50% off sale!!!

Hello everyone! It has been a while since my last article. One and half months have passed since I opened my online crochet shop at Etsy, . Fortunately, I sold my first two items last night! I'm so happy. However, there are numerous sellers who are selling crochet items at Etsy, so I've decided to change the concept for my shop. I'm going to renew the shop in June! 

Before renewing the shop, I'm going to hold 50% off sale from May 12th to May 26th. It's only for two weeks. If you are interested in my items, don't miss this chance!

I'm informing my blog followers about the sale first, because you all are very important to me. 

I'm going to tell you about concept for my new shop. The shop's name, NeIro, and the URL won't change.

I love to adopt Japanese culture in my crochet projects, and I'm always pursuing new uses of crochet. I would also like people to be interested in crochet and making something original. I love making original things. I would also like to help you to make your something original. I'll sell crochet supplies as appliques with my example pictures.

Here is my new shop banner.

As the banner is showing you, I will make framed crochet fiber art, crochet appliques, Japanese slippers with Kimono fabric called Chirimen. I love Chirimen, so I'll often use the fabric in my projects.

I'll renew my shop on the second week in June. I've not decided the day yet. I'll inform you the day after I decide. I would also like to hear your opinion or advice for my shop, please feel free to leave your comments. I'll answer you as soon as possible.

I'm looking forward to seeing you at renewal shop!

Necklace With Crochet Thread ( Crochet Accessory #6 )

Hi everyone! It's very warm in Kentucky today. I'm so happy to see flowers blooming in my garden. My flowers sometimes give me inspiration for my projects. 

I'm going to introduce this necklace today.

This time, I didn't use a wire frame. I prefer to use beads in my accessory projects, but it's hard to find beads that can string on yarn or even crochet thread. When I found the purple drop shape beads at a hobby shop, I decided to make a necklace with it. However, I had been trying to think of how I should connect crochet stitches and the beads together. 

I thought that I need to know more about bead work, so I went to a book shop. I learned some basic bead skills from some books and I decided to use clear bead thread for these beads.

I crocheted only necklace chain in the project. This stitches resemble flowers, but it is a scallop stitch called Topsy Turvy. The scallop stitch is composed of chain stitches, slip stitches and single crochet.

Stitches that I used in the project.

Chain, slip stitch, single crochet

Crochet thread that I used in the project.

• Aunt  Lydia's Cotton Classic Crochet thread : White

Summer Shoulder Bag 藍

I've just completed making my newest project! I made a summer shoulder bag this time. I'm Japanese as you know, so I'm trying to use Japanese culture in my projects. 

There is a Japanese traditional color called 藍(ai). Ai is same color as Indigo. Japanese people prefer to wear ai colored clothes or bag in the summer to have a sense of coolness. 

After I found this fabric, that was used for lid of the bag, at a shop.  I had been thinking a lot about the design for the bag, and I finally chose this design.

 

The bag size is 12" height, 11" width, 3" depth. The shape is trapezoid. 

I used Eco-cotton yarn in the project. I like recycling, so I prefer to use Eco-yarn. I think it's important to make something with thinking about the environment.

I used two different sizes wooden buttons in the project. Wood really matches ai or indigo colors.

I used two particular stitches in the project. One is puff stitch that was used at bottom of the bag. The other one is long single crochet stitches that are studded all around above puff stitches. I initially wanted to place a few crochet motifs around the side of the bag, but I noticed that too much meshes make bag shape unstable. 

This project is made with crochet and hand sewn as usual. (⌒o⌒)

I'm thinking of making two more bags, each with a different shape. One may be a smaller shoulder bag. The other one may be a hand bag. Of course, I will sell these bags at my shop. Come visit, if you are interested!

http://NeIro.etsy.com

Stitches that I used in the project.

Chain, slip stitch, single crochet, long single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, puff stitch.

Yarn that I used in the project.

• Red Heart Eco-cotton : Vinilla
• Lily Sugar'n Cream Denim : Indigo

Spring Hats

This is only the second time I've made a hat. I was making a gardening hat for myself, but when I added fluffy pretty color yarn to the edge of the brim, it changed to fashionable one... Moreover, I got an another idea, so I finally made two kinds of hats! 

This pink hat was a gardening hat. I made a crochet flower brooch for the hat to keep the brim of the hat up.

 

However, you may wear the hat without the brooch.

