Here I am, sitting at the airport waiting to start another California adventure. This time I will be going to Riverside and staying at the historic Mission Inn. It was built as a boarding house in 1876 and was designated as a historic landmark in 1977. Several wings have been added over the years, including the Cloister, the Spanish Wing, and the Rotunda Wing. The oldest bell in Christendom (dated 1247) is currently housed at the Mission Inn.
I am so looking forward to exploring this beautiful inn and the surrounding Riverside community. What new designs will this trip inspire? I promise to take lots of photos and post them next week.
This week includes both Labor Day and V-J Day on September 2. V-J Day celebrates the day that Japan surrendered to the U.S. to end World War II on September 2, 1945. To honor the veterans of that war and all U.S. veterans, this week’s free pattern is a Bald Eagle Potholder. Eagle Plushie Crochet Pattern is also available.
For PDF download, click here
https://www.myfingersfly.com/products/bald-eagle-crochet-patternMaterials:
Peaches & Crème cotton worsted yarn
½ oz. brown
½ oz. white
Few yards gold
1 yd black
Crochet hook size J
Yarn needle
Directions:
Row 1: With double strand of brown yarn, ch 16. Sc in 2nd ch from hook and each of th enext 14 chs (15 sc).
Rows 2-5: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st.
Rows 6-7: Ch 1, turn, dec, sc across (13 sc). Fasten off brown.
Row 8: Switch to white yarn. Ch 1, turn, sc in 1st st, *sk next st, 3 dc in corresponding st of Row 6, sk next st, sc in next st,* repeat twice.
Rows 9-10: Ch 1, turn, dec, sc across, dec (9 sc).
Rows 11-13: Repeat Row 6 (6 sc).
Rows 14-17: Ch 1, turn, sc in each st.
Row 18: Repeat Row 9. Fasten off white.
EDGING:
With right side facing, attach brown yarn at side of Row 7. Ch 1, sc in same st. Sc in each row end with 2 sc in last row end. Sc in each unused loop of beg ch with 2 sc in last ch. Continue up side with sc, changing to white at Row 8. Sc around head in same manner with 3 sc in corners. At center top of head, ch 6, sl st in same st for hanging loop.
BEAK:
With double strand of gold yarn, ch 4. Counting backwards on white sts, in 7th st from brown section, sl st in 7th st. Sc in 1st ch, 2 sc in next ch, sc in next ch, 3 sc in next ch. Working on opposite side of ch, dec, sc in last ch. Sl st in next white st on head. Fasten off with 12” length. Use this length for straight sts to better define the beak.
Use double strand of black to make French knot for the eye. Weave in all ends.
My husband and I are slowly working our way through our travel bucket list, and July was a double. Not only did we get to see Queen in Houston, but a few days later we saw the Rolling Stones. It was one day after Mick Jagger’s 76th birthday and just a few months after heart surgery, but he hasn’t slowed down a bit which left us all wondering, where does he get the stamina? It was an amazing show. NRG stadium was filled to capacity. Opening act was Bishop Gun, a Natchez, Mississippi band, probably the first opening act I have ever enjoyed.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts showed us that they have no intention of slowing down, even after 55 years of performing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puGQdprrr9w
I’m not sure what will be next on the bucket list as far as music, but next week’s post will be about our trip to Los Angeles. What’s on your bucket list?
Football is back!
Last night’s game between the Texans and the Green Bay Packers didn’t turn out the way that I hoped, but at least it was an exciting game to watch. I love autumn – football, cooler weather, Halloween. It’s also when I get serious about crocheting items for my Christmas gift list. This week’s freebie is actually a knitting pattern, but it’s a simple pattern that works up quickly on a circular needle with worsted weight yarn. Use brown and white for traditional football colors, or use your favorite team’s colors. I would love to see photos of your earwarmer on my Instagram at http://instagram.com/myfingersfly.
I recently had the opportunity to visit Manchester for the first time. All my preconceived ideas of New England came true! It’s such a beautiful city, full of history. I only wish I could have stayed longer. The people, the food, the weather – everything was lovely!
I can’t believe that I’ve been crocheting for most of my life but only found out about the Crochet Guild of America a few years ago. The conference was so much fun – meeting other crocheters from around the world, seeing their creations, hearing their ideas for new projects. Talk about idea overload! I may not sleep for a month with all the designs floating around in my head. One of the classes I took was Irish crochet, and I have so many ideas for future projects. For anyone who wants to learn, Susan Lowman does beautiful work, and she explains everything so well. My class piece isn’t finished yet, but hopefully this weekend I can get to it.
To thank all the wonderful people I met and learned from, My Fingers Fly is offering free shipping on t-shirts and leggings for crocheters. Just use code CGOA by July 31, 2019. https://www.myfingersfly.com/collections/t-shirts
This week’s free pattern is another Christmas in July theme. These little elf gift bags are so cute and versatile.
