Crafts

Pearls Before Swine

I am a slow learner but can get the message. Unappreciated gifts is “casting, pearls before swine.” I quilt, sew, embroider and crochet, can, bake and spent countless hours crafting gifts, expecting appreciation. Sadly, craftsmanship is wasted if people have no idea what goes into the work. Also, it is foolish of me to assume others share my taste.

Kept this for myself
The mom and baby loved this sweater

I made a red satin-backed baby quilt with alternating teddy bear and heart squares for a coworker. It cost me $100 and many hours of work. She liked it, I guess. She said, “Wow. I bet you could get fifty bucks for this!” That won’t happen again. I didn’t even make a photo. I think the one really surprised was me.

I’ve embroidered lovely items, only to never see them again. I saw a gifted quilt converted into a dog bed. Fido was so appreciative, I am working on another for him right now.

Some gifts, however, were loved. I have come away wiser.

This was very welcome.
Nice afghan!
She loved this!
I love painting pots!
My nephew loved this tote
I share canned goods if I know people want them. I’ve fed many people after natural disasters or family problems. So easy with a full pantry

This was gobbled up

Hair of the Dog Sweater

This is the prequal to yesterday’s post about dog sweaters.  I decided it might go nicely today.

My son John lives to torment my mother. Buzzy, our American Eskimo Dog sheds incessantly, making us vacuum every day to stay ahead of him. One day my husband Bud noticed a big paper bag on the mantle stuffed full of Buzzy’s combings, hair pulled from his brush, and hair swept from the floor. Amazed, Bud asked, “What in the world is this bag of dog hair doing up here?”

Mother chimed in, “Oh, that’s Buzzy’s hair I saved up for your sweater.” This was the first Bud had heard of his dog hair sweater. He thought maybe Mother had finally come unhinged. “What dog hair sweater?”

“The one you’re going to get the woman at work to make for you out of Buzzy’s hair.” Mother thought Bud was losing it. “John told me to be careful to gather up all the hair I could find every time I came over so that woman you work with can spin it and make it into a sweater for you. How long do you think it will take to get enough?”

Poor Bud had to break her heart. “John’s been pulling your leg, again. There ain’t gonna be no dog hair sweater.”

 

 

My son, John

John as Jason

 

Dog Sweater

Above you can see my American Eskimo Dog, Buzzy.  He is a pure delight, except for shedding.  I brush him several times a week.  Pictured below is the pile of hair I brushed out this morning.  The fibers are long, silky, and soft as rabbit fur.  I have long thought it would make a beautiful sweater.  I believe I could collect enough in a few weeks, but am not industrious enough to learn spinning.  I need to get to work.  I am wasting a valuable renewable resource.
I found the pictures below on a Russian sale site of garments made of various kinds of dog hair, including Spitz, Akita, Samoyed, and Eskies.  The health, warmth, and durability are highly touted.  Check out this site.  https://www.livemaster.com/masterpr        Shop at Livedogsnitka(MasterPr).

Time Well-Spent

I have been inactive on WordPress of late due to time well-spent with my grandchildren. My daughter and I constructed this tent for my granddaughter. She spends a lot of time in it, either on the deck or in the house. More often than not, the massive rear of her constant dog companion extends through the curtains. It’s interesting to see a mastiff with a princess complex. He is a docile giant who makes her every step.

 

The tent construction was simple and completed in less than two hours.  Materials included a hula hoop, a round table cloth, eight curtain panels with grommets(from dollar store), fabric for ties( we cut up an old scarf) some cotton cord and a snap hook for suspension. You could easily use an old sheet instead of curtains, but the grommets made attachment so simple.

Simply disconnect hula hoop and slide grommeted panels on before reconnecting with hoop with Super Glue.  Make two small holes in center of table cloth and slide cotton cord through for loop. Give it a couple of wraps above and below connection site for support so fabric won’t tear and pull through.  My granddaughter and the dog show no mercy, so it had to be tough.  Use short fabric strips to attach tablecloth top to hula hoop and thread through each grommet to suspend panels evenly.  It worked well to thread through two buttonhole slots at each connection.  Last of all, attach hook through loop for suspension.  It suspends well from a hook in doorways.  Our little one has enjoyed hours of play in this structure.  It also provides excellent shade but allows in breezes.  Total cost was well below thirty dollars.

 

 

 

Little Blue Hoodie

img_1577I crocheted this cute little hoodie over the weekend.  It cost about twenty dollars, only about one-third more than I could have bought it for.  Now, that’s a deal, isn’t it?  Oh yes, the bottom edges in front do line up.  I am just a careless photographer.

Homemade Soap

image

My new hobby of soap-making is getting out of hand, so I am offering them for purchase. They are superfatted with coconut, almond, and olive oil, as well as shea butter. I use them for face, body, and shampoo. The scents are natural and include triple orange with dried orange rind for exfoliant, cedar with coffee for exfoliant (removes garlic and onion smells from your hands, patchouli, fennel and rosemary, and the creamiest of all, goat milk vanilla. I am offering them for purchase and include samples with every order. Will gladly craft custom scents. I use natural scents from my garden as much as possible.
If you want to order, email me Lbeth1950@hotmail.com