Stringspiration

Christmas means deadlines galore in my little corner of the world, and we're not talking just handmade presents for others. My day job often is overwhelming during the fourth quarter - for about 23 years straight now! Sometimes when I get home late at night, I don't want to do anything but soak in lavender-infused Epsom salts by the light of a candle. Yet every once in a while, I'm driven to do something I can finish in one night, and then I pay the price by being so excited, I can't sleep until the alarm goes off the next morning!

Such was the case one night last week. I'd spent a weekend back in about September sorting through all my selvedges because they had become unruly once again. I got most of the stash organized, measured and packaged, but I still don't have reliable internet access away from work most nights, so I haven't reopened my Etsy shop to list them just yet. I keep saying, "Next weekend..." but "next weekend" never comes!!!


Nevertheless, the mountain of scrappy strings is out of the way, and I even claimed time one night last week to piece together some of the special selvedges I've been hoarding for years. I think I'm going to turn these two panels into a crochet bag. One day.




Most selvedges have a collection of dots on one border used by printers to make sure the different inks line up; when the inks don't align, you get printing ghosts, or overlapping designs that can sometimes even look out of focus. (It's a bonus when you can work your name into your project!)




The first time I noticed a registration mark on fabric that was outside the normal dots, one of the dots was a smiley face. I saved that selvedge for close to two decades, knowing one day I'd find the perfect use for it. Some of the four yards went into the selvedge manadala rug I finished nearly three years ago.


There's still a small sand dune of special selvedges, which I initially thought might be cool braided into straps for my future crochet bag. But sometimes I think a vest would be really awesome, too. I'm setting them aside for just a bit, probably at least until after Christmas and fourth quarter, to give the braid idea time to ferment. That also will give me a little extra time to quilt panels for the sides and bottom of the bag. Then a couple of homemade bias tapes later, I'll have the most unique crochet bag on the planet!!!






Strings have been inspiring me in lots of ways the last few years...


I like the yarn lamp in the video above, but I thought it might be even cooler to use the same technique with snowflakes to make a different yarn lamp. Because, you know, I'm a snowflake nut.


Eric Rieger's work reminds me a bit of the beaded curtains so popular back in the 70s. I would have loved to be the one who came up with this idea!


One of my goals for next year is to figure out how to preserve leaves so I can crochet around them.


I think every city and town needs something like this.


I have space-themed fabric. I've crocheted mini planets. I would love to teach an astronomy class the way Ellen Harding Baker did!


Back in 2015, I had every intention of joining in the Sophie's Universe crochet-a-long. Now the pattern is a book, and there are SO many wonderful interpretations of the pattern!


My back door is in need of crochet enhancement and/or embellishment. I had been thinking one of my unfinished motif projects might be the perfect window covering, but some of these patterns make me want to start a whole new project!

Linking up with Alycia Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict and TGIFF at Storied Quilts.

Tweet

Snowflake Monday

This was my second favorite snowflake of the last 20 I made for my snowflake lamp. I was afraid it might be too big because the only openings remaining were for tiny little snowflakes.

This one fit because I found one opening too close to just one bigger flake. I made this little gem work!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!


Finished Size: 3 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 7 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line

Lamp Light Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in ring, * ch 10, 2 dc in ring; repeat from * 4 times; ch 5, 1 dtr in 2nd ch of starting ch 2 to form 6th ch 10 petal of Round. Pull magic circle tight, but leave opening big enough to allow stitches inside it to lay flat.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc over post of dtr directly below; * ch 8, sl st in 7th ch from hook, ch 1, 5 dc in next ch 10 petal, ch 3, 5 dc in same petal; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 5 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Tweet

Snowflake Monday

I think we've finally seen our final snowfall of the season. That doesn't mean snowflakes won't be found in my garden.


I'm finally finding time to stiffen the snowflakes leftover from last year's quilt.




The garden snowflakes I shared last week, today and the ones I plan to share in a couple of weeks were initially designed for the snowflake lamp I revealed earlier this year.


We may be done with winter, but I'll always be surrounded by snowflakes. And that's NOT a complaint!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes and/or rocks you make from these patterns, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!



Finished Size: Garden Snowflake 14: 3 inches from point to point; Garden Snowflake 15: 2 inches from point to point; Garden Snowflake 16: 3 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, water soluble school glue or desired stiffener, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line


Garden Snowflake 14 Instructions

Foundation Round: * Ch 15, 1 dc in 11th ch from hook, 1 hdc in next ch, 1 sc in next ch, sl st in next ch, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook (picot made); repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting ch; bind off. Weave in ends.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.


