Stitched: Little Leather Purse.

I found this purse at a local thrift store and picked it up for 2 bucks with the intention of stitching something on it.

I'd say 90% of what I work on is hair brained ideas I've had and HAVE to try.

I decided on the word I wanted on it and drew it up on some graph paper.  I got a cute little graph paper notebook at Target a while back.

I've been looking for a 12X16 notebook of graph paper but I can't seem to find any.

I then straight pinned it to the purse and stitched right over it.  It just took some tweezers and a little patience to rip the paper off.

I love this teal.  DMC 3849.  It seems all my favorite colors are 38 something.  Interesting.

It's going to be summer soon. This is my light summer purse.

¹cache

 noun \ˈkash\

1

a :  a hiding place especially for concealing and preserving provisions or implements

b :  a secure place of storage

2

:  something hidden or stored in a cache

3

:  a computer memory with very short access time used for storage of frequently or recently used instructions or data —called also cache memory

Do you stitch on anything that isn't made to stitch on?

The Perfect Color Wheel Colors.

I've had the idea of a series of color wheels rolling (har har) around in my head for weeks.

I felt like I needed to get a larger collection of thread to really be able to pull out the best color wheels colors.

I'm not the proud owner of about 75% of all the DMC threads.  I got 12 different oranges today and TADA!

I finally have my template!

The red/oranges were difficult, but I'm happy with this combination. Now I can get started on a few things.  :)

Purple Giraffes

Cutest. Fabric. Ever.

Ever since my buddy Gail made Wes that gorgeous geometric blanket I have wanted to make a similar one for Violet.  It's flannel because it's cold in her room and she tends to tear yarn apart because she loves it so.

She just saw a ton of colors so I picked it out for her.  ;)

I can't wait to get started on this.  (Cause you know, I have nothing else to do!)  :D

Free "Hue" Cross Stitch Pattern

Recently my color wheel has gotten some attention. (Thanks DMC Blog!)  I still plan to make this at some point.  It's just too big and requires time to get the colors just right.  If the colors aren't just right, I won't make it. 

This smaller color wheel is exactly right.  I love these colors and I'm very proud of this little guy.

This was originally going to be C for Color Wheel, but because the colors are so true my Art School Husband explained that these are really just hues.  Primary and secondary.  After some more investigation I learned that this is what is called additive color.  The traditional artists paint palate and what we learned as kids.  Blue/Yellow/Red.  The more colors you add, the darker it gets.  See the black middle.

The other type is used with light, like monitors and television sets.  It's called Subtractive color.  The more colors you add the lighter it gets.  Hense, the white middle. 

Interesting huh?

Anyway, here is the pattern.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Red - 666
Yellow - 307
Blue - 710
Orange - 740
Green - 909
Purple - 550
Black - 3799
Lettering - 3799

One more note - 
I'm sure you noticed I didn't use black for black.  I used the darkest gray.  This is because I feel  like the black (310) is thin.  Maybe it's just me.  But I feel like I can see more white when I use it.  I wanted this to be very rich.  Just my preference  :)

Comment for a PDF.  :)

Free "Value" Cross Stitch Pattern

This was the first one I did so It will be the first I give away.  :)

I wanted something clean and simple and beautiful.  First I was thinking about camera terms like aperture and f-stop and light meter.   All things I want to play with in the future.  

Naturally I then went to color and texture and tone and VALUE. 

Value refers to the relative lightness or darkness of a certain area. Value can be used for emphasis.

Values are added to colors to create what you and I see as the different colors within true color. The difference between a powder pink and deeper rose pink. 

Like this -

Credit

Depending on what website or book you look at the scale has a few or many light to dark shades.  I settled on 5 for the sake of the piece.

The DMC colors are (left to right)
762, 415, 414, 371, 3799

The lettering works best as a middle gray.  I didn't do this, but I think that was a mistake.  I would suggest using 317.

As always, comment below for a pdf of the pattern and color selections.  

Wish me luck!

Embroidery: The Process.

In my recent experiments in cross stitch I remembered how much I loved the freedom of embroidery.  You can change your mind about anything a second before you do it.  

I like that freedom.

So to get me back in the groove I've decided to participate in the &stitches Back to School Embroidery Contest. Basically it's a call to create a flash card.  Simple enough that so many outstanding things can be created.  :)

&Stitches is a blog I have really grown to love recently and I'm excited to join my first competition.

They have some great prizes, but honestly, I'm more happy to try an idea on and see how it turns out.  I like a challenge. A chance to think outside the projects I have going on about at the moment.

