Tag Archives: bead

Firelight Shawl a Quick Stunning Work Up

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ScannedImageI love a little challenge, and the Firelight Shawl was that for me. As I have stated before, I enjoy having a design that has some constraints, and a desired goal. I often find one-skein projects a fun challenge, however this time it was to create this shawl with a limited number of cones of thread, and a limited number of beads.

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Firelight Shawl

The shape is one that I have found I have a little draw toward, it is stacked short row triangles. I love how this fans outward and has a great uneven edge. It is fun to work up, and hard to put down. I find that if the pattern has a nice “let me get there” point I end up crocheting more. This usually takes me a little further in the work then just a simple row repeat that I can stop at any time.

The bead placement on this shawl definitely highlights the added bling. Unfortunately photos never tend to pick them up well, but trust me it is loaded with beads. There are beads placed at least every 4 stitches, and even then, it is three beads at once.

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Firelight Shawl

Essentially the same stitch is used throughout, with the exception of the beads. Tunisian Crochet is utilized in a Double Knit Stitch, this stitch creates a nice open airy feel to the fabric, while really allowing the yarn and beads to shine.

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Firelight Shawl

There are plans to make a knit version of this pattern, but it does take me a bit longer to get that done and I did not want to hold this up for anyone that might want to create a quick stunning holiday gift. I hope to have knitting ready at the beginning of the year, it is a work in progress. In the meantime give Firelight a try, it is a quick little piece of dazzle that will make you smile.

You can check it out on Craftsy or Ravelry.

Ready for National Teaching- Chainlink 2016

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ScannedImageI am not sure where the month has gone. I have been working on making sure I have everything in place for my first opportunity to teach at a national conference.

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Samples for Re-Invented Broomstick Lace July 14, 2016 Charelston, SC

In just 2 short weeks I will be teaching at the Knit & Crochet Show as part of the Crochet Guild of America’s annual Chainlink Conference, in Charleston, SC (July 13-16, 2016). I have 4 classes, and will be teaching a variety of topics, some techniques like beads and broomstick lace, as well subject knowledge like understanding patterns & yarn.

It is a little amazing how different teaching at these events are then the weekly teaching I have been doing for years. To begin with the class size is at least double, if not triple what I usually have. I hope that I can still bring a personal feel that my local students have come to expect, as well as having that class feel like they are learning together. It is a unique balance.

Another of the many differences is ensuring that I have all the materials I need. In smaller settings, I can usually step out and pick up anything in my local yarn store to illustrate my point, if a question is asked. At this conference I will be in a hotel conference room, I will not have an opportunity to improvise. So the last couple of weeks have been focused on writing and re-writing handouts, creating stacks of materials, and attempting to foresee questions.

I think I may have it dialed in, or at least I am close. I have yarn samples, stitch samples, beads, handouts, and tools all set in stacks, as I ensure that the checklists I have created cover every aspect of the class. It is a new adventure and I hope that I am up for the challenge, I will have to post next month how everything turns out…stay tuned.

Crochet & Bead, Light Enhancement

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ScannedImageA few years back my husband put together some bent iron and a couple of chains creating a “chandelier” of sorts. I was grateful for his effort, but needed to add some extra embellishments. I thought as the season changes to one in which we begin enjoying the great outdoors later in the hours of the day, that I would share how I took a couple of ideas and now enjoy the outdoors after the sunset.

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A crochet chain of bead adorns my extra porch light.

Crochet helped me once again in repurposing my new make shift light source. After painting the metal white, I felt that it needed something more. I had been playing with beads and jewelry wire, creating choker necklaces, and as it happened it became an inspiration. I strung several colors of beads on a long spool of wire and then simply began to create a crochet chain. I stretched the stitch after it was made, causing the wire to collapse more around the bead, this chain now adorns the metal by draping between the cross sections, and I created an additional chain of beads to weave through the chain that it is suspended from. It added just enough color and whimsy. So complete the project I added a few votive candles and holders, and now I have a beautiful art piece that graces the seating area of my back porch. It is nice to spend a quite spring evening outside by this soft light that has just a little something extra, brought together with crochet.

I have often considered creating more of these beaded chains, for adornment in other places, maybe I will have to create one to drape from my daughter bedroom window. Various beads can offer different effects and looks, but I think I like the color of these glass beads that allow the light through they almost have a glow about them.

Crochet Month Celebration- Free Pattern & Discounts!

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ScannedImageI can hardly believe that a month long celebration of crochet is really almost over. Crochetville put together quite the blog tour this year and I am grateful that they have invited me to attend again this year, (if you have missed any stops, make sure and check them out here).

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I will admit that I have found it fun to see the focus on various social media outlets about Crochet Month, but in my personal reality nothing changed too much as crochet is my everyday celebration. I find a little something that fascinates me with this craft nearly daily. It may be the fact that there are so many different locations to place a stitch and get such a different effect that it is almost too numerous to count. It may be that the same pattern worked in a different yarn or with a different fiber can create a completely different look. It might also be that if you just change your hook everything can change. It might seem like small details, but these small details can make all the difference.

