On the Hook..

Ripples are in fashion again..  be it for a cushion or an afghan. I have been hooked on Crochet the whole month of August, my knitting projects have taken a back seat. Varying between different granny designs and  ripples.. I am kinda addicted to them.. began with trying to create a soft ripple pattern and now I just cant stop!

My first ripple-gan is almost done and its fascinating for me to keep adding more colors to it.. here is a sneak peak..

 Absolutely love the rainbow colors and its so soft to touch ! This one is made with all 100% acrylic yarns so the afghan is hard wearing and can be tossed into the washer-dryer without any problems. Looking forward to some snuggle time on the couch !

Right now I am loving the pastels in my new Ripple-ghan.. This is one of my most favorite color combination for little girls. Its working up fast but I think I will run out of yarn on this one.. A sneak peak for all ripple fans..

 My variation of the Ripple-Ghan pattern will be up here soon.. watch out for the updates on my Facebook Page. Enjoy !

Baby Item Color Choices

When it comes to picking colors to make something for a baby, its an impossible task !! I love colors and I especially enjoy making baby items.. This month has been all about Baby Blankies.. So far I have made 4 Baby blankets this month and the next one is in the making.. Will share the pictures soon.

Today's post is all about the colors I love to use for my baby projects. Here are my most favorite choice of colors..

If you like anything in my SHOP and would like me to customize it in your coice of colors, please take your pick from here and send it to me in a note. Thank you !

My FIRST EXHIBITION !!!!!

Hi Friends !
I am super excited to announce my FIRST EXHIBITION !!

A friend and I will present a collection of handmade Glass & Zardozi paintings, Knit & Crochet Accessories and Artisan Jewelry at the exhibition.

If you are on facebook, please connect with us at - OUR FACEBOOK PAGE (Click Here)

LIKE our page and stay tuned in for updates and give-aways during the two weeks of Exhibition. Please feel free to pass on the invitation to your Family & Friends and bring them along!
Thanks for your support!! See you there !


Exhibition Details -

Venue: New Park Mall - Cultural Corner
           Newark, CA 94560
Date: May 18th to May 30th
Time: 11am to 7pm everyday, including weekends

9 Petal Flower Coasters and Scrubbies

This past weekend was sunny and warm, lots of new colors in the Garden now.. I drew inspiration from mother Nature and came up with these bright and cheerful 9 and 7 Petal Flowers which are so versatile! Use them as Coasters or as Bath accessories... These are lovely !

Colors in this set -

1. Fuchsia
2. Lime
3. Purple

This second set is all about the exciting and colorful treasures beneath the blue oceans! Coral reef inspired set of five flowers. Machine washable and dryable, made of 100% Eco Friendly material, these would make lovely gifts for anyone! 

Available soon in my STORE. Click to see.

 Colors used in the set as seen here-

• Coral
• Sea Foam
• Coral Bliss

Spa Scrubbies !!!

A current hot favorite that has caught the fancy of so many !!! Spring inspired NEW spa scrubbies that you can use to remove make up or with a face wash... so many uses!

These cute scrubbies are in colors of the rainbow… just beautiful! The design is a daisy in white with color surrounds. These scrubbies are hand made with a lot of love and care. I take great pride in my workmanship and ensure that every piece is nothing less than perfect. 

These are made of Eco friendly 100% cotton yarn. After use just toss them in the washing machine with your laundry to wash and dry. They can be reused again and again. This is a set of 10 scrubbies that are Travel friendly (pssst! travel pouches available). Each scrubbie is beautifully finished to last you a long long time.

Click HERE to own a set !

These are available in a variety of colors, choose yours from the list! Or You can have the whole set of ten pieces in one color of your choice.If you would like to hang your scrubbies, a loop can be added to each one of these on request.

Happy Spa Time !!

List of Colors avalable - 

 

Colors used in the set as seen in the pictures-

• Purple
• Orchid
• Ocean
• Aqua
• Kiwi
• Lime
• Butter
• Tangerine
• Coral
• Scarlet
• Snow - for all center Daisies

Happy Holidays..!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE !!

May all your lives be filled with hope, good times and cheer!!! Have a great New Year 2012 !

For the past sometime I have been enjoying crocheting teeny tiny things... embellishments and decorative fringes to add to my projects. And I had a kool idea to make these into jewelry pieces. I adore these! and I hope you will like them too! So cute and perfect for the HOLIDAY SEASON!! Here are pictures of rings I made..

