Merry Crunchy Christmas!

It's the time of year when my crafting slows down a bit to focus on other activities. What will the new year bring? You never really know, and for better or worse.... that's the adventure.

May you all have a Blessed Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

craftastic mess

Ok.... Big big sigh... I'm tidying up and have managed to consolidate things into just one pile! Now I just need the motivation to whittle away at this pile. Wish me luck!

ribby scarf

With Fall in the air, I get on the mood to crochet scarves, oh, fine, I'm in the mood almost anytime to make scarves.

I'm crocheting this one using a post stitch to give it that ribbed look. Can't decide if it's going to be a narrow one of if I'll make it wider and warmer... It is 100% wool. I'll know when I get there!

potholder scarf

Last winter I came by a website of someone who had used a potholder loom with yarn instead of loopers, and sewed together the results into various forms. I ended up weaving up a scarf that I blogged about back a few months.

For some reason the urge hit me again, so this week I've worked up a potholder scarf in two colors of Cascade 220 wool. Here are the results:

scarf woven on potholder loom, crocheted edging

I was really pleased with the random crossings that using two strands of red and white created. As crazy as this sounds I've already started another one. This one will be lacy with each block a different color. I'll let you know how that one turns out!

first three woven squares of next scarf

yesterday's chain, today's bracelet

necklace and bracelet, tatted with size 40 Olympus thread

I decided to take the chain of motifs from yesterday and make them into a bracelet. I do love the combination of these two variegateds, so I created a simple necklace to match.

chain of tatted flowers

I'm not sure if this will be a bracelet, necklace, or maybe just a bookmark. Guess I'll know once I'm done!

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favorite model

Just a shot of my most popular model with some of her favorite toys. She's sporting a new crocheted hat. She's the quiet type, but that's ok.

celtic motif

The other day I did a variation on a motif used by Rosemarie Peel in Tatting for Pleasure that I thought might be interesting as a Christmas ornament. What I love most about this design is how utterly simple it is, two basic motifs woven together, yet how lovely and interesting a result it renders:

I changed the stitch count, added chains to one motif and actually inverted the position of Rosemarie's version, ok, so maybe I can claim it as my design at this point. Done in Lizbeth size 10 thread.

I thought the motif and the Celtic look would fit nice as a pair of earrings, so I tatted it up in purple and black:

Tatted using Lizbeth size 20.

hand dyed thread

It may cost more, but the results you get when using hand dyed thread or yarns is so worth it. Going back to craft chain yarn varigateds or even many preminum yarn "painted" colors just don't cut the mustard!

Above is a smart phone case I just finished crocheting up using hand dyed size 10 cotton thread dyed by tatter extraordinaire, Karey Solomon.

Gorgeous colors! Do I gave to sell it?!?

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recycled crochet

The other day I crocheted this little bowl using an old shirt of my sons. He had insisted it be cut in strips, which his dad did for me a few years ago now, but I've only just now gotten around to crocheting it up.

Its a fun way to reuse old clothing and it always reminds me of my mother's story of how, as she and her sister grew up, they cut their old clothes into strips, sewed them together and crocheted them into rugs. I think they each had nine or ten by the time they married.

Hard not to think of that six or seven year old boy each time I look at this.

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hook holder

  This week's yard sale find by my better half... 

A crochet hook holder? right? ok, sure.

starry night

I was crocheting this motif and I'm really not sure where it is going. It will either be a scarf or some type of wrap. I'm using the last of my beloved Opera size 5 in purple, double strands.

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up to the challenge

My color choices for the afghan crochet-a-long

I should say up front that although I've crocheted for errrr... over forty years now, I've only ever made two adult sized afghans in that time. One when I was sixteen and another when I was twenty. The last one I think scarred me for life, since it was made up of what seemed like 500 little granny squares that had to be put together to form a particular pattern. Well, my mother helped me finally finish it cause it was driving me crazy! I swore after that that my projects would be small, throw-in-you-bag kinda things.

With that said, of course... I'm always up for a challenge! So the other day I saw that Bernat was going to do a "mystery afghan" crochet-a-long on their blog. They give you a clue a week and after a couple months worth of that.... you got an afghan! Yes, I know it will mean piecing together... but not 500 little squares, probably 12 or so.

I am ready! The colors above are my choices for the afghan. The main colors will be red and purple. A bit scary not knowing what the result will be, but I can take it! Bring it on!

candy corn

Happy 1st of September! Anyone for a special Autumn treat?

pouches, pockets and wee bags

When I don't know what else to make I make one of these ... yep. I use them to hold any number of items: coin purses, ocarina and whistle pouches, for credit cards, etc...

various crocheted pouches and pockets

wild wood necklace

Tatted, with crocheted chain.

Oh wow ... Had tatted this piece a few months back and had forgotten about it til I found it in a small project bag just now. It always reminded me of tangled branches.

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out of necessity

Since I'm having trouble doing any kind of crafting today, I decided to blog about some of my tools instead. I have some wooden crochet hooks that my grandfather made for my grandmother, or so I'm told at least by my mom.

