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The colors that one sees is due to nothing but the slight difference in wavelength but with these slight differences comes a carnival of colors from:
- shellmitchell: Pink and Teal Cute Mittens
- winddancer: HAND PAINTED GREEN BAMBOO FABRIC
- whitestone: Monchichis Big Day Plus Size Skirt
- auntifranni: monogrammed can koozie
- littlepretties: green spring. toddler dress
- sonitastreasures: 9 x 12 Original Watercolor and Acrylic Painting
- glamorosi: Vintage Lucite Rose Earrings – Sterling
- freshpeaches: Turquoise Bracelet
- pauletteinsall: Follow — ART PRINT by mixed media artist Paulette Insall — 6×12
Here is a similar bag as the custom one I just posted. The hat and flower was inspired by the purse – the brim of the hat is Tunisian! This one is made with a mohair blend yarn that I love. Too bad I can’t get anymore of it. It has a nice feel, nice thickness, and great color. I call it the Oh So Mauve Set.
Crafted with Love is an organization that solicits donations of original handmade items, which they sell. The proceeds are donated to certain no-kill shelters. They currently specialize in jewelry but they accept any artform. As soon as I can find something to suit the gallery, I will donate my crochet! Its a great way to promote your art while helping out animals in need.
Although I got sick, my trip to Japan was very relaxing. Of course, I just had to go to the craft store. There, I found a type of knifty knitter. I was excited to try it out. I still have not got the hang of it but it is coming along.
I was inspired by Josi Hannon Madera’s Perfect Pencil Skirt to make something for myself. But instead of those horizontal lines, I was determined to make them vertical both for aesthetic (more slimming appearance) and practical (stretchier fabric) reasons. I tried to figure out where she was adding stitches, which would translate into rows on my skirt.
Unfortunately, like most of my first attempts, it was two short (my stitches were thinner than expected!) and too wide (my rows were too tall!). However, these two problems were not too difficult to fix – I simply added a waistband of rows of back loop crochet at the top while decreasing the number of stitches in each row (this skirt was turned and was not done in the round). I couldn’t understand how to get the elastic in so I just had to settle for the skirt setting lower than I wanted and having the waist so lose (to allow it to go over my hips). Even with the waistband, the skirt was still too short. So I added some fringe on the bottom. Eventually, I gave up because it just wasn’t getting long enough (and you can see the row additions!). I can’t wear this one to work!
With my new motivation to use Obaasama’s stash, I found an almost completed project knit in soft pink ribbon yarn. There were two sleeves, the back, and the two front panels. It just needed to be sewed together.
Well, I’m not much into sweaters, especially considering the tropical climate here, so I decided to make it into a vest. So Rip, Rip! went the sleeves. At this point, Obaasama was probably horrified as she watched me do this. I wound up the ribbon yarn in to a pull skein.
Then, I started thinking about the buttons I bought from Christineberube and I thought, “Perfect!” And walla!
I just created a treasury of red and orange crochet at etsy. Its called Crochet Bonanza. I’m moving on to blue and aqua so if you see any blue / aqua colored crochet on etsy from sellers with less than 20 sales, list it in your comment
I’ve had much of my Japanese grandmother’s (obaasama) yarn stash for almost a year but couldn’t figure out what to make out of it. She was a knitter – I am a crocheter – and the difference between our stash was understandable. She liked delicate natural yarn, mostly mohair and wool. I like fat yarn. I felt bad tripling or quadrupling the yarn so I just left it there, in my yarn room.
This week, I finally got out my f hook and took a plunge at some of her thicker yarns. Obaasama had started to knit a skirt with this particular yarn, some kind of double layered, reversible one but she only had the front half done. So while I was ripping the yarn and winding it into a pull skein, I started thinking and thinking and came up with this pattern.
Like all my patterns, I like to make it easily alterable to any size and I try to make swatching a minimum (no swatching needed but those that insist, swatch as you go).
If you are interested in buying this cloche, you can purchase it at my etsy store soon. (Contact me if you are interested in buying it.) If you would like to make this cloche for yourself or as a gift or charity item, I have provided this pattern free here (link to my main blog). I would be delighted if you sent me a picture of your cloche you made from my pattern. If you find any problems in my pattern, please contact me. If you know the solution, please send it to me so I can update the pattern. Thanks!
I am hoping that my trip to Palau will give me inspiration for new ideas. Palau is known for its great fish and diving spots. Besides the diving, which I could not pass up, we are going on the Rock Island tour and I hope to see some jellyfish and monstrous clams. It should be exciting. The Palau Aquarium looks interesting.
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