Inspiration

Inspiration sometimes we need it ever now and then once in awhile. For all the crafters when you see a picture of someone elses lovely work don't it inspire you to give your craft a shoot or to either try that hobby. Well for me it does. I will come across plenty of picture either online or in books that just makes me so inspire when it comes to sewing and crocheting. I have a couple of books where I will keep pictures of things that either I like or want to try one day in my future or it just inspire me at that point of time. I had a bulletin board which got so full that I gave up the bulletin board and went to journls or album folders now I decided to go back to a board but, a different board to post pictures on. You never know your work just may inspire me.




I am really not into patterns but, I do give then a shot ever once in awhile. But, clothes patterns hurt my head lol if it isn't a simply pattern like a shrug, shroat, or shrap then I will come up with my own pattern. If it is a hat, purse or something like a blanket or something then I just may follow the pattern but, if you know me then you know I will surely give up on the pattern and go my own way.

Braking News.......................................................................

Oh by the way want to give a HAPPY BIRTHDAY shout out to a blogger friend of mines Christina. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHRISTINA, so for my readers after well going though my blog and leaving a comment please do drop Christina off a Happy Birthday at her blog. I know it will make her day.
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Ok now back to my boardcast: I always have a lot of people asking me for my patterns I don't do patterns so I mainly learn by trail and error. When it came to doing wearables I couldn't find patterns that either I like or felt that it was way to much work when I can make it simply and easier for me. So I thought about how can I make a wearable but, not make it so hard for beginngers. So let me explain.

Ok lets say I want to make my daughter Nellie a shirt she is 2 years old. This is how I will go by doing that. I will get a shirt of hers that I know that fits her just right not to tight not to loose.



Here is the shirt here. I will chain and keep measuring the bottom of her shirt with my chain, In this case I chain 36 stitches. So I will start with 36 this is with a H hook the number to start with changes depending on your hook size. Now lets say I want to work double stitches I will just chain 3 more stitches from here.
Now from here I will figure out what pattern stitches I want to use and go with it.


Here go a couple of drawing pictures sorry I am not a pro at the drawing on the painting.



Here I will start my back and front with the same chains 36. For the front piece as I get up to the top I will start increasing to make the v-neck shirt. Increasing ever other row. I will work both sides one at a time. Increasing the same rows on both sides of the v-neck to make it even.

Ok now you done with both pieces front and back. The 2 pieces may just look way to small for that person you is making it for but, don't worry you is not done just yet.



How I figure out how far to crochet up for the 4 sides. Ok I measure my daughter arm in the biggest part of her arm she is only 2 so that means it wasn't hard to figure out. 8 inches around her arm I think it really was about 7 inches and something but, I round it up a bit. So 8 total that means 4 inches each for all 4 sides.

I then will take a measureing tape and put the tape from the shoulder blade down and post it at 4 inches on all 4 sides.


Example :

Here in the picture I will use some scrap yarn to mark off that 4 inches on all 4 sides. Before starting to crochet the rows on the side you have to do this in order to get your armhole.
So lets say I want the sleeves a little wider instead of that 8 I will do 10 so that will be 5 inches on all 4 sides. So you can surely work with the arm hole as much as you like.


Now it's time to add a couple of rows on the sides of your shirt this helps you to create armholes at the same time. I always add even rows on all 4 sides. I will put the shirt around my daughter pinning it to see how many rows I think I will need and go from there. How I figure this out if I want a tighter shirt I will only add 2 rows each on all 4 sides now if I want more room I will add 4 rows each on all 4 sides. I will crochet starting from the bottom of the shirt working my way up to where I put that scrap piece of yarn stoping then turning and working my way back down making sure to chain before turning.


So now you have your armhole on all 4 sides and your rows on the sides. So now it's time to put your pieces together to make a shirt.



Now turning your outside pieces in making sure to crochet your shirt close on the wrong side you don't want to do it on the right side that wont look to nice. Crocheting it close is better then whip stitching it because crocheting gives it that tighten look then whip stitch and since you will be taking the shirt off and on that whip stitch will soon start to come a loose and you know you don't want to be walking down the hall in the mall and your shirt fall apart in front of the world. LOL
In the picture above crochet it close where the X's are shown making sure to NOT crochet your arm holes, neck part and bottom close. You surely will have to be able to get in the shirt wont you lol.



