My New Lacey Fall Scarf

Of course I have scarves, but not THIS scarf.

My hair is very short, here is my and my daughter today.

Yeah, my ears are already cold in the Chicago gloom happening today.  Which I love by the way.

I got this book in the mail a few days ago.

I bought it solely for this scarf.  

I'm always looking for things to crochet that aren't for babies or super traditional.

I picked up some Caron Simply Soft (because the pattern called for Caron Spa and Joann's didn't have it and I'm super impatient)in Charcoal Heather.

There is a time and place for Owl newborns hats and I really just want to crochet something that a fashionable adult would like to wear.  This is harder to do with crochet than knitting.

I might need to learn to knit.  Uh-oh.  

:some times passes:

WHALA!

The bulk took about and hour and a half and the fringe took another hour to attach.  

I like it. :)

It's good to have crafty friends! Handmade baby gifts.

I obviously love to make things.  I'm lucky that I have people around me that also love to make things.  It seems that all us craft nerds have really similar styles, or at least get each other's style pretty easily.

Gail made me a tons of stuff.  She's the resident seamstress. A baby carrier, burp cloths, bibs and blankets.  I LOOOOVE these shapes.  I had a little panic attack for a minute because I couldn't find the blanket.  It was in the hospital bag.  DUH.

Rebecca made the Solar System cross stitch.  This is perfect for his room.  And I was coveting it for months since she showed me her original. 

The chrome Robot is from Target, the shelf from IKEA and the W is also a gift from Rebecca.  Check out the artist at jimbot.com very cool collection. 

Jasmin, the master of combining fabric patterns and colors.  She made a couple of these for Violet, I'll have to get photos of them, cause they are gorgeous. 

Marsha, my aunt.  She made hats for Violet before she was born because I couldn't crochet yet.  She's an inspirational crafter.   :)  Just lookit that edge. 

Mom, my mom put together this laundry basket.  OMG.  You know how cute it is. 

Then there is a few things I made.  The booties were made from this pattern and the blanket that started the CHEVRON fever.  I bought this fabric at 4 weeks pregnant.  I was sure it was a boy.  I started and finished the blanket the week after our 20 week ultrasound.

This kid is going to be warm and comfy!

...He can get here now...

Adopt-a-Monster! Adoption complete

One of the first things I put in my library on Ravelry were these cute little amigurimi guys.  

Well, that was at least a year and a half ago and I finally made some for Alley Art.

Before I could get them to Alley Art a good friend adopted them to take back to a good home in NY.

They all have names and personalities in my head.  I'll miss them.  :sniff:

Toddler Owl Purse

If I have learned anything in my last couple years of crocheting and crafting it's that people love them some owls.

As it is Sunday, Jeff is home so he is helping me chase our little monster around the house.  I tagged him in and I hopped on Ravelry looking for an idea for something completely different.

Violet is starting to pick thing up and "collect" them.  Rocks and things.  And by collect I mean she brings them to me to hold onto.  On a whim I made her this little purse to collect her treasures.  It took about 30-45 mins.  I took it apart once and started over so I'm not sure exactly.  

The pattern isn't mine. It's here.

She loves anything made of yarn.  Especially anything that she can point out it's eyes and nose.  

My chicken is getting TOO big!

New Stuff!!

I've been invited to participate in a small craft/art fair put on by the Artbar and Two Brother's Summerfest.

I made everything I have to sell specifically for this show and I'm very excited to see what people think of my take on crochet art.

And remember, all of these and more will be for sale beginning at noon tomorrow.

Blocking a la Yoga Mat

I really have become a little obsessed with doilies.

There is this blog that solidified my giant doily idea.  Her designs are GREAT.

This pattern I got here.

I used Hobby Lobby I love this Yarn in Rose and a H hook.

I'm blocking it to pull it's shape out a bit.  It seems a bit on top of itself and a bit small.

Hmmmmm.

Now we wait.

***6 hours later***

I just checked and it's dry.  I used the cat's GETAWAYFROMTHAT! spray bottle full of water to wet it.  It wasn't what I would call totally soaked, but... it did take 6 hours to dry.

It held it shape really well.  :)

It's 28.5 inches from tip to tip.

Anyone wanna buy it????  :D

Lil Chevron. Part 2.

I'm going to get this right.  I finally got enough sleep that I could make a simple one dip chevron pattern.  Don't ask me why that was so difficult.  

I picked up a couple more Aunt Lydia's Crochet Thread.   I've got the gray and now the warm teal and plum. From the Fashion 3 collections.  

