Creativity

Taking Flight

Categories Art Projects, Creativity, Crochet2 Comments on Taking Flight

My bird house art project is finished.  I worked this piece as a dimensional collage using scrap paper, colored tissue paper, acrylic paint, crocheted elements and wrapped wire sculptural pieces.

First I created pattern pieces from thin notepaper to use for cutting out the fitted pieces of scrap booking paper that would be the base for the collage on the front, back and sides of the birdhouse.

After lightly sanding the birdhouse I painted all the surfaces with gesso to provide for better adhesion of the other elements.

Then I used decoupage gel medium to collage the roof of the birdhouse with various colors of tissue paper.

In the meantime I also crocheted the embellishments that I would be using in the last stage of the collage.

Next was the painting of the details on the roof line and front of the birdhouse also sponging paint on the roof to tone down the colors of the tissue collage.

Then I adhered the pieces of scrap paper I had cut out earlier with decoupage gel medium and painted more details.

Next I used hot-glue to adhere the crochet elements and wrapped wire branches to the house. 

I liked the look of the branches so much I decided to make more.  Was a late night finishing it up, but it is now waiting with the other birdhouses for the auction tonight.

Fun and Sparkly Throw

Categories Celebrating, Creativity, Crochet Design2 Comments on Fun and Sparkly Throw
Photo from Caron International

I’m so excited to share that my first throw design is available from Caron Yarns.  The Teen Throw uses Caron’s Simply Soft and Party yarns to create an exciting and fun throw to add some bling to any teenager’s room.

The Spiral Hearts that decorate the corners were an embellishment that I came up with in 2008 as part of a challenge on Jenny Dowde’s Freeformations group on Ravelry.  Jenny is always setting fun challenges to inspire stretching our creativity.

I’ve had many requests for a pattern for that project, so I’m very pleased that this pattern is available to the public via Caron’s website.

Gathering my Wits

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Poor little bird house has been patiently waiting on the shelf in my studio for some attention.  So today I gathered up supplies to begin this project. Acrylic paints, various scrapbook and tissue papers, and some crochet thread.

I’m starting to feel very excited about the potential for this art project. I am also thinking there will be some wire work and beads incorporated into it. Still trying to decide if I should keep it simple enough that it could be used to house birds, or if I should go completely wild and artsy.

As most of you that know me are likely guessing….I’m leaning toward wild and artsy.

Summer Arrives

Categories Creativity, Crochet, Crochet Design, Pattern1 Comment on Summer Arrives

I am doing the “Snoopy Happy Dance” because it finally feels like summer up here on the mountain.  I’ve had all the windows in the house open to encourage a lovely breeze and the thermometer may have actually registered over 85F a few times.

With all this warm weather I’ve decided to do loads of house and yard tasks and a good scrubbing in the shower was a neccesity after all that sweating. While showering I was thinking about my on-going search for the ideal exfoliating bath scrubbie. 

I used to purchase a product call the “Buff Puff” at the local drugstore. It was gentle enough for my sometimes fragile skin and yet effective at helping remove the layers of “ick” that accumulate far too quickly. Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to find them anymore.

I have played on and off with crocheting my own scrubbies, but haven’t been all that happy with the results. Generally, the best have involved cutting up strips of Tulle type fabric to crochet with.  After my shower the other day though…inspiration struck.

I taught crochet to my youngest son’s pre-school class this spring and had taken some colorful balls of Lion Brand’s Thick and Quick Chunky yarn for them to use. 

This is a very fun 100% acrylic yarn that has some “tooth” to it, yet is quite thick and I theorized that it would be absorbent to lather up nicely without holding onto the moisture so long to become a mold farm.  The yarn is also very washable and can go thru the laundry.

It was time for an experiment.  I used a simple hyperbolic formula to stitch up a mid-sized scrubbie.  My quick little pattern is below.  Stitch up a few for yourself or as gifts for friends. If you want them bigger, just add rounds until you like the finished size, though remember with more rounds you get more ruffles.

Summer Shower Scrubbie – by Andee Graves

Materials:

Lion Brand Thick and Quick Chunky – Green Mountain (approximately 14 yards)

Susan Bates P/11.5mm hook

1 Large locking stitch marker

Pattern note:  All rounds are worked spirally. Use a stitch marker to mark the last st of each round, moving up as each round is completed.

Instructions:

Round 1: Starting with an adjustable slip knot, chain 2, 6 sc in second chain from hook. Place stitch marker in 6th sc.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st of round 1. [12 sc]

Round 3: 2 sc in each st of round 2. [24 sc]

Round 4: 2 sc in next 23 sts, sc in next st, sl st in next st, ch 6, sl st in next st and fasten off. [47 sc, 6 chs]

Finish by weaving in the beginning and ending tails, and it’s bath time.

For the Birds

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This is a bird house, though I doubt it was ever intended for actual birds.

My mission is to turn this bird house into a work of art.  I and other local artists involved with the Jamestown Artists and Musicians are decorating bird houses for an auction. This is a fundraising auction to raise money for the re-building of the Band Stage at our big park.

I always love this stage of an art project. The beginning, dreaming, scheming bit.  I’m thinking first step of this project will be to do some judicious sanding. Then I’ll be having a good ramble thru my art supplies for the best bits for a mixed media masterpiece.

