How to Tie the Bows on the Tinker's Toolbelt

One of the key details on the Tinker's Toolbelt is the way the bows are tied. I experimented with many ways to tie them, and this method makes the bows lay just right.

1. Tie the top two ties in a half hitch, crossing the right tie over the left tie and wrapping the right tie around the left tie (like you are beginning to tie a shoe), and pull the ties tight.

2. Tie the bottom two ties in a half hitch, crossing the left tie over the right tie and wrapping the left tie around the right tie (like you are beginning to tie a shoe), and pull the ties tight.

3. Take the two ties on the left and make a loop and hold onto that with your left hand. Take the two ties on the right and wrap them around the loop made from the ties on the left, making sure that you begin wrapping from the bottom.

4. Bring the right ties through the loop just created, between the left side loops and the beginning of the right side wrapping.

5. Pull the bow tight and separate the loops.

Tinker's ToolBelt for Interweave Crochet Accessories

It my favorite time of year...time for the Interweave Crochet Accessories Issue! This year, I have a fun belt featured in the issue.

This is a great “on the go” project, because it stays in small pieces until the end when you tie all of the motifs together to make the belt. Two motifs are crocheted together to make each medallion. This gives the belt stability and makes a bolder statement. Make an extra set of motifs in case you want to wear the belt over layers of clothes, so you have the option to make it larger. This pattern could also have a home décor use as an interesting curtain tie-back.

The Valley Yarns Valley Cotton thread used for the sample, comes in 1260 yd cones. In case you would like to know the exact yardage to make the belt to fit a 24” waist, it is: 60 yd [55 m] Madder Brown (A), 96 [88 m] yd Sponge (B), 42 yd [38 m] Amber Gold (C). Each set of joined motifs with ties, requires 10 yd [9 m] (A), 16 yd [15 m] (B), 7 yd [6 m] (C).

Next week I will post a tutorial on how to tie the bows. I tied them in a special way, so they lay straight. I think it is important to show you how I did it, so your belt will look its best. Also, stay tuned for a post about how to use this pattern to make a necklace!

Here is a blog post on how to use this pattern to make a necklace. The Interweave store now has this pattern available for purchase and download.

Inspiration for Yarn Storage

Today is I love yarn day, and it has me thinking that I need to show my yarn more respect. Not that my Ikea storage boxes aren't working, but I think I need to decorate my studio with the same energy I put into my crochet designs. I was so inspired by Raising Up Rubies studio. She really demonstrates what I am talking about, and everything she puts in her studio has personality. I have a studio, but for some reason, I usually work at the dining room table! I think if I had a studio as amazing as Raising Up Rubies, I might never leave it! 

I want everything in my studio to be something I love. Antique treasures I have found, or  clever uses for things I already have. I have decided the first thing I want to collect are vintage candy/ cookie jars to store yarn in. They would be especially great for my collection of yarns for freeform crochet. I think they look wonderful sorted by color like this:

Dottie Angel repurposed a pair of clogs to use as a needle holder. I love the idea of making a souvenir into something useful!

This old library card catalog was converted into a sewing and yarn storage unit by bitsandbobbins. So charming!

Now I have a good excuse to go antique shopping again. I feel truly inspired today!

News About Tangled Webzine

Yesterday, I got an email from Tangled webzine. They told me that they will no longer exist, and their website will only be available until the end of October. It is sad news, as it really was a great publication filled with innovative and stylish knit and crochet patterns.

I designed two free patterns for them, the Helleborus Gloves, and the Cirque Du Crochet Bean Bags. I will be moving these patterns to Ravelry, so they can be downloaded from there. I am not sure if all of the designers will make their patterns available elsewhere. If you are interested, now is the time to go to their website and download any patterns you may want, before they disappear or become difficult to find!

Cirque Du Crochet Bean Bags

Helleborus Gloves

Talking About Crocheting Clothes Kids Love

I recently heard from our editor that our book, Crocheting Clothes Kids Love, has gone to print. It is getting exciting as we approach the book release in February, and I am really looking forward to the day I get to hold the book in my hands!