Also, I'm currently experimenting with the photographic lighting.  We are in the basement for another few weeks.  So I will soon be able to take MUCH better photos.  Please excuse this for now.  If I'm still taking horrible toned photos in a month, call me out.

I want to participate in the crafty shows we have going on around town and I think that these little guys would make cute necklaces.  

Here's my super complicated Chevron pattern that took me days to figure out.  (sigh)

Ch13 plus 3 for the first DC
turn and dc into the 13th ch
dc into the next 4 ch
dc decrease over the next 3 chains
dc into the next 4 ch
2 dc into the last ch

Here I still have the second half of the dc on my hook because I'm going to switch colors.

Switched.  

Do the same thing as the first row.  
Ch3 and dc into the same stitch as the ch3 (increase)

dc into the next 4 dc
dc decrease over the next 3 dc
dc into the next 4 dc
2 dc into the last dc (increase)

You are increasing on the ends because we need to make up some of the stitches we are losing when we decrease in the center.  It makes the shape a nice "V" and still gives a nice flat side.

Switch colors and repeat this row.

You can do this forever.  I decided to stop here.  I sewed in my ends.  I felt like I could have more control over the tension of the edges if I sewed them all in instead of carrying over.

Looks a little wonky, huh?  As a larger project these curves are just fine.  It's often the beauty of crochet.  But this is a small lil thing and I want it to be perfect.  At this point I'm going to stretch it a bit and pin it to a piece of cardboard.   Then blot it with some Mod Podge.  

Much cleaner lines....  

Stay tuned.  

Amineko!!!

Here are a couple little dudes I made last month.  They were custom made for a friend of a friend that I am now Facebook friends with :)   One to match her Siamese and one cause the blue is cute.  

The bows were just something simple I added just cause aw.  

Buddies4lyfe.

Comfy cozy in there box.  

Technicals:

The Siamese was made with Vanna's Choice Lion Brand yarn in Taupe Mist and Deborah Norville Collection in in black.  Vanna apparently doesn't make any black.  I try not to mix yarns but these fit together perfectly well.  He is a bit smaller than the blue guy because of the yarn.  Its a 4 but seems smaller to me than   a regular worsted weight.  Blue was made with Red Heart Super Saver Aruba Sea and White.  This is the only project I will use Super Saver on because its sturdy.   I used a F hook on them both and each took me about 6-7 hours.  

Cute Hook Holder

I have a serious weakness for bags, bins, boxes, and buckets.  Anything that I can fill with *stuff*.  

I found this lil guy at Micheal's yesterday.  You know that aisle of junk that you just need?  It's half off right now.  

So after spending hours making an awesome hook case, I decided to transfer everything over to this $1 gem.  

I really like change and I needs lots of it.  Cute huh?

This is also good so that Violet can't get into it.  The old one was fine but she would grab, run and yell "no!no!no!" while laughing.    With this one I'm sure will do the same, but now I don't have to say it too.  

I've got - an entire set of hooks (minus the H that is stick in an afghan at the moment), measuring tape, darting and normal needles, safety pins, stitch markers, fabric scissors, everything else scissors, and my favorite pen.

My Equilizer Baby Blankie

The story starts with my 27th birthday.  No further back than that.  I had a work friend that introduced me to his girlfriend. We hung out a bunch. Then she was in my wedding and I was in hers then she got pregnant.  In about a 6 year span.    

At my 27th birthday the work friend, not the girlfriend, wore a shirt that was an equalizer that actually worked.  I had a rave themed party complete with black lights, a DJ and me in yarn falls and a tutu.  It. Was. A. Total. Blast.

As not "normals"  I had to come up with something great for their offspring.  This came to me.  

It is traditional grannies, 9 high and 7 wide.  4.5 inches each. Right at crib size.  Sc-ed together.  I used With Love by Red Heart and a G hook.  I'd say it took about 12 to 15 hours.  I washed it before packing, and its a good thing I did because a few middles came unraveled.  So I sewed em back up and reinforced all of the middles.  Meaning, I sewed in a length of yarn in the centers.  Just around the center 2 or 3 times.  It will make it much stronger.  The washing made the blanket VERY soft.  

As for the cat.  I saw him in a book at Joann's and I just couldn't pass him up.  He's a traditional Japanese cat named Amineko.  

All ready to go to his new home.  

I LOVE making things for kids.  I feel like it's the best reason, to create something soft for someone you love.  This child is the child of two people that I love and respect like, if not more than some, family.  <3