Pillow Talk

  I crocheted this pillow cover about 2 years ago to cover up my bad sewing job. It was a simple stitch made with a large crochet hook. I think it was a half double crochet, but since the hook was so large it gave it this mesh look. I don't think I wrote a post about it because, well, it's kind of ugly.

   I finally gave this pillow a proper upgrade. Both my sewing skills and crocheting skills have improved since then. I unraveled my mesh cover and saved my yarn for another project. I thought about using it for the back, but decided to go with some leftover fabric that matches everything else in my craft room, as you can see on the chair that it is on. I made six panels inspired from the book, Crochet! Techniques, Stitches, Patterns by Marie-Noëlle Bayard. Three panels of vertical ribbing which is just alternating front and back post double crochet and three panels in a stitch called triangular leaves. I think it is much, much better than the original. I sewed the two sides together with my sewing machine leaving one end open to stuff the pillow in. Then I hand sewed it closed. I like how the blue color comes through the open leaf stitches.

Front

Back

Order Up

  I'm happy to say that I just shipped an order out to a customer. He ordered some wrestling gear, boot fringe and arm bands - Ultimate Warrior style. He might be a wrestler, or it might just be for a Halloween costume. Either way, I was excited to get an order. It always makes me happy when I see comments on my blog, online store, or even my facebook fanpage. I get even more excited when I get an actual order!

Here's what was shipped out today:

Hooked Hoop

  Sometimes I get bored and try to learn other crafts, or maybe it's that I get excited about some new craft then I get bored of it. Well, either way, at one point I was making hula hoops. They were cool, but I think I was the only one who thought so. I still like them, and it's actually a really good, low impact workout for your core.

  This is a hoop that I made for one of my best friends, a while back. I personalized it with her name, hand cut with an exacto knife from duck tape. That took some patience, but I really like how it turned out!

  If you'd like to make your own hoop, there is a great tutorial here. I've tried different combinations for taping and decorating the hoops, but one thing I've been meaning to try is to crochet a cover for the hoop instead of decorating with tape.

  So this is what I'm doing.. In order to do this I had to leave the hoop open so the crochet can slip over the hoop. This is my polyethylene tubing. It's 3/4" in diameter and 100 psi. It can be found in your local hardware store, Lowe's or Home Depot.

  Using a size F hook, I made a ring that will fit around the hoop. It came out to a chain of 15 then I joined. I didn't want it too tight to where I would have trouble slipping it on, and I didn't want to so loose that it would  move around while hooping. So it's just right.

  Then I single crocheted around in a spiral, changing colors about every inch, so I wouldn't get bored to death.  Here's what I have so far.

 Click HERE for the final hooked hoop, and how to finish off!
 

Bonus!

  It was this video from Hoopnotica that got me sprung on hooping: