Thursday, March 27, 2014

Ugly Crocheted Slipper Sneakers- Recycle your old school notebooks to make the Soles!




So, I made my husband some ugly crocheted slippers with a sneaker design in mind.
I decided that I wanted to fill the insides with stuffing to make it soft, and I wanted hard soles for him to be able to walk outside. So, I began to search for materials that I could recycle.


I had just graduated college, so I thought to use the covers of my notebooks.







































Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Embroidered Crocheted Coasters!!!

A really great holiday idea is to crochet coasters! This is great if you're lazy (like I've been lately), if you have many people to crochet gifts for or if you just want to make a last minute gift because you're super busy...depending on your skill level, this should take about 30 minutes to an hour (maybe an hour and a 1/2). I have a very unorthodox way of creating my circles, which is just a bad habit, so I posted a link at the end with a good source on a structured way to create flat circles. I usually just freestyle everything because I'm being super lazy. It can sometimes cost you a lot of time because you have to keep starting over, so it's just better to start out right the first go round!
 
Here is a quick start to a circle, and if you're experienced, when you get to the part where you sc 1x, sc 2x, you can feel out the material as it's being produced...if it feels as if it's getting wavy, stop increasing with the sc 2x. If it feels tight, as if it's about to curl or bend, begin to increase.
 
To start a circle:
 
chain 4. slip stitch in the first ch (4th ch. from the hook) to create the circle. Tug on the string that hangs in order to tighten the circle.
sc 2 x in each ch of the circle (because you slip stitched in the 4th ch from the hook, you should have 3 chains available to crochet in. You'll get 6 stitches after you crochet 2x in each stitch).
After you get your 6 stitches of sc (single crochet), slip stitch in the next loop.
chain 1, sc 1x, sc 2x
 
 


 
 
For the Embroidery:
 
 
Here is how I do it:
 
I place the yarn flat against the back side of the material, and I pull a loop through to the front side of the material. Then you go into the next stitch in whatever direction you need to go in order to achieve the design you want. I had to often start over. However, you can draw on the material and follow the design. Although, when I did it that way, it did not work very well for me.
 
Check out the video on the chain stitch embroidery.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 




 

 





 
 
 
Here is a great source with rules of thumb for crocheting a flat circle- increasing evenly!

Surface Crochet: Embroidery Chain Stitch


Sunday, April 7, 2013

Pan Long, The Dragon...Not My Usual Crochet Blog-For the Craft Lover In You!


click here for more details on how to buy the pattern or have the dragon made at A Better Bead in Pisgah Forest, NC
This is not my usual blog, but I wanted to share the link to this dragon, Pan Long, created by my mother in law! The pattern can be purchased or he can be made for you. click here for more details on how to buy the pattern or have the dragon made at A Better Bead in Pisgah Forest, NC

Here is the description from my mother-in-law, Shelley Bossert, The  Teddy Bear Lady!

Pan Long is a fully articulated Chinese dragon constructed entirely from seed beads and Swarovski crystals. He is so flexible you can even tie him in a knot if you want. He can be worn as a necklace, a brooch, a bracelet or simply carried about as the ultimate in elegant worry beads. Pan Long, coiling dragon in Chinese, measures 8.5", when complete. His head is made using tubular and flat, even as well as odd count peyote. His scales are herringbone cones and his tail is a collection of seed bead and crystal streamers in a riot of colors. He has no wires if any kind inside his body, just seed beads. How this is achieved, you will have to buy the pattern to discover.

The design and pattern for this undulating wonder is my original work as are the instructional text, diagrams and photographs. The pattern is twelve pages of detailed instruction and full color photographs and diagrams of every step of the instructional process. Supplies needed for this project are pictured above. This pattern is not for the faint-hearted. It requires advanced skills in both peyote and herringbone stitches. Pan Long himself, the pattern, text and graphics are all copyrighted material and may not be duplicated all or in part without written permission from me.