Materials:
Small amounts of worsted yarn – ivory, brown or black, red or green.
Crochet hook size H
Small pom poms, google eyes, 2 jingle bells
Directions:
Rnd 1: With ivory yarn, ch 2. Sc 6 in second ch from hook. Do not join.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sc).
Rnd 3: 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (18 sc).
Rnd 4: 1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (24 sc).
Rnd 5: 1 sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (30 sc).
Rnd 6: 1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat (36 sc).
Rnds 7-13: Work even. Finish off ivory. Turn.
Rnd 14-15: With black (or brown) yarn, loop st in each st around. Join with sl st. Fasten off.
Rnds 16: Ch1, turn. Attach desired color for hat. Work even on 36 sc. Do not join.
Drawstring: Using same color yarn as hat, make a chain 12″ long and knot both ends. Pull through loops made in Rnd 22 of hat.
Ears: (Make 2)
With ivory yarn, ch 9, 3 dc in 4th ch from hook, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, hdc next ch, sc next ch, sl st next ch, ch 1, sl st in this ch. (This makes point of ear.) Working down opposite side of starting ch, sl st next ch, sc next ch, hdc next ch, 1 dc in each of next 2 ch, 3 dc last ch. Join with sl st to beg ch-3. Sew one ear to each side of face from Rnds 9-13.
Glue on google eyes and pom pom for nose. Embroidery with straight stitch in pink or red for mouth. Sew a jingle bell to each side of drawstring.
Decorate hat as you wish with pom poms, rick rack, etc. You can sc Rnd 16 of hat with eyelash or bulky yarn to make a fringe. For the elf in the picture with the red hat, I used Yarn Bee Cameo Bulky in white.
This weekend I will be catching up on housework (and crochet) and resting a bit before we’re off to Houston next week to see Queen and The Rolling Stones. Hopefully I can get my Adam Lambert and Brian May dolls finished before we leave.
Remember those lazy summer days of your youth? I spent my summers in Texas climbing trees, chasing butterflies, catching lightning bugs and horny toads. One summer my dad built us cages for our pet snakes and helped us catch some. My mom would get her ice cream maker out of the garage, and we would take turns churning it. She made many different flavors with fresh fruit, but my favorite was always peach. Last week I bought a peach milk shake from Chik-fil-A just for the nostalgia. It was close but not quite homemade peach ice cream.
We also had “tea parties” in the back yard with lemonade, homemade popsicles, and tuna fish sandwiches. Have your own crochet Garden Party with this amazing amigurumi bundle.
Shannon from The Loophole Fox has rounded up 25 great summer patterns from independent designers to start your summer off right. Visit The Loophole Fox to get started on your summer crochet vacation. Use coupon code SUMMER2020 from 6/20/2020 through 6/24/2020 to receive these patterns free on Ravelry. I am proud to have my Butterfly Flip Flops included in this fabulous designer roundup.
Butterfly Flip Flops
Butterflies have always been special to me, so I’m kicking off summer with a butterfly flip flop crochet pattern. I used I Love This Cotton yarn from Hobby Lobby, but any yarn will do. It takes less than an ounce of yarn to decorate a pair of flip flops with a butterfly motif. The pattern is so quick and easy, you can make several pairs in an evening.
Butterfly stitch: Sl st into V-stitch, working from top to bottom around post of 1st dc of V-stitch of previous row, ch 3, 3 tr, 3 ch, sl st, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st, turn piece to work around post of 2nd dc of V-stitch, sl st, ch 2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl st, ch 3, 3 tr, ch 3, sl st.
Directions:
Row 1: Holding flip flop with toe facing you, sc around line strap using 30 sc. Continue to work 30 sc around the other side of the line strap (60 sc).
Row 2: Ch 1, turn, hdc in 2nd st and every other st across (30 hdc).
Row 3: Repeat Row 2 (15 hdc).
Row 4: Ch 3, turn, sk 1st st, V-stitch in next st and every other st across. Dc in last st. Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sk dc, sc in next 3 V-st, butterfly in center V-st, ch 1, sc in remaining 3 V-st, sl st in top of ch-3. Fasten off. Weave in all ends.
This week I booked my hotel and flights to attend the CGOA Chain Link Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire in July. This will be my first time attending, and I’m excited to get to meet other crocheters from across the country. Comment here if you plan to attend so we can meet in person.
Besides crochet, and I have also dabbled in poetry since I was a teenager. This week I submitted my third poetry book to Amazon for publication. Yellow Roses is a collection of poetry with many different themes.
