Happy Fourth of July Everyone

These 4th of July Napkin Rings will add some sparkle to your table.

Shelia is now in charge of the Blog

This is the youngest member of the Mint Hill Stitch In group. She loves to knit and is making progress quickly.

This water bottle cozy was made by Nancy.

Rita is using her seamstress skills to make this skirt from the Edwardian Era. She and her husband are docents for the Mint Hill Historical Society.

Aura has done a wonderful job taking care of our blog, but she will be going to the University City Branch.  We will miss her greatly! 

April 27 - Mint Hill Stitch In Ladies meet without Shelia

Shelia was not able to meet with the ladies on this last Tuesday of April.  Mark, our Branch manager set up the room and the ladies quickly got situated.  They even brought refreshments.

   Pat delivered a very special and thoughtful surprise from Natalie one of our regular attenders.  I had no idea that she was also into other crafts.  She is known for her beautiful crochet dolls and afghans.  Take a look at these beautiful wreaths she made using a  two clothes hanger.  She made on wreath for Aura and one for Shelia.  Thank you so much Natalie. 

Everyone was engaged in their projects and enjoying each others conversations.  I joined in and talked with Phyllis and Barb who are very good friends and share a love of knitting.  Barb found a pattern for a tube sock she liked and shared it with Phyllis.  The fun yarn they are using creates a unique pattern and don't let the shape of Barb's fool you.  It does not have a heel but it's very stretchy and this size will fit various size feet.

This is Pat's work in progress using Patons Kroy Socks yarn.

Claire's work in progress really belongs to her friend from Greensboro who has not been able to finish it. Claire does not have the pattern  to follow so with the help of another friend she hopes to finish it.  Juliana at work saw the picture and she recognized the pattern which is called Greek Key.  I searched online and was not able to find this pattern.  Sorry, but no picture is available.

This is Nancy's current project and she is making it for a grand niece who lives in Michigan.

Shelia received a donation of crocheted squares from one of our patrons.  Jill is helping piece the squares together using the slip stitch.

Rita hesitated showing me the gnome she has been working on but I convinced her. I'm sure once she finishes it will be unique just like her other creations.  The sweater pattern makes me think of Charlie Brown.

Jan has found something she could continue doing to occupy her crafting time.  This flannel blanket has been finished by crocheting a border.  "This fabric is just right for a little boy," she said.







Jill had fun crocheting the edge on this flannel blankets.  She loves working using Hobby Lobby's so soft Lambie Yarn.

Jeanne has started another blanket for a daughter's good friend.

Jeanne also brought pictures taken during a recent visit to her family.  Thanks for sharing these.

I like making a piece of string into something I can wear.  ~Author Unknown

Spring is Almost Here

The beautiful spring like weather brought a good crowd to work on their works in progress.




This delicious Chocolate Delight dessert not only looked good but tasted delicious. The crochet shamrocks added a special touch to the refreshment table. 

Rita continues to work on sewing the walker bags. She is still accepting fabric donations.

Rita finds a solution for everything including keeping up with her glasses.

 

Janet was seen wearing this beaded creation. She really impresses me with her intricate and detailed work.

Iola is a beginner crocheter and confessed that she knew her edges were not even. I reassured her that this is all part of the learning process and with practice and perseverance she will improve. My advice to her was to count stitches on every row and to be careful not to miss working a stitch on the turning chain.

One of the ladies I talked to told me about this fantastic kit she purchased at Ollie's. The kit includes yarn and numerous cards with projects for all different levels. She did say she thought she bought the last one.

Shelia finished this cotton cloth she found in one the Mason Dixon Knitting book and added the five petal crochet flower. Nice work!

…until we meet again may your creative genius continue to enrich your lives.

March is National Craft Month

To commemorate March as National Craft Month a display has been set at the Mint Hill Branch Library.

All the items on the display have been created by the ladies who attend Mint Hill Stitch In.

1. It's not possible to capture the intricate detail of these two beaded creations by Janet.

2. Small knitted blanket for Project Linus

3. Max the moonshiner gnome and Mac Gnome his Irish companion were knitted by Rita. 

4. Jill's caps and booties in different sizes.

5. Julie's scarf was knitted using Lion Brand's Homespun yarn.

 6. These clowns are the pride and joy of Natalie.

7. Donna's items are a felted mitten, a pair of socks and a beautiful felted purse.

8. This baby knitted bunting was made by Jean.

9. Beautiful hand knitted items by Phyllis.

10. Barb's crochet swirling bag and knitted fingerless gloves.

Stylish gloves and super easy to knit.

