Chemo Hats Always Free

If you need one for you or a loved one, email me at Pigglewiggins (at) gmail.com. and let me know your favorite color. Also, do you prefer solids or stripes or anything goes. Make sure you tell me if it's for a child, teen, or adult so I get the size right. And I'll need a complete address to send it to.

And if any of you are in the Anaheim area I also accept donations of yarn and knitting and crocheting supplies, as long as they are from a smoke free environment. That way I can keep the caps coming, and you can get your closet cleaned out of all the yarn Aunt Martha left you. And if you could never figure out that new fangled knitting loom, I'll be happy to have those too. That way I can put the local teens to work making hats as well.

Crochet Book From 1975

I was walking past my bookcase this morning when my eye fell upon a vintage crochet book that I bought when I was in high school (1975). I thought it would be fun to make the top with squares that's on the cover. Of course I can't get into that size so I'll just have to use it for inspiration. But I took a photo of the book just in case it might bring back memories to you as well.
Since I want to use different thicknesses of yarn I had to alter the directions or use two strands of the thinner yarns. But the main idea is to make all the squares the same size so I can put a border around them (like stained glass) and fashion them into a top.

Slouch Hats

Right now I'm getting ready to make some slouch hats. Once I visualized in my mind that the shape is the same as a snood, only with a solid fabric instead of a netted one, I realized how easy it will be to make some. It's pretty much the same thing as a bag cap we wore at the Renaissance Faires. Some of the slouch cap patterns I googled up yesterday aren't really baggy at all and look just like beanies. I think they missed the point.

One pattern I read said that these 'slouch hats' would only be in style a few months so make them super big out of wool, so when the trend passes you can shrink them down and felt them to be a normal hat. Evidentally she doesn't know her hat history because this classic style has been around for centuries. When Pete Seeger wore one to the Obama Inaguration, I seriously doubt he was trying to be trendy. Ah well, that's fashionistas for you.

Camo Hat

My boyfriend bought me some great camo yarn. I'm really happy with the way it's shaping up. Most camo yarn somehow doesn't come out camo-ish enough. This yarn looks funny on the skein but works up great. I never would have picked it myself, but then again he's the camo expert.

Making Squid Legs

Next time I decide to crochet something with eight legs, someone stop me.

Little Balls of Fun

I made my first crocheted monster with eyes yesterday. Actually, I made four, stuffed them as far as I could, and then spent the rest of the day looking for the box with the eye parts in it. I finally spotted it after dinner last night and got eyes added to 4 of them. Now I have to finish up the other three. If you want to order one before I list them in a shop somewhere,let me know. I'm providing free shipping until July 31, 2009.

Hats

On Sunday afternoon I had 4 1/2 hats ready for my friend to choose from. He picked the gray one which was the first one I made, and then he wanted the dark brown one, which I had only just started that morning. So I finished it up so he'd have it in time to take home.

As far as I can tell there isn't much difference between a tam and a beret. Most people assume they are berets. While my friend was paying for his hats, another guy sitting there ordered a purple one. I don't think I have any purple yarn so I may have to go buy some. Isn't that always the way it is?

Another Tam in Tan

I finished another tam today in light brown and mint green. It was going to be a solid tam, and I thought it was a different shade of brown than the one I made a few days ago. One skein was Red Heart and the other was a different brand, so imagine my surprise when I laid them on top of each other and the yarn matched! I didn't want two hats the same; I wanted to give the guy a selection. So I decided to make it a two color hat. It's after midnight so I'll add the photos later.

Three Tams

I just finished my third tam so my friend will have the chance to select from a few colors. So far I've made one in tan, one in gray and the new one is in black flecked with bits of colored yarn. The last one is my favorite. Whichever hats my friend doesn't buy will end up in my Etsy or Artfire shops.

I like the fleck yarn so much I'm thinking of making a teddy bear out of the rest of it.

I'm thinking of making my next hat in carrot of pumpkin orange.

Two Tams For Tom

Tonight I finished a gray tam a friend of mine requested. He already bought one of my striped tams and thought it made his head look like a target. Not a good thing when you are an archer. So I told him I'd make him some plain ones. I'm going to work on a tan hat tomorrow since I know that will match the pants he usually wears. I'm going to see him this Sunday so I hope I get the second one done. If not, I tried at least. I thought I could get five made for him to choose from but I had a lot of other projects to work on since I saw him last month. I seem to be making things in twos lately.

