Yarntivity

NEW Chrome Themes!! Plus an update...

2017-09-28T10:17:00.002-07:00

How ironic this post comes almost a year to the day of my last post saying I'm still here. SO much has happened in my personal life which has delayed my progress with crocheting and Yarntivity itself unfortunately. However I do lurk the Facebook groups, Ravelry, Etsy, Craftsy, etc. to try to stay atleast mentally connected!

TWO new Chrome Themes (finally)...

TWO new Chrome Themes added!!

I have been going through a few of my pictures of past projects that have come and gone off my hook and a few of them stood out making me want to create a few more Chrome themes for folks to use. I STILL cannot believe there
are not more themes out there related to crochet! Hopefully I can fill that gap atleast a little bit.

I have a TON more pictures to go through and do plan to provide a large color range for those with favorite colors they would like to see as well. Currently you have seven to choose from and I hope you do enjoy them!! You can find them here.

On my hook...

Yarntivity's Atlanticus 2017, part 1

I did start a new project this past weekend that I will write about soon! Many of you have probably already made one yourself. I have the beautiful Atlanticus, designed by Hooked on Sunshine (link goes to my Ravelry project page where you can follow my progress and get the pattern!), on my hook now. This is my first Atlanticus and I am only through part one. I am always SO picky about my color choices. I second guess myself constantly until I finally just get to a point where it would make me cry to frog it and then it all turns out in the end ha ha. I am hoping the same will happen here. I am using eight colors. Fingers crossed it comes out well!! This will be a thank you gift for a friend

Personal Update...

My beautiful daughter and the strongest man
I have ever known, my husband

If you have been reading and/or following me for a bit, you know about the medical challenges we face with my husband. He was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005, which has been progressing very rapidly the past five years or so unfortunately. In 2016 we had a cancer scare and he had to get a double mastectomy. If that wasn't enough, and apparently it wasn't, this year he has had another surgery, two hospital stays, two trips in an ambulance and still is recovering from his surgery all the while fighting MS.

Needless to say, I have been busy!! Now with his physical limitations and needing more assistance, it has really cut into my own "down" time which just so happens to be the same as my crochet time. I work full-time as I am the only income for our family of three and I myself am away from the house 12 hours a day, sometimes more depending on the wonderful California traffic (insert sarcasm here...).

As I said, I have been going through my pictures of various projects that I have done trying to plan some future crocheting very soon. I also have a few ideas for some patterns up in the noggin but executing them in my limited available time has proven to be challenging. I am hoping to be able to pick things back up very soon!! In the meantime, please enjoy the themes and my patterns.

I'm still here!!!

2016-09-20T15:52:00.001-07:00

What a hectic year this has been. Hectic meaning crazy, stressful, and exhausting! I literally laughed out loud when I saw my last blog post. "New year, more designs, more crochet" posted on JANUARY 1ST!! It kind of pin points the start of the chaos for the year. Quite literally.

So far this year, we have had a huge cancer scare with my husband (three different types of cancer were on the table), he had to have surgery which he is still healing from, I have been pretty much constantly stressed and quite frankly I am exhausted. Not much happening on the crochet designing front as I was hoping for in my last post.

A little peek into my reality...We are a family of three - my daughter, my husband and myself. We make fun of how "messed up" medically we are because looking in from the outside or hearing us say what is wrong with us, people typically react with
"No way". There are days I feel like I am 110 years old...I'm 41!!

Mr. Yarntivity, I'm sure I may have mentioned, has Multiple Sclerosis. He was diagnosed way back in 2005. MS is something that progresses at its own pace when it wants and how it wants. Period. We were lucky in the first few years as it didn't rear its ugly head hardly at all. Starting in about 2010, that all changed. By 2012/2013 he was constantly using a cane to walk. By 2014 he could no longer do simple things like cleaning/maintaining the house, laundry or cooking dinner. By 2015 he could no longer do the shopping like groceries and Wal-Mart for household items. This year, we have invested in quite a bit of medical equipment both for his safety and mobility like a shower chair, security handles, a rollator (which is a walker with wheels and a seat), and the big one...a wheelchair. I actually sobbed unboxing it. It was a very weird feeling. I was thankful and glad for it yet what a punch to the gut. The time we always knew was coming was here.

To add to the progression of his MS, we had a breast cancer/prostate cancer/endocrine tumor scare that lasted over half of the year. You talk about exhaustion! Such an emotional roller coaster this year has been. This past July he had a double mastectomy. Everything has came back benign (yeah!!). But with his MS, he is a slow healer naturally so even today we are still healing from the surgery. So in taking care of him, the house, our daughter, and working...crochet has been on hold.

