Category: Crochet

Today, after dropping my daughter off at school, I stopped by A.C. Moore and purchased this large skein of yarn; 710 yards total.

Lily is the company that makes this yarn, and  the brand is Sugar’n Cream, and it’s 100% cotton! Yeah! This bag can easily be dyed if I choose to do that.

 Although, I’ve read favorable reviews about this brand via Ravelry, I get such great crochet and knitting information from that site, this will be my first time working with this brand.

Judging by the crochet bag pattern, I should have more than enough yarn to create the crocheted bag. Since my clients work is completed, its time to pick up my my size J hook, and get busy. Friday will be here before I know it. 😉

Upcoming radish dip recipe; vegetarian

Yesterday, my neighbor gave me a large bag of  radishes. We’re always giving each other things… she’s been in our garden many times to get fresh organic vegetables.

You know, I was all over those radishes! I love them, and they add a bit of kick, when you include them into a horseradish dip, which works perfectly with vegetables, hotdogs, and other “dipworthy foods”.

Once things settle down, I’ll try to post at least one horseradish dip recipe. Teeni, the social butterfly, mentioned I should post one a few weeks ago. I’d commented about enjoying a horseradish dip at an event I attended. I believe I did that on Facebook.

Now of course, this means I’ll have to measure the ingredients. Uhm, yippee? Those who know me well realize I don’t follow recipes, I just know what works. Because it’s Teeni, I’ll guess I’ll actually measure what I add to the horseradish dip. 😉

Over the past few years, several parents in my daughter’s classes have contributed money to purchase the teacher a gift certificate.

It’s a thoughtful gesture, and I know the teachers are appreciative. Thus far, I haven’t participated in that, opting instead to do something on my own. Since I do interact with my daughter’s schoolteachers, by volunteering, throughout the school year. It gives me helpful information when it comes to giving gifts. 

This year I’m crocheting a tote bag, for Mrs. M, my daughter’s third grade teacher.

For some, it might not sound like much, but they don’t know my daughter’s teacher. I do. 🙂 Therefore, I know it’s something she’d like.  About a week ago, I sketched a few designs I’d know she’d like, and this morning, I’ve settled on crocheting her this paperless grocery bag by Coats and Clark. The crochet pattern is free, it just requires me to purchase yarn, and set aside time to craft the item.

Although the bag isn’t exactly like the sketch I created, it can easily be modified to compliment my design. 

I’ll be making the crocheted bag sturdy, and it’ll be completed in earth tones; which she loves. For embellishments, I’ll add a few crocheted and knitted flowers to the bag. Nothing too extravagant, but just enough to add some pizazz!

As much as I’d love to make her something bright and colorful, I won’t. I know the colors she likes, and although I’m sure she’d wear the colorful bag occasionally, she would do that because I’d made it; not because she enjoyed it.

Sometimes it’s best to put other peoples wants ahead of our own, shocking I know! 😉 This is one of those times.

I want her to use something that she truly enjoys.

Photo Source: Coats and Clark

Yesterday, I posted the completed crocheted tam hat on Ravelry, and now I’m posting the item here. 

 

Getting my daughter to only focus on the hat was a bit of a challenge, since she wanted to include all of me within the picture.

But she finally realized why I  wanted just a head shot. Obviously, I wanted to draw attention to this hat. I needed pictures to post on Ravelry. And so she snapped several side shots, to capture this colorful crocheted hat. I really love the colors.

My daughter does think it’s hilarious that my head is so big, that I had to modify the pattern. Mommy, I just thought of a great idea! Your hat could double as a purse being that it is so big! Yeah… the girl has jokes, lucky me, right? 

I definitely am making other hats using a similar design to the one created by Sarah Jane Designs, but since I’m no longer pattern testing. I can make the modifications that I want. 

I’m thinking it will be one of the hats I wear when I’m outside. When gardening or cutting the grass, I’m dealing with a lot of dust. Straw hats cover my dreadlocks help somewhat, but I’m still dealing with a ton of dust that I have to get out of my hair.

Speaking of dreadlocks/locs…. 

One of the comments, I received, mainly from family, is that people who wear dreadlocks don’t wash them. This conversation happened years ago, when I mentioned that I was thinking about locking my hair. 

I smiled and said…

“Following that line of thinking people of a certain race, must all act a certain way, since we know that stereotypes are true, right?” Don’t believe the hype, it’s an inaccurate stereotype. 🙂

Wearing your hair in locks doesn’t mean that hair maintenance days are over. My hair gets washed daily.  

Would that statement apply to some people? Of course, but you have individuals who forgo hair maintenance regardless of the hairstyle, and there’s  variety of reasons behind those choices too.

My relatives comments brought an interesting discussion, about stereotypes, and how we should be mindful of the way we view others/groups. Regardless of the group(s) a person identifies with; race, religion, politics, dreadlock wearers, etc.,  It’s really not fair to judge an entire group negatively, is it? Many of us dislike inaccurate stereotypes, so why would we do that to others? 

I really don’t mind when people ask me questions, even if some view the questions asked as “offensive”. I’m not offended easily.  And I also realize that at times, the questions a person asks can be a chance to educate…

Saturday was a lazy day for my daughter and I, because of the humidity most of our time was spent indoors.

We did wash Mr. Bentley, our Shih Tzu, outside. He wasn’t thrilled about that!

Mulberries were picked, and when we came inside my daughter and I worked on various crafts.

Since I knew I had one pattern left to test, I started crocheting the scraptastic hat.

When I saw the crochet designers call for pattern testers, I leaped at the opportunity. I really liked the style of the hat, since it reminds me of the crocheted tam hats that I adore. The designer, Sarah Jane Designs, calls it a Scraptastic hat, and requested that the pattern testers use their scrap yarn. 

