The Crafty Hooker

Hopster

2011-04-02T08:24:00.001-06:00

New Blog Post at the WordPress blog.

You can see more of this guy:

New Post

2011-03-24T18:32:00.002-06:00

Head on over to my wordpress for a new post all about grannys and how cool they can be.

New Post

2011-03-08T17:24:00.002-07:00

New Post over at thecraftyhooker.wordpress.com!

I'm movin'!

2011-03-05T11:31:00.003-07:00

Not away from Ann Arbor... but over to WordPress. Blogger has been a little too glitchy for me as of late. So go on over to thecraftyhooker.wordpress.com and there you shall find me.

Toodle loo!

photo from protonepedals.com

Mrs. Beans Famous Nutmeg Ginger Apple Snaps

2011-03-01T18:37:00.004-07:00

My favorite movie of all time is probably Chicken Run. But in the last five years, my favorite move has been: The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

That movie is spectacular for so many reasons that to speak of them would be too much for this blog alone. But in one scene, two of the wee foxes come upon a batch of Mrs. Bean's Famous Nutmeg Ginger Apple Snaps.

I have discovered this recipe, thanks to Mario Batali (my favorite Iron Chef thank you very much) who wrote the recipe.

I used salted butter when the recipe called for unsalted and I didn't use 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger like I was supposed to, I only used 1. This recipe made... a gazillion cookies too which is always a positive.

So anyway, these cookies are pretty awesome. And by pretty awesome I mean EXTREMELY awesome. And now I am going to eat them. All.

for more info on The Fantastic Mr. Fox and more on the cookie recipe go to: rushmoreacademy.com

Look what my mom made

2011-02-11T09:12:00.001-07:00

She totally showed me up...

Finished Products

2011-02-10T13:30:00.006-07:00

Winter in the midwest... Oh how I dream of spring...

But now to happier thoughts! Like... my finished projects! Hooray!!! Exclamation Points!!!

First is my wine colored cap. Its long and its warm, but its not what one might call... cute. Its definitely comfortable and on those cold -13 degree days it does the job. Its just not gonna win any fashion prizes. Ever.

I loved working with the yarn though. Its the first time I've worked with bulky Cascade. The yarn is soft, but still has some body to it, which means its nice on the hands, and it doesn't just flop over. I did screw up the decrease, when I dropped a stitch and then picked it up with the wrong DPN, but my mom told me no one will notice so... fingers crossed.

I also finished the cutest damn baby hat ever. Working with teeny tiny metal hooks was really

rough on my fingers. I think my index fingers are bruised on the ends. I also had to give up on my scottish yarn when, while at a very bizarre superbowl party, literally ripped a stitch in half. Disheartened, I ripped the whole thing out, which was stupid but alas.

So instead of I used my sport weight Cascade in turtle and a dusty brown. This yarn was much stronger and just like it's chunky brother, was still very soft. It held up to my super, stitch ripping powers and still looks very cute. I like the color combo too.

And now to make some baby booties to match the hat!

Double the Double Points

2011-02-02T16:01:00.007-07:00

I'm sure you heard about this snow storm that just hit Michigan (and like... 30 other states...). It was pretty weak up in Ann Arbor. In Chicago they got like 20 feet (I may be exaggerating), here we got closer to 5 inches.

So while everyone was flipping out, pulling their hair and generally acting like the world was coming to a close, I was spinning yarn and knitting. It was a nice alternative, let me assure you.

First up, my husband's cousin is having a little baby boy in

May which means... baby hats! Baby hats are so much more awesome than adult hats because they take half the time and they are so much cuter.

I'm using a pattern I got on Ravelry from Ulli S. Shibuya, of pure handmade. If you ever want to see an amazing tumblr go there. Its positively gorgeous.

Anyway, this hat is pretty simple and extra lovely and the yarn that I'm using is all the way from Scotland (care of my best friend who resides in said country). Its St. Magnus DK weight (from Orkney Angora). Its 50% angora and 50% wool and from Orkney Scotland so I feel super special using it.

Hopefully the little bugger likes his hat. Luckily it wont really matter if he likes it or not, it only matters that his mom does.

The other hat I am working on currently (cuz you have to have 2 projects at once... its like an unspoken rule) is made from my all time favorite yarn company - Cascade. I'm using the bulky variety in a gorgeous shade of red/burgundy/wine.

I'm using my bamboo needles from Hiya Hiya. How lovely. I like how earthy the wood feels, and these needles slide just enough so you don't have to yank the yarn, but you also don't have to worry about the yarn slipping off. I have put stoppers on the ends though, just to make sure that nothing catastrophic happens and I don't end up crying.

I like the feel of this hat already. It heavy and warm and the yarn is going to be gorgeous knit up like this. Well hopefully. Unless I drop a stitch and then start cursing and throw it at the wall.

Lastly today, I spun a little. A little off subject, but has anyone ever tried looking up a spinning

class and just found a ton of bike classes and gym ads? I always forget that not everyone in the world is looking for yarn related items. Jeeeeez google... don't you know that when I type something into your search engine its more than likely related to yarn...?

Anywho, I just started spinning in November and I haven't been the most dedicated student, but I decided today (after reading my friend Mandy's blog) that I should probably get back to work. My work isn't nearly as gorgeous as hers, and my yarn is a little uneven, but I'm getting the hang of it. Hopefully someday I can spin all my own yarn, on my own farm, in the middle of Idaho/Utah/Montana. That will be awesome.

Til then, I guess I'll keep knitting that baby hat....

Double Pointed Needles

2011-01-26T07:31:00.005-07:00

I have tackled circular needles and I have used my straight needles to my best ability, and now I have attempted the scariest needle of all: Double Pointed Needles.

I have stayed away from these sinister looking tools for as a long as I possibly could. But then my mom and I were video chatting and she taught me from thousands of miles away how to knit a third way.

I have no plan with this lavender yarn, but I am enjoying playing with my new needles.

In case you were lookin for a pair of nice needles, Hiya Hiya Bamboo 6 mm needles are what I am using. I also really like using turbo circular needles (in case you were curious).

Now, the whole reason why I wanted to learn how to use DPNs is so I could start to use Lee Meredith's patterns to make my own sweet hats. So hopefully, now that I am feeling more confident, I can start knitting cooler things.

Bitches Get Stitches

2011-01-11T14:39:00.004-07:00

I love blogs. They brighten my day and make fiber worth knitting and crocheting. So when I found Bitches Get Stitches a couple months ago, my week, no wait, my life was instantly a little brighter.

Steven is super sassy, and his work is gorgeous. He's a yarn snob and he's not shy about telling you about it. He takes beautiful photos, and he gets to go to NYC, Rhinebeck, Blue Moon Fiber Arts. In short, I am jealous of both his skills and his travels.

If you're in search of a witty blogger who updates constantly, will make you laugh, and will inspire you to blog more often, go take a peek at his blog.

In other news, my hat is still coming along. Its slow work, but I haven't given up yet, so I can still be proud of myself.

I also enrolled in a ceramics class and a painting class at the junior college by my house and today was my first day. Although I think the next few months will be a little messy... I think they'll be creative so that's a positive.

Its currently snowing like crazy outside and my dog is staring at the falling flakes as if they will run away from him and play fetch. I think he's getting cabin fever....

Warm and Happy Cable Love

2011-01-09T20:24:00.008-07:00

I feel like I need to apologize to Ann Arbor for being too cruel in my last post. Its not so bad here. Though its flat and gray, the lack of winter time activities leaves lots of time for me to crochet which I can't really complain about at length.

I thought I'd update my photos, like I said I would. I also think I should update you on what's on my hook(s).

I am working on another Alpine Cables hat from Special Techniques in Crochet. I absolutely adore this pattern. Its complex and complicated and so much fun to make.

I think you can probably gather from my writings that I am obsessed with cables. I have learned to knit cables, and while they are incredibly easy, there is something so fascinating (and might I add, warm) about crocheting a cable. I like that I can actually see my cables getting moved around. Its like a puzzle, fitting together.

Plus, if you're using Cascade 220 in Turtle green, its so easy to get intoxicated by the whole process. Cables are like magic to me. Warm, yarny magic.

