Mixed Media Necklace

 

Honestly, I don't even remember when was the last time I made a mixed media necklace.  Or any crochet necklace for that matter.  

While organizing my stash, I came upon this very simple necklace. I made it with just a single crochet rose and glass beads. 

When making a mixed media jewelry, I like to have many different materials; textiles, crochet pieces, wooden / other beads and metal findings, everything spilling over the top, but when I made this one, I felt like doing something simple, clean and minimalistic. 

At the time, I bought powder rose, sage, grey and these orange beads, so I am itching to use the others for some more jewelry. 

 

Beach mesh skirt

 

I love crocheting mesh because:

a) it is fast;

b) does not require full brain cell capacity when working on it;

c)  I love the look of mesh crochet!

Luckily, my daughter loves it too, so I made her a bikini cover, and I used the same flower pattern from the flower top I made recently. These are so beautiful, needless to say I am obsessed with them, and will certainly used them in other projects as well. 

For this skirt I used variegated (sport/cotton) yarn I have in the shop.

P.S. I am still waiting for the photos of the top. 

My Customers are Talented People #2

 

 

The most wanted yarn this time of the year is of course cotton, for clothes, bags and accessories, and the second best is bag making yarn (polyester mostly).

For this post I've chosen a couple of my customers that have quite unique makes.

PixieCrochet is a young girl who specializes in making one of a kind tops, bikinis and bags.  

 

 

 

 

Carino specializes in jewelry and accessories. Their bags and hats are exquisite. 

 

And this last bag is from a lady called Suzana, who although a beginner, managed to make a wondrous granny square bag!
 

Gifted Crochet Treasures Series - an oval runner/doily

I forgot all about the gifted crochet treasures series, although I have them stored in a cupboard in my shop, at the reach of the hand. But, a customer showed me a video on IG, where a lady used a thrifted tablecloth and just by adding satin ribbons, she transformed it into a blouse. And... I cannot take that image out of my head. It lives rent free in my head :)

So I took the bigger tablecloths and runners out to see if any would be good transforming - but the thing is that they are all so beautiful, I feel guilty ruining them. On the other hand, I try to justify the action by repeating to myself that this way they would be used and not just stored, aging away. 

 

 

I decided on this small doily/runner with an intricately made circles. This one would be a lovely top if I lined it and either add satin ribbons (much faster), or crochet the ties (much slower). I have to try and remove the yellowing spots at certain points, and we'll  see how everything works out.  

I'll show you how it turned out as soon as I get to it. 

Crochet a Rustic Mug Rug - pattern release

 

My newest mug rugs to bring cheer to the table!

This is such a lovely project that adds immediate cuteness. Although the pattern might look intricate - it does not go beyond the basic crochet stitches.

The pattern is easy to follow and works up fast, so this could be a go-to project when you have to whip up a gift whether to give at Christmas, or as a house -warming gift.

The written pattern is here: etsy, ravelry

I also have a video tutorial on YouTube for this rug.

Enjoy!

 

How to Crochet a Flower Granny Triangle - video

After flower granny squares, the granny triangles are my second best. 

I just love seeing these in a bunting - they do bring a lovely cheer when hung!

You can learn how to make them in my newest video.

Hot off the hook - a flower top

I am so excited to see this finished! Just tied the last knot. 

It is a flower top my daughter asked to make her, with a bare back, with just ties to hold everything in place. 

This is one of those rewarding projects that you can mindlessly work on, and the final result is amazing. I am turning this into a pattern, so stay tuned. 

How to crochet a flower granny square- video tutorial

 

 

My newest video - and this time it is about a 3D flower granny. 

Hope you enjoy it!

Happy Summer!

Happy first day of summer!

We have been having tropical, unbearable heat waves, and we are all at the point of melting. Hope it is much nicer in the corner of the world you are reading this.

May we all have a creative and fulfilling summer!

Boho shrug - pattern release

The bohemian bolero is here. There are two in this collection and I am in love with the sleeves of both. This is something I would wear myself!

I used Ayda's Fabrika yarn, which is a DK yarn,and I completely fell for it! It flew on my hook!

More technicalities in the pattern info. More photos on my model, once she is available.

The pattern is in my shops: etsy, ravelry.

 

How to crochet granny squares - video tutorial

I've made a video on how to crochet a traditional granny square. 

You know how much I love granny squares, and it is a real pleasure designing clothes, bags and blankets using them. 