Handmade wooden crochet hooks. Thanks go to Crunchy Banana's in-house hand model too! :D

tatted necklaces

Looking forward to Fall, I finally got back into tatting mode lately and worked up a few necklaces. Here they are:

I love the look of these bead triads, it's grapey! The beads are adventurine.

This is the greeen grape version with fancy jasper beads. The lockstitch used for the chain is a favorite of mine.

Just a basic edging dressed up with some glass beads. Makes a gorgeous Autumn time necklace.

only a craft geek

Yes, this is my purse. Note the carabiner tape measure, half-size crochet hooks, various kinds of needles, and itty bitty scissors... Cause, well.... You never know!

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fancy yarn holder

My better half found this at a yard sale this past weekend. I think of it as my fancy yard holder!

There's another level that needs to be repaired, but three work well for now!

ringy necklace

created with Cebelia size 10, crocheted with tatted neck chain

One project down! You can see the beginnings of this necklace in this post from the other day. It's a ringy kinda necklace.

workspace... again

Right now I'm on a freeform crochet roll, so of course I have about six projects going on at once (I'm only counting the ones I can see from where I'm sitting at the moment ).

Project updates when available!

rings

Here's a freeform piece that I started on several years ago (she hangs her head in shame)! - Yes, I know... finish things before moving on... but sometimes you just know when the time is right. I had purchased two balls of pearl cotton a few years back while in Spain, and decided I'd just crochet up some various circles and see what I could make out of them.

As I was going through my many "projects" the other day I came by all the pieces and decided now was the time for action! Soooo... as much as I detest needle and thread, I faced my loathing and sewed these together in a way that worked for me.

Rings. Approximately 19" x 12" (49cm x 31cm)

close up

and another close up

scrumbled-ended scarf

I decided to go with a super simple lacy scarf pattern for a workshop I'm thinking about and since the scarf was getting long enough.... I put some scrumbles on the ends. Here's the result:

I did the scarf and scrumbles with one hank of Cascade Ultra Pima - very soft!

simple necklaces

Had a bit of inspiration yesterday to create a couple simple, easy to wear any day kind of necklaces. Here they are:

Green glass beads with dark gold satin cord. A few Chinese button knots added as spacers.

Sandy reds with black satin cord.

I use as few metal findings in my jewelry as possible. These have none. I also like using a slip knot on the ends so that it's easy to adjust length from longer to shorter.

tatting freeform

Can't remember if I've ever posted any examples of freeform tatting I've done... so here goes! When I decide to do one of these pieces, I decide what color or colors I'm interested in, I fill two shuttles and off I go! I don't follow any pattern, I just see where the tatting leads me and take it from there.

Is is a doily? a big coaster? or something to frame? who knows! It's hard to tell, but there are two shades of green here. Size 20 thread, approximately 7" x 5" (18cm x13cm).

Another example in size 20 thread. Approximatley 6" x 5" (15cm x 13cm)

swatches

Aaahhh, it's been a slow week for crafting, but I did manage to crochet up a few swatches to serve as examples for crochet classes this Fall.

And... I liked the pic!

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as time goes by

I've been playing for a while with this little heart shaped motif and I thought it would make a nice necklace:

Tatted this one a while back in Cebelia 10 as a tester. Seemed a bit too frilly.

Did a slightly less frilly one with Lizbeth 10.

I thought these would work pretty well for a single motif kind of necklace, and the size 10 thread worked well for that. Then ..... I turned one of the motifs upside down and placed it under the other .... and I really like the look. It reminded me of an hour glass.. so...

Hourglass necklace, size 50 Handy Hands thread in black. Very delicate.It measures about 2" x 1.25" (5cm x 3.5.

You can see here the relative size difference of the size 10 and 50 threads.

what i'm working on ...

The recent hot, muggy weather gets my crafting mojo way down, but I do have a few projects in the mix right now ... some new, some old. In crochet, I've been using Cascade Ultra Pima in a lovely shade of green to try out the double bobble scarf pattern (ok, I might have tweaked it a bit) found in Kathy Merrick's book, Crochet in Color:

Another round of bobbles and I'll be done! Yay!

I've also been working up another freeform tatted piece... I'm never sure what to call these when people ask ... I guess freeform "doily", I never really use them for that purpose though.

Freeform tatted piece. Using Lizbeth 10 in this black/white variegated. I'm still not sure how I feel about this variegation... it's interesting.

You can find the accessories, patterns and yarn for all of these right at Crunchy Banana... come on by! I can also help if you run into problems.

vietnam vets memorial bikers today

Today is the 2nd annual Vietnam Veterans Tribute Ride. If you're in the area come on out to support the riders!

books now in!

Yay! We received a new shipment of crochet books this week, have a look at just a selection in this pic:

Got in several books on amigurumi - very cute stuff! There are now several different books just for beginners that take you through all the steps in learning how to crochet. Also a few copies of Margaret Hubert's gorgeous new book, The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet. Stop in and have a look!

Also ... we got our new carpet installed this past week!

open!

We got a late start today, but yay! We're open for business!!

A view from the street

Another outside view

My counter with Native American flutes and ocarinas. I take credit cards! :)

The view straight in from the door. Note the blue tarps... we're still in renovations!