P.S. I Made This...

So I can't believe I just found this site: http://psimadethis.com/

It's a site for all the girly-girls out there; doesn't matter if you haven't done a DIY project at all before. New York-based Erika Domesek (psimadethis.com's founder) explains all the steps in every oh-so-stylish project through a single collage-style photo! And don't worry, she also makes tutorial videos for her DIY projects.

Here's my favorite so far: her chunky pearl necklace. It's a great way to recycle all those pearl or bead strands you've grown tired of wearing, or have faded in some parts.

Fabulous, no? :) Happy crafting!

Accessorize!

They say the key to a good outfit is having the right accessories. Sometimes you need small pieces to accentuate a bold outfit; sometimes it's the other way around.

Yesterday, I felt I needed something eye-catching to make my otherwise plain outfit stand out. So I made this necklace yesterday before going out. :)

I'll be sharing the pattern with everyone soon. I'm thinking that it would make a great Christmas tree ornament too, using the right colors. :D 

Watch out for the pattern soon!

Colorrificacious

I saw this bag at the Coats and Clark website under their free crochet patterns section:


... And I fell in lust. :D

I love the color changes, and how the dots look like little hearts. This is a challenging project for me--I hate tedious construction. But I love it so much that I'm willing to try it. :D

The first part to make is the base. This is what I've got so far:


Tres cute, right? Wait till you see the back, though:


It looks like a houndstooth pattern drawn by a kid. Or a houndstooth pattern made by a hound with his tooth. :|

This is my first time doing colorwork, and I'm afraid I'm doing it wrong... :( Hope it's supposed to look like this.

P.S. Yes, that's my spankin' new glow in the dark crochet hook! Found it in CraftWorld Megamall. Oh, and you can get the free pattern for the bag here: http://www.coatsandclark.com/Crafts/Crochet/Projects/Accessories/WR1935+Everyday+Tote.htm

You spin me right round, baby right round...

I just love making a crocheted item when the pattern calls for working in the round because:

1. It works up really fast.

The picture above was taken in the car, on my way to work this morning. I started working on that in the car! I was only about 10-15 minutes into the project, but it's already larger than a coaster.

2. It's so easy to hide the tail!

This is the tail of the project, the one left off at the start while making the beginning chain. I picked up this very useful technique in Debby Stoller's book, Stitch N' Bitch: The Happy Hooker. I crochet over the tail in the first round. That way, I the tail is hidden under the first round and I can just snip it off at the back!

See? Tail-o incog-neat-o! (Ooh I'm loving that pun! LOL)

3. It doesn't have to be round.

Just because I'm working in rounds, doesn't mean I'm working on a circular object. It can be any shape, with or without corners. The one I'm working on is a hexagon.

And the finished product? :)

I made the Travel Jewelry Pouch from Drew Emborsky AKA The Crochet Dude. It's a free pattern -- go ahead and give it a try! I finished mine in one morning--a work day, at that!


Two basic hexagon motifs are stacked on each other. I crocheted together the spaces in the motif, so that the little pouch could have six tiny panel pockets. I love it. I'm not sure I'm going to use it, though. It's so pink! I can't seem to stop making pink things!

This would be a nice accompaniment if you're thinking of giving jewelry to someone. I was also thinking how it would make a great organizer, if you use it inside-out.

Yey, Drops!

Received an email today from GarnStudio Drops Design:

"

"The new DROPS collection for fall & winter 2009/10 are being posted online!

Thank you very much for your help in voting.

We greatly appreciate you taking the time to vote.

The design team read all the comments and feedback we receive. All your comments are extremely useful and we do our outmost to fulfil all your wishes and requests. There are some strong favorites and the best of these will be featured on the front pages of the DROPS catalogs.

We will begin posting the new collection this week. The patterns will be posted continuously as they have been checked, proof read, translated and all the diagrams have been completed.

As always we are looking forward to your comments once you begin knitting the garments. Remember that you can leave comments and feedback directly on the pattern itself. If you have your own blogg with pictures of your finished garment, please leave a copy on our pattern blogg.

