July 8, 2011 by debi.

I have been madly working on creating new patterns. I made a new hat pattern and used this wonderful yarn made by Be Sweet. It is their yarn called Miracle Ball, because it has about 8 different yarns that are tied together, which makes the yarn self striping. I have been putting different balls of yarn together like that for years, but it was fun to be able to use one already done. I made this great hand crocheted hat and the colors are yellows, greens, pinks, and corals. It is really cute and I was able to make it out of one skein. I am going to submit it to Storey Publishing for their new book 101 One Skein Crochet Book. I am praying that they pick it as one of the patterns for the book.I have also been working on several new scarf patterns. The one that I am making right now is a beautiful metallic dark saphire blue lace. I am absolutely in love with this scarf. I think I want one also, but this one is going to be a gift. I am also going to make a matching hat.

The knit skirt and 2 camisoles with be up on the website by next Friday. So check out the website next Friday to see what is new at Dreams by Debi / www.dreamsbydebi.com.

3 Tips for Accessorizing with Knits in the Summer

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April 19, 2011 by debi.

I have had a lot of fun this last week making lots of new crocheted hats for my website.  As I was looking at my inventory, I found that I was sadly lacking in summer cotton crocheted hats.  I decided that I would start crocheting hats last week, and it was so much fun.  Sometimes I get so focused on working on the website that I forget that I have to actually make new items, or it starts to look boring and stale.  So this week I will be adding 5 new crochet hats.  I have made two cloiches, and 3 lace beanies.  One of the cloiches is a little wild with a variegated pink and white yarn, but the other is fairly traditional, done in white with a denim blue yarn for accent.  

The pattern for the cloiche hats come from the book Vogue Knitting on the Go - Crochet Hats.  This is a fun little book with all kinds of patterns.  I think that you croheters out there, will find it fun, and the patterns are pretty easy.  If you are new to crocheting the patterns have easy to follow instructions.

I am including a link to a pattern for the Addison hat that I made.  I did not follow the instructons completely, but I will give the changes that I made.  I figure everyone can use a new crochet hat pattern.  I made this one in a denim cotton.  It works up in a couple of hours.  Rather then crocheting all of the rows, so that the hat folded up, I did just enough rows, so that the hat was a lace beanie.  The link below is to the hat pattern.

http://www.jpfun.com/patterns/free/wearables/f124001_addisonhat.shtml

These are the other two crocheted hats, that I made last week.  If anyone is interested in the patterns, and I will be happy to send them away if you register in my blog or website www.dreamsbydebi.com .  

Since I knit and crochet a lot, I either watch movies or listen to audio books.  I don’t watch much regular tv, so I am always looking for new dvd’s or recording movies on my dvr from cable.  My kids and husband are always laughing at me, because I am fairly predictable about what I watch.  I tend to watch movies with a moral, apocolyptic movies, or chick flicks.  Some of my favorite movies that I have watched recently are Hidden Secrets, Walking on Water, The Secret of Jonathon Sperry, Day After Tomorrow, and of course my all time favorite Sweet Home Alabama.  Some of the books that I have listened to recently are Night Road by Kristin Hannah, The Brotherhood by Jerry B Jenkins, God’s Guest List by Debbie Macomber, and Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley.  I have been reading several books also The Edge of Apocolypse by Tim Lahaye, The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges, and I just got Vanished by Kathryn Markel. 

It has been an enjoyable week, but now back to the grindstone.  I actually need to work on the website, and finish my Small Business Marketing on a Shoestring class this week. I really enjoy writing for you, and would love to have you register on my blog or website, and I will be happy to send you a free pattern for a hat.

www.dreamsbydebi.com

www.blog.dreamsbydebi.com

Posted in Things that Inspire Me, I Love Patterns, Books, Books, Books | Print | 1 Comment »

March 31, 2011 by debi.