Please leave me comments if you like these.. available in custom colors. Suggestions are always welcome. Click HERE to own one of these beauties.

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/63263354/beautiful-carnation

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/63236616/mistique-victorian-ring

 http://www.etsy.com/listing/63262409/elise-rose-ring

 

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63260983/my-fuchsia-chocolatey-fix-ring

http://www.etsy.com/listing/70167128/carnation-blossom-ring

HAPPY HOLIDAYS !!!

Crochet Hook Holder

I've received many requests for Crochet Needle cases. I created this pattern after long experiments. This Crochet Needle Caddy is special because it holds every size of hook snug, you never have to worry about dropping one again!  

A  beautifully handcrafted nature friendly crochet needle holder. This bright and lush apple green crochet hook case is handmade in 100% natural cotton. Reminds me of bright springtime.. a fun accessory that anyone would love to have for the holidays season.  :o)   
Could this be on your list for Santa?

It is the perfect addition to your crochet basket. Delicately crocheted to ensure that your needles fit and stay put inside this stylish accessory. It makes a lovely gift for a Crocheter and also a big inspiration for some to begin! Give one as a gift, they'll surely fall in love…

The special motif of this crochet needle caddy is an original design that enables you to put the hooks into each space that holds it snug. You will never have to worry about dropping one anymore. The case has seven needle spaces that can hold needles up to size K (6.5mm). Custom colors and sizes are available.Feel free to write to me, or leave a comment here if you need more information. The closure of the case can be tied up two ways, through the loop or wound like a string around the case.

CLICK HERE for Crochet Hook Caddy.

Green Swirly Scarf

I had been thinking of making a scarf in Kelly Green. I tried out a few patterns, created a couple designs.... etc..  Although I liked the designs, it was not what I had imagined. Since this green is so vibrant and bright, I wanted to create something that made a real statement. Something bold yet elegant and feminine. I found this pattern by accident. I remember it was part of the designs that were being promoted by Martha Stewart. It caught my fancy. I began making this scarf a long time back... I ran out of yarn towards the end and needed more to make the tassels. I had to run to the stores several times before I found one skein, hence the delay in posting it here. I wonder if Kelly Green was the color of the season!??

The Swirly Scarf... is so pretty and could be customized for anyone.. little girls or young ladies.. it was awesome working on it. I found the pattern on Lion Brand's website. CLICK HERE to visit the link. This pattern is super easy and makes me wonder why dint I think of this? It is just an extension of what I've made several times - crocheted circles ! Its a great project for a beginner, especially because you can finish it in a day ! Instant gratification!   ...well, almost.  :-)
I am glad I looked at the pattern and just started off...

I believe I must have put in about five hours to complete the scarf. I made it extra long for myself because I love to double my scarves when wearing them. I made the scarf in two parts as suggested in the pattern. There is no particular reason why the scarf should be made in two parts. I decided to make it in two parts because it helped me keep the circles under control. If I had crocheted the whole length together it would have been a lot to move around, specially because I like to carry my projects wherever I go. I worked on the two parts separately, got the tassels on and then sew them together. I feel making it in two parts was much easier for me. However, if you are crocheting a smaller length, I think doing the complete length at one go would save a lot of effort.

I made a few changes to the pattern. I used Half Double Crochet stitch for the whole pattern instead of the Double Crochet stitch as suggested in the pattern. I think the HDC looks much nicer than the DC stitches and this also helped me keep the width of the scarf under four inches.

For the Love of KITTIES.....

This summer I worked with kittens at the local shelter. The kitten 'season' leaves a large number of unweaned litters.. with little kittens, often a few hours old who cant eat, dont know what they need to survive the day.

Their moms have either abandoned them or are driven away such that they cant find the babies anymore. These kittens are brought to the shelter and taken care of... I joined the group that takes turn in cleaning, feeding and nurturing these kittens. Here is my story -

I love animals!
I've been passionate about them all my life. Working with them, for their well-being has been very fulfilling. I've always found unconditional love and devotion in my four legged friends and it was for this feeling that I wanted to go back to do what I enjoy thoroughly.

