221b Swap

I am so squee today! I heard a knock on the door and when I got there the mailman had left me a nice, big box! It was amazingly exciting to read the letter and open all of the individually wrapped gifts, one by one. 

It's hard to describe exactly how excited I was when I started opening everything ^_^  I resized the pictures so I could share them here:

Knit, Fingerless Gloves / Inspired by John Watson's Jumper

Rosewood / Size J / Boye crochet hook

Honey, you should see me in a crown! 

One more pic of the loot!

So, as you can see, it was a successful endeavor! I am soooooo happy with my gifts! 

Now, what should I make with my beautiful new yarns...

Finished Projects!

I have two lovely things to share with you, dear readers.

Firstly, I found a lovely and simple pattern for coin pouches here at Inner Child Crochet. I made mine in Tatamy Tweed because I had some on hand, and using up your scrap yarn is always a good idea! Gotta make room for more yarns!
 





I stuck my ruler into it and next to it so you can see approximately how large they are when finished according to the pattern specs. I can fit a good amount of change into mine. Or D&D dice. 

 Second, I have finished the Solstice Tote which I mentioned in this post. The pattern is from the November/December 2012 issue of Crochet Today Magazine. It is an intermediate level pattern and I have to agree with that assessment. The bag base and handle are quite easy, however attaching the ruffles is a bit tricksy, and I went so far as to email the magazine and ask for further clarification.

Yarn I Used:

Red Heart Super Saver Solids - Yellow (any #4 worsted weight will do. The majority of the bag base will be covered however, so you don't need to use your best fibers for this part. This is also used to make the strap, so if you want to use luxury yarn for this part since everyone will see it, that makes sense.

Yarn Bee Chrystalis mesh yarn - Pipevine Swallowtail - the pattern calls specifically for Red Heart's Boutique Sashay mesh yarn, though. I already had my Yarn Bee on hand so I used that. I ended up having about 9 yards of it left over when I was finished.

I can't reproduce the pattern here because it would violate their copyright, so I will only be able to post the notes I made while making the project. If you want a copy of this pattern, please go do Crochet Today's website here to request a back issue of the magazine or to see if it is available for download through them.

The bag base is a basic sc worked in rounds for about 4 rounds, then basic dc worked in rounds until it reaches approx 8x8 inches.
Ruffle/mesh yarn is then worked in every third stitch with a sc around the base and upwards, except for the last (top) 2 rows of dc.

 

This bottom picture is fairly accurate in showing how I put the ruffles on. It was awkward to hold the project like I would normally hold it, so I laid it down and held the crochet hook in the knife hold rather than the pencil hold I normally use. That way I had more control over the mesh yarn and could hold the bag still while I worked on it. 

After the first round of ruffles, you sort of zig zag up the bag a few rows and then do another round. After making the first round of ruffles, when you arrive back at the center where you started, you chain a few, then skip the next row and sc in one dc. Then you chain a few and go to the very next row above that and make a new round of ruffles. 

In this way you still get very full ruffling, and when you're wearing the bag you can't really see where those skipped rows are.  

Have a shiny day, everyone :-)

 

Back To Crafty

I picked up the November/December Crochet Today magazine at the local book store. It had some theme to it. 007 New Year's Eve was one of the themes, and I am thinking about trying the Miss Moneypenny Purse. I have never made a purse that had to be sewn onto a frame, so that will be a new experience for me. The pattern itself looks fairly un-complicated.

Miss Moneypenny Purse

Since I have a fondness for purses and handbags however, I decided to start with the Solistice Tote on page 75. I will have to post pics when mine is finished, but here is a picture of it that I found on google. The base of the bag is very easy to make, it's mostly dc in the round. The ruffles are a little more difficult, so I'll try to post some tips/hints when I am done, that might make it easier for others to put it together.

Solstice Tote

My bag base is yellow, and I chose Yarn Bee ruffle yarn in the color Pipevine Swallowtail. It reminded me of Mardi Gras colors. It goes has yellow, blue, green, purple, and it's run through with gold metallic trim. I think I will like it once it is finished.

This is the base and the first round of ruffles.


The third and last thing I am going to make from this issue is a Tunisian scarf. I have been wanting to expand upon my skills with a Tunisian hook and I think that this would be a great way for me to do that. I'll need to buy a hook in the right size, but the stitch seems like it's easy enough to learn. It's on the back burner a little, because regular crochet is my first love/hobby.

Oh! And an update on the teaching status!  I met with the gentleman who coordinates classes and I have filed all of the necessary paperwork with them, so I should be receiving a packet in which to fill out my class information and materials list, etc.

Have a shiny day, everyone :) 

What I've Been Up To

I have been a busy beaver. In the last month since I have posted on my blog, I've managed to get 99% of the wedding plans FINISHED!  It has been worth it, let me tell you.

The cake has been chosen, the menu has been selected, the floral is decided upon. All of the invites are mailed, the Bridal shower Thank Yous have been posted, and all of my wedding dress fabric is with the seamstress.

I don't think I've touched a crochet hook or a knitting needle in almost a month. It's kind of unusual for me to go that long, but I just haven't felt creative. Too many other things on my mind, clamoring for my attention I guess. All that is left is to make a spreadsheet of the guests we invited and start marking column Attending or column Declining so we can get a head count for the catering.

The processional music for the wedding party will need to be picked, but that won't be too hard. It's going to be instrumental, either classical or Enya. For my music, I am leaning heavily towards The Cloud Atlas Sextet. That piece of music is just one of the most amazingly beautiful things I have ever heard. I went to the movie three times (I regret nothing!), and every time I sit through the end credits just to hear that song.

