Wow. A pristine group

[China_cat]

I'll start off.

Knitting lace right now but would rather do any kind of craft than housework.

[Zookeeper]

1. Yay! I've been waiting for this forum...

I'm currently woodworking (building furniture) and crocheting rag rugs from recycled t-shirts.

:hi:

[stellanoir]

2. Help !!!

I have scraps of fabric and unfinished projects all over the place.

Maybe I'll be inspired to sew again.

:woohoo:

[Zookeeper]

16. Hopefully, we can all inspire each other....

Stellanoir! :hi:

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Tell me about the recycled T rag rugs.

What's the general process. Do you buy shredded tees or make strips yourself? Are the rugs just single crochet rows, or something else?
:hi:

[wryter2000]

6. Gormy!

Bicentennial Baby is in another thread. Looks like we're going to have considerable overlap from C&B.

I love DU!

[Gormy Cuss]

18. Hi wryter2000

I'm planting those clarkia seeds now that the rain is here.
:-)

[wryter2000]

23. I have to plant the ones you sent

We're getting a nice, wet weekend.

[Morgana LaFey]

9. Yeah, me too. I want a PATTERN!!

I've seen some really cute Fancy Fur rugs -- but they're pretty costly when you get enough of those itsy bitsy skeins of Fancy Fur to make a rug.

[Zookeeper]

14. I looked on-line and found out how to do a basic....

crochet stitch. Then, I gathered up a bunch of old tees (preferably without side seams) and cut the body into one long strip about an inch-and-a-half wide. The strips are wound into balls like yarn.

I just pretended it was yarn and started crocheting with a large hook. Straight rows for my first rug and a chair pad. Now, I'm fooling around with incorporating different pieces into a rug.

I work on it when I watch TV. It doesn't require the same level of concentration as embroidery or cross-stitch. (Even hand-quilting requires more attention.)

I'll post a photo when I'm finished. :hi:

[Gormy Cuss]

19. Sounds very easy.

Thanks. Now if I can only wrest free some of the aerated tees in the SO's side of the dresser....

[Zookeeper]

21. Yes, it is easy once you get a sense of the right tension...

to use in the stitches.

"Aerated tees." Well, now you can tell your SO that the shirts will be sacrificed for a good cause...;-)

[Phillycat]

4. I do embroidery, crocheting, and knitting.

Most of my Christmas presents this year were embroidered, and people seemed to love them. I get into almost a Zen state when I'm sewing. It's so peaceful.

Lately, I've been using iron-on transfer patterns, which are quite beautiful these days (no more geese in bonnets). But I also embroider free-hand.

This group is going to be cool!

[wryter2000]

5. Love to do thread crochet

Perversely, I love the really skinny thread (#30). I once made a huge shawl that took me years to finish. It's been in the closet ever since because I never dress up enough to wear it.

[pagam]

7. Great!!!

I make one of a kind cards. Holidays, wedding invitations, all type of cards in general. All are my ideas and inspiration. I also am a self taught artist. Hello to all.

[cmd]

8. I make Ukranian Easter Eggs (Pysanky)

I'm about to enter into my "egg" season. It usually last through Lent. By Easter, I will be all egged out. Just have to haul my dyes up from the basement, and I'll be ready to go.
I also knit and do needlework; but they are "out of season" right now. Happy crafting. cmd

[Cassandra]

15. I made pysanky in the past...

and was pretty good at it for a nice Jewish girl. I also do bargello, crochet, calligraphy, etc.

[ironflange]

24. My mom used to do pysanky

She was very very good at it too. I couldn't get into it.

We had an old egg explode the other day. One of the kids had done it at least ten years ago, but it hadn't been blown out. We heard a very loud pop, like a champagne cork only much louder, but for the life of us we couldn't figure out what had happened. Finally, I saw the cat was playing with something. A little piece of colored eggshell. Sure enough, an egg in a glass globe on the sideboard had gone off. Ten years later. Weird. At least it didn't smell.

edit: Ohio? They have Ukrainians in Ohio?