Now after crocheting everything you should now have this.
This is the time where you can add length to your shirt also hiding that foundation chain that is at the bottom of your shirt. It's your shirt make the length as long as you like. Also this is the time to go over your collar and back piece of the shirt giving it more of a clean look to it.

Ok I do the sleeves part oh so different from other crocheters. I crochet my sleeves right on to where the armhole is.


To me this gives it more a a fit, fit to the arm. Plus I didn't like how doing the arms and attaching it later looked it didn't look right to me.

I start to crocheting around the armhole starting under the armpit.

NOTE: When you is crocheting around the opening to add your sleeves make sure to keep notes on where you increase or decrease so that you can do the same on the other sleeve in the same rows.

I figure out though trail and errow. The second or third row I will crochet 2 together under the arm and at the shoulder blade to give it more of a define look to the arm.

For short sleeves I will decrease by crocheting 2 together under the arm ever other row. For longer sleeves I still will do the 2 together under the arm and at the shoulder blade in the second or third row but, then I want start back increasing until I get to the elbow by decreasing ever other row. Always decreasing under the arm because if you noticed the top of your arm is much bigger then under your arm.

I will try it on me or my daughter whoever I am making it for just to make sure that the sleeves look right as I go.

Again NOTE, keep a notebook by you so you can keep track of your rows so that your other sleeve can be the same.
If you is like me I do both sleeves at the same time. Do 2 or 3 rows on one sleeve then go and do 2 or 3 more on the other sleeve working with both parts of the yarn in the skein to me it is quicker to do both at the same time.




Now you have made you a sweater shirt whatever you like to call it.

There you go NO PATTERN followed just a couple of simply directions on how to do a wearable. Done this many many times and liked it a lot so I thought this would be easy for those that never done wearables but, always thought about giving it a shot.

All the shirts I done by using my simply easy directions.










And Many Many More:)

Thanks for looking and I hoped I was able to help those that want to try a wear even if you just try something with some simply base stitches it is at least a start.

Everyone take care:)

Weekend WIP

Thanksgiving was ok got to eat a bit at my moms house stayed there for a couple of hours then hit the road to Chicago so that my little daughter can see her dad's side of the family it was already there I kept myself busy with crocheting my sling bag which I did finished. I said, I was going to take a crochet brake this Thanksgiving well all said, and done but, couldn't take to long of a brake I get bored easy and find myself crocheting to keep myself from being bored.

Here is my sling bag, Mainly going to use it for my yarn. I thought this would be nice for me to take to my Perk N Stitch meet ups on Monday to carry my yarn and wip projects. It's big enough and needed something other then my purses that wasn't as big enough. I got the pattern to this bag from Ravelry. Sorry don't remember the link. But, I didn't follow the pattern completely I added my own as I went mainly doing my thang by altering the pattern to suit what I wanted. :)







Also got to alter my v-neck shirt made my sleeves a little longer and made the bottom of the shirt a little bit longer think I will wear that when I go to my Perk N Stitch meet up on Monday with the gals. Just to show it off lol. I have plan to do me another v-neck shirt close to this one but, in different colors haven't yet decided how different I want to make it but, working on that.


Before V-neck shirt
After V-neck shirt
Now that is it with that shirt I ain't messing with it no more unless I will be putting it on lol.:) Oh so done with it.

Sorry about that my first picture I did a very big close up but, you all can noticed the differents with the shirt can't you?:)



Also Black Friday I have to say I shopped til I drop brought some early Christmas gifts for my girls me a couple of things some books, fabric, yarn houseware things. Stuff like that. Don't know why I brought me some more books. I haven't yet to finish reading my library full of books I have now but, I noticed when it comes winter I find myself reading a lot more then all of the other seasons so want to catch up on my reading a little bit. I also found a lot of crochet books at Half Price Bookstore that I just had to get because if I seen them at another bookstore lets say Barners and Nobles they will cost the full price but, I got them cheaper at Half Price instead so had to go for them.

My mom asked me what I want for Christmas. I looked at her and said, ok you really want me to answer that lol. She looked at me and say, nah I already know you want more yarn lol. :) see my mom even knows me lol.

But, I would also love to find me a sewing book on hats. I have been looking for a sewing book on hats but, can't find any I like the ones I found was mainly on how to make kids hats I want to do adult hats also. Also on my wish list is light up crochet hooks in H and I, also like my mom said, yarn which I already have to much now but, can't have way to much now can we.



