Better Living Through Crochet

Catnip & shrimp...yummy....

2009-06-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

I haven't been crocheting much lately as I've been dedicated to wrapping up some outstanding house projects. But I did take the time to develop a pattern for catnip shrimp. I purchased a pattern from someone on Etsy, but the double crochet used on one side was too loose to hold catnip. So I developed my own pattern. Here it is, some day I'll write it out in correct form.

This little shrimp appears to be just as wildly popular with cats as the catnip sardines I was making. Bruce from work made a video of his cats going bonkers over it which was hugely funny. I plan to put 3 of them on a skewer and donate for various fundraisers at work. You might also put 1 on a cocktail toothpick.

Small amount shrimp-colored worsted weight yarn

Small amount polyfill or cotton ball

G or H hook

Gauge not important for this project

Ch 2 leaving a long loose end (6 to 8 inches). We'll use the loose end later.
6 sc in the 1st ch, leaving the long loose end on the outside of the work
12 sc x 6 rows
10 sc x 4 rows; start stuffing with catnip
8 sc x 3 rows; stuff more catnip
6 sc x 2 rows; stuff either with catnip if you can get it in there or just use a tuft of polyfill
tie off to close the end of the shrimp, it will look like a long finger
Ch 5, turn, sc or hdc back to the base for the first 1/2 of the shrimp tail
Ch 5, turn, sc or hdc back to the base for the 2nd 1/2 of the shrimp tail
tie off and weave in ends
Attach a yarn needle to the end of the loose end, and weave the loose end through the rows along the belly of the shrimp down to the tail. Pull it taut like a drawstring and tie off securely to give the shrimp its characteristic curve. tie off and weave in ends.

That's all!

Cornering the market on t-shirt yarn

2009-03-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's another little step down that slippery slope to madness...I have purchased a large plastic trash can so I can create a prototype of a device I can use to make t-shirt yarn faster...and faster...and faster. As soon as it's working, I'll post again, never fear.

I really enjoy working with t-shirt yarn, but making the yarn is the time-consuming part. I don't have any illusions, though, about cornering the market on t-shirt yarn. And yes, there is a market for t-shirt yarn. Just check the craft website, etsy.com.

Skeins of t-shirt yarn typically sell between $6 and $12 on etsy. This particular one is made by CarissaMarie and is very consistent in color and width. You go girl!

On a side note, the catnip sardines have received rave reviews. Here is one, related to me by Gene:

"Reggie, normally a retiring, mild-mannered cat, turned into a raging nutcase. He curled himself around the sardine and hung on with all four paws, and would not let anyone else near it. He even attacked the dog when she sniffed at it. Then he shredded it."

Adventures with hand-made yarn

2009-02-08T07:40:00.001-08:00

I've finished a number of the projects I mentioned earlier...and on to new adventures. At Chris's request, I have been using his hand-made mohair from his silly goats. Here's some slippers (the green, white and gray). (The other ones are acrylic worsted made to test the pattern). The green is Lion brand Wool-Ease, and the gray and green are 100% mohair made by Chris!

The top is alternating rows of Wool-Ease and mohair; the inside sole (which you can't see) is Wool-Ease; and the outside sole (which you can't see) is the two types of mohair held together, for a very thick and warm padded sole. The pattern is the "easy crocheted slippers" pattern from Sue's Crochet and Knitting.

I'm definitely not used to working with natural fibers. (Wool usually makes me itchy, so I stick with cotton, soft acrylics and the like.) This mohair was slippery, and tiny individual hairs sometimes get caught on the wrong end of the hook. They are very very strong and must be cut, not broken. Mohair (or other natural hairs) doesn't hold itself in a knot as well as acrylic does. But that shouldn't matter if you're weaving in ends as you're supposed to in crochet.

The slippers are incredibly warm, but are a bit on the loose and floppy side. They will probably tighten up a bit the first time I wash them. This mohair is probably best combined with other yarns...which I did for an earflap hat...for my next posting!

'Twas the night before Christmas

2008-12-24T19:15:00.000-08:00

So there's this gizmo you can add to your blog called Shelfari, which basically shows people what you've been reading, bookshelf-style. I'm trying it out, but ironically, the problem with Shelfari is that voracious readers, such as myself, can't log in often enough to keep the Shelfari display current. I can finish a book in two days...but only log in to blog every couple of weeks. So it's never current.

It's the same with my crochet projects. In the past few weeks, I've done the following...

crocheted a rug from some cheap macrame cord from Goodwill
crocheted several cotton washcloths to go with some handmade soaps, for gifts
started a purple scarf to keep my hands busy on the plane
finished a couple more catnip sardine cans for gifts
shredded some more t-shirts into strips (but haven't done anything with them yet)
and probably something else which I now forget

Unfinished projects still include...

