My first LOGO

I wanted so much to have a personalized LOGO, but I always thought that it would be such a difficult thing to do, that I almost gave up... Eventually, I hired a professional to do this for me, but I just couldn't wait until she was able to think about it, so I came up with this in an intense moment of procastination. I used.... (see if you can guess) PAINT! That's right, the Windows Paint program! :) I even turned it into a watermark using Gimp. What do you think? I'm very proud of myself, I must admit!

Now, let's see how I convince my professional that I no longer need a personalized logo... but more urgent things from her! ^^

Notes: For creating the watermark, I used this tutorial. To watermark the photos with my own logo, I use this site.

Gray bolero

I made this vest initially for me. Not that it didn't suit me well, but I chose to give it to a special person on her birthday. I even added the pom-poms on that very day! The vest is featured in the summer collection of Simply Crochet magazine which I downloaded for free from here: http://www.molliemakesusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/simply_crochet_digital_download.pdf. I struggled a little with the pattern, but as you all know, different kinds of yarn act so differently worked with the very same crochet hook... For my vest, I used doubled Alize Bella cotton yarn, a 5 mm crochet hook and minimized the number of patterned columns, as even the smallest number was too large for me...

Anyway, maybe someday I'll make another one for me too. Maybe in white this time - I realised white suites me best when it comes to vests :)

Turqoise elegance purse

I am a Simply Crochet magazine fan, although I only discovered it about a year after the launch. Nevertheless, I have all the back issues now, either in print or digital. So, since I'm preparing for a wedding, I thought about giving a try to their scalop pouch in issue eight but in the end I got a scalop-much pritier-purse :D I think it's all about the handles, I only had this kind on hand, thanks to Narcisa, who owns a very pretty online store on her FB page.

Anyway, I didn't follow the pattern for the pouch exactly either. Instead, I worked in circles only on the RS (right side), and made four extra rounds. I'm giving you a tip about the lining: always measure in the first place the perimeter of your handles opened, and add about 2 cm for the sewing. I didn't do that first, so I now I have an extra smaller lining. As for the brooch, I improvised with some recicled elements! :D

By the way, I love turquoise and I'm glad there are so many shades of it on Catania cotton!

THIS PURSE CAN BE ORDERED ON ETSY! I can make a similar purse for you in any color combination, on order. The dimensions of the purse is approximately  23 x 15 x 8 cm. ORDER HERE

Summer hat and peasant dress

I know I post way less often than I should, although I don't lack beautiful projects I happen to finish from time to time. But that's only because sometimes I feel guilty doing them, because I feel like I'm supposed to do something else (like, for instance, really work on my PhD research), and that brings some shame in showing what I really am into sometimes. That's why, I feel like I need to change something about this, and I think that really living for myself would be a good start. I mean, doing creative things would be better than trying to work hard on something that annoys me and not really accomplish anything. Or, thinking small, like finishing this or that project today would make me very happy tomorrow, and not only in a few years, after I get my PhD degree.

Anyway, I will show you now two of my older projects, that have been overlapped by others on this blog. First is a hat, actually a pair of hats, I made last summer, when I was quite new on crochet. I used this free pattern tutorial and doubled thread, as it follows: for the white hat, Puppets Eldorado yarn, and for the pink one, Alize cotton yarn (using different crochet hooks and adjusting the pattern, of course. I couldn't tell which numbers, though). But, although I found also a very beautiful free flower pattern, I didn't like quite much the end products, so I wanted to give them both to my mother. She pursued me to keep at least the white one, and now I discovered that it makes a cute addition to a summer outfit. I also took a picture of the pink one I left at my mother, the last time I visited her.

The second project is a peasant dress that I started long ago, but only finshed it after I got my new sewing machine (which, by the way, is divine!). I wanted first to hand embroider it, but for lack of time and desire, I bought instead lacy borders and sew them on it. I also added small crochet bubbles for visual effect. The pictures were taken on the way to my parents home, near a poppy field. We also got puppies for the photos!

Seeing the poppies, I remembered about a little creative moment from my childhood. Did you ever make a doll like the one in the picture bellow from poppy flowers?

Simply Crochet featured blouses

Not much to tell about these two new creation, but that I soooo like the gradient blouse!
Materials used for the gradient blouse:
- YarnArt gradient cotton
- 3 mm crochet hook
- pattern from issue no 9 of Simply Crochet magazine

Materials for the mandala shirt:
- Alize Diva silk effect yarn
- 3 mm crochet hook
- pattern from issue no 17 of Simply Crochet Magazine
I chose to make a colourful mandala and a fade pink border because I thought that the uni version looked too simple :D

Hello Kitty! crochet ami

I just finished an order for a Hello Kitty. Of course, I couldn't resist the temptation to make one for me, too. In fact, in the past, I often virtually called myself "Kitty" (from Cristina). So I ended up with both Kitty and Mimi. I couldn't tell wich one is who.

