Circus Hat With Braid Tubes

My newest hat creation. Someday someone is going to figure out I'm a genius and snap me right up. As silly as this hat looks, it's very comfortable. I have a bigger than average head which means most department store hats don't fit me. So it's really a blessing to be able to make my own hats in whatever size I desire. Some people have small heads but big hair so a hat like this works for them too. I wish I'd known how to make hats like this back in my clowning days.

Multicolored Crochet Sweater

I set my crocheted sweater aside to work on a knitted vest. But now it's time to get it out today and work on it before I forget how it goes. I love making multicolored things.  It's like painting with yarn and gives me great joy. I think solid drab colored items sell better, but I don't enjoy making those. It's a colorful world and I'm a magpie.

Green Elephant

I'm crocheting a green elephant. This time I did his ears differently with double crochet instead of single. I think I'm going to make the center of the body a contrasting color because I'm running low on yarn and that makes more sense than having 3 green legs and a purple leg.

Crocheting With Raffia

A new video I made on crocheting with raffia. I love the way crocheted raffia looks.  It's a natural fiber, and if you are vegan, it's a great substitute for animal fibers like wool, angora, or mohair.

It has all those ends to deal with though, and does require extreme patience at times. Still, I think the results of crocheting with raffia are worth it. And it makes great character hats.  You'll definitely have a one of a kind hat when you get done.  And raffia is fairly inexpensive. I get giant bundles of it at Frank's Cane and Rush in Huntington Beach CA.

You can also weave with raffia.  I've never tried knitting with it, but it would be a worthy experiment.
It also takes to dye well.  If my boyfriend is dyeing something, before he pours the batch out, I toss some raffia in there, then hang it to dry on the patio. 

Use it to make hats, purses, placemats, baskets.

So if you haven't tried crocheting with raffia, it's worth a try.

Rain Hat in Plarn

I started making a red plarn hat today.  I don't have enough red so I need to mix it with white. I wish I had more red, so I could make the hat in candy cane stripes.  It's going to be a rain hat, since it's been raining for 3 days. I think I need a brim on it to keep the rain out of my eyes.

Dollface

I've been busy making tutorials with http://www.allfreecrochet.com in mind. Today's tutorials are on how to crochet a circle or disk and how to use the disk to make a doll face pin (brooch) or ornament. Once I get the videos onto youtube I'll need to remember to come back here to embed them.

Halloween Necklace

I'm really digging this new necklace I made. And it's not even because it's a cool necklace. It's because I realized this fringe idea is going to look great on hats, cowls, and headwraps, and can hold all manner of beads and charms. It can even be done in a different colorway for holidays, seasons, or team colors. I'm even thinking of using the idea for a belly dancing hipwrap. I love when one good idea leads to another.Oh and what about kneebands to wear while hula hooping.

Chicken Hat

Yesterday at the archery range I got to work on my chicken hat. Here is a photo or two of me trying it on, figuring out where the feet go. I decided to add ear flaps which are the chickens thighs. When I get done with the prototype, I'll start listing them on http://www.carpebacon.weebly.com in various colors and styles. Too fun.

Plarn Tote Bag

I've been getting a kick out of cutting grocery store bags into strips to make Plarn. Then using the Plarn (plastic yarn) to make a tote bag. I think I'm about done with the bottom of the bag. I've heard plastic handles can stretch so I'll probably make the handles out of denim or hemp or something sturdy. I don't want to be bumping my eggs on the ground walking home from the grocery store.

I recently made a Plarn hat too. I can't wait until it's cool enough to wear it outside. Or if it rains tomorrow I'll see if it makes a good rain hat. It did sprinkle a few drops today. We are forecast to have thunderstorms near here, so I'm not sure if any will find their way to Anaheim or not.

Oh and if you are on Ravelry, my name over there is Knitabitofmagic. Come look me up.

New Videos May Be Coming Soon

I just wanted to express some gratitude that today someone saw my crochet videos on Youtube and offered to pay me to make future videos if I just mention their website. I am flattered and happy to be offered money to do something that up to now I've been doing without any financial compensation whatsoever. I'd sure do a lot more videos if someone was sending some cash my way. I could even get a real video camera that does decent close-ups and a tripod to put it on so my hands could be free to crochet. I hope something comes of this. I wrote them back and told them I was interested.

Crochet Ideas

Hello again,

I've been watching a show called Knit and Crochet Today and one technique I need to remember is that you can do blanket stitch around the edge of a fabric garment or scarf you play to add a crocheted edging to, and then you can use the thread in the blanket stitch to anchor your edging too, and work in that loop instead of punching holes in the fabric. The blanket stitch is done with an embroidery needle.

Another cool idea that I saw on that show is to do freeform motifs in crochet of circles, flowers and leaves and then attach those in an artful way around the collar of a t-shirt, so I'm going to do that as well. I bought 5 t-shirts yesterday to try out some ideas on.

The photo above is of a slouch hat I'm working on. I'm out of purple yarn, and was going to finish in black, so I found the black yarn, but got distracted and started knitting something with it instead. I need an assistant to keep me on track.

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.