Projects for the rez

Hi allWell, I think everyone is out on vacation or bar-b-qing or something canse the list is mighty quiet. But that's ok. The humidity has set in for the summer, the temps are in the mid-eighties and I don't go out except for mornings up until noon, and evenings after 9:00 pm! The older I get, the more the humidity gets me.

The
Thousand Hat Project" is coming along nicely. I still have 50 ponchos, kids, to complete for the 100 Item Challenge, and 45 scarves. And 200 squares. But the squares will go quickly and the ponchos are on the list as well.

I sent three cd players to the rez this week, along with some color pencil sets and frisbees and baseballs for the teens at VAIC. I am going to try and pick up some more of the players because they are for a new program for the kids this summer, a language program to learn their native language. To me, this is important. The players are only ten bucks a piece at Wal-Mart (God, I HATR Wal-Mart!!) and they use them for the language cds. They need 30 in all, so let me know if anyone wants to help out with this, Just post a question or a request for where to send them and I will be glad to supply the info and point you to the website. My 21 year old daughter is going to help out with this, I think.

Anyway, it's time to plant pumpkins and gourds, for Halloween. This is mine and my husbands' tenth anniversary this year, married on Halloween. So I am trying to plan a three day get away in New Orleans for the event, at a haunted hotel. Since we live in Mobile, this is fairly easy to do. But places are filling up quickly! I'll keep you posted on that. We didn't have a honeymoon, and I want this to be very romantic and beautiful....and a suprise. So we shall see how it goes!

Off to cok supper..!

Here's the pattern

Good evening! Here's pics and instructions for the muff. Here we go First, chain 40 with a worsted weight yarn (Red Heart is good) and a fur or some sort of fuzzy yarn. Hold these two together as you work. After the chain 4o, join chain with slip stitch, careful not to twist. Chain two, do not turn.

Double crochet in the next stitch and continue around the circle, one double crochet per stitch. When you complete the second row, instead of joining and chaining two, do a half-double crochet in the top of the previous chain two, and then continue the double crochet. This will keep a continuous spiral and make the muff smooth. No need for markers. Just continue with the double crochet, one in each stitch, until you get the muff the length of your desire.

Now, When you get the muff the length you want the finished muff to be, cut the specialty yarn and continue with the same pattern you have been doing. In other words, there is is no stopping the work, except to use only the worsted weight thread. This accomplishes a couple of things. First, it saves the cost of the specialty thread, since this part of the muff will be folded into making the lining and not seen. Second, worsted weight yarn wears better by itself without the second yarn. You know, with hands going in and out all the time.

When you have the specialty thread cut and the end woven in the previous row, continue on as described above. Make the length of worsted weight work as long as the first length when you were using both yarns. When you have done this, your muff will look like this:

Kinda wierd, huh? Well, just wait. Now. Don't cut your yarn. Pull out a large loop so it won't unravel and lets put the lining in place.

Put your hand thru the muff, and pull the one yarn portion thru the middle of the two yarn portion.

Pull it thru just like turning a sock inside out. Pull the lining part down until the edges of both are even, like the second picture above. The yarn will be following you, coming thru the middle of the muff. You are almost finished.

Keeping the edges even, join the two layers with a simple single crochet through both layers, all the way around. You will have a muff that looks like the ones in the first "muff" post below! Now you need to decide if you want the end pieces" on your muff. If you do, it is simple to do. And I will continue that part below.

Let me say that this is an easy project to do. Once you have done one, you will see that they really are very simple. My burdensome pattern writing makes it sound so much more difficult than it is. Also, I should have chosen a easier color to see than red! LOL! Oh well!

You can also put a layer of felt, or another layer of crochet between these layers to make it denser. Just be sure to make sure and catch it in when joining all the layers on the edges or it could move about and bunch. Also, you could felt this pattern but I have not tried to do that so allow extra material accordingly.

Here's the MUFFS!!

Okay, here's what I am doing. The first picture below is the finished muff. You can make them anysize but this one is approximately 8-10 inches long. I used Red Heart and a specialty yarn from Hobby Lobby as one yarn. Double crochet. The second picture is the inside of the muff with the lining.

This muff is open on the end, meaning I have not enclosed it with any stitches. You'll see when I show you the next one.

Okay, here's another one. You see the end is enclosed to the approximate size that hands would need to go in.

MUFF PATTERN!

Hi to All!

I am in the process of blogging this muff pattern for the rez. So between now and tomorrow morning I will have it complete. I am going to take pictures of it stage by stage and would say it's an advanced beginner pattern. Also, it can be Knifty Knitted. I'll take pics of that as well and put both patterns here.

I try and come up with functional items for the rez, but items that can be adapted for all ages, and either done expressly for function or dressed up a bit for a pretty as well. As I have seen these for hunters, I may make some in camo and see what the men think at the rez. Anyway, enjoy! And let me know what you think!
LisaE