SLC Visit

2011-01-04T19:43:00.007-07:00

As you know, I moved cross country to the fabulous Ann Arbor, MI (and I mean fabulous with all the sarcasm I can muster...).

Well my parents randomly moved to SLC right after I moved away from it. This is actually kind of awesome, because now I can always return to my beloved Utah (and no folks, I'm not LDS. I know you were thinkin' it). So I spent 10 days in the gorgeous blue skied, and 2 foot of powder covered, Utah.

And of course I visited Blazing Needles. If you live anywhere near Salt Lake City, UT and you haven't been to Blazing Needles, you are seriously missing out. This shop is my favorite place to buy yarn. Great selection, great people, great prices. I mean seriously. Could you ask for more?

Obviously I bought a TON of yarn. Mmm. Makes me so happy.

First and foremost I stocked up on Cascade. I bought 220, 128 bulky and sport weight yarns and I'm still completely in love with this yarn.

I also bought the last of the Lambs Pride they had. I guess they're clearing the brand out of their shelves, which is fine cuz I got it for 5 dollars and I have every intention of making a felted purse with it.

I also bought some baby alpaca by Mirasol called Miski. I love this yarn. Its heavenly and soft and really easy to work with. Its thick too, not sport weight which is often what I find with alpaca. If you can find this yarn at your local shop, I'd invest in a skein (or 3 like I did). I made Pete's nana a cabled hat for Christmas, like I told her I would last year. I suck, but at least I'm trying not to.

I would have put up more pictures (believe me, I took them) but Blogger is destroying my life currently. I've tried to post this 3 times over 3 days and have failed every time because of the site. Why do you hate me blogger??

Stay tuned for more pictures....

photo from Blazing Needles

FAQ

2011-01-03T21:55:00.006-07:00

So I'm planning a new post all about my Utah vacation, but I thought I'd drop a real quick blog post since it's been 2 weeks since my last update.

I updated the last post, so the last few rows are correct. Sorry about any confusion with that. Anytime you see something like that, please don't hesitate to let me know! So thanks Awesome 4 for keeping me straight.

As far as resources go for learning to crochet and read patterns, the best bet for me was reading the back of a Crochet Today magazine and finally looking at drawings and a breakdown of abbreviations and stitches. It took me from a basic crocheter into a much more advanced one. You can always go to Ravelry.com and Crochetme.com for more resources. Ravelry's message boards are great and the people on there are pretty great.

If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask. I'm always on the computer, so I'll get your message and get right back to you!

-Sarah

picture from tmonews.com

What an interesting hat

2010-12-23T06:53:00.003-07:00

So the other night I was all like "I wanna make a hat... Ravelry, show me a hat to make!" and Ravelry said... No.

So I was frustrated and decided, screw you Ravelry and your lack of hats to make instantly, I'll make my own.

Ta Dah! This crocheted hat is a bottom up hat, but with a sweet brim!!

This pattern is pretty simple, I'm not going to lie to you. But I think the end result is like a knitty/crochet-y hat. Want the pattern? Huh? Ok!

Notions:

Yarn: Worsted

Hook: H or however you can achieve the right size for your noggin. Yarn needle.

Abbreviations: st - stitch ch- chain ss- slip stitch sc- single crochet sc2tog- single chain 2 together.

Rd 1: Ch 5

Rd 2: Sc in each ch, ch 1 and turn (5 st)

Rd 3: Sc in back loop only, ch 1 and turn (5 st)

Rd 4-60: Sc in back loop only, ch 1 and turn (5 st)

*Note- you can always crochet more rows if you have a bigger head. I used malabrigo yarn which is a loose wool so I only needed 60 rows. But if you use more rows, you'll have to tweak the decrease, send me an email and I'll help you out with that should you need the assistance.

Rd 61 (This is the joining row!) Hold both ends together and ss to join rd 1 to rd 60. Do not fasten off, turn the brim inside out (which is now right side out) ch 1 and turn.

Rd 1: 1 sc at the base of the ch 1, and sc in each st. ss to join, ch 1, turn (60 st)

Rd 2: sc in each st. ss to join, ch 1 turn (60 st)

Rd 3-15 (or more if you need): sc in each st. ss to join, ch 1 turn (60 st)

Rd 16: sc in next 8 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (54 st)

Rd 17: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (54 st)

Rd 18: sc in next 7 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (48 st)

Rd 19: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (48 st)

Rd 20: sc in next 6 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (42 st)

Rd 21: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (42 st)

Rd 22: sc in next 5 st, sc2tog, Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (36 st)

Rd 23: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (36 st)

Rd 24: sc in next 4 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (32 st)

Rd 25: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (32 st)

Rd 26: sc in next 3 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (24 st)

Rd 27: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (24 st)

Rd 28: sc in next 2 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (18 st)

Rd 29: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (18 st)
Row 30: sc in next 2 st, sc2tog. Repeat 5 more times. ss to join, ch 1 turn (12 st)
Row 31: sc in each st, ss to join. ch 1, turn (12 st)

At this point in my hat, I fastened off and left a long tail. I then took a yarn needle and sewed loosely through each st around and then pulled the tail tight, bringing the hat together without that funny cone effect that sometimes happens with bottom up crochet hats. You can always just continue the decrease as well, whatever makes you happy.

Anywho, I hope you like my pattern! And I hope it works. Send me an email if you have an issue, or just leave me a comment. I'm pretty quick about answering.

Now to pack, so I can go home to the mountains for Christmas!

Ze Bag is Done

2010-12-16T07:07:00.005-07:00

So after a solid week of crocheting away, I finished the bag I started last week. And it is all kinds of awesome.

I loved working with this pattern. I get bored super easily with single crochets over and over again. But this pattern was constantly moving, so I never got tired of it.

The one drawback to this pattern is how much yarn it takes to complete. The ravelry page says it takes 900 - 1000 yards of yarn. Ugh... But if you don't mind it, you can totally make it a scrap bag. I just went into the yarn cabinet and grabbed all the yarns I had that kinda went together (except that blue/yellow on the bottom, don't know where that came from....) and went to town with it.

The other great part about the bag is the strap. Its thick and continues the bobble pattern so it doesn't hurt your shoulder and it goes with the bag seemlessly.

Now I am off to bake all afternoon. Wish me luck with my Grandma Kolberg's wicked hard gingerbread recipe!

Bobblin' along

2010-12-06T18:00:00.009-07:00

I've needed a new bag for awhile (I'm still using the purse that was my very first pattern). So I took to Ravelry to hunt for a good pattern.

I found this one: The Bobbling Along Aran Tote. Its super super cute and just complicated enough to keep my interest.

The pattern starts off really really hard to understand, and you will curse at it. In fact, after yelling at it and starting it 6 times, Pete told me I wasn't allowed to do it anymore, but I gave it one last shot and finally got it. Once you get into the groove with it, it goes by really fast and its a very easy pattern. As with all crochet patterns, this is a total yarn eater. I'm using scraps of yarn from my cabinet to make this guy, so it'll be a little mixed up but thats the way I like 'em.

In other news, I bought a sweet candle at Cost Plus today and now my house smells like a wicked awesome Christmas tree farm.

Walkin' the Dog Cowl

2010-12-02T13:55:00.006-07:00

So while I was walking Cody this morning in the howling MI wind, I was thinking about how nice it would be to have a cowl around my face. So when I got home, and I finished my morning chores, I sat to work on a new project.

A cowl is essentially a scarf, but its also kind of like a hood and its

quite nice for winter mornings with the dog. Now last year, my mom sent me a care package full of yarn and inside was Lion Brand's Thick and Quick super bulky. I've been sitting on this yarn for awhile, and this seemed like the perfect project for it.

I used The Crimson Owl's Convertible Cowl pattern. This blog is adorable by the way. She's not strictly about yarn, she's more about craft in general, and she always has something cool on there.

