I am so glad for this craft journey. I can't stop now. I want to learn so many new things. I hope that I have inspired someone too this year.

It would be nice to start off learning to make new fabrics. A nifty purchase of long hair chenille yarn from a nifty shop on etsy will help me to adventure into furry fabrics!

What a way to wrap up this season with the last handmade request of the year. I don't know how these earmuffs (earmuffins) will turn out yet nor how to make them stay on the ears. Well, one last challenge to face for a friend. Hoping she'll like the design.

earmuffins outside

earmuffins inside

Blue has been the color that has been requested the most this season when it comes to crocheting. From stuffed cats to the latest request from someone so dear. A special mom requested me to make fingerless mitts for her little girl who has wanted them for a while. I was cautious because her hands are so tiny and delicate. I had practiced making child-size mittens last year. But they were so tedious that I gave up after just one mitt. Well not this time. I finished these blue ones so fast that it shocked me. I am really blessed to be able to fulfill this wish.

Bernat Super Value in Natural

Two super inexpensive yarns from Joann Fabric & Craft store that are worsted weight and cushiony soft are Bernat Giggles & Bernat Super Value. Unexpected squeezable softness makes this yarn fun to work with and makes my fingers happy too. Ooh, I just want to go squish & hug a bundle now. I'm using them for amigurumi toys.

Bernat Giggles

Bernat Giggles in Giggling Green

I've always wanted to make pieces of crochet textile to keep as art or maybe even as swatches, you know. I started making a fabric that right away I wanted to keep for myself. It wasn't long before it became a gift idea for someone. For this fabric I used a 2.5mm hook to crochet the seed stitch pattern which works up quickly using the yarn Cotton-ish by Bernat. This yarn is lovely. It's easy to work with, it looks good, it's inexpensive, and it's fine cotton. I picked up the light purple color called Cotton Gin from Joann Fabric & Craft store. The swatch is just wide enough for a cell phone or even an iPod. I just can't keep enough of this type of yarn around. It gets used up so quickly.

Cotton-ish in Cotton Gin

The seed stitch

Wool in summer? Yes. These Demet wool flowers are amazing. They bloom and sort of look alive. This structure sort of reminds me of something from an ocean (coral reef, maybe?). I call them pom-poms.





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Whoohoo!! More yarn from Turkey...for the very first time in my life --- LINEN yarn. Well it's a linen blend and it's the first time that I got to work with linen yarn. So far I could make a tiny lace beret (this took close to 50 grams). Oolala. Checkout the stranded choker necklace to match. Voila!

It's a wonderful yarn! (oops I mean it's a wonderful life)

A lacy vest to stay cool made from 100% cotton crochet thread.  May I make many more of this for this summer!

I tried the new Bernat Yarn by Vickie Howell called Cotton-ish in Gunsmoke. This yarn is easy to work with and for the low price it looks like a more expensive yarn to me. I like the neutral colors in the collection for use in any summer projects. Unfortunately, I've only seen it sold at Joann Fabrics & Craft store locally. What a shame! There is no, absolutely no, competition at the local level for this type of yarn because it is a DK yarn (size 3) cotton acrylic blend.  It seems that American big retailers carry 75% Medium yarn (size 4). It get's so frustrating when you are looking for finer yarn in grown-up colors! Furthermore, I don't want to pay an arm & leg for yarn like this which is what other brands charge.  After all, I am just going to try it out.  I have purchased just one ball of this stuff and boy was I sorry for that because when I went back to Joann's they were already out of all of the neutral colors. So far I have crocheted an entire hat and still have yarn left over.

By the time of this post the Big Lots sale is over.  I visited more than one store on a treasure hunt for fluffy yarns at a steal of a price. I didn't find eyelash yarn of my taste. But, I did spy a Kellogg Fruit Loops cereal looking one - I passed on it. This shopping spree turned out a few baby yarn treasures for me.

My Stash:

Lately, I've been using the Bernat Waverly Collection yarns.  My colors of choice are sundrift, birch white, curry, and cinnamon. I absolutely have to have these colors for my amigurumi dogs. Good dog colors are hard to come by when it comes to amigurumi. My favorite one is curry. Sundrift is very close to Redheart's Buff color yarn but lighter. I really hope that they don't discontinue this collection anytime soon. To my disgust, our local stores are not carrying nearly enough colors from this collection! I had to order the curry and cinnamon online.

Curry & Cinnamon

Cinnamon

Curry

Sundrift

Birch White

Big Lots store is having a yarn special until May 4, 2013 on gala yarn, marked down at 5 for $4. Otherwise you pay the original price of $1. Also the 110 gram baby yarn is 20% off.  Let's see. Do I get more yarn?.....

Baby yarn, snowflake yarn, bunnytail yarn. irrestible colors....So I did get more.