Garden Snowflake 15 Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, pull hook out of loop (dropped loop) and insert in 2nd ch of starting ch 2, insert in dropped loop, pull dropped loop through 2nd ch of starting ch 2 (popcorn stitch made), ch 3, * 5 dc in ring, pull hook out of loop (dropped loop) and insert in top loop of 1st dc of this 5/dc group, insert in dropped loop, pull dropped loop through top loop of 1st dc (popcorn stitch made); ch 3; repeat from * 4 more times; sl st in top of starting popcorn stitch. Pull magic circle tight.
If you're not reading this pattern on Snowcatcher, you're not reading the designer's blog. Please go here to see the original.

Round 2: 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 3, 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook (sc picot made), ch 1, 1 dc in same ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp; ch 5, sl st in sc just made (ch picot made); repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc; bind off. Weave in ends.


Garden Snowflake 16 Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 1, pull up loop to size of dc, [yo, draw up loop through magic ring, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook] 2 times, yo, draw through all 3 loops on hook (beginning cluster made), ch 3, * [yo, draw up loop through magic ring, yo, draw through 2 loops on hook] 3 times, yo, draw through all 4 loops on hook (cluster made), ch 3; repeat from * 4 more times; sl st in top of starting cluster. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: * 1 sc in next ch 3 sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 dc in same sp, ch 2, 1 dc in same sp, 1 hdc in same sp, 1 sc in same sp; repeat from * around 5 times; sl st in starting sc.
Please go here to see the original.

Round 3: Ch 3 (counts as 1 tr), * 1 dc in next ch 2 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 7, 1 dc in 6th ch from hook, ch 5, 1 dc in same ch, ch 5, sl st in same ch, ch 1, 1 dc in same ch 2 sp, ch 3, 1 dc in same sp, 1 tr in top of next Round 1 cluster; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last tr of final repeat; sl st in 3rd ch of starting ch 3; bind off. Weave in ends.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.

Tweet

Wordless Wednesday

Tweet

Snowflake Saturday

Once again, I'm celebrating Snowflake Day/Make a Snowflake Day, this time with a project of epic proportions, in every sense of the word. Yes, I know. People want to ban the word "epic." And for good reason. But none of the synonyms (i.e., ambitious, classic, impressive, grand, marathon, etc...) carry the same weight for what my husband and I have built.


One of the favorite things my siblings and I loved to sneak off to do when we were very young was climb onto the top shelf of the closet in the boys' room, where we would color with crayons on the turned-on bare closet light bulb and let the melted wax drips splash onto paper on the floor below. As we gained experience balancing on the closet shelf, we'd hold the paper right below the light bulb and blow on the wax for a splattered look.

Mom caught us one day, probably because we were being way too quiet, a deadly thing when you have seven kids under the age of 12 in the house.

The lecture we got from Mom was enough to keep us from playing with light bulbs ever again. Then Dad got home from work. Dad is an electrical engineer. We were in BIG trouble.

I've been afraid of light bulbs as toys ever since!

I've been enamored with the crocheted lamp globes I've been seeing around the internet for more than five years. One of my readers, Susan, even crafted one for me of my own snowflake patterns several years ago. I've been afraid to put a light bulb inside it. Yet I love it!


Flash photography has forced me to become a little more comfortable working with lights. LEDs seem to be a safer light source than the light bulbs of my childhood. Even I enjoy light painting with fiber optic LEDs!


According to Matt, crochet and lights may indeed be safely mixed. Matt's glorious flower lamp inspired today's project. THANK YOU, MATT!!!


I give you fair warning: this is a pricey project. The IKEA lamp I ordered (because I didn't want to brave Christmas shopping crowds in November when I first decided to make this lamp) is not cheap, and postage was practically outrageous. (But far better than spending a winter Saturday on crowded highways, in a crowded and likely snowy parking lot, wandering a Christmas-shopper-crowded store and standing in line at that crowded store to pay for one lamp.)

So, an expensive project, yet whenever I look at this gorgeous lamp, it's worth every dime that went into it. I might even have to make another one with blue snowflakes. Maybe I'll even make one with my crocheted flowers...


Another warning: This is not an overnight project. Although snowflakes work up quickly, they need to be stiffened, and this project requires a whole lot of them.

