Tag: Crochet

Scraptastic crocheted hat: Test pattern almost complete

Aynaria 5 Comments

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. 

 

Crochet Scraptastic Hat homeless shelter

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.

 

Crochet Scraptastic Hat 1

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.

Crochet: Beaded bracelet, ladybug hat, and Coraline; finished object Friday

Aynaria 12 Comments

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….

Crochet Leviathan band bracelet 1 05 27 12 copy

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. 

 

Crochet ladybug beanie hat 3 

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.

Crochet Coraline 2 05 22 12

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

Crocheted leviathan band bracelet: Pattern test is done!

Aynaria 4 Comments

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.

Crochet Leviathan band bracelet 1 05 27 12 copy

 

 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.

Crochet Leviathan band bracelet 2 05 27 12 copyFor the grey and black tubes, straight silver was woven through the holes, and turned at the end with jewelry tools. The button was crocheted.

Crochet Leviathan band bracelet 3 05 27 12

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.

Crochet: Leviathan band bracelet; pattern testing

Aynaria 1 Comment

One of the two crochet pattern tests I’m doing is this lovely bracelet. 

Crochet Leviathan band bracelet pattern testing 2

I don’t have too much left before this crocheted leviathan band bracelet is complete.

 Let’s see…

A button needs to be added, and while I have hundreds of them neatly sorted in a box, my daughter has asked me to crochet a button. Sure, I can do that.

Also, I needed to crochet the lace. This will be done with embroidery floss. Since my daughter doesn’t like the floss I have, we’ll be heading to Michael’s so she can choose the type she wants. 

 My daughter and I’ll  will be heading to our Lutheran church, shortly. It’s our day to volunteer at their food closet. We’ll stop by Michael’s, to purchase the embroidery floss, once that’s completed.

This crocheted bracelet will be complete by today, at that time, I’ll post additional pictures, and send feedback to the pattern designer.

Update: This crocheted bracelet is complete!

 

Pattern testing and circular knitting needles

Aynaria 17 Comments

Circular knitting needles

I guess I can’t get enough of testing crochet patterns….

A few days ago, I accepted two additional pattern tests…

I figure, why not? I already try to crochet daily, even if it’s just a few rows. The more I crochet, the better my crochet skills will become. Testing out a crochet pattern gives me the practice I need to improve, while allowing me to crochet a pattern that I like. And… it also exposes me to different ways that a pattern can be written. Think about it, do you really think that all designers will write their patterns the same way?

I haven’t started on the crochet patterns…yet, but I will within the next few days. Being that they are simple, I should have them complete within one sitting. The longest a slouchy hat, which I’m claiming for myself, should only take two hours to make.

Picking up my knitting needles

In a recent post, I mentioned that I’d been thinking about knitting. I do adore handmade socks. I’ve made a few for myself, and have been gifted with some others by a dear friend that has deemed me “knit worthy” I cherish the few hand-knitted socks I have. However, I’ve been hesitating making them. It’s been a long time since I’ve done that, and it means relearning how to make them. But, I feel that my upcoming vacation will be a great time to relearn how to knit socks.

With that in mind, I’m stopping by A.C. Moore, once I drop my daughter off at school. I’ll be using their 40% coupon, and choosing some circular knitting needles. Circular needles are new to myself. I’ve never worked with them before, and have always favored the traditional or double pointed needles, but I’m fascinated with circular needles since knitting with them shouldn’t leave a seam.

But I have to admit, the real reason for having knitting on the brain recently, is that I want to incorporate knitting into some of my crochet ideas. I have a few additional ideas for an crocheted amigurumi doll, but some of those ideas require that knitting is added too.

Amigurumi: Crochet Coraline; almost complete

Aynaria 8 Comments

 

I’m happy to say that my crocheted Coraline was finished in time for my daughter’s birthday.

Wait, I take that back… She was complete, until I decided to go in a slightly different direction.

Crochet Coraline 05 22 12

In the book Coraline by Neil Gamon, Coraline raves about these day glow green gloves that she sees at the store. Her mother was taking her shopping for school uniforms. 

