Tuesday, June 24, 2008

And finally, the last Field trip!

The busy weeks are almost at an end and summer vacation starts this Friday! YAY! (still busy, but in a different way:0)

This time I went with my other daughter's grade 4 class. After a 1 hr bus ride (I tried to crochet, but being placed at the back of the bus where the bumps were intensified, I didn't get a lot done:0), the first stop was to Queens University's Geology department, where we got to see rock and mineral samples as well as learn about the robotic landings on Mars! What an interesting time it was!
Here are a few interesting samples we saw:
This one was such a brilliant blue! It was so striking with the yellowy tan that I thought it would make a nice free form crochet piece.
Another beautiful color that makes me think of a free form piece of crochet.
Wasn't this a ripple afghan pattern I saw somewhere? LOL! :)

I think Carol Ventura must have been here. Doesn't this look like one of her Tapestry crochet pieces?Lol. (just kidding:0)

After the University, we went on a 2 1/2 hr boat cruise through the 1000 Islands. The views were incredible, but the best was this one I got of a Seagull taking bread from a woman's hand! He had to fly hard and fast into the wind to catch up to the boat to get his treat!

After all the excitement, I decided to try my luck crocheting in the bumpy back seat of the bus on the way home. I had a cream colored Lustersheen with me to try some free form crochet with. I started a motif, frogged part of it and was trying to decide what to do next, when my daughter told me how nice it was and asked if she could have it. She was upset at the time because her 2 friends were playing a hand game and she felt left out. When I gave her the motif I had been working on, I told her it looked like a skeleton key. She was happy and showed it to her friends who immediately asked for one themselves! I ended up making 3 of these, all similar but slightly different, on the bus ride home! They loved them and are using them to show that they are in a club. Now they want to know how they could make it a necklace :0)
It just goes to show, it's all in the eye of the beholder!

Another day, another Field trip!

The next field trip was to the Zoo, again with my daughter's Kindergarten class. This was a pair of swans with a batch of 2 wk old babies. They were spread out so I only got 1 parent and a couple of the babies in the picture.
Later that week, I had to take Knight to his puppy Kindergarten classes. Isn't he handsome? And so well behaved :0)

I've been so busy the past couple of weeks, I haven't even had time to check out my garden. Imagine my surprise when I stepped out in my back yard and saw my climbing roses! The weather has been very favorable for them :0)
I finally have time to enjoy them :0)

Nature's Inspiration

The past couple of weeks have been spent going on year end class field trips, getting year end teachers and bus drivers gifts, taking Knight to puppy Kindergarten and practicing with him, finishing a couple of projects up, etc...!

The first Field trip we went on was to a local Conservation area with my daughter's Kindergarten class. It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny. It started off with the kids being different kinds of animals.
Here's my daughter being a turtle :0)


Later on, we went for a walk across a field. This butterfly was beautiful and made me think of a delicate flowing crocheted shawl.
As we meandered across the field, I came across these tiny white flowers. They made me think of a fine weight green yarn with a very light sprinkling of white flecks. I would use it to make a delicate lace tank top or maybe a wispy flowing shawl.

After the warm field, we took a hike through the cool shade of the woods.
This spot looked so peaceful with the warm sunlight, cool shade and softly babbling stream, that I found myself longing for a soft mossy stump, my hook and yarn and a bit of time to enjoy what Nature had to offer...... maybe another day......


Both my daughter and I immediately thought of Harry Potter when we saw this knarly tree branch. :0)
This flower was so lacy looking. It reminds me of the big clumps of fluffy snow we some times get in the winter. It would make a nice pattern for a soft fluffy afghan.

Even the mosquitoes inspired me....to figure out how to crochet mosquito netting!!! LOL!

Friday, June 13, 2008

Christmas in June!

My aunt sent me a parcel the other day, talk about Christmas in June!
In it was:
1. Masterpieces of Irish Crochet Lace - Techniques, Patterns, Instructions -Dover Needlework Series copywrite 1986.
2. Edgings to Crochet and Knit - Book No. 149 - The Spool Cotton company copywrite 1940. (Price 10 cents)!
3. Magic Crochet - June 1992.
4. Olde Time Needlework Patterns and Designs - July 1975.

I am in Heaven! I haven't had time to look through them thoroughly yet, but had a quick browse. The Irish lace one is absolutely gorgeous! And the edgings one has so many nice ones I can't wait to get out my hook and thread! My Aunt is a SWEETHEART!

I've been experimenting with Free form crochet lately so the Irish lace book has given me some great ideas! Some of the edgings I could see on a beautiful sweater or scarf or maybe a hat. hmmmmmm.......!

I had a Field Trip to a conservation area with my daughter's kindergarten class yesterday. (even with bug repellent we got eaten by skeeters!) I knew the 2 other moms knew each other and would be chatting, so I brought my crochet for the bus ride. I managed to get a few more rounds done on my bag I'm working on. The other moms even commented on it saying it was really nice:0) Next Tuesday is another field trip with her class to a local Zoo. Hmmm...even more time to crochet on the bus ride! :0) The following week, I go on my other daughter's field trip. Can I crochet on a bus full of 9 and 10 yr olds for an hour!?! Maybe not, but I am sure going to try! :0)

Well, I'm off to town to shop for my daughter's 6th bday party tomorrow! Wish me luck :0)

Monday, June 9, 2008

Major Project finished!!

I am now finished the huge project I was working on and my back, neck and shoulders are relieved I tell you! It had to be laid flat on the floor to be worked on, which meant leaning over to work :0( I can't reveal anything yet, but if all goes well, I should be able to spill the beans in August!

One thing I will say, I did learn a lot of new crochet techniques on this project!

Some things I've learned on this project:
-I've learned and perfected the 2 color spiral
-how to do cable ribbing
-I've learned an immense amount about free form crochet and I've also learned that I have a LOT more to learn about free form crochet!
-I've learned that your body can endure a considerable amount of discomfort when you are totally engrossed in a mesmerizing project!
-I've learned that no matter how much you think you know about crochet, a piece of yarn can humble you and bring you to your knees.
-I've learned that when you have a tight deadline, that one small area left to do, will grow bigger when you aren't looking :0)
-I've learned that you should start with a template for free form crochet, and if you are going to use one, it's easier to make it first rather than try to make your project fit the template AFTER you've already started :0)
-I've learned that if you insist on beginning a huge project in a technique you've never done, you will need an inordinate amount of patience! (as well as a very good reference book!:0)

Now that the project is finished, I'm in limbo. I want to relax and not have to think about anything, but on the other hand, I want to start a million other projects! I probably should work on a few other projects I have started, but now that I've done free form, I want to start on something right away! I might have to get out my unassigned yarn and play:0)