Tuesday, June 28, 2011

When It rains is so refreshing!

Mystery Hat 2I am in such a creative mode in my crochet that for relaxation I turn to other crafts, knitting, weaving and spinning.  I aim to have a new hat pattern next for July.  It is in my opinion a very simple Tapestry Crochet hat, but definitely something that will be fun to make and wear.  I have to say that when it comes to the craft of making hats with textures and colors, Tapestry crochet gives me such freedom.  I enjoy making hats so much, and my newer hats are really for the whole family.  I think that Tapestry Crochet offers such a great advantage to manipulating the stitches, I never thought I could create so many different hats.  Sometimes I start the hat the same way I did the previous hat, but on the road of making the new hat, I am thinking on innovation.  Tapestry crochet is a bit more about commitment than about skill, yet to make many of my hats you need to know your front and back post stitches. 


Gauge is really not that important as far as making a hat, yet you should be able to approximate the size of the hat you want by how many stitches per inch you are making following the pattern.  Whether yo want to really relax your stitch or tighten the way you close the stitches, it is amazing how much difference you can make by relaxing your tension.   At any rate I hope you have a great week and thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Tripp NYC Kilt

TrippNYCKilt (1)I have been wanting a Kilt for some time you know. I think that this one from  www.findcoolclothes.com from Tripp NYC was the perfect one for me.  I have a latent Goth Spirit in me lol. I find that it fits perfectly and that IO am very comfortable wearing it.  It is made in China, but I can tell you that is what I wanted to try.  The www.Utilikilts.com  is a great Kilt as well, but personally I wanted to try something like this and see if it was what I was going to wear.  I can tell you that I really like the Goth Look of this Kilt, more so than the others.  I even got a new belt today to go with it at the Gay Pride 2011 San Francisco.  I got a lot of compliments from people, even from the guy from the Utilikilts.   


In all reality the price is  like  1/3 of the American made one, but it is great for people who want to try a Kilt and see if it is something you want to wear.  This kilt for example has two cargo-saddle  pockets , it has a great Zipper in front. The Zipper is very sturdy, it has a button inside and it is made of a great 100 % cotton fabric.  Now for the Holidays , meaning Christmas Holidays I may buy myself a Utilikilt,  I will tell you that this is a nice piece of clothing.  To answer the obvious question that some people have, I do Wear Underwear.  At any rate I wanted to share with you my Kilt and I am working on those Klingon socks to go with it.  Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Tapestry Crochet Myster Hat 2

Mystery Hat 2
So you have been wondering what I am doing these days.  I have been busy designing hats for the Family for someone a great Sponsor.  I wish I could show you the things that I am working on, but I don't know that I can.  This is the first time I am working as a designer for a big company and I am hoping to create some for myself at the same time.  Nevertheless the hat you see above is the wrong side of the pattern I am working on, and what is very exciting about these patterns that I am working on is the fact that you can make them for the whole family.  It is the easiest sizing I have come up with that is very simple. At any rate I will keep you posted as I go along. I will say that some time this week or next week I will have a bit of a tutorial about how I make hats and some tips and tricks about making hats that I am hoping will benefit a lot of people. Not really fancy, but very to the point and professional.  Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, June 17, 2011

The Instep is born, Risa

RisaAwaitsInstep
This is the instep of the sock and I have slowed down a bit, not because is boring, but because I am busy making patterns and testing them.  I will be working on it a bit more maybe a couple of hours a day  on the sock then continue my pattern testing.  I have had great help from the Intwined Software as I try to translate the patterns I create at random with color. Hope you have a great Friday, I am hoping to visit the Picasso Exhibit at the Local Museum, we got some free tickets. Will see you during the weekend, hope is a great weekend for all.  Thanks for stopping by!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

The Risa Heel has turned

RisaAwaitsHeelturned (1)
I think this pattern is very easy for those that want to learn a simple, yet clever Fair Isle pattern.  As you see , I have decided to make the heel red and I will also make the tows red.  I have a lot more red than black. This is a sock that will last me for a long time.  I am hoping to make a pair of socks a month in my self imposed Sock club.  Some of my friends started that, we want to make socks with the yarn we purchased.  I think the economy has brought out the utilitarian spender on all of us.  I have always been that way, I don't like to have things sitting around that are just for decoration, unless of course is sock yarn, ha ha ha.  Thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

The Heel Flap for Risa

I am enjoying making this sock as I am learning more about socks in general.  Socks in Fair Isle are not the easiest thing in the world, yet they are.  The red is a Wollmeise Vamp , which is very rich and depending on the light you get more red or orange.  It is definitely very red. I decided to make the Heel in Red, it is easier on the eyes and I have plenty more Red than I have black. Given this is sock number one, sock number two will be a breeze. 
RisaAwaitsWIPHeelFLap (1)
I think one of the more tedious parts about socks is the fact of the monotony of the repetitive work.  I pace myself and have little goals for each day. The chart is 33 Rows, I aimed at making 11 Rows each day and maybe 17 if I am motivated.  The Heel flap I have done 10 rows at a time. I was searching for the formulae for the heel flap and it seems to be pretty much the same. For men is about 3 inches, but it is defined also as  half the stitches of the circumference.  I say at least half the stitches as the circumference, but for a man, between 2.5 to 3 inches is good. I am almost done with the heel flap and will start to turn the heel, which is in my opinion the most fun part of making a sock.  I doubled the yarn for the heel flap and the turn and will do so for the toe as well.  My toes will be red. Thanks for stopping by!
RisaAwaitsWIPHeelFLap (2)

