The Lil Hat Shack

A Year Later, lots of changes.......

I can't believe its been almost a year since I've updated my blog.  Why?  Well, I wish I had some romantic excuse, like i've been on a crochet and knitting sabbatical in France for the last 10 months, but no.  A new hobby, a new purchase, a new zip code and a new kitty!

Meet Lola, my sweet little 10 month old torty.  She's sweet as pie and loves to play. Friends at work even gave me a kitty cat shower the week after I got her.  I've always been one to express my distate for cats, but I couldn't say 'no' to my niece and nephew when they begged me to take her and I'm so glad I did.  By the way, she loves yarn as much as I do!

Last year, I started looking for a house to purchase.  13 years of apartment life and wall sharing with scary white trash had taken its toll on me.  So I began the home search.  Found a wonderful home in September, placed an offer, counter offers and wrote a revised contract, only to find the next morning that they had accepted another offer from someone else.  Needless to say, when my realtor called with the news - I was looking at the home photos online and we were trying to figure out where I'd put my furniture in each room.  That news was devastating to me - I had my heart set on that home.  Friends said...that just means something better will come along.  Everytime I heard that, I cringed...just couldn't see it....that was my house.  That was October 12th.  I had to be out of my apartment on November 30th - that didn't leave much time to find something else.  I took a week off looking and called my realtor with an open mind...let's keep looking.  We happened onto a home that was in a great neighborhood and I couldn't believe the price.  The owners had moved out of the country, it looked like they painted all the rooms 'builders white' (insert gag) except for the spares, neglected the cabinets, ugly light fixtures and brass door knobs everywhere!  But something about that house, when I walked in was very emotional and I knew that was the house for me.  I submitted my offer, they accepted and everything was done online....with electronic signatures.  That was October 24,  I closed on November 14th and the rest is history, as they say.  My first experience as a first-time-home-buyer....and yes, single ladies out there....you can do it.  There is alot to be said for a good realtor and broker and listen to what your friends say....they are usually right - but make sure you go with your gut and your heart.  Here's my other baby.....and its been almost 4 months later and I'm still in love with it - no buyers remorse yet!

We had Thanksgiving and Christmas here!  So much fun, but the unpacking, the boxes, the newspaper...how could one woman have SO MUCH STUFF!  I'm a pack rat I guess, I have my mother to thank for that.  I knew when I was looking, I wanted 3 bedrooms.  I lucked out, this 1860 sq ft home has 3 bed, plus a bonus office, study room.  So that's what I call my media room - much to the chagrin of my nephews....I tell them, hey it has a couch, a computer and a tv - its a media room - go watch tv in there....but I guess a little 14" tv, does not a media room make.  I wanted 3 bedrooms, because I wanted a spare for guests and a sewing room for me.  The sewing room was my first makeover room.  I think it may have previously been a boys room...it was navy on the bottom, a beige border and baby blue on top & ceiling.  So I cleared the room, made my way to Home depot and bought primer, rollers, brushes and paint....my colors, cream rose and shrimp....in other words, light pink and a slightly darker shade of pink.  2 coats of primer, 3 coats of pink and lots of curse words and sore arms later...I finished it.  Started while on Christmas vacation and finished mid January...working on weekends (sometimes).  Bought fabric for my balloon curtain at a quilt shop, sewed, lined and applied about 40 rings to the back and the room was finished!

Here's before... 

and after.....

 

 

 

So one room down, so many to make my own!  I love this room....its pink, its feminine, its functional and its fun to work in and never never is this clean....usually pretty messy - I just keep telling myself - hey its a work room! My home is in Mckinney - about 10 miles northeast of my previous home, Frisco, for the last 12 years.  I decided to move to Mckinney for two reasons....its more affordable and it has tons of history.  I'm 2 miles from historic downtown and love to go down to the square and shop in the antique stores and frequent favorite restaurants.  I just love this city. 

Also last year, I fell in love with family research and historical preservation.  I took 3 classes at night in genealogy and also went on 2 research trips last year to Kansas.  It was so much fun, walking cemeteries, finding family members markers, rummaging through books and papers at local libraries finding ancestors.  I have learned so much about family and met so many cousins online that provided information to me.  I feel I've become obsessed with it.  This year, I've planned another trip to Kansas and one to Ohio.  I just had to find my great great great grandmother and put her story to bed.  Her great granddaughter is still living, and I would love to be able to write her story and share it with my great aunt.  Also in doing this research, I met some lovely woman from the DAR.  I submitted my lineage information in June, paid my fees and October 4th, became an official member.  I caught alot of flack from some friends at work about this being a 'snooty organization'...but it isn't.  Its a great organization, noted for education, historical preservation and patriotism....who couldn't use more of those 3 values.  

