Tag Archives: Design

Changing Weather Makes Me Think of Some Warm Designs

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ScannedImageIt is finally beginning to feel like fall, and those designs that I made last spring are finally available to keep yourself or a loved one warm. The Winter 2015 issue of Crochet! Magazine is packed full of great designs, and I am fortunate enough to be included among them.Crochet! Winter2015

The Essential Fingerless Mitts are sized for both men and women, and have a nice stretch in the stitch work. Now I must admit, I use to wonder what the fascination with fingerless gloves was. Why only keep part of your hand warm? I hate it when my fingers are cold, and usually notice this before my palm; however I had some scrap yarn a few years ago, and was having the need to move a crochet hook. I had made plenty of hats, and was not in the mood to start another scrap afghan, so why not give this trend a try. I created a pair of fingerless gloves and immediately understood the benefits.

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Essential Fingerless Mitts, Crochet! Winter 2015 Photo courtesy of Annie’s

They really do keep my hands warm, while actually keeping my hands fully functional. When I wear standard gloves I do not like to eat food, driving the car doesn’t feel as natural, I wouldn’t even think about crocheting while wherein gloves, but fingerless gloves are a completely different story. I have no problem doing almost anything while wearing them. I even would wear them while practicing at my dance class, as the room always seems to have a chill. It was a way of adding warmth to my hands while still being able to do just about anything. It is almost like having extra long sleeves. I am now a fan, and this pattern is a quick project so you can work them up as a gift for the holidays or simply as personal need to keep warm for this upcoming winter.

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Brewer Jacket, Crochet! Winter 2015 photo courtesy of Annie’s

In addition to the fingerless gloves, I have the Brewer Jacket, designed with the men in my life, in mind. This hooded vest is created in the Thermal Stitch (want to learn how to work this stitch, check it out here). This stitch creates a fabric that is double layered and has an appearance that resembles being woven. I have found that if I create any fabric that you can see any light through that the men in my life consider it too feminine. This creates a fabric is dense, thus it is not the fastest project in the world, but it does have a nice even repeatable pattern that does not require a lot of attention. So you may not finish this jacket over night, but it is a relaxing pattern to follow, and ends up looking great.

I even found the button selection interesting when seeing the masculine perspective. I had pick out some wooden buttons originally, and the guys at my home felt they were to bold, they wanted something simpler, something that did not stand out against the fabric. I found some coconut buttons that almost matched perfectly the color of the yarn, but they felt that they were too textured. So after much trial and error the simple plastic button was the one. I do think that the final design looks great, and will get a lot of use.

In addition to the above mentioned designs, you can also find my article about wool in the magazine. I did some research and share my findings about how not all wool is created equal. There are so many breeds of sheep and the wool that they produce has properties that can make a difference in the yarn and thus your final project. Some yarn manufactures are beginning to highlight some of the breeds in yarn lines, so this article helps you to understand what they mean on you yarn label.

So, if you haven’t, already pick up the latest issue and give it a read. I think you will enjoy yourself…and while you’re at it if you happen to want to check out one of my designs, I think you will enjoy them too.

Flower Trellis Afghan, Where You Place the Stitches Makes the Difference

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ScannedImageThe unique thing about crochet is that it all depends upon where you place your hook. Basically there are only a couple of stitches, but a very look happens when the stitches are placed in different places.0001830918_small2

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One side of Flower Trellis Afghan “Flowers” Photo courtesy of Annie’s

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Opposite side of Flower Trellis Afghan, “Snowflake” Photo courtesy of Annie’s

My Flower Trellis Afghan, on the cover of the current special issue of Crochet! Magazine From Scraps to Sensational, really shows how stitch placement can create a completely different effect, allowing this afghan to have two different but equally beautiful sides.

This afghan is comprised of motifs, which are only 3 round each. The first 2 rounds are the pops of color! Only a little yarn is needed for these rounds, so it really puts the scraps in your stash to work, the more interesting the color, or variegation, or hue of the yarn, the more interest to the overall effect.

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Flower Trellis Afghan Photo courtesy of Annie’s

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Flower Trellis Afghan Photo courtesy of Annie’s

The really magic occurs in the third round. The stitch placement of working in round 1 behind round 2, allows for the petals of the “flowers” to become distinguished, while creating the “snowflake” appearances on the opposite side. Or at least that is what I envision when I see them.