 

The other hat is a light green color! I made the brim short for this hat, and attached a flower with a crochet motif.

I placed a button made from shell at the center of the flower.

 

Which type of the has is your favorite?

I used cotton yarn for these hats, and added nylon fur yarn at edge of the brims. The fur yarns are baby colors, and the texture is very soft. I bought the fur yarns in Japan last fall, so I'm not sure I can get them again. I'm going to sell these hats in my shop. I'm also willing to sell the patterns as well. If you are interested in them, come visit!

http://NeIro.etsy.com

Stitches that I used in these projects.

Chain, slip stitch, shell stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet. front post double crochet, back post double crochet.

Yarn that I used in these projects.

• Lily Sugar'n Cream Naturals : Guacamole, Tumbleweed.
• Woolly nylon fur type yarn ( I don't know which company made) : Mix green, Mix Pink.

My Etsy shop is open!

Hi everyone! I'm happy to announce that I've just opened my Etsy shop. Please come visit.♪

http://NeIro.etsy.com

 

I'll sell my all projects that I will introduce here in the shop. I also sell my original patterns. However, I won't list the patterns in the shop yet, so please contact me when you'd like to purchase one of them. You may leave comment here or you may contact me in the shop. I'm happy to support you until you have completed a project with my pattern. I'm thinking of supporting my blog followers through Skype in the near future. I hope I can share my ideas and skill with you.

Necklace With Crochet Thread ( Crochet Accessory #5 )

I'm going to introduce a necklace today. The necklace is same type as the last two crochet accessories (Lavender & chamomile and Coral). I named the necklace Pink Mermaid.♪

 

In this project, I worked ruffle pattern on front loop and back loop both, so it looks more gorgeous! I used three sizes of beads in this project.  I worked picots on the necklace chain.

 

I'm going to sell this necklace at my Etsy shop! However the shop is not ready yet. I really hope I can open the shop this week. ♪

Stitches that I used in the project.

Chain, single crochet, picot.

Crochet thread that I used in the project.

• Red Heart Knit-Cro-Sheen : White
• Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread : Pink

Accessory Scarf

Hi everyone! I'm going to introduce an accessory Scarf today. I've finished making the scarf last month, but I felt like the scarf was missing something. I've been thinking what to add to it. I completely finished it today.

I used only cotton yarn for this project, because I wanted to use it as accessory. This lilac colored scarf is made with a ruffle pattern called taryn's ruffle. I used the pattern in summer room shoes too. I love the pattern. After I made the lilac colored scarf, I had been thinking what to add. I finally decided to add a thin trim pattern scarf made from crochet thread. This addition successfully gave the project a good effect! While I was making the thin trim pattern scarf, I noticed that I can use it another way. That's why I make the thin scarf removable.

I made a flower with same yarn as the lilac colored scarf. I believe that I can wear it during summer too!

Stitches that I used in the project.

Chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet.

Yarn that I used in the project.

• Patons Pure : Lilac
• Red Heart Knit-Cro-Sheen

Yarn Evaluation 02/2011

Hi there! I couldn't post my new article for a while, because I'm working on my dream now. I'm happy to announce this my dream today. I'm going to open my crochet online shop at Etsy in March, so I'm working on preparation for that. When I open my shop, I'll announce again here.

Anyway, I'm going to tell you my yarn evaluation since I used some new yarn recently. I hope it can help you when you choose yarn for your projects.

Baby Bee Sweet Delight Pomp

Colors that I used :  Naked

Evaluation :★★★

I used this yarn for Motif bag.

A little shinny string is wove in the yarn, so the yarn gave my project good effect. The yarn weight is light, so I want to use it for accessory sometime.

Lily Sugar'n Cream Natural

Colors that I used :  Guacamole and Tumbleweed

Evaluation :★★★★

I used this yarn for Bird house set and Place mat. 

Cotton yarn is good for solid projects, because it can hold project shape. I also loved cotton yarn, because it easier to care for than acrylic, polyamide, rayon and wool. If you are beginner, cotton yarn is good for practice. Cotton yarn is not elastic, so you can crochet evenly.

Lily Sugar'n Cream Denim

Colors that I used :  Indigo

Evaluation :★★★★

I used this yarn for Summer room shoes. 

I like indigo color. This color is suitable for summer. I already have new idea with this yarn. I hope I can introduce the project soon! Lily cotton yarn usually recommends a USA size 8/H hook, so I thought those yarn have same thickness. However, I noticed the yarn thickness can vary even though the package recommend the same sized hook. I had to amend my original pattern for each label yarn.