Guess I'll sign off for now, and hope I can be a better blogger this year.  Take care all you crocheters, knitters, fabricistas and room re-doers!  Garde Tous Bien!

"Sorrow" as only Rachel Young King Anderson can describe....

I've been on a crocheting and book buying binge over the last two months.  I just completed Doris Chan's light and lacy skirt from Crochet Today (April/May 2007) issue.  I love the simplicity of Doris Chan's simplicity pattern writing style.   This skirt was a quick crochet and I loved the yarn that I used, it was from a Nicky Epstein kit, I bought on clearance....it was unlabeled but i'm sure its Renolds 'Saucy' of mercerized cotton in a cool sage colorway.  The kit was regularly $49, but I got it on the clearance aisle for $6.00 and it had 10 skeins.  The skirt used 5 skeins....here it is  (with a champagne colored skirt underneath for the photo - but i'll opt for another color of lining to where underneath, once I find a nice top to go with.

I've rigged it up a little for the photo....but the detail came out great.

With the remaining 5 skeins I decided to do a lightweight summer wrap and found one on one of my favorite blogs to read....I live on a farm....a great pattern called...vineyard wrap
from my calculations and altering the stitch count slightly for my yarn type...I think I can get approximately 90" out of the remaining 5 skeins and since the pattern dimensions are 70"; I should been in the clear... Here's my progress thus far.. .check out her blog, she has some great patterns for sale as well as artwork. Makes me wish that I lived on a farm.

I bought several books this last weekend, because I had 50% off coupons to JoAnns and when I get those I make a beeline straight to the print media section.  I found several books, I'll be sharing over the next few posts - but just these two are so fantastic.  Lois Daykin is a wonderful designer for Rowan.  She has two new books out....baby crochet and baby knits...I enjoy making baby things.....the are quick to do and doesn't take much yarn....so they don't have to be quite so expensive.  Definitely will be a great addition to my stash of yarn books..

     

Last pic is of a book I bought to give my mom (the quilter) for Mother's Day in a few weeks.  Its the Civil War Diary Quilt by Rosemary Youngs.  Even if you aren't a quilter, this is a wonderful book.  I love history, especially Civil War history.  As I continue to research my family, I find many Civil War references and soldiers in our lineage.  This book is a quilt block pattern book and each block is inspired by a diary passage from a woman who lived, endured and wrote during Civil War times.  Here's a picture of the book...                                                                                                          

I googled this book and found several entries from other bloggers about this book.  I spent most of yesterday afternoon just the reading through the different passages and reading the bios on each woman, they were amazing for what they had to endure.  This passage was really poignant; entitled "Sorrow", page 35, penned by Rachel Young King Anderson...age 45, Greene Co, Missouri.  I'll share a few lines of it with you here...   

Sept 1, 1864
        This has been an eventful year with all the world and with myself and family.  Had two letters from home.  In the first I learned that my youngest brother, John King, was killed in battle on the 17th of Sept. 1862, and in the last I learned that my dear father died in Maury Co., Tenn on the 10th of July 1864.  Hundreds of battles have been fought and are still being fought in our divided country - citizens killed and robbed, houses burned and people driven from their homes and God alone knows how or when our troubles will end.

I can't believe that she didn't know about her brother for 2 years...she ends most of her passages with references to God or faith.  She was an incredibly strong woman.

So this weekend, I shopped at trade days with my sis and stopped over at her house afterward.  I sat outside with my nephew who was reading me some poems...he's 10 and they are learning poetry in school.  It was a great afternoon and we were enjoying great conversation when my nephew asked me...."aunt cc, have you ever said the F word"?  "umh, today you mean", I asked...."no ever?", he replied.
I said, yeah unfortunately so - i've said it alot over my lifetime.  "Well how bout you don't say it anymore, he said?"...."okay, i'll try"...I promised.  (I don't think I said it even once today).

Then one day, cold and gray I packed a bag and moved away......

I'm listening to the a Prairie Home Companion on my laptop now and GK is singing a sad song about home.  My post title just happens to be one of the lines.  But in reality - it is cold and gray here in Texas today.  Yesterday morning I was awoken by the pounds of 'hail' on my roof...as I peered out of my window and amidst the flashes of lightning and little white balls falling down the roof slopes, I could see lights coming on all over the complex.  Some areas had golf ball size, but I think we only had pea or dime size hail.  Here's  what we got on the east side of town. No damage for me, my car was in the garage.

