More Pictures!

Okay, so here is yet another crochet pattern of a purse made out of a ribbon yarn called Phoenix. This is a really fun yarn to play with and I just love the way the texture of the stitch just pops out. I suppose that any ribbon type of yarn would do the trick, but most of the ones that I've seen are variegated, and this stitch really does need a solid color. The other cool thing about this pattern is that it uses one of those annoying cds that you get in the mail and end up throwing away. Well, this little purse has a cd at the bottom for extra support and to help give the shape. I've heard it called the Hershey's Kiss purse - and if you could see the whole purse standing up with it's little cinched top, it kind of would have that kind of shape. :-) Just like my other crochet patterns, this is one of those patterns that I'd love to have other crocheters try out because I think it's such a fun stitch... but how many crocheters do you know that would pay more than $20 for such a small project? Yeah, even if you know some, I bet I know more that wouldn't. :-) :-) But I'd be willing to teach any knitter how to crochet - and even if they consider themselves a total loss for crocheting, I'm sure I could find a way to teach them. :-) :-)

Here is one of my first knit designs... and of course, it has beads! I LOVE working with beads! The purse is made out of my favorite - Pure - and size 6 gold beads - giving it the name of Hearts of Gold. :-) The pattern is actually very easy because it is not difficult to add beads to knitting in this way. :-) All you have to do is follow a chart for a bit - because the shape has some logic behind it, it is easy to learn it too. :-) Now, for bead knitters... I don't know very many, but the few that I've met are as crazy about beads and adding it to whatever touches their hands like I am. :-) So, if this pattern to get out to a bead knitter, I hope they enjoy making it and I'd love to see their project.

Here is another of my early knit patterns. It's a super simple to make bracelet that you can embellish any way you want... with buttons, beads or other knitted embellishments. This was a really fun pattern to make. My mind was going a million miles a second with ideas on what to try next! The pattern has four different ideas with pictures of each, and I'm sure that you'll be able to come up with something just as fun yourself. :-) If you do end up making something different, please email me your pictures! I'd love to see them.

Take care,
Pinka

I haven't been forgetting

My fingers have been busy with more ideas - working with some wool/soysilk stuff called Karaoke. This is the first time that I've been truly able to work with wool and not break out in hives or get such an itchy nose that it turns red. :-) I've also been busy with other designs and got some pictures!

This is my purse and hat set. It's crochet and called Arizona colors. It's made out of an awesome bulky yarn from SWTC called Gianna. I really enjoyed working with this yarn. It's really soft because of the soysilk and because it's bulky, this set can be made in only a few hours. :-) The bummer about this set is that it takes 3 different color balls of Gianna to complete. I know that this would be a really enjoyable pattern for crocheters if the majority were not so darn cheap to buy the yarn. Like any SWTC patterns, they are free when you purchase the yarn from your local yarn shop. But there are so few crocheters that are willing to pay the price that a high quality yarn like Gianna costs. I personally know that a lot of my personal friends would gladly pay the price for the yarn to get the free pattern, but there are far a few crocheters that would do that.

Oh, this was such a fun pattern to design! I absolutely love the yarn - called Love from SWTC's Vicky Howell collection. Also in crochet, this purse is made in two stages - you crochet the base in the white color - which is what you see peaking through, then you make and attach the peach color. The flowers are then made and sewn on separately. Even an avid knitter with some limited crochet experience should be able to make this! The cool part about Love is that I have noticed that it has almost the exact same drape in crochet than in knitting. Of course knitting will always be superior for drape, crochet, in my humble opinion, will never match the drapy drape that knitting provides. But on the other hand, this purse has that wonderful drape with the sturdiness that makes crochet so awesome for little bags like this. :-)

This pattern actually hurt my eyes after a while! :-) :-) The zebra pattern, when turned at a certain angle, can really play with your eyes. :-) I'm sure it would not do that if the two colors were a bit closer, but I just love the two contrasting colors together in this pattern. This pattern is also crochet - but a crocheter will never be able to get the same awesome fabric in any other yarn. This yarn is called Pure - 100% soysilk that is the most cuddly soft yarn that I've played with in a while. I know I say this about a lot of SWTC's yarns, but this has got to be my absolute favorite because unlike the other yarns, this just gives me such a cuddly warm feeling when I work with it... it takes me to that meditative state much faster than the other yarns. :-)

Well, I really need to get some other work completed here, so I'll have to save the other pictures for later. :-)

Take care!

Pinka