Needlework Tuesday - Yarn Eating Vacuum

 Needlework Tuesday is open to all readers looking for inspiration, encouragement or who want to share their recent needlework project. Introduce yourself in the comments and be sure to leave a link to your current post. Feel free to grab the cute little mouse for your post.


The Great Soup Recipe Hunt is still on. Do you have a soup recipe you want to share, or are you looking for that perfect recipe, then check out my earlier post. I"m collecting homemade soup recipes to put in a binder for my parents. Dad has been told by his doctor he can't have canned soup anymore, too much sodium. Please add a link to your favourite recipe , or send it via private email to heatherdpear at hotmail dot com.


Did you ever have that moment of panic, you have the vacuum out and it gets a bit too close to your needlework project that is laying on the carpet.  What would you do if the vacuum started to eat your yarn?  Oops, that happened this morning with tragic results.  OK, only tragic for the yarn.


There is a surprising amount of yarn wrapped in there and I was very quick at pressing stop.

So just how long is this tangle - 17 1/3 yards.  eeks. That could be just enough to require the purchase of an additional ball of yarn depending on the project.  Fortunately not in my case.  Further down in this post I'll show you what I am using this yarn for.

 Week 12 of the Grandma Coco Papa Bear Sampler Scarf is finally finished.  This final section is "Double Moss" Stitch. I've got a lot of ends to work in and then a gentle blocking to get it in shape.  Should have a final photo for you next week.  While you are visiting with Grandma Coco, I recommend that you browse through and check out the cookies she has been decorating.  They are a work of art.

Have you been working along with me on your Dusty Snowflake Throw?  I am so happy that it is finished.  Still have some ends to work in, but it is already in use on the sofa.  I am so in love with it.  If you are looking for the pattern, it's available for free from Redheart.  Remember, if you use their variegated yarn, you need 7 balls not the 5 that the pattern suggests.

 Calorie free snacking.  This is the project that used the vacuum food.  Er, I mean the yarn that the vacuum ate.  Left is the plain donut and right is the chocolate glazed variety.  It still needs it's beaded sprinkles.  Pattern from Redheart.  When finished, each will get a gold thread loop for hanging.

So why am I making sprinkle donuts for my tree and for my family.  In July my dear nephew Alex passed away at the age of 26.  From the time he was quite young, he loved sprinkle donuts.  This was not a passing fancy, he enjoyed them throughout his life.  A trip to Tim Hortons for a coffee and donut was a regular outing.  Almost every time we visited, at least one of use would go to Tim's with him.  I am making these for my family and friends in memory of Alex.

Not one to rest with just one new project, I added another.  This one is for my husband's step mother. It is from Redheart and is their "Snowflake Hostess Apron".   I am using the Red Heart Shimmer as suggested in the pattern.  Daughter said no way to the Christmas colours and choose instead this vivid blue.

Snowflake waist band.

 Mesh belt.

Shows the foundation row for the skirt.  I found this the hardest part of the project.  Making this row was OK, but picking up the stitches from here drove me crazy.

The skirt part is done in a 'v' stitch.  double crochet chain two and double crochet all in the same stitch.  I blew it by not checking my tension.  When I finished all the pattern repeats suggested the skirt was about 5 inches too short so I had to add a lot of rows.

 This final photo shows the bib section.  I am at the point where I am ready to start the straps.  then it will get more of the pretty white picot edging.  Pictures next week of the finished item.

One of my favourite sewing projects is to make pillowcases.  You thought I was going to say boxer shorts since I have made so many for my kids. I have a pair of these made for a dear friend and her husband.  He is a printer so I think they will fit right in.  She's a reader of this blog, so I am expecting a comment from her.

I was shopping with mom at Fabricland on a sale day.  Her Fabricland has a $3.00 table.  Our goal was to find pillowcase fabric at that price point.  I was thrilled to bring these two home.   This set is for my bed.  Hubby will bet his in his stocking.

I am curious, what kind/colour/pattern of pillowcases do you use?  My daughter has a whole slew of Halloween theme ones that she uses all year round.  My mother and I make lots of them for the various nieces and nephews.  I don't know that the plain ones that come with the sheet sets ever make it out of the cupboard.

If you had your choice, what would be on your favourite pillowcase?  I have a fiery orange flannel one that warms me up.

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