And could I have Day-Glo green gloves to wear, and yellow Wellington boots in the shape of frogs?” asked Coraline.

Coraline’s intrigued by the gloves, and keeps pestering her mother for a pair. After all she’s looking for individuality, a way to stand out from others who’ll be wearing the same drab uniforms. In her mind, these gloves will do the trick. I’d have to agree. By the way, in Coraline the movie, the gloves are multi-colored. 

Crochet Coraline 2 05 22 12

The more I thought about my daughter’s crocheted Coraline; the more I realized she would definitely choose lime green pants over black! And while her mother might not have allowed her to have such a bold color, I would…

And so I frogged the black pants, and crocheted lime green pants.

I read Coraline years ago, so I’d already created my own image of her years before I saw other artist’s interpretation of Coraline. While I think other artists have made some amazing Coraline’s, I wanted to add my own spin.  

Crochet messenger bag 2

In Coraline the movie, she wears a messenger bag, and so I crocheted this one. I wanted to crochet a backpack, but my daughter was insistent that it be a bag. So, I listened to her request. I’d wanted to make something for her in bright pink, since I think Coraline would be all over that, but my daughter said, No!

This was a very simple bag to create, and it reminded me of a messenger bag that I’d made in the early 1990’s. It wasn’t knitted or crocheted, but I did sew it. Odd, that I haven’t thought of that bag in years. Then again, I’ve designed/sewn hundreds of items. There’s no way I’m going to remember every single item I’ve made. That sewn messenger bag was my favorite “go to” bag. It was made out of corduroy, velvet, and strips of leather. I carried it everywhere, and it received a lot of compliments. I wore it so much, that it eventually wore out, and I had to toss it, but not before I saved a scrap to use in a pillow I was creating.  I have lots of great crafting memories.

Regarding my crocheted Coraline, I opted not to do crochet individual fingers, this time… Time was a huge factor, but I will be making crocheted fingers with my next crocheted human amigurumi.

I still have a few minor additions to this Amigurumi Coraline…

My daughter is insisting that I add freckles; I believe I’ll embroider them on her face. I’m also going to add something to her hair. I’m just not sure what. I’ll most likely have to reread parts of the book, perhaps then Coraline will tell me what she wants. 😉 And… I’m wanting to add extras to the messenger bag; I have a few ideas that involve embroidery and beads, so we’ll see what happens.

If you want to make your own crocheted Coraline, please visit Sharon Ojala of Homemade Obsessions and  check out her free crocheted Coraline pattern.

Pattern testing done: Ladybug beanie hat

Aynaria 8 Comments

I really enjoyed crocheting this ladybug beanie hat.

Crochet ladybug beanie hat 3

It only uses a basic crochet stitch; single crochet, but  I’ve always loved seeing single crochet in finished objects, and even some of my fancier designs will showcase this simple stitch. 

It took less than three hours to complete this preteen crocheted ladybug beanie hat. Due to my daughters having long, thick, and curly hair, it couldn’t fit her head. Note to self, remember you must make adult size hats for your daughter’s head. For some reason, I forgot this small fact, when I agreed to pattern test the preteen size.  But to be fair, up until now the hats I’ve crocheted for her weren’t from patterns. They were my own creations, and so I measured as I went. If you’re a Ravelry user, I created a project page for this crocheted beanie hat.

The crochet designer is Alaina Smith, and she’s a Ravelry user. Her profile states she’s a homeschooling mother (love them) and she’s been crocheting since she was 11. Her profile says she learned knitting also, but she forgot how. I had to chuckle at that since for me it was the reverse. I kept up with knitting, even though I learned crochet also. But, I did forget the little amount I’d learned, up until this past December when I relearned crochet.

Further research shows that she sells her crocheted items on Zibbit. I must say it’s nice to see that she’s not underselling her work. I would be curious as to how she does with some of her higher end items. What people need to realize is, that it can take a lot of time to make handcrafted items. Some people (crafters and buyers alike) really need to realize that the time spent making the items isn’t “free”.