Wishing all a bright, warm, and wonderful holiday season!
Monday, December 24, 2018
Friday, December 21, 2018
One Resolution Completed!
Yes, after many years I have FINALLY completed one of my New Year's resolutions. This has nothing to do with crochet (register astonishment here), but it was a Martha Stewart Christmas craft project from at least 2008, if not before. Yes, I am talking about none other than Fabric Balls!
Many moons ago Martha Stewart would have a half-hour craft show in the afternoon, and I loved it! (Some people do yoga, some meditate; I watch Martha.) I saw the program showing how to do the fabric balls and I was hooked. So I went out and bought the styrofoam balls - smooth ones are best, fabric - stretchy works best, and wonderfully elaborate ribbon. Then I became distracted with life...for a long time. However, I lovingly packed up the materials and promised myself I'd get to them some day.
My husband and I don't give presents to extended family, but I began making ornaments to give away. A couple years ago I made one of Oombawka Design's angels (free pattern here), and last year I made crochet baubles (free pattern here). But this year I steeled my determination and tackled the fabric balls.
Of course it wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. The main issue was that the template to cut out the fabric didn't print out to the correct size, so there was quite a bit of adjustment to do. If you read the comments you'll find I wasn't the only one with this problem. The second issue was what to cover the ribbon ends with. I chose to order end caps and then flattened them with a hammer - you need at least 14 to 15 mm to cover and mine were a little small; or you could follow the suggestions given on the website.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with how these turned out - I just hope the people receiving them feel the same way!
My husband and I don't give presents to extended family, but I began making ornaments to give away. A couple years ago I made one of Oombawka Design's angels (free pattern here), and last year I made crochet baubles (free pattern here). But this year I steeled my determination and tackled the fabric balls.
Of course it wasn't nearly as easy as I thought it would be. The main issue was that the template to cut out the fabric didn't print out to the correct size, so there was quite a bit of adjustment to do. If you read the comments you'll find I wasn't the only one with this problem. The second issue was what to cover the ribbon ends with. I chose to order end caps and then flattened them with a hammer - you need at least 14 to 15 mm to cover and mine were a little small; or you could follow the suggestions given on the website.
All in all, I'm pretty happy with how these turned out - I just hope the people receiving them feel the same way!
Thursday, November 29, 2018
Sweet Little Snowflake - Free Pattern
Not too long ago I came across a post from Anabelia Craft Design offering a delightful Stars Garland (free pattern here). I tried her pattern and it came out wonderfully, but I was really looking for a dainty snowflake pattern. After playing a bit with Anabelia's design, I was successful!
I made the snowflakes with an D 3.25mm hook and Bernat Handicrafter acrylic size 5 yarn. (This yarn is discontinued now but Hobby Lobby still has their version. I like it because it has a nice sheen.) Of course you could use cotton crochet thread and a smaller hook to make tinier snowflakes, or a larger crochet hook and fingering/sport weight yarn to increase the size, but if using a larger weight yarn I would suggest a cotton or cotton blend because it'll block better. At this point I haven't added any extra decoration, but I certainly think a few rhinestones, sequins, and/or glitter fabric paint would be nice. The blocked snowflake is 3 1/4" in diameter.
These snowflakes would make a great garland, just like the stars in Anabelia's design. They'd make cute ornaments, of course, but I could see these as tag decorations or as a wonderful embellishment to Christmas/holiday cards. Perhaps as a necklace or pin, or hat, scarf, or hair decoration. Let your imagination fly!
Sweet Little Snowflake Pattern / Easy skill level
Bernat Handicrafter Acrylic yarn size 5, or your choice of thread/yarn
Size D 3.25mm crochet hook (or size for your yarn)
Materials for blocking plus some form of starch.
Stitches Used - Ch - chain; Sc - single crochet; Dc - double crochet; Sl St - slip stitch; 2 Dc Tog - two double crochet stitches together; Sp - space; St - stitch; Hdc - half double crochet; Trc - triple crochet; FO - finish off
Snowflake is worked in rounds with right side always facing you.
Rnd. 1 - Work 12 scs in a magic circle. Sl st in 1st sc.
Rnd 2 - Ch 2, dc in same stitch (counts as 2 dc tog). Ch 3. *In next st work 2 dc tog, ch 3*. Repeat * to * around to last ch 3 - sl st in top of ch 2 at start of this round.
Rnd 3 - Sl st in ch 3 sp, ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3). Dc in same ch 3 sp. Work dc, ch 3, dc in each ch 3 sp around. Sl st into 3rd ch of ch 6 at beginning of this round.
Rnd 4 - *In the next ch 3 sp work - 1 hdc, 2 dcs, 1 trc, 3-ch picot on top of trc, 2 dc, 1 hdc. In next ch 3 sp work sc, ch 3, sc.* Repeat * to * around. Sl st in 1st hdc and FO.
After I was done, I made tiny knots with my tails on the backside of the snowflake and put a dot of glue to secure them, then cut off any excess yarn. I dampened them with water and painted a light coat of commercial fabric stiffener on the back only. I had drawn 3 1/4" circles that had been divided into 6 equal parts on plain white paper. Using a bulletin board or blocking mat, lay the paper down and cover with plastic wrap. Pin into place to hold. Using the circles and lines as guides, pin the snowflakes to block (making sure you use rust-proof pins). Let dry and decorate!
