Since I seem to have found a good pattern that I like, I have decided to try and crochet the pattern in different yarn materials, to see the effects. I've been quite impressed with cotton in the past, so I decided to see how this pattern would look in cotton:
The cotton bag is softer to the touch than the acrylic bag - I would expect it to fade much more quickly, and there is the added drawback of the material decaying (if kept moist for too long) or badly fraying after rough handling. regardless, it is a relatively durable, stylish little bag made out of premium natural material. Since this yarn costs more, and comes in smaller skeins to boot, I'll have to add $2.00 to the finished price of one of these, compared to the acrylic ones. Cotton yarn isn't cheap.
This is another installment in the "Small Drawstring Bag" series. This pattern is one of my own design, and it's performing quite well. These drawstring bags are small enough to hang around one's neck - and are quite convenient for carrying rosaries, prayer beads, malas - and more.
This bag is made out of acrylic yarn, in a camouflage print, with a length of black 550 cord used for a drawstring.
I know I haven't posted in about three weeks - and I'd like to apologize. My husband and I have been busy with the house, there's a housewarming party this Saturday, I have a dentist appointment and a VA appointment in the same week - and I need new glasses. Next week, we have to get our taxes done. It is a little more expensive to heat the house than we thought it would be, but we planned for that - and although money is a little tighter, I wouldn't trade my drafty house for a drafty apartment! lol! I'm glad we have money saved for renovations! Well, on a more positive note, I would love to show off my new creation:
The chunky ear-flap hat! It's based on a design by Ann Regis (called 'The Cap' in the book CrochetWear). I had to alter it, because almost ALL the designs in this book, even the hats, were TOO SMALL for me. If your head is bigger than 20", or, you're larger than an off-the-rack medium, I wouldn't get this book, or even borrow it from the library. Although, I guess the 'Wraps' portion of the book might be more versatile. For a last gripe about this book: the pictures of the models had me scratching my head...are they imitating hipsters, or are they just dressed badly? If that's what passes for fashion now....count me out.
In the New Year, I have resolved to give more charitably, whether through monetary means, or through donation of goods/services. By chance, I received my regular Crochet newsletter, and the USA Special Olympics Scarf Project was featured. I decided to crochet a scarf, but had a hard time finding both colors of yarn. I was quite desperate, when I turned to a place that I never shop, Wal-mart. It turns out that they did have the color...and I could finally start my project, after bouncing around town to 4 stores.
Here is the finished product:
And the pattern, if you find yourself so inclined to crochet or knit one of your own to donate: http://www.scarvesforspecialolympics.org/files/upload_file_806701660.pdf
I hope everyone is having a terrific New Year so far!
I know it's been a while, but here is my latest project:
This purse is piratastic! I'm artistic, so I can just make up words. I'm cool like that. I've done tapestry crochet previously, but never this intense, and never on anything that I would willingly carry around in public. But this...is just all kinds of awesome. The pattern for the handbag is at futuregirl's site: Starling Handbag The skull motif is here, at CraftyCrafty: Jolly Roger Skull and Crossbone I've put a picture of my handbag on the Starling Handbag Flickr Pool - it's great to see what other crocheters out there are creating with the same pattern!
I even have an order in...for one with a red skull, so stay tuned for that one! Also, I have a set of crochet dice to make, as well as a gift for a friend's daughter. I'm *this close* to finishing a hat that I'm going to be donating to a homeless shelter, along with three other hats I've made that never get worn. So - that's what I'm doing these days. Well, that, and managing to get all the REGULAR chores done while unpacking boxes in our NEW HOUSE! Woohoo!
My tote came out quite a bit bigger than the one in the picture. I might have used a hook that is much bigger than what the author used...although, the instructions only specified "big plastic hook"...with no size listed. This made me a little frustrated, as I like projects to turn out looking like the picture that tempted me into making the project in the first place. I also like detailed, EXACT instructions (especially when it has to do with the materials and supplies needed to complete the project). I was tempted to name this project 'Colossal Waste of Time' - because, more than likely, I'll never use this. I guess the best thing about this bag is that it's made out of plarn...and I can chalk it up as a learning experience and drop it in a recycle bin. I guess satisfaction isn't always guaranteed in crochet. As in life...
