December 24, 2011

Sergio my Smooth Fox terrier

Sergio over the years. 






(another bad hair day)
My blog is named after Sergio, my Smooth Fox terrier.  Just in case you didn't know.

I received sad news about a week ago today I believe.  The sad news is that Sergio, my Smooth Fox terrier, who is about 11 years old now, has been diagnosed with Lymphocarsonoma.  I may have misspelled that long dreadful word.  I'm still in shock but thought I'd share that information with my wonderful friends I've met and talked with through our love of yarn.

Daily it is a struggle to look him in the eyes knowing that he will leave me so soon.  I love him dearly and will be dealing with him being gone sooner than I want.  The vet told me without medicine he would be gone within 6 weeks (that was a week ago).  With high doses of Prednisone he could live 6 weeks to 6 months.  She also offered a version of Chemo but I didn't want to put him through weekly injections and things like that. .

So my dear friends, I'd rather not chat about what is going on with Sergio but I wanted to share this news with my followers.

Donna

Do you Skype?

My Skype name is SmoothFox_Donna

My name is Donna Mason-Svara if that is needed to find me.

Add me as a contact on Skype, it's free.  You just need a web-cam with a  microphone. If you'd like, grab your yarn and let's sit and chat while knitting or crocheting our projects. The more the merrier. I'm new to Skype but I believe we can have multiple people all just sitting around with our yarn projects talking or working silently. I have no one locally to chat with about yarn projects and am relatively new to knitting so if I'm knitting, it will be my favorite projects which are hats.

I have to warn ya though, you're going to catch me at my worst as I'm very casual, smoke, crochet and knit, stop and start projects left and right and everyday is a bad hair day.

Go ahead. Try it.  It's free.  

Donna

December 14, 2011

I couldn't have said it better Lori

Lori posted the following comment and I thought I'd share it with all of you incase you don't read the  individual comments on the blog. 

Dear fellow. SmoothFox Crochet & Knit followers all 100,000+ of you: Please get your squares in NOW! Christmas depends on us! Many people could take a few min. Of their time and make a 6x6 square And send in tomorrow using a couple stamps.

OnLine Angels is a wonderful nonprofit org. That will be donating blankets for those that need warmth or a hug from one of us! You never know when you might be in a situation that you JUST MIGHT need their help....Thanksgiving morning I had a 7week premature Grandson born who as of 12/14//2011 is still in the NICU in Yakima,WA. I certainly never planned on Jacob being born so early & sick! I never gave anyone a clue; however, my Grandson receives 3 handmade hats, blankets etc. Per day! Imagine yourself as a Grandma who hasn't even seen but 2 pics of the little guy. OnLine Angels has been providing the help for my grandson and all the other babies (12) in our NICU and all over U.S.! Blankets for needy mothers


Babies, Veterans....etc. We all have a yarn stash send some love for Donna aka SmoothFox & all the Angels! One square x 100,000 plus followers = 1. You feeling good! 2. Lots of happy people & kids who may not have a warm blanket and MOST of all a BIG THANK YOU to Donna aka SmoothFox for all the free patterns etc. She has given to us all! Get those needles clickin!

Lori Cheney

Naches, WA

Here is the original posting regarding charity squares.

I'm so afraid that the charity square drive will suffer due to how long it will take the mail to be received during the holiday's. So rather than waiting until too late in December to send in your squares, please begin sending them in now. I'll add your counts together plus you'll get more entries in the random drawing. Let's get some participation going!


Online Angels, Attn: SmoothFox, 36B Pine Drive, Pottsville, PA 17901

December 13, 2011

SmoothFox - Chicken, Owl or DoDo Bird French Cozy - Knit and Crochet used - Free Pattern

Years ago I was into doing ceramics and made a small chicken sitting on a basket and gave it to my sister.  She loves that little ceramic dish.  Anyway, last Christmas I told her I'd make her a cozy to go over her French Press a.k.a. Cafetière.  I then promptly forgot her request until she reminded me a couple of weeks ago.

I set about creating what I thought was a chicken sitting in a nest cozy.  My husband walks in and see's it and says "Cute Owl" so I was shocked yet laughed and looked at it closely and thought, yeah it could be an owl.  However, once I was done with it I also thought it could be a DoDo Bird.

Anyway, here is the video and if you know how to knit and crochet I believe you can follow the video to make it.





ABOVE IS THE VIDEO OF THIS PROJECT.

December 6, 2011

Charity Squares for December

I'm so afraid that the charity square drive will suffer due to how long it will take the mail to be received during the holiday's. So rather than waiting until too late in December to send in your squares, please begin sending them in now.  I'll add your counts together plus you'll get more entries in the random drawing.  Let's get some participation going!