Oh by the way for those that picked the stitch 56 Snapdragon for me to try out for my wrap well. I wanted to so try it out but, after trying out that stitch it just didn't look right looked to bushy to me making the yarn look clumpy so I gave up on that stitch and went to the Mesh stitch instead. But, thanks for the advice for those that voted on the stitch.



Here is a little of my progress on what I started so far below.:) same yarn as my sling bag navy. I aint into wasting my yarn none what so ever so I want to get at least a shrap out of this yarn may not have enough but, it's a start until I hunt down some more navy yarn in my boxes.




What my weekend looks like? Well so far since we got back this morning my oldest daughter gone with my sister to get her hair braid. My little daughter is here with me mainly playing and getting into stuff. I miss home so I want to lay in my bed and relax. I order a couple of movies. Transformers, and Live Free Die Hard. So want to lay back and watch those movies and relax because the weekend will soon be over. :)

Hope everyone have a great weekend I surely will try. :)

Take care.

Right Before Thanksgiving (WIP, Finish Project)

Well Thanksgiving isn't to far away. I have been getting a little crocheting done here and there. Mainly did a lot of food shopping for Thanksgiving supposed to go over my moms house today to help with Thanksgiving dinner. Have plan to stuff myself full for Thanksgiving lol.

Oh Monday went to my Knit Night meet up which we not calling anymore it's called Perk and Stitch due to not just knitters coming to our meet up so that's good that I can sit back and crochet away with some nice cool ladies for 3 hours.

While there got some progress on a sling bag I am doing or you can say purse it don't matter but, got a little progress on it just have to finish the other half of the purse then I will be done but, taking a Thanksgiving brake from crocheting so will be a finish picture on my bag after Thanksgiving. Other words here is a WIP picture:





Ok also finished another newsboy cap in white it came out ok. This time I used a K hook and changed up the stitches from the last cap I did.







Oh also for those that seen my v-neck shirt I will be changing it up a bit adding longer sleeves and making it longer at the end of the shirt so hopefully after Thanksgiving I can get back to that shirt. I like it but, just want to alter it a bit adding it a little longer. I also want to make me another one like that but, in 2different colors.



Also for those that pick a number for a pattern that I want to do for my shrap I will go with the one that everyone voted the most on number 56 called, "Snapdragon Stitch" haven't got to doing the shrap but, soon I will try to get to it soon. You all know me always doing at least 2 or 3 projects at once whenever I can. I have a long list of WIP for crochet everytime I see something I like I just have to try and make it so my list keeps getting longer and longer but, I try to finish those projects that I know is quicker before going to those big projects. Oh that reminds me I need to get back to my sudoku blanket I want to get back to that next month also my niece a blanket with her name on the blanket. Those are some big projects so want to get my hands back into my big projects and stop putting it off. Also my sisters and they friends are now asking me to do stuff for them I am like well if you all coming out of your pockets for yarn and my time then I am all good lol. :) I so tried to teach my sisters how to crochet so that they wont be running up my butt trying to get me to crochet for them but, they gave up way to quick.:)

4 day weekend this week hoping to get a little brake from my kidos this weekend. Need a little ME TIME. My oldest one keep begging me to do her a blanket which I told her I will just have to wait. She has about 6 blankets already she just sees things she like and want me to make it. Ummmm dang don't that sound like me lol. Well she gets it from her mama lol.

Well hope everyone have a great Thanksgiving I know I will sit back and chill with my family and eat eat eat. :)

Take care all my blogger friends:)

I Dream Of Crochet

Ok this weekend been crochet crazy for me lol. I got one of the purses done that I said, I was going to do that turquoise purse but, mines isn't turquoise at all mines burgurndy and I just say it's a Half Circle purse. The pattern I was following was from Almondeyes121 from Crafters. The pattern was ok I was able to follow it but, I changed up a lot of rows on the pattern making a little altering of my own with the pattern. I did a lot of chain 3 before starting a new round her pattern didn't ask for it and it didn't look right without that chain 3 or that chain 1. So I made a little changes also a couple of rows I changed up as I went also. Taking note so that I was sure to do the same on the second part of the purse.

So here is how it went with my Half Circle purse.:)



Both pieces done. The purse forms the front, back, both sides and bottom.