I do have a day job. Crochet nowhere near funds our family. It is in every sense a hobby (what a dream job that would be!!). Working at my day job, I am away from the house around 12 hours a day due to commuting. All of those things I previously mentioned Mr. Yarntivity can no longer do...I now have to do. Boy was I spoiled coming home to a wonderful dinner and a clean house!!

As you can see, I'm tired. I apologize, as I had so many plans for this year for crochet. So many designs are stuck in my head begging to be free. However they will have to wait. I do not even think I will pull off any crochet Christmas gifts this year. How crazy is that!! Oh how I miss it. I do hope to be back soon posting away with everything crochet. I have so many plans! So many people have visited my blog probably thinking I got buried alive in yarn never to be seen again with my last post being January 1st!

All of my patterns will still be available and you can still contact me with any questions or to talk crochet. I do try to respond quickly. I sure do hope to return and add to my designs, support other designers, show off projects, etc! Even making more Chrome Themes (which I do plan to make larger monitor ones...coming soon!!).

Thank you for your time and thank you for your interest in my designs! It has been awesome coming here to escape and seeing all of the activity buzzing around my pattern pages!! Be sure to post a picture or send me a picture of your completed items! I would love to see them!

-Casey
Yarntivity

New year, more designs, more crochet :)

2016-01-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!! I hope your holidays have been filled with lots of love, happiness, fun and most of all TONS of yarn!! ha ha The picture on the left is of course me snuggled in an AMAZING scarf my 15 year old daughter made me all by herself without a pattern (wow!!) and the sweater I am wearing is an amazingly soft sweater my mom bought me that I want a body suit made out of because it is THAT awesome! It feels and looks like the yarn is some kind of ridiculously soft roving yarn that can just rove right on over to my house to keep me warm!! Roving is definitely on the MUST buy list for 2016...

One thing I love about the holidays is, of course, giving everyone their crochet "yummies" (as I call them) that I have been sitting on for
what seems like FOREVER. Finally I can post pictures and talk about them and most importantly see the faces of my loved ones when they get them :) This year, I had four projects (links provided below will open my Ravelry project pages for each project where you can see pictures, get the link for the patterns, see how much and what yarns I used and any additional notes I had on the projects) - I made my second Sophie's Universe for my mom, I made my aunt one of DROPS Design's awesome jackets called Moonlight Mist, I made my son's girlfriend one of DROPS Design's amazing ponchos called Gaucho, and my brother's girlfriend a modified It's a Hoot owl hat where I modified the top of the hat by using the Diamond Ridges pattern by Kristy Ashmore and used the owls portion for the bottom :) I wanted to make a couple more hats for others and maybe a pair or two of fingerless gloves but WOW did the time fly by fast! I will definitely start my projects earlier for 2016.

Another thing that falls within the holidays is my birthday. This year, I spoiled myself and will be snuggling up with three new crochet books I ordered (I included the link to Amazon.com if you would like to purchase a copy for yourself):

I have been watching these for so long and am SO excited to finally add them to my collection!! I hope to be designing alot more for 2016 and these will certainly provide endless inspiration.

I certainly hope your 2015 was spectacular and your 2016 will be even better! I look very forward to sharing designs, projects and whatever else comes up yarn-wise with you! Happy New Year!!

Little Man Work Boots

2015-12-16T16:14:00.001-08:00

Little Man Work Boots

by Casey Pilley, Yarntivity

Kids love to emulate their loved ones around them. I remember wearing my mother’s heels and scarves thinking “Now FINALLY I’m an adult!” Why not start them off early :) We are their best tools to learn about the world and that feeling of equality was nothing short of awesome. I will never forget the high heel days of my childhood (lol) now you can begin those memories right when they are born and create some very awesome photo moments. I am so glad you are letting me be a part of that with you! These are
pretty straight forward. There is only one “tricky” spot but once you look at it, you will totally get it and be done before you know it! Did I mention these aren’t just for the boys :) I have actually made a pair using girly colors and my goodness they are too cute for words!

If you would like to get the pattern for the Little Man Work Boots, I have it available for sale here:

Ravelry

Etsy

Craftsy

Be sure you post your completed project as well! I absolutely love looking at everyone's crochet work! I designed these as part of a baby set I received an order for. If you get the pattern for the whole set, you get the hat pattern free! The entire set is just too sweet for words. It makes the boots stand out even more! The pattern for the whole set is also available on Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy.

Thank you, as always, for reading my blog and taking interest in anything I say or do ha! Crocheting is such a passion of mine, I honestly do not know what I would do without it! Feel free to comment or contact me with any comments, opinions, suggestions, anything crochet!