I made the snowflakes with an D 3.25mm hook and Bernat Handicrafter acrylic size 5 yarn. (This yarn is discontinued now but Hobby Lobby still has their version. I like it because it has a nice sheen.) Of course you could use cotton crochet thread and a smaller hook to make tinier snowflakes, or a larger crochet hook and fingering/sport weight yarn to increase the size, but if using a larger weight yarn I would suggest a cotton or cotton blend because it'll block better. At this point I haven't added any extra decoration, but I certainly think a few rhinestones, sequins, and/or glitter fabric paint would be nice. The blocked snowflake is 3 1/4" in diameter.
These snowflakes would make a great garland, just like the stars in Anabelia's design. They'd make cute ornaments, of course, but I could see these as tag decorations or as a wonderful embellishment to Christmas/holiday cards. Perhaps as a necklace or pin, or hat, scarf, or hair decoration. Let your imagination fly!
Sweet Little Snowflake Pattern / Easy skill level
Bernat Handicrafter Acrylic yarn size 5, or your choice of thread/yarn
Size D 3.25mm crochet hook (or size for your yarn)
Materials for blocking plus some form of starch.
Stitches Used - Ch - chain; Sc - single crochet; Dc - double crochet; Sl St - slip stitch; 2 Dc Tog - two double crochet stitches together; Sp - space; St - stitch; Hdc - half double crochet; Trc - triple crochet; FO - finish off
Snowflake is worked in rounds with right side always facing you.
Rnd. 1 - Work 12 scs in a magic circle. Sl st in 1st sc.
Rnd 2 - Ch 2, dc in same stitch (counts as 2 dc tog). Ch 3. *In next st work 2 dc tog, ch 3*. Repeat * to * around to last ch 3 - sl st in top of ch 2 at start of this round.
Rnd 3 - Sl st in ch 3 sp, ch 6 (counts as 1 dc and ch 3). Dc in same ch 3 sp. Work dc, ch 3, dc in each ch 3 sp around. Sl st into 3rd ch of ch 6 at beginning of this round.
Rnd 4 - *In the next ch 3 sp work - 1 hdc, 2 dcs, 1 trc, 3-ch picot on top of trc, 2 dc, 1 hdc. In next ch 3 sp work sc, ch 3, sc.* Repeat * to * around. Sl st in 1st hdc and FO.
After I was done, I made tiny knots with my tails on the backside of the snowflake and put a dot of glue to secure them, then cut off any excess yarn. I dampened them with water and painted a light coat of commercial fabric stiffener on the back only. I had drawn 3 1/4" circles that had been divided into 6 equal parts on plain white paper. Using a bulletin board or blocking mat, lay the paper down and cover with plastic wrap. Pin into place to hold. Using the circles and lines as guides, pin the snowflakes to block (making sure you use rust-proof pins). Let dry and decorate!
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
Happy Thanksgiving!
It's always a good idea to have a special time of year to stop, look around you, and take an accounting of all your blessings. Along with my family and friends, I'd like you to know that all of you are certainly counted among mine. Let the festivities begin!
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Stained Glass Cowl
In my last post I mentioned that I was working on a new cowl - and Ta Da! - the Stained Glass Cowl is now done. It took a while (25 hours + dealing with ends), but I'm really happy with how it turned out.
The cowl was made out of Loops and Threads Woolike in black, red, pumpkin spice, lavender, sage, and denim blue, with an E hook. I can't tell you how much I love this color combination. It's just so yummy! I also like how the stitch makes a bobble-ish type texture; I've always been a big fan of texture stitches. The black sc stitch rows were always worked with the front side facing you. The 7-dc shell stitch rows were alternated between the front and back sides.
I discovered another really neat textured stitch called the Nest stitch and I worked on a wrap (see below) with that stitch on the plane rides to and from my visit with my mom (had a wonderful time, BTW!). Again, this is a heavily textured, squishy stitch and I can easily see why this would be great for a baby blanket. I'm using the Ls & Ts Woolike for this project too, and it looks like it will turn into a really nice lightweight wrap/scarf.
Alas, I must put this aside to work on the Christmas ornaments that I give to my family. They're not crocheted this year. Actually, I'm using a craft project from Martha Stewart that she showcased on one of her shows many, many years ago. You decorate styrofoam balls with lovely fabric, embellished ribbons, and anything else you think would look good. Of course, hers were gorgeous; I can only hope mine come out half as good!
The cowl was made out of Loops and Threads Woolike in black, red, pumpkin spice, lavender, sage, and denim blue, with an E hook. I can't tell you how much I love this color combination. It's just so yummy! I also like how the stitch makes a bobble-ish type texture; I've always been a big fan of texture stitches. The black sc stitch rows were always worked with the front side facing you. The 7-dc shell stitch rows were alternated between the front and back sides.
I discovered another really neat textured stitch called the Nest stitch and I worked on a wrap (see below) with that stitch on the plane rides to and from my visit with my mom (had a wonderful time, BTW!). Again, this is a heavily textured, squishy stitch and I can easily see why this would be great for a baby blanket. I'm using the Ls & Ts Woolike for this project too, and it looks like it will turn into a really nice lightweight wrap/scarf.