Right now my favorite part of this project is that I can blog about it without worries.  The hardest aspect of being a crochet designer is all the “top-secret” stuff that I’m excited about but can’t share.  Stay tuned for more photos of this art project as it progresses.

In the Wilds of Designland

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Funny, when I first decided to pursue crochet design work I thought it would be a long while before I would be really busy. I was wrong.

I’m certainly not complaining about being wrong, in fact it has been a delightful discovery that I can be as busy as I would want to be.  But it does mean life is a bit of a juggling act.

I just finished up a very large project that will be coming out in Fall of 2012, and I am currently working feverishly on 3 more design projects that are all due within the next 3 weeks for Fall and Winter publication.

The bad part of this is the poor blog gets a bit lonely. Time to write is one part of the issue, but having projects that I can share progress reports and pictures of is the other part.  Everything is Top-Secret until publication. 

So the photo today shows some of the tools of my design work, minus the yarn and swatches.

A Confusion of Seasons

Categories Creativity, Crochet Design, Humor2 Comments on A Confusion of Seasons

Yesterday, while in Boulder I took these pictures of some blossoming trees and shrubs.

This morning I woke up to this scene.

One of the challenges for a designer is that you are often required to design items for a season that is 6-8 months ahead of you.  So I guess I should be grateful for the snow, since I am currently coming up with design ideas for Winter.

Still, I really wouldn’t mind if we were getting rain instead of snow. I’m quite ready for some warm Spring like weather, instead of our typical Mountain Spring time weather.

Spring Break?

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Up here on the mountain wintertime leaves us reluctantly. We just returned earlier this week from a 10 day road trip (the reason the poor blog has been a bit quiet) to visit family in Kansas and Ohio. It was my boy’s Spring Break from school.

The weather was warming and spring like when we left, but even before we got back to our mountain we were feeling like winter wasn’t ready to give over the reins to spring and summer yet.

I spent a good part of our driving time crocheting of course. I had planned to work on a sock yarn project, but the fine yarn and the dark color I was working with didn’t work so well for car stitching.

Instead I played with some swatching for some wintertime designs.

I’m a big fan of large snuggly scarves.  Something that can be used to keep your neck warm under a coat, or that you can wrap around your shoulders for some additional warmth in a drafty house or office.  It is very likely what these swatches are destined to grow into some day soon.

Rocking the Socks

Categories Book Reviews, Creativity, Crochet10 Comments on Rocking the Socks

 

Today is about crocheted socks. In particular I’m celebrating a wonderful new book from Leisure Arts written by Karen Ratto-Whooley, “I Can’t Believe I’m Crocheting Socks”.

I first met Karen when she and I were paired as mentor and mentee by the CGOA. Our original meetings were via email, though we finally met face to face at Chain Link 2009.  Karen is a wonderful mentor as well as a talented designer and teacher. 

My Little Sock

I was delighted to take a sock-making class with her during the Crochet at Cama Retreat. It was an informative and well-organized class, though my attempt at making a sock  was pathetic (due completely to my own short-comings). At the time she told us she had a book coming out in 2011 on crocheting socks, and I knew I would be adding it to my library.

The book is now available and is a great resource for those who have always wanted to crochet socks. Karen kindly invited me to be a part of her blog tour for this fabulous book.  As part of the fun I’m going to be giving away a signed copy of the book to one of my lucky readers.  Just leave a comment by March 16th and on St. Patrick’s Day I’ll announce the winner.

If you have never crocheted socks before the “Basic Cuff Down Sock” and “Basic Toe Up Sock” patterns that start the book are almost as good as taking one of Karen’s classes. I really like how the  sample socks were worked in different colors, so it is very clear how the parts fit together. 

There are also plenty of patterns for more experienced sock makers. The information provided on making your socks fit the feet they are made for is easy to understand. Detailed photography and clear graphics make this a book that I will be turning to regularly.

Who knows, I might eventually succeed in crocheting socks for myself.  Up here on the mountain comfy cushy socks are prized. I’ve been given some  beautiful hand knit socks over the years, but would love to make my own as well as being able to give socks as gifts.

Karen has also started a wonderful club to make it even easier for folks to learn to crochet socks. To learn more about this go check out her “Crochet Rocks Socks” club.

Thing 2’s Valentines

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My youngest son is in Pre-school and needed Valentines for a party at school.  So what is a crafty mom to do?

I did think about crocheting a bunch of little hearts, but they are a bit hard to sign. I’m always looking for opportunities for my littlest to practice writing his name. He is still at that stage where the order of the letters can be a bit tricky, so practice is good.

One of my crafting hobbies is Origami, though of late I haven’t had much time for it. I gathered up supplies for some Origami Valentines.

I drew hearts with the red pen on the index cards using the cookie cutter as a guide. Then printed “From” in each heart.  I sat my little guy down with the pen and an example of a heart with his name in it and let him sign his name in each heart.

Meanwhile I folded up  the “Love Tokens” from my “Origami Love Notes” book (one of my very favorite books for quick fun Origami written by Nick Robinson).  The tokens create a little envelope or pouch, depending on how you wish to seal it. I used the glitter heart stickers on the outside of the pouches and wrote “Happy Valentines Day” on the other side.

Then, after making rough cut-outs of the index card hearts, I stuck some other heart stickers on the backs of the resulting little cards and popped them into the pouches.  With better planning and more time this could be a fun project to do with your child.  My son is almost 5 and he loves to use scissors and put stickers on stuff.