It's going to be the best day of my life. <3 p="">
Next post: Back to crafty.

Randomness

I've been wearing the Super Simple Fingerless Gloves, and I think that I may need to tweak the pattern a little bit and do an errata for it.

They still wear well, but I've noticed (and perhaps this is simply to do with the particular yarn) that they are getting a little looser than I would like. I prefer a snug fit, which they were when I first made them.

I am going to try running them through the washing machine first to see if that solves the issue. If you made these and used a non-wool or a superwash then you can try the same thing if you've noticed an issue.

So a tweaked version may be forthcoming in the near future. I will be using a different yarn, still bulky #5, but a different brand and fiber content.

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In other news, I worked 12 hours yesterday, unexpectedly. I'm scheduled for another 8 today, 8 tomorrow, and then 5 on Monday. On the upside, I will have some additional funding for both holiday gifts AND for the 221b swap I am participating in on Ravelry <3 p="p">
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In other other news, I am completely and hopelessly in love with Downton Abbey and even rejoined the DVD portion of Netflix so I could get series 2 without having to wait for it or buy it outright lol. The wait at my library was loooong. I would have been 30th in line for it!  But there was no wait on Netflix's copies so there ya go. I will hopefully by Tuesday (my day off!) be marathoning my way through series two.

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I have plans to get the etsy store up and running again, so stay tuned for more on that front. My etsy and IRL (In Real Life) business is V Studios. I haven't done a ton with it lately, due to time constraints and other focuses, but I'd like to. I find myself crocheting things for the love of it, but I only need so many scarves, hats, purses, etc.

My mother runs a booth at a market in Florida, so she has taken on some of my stock and is going to see if she can sell some of it for me. I am hoping she is successful, especially in her own venture which is hand dyed/painted silks and henna art.
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Well, I am off to work soon. Have a wonderful week everyone!

Thank You :)

This is just a post to thank the folks who have gone over to Ravelry and downloaded my patterns.  As a very new designer, it is awesome to see that there are some interested people :)

I am hoping to continue writing patterns from time to time, and might even see what it would take to have one published in a magazine. That would be fantastic, wouldn't it?

This blog is linked to my Ravelry account so hopefully some of the folks who took the time to try out my patterns will see this and know that I am grateful for their support :)

Beginner's Crocheted Hook Case

Good afternoon everyone. I have uploaded another pattern to Ravelry. It can be found and downloaded in pdf format: NCC-1701 on Ravelry.

It is also here for your reading pleasure. I'm not sure how well it will print or copy/paste from this site. I would be interested to know though, if any of you do take it from the blog.

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Easy Crochet Hook Case

developed by NCC-1701 for V Studios

This pattern is worked in the round rather than joined, so the stitches will have a spiral effect to them. It is suitable for beginners.

Gauge is not important in this project. Choose a yarn and hook that are compatible and make a tighter stitch since you don't want your hooks slipping through the stitches. You can also line the case easily for added protection.

If you use longer or shorter hooks, simply add more rows to reach the desired length. Both of mine are 5 1/2 inches long without the flap.

Stitches used:

ch - chain

sl - slip stitch

sc - single crochet

hdc - half double crochet

hdc2tog - half double crochet 2 together (decrease)

Tutorial on using magic circle: Magic Circle

Tutorial on hdc2tog: hdc2tog Tutorial

(I do not own these videos. I simply offer them as educational devices)

Materials:

Cascade 220 100% Wool (Worsted Weight)

H8/5mm hook

(case ended up about 4" around)

---or---

Berroco Comfort DK

G6/4mm hook

(Case ended up about 3 3/4" around)

Stitch Marker

Tapestry Needle

Case

Place the marker on the last st of each round to keep track of your rounds.

Magic Circle, Ch1 (does not count as a stitch)

Round 1 - 5 sc, join with sl to ch1 (5 sts)

Round 2 - sk ch1 sp from mag cir. 2 sc in each sc around (10 sts)

Round 3 - *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat from * to *, ending with 2 sc in last st (15 sts)

Round 4 - 1 sc in ea sc around (15 sts)

Round 5-25 (30) - Repeat Round 4 (DK weight)

Check the circumference with your own hooks after Round 5. I have 10, so this size works for me. If you have more than that, take out two rounds and repeat Round 3. If you do, however then your number of sts won't match what is in parenthesis.

End with sl, but do not finish off or weave in. You will start the flap from this point.

Notes: you will find that you're working from the inside of the project outward. You may find it easier to turn the tube inside out at the beginning of Round 5 and work from the outside in. Then you can just turn it right side out when you're finished.

FLAP

The flap should be about the size of half of the case. If you have 15 sts in your rounds, then the flap should cover about 8 sts. If you have 20 sts in your rounds, then your flap should cover about 10 sts.

Row 1 - Ch 1, *hdc in next 8 sc across, ch 1 & turn*

Row 2 & 3 - Repeat R 1 from * to *

Row 4 - hdc2tog, hdc in next 4 sts, hdc2tog, ch 1 & turn

Row 5 - hdc2tog, hdc in next 2 sts, hdc2tog, ch 1 & turn

Row 6 - sl across in ea st, FO and weave in ends.

Don't forget to pull your magic circle closed all the way before weaving in that end.

You can put a button or any kind of closure you like on the flap. I prefer to just use a safety pin style stitch marker. 

You can find me on Ravelry. NCC-1701

Follow my blog @ Random Craftacular

Email: Creative.Beautiful.You@gmail.com