The Mad Hatter (Part 3)

 Hi Loves, 

Here is part 3 showing yet another knitted hat.  The story surrounding this hat, and the other 3 hats in the next 3 posts to follow is that an order came from my cousin after seeing the slouchy in "The Mad Hatter (Part 1).  She requested it but it was made for someone else.  She then asked if I could make her one or two.  I was never given a colorway, and feeling very creative before I knew it, I made four for her to choose from.  Here is #1:

Until the next post...

Let us be friends, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter, and TikTok   Check out my Etsy page as well.  

Thanks love for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Until next time. Khenzuri

The Mad Hatter (Part 2)

 Hi Loves, 

As promised this is part 2 of the update on what I have been up to why it seems I was neglecting you all.  Again I am sorry for my absence.   For part 2 we will be looking at pictures of 2 baby beanies.  I was commissioned to make one but I couldn't decide on which color I should use.  I asked if I could make both instead and the go ahead was given (how awesome that was for me).

Color #1

Color #2

Isn't she lovely.  

It worked out as this was a gift for a friend's niece who lives in Canada and it turned out that the mother had a blanket to match and was very appreciative of the gifts.

Until the next post....

Let us be friends, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter, and TikTok   Check out my Etsy page as well.  

Thanks love for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Until next time. Khenzuri

The Mad Hatter (part 1)

 Hi Loves, 

I hope you don't think I have been neglecting you all.  Honestly, I am still learning to juggle a business, a family and all the social media shebang all at once.  I agree that I am not good at it but is willing to learn.  It would be great to be able to have a way to post to all at once wouldn't that be grand.  If any of you know a way that I can please feel free to share.  

Now for today's post, I would like to share a few pictures with you of what I have been up to.  It's going to be a few post as though I have been absent I have been busy.  Hope you all like it.  Before I show you the first slouchy, let's get a little back story.

So, a few months before I made this exact slouchy (see my cute little model) along with a black one for a client (see first 2 pics).  Fast forward she requested the same one as it was liked and taken by a friend.  Funny thing was I did it all without a pattern, but the good thing was I was the one who designed it. I took one look at the phone and replicated my design.

 

Other creators: let me take before, during and after phones for my social media platforms.

ME:  Being too excited for my order, remembering only after I started.  Oh well.

I however did not forget to take the finished product.  Here you go loves.

Until the next post....

Let us be friends, follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter, and TikTok   Check out my Etsy page as well.  

Thanks love for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Until next time. Khenzuri

Loopty Loop

Hi Loves, 

Tis the season for giving and for that reason, I would like to share this easy cross-body bag pattern with you.  I know this post is not like any I've done before in terms of writing style but as we grow as individuals I would like to grow as a blogger.

In this blog, I am going to provide you with the full details of the written pattern which is quite easy for you to follow, as well as the yarn type etc.

I do hope you love this bag as much as I did.  The yarn was one carried by Ice Yarns, though the colour I used is out of stock there are still a few colours you could choose from.  This bag is completely customizable so you could also use just about any yarn you like.  The size would then be different.

As promised here is the full written pattern.

Yarn Information:

Ice Yarn Woolfine in the colour Gold fnt2-58305

1 ball

Fiber Content: 50% Wool, 50% Acrylic

Weight: 50 gr. / 1.76 oz. per ball

Length: 350 m. / 382 yds. per ball

Yarn Thickness: 2 Fine: Sport, Baby

You will need to know how to do the loop stitch which is quite easy. There are also many easy-to-follow videos on YouTube. I used one skein but held 2 strands together for the bag. The pattern is done in one piece then folded and joined in the side and base to make the bag.

Loop stitch – insert your hook as you would to sc, loop the yarn over your finger and stretch it to the length you desire. Put the hook under both strands of yarn and pull both through the stitch. Yarn over and pull through the loops on the hook. 

Abbreviation:

sc – single crochet

sl st – slip stitch

ch – chain

hdc – half double crochet

The bag is 7′ without the loops and strap, 9′ with the loops, 30′ with strap un-stretched… 34; when strap is stretched (when loaded).

Pattern:

Chain 61.

row 1: sc in the 2nd ch from hook and in all stitch.

row 2: 1 loop stitch in all stitch 

Repeat rows 1-2  5 times for a total of 12 rows. 

Next step:

sc in each stitch for a total of 30 rows.

Construction:

Fold your piece in half with the right side on the inside. Ensure all your loops are inside. Start at the top of the bag slip stitch along the side and base. For re-enforcement sc from the base, along the side back to the top of the bag. Turn your bag back on the right side.

Strap... Option A:

Cut the yarn after you finish sewing the side and base.  Attach the yarn in any stitch on the side... sc in 6 stitches ensuring you have 3 on either side.

ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch (6 sc) - repeat for the length of your straps.

Or 

Option B: After sewing up your bag, do not fasten off.

Sc in 3 stitches from where the yarn is connected... Ch 1 turn sc in the 3 stitches you just made, then hdc in the next 3 stitches (this will ensure it levels out) 

ch 1, turn, sc in each stitch (6 sc).  repeat for the length of your straps.

Ensure the strap is not twisted once you have achieved your desired length. Connect to the other side of your bag using your desired method.