I just finished the first 3 fabric covered journals in my new Inspirational line of accessories and gift items.  I love these journals and they were fun to make.  They are not an original idea, I found the idea in a magazine called LIFE: BEAUTIFUL. I found it at the airport in Mexico, when I took my mom to the airport in February, and the flowers on the front were so beautiful, that I bought the magazine.  These journals were one of the craft projects in the magazine.  I made one last month to give to my Bible study teacher, and it was just okay.  Definitely a work in progress, but these came out beautifully. 

I made them by using the 5 x 8 1/4 inch moleskin journals, and covering them with fabric.  Then I used cardstock on the inside of the front and back to cover the fabric, and I added an envelope with a card inside with a verse from the bible on the front page of the cardstock.  I am enjoying trying to find verses for in the Bible for the journals.  These first three journals have HOPE, FAITH, AND GRACE stamped on the front of them.  I have also used lace or colored cording to tie them closed.

This is the Grace Journal in the Inspriational line.  I just love the colors.

I have also added the FORGIVEN scarf to the website.  It was really fun to make.   It was knit with white cashmerino and the letters were knit with a red faux fur. Check the new scarf out on my website http://www.dreamsbydebi.com/httpwwwdreamsbydebicomhandknitscarfforgiivenp104html-p-104.html.

Here is the link to the journals, also. http://www.dreamsbydebi.com/inspirational-journals-c-30.html

Posted in Welcome Back, Things that Inspire Me, I Love Patterns | Print | 1 Comment »

March 3, 2007 by debi.

         Aren’t theses great yarns?                                       

I love books, but I found that it is really hard to read and knit at the same time.  To get around this little problem, I listen to books on tape and CD.  I listen to 3 to 4 books a week.  I really enjoy mysteries, but I will listen to almost anything.  My favorite authors are Faye Kelleraman, Jonathon Kellerman, Earlene Fowler, Lee Harris, Clive Cussler, and Alice Hoffman.  Somtimes it is hard to remember authors, because I listen to so many different people.  My all time favorite book is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand.  I also really enjoyed The Drifters by James Michener.

I was just talking to a friend last week about the people who read books.  Sometimes I listen to books for the reader.  I really enjoy Scott Brick and Kate Reading.  We were on the subject because my friend is and acting teacher, and he has just published a book.  He spent this week in a recording studio reading his book.  His name is Darryl Hickman, and he and his wife Lynda are wonderful people.  I can not wait to listen to his book.  They are my childrens’ God Parents, so I need to go online and buy a bunch of the books, and have Darryl autograph them for the kids.  My mom is also quoted in the book, she took Darryl’s acting classes, and loved them.  Lynda has always been really supportive of my business.  She will send articles that she finds in the newspaper regarding knitting or online businesses.  She is so beautiful and so much fun, I am really lucky to have these people for friends.

I always thought it would be fun to be a reader.  Darryl says it is really hard to do.  I always loved reading to my children when they were younger.  I really enjoyed doing all of the different voices.  Darryl says that with all of his acting experience this is still very difficult to do.  He has even done just voices in cartoons, and he says this is totally different.

I am also a pack rat when it comes to knitting and crocheting books.  I can not get enough of them.  I have an entire book case full of these books and magazines.  I love looking at the pictures and reading the patterns.  Right now I have fallen in love with knitting and crocheting lace.  There is something so delicate and femanine about lace.  It looks so beautiful and I enjoy the intricate patterns.  I have really started to enjoy knitting lace, rather then crocheting it.  Knitting lace makes a much lighter fabric, then crocheting.   Here are some samples of different lace that I have been knitting lately.  I have also put in the pastel blue from my husband’s cousin.  Her name is Fern and her company is Roxannes Originals.  I sell her scarves in my store also.  I really like all of the scarves that she makes also. 

Well enough for now.  I will write more later.  This is really theraputic.

Posted in I Love Patterns, Books, Books, Books | Print | 1 Comment »