Blocking a rug to shape it
Dark purple / light purple blanket
A green cotton potholder
the purple scarf

And a project I want to start soon, but won't let myself until I finish some of the others...

slippers using Chris' handmade mohair yarn

So it all happens too quickly to track....or to blog about. I'll try to actually finish something and post a picture!

Thrift store yarn

2008-11-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

I always like to shop at Casa de los Ninos thrift store, as I always find something. I often wonder about the abandoned craft projects I find in their craft supply rack. What happened? Did someone run out of time, or out of ambition, or change their mind?

Half-started cross-stitch kits, huge bags of more zippers scavenged from old clothes than anyone could possibly use in their entire lifetime, wads of short yarn for rugmaking, knitting needles in every size and shape...it's all there. Sometimes, though, large bags with lots of cheap yarn in them are also there. And we didn't have to kill any new yarn animals in order to get it.

In the most recent bag, I found two pink cuffs for a sweater...knitted from opposite ends of the same small ball of yarn. For obvious reasons....it's inexplicable.

Current projects are:

Purple blanket made with two strands of Caron Simply Soft. Now that it's chilly again, I can stand to have this over my lap while I work on it. It's going to be very heavy and very warm. The photo really doesn't capture the rich luxuriousness of the texture or the vibrant purples.

Potholder of cotton string inspired by my grandmother's finely detailed handiwork (the two on the right, obviously very used and grubby). The two on the left that I just made will be sewn together, possibly with a layer of cotton inside. Once I get used to the string, I will try to duplicate the pattern of the one on the far right.

Sardine cans proceed apace, now I just need the catnip to stuff them!

That's all for now.

Big rug...for a big dog

2008-09-21T19:40:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Chris's rug is done. It's made of strips of some of his t-shirts, so his dog will love to lay on it, as well as strips from some other t-shirts. It's a pretty big rug, but Abby is a pretty big dog.

I learned a lot making this rug. First, always dye and wash the t-shirts first BEFORE cutting the strips. Never, ever, try to wash the strips after you've cut them...or you'll end up with a big tangle that will take hours to sort out. Even in a mesh bag. Even if you tie them into loops with string the way wool-makers do. (see the photo attachment of my impromptu strip-drying technique) (Speaking of dye, use a lot, probably just not one package, if you want a nice solid color.)

Second, take a few minutes to sew any short strips together to make longer ones. Continually joining a new short piece of "yarn" in (such as the short strips that come out of t-shirt sleeves) is a pain in the butt.

Third, when making an oval rug, don't make the beginning chain too long. The rug will quickly grow too long and skinny if you do. When I saw what was happening, I tore out all my work and then re-did it all. (Don't worry, the re-crocheting didn't take too long, it's making the "yarn" that took the time.)

Fourth, be prepared for some mystery cotton-polyester mixes in with your 100% cotton t-shirts. Try to use the same type of fabric throughout, as the different types of fabric do handle and work up somewhat differently.

Finally, stick with the basic formula for an oval rug (3 increases at each end), but don't be afraid to vary the placement, or even the quantity, of increases -- whatever it takes to make the rug lay flat.

These rugs are fun projects, but they are a workout for the hands. Take frequent breaks! I'm working on Mimi's bunny now, and it's a relief to handle a fiber that's small and easy to work with.

Yarn Porn

2008-09-18T07:31:00.001-07:00

Michelle: Look! Yarn porn! [shows Lion Brand yarn catalog received in the day's mail]
Stephanie: Does it have a centerfold?
Michelle: Yes! See? [flips open catalog to middle and holds up picture of a woman on a chair under an afghan]
Stephanie: [rolls her eyes, sarcastically] Is there a pattern for a dick cozy? [in reference to friend Namoli who makes cozies for everything]

These are the types of conversations we have at our house.

Seriously, I love catalogs as they are a visual cornucopia of ideas. To keep them from cluttering up my mailbox, and the landfills, and as a visual thinker, I use Google Image search more than any other person on the planet. For inspiration, sparking creativity, getting ideas, free-association, fun, and just to see what the heck is out there. (Go ahead, Google Image search "redneck houseboat." You know you want to.)

So, OK, the cat toy sardines out of the Lion Brand catalog are super cute, and now they're in the crochet queue, after Chris's rug, Mimi's bunny and Julie's amigurumi cupcake.

