Happy Christmas!

 I want to share with you how I decorated for Christmas. This year I have been making ornaments for my two Christmas trees; something that I really enjoy.

I made these paper houses. I found some glitter houses on a website, and my goodness they are expensive. I decided to make my own houses for my mantel. I really like how they turned out. You can find the patterns for paper houses  Here

This living-room is a small space; I love it. I made the owl ornaments with blew eggs, then I glued a pair of paper wings and black beads for the eyes.

The Snow balls are made with balloons.I covered the balloons with paper that I had dipped in  glue. After the paper dried, I covered it with  All-Purpose Compound to give it texture.  After the compound dried, I painted it with two-in-one  primer paint.

I have a collection of houses that I love. I decided to paint my houses white to give it a  frosty look. I just applied acrylic paint with a wet sponge. 

This is my second Christmas tree in the family-room. I decided to decorate it with a touch of  french air. I made the paper Eiffel towers , top hats, and cones. The cotton string ornaments were fun to make. They are made with balloons, and wrapped  with cotton strings.  I dampened the wrapped balloon with a sponge dipped in glue. After they dried, I made a small cut in the balloon; that way the air will come out slowly and the glued strings will keep their form.

I want to wish you a happy Christmas, and I would like to thank you for visiting my blog. Blessings always.

Making Gloves

 Now that the cold is here, I decided to make a pair of gloves for my son. If you know the basics of crochet, you can do this project. You will not need a pattern to crochet these gloves because you are going to use your own hands to measure; ending with a custom made pair of gloves.

 Let's start making the cuff of the gloves. Start working a chain. Leave a long tale of yarn starting your chain, you will use it to sew the cuff at the end. You decide how wide you want the cuff to be. The longer the chain, the wider your cuff is going to be. We are going to work a Rib Stitch.( All the stitches on cuff are worked through back loop only) Chain the number of stitches you decided. Row 1:1 single crochet in 2nd chain from hook, 1 single crochet in each stitch, chain 1, turn. Row 2: 1 single crochet through back loop only in each stitch, chain 1, turn. Keep working same until desired length.

 Adjust the length of the cuff  with your wrist.

 And be sure that the cuff expands when you pull it off of your hand. A Rib Stitch is just a crochet elastic band. 

 Do not cut off your yarn. At the edge of the cuff work 1 single crochet on each stitch, join with a slip stitch. Work 1 single crochet all around , work several rows. Try it on and if you think that is too tight start increasing 2 single crochet in same stitch every 5 to 8 stitches apart.

It is a good idea to mark your increases to serve as a reference when you work the other glove.

When you reach the joint of your thumb increase work 2 stitches in same stitch. (mark increase) Do this increase every time you reach this point about 4 times.

You are going to end up with this (pointy shape)

Now work a chain. Put your glove on and join this chain at the base of your thumb; if  it is too tight make it longer, join with a slip stitch.

Work 1 single crochet in each stitch around; until you cover your thumb.

At this point when you reach the nail, start decreasing every other stitch until you close the hole; slip stitch the last stitch. Draw yarn through and fasten off.

At the base of the thumb work 1 single crochet all around. Work several rows until you reach your fingers. Increase: 3 single crochet in same stitch; at the base of your little finger position .

At the base of the index finger; work a chain. Try the glove on and check the length of the chain. Join with slip stitch. 

Work 1 single crochet all around. Work several rows until your index finger is covered. When you reach your finger nail; start decreasing every other stitch until you close the hole, slip stitch the last stitch. Draw yarn through and fasten off.

Repeat instruction with each finger.

Sew wrong side of the cuff with needle, using the long piece of yarn that you left at the beginning of the cuff.

