For those of you who would like to make one of the little fast baskets but don't need the entire tutorial , here is the pattern, plain and simple. This is also good to look at after you have completed the tutorial, so you can see what a pattern for in-the-round crochet looks like. Materials: H hook (5.0mm) Ball of Sugar and Cream worsted weight cotton yarn in Natural A small amount of colored yarn or hemp twine for the stripe Abbreviations: st - stitch slst - slip stitch ch - chain dc - double crochet Round 1: Begin with the adjustable loop in the natural yarn. Ch 2 (counts as first dc), and crochet 11 more dc into the loop. Join to beginning ch with a slst. (12 dc) Round 2: Ch 2. 2 dc in each stitch around, join with a slst. (24 dc) Round 3: Ch 2. *1 dc in next st, 2dc in next. Repeat from * around, join with a slst. (36 dc) Round 4: Ch 2. *1 dc in next 2 st, 2 dc in next. Repeat from * around, join with a slst. (48 dc) Round 5: Ch 2. *1 dc in next 3 st, 2 dc in next. Repeat from...
I finished my first-ever all crocheted handbag and put it in the store thismorning. I call it the "Melting Snow" handbag because it reminds me of a mountain with snow melting off of it. It's made from a pattern in one of the Japanese craft books I bought in SF. I love it! It came out a bit smaller than the one in the book because they used a chunkier yarn, and I wasn't sure which hook to use exactly since all the text is in Japanese except for the numbers. I think I was supposed to use a size 5, but I used my 7 which is larger, so I don't think that had anything to do with the size change. It's so sweet and I'm starting to make another one with a light body and dark stripes from the same yarns. I sure hope someone loves it as much as I do and will give it a good home. I also finished making the crocheted jute basket for the bottom of my first zakka purse... 
Now I just have to search through my massive pile of zakka-worthy fabrics and choose a few for the top, figure out what I want to embroider on it, and then I'll list it too. I've been feeling pretty snazzy lately with my new haircut, and hopefully I can channel some of that fun energy into my purses and other projects.
It's hard because the weather has been so gloomy for the past few days, raining almost non stop. Snuggling weather, I call it. Michael and I spent a lovely day yesterday going round the city with our best friend Ryan, eating dim sum in Chinatown and then catching up on the Heroes episodes we missed and staying up till the wee hours playing video games. It was a great time. And I still managed to get up by 10 thismorning to get that crocheted purse into my store. Got the new banner designed for the shop mom and I are doing together on etsy, I hope it goes as well as my first one has. But sales have been awfully slow lately, I need to get better about listing things in the morning. Another thing to put on my list of "must-do's". *Sigh*
I enjoyed seeing all the things you've made. I like your website except the green printing is awfully hard to read with these old granny eyes.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!