Saturday Crafts: Cloth Napkins

I know, I'm a day late with this, but my sewing machine decided to give up the ghost yesterday. Despite my pleading and cajoling, it just wouldn't cooperate, so I think I'm going to have to take it to a repair shop or break down and buy a new one. So, this project is not complete, but I wanted to share what I have done.

In my quest to become more environmentally and budget conscious, I've decided to make cloth napkins. They are quite simple. Just cut out squares about 1/2 inch larger on all sides than you intend the finished napkins to be, turn each side under 1/4 inch and stitch, then turn each side under 1/4 inch again, and stitch.

I cut out all my napkins. Here are four that are made from striped and patterned cloth. I'm just going to hem the edges and use these as they are.

On the plain cloth, I decided to embroider our initials on them. I haven't washed these to remove the markings for the embroidery because I haven't hemmed them yet. Once the sewing machine is back in order, I'll be able to wash away the errant markings. First, I made a set using a thread that is similar in color to the napkins for a tonal look. I used a stem stitch for these.

Next, I wanted to use some color, so I made a set in blue, still using the stem stitch.

Finally, I was tired of the stem stitch, so a made a third set in green using backstitching.

Hopefully, I'll get the machine fixed soon so I don't have to finish these by hand. I also have several other half-done projects that require the machine. Until then, I'll be working on the needle-point poppy I've been working on for ever.

Saturday Crafts: Cell Phone Pouch

I have a friend who is married to a man who works with MSH. Her husband & MSH share a mutual interest in football, and she and I share a mutual disinterest in the sport. So, when the two men wanted to hang out on Sundays, we decided to crochet together. Now, she only remembered the tiniest bit of the crochet lesson her grandmother had given her decades ago, so I taught her everything I know. Now, she is faster than I am!


As I mentioned last week, we are going to their house next weekend, so I made her a doily. She had also mentioned that she could never find her cell phone in her purse and needed a cell phone pouch, so I offered to make her one. Here is the pattern: Cell Phone Pouch, and here is the finished product:

I changed the pattern slightly making the flap a little smaller. Also, instead of making the side gussets as detailed in the pattern, I crocheted around the main body and flap once, the added two extra rows to the sides of the body and, with right sides together, sewed the sides together with a row of single crochet stitches. Next, I made the strap longer so she can wear it over her shoulder. Hopefully, she will get good use out of it.

We're headed out to the Cherry Blossom Festival today, so photos will be forthcoming.

'Til then,

Me

Saturday Crafts: Pineapple Doily

Now you know I love to cook, but I have other interests as well. I also love to crochet. I just finished my most recent project, a pineaple doily. We're going to visit some friends in a couple of weeks, and I plan to give this to our hostess as a hostess gift. Before I send the doily to a new home, she wanted to see some of my place.

Here's the doily sitting in MSH's recliner.

MSH woke up from his nap, hungry for lunch, so I went to prepare something for him. The doily decided to accompany me to the kitchen. Here you can see her watching me cook from our strangely purple counter (what made the people who built our home think this was a good idea?).

Unfortunately, she was afraid of being splattered or hit by flying utensils, so she went to go sit on the couch.

Now she's packed lovingly in tissue paper in a nice box, ready to move on. I'll miss you little doily, but luckily MSH convinced me several months ago to keep your much larger sister for the coffee table. The pattern for this doily came from a book called Crocheting Tablecloths and Placemats edited by Florence Weinstein that my mother gave me a while back. It was published in the 70s, but the patterns are from the 40s. I made the larger version of the pineapple doily as my first fine thread crochet project. I was so eager to start, that I couldn't wait until I went to the store and bought the appropriate sized hook and thread; the pattern calls for a size 12 hook and 50 thread, but all I had was a 00 hook and 10 thread. So, the 17" doily I intended to make, turned out to be about 4 feet in diameter. Oops.

Please disregard the shoe under the table.

I almost gave it away because a lady I worked with mentioned that she would like to have something like it for her foyer table, but MSH said that we should keep it for the coffee table. So, that's where it lives. I plan to go back and make the whole set for us to use on the kitchen table, but since we don't have a kitchen or dining room table right now, this project is a little further down on my list.

Currently on my list:

Cell Phone pouch for the same friend I made the doily for

Cloth grocery bags

Cloth Napkins

Embroidered pillow cases for my mother

Finish the quilt I started 4 years ago--all I have left is to quilt the bottom and attach it to the already complete topper

Teach my self to knit so I can make the Glowing Colors Afghan from lionbrand.com. I have all the yarn and needles, but I just can't quite figure the knitting out. I keep trying to crochet when I should be knitting and purling and casting on and doing whatever else it is you're supposed to do with those chopstick looking things! Every time I start trying to learn, I can't stop crocheting, and I start craving Moo Goo Gai Pan.

Pineapple Doily Set

Teach myself to smock so I can make dresses for my nieces

Plus I have various repair projects also need my attention, but those just make me want to hide under the covers and suck my finger again.

Next week: The Cell Phone Pouch

Tomorrow we're visiting friends in West Virginia and I'm making the Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce. Brace Yourself, People! from Pioneer Woman Cooks!, so if I don't get a blog in I want to wish you all (even if it's just the 3 readers I know about) Happy Easter.