I've made 3 snoods in the course of about a week: The first two snoods, I used the same pattern, a vintage pattern from 1942. This pattern was interesting...it required me to learn a new stitch, the "long triple crochet". To tell you all the truth, I love learning about crochet - the more skills in my repertoire, the more creative I can be! Okay, here are the snoods:
First, the plain black snood, good for everyday tasks (black goes with everything, ya know):
And then, the beaded snood. I decided to use wooden beads because they're lighter than glass. They look terrific with this brown yarn I chose from my stash:
I just continued doing rounds until I thought it was long enough, and then I single-crocheted on an elastic band. I was really surprised when I put it on...it was quite snug, with very little give. A snood is held in place with pins around the front, and the pins seemed to be much more stable in natural fiber than with acrylic. With acrylic yarn, hairpins tend to slide and not hold very well - I use quite a lot of them - almost 2X as many as the cotton snood required, in fact, to get a good hold with an acrylic snood. And it held GOOD. Absolutely NO slippage, and it didn't require me to readjust it at any time. A quick spray with hair spray, let it dry, then put on the snood and pin. It's as easy as that, and takes less than 5 minutes. The only downside: weight. It is a bit heavier than acrylic, and I'm tempted to add pins along the crown of my head to better distribute the weight. My scalp is a bit sore where the pins were the day after wearing it. But all in all, I am quite impressed!
I think that this was a definite eye-opener. Women in the Middle Ages definitely knew what they were doing, making snoods from natural fiber (well, that's all they had, but still). I can't wait to try making a snood out of thinner yarn - fingering yarn - or even #10 crochet thread! In theory, any hat pattern or doily pattern can be altered to make a snood. Oh, the possibilities! If you'd like to buy a snood, there is an awesome lady that crochets and sells them, to the Renfaire/SCA set: Lady MacSnood I love my previous two snoods and will continue to wear them, but I think that I will stick to natural fibers from now on when it comes to making crochet hair accessories!
This hobo bag was adapted from the pattern in this terrific book:
Kooky Crochet by Linda Kopp
If you're a crocheter, then you need this book in your crochet pattern library.
So - how did I alter it? The pattern in the book was done with polypropylene monofilament support webbing (or, silver duct support strap). With mine, I cut up pairs of old jeans into strips and joined them together, like so: Laughing Purple Goldfish Designs
I wound them into a (VERY HEAVY!) ball and waited for the perfect project to come around. This is a simple pattern, made up of only slip stitches, single crochet, and double crochet. I used a size Q plastic crochet hook. I also didn't make the bag as deep as the pattern said - I think I shaved off 3 rounds.
I imagine that it would also look cool crocheted with 3 strands of yarn instead(adding a strand of eyelash yarn would look really groovy too!) I think I'll save this pattern and attempt it again in the future with different materials. This is a great pattern for a beginner to try out their new skills!
This book is a must for a modern, quirky crocheter - it has some awesome patterns that you can twist to your own unique ends! (Such as an interesting hobo bag - I'll be doing a few versions in the near future).
So - buy it, or check it out from your local library. It's great!
All you need is a two-liter plastic bottle, a single hole punch, and a bit of yarn. I made this for a daughter of a friend of mine for her birthday - she just turned 5! Happy Birthday, Mika!
I made these with Lion Brand Wool-Ease black yarn. Most of it is time-consuming single crochet. My husband wears them as a glove "shell". I had to mix two patterns to get these, as my husband's hands are what garment makers term "irregular". Every mitten pattern I found, even for men's mittens, required me to make them wider and shorter, and to shorten and widen the thumb as well. A great deal of work for someone that doesn't wear them often... But it's a labor of love!
