Monday, February 9, 2015

Impressive Intarsia Crochet



I am totally impressed with this Intarsia afghan of the American Sign (AMSLANG) Alphabet.  What a labor of love!  What a time consuming project!

I found this via a rather roundabout route.  Turns out the pattern is available on Ravelry where you can download it for a very reasonable fee.  There are also the very helpful photos in the Projects section there.  Very inspiring!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

Crochet + Beads







A noncrocheting friend sent a link to this cool wallhanging.  I love crochet.  I love buttons.  Everyone needs wall art, right?  This combines so many great arts.  The designer clearly took the flowers in the sheets as inspiration and repeated the colors in the wallhanging.  I can think of all kinds of ways to use this idea. There's a handy tutorial at the site and plenty of other bright, cheerful uses of crochet and beads.



Then, I found this happy wallhanging for sale at etsy.  RoseJasmine has created this and similar crochet pieces for the wall.  They are well worth her asking price - as those of us who crochet know how much time and effort goes into designing and crocheting something unique - but might be reproducible with ideas inside your own head.  I know I have some ideas!

One place I always think to use this sort of crochet whimsy is in a nursery, especially for the area above the crib.  But, we mustn't limit ourselves to baby.  RoseJasmine's piece could easily be used as a growth chart if it's hung low enough to write those vital height measurements as kid grows up.  If you're worried about your paint, use a strip of masking tape or that blue painter's tape that won't mar your walls.

If combining crochet with buttons works for you, check out the designs Kathryn has gathered at
Crochet Concupiscence.  Some of them are amazing!

If you 'bing' crochet and beads or crochet with beads, you'll find many, many wonderful designs, from wearables to home dec to things for baby.  I have a huge collection of buttons, gathered over many years.  I have also been known to purchase a dress or blouse at a thrift store just to scrounge the buttons.  I find them to be tiny artistic treasures, full of inspiration, each with its own tale to tell.

How will you combine buttons with your crochet?