[cmd]

29. I think they are everywhere

I'm not Ukrainian, I just love seeing what come out when I remove the wax.

My daughter's cat loves swiping at her eggs. He's a sly little fellow that creeps up, sits patiently, then swats them to the floor.
I'm afraid that cat wouldn't last long at my house.

[ironflange]

31. You're right, they're spread around

Like most groups, Ukes are concentrated in certain areas, in the case of my family, the area east of Edmonton AB. I am 100% Bohunk, i think u4ic is too. I have some relatives in California.

You're right, it always is exciting to take that nasty looking black waxy thing and see what's inside. Kind of like a geode.

[shanti]

38. sacramento?

i live in an area with lots of russians.

[ScreamingMeemie]

10. And you had to ruin it...

says the lowly scrapbooker ;) :hi:

My great grandmother tried to teach me to tat, and I never caught on.

[China_cat]

17. Too bad you aren't close.

I used to teach tatting and guaranteed money back if you failed to learn. Never gave any back. Even taught 2 left-handers with success.

You might want to investigate the 'cro-tat' system. It uses a tool that looks like a cross between a crochet hook and a long needle and gives tatting results.

http://www.geocities.com/mountainhome1999/
http://www.anniesattic.com/crochet/detail.html?prod_id=18227

[KitchenWitch]

39. Hey I rubber stamp!

[Morgana LaFey]

11. Knitter here, about to launch into some crocheting as well

I've been collecting books on crochet. I can do the stitches, but struggle getting the gauge right. For years that's kept me away from crochet all together. Finally someone told me: change the needle size until you get it right. Duh! How stupid I feel to not have figured that out, even tho that's exactly what you do when you don't get gauge in knitting! I had just never had problems getting the knitting gauge and thus having to change needle sizes, so it never occurred to me. I was expecting I was supposed to crochet to guage naturally, just like I did with knitting. (So stupid. LOL.)

Anyway, I'm really wanting to do a little crochet. In fact, I think I'm going to make a post about a project I'd like to do.

Welcome, everyone!

[Phillycat]

13. You might just love crochet

I knitted for years, and then discovered crochet. It's so much more bang for your buck. You can make a scarf in an evening, a sweater in a week. It goes so much faster.

[Dora]

12. Crochet and beginner-level sewing.

I also dabble in interior faux-finishes, and love reading and learning about crafting of all kinds.

Right now, I'd love to make my own pinata.

[KarenS]

20. Yea!! I've been waiting for this group to form !!

I am a quilt-maker & card-maker. I crochet occasionally.

My passion (for the moment, at least) is quilt making.

:hi:

[Morgana LaFey]

22. I love quilts

hate quilt-making. Or, more accurately, am damn glad some of you love it. :evilgrin:

And it seemed to take forever to get this group, didn't it?

[ironflange]

25. Cross-stitch for me

As I said in another thread, I have been really lazy about it lately, but I badly want to get at it again. I do it on linen, Aida is strictly for candy-asses. Real men use linen! Yeah, I'm a guy, stitching doesn't change anything. . . . . . . does it?

[Bjornsdotter]

26. Lol

....I agree aida's for weenies.

I'm a linen woman myself.

Being a guy stitching...changes nothing. So, what projects do you have gathering dust? I just finished up 4 projects that have been laying around for a long time.....one was a x-mas stocking for my baby, who just turned 19. Some things just can't be rushed!

Cheers

[ironflange]

27. Here's the one I want to get back onto

Deco Spirits by Mirabilia:



I've finished "Earth," but from there I'm doing the panels in a different order: earth, air, fire, water. I'm about half-way through "Air." It's very cool, lots of metallic braid, which can be annoying to use, but the final product is worth it.

Copied from another thread.

[Bjornsdotter]

28. Stunning

Yes metallics can be a pain, but they are worth it.