Alas, I must put this aside to work on the Christmas ornaments that I give to my family. They're not crocheted this year. Actually, I'm using a craft project from Martha Stewart that she showcased on one of her shows many, many years ago. You decorate styrofoam balls with lovely fabric, embellished ribbons, and anything else you think would look good. Of course, hers were gorgeous; I can only hope mine come out half as good!
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
I'm Baaack!
Yes, I know. I kind of fell off the map for awhile, but before I go visit my Mom for her 92nd birthday, I felt I should throw a post together - just to make sure you all don't think I've retired to some remote island somewhere. So, this is what I've been up to during my posting absence
As you might recall, my nephew's wife is due in December (a girl!) and this is what I will be gifting her with at the shower this Saturday. The Unicorn Lovey I designed myself and the pattern is now available in my shop. The booties pattern still eludes me - sorry. The sweater is a free pattern offered by Caron Simply Soft yarn here. Lilleliis' doll pattern is sold here, but I did add the crocheted heart applique based on Pink Milk's free pattern. The baby blanket is based on the pattern by Debra O'Leary Patterns, Arielle's Square, available for purchase here. The edging is different than her pattern - row 1 - sc around; row 2 - *hdc, skip one sc, ch 1, hdc in next sc*, repeat * to * around; and the bobble edge is *sl st in next st, sl st in next st, 3 dc's in next st*, repeat * to * around. A simple but cute border, even if I do say so myself. And you could weave a ribbon in the hdc row if you wanted. The squares were whip-stitched together.
I am still totally in love with Lilleliis' Cuddly Baby Amigurumi doll. The one on the right is being given away and I'll list the middle one for sale in my shop. The one on the left is the first one I made. He has button eyes and a button heart on his chest, so he wouldn't be any good for a baby/toddler. I think I may just have to keep him for myself!
Well, I hope this proves that even though I may be very behind in my blog posts, I certainly keep moving forward with my crochet projects. I hope everyone has a great Halloween, and I'll see you in November. Till then, happy crocheting!
I love doilies but really don't have much of a use for them. I do like the idea of framing them or attaching them to hoops for decoration, though. This Wispweave pattern by Julia Hart really caught my eye, so of course I had to try my hand at it. She has much better lighting in her photos to show off the textural stitches, so go take a look at her post. Above is my version. I plan to try this in multi-colors - this could make a great base to a dream catcher. It is an intricate pattern and a little fiddly, but well worth it
.
In trying to keep with my resolution to use up my stash, I have delved into my collection of Loops and Threads Woolike yarn and began this cowl. It has been inspired by the very lovely and economical Botanica Cowl Kit being offered by Willow Yarns (anyone say "Christmas"?). I love the little "bobble-ish" texture my cowl is taking on, and I'm very happy with the colors. Plus, since Woolike is a fingering yarn, the weight of this cowl is perfect for the mild California winters.Well, I hope this proves that even though I may be very behind in my blog posts, I certainly keep moving forward with my crochet projects. I hope everyone has a great Halloween, and I'll see you in November. Till then, happy crocheting!
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Just Buy the Pattern!
You know, they say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. And sometimes life just makes sure I don't forget it.
I've been crocheting fairly consistently now for about 30 years and I consider myself at an intermediate level, although I've certainly not had much of any experience making clothing. You know, the kind that actually has to fit. So every now and then I'll be perusing Pinterest and I'll find a photo of an item that I fall in love with, but then I find out I'd have to pay for the pattern. Since I have a very small budget, I try to be frugal. And sometimes I'm arrogant (and silly) enough to think that I can just figure out the pattern on my own.
Such was the case of the Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva. Even though I am a lace fan at heart, occasionally when I see a beautiful geometric pattern I fall in love. And I fell hard for this one. But since my budget is tight, I thought (after looking very carefully at the scarf) that I could figure it out on my own. HA!
First off, you have to be careful to choose a yarn that has quite a bit of body to it because a soft yarn won't hold the design. That was my first mistake, so I had to start over with another yarn. Next, after you figure out how to do the pattern, you have to figure out the correct increases/decreases, otherwise you will end up with either a VERY long scarf, a very short scarf, or a very lopsided scarf.
I won't bore you will all the details, but this scarf took me almost a month to finally get right (and with a lot of mathematical help from my husband, too). Looking back on this now, that's totally insane. Of course, when I started out I had no idea it would be so difficult for me (that arrogance again!), but at least the experience has taught me a lesson. Unless an item is super-super easy, JUST BUY THE PATTERN!
The Urban Kerchief, now available in my Bonanza Shop
I have since completed my version of this scarf, and even though it took me forever, I am very happy with how it turned out. It is currently available for sale at my Bonanza booth - only $21.99 and free shipping! (Christmas is coming faster than you know....)
I've been crocheting fairly consistently now for about 30 years and I consider myself at an intermediate level, although I've certainly not had much of any experience making clothing. You know, the kind that actually has to fit. So every now and then I'll be perusing Pinterest and I'll find a photo of an item that I fall in love with, but then I find out I'd have to pay for the pattern. Since I have a very small budget, I try to be frugal. And sometimes I'm arrogant (and silly) enough to think that I can just figure out the pattern on my own.