Here I will share my little process for embroidery.  

When I began I would get these...

Now, there is nothing wrong with these.  But I have a craft M.O. I will try the recommended beginners level.  Once.  Do it correctly and skip about 5 levels and try that next.  

I like a challenge.  

It's just how I learn.  I mean, it's not life or death. Its fabric and thread. 

So I will make a pattern or download it from an awesome website, like Urbanthreads.com.  (<3)

Hook my laptop into my extra-special-embroidery-design-tracing-monitor. It's an old monitor with plexiglass taped onto it so I can put the fabric directly on to it and trace.  It's a modified light box and works perfectly.

I use a fine point disappearing ink pen.  They are about 6 bucks in the sewing gadgets part of your craft store. WORTH IT.

And it looks like this.

I picked out my fabric and thread.  

I have a simple design, it's about something somewhat technical  I want to keep it clean and just think about keeping the work neat and well done.  Not many bells and whistles here.  

Hoop it and dig in. 

I'm doing a whole lotta raised satin stitch.  It's going to be PRITTY!

Stay tuned!

Just a little Sprinkle to show we care.

I always said this blog would be about my craft.  Not about my life or my children.  But today I'm going to muddy that area.  

You may have heard that I'm pregnant.  37 weeks, full term, today.  That means that not only will I have to begin the obligatory "how do I get this creature out of me" google searches but I'm pretty sure he dropped, like yesterday.  

Last weekend we had a shower for him.  Because my daughter and my son are only 22 months apart, we didn't need a whole lot of baby stuff.  But we do need diapers, wipes, "boy" clothes, etc.  But more to the point.  We needed a party.  Violet will have the photos and keepsakes from her shower forever.  She will be able to see that so many people came to "see" her and contribute to her life before she was even here.  

I felt sad that Wes wouldn't have that.  I'm a documenter.  I keep stuff.  Things have meaning to me.  I'm not a hoarder, far from it.  But I remember everything and Vi has a box of things from her life that I can pull out and explain what they are to her.  I was very sad Wes wouldn't have some of those things.  

So I kinda said screw it.  We are having a party for him.  For him.  To show that he is important and loved whether he is born yet or not.  

I'm glad we did.  :)

I designed and made the invitation and these little cards.  So there.  This IS a post about my craft. 

These cards made me cry when they were filled out.  I haven't done one yet.  It feels too important somehow. 

Onesie decorating.  

One proud little big sister and a Border Collie butt.

 The guys in the kitchen.  I love that that is where they hang.  Hey, Jeff, Make me a sammich!

We got some stuff, this is a hamper my mom had made for me. SO MUCH CUTE.

My little couch is less comfy than it used to be.... 

My mom, I can't get much done without her.  <3 you mum. 

Finished Onesies.  

Guesses.  I have disowned anyone that wrote anything over 10/5 and 9lbs. 

My family in our home.  I'm old and lame but damn it feels good to be a housewife gangsta. 

Free Pattern Friday! Cross Stitch Edition

As I'm sure you have noticed the last month or so I've been heavy into cross stitch.  Embroidery was my first fiber art love so it's not a huge stretch.  

I'm also a design nerd (with very little formal training).  Maybe I'm a just a girl that knows what she like to look at.  I've been really enjoying playing with my knowledge of Photoshop and making a few cross stitch patterns.  I know now that there isn't a software that is correct for what I want to do and there isn't a website with a huge selection of patterns and ideas like there is with yarn (Ravelry).  

I've learned so many new things and ways of things playing with this craft.  That's why we craft isn't it?

That all said I've been wanted to get a color wheel at my desk for a long time.  I work a lot with color in many different ways and decided cross stitch was the way to make an interesting one.  

So here it is.  Cross stitch color wheel.

It is made to be 6x6 on 14pt cloth to fit an 8x8 frame.  

I haven't started it yet, I need some colors.  I'll update with suggested colors when I know.  Until then....  
Stitch on, stitcheroos!

Trying On Cross Stitch -or- F*CK EM!

One of the big reasons I love crochet so much is because with some yarn and a hook the possibilities are limitless.  

...until you want a small project with words in it...

I started this as filet but it was just too much.  I had been resisting cross stitch since I was a kid.  It's my mom's craft and shes exceptional at it.  So I never ventured.  

My friend Rebecca makes very cool geometric style cross stitch, I love this stuff, it's totally up my alley. 

I also love dry crass humor.  