I hope you find your perfect project to use them!

 

Finshed crochet pieces

 I pulled this off, and even I cannot believe this! I worked simultaneously on several crochet projects and managed to finish them all. 

What's missing is my Secret garden granny square cardigan (because it's being blocked right now), and 3 of my granny square motifs (because they wouldn't be seen if put on top of the pile).

The pile contains boleros, shrugs, cardis and vests. Stay tuned for the (free) patterns.

How to Crochet an Irish Rose - video tutorial

 

My newest video is live and this time I am showing how to crochet a version of the Irish rose. Follow along if interested!

 

My YouTube Channel

Hello crafty friends!

A couple of days ago I activated my youtube channel and there you can find the video tutorial for the Penelope scarf. It would mean a lot if you check it out, and subscribe if interested. 

Wishing you a lovely and crafts indulging weekend ahead!

Testing out a mixed acrylic yarn

 Ayda is a Turkish yarn brand that I have in my shop, and on my last visit to the factory, I chose to test their "Fabrika" yarn. It is a variegated acrylic mix, amazingly attractive and pleasing to the eye. Now, I am quite reluctant to work with acrylic yarn because, if I am being honest, it's not eco-friendly, it can be scratchy and less breathable than natural fibres. However, I opted for this brand because of the softness and of the yarn and its velvety feel. Plus, the colorwork was amazing in all the twisted hanks. 

 

I've been quite away from my blog, but as can be seen from the pictures, my time was spent prolifically. I used this brand for different projects - most of them  finished; there are shrugs, boleros, cardies and scarves. I cannot wait to show you guys what I've made so far! Stay tuned!

Granny Stripe Socks - pattern release

I cannot believe it's been a year since I've made these socks, but finally - the pattern is here.

Granny stripes are my favourite and I've always wanted to have socks like these. If I could, I would make them in all possible colorways. But I am lucky with just these two pairs. 

The socks in this tutorial are for size S (EU) and fit the shoe size of 36-38; however, I've included instructions to make them in bigger sizes.

For these socks, I used 5 colors in both cotton and acrylic. I must point out that the cotton ones are sturdier and more fitting than the ones made with acrylic yarn, but the acrylic ones are fluffier and warmer. 

Now, I just need some nice clogs for a complete vintage look.

 

The pattern is in my shops: etsy, ravelry   and lovecrafts.

Daisies & Roses Lariat - crochet pattern

 I don't know about your part of the world, but here we have had truly hot spells - one might say early summer, as we completely skipped the spring.  That means lots of greenery sprouting, flowers blooming and flourishing, which obviously  added lots of fuel to my inspiration, and that is how I set to work on this design. 

The daisies and roses lariat is a long and attractive piece. Aside worn as an accessory, it can be turned into a headband, garland or even curtain tie and a bookmark. 

The pattern is in my shops: etsy and ravelry.

   

Care Crochet Blankets

My local knit/crochet group started a drive for making blankets for an orphanage. 

We are making 35 blankets for babies and kids aged 3 months to 17 years of age.

The idea is the members to make a number of squares (either knitted or  crochet) that would later be joined into blankets, or if desired, anyone can participate with a whole made blanket. The members' response was quite overwhelming and I am sure the drive is going to be a success. 

I plan to make two blankets - one in purples and pinks (below), and one with my owlets. The above squares (and more coming) are going to be given away and joined with others to make a bolder and more joyful blanket. 

 

Talk to you soon.

 

National Embroidery Month

February is National Embroidery Month, and embroidery being the very first craft I tried my hand at when I was a child, I had to honor it with a special post. 

 

Although I dabble very little with embroidery nowadays, it is still one of the crafts I thoroughly and wholeheartedly enjoy. This summer I gave myself some free time from crochet and devoted completely making this kind of embroidered brooches. Mostly flowered ones, but also a batch of tiny landscapes, which are not finished yet. 

Happy Embroidery Month!

My Current WIP - Granny Square Cardigan

While I was making my latest yarn order for the shop, I came upon a little batch of this fantastic, variegated cotton mix, that I fell in love with in an instant. It's been a while since I've felt drawn and attracted by variegated yarn  in a heartbeat, so of course I had to have it. 

So, cue my granny cardigan in the make! I have more than 30 squares made, and I still haven't figured out how I like the ribbing to be for it, but I know it will come up naturally, once I spread out all the squares. Can't wait to have it finished!