Coasters!

After the HUGE african flower, I kept thinking about coasters... maybe just an hexi...

So in the afternoon I took my stash, hook, paper and pen, and sit down to crochet by the balcony, enjoying the breeze in the warm afternoon.

And I ended up with this... Sorry the pictures are not very good, it was sunset time so the light wasn't great.

The first one was the one with the blue edge (center), and I liked it a lot... I was planing on doing different color combinations so all the coasters were different. But I realized that my yarn wasn't going to be enough for that (is the stash remaining from the dresses, as you can see), so I had to change to the same color combo for all of them, in this arrangement with the yellow edge, so the yarn would be enough to make them all.

I wrote the pattern while doing them... I'm pretty sure there are TONS of hexi patterns out there, but I wrote it down so I didn't forget what I had done from one to the next and all of them were the same at the end... and here it is. I made 6 coasters to have a set. I loved them and the colors cheer me up! and MG absolutely loved them and spotted them immediately when he got home from work last night...

HEXAGON COASTERS

Yarn: Cascade Sierra
Hook: 4 mm

Ch 4, close to form a ring.
Row 1: Ch 3, dc, ch1, (2dc, ch1) 5 times, sl st in 3rd ch. Cut yarn.
Row 2: Join new color; ch 1, sc in same st, *sc in next dc, (sc, ch 1, sc) in 1-ch space*; rep from * 5 times, sl st in 1st sc. Cut yarn.

Row 3: Join new color; ch 3, (2dc, ch 1, 2dc) in all 1-ch space, dc in all sc around, sl st in 3rd st. Cut Yarn.

Row 4: Join new color; ch 2, (hdc, ch 1, hdc) in all 1-ch space, hdc in all dc around, sl st in 2nd ch. Fasten off.

Weave all ends, and enjoy!

My Very First African Flower

Hello!!!
I haven't been here in a couple of days... I haven't done a lot of handmade things... my Little Sister Dress is going sooo slow, that I don't feel that the progress of 2 rows is worth of posting...
I like the way is growing, but like I've said, I'm much more slow knitting than crocheting... and I felt the other 2 dresses where SO fast!!

Anyway... today I tried something different... I've been thinking and thinking in a African Flower something... and today I decided to try...
I thought it would be a nice pattern to make, single Hexi-Flowers, to use as coasters, that we desperatly need now that the hot weather has arrived and all our cold drinks get moist on the outside and I don't want the coffee table to get damaged.
So I took out my patterns from Elizabeth Cat and Heidi Bears and started crocheting while doing my hands-wrist therapy.

I decided to use the blues and green yarns that MG bought for me 2 weeks ago... remember? the ones in the basket?
I had some "problems" at the begining... because I tried to make the center with a magic loop (magic ring) and it didn't look right, so I had to undo it and started again... and then I noticed that I was using a 5mm hook that was the one suggested by the pattern... BUT my yarn asked for a bigger hook, and it was a big difference because with the 5mm hook, my piece was all wrinkled and didn't look nice.
Sooo... undo and do again... with a 5.5mm hook, and it was such a difference!!!
Now the flower was taking the hexi form like it was suposed to...

The colors doesn't show very good in the picture... but I like the result although it is huge to be a coaster... Maybe I'll make a blanket or a pillow full of African Flowers...

And I'll have to think in other pattern, or yarn/hook at least to make the coasters...

See you soon!

Happiness

I have to say that MG is the best Husband I could ever have... he is THE man for me, the perfect man...

If someone, in my teen ages, would have asked me to write a list of the things I would like my husband to have...
I always think how's it possible that MG has all those things that I would had written down on that list, and so many more things, knowledge, qualities, details... I don't know... everything.

Everytime I think I'm so in love with him that it couldn't be bigger or stronger, he does something that captivates me and makes me fall more and more for him...

He is so sweet, and tender, and sensitive... he is supportive, and is always there for me, and is always encouranging me to persue whatever I want to do... and so many more things...

I'm in love... how lucky am I??

xxxx See you soon!