The pattern is a little wonky on the join. In fact, I got half way through the pattern and realized that I went from 55 stitches to 44 because of the join on every round. I like the way the cowl feels though and its thick and warm and just the right weight. I used 1 1/2 skeins of the thick and quick yarn, and it wasn't quite enough, but I don't know that it matters. In fact, this pattern is so loose that small things like amount of stitches and amount of yarn doesn't really matter. As long as its tube like in the end, you're golden.

I couldn't get my husband to take a good picture of me in the end product to save his life, so I don't have a photo of me. But if you're bored and you're cold you should give this pattern a try. Plus, your neck will thank you on your next walk with the dog.

Knittin' Time

2010-11-30T14:25:00.004-07:00

So I know I'm all hook happy and just a little stuck up about knitting... And I know I frequently rant about knitting, knitters, and everything needle-ish.

But I'm also tired of looking at awful, awful crochet patterns, and wondering "What the hell...?" And waiting for Interweave Crochet to come out, only to have the 'Carmen's Jazz Scarf' on the cover. What is wrong with the crochet world that this scarf is on the cover of our fanciest magazine? WHY?!

Look I'm all for motifs and funny colors, but no one in their god damn mind is going to wear this scarf. Unless you're 80. And if you're 80, then go ahead and stitch this, but, there is a whole new generation of fiber lovers out there and if crochet mags keep putting this crap on the cover, we'll never grow.

--End Rant--

Anywho... I started knitting because I want to make the cute patterns that I see on Ravelry all the time. I started by using wooden straight needles and just started knitting a scarf-y thing. After doing this for a week, I got the hang out of it, and I started to be able to read the stitches so I thought "Hat time!" Enter the "Regular Guy Beanie" from Yarnman Knits.

This hat is meant for double point needles and I used circular, but in the end, it came out really cute and with very little cursing. I used Vanna's Choice yarn (and by the way, knitting takes waaaay less yarn), so I could see the stitches well. If you're an avid crocheter and you're going needle-y, its important to learn to read your stitches before you throw yourself into a pattern and using a yarn you can see well is absolutely necessary.

And now I'm working on knit hat #2. I'm using Malabrigo yarn (drrrrroooooool). I'll keep you updated!

photo: Interweave Crochet

Hello again!

2010-11-29T12:20:00.009-07:00

Alright, I know its been a long time since I've updated; but to be fair, I moved across the country...

I am now officially an Ann Arborite. Which is a pretty significant change from the Rocky Mountain Wonderland that is Salt Lake City, UT. There are no mountains here and while there is a blizzard raging against the Wasatch Front, its sunny and brisk here in the Great Lakes region.

Two months after we moved to Ann Arbor, my lovely man friend and I went to California and got ourselves hitched, and that was pretty life changing too. It was a very successful marriage and the weather was beautiful.

All this life changing stuff made it really hard to update the ol' blog. But don't think that I wasn't hooking and knitting and spinning. That's right... I was knitting too. Because I have no friends in Ann Arbor, I decided that my new best friend would be fiber.

First and foremost, I ventured into the land of home decorations and made a curtain for our kitchen. Living in an apartment complex is really f-ing depressing, and Pete and I didn't even have furniture until October, so anyway, I decided that yarn would make my kitchen feel better and it did.

I got it out of Special Techniques and Stitches and it worked up really really fast (I

actually crocheted it during my lunch breaks at work). It was a pretty easy pattern, but it did eat up a lot of yarn.

When I was done in the kitchen, I decided the try my luck at a new hat. Its pattern that's always evaded my understanding and patience, but I was feeling stubborn...

Its the Lattice Hat, by Sarah Arnold. Its a really unique pattern, and the hat you end up with is thick and oh so warm. But you have to really read the pattern. It gets a bit tricky when you first start to lattice, but once you pick up the pattern its easy and very quick. This is a yarn eater too, so make sure you have a lot before you start in on it.

The pattern also calls for an H hook for the body and a G for the ridge, but I went one hook bigger because 1) I have a huge head and 2) I crochet on the tight side. If you're a little looser, then by all means go with an H, but I would gauge this one out if you don't know your hooks terribly well.

Finally I went into Christmas land right around Turkey day and made Pete and I

Lauren Osborne's Stuffable Stockings to spruce up the fireplace. I got the Pattern from Crochet Today, and while their patterns tend to walk down the cliche road, this one is cute and not stab your eyes out with a blunt object annoying.

I used scraps from my yarn shed and they came out very nicely. When I did the first one it took me a solid five minutes to figure out why my sewing was being so annoying. I then realized I am left handed. And being left handed means sometimes (always) your patterns come out backward. So if you're crocheting on the left side of life, don't get disgruntled, and take a deep breath before you start to sew.

Anyway, I think that's all the space I have right now. But don't fret my friends, I will be updating regularly again! Being alone in the midwest makes fiber arts 1000x more important.

Keep on hookin'!

Wallets!

2010-06-18T09:42:00.004-06:00

So I'm feeling a bit under the weather but I wanted you to see my newest creations. They're wallets! The blue and the multicolored ones use a basket weave stitch which is a really easy stitch but it makes amazing patches. The brown is just a back stitch crochet but I still like it.

Sorry this won't be longer but I'm afraid I'm allergic to SLC... Ugh...

Little Red Riding Bag

2010-06-08T11:02:00.007-06:00

So I've been experimenting with fabric and yarn recently so I made a bag for fun. Its just a test bag but it turned out good enough that now I know what I'm doing so I can make a "final copy."

Its a cute little 8in by 8in bag with a checkered cable pattern. I thought the red would be cuter than it actually turned out to be. But it makes a good hand bag if nothing else.

Sewing together cabled squared is a little trickier than I originally planned it would be but its a good little floppy bag. What I really needed was just a base to be able to sew fabric into.

A few weeks ago, while going through our dressed Pete became incredulous when he saw just how many pj pants I actually own. He told me that I needed to find a new place for them because we weren't moving 18 pairs of pants to Michigan in August. So I took a pair of checked red ones my brother bought me when I was 20 pounds lighter and cut them up.

I then measured them to the size of my bag (before I stitched it all up) and sewed the fabric into the yarn. It worked surprisingly well too!

Now my stuff won't fall through the cracks of my stitches and I have a very cute, very washable bag.

Now to make a much cleaner, much neater final version!

Guess who's hats are for sale online?

2010-06-07T08:04:00.003-06:00

Revolution climbing, via Pusher gear, is up on the internet!

They're selling them for $35 which is a good price. I was really worried when I saw they were selling them for $50 but they lowered them to a much more manageable price.

Anyway, I am so very very excited because I'm on a website!

My current project is a cable bag with a fabric inside. I've never sewed fabric into my crochet before. I hope it works.

Photos to come!

-Sarah

Cheese Heads

2010-05-26T10:10:00.007-06:00

So this past weekend I picked up some Queensland Collection - Kathmandu Aran yarn. I purposely picked out green and yellow so I could make myself a Cheese Head Beer Sweater.

I knew the minute I picked up the Queensland yarn that I was going to love it. Its soft but sturdy and its thick enough to do what I need it to do without having to double it up.

Plus, I feel so damn fancy when I get to crochet with silk and cashmere. I mean really.

In other news. When I was in CA the last time I picked a bunch of lavender in my mom's garden. I then put all that lavender I cut in my carry on luggage and brought it home with me to SLC. I'll admit, I smelled really weird and I'm sure the security guards thought I was insane, but whatever.

But now I have a ton of lavender and not much to do with it.

I was thinking I could do a sachet with it, and make little bags with my really thin white yarn, but I'm still not sure how to do that.

But as of right now, my room smells like my mom's garden which is pretty awesome.

Lastly, in very exciting news, Pete and I bought a freakin' iMac last night. Its ENORMOUS! (27 in. screen). I have never bought something so expensive or so fancy in my whole life. The Dell that I'm working on right now is like half the size and not nearly as nice. I'm still a little sick over spending that much money in one fell swoop.

But still... its super exciting.

That's all the news I have for today. Keep on hookin!

Three Wishes Fiber

2010-05-22T11:26:00.010-06:00

So I went out to West Jordan, UT today for a yarn spinning class. But unfortunately it was cancelled. But I did look around the shop and bought some yarn too!