Online Angels, Attn: SmoothFox, 36B Pine Drive, Pottsville, PA 17901

December 3, 2011

SmoothFox Picot Of The Day


Created by Donna Mason-Svara aka SmoothFox ©2011 Version 1.0


Hobby Lobby “I Love This Yarn” 4 ply medium worsted yarn
Color A: Amethyst

Hook Size: I/9 5.50 mm
Size: 6” x 6” or a scarf
Skill level: Advanced beginner
Notions: Yarn needle

SPECIAL STITCHES
Ch-4 Picot – Ch 4, slip st in 4th ch from hook

My Ravelry Store: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/smoothfox-crochet-designs
My Etsy Store: http://smoothfox.etsy.com/
My Crochet & Knit related gifts: http://zazzle.com/smoothfox*
My blog: http://smoothfoxlover.blogspot.com/

If you want a .pdf copy of this pattern or if you make this item – please click on this link below and add your own pictures as a project on Ravelry. Just click on the crochet hook with the words “Hook It” if this is a crochet pattern or if it is a knit pattern click on the words “Cast On” near the top right side and this will add your item as a project. Then you can add the pictures when you have completed your project.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/free-smoothfoxs-picot-of-the-day

INSTRUCTIONS:

Here is the video for this project.

Round 1: Using Color A ch 4, join with a slip st in 4th ch from hook to form a ring, ch 4 counts as dc plus ch-1 sp, [dc in ring, ch 1] 7 times; join with slip st in 3rd ch of beg ch-4. (8 dc, 8 ch-1 sps)

Round 2: Slip st to ch-1 sp, ch 6 counts as dc plus ch-3 sp, [dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 3] 7 times; join with slip st in 3rd ch of beg ch-6. (8 dc, 8 ch-3 sps)

Round 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, ch 2, [sk ch-3 sp, 3 dc in next dc, ch 2] 7 times; join with slip st in top of beg ch-3. (24 dc, 8 ch-2 sps)

Round 4: Ch 3, 2 dc in same st, ch 2, sk 1 st, 3 dc in last st, *ch 1, sc in next 3 dc, ch 1, **(3 dc in first dc, ch 2, sk 1 dc, 3 dc in last dc)* repeat from * to * 2 times, repeat from * to ** 1 time; join with slip st in top of beg ch-3. (24 dc, 12 sc, 4 ch-2 sps, 8 ch-1 sps)

Round 5: Slip st to ch-2 sp, ch 3, (2 dc, ch4 picot, 3 dc) in same sp, *ch-4 picot, [holding the round 4 ch-1 sp and round 3 ch-2 sps together – 3 dc around the two ch sps held together, ch-4 picot] 2 times, **(3 dc, picot, 3 dc) in corner sp* repeat from * to * 2 tmes and from * to ** 1 time; join with slip st in top of beg ch-3. (48 dc, 16 ch-4 picot)

Created by Donna Mason-Svara aka SmoothFoxLover@yahoo.com ©2011

This pattern has been tested. Please notify me of any pattern corrections. I will answer any and all questions you may have with the instructions. Do not plagiarize this pattern. All patterns are my original designs. Please do not re-sell my patterns or give them away for free or post my patterns on the Internet. You may sell items you make from my patterns at craft fairs, fund raisers or custom orders for friends and family but please do not sell finished items on the Internet without my written permission. Do not claim designs as your own.

This pattern is copyrighted by me and I give my permission for you to post pictures of items made from my pattern on your website if you will post a link back to my ETSY store if the pattern is for sale. If the pattern is free, please direct people to my blog. Be sure to list the name SmoothFox as the designer.

Testers Pictures of Picot Of The Day

Testers please add your projects on Ravelry.

CATHIE

ENJOLI

GINA

JACEY

JACEY

JANET

LIBBIE

SANDHYA

SANDY

STEPHANIE B

STEPHANIE S

Here are the instructions to post a project on Ravelry

1. Click on the link below
2. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/free-smoothfoxs-picot-of-the-day
3. It takes you to the pattern page – you need to log-in to Ravelry to see the “Hook it” icon in step 4
4. Click on the "Hook it" icon in the top right area
5. It will let you fill in the blanks, name your own name for the piece you worked. You can name it whatever you want. Example: Lori's blah blah blah. It will let you rate the pattern also. So you enter all the information about your "project" like, did you like it, did you have to add a round of sc's to make it the right size, what yarn you used etc and then you save that. General notes for other people who will see it.
6. Then there is a tab so you can add your pictures of your square or blanket or multiple squares with the same pattern.
7. If you had already created your project on Ravelry before I posted the pattern, you will need to go to the link above – highlight and copy the BOLD name of the pattern that I named it. Then go to your project page and put in this name as the pattern name link.

It's really kind of easy.

DONNA