When I first began this project, before I ordered the lamp, I thought I'd need 84 snowflakes because Matt used 84 flowers.

I didn't know my lamp is bigger than what Matt used to make his project. My lamp required 157 snowflakes!!! That's nearly double what I'd expected! At one point, I realized I had to make at least 20 snowflakes a week to get this project done in time for today. Oh, did I mention today is the second annual Snowflake Day? Happy Snowflake Day!


Feel free to join in Snowflake Ball activities at Sisters of the Snowflake!

I had to make far more snowflakes than what I expected, but just look at this lamp now. Don't you think it was worth every single crochet loop???


One last word of warning. This project requires assembly, and lots of it. Perhaps if you buy the lamp in the IKEA store, you can get one already put together. I don't know because I've never been inside an IKEA. Assembly really didn't bother us, but I acknowledge there are crocheters who don't want to stiffen snowflakes, much less build a lamp that sometimes pretends to be a slinky or sporadically auditions for the role of a bunch of skinny tangled knitting needles.

By the time I glued on the final snowflake, this project had taken me nearly three months start to finish. But again, just take a look at it. This is the best thing my husband and I have ever built. So far. I think it was more than worth everything we put into it. Don't you?

If we ever sell our house, this baby comes with us!


Today's snowflake pattern is the final flake I crafted specifically for our lamp. I needed 20 more snowflakes for the top rounds, and all needed to be small. We were driving home from cross-country skiing up Mill Creek, and I wanted to be done with snowflakes and with white for a good long while. I made all 20 snowflakes in that one four-hour drive!

This is my favorite of that joyous snowflake cramming session. I'm not sure there is a word to describe the joy I felt as I bound off this snowflake!

You may do whatever you'd like with snowflakes you make from this pattern, but you may not sell or republish the pattern. Thanks, and enjoy!

Finished Size: 2.75 inches from point to point
Materials: Size 10 crochet thread, size 8 crochet hook, empty pizza box, wax paper or plastic wrap, cellophane tape, glue, water, glitter, small container for glue/water mixture, paintbrush, stick pins that won't be used later for sewing, clear thread or fishing line


Blissful Snowflake Instructions

Make magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 4 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through 2nd ch of starting ch 2 and replace loop on hook, pull loop through ch (popcorn stitch made), * ch 3; 5 dc in ring, take loop off hook, insert hook through top loop of 1st dc and replace loop on hook, pull loop through top of 1st dc (popcorn stitch made); repeat from * 4 times; ch 1, 1 dc in top of starting popcorn to form 6th ch 3 sp of Round. Pull magic circle tight.

Round 2: Ch 2 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc over post of dc directly below, * 3 dc in next ch 3 sp, ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, ch 7, sl st in3rd ch from hook and in each of next 4 ch, ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in each of next 2 ch, 3 dc in same ch 3 sp; repeat from * around 5 times, omitting last 3 dc of final repeat; sl st in 2nd ch of starting ch 2; bind off. Weave in ends.
Please go here to see the original.

Finish: Tape wax paper or plastic wrap to top of empty pizza box. Pin snowflake to box on top of wax paper or plastic wrap.

If using glue, mix a few drops of water with a teaspoon of glue in small washable container. Paint snowflake with glue mixture or desired stiffener. Sprinkle lightly with glitter. Wash paintbrush and container thoroughly. Allow snowflake to dry at least 24 hours. Remove pins. Gently peel snowflake from wax paper or plastic wrap. Attach 10-inch clear thread to one spoke, weaving in end. Wrap fishing line around tree branch (or tape to ceiling or any overhead surface) and watch the snowflake twirl freely whenever you walk by! Snowflake also may be taped to window or tied to doorknob or cabinet handle.




Lamp Assembly: Assemble and hang lamp as directed in manufacturer's instructions, but don't snap the paper flowers into place. Remove the plastic snap centers from the paper flowers. Glue one snowflake to each snap center. (I used Elmer's Glue-All, NOT the water soluble school glue.) Allow glue to dry thoroughly. (I let each set dry overnight.) Snap snowflakes onto lamp. (I started at the bottom and worked my way up. My sleeves often would catch on the lower snowflakes and dislodge them as I snapped upper snowflakes into place, resulting in another night of gluing and drying before reapplying. Working from the top down might be a smarter way to complete this lamp.)

After you finish snapping snowflakes into place, make sure you have a lot of room on your camera's memory card, because you're going to need it! More photos next Wordless Wednesday!

Tweet