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.

SPUN

Hey stitchers!  ANYONE near Denver, Colorado needs to make their way on over to the Denver Art Museum and check out the SPUN exhibit.  (Going on now through Sept. 22.)

If you are even remotely interested in textiles and fibers, this is the place for you.  I went a couple weeks ago and it was amazing.  Some of my faves?  ...the room with the batik and ikat (WOW)  ...the silk scarf hand painted by Isadora Duncan's brother, Raymond (do you think it was one of her brother's scarves that made her meet her end in that car all those years ago???)...  and of course the crochet coral reef.

CROCHET CORAL REEF, GUYS!  It's a community project, so here is your chance to make something and have it displayed in an ART MUSEUM!  Pretty cool. 

Make something and send it to ...

Rose Eason
Denver Art Museum Offices
414 14th Street
Denver, CO 80202

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE SEALED IN A PLASTIC BAG.
Send questions to reason@denverartmuseum.org

Check out the pictures I took and this cool video about the crochet coral reef!

Roll Top Backpack Variations

Hey all!  Finally done with summer school and my sis has left town... back to stitching I go!

Here are a couple variations on the roll top backpack.  You'll need to purchase the pattern for these tips to make sense (not a free DIY, here), but once you have the pattern, you will now have 3 ways you can make it (the original plus these 2 variations...)  You can buy the pattern on Etsy or Ravelry.

OK.

Variation 1:  The Mini Roll Top

Ok... in this case the general construction of the pattern is basically the same, but smaller.  To do this, stop the construction on the bottom piece when you hit 105 stitches for a super mini, or 140 stitches for a medium mini.  Then move up the backpack.  The pattern is worked in a series of 5 stitches instead of 7 stitches.  So for the first color change row (Row 3) you will do Color A in 4 stitches instead of 6.  Row 4 is the same.  Row 5 has 2 stitches in Color A instead of 4. Row 6 is the same.  Now skip to Rows 9 and 10 which are the same.  Then skip to Row 13 and do 2 instead of 4 stitches in Color C.  Row 14 is the same.  Row 15 has 4 stitches in Color C instead of 6.  Rows 16, 17, and 18 are all the same.  Keep that pattern going all the way up the backpack and save lots of time and yarn and make yourself a mini!

Variation 2:  The Flag Roll Top

This one is very similar to the original.  Use only 2 colors for the diamond pattern.  Then grab yourself a piece of graph paper and draw out the flag (or really any pattern you want) to incorporate across the bottom part of the bag.  Once the pattern ends, return to the diamond pattern described in the original pattern and repeat it until it reaches about 25 inches.  Boom.  You've made a cool bag.

Any questions or further description needed, send me an email!  Happy stitching!!!

Happy 4th!!

Happy Birthday, America!

Hope you all are doing fun and exciting things to celebrate.  Me, I will be studying.  With beer.  (I have to remind myself it's a holiday somehow, right?)  3 more days of class and one final exam until MY summer vacation starts... so much stitching and pattern writing to do, and I can't freakin wait!!!

In the mean time... this is what I'm wearing today.  I liked the crochet edging from the LBD DIY so much, I find myself adding it to just about anything!    Here I added it to some men's underpants I bought at Target.  Cheap and comfy, I'll be a happy beer drinking studier today!

Happy holiday, all!  Happy stitching!

Stripes and cool stuff

Hi all.  So, it's been a while since I have been in this spot, but I'm running low on little crochet project ideas to include as a FREE DIY on this blog.  BUT I do have lots of ideas that are little alterations to a pattern you may have already purchased...  So I'm going to include these ideas in the EXTRAS page up top.

So first...  I love the clothing I am seeing  made from Peruvian and Mexican style colored blankets.  If I had a Mexican blanket on hand and was a better sewer I would make myself a jacket STAT.  But since I don't, I've incorporated the idea into a crochet piece, and you can too!

I've incorporated these colorful Mexican blanket stripes into the Boho Jacket Pattern, but you can add it to any pattern you have that is made from plane old single crochet stitches.  It's a great way to use up extra yarn you have sitting around... start playing with some stripes!  Hint:  have 2 rows as a minimum for each stripe, 1 row will look more like stitches than a stripe.  If you like that look, go for it, but it won't look as much like these Mexican blanket jackets.

Check out the images below to see how I incorporated this idea into a jacket.  And check the images below that for the jackets from Free People that inspired me for ideas on striping and colors.  Play with it, and have fun!

Extras! Extras!

Hi all!  I have some new projects I wanted to get started on this summer.  These are things I wanted to share with you that are not really new patterns (but might build on one you have already bought), not quite DIY's, and more than just my ramblings.

They are things you will want to know, maybe some tutorials, maybe some pattern modifications... so I have added a new tab up there with the different pages where these lovely "EXTRAS" can be found.