That led to a nasty dreary day with lots of rain and storms, but I was determined I wasn't going to waste it, so I trodded off to IKEA for a Billy bookcase about 15" wide - they had them on sale for $59 and I had a coupon for $10 off.  I'm not a huge fan of IKEA, its just not my type of furniture normally, but it is durable and it certainly works for my spare room.  I bought the table w/saw horse legs that is extendable last year for my desk and this matches perfectly.  Easy to put together and holds all my knit/crochet/organize books and all my magazines that I can't seem to part with.

I was surfin around etsy the other day and came across a beautiful scarf, by ebay artisan mkcarroll It looked to me like the 'fan stitch' on some of the patterns I have, but I loved her version and purchased through her.  Her pattern is easy to follow if you have crocheted quite a bit, if you are a beginner - not sure, as there are couple things in the pattern a beginner may not be able to catch...omitted row - but she does offer a chart, only I found a few problems there....maybe i'm just picky.  After I had purchased, I found a similar free one (ugh) on ravelry....its a Queen Anne's lace pattern too - but I think all in all - MK's is cleaner, the fan stitches are more defined - if that makes sense.  Here's mine on the blocking board.

There are 160 pins in this monster - here's the proof....

But the end result is great and I think i'll make another one for mom....I love this scarf!!! (made out of scrap cotton yarn in from my stash - 2 strands held)

Also looks great with a vintage pin (or in this case - vintage barrette)

So since that is complete - (FO #4 for the year) i'm working more religiously on French Girl's 'Fawne' that I purchased from Jimmy Beans Wool (my fav online yarn/pattern retailer) and I love this pattern  - its super easy to follow and instructions are well written.  I decided to try Vannas yarn (yarn snobs its okay really) - mainly because I wanted to see how this yarn works up  - the color is honey...the yarn is fine - will need a bath of softener as all acrylic does once its complete - but here's my progress so far. I have one sleeve and most of the body complete.  It works up quickly....can't wait til its complete - hopefully within the week.

And that's all the crochet I have to show today....January was full of knit and February is turning into a crocheter's month. 

I'm still working on genealogy, its such an obsessive hobby.  Some evenings I come home from work get on ancestry.com and look up and its 10pm.  I have found quite a bit of family information and met some wonderful resources in the forms of distant cousins.  I was organizing my file cabinet the other evening...top drawer - patterns, 2nd drawer - genealogy, 3rd & 4th - personal junk.  So in going through drawer #2, I found a story that one of my cousins sent to me.  It was written by her mother Henrietta.  Henrietta's mother, Ina Belle and my great grandmother, Lucinda were sisters.  So Henrietta was a writer, most of her stories are based on the tales told down to her from her mother about life on the Pomme De Terre in Missouri.  Some of these stories she wrote were published in local magazines.  I love reading and researching these ancestors that inspired such stories and tales.  I'll leave you with Henrietta's beautiful dedication to her mother for her story 'Shadows on the Autumn Moon', by Henrietta Driskill.

   "To my Mother, and to an old road that winds its way across the hills and over the vales of my childhood home.  To a river, the Pomme De Terre River, that had influenced the settling of this particular region.   To the beautiful hills, that holds its secrets, locked in its bosom.  Not a sign, a breath or a word of what has been held there, so securely, for a hundred years.  And the shadows, the shadows that move along the old road, at the full of the moon.  They move across the hills and whisper of the past.  I understand and listen and I hear the stomp of horses feet and the jingle of their harness.  I hear the whoop of a feathered red man and the slap of rope on his horses hide.  I hear the quiet step of a work weary woman, as she treads this road.  I listen.  Where have they gone?  These people that once lived and worked here.  They are mine, ghosts of my past.  My shadows, against the Autumn Moon."

Isn't that beautiful, I think so.  I haven't read all of the story yet - but I think she's a good writer....and what a legacy to leave. 

Have a great weekend crocheters, knitters, genealogists and writers and readers of the past.  Garde tous bien!

Passion's only half impossibility....................

That's one of my favorite lines from a great Susan Warner song....St. Mary's of Regret.  This month my passion has definitely been yarn crafts...knit and crochet.  Finally the Lace Wrap is off the block board and on to my mannequin for a quick photo.  I love the color way - a very quick knit and easy pattern to follow.  Louisa Harding is probably my favorite knit designer. 

