FINISHED: Loomknit & Crochet - Captain America-Inspired Hat

A little something to celebrate opening weekend of the Avengers movie.
The hat is loomknit on the Knifty Knitter Adult Hat Loom.  The Captain America shield applique is crochet with an I hook.  The yarn is Caron and Red Heart.

FINISHED: Loomknit & Crochet - Green Lantern Hat

Here is a project that I forgot to post earlier...The Green Lantern hat that I made for my younger son's Christmas gift.

The hat is loomknit (double strands) on the KK Adult Hat Loom (purple); while the Green Lantern applique is free-form crochet.  The yarn is Red Heart Super Saver.

FINISHED: Crochet - Dr Who Inspired Tardis Hat

Here is a little something I whipped up after a Netflix Dr Who marathon.

I used Vanna's Choice yarn and a J hook.  I used post stitches to help create the details of the police box.

Allons-y!

Finished: Crochet - Bucket Hat Prototype

This is my latest crochet experiment, a bucket-style hat done in mostly post stitches.

It was crocheted with Hobby Lobby's brand "I Love This Yarn!" in Pomegranate Stripe -- with an H hook.

I used acrylic yarn for ease of care... And I have to say that the Hobby Lobby Brand is my favorite acrylic out there: soft & and comes in wonderful self-striping colorways.

This hat was inspired by my admiration for the awesome Xenobia Bailey's ( www.xenba.blogspot.com ) work... I love her Funky Crowns!  I didnt want to try to duplicate her designs... But I love the idea of crowns... And wanted to put my own "stamp" on the idea.

  I started with a top detail of combining post stitches and regular stitches and then used post stitching for the sides for sturdiness.

This hat was a gift for my friend, Lee Ann... Hope she likes it; and that she has some creative criticisms for me.

CROCHET HERO: Xenobia Bailey

This is a portrait of one of my crochet heroes, Xenobia Bailey.

(this picture is "borrowed" from the Roving & Yarn Blog ... which is an AWESOME blog about traveling & textiles... check it out) (sorry about that... you can "borrow" one of my pics...lol)

If you are a fiber artist who is unfamiliar with her work: shame, shame, shame ... first go to her blog @ http://xenba.blogspot.com ... then Google her name... you won't be disappointed, i promise!

Xenobia Bailey does absolutely beautiful crochet artwork... she works mostly (if not exclusively) in single stitch crochet and using mostly acrylic & cotton yarns and plastic pony beads. Which, to me, exemplifies the fact that you don't have to know all of the fanciest or complicated crochet stitches... and that you can make STUNNING artwork with humble components.

I love her eye for beautiful and bold colors. As a fellow fiber stitcher, i appreciate her dedication to a piece (maybe i am just slow, but it would take me forever to complete one of these pieces! lol). I love the funky & spiritual aspects of her art. And I love that her work forces people to see that fiber art can be classified as fine art.

I am headed to NYC (for the first time) in September ( a gift from the wonderful Sugar Daddy); and I am so hoping to see some of her artwork in person.

I am also lucky enough to own a crocheted hat created by her ( a gift from my younger son) that was purchased from her Etsy shop. (I also received a very nice hand-written note from her!)










check out these links to her artwork\articles & i think you will see why she is one of my crochet heroes:

Sistah Paradise's Great Walls of Fire Revival Tent

Artist Xenobia Bailey Gives New Life to Crochet

The (RE)Possession of Xenobia Bailey

XENOBIA BAILEY'S MOON LODGE, TRANCE FORMER TENT AT LA TRIENNALEDI MILANO DESIGN MUSEUMS EXHIBIT: DRITTO ROVESCIO, 2.24-3.29.09 , MILAN, ITALY

FO ALERT: Guilt-free Chocolate Beret

I finished the beret that I was making for Lady C, who if you remember, brought me back an awesome gift back from Germany: an awesome bag o' yarn!

This beret is based on the one from Crochet Today magazine that I made for my cousin.
(and the one for my sis.) I made a few changes ... but it is basically the same hat.

Here are some close-up shots of the yarn... this is a wool that i picked up in Carrollton, Ga at Ewe Knit ... love that shop! I saw it and just fell in yarn love with it... I knew it would make something wonderful!