Set of Necklace and Earrings

I just realized that this will be my first post here about my jewelry.
I've talk about it before, but haven't post any pictures beside the Flickr Badge.

I haven't done any jewelry in a long time, more than 2 months, and I think my blog has been alive for that time or so...
I haven't been able to do any jewelry for a while because almost immediatly I was getting pain in my hands... but now that the therapy is working, the pain is going away and I'm back in the game!!!

So here I have some pictures to show you... I'd love to think what you think!

It's entirely hand made, with sterling silver wire, gauge 20, HH. Made in 2.5 hours.

 The beads, are Chalcedony drops...

I'm enjoying it so very much!!!

See you soon!

Siena Dress

Hi!!!!
As I told you, I wanted to write down the Yellow-Blue Dress Pattern... so yesterday I sat down and spend a while working on that...

And HeRe iT iS!!!!!

I named it "Siena Dress", because I made it for a girl named Siena...
It's my first time writing down a pattern, so I hope it's clear and understandable, but if you have doubts about anything, send me an email or leave a comment with your email and I'll do my best to help you.

It's important that you know that I made this dress without any girl close by to try it on, so I'm not complety sure that the initial number of chains is correct. I calculated them measuring the lenght of the chain acording to the average chest measures of little girls, so the dress can be made for 6-36 months size with this pattern. But I think that you can make it bigger just by crocheting the right amount of chains to round the girl's chest and following the rest of the instructions.

If you make the dress I would LOVE to see a picture of it, so please leave me a comment with a link to your blog, flickr, raverly or whatever you use, to show me!

SIENA DRESS
by Shanti Ordoñez

**The dress is worked top-down, with very few seams. The pattern is written in american terms.

Sizes: 6 (12, 18, 24, 36) months. Picture is 24 months size. Instructions are for smallest size with changes for bigger sizes in parentheses. But when only one instruction is given, it applies to all sizes.

Materials: 2 skeins of Cascade Sierra Yarn (one of each color)
                 Hooks: 6mm/K, 4mm/F

Measurements: The initial measure of the chest, should be 17 (18, 19, 20.5, 22) in / 43 (45.5, 48, 51.5, 55) cm

Stitches used: sc, hdc, dc, sl st, V-stitch, Thistle stitch, Magic ring.
Other abreviations:       sp: space

Directions for the Top Part
Using the 6mm/K hook Ch 59 (63, 67, 71, 75) loosely **here is where you can adjust the amount of chains to round the girls chest.

Join the chain in your hook with the first chain you made with a sl st, being careful in not to twist the chain. Now you can work in rounds. 

Row 1: sc in every ch.
Now you will do the top part working with V-stitch.
Row 2: ch 3 (count as a dc), ch 1, dc in same st (V-st), *sk 2 ch, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next sc (V-st made); rep from * to the end, sl st in 3rd ch.
Row 3: Ch 3, dc in same sp, (dc, ch 1, dc) in each ch-1 sp to the end, sl st in 3rd ch.
Repeat Row 3 until you complete the desire lenght of the top part, this should be measured from the underarms to the waist of the girl.

Next Row: ch 2, hdc in next ch-1 sp, *hdc in next sp BETWEEN two V-sts (that is the space between the V-st you are now and the next one), 2 hdc in next ch1 sp of V-st*; rep from* to the end, sl st in 2nd ch.
This is an increase row.

Next 3 (3, 3-4, 4, 4) Rows: ch 2, hdc in each hdc to the end, sl st in 2rd ch.

Directions for the Skirt
Change color.

Row 1: ch 1, 1 sc in same st,  2 sc in next st, *sk next st, 2 sc in each of next 2 st,* repeat to end, sl st in 1st st.
This is an increase row.
Now you will work with Thistle st, but using hdc instead of sc (you'd know what I mean if you checked the link, if you didn't no worries, just follow the instructions).

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in same st, *sk 1 st, 2 hdc in next st* rep to end, sl st in 2nd ch.
Repeat Row 2 until you reach the desired lenght for your dress.