Ok now all done I put both pieces together by crocheting them together. But, it still looked nake.



So I put in some black fabric for the lining and a magnet snap. I also did a crochet strap and connect them to both sides of the purse.



Here goes. Aint it cute.

I now want to make a bigger purse like this I just have to change up the pattern by chaining more and crocheting into the circle more times to make the purse bigger. So have to do some little more altering.


(Ok I dream of crochet) After I had finished the Half Circle purse I laid in the bed trying to go to sleep but, had a thought of another purse that just wouldn't get out of my head. I thought about how I would make the purse and how to piece it together. I then finally was able to go to sleep when I wont up on Saturday I just had to give it a try and try out that purse that was stuck in my head most of the night. So me being me I came up with a purse I will call "Fancy Skirt Purse"



This is the start of my purse. I took notes and wrote what I did every step of the way so I would be able to repeat it for the second half of the purse. The purse was done with two pieces of yarn to give it that stiffness I was looking for. The purse forms the back, front and bottom part.

So now here is the finished purse.

"Fancy Skirt Purse"



Front, Awww aint it so cute lol.



Back,



Close up

Also this purse only have one strap but, I can alter to be 2 straps. One end of the strap is on the front part of the purse the other is on the back end of the purse I thought it would be more unique that way it just came to me.

Done in Red Heart in white and burgundy
Done with a K and H hook
Only stitches was used was all single stitches


I would like to do this purse again with different colors and differnt stitches altering my own design I guess that's how we all learn. But, I liked how this pursed turned out yet to put lining in the inside have to by me some burgundy fabric.

So there you have it my weekend so far. Today Sunday now working on a newsboy cap and also changing up my v-neck shirt making it longer and making the sleeves a bit longer.


Ok that's it for now, thanks for stopping by and checking out my crochet work. :)

Everyone take care and have a great Sunday.:)

MY SHIRT IS DONE!!!!!!!

Ok finally done with my shirt. I would have been done awhile ago but, due to be teaching this teenage girl how to crochet I fell behind on my own projects. I also decided to do this project and this project only because I do find myself doing 3 or 4 crochet projects at once but, I wanted to get this shirt out of the way before starting on something else.

Here go my shirt I so love it. Was glad to say I AM NOW DONE lol.:) I so want to make me another one like this.


Front/ the stitches in the front are all double crochet on the middle edging of the shirt is climbing shells and on the sleeves is double and climbing shells.



Back/ the stitches on the back are all climbing shells from top to bottom. My first time doing climbing shells love how it turned out at the back and the back bottom of the shirt.:)



Close up on front


Close up on back




Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Black and Charcoal Heather
Hook: H
Stitches: Climbing Shell Pattern, Double




Ok I have a couple of things I would like to start crocheting. I was going though my queue on Ravelry and decided ok time to try to get some of these out of the way. I found a lovely purse by The Crochet Dude that I would love to try and crochet up. The purse is called Chic Halfshell. :) That's one of my projects I would like to try to start sometime this weekend hopefully.

Also another purse I would like to try is by, Almondeyes121 from Crafters the purse is called Turquoise but, mines isn't going to be turquoise haven't yet figure out what color but, do have plans to try to do it. :)


Also I have a shrap and a matching newsboy cap I would like to do in navy color and white. I know I want to get started on the navy shrap sometime on Saturday. Haven't yet picked a stitch I want to try so was looking to get some help from you all with helping with some stitch patterns for my navy shrap.


Ok here is the first stitch that I thought would be great called, Snapdragon Stitch, I like the stitches like that it is open stitches. I practice the stitches and I can say I got it down pack. Just never tried the stitches on any wearables.

In picture below it's the one listed as number 56. Its the white block at the right edge.




Ok here is the second stitch that I have tried before on other wearables called, Alternate Mesa Stitch.

In picture below it's the one listed as number 57. It's the reddish block at the top left corner.:)


Ok thought I can get all my blogger friends helps on what stitch I should do on my shrap love to hear what stitches you all like the best. :)



Ok thanks for looking hoping everyone have a great weekend. Now I want to get started on those 2 purses I should have a update on those this weekend knowning me I will finish one of the purses in no time. That turquoise purse seems like a piece of cake I read the pattern and I think I can fly though that in no time.:)

Thanks for reading everyone :) take care. :)