Crochet "Chat"

[Malibu99]

Just want this back upon the top of my feed again. I keep losing this thread

 

[Xiao Casa]

Hey everyone,

So, I don't really "do" crochet. I can, but I'm really a knitter. But, I heard this hilarious story that has something to do with crochet the other day, so I figured I'd share it here.


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The couple had been married for over 60 years, and the wife was on her deathbed. Her husband sat beside her, when she opened her eyes, looked up at him, and asked him to get something for her. A box.
"It's in the attic, behind the old wardrobe. An old black shoebox. Please bring it to me," she said.
He husband went up to the attic, and sure enough, he found an old black shoebox. He took it back down to his wife, who asked him to set it on the bed. He set it gently beside her, and she asked him to open it. He took off the lid and stared down at the contents. Inside was a single crocheted doll, and $95,000 in cash.
"What's this?" He asked his wife.
"Right before I married you, my mother told me that the secret to a peaceful marriage was never to argue. Instead, when I felt like quarreling, I should sit down, take a deep breath, and seek the peace of God. And, in the meantime, crochet a doll." The husband looked again at the doll, his eyes filling with tears. All those years and only one doll? Then he remembered the money.
"And what about the $95,000?" He asked her.
"Oh! That is the money that I made from selling all the other dolls."
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This story cracked me up. I'm still laughing, just reading it over.

 

[sewchick]

Speckled Hen are you there? It's been a long time since you have posted. Hope you are well.

 

[christine9]

Oh my gosh! I crocheted my first thing with thread last night. I'm so excited and can't believe it wasn't impossible! It was even pretty quick! I decided I wanted to make snowflakes for my tree and started with this one...

(Photo from pattern)
I just have to stiffen mine and decide which one to do next. I am loving this thread. Can't wait for a doily!!

 

[christine9]

I thought someone had recently posted links for blocking/starching/stiffening projects but I can't seem to find it. I need help. I made my first doily today! It's a coaster size and going to be a gift for my MIL with the candle holder I got for her birthday. But it's not flat. Could I be stitching too tightly? Maybe it's the pattern? Either way, Im pretty happy with it for a first try.

 

[sunflower4you]

I thought someone had recently posted links for blocking/starching/stiffening projects but I can't seem to find it. I need help. I made my first doily today! It's a coaster size and going to be a gift for my MIL with the candle holder I got for her birthday. But it's not flat. Could I be stitching too tightly? Maybe it's the pattern? Either way, Im pretty happy with it for a first try.

It's very pretty! I don't think your stitching looks too tight or that the pattern is poor. I have learned that blocking makes ALL the difference. I used to really resist blocking because it seemed like a waste of time, but it is worth it for a doily. If you look back a few posts at the doily picture I posted with the red background, that doily has been blocked. I should have taken a "before blocking" picture because mine was so lumpy I thought I messed up, too. You can actually block with just water...no stiffener. If this is going to be a coaster for a candle, I don't think you need to stiffen it. I just washed my doily in water with a mild detergent to get any oils off of it and then I gently squeeze-dried it in a towel to get most of the dripping water out. Then I blocked it using non-rusting T-pins on a foam board like they use for floor mats. I actually found a chart online that I printed off that has concentric circles so you make sure to stretch the doily to the same width all the way around. You print the chart and lay it on the foam board, put wax paper over the chart, and then pin the doily on top of the wax paper. You can let it sit to dry overnight. I put a fan blowing on it to speed up the process.

Search "doily blocking chart" on Yahoo images and you will find the above image on Pinterest. You print 4 of them and then lay them on top of each other to make a full circle.

 

[christine9]

I thought someone had recently posted links for blocking/starching/stiffening projects but I can't seem to find it. I need help. I made my first doily today! It's a coaster size and going to be a gift for my MIL with the candle holder I got for her birthday. But it's not flat. Could I be stitching too tightly? Maybe it's the pattern? Either way, Im pretty happy with it for a first try.

It's very pretty! I don't think your stitching looks too tight or that the pattern is poor. I have learned that blocking makes ALL the difference. I used to really resist blocking because it seemed like a waste of time, but it is worth it for a doily. If you look back a few posts at the doily picture I posted with the red background, that doily has been blocked. I should have taken a "before blocking" picture because mine was so lumpy I thought I messed up, too. You can actually block with just water...no stiffener. If this is going to be a coaster for a candle, I don't think you need to stiffen it. I just washed my doily in water with a mild detergent to get any oils off of it and then I gently squeeze-dried it in a towel to get most of the dripping water out. Then I blocked it using non-rusting T-pins on a foam board like they use for floor mats. I actually found a chart online that I printed off that has concentric circles so you make sure to stretch the doily to the same width all the way around. You print the chart and lay it on the foam board, put wax paper over the chart, and then pin the doily on top of the wax paper. You can let it sit to dry overnight. I put a fan blowing on it to speed up the process.

Search "doily blocking chart" on Yahoo images and you will find the above image on Pinterest. You print 4 of them and then lay them on top of each other to make a full circle.

Oh my gosh! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! This is exactly what I needed!!

 

[rancher hicks]

I thought someone had recently posted links for blocking/starching/stiffening projects but I can't seem to find it. I need help. I made my first doily today! It's a coaster size and going to be a gift for my MIL with the candle holder I got for her birthday. But it's not flat. Could I be stitching too tightly? Maybe it's the pattern? Either way, Im pretty happy with it for a first try.

Well now it's very nice imo. You could use a spray starch to stiffen it, if you'd like. I'd probably, if it was me, spray it with starch and iron it flat, between under a clean dry dish towel. I'd use a dry iron. Or you could use "sizing"?

Not sure what the difference is between "starch" and "sizing". I'd just press it flat.

 

[christine9]

I thought someone had recently posted links for blocking/starching/stiffening projects but I can't seem to find it. I need help. I made my first doily today! It's a coaster size and going to be a gift for my MIL with the candle holder I got for her birthday. But it's not flat. Could I be stitching too tightly? Maybe it's the pattern? Either way, Im pretty happy with it for a first try.

Well now it's very nice imo. You could use a spray starch to stiffen it, if you'd like. I'd probably, if it was me, spray it with starch and iron it flat, between under a clean dry dish towel. I'd use a dry iron. Or you could use "sizing"? Not sure what the difference is between "starch" and "sizing". I'd just press it flat.

Thanks!! I think I will. I like it idea of it having a little stiffness to it. Yay! This is a fun little project.

 

[rancher hicks]

Thanks!! I think I will. I like it idea of it having a little stiffness to it. Yay! This is a fun little project.

What folks don't know about Starch is that it helps prevent stains from setting in. That's why good restaurants starch their linens.

Of course there are other things I'm sure, but starch was all our grandmothers had.