Three Wishes is one of the only places in the Salt Lake area that offers classes in more than just knitting. They have all sorts of classes on all sorts of topics! From knitting and crochet all the way to basketry, if it has to do with fabric, the ladies at Three Wishes teach it.

I went for the Drop Spindle class but I was the only one who did. Which was a huge bummer because I have been looking forward to this class for a couple months. But I did get to take a look around the shop and I really liked it.

The owner, Kristine Bullock, opened up the store for me and showed me around. I've got to say that this shop is unique. They have a ton of yarn that you just don't find very many places. They have the standard Noro, and Berrocco, but they also have Nashua, Queensland Collection and a pretty good selection of local hand spun/dyed yarns which I really don't see in very many shops.

I picked out some Queensland Collection - Kathmandu Aran yarn. This yarn is beautiful, and well priced at $7 for a 1 3/4 oz ball. Because its a blend of merino, silk and cashmere, its extra soft, but thick to call worsted.

I think I'm going to make a Greenbay Packers inspired beer sweater for Pete and I. Cuz its adorably and I love my Packers.

Generally speaking, the yarn was affordable. There were some really shockers (like $48 2.5 gram ball of hand spun yarn) but all in all this was a place that you can find high quality yarn that won't break your bank.

For you hookers out there, Three Wishes is very crochet friendly. Kristine told me that she was originally a crocheter, and totally appreciates the burden we bear! They carry a ton of crochet books and really nice hooks too, so if you're in search of some new reading material, you should check this shop out.

All in all, even though I didn't learn to spin, I was happy with my experience, and I will definitely try and get back out there (especially now that I have a frequent buyer card!).

Keep on hookin!

Three Wishes photo from Three Wishes Fiber

Another Beer Sweater

2010-05-20T15:55:00.003-06:00

Here's another beer sweater. I thought I'd add this one because its a wee bit different but oh so hilarious.

Beer Bottle Sweater

2010-05-12T16:40:00.007-06:00

So I thought I'd share my newest creation:

The Beer Sweater.

So I bought that cool self patterning yarn a couple days ago but just didn't know what to do with it. Should it be a purse? A hat? A baby hat? And then Pete texted me while I was in the airport on the way to CA to see my mom with this AMAZING idea. Its a beer sweater! Complete with little arms and a sweet collar.

It took me awhile to figure out the collar, and the arms are a little off, but its still really cute and it sits perfectly on a Sierra Nevada.

In other news. Pete bought me a present right before I left Salt Lake for San Diego. Its a very good book called the "Handmade Marketplace" by Kari Chapin. Its chalk full of useful hints, good ideas, and just makes you feel good about crafting. Its definitely worth a look!

That's it for now you hookers! Hope all your projects are going well! Keep on stitchin'

Book photo taken from Craftster.org

Baby pig!

2010-05-06T14:25:00.007-06:00

I made a baby piggy to go on my etsy. He's pretty much adorable. I like to put him in bed with Pete. Right next to his face. And then he turns around, he's face to face to this little piglet. I would love to wake up to this little guy all the time.

Plus he's tennis ball size. Which is hilarious.

Anyway, I thought I'd share him with you.

In other news, I bought this crazy yarn today. I got it from Hobby Lobby and it is known as Yarn Bee - Snowflake Wool Blend.

Its a pretty cool looking yarn. Its a 50-50 wool/polyester blend. Its soft but I think it'll be durable. I got "Fawn" which is delightfully retro. Actually, I should say Pete made me choose fawn (Pete always chooses my yarn colors, and they always work...). I think its a self patterning yarn which is generally useless to me as a crocheter but will work none the less.

Finally. I signed up for wool spinning class... which is SOOO exciting!!!

photo of yarn from: Hobby Lobby.

Etsy Universe

2010-04-25T15:58:00.003-06:00

So I entered into the Etsy universe. I need to be able to sell my stuff and Etsy seems to be the place to do it.

If you've ever wanted to buy something off my blog, here's the place to do it. Someone else (damn them!) stole the name "the crafty hooker." So I'm 'A Crafty Hooker,' so look for that name whilst you're browsing.

I really suggest looking around the site though. Its a great place to look for handmade goods and you're helping out an artist. Which is an awesome feeling.

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-17T09:31:00.006-06:00

Spring has arrived here in Salt Lake City (finally!). I was feeling a bit burnt out with my hooks for a while but now that all my trees are in bloom and the sun is so nice and warm I finally felt my yarn calling my name again.

So I came up with this lovely hat.

A few weeks back, I saw a guy come through my line at work and he had a plain white hat with a really cool pattern on the bottom. His hat was knit, so I couldn't completely recreate it but I knew I could try.

I took the Secret Method Hat for the top and worked about 15 rounds of white then began with the colors. I love the look of spikes but I've never really been able to master them. This time I just sat down and stopped thinking so hard and stitched.

I'm really proud of myself too. I think this is a cool look and something definitely different than what's in my vast hat collection currently. I'm also proud of the inside of my hat. When you're pulling your colors throughout your work, its extremely important to keep everything neat. If you don't, your yarn will start to knot up and then your head will hurt every time you try and wear your creation.

My trick to is to keep one ball on my right and one on my left. I also try really hard to keep a good eye on twists and knots. This is not quick crochet. Its slow and deliberate but the end product is so satisfying that you'll love every minute of it.

Anyway, that's project for this week. I adore it.

Look at my flowers!!

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T09:19:00.004-06:00

So Pete's Nana decided I needed some alpaca yarn a few days ago. (Have I mentioned how much I adore her?) Her good friend owns Sea Hill Farm, an alpaca farm in Maine and so Pat bought be 3 skeins of 100% alpaca wool. Drooooool.

If you have never held 100% alpaca anything, you should really consider it. The fiber is buttery soft and extra light. And its such nice to know that I got my yarn from the farm this this adorable guy came from. His name is Teddy Bear and he lives at Sea Hill.

Anyway, I thought I'd share my Easter present with my blog. Hope you're all making yourself sick with chocolate bunnies!

Sarah

Photo is from seahillfarm.com

Cute photo for the afternoon

2010-04-01T13:28:00.002-06:00

Oh here's an adorable picture of my dog:

He really loves yarn too.

Sorry!!

2010-04-01T13:10:00.007-06:00

So I know I've been terrible! No posts in two weeks. Geeeez. So first of all I wanted to update you on the Revolution Hats. Here are two of them. I've made four in all so far and they all have tags on them which is kind of a big deal.

After using Chloe Nightingale's pattern so many times, I have to insist that it's still one of my all time favorite hats. Its a tight gauge and its so warm and cozy, perfect for climbers out in the cold.

I used Cascade Eco Wool which is a really awesome yarn, especially for a project like this. Its a 250 gram skein (478 yards) which is a good hunk of material, so you have to be in love with the color but if you find the right color... this is a great buy.

The second thing I was going to write about was my new stuffed

animals. Just in time for Easter I made a bunny rabbit. I used Vanna's choice which is a good, solid yarn for making stuffed animals.

People keep asking me if he's an amigurumi pattern. That would be a negative because I despise amigurumi patterns. He's my own creation. His name is Percy. I also made a fat little bird too. I haven't come up with a name for him.

Anyway. Sorry it's taken me so long! It won't happen again for awhile. Promise!

Happy Easter!

Revolution Climbing + Hats

2010-03-14T14:31:00.005-06:00

So a couple of days ago Johnny from Revolution Climbing approached me about making hats for his company and after I thought about it for... 5 seconds... I said of course! This morning we met up at my favorite yarn shop (Blazing Needles) where the owner, Cynthia helped us pick the perfect yarn for the job.

So I thought I'd take some pictures of the beautiful yarn we chose. Its Cascade Eco +. And at 250 grams a skein... it should make a lot of hats...

Baby Animals

2010-03-03T10:43:00.005-07:00

Oh how I love to stitch stuffed animals. Nothing makes me more excited than when I'm coming up with a new little creature to annoy Pete with. That poor boy has to sit through me squealing over numerous animals, asking his advice and then poking him with the finished product.

