Craftzine.com blog: Crochet Archives

Crochet Archive: Crochet

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April 25, 2007

Crochet Keyboard Choker Necklace

Sarah points us to lizstaley's cool crochet keyboard chocker necklaces on Craftster. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 25, 2007 10:00 AM
Crochet, Jewelry, Recycle | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

HOW TO - Take Detailed Photos of your Knitting or Crochet

Ever get frustrated when you try to take photos of your projects and they never show up quite how they do in real life? From WikiKnitting comes this great tutorial on how to construct a cardboard light box to shoot your knitting or crochetin the best light so you can clearly see all the stitches. I love the photo comparisons that show you flash vs. no flash, macro mode on or off, and manual mode on or off. This is the perfect photography resource and a thrify solution to a DIY lightbox. Thanks E.B.! Link.

Related:
Testing Flash Settings on Yarn Color and Cables - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 25, 2007 09:20 AM
Crochet, Digital Design and Photography, Knitting | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 24, 2007

Crochet Denim Bag

My Recycled Bags has a pattern on a fun crochet bag that you can make from strips of your old denim. [ via ] Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 24, 2007 01:00 PM
Crochet, Recycle | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Roxycraft Country Farmyard Amigurumi Patterns

Make these cute Country Farmyard animals by Roxycraft. The $5 pattern includes the instructions to create a little lamb, mouse, and piggy. Cute! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 24, 2007 12:01 PM
Amigurumi and Toys, Bazaar, Crochet | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Craftacular - Craft Wiki for Craft Projects

Shana writes:

Craftacular is a wiki (like Wikipedia) for craft information. It has patterns, tutorials, and information about different crafts. Every page is editable by anyone, so eventually, it will become a central source of crafty knowledge.

Pictured above is the crochet apples pattern and the Tetris quilt. Visit Craftacular to check out the rest of the project on this wiki. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 24, 2007 09:05 AM
Crochet, General, Quilting | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 23, 2007

Crochet Daisy Pin

Karrie of Girl on the Rocks has a pattern on how to make this cute daisy pin which you can crochet over a button pin. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 23, 2007 10:02 AM
Amigurumi and Toys, Crochet | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 20, 2007

CRAFT Pattern Podcast: Crochet to Go - Wrap Top

This week's CRAFT Pattern Podcast is the lovely Wrap Top by Alicia Bergin from Crochet to Go. It's an ideal spring and summer wrap top that's light and airy and a perfect project to start right away. You can also visit Alicia Bergin's blog for more in the world of Crochet to Go.

Download this week's CRAFT pattern PDF - Link.

Subscribe to the CRAFT podcast and get this pattern and other CRAFT content delivered automatically via iTunes - Link

Related:
Crochet to Go Book Review and Interview with Alicia Bergin - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 20, 2007 01:12 PM
CRAFT Podcast, Crochet, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Book Review: Crochet to Go and Interview with Author Alicia Bergin

Crochet to Go: 25 Chic and Simple Patterns by Alicia Bergin
Book Page - Link.
Amazon - Link.
Crochet to Go Blog - Link.

Crochet to Go by Alicia Bergin (published by Chronicle Books) is a new crochet book that's printed like a card deck. It comes in a box with 25 fold out pattern cards with projects you will no doubt drool over. I love this format because you can sort out right away which projects you will tackle first and take your working pattern with you in your tote bag. My first project I want to tackle is the cover shot of the Wrap Top which is a perfect spring crochet project. I'm also happy to say, it's also this week's CRAFT Pattern Podcast! Hurrah! You'll also no doubt love the bevy of other projects that are packed in this box. I love the iPod Cozies. I can't seem to get enough of them. (I have about 5 iPods which is crazy enough.) These cozies are cute with the musical note intarsia. Other favorites are the crochet necklace, cupcake pin cushion (pictured above along with Alicia herself), placemats, blanket, baby patterns, home accessories, and more. There's also a good number of fun quick projects you can probably finish in a day or weekend. You'll love the fresh new patterns and the versatility this Crochet to Go deck gives you.

I was delighted to get a chance to talk more with Alicia Bergin to find out more about her Crochet to Go Deck and get all her great crochet tips!