Now you have to join the Classics Movie thread and stitch while you watch!

Cheers :toast:

[ironflange]

32. It is beautiful

It'll be a knockout if I ever get it done.

[tammywammy]

30. Hello!!

I'm so excited that this group is here now. :)

So I like to sew, I've made clothes, but I've also made a duvet and pillows for my bed. :)

I like to crochet, I make a little side money during the fall doing scarves & hats, but I'm working up to do more interesting stitches. My SIL got me the book 300 Crochet Stitches for Christmas. http://www.amazon.com/300-Crochet-Stiches-Harmony-Guides/dp/1855856387/sr=8-1/qid=1171071516/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-3308739-3587258?ie=UTF8&s=books

I also do a little cross stitch (yeah it's the aida you people up thread :P), but would love to learn more about doing it with linen.

I also would like to learn how to do needlepoint.

And I've done a bit of upholstery as well.

[Lugnut]

33. I used to knit

Since I have no patience I switched to crochet. Then I took decorative painting classes at a local craft store. I was thrilled to learn that I really am somewhat artistic. Donna Dewberry inspired me but I didn't like the fact that everybody's work looked the same. I like putting my own style on various surfaces.

I'm thrilled to have a separate crafts forum. :hi:

[sandnsea]

34. I like to refurbish

I don't know any other way to put it. I love to take junky old stuff and paint it or refinish it or do something to make it new again.

[ellie]

35. I came tro crafting

late, but now I sew, knit, crochet, and bead. I would like to get into leatherworking, spinning, shoemaking, and papermaking.

[Le Taz Hot]

36. I've recently dusted off my macrame

skills and thanks to new materials and new techniques I've gotten into micro macrame which I'm finding enriching and frustrating at the same time. I still do the 70's things as it goes with the whole "BoHo" style but I'm loving getting back into all of it.

At the same time, my best friend (who is retired and lives with us) has recently gotten into beading jewelry and is absolutely thriving at it. We've decided to go professional and will soon have a website up.

I'm really excited to see this group and am looking forward to learning other textile crafts (no sewing - Home Ec was a traumatic experience), especially the tatting.

Pardon the rambling but I'm stoked.

LTH :woohoo:

[shanti]

37. yay, we did it!

skinner finally got around to our group:)

i'm very busy with my knitting now, currently have several projects going at once (per usual). my main project is a clapotis (yeah, i'm about 2-3 years late!) with malabrigo kettle dyed merino. anyone else do this one?

[Warpy]

40. After I knit last spring's project

a Faroese lace shawl, knit in one piece from the top down from lamb's wool I spun into two ply lace weight yarn, I've been kind of off that sort of thing for a while. I'm slowly spinning up some yak hair, will ply it and make yak hats for everybody for next Xmas.

What's housework?

[Tansy_Gold]

41. I can't draw or paint, so I do just about everything else

I started knitting and embroidering when I was about five years old. My grandmother taught me how to knit, and I remember my kindergarten teacher scolding me for telling people I could do it --- until I showed her I could! Today, kids probably couldn't bring knitting needles to school. . . .

Over the years I moved on to crocheting and tatting and hairpin lace, leatherwork and paper-making. I still do a lot of sewing, making a lot of my own clothes as well as things for around the house. And today I worked on stripping the old worn upholstery off a chair that I intend to re-cover with leather. Wish me luck!

These days as far as crafts, I mostly do lapidary and jewelry making; woodturning; and quilting. Yes, I get bored easily and have to have lots of projects going at the same time. I do occasionally finish them, however, at least enough to do several arts & crafts shows a year.

I've frequently posted on other boards dedicated to various individual crafts, and ALL of them drive me crazy because they're so difficult to use. I keep wishing they'd operate like DU, which has to be the single best discussion board format I have EVER seen. And no, I will not tell ANYONE ELSE about this! I want it to be OUR SECRET!

Tansy Gold, being silly