Appleton Dance

It's enough to make me go find my crochet hook! This morning on PBS's Knit and Crochet Today program, one of the hosts, Drew Emborsky , made that cute amigurumi coffee cup (third from left in top row above) and I was hooked! The creator of these tiny toys, Ana Paula Rimoli, has a wonderful blog, Ana Paula's Amigurumi Patterns and Random Cuteness   and an Amazon bestseller book, Amigurumi World: Seriously Cute Crochet , published by Martingale in February 2008. Or you can buy her wonderful toys on Etsy at her virtual shop Anapaulaoli , where you'll also find more patterns and lots of pictures.

Meggie Lee and Moggie Lou cowered in the window seat of the great hall at Pine Tree Knob. Outside the window silvery snowflakes embraced the Kingdom of Laurel Mountain and reflected brilliant light through the glass doors that lined the southern wall. The light jangled through the tiny hammered-gold feathers of the Winter Wizard’s wings as she stomped her red cowboy boots along the flagstone hearth. The red and gold flames of the fire snapped no brighter than her angry blue eyes.                 “You don’t want to make Christmas?” she said in a trembly, low voice that rose at the end to a babyish squeak. Her wings tinkled in accord. “Are my little princesses too regal to plait hemlock wreaths and blow glass bubbles?”                 “No-o-o, teacher . . .” moaned Meggie Lee through the tail of a blonde curl she had tucked between her teeth.                 “We’re sad,” said Moggie Lou. “The stars have fallen from the sky and we don’t know what to do.”                 “ The wizard stopp

I got the idea for this cute holiday handbag from a pattern called The Essential Bag by The Country Quilter . I made some adjustments to the materials and the construction method and made several for holiday gifts. Materials outside fabric (print) 7.25 x 16 inches lining fabric (print or geometric) 7.25 x 18 inches decorative flap 5-3/8 inch square (solid or geometric), cut on the diagonal optional: sew light interfacing to wrong side of 7.25 x16 inch fabric piece 18-50 inches coordinating cording for handle 7-inch zipper to coordinate with fabric thread to match fabric beads and findings for zipper pull and trim (if desired) Construction Use 3/8-inch seams throughout. RST means sew with right sides together. 1. Stitch triangle pieces RST along two short sides of triangle. Clip points, turn and press. Embellish with beads if desired. 2. Insert raw edges of triangle between rights sides of one of the short ends of outside fabric and lining fabric. 3. Stitch short ends of outside to

I made a Christmas stocking for Jake from a printed panel I bought last year at Jennifer's Quilt Shop in Pinckney. The panel is called "Jolly Old St. Nick" by Susan Winget for Benartex. It's really pretty with St. Nicholas in his sleigh pulled by eight reindeer. I used waste canvas to cross stitch Jake's initials to the top of the panel, and added a few beads to highlight the design. Then I quilted the front panel, outlining the design in places with a running stitch. I made pretty, fat cording for the seam and lined the stocking. I think it turned out pretty cute. It's a good size -- 14x27-inches -- and is nice and wide with lots of room for gifts inside. Here's Jake, the boy, with his Aunt Alisa at Thanksgiving.

I tried to copy a bag that Brandi likes and here is the result. One of the most interesting aspects of the bag, to me, was the way the handles were created out of one 60-inch long piece of stitched belting that looped on either side of the bag and met on the bottom. I hope she likes it!