Lace Wrap, pattern by Louisa Harding

That completes my second FO for 2008 and now here's my 3rd.  My sister bought this skein of Bernat's alpaca yarn color is tundra.  Finished it over 2 nights - just a couple hours each night.  Once you get the cable pattern memorized, your off to the races.  I'm going to make one for me, as this is the softest yarn ever; only thing its a little sheddy - I don't recommend wearing black while your knitting.  This picture doesn't do it justice, its really super soft and cables turned out great....I want a pink one!

I started a little mini collection since Christmas....after my Grandma died, my grandpa gave me one of her cameo's - it's a mourining cameo...brooch post then at Christmas my folks gave me one and my mother then later gave me one that was her mothers, passed down from her grandmother.  We've had alot of changes at work and a very nice lady and good friend of mine, won't be working together anymore, as she's moved to a new area....she knew I collected cameo's so she gave me one that she had had for years and never wore.  I wanted to display them so I bought some velvet and put them in a little frame - they turned out nice, in place of honor next to my glass kerosene lamps that once belonged to Mrs. Mabel Wagner, who lived across the street from my Grandma and Grandpa Cook from the late 40s to the late 80s.   They are so pretty....they survived a housefire and my mother cleaned them all up and gave them back to me.  When I look at them, I can't help but be reminded of the sadness that the Wagner's endured during their lives.  They had two sons....and when their oldest son was 17 Mr. Wagner took him for a test drive a new car...they wrecked and their son died.  Then only 16 years later their other son was killed in a car accident too.  After another 13 years, Mr Wagner died too and for the next 25 years, Mrs. Wagner lived alone in her little house across the street from my grandparents, until she wasn't able to care for herself and her grandson put her in a nursing home where she died in 1994 at the age of 95.  He didn't want her little house, so he gave it to my cousin.  They sold her belongings in various garage sales and threw other items away.  I was lucky enough to get these before they made it local trash bin. 

here's a closeup of the cameos....

I saw two great movies this past weekend....The BRave One with Jodi Foster and Terrence Howard.  She's such a great actress - definitely a worthwhile rental.  Also rented on demand 3:10 to Yuma - I LOVED it - but I really love westerns too.  Russell Crowe and Christian Bale are so good in this movie - also the guy that plays Russell's sidekick is awesome, but I can't think of his name.  This movie so good, I watched it twice and definitely will be purchasing it. 

Okay, off to bed - goodnight all you crocheters, knitters and movie watchers - garde tous bien!

Two books and a block......

How about a couple mini book reviews.  I was lucky to come home at lunch today and find my latest Amazon order at the front door.  It was two books by the oh so fantastic....Susan Cropper...Vinatage Crochet and Pretty Knits.

Vintage Crochet was a book that as soon as I saw the cover and the title, I had to have and just flipping through the first couple pages - I was hooked.

My favs from the home accessories section.... 'popcorn-stitch cushion, lovely picot star tablecloth and of course the twinkle lampshade.  I adore this book because of its simplicity, it takes you back to your Grandma's back porch with a glass of sweet tea. 

From the apparel section - the Lula scarf and cloche and absolutely the first pattern i'll try is the French Girl's 'Betty' shrug. 

She also has a pattern for a crocheted hangers with dangling flowers....very charming!  Out of all the patterns in this great book, there were only two that didn't appeal to me.  One of the most interesting details, aside from the photography, is the fact that most patterns aren't your typical rows of single and double crochet.  There is a wide variation of novelty stitches....popcorn, bobbles, puff-stitch, etc.   With all the illustrations at the back, even the novice crocheter shouldn't be intimidated by the patterns.

Before Christmas I couldn't wait to get my hands on the new hip crochet book 'Crochet Me'
- mainly because of Amy Oneill Houck's   'Baby Doll Dress'.   Imagine my surprise when there was also a pattern from Donna Hulka too - a circle rug and its fantastic.  There are a few additional patterns that I liked, Annette Petavy's sweater (love all her stuff!), Mesmerize sweater by Kristin Omdahl is unbelievable and bless you for adding the underarm gussets!  I have to say the front cover was very impressive.  I love the creativity in the design of that Victorian Wrap by Robyn Chachula with the button up front flap - ingenious!  The illustrations and color combos are fantastic throughout the book and enjoyed very much the Designer Profiles attached to the patterns.

Finally finished my Lace Wrap from Louisa Harding's 'Gathering Roses' book and am officially blocking it for a few days.  Here's the blocked wonder...any suggestions out there on blocking ribbon yarn?  would love to hear them....steam block, water block, wishful thinking block - you name it - i'm willing to try it. 

Goodnight Crocheters, Knitters and other crafters - take care!