Such was the case of the Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva. Even though I am a lace fan at heart, occasionally when I see a beautiful geometric pattern I fall in love. And I fell hard for this one. But since my budget is tight, I thought (after looking very carefully at the scarf) that I could figure it out on my own. HA!
 | ||||||
| Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva |
I won't bore you will all the details, but this scarf took me almost a month to finally get right (and with a lot of mathematical help from my husband, too). Looking back on this now, that's totally insane. Of course, when I started out I had no idea it would be so difficult for me (that arrogance again!), but at least the experience has taught me a lesson. Unless an item is super-super easy, JUST BUY THE PATTERN!
I have since completed my version of this scarf, and even though it took me forever, I am very happy with how it turned out. It is currently available for sale at my Bonanza booth - only $21.99 and free shipping! (Christmas is coming faster than you know....)
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
I am SO Frustrated!
You know, technology is wonderful - when it works.
If you've been following my wondrous blog, you'll know that my nephew and his wife are expecting a baby girl in December. So of course I have been in the process of making crocheted items for the newcomer, and spending waaay too much time looking through patterns. So. Many. Patterns.! Thus the lack of posts. At this point I have made a Caron Simply Soft Baby Hoodie, booties (sorry, I can't find the pattern), a Cuddly Baby Amigurumi (which I've decided I need to remake because I didn't put safety eyes on it - silly me) and I have designed a Baby Unicorn Lovey. I am in love with this lovey. I was having issues with the head when I first started, which took me about 3 days to finally work out. The rest all went pretty smoothly until I got to the mane. I did curly-q's and sewed each one one separately, which was really tedious. But the lovey is done.
As i was creating the lovey, I was using the OpenOffice program I have on my laptop to type the directions. Of course this was just a scratch copy. So yesterday I went to put the official pattern together on my business stationary, correcting all my shortcuts and abbreviations (so people could actually understand what I had written) and arranging all the photos with their captions. Then I saved it. This took me about nine hours to do. (Side Note - I don't have a tester for my patterns, so when I write the final draft, I go over what I have written several times to make sure it is correct, concise, and understandable. I haven't gotten any complaints so far, so hopefully I'm doing something right!)
For some reason, no matter what I try to save something as, my computer wants to save it to Word, which I don't have on the computer. So I get up this morning and see that it was saved as Word, and the format is all wrong and the pics are all on top of one another. !&%$#@&^!!!! I had Word on my old laptop, but when it crashed we couldn't transfer the program. The Microsoft Office Suite is so expensive that my IT Guru son downloaded OpenOffice for me. It's ok but not nearly as good for my purposes as Word, and has always been rather frustrating for me to use. At this point I'm so frustrated I'm really ready to go back to Word. I see that there are some older versions that are for home/student use that could be used for my laptop and don't cost extraordinary amounts. Well, I've decided that I'm going to see if my son is free this weekend and pay him a visit. HELP! Obviously, I am NO computer whiz, and no doubt some of my issues stem from the fact that I flounder around a lot. I won't be surprised if my son finds out I screwed something up.
If you all would be kind enough to remember my computer in your prayers, I would certainly appreciate it. Now I'm going to fix myself a very large drink.
If you've been following my wondrous blog, you'll know that my nephew and his wife are expecting a baby girl in December. So of course I have been in the process of making crocheted items for the newcomer, and spending waaay too much time looking through patterns. So. Many. Patterns.! Thus the lack of posts. At this point I have made a Caron Simply Soft Baby Hoodie, booties (sorry, I can't find the pattern), a Cuddly Baby Amigurumi (which I've decided I need to remake because I didn't put safety eyes on it - silly me) and I have designed a Baby Unicorn Lovey. I am in love with this lovey. I was having issues with the head when I first started, which took me about 3 days to finally work out. The rest all went pretty smoothly until I got to the mane. I did curly-q's and sewed each one one separately, which was really tedious. But the lovey is done.
As i was creating the lovey, I was using the OpenOffice program I have on my laptop to type the directions. Of course this was just a scratch copy. So yesterday I went to put the official pattern together on my business stationary, correcting all my shortcuts and abbreviations (so people could actually understand what I had written) and arranging all the photos with their captions. Then I saved it. This took me about nine hours to do. (Side Note - I don't have a tester for my patterns, so when I write the final draft, I go over what I have written several times to make sure it is correct, concise, and understandable. I haven't gotten any complaints so far, so hopefully I'm doing something right!)
For some reason, no matter what I try to save something as, my computer wants to save it to Word, which I don't have on the computer. So I get up this morning and see that it was saved as Word, and the format is all wrong and the pics are all on top of one another. !&%$#@&^!!!! I had Word on my old laptop, but when it crashed we couldn't transfer the program. The Microsoft Office Suite is so expensive that my IT Guru son downloaded OpenOffice for me. It's ok but not nearly as good for my purposes as Word, and has always been rather frustrating for me to use. At this point I'm so frustrated I'm really ready to go back to Word. I see that there are some older versions that are for home/student use that could be used for my laptop and don't cost extraordinary amounts. Well, I've decided that I'm going to see if my son is free this weekend and pay him a visit. HELP! Obviously, I am NO computer whiz, and no doubt some of my issues stem from the fact that I flounder around a lot. I won't be surprised if my son finds out I screwed something up.
