About me from the beginning...

Well, I guess I should start with an introduction of myself. I first started crocheting when I was about 16, my mom's been crocheting like forever and passed it along to me. I picked up knitting from my sister at about 21 yrs old and fell in love. Don't get me wrong, I love crocheting too, but I feel with knitting there is much more diversity in what can be made. Before I started driving, I would do my knitting on the train and people all the time started to ask me questions and I would show them patterns of things that can be made, they saw a particular pattern, and would usually say "Wow, I would love to have this made!" and I was getting offers and phone numbers of people who wanted for me to make them stuff. People who are non-knitters do not realize the time, effort, and money that goes into making a particular item. Sure, you can walk into any department store and buy a sweater for $20, but with knitting, most of the time if you want a nice sweater, the yarn alone can cost up to or more than $80, not to mention the labor put into making the sweater. So, I started making things for people as gifts because I didn't really have the nerve to tell someone that if I charged them $150 or more for a sweater made of some very luxurious yarns, I would feel like they would laugh in my face. However, they are people out there who do appreciate a one-of-a-kind hand made garment, and my knitting has expanded to pretty much everything. So, I am starting this blog to show people some of the items that I have made, if they are interested in anything to be custom made for them, I would be more than happy to discuss what you would like done. This bag here was the first bag that I created. I've used it to carry school books and other stuff and it's held up great. As you can see in the middle pic, it has a small inside pocket that can carry an ipod, mp3 player, or other things (The pocket size can be adjusted to your liking, of course). I used a very thick wool yarn for this bag, and it was the first bag that I meandered from a pattern with. Basically, I modified the pattern(as seen in "Stitch 'n' Bitch" the original book. Everything can be adjusted with bags and I love to make them. Small, big, backpacks, you name it! And there are so many variations of yarn that can be used, but generally speaking when making bags, you want to use a good sturdy yarn. The next pic of this bag is just to show how it looks being worn (kinda blurry, sorry that's my webcam!) This next item I made is just to die for. I also made it from the Stitch 'n' Bitch book, but I used similar (and less expensive) yarns that look practically identical to the finished product. It is a turtleneck poncho that is ribbed at the neck and designed with straps of furry yarn (lion brand fun fur, along with the basic yarn) and it's a perfect poncho to wear on days that are a bit chilly, but not too chilly, like now in days before spring, or on a nice spring night. This poncho has stripes of purple and red in a charchol wool base yarn and has a tie (optional) with two little pom poms at the end. I don't know if you can really see, but it ends in a "V" shaped fashion. Very nice to wear for a night on the town, or for any chilly day. Keeps your neck super warm, too! Anyway, I make all types of items, and the cheapest and quickest things to make are: hats, glovettes (fingerless gloves) cell phone covers, or ipod covers, thin decorative belts or scarves. If you want something made, have an idea of something you may want made for a loved one, we can chat and do some brainstorming. If you want to meet in person, I live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY, we can meet in person, if you like, or if you want to chat online my email is: vickys2133@yahoo.com Thanks for reading! PS-I am adding a photo album that shows all the projects that I spoke of.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

GREAT KNITTING/CROCHET BOOKS & MAGAZINES!

Hey, just wanted everyone to know that herrschners, my favorite website to buy yarn at, is having a sale on a really cool magazine called "Crochet Today", they have some past issues for .97 cents! I got the 2010 Special issue and I'm making a blanket from it, it's called "Blue Skies Bedspread", if anyone else in interested in making this beautiful blanket, FYI, the yarn can be purchased at www.herrschners.com and it costs a total of $32.82 and that includes s&h. I'm waiting for the yarn to come as we speak, also, I've ordered on herrschners the "Radiant Shawl" kit which comes with the new Patons Lace yarn. Has anyone ever used it yet? I have, and it's good knitting yarn, I have yet to use it for crochet, so we'll see. The colors are simply beautiful, nothing like I've ever seen, they're not exactly Ombre colors, because the color fades into another color spectrum so slowly that when knitted, it looks like the color is changing slowly in certain parts. Maybe I'm not explaining myself quite well. Anyways, this "blue skies bedspread" is 53 x 67 inches, huge!! I've never really been into the "granny square" method of making afghans, because it's very easy to get bored making the same damned square over and over, which has usually lead to me abandoning the project. However, the blue skies bedspread requires you to make a certain amount of half squares, like triangles, and the squares are big, and not all of them have the same color sequence. And it's beautifully crocheted together, not sewn with a great contrasting yellow. So, I've also seen an afghan that is knitted and has different sizes and different yarns in the "One More Skein" book, which is great! I am currently making the cabled poncho for babies for my little bean niece! I'm also making the first project, fingerless gloves, everybody needs a pair of those! I love that pattern, it's extremely simple, just a 3x1 rib for 8ins, then sewn ends together leaving opening for thumb. Very simple, very quick. The only reason I'm making this is because I ordered this yarn to finish the socks I was crocheting and was sent the wrong color, so I decided to keep the skein and make use of it. Also, in this book "one more skein" there is an afghan pattern that is so rad!! (I can't believe I'm using the word rad!), but it is. You can use any kind of yarn, just gather up all of the mismatch colors and weights of yarn that you have and knit squares in all these different sizes and sew them together. Anyone can do this without a pattern, it's all about the mathmatics. For example, if you want an afghan, let's say, 35 x 50 ins, you can make squares that go into that number of inches. Either have 3 rows or more of squares, or do it like a puzzle. Any weight yarn will do, so long as the squares are the right number of inches that fit together. That's pretty much what this pattern is, and if anyone wants it, I'll be happy to email it to you. Well, any interesting patterns, people? A cool pattern that I wish to share, is the crocheted snuggie! It's awesome and uses a huge size L hook. Here's the link to make crochet the Suggie. Keep this blog alive, people!!!

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