Lily Sugar'n Cream

Colors that I used :  Country Red, Country Green and Wine

Evaluation :★★★★

I used this yarn for Summer room shoes and Tube scarf as corsage. 

I think the yarn is thickest among these three Lily cotton yarn. Lily brand doesn't have many shades of a color to choose from. I want to use cotton yarn during spring and summer, but I needed to chose acrylic, polyamide or rayon yarn for color that I want to use. 

Patons Pure

Colors that I used :  Lilac

Evaluation :★★★★★

I used this yarn for Accessory scarf. ( I'll introduce this project soon)

I love this cotton yarn!!! The yarn has a thin string woven around it, so it gives your project special effect. When I buy yarn, I try to use coupon to buy materials cheaper.  I have a hard time finding this yarn at my local shop, so I have to buy it online.

I Love This Cotton

Colors that I used :  Buttercup and White

Evaluation :★★★★

I used this yarn for Spring wreath as daffodil.

I think that this yarn has the best texture among cotton yarn that I used so far. This label yarn has a different look of cotton yarn, which has a shinny string woven in. I want to use it in my project sometime. 

Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread

Colors that I used :  Burgundy

Evaluation :★★★★★

I used this yarn for Necklace with crochet thread and choker.

I love crochet thread, because I like making crochet accessories. This thread is made from cotton, so it's easier to crochet than nylon thread. 

This time, I mostly told you about cotton yarn. I still have plans to use other cotton yarn this spring. I'll be able to post next my yarn evaluation in April.
Have a wonderful time with crochet☆

 

Bird House Set

I like making various kinds of crochet project! Today, I'm going to introduce a crochet home decor. 

I got two free patterns, Felted tweety birds and Crochet keepers, and came up with this bird house set.

Wool yarn is required for the Felted tweety birds pattern, because it turns to felt after washing in a washing machine. However I don't like felted yarn. You know that wool is expensive yarn and there is a craft called felting. The largest feature of crochet and knitting is the stitch. If I felt the yarn, the stitches will disappear. That's why I didn't felt my project.

When I found Crochet keepers pattern, I thought that I can change the pattern into a bird house. I added the heart-shaped entrance, and decorated it with a flower and vine.

I named this project Bird house set, so I'd like you to look inside the bird house.

The bird house set includes their nest and three eggs!! I put cotton and thin branches in the nest. These branches are came from my garden. I love gardening same as crochet. 

I came up the bird house set idea before last fall. When I was clearing up my garden last fall, I noticed that my Japanese basil shrub had completely dried up. I cut branches about 10 inches long, and saved them for the project. The branches color is dark red-brown, and smells of basil even though the branches have dried up. 

I gave the first bird house set to my mother-in-law as a birthday present. She loves blue birds, so she liked it. 

I made Goldfinch for mine. 

Stitches that I used in the project.

Chain, slip stitch, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, treble crochet.

Yarn that I used in the project.

• Caron Simply Soft : Country Blue, Sunshine, Persimmon
• Yarn Bee Snow Flake Wool Blend : Limelight
• Lily Sugar'n Cream : Landscape

Choker ( Crochet Accessory #5 )

I'm going to introduce the crochet chokers I made today. I mainly used crochet thread in these projects, but It's good to use various texture yarn in one project. I also used different materials such as beads and leather in the projects.

 

To make adjustable choker, I used leather string as a tie. Of course, you may use ribbon  for that as well.

I like this trim pattern. It's called surprising shells. In the pattern, you don't need to decide how long you need to make foundation chain first, because you can adjust it's length while working on the pattern.

I used crochet thread for the trim, and used two different fluffy kinds yarn for the flower and fringe.

This edging pattern is called princess picots. It looks as gorgeous as it's name. I had to decide how long I needed to make the foundation chain first, besides I needed to know how many beads I needed to thread onto the crochet thread. I had a hard time figuring them out.

I like the butterfly motif. I made the butterfly with same color as the choker first, but I couldn't see it well. I made the white butterfly too, and put both butterflies together.

Stitches that I used in these projects.

Chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet.

Yarn that I used in these projects.

• Red Heart Knit-Cro-Sheen Crochet Thread : White
• Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread : Burgundy
• Patons Lace : Midas ( flower )
• Aramis Cosmetic : Pink ( fringe )