After seeing a beautiful dress with an overskirt of embroidered panels, I decided to crochet the panels and used a leaf-vine pattern. When the panel was finished, it seemed too narrow, so I decided to make a border in a darker purple to give it a better width, comparable with the ones I had seen on the dress that inspired me. I had chosen two kinds of purple in crocheted yarn because I happened to have it handy , but after finishing the panels for the skirt and adding the crocheted waist band suddenly realized that I was going to have a difficult task finding just the right color for the underskirt. Then I went to Jo-Ann's fabric store to buy something and saw the sale they had on terrific fabrics. Taking a quick look, I spotted a very dark purple crinkled fabric that looked almost black and realized that it was just perfect as the underskirt, because it would actually accentuate the leaf pattern by showing the dark color in the leaf spaces and giving the perfect contrast to the purple I had used.
Looking at the crinkly fabric I let my eye tell me how to do the dress and realized that I didn't want a skirt sewn onto a blouse, but a one piece dress with no seam at the waistline. This way, i wouldn't have to keep trying to align the overskirt to the other waistine at all and would have less bulge at the waist. I immediately thought of the medievel simple dresses worn underneath the second fancy skirt or dress and I thought of a drawing I had made of such a dress many years ago in my little stenographer's notebook. I had drawn it while looking at a book on medievel costumes my daughter had brought home from the college library.
I found the drawing and soon had it drawn on some white paper I had that had come protecting a clear plastic I had bought to protect my crocheted tablecloth. Using a blouse that fitted me perfect I adjusted my drawing to my size and cut the crinkly fabric, thankful that the fabric was 52 inches wide. I almost didn't get sleeves but put some together from the pieces left over after cutting my dress. I basted it and tried it on and realized I needed to trim it smaller a couple of inches all around. After trimming it I basted it again and since it fitted me well finally sewed it in a back stitch very carefully since my sewing machine doesn't work. The dress is perfect and may be used as a dress by itself or as the basis not only for the purple crocheted dress, but any other overskirt dress I may come up with later. Its dark purple color makes it perfect to be a part or be combined with other outfits or accessories.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Burdundy Crocheted Coat
When we're old we forget things! I had forgotten all about my beautiful burgundy crocheted coat, actually more like a very long vest, because it has no sleeves. I crocheted in my own pattern of leaves, like very long branches with leaves. It feels heavy, but it makes it hang well when you're wearing it, truly a distinguished look over anything, either dress or pants. I had stored it in a box two years ago when we had moved and the box ended up deep in my closet and i never opened that box until I was moving again this summer. I also found another small red vest with the same doily yarn of my other red vest, but in a different pattern. I will put pictures of more of my things here soon.
I do want to mention a book I found in the Half-Price bookstore that was in mint condition for less than a third of its original price. It is called STITCH COLLECTION: TEXTURED CROCHET by Helen Jordan, with"More than 70 Designs with Easy Instructions". It has some new patterns i have not used before and some new flowers that I am going to try.
I do want to mention a book I found in the Half-Price bookstore that was in mint condition for less than a third of its original price. It is called STITCH COLLECTION: TEXTURED CROCHET by Helen Jordan, with"More than 70 Designs with Easy Instructions". It has some new patterns i have not used before and some new flowers that I am going to try.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Round Crocheted Purses
I made a round base for my crocheted purse out of strips(5/8in) of cloth so that it would have a sturdy bottom that will hold its shape.It looked like a bowl, two inches deep and then I started chrocheting with yarn to make all the rest of the body--10 rows in single crochet, begining with the first row being one single crochet, two single crochets, but having only one single crochet in each space. I then do 3 rows of a double crochet in each space, then 5 rows of double crochet, ch one over next space, double crochet, one ch over next space all around. Finish the last row with aan edge using, ch5, single crochet on first stitch, repeat, making a picot over each space. Crochet a chain for the desired lenght to make the purse string and make a second one, and insert on the third row of double crochet witgh the spaces.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Quilted Postcards
I have been making some quilted postcards to exchange with the other ladies on my quiled landscape group. Before Christmas, we made some Christmas ones and I showed how ordinary trees are decorated with lights in the Rio Grande Valley because we hardly have any fir trees. I ended up sending them late and later in February send some little surprises to the ladies...some pink butterflies made from fabric from a book on making gifts in the Japanese way.