Well here's my latest design. Mini animals! Weeee. These little guys fit in the palm of my hand and they are AWESOME! I don't like to toot my own horn (well, actually I do, this is why I have a blog) but I am way impressed with myself with these little critters.

I made a chick, a baby bird, a frog, a cow, and a piggy (the frog was my first attempt which is why he looks a little off...). Hehehe I can't stop giggling.

Mailing List

2010-03-02T09:31:00.004-07:00

I'm trying to put together a mailing list of people who read my blog. It might make it easier to let you know when there are new posts and other such news! So if you would like to be on my list just shoot me an email at thecraftyhooker@gmail.com.

image from urbanescapee.com

The Secret Method

2010-02-21T08:31:00.005-07:00

So Chloe Nightingale on Ravelry and Crochet Me has made, quite possibly, the easiest hat ever. And the best hat to use as a template to make a myriad of different hats from one simple pattern.

She calls the hat The Secret Method Hat and if you haven't tried this hat, you have to!

Since I have to make a ton of hats for SLCitizen and now for Whole Planet (more on that in a sec) Chloe's hat pattern is ideal. Its super quick and the hats turn out warm and perfect.

Now, if you're not down for an entire hat made of single chains (it can get REALLY tiresome) that you should tweak this pattern into something a little more varied, but if you can hold out for a single chain hat, yours will look like mine above. A really tight, very simple hat but absolutely worth it.

Now. Whole Planet. I was approached a couple weeks ago by my bosses to see if I would be interested in donating my time and projects to our Whole Planet Foundation at work. How could I really say no to micro-credit loans to women in developing nations. I dare you to try. You won't succeed... So I said yes, and sold 2 hat and a pair of booties with all 40 dollars going to the foundation (sweet!). Now I'm back to my hooks to make some more stuff and see what I can't sell. Ah giving. How good it it feels.

Hope your weekend is swell and your hands are hookin!

Baby Booties

2010-02-16T08:43:00.004-07:00

So in my last post I made a reference to these super cute baby booties Well here are a pair of the ones that I've done.

I thought they needed a little something on the toe to break up the green so I made a button out of some baby weight white yarn. (Really simple, sc 10 in a magic loop, then 2 sc in each sc, sl st together and you've got a button!).

I also lopped off the top of the boots because 1. I hate putting baby feet in anything taller than a sock and 2. It wasn't working and it looked weird so I just made them super simple, basic little slippers.

There were some problems with the pattern, I'm not going to lie and its a really rough one to try and read because she wrote it kind of funny but once you get it right these work up fairly quickly and obviously they're adorable. If you've got some fingering weight yarn and a D hook, this is your kind of pattern.

Now, my nose needs to get back to the grindstone.

Keep on hookin!

Ho hum

2010-02-13T14:04:00.004-07:00

So it rained today. All day. And I have absolutely no inspiration and an enormous deadline due. Crap. I made some itty bitty baby slippers based on this cute little pattern. It takes some reading and investigating to understand the phrasing on the pattern at first, but it comes and its a great one. I didn't like the top so I just lopped it off and now I have little tiny slippers. Adorable.

Anyway, if anyone know of some good hat patterns, send them my way!

photo from freefoto.com

Photos Galore!

2010-02-04T09:22:00.014-07:00

So as promised, here are the photos of the projects I finished out of the new book I bought.

Here's the Alpine Hat:

I used Cascade 220 so its washable but still has the warmth and heaviness of wool. Its also a good kelly green. Perfect for St. Patty's Day. I got the skein at Blazing Needles (my favorite yarn shop in Salt Lake City). The picture makes it look a bit washed out here but I promise its a much deeper shade.

I love how the small cables wind around themselves in this pattern, as opposed the fatter cables usually associated with cable crochet.

Here's the Aran Pillow (which I might just make into a purse...). This is the easiest pattern in the world but it looks so complicated which is awesome cuz you look like a pro without breaking a sweat. I hate sweating while I hook. Plus you can brag about your skills and no one will be the wiser! I made the other side out of a denim blue, both are Bernat Alpaca which is REALLY soft and feels a lot more expensive than it is.

A new, new book

2010-02-01T17:21:00.006-07:00

So I decided I really didn't like the Interweave book. The only pattern I really liked, I could get for free at Crochetme so what's the point of owning a book of patterns you'll never do.

So I went back to Barnes and Noble and bought this book:

It's full to the brim with great new stitches, really handy techniques and amazing projects. I have loved every minute of working with this book. The patterns are super easy to work and they, from my experience thus far, have had no problems.

The other thing that I love about this book, is how beautiful the pictures are. I just love looking through it at all the pretty projects and stitch swatches.

I'll be honest, I bought the book for the Alpine Cable hat. I've seen it on Ravelry, but I could never get the pattern because it was in this book. But the pictures online were so beautiful and I have always wanted to work it. Plus Lisa Naskrent and Crochet Garden always have the most unique patterns that are I am always drooling over. (Too bad Whole Foods doesn't pay me enough to buy all the patterns I want...)

Well I did and I am soooo happy to announce that this is a GREAT pattern. Its GORGEOUS, its new and its different. I'll put up pictures when I'm not in the middle of Eastern Idaho without my camera.

I'll also post pictures of the Slip Ring Aran pillow. Another great pattern. Its uses the front post double crochet and a popcorn stitch, with a worsted weight yarn so its a thick, with great texture. I'll put up some pictures of that too.

Anyway, I'm going to post more, I have A LOT more yarn and a lot more ideas for projects. Plus, I'm not enjoying salt lake so maybe if I lock myself in a room full to the windows with yarn I'll be happier.

Keep on hookin!

photo from DRG Publishing and BarnesandNoble.com

New Crochet Book!

2010-01-20T17:49:00.004-07:00

So I got this new book... and I think I like it. Kinda...

I really love some of the projects, and can't wait to get my hooks in them! For instance, I'm really excited for the Berry Baby hat and booties, by Chloe Nightingale. It looks like a really simple hat, almost exactly like her Secret Method hat. So I'm not quite sure why I bought the book, if I could get the pattern for free. But that's besides the point.

I'm also excited for the mitt by Kathryn Merrick. They look really easy, and I love that she's included instructions for bigger and smaller mittens.

I also can't wait to try the Ravissant Socks pattern by Robyn Cachula. They look easy and not too thick. Crochet socks often times become crochet slippers because we just make thicker stitches than knitters.

But there are somethings in this book, that although some might love them, I would never make. While I understand that every book can't be made for me, its a little frustrating that after spending $20 on a book, and thinking that all these patterns would be so much fun to make, getting home and realizing that I can't really make all of these patterns (either because I don't like them, or because they're actually meant for pregnant women, not me...).

I guess I should have read these patterns better, before I bought it.

Still though, I'm happy with the book. I love interweave's products and I know that the patterns are well written (not confusing and missing instructions... which is just frustrating and makes me REALLY angry).

I suggest looking into the book though. Its really great, and it supports your fellow crocheters.

Keep on hookin!

photo from interweavestore.com

A new blog to look at

2010-01-15T10:04:00.005-07:00

So while I was goofing around on ravelry, I found a woman who makes the cutest stuffed animals. And now I have to share her site.

The Roman Sock is one of those blogs that you fall in love with the minute you start reading. But to add to it all she has the CUTEST squirrel ever.

I mean look at this thing! I just want to make it. But she hasn't put up the link but she did but up a how-to on brush crochet that is a must read. It will make your furry stuffed animals look fluffy and sweet.

Anyway, that's really all I wanted to write about.

Happy hookin!

photo from the Roman Sock

Moorish Mosaic Pillow

2010-01-09T13:33:00.006-07:00

So, way back in October I said that I was going to work on the Moorish Mosaic Afghan from Interweave Crochet.

Well, true to my word, I got bored. And I stopped working on the blanket. But I did have a lot of motifs and I really didn't know what to do with them. Well then I took a look around my living room and I saw my ugly, red, Ikea pillows and then BAM! I knew what to do.

Thus: The Moorish Mosaic Pillow! I ADORE this pillow. Its pleasantly hippie but not overwhelming and its so nice to put my head on.

