I'm making a summer top with the Phildar Shiny yarn, a cotton yarn with touches of polymide and polyester, which provides a little sparkle. I absolutely love the yarn - wish the sparkle showed up better in photos. The yarn has beautiful color flecks, and doesn't split. The top I'm making uses simple mesh and… Continue reading Folk village in summer and peek at a new project
A bit of “housekeeping” and a sneak-peek at my test garment
I have been so absorbed with work and my crochet projects that I think I've lost a bit of my paper mojo (pojo?). I want to get inspired again, because I have a lot of beautiful ideas on the back burner, including a cut-out paper flower kit I bought in Tokyo that would be perfect… Continue reading A bit of “housekeeping” and a sneak-peek at my test garment
Current craft projects and neighborhood encounters
I'm more than half-way through a semester of teaching online, and daily doing my best to keep to a schedule that balances my work with hobbies, exercise, and contact with the "outside world." By outside world, I mean my little neighborhood in Korea, as well as electronic links with friends and family in many different… Continue reading Current craft projects and neighborhood encounters
Crochet update and thoughts on summer travel
Summer travel is usually big for me, and I typically try to get out of Korea during the hottest part of the year - my recent favorite August destinations have been home to California; Australia (it's winter Down Under in August); and Japan. This year is different, of course. Travel is made difficult because of… Continue reading Crochet update and thoughts on summer travel
Crafty updates and knitted film memorabilia
This will be a short potpourri of updates. I'm nearing the end of the Spice Market mandala pattern, and still enjoying the journey. I'm now on Part 8, which introduces an interesting Swiss-cheese like pattern composed of single crochets and chains. Slow and steady progress has thankfully resulted in not too many mistakes: PHOTOS: Spice… Continue reading Crafty updates and knitted film memorabilia
Finished Kanata kerchief top
A brief check-in to share the finished Kanata kerchief top, a free pattern from Right Brain Crochet. My sister found this pattern for me so I made her one of these fun, summery numbers in a yummy shade of lemon curd. PHOTOS: Kanata kerchief top, with a bit of styling. I used a total of… Continue reading Finished Kanata kerchief top
Craft Tidbits and Happy Mother’s Day
I've taken on yet another project. I was chosen to test-crochet a garment for a young designer, and it's an easy one with a June 2 deadline. I have to keep the details about it mum, but I promise to share when I'm finished. I'm using my tried-and-true Hi-soft cotton blend yarn and a 3.75mm… Continue reading Craft Tidbits and Happy Mother’s Day
Spice Market update and patio herbs
PHOTO: progress on the Spice Market mandala, end of Part 7 Just a quick check-in today - I have made a little more headway on the Spice Market pattern. The lantern-like motif in Part 7 is coming through. I love the variety of stitches in this design, and the overlay/stripes is a fun section. The… Continue reading Spice Market update and patio herbs
An imaginative “map” of my neighborhood, and some crafty updates
On Instagram recently, I found out about a beautiful project from the artist and teacher Molly Mary Simmons at Direction of Flow. Her concept is called a Mapestry, and it invites people who are on their respective "islands" during this time of isolation, to submit individually-rendered maps of one's dwelling-space or neighborhood. These maps will… Continue reading An imaginative “map” of my neighborhood, and some crafty updates
Crafty updates and new “helper”
Back in February, I finished the Floating Pineapples shawl, but didn't manage to get a good photo of it, until now - I just bought a simple torso mannequin to help me with styling and taking photos. PHOTOS: Floating Pineapples shawl. The pattern is from Crochet magazine, using cotton-bamboo yarn. The pattern called for two… Continue reading Crafty updates and new “helper”