The Shtick I Do

So, I'll explain this first since it was the first question that I got from my mother when I told her what this was. What's a "texture toy"? I don't know if the term has already been coined or not, so if I'm stepping on toes by calling it that, my bad. I call it that because that's exactly what it is. It's a toy that a baby can touch and feel and experience different textures. It's important for a baby's development to be able to feel different sensations of touch. Another note, I know it's a bit plain. I'm adding some different things before I call this a finished product. The pattern I'm giving you will get you to this point, and from there you can customize. It's just like the New Born Beanie Pattern  I did a couple of weeks ago. Materials : 2 colors of ww yarn Size 7/4.5mm hook Scissors Yarn needle for weaving in ends Stitch markers (optional) Abbreviations Used : sc - Single Crochet st - Stitch sl st -...

I'll start this with the same question everyone else does: "Ever find a knitting pattern that you love , but you crochet?" This is the part where they tell you to pretty much just play with it. How irritating, right? Well, I am here to help! I'm going to give you a knitting pattern, convert it to a crochet pattern, and... and tell you why it works. Before we start, a disclaimer: This will not   be an exact replica . This is simply because these are two VERY different crafts. You can replicate knitting closely, and to the untrained eye, there is no difference. However, to someone familiar with both crafts the difference is very obvious. So let's train your eye. The first thing I learned to knit was a potholder from my 8th grade teacher. I'm actually one of the founding members of my middle school's Knitting and Crochet Club. It's not much, but I'm proud. Anyway! Ms. Jones taught me this pattern, so any similarities to another pattern...

Check this out! It's a sock loom! Sock looming? Yes, it's a great craft. I love to encourage fellow artists and crafters to expand their horizons by expanding their arsenal. Add some knitting needles to that bag of yours. Learn to use them, and you'll find that there are many many  ways to incorporate them into your crochet repertoire. Like when making a broomstick lace stitch (sometimes referred to as peacock lace). Neat, right? Here's   another video for you. It will teach you the basics of sock looming. "Well that's a short blog post..." Nah, don't be silly. I want to tell you the story of how this sock loom was made. My boyfriend up-cycled a wooden band that broke off of an old laundry basket of his. (I know, I didn't think men had laundry baskets either! *wink*) He soaked it in water for about a day and a half. Soaking it in water allowed the band to be pliable without breaking, so he formed this nice little ring with it and put a cl...

Guess what? I am so very pleased to announce that I've joined in a collaborative effort with another crafty blogger to help bring the joy of hand crafted love and warmth to more people.  Meet Katrina , from Kat Knap Crafts . That link is to her recently created Facebook page, (show her some love by hitting that LIKE button) her blog is currently under construction but should be up and running before next week. Check out this logo! Isn't it cute? Let me tell you a little bit about Katrina. She's a 22 year old with an old soul. Some of you will understand that saying and some of you won't. She's unlike most young adults her age in a lot of ways. She believes in hard work and Santa Claus. She loves hand made and new gadgets. She's head-strong and opinionated. She speaks her mind with love in her heart. She sees in others what they can't see in themselves and she loves to make others smile. She's the girl that got me addicted to World of Warcraft o...