Seattle YarnThings Blog

Cool Crochet. 08/08/10.

Jo — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 03:29:28 +0000

I’ve been browsing Anthropologie for the last little while looking for a mirror that was featured in one of my old magazines. Found the mirror.

Then I found this beautiful, crocheted, gold and silverd plated cuff.

Now THAT is cool crochet.

Brooklyn Tweed’s photo journal.

Jo — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 17:34:33 +0000

Knit designer Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed just posted a link to photos from his trip to the Shetlands.

These images are so gorgeous And totally inspiring. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

The photo above is Brooklyn Tweed’s.

Do all yarnthings get down in the summer?

Jo — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:34:41 +0000

So… I have two knitting projects going right now but I haven’t picked them up because the thought of touching yarn when it’s this hot out seems kinda of icky.

Do you all find it hard to knit and crochet when the weather is warm? Or do you do just fine with your yarn projects in any kind of weather?

If you’ve got any tips, I’d love to hear them!

Knit one on.

Jo — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:42:47 +0000

I’ve been away for a LONG time! So much has been going on in my life… somehow through it all I’ve managed to keep crocheting and now knitting! I’m working on a few projects from 60 Quick Knits in Cascade 220. There are so many cool, quick things to make with 1 to 3 skeins of Cascade in this book that I definitely recommend it. I’m working on the Zigzag Scarf (#14) and the Garter Ridged Hat (#31). I’ll post pictures when I have more time!

I will try not to be so long away from now on… Happy yarning!

Big Bow is finished!

Jo — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:23:55 +0000

So, I pushed through tonight and finished the sweater… well, the crocheting part anyway. I’ve still got to weave in ends, block, and add buttons. But the hard work is done! Phew!

Winter blahs…

Jo — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 06:55:29 +0000

I’m from Seattle originally but for the past 10 years I’ve lived in So Cal and the Southeast. Sun is now my “thing”. The turn in the weather this last week and a half is giving me SAD I think! So, to perk myself up I’m posting my favorite picture from this summer.

I was walking down Pac Hwy toward my local library and I saw the most amazing thing: a bush of fully blooming hydrangeas with a random rusty mailbox poking through the blooms… but what really made it strange was that the bush and mailbox are situated in front of a vacant lot with a fence around it. No house or building in sight.

I thought it was lovely and I snapped it on my camera phone so I could remember how sweet and random it was when I most needed it. Winter.

That time is upon us. I sometimes wish I could skip all this cold and dark and straight to the sweet spot of summer… but alas, I have no time warping capabilities. I guess I have to live through it and make lots of sweaters!

Cool crochet two

Jo — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:04:47 +0000

A neat design from Minimal Monks on Etsy:

It’s made of a super chunky wool and can be worn in several different ways. I love how versatile it is. Another bit of cool crochet! Be sure to check out Minimal Monks Etsy store.

Gotcha covered.

Jo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:44:23 +0000

My grandmother had, my mother had, and I have it.

A few weeks ago when I was looking for a sewing machine on Craigslist, I came across a listing for a used copy of the Reader’s Digest Complete Guide to Needlework. I sent an email to the seller and voila! I got the book in the mail yesterday.

I literally jumped up and down when I opened the box. I know it seems corny but both my Gram and my Mom had this book (they both crocheted back in the day) and I remember sneaking this book and spare yarns, hooks, and needles and make these random swatches from the knit and crochet stitch pattern sections.

I intend to put this good book to use shortly and I’m going to take the opportunity in the near future to use the knitting section to see if I can re-teach myself how to knit again. I’m really looking forward to delving into this classic again.

After I finished my initial look through, I remembered some other books that will be helpful to me that are along the same lines. They are the Harmony Guides published by Interweave Press.

Basic Crochet Stitches

Crochet Stitch Motifs

Crochet Edgings & Trim

The Reader’s Digest is pretty much an introduction to the basics of the most popular needlecrafts but the Harmony Guides really give you a comprehensive, though not exhaustive, overview of stitch patterns, motifs, and edges. It’s enough to get you started doing some very fancy work. I’ve got one down and four to go. I did get a chance to browse through the first two Harmony Guides listed as check-outs from my local library and I saw a lot of beautiful patterns in both. They definitely could help a fledgling designer come up with some interesting ideas.

