The Mount LeConte Scarf

Mount LeConte

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Mount LeConte is the third highest mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tenn., and the only way to get to the top is on foot.

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There are several trails leading to the top of the mountain, and they are lengthy and steep so supplies are trekked in via llama-train as their feet cause less wear and tear on the trails than do horses' shod feet.

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 Once atop the mountain there are rustic resort cabins to stay in provided reservations were made in advance.  When hiking to Mount LeConte in cooler weather one needs a scarf to keep one warm and cozy on the trail.

The Mount LeConte Scarf is a very quick crochet project, not to mention cozy and stylish.  Here are directions just in time for a last minute gift giving idea.  Just a few hours of crocheting and you'll have a scarf for yourself or someone on your list.

Materials:

bulky yarn or two or three strands worsted held together

size N crochet hook
three 1 1/2 in. buttons

yarn needle 

Directions:

Ch 52 sts if you use the half-double crochet stitch, 53 if  using the double crochet stitch.
1.  hdc (or dc, your choice) in 3rd (4th if dc) ch from hook to end = 50 sts , measuring about 28-30 in. long -  12/16/15  Note:  The scarf must be at least 28 inches long so if you need to then add more     stitches to get the right length.
2.  ch 2, turn work, hdc to end
3.  Repeat row 2 until scarf measures about 8-9 inches wide

There's no need to make buttonholes as the buttons should slide easily through the stitches.

For the homemade buttons you'll need:

polymer clay
rolling pin
stamp - if you want a design on them
polyurethane spray to seal them
paint - for antiquing
1 1/2 in. clay cutter or cookie cutter
bamboo skewer to make holes

I heated a 2-in. piece of clay in the microwave on high for 30 seconds to soften it a bit to make it easier to knead.  Take care, though, if it gets hot it will start to harden.  I used a pizza dough roller to roll it about 1/8 in. thick.

To stamp an impression in the clay I used a stamp I already had which happens to be a French recipe for chicken soup.  Stamp the design you want on the buttons before cutting them out.   Cut out the buttons in the shape you want then use a bamboo skewer to make holes large enough for the yarn to pass through easily when sewing them on the scarf.

Follow the baking directions on the package of clay to harden your buttons.  For the light/off-white colored buttons I used white clay then painted them with gold paint, let the paint dry for 30 mins. then wiped some off  for a great antique look.

Edited 12/12/15:  Spray them with the sealer then let them dry.  Sew the buttons along the right side of one end of the scarf.  To wear, place the scarf around your neck and line up the end with no buttons over the side with the buttons and button in place.

For this scarf I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn in Mushroom that I had in my stash.

I used the hdc stitch for this cozy scarf and named it after a unique area in the Smokies.

Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Barley which is a dark taupe color.
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Copyright © 2015 Toni in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, All Rights Reserved

Stay warm, y'all!
Shared at The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Maple Hill Hop

Hair Curlers to Crochet, Free Pattern

Crocheted Hair Curlers

You'll need:

Worsted weight acrylic yarn
Size F crochet hook
Polyester fiberfill to stuff the curlers
Small stick to help stuff the curlers (I used the blunt end of a bamboo skewer.)
Yarn needle for weaving ends

Directions starting at end at loop end/fastener end of the curler:

1.  Ch 20, sl st in 8th ch from hook, turn work and sl st in each ch of loop just made (working these sl sts into the bottom loop of each ch so the loop section will be round), sl st to end of ch length also working these sl sts into the bottom loop of each ch so the cord section of the fasterner will be round.

2.   Ch 1, sc 6 (more for fatter curlers, it's up to you) in base of 1st st from hook, hold up your work so the stitches you just made look like a fan then flip it around and sc  on right side of the 1st st of the 6 sc sts.   (This will keep you working stitches on the right side of your curler.)

3.  Continue working in a spiral crocheting in each st until the curler body (tube) measures 3 inches long, stuffing it with fiberfill as you go.  Careful not to stuff too tightly as the more stuffing you use the harder the curler will be.

4.  To close the tube after stuffing it sc 2 tog until only 1 st remains

5.  Ch 15, sl st in 3rd ch from hook to end.  (Remember to work the sl sts into the bottom loop of each ch so this strip (to be knotted) will be round like a cord.).

Fasten off and weave in loose ends using yarn needle.  Tie a knot in the cord you just made so you can loop the fastener end onto the knot after rolling hair onto the curler.

 Repeat to crochet as many as you need to curl your locks.

Get rollin' and enjoy your curls.
Copyright © 2015 Toni in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, All Rights Reserved

For knitted rollers see this post

Shared at The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Roses of Inspiration, Our Simple Homestead Blog Hop

Prim & Propple Doily

Prim & Propple Doily

Sugar and Cream - Kelly Green

This worsted weight, crochet doily is perfect to use as a hot pad with your teapot.
Measures 9 inches in diameter
Materials:
I ball worsted weight cotton yarn
Size G crochet hook

Ch 4 and join with a sl st in beg chain.
Round 1:  Ch 4 (counts as 1 dc, dc 17 in ch circle, join with slipstitch in top of beg dc. (18 dc)
Round 2:  Ch 3,  popcorn in st at base of ch,  *ch 4, skip one st, popcorn in next st, repeat from * around, sl st in beginning st. (9 popcorn sts)
Round 3: ch 1, sc 5 in each ch 5 loop. Sl st in beg st.
Round 4:  *Ch 5, sl st in 3rd sc, ch 5, sl st above popcorn. Repeat from * and slip st in beg st.
Round 5:  *Chain 5, sl st into 3rd ch (mid arch), then ch 5, sl st in sl st of previous row. Repeat from *,  sl st in beg st.  (18 loops)
Round 6: Sl st to middle of loop, *ch 5, sl st in middle of next loop. Repeat from * around. (18 lps)
Round 7:  Repeat round 6