If you all would be kind enough to remember my computer in your prayers, I would certainly appreciate it. Now I'm going to fix myself a very large drink.
 |
| Hoodie sweater and booties for the newbie! |
Friday, July 13, 2018
I've Been Busy
I have totally fallen off the track with posting as I had promised myself at New Year's. I went to a wonderful 4th of July/family reunion party and had a great time, but within a couple days the weather went to 112 degrees and I didn't handle it well. (Neither did several of my plants, and I am afraid I've lost at least two of them.) Then last Tuesday my husband went in for surgery (all is well!), but I had to get up at 3:30 am to get ready to leave with him, which really threw my routine in a tizzy. Silly me, I brought a shawl to work on while I was waiting, but I was so tired I ended up having to rip out all that I had done. Oh well, it kept me busy. I've since caught up on my sleep and I am back with the living now!
My husband was just recently notified that his family is going to have a new addition. The nephew and his wife had a gender reveal at the July 4th party - it's a girl! So if course that means anything I was currently working on or planning to work on has been set aside for now. There are so many wonderful things to crochet for babies - it's so hard to choose! However, I remembered a particular doll that I had seen a while ago that I fell in love with, but it was a paid pattern so I took a pass. But now I have the perfect excuse for buying it! So I did. It's called "Cuddle-baby - amigurumi doll" by Lilleliis and it cost about $4.68 in US dollars (4 Euros). The pattern is well written and easy to follow; it was me who screwed up, so of course it took forever to make.
My suggestion is to make sure you have all the same weight yarn to make this doll with. I thought I did, but it didn't take me too long to realize I didn't. You see, I'm still trying to keep with using my stash, so I worked with what I had. I started with the head and then went on to the body. The yarn I used for the head was at least a DK and the body was definitely sport weight. The head was huge! So I had to unravel half the head and figure out how to make it smaller, which was time consuming. Then I realized I hadn't worked the invisible decrease correctly on the body, which left odd little indents (they didn't show until I stuffed it). I tried to fix it with a needle and thread, but it didn't work. So I had to redo the body. Then I realized one of the hands was bigger than the other, but I was able to fix that with needle and thread. Geez, you'd think I was a novice crocheter for as much as I messed up!
I did decide to embellish a little, so I gave the hat a crab stitch edging with a pink whipstitch in between the grey stitches, and I added a triple heart applique to the body. Even though this little doll ended up taking a lot more time that it should have, I'm still happy with the outcome. I may add the stitching around the wrists and ankles, though - it does give a more finished look. That is, of course, if I can keep myself from starting the newborn booties, baby blanket, 12M sweater...well, you get the idea!
There is one thing I found out that made me sad, though. While I was looking for the pattern on Ravelry, I found another person's version of the same pattern for sale. It wasn't done nearly as well, and now I can't seem to find it. I can only hope that the original designer found it and told her to take it down. The nerve of some people! Another person was trying to crochet this doll from the picture (hadn't bought the pattern) but was having problems figuring out the arms and legs, so she was asking for the directions on the pattern's forum! The designer replied that what she was requesting was illegal and she was shocked that someone could do such a thing. Listen, I've made things from photos, too, but I would never have the gall to go on the paid pattern's site and ask for free directions! So sad this stuff goes on. And one word to the wise - unless a pattern is VERY simple, you're going to spend A LOT of time figuring it out on your own. Trust me - I know! So you'd better think twice if it's really worth saving a few bucks, IMO.
Till next time, keep on hookin'!
My husband was just recently notified that his family is going to have a new addition. The nephew and his wife had a gender reveal at the July 4th party - it's a girl! So if course that means anything I was currently working on or planning to work on has been set aside for now. There are so many wonderful things to crochet for babies - it's so hard to choose! However, I remembered a particular doll that I had seen a while ago that I fell in love with, but it was a paid pattern so I took a pass. But now I have the perfect excuse for buying it! So I did. It's called "Cuddle-baby - amigurumi doll" by Lilleliis and it cost about $4.68 in US dollars (4 Euros). The pattern is well written and easy to follow; it was me who screwed up, so of course it took forever to make.
 |
|
My suggestion is to make sure you have all the same weight yarn to make this doll with. I thought I did, but it didn't take me too long to realize I didn't. You see, I'm still trying to keep with using my stash, so I worked with what I had. I started with the head and then went on to the body. The yarn I used for the head was at least a DK and the body was definitely sport weight. The head was huge! So I had to unravel half the head and figure out how to make it smaller, which was time consuming. Then I realized I hadn't worked the invisible decrease correctly on the body, which left odd little indents (they didn't show until I stuffed it). I tried to fix it with a needle and thread, but it didn't work. So I had to redo the body. Then I realized one of the hands was bigger than the other, but I was able to fix that with needle and thread. Geez, you'd think I was a novice crocheter for as much as I messed up!