Now, the fun part! Little by little, we get to start talking about the projects in the book. I want to introduce two of the pieces that are on the cover: the Caravan Scarf and Hopscotch Legwarmers. 

In the planning stage of the book, Ellen Gormley and I came up with ideas and sketched them for the editor to review. Ellen was great to work with, and we agreed quite quickly as to what each of us would make. It still amazes me that with the editor in Minnesota, Ellen in Ohio, and me in Kuwait, we were able to coordinate everything easily without even a phone call. The internet really does make the world a much smaller place, and makes my crochet career possible!

Normally I like to finish a piece before submitting it to a magazine or yarn company. This is because many times my designs develop into something very different than my original sketch. My sketch is usually my jumping off point. For the book, the designs needed to be approved by the editor before we could move forward. There was no time for advanced swatching! I was wondering if I would stick exactly to what I had sketched or deviate like I often do. This scarf and legwarmers came out just as I sketched, so I thought they would be great designs to share with you first! Some of the other pieces in the book went in a little different direction, but most of the changes were to the embellishments. Surprisingly amazing things happen when you get to experiment with the actual project yarn!

I had been dreaming about a scarf like this for a very long time. My favorite part was attaching the crochet "coins". I added my signature lazy daisy embroidery embroidery to the corner coins to make it even more my style. I can't wait until I am able to show you some detailed photos so you can see the scarf flat.

I love the ribbed look in crochet, so that was my starting point for the Hopscotch Legwarmers. I spent some time creating just the right shape, so they would fold over nicely. My favorite thing about these legwarmers has to be the multicolored pom poms. They are such fun to make, and they give the legwarmers a unique and special look. 

I will be able to talk in more detail as soon I have some official photos. I hope you will come back to read more blog posts about the book, as the excitement builds for its release!

A Dozen Ways to Wear the Obi Scarf

Last fall I showed you a dozen ways to wear the Ruffles Scarf, so I thought I would keep up that tradition this year with the new Obi Scarf pattern. Before sending the samples off to Interweave, I like to have my own photo session to try out different ways to wear the scarf. It is amazing how different it can look depending on how you wrap it. Whether you decide to wear it as a scarf or a belt it is very versatile. Color choice can really transform the look as well. Contrasting colors used together make a bold statement. The next one I make will be in shades of the same color. I am envisioning shades of pink. There is always one more version I want to make! Can you tell how much I love scarves? 

Here are a dozen ways to wear the scarf. If you make one, I would love to know how you wear yours!

Obi Scarf for Interweave Crochet Fall 2013

Photo By Harper Point

It has been a fun month, having designs out in two different publications. I am ready for fall! Today, I am revealing the Obi Scarf. One of the things that Interweave asked for in their call for submissions for fall, was Asian inspired designs. For a very long time, I have wanted to design an obi style belt. I wanted the piece to be versatile, so I decided to design the obi so that it would be successful as a scarf belt.

I was sent 3 colors of yarn to work with, and the editor told me I could use either the Fawn or the Ocean color as the main background color. I did some drawings with colored pencil to try to decide which combination I liked best, but still couldn't decide, so I made both variations! I think it is nice to see a light and a dark version. I hope that will help crocheters who are making this pattern, decide on what colors they would like to use.

This is a project that will keep you interested, without being too difficult. The end sections are plain with a delightful window pane stitch pattern in the middle. After crocheting the scarf, you get to work surface crochet for the stripes. It is like putting the icing on a cake, the stripes really make it come alive! Sarah Read, the Project Editor for Interweave, has done a blog post about how the stripes are crocheted on her Crochet Me blog.

Like the Ruffles Scarf I had in Interweave Crochet Fall 2012, I did another blog post on some different ways to wear this piece. The sample I made to submit was in another color combination, so you will also get to see a third version. Please stay tuned! In the meanwhile, you can queue it on Ravelry, if you think you might want to make one.

Photo By Harper Point

Photo By Harper Point