Peaches and Creme - Key Lime Pie

Round 8:  Ch 3, popcorn in st at base of chain, ch 4, sl st in loop, ch 4, *popcorn in sl st (valley), ch 4. Repeat from * around. Sl st at top of beg popcorn. (18 popcorn sts)
Round 9:  Ch 1, *sc in next lp right next to popcorn, 2 dc in sl st, sc in next lp right near next popcorn. Repeat from * around. Sl st in beg st.
Round 10:  *Ch 4, sl st in 3rd  dc, ch 4, sl st between sc sts. Repeat from *. Sl st in beg st.
Round 11:  Sl st to center of next lp, *ch 4, sl st in next lp. Repeat from * around to last ch 4 & join with sl st in beg st.
Round 12:  Repeat round 11.
Round 13:  Sl st to center of next lp, *ch 5, sc in next lp. Repeat from * around ending with ch 5, sl st in beg st.
Round 14:  Sl st to center of next lp, *ch 1 sc in same lp, dc in sc (valley), ch 3, dc in same sc, sc in lp near top. Repeat from * to end of round. Break yarn and weave ends.

Peaches and Creme - Sea Mist

 Copyright © 2010 Toni in the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, All Rights Reserved

Sweet Violets Galore

Sweet Violets are blooming in little patches all around our house. (Confederate Violet above, Common Blue Violet below) I just read that they contain natural aspirin. The herbalist in me wants to go pluck them right up and brew a concoction, but I'm going to enjoy the blossoms a few more days before I succomb to that urge.
Thanks, Y'all, for all the nice comments on the crochet patterns. (Another Sweet Violet in lilac above.) What happened with all the pattern makin'? I'd searched for free crochet cloth patterns on Ravelry & was surprised to find how few there were in worsted weight cotton; so my little ol' brain started spinnin' (out of control) to help remedy the (tragic) situation.
Sigh. I figure I've done my duty now, so... back to selfish knitting for myself... :)

I started this knit shawl from a pattern I found in an old Peter Rabbit book, but I can't seem to get it just right. The directions are in English English, not American English so I'm having to assume a lot. This is just one part; there are sides to be added after the center section is completed. It's a tad complicated. I've started it in dk weight, Cotlin from Knitpicks on the left & Wool-Ease worsted weight yarn on the right..don't yet know which I'll end up completing.
Meanwhile, I'm crocheting this lovely shawl from Knottie by Nature on Ravelry. The pattern begins at the wide end so it won't be too awful long 'til it will be finished.
Here's my sweet potato at four weeks...it's just starting to vine out a bit.
We're already enjoying green onions from my little "outside the kitchen door herb garden." These were left in the ground from some I'd planted last year.I've already made salsa with a few of them. Dgd #2 loves them in ramen noodles. This patch of dead nettle  is in the backyard under a wisteria vine. I know some folks call it a weed, but do you see all those tiny purple flowers? I'm thinkin' it's a flower. Hope you're enjoying springtime as much as I am, Y'all.

Quothe the Nubbins

Hark! What cloth from yon knitting wakes? 'Tis Nubbins Dishcloth and S&C Country Stripes is the one. I'm having fun with this yarn and this post. O, Violet Stripes, O, Violet Stripes! Wherefore art thou, my Violet Stripes?

Hark! Who goes there? Natural Stripes! Off with their nubbins!

What's this? A pox upon me you Poppinjay!

The double crochet bug bit me last weekend when a friend showed me an afghan she had just made. I had to have one, too. I'm halfway done as I want it 12 strips wide. For the center strips I used Red Heart Aran in the middle bordered by RH Watercolor. I know, I know, but I love those colors. (I'll use it for a little color in the study and if I get a mosquito bite...well, it'll be there. ;) And this is why I haven't yet done my little project with the fabric above, but it's on the cutting table now. Can't wait to get that one done, also.

Hazy & Crazy Hot in Dixie

Don't you just wish you were here!
I mean...it's hot. It's already 79 degrees and it's only 9:30 AM and so hazy we can't see the mountains. That's hazy.

Did I mention it's hot in the South, Y'all?
Two family members had birthdays recently, so we had a celebration dinner over the weekend. We made shrimp cocktail, shish-ka-bobs, baked potatoes, etc. and a Dairy Queen ice cream cake for dessert.






These skewers of summer delight were a hit, obviously, since these were the only ones left. I made alot of them with ribeye steak dusted with garlic powder, black pepper and salt along with yellow squash, red peppers and onions.

Saturday we went to Pigeon Forge. SIL #2 rode the go carts with DH...over and over..just makes sense, right? :) They had fun. DD and I browsed a nearby western store; cute stuff but pricey..I kept thinking...I can make this...

The temperature gauge in the car showed 106 degrees outside while we were there. It was hot. Traffic was unbelievable so we took the backroads on the way back home. Country roads are so pleasant. We all enjoyed the ride.

I took this picture from the car so it's not the greatest, but I love pictures of barns, especially older ones. All this setting needs is a few hens pecking around.

My knitting has been less than exciting lately so here's something different. I actually finished this crocheted afghan last year and just stuck it in the closet. It was about 14 years in the making because at the time I started making the squares I had just finished two other afghans. I had done them so fast that I developed tendonitis and got really tired of crocheting. The tendonitis cleared up, and I eventually got back into crocheting. Anyways, after many years, last summer I dug out all the yarn and the squares that were already done, finished the remaining ones and added the border. Here's a closeup in case you are dying to see it upclose and personal. :)