My graphic design creative space has been hopping this week, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for my handmade creative space. Sometimes you just need to put technology on hold for a little bit and make a flower.
What’s in your creative space?
motif: Pattern from 201 Crochet Motifs, Blocks, Projects and Ideas. Book and yarn gifted to me by my friend Kelly.
In my creative space today, I’m getting in the rhythm of seaming square after square (after square…). I know I could have crocheted these together as I went along, but I want that nice patchwork-y square look. Plus, it’s always nice to play around with color combinations before putting them together.
What’s in your creative space today? Kirsty is up to something with coffee. I hope it turns out better than my coffee project. Don’t forget to check out all of the lovely spaces while you are there.
I’m thinking this blanket would be finished already if I didn’t rip out and redo so many of the squares. My nephew was born last week. Thank goodness this is a nice, lightweight cotton yarn. I think it will make a perfect blanket for Spring.
I need to think about yarn for the border. I won’t have enough of any one color to make it all the way around. Would a multicolor border be weird or fun?
Did you get roses for Valentine’s Day? Some of my daughter’s teachers did.* This is probably the cutest crochet flower I have ever made.
I made them out of all types of yarn. I think the pattern looks best with cotton.
Only problem with these and other tiered flower patterns is that they don’t have a flat back for the pin. I used a piece of felt to even out the back and tacked it securely to the flower before stitching around.
project details: Pattern from Crochet Embellishments. All of my supplies were from my stash.
*A few of her teachers received flower pins last year. This year I made them bookmarks with tiny crochet hearts.
When I mentioned that I started doing my double crochets a different way, a few people wanted to know how I was yarning over. (Is yarning a word?)
Basically, I was yarning over front-to-back instead of back-to-front. It doesn’t seem that it should make that much of a difference, but going from back-to-front gives the stitch a bit of a twist. The texture is more defined.
Once I saw the difference, there was no going back. Only problem was all of those squares I made on vacation. I’ll admit that it took me awhile to get up the courage to rip them out and start over. But after seeing the difference, I knew I had to do it.
interesting note: the extra little twist uses up a bit more yarn and makes the squares a bit more bigger.
I love e-window shopping on the Tiffany website. I get all happy when they send me a new email. Their product photography is so perfect and their jewelry designs are so timeless. My favorites are the pieces in their sterling silver collection.
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I’ve been getting (almost) daily emails filled with all sorts of beautiful hearts. Whenever I see the Return to Tiffany heart, I think of my little crochet heart pattern. They are about the same size and shape. I thought it would be cool to turn my little heart into a Tiffany-inspired charm.
I made a few and decided the less fuzzy the yarn the better. The pink heart is Koigu, I think. It makes a nice loop without interfering with the heart shape. I really wanted the sparkly silver and gray yarn to work better, but the loop was too bulky. It looks nice all by itself, though.
This is something that’s been bouncing around in my head for awhile. I’m glad I finally took a few minutes to sort it out. It really only took a few minutes, too. Love those little crochet hearts!
stash: pink yarn from the bits and bobs, silver and gray yarn from a recycled sweater, crochet heart pattern from the archives
In my creative space today, I’m pushing myself beyond my color comfort zone.
When asked about my favorite color, I usually respond Roy G. Biv. It’s true. I love all colors of the rainbow. It’s just that I’m more of a monochromatic girl: shades of a particular hue combined with a nice neutral. All of these colors in one square are making me a little dizzy.
I’m trying not to think about it too much. How can I go wrong with a basket full of beautiful yarn?
Details about the rainbow squares here. More creative spaces here.
I’d like to say that I adapt fairly well to change, but that doesn’t mean I like it. Today I tried three new things and I’m actually exited about them.
crochet yarn over
Recently, my friend Jennifer pointed out that our double crochet stitches look different. She watched me do mine and I watched her do hers. The difference? How we did the yarn overs. I spent the day practicing her yarn over and I’m hooked. (Ha, ha)
granny square basics
I’ve been making my granny squares the same way since my very first one. I happened across a tutorial on Sarah’s Crochet a Rainbow post and I really like how she does her color changes. Starting the next color in a different chain space makes it easier to crochet over the previous row’s tail. Sweet!
chai concentrate
Awhile back, Amy posted a link to chai concentrate. I don’t think I’ve ever had milk in my tea. Milk my coffee, sure, but in tea? (When I visited India, I was the weird American who ordered my tea black.)
Today I made a double batch: one for a friend and one for myself. I have to say that I don’t hate it. I’m not used to sugar in either coffee or tea, so the sweetness is a little weird. What I do like about this recipe: you can switch up your tea with each serving: caff, decaf, green. I’ll be trying it again tomorrow.
Three new things in one day. Who says you can’t teach an old cat new tricks?
My first official Finished on Friday post: remember this basket? Back in September I mentioned that it was ready for a lining. Then it sat around for a few months before I decided to just start using it.
Without a lining, though, the sides were getting a little saggy and our napkins were getting a little wooly. Not only that, but every time I sat down at the kitchen table I felt UFO Guilt. (UFO=unfinished object)
It didn’t take that long to do: just a little sewing in the afternoon and some hand-stitching in the evening.
stash: I wound up using some leftover upholstery fabric from the rollie pollie.
What did you finish this week? Share in the comments!
I’ve been trying to think of a way that I can do something for the flood victims in Australia. Something besides just donating money (which there is nothing wrong with, of course). Today Sarah London posted a blanket project that will eventually be “distributed to those affected throughout Queensland and Victoria, providing comfort and colour and as a reminder that there is always a rainbow after a storm.”
If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know I’m a big fan of squares. Making them helps me find peace, deal with events that I don’t understand, and feel useful in some small way. Back in 2007, I organized a local effort to contribute squares to Mosaic Yarn’s Hokie Healing project. If you are the least bit doubtful of the impact a square can make, go read this. (I’ll wait.)
Pretty powerful, right? In my creative space today, and all this year, I’ll be crocheting granny squares for Crochet a Rainbow. I encourage my fellow crocheters to make a few, too. You can get all of the details on Sarah’s website.
Don’t crochet? Consider bidding on one of the many auctions being held by the crafting community. 100% of the donations listed on Toni’s site go to the Queensland Flood Appeal. (Thanks for the link, Steph!)
stash: I’ll be starting my squares with the yarn from last week’s creative space. (Thanks again, Tana!)
Kirsty’s started up the 2011 Creative Spaces. If you have any time left after browsing through the above list of links, don’t forget to check out the creative spaces listed on her site, too.
