Tag Archives: vashti

Now I Need My Top- Let the Lace Go

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ScannedImageDesigns come to me in many different ways. Let the Lace Go Top, actually came into being because I wanted to wear it!

The summer of 2015, my good friend Vashti Braha was debuting her yarn, Designing Vashti Lotus to the world in her first show floor booth. I wanted to support her, and since I really like her cotton/rayon yarn, I wanted to make something for myself to wear.

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Let the Lace Go Top Autumn 2016 Crochet! Magazine Photo courtesy of Annie’s

I began working the vertical body, and almost had it together, when I received a call for submissions for Crochet! Magazine. Even though I liked the top for myself, I decided to submit the idea to the magazine. Ultimately it would benefit my friend more to have my design shared with the world, so others can see what a great yarn she has.

Ellen Gormley loved the top, and so I set my personal top aside to complete the project for the magazine. It 8is now available to you in the Autumn 2016 issue of Crochet! Magazine.

I think it came out great! I like working the fabric vertically as I feel it lends itself to a more slimming line, and the lace on top gives it a lighter feel. There is some interesting construction in this design, as you work the solid body first, then begin the lace in to round. After the lace is a couple of inches long, you attach it to the solid body and continue toward the neck, working in decreases to come over the shoulders to the neck.

CoverI added beads to the lace edging, as a little extra highlight, but also for the practice purpose of helping to keep the lace draping in a manner I like.

Personally I love the color, but it can easily shine in any color. I still haven’t actually finished one for myself…but hopefully soon…it just happens to be another project that is resting on my hook.

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)

Not All Patterns are Created Equal

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ScannedImageI have taken a small journey this week, and I thought I would at least touch base talking about it, I plan on doing more research and writing more in the future….but the evolution of the crochet pattern can be an interesting thing.

This came about when i was talking to another designer, she primarily works with knit designs, but was have questions about a crochet pattern she had written. What she had written was fine, but it was not in the standard formats that you see today, and this got me thinking and looking at older patterns.

The way she had wrote the pattern was similar to ones I had seen growing up, it didn’t give stitch counts at the end of the row, it talks about working “along the working edge”. When today all of this would be much more specific. IMG_5622

I pulled out some older patterns, I mean like things from 1914, and found that they did not even specify a hook size or even the yarn. the pattern was written like you were talking to your friend…like, “just skip the next stitch and work in the next, one the next row work in to the stitches and make boxes”, it does not tell you how big the final item is to be. there was a lot that you had to understand about crochet in order to create a successful product, or at least one that is exactly like the original one created.

Then later patterns began address crochet hook size. I can not take credit for any of this particular research, as I learned it from a conversation with my friend Vashti Braha. She does a lot of research on every topic that she covers in her newsletter (I highly recommend if you are not on the subscription, do it. She gives you so much insight to the structure of crochet that it is inspiring) Vashti explained that patterns began noting hook size about the 1950-60’s, yet only specified “use what yarn feels most comfortable with the hook”. Things became a little more structured during this time, and the terms and description eventually worked up to the pattern the started me on this quest.

DSCF0993However, I think that after the internet patterns have become much more detailed, and much more precise in the descriptions of locations. This is mostly found in professional print publications and magazines, a just downloading a pattern on-line can definitely be a gamble of any of the writing styles found before. Why is this a change after the internet if pattern downloads can be a crap-shoot, because it is easier to reach out and ask questions of the designers, the publishers, and the technical editors. So if it is well written the first time, less questions are there to be answered.

I definitely want to look more into the ever evolving writing of patterns, but it might take some time….so at least now it is some food for fodder….

So the next time you think you might be going crazy, it might just be the pattern, not all patterns are created equal.

Crochet among the Travels

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ScannedImageThe end of July and the beginning of August was a time of travel for me. I spent time in San Diego at the Knit & Crochet Show, an annual conference for TKGA (The Knitingt Guild Association) and CGOA (Crochet Guild of America). This annual conference is a time of visiting with old friends and making new ones, a time for learning, a time for inspiration, and a time for furthering the passion for fiber arts.