Freeform Scarflette

I'm working on a freeform necklace/scarflette thing. Circles, flowers, leaves and other shapes in shades of blue, green, purple and pink. I think I'm going to add some buttons to it. Right now it looks a bit like a bouquet of abstract flowers.

I started to take photos and my camera batteries died. So I have to let them charge before continuing on.

Update: I finished the project and the photos are ready. I can't believe how long this took me. There is no way I can sell it to recoup the hours it took me so I'm feeling kind of stupid now.

My Stuff is Better Than Your Stuff

Even though this conversation is about crochet, just plug in your favorite craft and I bet you have had similar experiences.

Last night I was in the Etsy chatroom, and since a few of them do crochet I started talking about crochet. I was talking about how much I love it, and that there are four generations of crochet artists in my family.

This one woman who crochets says to me, "Well, what do you have to show for it." That seemed a bit hostile, but things can easily be taken out of context in a chatroom. I thought she wanted an esoteric answer so I said, "Do you mean like the satisfaction of working with your hands, or sharing a legacy with your ancestors."

Then I realized what she meant was if I was so great at it, why wasn't my shop filled with crocheted and knitted items. So I said, "Right now I just have the crocheted octopus finger puppets. I just finished a bunny but I already gave it to my grandson. Now I'm working on a giant squid."

So she says, "Oh, so you just give your stuff away, I see." Well, that sounded even more hostile. Like hers is good enough to sell but I just give mine away.

So more than a little miffed, I say "If you want to see my crochet, here is my flickr link." On Flickr I have about 500 crochet photos. So she goes off, presumably to look at my crochet, comes back about 30 seconds later and says, "Well, it looks like you are having fun." Now if anyone else said that I'd think they meant that in a good way, but when she said it, what I heard once again is when I crochet it's 'just for fun' and when she does it, it's a business.

At that point I gave up and left the chatroom. It was after midnight anyway.
Yes, I have had a lot of crochet items in my Etsy shop. But like many things on Etsy, most items never sell, and then I have to do something with them right? I'm drowning in things as it is. So if I choose to gift them to family members or donate them to a raffle to raise money, what's wrong with that?

I do about 20 kinds of crafts. At any given time, I may not have any of one particular item in my shop. Chances are I do have it in a box here somewhere. Some of the stuff is never listed on Etsy but goes straight into the inventory for my craft fairs.

I thought I'd be over this conversation when I woke up this morning, but obviously I'm not.

Two New Octopusses

Two more sea creatures for your ocean puppet show.If under the sea is your favorite place to be, snap these up for your collection.

The Yellow Octopus Finger Puppet

I just crocheted 4 finger puppets which include 3 octopusses and a monster. I only got good photos of the yellow one so I'll post those now. Sooner or later I'll get photos of the other ones.

A Little of This, a Little of That

I'm going through a weird creative phase where I want to start new things every day. I enjoy the process, but I don't finish anything. So I started 3 amigurumi mice, and I worked on a squid I started ages ago, and as fast as I make things I think of 3 or 4 things I want to make. I just had an idea for a crochet 'cocoon' necklace. It will have an interesting texture. And I'm still working on my multicolored flower scarf. Then just this morning I realized St. Patrick's Day is just around the corner and I only have one green thing in my Etsy shop. I really need to get more into my shop.

Hood and scarf

I just started 2 new crochet projects. One is in Vanna yarn and will be a cowl with a hood. I can wear it when I'm walking to keep the chill off of my face, head and neck.

Then I also started a new twirly whirly scarf in a variegated (ombre) pink yarn. I'm doing it lengthwise, so each row is about 7' long. I started it Wednesday at Carl's Jr.s but haven't had any more time to work on it.

It's after 1 AM so the projects will have to wait for another time. My eyes are all blurry with fatigue.

I still want to make a 'scood' which is a hood with a scarf attached.
Ah well, off to dreamland.

Purple Choker

I'm making a crocheted choker and now I need to run some ribbon through the openings and put on a clasp.

Ornamental Scarves & Blogroll

I just started a blog roll for other bloggers who crochet. Or is that crocheters who blog? So if that applies to you let me know so I can add you to the blog roll.

Right now I have a leaf scarf in the works, a flower scarf coming along, and some freestyle projects. Busy busy.

I just found a jumper pattern (Butterick B5100) that is the perfect backdrop for crocheted and knitted neckwraps, scarflettes and cowls. So if I can manage to make a few of them, I'll have something nice to wear to interviews and luncheons.