 

This crocheted hat is so soft! I crocheted this hat using a wool//cashmere blend.

You know… It’s funny, I can work with wool, cashmere, and mohair, as long as it stays in my hands, but I can’t place any of those fibers on other parts of my skin. My skin is sensitive to them, and I’ll experience breakouts.

Although I received the correct gauge with this hat, it didn’t fit my head. I measured it several times, while crocheting. My head’s too big! 🙂 

I’m still going complete this hat, and donate it to an organization. The softness of this wool fiber is amazing, if I weren’t allergic I’d have been tempted to press it to my face, so the fibers softness could brush against my cheek.  

 

One size fits all? Think again….

Finding hats that actually fit has always been difficult, I have a lot of hair, and I’ve already mentioned…

I have a big ole head. 🙂 One size fits all? Yeah right, those hats never fit my head. Even the times I’ve cut my hair down to about an inch.

About twelve years ago, when I walked into my friends natural hair care salon, I was thrilled to find hats, handmade crocheted tams that actually fit me; and I snapped up several pairs. I wasn’t crocheting at the time.

 

This second hat is truly scraptastic! And it fits! I adjusted the pattern, so it does fit my head. In this picture I still had about ten rows to complete. And you’re not seeing the total hat, since the sides are tucked behind the hat.

Originally, when working on this hat, I wasn’t liking the colors as much and nicknamed it “my craptastic hat”. I loved the design, but wasn’t as fond of the colors. My opinion changed once the crocheted hat was completed. I really like how it’s turned out!

Although the yarn used in this hat is mainly cotton, there are a few rows of washable silk, and at least two rows of synthetic yarn. The type of yarn used ranges from fingering weight (sock yarn) to bulky (very thick yarn). 

Early this morning, I finished the second crocheted hat, and sometime later today I’ll follow up with the crochet designer, update my Ravelry project page, and  post updated pictures on Celebrate Life.

Since I’ve learned to crochet in December 2011, I’ve made several crocheted tams. My first crocheted hat was created about a month after I learned to crochet, no design, just me playing with stitches.

We’ll be heading to church in a few hours, I believe I’ll wait until we return home before I gather the mulberries.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything for finished object Friday. It’s not that I haven’t been doing anything, I have. I just have been too busy to post.

I’ve decided to include a few of my finished objects….

I pattern tested this bracelet. My daughter loves this crocheted beaded bracelet, and it happens to be in one of her favorite colors too.

I made the jewelry. Silver wire was used with this project. I coiled the silver wire into the desired shapes. I then used a manual Atlas pasta machine, to flatten and “set” the wire. Silver wire was woven through the grey and black tubes, and coiled at the end. If you look closely you’ll see tiny loops. I did that purposely, since I’ll be attaching hand-crafted charms.

I must say… it’s so nice to include my love of jewelry making into my crocheted and knitting items. I’ve done it with knitting, and it’s one of the reasons I learned crochet in December 2011. I wanted to include it with some of my crochet designs. 

 

 

Originally, I’d made this crocheted lady bug beanie hat for my daughter, but since she has a lot of hair; long, thick, and curly, it was too small for her head. It’s found a home on one of her large teddy bears. I must say; he wins the cutest hat award. Another hat was given to a girl that adores ladybugs.

Here’s the latest amigurumi crocheted doll I’ve made. It’s Coraline! Angel the guinea pig also joined the photo shoot.

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I saw the movie Coraline for the first time. I’d read Neil Gaimon’s book many years before, although the movie differs from the book. We both enjoyed the movie, I was able to complete my daughter’s crocheted Coraline for her birthday. I even made Coraline a matching messenger bag.

Other Finished objects…

There are plenty of items I’m not showing such as the knitted stockinette scarf, that I made for one of my daughter’s Monster High dolls, or the knitted stockinette hat I’ve made for a local homeless shelter where I volunteer. I’m currently working on a knitted stockinette scarf in the same color, and then I’ll make gloves. The items are thick, and soft, and will keep someone warm during the cooler months.

I used a bulky yarn, and size 10 circular knitting needles. Last week, is when I started using circular needles. For the past 33 years I’ve been using straight needles, and double pointed needles. You know, I still have the first pair of size 8 knitting needles that I received when I was eight years old? I’m not sure why I didn’t use circular needles before. I must say; I’m enjoying them immensly.

There are many other finished objects I’ve made in the past week. I just haven’t had a chance to snap their pictures. Perhaps they’ll make its way into next weeks Finished Object Friday post?

Sites I’m linking too…

1. Tami’s Ami’s 
2. Natural Suburbia
3. Wisdom Begins in Wonder

This crocheted bracelet was supposed to be completed yesterday, but since my daughter wasn’t feeling the greatest, I didn’t get a chance to stop by Michaels to purchase the embroidery floss.

 

 The silver jewelry was created by myself from silver wire. I coiled, and twisted them into the desired shape. I used a manual Atlas Pasta machine to flatten and set the finished pieces.

For the grey and black tubes, straight silver was woven through the holes, and turned at the end with jewelry tools. The button was crocheted.

When it comes to crochet and knitting, I like them both, so why not work on projects simultaneously? 

If you’re a Ravelry user, you can view my crocheted bracelet project page. This pattern test is done. I have one more pattern test to complete, and after that I believe I’ll take a break from testing crocheted patterns. Not that I don’t like doing them, I truly do, but I have a few projects that I want to focus on, such as the crocheted bag that I’m making for my daughter’s third grade teacher.

Crochet Pattern Designer

Becky of The Tangled Skien is the crochet designer for this crocheted bracelet pattern.