Monday, August 17, 2015

Fabric Beads

make your own fabric beads
 
 
I have always loved making fabric beads. The main reason being that you can make whatever color or size and shape you need for a particular project and the other reason is that I find textile / fabric necklaces and bracelets immensely appealing and attractive.
 
So I got my vintage fabrics out and enjoyed the weekend making beads. To make these I used Alma's fantastically easy tutorial. Now I can't wait to use them!
 

make your own fabric beads
 
 
Here and here you can see some of my fabric necklaces and if you want to crochet some, here you'll find a great compilation I made.
 
 


Thursday, August 13, 2015

Entrelac crochet


 
  
I have put off trying entrelac crochet for so long, so now that I actually tried it, I wonder what made me postpone it all this time. Maybe because it resembles knitting so much and I am always into something more playful and lively if you know what I mean. 

 Via

What is entrelac crochet?
It is a technique that employs Tunisian crochet stitches tht work up into  rows of diamonds. The colors can be switched at the end of each row, which makes this technique simple and attractive for creating lively pieces.

  Via

I tried my hand in it and made a cute little square and now I am eager to really find a pattern or a project to work on it using entrelac. Exciting! I learned how to do it following Mikey's instructions.


 Via
  
For more beautiful projects - check out my Entrelac Crochet & Knitting Board on pinterest.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Insta feel - Boho jewelry 2

 
Another small roundup of amazing bohemian jewelry I found on IG.
 
Check out the work of these artists:
@ewajewelry, @zokis_jewelry, @kill_m_with_love @yeelen_spirit

 

Happy Wednesday!

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Clay Mushroom Tutorial

Clay Mushroom Tutorial
 
Recently I visited Keramika Café - a place where you can make your clay dreams come true.
 
They have been having workshops, especially on Saturdays all through the summer, where parents together with their children can work on joint projects, couples come to celebrate their anniversaries and create something together to mark the occasion and there are both adults and children who want to learn something new and express their creativity and imagination through clay.
 
They were willing and happy to share this clay mushroom tutorial with you and I hope this inspires you to create and give your dreams and ideas a shape.
 
Tools and materials:
- white stoneware /earthware clay,
- a thick piece of plastic (cut it from a ziplock plastic bag)
- a pen,
- a knife
- a rolling pin
- 2 wooden sticks (5 mm thick),
- brushes and acrylic paints 
 

 
DIY Mushroom Supplies

 Step 1:

Thin the clay with the rolling pin. The thickness of the piece should be approximately 5 mm.

Thin the clay
  Step 2:

Draw a mushroom on the plastic sheet and then place that sheet onto the clay and copy the drawing. 
Contour the drawing with the knife. Make a hole for the tie. Let it dry. It might take from several hours to days.


Outline the clay image


  Step 3:

Bake it. Over at the Keramika Café they use a firing kiln for their products. You use your oven minding to follow the baking instructions on the cover of the clay you use.

Firing kiln to bake the clay
 
Step 4:

Paint it when it is ready.

painted mushroom
 
 
And there it is! Your lovely mushroom decoration!

 
Many thanks to Keramika Café for their great tutorial!
 
If you are interested in buying ready made of semi-finished products from them, you can place your order on keramikacafeskopje(at)gmail(dot)com.
 
Follow them on FB for other interesting updates on products and workshops.
 



Monday, August 10, 2015

Bohemian Barefoot Sandals Pattern

crocheted beach sandals
 
 
Happy Monday guys!
 
I had a spectacular prolonged weekend, enjoying the company of loved ones, going on a shopping spree and of course "mingling" with my hook. But I wasn't working on these ones - I worked on something else I hope I'll be able to share soon.
 
This is my newest pattern for barefoot sandals which turned out great. They work up fast and he flower pattern is just lovely.
 

 You can find it here and here.

crocheted beach sandals

Friday, August 7, 2015

Tie Beaded Necklaces

Tying and beading necklaces
 
 
Tie - bead necklaces
 
 
 
Last week I found my beaded necklace twisted and squeezed among the other jewelries and sight set a sparkle of inspiration so I thought why not try to tie the cord around the beads to see what would happen.
 
 
As you can see three necklaces were born out of that idea.
 
So basically, this is what I did. First I crocheted a long chain / tie. About a metre long. Then I started working the upper side - I beaded 5 beads and tied 2 knots (to be sure it won't untie) and inserted the (tapestry) needle through the first one so that they would face outwards. I left a little space - about 4-5 cm and beaded 6 (bigger) beads. Tied them too and left a longer space for the center piece for which I beaded 3 small beads, added a big one, and ended by adding 3 small ones. Tied the center too and got this lovely look. Then I repeated the beading / tying for the other side.  