When I was a little girl, my mom had these amazing pillows that one of her relatives

before my time. I can't remember if it was my great aunt or my grandma but either way, the woman who made these pillows had skills. They were grannie squares, surrounded by black and then sewn together with a buttery soft black fabric on the back. I spent hours running my hands over these squares and fell asleep with my head resting on the work of my fore-mothers.

I want this pillow and the 2nd one that I intend on finishing, to pass down through my (future) girls and their daughters and beyond.

And that why I love yarn and doing what I do.

Wishlist Number 2

2010-01-01T17:34:00.019-07:00

Oh how I enjoyed working with you Cascade 128. I used the Cedar and the Turtle. Mmmm.

So I told you guys that I would do a Two Buck Chuck Wishlist. Yeah. I suck. Its been awhile, and now its not in time for Christmas. But its here!

1. Vanna's Choice: So I've gone on at length on the wonders of Vanna's Choice. If you're gonna go cheap that this should be your choice. The colors are vibrant, the yarn is soft and easy to work with. Unlike other acrylic yarns, this one doesn't hurt my fingers when I use it at length. It doesn't itch and it doesn't feel cheap at all. This is the best of the best cheap yarn. In my humble opinion.

2. Sugar and Cream Cotton: So if you're looking for the best yarn for purses, wash clothes, towels and any other creations that needs a lot of sturdy yarn that's still easy to work with and isn't too stiff, this is your yarn! Sugar and Cream was my first yarn. I used a ton of it when my mom was just starting to teach me to crochet. Its great for beginners because you can see your stitches clearly and it holds up and to lots of frogging.

3. Patons: is lovely. Just lovely. My favorite is the Classic Wool. This yarn feels good and its felts really easily. There are some wools that take a few washings to felt up well, but in my experience with Patons, its felts easily. One wash and I have a felted stuffed animal. Which is great when you make a ton of animals and you don't have a lot of time for multiple washings. Its also sturdy. A kid can grab on the leg of your stuffed chicken and yank forever and Patons will stand up to it all, which is a good feeling when you're selling a lot of chickens.

4. Impeccable: This is a good all around yarn. Loops and Threads makes softer yarn, but the Impeccable yarn is great for household goods. Its heavy and thick and so its sturdy. I use it for kids toys because it's washable and durable and drool proof.

5. Knit Picks: So I love Knit Picks (I have some issues with them that I'll rant about later). Its a great site and their Wool of the Andes is by far the most affordable yarn on the site. Its great, if a little rough, but it works up really nice and its felts easily. Word of warning, they don't have a whole slew of colors at Knit Picks. You really have to settle sometimes, for a color that you don't actually want. But you're paying a really good price for high quality yarns, so you deal.

So that's my top 5 best affordable yarns. I hope you all had a great Holiday and that your 2010 is better than 2009. May all your yarn dreams come true!

Photo Credits: yarn.com, Lionbrand.com, Sugarncream.com, patonsyarns.com, michaels.com, knitpicks.com

Hat Ornament

2009-12-18T21:12:00.004-07:00

So I have to do a Secret Santa at work this coming week and so I thought I'd do something really quick and really easy. Therefore: The Hat Ornament.

Here it goes. You'll need an H hook and some leftover worsted weight yarn.

To begin the hat, you can either use the magic ring method (click here for a how-t0) or ch 3 and then ss in the first stitch to make a loop.

Rd 1: sc 6 times in the loop (6)

Rd 2: sc twice in each st (12)

Rd 3: sc one in the first st, sc two in the next - repeat 5 times (18)

Rd 4: sc one in each st (18)

Rd 5-12: Repeat rd 4 (18)

Fasten off.

For the hanger just take a piece of scrap yarn, pull up through the top and tie into a loop. Double knot for extra strength.

To add on decorations you can put ear flaps like mine, or a bobble or you can put in stripes in the middle. These little guys can be easily customized into the perfect gift. Also, they double as beer bottle hats! Sweet!

Ho Ho Ho.

2009-12-17T22:52:00.019-07:00

My Yarn Wishlist:

Oh how I love Christmas, and... yarn. God I love yarn. So here's my top 5 list of expensive yarns to use. I'll make a 2 buck chuck version next.

1. Manos Del Uruguay: This gorgeous yarn is so fun to work with. It moves with your hook, and it works up in the most interesting ways. Because its hand spun and hand dyed, no two skeins are the same, and it thickens and thins as you use it. Its never going to work up the same and no two projects will ever be the same. What's better though is who the company supports. The company is owned and operated by the women who spin and dye the yarns. They are a co-op that creates and sells the yarn made by hard working women for a fair price and its awesome.

2. Berroco: This yarn is amazing. Nuff said. But then you take into account how many different kinds of yarn this company puts out and you'll be stunned. From basic cotton to merino wool and all the way down to a linen blend that looks and feels like a pair of well worn jeans. This company has it all. Plus, the great thing about Berroco is you can try all their yarns and not go completely broke in the process. Always a plus.

3. Cascade: Cascade is a yarn unto itself. I think what I like the best about Cascade's skeins is that you get SO much for your money. And they don't skimp on the quality so you're paying for 2 buck chuck and you're getting 200 yards of high quality, beautiful yarn in every color imaginable.

4. Rowan: Rowan is a unique brand in my heart. They're yarn is gorgeous, and they're patterns are stunning but they are so expensive that I have a really hard time buying the stuff. They also seem a bit knit-centric with very little in the way of crochet patterns in all of their publications. But when this company puts out a magazine or a book its worth picking up just to look inside. They're stuff is to die for. I would die to be able to make the stuff they have and with their yarn. DIE I say.

5. Noro: This is probably my boyfriend's favorite yarn. And I have to say that its a fantastic yarn to work with. Its really very pricey, but the self striping effect added on top of the very unique color choices (I probably wouldn't choose to put any of the colors together that they do, yet somehow it always works when I buy their yarn). Plus you can felt it, or leave it be and always have an insane end product that will make even a knitter happy with your work.

So that's my list of the top 5 expensive yarns. Next up... the cheap ones! Yes!

Keep on hookin' my fine hookers.

All photos are from the website of the yarn producers. Click the links for more details.

Tube Gloves!

2009-12-08T14:14:00.007-07:00

So I told ya'll that I would give you the pattern for my tube gloves. Which are awesome. And good lord, they are fast and easy.

Yarn: Lion Brand, Vanna's Choice

Hook Size: H

You can chain as many as you need to fit your arm length, and

make as many rows and you need to go around your wrist comfortably. Just make sure that the thumb hole goes in the middle. So if you do 40 rows, put the thumb at row 20 etc etc.

Ch 30

Rd 1 - hdc in each st, ch 2 and turn (30)

Rd 2 - hdc in the back loop only of each st, ch 2 and turn (30)

Rd 3- 17 - repeat rd 2.

Rd. 18 - hdc in first 24 sts, ch 3, skip 3 st, hdc in last 3 sts, ch 2 and turn (30)

(thumb hole)Rd. 19 - hdc in back loop of first 24 sts, hdc in next 3 sts, hdc in last 3 sts back loop. ch 2 and turn (30)

Rd 20-36 - hdc in back loop of each st ch 2 and turn (30)

At end of row 36, fasten off and leave a long tail (for sewing together). Then sew the tube together and you're set.

Take a 2nd color and use it to accent the thumb hole, and edges and you're good to go

If you have any problems with the pattern, or if it just doesn't want to work let me know and I'll fix it. I think it should work though.

**With the turn, I only ch 1 because my chains are loose, so if your edges are looking sorta loose and you're not liking the look, try ch 1 instead of 2.

Happy Hookin'!

Lets take a moment to think about Lion Brand

2009-12-07T19:06:00.012-07:00

So we all know how I feel about Vanna and her fine choice in yarn (and

isn't this picture awesome?). But I feel like I should do a blog on Lion Brand's website, because if you're not on Ravelry, you should check out Lion Brand. They have an ENORMOUS library full of great patterns and good tips and their newsletter (with its Michelle Obama tidbits) is great as well.