11.  Iola's magnificent knitted creations.

12.  Pat's Helmet liner and knitted baby hat.

13.  Loretta's Preemie knitted hats.

This beautiful garden trellis quilt in progress is the work of Barb who has a good reason to smile.  It is so beautiful.  One of her friends had commented to her that this pattern was not really for a beginner but that did not stop Barb. She is making this quilt to give away to her daughter.

Close up of Barb's quilt.

Barb's knitted fingerless glove fits just right and it is part of the Mint Hill Stitch In display.

Until next time...may all your crafting deliver joy and delight.

Stitch, Learn---Make Friends too

 

Just about every month I've had the opportunity to meet a new lady who is passionate about crafts.  Rachel has been working on crochet squares which will be used to create a blanket.  She is excited about this particular blanket because she will give it to her mother this Christmas.  Among Rachel's other interests: painting ceramics, plastic canvas, cross stitch, quilling, etc..etc...

This was Rachel's second time attending Mint Hill's Stitch In and she sat next to another second time in attendance lady, Jill.  We have three Jills now.  Jill #3 recently started knitting and was fascinated watching how fast Rachel's work progressed.

This is the beautiful Ripple Crochet afghan that Natalie made using left over worsted weight yarn.

Shelia's Yarn Winder continues to gain popularity. It has been tested and tried by Jill who puts it to use every time Shelia brings it in.  She loved demonstrating it.

This is the spaghetti yarn mess Jill's mother handed her.

Nice cake of yarn made by the Yarn Winder.

Rita continues to work on her Walker bags and she was happy with the fabric donations she collected.

 Rita's detailed instructions for the Walker bags.

This is Jed, the moonshiner posing with his flask. 

With all the sewing Rita did, I don't think she made much progress on this new gnome.

  
Neily brought several knitted dish towels and wondered how much she could sell these for.  She found the pattern in one of the Mason Dixon books.  She was pleased with the price suggestion she got.

This cotton cardigan was knitted by Joe who learned to knit while living in Germany.  She shared with me a neat tip too.  She likes to finish the edge of knitted rib by doing slip stitches or single crochet across the edge.

   See you all next time.

All Things Red and Beautiful

Happy Valentines Day! Red was all around the community room, a color I count as one of my favorites.

Shelia's Red Velvet cake was not only beautiful outside but inside as well. Look carefully and you'll see a heart inside the cake.

From one stitching friend to another the message reads: All the while you make me smile.  You are forever my best friend.  Jan's knitted cloth for Tina.

Shelia also received a Heart cloth from someone who appreciates her very much.  Sue worked on this cloth and finished it during this session.

Aura's amigurumi Gnomes added to the red theme.  She brought them to show Rita, another gnome enthusiast.

More red creations - The hat was made by Jan using the jiffy knitter.

Sheila's crocheted Red rose will decorate her door.

Debbie B. joined Stitch In and worked on her shawl.

Rita would like to receive fabric donations to make walker bags.  She recently got together with a friend who is a physical therapist and shared about this need.  The walker bags are needed to hold personal items.  She prefer sturdy/heavy duty material.

This one features three pockets.  There is a piece of wide velcro tape on the back to hold the bag on the walker.

Pretty plaid walker bag.

"More Creative Genius..."

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So Many Blankets--All Made from the Heart

The fleece blankets for Project Linus continue to pour in and also the help to put them together.  Nancy showed up and lent her hand tying knots along the borders.  She was more than happy to do this.

Mint Hill Branch Library has been designated as a drop off location for all blankets.  Shelia who also attends the Project Linus meetings received the labels that are sewn to each blanket.  Phyllis worked sewing them to all the  completed fleece blankets.

There was plenty of sweet stuff and hot chocolate (those are snowman marshmallows) to keep everyone happy as they stitched.

Rita's McGnome sports a kilt and a super curly beard.  She keeps coming up with her own original designs and was more than willing to share how she made the beard, one of my favorite parts.  She would like to make them smaller as there are many more hours of labor on this size gnome. 

A different kind of yarn produced a totally different beard look.  The hat was upcycled from a boiled wool jacket.  The pointy boots were constructed the same way.  Rita's gnomes have bendable arms made possible by the wire she inserts as she fills them with fiberfill.  She has not named this one yet.

This is not Shelia's creation but someday she would like to be able to make one.  She was willing to pay $40.00 so she could reproduce it .  I'm sure she will.

She has learned much working on crochet hats and proudly showed this one she completed.

Janet received a very nice gift from one of her children.  On a recent trip to Alaska her husband took a beautiful picture which was made into a puzzle. The short row scarf she knitted made her very happy too.

 

Finally on my way out I snapped this picture of Jan reading and working with her hands.  There is no reason why you can't do two things at the same time.