I did decide to embellish a little, so I gave the hat a crab stitch edging with a pink whipstitch in between the grey stitches, and I added a triple heart applique to the body. Even though this little doll ended up taking a lot more time that it should have, I'm still happy with the outcome. I may add the stitching around the wrists and ankles, though - it does give a more finished look. That is, of course, if I can keep myself from starting the newborn booties, baby blanket, 12M sweater...well, you get the idea!
 | ||
| My version - not a bad runner up, hey? |
There is one thing I found out that made me sad, though. While I was looking for the pattern on Ravelry, I found another person's version of the same pattern for sale. It wasn't done nearly as well, and now I can't seem to find it. I can only hope that the original designer found it and told her to take it down. The nerve of some people! Another person was trying to crochet this doll from the picture (hadn't bought the pattern) but was having problems figuring out the arms and legs, so she was asking for the directions on the pattern's forum! The designer replied that what she was requesting was illegal and she was shocked that someone could do such a thing. Listen, I've made things from photos, too, but I would never have the gall to go on the paid pattern's site and ask for free directions! So sad this stuff goes on. And one word to the wise - unless a pattern is VERY simple, you're going to spend A LOT of time figuring it out on your own. Trust me - I know! So you'd better think twice if it's really worth saving a few bucks, IMO.
Till next time, keep on hookin'!
Saturday, June 23, 2018
It's Fairy Day!
 |
| Every fairy needs a house, and this one doubles as a teapot cozy! |
 |
| Sweet Little Fairy by Fun and Fang; free pattern can be found here |
 | ||
| Adorable Tinker Bell by JanaGeek |
 |
| Who can resist Lucy the Fairy Mouse by LittleAquaGirl? |
 |
| Unique Bella Fairy by Madelenon - she's waiting to make your wishes come true! |
 |
 | |
| Chrysanna the Albino Fairy by Epic Kawaii - make sure to check out this designer's other fairies! |
Monday, June 11, 2018
Product Photography 101 (!%$#!?!)
In keeping with having products in my store to sell, I have just added another (and very colorful) item for sale - the Boucle Delight Cowl. I had originally made this as a scarf, but it ended up a little short, so i decided to convert it to a cowl. I know that I should have more summery items in the shop. I promise I will, but I'm still in the throws of reorganizing my bed/craft room, so when something pops up to add, I'm just going with it. In my world the months seem to fly by, so it'll be fall before I know it!
The biggest problem I've had with this cowl is the photography. I didn't use bright or neon yarn colors to make this, but in the photos the cowl really looks much brighter than it actually is. I tried taking a pic inside the house (thinking the sun was the culprit), but that didn't work either. The next photo is much closer to the real colors.
In articles about taking product pics, they tell you to use natural light (or "reveal" type light bulbs) as much as possible because this will show off the true color of the item. Obviously, direct sun doesn't always work. Since I don't have a room to set up for product photography or the money for a pro photographer, I just have to rely on photo editing programs to try to achieve the proper effect. Easier said than done!
Until next time, happy crocheting!
In articles about taking product pics, they tell you to use natural light (or "reveal" type light bulbs) as much as possible because this will show off the true color of the item. Obviously, direct sun doesn't always work. Since I don't have a room to set up for product photography or the money for a pro photographer, I just have to rely on photo editing programs to try to achieve the proper effect. Easier said than done!
Until next time, happy crocheting!
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Arthur is Getting a Girlfriend!
I went online to find Arthur a girlfriend.
At first, the best I could find was Re-Ment posable skeletons. They are numbered so you can tell which one you're getting - #1 man I believe is the smallest at 3 1/4" tall, #2 is supposed to be a child, #3 is a man at 3 3/4", and #4 is a woman. A dog (1 1/2" tall & 2 1/4" long including tail) and a cat are also available. (Note: the sizes listed on Amazon are wrong.) The thing that is so cool about them is that they are posable! Their jaws work too, and the humans come with an extra set of gripping hands. They said the #1 man can grip Lego swords, etc., but I haven't tried that out yet. The company has even made playsets for these skeletons! I did buy the #1, #3, a dog, and a Lego dragon sword. As long as the sword works out, my oldest is going to get the #1 man and a sword. The problem is that the humans are way too small for Arthur (he's about 12 inches).
But - wait for it - this is the exciting news! When I went back online, I actually found the same skeleton as Arthur! I can't believe that after 20 years that he's still in production. My oldest accused me of being deceptive - he claims that I gave him Arthur a long time ago; I say I didn't. Now I can give him his own glow-in-the-dark friend! And what's really funny is after all this time the reviewers' complaint is the same I had - he falls apart too easily. Still haven't figured out how to fix that yet.
Arthur is so happy. I gave him a red cushioned chair to sit on, which is much better than the cardboard box. He loves his new puppy and is accepting name suggestions. He is really enjoying his two new friends, even if they're quite a bit shorter than he is. I haven't told him about his new girlfriend yet, because I want that to be a surprise. The only thing left is to make an "upholstered" chair, or maybe loveseat, for the new couple. Clothes, too. Must get busy on that, pronto!
At first, the best I could find was Re-Ment posable skeletons. They are numbered so you can tell which one you're getting - #1 man I believe is the smallest at 3 1/4" tall, #2 is supposed to be a child, #3 is a man at 3 3/4", and #4 is a woman. A dog (1 1/2" tall & 2 1/4" long including tail) and a cat are also available. (Note: the sizes listed on Amazon are wrong.) The thing that is so cool about them is that they are posable! Their jaws work too, and the humans come with an extra set of gripping hands. They said the #1 man can grip Lego swords, etc., but I haven't tried that out yet. The company has even made playsets for these skeletons! I did buy the #1, #3, a dog, and a Lego dragon sword. As long as the sword works out, my oldest is going to get the #1 man and a sword. The problem is that the humans are way too small for Arthur (he's about 12 inches).