Directions for the Straps
On the back part of the dress, join same color as top part, about an inch from the right border.

Row 1: ch 3, sk 1 sc, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next sc, sk 1 sc, 1 dc in next sc.
Row 2: ch 3, turn, (dc, ch 1, dc) in ch-1 sp, dc in 3rd ch.
Repeat Row 2 until the length of the strap is long enough to pass the arm through the armhole, once the strap is sewed to the dress.
Sew the strap to front part.

Do the same for the other strap starting about 2 inches from the left border.

Directions for the Flowers
Work in a magic ring with a 4mm/F hook in same color as bottom part.
Flower: ch 1, dc, sc, (sc, dc, sc) 4 times. Close ring and sew in a proper place on the dress.

Wave all ends. And enjoy!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ETA:::: I'm sorry, I had skiped the joining part before the first row!!! Terrible mistake! Luckily someone asked me so I noticed it and I corrected it already. Now you should be able to make the dress without problems. Feel free of contacting me if you have any problems! :o)

Mary Jane Slipper

So...

I haven't finished my second one.... it's half way done and I didn't crochet nor knit yesterday at all!! it feels weird... haha... because I've been crochet-knitting every day lately...

It's funny to me, that english have a word for each type of this crafts (?). What I mean is that "crochet" is the word for the "fabric" made specifically with a hook, while "knitting" refers to the two needle work...
In spanish (my first language) we have a single verb for both of them, as an action (we said "tejer"). And then you can specify if you are doing it with hook or needles...
I don't know if that was clear and if you get my point... that is very pointless, but is just a thought I have very often! ha!

Any way... I can't wait to finish the second one to show you my Mary Jane Slipper... sooooo:::

I change the button part, for 2 stripes of sc across the top part of the foot.
I just notice you can see the sock marks in my leg!!! ups! sorry, it is because I took my sock just before to take the picture.

I think this are not the best pictures! I'll try to take some better ones once I had the pair!

The weather seems to be getting better... so I'm hoping for a sunny not so chilly day, so I can go outside and take pictures of my jewelry...
And I also want to write down the pattern for the yellow-blue dress to post here...

aaa!!! So many things to do!!

:o)
See you soon!

The pattern is here... and it's free.

Yarn Basket

Last Thursday I took a Cake Basket class... I had made baskets before, but in a different way, not really weaving... so this time, I weaved a basket.

It took me 3.5 hours, the class was great and very easy going... it was named Cake Basket, because it's supose to hold a 9x13 inches cake pan or pyrex...

I put a round of thin orange to give some color to it....

...and then the handles, so this is how it ended up... I think is very nice, and I liked it very much... MG certanly was happy and impressed that I made it :o)

Then, on Saturday we went to a party in a neighbour town, so I asked to have a visit to the Yarn store there, so we went! and bought 4 blueish-greenish balls of an italian yarn!!!... (100% Acrylic I think, but is surprisingly soft)

Sooooooooooooo.....

The Cake Basket..... is.... a.... Y-a-r-n  B-a-s-k-e-t!!!! Yipi!!!

What do you think?? I think the picture doesn't show the real colors of my new yarn... but we are still having grey skys and that doesn't help to the lightning on the picture... I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet...
But I'm happy that I made the basket so I can have my yarn there... it look so nice! I love it... and I can take it anywhere...
The big ball shown in the picture, is a Red Heart Super Saver that I bought for the Mary Jane Sliipers I was telling you about the other day...
I've finished one... I will post pictures soon... and hope to finish the second one in no time...

See you soon!

Happy Thank You!

I have to tell you that I''m really really happy!!! I just read the first comment I had in my blog!!! I'm so Happy! Thanks to Casey that had made my heart jump and feel warm... And I also saw that I have a new follower!

WOOOOWWW!!!!!!!!!!!

It feels incredible!! Like WOW-someone-is-actually-reading-what-I-write!!!

And I'm happy about it...

:o)

Gloomy Day...

