On the Hook

Bright colors!!  I love bright colors and right now I'm working on a market bag in, what else?  Bright colors.

I am using the Hexagon Market Bag Pattern from Lion Brand.  This is the second one I've made and I just love everything about it!  The hexagons were intimidating at first, but once I got the hang of it, they just fly off my hook!  I love all the millions of color combinations that can be done.  The bag is a nice size.  The one thing I did change is the hook size.  I am using an I hook instead of H.

I fell in love with these Sugar 'n Cream colors.  It all started with the variegated and I went from there.  Not being able to find a yellow that matched suitably, I just went with orange and pink and I love it!

I love how fast progression is due to how quick the hexagons go.  And since they are ever changing, I don't get bored.  ~Smile~  I have to have projects that keep my interest.

I have completed all the hexagons and they are sewn together. All that's left is the handles.  Look's like it will go to the farmers market with me Saturday!

Have a great Wednesday!!


Do you have a WIP too?  Link up here, share so we can all see too!!










*I am not getting paid by Lion Brand to promote their yarn or by Lily Sugar n Cream.  I just love it.  But if either company is interested in letting play with their yarn and review it, I won't complain.  Promise.

Currently On My Hook

Good lovely morning to ya!  Time is flying by me this week, well, and month and well, year!  I mean, really I already need to be thinking and starting the baby hat charity project!  Whew, maybe next week while I'm on "vacation".

Anywho, back to the purpose of today's post. . .a works in progress post, connected to a meme.  It's been awhile since I linked up to a meme, but this one just seemed to fit.  I mean, its a Work In Progress meme, like I said, it just fit.  If you are a yarn crafter and have a project to share link up here!!

Being the crochetess (yes, like lioness but crochetess) that I am, I have many, many things on my hooks right now.  I have a baby hat (summer weave) under way, I have another drawstring bag underway, a pair of socks (that will be a WIP for years I feel certain~GAH!) and my shawl.  Yes, MY shawl.  It dawned on me a few months ago that while I make loads of crochet items I don't have any for myself.  Don't get me wrong I love to make things for others, but I have nothing to show people when they ask what I make except a picture.  So I decided that between orders for the business and gifts for others I would throw in the occasional item for myself.  Last week I made myself a pair of slippers (very cute, different post).  But then I ran across this pattern on Ravelry that made me want to start crocheting immediately!  It was beautiful but simple.  Since I have never made a shawl before I wanted something simple to get me started and this pattern was perfect.

I love picking out colors for a new project.  I stood in my local crafty store comparing and debating and finally decided on Lion Brand Homespun (which was the yarn suggested and happens to be one of my favorites) and the name of the color is Painted Desert.  I love this yarn because it a fabulous luxurious feel to the finished project and the colors are gorgeous!  It is a beautiful variegated.  I could continue to try and describe it, but I'll just show you the picture instead.  ~Smile~

Doesn't this yarn just make you smile?  Actually it makes me smile and then sigh in contentedness.  I love the deep tones from a burnt orange to a light purple and many other colors in between, this yarn makes me happy.  I can see myself, sipping hot tea, shawl around my shoulders, reading an ebook on a chilly, crisp fall morning. . .awwww. . . okay, enough rambling.  Back to reality.

I have never worked a pattern that had a point, so the first few rows were slow going, just getting used to the pattern, but now I'm rolling.  

This pattern calls for 32 rows and I'm just starting row 11.  I think though that I want my shawl to be a little wider so I will have a few more rows.  Hook size:  L11/8.00 mm.

I am hoping to have a different WIP for next Wednesday, but only time will tell.  ~Laughter~

Now I just need fall to hurry and get here so that I can wear my colorful shawl and sip hot tea!



*I am not getting paid by Lion Brand to promote their yarn.  I just love it.  But Lion Brand if you are interested in letting play with your yarn and review it, I won't complain.  Promise.

Spindle and Linen? Yes, It's My Business

Handmade.  I love handmade items.  I love to make them, I love to get them.  There is just something about an item that is handmade.  It's special, it has a special value.  It screams, "cherish me".