SEE THE ENTIRE COLLECTION AND FIND THE PATTERNS HERE

Kind regardsDROPS Design/GARNSTUDIO"

I've always been a fan of theirs. Although most of their designs are for knitting, there are still quite a lot of crochet patterns -- eleven pages on their website, to be exact. Here are some of my faves (these are also quite popular over at Ravelry):



Crocheted Slippers -- Although these might be impractical for someone living in the Philippines, I love the look of this. I would gladly make a pair. In fact, I'm looking for an excuse to make one. =D

Crocheted Headband with Flowers -- This looks soooo cute. Just right for all the hippies-at-heart.

Crocheted Bolero -- I just love cropped cover-ups. I can never get enough of shrugs, wraps, shawls, and capelets! I specially love the lacy look of this one -- perfect for the ever-changing weather here.

Circle Jacket -- I truly love this one. I just want to have the guts (and proper yarn) to crochet this... The enormity of it scares me a little bit.

Crochet ADHD Therapy

I think I've mentioned before that I have crochet ADHD. I always decide to make small projects. And if I do have to make bigger ones, I try to use the thickest yarn and any shortcut I can do to make the project faster to finish. Small projects = instant gratification, yey!

Mimi Alelis has the cure.

I met her last Saturday at Jollibee Philcoa. I bought some (read: A LOT) of crochet threads from her for some projects I had in mind. I was so honored to meet her... Being a successful Filipina crochet designer, in my eyes she was a goddess. LOL. She started showing me some of her projects. And I drooled. And envied. And lusted after the beautifully detailed designs. A sort of... Overwhelming artistic guilt (?) came over me as I stared at her works. The stitches were so perfectly executed -- even and consistent. I felt like such a poser. LOL.

I had so much fun talking with her, I didn't realize that we've been talking for hours! In the end, I made up my mind to start on one of her shrugs this very week. I bought her pattern for the Shells and Flowers Shrug:


I love the motif, and the innovative way that the whole thing is put together. I am making my project with the pink Anchor thread that I got from Ms. Mimi, too. I'm now on my third row. I hope I can do this pattern justice...

Thanks so much for everything, Ms. Mimi! Looking forward to our next meeting. :)

Free Pattern Alert! - Beyond the Sea Hat

I just love this Beyond the Sea hat. The author originally sold this pattern for $2.50 on Etsy. Now, because of the original hat's untimely demise, she put up the pattern for free on Ravelry. Check out her blog for the Ravelry link.

I am SO making this! XD

Amigurumi Robot -- Thanks Rachel of CrochetSpot!

This is my first REAL amigurumi. By real, I mean presentable. The first one I made was $#!+. Literally. I made amigurumi poo.

Exhibit A: Paraplegic, Faceless Robot

Now this robot is a gift for my officemate Paolo... He very generously agreed to make over my seller site at Multiply.com in exchange for this. =) I made it in his color choice. The pattern was originally in yellow and black. I followed all the directions to the letter, save for the face. Who knew that would be the most difficult part? Considering that it's the part of the project that uses up the least amount of yarn.

Doesn't he look like Shrek's Gingerbread Man? I love him. =)

Paolo loved it, and baptized him Swarley. I said that I thought the name sounded like a drunk pirate who loves to swear. And how much I wanted to make an eyepatch for him. =)

Get the free pattern at Crochet Spot. You get the pattern free when you subscribe to Rachel's weekly newsletter. Go visit her site for a lot of great tutorials and patterns!

Crocheted Lace Jewelry Frames -- thank you StitchDiva!

I was so lucky to have found this great pattern at StitchDiva. It works up very quickly. The pattern is very flexible (any kind of yarn can be used). I was also able to substitute cheaper materials, and they still came out nice (if I do say so myself). I used felt paper instead of cloth, for the backdrop of the frame. And, I only used acrylic yarn (take THAT, yarn snobs!). I do have to say though, that these will look SPECTACULAR with some sparkly yarn and satin/ printed cloth backdrop.

I also changed up the attaching part. The pattern says, to staple the finished crochet thingie onto the back of the cloth-covered background. I didn't feel so good about that so I did a lace-up corset thingie. It looks crazy in the back, but it works for me. At least I won't spend sleepless nights worrying if my gifts have come undone.

That's a wrap! (Get it? Harharhahahaharhar I am SO funny.)

