Designing inspiration...

How do I come up with the designs? 

Honestly, the designs come to me in different ways.

I am currently working on a swan. The idea for him was from a picture I saw online. It was a picture of a cabinet, with what appeared to be a knick-knack of a swan on it, I drew it out on paper. After getting a closer look of the item on the cabinet, turns out it was just a ordinary vase.  So it appears I see things that aren't there. LOL!

Here is another one.. 

My hubby has a old flip phone and on this phone the front has worn off. 

I'm sure not everyone will see what I see but I see an alien.

As you can see my vision came out different but the wear on the phone is what inspired it.

And then there are moments when I draft out something like my recent gnome and all of a sudden I am on a new piece of paper drafting one after another of animals to do in a series using the same base design.

For me you just never know where the inspiration is going to come from, I thought it was this and it turned out to be that, weird shapes that look like something or a base design that multiplies itself into different animals.

Happy crocheting!

Pattern of the week sale 2021

 I was reading through the comments of a post on Facebook, the group I was in, is for helping sellers get a handle on Etsy and to use it to its full advantage. I enjoy reading other sellers experiences and how I can use that to help me. 

While reading those comments this one lady commented on a pic and the sale she was having.
The poster says she just randomly picked that item to be on sale. 

This was a light bulb moment!! 

I have well over 52 patterns, I could have a pattern of the week sale for the whole year!! Isn't that great?

The hardest part for me is to figure out which pattern should be on sale and when but I'm sure it wont take long to get it down.

Hardest part for you (my super fans) is to keep checking back to see which pattern is on sale. Kinda a hassle, right?

So lets make it easier for you by signing up for my monthly newsletter that will keep you informed of what patterns will be on sale for that month.

(click to sign up)

I hope you enjoy the Pattern of the week for 2021.

Happy Crocheting!

Cutting felt pieces

 I am often asked … How I get my felt pieces shaped the way I do.

Do I use a template? 

Do I use a cutter of some sorts?

The answer is no to both, I free hand it all the way.

The first thing I do is cut two generous squares such as one inch by one inch (for example). 

While holding them together, I round the corners. 

I measure and cut some more for a more rounded or oblong look.

Still holding them together, I cut the spot for the safety eye through both pieces.

While holding the 2 felt pieces together I insert one safety eye, that way I can cut them both to make them the same size and shape.

Cut them down some more.

Repeat and repeat till I get them the size and shape I want.

As you can see I have felt dust all over the place.

Carefully pull off the second piece without stretching it and insert the second safety eye.

I go around smoothing out the edges that are not just right.

I can take me up towards an hour of working on the felts for the eyes just trying to make them just right and as close to perfect copies of each other.

I do all of this with these fabulous Fiskars scissors (I call them my snippers). The tips are super sharp and makes the smallest cuts so they are easy to smooth out the edges for a polished look. My favorite snippers by far.

I hope you found this post helpful. 
Happy crocheting!

Crochet teachers

 As I sit here thinking about what this post is going to be, my best friend Becky popped into my mind.

She and I would spend many hours crocheting together, chatting about crocheting and she taught me so much more than I ever knew I could learn. She was my friend, mentor and teacher. I'm sure we all had some crochet teachers in our lives. It could of just been watching some one crochet on the bus or in a waiting room and a curiosity was created or a long history of teachers in a family.

They all play an important role in how and what we crochet.  How we hold our hook to how we make our stitches. Becky was a pencil holder and I am a knife holder, her stitches were nearly double in size to mine. Not to say all pencil holders make large stitches, just that she did. Who taught her to crochet like that? Her mom and aunt. Which in my mind makes crochet very personal, treasured family traditions. But everyone learns from different sources and that makes it even more personal, say you learned from YouTube videos, those people are passing down their families teachings. I get all warm inside thinking about all the love and passion that goes into teaching someone the art of crochet. 

And to take that a bit further, every pattern that we follow shapes us to what things we like to make. If we enjoy challenges and that pattern nearly drove you crazy till you figured it out instead of tossing it out, then you are more likely to enjoy more complex stitch patterns and designs. If you prefer to relax and let your mind wonder while crocheting, then you probably enjoy more patterns that are on the easier side.  I think I fall in-between those two, I enjoy pushing myself to try new designs but not too overly complex to make me say bad words at it. Haha

My mother taught me that sitting quietly and crocheting while watching tv was very relaxing.

My grandmother taught me that crochet can be more than just a blanket for warmth, there were clothes, baby clothes and kitchen wares as well.

My nana taught me that sometimes more complex stitch patterns can be very pretty and worth the extra effort.

My best friend Becky taught me that even though life can be crazy, the yarn is always there just waiting for you to turn string into something fun.

So here is a big thanks to all the crochet teachers who pass on their family traditions down to others and every time they do they are adding in their own personal flares to it, weather it be in person or in a video. We thank you!