I have been making gloves like crazy recently (for SLCitizen as well as for a coworker) and I could not for the life of me find a good mitten recipe for kids. There are thousands of really weird fingerless mitts on Ravelry, but no good ol' standard mittens, especially not for toddlers and kids. Its annoying. So I went to the ol' standby, LionBrand.com. This pattern is great for babies, kids and adults, and the mittens are suuuper warm. Its not worked in the round like most mittens, so be advised, you'll have to do some darning but they're quick and easy. The pattern isn't super well written, so you'll have to be creative where it gets tricky.

And this is the 1 problem with Lion Brand's website. Their patterns are great, but they are sometimes really poorly written. They can be hard to follow and they leave out a great deal occasionally. Now, if you like the pattern, and you're willing to sacrifice, then its alright, but I get annoyed easily (especially if you're a company who specializes in yarn, not just a blogger helping out other crocheters by sharing a pattern). I'd rather surf ravelry buuuut, LB is still a great resource.

Keep them hooks hooking!

Photos from lionbrand.com and zimbio.com

Gloves Galore!

2009-12-03T20:26:00.016-07:00

So I was asked to do a series of gloves for SLCitizen so that's what I've been up to since last we spoke. And man have I been busy! Lets see what's been on my hooks shall we?

This pattern is based off of Sue Norrad's design. I took off the fingers and the mitten top, left the thumb and there ya go! Its really easy and the perfect pattern for beginning glove makers. You can find it on Ravelry too, or Sue's website.

Next up is the Orchard Glove that was in Interweave's Fall issue. Its really easy (designed by a 16 year old no less!) and fun to do. Its got a spiked single crochet in it which adds a little extra umph to the pattern. It also makes the stitches pop out. I love this pattern. I make these gloves all the time.

Last, I made a pattern of my design. Its basically a tube with a thumb hole :) but it's warm and its ridiculously easy. When I have time, and I don't have a boyfriend glaring at me for wasting his tv watching time I'll post it.

I'm sorry about the poor picture quality on all the photos. The camera did NOT want to cooperate!

Anyway, That's what I've been doing! Hope all is well on your hooks!

SLCitizen

2009-11-26T09:02:00.004-07:00

So I'm pretty stoked, I'm not gonna lie. I went on Monday to sell my animals and hats to SLCitizen and Matt (the guy running the show) loved the animals. He wants to sell them for $18 a pop and he thinks they're going to do great. He also told me he was going to try and get them put into a magazine article on the co-op that was being written when I walked in! Woo!

Anyway, I think that SLCitizen is a great thing, and its not just because I have stuff in their store. They do the leg work for artists and in a town the size of Salt Lake, that's a tough job. Its a rough business going around with a bag full of stuffed chickens and cows asking people to sell them, and then to get a fair price and to be treated well through the whole process is pretty impossible. Matt and the folks at SLCitizen make it easy for artists to do what they love and get the recognition that makes continuing to create worth the effort.

Also, in exciting news, I have the internet once again, so I will be updating a good deal more and hopefully my wretched spelling mistakes will go away. That last post was almost unreadable and I blame the library in the Avenues for it.

Anyway, Happy Turkey Day! Hope you stuff your faces!

I went explorin'

2009-11-20T12:43:00.011-07:00

So I went out into my Salt Lake City fiber world and explored a couple more yarn shops.

The first one I went to was Pipers in Sugarhouse. Don't let the sign out front fool you. Piper's is a quilting, sewing, and yarn shop so when you poke your nose inside you'll see racks of fabric with basics of beautiful yarn. As you would expect with a yarn shop that caters to other fiber arts, their selection isn't stellar but the prices are fair and they have a good number of yarns that are great to work with. What made me happy though, was the girls who work at Pipers crochet. They know their stuff. I saw some Clover cushioned hooks and asked how they liked them and the woman running the show pointed me toward some better hooks she herself had tried. Nothing makes the heart of a crocheter warm more that knowing they're well taken care of. Plus the shop if very unique, very cute, and in a very artsy neighborhood in Sugarhouse.

Next I went to a shop who's name you can't help but love. Blazing Needles, on 1100 E. in Salt Lake City. This shop is on the expensive side, with most of their yarn above the $12 mark. But they make up for the cost with the environment they stitch in. You walk into the remodeled house to find shelves of yarn. They sell Cascade, Manos, Noro, Sleeping Dragon and a gazillion others. They have Caffe Ibis coffee brewing in the corner, big windows that open up to the back yard and a huge table for working around. Perhaps best of all though, is the fireplace right next to the work table. It crackles along as you stitch lending a warm light and just the right feeling to the room.

I would put a pup tent in this shop and live there forever. There are some drawbacks. While it is crochet friendly (they won't tease us) they don't do much in the way of teaching and they sell 0 crochet hooks. It is very expensive so you'll have to save your paychecks for this place. But they have a couple days a week dedicated to open knitting a bunch of ladies come in to talk about their stitches which is great and I really respect. They're website it amazing too, check it out.

Anywho, no yarn buying for me for awhile yet. My mom just sent me 12 balls of yarn so I'm set for now. Can't blame a girl for lookin' though right?

Keep on stitchin'!

Two Buck Chuck

2009-11-11T09:25:00.010-07:00

www.endlesssimmer.com

So when I think of Vanna White, I don't instantly think "yarn that is soft and light and oh so nice!" I think of a bad game show with a bad host and a woman in gowns turning glowing letters.

Well, since I sold 12 chickens and 8 hats to SL Citizen, I needed a ton of yarn fast and I knew where to go. Vanna's Choice Yarn. Its soft, its durable, its actually quite nice to work with and best of all? Its super cheap!! 2 bucks a skein. You know, Trader Joes has a wine selection that's cheap called two buck chuck, well that's Lion Brand to me baby!

I think we all need to take a big deep breath and get over our issues with cheap yarn. The whole world can't afford $25, 50 gram, skeins of silk yarn people. And I think yarn shops should reflect the growing change in Lion Brand and other discount yarn producers. They make high quality, beautiful yarns that even the poorest crocheter can use. Hike up your knitted britches kniting world, and get over yourselves when it comes to the cheap stuff (my mom did, and you should see the gorgeous stuff she puts out with... gasp... Sugar and Cream!).

Exciting news!

2009-11-07T14:10:00.001-07:00

SL Citizen just sent me an email. I'm going to meet them on Monday to set up... selling hats! Yippee!

A Love Story in Berocco.

2009-11-07T09:36:00.007-07:00

So I went to the Black Sheep Wool Co. for my birthday and Pete was oh so kind enough to buy me yarn. It took me a really really long time to choose but when I finally did I discovered Berroco Lustra.

This yarn is ridiculously soft and has a beautiful shine to it that is

amazing. While crocheting this yarn (named montmartre) I just want to dive into and swim around in it. Like a big ol' sea of yarn! Lovely.

Using this yarn, I think I'm going to cable a hat. I'm going to try and write a pattern for it. More pictures to be posted.

Also, here's some good news. I have a job! Yes! So now I am free to invest more freely in my yarn addiction. There's some really cool yarn stores in SLC so be ready for some updates on that.

photos from berocco

Yesterday

2009-11-03T09:42:00.004-07:00

Yesterday was my 23rd birthday. Oh what a birthday it was. But I did get to go to a Yarn Shop in SLC. I think I shall make it my home yarn shop now that I am a citizen of Salt Lake (I even got a Library card yesterday!).

Its called the Black Sheep Wool Co. Now I will warn you crocheting fools that its not a crochet yarn shop. Its for knitters. They don't have any crochet classes and the ladies in there flat out told me that they can't much help me but... they have a huge supply of gorgeous yarn. They have Berocco, Manos del Uruguay, Cascade, Lambs Pride, Noro and about a thousand other brands. And all the skeins come in around the $9.00 mark so while that's not a Lion Brand Price, its nothing to shake a hook at either.

This being said, I shall rant. Why are there no Crochet yarn shops? Why does every shop I go into have a bazillion knitting books and 2 crochet magazines from 1980? They'll have a wall, a freakin' wall dedicated to knitting needles and 4 crochet hooks with no rhyme or reason made of *shudder* plastic. I would like to open up a shop that caters to both, instead of splitting the mark in half. Not all crocheters shop at Michael's in bulk. Many of us like pretty soft yarn, and nice environment to stitch and bitch in!