During the nearly 10 years that I lived in Queens, NY in the 80s, most of my yarn shopping was at Nelson Yarns in Ridgewood. Several years ago, I took my daughter to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade and drove down Fresh Pond Road, but Nelson Yarns was no longer there. Fortunately, I found out that Lion Brand has a studio in Chelsea, so I jumped at the chance to accompany my husband on a business trip to New Jersey. For eight years, I commuted from Queens to Midtown on the subway, but riding NJ Transit trains was a new experience for me. We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott in Woodbridge, NJ, and the staff was amazing, as usual. Not knowing how far the train station was from the hotel, I took an Uber on Monday and took note of the streets along the way. Since it was only a 5-minute drive, I decided to walk on Tuesday. The weather was beautiful, and I thoroughly enjoyed the walk down Main Street.
As usual, Penn Station is a hive of activity with commuters rushing to catch their trains or enjoying a meal or coffee while they wait. There are shops that sell souvenirs, magazines, clothing, cell phone accessories, and so much more. Street musicians perform for tips, filling the area with their music.
Violinist in Penn Station
On my last trip to New York, the new buildings in the World Trade Center had not yet started. This week I was fortunate to be able to visit the new Freedom Tower and the Oculus. Another treat was lunch with some family members who I had not seen in many years.
Lion Yarn Studio is located on 15th Street in Chelsea, an unassuming little shop with an amazing window display. Inside, they sell Lion Brand products including yarn, hooks, and notions. Their “On The Table” display provides free patterns for Lion yarns. Classes and workshops of all types and for all skill levels are offered on weekends and in the evenings. It’s definitely a stop you’ll want to add to your itinerary if you’re planning a trip to New York. My next trip to the area will be to the Lion Yarn Outlet in New Jersey, but I will have to remember to take an empty suitcase with me to hold all the yarn I’m going to buy!
For our last dinner in Woodbridge, we tried a local restaurant, Miller’s Ale House. We don’t drink beer, but the food was excellent, and so was the service. I look forward to trying more of their menu if I’m ever in Woodbridge again.
Pork Osso Buco
For the Father’s Day Friday Freebie, I chose a fish-shaped dish towel that I designed for my father last year to use when he barbeques.
Sugar ‘n Cream Cotton yarn – 1 oz MC (If you want to use a separate color for the tail and fins, you need 0.7 oz MC and 0.3 oz CC.)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
1 ½” plastic ring
Towel measures approximately 11” x 7” (not incuding ring).
Directions:
BODY: Row 1: Work 5 sc through ring. Ch 1, turn.
Rows 2-6: Work 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc across to last st, 2 hdc in last st. Ch 1, turn. (16 hdc at end of Row 6).
Rows 7-10: Work 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (19 hdc at end of Row 10).
Rows 11-20: Work even in hdc. Ch 1, turn.
Rows 21-27: Dec, hdc across to last 2 st, dec. Ch 1, turn. (5 hdc at end of Row 27).
TAIL: (If using contrasting colors, change colors here.)
Row 1: 2 hdc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. (10 hdc)
Row 2: *Hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st,* repeat across. Ch 1, turn. (15 hdc)
Row 3: *Hdc in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st,* repeat across. Ch 1, turn. (20 hdc)
Row 4: Hdc across. Fasten off.
LARGE FIN:
Row 1: Attach yarn at end of Row 11 of body. Make 12 sc evenly spaced across top of fish.
Row 2: Dec over 1st 2 sts, sc across. Ch 1, turn. (11 sc).
Row 3: Sc across to last 2 sts, dec over last 2 sts. Ch 1, turn. (10 sc).
Row 4: Repeat Row 2 (9 sc).
Row 5: Repeat Row 3 (8 sc).
Row 6: Hdc in each of next 3 sts, sc in each of next 3 sts, sl st in each of last 2 sts. Fasten off.
SMALL FIN: On bottom of fish, attach yarn at opposite end of row where the top fin ends. Ch 2, 2 dc, 2 hdc, and 2 sc evenly spaced across ends of rows. Sl st. Fasten off.
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Here I am, sitting at the airport waiting to start another California adventure. This time I will be going to Riverside and staying at the historic Mission Inn. It was built as a boarding house in 1876 and was designated as a historic landmark in 1977. Several wings have been added over the years, including the Cloister, the Spanish Wing, and the Rotunda Wing. The oldest bell in Christendom (dated 1247) is currently housed at the Mission Inn.
Mission Inn Courtyard
My husband and I are slowly working our way through our travel bucket list, and July was a double. Not only did we get to see Queen in Houston, but a few days later we saw the Rolling Stones. It was one day after Mick Jagger’s 76th birthday and just a few months after heart surgery, but he hasn’t slowed down a bit which left us all wondering, where does he get the stamina? It was an amazing show. NRG stadium was filled to capacity. Opening act was Bishop Gun, a Natchez, Mississippi band, probably the first opening act I have ever enjoyed.
Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and Charlie Watts showed us that they have no intention of slowing down, even after 55 years of performing.