This summer I met a cute litter of four kittens. They were so little that I could hide one in my palm ! They were fragile and vulnerable... In the first couple weeks the litter lost a brother and a sister.
This is what the babies looked like when they came to us -



Dont miss the food sticking to their faces... they dint know how to clean themselves and do the regular kitten stuff. Even then, aren't they just CUTE !!!
We had to syringe feed the kitties, induce them to go poopoo.. and keep them warm with heat pads below their beds to help them survive the night temperatures.

We struggled to feed the remaining two kittens - the orange one and the cute black with orange face :) Sometimes it was tough and required patience and perseverance.. in the end they made it.

At the end of the season, these two are healthy, playful and adorable kitties looking for a loving home. I wish they get adopted together coz they love to catch each other by the arm and do a rumble-tumble! They love to sleep on each other... throwing paws at each other... and do a lot of other things together !

From that day to this... it has been a fun experience.
Here is how lovely they look now...




I just love the gorgeous blue eyes !
This picture was taken after the kittens had a full meal and were about to take their afternoon nap and the orange kitty got thirsty. If you've had kittens you'll know its difficult to catch them on a cam coz they are so swift !

On the last day of the season, I crocheted a little orange fish toy especially for my fave kitties. Its to wish them luck and love for all times to come... and guess what! I think they like it !!!



I grew up with dogs and always thought I was more of a 'Dog-Person'. My experience with these kittens has changed that thought !

Truly, love knows no bounds......


UPDATE:  These two lovely kittens got adopted together. They found their forever home and loved the little Fish toy so much that they had to take it with them. I am so happy for them! Everytime I see their pictures, they make me smile. Love'em.

Crocheted Coaster Set

A simple and sweet project to begin crocheting...
thats what this is - COASTERS.

As seen in the picture, this is a set of 6 round coasters that fit into a round crocheted box with a lid. Making the coasters is very simple. All you need for this project is -

-2 skeins of 4ply worsted weight 100% cotton yarn
('Sugar n Cream' or 'Peaches & Creme' cotton yarn are good options)
-F sized Crochet Hook
-1 carpet needle
-1 big bead or button



COASTER PATTERN

4 ch, sl st in 1st ch to make a ring.
Round 1: 2 ch (counts as first hdc), 11 hdc in ring; sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (12 st)
Round 2: 2 ch, hdc in same st, 2 hdc in each st; sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (24 st)
Round 3: 2 ch, hdc in same st, hdc in next 2 st, * 2hdc in next st, hdc in the next st#, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (36 st)
Round 4: 2 ch, hdc in same st, hdc in the next 2 st, * 2hdc in next st, hdc in next 2 st#, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (48 st)
Round 5: 2 ch, hdc in same st, hdc in the next 3 st, * 2hdc in next st, hdc in next 3 st#, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (60 st)
Cut yarn and finish off.

Make six of these.



COASTER HOLDER BOX
We begin making the box from the base. Here is the pattern -

Round 1 to 5: same as above.
Round 6: 2 ch, hdc in same st, hdc in the next 4 st, * 2hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 st#, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (72 st)



Now to make the side of the box -
Round 7 & 8: 1 ch, sc in every st around (72 sc)
Round 9: 4 ch (counts as 1dc and 1 ch), dc in the same st(V-Stitch made), *skip next st; dc in next st, 1 ch, dc in same st #, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of 3rd ch of the first four chain to join. (36 V-Stitches)
Round 10: 1 ch, *sc in the 1 ch space below, sc in the next st #, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of 1 ch to join. (72 sc)
Round 11 to 15: 1 ch, sc in every st around, sl st on top of first ch 1 to join.
Cut Yarn, Finish off.

Lid of the box -
Round 1 & 2: same as above
Round 3: 2 ch, hdc in same st, 2 ch, skip next st, * 2hdc in next st, 2 ch, skip next st #, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (24 st, with ch 2 gaps)
Round 4: 2 ch, hdc in same st, 2 ch, skip next 2 st, * 2hdc in next st, 2 ch, skip next st #, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join. (24 st, with ch 2 gaps) Note: in this round we work only in the ch 2 spaces of the previous round.
Round 5: 2 ch, hdc in the same st, 3 hdc in the ch 2 gap, *2 hdc in the next st (these hdc are worked between the two hdc in the previous row), 3 hdc in the ch 2 gap #, repeat from * to #, sl st on top of ch 2 t join.
Round 6: 2 ch, hdc in same st, hdc in the next 4 st, * 2hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 st#, repeat from * to # around, sl st on top of ch 2 to join.