Sigh. I still really like Black Sheep though. Its a great space, in my neighborhood, with nice women to help me find my yarn of choice.

Best of luck on your hooks!

All Hallows Eve.. and Blankets suck.

2009-10-30T10:01:00.009-06:00

I think for my next project, I'm going to tackle the Moorish Mosaic Afghan from I nterweave Crochet, Fall '09 But that's not really why I am posting (though, I will be posting pictures of my progress, it seems really cool...)

I don't know about anyone else, but I have the HARDEST time finishing blankets. I start them with joy, thinking "This is gonna be the best damn blanket of all time, people will come into my home, see this blanket and praise me as a goddess among blanket stitchers" and then I get 2 motifs in and I'm bored. Way bored. Thinking about the sweet hat I could be making if it weren't for this damn blanket on my hook. I've done this like 4 times. Its ridiculous.

On a completely separate, non-crochet, yet equally awesome note, I thought I would share what I am going to be for halloween. Last year I was Todd Palin and my boyfriend was Sarah (it wasn't cute...) and this year to throw everyone for a loop again... I'm going to be Indiana Jones and my half Korean boyfriend is gonna be Short Round. Oh yes people, we're doing it, and it will be amazing! He's going to be a much taller Short Round and a much older one too, but by god, it will be hilarious.

I know this has absolutely nothing to do with crocheting or yarn, but its Halloween, I couldn't help it.

Indy photo compliments of faithandfacts.com

Manos del Uruguay Hat

2009-10-29T12:18:00.012-06:00

So as you well know, I bought some Manos del Uruguay yarn while I was in Boston. When I got back to Utah, I knew I had to do something with it. Well I think I did something pretty cool. Using the Single Spike Crochet that I found in Interweave I made this hat.

I made the pattern up, so I can put it up here on this blog. Its super simple once you get the stitch down.

The single spike crochet (ssc) is basic, once you have your foundation chain done, insert hook in next stitch, 1 row down, yarn over, pull loop to height of working row, yarn over and draw through both loops on the hook. This creates the slight bobble effect throughout the hat.

The other stitches I used are:

SC: Single Crochet

Sc2tog: Single crochet together. Insert hook into st, wrap yarn once (two loops on hook), insert into next stitch, wrap yarn once (3 loops on hook) pull hook through all three loops.

So here's the pattern:

*Do not join! Just keep working in the round, marking the first stitch with a marker*

Rd 1: Chain 61 (or however many it takes to fit your head, but it must be an odd number to create the effect we want).

Rd 2: sc in each st (61)

Rd 3- sc in first st, spike stitch in sc one row below the next stitch (this is the spike single crochet), continue this until the end of the row.

Rd 4 - spike stitch in sc one row below first stitch, sc in next stitch - continue this until the end of the row

Rd 5-17 - repeat rds 3 and 4.

(add rows if needed for height after row 17, just continue using rds 3 and 4)

Begin Decrease!

Rd 18: sc 1, sc2tog, sc in each of the next 58 st (60)

Rd 19: sc 8, sc2tog (6 times) - 54

Rd 20: sc 7, sc2tog (6 times) - 48

Rd 21: sc 6, sc2tog (6 times) - 42

Rd 22: sc 5, sc2tog (6 times) - 36

Rd 23: sc 4, sc2tog (6 times) - 30

Rd 24: sc 3, sc2tog (6 times) - 24

Rd 25: sc 2 sc2tog (6 times) - 18

Rd 26: sc 1 sc2tog (6 times) - 12

Rd 27: sc2tog (6 times) - 6

Fasten off, leaving 1.5 inches to sew up top hole.

If you need a brim like I did, join yarn on the bottom, anywhere will work.

Rd 1: Sc in each st (61)

Rd 2: Sc in each st (61)

Rd 3: Sc in the back loop only of each st (61)

Fast off and weave in loose ties.

If you have any questions, or if its not working for you, let me know and I'll try and clear it up for ya.

Sólás Caomh

2009-10-25T12:34:00.015-06:00

So this is my current project. Its a baby blanket designed by Jodi Euchner.

This blanket is intense, I'm not going to lie. To undertake it, you'll have to be well versed in front and back double post chains, and it would be best to have played with cables in other patterns first.

Once you have a good grip on the stitches though, this blanket works up fast and easy. Its a really fun pattern to work. Plus, Jodi makes gorgeous blankets, and this blanket will not let you down.

I went on the less expensive side of yarn for this project with Lion Brand Wool Ease. Each blanket takes 6 skeins, and with the pricey stuff, I could have ended up spending waaaay too much money. I like Lion Brand, and I ain't no snooty yarn freak. Ok, so I am a snooty yarn freak, but I still really like Wool Ease.

My plan is to have 4 of the baby blankets sewn together to make one enormous to blanket. Two panels are Avocado green and two are Forest Green Heather.

With a border of Zinnia around all the panels. I think the Zinnia give the whole thing a little bit of a contrast, but its only a single crochet border so not a huge splash of red.

Right now I'm 50% finished, having 2 panels done (as seen with Poe the cat on top of them). The only problem I'm having at the moment is once I finish blanket, I have a really hard time picking up my hook to get another one going. And then I distracted by a pretty new skein of yarn and forget about it.

Oh well, its always good to have a project in your yarn basket right?

photos of yarn from lion brand.

Links!

2009-10-24T11:32:00.014-06:00

I forgot to link to those yarn shops! Here are the websites:

www.vtknits.com

www.aloomwithaview.com

www.windsorbutton.com

Drumroll Please!

2009-10-24T00:11:00.002-06:00

Well I just got back to good ol' Salt Lake City after spending two weeks back east in the Boston area.

After dragging poor Peter (I don't think he realized that when he asked me to marry him, he knew I'd be taking his poor ass to yarn stores on every vacation...) to a yarn store in every town we went to, I've concluded that the yarns shops over there are SWEET!

First shop we went into was The Knitting Studio in Montpelier, VT. Not only did this shop have a huge selection of yarn (and relatively cheap, I might add)

they had a really cool environment. I bought a skein of

Cascade to make Pete a hat and took off. But then I had to return the next day because I needed more to finish off my project.

Let me warn you now, that I'm about to rant. When I went back in to get

my 2nd skein (of Berocco, just so you know) I showed them the hat (which was cabled and ribbed) so they could get some perspective. At this point, they started to rave about how beautiful it was, which was awesome... then I said it was crochet, and I swear to god I heard their jaws hit the floor. I think, these women, who were knitters, thought that the only thing a crocheter can make is a grannie square or a hunk of lace. Sorry ladies, but we can cable too! But I put that aside, smiled and took my beautiful yarn. But seriously?! Ugh. I know you think that just cuz I crochet, I also pick my nose with my hooks and scratch my ass with 'em too, but give me some respect...

Next! We went to A Loom with a View in Newburyport, MA. This place was awesome too. Not as big of a selection, and their prices were a bit steeper, but the vibe was much more crochet friendly. I had to make a cousin a hat, so I was on a mission for some soft, yellow yarn. I found Lambs Pride prairie golden rod, extra bulky. Really warm, really easy to work with. I've never worked with bulky yarn before but I really liked this stuff. I put a brim of Noro and it was gorgeous.

The last yarn store we went to was Windsor Button, in the heart of downtown Boston. Now, if you're in Boston and have like... 5 hours to waste... this is the place to go. Every kind of yarn

, for really cheap. Good god. I would live there if given the chance. I bought two skeins of Manos Del Uruguay. This is my new favorite yarn. Go find a skein and touch it. TOUCH IT!

I also bought a couple skeins of Noro for Pete (he get a lot of hats...). Noro is great because it feels great and it patterns beautifully all by itself.

So all in all my trip to Massachusetts was awesome. The yarn shops were amazing, and I can't wait to get back there and crochet some more.

Now back to my hookin'... can't let my hooks go cold for too long!

photos from lambspride, berroco, and manos del uruguay.