The inspiration for this pattern was another artist's work, Linda Richmond. I work at A Better Bead and Crafts, the most wonderful bead shop I have ever visited. A customer came in one day wearing a segmented fish she had made from one of Linda's patterns. The shop owner, Alethea, and I were intrigued by the flexibility of the fish but we wondered if a fully 3D version of some creature might be made with as much flexibility as Linda's fish. We decided I should try. A dragon's body seemed to lend itself well to the project. Research told me that a Chinese dragon had a boxy head and a legless body versus the more complicated sculpted body with legs of a European dragon. Not wishing to make a hard job next to impossible, I opted for the Chinese dragon.

It took me nearly four months and 20+ prototypes to rework the way the scales needed to be attached to allow completely free, 360 degree motion. When I attached the final scale to Pan Long's body, I felt sure I had been successful. Just to be sure he was up to the wear and tear his seductively limber body invites, we coiled Pan Long around a display on the front counter in the shop and stood back to see what reaction we would get from customers. They couldn't seem to put him down. If you are up to the challenge of making a dragon of your own, I'll bet you won't be able to put yours down either.

This listing is for the pattern to make Pan Long only, not for the dragon himself. A full color hard copy is available for purchase at a cost of US $40.00 plus shipping. If you are in love with Pan Long himself, he too is for sale at a cost of US $150.00 plus shipping. If you love the Pan Long but wish he was in different colors, a special order version of him can be made for you for the pre-paid price of US $150.00 plus shipping. If you are not a beader; will never make a Pan Long of your own; cannot afford or do not wish to buy a completed Pan Long from me but still think he is worth your time, please, feel free to Stumble, Pin, Like or otherwise make note of him in social media or private messages to your friends and/or family.
Thank you for reading my proud ramblings,
Shelley, the NCTeddyBearLady

P.S. A word of caution about the use of this pattern. You have my permission to make all the pouches with teddy bear toppers you wish from this pattern for yourself or to give away. You do not, however, have permission to make commercial use of it. Specifically, that means you may not make and sell pouches or teddy toppers made from this pattern, sell the pattern, copy, reproduce or use any part of it to make money or to share with others to save the cost of purchasing their own. I reserve that right solely for myself.

You do have my permission to let this pattern be a means for finding your own artistic voice. Vary the design of the pouch or the teddy topper so that they are no longer recognizable as my work and I wish you G-d's speed. Change a stitch here and there for the sake of calling it your own and, as I learned to say in Turkey, may the fleas of a thousand camels infest your nether regions! . . .And. . .keep a watchful eye over your shoulder for my lawyer. As they say in department store dressing rooms, violators will be prosecuted.
click here for more details on how to buy the pattern or have the dragon made at A Better Bead in Pisgah Forest, NC

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Emergency Crocheted Bookbag and Yarn Thickness/Weight for Beginners

Crocheted Drawstring Bookbag with Adjustable shoulder strap

Hello All! I recently broke the zipper on my $60.00 bookbag that I purchased 2 years ago from the college bookstore at UNC Asheville. I am now at CofC (College of Charleston), and I do not plan to purchase another expensive bookbag from the Borders bookstore on campus. I went home, and I immediately pulled out the fattest yarn that I could find (yarn thickness or weight), and started crocheting.  Visit the following website to learn more regarding Yarn Thickness.

Yarn Weight/Thickness for Dummies
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Common Yarn Weights
 
Yarn WeightNumber ID and SymbolUS Needle SizeKnitting Stitches Per Inch, in Stockinette StitchCommon Uses
Lace000–18–10Lace knitting
Super fine, fingering, or baby-weight1–37–8Light layettes, socks
Fine or sport-weight3–65–6Light sweaters, baby things, accessories
Light worsted or DK (double-knitting)5–75–5 1/2Sweaters and other garments, lightweight scarves
Medium- or worsted-weight, afghan, Aran7–94–5Sweaters, blankets, outdoor wear (hats, scarves, mittens, and so on)
Bulky or chunky10–113–3 1/2Rugs, jackets, blankets
Super bulky13–152–2 1/2Heavy blankets and rugs, sweaters




Crocheted Knapsack with adjustable shoulder strap