Fairy Shell Dress

This has been a productive weekend for me finally. I made a couple of crochet dog shirts for a coworker. I hope they fit her tiny dog and she loves them. If so, she will take pictures and I will share them with you.

However, what I am most excited about is the dress I designed.  I am hoping to get some testers of the pattern. If you are interested please send me an email. I would like the pattern done in a variety of yarns. This dress was made from Caron’s Simply Soft Light and a size I hook. It fits a preemie which is why it has ties in the back. My friend who has a preemie grandchild said they prefer ties to buttons.

All I ask is that if you do test it, you respect that it is my pattern and not sale it.

Here is two more versions of it.  This one was made with Pound of Love and H hook. It was made by a tester and I really appreciate it.

This one is made with Caron’s Simply Soft.

Beautiful Cap Idea

Through Yarn Over, Pull Through: The Heart and Soul of Crochet I found a beautiful stitch  I thought well that would make a nice scarf. It would. However I did a little more digging in her site and saw the stitch done in a cap. Here is the finished cap.  I liked how she used an open stitch to make a way to gather up the top of the hat without making it heavy. I can see so many possibilities with this. Can’t you?

Playground equipment

I am so excited! I work in an elementary school as a teacher assistant. I love my kids so this year when we were asked to join school committees I joined the grant committee. There is always something the children need that the budget simply won’t cover.

Our school does not have playground equipment for the older children. So we have been on a mission to get some. We have applied for grants and received one from our local Walmart so far. But it wasn’t enough so one of the teachers made it a project at Donors Choose I was happy. However I was ecstatic when I saw that NCMS Alliance had donated to it. 

I hope we are able to get a playground in for these children before they start the next school year. Personally I think having a safe place to burn off energy will make them even better students. Plus the nice thing about the school is it is located in a community and everyone in the community will benefit from the equipment.

What has been on my hook

I have been very busy lately with work. However, I have crocheted whenever possible to keep my sanity.   The white blanket is a baby blanket for my sister who just had a daughter. The red white and blue blanket was for a friends son who wanted his own blanket after I made one as a gift for his future sister. She said he wouldn’t let go of it and slept with it. I love making things for little ones because they get so excited.

how to read Japanese crochet patterns

I wanted to share a post I found recently. I would have done it as a repost but couldn’t figure out how to do it so I am putting the link here. The site We Love Amigurumi  had plenty of links to free patterns and all sorts of cool posts.

I will say the reason I was interested in learning how to read a Japanese pattern wasn’t to make amigurumi but to better understand how to make all the wonderful clothes I find online that are from Japanese crochet magazines. They are magic!

I love this one 

Giveaway from our good friend at Amaze-ing Hats!

You have to check her work. She is magical!

UK Crochet Patterns

Our clever and talented friend at Amaze-ingHats.co.uk is running a giveaway on her FB page in celebration of 1000 likes! She makes THE most amazing hats and toys – Minions, Pokemon … and even a glow in the dark dragon!

Click here to enter! And tell her we sent you 😛

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Thank you Roma

Thank you for nominating me for the Liebster award Roma. I get such a kick out of your blog. Some times it takes me a few minutes to know”who” is talking when the animals are doing it for you. But I love it.

Roma’s questions are as follows

1) What are you creating right now?   I am making a baby blanket for my sister who just had her first daughter at 36. I wanted something that would be heirloom quality so it is taking longer than most.

2) Who is your greatest inspiration?  My mother-in-law

3) Where were you born?    Miami, Florida

4) What can you see from your sitting room window, show a photo  if                 possible? A pear tree that is a place for the birds to enjoy the fruit since we don’t pick it

5) What time did you go to bed last night ?    Same as most nights 9 Pm

6) why do you blog?         To share what I am working on, to connect with other crafters, as another outlet of creativity

7) Do your family read every post? my family doesn’t read my blog for whatever reason

8) What are you going to buy next time you treat yourself?        some clothing with purple in it I have been dreaming about purple lately to go with my gray hair

9) What is your favourite cake?      pineapple upside down cake

10) What would be your ideal job? Living out of a motor home and moving as the seasons took me, selling my crochet and whatever I am working on as I go

11) What is your first childhood memory?  Not really sure

I am nominating these shops which truthfully I found while looking for new blogs to follow. If you would like to participate just answer the following questions and pass it on.

http://prettywit.blogspot.com/ They have an Etsy shop but their blog is really where it is at for me

http://www.rathercrafty.co.nz/ Her art calls me

http://japonesecrochet.canalblog.com/ the blog speaks for itself

http://www.justbeingjudy.blogspot.com/ a variety of art

http://preemiehats.blogspot.com/ she makes preemie items which I love

Now questions for you

1.What is the one place you would most like to visit?

2. What is your “go to” for inspiration, books, art, what?

3.What do you do for relaxation?

4. Have you read any books or taken any courses to help you become better at blogging?

5. If you could dine with a famous person, either dead or alive, who would it be, and why?

6. What is a catch phrase you live by?

7. What is your favorite thing to create?

8. What is your favorite candy?

9. What pets do you have?

10. What is your favorite art medium?

Helpful tools for sizing

These are very valuable tools for any designer. Check them out.

sewaccessible

When designing patterns these charts are my life savers!! I thought you might find them helpful too!

This first chart is for babies:

I used this chart to help me makes these cute props.

It can be found at: http://pattern-paradise.com/2013/10/05/crochet-patterns-baby-measurements-sizes/

Another of my favorites for hat making :

And this blanket chart can be found at the same site:

http://freecrochetpatterns3808.blogspot.com/2014/02/helpful-charts-for-crocheting.html?m=1

Visit this last page for many more charts with hook conversions and more!!

Hope you find the charts as useful as I have!!

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Crochet Stitches Visual Encyclopedia Review

It has been a week since I have taken time to post. Life has gotten busy and in the way as we all know it can.

However, I had to share a book I finally received last night. It is  I have been crocheting for over 30 years and have never owned a book like this. I wouldn’t have gotten it now but I joined the group at http://createcrochetpatterns.com/. Sara Duggan suggested that a good stitch encyclopedia would be helpful in making our own designs.

I wasn’t sure but finally decided on this book. I know I could probably find all these stitches online. However, I like to work away from the computer some and besides what if the power goes out? Now I am hooked! The way the book is laid is so nice. It shows a swatch of the stitch, gives the particulars on the part that makes the pattern and even suggests what the stitch is most appropriate for.

All of this is helpful. The layout of the book is logical too. Stitches are grouped according to kind, lacy, cable , motifs, etc. I found stitches I had never seen before and am now able to visualize new patterns that are begging to come out of my hands. Plus since the is in my hands I can make notes and drawings with pencil of what they inspire so I can look back and finish the design as soon as I have time.

You can also find Robyn Chalula the author of this encyclopedia at http://www.crochetbyfaye.com/ I have found great ideas there which inspire me to do even more designing and crocheting!