Summertime Crocheting

It is summer, and I will be back to blogging on this site, at least for now.  It has been an extremely busy school year, and I am looking for another job.  If you are interested in catching up on that, you can go to my other website, Mlissabeth's Musings.

Since it is summer, I like crocheting small projects instead of the prayer shawls I usually make.  These pieces get finished faster, and I do not get as hot as when hooking with all the "in progress" part in my lap. :)

One of the things I like to make is jewelry.  I have made two bracelets and a  ring for myself.  I adapted a pattern from The Crochet Spot for the Chain Wave Bracelet.  I used some yarn I got at a garage sale, which doesn't have a label, and ended up using a steel  size "0" crochet hook.  I didn't use a clasp either, and instead tied it together.  I was a little stretchy, which made it easy to slip it over my hand.

Chain Wave Bracelet

The Emerald Drops Bracelet was also from The Crochet Spot.  It features a crocheted toggle clasp and diamond motifs that are crocheted all in one.  As usual, I used my own flair, and used blue variegated thread instead of the emerald it called for.  It turned out so pretty and delicate!

Emerald Drops Bracelet

The Crochet Ring pattern I adapted did not have beads, and I wanted a little more bling, so I added them to a pattern I found on Fave Crafts. The pattern was written by Brett Bara, the host of the TV show Knit and Crochet Now.  It took me a couple of times to figure out the correct size of hook to use with the yarn from my stash (again, not labled), but after about four tries I finally got it.

Bead Crochet Ring

These pieces are things I have been making since school is out.  I am linking up with Keep Calm Craft On.  You can click on that link to see what other crafters have been doing.

Pin It

Finished Objects

Preemie Sleeper and Hat

There were several things I finished this week. I crocheted charity outfit for a preemie and some jewelry for myself.  The All In One was from an archive of patterns from TLC for Angels.  It is tied in the back, and has a long opening so it is easy to put on and remove.   The hat is from SLK Designs, without the cuff, because I ran out of yarn!

I made some earrings with beads and thread.  The pink set was from Cynthia's Cynfully Spiffy Stuff  and the rest were all my own design.  Since I learned some things from Cynthia's pattern, I redid the other three pairs.

The last necklace/earring set is from a combination of mine and another's designs.  After I made the necklace from a design at Pammie's Place, I decided to crochet a pair of earrings of a similar design.  They are both made from trellis ribbon yarn.

My Daughter Can be Crafty, Too

My daughter's name is Melody.  She is twelve and is in 7th grade.  Art was her "specials" class last semester, and one of her class projects was paper beads and beads from polymer clay.  She made it into a necklace using some elastic.

She was cleaning out her backpack the other day, to get ready for school, and pulled out the necklace.  I really liked it.  She said she didn't want it, and pulled out a bag of extra beads, and handed them and the necklace to me.  I added a couple more of the beads using the extra length of elastic that she didn't use, and promptly took a picture of myself wearing it.  Though you might not be able to tell, it is so colorful, it will go with a lot of things.

FO Friday

It is Finished Objects Friday (FO Friday)  over at Tami's Ami's and I have two today.

The first is an original design of a necklace.  I liked the colors of the yarns and wooden beads, but it took me three tries to get the design I was really satisfied with.

The second is my slippers for my granddaughter.  She is 11, and really likes frilly things.  Hope she likes these.  If not, either part is easily removable.

Beaded Earrings

These earrings were inspired by a pair of earrings I kept seeing in an ad on Facebook.  They look nothing like the earrings there, which were red and looked like lucite or plastic, but the shape is the same.  The easiest part was stringing the beads.  It took me several hours to figure out how to create the pattern, but once I got it looking like I wanted, the second one went really fast.

More Necklaces

Tassel and Bead Necklace

Ocean Blue

MS Awareness

I have taken a break from knitting a baby blanket and crocheting a prayer shawl this week to fiddle with some beads, thread and hook. All are based off of designs from the Lion Brand free patterns, with my usual twist. I am thinking I need to either stop making these, or start selling them, since I almost have more than I can wear myself!