I am a total book nut and I probably don’t need to add anymore books to my already sagging shelves but I hope to own all three before the end of the year.

Also check out my new additions:

The Domino Book of Decorating

Domino. RIP. I adore this magazine. Even now that my favorite shelter mag of all time is no longer being published I still cherish the style and design ideas that radically changed the way I look at interiors. Beautiful, affordable, and stylish interiors could be had if you knew the right people and places and lucky for us, Domino was that friend. I’m glad this book is on my shelf right next to a nearly complete collection of Domino magazines. I’ll pick up the rest as I can and pull this book and the mags out whenever I’m needing inspiration… and not just for decorating!

Design It Yourself Clothes by Cal Patch

This is sort of a preemptive strike for me. I want to be able to make my own patterns eventually. So I got this book because it’s the easiest and most user-friendly instruction manual for pattern making and grading that I’ve ever seen. I’ve done a cursory read through and am pleased that I spent the money. It’ll come in handy when I’ve got my sewing machine all set up and humming to go.

That’s it for today! Hopefully it wasn’t overload! I’m going to try and find some more Cool Crochet for you all to take a look at. Hope everyone had a great weekend.

As Jen says: Ciao, for now!

Cool Crochet.

Jo — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:15:58 +0000

Seems like an oxymoron to a lot of people, myself included at times. It’s rough for me to reconcile how exceptionally cool knit patterns often are with how uncool most crochet patterns are.

Luckily for me and many other crocheters out there crochet is having quite the resurgence and the designers out there are upping the ante.

I’d like to share some things that are on my queue or favorites list at Ravelry… to fill in the gaps in me actually not working on many projects right now.

Front of capelet...

Designer: Bernadette Ambergen

Pattern: Asymmetrical Capelet

This one actually looks pretty simple to make and it’s so pretty and feminine but modern at the same time. It would be an extra special touch for a crafty bride… I bet it would be no problem at all to dress it up with a shiny or metallic yarn and bead and a beautiful broach instead of a button.

The pattern is $5.00 or buy one already made from the designer’s Etsy store.

Layering Cardi by Elena Malo

Designer: Elena Malo

Pattern: Layering Cardi

This pattern was featured in the Jan/Feb 2009 Crochet Today! Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to figure out how to lay hands on back issues of this mag… so if anyone knows how, please leave me a note. I’m really interested in taking a crack at this one.

While I was cruising the project profiles for this cardi, I noticed that a few people made it with long sleeves or put more buttons on the yoke. Either way it’s a cool looking sweater and a big step up from Big Bow.

...if only I were a pattern!

Designer: Madame Cam

Pattern: Supervillain

This is one of the coolest sweaters I’ve seen in a crochet pattern; it’s modern, edgy and retro-cool at the same time. This sweater was designed by a teenager (!) who is only really designing stuff for herself but it was too cool not to share in this post about cool crochet. She’s on Ravelry under madamecam and her Urban Armor design is killer. I think it would look better in a solid or better yet a tone on tone (say black velvet and silk) but the bones of an awesome freaking design are there. This young lady give me hope that crochet really can be as killer cool as knitting always seems to be. She could be crochet’s answer to a knitwear design giant like Wenlan Chia.

I hope that more designer’s come up with some really edgy, modern stuff for us crocheter’s because doily sweaters are not it.

NaNoWriMo.

Jo — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:51:47 +0000

This month is National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo. The goal of NaNoWriMo is to write a 50,000 word novel during the thirty days of November. You write roughly 1,667 words a day to stay on goal.

I am participating again as I have every year for the past couple of years. Because of that I probably won’t be posting a lot of stuff on crocheting or other yarn related things. I am still giving my Mom’s sweater a go. Nearly finished too… Only the left sleeve to be done. I’ll get to that this weekend.

In the meantime… if there is anyone out there actually reading my blog (I have deep moments of doubt about that!) the reason I’m so terribly inconsistent of late is that I’m NaNo-ing.

Happy writing to those who are doing the do. Happy crocheting, knitting, felting, or weaving to the rest!