Friday, June 10, 2011

A Fair Isle Socks is just not a sock

RisaAwaitsWIP2
This Sock is an interesting example of something that shapes and reshapes itself as you wear it.  My friend Nigel suggested that I turn it inside out and do it in reverse, this would definitely make the floats better. I try the socks on every two or three rows, nothing like a pair of socks that does not go over the ankles.  I am planning to do a double strand on the heel and on the toe.  I have not decided whether it will be black or red.  This sock is being done with Cascade Heritage superwash merino and Wollmeise. I am loving every minute I am spending.  I am definitely learning a lot about this Fair Isle in Sock Fashion.  I have another pair of Socks that I am really wanting to make, they are green and black, Lizard Socks, but that is another story.  I am glad you stop by today to see the progress I made.  I had one of my patterns proofread by a friend and it's a go.  I will start to work on the Other New Pattern maybe Sunday or so.  Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Risa is rising

RisaAwaitsWIP2
I have never done  Fair Isle socks and I can tell you is a lot more difficult than I want to admit. Nevertheless if you are accustomed to make socks in this fashion , you will find it a breeze.  I started this project on DPNs, but quickly decided to go on two circulars.  The circulars are  US 1 as well , but 2.5 mm instead of 2.25 mm.  I had to rip to the beginning of the Color pattern, because I was not able to let the floats relax.  Actually with two circulars I can wear them after a few rows or every row and see how they are fitting. I say it is better than making socks that do not fit.  I am enjoying the pattern more, and now that I figured how to update the file on Ravelry, I am a lot happier. It came with the right amount of stitches. This is my relaxing project and I can tell you it is fun. Hope to have more pictures as the week comes along.  Thanks for stopping by!

Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Relax it is just socks

RisaAwaitsWIP (1) 
To me the ability of making my own socks is amazing. This pattern that  I am starting is amazing and not for the faint of heart.  It is a  Starfleet Fair Isle Socks kind of sock knitting, and it almost follows the rules when it comes to stitches.  It is a big challenge and I am hoping that I can take the challenge along.  I am going to put a safe line  on the top  before I start the pattern, because I can go up to 80 sts if it is too tight, but will enjoy the 72 at the cuff.  It calls to go up a needle size, but if I played my needles right and my tension right , I should be able to knit lose and mimic going up a needle size.  The cuff was knit in the way I knit when I need to apply tension to the yarn, so it goes by the gauge I was asked to have. It is all in the fun and is what I am doing.

RisaAwaitsWIP (3)
I am also very busy with designing and some will be posted here and some is for a Yarn Company that I am hoping they will embrace the crochet bug.  The first hat is definitely a family hat.  All the members of the family can have their own hat, following the same pattern, from the baby to the grand father, it will all be possible with these patterns, I am sharing the news, the rest is a secret that I can not share with you for now.  Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, June 03, 2011

Fair Isle to Crochet by Leisure Arts

LAFairIsleBookCrochet 
Fair Isle to Crochet by Leisure Arts  , 5 Afghans for the family by Karen Ratto-Whooley is an interesting book if you are looking for charts.  It will not teach you Fair Isle, nor will it teach you to crochet a proper Color Stranded gauge swatch.  When I first saw this booklet I thought  it would enhance my knowledge of color work in Crochet, but it did n't and it can't.  There is value in buying a booklet with 5 Afghans patterns with some colorful charts, but even at that, there is a lot that could have been done, that was not done in this book, to really teach people about color work in crochet.  I want to rename this booklet after I read it and call it Pretty Charted Ideas for Crochet Afghans.  Even the finishing techniques are just simple, but does not tell you that you can choose to finish this afghan in a different way.  It assumes you want to make an Afghan with  tassels or fringe at the ends.  I think the author should have added that you could add a frame around the afghan in single crochet as well so that you can hide the end by making weaving easy.  I shall say to all of you that this is not a book I recommend for it's instructional value on color techniques, it uses graphs that are public domain, and is not what I thought it would be. If you want to do some advance color work in Crochet I do not recommend this book for you, but if you are new to color in crochet a beginner that does not have any idea how to make charts or colors in crochet, this will be a book that  is worth looking at.  I had to revised my review because it sounded harsher than I wanted it to be. Sometimes things get lost in translation when is late at night. I intended no offense to the author, but I needed to express my personal opinion.

Well as of today June 17, 2011, I had the honor of having the author of the book comment on this posting.  This book is not what I wanted, but will definitely point you into the direction of Fair Isle Crochet as the Author commented below. Would I make the afghans in it?  I bet you I would, but I would find a way of not having the fringe on the sides, I personally don't like it.  Those ends can be weaved in and the fringe will be gone. Thanks for stopping by!

Almost two years without blogging August 2020

Life can be a bowl of strawberries when cheries are not available.   It has been almost two years since I have been in this blog.  I have s...