My Header Pic and other things !

I fell in love with this potholder design when I discovered it here: http://web.archive.org/web/20041111053853/http://www.splynda.com/free_patterns/picasso/picasso.htm AND this is the gals blog that so kindly took the antique potholder apart in order to provide the pattern: http://timelesscreations.blogspot.com/2005/09/here-it-is-picasso-potholder.html

The links above don't work anymore for the pattern so here it is:

Potholder:
#10 Crochet Cotton and #7 hook
You make 3 strips. The strips are worked with single crochet (sc) in the back loops of the previous row. This makes it stretchy like ribbing in a sweater.
Row 1: Ch 2, 3 sc in 2nd ch from hk, ch 1,turn.
Row 2: Sc in same place and in each st across, ch1, turn. (3 sts)
Row 3: 2 sc in the same place, and in each st across, ch 1, turn. (4 sts)
Row 4: Sc in same place and in each st across, ch1, turn. (4 sts)
Row 5: 2 sc in same place (back loop remember) and in each st across, ch 1 turn (5 sts)
Continue in this fashion (repeating rows 4 and 5) until there are 14 stitches, then work even until the strip is about 9" long. Then break the thread and finish it off.
The edging goes on the edge where the increases were made. edging:
Row 1: Working evenly along the side of the strip (I put my sc in the low part of the rows) sc, ch 3 and repeat to the end of the strip.

The edging goes on the edge where the increases were made. edging:
Row 1: Working evenly along the side of the strip (I put my sc in the low part of the rows) sc, ch 3 and repeat to the end of the strip.
Row 2: sc in the ch 3 space, ch 3, sc in the 3rd st from hk (making a picot), ch1, sc in next ch 3 sp. Do this to the end, break thread and finish off. Actually any pretty little edging would work.

Now, sew the three large ends of the strips together with sewing thread. After that, wrap the strips making the pot holder as round as possible. Sew with thread.

The back is just a circle of double crochets. Stitch the back to the front hiding the stitches under the edging. Even if the front isn't exactly round, the round back can be eased on, press it, and it will be fine. Cover a ring with single crochet, and attach it for hanging. TIP: With red sewing thread, gather the straight side! It will curl right up in the position you want. After sewing a strip on, take out the red thread.

I then found one made up in blue by: Fran Doreham of Arlington, TX (which just happens to be my favorite color)! Ergo, it has become my header so I can look at it whenever I choose. Looking at it makes me feel happy, lighthearted and creative!

This past week someone suggested a great way to use yarn tails about 3" or more in length using the weavers knot. What an adventure it's been attempting to learn this knot in order to make those tails useful. Originally I was using them to put out for the birds to aid nest building, until I learned that unnatural fibers are bad bad bad for them! So now just the tails of 100% cotton goes out for my winged friends :-) My first attempts at this knot have been weak; you know the first part of the learning curve is steep, afterall. So my first ball of refugee yarn is pretty funny looking and I intend to use it for a dishcloth. My weavers knot friend says my dishes won't mind all the knots in it and in fact they come in handy for cleaning bit's of food that don't want to exit the surface they are residing upon. Thanks Brenda !

My latest frustration has been having to divide my time between crocheting and reorganizing closets and all those 'tuck away' places we have in our homes. So many crochet projects and life just keeps demanding I give other things my attention. Phooey ! It does feel good to lighten the load of things in my possession so that part is ok - it's just getting it done that seems sooooooooooo painful ! I guess I just don't have the mind for it :-) Now some people are organizing maestros - well I need an organizing guru or some organizing junkie that wants to come do it for or with me ! lolol To make the process easier freecycle is my new friend except for some family stuff that one of my sisters is coming to fetch for her gang. And paper; of my! oh my! I seem to have reams of it with various kinds of information written, typed and scribbled upon it. Do I really need all of it? Well I can't answer that until I go through all of it first = Oh God will I survive the task? I just have wayyyyyyyyy too much STUFF !