Red, red rug

2008-09-03T21:51:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Too long since last post. I have been finishing several projects, such as replacing the windows on the house. I have also been finishing a few craft projects, including an experimental quilt block (fun, but probably not going to be my new hobby) and some curtains for the kitchen window. Plus a bunch of accumulated mending.

This particular project came out nicely, I think. It's a crocheted rug made out of 1-inch strips of pillowcases and sheets. It still needs to be soaked and then blocked to a more regular rectangular shape, but I like the color combination very much. I don't know if I'll make it any bigger; I'm having trouble finding sheets and pillowcases in the right colors at the thrift stores.

Next I am re-working a blue/red/green/teal rug for my friend Chris. It's made out of his t-shirts so his dog will love to lay on it. The first time it came out way too long so this second time it will be a more regular oval shape. Even though this sounds like a lot of work, it isn't that bad, it's making the "t-shirt yarn" in the first place that takes so long!

In the beginning, there was crochet

2008-08-06T07:19:00.000-07:00

I figure it's time for another crochet-related post. In case you were wondering,

How did I get back into crochet? Stephanie's friend Namoli Brennet, who is an extremely talented, award-winning singer songwriter, hosted a "Stitch 'n' Bitch" Monday nights at a local coffee shop. Stephanie wanted to participate but didn't know how to crochet, so I said I'd go with her and teach her. In the process of teaching her, I realized, "hey, this is pretty fun," so I kept going.

The last time I crocheted anything, it was a rainbow scarf (which I still have) when I was a teenager. I had to get "Crocheting for Dummies" to get me back up to speed again, but now I know my stitches again and have been branching out in a couple directions. At some point I need to pick up again with Tucson Stitch Together and find out if they are still meeting.

My current crochet projects:

Finish an oval teal/green/red rug crocheted from strips of t-shirts
Keep going on a rectangular red/black/white rug crocheted from strips of sheets and pillowcases (this one will look really cool when done). I've had a little trouble though finding more scrap sheets of the right colors. Plus yanking the cotton strips through little loops is a little hard on the hands, so I can only do so much at one time.
A brown/red streak scarf for Dylan

Why have I not been crocheting as much? I've been experimenting with a few other crafts such as making fabric bowls and a quilt block. I just like to make things so I like to try making new and different kinds of things to see what really fires my jets. I made a kayak dolly out of a baby stroller too but that is a whole different story.

Have I ever made money from crochet? Surprisingly, yes. I crocheted a few stuffed animals to sell at a small store some employees were running at work for charity. Almost all of them sold and I got a few bucks for each and the charity got a few dollars too. The only one that didn't sell was a pink bunny with multi-colored ears. Guess there was a glut on the market for those.

What's next for Michelle and crochet? I'm looking forward to making something, not sure what yet, out of some wool my friend Chris spun himself. And I found the perfect yarn for a lion's mane at a Goodwill, so maybe a few amigurumi animals are next too.

In which Michelle appears in someone else's blog

2008-07-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

Since I took Joanna's class on fabric bowl-making, I've made a few more and am working on one right now, in fact. When I showed Joanna the second bowl I made and asked her for a critique, she took a picture of me with it, and I was surprised and touched to see what she had to say about it in her blog: http://dreamrunnerquilts.blogspot.com/2008/07/teachers-reward.html

Teaching -- the gift that keeps on giving!

Coiled fabric bowls and thoughts on quilting

2008-07-03T16:11:00.001-07:00

I'm taking a break from sock monkeys and t-shirt crochet to learn a new craft, making coiled fabric bowls. Joanna Strohn, a truly gifted fiber arts guru whom I know from work, taught the class and it was fun to see her shine in her natural habitat. The bowls are made by wrapping cotton clothesline in fabric strips, then coiling the line and zig-zag stitching on a sewing machine. Here is my first effort which was very fun to make and came out very well!

These are quick to make, use up scraps, have lots of creative potential and make great gifts. I'm about to make a second one to corral all the loose stuff on my desk at home and am looking forward to figuring out how to square off the corners on it.

At the quilting store where the class was taught, beautiful, well-made quilts hung on every wall and in every corner which made me want to make one of my own. Just about every color and pattern of fabric in the known universe had gravitated to the showroom, along with a truly startling display of gadgets, which was a bit overwhelming and intimidating, especially when I realized how much I do not know about quilting. It occurred to me that quilting requires (or can require) every bit as much detailed, technical knowledge as, say, constructing a nuclear submarine. I overheard bits of conversation where quilters debated the merits of one gourmet thread over another and described sticker shock after purchasing a new sewing machine at $3,000+. Yikes!