Crochet Math from yesterday is in there!  

Happy stitching!

Crochet Math

Hi all.

So I'm in a finance class right now and getting lots of math practice in.  Then I realized... there is actually a lot of math involved in crocheting... and since I am not a math lover... it took me many years of crocheting before I figured it out.

These are tricks you math lovers might know already.  BUT - if you are like me and math rarely consumes your mind, these tricks might come in handy.

FIRST ---  some math to figure out yardage.
It can be helpful to keep your yarn wrappers if you don't remember the kind of yarn you are using, and this is why...  there is some kind of useful information on them.  Here is an example:

The pieces of info you will need are Ball Weight (2.5 ounces) and Length (120 yards).  Now you just need a scale (I use a food scale) and you can figure out about how much yarn you have left in a skein OR how much yarn you used for a project.

So say you weigh your project and it weighs 5 ounces.  (This one is easy)

120 yards  x  ?????yards  =    
2.5 ounces   5 ounces

So do some cross multiplication.  120 x5 = 600   Then 600/2.5 = 240 yards.  You used 240 yards.

Here is a harder one.  Your project weighs 13 ounces.

120 yards    x    ?????yards  =
2.5 ounces      13 ounces

120 x 13 = 1,560   Then 1,560/2.5 =  ABOUT 624 yards.  (Allow for some rounding in the weight unless you have a really fantastic scale!)

SECOND - some math to figure out size.
To figure out the size of something you need a really accurate gauge.  So when you read a pattern and the gauge says:  13 stitches and 16 rows of sc = 4 inches with an H hook, you need to make a swatch with an H hook and your chosen yarn and make sure 13 stitches of single crochet across and 16 rows up really equals 4 inches.  If it is bigger than 4 inches, switch to a smaller hook like a G.  If it is smaller than 4 inches switch to a larger hook like an I.  For this math to work, your gauge has to work.

OK so now, say you are making a piece that is  55 stitches.  You can figure out how many inches across that will be.   Because you are dealing with stitches across, you will use 13 as your number.

4 inches       x     ????inches  =  
13 stitches            55stitches

4 x 55 = 220    Then,  220/13 = 16.9  or about 17 inches.  So when you make the 55 stitches across it will be about 17 inches.

The same works if you are dealing with rows.  So now say you are making a piece with the same gauge that has 80 rows in its pattern.  You can figure out how many inches long it will be.  Because you are dealing with rows, you will use 16 as your number.

4 inches        x     ????? inches   =
16 rows               80 rows

4x80 = 320  Then, 320/16 = 20 inches.  So when you make 80 rows with this gauge it will be about 20 inches.


WOOHOO!  Good job with your math!  These are two tricks that are so incredibly useful as a stitcher, and it took me an long time to realize them... hopefully they will help you out in all your stitching adventures!!!  (And this works with knitting too!) 

Some Advice

Watched this advice.  and it was some I needed...

I have a feeling this might be irrelevant to most of the awesome crafters reading this blog, but if you needed to hear this, here it is...

Shopping Time 3

I heard about Della while working at Krochet Kids international.  They are an awesome company that uses the traditional wax print fabrics of Africa in their products while also employing and helping women in Ghana at the same time.  For a long time they just made bags and computer cases...

NOW they have recently announced their partnership with Urban Outfitters and make a whole bunch of wicked awesome clothes!  WHAT?  So excited!  I broke my no new clothes clothing challenge and have a few items already in the mail...  well worth it!

Buy them HERE.

Shopping Time

It's time to spend some money and do some good.  I was going to have this post just feature some products I worked on at Krochet Kids international, but let's save that for tomorrow.

After the events in Oklahoma yesterday, I think we all want to buy this.  Get out your credit cards and buy this shirt here:  http://store.shopgoodokc.com/  Thank you to Oikos Handmade for sharing from Oklahoma!

You can also text redcross to 90999 to donate $10.

Stuff that is happening...

Wow... school has been crazy.  Well first it was really crazy, and then it was spring break, so I snowboarded and sat on my bum, and shared a new pillow case DIY with you, but that was all...

I have a small DIY to share with you this week (super easy, very cozy - you'll like it!) but then that's it!  BECAUSE... I've been working on something else...

in 2 and a half weeks, a photoshoot with the amazing Kelsey White of One O.A.K. Photography, Freeravin Designs, and some beautiful models and a hair and makeup artist too!  Words cannot contain my excitement!

So there is a slow in patterns for the next couple weeks as I try to get things finished for photographing, and then patterns will come soon after...  GET PUMPED!!!

Check out this beautiful pic Kelsey took with Freeraven a little while back...

How pretty is that picture?  How lovely is that jewelry?  How lucky am I to work with these guys?  VERY!