Now you're done!
And with that we have the pleasure of doing something beautiful for someone special.
********
~Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor, yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. Favour is deceitful, and beautiful is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.~
Proverbs 31: 10,20,21,25,30,31

Curtain Call Doily Pattern And Crocheted Dress

                                                                             
This beautiful doily is designed by Lucille LaFlamme. It took me six days to finish it; I hope that you like it.
Size: About 16" diameter
Materials:
Bedspread-weight crochet cotton, one (225 yd ball) ecru
Size 7 steel crochet hook, or size required for gauge
Gauge:
Rnds 1 through 5= 3 1/4" diameter
Pattern Stitches
Cluster(CL): Keeping last lp of each dc on hook, 2 dc in next lp or in next 2 sts; YO and draw through all 3 lps on hook: CL made.
Beg 4-dc Cluster (beg 4-dc CL): Ch 3, keeping last lp of each dc on hook, dc in next 3 sts, YO and draw thorugh all 4 lps on hook: beg 4-dc CL made.
4-dc CLuster (4-dc CL): Keeping last lp of each dc on hook, dc in next 4 sts, YO and draw through all 5 lps on hook:
4-dc CL made.

Instructions
Ch 9, join to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as a dc on this and following rnds)
23 dc in ring; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3: 24 dc.

Rnd 2: Ch 4 (counts as a dc and a ch-1 sp), *dc in next dc,
ch 1; rep from * 22 times more; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-4.

Rnd 3: Ch 5 (counts as a dc and a ch-2 sp), * dc in next dc,
ch2; rep from * around; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-5.

Rnd 4: Ch 6 (counts as a dc and a ch-3 lp on this and following rnds), * dc in next dc,
ch 3; rep from * around; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-6

Rnd 5: Ch 6, * sc in next dc; ch 4 sl st in sc just made: picot
made; ch 3, dc in next dc, ch3; rep from * 11 times more,
ending last rep without working last dc and last ch3; join
in 3rd ch of beg ch-6

Rnd 6: Ch 12 (counts as a dc and a ch-9 lp), * dc in next dc,
ch 9; rep from * 10 times more; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-12.

Rnd 7: Ch 8 (counts as a dc and a ch-5 lp), * sk next 4 chs
of next ch-9 lp, dc in next ch, ch 5, dc in next dc, ch 5; rep f
rom* 11 times more, ending last rep without working last
dc and last ch 5; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-8.

Rnd 8: Ch 6, * sc in next ch-5 lp, picot; ch 3, dc in next dc,
ch 3; rep from * 23 times more, ending last rep without
working last dc and last ch 3; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-6

Rnd 9: Ch 10 (counts as a dc and a ch-7 lp), * dc in next dc
ch 7; rep from * 22 times more; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-10.

Rnd 10: ch 11 (counts as a dc and a ch-8 lp), * dc in next
dc, , ch 8; rep from 2 22 times more; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-11.

Rnd 11: Sl st in next ch-8 lp; ch 3, 9 dc in same lp; * dc in next
dc, , 10 dc in next ch-8 lp; ch 2, 10 dc in next ch-8 lp; rep
from *11 times more, ending last rep withoug working last
10 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 12: Ch 3, dc in cext 4 dc, * ch 4, sk next 5 dc, in next
dc work (dc, ch 2, dc): V-st made; ch 4 sk next 5 dc, dc in
next 5 dc, ch 2, dc in next 5 dc; rep from * 11 times more,
ending last rep without working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of
beg ch-3.