Then we made some winter postcards in January and I used some net my daughter left in her stash of fabrics that looks like it is snowing. I put these net over some fir trees for one card and over embroidered bare trees for the other card. (There were only three of us in the group, instead of 4 as the group should be.)
I then made three Spring ones--one looked like bluebonnets, but the curled ribbon was purple; one was a flowering tree, using pink knots as flowers on an embroidered tree; and the third one was a grape leaf with some early small grapes, which reminded me of an early childhood memory from my mother's garden.
I loved making these postcards that I am still making some more, but this time concentrating on the bugs of spring. I made a card with red butterflies among some whilte lace flowers, a large one in front and some smaller ones in the distance. Another one had a grasshopper made with an appliqued piece of green cloth and black embroidered legs. (I really liked this one a lot.) Another has a dragonfly appliqued over a nice piece of quilted cloth with tiny dragonflies in a pattern. Another one is a thistle flower crocheted.
We're now making postcards based on a song title and I finished one. I had a gold paisely that I cut and arranged the paisely forms to look like flames, adding some shiny material in a very shiny and reddish look and even added what represents a match---LIGHT MY FIRE! I am making one from an applique of a little island in the middle of the ocean--IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ISLAND(1957). The third one is not decided yet, although i have one looking like an ordinary grass and flowers--maybe---I never promised you a rose garden!
Then we made some winter postcards in January and I used some net my daughter left in her stash of fabrics that looks like it is snowing. I put these net over some fir trees for one card and over embroidered bare trees for the other card. (There were only three of us in the group, instead of 4 as the group should be.)
I then made three Spring ones--one looked like bluebonnets, but the curled ribbon was purple; one was a flowering tree, using pink knots as flowers on an embroidered tree; and the third one was a grape leaf with some early small grapes, which reminded me of an early childhood memory from my mother's garden.
I loved making these postcards that I am still making some more, but this time concentrating on the bugs of spring. I made a card with red butterflies among some whilte lace flowers, a large one in front and some smaller ones in the distance. Another one had a grasshopper made with an appliqued piece of green cloth and black embroidered legs. (I really liked this one a lot.) Another has a dragonfly appliqued over a nice piece of quilted cloth with tiny dragonflies in a pattern. Another one is a thistle flower crocheted.
We're now making postcards based on a song title and I finished one. I had a gold paisely that I cut and arranged the paisely forms to look like flames, adding some shiny material in a very shiny and reddish look and even added what represents a match---LIGHT MY FIRE! I am making one from an applique of a little island in the middle of the ocean--IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ISLAND(1957). The third one is not decided yet, although i have one looking like an ordinary grass and flowers--maybe---I never promised you a rose garden!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Dog Booties
Leaves are fantastic! I had always thought so, but now more than ever. Following the inspiration of an article from BELLE ARMOIRE called "Abstract Knitted and Crocheted Shawls", I have been making leaves of different sizes in different colors of left over yarn to make myself a one of a kind shawl for myself.
My cousin Tina asked me to make some little booties or shoes for her small dog, because she said the kitchen floor was too cold and she is afraid he'll get arthrities. Finding myself short on time between all my needlework projects, I decided to improvise and it all worked out beautifully.
First of all I tried to find four leaves in the same color and about the same size and I was lucky to find them in the yellow green color. I then cut four roundish looking soles from a heavy black felt and sewed a leaf around each sole, starting at the back of the shoe wityh the tip of the leaf, going around and meetimgh with the other tip of the leaf. the little bootie was shorter at the back, where I added ribbon to tie in front on the wider part of the leaf as the shoe "tongue". So four green leaves turned into four dog booties! leaves are versatile!!!
My cousin Tina asked me to make some little booties or shoes for her small dog, because she said the kitchen floor was too cold and she is afraid he'll get arthrities. Finding myself short on time between all my needlework projects, I decided to improvise and it all worked out beautifully.
First of all I tried to find four leaves in the same color and about the same size and I was lucky to find them in the yellow green color. I then cut four roundish looking soles from a heavy black felt and sewed a leaf around each sole, starting at the back of the shoe wityh the tip of the leaf, going around and meetimgh with the other tip of the leaf. the little bootie was shorter at the back, where I added ribbon to tie in front on the wider part of the leaf as the shoe "tongue". So four green leaves turned into four dog booties! leaves are versatile!!!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Vine Wall Hanging
These are portions of a wall hanging depicting a grape vine done from memories of the arbor in my mother's garden.