I certainly hope that she likes it; and knows how much I appreciated her gift!
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And now for something entirely different! Here is a picture of Jubal in his "bunny disguise"... i guess he is getting ready for spring! lol

He is such a cutie!

YOU GOT EYES WHERE?! (I made a hat)

I made this hat for my cousin, L. She obviously shares my offbeatness! (is that a word?)
We were discussing hat styles for her impending hairloss when she said something that tickled funny crochet bone. She stated that she might as well have fun with the situation; and that she fancied having a hat with eyes on the back. The visual idea just fascinated me... this was one project that I couldn't wait to start!

Here is an aspect of working freeform: my original idea was to make realistic eyes... but somehow they kinda went all "monstery" on me. (why do i keep using words that don't exist? lol)

I hope this is close to what she was looking for.

I guess I will know soon... it goes in the mail tomorrow!

edited to add: i am linking this to FIBER ARTS FRIDAY on Alpaca Farm Girl's Blog.

Please visit and see what cool stuff the other participants have done!

Click the blue link above to go the site!

SOME WEEKEND WRAPUPS

First off, here is the hat that my younger son bought me for my birthday. It was ordered from Etsy; and is made by Xenobia Bailey (who, if you crochet, aren't familiar with... shame, shame, shame... Google her... Now...LOL). (Her Etsy Shop) If you look on my sidebar, you will see that she is listed as one of my CROCHET HEROES!

I don't know when I will ever be able to go and see her wonderful & inspiring artwork in person... and this was a chance to own something that she actually made.. . and I received a nice hand-written note from her too!

Here is another early birthday gift... an absolutely bright and marvelous carpet runner (from Dad & Jan... thanks!), that I decided to use... well, on the wall! (that isnt too weird, is it?) The colors (not to mention the Sunflowers!) just seemed perfect to use as almost like a wallpaper border. I think it goes great with the new counter that Sugar Daddy & Sunshine put up.

And since we were traveling on Vday (our niece, R, got married), Sugar Daddy outdid himself with last night's Filet Mignon and Lobster Tails on the grill... so delicious!

LOBSTER TAILS ON THE BARBIE!

and of course, a pic of our usual Sunday in Greenville Saffron Plate. super yummy!

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FO ALERT: ANOTHER BERET (a birthday present for my sis)

My sis has been wearing hats lately... so after I finished the beret for my cousin, I thought I would make one for my sister's birthday gift. Only problem is i forgot my pattern for it at our little place in Georgia. And I was having "wireless router" issues preventing me from getting online to look for it.

soooooooooo... i pieced together my own design. What do you think of it?

I used a size J hook and Hobby Lobby acrylic yarn (for ease of care). It is all done in dc, 2dc together, and hdc stitches.

(is there a name for the 2 dcs stitched together?)

I sure hope she likes it!

Happy Birthday, Sis!
(Don't worry, I won't tell your age... although I will say that you are younger than me!)
LOL

OMG! I JUST FOLLOWED MY FIRST PATTERN...ok... well... almost

If you know me IRL... then you know I have never been able to follow a pattern...or recipe for that matter... lol... but here it is... "Bejeweled Beret" by Linda Permann from the Sept/Oct '07 issue of CROCHET TODAY! magazine (page 42).

I have a cousin who will be undergoing very aggressive treatment for breast cancer soon. She has been told that she will lose her hair... so I wanted to make her a funky hat to wear. I was flipping through my collection of crochet magazines and found this pattern. I opted not to sew on the embellishments ...but I have some cool gold-tone plastic vintage buttons that I believe would work if she wants them.

I liked the pattern because it was written without abbreviations. I didn't have as much trouble following it as I thought I would... woo hoo.

I did change the last three rounds from the original... before fastening off, I tried it on... way too tight for me. Maybe I have a massive head or maybe i messed it up...but I changed the last 3 rows into hdc stitches in each stitch.

I tried it on and it fit... and then I made Mr. Foam Head model it for the blog.

I hope my cousin likes this... I know she likes purples and greens... I saw this wool ( @ Ewe Knit in Carrollton, GA) and thought of her.


Also I think that I will make a few more of these hats!