9, 2023

. . .from the handiwork journal


My recent attempts to soak in some porch time, have been short due to 90 degree days here lately.   The bugs are terrible, and I'm guessing from the recent rains we have had. 








 . . .the second doily for the living room.  I honestly forgot about this project.  It was in my on-the-go bag.  I need to get this finished.



. . .current status on the current large blanket.  It's too hot here to work on such a large project.





. . .finally finished this (top picture) dishcloth.  Started another one.  Finished that one.









I used the leftover yarn to crochet two hand sanitizer holders, and then used the very last of the yarn.....


...to make 4 granny square centers.  I have just a wee bit of yarn left.  


How this project started:  I was cleaning up the very last box of craft items in the living room.  I had a crocheted strawberry for a keychain for one daughter.  I went to the utility room (next room to get a complete extreme cleaning) to open a craft container to get a key ring for the strawberry, and saw 4 of these snap clasps (still in their packages).  

I think I bought the clasps about 5-6 years ago (or longer, as that Hobby Lobby closed).  Anyway, I went to my yarn stash boxes, and came up (took me about 5-6 trials) with a self made pattern, for a cuff bracelet.  Leave it to me to create a pattern with yarn that is discontinued ha ha!  I've had this crochet thread for many years as well.





. . . crocheted 4 cuff bracelets.  My husband was impressed.  Not just with the finished project, but that it used supplies I already had.  By the way, the clasps are not leather, they are faux leather, and can still be purchased at some craft stores.  They are almost double the price however, from when I purchased them.

I have plans for these already.  I would like to get one made with two more color I do not have.


. . .lap afghan on the crochet hook.  It's my current "on-the-go" project. Recognize the yarn?  Leftover small balls from my own recent blanket, the one that was ordered after that blanket, from Christmas ornaments, recent crochet hats, and from other projects.

The very small balls of yarn are then donated to the local school art teacher.  Do you have any suggestions for the smaller balls of leftover yarn?  They could be used to make granny squares I guess.


. . .sold this oversized hot pad (these are approx. 7 1/2 x 12 1/2 inches, made per the request of my Mom).  Funny story about this sale.  A long time friend from high school, messaged me a photo of an oversized dishcloth, and asked me to make her another (she was using it for a hot pad for 9 x 13 size dishes).  

I told her, that was not made by me, and I make double thick.  She was embarrassed that she never bought from me, but wanted my last one in my inventory.  Odd color I used, but she bought it.  I have had one more request, so I will be doing an inventory check on any cotton cone yarn I have.



I used to make them like this.  I have this one in my kitchen, and have used it almost daily for the last 13-13 years or more.  It's about 12 x 10 3/4 inches.  I may make a few more of these as well.  They are great for  9 x 9 dishes, cookie sheets, pizza pan, etc.  However this was my very first one, and it was single crochet.  I now have longer Afghan hooks.

. . .  I decided to donate all of these jars I made so many years ago.  I recycled jars and crafted them to fill with homemade granola for my side of the family (many, many years ago) for Christmas.   It just never happened.   These jars will find a new home.   



Question:  Where is the best place to buy a board for crocheted granny squares?  I may be doing a large blanket with granny squares next summer (maybe this summer).  I do not have one yet.



Like this one.  (source Walmart).  I am looking to get one large enough to have space for 4 stacks.  


Friday, June 2, 2023

. . . from the handiwork journal

 

. . .remember the scarf I finally finished?  Well....



. . .I had more yarn in the same color, so I started a hat to match.

I did ten more rows and realized I was reading the pattern wrong.  I was reading the part about the "3rd loop" incorrectly, and had to frog the 10 rows.
It now looks like this.   It's my "kitchen" crochet project, when I'm roasting something that needs turned every 15 minutes, and I shouldn't leave the kitchen.


Update after drafting this post:  It's done, but it feels a bit larger than it should be.  Not snug enough.  I used this pattern from 5 Little Monsters, and it says "I" hook.  I will make it again, but with an H hook to see if it fits a bit more snug.  I used a worsted weight yarn too.

By the way, if you make this hat, she has a full video tutorial on how to do this hat.  There is a stitch I was so confused about, so I had to hence frog it.  Video is HERE.

More updates!  Ha!  Guess what got crocheted?


My husband put in dibs for this one.





I used up more yarn in my stash!  These whip up pretty quickly!  I had the yarn, and the pom's, so I'm feeling pretty resourceful with my ridiculous amount of crochet time here lately.  These match scarves I crocheted over winter too.  I think I have a few skeins left, and then the remaining leftover yarn will be put into lap afghans to donate.

Mom was always my inspiration to make new items to sell.  She encouraged me to make some mask strap thingy's (can't explain other than it made it more comfortable for her, which required buttons).


I thought of her when I found my buttons in my stash.  I will put them to use with these hats, or any hat with a faux pom on it.  The pom has an elastic band that goes around the button, so it can be taken off to wash the hat.  I



   These Bernat Stripes I have in my stash made great hats with this pattern, and I used an "H" hook this time, and got a more snug fit, so H it is for this yarn.



. . .I found this free pattern on a yarn label, that came from yarn I am using on the blanket project.  It's a shawl pattern.  I am making it for a gift.  I'm not sure I like it just yet.  We'll see.  It may be a "porch" project, since the light outside is better for crocheting black yarn.