This made me very grateful for my old Pfaff 1222E from the 1970's (which actually has some advantages in bowl shaping over the newer machines, according to Joanna). I just grab whatever nasty cheap thread I got at a yard sale or that came with one sewing kit or another. Instead of buying ever-tinier scraps of fabric at ever-increasing prices, I cut up a pair of scrubs for the next fabric bowl. I guess that puts me at the low end of the quilting totem pole (yes, there is the quilting equivalent of gearheadedness and snobbery), but I'm quite happy to be there.

Actually I am inspired to take a beginning quilting class perhaps, and certainly I am inspired to finish the t-shirt crazy quilt I started several years ago. Stay tuned for my next project.

Bucket List: Sock Monkey

2008-06-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

It's easy to list the reasons why I made a sock monkey.

Cute
Fun
Available materials
Sense of humor
Sympathy for homely sock monkeys everywhere
Outrage at the mass-produced monkeys with their butts wrapped in cardboard boxes on the shelves at the big-box store.

It's not as easy to explain why "making a sock monkey" made my "bucket list" (the list of things we want to do before we die). I think it largely has to do with a need for humor and whimsey in my life, as things are far too mundane and serious far too often.

I think everyone's bucket list should include both high-level, ambitious aspirations ("make the world a better place" ) and down-to-earth, mundane or humorous desires ("spend more time with family," "go skydiving" ). There's no point in making a list of things you'll never accomplish, and no point in making a list of things that are easy to accomplish. It seems to me that the actual purpose of a bucket list is to encourage you to stretch and become a better, more fulfilled and more actualized person...not just allow you to die happy.

Everyone needs a few small successes, like sock monkeys, to give them a boost when the stretch goals like curing cancer get, well, stretchy.

I haven't actually written my bucket list, but I might try soon. What things do I want to accomplish before....leaving Arizona, leaving my company, turning 50? Not because I worry about "dying," but because it will sharpen my focus on "living" -- on what I want to accomplish.

In which Michelle continues to refine her strip cutting technique

2008-06-22T15:41:00.000-07:00

The first t-shirt rag rug is done! Here it is on my (dusty) bathroom floor. It was very satisfying to make and I want to keep making more!

The t-shirt rugs work up very quickly, but cutting the strips from t-shirts is very time-consuming with an ordinary pair of fabric scissors, and it makes my hands ache. I took the next logical step -- electric scissors. Whoo, those things are amazing -- they cut through just about anything like a hot knife through butter. In fact, it's easy to cut too quickly.

So to get a little more control over those zippy blades, I figured out that if I pull the t-shirt over a cardboard box, I can cut against a flat surface, but still go around in a spiral. So that's the latest improvement until I figure out how to make some type of gadget for stripping the t-shirts like a corer peels an apple. Now instead of taking about an hour and 15 minutes to cut up a shirt, it takes about 20 minutes. Big time savings, and easier on the hands!

Cutting fabric strips from t-shirts

2008-06-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

I think every crocheter goes through a phase where they try to crochet anything that is longer than it is wide. I was inspired to cut old t-shirts into strips and use them to crochet a rag rug, which feels wonderful under the feet, and makes something useful and pretty out of something stained or discarded.

My IABC colleague and fellow crafter Monica has urged me to share my learnings about cutting fabric strips for crocheting with the world. Here's some info to get you started: the template for cutting around the shirt, and an idea for a cutting guide to help you cut even strips. I'm looking forward to seeing how the t-shirt strips work for Monica's surprise balls, a fun vintage gift that really ought to be given and enjoyed more often!

I apologize for the uneven quality of the images, one of these days I'll get a nicer scan.

Here are a few helpful links I found while researching how best to crochet fabric strips:

The Crocheted Oval Recipe
Crocheting with Fabric from about.com
How To Crochet A Basic Oval Shape and Oval Rag Rug Pattern
Crocheted Rag Rugs & Variations
CROCHETED RAG RUG PATTERNS How they work…and why some don't (very helpful)

There's lots more information out there, but these were the resources that were most helpful getting me started. I'll post a photo of the rug when it's done (soon!).

A once in a lifetime opportunity

2008-06-08T16:34:00.000-07:00

How often do you get to crochet a part for your car? I mean, a real part. Not an accessory like a seat cover or dashboard cover or cargo net or somesuch, but a piece that is truly functional and possibly even necessary.

I recently enjoyed such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. While replacing the interior door lock and handle in my Jeep, I misplaced the fiber sleeve which is meant to prevent the metal connecting rod from scratching the window glass inside the door. So I crocheted one, in rounds.

I didn't get to crochet a crankshaft or PCV valve this time, but the results were pleasantly functional all the same.

This is the first of many practical, cute, or just plain fun projects I hope to chronicle in Better Living Through Crochet.