I has been raining ALL day... it's chilly, I had to turn the heater on again...
I miss MG whom had to go again to work... I know that is the way it is... but Mondays are difficult to be apart of each other because during the weekends we have such a great and lovely times together that Mondays seem to be veeeeeery looooong and I can't see the end of the day coming so he would be back and hug me.

I've been missing him all day, specially with this weather... it makes me want to snuggle with him in the coach with a nice cup of tea, with a comfy blanket and a cute-romantic movie.... ok, ok, maybe an other tipe of movie, I'm not sure that he would love the idea of the romantic movie... but in my mind he will say yes to all this, and we will have dinner and then snuggle while we talk about our day...

See you soon!

Crochet Café

Me again...
Today is a gloomy, cloudy day, one of those that make you want to stay inside and curled up and not go out...
But I had a call from one of my friends to get out and buy some yarn and hooks for her so I can show her how to crochet... SOOOO who can resist to that??
And once we got to the store I couldn't contain myself and I end up buying 2 Red Heart balls... 2 tones of blue...
It's for my Mary Jane Slippers that I told you about the other day... I made one, as I told you... and I run put of yarn (stash yarn) so I have to go and by more!
And now I'm in the process of my new pair of Mary Janes...

My friend was very exceptical and didn't think she could do it... but in a couple of hours she crochet 3 inches of a scarf!!! She was so happy!!! and I was so proud of her...
Yei!!! another hook-person for the world!

See you soon!

Yoke

I love the way the green and blue melt together... that is the yoke of my Little Sister Dress... I've been working on it for a week, it's not too bad, but it feels really slow because my hands get in pain really fast... more pain than crochet...

But my Ice Dipping therapy seems to be working... it's my 5th day so far... :o)

So... I had another trip to the yarn store yesterday... I bougth a plain lime green to make the body of the dress, aaaaaaaand I bought a small ball of Rowan (?) I think it is Rowan... in a deep blue-breenish...

To make the sutures (sweing) of my Little Granny Square (hope) Blanket... that was inspired (again) by Lucy... the yarn I'm using was a gift to me... and it's baby cashmerino bliss... in such a pale pink and yellow... that I need something darker to make contrast with them...

MG always says that my squares remind him of cookies!!! I've done more than this, but they were not available for the picture... and I'm not doing them in a regular time... so a bit now, and another bit in 2 weeks... who knows... so I think it's not gonna be ready soon....
But what do you think... square or diagonal lines...?

See you soon!

Sushi Frustration...

MG took me out yesterday to have sushi for dinner... I LOVE sushi, maybe my favorite food, and it was the first time we had it since we moved here (more than a year) so I was more than happy to have it...
We sat on the floor, asked for the food and it all looked sooooo good when it arrived to the table...
I started to eat with my chopsticks, it's a whole art to eat with them, and even I'm not an expert, I can use them very well I think........... until........ I noticed that the position that your hand need to have to hold them was not good at all for me and my current pain!!! I started to have pain in my hand while holding the chopsticks!!!!
It was so frustrating!! So lovely MG asked the waiter for a fork for me, and he looked at my with a condescendent smile that made me want to yell at him "listen mister, I KNOW how to use chopsticks, and I can use them very well, thank you... but I can't right now because I have RSI!!!" (Repetitive Stress Injury)... but I just thougth about it, I didn't say anything to him...

Today I'm at home while MG went to work... It's cloudy outside and it make me want to curl under my ripple blanket which I will in a while with a cup of tea (Chamomile-Anise)... I'm cold because during-after the Ice Dipping, all my body temperature fell down, which I'm sure will be great in the summer, but not quite nice for this cloudy day.

I'll snuggle and read my new Wire Jewelry magazine... it just came today on the mail!!

And I'll work in a pair of crocheted Mary Jane Slippers for myself... I found a nice pattern!
I think my Little sister dress will rest for today... I'm half way done with the yoke!

See you soon!!