This is something my younger brother tends to tell me.  I often need to be reminded I live this life for me, my kids, my husband and my family.  In that order.  

It's 2.5 by 3.5.  My first completed cross stitch. 

First Friday Free Pattern: Simple Modern Afghan

I love Mod.  The fashion, the hair, the lines, the structure, the colors.  Yum.  As a crocheter I see a lot of pretty flowery or complicated color worked afghans.  Don't get me wrong.  Its nice.  I love me an good doily.    But I just want something simple and interesting.  I hate variegated yarn.  I love neutral and neon.

I have a smallish Tiffany blue velvet love seat in my living room.  A love seat needs an afghan.  I decided on gray on gray.  But I still wish I had used lime.  I first made a baby blanket with this design.  I call it Pear Creamsicle. <333  (it's for sale....)

Materials
Measureing Tape
K hook
Darting Needle
Worsted Weight yarn

• 2 skeins of color 1 (Hobby Lobby's I love this Yarn in Graphite)
• 1 skein of color 2 ( Hobby Lobby's I love this Yarn in Lt. Gray)

Let me explain this huge hook.  This stitch is very simple and creates a beautiful texture.  You can use a smaller hook, very easily, but I like to use the bigger one to make it less heavy and more soft.  It's like there is more air in the stitch. Cause, well, there is.

Stitches
hdc - Half Doublt Crochet
dc - Double Crochet
ch- Chain
sk ch - skip one chain stitch
ch sp - chain space
( ) - this means to do all the stitches into one space or stitch

Techniques
changing colors

Firstly, I decided how big I want this blanket.  The baby one above is 35"x35".  The small afghan below is 50"x50".  You will need to figure out how big you want the inner square.  It's simple math really and then paying some attention as you go.  (I do see that this doesn't match up to 50.  It's really just an about 13 and about 22 and even about 50. Because the hook is so big it will stretch.)

I choose this odd size because I love anything square and it's the right size for my Tiffany Blue Velvet love seat in our sitting room. 

The stitch is called a Rope Stitch.  I'm sure you would be able to find it online.  I've seen it in a few different places.  If you happen to have the Crochet Stitch Bible it's page 74.  :)

Begin by chaining multiples of 3 until you have reached the desired length.  The following pattern is what I did to make my "Gray Squared Lover's" afghan.  (I like to name things.) 

Row 1 - Ch 135 + 3 for turning chain.  

Row 2 - dc into the 4th ch from the hook.  *ch1, dc in next ch, sk ch, dc in next ch* Rep*to * until the last ch sp and dc into that last ch sp. Turn your work. 

Row 3 - Ch3, *(dc,ch1,dc) into the ch-1 sp* Rep* to * until all spaces are completes.  dc into the ch-3 space of the turning chain. Turn your work.

FYI - This is called a "rope stitch".  

Row 4 to 18 - Repeat Row 3

Row 19 - Ch3, *(dc,ch1,dc) in the ch-1 sp* for the next 11 ch-1 spaces.  Change from color 1 to 2 between the 11th and 12th spaces.  Continue.  Change from color 2 to 1 between the 32nd and 33rd space. Continue until the end. dc into ch-3 space.  Turn.

*Tip* I used two skeins for two colors.  You can use three is it makes it easier, and it might.  I didn't cut the middle color at all, but carried it up.  The outside color needs to be cut so that you can connect it to the other end.  Leave at least 4 inches so you can sew it in really tight, if one of these comes loose its going to be a pain to fix. 

In theory you can carry the dark color over the light color but you are going to waste a lot of yarn and it makes it hard to hold onto cause it bunches all up.  

This is a little odd at first but you will get used to have two skeins going at once.  When I cut I didn't crochet on top of the cut yarn because I knew I was going to be sewing it in later anyway, so I didn't bother, plus this way I can pull it a bit tighter to make sure that the stitch matches well.

Row 20 to 36 - Repeat row 10.

Row 37 to 55 - Repeat row 3.

Finish off after Row 55.  

Your blanket is complete.  :)

The last thing you will do is tie in the million little 

Border:  (if you so choose to do a border)

It's just half double crochet all the way around.  
Start in the center of the last row, attach and chain 2, half double crochet twice in each space until the corner. 4 hdc in the corner. Continue with three hdcs in each space for the sides.  4 hdc in the corner. Continue around, join and finish off.

This blanket has become our favorite morning cartoon snuggle blanket.  Its soft, comfy and not too warm.

If you use it, here is the pattern on Ravelry and Pinterest. 

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.