Rnd 13: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 4, sk next ch-4 lp, in
next ch-2 sp of next V-st work V-st: V-st in V-st made; ch 4
sk next ch-4 lp, dc in next 5 dc, ch 3, dc in next 5 dc; rep
from * 11 times more, ending last rep without working last
5 dc; joinin 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 14: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 4, sk next ch-4 lp, V-st
in next V-st; ch 4, sk next ch-4 lp, dc in next 5 dc, ch 5 dc
in next 5 dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep
without working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 15: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 3, sk next ch-4 lp, V-st
in next V-st; ch 3, sk next ch-4 lp, dc in next 5 dc, ch 7, dc
in next 5 dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep
without working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 16: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 2, sk next ch-3 lp, V-st
in next V-st; ch 2, sk next ch-3 lp, dc in next 5 dc, ch 5, CL
(see pattern stitches) in next ch-7 lp; ch 5, dc in next
5 dc; re from * 11 times more, ending last rep without
working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 17: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 1, sk next ch-2 sp, V-st
in next V-st; ch 1, sk next ch-2 sp, dc in next 5 dc, ch 5, CL
in next ch-5 lp; ch 3, CL in next ch-5 lp; ch 5, dc in next 5
dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep without
working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 18: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 3, sc in ch-2 sp of next
V-st, ch 3, dc in next 5 dc, ch 5, CL in next ch-5 lp; ch 3,
CL in next ch-3 lp; ch 3, CL in next ch-5 lp; ch 5, dc in next
5 dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep without
working last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 19: Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * ch 2, dc in next 5 dc, ch3,
CL in next ch-5 lp; (ch 3, CL in next ch-3 lp) twice; ch 3, CL
in next ch-5 lp; ch 3, dc in next 5 dc; rep from * 11 times
more, ending last rep without working last 5 dc; join in 3rd
ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 20:  Ch 3, dc in next 4 dc, * sk next ch-2 sp, dc in next
5 dc, (ch 3, CL in next ch-3 lp) 5 times; ch 3, dc in next 5 dc;
rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep without working
last 5 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 21: Ch 3 dc in next 2 dc, * (CL over next 2 dc) twice;
dc in next 3 dc, (ch 3, CL in next ch-3 lp) 6 times; ch 3 dc
in next 3 dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep
without working last 3 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.
Rnd 22: Ch 3, dc in next dc, * (CL over next 2 sts) twice; dc
in next 2 dc, (ch 3, CL in next ch-3 lp) 7 times; ch 3, dc in
next 2 dc; rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep without
working last 2 dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 23: Ch 3, * (CL over next 2 sts) twice; dc in next dc,
(ch 3, CL in next ch-3 lp) 8 times; ch 3, dc in next dc;
rep from * 11 times more, ending last rep without working
last dc; join in 3rd ch of beg ch-3.

Rnd 24:  Beg 4-dc CL (see pattern stitches) over
next 3 sts; * (ch 3, CL in next ch-3lp) 9 times; ch 3, 4-dc CL
(see pattern stitches) over next 4 sts; rep from
* 11 times more, ending last rep without working last 4-dc
CL; join in top of beg 4-dc CL.

Rnd 25: Sl st in next 3 chs, in top of next CL, and in next
2 chs of next ch-3 lp; ch 1, sc in same lp; * (ch 5, sc in next
ch-3 lp) twice; ch 11, sk next 2 ch-3 lps, sc in next ch-3 lp;
rep from * 23 times more, ending last rep without working
last sc; join in first sc.

Rnd 26: Sl st in next 3 chs of nest ch-5 lp; ch 1, sc in same
lp; * ch 5, sc in next ch-5 lp, ch1, 11 dc in next ch-11 lp;
ch 1, sc in next ch-5 lp; rep from * 23 times more, ending last
rep without working last sc; join in first sc.

Rnd 27: Sl st in next 3 chs of next ch-5 lp; ch 1, sc in same
lp; picot; * (ch 3, sk next dc, dc in next dc, picot) 5 times;
ch 3, sc in next ch-5 lp, picot; rep from * 23 times more,
ending last rep without working last sc and last picot; join in
first sc.

Finish off and weave in ends.

After making this doily, I decided to use the pattern to make a dress. I used it especially to make the skirt of the dress; as you can see in the picture.

After using the doily pattern to start the skirt, the rest of the skirt is worked in a classic Shell Trellis pattern.

What inspired me to make this dress was the golden days of 1920. The silhouette is straight down, with the waist set low on the hipline. The top of this dress is simply worked on two rectangles, worked on Double Crochet and  Puff Stitch.

The Puff stitch is made by working a yarn over your hook, insert hook into 1ch space, draw up a loop, repeat 5 times, yarn over, draw through 10 loops, yarn over, draw through remaining 2 loops on hook. 1 puff made.

The front of the dress is worked vertically and the back horizontally using a Double Crochet stitch., as you can see in the picture. I made it this way because I wanted a Puff stitch on the edges of the front rectangle . For that motive I worked the back horizonally; that way in the moment of sewing the front and back together, the stiches will match perfectly. 

And this dress is not complete without a pair of matching gloves to complete the look.

~I want to wish you success in everything you do and have a wonderful day~