But - wait for it - this is the exciting news! When I went back online, I actually found the same skeleton as Arthur! I can't believe that after 20 years that he's still in production. My oldest accused me of being deceptive - he claims that I gave him Arthur a long time ago; I say I didn't. Now I can give him his own glow-in-the-dark friend! And what's really funny is after all this time the reviewers' complaint is the same I had - he falls apart too easily. Still haven't figured out how to fix that yet.
Arthur is so happy. I gave him a red cushioned chair to sit on, which is much better than the cardboard box. He loves his new puppy and is accepting name suggestions. He is really enjoying his two new friends, even if they're quite a bit shorter than he is. I haven't told him about his new girlfriend yet, because I want that to be a surprise. The only thing left is to make an "upholstered" chair, or maybe loveseat, for the new couple. Clothes, too. Must get busy on that, pronto!
Monday, May 21, 2018
Slight Change of Plans
As much as I love designing crochet items, I just have to give myself one long cold hard look in the mirror and be honest with myself. I love crocheting much more than I like having to write the patterns out. There, I said it. So I have decided to start using OP's patterns and crochet! This doesn't mean I won't ever design anything anymore; it just means that I'll have a "products" section in my store.
First up on this new(er) venture is my version of the Rose Lace Cowl by Alyssa Titus of Undeniable Glitter (free pattern can be found here). This was perfect for me because of all the Caron Simply Soft yarn I have in my stash, and it did take a little over one skein for the cowl (one skein for the body of the cowl and the "little more" for the edging). What a perfect and economical present! The pattern is written well - I didn't have any issues following it at all - and the cowl works up in no time. My only disagreement with her description is that I think this cowl could be very warm and just fine for winter, as well as spring and fall. IMO!
I did run into one problem, though. My little picot points on the edging all swerved to one side, and I wanted them to point straight. Silly me thought that this would straighten itself out in the blocking, but it didn't. Now don't get me wrong - I'm not blaming the designer. It's very possible that the way I crocheted the points made them swerve - I don't know. Anyway, I took some thread and sewed the top loop of the picots down on the opposite side of the swerve, and this straightened them out. It was a pain, though. So if I ever make this cowl again, I'm going to find way to crochet those points straight or consider the swerved points part of the design!
Till next time, happy crocheting!
 | ||
| Autumn Red Cowl |
I did run into one problem, though. My little picot points on the edging all swerved to one side, and I wanted them to point straight. Silly me thought that this would straighten itself out in the blocking, but it didn't. Now don't get me wrong - I'm not blaming the designer. It's very possible that the way I crocheted the points made them swerve - I don't know. Anyway, I took some thread and sewed the top loop of the picots down on the opposite side of the swerve, and this straightened them out. It was a pain, though. So if I ever make this cowl again, I'm going to find way to crochet those points straight or consider the swerved points part of the design!
Till next time, happy crocheting!
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Happy Mother's Day!
Happy Mother's Day to all mothers, including mothers-to-be, mothers to fur-babies, and mothers in spirit! I believe most women have a nurturing aspect to their personalities, and I like to take Mother's Day to celebrate this. I know this is a rather broad definition of this holiday, but I think the world would be a very different place without the caring of women. So I hope all of you have a wonderful day!
I won't be able to spend Mother's Day with my Mom, but of course we'll talk and I sent her a card with a little contribution to her pig collection. I took the Little Crochet Bunny Pattern from Amigurumi Today.com and did a few tweaks to the pattern to create the girly-girl piglet for my mom.
The little dress is technically removable. I tried using tiny snaps but it didn't look right, so I just sewed the pearls to the dress. Looking at the dress now I realize I should've blocked it, especially the hemline. Oh, well. I'm sure my mom will excuse me. Other than that faux-pah, I was really happy with how she turned out.
Till next time, have a great day and happy crocheting!
I won't be able to spend Mother's Day with my Mom, but of course we'll talk and I sent her a card with a little contribution to her pig collection. I took the Little Crochet Bunny Pattern from Amigurumi Today.com and did a few tweaks to the pattern to create the girly-girl piglet for my mom.
The little dress is technically removable. I tried using tiny snaps but it didn't look right, so I just sewed the pearls to the dress. Looking at the dress now I realize I should've blocked it, especially the hemline. Oh, well. I'm sure my mom will excuse me. Other than that faux-pah, I was really happy with how she turned out.
Till next time, have a great day and happy crocheting!
Friday, May 4, 2018
It's About Time!
I've been a little sluggish with my crocheting lately (and my posts!). I needed to take some pics too, and of course "sunny" California decided to be grey and drizzly for the past few days. However - TA DA - I have a few new things to show you. One item isn't totally new, but I've finally completed it and have the pattern available now in my store, which you can find here. This is the afghan I mentioned in an earlier post, and I've named it Aqua Dreams. The Caron Simply Soft yarn is so pretty and the sheen is really nice. I was very angry at myself for making my traditional mistake of crocheting the beginning rows loose and tightening my tension as I go along - yes, I did it again - but I was able to work it all out with the single crochet/crab stitch border, so everything is fine now. And I am very proud of myself for using up an additional 10+ skeins of my stash!