I know I probably sound like an artist that is explaining different shades of red, because the most important thing about crochet is the way it makes you feel to create. My personal soap box is that there is never “wrong” crochet, because if you enjoy it, that is all that matters. A statement that I students always enjoy is “If your friends point out your crochet mistakes, they are not your friends”.

To aide your enjoyment of the crochet celebration, I am sharing a free pattern. This pattern, The Small Empress Jeweled Egg, may be a little late for the Easter holiday, but as you may have the plastic eggs around, and these are cute additions that you can use for spring decorations. In addition I am giving a free pattern coupon for my Ravelry store. Buy any patterns totaling at least $9 and receive your choice of any pattern FREE by using code NatCroMo2016 until April 6, 2016.

Also, I am excited to share that I am teaching at the annual Crochet Guild of America conference, known as Chainlink in some crowds and the Knit & Crochet Show in others, this July in Charleston, SC. If you plan on attending, please consider my classes. I would love to meet you there!

Don’t forget to check out all the other stops today on this ride along the blog tour, places like my friend Vashti Braha, I always love reading what she has to say.

If you need some help or ideas for using beads, check out some of my tips here.

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Small Empress Jeweled Egg I do not know why the photo wants to be on its side….

Skill level: Advanced Beginner       Measures to fit plastic egg, with no ease

Material List:

  • Size F/5/3.75mm hook
  • Lincatex Gold Rush super fine weight 80% Rayon, 20% Metallised Polyester yarn (100m/25g per cone)
  • #6 size Czech glass beads 60 grams (beadbiz.org)
  • Small plastic egg, 1 1/4”wide x 1 7/8” long
  • Tapestry needle

Gauge: is not critical for this project

Pattern Note /Special Stitches

Bead Crochet (bc): Slip 1 bead to hook, YO, pull through loop on hook.

Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): YO, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO insert hook into next indicated stitch, YO pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO pull through last 3 loops.

Small Empress Ornament       Thread 60 beads

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as foundation ch plus dc), bc, [dc, bc] all in 5th ch from hook 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 4. (8 dc, 8 bc)

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), dc in same st, bc, [2 dc in next dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Rounds 3-7: Ch 3, dc in next dc, bc, [dc in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Insert small egg and work subsequent rounds.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as first dc2tog here and throughout), sk next dc, bc, [dc2tog in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to to of beg ch 2. (8 dc2tog, 8 bc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc8tog  in all dc sts, finish off.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

Easter Challenge, I Think Success

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ScannedImageI was recently presented with a challenge, and honestly I enjoy designing this way.

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Empress Jeweled Egg US $3.50

Bead Biz, a great bead supply company, presented me a challenge to create a beaded ornament primarily for Easter. After some research and some playing I think I came up with a couple that fit the build pretty nicely.

At my home Easter is pretty quiet. We color eggs, finding that we love the jewel tones that come from dyeing brown eggs, then I may use the dyes to color yarns that I may have around (you can find out how to do that here). We snack on candy from baskets, may head out to an egg hunt at a local park, and generally enjoy day as a family. However doing some research into this challenge brought back some memories for me, and some of the images of egg decorations I found very fascinating. I remember as a kid, one year my mom decided to attempt some natural egg dying, using onion skins. I recall her poking pin holes on the ends of the eggs, and blowing the content, after much work, into a bowl, leaving the egg hollow. She then tied small leaves around the egg and rested it in her onion skin dye. After a great while she removed the egg and its bindings and she had a beautiful brown colored egg that had leave images. However what I remember most, is her finding the effort not entirely worth the outcome. She only did this craft once.

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Imperial Delight Jeweled Egg US $3.50

In designing these ornaments some of these memories joined me, so I managed to keep the overall design simple, but what I think are beautiful results. I really wanted the beads to shine, and I think I have succeeded in that. They really seem like the star of the show. I found that once I was completed with them, that I felt that I could find a place in my home for them year round. They can easily be adapted to the Christmas holiday traditions, as well as beautiful gifts to welcome a baby, a birthday, or even a hostess. They work up rather quickly, and with different bead color combinations can offer many stunning results. Each pattern actually has two designs, one for a large oval ornament, and one for a small plastic Easter egg, giving variety and additional options and inspiration.

I have both sets of patterns available on Ravery and Craftsy, and if you would like to check them out for yourself, I am offering a 20% off coupon code for all of my patterns through the end of March 2016 to celebrate National Crochet Month. So if you see anything you like at my Ravelry store, use code SW2016 and receive this discount until March 31, 2016.

If you want to learn more about using beads in your crochet? Or even your knitting? Considering attending my class “Beading 3 Ways” at the Knit & Crochet Show in Charleston, SC Saturday July 16, 2016. I am excited! It is my first time teaching at a national venue, if you happen to be able to attend, please check out my classes!