New Hand Therapy

So, after my hand pain 2 nights ago I found my self sad, suffering one more time because I don't want to stop knitting or crocheting or blogging... OR making jewelry!!! It's so frustrating thinking that you (literaly) CAN'T do what you want and like because you have such a bad pain that you have to stop doing it because you can't do it anymore.

My lovely hubby MG suggested that I should look for hand pain online... I had done it before, but this time I looked for it on Ravelry, suddenly it was just so obvious to look for it in a Cochet and Knit Comunity... so I did...
and I found so many great things!!! not that pain is something great... but is so nice to know (and feel) that you are not the only one with the problem...

And one of the things I found there was a group named Crafting with carpal tunnel group where a guy named Joshua Tucker had a post that seemed to be exactly what I was looking for!!!
So after reading for a while I ended up in his own webpage::: The Tendonitis Expert !!! that contents all kind  of information and the more I read the more it all made sense to me... so I decide to give it a shut...

So here I am, ice dipping my hands in the kitchen sink with frozen water bottles. So far 7 Ice dippings and my hands feel so much better than the way they were before doing it... Let's hope this'll work!!!!
I'm really excited!!!!!!!!!!

And just to let you know... I use Handeze Flex-fit gloves, when I'm doing my crafts... they allow me to work without taking movement out of me, and give me a lot of support!

See you soon!

Yellow dress - almost finished!!

I just wanted to tell you... I'm almost finished with the yellow-blue dress...

I just need to do some more sewing and weaving... and it's done... completly my pattern, very easy I have to say. It's made for a 2 year old, I hope!

And I got the yarn for my new project... another baby dress, this one so much smaller... for a 3-6 months old. The yarn is again a Cascade Yarn (220 Superwash paints - color  9863) that has a lovely color changes in blueish-greenish tones that I just love... I can't not smile when I see it... it's so colorful, and cheerful!!!

I will use the Little Sister Dress pattern from Tora Froseth wich I think is so cute!! and delightful!
So I want to knit the yoke and bottom part with this yarn and make the middle part with a plain blue or green that marches the other yarn.
I started yesterday... I'll work with the smallest size instructions (3 months), but I'll be using thicker neddles that the ones the pattern requires (it ask for 3mm and I'll be using 4.5mm) so I think it will be a little bit bigger than 3 months. I decided to do this because as thiner the neddles are, as bigger and stroger my hand pain will be.
I cannot knit for extended periods of time... not even for an hour...
It makes me really sad and a bit depressed... yesterday night I wanted to cry because of the feeling that I cannot do what I want I like with myhands (knit, crochet, jewelry) because I get pain if I do it...
I had such a pain yesterday...
Today I'm better though...

See you soon!

Pink dress -- Finished!!!

Guess what!!! I finished the dress!!! I feel super proud of myself... It is my first crochet girl dress, ever. I followed a pattern all the way, and it makes me feel really good.
In the past, I've only made dresses for my dolls, it's not very different, but when you are making clothes for your dolls and you are 9 years old, it doesn't really matter if they are not perfect... now it's different... I don't mean they HAVE to be perfect, but somehow it feels like it.
So the dress continue growing row after row in that vibrant pink, until I run out of it... I still had like 10 rows infront that needed to be done, so I had to decide if I should buy another ball of pink yarn, or finish the dress with the green yarn that I bought for the edges... and after a few trials I decided (helped by my great friends and lovely husband) that it could look good with the last rows in green, like a trim of color... so that is what I did...

And here is the result.....

Ready....

Yei!!!! I love it!!! I love the way the stripes of shells fall down and make a slightly curve.
I love the contrast the green makes with this pink, and I love the color accent at the neck and arms edges...

I had another trip to the yarn store, I was looking for yarn for my next project, and a button to use with this one.... and I found the most perfect and gorgeous button and it goes perfect with this dress!!!

It's a perfect, lovely wooden flower!!! I really love it!!!

The total project took me 3 weeks to complete, a bit less... not bad, huh?
It's all cotton yarn, it took 2 and a half balls, and it weighs aroun 250 gr.

See you soon!