Mama, Am I Pretty?

As you crochet your newest, prettiest potholder, or put together an intricately layered, pretty quilted one, consider the following poem about pretty.

This poem is taken directly from my new, favorite author's website, barkingspiderspoetry.com.   C. J. Heck writes, publishes and speaks to children of the world.  Her insights are deep and meaningful, her talents - obvious.

Mama, Am I Pretty? - (from "Barking Spiders 2")

Mama, am I pretty?
"Why do you ask?" She said.
She held me gently to her
and kissed me lightly on my head.

"Your clothes are neatly ironed,
your face and hands are clean.
You're such a sweet child, little one,
what does your question mean?

Mama, am I pretty?
I really need to know.
Am I pretty like the other girls
at school where we all go?

"You have a very loving heart.
You're gentle, kind and good.
Your friends all think the world of you,
anybody would."

But Mama, am I pretty?
Sometimes kids point or stare.
I've got these real thick glasses
that I wish I didn't wear.

Mama said my time would come,
be patient and I'd see.
The things that really matter
were there, inside of me.

Mama! AM I PRETTY?
I didn't mean to shout ...
Then mama smiled and told me,
"Sweetheart, yes, inside and out."

Consider one of C. J.'s books as a perfect gift for your favorite child(ren) this holiday. Barking Spiders, and other such stuff is available at this link:  http://www.barkingspiderspoetry.com/Store.html

Midwest Book Review comments on Barking Spiders: "...Often funny, sometimes introspective, always honest, these poems form a brilliant introduction for young readers to the magic of poetry and rhyme."

We so often use words like pretty and beautiful.  What does that really mean? C. J. says,

"That's beautiful!  This is what we say or think when we see the sun rise or set over the ocean, see a spectacular view, or a good-looking man or woman. But what we should ask is, where does the appreciation of that beauty originate? Where does our ability to understand beauty come from? It's right there, in our own consciousness."

Visit C. J.'s website, read her interviews, get to know a lady who Loves children and respects and understands the joys of Nature and the Universe that we all share.

Enjoy more information about C. J. and her profound writing  from www.writerthoughts.com. You don't have to be a child to enjoy C. J.; check out her e-zine articles, guaranteed to leave a footprint or three on your heart.

Potholder Filling

http://quilting.about.com/b/2007/12/18/tell-us-your-potholder-making-techniques.htm

A quick post to link you to the above site for some interesting ways to line potholders.

Janet Wickell writes many interesting quilting articles and is easy to understand, As well, she responds to her people who comment - a rare on-line courtesy. The comments in her article site above show some money-saving and easy ways to accomplish potholder fillings.

Here's a link to an interesting and sturdy-looking potholder from an old pair of jeans, that serves as an oven mitt, as well.

Let us know how you fill your potholders..to give that "old time" safety, assuring you receive no red spots or blisters along with that tasty recipe you just brewed up for your family!

You can never have enough potholders...there's always room for one more.

Helpful Hints for Potholder Batting/Filling

The inside of your potholder is the most important part, obviously.

http://www.ufo-rphanage.com/potholder_hints.shtml

Found this well-written, informative site on potholder filling/batting. Looking through some of the ideas listed there might add to your potholder toolbox for later creations.

-I use Insul-Bright and find a double layer is necessary. The potholders made with one layer worked for awhile until they had to deal with a very hot pan; ouch! Lesson learned.

-Old toweling for my potholders was cumbersome/thick, but fairly heat resistant.

-Silence Cloth sounds multipurpose - for many uses. Please comment if you've used it and what your thoughts are.

This link, http://tipnut.com/pieced-pot-holders/, is simply a neat potholder & recipe book pattern I tripped onto during my batting travels online. Thought it might fit your next creative urge! This pattern calls for simple flannel as the innards of their creations. Let me know how this works.

This site, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lcQmcR6Yg&feature=related, Mama's Cottons advertised some interesting retro fabrics - at a reasonable price. Retro is a bit off-task here, but my admiration of things old with fabrics, led me momentarily astray. Besides...for those of you who might be here in partial preparation for your next potholder creation, her designs might spark your interest. If you buy from her site, please leave a comment on your experience.

If you have a stuffing/batting/filling trick or two for your potholders, let us know. Leave a comment or reach me at daniellesimone0@gmail.com.

You can always use one more potholder...

A Quick, Crocheted Potholder Pretty

This quick, crocheted potholder pretty is a snap to make and looks elegant - while filling a utilitarian purpose.

I found a lovely colored cotton yarn at a local (WM) store. Basically beige - almost ecru, with flecks of deep brown and rust. I used 2 strands for extra thickness and safety of use.

The potholder pattern I chose made up quickly and gave me a feeling of some purpose during my recuperation from the recently popular bug-crud. Not having much energy - but not sleepy, I created/crocheted something useful. (Not that the gazillions of potholders filling my linen closet at this point don't already fit that bill!)

Who cares! It was fun, and I have a girlfriend with an upcoming birthday.

Recipe for a quick potholder;

-2 2-oz. balls cotton yarn (I used Lily Sugar 'n Cream, "Sonoma Print"
- Size H crochet hook
-About 4 hours

1. (FIRST ROW) crochet chain stitch 33 stitches.
2. (SECOND ROW) SC (single crochet) into BACK of third stitch from hook, continue SC into BACKS of stitches across first row, chain 2, turn.
3. (THIRD ROW) SC in BACK of next stitch and repeat second row for a total of 31 rows.
4. After last SC, chain approximately 10 stitches, ST (slip stitch) into last SC, weave threads into back of potholder for 8 to 10 stitches, cut off.

To make these crocheted potholders safer for use, I do three things:

• -Use double threads
• -Crochet into back of stitches of previous rows, giving the surface more depth and thickness
• -Use cotton thread so the potholders can be shrunk a bit in hot water and a hot dryer.
  

For shrinking purposes, they begin life a bit bigger than a normal potholder.

Try this easy pattern; let me know how you may have changed it...or not? Send me a picture and I'll post it.

daniellesimone0@gmail.com

This potholder is basically the same pattern as mine except the stitches do not go into the back stitches of the previous rows. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biGbmVULdNw

These potholders are octagonal - very pretty and easy to put together, as well. http://mylittlekitchen.blogspot.com/2007/12/crochet-old-fashioned-potholders.html

This pattern has fascinated me for years! These blogs makes this look like a snap to create. Let me know if it is as easy as it looks; leave a comment.
http://theboringknitter.com/?page_id=30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9wXDWgrJsI (this has 3 U-Tube videos)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwPmG2bFrYM&feature=related

Happy crocheting!

As always, Nature prevails.