Loop -
10 ch, join in the first ch with sl st.
15 sc in the loop, sc on top of first sc to join.
Keep 6 to 8 inches of the yarn intact, cut yarn, bind off.

Putting it together -
Use carpet needle to sew in the ends of all coasters.
Sew the loop to one side of the lid.
Sew the other side of the lid to the box.
Check position of loop and sew the button / bead on to the box.
Sew in all ends, cut extra yarn.
Place coasters in the box, close box.

All done !!

The box could be kept soft or made stiff by using a stiffening product available at your local store. Hope you enjoy this simple project as much as I enjoyed making them. This crocheted set of coasters makes for a cute housewarming gift too.

Shell Stitch Bookmark

I enjoy making Bookmarks, specially coz they are small projects and get done in no time ! Plus I get the opportunity to experiment with new patterns.

This one is a crocheted bookmark. The basic pattern comes from a book called 'Crochet Inspiration' by Sasha Kagan. I've used this book for several projects and I highly recommend it. Whether you are new to Crochet or have been working with yarn for a long time, you'll enjoy reading and creating from this book.



This pattern is called : Shell Stitch Square
I have used the basic pattern and incorporated some bead work also. I will not be posting the pattern here for Copyright reasons. You can look for this book in your closest library. I will however, use the beading work in some other project which I will share here for the benefit of everyone reading the blog.

Enjoy !

Happy Father's Day !!

Wishing all the Daddies around the world....
A Wonderful Father's Day !!!


My Dad and Father-in-law are bookworms.. alwez reading something.
What would make a better gift for them than a bookmark...
so here is what I made for them -

BOOKWORM ON A STICK !
Yes, thats a bookmark :)



The Bookworm idea came from - http://www.freecraftunlimited.com/bookworm.html

Although I really like the bookworm pattern, I did not want my bookworm to have a tail... so I crocheted a stick with deep brown yarn, slipped a wooden skewer inside so it stays straight like a branch and added my bookworm on top.

Enjoy !!!

Baby Blanket - Granny Square Variation

How could we have a Baby Month and not have a special blankie on the occasion !
This is a Baby Blanket that measures 24 x 24 inches and is made of 4-Ply yarn. I used two colors for it... pastel green and lemon yellow. These have become my favorite over time.

Zizi loves the colors so much, she even wanted her special hair clip made with the same yarn ! :)




The baby blanket is made of 16 squares - 6 x 6 inches each. The pattern for this square is a variation of the traditional Granny Square. It has front post double crochet stitches which give it the 'x' look. The pattern is from Teresa's Blog -
http://crochet-mania.blogspot.com/

I'm a great fan of Teresa and have been following her thread for a while now. She's real fun to watch. I really enjoy trying out her patterns.


A close-up of the blocks:


For my blanket, I altered a few things in the pattern, like-

* Using the colors differently from Teresa's sample.
I've used Color A for rounds 1 & 2;
Color B for rounds 3 & 4
Color A for Round 5 & 6

* I added round 6 to the pattern.
After finishing round 5, Ch1, make 1sc in the next stitch to the end of the row.
In the ch 2 space make 3 sc, continue making sc around on all four sides.
To finish off, sl st in the beginning sc, cut your yarn.

* Added Tassels.
These were added to finish off the Blanket.

Adding the 6th round makes for a good finishing. The edges are well defined and not roundish anymore. Its also easy to join these squares together coz the lines are so straight.



Hope you will enjoy this project as much as I enjoyed making it !
Enjoy the pictures... Do leave your feedback !

Accessorising a Baby Dress

Few Daisies added a lot of cuteness factor to this already fun summer dress for a baby. Zizi offered to help out and model the dress for Yarnilicious. :)

The daisies are easy to make and can be added to anything you like as embellishments- a bag, a dress, hats, or even made into a hair clip !

Here is the pattern -

Ch 3, sl st in first ch to form loop.
ch 1, 8 sc in loop, sl st in first sc.
* ch 4, sc in second ch from hook and in next 2 ch, sl st in next sc, (Petal made) repeat from * 7 more times with last sl st in same sc as joining. 8 Petals made.
Finish off.

To attach to a dress use a similar color thread to sew on. If your crochet stitches are too close, it will make the petals to fold in. One way to correct it is spraying some starch on it and ironing.

Close up of the DAISIES -



Enjoy !