A few years ago I really jumped back into being a crafty sort.  I have always enjoyed it but having littles around didn't always make it easy and I just got away from it.  Well, something inspired me and I got to making headbands and brooches for myself and my daughter and a few family members.  It wasn't anything too serious.  I enjoyed it and it was definitely cheaper to make my own items.  I was a little rusty, but using a hot glue gun soon got to be second nature.

Soon other ladies in the church started asking where I got my hair accessories from and I happily replied that I had made them.  Not long after that I started getting requests for headbands, brooches and clips.  It started small.  And it just grew and grew.  After about a year I had a Facebook page and now an Etsy shop.  Just as my business grew in terms of customers so has my variety of items.  I started with just hair accessories and brooches.  Now I have a variety of crochet items and very soon sewn items will be appearing.

I get a lot of odd looks when people see the name of my business, Spindle & Linen.  Spindle & Linen comes from the Proverbs 31 passage.  Here are the two scriptures:

"She puts her hands on the distaff and her fingers hold a spindle."~Proverbs 31:19 GWT


"She seeks out wool and linen [with care] and works with willing hands."~Proverbs 31:13 GWT

See, the Proverbs 31 woman was a woman with many talents, who accomplished many things.  She not only looked well over her house, but she used the talents that she had to add to the family.  (I am by no means saying I am that woman, I am striving to be that woman)  I can't go on about this because I have other posts coming really picking apart this passage, but I wanted the name of my business to mean something.  Not necessarily to everyone else, but to me.  Reminding me of it's purpose.

The reason I sell my handmade items is to benefit my family.  Period.  It's icing on the cake that I enjoy doing it.  I love working with my hands.  I feel like God gives us talents and it's up to us to do something with those talents.  Making things for my family is one way I use those talents another way is to sell those items.


"She makes quilts for herself.  Her clothes are made of fine linen and purple."~Proverbs 31:22 GWT


So I am a stay at home mom first.  But while at home, I work with my hands.  It's totally a win win situation.




To see some of my handmade items check out these sites:


Spindle & Linen on Facebook

Spindle & Linen Etsy Shop

If the feeling strikes, please share my blog and my shops.  I appreciate the interweb love!

(Also please click The Picket Fence banner at the side of the blog and vote for me.  Thanks)




Oh!!  And please forgive the picture of me.  I was working without a mirror and showing someone what the headband looked like and didn't realize it was too far over.  LOL

Handmade LOVE (THE Series #3)

(Just a few crocheted items, please forgive the school work in the background)

I love creating things. A few people seem to like what I make and the ladies at church keep me busy with accessory orders. I have tons of ideas running through this head of mine and not nearly enough time to make them all!! But I decided that this year I would open an etsy shop.

Now, to have a shop you must have stock. And those precious church ladies keep buying up my stock before I can get them listed!! ~Laughter~ But I am working diligently to get some items listed. I told them Sunday that I would have to make things and NOT bring them to church so that I can get them on the site. I am very appreciative of my sisters though, make no mistake! So, impersonating a person that has an infinite amount of time, I have opened the etsy store, despite it's lack of stock at the moment.

I made a commitment to the Lord that I would pray over every item as I am making it, that the receiver would be blessed and live in the shadow of the Almighty. I prayed and asked God to use me, in any way possible, including my etsy shop. It is my desire to share God this year, to share His faithfulness, His love, His salvation and His grace. If I can sell my handmade items and share God too, that's getting the cake and eating it. I believe God is already honoring my efforts to add to the family budget and share of His mercy.

My etsy shop is called Spindle & Linen, under SheWorkethWillingly. . . it's a Proverbs 31 thing, scriptures below.

(Note cards!)

Here are a few items that were either ordered or are for sale, just not listed yet. The pics aren't fabulous, but they work. I just wanted to share my love for handmade items and my passion to create.

(Giant black flower, jean rosettes and polk-a-dot fun)

Crochet headwraps and scarves for little girlies

Mickey Headwrap!!

Houndstooth rosette headband and broach with feathers (it's mine, but more can be made)

Special order white large flower with feathers!

The back of my head with red rose and black feathers! ~Smile~

So there you are! Fully updated about my handmade love! I love to crochet and I'm still learning to knit~hopefully by next fall the etsy shop will have crochet and knitted items. I will post a link to the etsy shop here when I have stock listed.