I was so happy with the way the Caron yarn looked that I decided to make another item with it - a long cowl with a lacy edging that you can double loop for added warmth. That's still on the blocking mat, so you'll get to see it in my next post. I've also finished my version of the Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva. I didn't design these two items, so they'll be going in my store as 'products for sale', a new category I'll be adding shortly. I've also designed a scarf/shawlette, I'm working on a summer cowl, and I've finished my mom's Mother's Day present, but I'll have more on those later. By George, i think I'm out of my slump!
Till next time, happy crocheting!
 | |||
| Aqua Dreams Afghan |
 |
| My version of the Metro Kerchief |
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
I've Been So Bad...
Well, I certainly hope that all of you had a wonderful Easter and didn't go overboard on the sweets, like I did! I had plans of showing gorgeous carved eggs (that you can see here), or at the very least sharing a cute GIF (which can be seen here). Somehow those never came to fruition. I think I've been stuck in some kind of slow-motion gear that I can't seem to get out of. However, I did get into the Easter spirit and decided to try out a pattern that I fell in love with some time ago. It's the sweet "Little crochet bunny pattern" from Amigurumi Today (available for free here).
I do have yarn appropriate for making this, but I ran into a problem. The yarn is fuzzy and I was having great difficulty seeing the stitches. So I decided to switch to another yarn I have - sock weight without all the fuzz. Even though my version isn't quite as cute as the original, I still think it turned out ok. Mine just looks a bit sleepy!
Arthur took pity on my Sleepy Bunny and shared one of his heart pillows with her, originally seen here. I decided that Arthur shouldn't have to sit on a box anymore, so I ordered a comfy retro-modern chair for him. However, I need to find a way to wire him, because Arthur has a terrible problem with falling apart. (The chair, while being very stylish, won't give him a lot of support.) I did find a site that showed how to make an "upholstered" chair and I think Arthur would be ecstatic if I could make one of those for him - but crocheted, of course. Perhaps this will be my next project? But only after I finish the current WIPs.....
 | ||||||||||||
| Little crochet bunny from Amigurumi Today |
Monday, March 12, 2018
Easter is Coming...
I always seem to be "a day late and a dollar short" when it comes to holiday themed posts. I know that St. Patrick's Day is on March 17th, but I think I'm going to take a pass this year for posting wondrous Irish things. If you have an insatiable desire to see these lace beauties, please refer to a previous post of mine here.
Lately I've been working on an afghan that's almost complete (yes, really!) and the Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva (see pic below). I love the design of this kerchief, although if you make it slightly larger it would really be a shawlette, and I'm about halfway done. I know, I know - I'm supposed to be designing my own items - but sometimes it's nice just to go with someone else's pattern. If I don't find someone to give this to I'll probably just list it in my shop.
But I digress. Easter is coming, and I think I've been looking at this adorable bunny for so long that I must make her. There is no designer listed that I can find, but the free pattern is available at Amigurumi Today. If you are a Pinterest Peruser, I'm sure you've come across her - along with a million other items we all would like to make. Well, enough with the talking. I've got the yarn - I've got the hook - now wish me luck!
PS. I want the pattern for that little bear, too!
Lately I've been working on an afghan that's almost complete (yes, really!) and the Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva (see pic below). I love the design of this kerchief, although if you make it slightly larger it would really be a shawlette, and I'm about halfway done. I know, I know - I'm supposed to be designing my own items - but sometimes it's nice just to go with someone else's pattern. If I don't find someone to give this to I'll probably just list it in my shop.
 | ||||
| Metro Kerchief by Yuliya Tkacheva |
Friday, March 2, 2018
Pretty in Pink
I'm late. As some of you that follow me may have noticed, I have done several blog posts using a "national day" as a theme. Well, March 1st was National Pig Day and I missed it. The reason this is a big deal is that my mom loves pigs (Hi, Mom!) and has a wonderful collection of them. They're mostly ceramic figurines, but she has a few other items too - like the iron flying pig doorstop or the pig-weighing-herself salt and pepper shaker, for example. Quite a while ago now my mom told all of us not to give her anymore pigs because she felt she had more than enough. I don't always abide by that wish, but I'm sure she'll find this "ode to the pig" blog post quite acceptable!
Hope you all had a wonderful National Pig Day, and celebrated it by enjoying our porcine friends in whatever way you deemed appropriate!
 |
| Baby pig found on Pinterest - inspiration only, darn it! |
 |
| Pig Amigurumi CAL by Brenna Eaves |
 |
| Adorable key ring by Duls Stuff, inspiration only |
 |
| Clown pig - inspiration only |
 |
| Willie the Pig by Lan Lien, free pattern |
 |
| Sweet Pig Lovey by Maiko |
 |
| Friends from Instagram, inspiration |
 |
| Pippa Pig by Little Aqua Girl |
 |
| Pig bookmark I gave my mom, pattern from Ashlea of HeartHookHome |
 |
| No post about pigs would be complete without Piglet! Free pattern from Holly's Hobbies |
Hope you all had a wonderful National Pig Day, and celebrated it by enjoying our porcine friends in whatever way you deemed appropriate!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)