Author: Amy Maxwell Published: May 21st, 2010
…And it’s really cute. The Jelly yarn is a bit strange to work with. When you’re done it wants to buckle a bit and you can’t very well “block” vinyl. So here it is, hanging up with a couple books in it to hold the shape. I left it like this overnight and it’s now keeping it’s shape pretty well. I took it with me to bar trivia this week… it’s perfect for the bar, holds my wallet and phone and doesn’t absorb the nasty smokey bar smell. It’s not great for keys though, those had to stay in my pocket.
Remember, you can still buy the pattern for this bag and the larger version for only $3.99 for the rest of the month of May!
Tags: bag, CAL, crochet, FO, jellyyarn
Category 5/10 Climbing Shells Mini Bag, Crochet |
Author: Amy Maxwell Published: May 12th, 2010
There’s one love that we all share: yarn. Blog about a particular yarn you have used in the past or own in your stash, or perhaps one that you covet from afar. If it is a yarn you have used you could show the project that you used it for, perhaps writing a mini ‘review’. Perhaps, instead, you pine for the feel of the almost mythical qiviut? You could explore and research the raw material and manufacturing process if you were feeling investigative.
I’m going to go with perhaps not the most exotic answer but one that is important to me. When I started crocheting I used mostly bulky and worsted yarns and big hooks because they allowed me to finish projects quickly and were easy on my hands. About a year ago (or less) I started getting interested in trying out thinner yarn but there aren’t many sold at my local Michael’s. The boutique yarn shops sold beautiful sock and lace weight yarn but it was so expensive for someone like me. I’m super frugal and I just wanted to try it out. I didn’t have a specific project in mind. That’s when I discovered Knit Picks. They have an awesome variety of nice thinner weight yarns for cheap. They allowed me to enter into the world of sock yarn (haha) and now pretty much everything I make is crocheted with thinner yarn. It may take a little longer but I love the results.
Now, I’m of course not saying anything bad about the boutique yarns. I’ve invested in some now that I know what I’m doing with sock yarn. I can certainly see where the extra money goes! The exotic fibers, hand-dyed colors, softness and fluffiness… (see some Lornas Laces and Noro below) If I have a small or specific project in mind I’m likely to go with one of these. But I have Knit Picks to thank for the introduction :)
OK, this is way late because I’ve been busy. We are in the process of buying our first house so we’ve been a bit distracted! I am still working on the Jelly Bag and have almost finished a scarf pattern that will match my Spring Butterfly Wristlets. Actually, the pattern is ready to go, I just need to finish up the length of the scarf and take some good photos. And I had better do that before the end of the month… we’re moving in less than 3 weeks!
Tags: bag, crochet, house, inspiration, knitcroblo7, lace, pattern, yarn
Category 5/10 Climbing Shells Mini Bag, Crochet, Inspiration |
Author: Amy Maxwell Published: May 7th, 2010
As I mentioned last week, my May Crochet-A-Long is going to be my own pattern, the Climbing Shells Mini Bag (on sale for the whole month, join me!) but I’m working it up with Fine Jelly Yarn and an “L” hook. Jelly Yarn is interesting to work with. It takes a little getting used to, that’s for sure. Metal hooks are recommended but I’ve found that a plastic hook works just as well for me. The process is also helped by lubing up the hook and sometimes my fingers with a little Burts Bees Hand Salve.
Tags: bag, crochet, jellyyarn, pattern
Category 5/10 Climbing Shells Mini Bag, Crochet |