Here are the scriptures that I pulled from for my shop name and my purpose.

"She seeketh wool and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands."~~Proverbs 31:13

"She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle."~~Proverbs 31:19

"She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple."~~Proverbs 31:22

This is NOT a post about how all women should make things handmade or work with their hands~~it is simply how the Lord led me! Please take no offense!! ~Smile~

Crocheting, Knitting and Sewing, OH MY!

I love to crochet. I love to sit down, turn on some jazz music, a podcast or dramatic theatre and listen while I create fun yarny stuff. I love to give it away. I finally sat down last week and made a scarf, for me. I have made probably 50 scarves in the last 3 years and I have given every single one away, which I love and was glad to do, but I decided that I needed one. I would never make it if I had to sell them to survive because I don't have as much fun crocheting for money, it's my hobby, and I love to bless others with it. I recently went shopping on the Lion Brand Yarn (my fav!!) website and got some new ideas and yarn and I also bought a specific yarn and knitting needles because I am finally going to get lessons from a fabulous knitter!! My Pastor's wife is amazing with the knitting needles and since teaching myself didn't go so well, she is going to teach me. I can't wait! My excitement overflows!! I have found no less than 50 things I want to knit and I have a sincere desire to make my own socks. I know I just confirmed your suspicions that I am a little off, but what can I say?!? I am who I am. But knitting my own socks in all the wild and loud colors I love just sounds divine! Not to mention if knitting is as relaxing as crocheting is for me then I should be one chilled out lady, which I need.

Sewing. I haven't been using my sewing machine as much lately because of all the crocheting and I do still have a family to take care of, but I have some new flannel for flannel wipes and a couple of projects for Makiah. I have tons of projects in mind, but I still need to get my skills back in shape, like I said before its been awhile since I have used a machine. The wipes are giving me the opportunity to practice my seams and lines and make all the wipes I need for cleaning and such around here. Hopefully soon I'll get brave and make Makiah a skirt and then we'll go from there! Gotta keep it simple until I get fully back into the swing of sewing.

I have so many projects floating around in my head that I want to do!! Now if I could just find the time!!!

Heart Tip~~One of the funniest questions I think doctors ask is, "Do you have any stress in your life?" I so desparately want to turn around and ask if they do, but I don't. Usually. Anyway, stress is a huge contributor to a lot of health issues including heart disease and unfortunately we don't always deal with our stress properly or at all. We all need to find ways to de-stress. If its exercise or crocheting or scrapebooking or reading or playing a board game with your kids, whatever helps you de-stress after a long day, do it. Keeping stress bottled up isn't helping anyone or anything and it's silently hurting your body. Give your heart a break and let it go, everyday.

Have a healthy Wednesday!!

Mama's Holiday Wish List Meme

Okay, so TodaysMama is giving away a hefty sleighful of gifts that, well, I would love to win. To enter you participate in the meme, which is a pretty great meme I think. I had fun filling this one out and I haven't done a meme in a long time. Enjoy!!


1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year? Gone with the Wind, the 70th Anniversary Edition. That was the only thing I specifically asked for, I left options open; purse, shoes, books, etc. I really didn't make a list this year. I also asked for a Brita Water pitcher which definitely shows I need help in gift list making. Ha!

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received? My all time favorite hand made gifts are my afghans and quilts made by various women in my family. I love and treasure each one. And of course I love anything my kids make, but because it usually has grape jelly on it somewhere, it can't last forever.

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle? I have always wanted to make an afghan for my mom. She has made so many for me and the kids that I wanted her to have that I made. I crochet and I do a fine job, but I get bored if the project doesn't get done fast enough. I guess I'll shoot for next year and that way I can take breaks doing it!

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child? One year my Nanny had the idea to make a little doll of each granddaughter. The doll had our hair color (yarn) and she made the doll and it's clothes (I've told you all the lady was talented). She even wrote a little book about each of us and attached it to the doll. She wrote in there a little story and what she loved about us. It truly was the best gift she gave me as a child. And I still have it, I will give it to my daughter one day.

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year? Nintendo DS, Leapster 2, a game for each. They are also getting a couple of little things and thats it. Keeping it simple, or trying to anyway.