Nat: How did you first get interested in crochet and what other kinds of crafts do you do?

Alicia: I made my first crochet project as a gift for a pregnant friend. I bought a book with illustrations demonstrating how to make a foundation chain and single crochet, and got to work. It was a tiny, baby blue cardigan with snap closures and little yellow star buttons. I knew nothing about gauge and yarn weight, and ended up with a carefully constructed, doll-sized sweater. It never fit the baby, but gets use on a favorite teddy bear.

I loved the process of making it (as well as the fact that I could now say I was "working" while watching TV). I stuck with baby clothes for a number of years, only recently moving on to adult-sized garments.

Crochet is definitely my main craft, but I also enjoy sewing clothes and simple items for the house. I have a minor obsession with aprons. I like to "fix" things as well - painting walls, refinishing furniture, and general prepping and polishing. I am also fortunate to have a job at a graphic design firm (Method Inc), so I'm surrounded by creative people all day long. My mother, an accomplished quilt maker and all around crafter, deserves all the credit for my creative ability.

Nat: Tell me more about Crochet to Go and what was your process for designing/developing the patterns?

Alicia: Crochet to Go was a wonderful accident. After that initial baby sweater, I continued making gifts for friends, including several for people at Chronicle Books, where I worked for a number of years. I took a long break in 2005 to travel, and returned at the same time my editor, Carey Jones, was looking for an author for the deck. She gave me an opportunity I hadn't even imagined was possible, based on those gifts she had seen.

Of course, there's always a complication. I had planned having long, leisurely, unemployed days to crochet and casually job hunt. I received a job offer only hours (seriously - the same day!) after agreeing to write the patterns. To make my deadline, I outlined a work schedule - 1 project per week, 2 hours of crocheting per weekday, 4 hours per weekend day. It was intense, and I'm somewhat proud to say I can now crochet standing up on a bus. The initial list of projects I outlined with my editor actually changed very little over the development process.

Nat: What are some of your favorite patterns from Crochet to Go?

Alicia: That's a tough one. I use the striped hat pattern constantly (I made it 6 or 7 times for Christmas presents). I love the Open-Weave Shawl and the purple wrap top shown on the cover - I actually kept that one for myself and wear it all the time. I'm really fond of the baby projects, and I just adore the photograph of the cupcake pincushion.

Nat: Can you share some crochet tips for our readers?

Alicia:

Don't be afraid to substitute yarns and colors: the finished project might not look like the picture in the pattern, but you'll end up with a custom, personalized garment.
Try different materials - fabric, metal, plastic, twine, etc. Crochet is very flexible.
It may take awhile for your stitches to become even - it takes practice and hand strength to achieve a truly consistent result. Just keep trying, and eventually perfection is effortless.

Nat: What are you working on this spring and summer?

Alicia: I have a huge list of projects. Three friends are having babies this summer, so I'm making baby clothes first. I plan to make a felted wall hanging (which sounds horrible and very 1970s, but I think you'll like the result). My mother recently gave me a stack of pattern books from 1910-1950, and there are a number of patterns in there I plan to try. You can follow my progress on my blog: http://crochettogo.blogspot.com/.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 20, 2007 12:45 PM
Crochet, Interviews, Reviews | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 19, 2007

HOW TO - Make a Rag Rug

Vintage Chica has a great recycle tutorial on how to make a cool looking rug out of your scrap fabrics, t-shirts, old clothes, by crocheting them all together. [ via ] Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 19, 2007 06:32 PM
Crochet, Recycle, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Stitch N' Pitch Contest - Inspiration

Hey Crafters! Have you thought about what you'd like to make yet for our big Stitch N' Pitch Contest? I've gathered up some fantastic links to give you some inspiration for entering in your project to the contest.

Here's some info to refresh your memory about the contest:
CRAFT magazine's Stitch N' Pitch Contest teams up CRAFT with TNNA's Stitch N' Pitch baseball games this summer, scheduled around the country at 23 major league baseball games starting in May. Your work must be of an original design in the needlearts areas of knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, needlepoint, or embroidery and must center on the theme of baseball. You can interpret any aspect of baseball you'd like. Be creative here! Each needleart is a specific category you can enter, along with our extra category of Baseball Team Theme Design, where we encourage you to show your love for your favorite participating baseball team in the Stitch N' Pitch lineup! Winners will receive a large "goody bag" filled with CRAFT prizes and needlearts goods from the top crafting brands. They will also have their winning item on display at future Stitch N' Pitch games and have their project how-to's posted up here on craftzine.com.