Stella Jean

I'm taking a computer aided apparel design class right now.  We have to design two lines for the class... and of course I'm hoping to use crochet in mine...

So I'm in the midst of trend analyzing and market researching...

And I'm hoping... (maybe when the semester calms?)  to actually make what I design on the computer... and tell you how I did it!

Right now I'm inspired by this amazing Italian designer, Stella Jean.  She combines European style and culture with African style and culture in an attempt to make something completely different and totally awesome.

She is quoted as saying, "I would like to show how it is possible to melt very different culture with no limits, but at the same time keep the respect and consciousness of the traditions."   - Stella Jean

Pretty awesome idea, huh?

Check out her work below to see if she succeeded.  I say yes.

All images from www.stellajean.it!

3 Valentine Things

I have THREE things to share with you this lovely Valentine's Day!

1.  Last day to use discount code VALENTINE for 10% off everything in the Etsy shop!  What?  Such a lovely deal!  Get on that!

2.  There are some kind of awesome Valentine appropriate DIY's from last year for you to enjoy!  Find The Heart Sweater and the Heart Elbow Patch DIY and get your stitching on.

3. It is V-day!  The day where One Billion (are) Rising!

Taken from their website:

ONE IN THREE WOMEN ON THE PLANET WILL BE RAPED OR BEATEN IN HER LIFETIME.*
ONE BILLION WOMEN VIOLATED IS AN ATROCITY
ONE BILLION WOMEN DANCING IS A REVOLUTION
On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 14 February 2013, we are inviting ONE BILLION women and those who love them to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to this violence. ONE BILLION RISING will move the earth, activating women and men across every country. V-Day wants the world to see our collective strength, our numbers, our solidarity across borders.
What does ONE BILLION look like? On 14 February 2013, it will look like a REVOLUTION.
ONE BILLION RISING IS:
A global strike
An invitation to dance
A call to men and women to refuse to participate in the status quo until rape and rape culture ends
An act of solidarity, demonstrating to women the commonality of their struggles and their power in numbers
A refusal to accept violence against women and girls as a given
A new time and a new way of being

So head on over to onebillionrising.org to watch live videos throughout the day and see ONE BILLION PEOPLE DANCING!  Already videos from India, Indonesia, Taiwan, Sudan, the Congo, New Zealand, Australia... it is pretty damn AWESOME! And put your stitching down for little to go get your dance on.

Garden Love

I've never been one for gardening... although I recently heard that an hour out in the garden has the same effect as Prozac and helps to boost your brain function... who knew?

Then I was playing around on Pinterst and found 3 plant related posts that got me really happy.  And they can be done inside... away from the cold (and one is crochet related)!

So...  Thank you to duitang.com,  CuteDIY, and Lynzarium's Custom Living Design for these amazing plant pick-me-ups!  I really want to try them!

Click on the links before the images to see these images normal sized AND straight from these amazing creative people!  Stitch and Garden Happy! 

Fur Collars

I love these little fur collar looks...  check back tomorrow for some ideas on making a crochet version of one... and then wear it as awesomely as these gals have...

Beth Jones from B Jones Style

Rumi Neely from Fashion Toast

Blair Eadie from Atlantic-Pacific

Stitchin on a bike...

Bikes are a big deal here in Fort Collins.  We are the home of Fat Tire (New Belgium) beer and we take great pride.  Since today is a small thaw in the weather (GOODBYE negative temps!), I might have to try dressing up a bike like this... pretty awesome, no?

Images taken from the Free People Blog.

Image from The Bike Project.

Image from TunisionTimes 

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Image from RedVintageButton.

Spotlight on Skin Cancer

Hi all!  I'm sick on the couch for the 4th day now...  bummer dude.

Luckily the Downton Abbey premiere and an email of this video have brightened my day!

Last year, Meredith bought the Power to the Pom Hat in bright orange so it could be used in this video about skin cancer awareness.  Definitely a topic important to me since many people in my family have had it.  So... stitch happy, get yourself checked, and try to spot the Sans Limites in this video!

Read more from her interview HERE.

Redecorating

I found this amazing peacock chair for $18 at the Goodwill in Utah.  No I didn't buy it (my very small car was packed FULL of Renegade Craft Fair stuff, Christmas presents, and yes I did try to steal my dad's car to go get it, but the battery was dead and we took it as a sign, and I'm still very sad about it... let's stop talking about this, AAAAH).

Anyway...  I started obsessing a little over the cool crochet used to decorate the home of these ladies (who also have a wicked awesome peacock chair) over at the SPELL Gypsy Collective.  Now I want to use crochet to decorate my space, I have some fun DIY's in mind, and if they turn out, I hope to share them with you!

Fingers crossed that it ends up looking like this...

And less like this...