Yarndoodle

I had some left-over yarn from a project, and decided to play with it and see what I could come up with.  I took ten dark-colored and ten light-colored wooden beads, and made this necklace.  I liked it, and wore it once, but the cord kept twisting  where I wanted it to be in line.  So, I slightly redid it, making smaller scallops on each side.  I think the beads stand out a little more.

Flowers and Beads

Just little poseys I made in between my much larger projects, plus a couple more Bookmark Necklaces.  They are so easy, I just may have to make a couple of both for each gift!

Bookmark Necklace

I have been making a lot of afghans and prayer shawls lately, that take a lot of time.  I wanted something quick and easy to do for a break.

I had seen a pattern for a bracelet with a loop at one end, and beads or a charm on the other end. I decided I wanted to try a necklace.

 I had also seen a pattern for an elastic bookmark, where the elastic was made into a loop that you could put around the page of a book, and it wouldn't fall off.  Then I decided I would make one thing for two purposes, and this is the result!

Can you tell I like pink?  :)

Mesh Scarf and Bracelet

Even on vacation I can't stay away from my yarn and hooks.  I had a skein of this yarn, and decided to make a scarf to match the yellow top and turquoise Capri pants I have.  I even had some left over yarn, and made this bracelet with it.  

We are at the Barbershop Harmony Society International Contest in Kansas City, MO.  I found this sleeveless polo shirt that says "Life is a song."  I thought they all went together perfectly. :)

Icy Ocean

Snowbound again, I was inspired by a beaded bracelet made previously, and I decided to make a necklace to match. The colors reminded me of the ocean and one of the seed bead colors listed is Icy Blue, hence the name.

Green Glass Bead Vine

Another necklace with thread and beads.  It is supposed to get colder this week, so maybe I won't get so warm trying to finish a lapghan I am working on.  I have been more interested in short, quick projects lately, but I really don't have that much to do on the afghan, either.

With a hook and thread

This pattern was written from an antique baby bib.  The hook I used was very small, with a gauge of about 10 stitches per inch.  It takes a lot of patience to work with this hook and thread, so when working on this I usually did only a row or two, and then put it down to come back later.  On the edging, I misunderstood the pattern, and came up with a different design.  I read the pattern again, and decided to leave it as is. :)  I finally finished it last night.  I am not sure it is really functional, more of an heirloom piece.  How would you use it?

I made the earrings to match the bib necklace I made earlier this week.  I just love these colors together!

Guess What?

I am a little embarassed to say this, but the Upsidedown Turquoise Crown is no more.  I really appreciated all of your encouraging comments, and even the one that said it reminded her of a scanty bikini.  I really snickered at that!

But, personally, I wasn't really happy with the necklace.  It didn't turn out like I meant for it to.  I commented in another AEDM'er's blog about liking the thought that when I crochet I can always redo what I don't like and make it better. After some thought, I decided to rework this piece.  I am much happier this time.  This is what I meant for this necklace to be.

Upsidedown Turquoise Crown

I was trying to make a necklace like the ones I've seen in jewelry catalogues.  I think they are called "bib" necklaces.  I used a pretty turquoise thread and blue, green, purple and clear beads.  Not quite the effect I wanted, but I still like it.  What do you think?

Halfway there!

I was looking at my posts, and noticed that I am behind.  Even though I have been creating, I seem to have missed a day.  That happened earlier, but I thought I double posted one day, to make it up, but find my counting is off again.

So, anyway, I have been learning more about mandalas, and decided to create some earrings, based on the circular pattern.  I ended up adding some seed beads, too. :)  I guess iwith my camera, you can barely see the sparkle around the edge.

Passion for Pink

I love the color pink.  I also think orange looks nice with pink.  These two colors are two of my cause awareness colors.  Pink for Breast Cancer, and Orange for Multiple Sclerosis.  I found a necklace today that I had made several years ago.   I didn't like the design, so I took it apart and redesigned it.  I am pleased with how this one turned out.

Spirit Wear

Every Friday is spirit day at Dwight Grade School. We all dress in red and white  (the school's colors) to show our school spirit.  I have designed and crocheted several pieces of beaded jewelry for myself to wear on this day.  This is the latest.

                               (update in RED)