What I liked most about this pattern were the cute little ballerina shoes!
Here is the free pattern for this Kitty.
And here is the insiration for the Hello Kitty with cherries.
I worked the kitty with 3.5 mm hook using Catania cotton yarn, and made tiny cherries using a 1.1 mm hook and Cotton Perle from Puppets.
But wait! The ordered kitty also has a flower! Her cherries and flower are detachable, so the little girl could easily change the look of her kitty if she wants. What do you think about it? :)

And, finally, a family photo. I think they look so cute together!

Crochet thrift shop blouse

Remember I was telling you on FB that I discovered a crochet blouse in a thrift shop? Well, that blouse is absolutely amazing! It's incredibly well crocheted, with care and in a good yarn (it looks so much like Catania Cotton I'm using). That's why I was able to change it's appearance, as you can see in the picture bellow.

I started checking out the thrift shops only recently, after I bought my new sewing machine and I wanted some cheap materials to exercise on (maybe one day I'll show you my progress on this topic, too). Anyway, when I spotted this crocheted blouse on a wire hanger, I was a bit skeptical at first about whether should I take it or not, but then I thought "hey, there is no such thing as machine crochet, so this must have been made by someone out there" (fact proven in this article too). So I took it and I am so glad I did. It fits me nice, it's machine washable, it's versatile and it was so easy to change it's knitted and inexpressive collar with a crochet border.To make the border I joined several tiny flower granny squares that I can't find the pattern for right now, but if anyone interested, I can write it down anytime.

Tell me, how do you like the result? :)

Purchase patterns

Today I want to point out something I've been noticing - people tend to be more sharing-friendly with free patterns, no matter how low their quality is (what I mean here is really ugly toys and scarfs and so on :D). When it comes to purchasable items, people tend to remain indifferent. I mean, real crafting people wouldn't react like this. In my opinion, if you have enough money to spend on yarn, then you have enough money to buy patterns that you would really enjoy making! Come on, life is to short to spend it on crochetting ugly free stuff!

As for me, I was skeptical too at the beginning. I thought I could happily enjoy making free patterns for the rest of my life. Then, I came across astonishing patterns that, unfortunately, weren't for free. I also bought books from which I learned a few tips I wouldn't find online. I am currently subcribed to Simply Crochet, and I find myself quite often spending money on patterns that I don't even use! They're impossibly cute, like this raindeer I purchased last Christmas and never made, that I can't help myself not having them!

What about you? How do you feel about purchasable patterns? :)

Lolo and the Easter eggs

This is my second amigurumi from the Zoomigurumi series, surrounded by some hand painted Easter eggs. If you wish to make Lolo, you will find the pattern in Zoomigurumi 2. The eggs were emptied and painted last year. I only made Lolo because I wish to make both Lulu and Lolo when I will get proper fluffly yarn (this was made using some kind of mohair yarn). I also intend to make a little girl happy with this little Lolo. Anyway, I think it turned out quite good in this not-so-fluffy-yarn too.

Hint: I used for the eyes little felt pieces, that I covered in white glue to make them shiny. I totally like this new discover, that I will talk about more in a following blog post.

Reco the pig (Amigurumi)

In fact, there are three Recos - I'll name them Reco, Ruco and Raco. The pattern is from the first Zoomigurumi book, by Amigurumi Patterns.net. You can find this book on Amazon. I got the book on presale, along with the other 2 books they released, and I really did this randomly, after seeing a photo of them packing, on facebook. But I'm glad I did. Reco was the first character that caught my attention. They said it is cute, but I really think it's gorgeous! I made three of them to match the story of the three little pigs. I also think they look so worried because of the wolf, don't you think so? I think they will have to come up with a pattern for the wolf, too.

Anyway, I just couldn't help myself and I also added little tails! I was inspired by the icon every pattern has (I also think the idea of icons for every pattern is a smart one). I also am in love with the buttons. It's the first time I use these buttons for something crochet, even if I discovered them a while ago. Watch out, there are many more variants of these buttons, so I can't wait to make another ami happy with them!

Birthday wishlist 2

There has been a little change of situation since the last time I have spoken about my birthday wishlist. I have chosen the sewing machine instead of the interior design course. I think this is the best for me at the moment. But I just can't wait to see my new Brother INNOV-IS 35! Today I'm gonna pick it up and buy a bunch of extra foots for my future projects. This way, a new wish added to my list:

7. Embridery yarn, I mean Cotton perle yarn from Puppets! I like very much this kind of yarn, it comes in so many shades and even gradient colors! And it comes in little clews, so I want a whole collection of these! I already have some shades, but there are so many others... Anyway, any kind of pearl cotton would work ultimately...

