Featured Guest: Beary Cuties by Shanay Cobb

Here we are folks, my lovely friend Shanay is currently out of commission, but I'm featuring her work as my first guest feature post. When she first showed me the pattern for these adorable teddy bears I was instantly in love. They're adorable and she did them much justice. The pattern is a edited version of the pattern found on http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=353505.msg4130120#msg4130120.

Shanay has them posted on her tumblr www.starvinarts.tumblr.com. These cuties are made with Red Heart worsted weight yarn, but you could make them with whatever you choose. They're stuffed with fiberfill and painted with Tulip 3D fashion paint, the puffy kind.

I love having a great friend that shares such wonderful crochetions and patterns with me. She makes custom items and has very reasonable prices.

Happy Hooking

It's a Great Time of Firsts

       Ok folks here I was about to go to bed when I suddenly decide to go ahead and post my latest crochetion. Autumn is undoubtedly my favorite time of the year. The heat of Summer fades into pleasant days and cooler nights. Le sigh! It is so wonderful to watch the leaves change and fall. Seeing that I was born in the fall, one can understand why I adore this season. Not only is it the hallowed season of transition, but it also is that last embers of warmth and color before the winter. On top of all the wonderful things I could say about Autumn, there's the fact that you start to bring out the longer sleeves, thicker layers, and boots (squee!). On days like yesterday, I find that I adore a thinner long-sleeved top with arm-warmers.

Here is where I give you the disclaimer.


       I DO NOT make small items. I've never made hats, scarves, mittens, or socks. I tend to lean towards larger projects like afghans. Oh boy do I love me some afghans! Anyway, I have embarked on a quest to incorporate smaller projects in between my larger ones. Not only will these smaller projects give me greater variety for those "I'm so sick of doing the same thing!" moments, they will also challenge me in ways that I've never been.


      My dear friend Shanay (my sleepy model), in one of her rare creative goofs, gave me two of what were to be the elaborate cuff of a pair of gloves. I was intrigued... Needless to say, I took on the task of re-purposing these discarded pieces into something magical. I suddenly had an image of long gloves and corsets. Thus my "Corseted Sleeve" was born.

        
       I chose Vanna's Choice worsted weight yarn in the color Rust. I don't know why, but I found it to be a lovely color that just stuck with me for this one. You can, of course, make these in any color and ribbon combination. I chose this nice leopard print ribbon in a 3/8in width. I'm considering wider ribbon and a few other colors. The lacing was a pain though haha.



The length can be adjusted to suit the wearer and if you really want a bow, I guess I could make and apply one (shudders).

I made them fairly quickly, in less than a day. All together I'd say they were cheap and easy to make. Feel free to leave me comments. I greatly appreciate feedback.


Tune in next time for my first guest crochetion feature. Until then...

Happy Hooking :)

Of Introductions and Crochetions

       Hello there everyone. Jennifer here and let me tell you all about me and my obsession with yarn. I began my fascination while a young child watching my mother crochet. She had this gorgeous blue silk mohair and I wanted to make pretty things just like her. So I horribly knotted the defenseless skein in my noble attempt. Needless to say, my mother was furious (she got over it though) but understood what I'd been doing. She proceeded to give me my first 5.5mm hook and a small ball of her scrap yarn. I worked that yarn and hook over and over until I got the basic stitches and technique down. Here it is, 18yrs later and I still have that hook and yarn. I've been happily crocheting for almost 20yrs, and I have now decided to embark on this blog.

So happy that you've decided to join me.

       While I've made several crochetions over the years, there are a few that were lovingly given and thus are just pictures to be remembered. While I will do a monthly feature of my past crochetions, I'll also do a post featuring a guest crochetion. I'll take submissions to be featured, so feel free to email me your pics and item descriptions to travellectually@gmail.com. I'm pretty much an avid crafter, so from time to time I may post some other medium of craft so don't be alarmed.

       I am almost done with my latest item, so stay tuned for the pics and post. I may be amazing and post it tonight (no promises though). Until then...

Happy Hooking