Tie- Bead Necklaces
 
 
I liked how the first one turned out, so I experimented with two others.
 
I hope you like this project and try it too.
 
Have a lovely weekend!
 
tying and beading necklaces idea 



Tying and beading necklaces


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

10 Free Amazing Summer Crocheted Tunics


 
 
I am a huge fan of tunics regardless of the materials they are made of. I prefer to wear them over jeans and pants and rarely over skirts. When I first I laid eyes on the tunic above, I believe my heart stopped for a second. I am sure you'll agree it is gorgeous. And I would certainly wear this over a skirt. The style completely fits my mori soul ;) 
 
Below is my compilation of free patterns and charts for crocheted tunics. I hope you like them and make your fingers busy for the summer! 
 
 
 
Tunic 2                                                                 Tunic 3
 
Tunic 4                                                                 Tunic 5 
 
Tunic 6                                                                         Tunic 7

  Tunic 8                                            Tunic 9                                         Tunic 10                                     
 
Check out my other interesting round-ups:
 
 


Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Kindred Stitches Feature

 
 
Hello guys!
 

I am excited to tell you about the new  Kindred Stitches Issue,   because their wonderful team invited me to participate with a crochet project of my own in it!
 
The 23rd issue bears the title "A bouquet of flowers" so to fit the theme I designed a rose brooch pattern. Since flowers are my weakness, it is needless to point out my enjoyment in taking part.
 
 
 
This issue brings 7 exciting projects which include piecing, appliquĂ©ing and quilting a table center with flowers and buttons, embroidering flowers, decorating with fabric flowers, sewing a floral cushion and a pouch, crocheting a rose brooch. There are also free tutorials to provoke inspiration as well as etsy and blogger finds.   
 
 


You can download the magazine here.

Watch the promotional video.
 
My deepest gratitude to Janice and Lenna for the invitation and the feature! 
 

Monday, August 3, 2015

Waves and Pebbles Blanket Pattern


 
 
This is the second version that is also included in the blanket pattern you can find on etsy and ravelry. 


Friday, July 31, 2015

The Waves Blanket



 
This is my new Waves Blanket Pattern. The tutorial contains two versions of the larksfoot pattern.

The patterns are here and here.








Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Bobble Ripple Necklace & Bracelet - free crochet pattern



Hi guys!

Today designing some new patterns for my jewelry, I wanted to use the chevron / ripple stitch and add a little extra to it to make it different, and I came up with this, as I believe, interesting combination consisting of the ripple pattern with a bobble stitch into it.

For this project I used sport yarn in 5 colors and 1.9 mm hook.

The pattern:

Necklace
Foundation: chain 38
Row 1: starting from the 2nd st from hk, sc 5, "sc 3 in the next st, sc 5, sk 2, sc 5" again and repeat from "to ". Ch1 and turn work.
Row 2: {insert new color} sc 5, dc 3 (over the 3sc from row 1), sc 10, dc 3 (over the 3sc from row 1), sc 10, dc 3 (over the 3sc from row 1), sc 5. Ch 1 and turn work.
Rows 3-5: insert new color for each row and repeat row 2.

The dcs that you make in row 2 and repeat in the other rows actually make the bobble.

 
Bracelet
 
For the bracelet I used only 4 colors. I made 8 rows and used each color two times. The bobble here is more protruding and has greater effect and gives the bracelet a different, accentuated texture.
 
For the bracelet, follow the pattern above to row 8. In row 8 switch the dcs with sc to shape up the bobble.
 
I hope you like this and give it a try!
 
 
 

Sunday, July 26, 2015

Turkish Delight Cuff - a crochet pattern

 
 
 
 
 I present to you my newest pattern - the Turkish Delight Cuff.
Have you ever tried a delight? I am completely taken by their heavenly smell of roses and the delicious taste that is a feast to the palate. When I chose and combined the threads for this project I immediately thought of delights and the name stuck with me.

I used variety of beads to accentuate its layered look and make it unique.

The pattern is here and here.


 


Thursday, July 23, 2015

Insta feel - Boho Jewelry

 

This is the time when jewelry comes to expression. Jewelry that best fits the beach, at least to me, is the bohemian, gypsy-like kind. Whether worn over tees and shorts / bikini cover-ups or only with a bikini, they give the appearance a free spirited, mystical and adventurous feel.

The collages feature artisans I found on IG. Check them out!
@omsahajewelry, @labohemejewelry, @mi_nuxa, @afroblue011, @thulumie, @isabellarae_jewelry.