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Vashti and I on our coastal California road trip, here we are at Morro Bay

I always enjoy attendance at this show, well it seems a little like going home since it was at one of these annual conferences that I began my career as a crochet designer. There are so many different opportunities and experiences that occur, that I am always finding myself not wanting it to end, and then looking forward to the next one (July 2016 in Charleston, SC). This year I helped my friend, Vashti Braha, with her first ever show floor booth selling her new yarn line, Designing Vashti Lotus. It was a fun experience and aided in seeing the show from a completely different perspective.

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The Ball & Skein & More shop in Cambria, CA

Following the show, Vashti and I took a quick road trip up the California coast, where we found a fun little yarn store in Cambria, CA, the Ball & Skein & More. It was warm and friendly, I loved how well organized it was, with portable, well labeled bins of yarn, that did not leave you feeling overwhelmed or mislead. It kept everything feeling bright and fresh. The shelves were even mobile as well, so the store could easily adjust its layout for workshops, or special functions. It was a great visit after an Asian fusion lunch and before the visit to the little French bakery just down the street; definitely a place to visit again.

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Anderson’s Alternatives In Mendocino, CA

After getting home, it was time to get on the road again with my family for a quick vacation. We drove further up the California coast to the quaint town of Mendocino, CA, just south of Fort Bragg. We love visiting this little town; my kids are even looking forward to our next visit. My son has been enjoying the skills of woodworking, so we visited a local art gallery that was featuring local woodworking artists, where my son was greatly inspired by what he could create in woods. Inspired enough that we stopped by another artisan shop Anderson’s Alternatives, where the owner was discussing properties of different types of wood and what he has created with them. So as a souvenir of our vacation my son decided that he wanted to bring home small slabs to create with.

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Mendocino Yarn Shop in Mendocino, CA

My daughter, in her learning to knit adventure, was enthralled with the ever charming Mendocino Yarn Shop. I love this store. They are so friendly, and have a very nice assortment of yarn, as well as the knowledge to educate and answer any question a patron might have. There is a nice seating area that always is clamoring with various enthusiasts, that of course after my daughter found her “yarn souvenir” was exactly where she wanted to be. Of course she talked me into some new needles and some fancy yarn, I guess I might be a bit of a sucker in this location, as I understand the obsession all too well. Anytime I am in the area, I have to visit this little store….okay, anytime I am in the area of a yarn store I at least have to take a look and possibly sample what they have to offer, it is only polite after all.

Refreshing Business in Crochet

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ScannedImageIt is so refreshing to realize that there are many supportive and encouraging people in the world, even in the world of business. I am sure that this experience is not limited to just crochet and its related industries, but it is the experience I had last week at the Knit & Crochet Show in San Diego, CA last week that will leave a lasting impression.

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Designing Vashti booth with Vashti Braha and Kristin Lynn at the Knit & Crochet Show in San Diego (June 23-26, 2015)

My friend, Vashti Braha of Designing Vashti, was putting together a booth for this convention to make a public debut of her yarn, Lotus. There is much that goes into putting a show booth together, more than the average consumer realizes when they go shopping. During the time and planning, and figuring costs of materials and shipping, I was also speaking with another good friend to me, Lisa Souza of Lisa Souza Knitwear & Dyeworks. Lisa has been selling her yarn and working convention booths for nearly 30 years, and generously offered her suggestions and was even generous enough to share material for the booth set up, supplying all the grids that created the Designing Vashti booth.

Now just that would have been generous enough, one small yarn company aiding another in selling their product, but then there was more. Tulip, the needle and hook company from Japan, also needed some display material, and Designing Vashti shared her supply with them to help better display the product; and then when Tulip was unable to accept credit cards Vashti offered to assist them.

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businesses working together, supporting each other, Designing Vashti and Tulip, with all grid displays from Lisa Souza Yarns

It may not seem like much, but to me it is a breath of fresh air to see that these small businesses are open and willing to assist other small businesses, I know they already be friends of mine, but the fact that I respect the business practices they display endears me to them even more.

So if you are looking for some great yarns, or crochet products, please consider supporting these ladies that offer support to others.