Cable Turtleneck Sweater! Finally! A New Pattern!!!

You will love this new pattern!  Use crochet to make beautiful cables and ribbing in this fun and cozy sweater!

This is the first pattern I have written in a few years.  It was great to get back into it... but I am feeling a little rusty --- so I welcome any feedback!

Pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry and Craftsy!  It is a written pattern (no diagram) but there is a description of the more complicated stitches at the end as well as a picture tutorial of how to do the cable.  A sizing diagram is included at the end of the pattern as well.

Stay warm in this incredible sweater!
Happy Stitching!
Love,
Sara

Knitting - According to Stuff Mom Never Told You

Hi Stitchers!

This blog is mostly crochet - but there is lots of love for knitting on here too!  If knitting and feminism intrigues you ...  I highly suggest you listen to this wonderful podcast while you create.
Happy stitching!

Find the Podcast for Knitting - Stuff Mom Never Told You!

I am a Master

It has been so so so sooooooooo long since I have written on this blog - or even written a crochet pattern...  but that doesn't mean I haven't been stitching.

For those that don't know, I have spent the last three years getting my master's degree from Colorado State University in Design and Merchandising.  It has been a crazy ride learning to sew, use computer design software, create apparel patterns, teach a product development class, and conduct research into cultural appropriation in fashion, clothing comfort smartphone apps, and feminist media portrayals of women and dress.

Now that I am no longer writing research papers or my thesis...  I'm getting back to writing a few crochet patterns and words cannot describe how psyched I am.  Some things I hope to have for sale soon include a filet crochet wall hanging with fringe, a warm and cozy winter vest, and some pillow cases that play with cables in crochet.  Stay tuned, cause I'm working hard on getting those ready for you wonderful wonderful stitchers!

For now,  I'm sharing pictures of my master's thesis design line.  I combined historic filet crochet lace techniques with digitally printed textiles.  I researched textile traditions of West Africa and used a computer software to design textiles.  They were then printed on cotton and silk using a digital textile printer (a gigantic printer that puts dye onto fabric rather than ink onto paper).  I draped patterns to make my designs and made some elements a crochet piece that used the filet crochet method to pick up on the textile motifs of the fabric.  I shared all this design work in a gallery of all my own design work that was up from September through December of 2015.  It was a ton of hard work and the most incredible experience and I learned so much.  Enjoy the pictures below.

My thesis work also lead me to research feminism, social responsibility, fair-trade, the cult of new domesticity, historic crochet, adinkra symbols, wax print cloth, and cultural appropriation...  All info I hope to write about and share with you one day...  but maybe after I've had more of a thesis-writing break.

So excited to start crocheting with all of you again.  Happy stitching.  Love, Sara

All photographs taken by Gretchen Gerding.

One of my favorite designs - I can't wait to wear it! 

A picture of me and my advisor at my gallery opening.

Explaining how filet crochet works to make a pattern.

MAKERS MONDAY

I love celebrating those who make!  Take part of your Cyber Monday to support an American artisan today!  And for all of you who make stuff yourself, take 20% off knit and crochet patterns on Etsy and Ravelry.  Read below for coupon code!  Happy stitching!  Happy holidays!

Read more at http://www.makersmonday.com/

THANKSGIVING!

So...  I've been going a little coo coo nuts seeing all the black Friday commercials this week and all the stores open on Thanksgiving!  Don't you think it's a bit ironic that the day we are supposed to be giving thanks for all we have is now a day devoted to shopping - probably for stuff we don't really need?  UGH... ick.

So... that had me down.... and I seriously have a zillion papers to write (50 pages down- who knows how much more to go!).

But what was REALLY bumming me out was not being able to see my sister this Thanksgiving.  FIRST TIME without her.  About a year and a half ago, she moved to Boston to start a PhD program at Harvard.  She is brilliant, bright, funny, and a complete joy to be around.  I brag about her all the time and miss her so much!  We've known since the semester started she probably wouldn't make it out this year - she has to turn in all the work for her Pre- Qualifying Exam (PQE) this week and is ridiculously busy.  We didn't even want to visit her in Boston and distract her or stress her out.

So yesterday morning we were sending facebook messages back and forth while both working like mad on our school work and joking about Skyping her in on dinner and if Skype had a teleport pie function... and I was missing her so. darn. much!  Ugh... yesterday was a rough one...

Well... one of my favorite sister moments was during my Freshman year of college.  I had just moved away and we were missing each other quite a lot.  Amanda was on dance team and cheerleading (YES... she is brilliant AND talented... you'll just have to meet her one day) and she was competing at nationals in Las Vegas.  I called her a few times to tell her how sad I was that I couldn't be there before I hopped on a plane to Vegas...  I knocked on her hotel room and hid, when she answered the door- first she looked angry, then confused, then happy, then so happy she started crying.  So proud I was able to surprise her!

Well, last night I went to bed feeling a bit bummed.  In the middle of the night Amanda burst into my room and flipped on all the lights...  First I was angry, then confused, then happy, then so happy I started crying.  BEST. FREAKIN. SURPRISE. EVERRRRRR!

Amanda's arrival got me right into the holiday spirit- which was so sadly missing yesterday.  I hope you all have the most amazing Thanksgiving with the people you love.  I am so so so thankful for my family, holiday surprises, and all of you.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Love, Sara (and Amanda too! YAY!)

Toms Marketplace

If you know me, or have been reading this blog... you know I love the idea that craft and social entrepreneurship can change the world (It's a part of my graduate thesis)!  A lot of companies are using craft based products (crochet and jewelry making in Uganda, knitting in Peru, fabric batik in Ghana) to provide jobs and a starting place for economic growth in areas with a lot of poverty.

For the past few Christmases, I have posted about companies you can buy from that not only make great products, but are working to make the world a better place.  Now you can see them all gathered on one easy site.  World changing has NEVER been so easy.  Check out Tom's Marketplace to see how they have brought a ton of cool companies together to change the world through how we shop.

AND I LOVED seeing my old bosses from Krochet Kids international up there... AND even one of the products I helped work on during my time there... the Hoot!

Go shop.  Buy cool things.  Make the world a better place.  Feel awesome.  It's that simple.

The Vintage Style Poncho

I'm very behind in school, but this weekend I just felt the need to make stuff.  So finally... a new pattern!  Stitch happy, all!

Find it on Etsy, Ravelry, and Craftsy!

Email me with questions.