The other great feature about this afghan is that it is joining as you go; all is worked in the third round. So working the color of the motifs can be completely portable, and then join them all together when working the last round. This is a rewarding project, as it really helps clean up the left over bits of yarn you have been holding onto for the “special” project, and by placing your stitches in a different location you find that you have a project that has a personality, and differing effect on either side

Welcome the Designs for Fall

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ScannedImageMy secret confession….time has completely gotten away from me. Okay, that is probably not a secret, and I am sure that I am not alone. However in the drought stricken California it has brought fall on a little earlier then expected; I am already harvesting peaches from my little trees, my neighbors are already harvesting grapes to begin the “crush” and create wine, none of this usually ever happens before September, so I am probably thinking it is later in the year then it is.

Autumn Leaves Placemat_CW2015OctI am pulling out the dehydrator and beginning to get my canning supplies together to put up fruit from this early season. My little farm is awaiting new arrivals as I have a broody chicken, a hen that is sitting on eggs, and I should soon be seeing new little chicks. However, even with all this rural lifestyle events I have some fun things happening in crochet.

Since autumn us so prevalent on my mind lately I am happy to share the release one of my latest designs in Crochet World Magazine. The October 2015 issue features my Autumn Leaves Place Mat. This place mat is created in utilizing 5 join as you go motifs, which are shaped to resemble leaves, created in Cotton Classic Lite from Tahki Yarns. I find that I use place mats in my home more then I would have thought; this is mostly due to the fact that I actually picked out and purchased my dining room table, but the wood is a little softer than I realized and is can scratch and mar without much effort. So this place mat is just big enough to fit a plate and silverware while adding a fun and festive feel to my meal table. Even though the design is worked in fall colors, I think a nice gold or orange would be nice, even a striking brown, but I could also reinvent this design for spring and work some up in beautiful shade of green.

Crochet World_Oct2015I hope that winter does not delve in to quickly (although I wouldn’t mind some rain), so that I can savor a little of this time of change.

Not All Color Is Created Equal In My Eye

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ScannedImageSummer creates a time of adjustment in my household. Our routine is thrown upend…okay, my routine is thrown upend. With the children home from school, it seems that their lists of activities and events occur daily, and leaves me to working in smaller spurts of time, except for when the sun finally dims and I convince them to go to bed.

So it might seem odd that I sometimes find great insight in my work during this time, but today proved to be one of those days. As I drove my kids to yet another outing, I was looking at the colors upon the land scape, and my reaction to colors of yarn came into focus.range-68838__180

There are certain colors that have never held much inspiration for me, there are definitely some other colors that just sing new ideas for me, and today I understood why that is true for some.

I will admit, I am picking about green. I like what I describe as happy and cheerful greens, greens with a little touch of yellow, greens that are bright. Greens that lean more olive, greens with a blue/gray tinge, green with a reddish brown underlay have never piquet my interest. If I am completely honest with myself, they make me a little uncomfortable, and today I understood why. They remind me of colors of certain pine and live oak trees that flourish in the area I have grown up and live.

Now there is nothing wrong with these trees, however when I think of the colors, it can remind me of hot, yes I mean hot, the dry hot of California summers. They remind me of afternoons that I spent as a child helping my family gather firewood for summer, or find missing cows in the rural foothills, or simply times I spent outside to avoid my younger siblings. The colors remind me of the trees that I sought shade, which never seemed to cool. Of the prickly nature of the live oak leaves, and the tall dead grass that would stick to my sweat socked legs. Unfortunately these colors never were ones that I associated with comfort.

I hope that by finding and understanding the association I have with these greens, it might help me to find a new relationship with them. I believe that the colors we love, or dislike, have some associations that cause us to feel the way we do…so know why am I so drawn to blue?

 

Creating Some Fun Memories for Summer!

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ScannedImageSo with June finally upon us, dreams of warm weather and vacations dance within our minds, at least for the most part.

 

My design and article in the Summer 2015 issue of Crochet! Magazine, about Yarn Dyeing with Kool-Aid will definitely foster new summer memories!

 

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Easy & Bright Market Bag Photo Courtesy of Annie’s

With simply water, wool yarn, Kool-Aid packets, vinegar, and a little heat, you can create fun moments with children and custom yarn to create your own projects. Speaking of projects, my Easy & Bright Market Bag is designed for beginners, and allows you to highlight the yarn that you created in the article! If you choose to forgo the dyeing, this bag can be created with any yarn and then accompany you to the farmers market, the beach, and the kids’ sports games.

 

If you want to take a look at Dyeing Yarn with Easter Egg Dyes, check out the post I did a while back, it makes for some fun too!