     

Birthday wishlist

My birthday is coming next month and, as I was thinking about getting me some tools and goodies to brighten up my everyday life, I came up with a wishlist quite big to fulfill at once (or at least this year). However, I can't decide for just one item. As a matter of fact, I already made up my mind for one of them - that is an interior design course that I would have wanted to follow a long time ago, but that would clarify some thoughts I am making about our future home, after we get married and I finish my studies.

Next, here they are, a few of my everydaydream wishes:

1. Moon clutch bag by Dana Rogoz. By the time I started working with her father, I had no idea who she was and just how famous she was, but now I check her blog from time to time and I just dream about the moments when I will accesorize my wedding, my trips and my everyday outfits with one of her purses. The main idea of MOON by Dana Rogoz is that you can wear over and over again the same clutch, but with different faces, which are detachable. This way, you don't have to spend more money each time you have an event or a meeting or anything by buying a new purse. I am thinking about wearing a white mirrored purse at my wedding, because that would represent such an amazing idea even for the photos. And a minimoon in my trips and outs. And maybe make my own removable faces for them (in crochet, of course). PS: remember the accessories (detachable straps and faces)!

 

 2. FIMO. In all possible colors. I can't decide yet which would suit me better, the classic or the soft version. Anyhow, I can't wait to try them. (And, first, to have them, of course). I think I would mostly use white, anyway, because it's versatile and maybe I could try dyeing it with food colors? Hmmm....

3. The same company that manufactures Fimo also makes colourful markers that are best recomended for painting on Fimo! I can't figure out yet if they are appropriate for clothes painting, because that is what I wish next...

4. Textile markers/painting. I think markers would be a better choice, as they may be more precise, but I'm still investigating this subject, too.

 5. Stabilo point fineliner marker pen. Every time I go to Diverta, a big book market, I can't help looking at the Stabilo markers sets. Although I haven't painted or sketched anything in a while, I think I would be much more inspirated if I just had those! And they come in 25 shades, too!

6. Last, but not least, a sewing machine. Although I already have one at home, it's an old one that keeps annoying me every time I use it - it tangles or cuts the thread, it blocks, it doesn't mantain a constant tension on the thread, causing incorrect sewing, it's very fast and no matter how hard I try not to push too heavy on the pedal, I never get to make it work slower. Not to mention that it is very heavy, too! That's why I didn't get too keen on sewing yet, I guess. And I would really like a sewing machine with adjustable speed...

This is, for the moment, my birthday wishlist. Hope not to make it too big by the time my birthday comes, or I'll become overbroke!

Winter crochet

I originally bought the yarn for my mom, who has also discovered recently her love for crochet (only she doesn't like patterns, but free-lancing crochet). But when I put the colors together, I just couldn't help making something out of them. I don't really get along with acrylic very well, but its quite warm and it looks good, too. Anyway, I managed to finish three different winter(?) patterns using this color mix. Hope you like it too!

Links to the patterns:

1. French berret
2. Stripes jacket 
3. Mittens

African Flower Horse - Hermione

I must confess - is way much easier to crochet procastinate than doing engineering stuff. I won't get into details (it goes without saying that I'm really supposed to do something else these days!). 

Anyway, I just finished this cute african flower horse! I used Alize Diva - silk effect yarn (and I must say I fell in love with its texture), 2.5 mm crochet hook and this free photo tutorial (african flower pattern included). It took quite a good amount of motifs in 3,4,5,6 and 7 petals. And it turned out to be quite a big horse afterwards!

I imagined a different technique to add the hair - I used long tailed skinny pom-poms, I sewed in a row several of them for the head and a few for the tail. And then I added two buttons for the eyes. I thought that the buttons looked too manly for the colours I used, so I added a eyeliner to emphasize the girly look.

PS: I named her Hermione because I thought it would be a nice name for a horse! :D

Sketches for future crochet dresses

First of all, happy new year to you all!

I've been wanting a Moleskine notebook for a long time, so last Christmas (that is the Christmas of 2012) I finally got one from my boyfriend.

I didn't have any inspiration to start it, though, until yesterday. When I procastinated by drawing 2 sketches for 2 crochet dresses that I have in mind for this summer. They are both inspired from photos on web, related to crochet dresses. But, as it can be  easily figured out from the names I gave them, I intend to use granny squares, extended to the desired length of the dress. I am still thinking about the type off collar I'm gonna use.

The drawings are quite rough, as I didn't put any special attention to details, and did them in very short amount of time.

Anyway, I decided this year I won't put any of my energy in making items for sell, as this will be my wedding year (the wedding will be sometime in spring of 2015). And, further more, this will be MY YEAR, I really hope I'll discover my style, my pleasures and also, I'll learn how to better manage my time.

Thanks for you visits!

Cristina