. . .the blanket is still progressing.  Old photo.  It's been tabled again due to hot weather however.



. . .these are new to me as well!  Lucky Penny! I made one and it turned out so cute.  I'm making one for a wedding.  They suggest the bride to be can pin it inside her dress, or to her flower bouquet.  I just made a yellow one, because that is the color of thread I had downstairs (ha ha!).  They would make cute keychains, and even cute random acts of kindness. 

 Anyway, another new crochet project in the books!  Now to find the poem to gift with it for a wedding.  Does anyone know the poem by chance?  I'll have to google that, and see if I can find it.  

If you are interested in this pattern, I actually found it via a video  -  HERE.  I'm not affiliated with any of these patterns.  I am just sharing them in case anyone is interested in them.



Thursday, February 23, 2023

Wandering Thoughts

Last weekend was a bit rough.  It's been one year since Mom's passing.  Doesn't seem like it's been a year either.  Rough weekend, but glad the kids came to visit.  I'm getting flowers together to take to the cemetery, but still need a base with styrofoam for them.  I forgot to check dollar tree for those, but on the to-do list.  Anywho, missing Mom hit hard.  

Oh boy did we get rain yesterday.   I had to run around the house and check all the drain spout extensions.  Sheesh, talk about squishy, flooded yard.


I, like a dummy, rammed my little toe and I got a very nasty bruise.  I should have taken before and after, because the bruise is almost gone in 3 days using my homemade comfrey salve.  I believe the salve was also made with some plantain in it.  Anyway, the power of medicinal weeds is mind blowing.


Fun Fact:  Did you know a "chipotle" pepper is a ripened (red on the vine) jalapeno, smoked and then dried?  I looked into making my own canned chipotle peppers in adobo, and learned this.  Anyway, we do not own a smoker, nor a charcoal grill.  I'm putting making these on the back burner for now, but definitely on the try it list.


My progress on our blanket.  I absolutely love how I rotated the white between the black and gray yarn.  Love it!  I measured it, and if I am correct, I need about 8-10 more sections of each color to finish it.  Since I started with soft white then gray, I would like to end it the same on the top of it.

Daughter K and her fiancĂ© came and picked up this blanket. 

The only blue pair of baby booties I currently have in my inventory.  They are on their way to a Mom in Hawaii.  Very thankful for the sale.  I still cannot locate more satin ribbon in white, baby blue, pink and peach.  I use white a lot.


Over the weekend, I came downstairs with about 4 skeins of yarn.  My husband laughed and asked, "do we have a store up there?"  Ha ha ha!  I may actually run out of yarn for our blanket.  Knocking on wood that I have enough, because the last trip to Wal-mart they had zero of all three colors, and I bought the last gray one at another Wal-mart at another store.  I'm going to do another check on my stash this week.  I'm just preparing for another blanket if I have to pause our blanket.

The last few years have been a whirlwind, and I missed some comments on my "store" blog.  Mother Em, if you are still reading my blogs, I have gone thru my boxes of inventory and have the items below:


Scarf:  $20.00, Hat:  $10.00
Cross bookmarks in the colors that are in the photo:  $5/each
Wine bottle gift bags in the colors that are in the photo:  $5.00/each.
Shipping depends on where you live and how much I am shipping.  Also, payments can be sent via a check or paypal.

Let me know if you'd still like any of these.  And again, so sorry for missing your inquiry.  Last year alone was a whirlwind with Mom's health.










Saturday, December 3, 2022

Blanket update and other ramblings

 

Here is an update on the new blanket for us.  It's been a long time since I have made anything for ourselves. 

The weather is miserable today.  Very windy and a cold front on the way.  It's a full blown work weekend for us.  We plan to make some progress in the living room.

I looked into selling my handiwork at a location one hour away.  They have a waiting list, but want $90 to 225.00/month and a 3 month commitment.  I will now look into another location.


Sunday, November 27, 2022

Living room updates.....

 

Not wanting to pay anyone else, nor add more pay to the current handy man, we did a trial on the removal of the popcorn ceiling. 

We did the 50/50 fabric softener/water spray first, then realized we didn't even need the spray.  The popcorn ceiling was coming off lickity split with just the scraper.  About 1/4th of the ceiling is down and cleaned up.  We are waiting on the rest of the subfloor to be installed to remove the rest.  

Now my husband understands why I wanted the ceiling done.  The spider webs were dangling at the edges of where he was removing the texture.  He understands my frustration with having to "sweep" the ceiling every year.  It was ugly as well.  

Still needing done?

-remove remaining popcorn ceiling, remove current ceiling fan

-paint ceiling and install new ceiling fan/light

-wash down all trim/walls

-paint trim

-paint walls, re-install floor trim

-install new flooring and move furniture back


Meanwhile, we wait for work to resume on Monday.  No other interesting news, other than I saw a stray cat the other day.  I set food out, but have not seen it again yet.

The weather is high of 56°F today, but it's raining and very windy.  Looks like it will be that way all day today.  I'll try and get a photo of the current handiwork (nothing really exciting ha ha). As soon as the rest of the floor is in, I will be able to get upstairs for yarn and other supplies.