Fabric Dragons
These little stuffed dragons were done in fabric with wire framework inside the fabric wings with movable arms and legs.Crocheted Green Dragon
I crocheted this dragon in the same manner as the crocheted doll. I started at the neck, continued until I got to the end of the tail. I then crocheted the head and attached it to the body. Then i crocheted the arms and the legs and added them. The last things I crocheted were the wings andd then added them to finish off the little dragon.
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Crocheted Doll
I love to crochet and sometimes I do not need instructions, especially for crocheting 3-D stuff. I have crocheted bears, dogs, aand other animals and I stuff tem as I finish them.
A couple of years ago, I crocheted two dolls for my first grand daughter. I first drew a little paper pattern of what looked liked the bottom of a doll shoe. Using this as a pattern for size, I then crocheted two shoe soles, using single crochet, and working on both of them at the same time to keep them both the same shape as I went along, since I do minimum counting. It is kind of weird, because some inner instinct lets me know when to diminish stitches or add stitches as i work. When both soles are finished, I then being the rounds shaping the upper part of the shoe. When it looks like the shoe I want, I change yarn color and work on both adding the sock shape, changing yarn and working on the leg shape on both of them. Somehow, I know when to add or subract to shape the ankle, the leg and then the knee and the thigh. It gives me a good feeling to end up with a nice shapely leg--two of them. I set them aside.
Now I start doing a pantylike shape in 3-D--crochetting until I get to the "waist" and then I change to the skin color used for the legs and continue crochetting what will be the upper torso, leaving holes for the arms, just as I left holes for the legs on the panty shape.
Usually at this time I stuff the legs and attach them with a regular sewing needleand a careful stitch to the panty form. I then stuff the panty and the upper torso and set aside.
I then start two tubelike forms with a closed end as the beginning of the hands and i somehow work on making a thumblike shape and a wrist on this two shapes, always worki ng on both so that they will be the same. My instinct always tell me how to work to make the proper form to look like the arms , complete with a slight elbow shape. When both arms are finished and seemed to be the proper lengh, I stuff them and attach to shoulders of torso. I then start to shape a neck. I work on the head last, making an egg shape and working instictive to shape it to look like a head. somehow I know where to shape the nose, chin and mouth--these are definitely the hardest and sometimes I have to redo until I get the right shape. I stuiff the head and attach with a regular needle to the neck, making sure there is enough stuffing in the neck to hold up the head properly. My doll is finished . Now i have to add yarn haie and crochet clothes for her or him as the case may be.
A couple of years ago, I crocheted two dolls for my first grand daughter. I first drew a little paper pattern of what looked liked the bottom of a doll shoe. Using this as a pattern for size, I then crocheted two shoe soles, using single crochet, and working on both of them at the same time to keep them both the same shape as I went along, since I do minimum counting. It is kind of weird, because some inner instinct lets me know when to diminish stitches or add stitches as i work. When both soles are finished, I then being the rounds shaping the upper part of the shoe. When it looks like the shoe I want, I change yarn color and work on both adding the sock shape, changing yarn and working on the leg shape on both of them. Somehow, I know when to add or subract to shape the ankle, the leg and then the knee and the thigh. It gives me a good feeling to end up with a nice shapely leg--two of them. I set them aside.
Now I start doing a pantylike shape in 3-D--crochetting until I get to the "waist" and then I change to the skin color used for the legs and continue crochetting what will be the upper torso, leaving holes for the arms, just as I left holes for the legs on the panty shape.
Usually at this time I stuff the legs and attach them with a regular sewing needleand a careful stitch to the panty form. I then stuff the panty and the upper torso and set aside.
I then start two tubelike forms with a closed end as the beginning of the hands and i somehow work on making a thumblike shape and a wrist on this two shapes, always worki ng on both so that they will be the same. My instinct always tell me how to work to make the proper form to look like the arms , complete with a slight elbow shape. When both arms are finished and seemed to be the proper lengh, I stuff them and attach to shoulders of torso. I then start to shape a neck. I work on the head last, making an egg shape and working instictive to shape it to look like a head. somehow I know where to shape the nose, chin and mouth--these are definitely the hardest and sometimes I have to redo until I get the right shape. I stuiff the head and attach with a regular needle to the neck, making sure there is enough stuffing in the neck to hold up the head properly. My doll is finished . Now i have to add yarn haie and crochet clothes for her or him as the case may be.
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