Sunday, August 30, 2015

Peyton Heart Project

I wanted to let you know about a collaborative craft project that I found out about recently. A dad from Conroe, Texas lost his 13 year old son, Peyton, in October 2014 to suicide. Crafters are now trying to help end the stigma surrounding suicide and mental health issues in honor of Peyton through the #PeytonHeartProject, created by Jill Kubin from NJ. They make and leave crochet, knit and yarn hearts in public spaces with an upbeat quotation for people to take away.
Peyton's dad shared the Peyton Heart Project's Facebook page on the yarn store page which I manage and his words have been playing on my mind ever since.
I made my first hearts using a fantastic heart crochet pattern that I've used before from Simply Crochet magazine issue 27. I read that over 1,000 hearts have been shared worldwide to date. I've seen many posted to social media with the #peytonheartproject tag and each one makes me smile.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Another Lucy Ravenscar creation

My daughter is going to a sleepover this weekend. This is all the rage for 10 and 11 year old girls for their birthdays. I am not a massive fan because "sleepover" is a poor description of what actually occurs and I don't really want to deal with a grumpy child all weekend but it's the school holidays and I find it very hard to say no when it's one of her best buddies. 


S
he tells my her friend loves elephants.  A quick search on Ravelry brought up ANOTHER Lucy Ravenscar pattern. This is my third free pattern (#1 witch's cat, #2 little lucky pig). I think it's high time I actually purchased something from her. It's going to have to be her Star Wars Crochet Kit which is available on Amazon.

One of my workshop students has bought the kit, on my recommendation already, and is making a baby mobile with each character for her latest grandson. But I know these are going to be BIG with the new Star Wars movie coming out later this year and I need to get a head start.

I really really like Lucy's patterns so much: the way she uses bobbles for feet and how her patterns are in one piece with no seaming and sewing on of fiddly individual little parts. I am bad at putting my projects on Ravelry but I will get around to it because I want to let Lucy know how much I love them. Here is the elephant link on Ravelry. I feel that my elephant will be the first of a herd.





Sunday, August 16, 2015

Ladybird ladybird fly away home

Made another gift, this time for the daughter of one of my mommy friends (the recipient of an amigurumi pig). I very much like the quick turnaround of these small projects especially since my only two WIPs are large: joining and edging of charity lapghan #10 and my son's ripple blanket. I reckon I can finish at least one blanket on our upcoming road-trip to Colorado.

Anyway, searched on Ravelry for ladybirds and found this cute pattern. It's knitting again by the wonderful @deadlyknitshade http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lovely-knitted-ladybird But then I had to embellish it with crochet eyes and my husband said "where are it's legs?" so ta dah my ladybird also has legs.


And the recipient of the ladybird built her a home. Here it is. Sweet!

Sunday, August 9, 2015

#MandalasForMarinke: Crochet Project In Memory of Wink from A Creative Being


Thinking about you Wink. I was so sad to hear the news. I first spotted one of your mandala patterns in a crochet magazine in April 2014, thinking “that’s lovely” and so your name was familiar to me. I decided to participate in this project because raising awareness of depression is so important. I have personal experience of dealing with intermittent low moods and find that crochet helps immensely especially when crafting with others. I have used the pattern “Winter Mandala” from the magazine where I first discovered you.
 
Kathryn Vercillo is running this tribute project to celebrate the work of a young crochet designer Marinke (Wink) of A Creative Being who suffered from depression and succumbed to suicide.

Sunday, August 2, 2015

Shawls are perfect for Houston TX

Back in March I started making the opalescent top with my gorgeous variegated Anzula yarn but the stitch definition was just lost in the boho colors and I couldn't imagine wearing such a "busy" top. Since then I have been on the hunt again for a pattern to suit the yarn spending endless hours on Ravelry and flicking through magazines and books. But this week I finally completed the Esther Shawl with the yarn and I love it. YAY. My husband's comment was "because you don't have enough shawls already...". But a shawl is just enough for Houston where you're in a/c at times, but want to accessorize. And you really do need a variety of different colored versions!! I wore it, still unblocked, to a Pop Shop event this summer and an exhibitor offered to sell them in her bricks and mortar store if could make more. I really enjoyed making the shawl, having to really concentrate to begin with: the designer, Lana Holden, is a mathematician and it was evident in the pattern! http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/esther-shawl