-Casey

Chrome Themes

2015-10-01T13:37:00.001-07:00

Do you use Chrome as your internet browser? I do (and love it) and one day, I went to the Chrome Themes Store only to find there were no crochet or even yarn related themes! I was quite shocked, especially with how crochet is becoming more and more popular again. So I kicked in my "day job" technical skills and threw together a few themes using a few of my favorite crochet pictures that I have taken. If we can't crochet at work, at least now we can get a visual :)

I do plan to keep adding
to this list as time goes by. Here is what is currently live and totally ready for your viewing pleasure right now. When I make these themes, I make sure all text is visible, nothing looks bad, everything flows nicely and all colors match as well. That is one thing I cannot handle is a theme where the name of my bookmarks and/or tabs is drowned in the color/background. Rest assured that will not happen with these and the best part...they are free!

I hope you like them :) Available themes made by Yarntivity

For the Love of the V-Stitch Scarf

2015-09-15T14:28:00.002-07:00

For the Love of the V-Stitch Scarf Crochet Pattern

Oh how I adore the V-Stitch, don't you?? It goes so quickly and looks amazing with just about anything you make! I just love how versatile it is. You get a fabric with flexibility and not stiff plus it looks lacy as if you did all this trickery...yet you didn't and you are not married to a gauge that you have to measure all the time to make sure you are still working on a garment that will fit a human :) I have never given a V-Stitch item to someone where they didn't love it! This scarf is an all around win-win and with the holidays coming up - you can't lose! You could easily knock this one out in
a day or two. The border literally takes longer than the scarf! Well, atleast it felt that way ha ha. Now let's have some fun! Make it now!

3D Interchangeable Crochet Flower Pattern

2015-09-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Make that outfit perfect by switching out your flower accessory each time! Can’t you just eat up those pictures you

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3D Three Layer Interchangeable Crochet Flower Pattern

Make that outfit perfect by switching out your flower accessory each time! Can’t you just eat up those pictures you see with the babies and the hats with huge flowers on them? Or that bag with a flower motif that is just too yummy! How about an interchangeable flower that you can make in any color(s) you choose and switch out as you like? Here you go! When I came up with this flower, I wanted a big, frilly flower for a baby hat I was making but I didn’t want to limit mom to just a pink flower. I made the middle just large enough to fit over the button on the hat I made so she can switch out the flowers to better coordinate with the outfits. Big flower – check. Interchangeable – check. And you know what? It is
pretty darn easy to make as well! Make it now!

You can make this with however many layers as you like. At the end of the instructions, I explain how you can do this VERY easily.

Introduction

2015-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to start blogging about crochet! I never get to talk about it to folks around me. When I start I always get the standard eyes glaze over

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I am so excited to start blogging about crochet! I never get to talk about it to folks around me. When I start I always get the standard eyes glaze over with the occasional courtesy "uh huh" or "ok" or "yeah" lol. I know there are ALOT of crochet blogs out there as well. I do hope you find mine a little entertaining to keep the glaze over out of your eyes ha!

Crocheting for me is such a relaxing get away from the world and I am so lucky to have a husband that fully supports my hobby :)

As I was making various items and reading patterns, that is when my creativity sparked! I do some graphic design and computer programming as my ‘real’ job, so being creative kind of is my job. Writing patterns is something that I really enjoy and just seeing something that I have thought about come together and to be able to share it with others is amazing! Thus came Yarntivity. Being creative with yarn is something we should do every day.

I am a married mom with an amazing family. My husband and I have been together since 1994 and every year gets better and better!

Crochet for me is a vacation. It is so relaxing and I absolutely love creating all these different items for everyone! I have so many pattern ideas in my head and projects that I have lined up to do, there isn’t enough time in the world! ha ha

We live on a single income and are raising our teenage daughter. I work full-time supporting my family and crochet/design in the evenings and weekends. My husband has Multiple Sclerosis
(diagnosed in 2005) and he cannot work. I never realized I got a lifetime pass to Six Flags because it sure is a roller coaster of a ride. We have good days and we have bad days but we take them all in stride :) To add to our luck, I also have Crohn’s Disease (recently diagnosed 2014) so someone up there is having alot of fun with our family and has a sick sense of humor!! I have had stomach issues for 20+ years and they just recently figured it out. I am hoping my crochet will help supplement our income a little and loosen the choke hold but again, I don’t want to get my hopes up.

I plan on posting my patterns to my blog along with tips, crochet news I may come across, various neat things I may find, and anything else crochet related that could come up!

I absolutely love seeing and hearing about projects people have done with my designs :) I am always open for communication so please feel free to contact me via email, facebook, Etsy shop, Ravelry, Craftsy, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest (my gosh I am all over LOL) or however you like.

If you got to this point reading about me…wow!! Thank you for your interest :) I absolutely adore crochet and everything that goes with it :) Thank you for visiting!

-Casey

Coming Soon!!

2015-09-04T17:13:00.000-07:00

Bookmark now so you do not miss out! I will be posting my crochet patterns, crochet general chit chat, projects, etc very soon!! I can't wait to start blogging!