For closure, I attached my yarn to the centre of the opening on one side of the bag,  chain 15, sc in the 6th chain from the hook(buttonhole made) and in every chain back to the middle of the bag. Fasten off and hide the yarn tail. Sew a button a few rows down from the opening on the other side of the bag.  Feel free to close your bag however you like.

If you do make this bag please tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Ravelry and Twitter.   

Thanks love for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Until next time.

Half Double crochet

Hi loves, 

Today we will be doing the Half Double Crochet (hdc).  This stitch is taller than the single crochet but shorter than the double crochet, hence the name half double crochet.  It is also a slightly dense stitch that is good for clothing like skirts and shorts.  Your projects work up faster than doing single crochets.  There is much to be said about the half double crochet but without further ado, let's learn how to do the HDC so we can start making beautiful pieces.

How Is It Done?

To do the HDC you would begin as you would for the double crochet by yarning over before inserting your hook into the desired stitch.  Then this is where the difference takes place.  With three loops on your hook, you yarn over and pull through all three loops and there you have it, one hdc completed.  Easy as pie don't you think?

You are a visual learner

No issues there... Let's get some visuals for you.

The finished swatch

not so close up.

Yarn over (yo)

Insert your hook into the stitch. Yo, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook)

Yo and pull through all 3 loops on the hook

Having issues with my pictures.  Hope my video will help.

Hdc on a current WIP

Hdc from the starting chain.

I would like to hear from you.  Let me know what you think in the comments.  Until next time.....

Thanks loves for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Please follow me on FB, Instagram, Twitter. You can also purchase yarn to make your masterpieces here.

Air Shine

Hi Loves,

      Here I was browsing the web, looking at different yarns when I saw this beautiful yarn called Air Shine.  I ordered the green and waited..... and waited...

4 weeks later..... 

My yarn came, I ogled over the way it looked and felt, but didn't know what to make with it.  A few months pass and still no idea what to use my Air Shine for, then Petra Breakstone decided she was having another "anything Petra KAL".

I thought to myself 🤔🤔🤔, Rayne, wouldn't that look elegant in the Air Shine.

@petrabreakstone's Rayne

I cast on and within 3 days completed my shawl and my oh my, it looked absolutely beautiful.  It was that beautiful that it was claimed before it was completed.  I didn't get a chance to really photograph the finished product.

The night I finish my shawl

pics not doing it justice.

a closeup

The happy Customer. She contributed the photos.

Thanks loves for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Please follow me on FB, Instagram, Twitter. You can also purchase yarn to make your masterpieces here.

Spiderweb

 Hi loves, 

2021 started with a challenge presented to me by my mother.  She sent me a pic and requested the item for her birthday in February.  I was like wait a minute mama, I have never just looked at a pic and replicated it... I was about to back down but told myself this year, I will definitely step out of my comfort zone and really try to get my business off the ground as this is what I really love doing.

This is what she sent me.

I honestly went searching on the net for a possible pattern.  I typed in the search engine what I think this may be called... I search for images, I checked the page on Facebook, where she got it from, and no such luck. 

She then made another request....... Lady are you serious right now????   I am still trying to locate a pattern for your requested top.  You see, that item was made out of yarn but she hates yarn as she thinks all yarn is scratchy (trust me. I've tried telling her otherwise).  So, she wanted her's made out of crochet thread, you know that thin thread they used for doilies.

Yeah, that's the one... Aunt Lydia's size 10.. yup.. this same one.

On a side note, before you tell me there is one that was made for fashion (Aunt Lydia's Fashion 3, that's thicker), I found that out recently, but not available where I live.

Now back to the scheduled programming.....

I had to decide:

• How many chains I needed to do to get her size (which when asked for her bust measurement she replied... "measure yourself and add about 4")
• For the spacing how many stitches to skip etc.

With my picture, thread, and hook in hand I started to replicate... 

I also decided to hold 2 strands instead of two.  After working out how many chain stitches were needed. I started the easy part... Double crocheting the top section.

Now...... Here comes the hard part.... How am I going to start the design without a pattern now? Sighs!!!   Well, I did a thing.... It looked almost like the picture, but when I got to the end of the first round... Sighs again!!! there were too many stitches left, which means the last stitch will be too wide.. 

Aaaawwww!!!!

ok Melissa, think...... I counted the last stitches.. and did a little math and just perfect... I got equal spacing.. 

Working, working, working.. Crocheting, crocheting, crocheting... not feeling what I'm doing... Pause! Pause! Pause!

I finally got to the desired length... But something was off... Bummer!!!!!!!

This is what it looked like.

I wasn't feeling this look... then I did a thing... I slip-stitched the last row and felt that it looked better.. If you know me... I could not leave the others so I ripped back all the stitches back to the beginning of the pattern.  OMG, you say... That was easy to do... It's what followed next.. I did each round twice... 

What? How so?... Well after completing each round I do through each stitch and slip stitch around. That, in my opinion, thickens the strands and it looked better to me.  Let me know what you all think.

The end product.

Thanks loves for taking a read.  Live, Love, Laugh... Please follow me on FB, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also purchase yarn to make your masterpieces here.