We encourage crafters of all levels to join in on the fun! Each needlearts category will have winners in the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels. The contest entries are open from April 4 though May 31, 2007.

Read all the contest rules and find out how to enter CRAFT Magazine's Stitch N' Pitch Contest here. - Link.

Let's start on some project inspiration! Now some of these aren't baseball related so be creative and see some new possibilities.

Create your own baseball inspired knit or crochet toy. Get inspiration from the recent Softie Awards. - Link.

Il 430Xn.7226086
Knit coffee cup cozies like these by kibblesnknits on etsy, but with your own baseball style. (or try tea cozies, beer cozies, you get the cozy drift here.) - Link.

Cross Emb Snp
Embellish tea towels, pillows, clothing, or a banner with embroidery or cross-stitch.
Pictured above Subversive Cross Stitch and Sublime Stitching.

Needlepoint a Nintendo DS case or iPod cozy like this but with your favorite baseball team and colors in mind. Plastic canvas is so fast and easy! - Link.

Use recycled goods as "yarn" for your project such as plastic bags or scrap fabric. - Link.

Knca Sign
Upload your own designs to make pattern charts for all your needlearts with KnitPro. - Link.

Subversive Cross Stitch's Magic Robot Cross Stitch Generator to create an instant x-stitch pattern. Link.

Stitchsock-1
And if you want to make something for fun, here was last year's contribution to Stitch N' Pitch by Interweave Press. I present you the Stitch N' Pitch Sock! Designed by Interweave's Amanda Berka and Melinda Barta, this adult-sized baseball sock captures the fine work of combined knitting and embroidery. Its traditional striping mimics the baseball socks worn by baseball players today, but the side ribbing gives it an updated modern look. And the embroidered baseball stitch was the perfect stitch to use to mimic the simple baseball motif embroidered on the ankle, sole, heel, and foot of the sock. Get the free pattern here. Link.

Related:
Inspirational links from Stitch N' Pitch 2006. - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 19, 2007 02:40 PM
Contests, Crochet, Knitting, Needlearts | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Crochet Pac-Man

Hurrah for Carey of full of fluff for making this crochet pattern for Pac-Man and all the ghosts available to us for free. Just download her pattern PDF to make one yourself! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 19, 2007 08:00 AM
Amigurumi and Toys, Crochet | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 18, 2007

Baa The Sheepy Change Purse Crochet Pattern

Here's a cute amigurumi sheep pattern that also doubles as a change purse! I love it the idea of whipping this out from my purse to give change at the grocery store. This free pattern is by Darncat's Crochet Spot. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 18, 2007 02:32 PM
Amigurumi and Toys, Crochet, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

New Flickr Group: Free Knit and Crochet Patterns

We mentioned the Flickr group for Knit and Crochet Patterns for sale yesterday. Today, Sylvie of ChezPlum has also organized a new crafty Flickr group for all FREE knit and crochet patterns. Yay! Pictured above are Sylvie's fresh knit Lacanau Sandals. I've added our CRAFT Pattern Podcasts that fit the bill. Check out all the beautiful patterns to inspire you to start your next project. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 18, 2007 12:32 PM
Crochet, Knitting, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 17, 2007

New Flickr Group: Knit and Crochet Patterns for Sale

Ansley of Bleu Arts informed us that Flickr has a new group, Knit and Crochet Patterns for Sale. If you design patterns, join this group today! Pictured here is Ansley's famous knit Leia Wig. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 17, 2007 04:12 PM
Amigurumi and Toys, Bazaar, Crochet, Knitting, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Purl Bee's Crochet 101

Are you eyeing all the cool crochet stuff happening lately but don't know where to start? The Purl Bee has created tutorials for the crochet basics and have the tutorials up on their site. You'll be crocheting in no time! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Apr 17, 2007 12:38 PM
Crochet | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack

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