6. What is your favorite holiday food? Dressing! I love dressing. I would rather have that than anything else. I think dressing might even trump my beloved chocolate.

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays? We are making most of our gifts this year for our friends and family. Scarves, hats, dish rags and dish clothes, special picture frames for the grandparents, broaches, painting, even decorating our own Christmas bags. I am also making a few preemie hats for the NICU at the local hospital. My hands and right arm already hurt from all the crocheting!

8. What is your favorite holiday movie? I think A Charlie Brown Christmas is my favorite. Not really a movie though is it. Okay, I guess I'll go with It's a Wonderful Life.

9. Favorite holiday song? The Christmas Song and Joy to the Word

10. Favorite holiday pastime? Being with family. Just being. I love the spending time, the laughing and the eating. Reading about the birth of Jesus and just being. I love it!

A Handmade Christmas

Crochet, knitting (if I get the hang of it fast enough), painting, flowers, candy and desserts (of course) more. It's going to be a handmade Christmas.

I have decided that I want to give the people near and dear to me things made from the heart. I have made my list and I am checking it twice of the items to make--I need to hurry!

I am making scarves, dishrags and dish clothes, broaches, scrubbies and lots of candy. Makiah will be painting a picture for her grandparents. We will be making some of our Christmas cards. I am only so crazy people. So far here is what I have to make:

Crochet:
3 scarves
2 Hat and Scarf combos
15 Scrubbies
6 Dishrags
4 Dish clothes

5 Broaches (a couple with jewels and a couple with flowers)
1 Flower Arrangement
3 Snowmen (made out of jars, trust me)
Candy. I am making candy until I will be sick of it. Win-win for all involved.

I absolutely love getting things that people made for me, with me in mind. I don't know why, but it just means more. Don't get me wrong, I love a great new pair of shoes or a new purse (Nine West is my favorite, but I'm not picky), but handmade gifts are kept longer, sometimes generations and they don't end up at the local thrift shop (usually). My kids are getting presents as usual, but we are giving to others things that no one else can give them, presents made by us.

Something To Treasure

I love handmade things. I think it's so personal and special to receive something that is handmade. I come from a long line of talented women in the needle arts--my term for crocheting, knitting, quilting and sewing. My Nanny and her sisters were/are amazing. Unfortunately we lost my Nanny 6 years ago, but her sisters carry on in the way of the seamstress. I posted about my Aunt Sadie and the aprons here, but today I want to talk about another of my Nanny's sisters and the beautiful gifts she has given my children.

My kids are blanket kids. They love blankets. I could be 110 degrees outside and when it's time to sleep or cuddle in for movie watching they go looking for a blanket. We have conditioned them because of all the wonderful handmade afghans and Aunt Ruth's quilts. My mom can crochet a mean afghan, but I'll save that for another post.

I have had the good intentions to talk about Aunt Ruth's beloved quilts, but I am just now getting around to it. Each on of my children have gotten a quilts from Aunt Ruth at the time of their birth. Nathaniel's is in the box of his things that I can't and won't part with. Makiah, had to have a quilt and a matching doll quilt, because, well girls need one. I had a doll quilt and she must also. Makiah's is an Irish Wedding Chain design, in pink and antique white. Beautiful, but I'll let you judge for yourself. Samuel was bestowed his beloved 'noopy blanket (see picture for explanation), which doesn't leave his sight for long. He doesn't carry it everywhere anymore, but it is always within his sights, at easy get to, should he need it. I was very anxious to see Daniel's and was just as thrilled when he got his. Music anything is very fitting for this family. We are already breaking him in on loving a good blanket.

I am very thankful that each kiddo has something special to hang onto. I still have my quilts that my great-grandmother made for me. There is just something special about cuddling into a handmade blanket or quilt. Something so comforting.










Thank you Aunt Ruth for your loving gifts to my children.

Heart Tip: Slow down--running around all time keeps you from relaxing. Relaxing is an important part of your heart health. If life has you always hurrying from here to there and back again, cut something out. Most of us pack our schedules so full we can't even think by weeks end and the weekend is so full that before we've breathed, we are back at Monday. Take time to relax and do something you enjoy.