(Mis) Adventures in Hairpin Lace

I went cuckoo when I found a hairpin lace loom/ crochet fork the last time I went to Dreams Yarn Shop. I asked about it the last time, and they said they didn't have it. Turns out, it's been there the whole time and the shop assistant just didn't know about it. =

Thanks to my boyfriend (who indulged me and bought me a skein of pretty sparkly pink yarn). <3 Talking Crochet:



I omitted the extra shells on both ends because I wanted to make a headband with it, instead of a bookmark. I tried it on my head though, and it looked costume-y so I abandoned it and chose more subtle colors for my next trial:

By this time, I was so confident with my hairpin lace capabilities, and decided to widen and lengthen the band. I got into the groove. Hairpin lace really is relaxing, and all that jazz. My mind drifted off contentedly.

Aside from overguesstimating the measurements of the whole thing, I ended up with this, a tangled, useless piece:

Lesson learned. Note to self: look at the project from time to time to see if it actually resembles the end product you want. =

What else can I do but try again? =) This time I used a much more pleasant color combination -- pale pink and silver grey (my fave color combination lately). I'll post a picture of the finished product when I'm done. =)

Faking It... With Style

Love designer bags, but not the designer price tags?

(I expect everyone to say yes.)

Well, then why don't you crochet one? I came across this life-changing website this morning. The Counterfeit Crochet Project was created by Stephanie S. in 2006. A short description from her site goes:

"In 2006 I created a website soliciting crocheters to join me in hand-counterfeiting designer handbags: Fendi, Gucci, Chanel, Prada, etc. Participants troll the internet and choose a design that they particularly covet, working off of low-resolution jpgs which they download.

...

I am also interested in how this project parallels and diverges from contemporary capitalist factory production and distribution channels.

As a collaboration it parallels the idea of "outsourcing" labor, but also adds a democratic and perhaps anarchic level of creativity--within the basic framework, participants have taken liberties with their translations, changing colors, adding materials (cardboard, hot glue, etc.) to suit their needs.

Makers are encouraged to keep and wear their bags, in an attempt to insert strange variants into the stream of commerce and consumption. I ask for people to send me snapshots of their items to share with others.

This is an ongoing global project, with makers from all over the world. I am always seeking more collaborators, so please contact me to join up! In 2007 the project travelled to Manila, Beijing, and Istanbul for exhibitions and counterfeiting workshops."

This is my favorite of the bunch:

Now I'm trying to find a bag that I can *attempt to* counterfeit. When I do, I hope that I have the time and guts to crochet it!

The Artful Hooker's Mini-Gallery

I love making accessories -- funky, chunky ones (or at least I would like to think so). I sell some of them, but majority of my creations go to my friends and family.

I want to share with you some of my designs... All kinds of comments are welcome and much appreciated!

This is my signature creation -- the bookmark-bracelet. I started making these because I always lose my bookmarks (I do wonder every now and then where they are and if they're happier wherever that is, but I digress). So, I made a bookmark that I can wear as a bracelet while I'm reading. Ta-daaaa! Problem solved. ;) And besides, it's a great excuse for accumulating all sorts of yummy-colored crochet thread. =D I love the positive responses that I get from other booklovers. Other hookers (or crocheters, if they prefer) love the idea and how easily it can be made. The pattern is very flexible too. Practically any kind of component can be integrated with it.

This is only one of the many that I've made and sold so far. I love making themed ones! I named this one, The Painter. I am such a sucker for variegated thread, and colorful beads and buttons.

This bracelet is my favorite from my Summer Collection. I named it Summer Lovin' because it's so full of hearts! And everything is so colorful.

I didn't name this one because... I liked it so much that I didn't put it up for sale! =D It shows how much I want to be constructive about my creations. I like making unique components out of beads and unconventional materials. I also love the movement of the two-toned glass pearls.





So far these are my favorite earrings. I named this pair Topsy Turvy because the flower is hanging from the stem. =D My idea of the perfect pair of earrings is something dangly but lightweight.

And finally... this is my favorite of all the pieces I've ever done. Miss Clara was inspired by a wonderful novel I read, Gramercy Park. I was so moved by the story of the heroine, a woman-child called Clara, that I was inspired to make this necklace. The setting of the golden cameo is actually a crocheted flower. I also threw in a mixture of charms that I felt appropriate for Clara's story.



These are only some of my designs... I just wanted to show you my style and my preferences in crafting. =) I hope that I'll be able to help out some of the people out there who want to learn crafts!

~The Artful Hooker~