Inspiration: Mamachee

Mamachee is a shop on etsy that sells the coolest crochet patterns!
I've been restraining myself from purchasing one (or two or...) for quite a while now, at least until I have some time to make something new.

She also has another etsy shop called Born With It, which includes very cute crochet toys and baby things.

Olive

Over the weekend I found and started a new colour on my crochet blanket.
There weren't really many colours to choose from (I think I've almost used their whole range) and in the end a darker blue wasn't an option.
So the plan is one more round of light and dark green hexagons and then to finish off with plain light green (olive).

To start with I wanted the light olive as the outer colour but after a trial I decided that it was a bit weak, so I have gone the other way.

Also in olive is this new tree pendent necklace with small crochet balls.

My Creative Space ...

Included in my Christmas parcel from mum and dad was an embroidered hair tie.
I love it so much and I wear it every day!
It's such a great concept that this week I made my own crochet versions.
To start with I made the same sort of thing but as a brooch and when I track down some good quality hair elastics I'll make some ties as well.
I am also working on some small crochet flower hair pins.

Still on my desk is this crochet ball necklace, which I've been plodding through for the last week or so. I started with so much enthusiasm but lost it quite quickly, as it's really slow and tedious work.
I'm trying to complete two balls a day so I make it to the end.

Over my morning cup of tea today I visited a whole lot of beautiful & interesting Creative Spaces.
You can visit them too via Kootoyoo.

new colours

The beading took me a little bit longer than I thought as it's quite fiddly and tough on the fingers, but finally here they are ... Syrian Loops in some new colours + my favorite greys.

I still haven't been to check out the wool range in at Plaza Mayor, so I haven't started on the next colour of my crochet rug ... So far I'm liking the idea of a darker blue or an olive green.

Blue Hexagons

Over the weekend I finally finished the row of blue hexagons on my crochet blanket.
Woohoo!
I've pretty much decided to go for one more round before I square it off, as then it would be the perfect size to fit on the bed.
The only thing is that I really like the blue and in a way I want to finish the blanket with it.
So because of this I'm still a little undecided.
I'm going to have to go into the wool shop and have a look at the possible next colours and then make the final decision.

My Creative Space

This morning I came across Kootoyoo and her collection of creative spaces.
So I've spent all my procrastination time this morning checking out all the links.
It's such a lovely idea!

My week has been a mix of projects.
The other day I bought some new thread and so I've been busy crocheting Syrian Loops in old and new colours. This afternoon I'm going to try and bead them all ... but maybe I'm being a little over ambitious!?
I've also been working on a lighting plan and paint colours for a beautiful beach house I'm lucky enough to be designing in Australia.

Cream & Caramel

Today I added the final piece to this long necklace design.

Yellow & Blue

Some more crochet balls, this time much smaller.

Green Cameo

I've always had a soft spot for cameos ever since mum gave me a little one she had in her jewelry box. It was a carving of a woman's profile in cream and apricot.
Cameo's always seemed so ancient and romantic to me and I imagined that the little woman around my neck had one been made as a portrait for a loved one, like carrying a photograph.

Sol

The weather's been so grey this week that it's been impossible for me to photograph what I've been working to show you.
I miss the summer sun.
A week of white skies and cold weather can really get you down : (
This afternoon I was looking through some photographs from last year to remind me what it's like.
It's really hard to remember the long hot (sometimes a little too hot) Spanish summer days right now ... sigh.

Hopefully I'll be able to show you some new things on Monday.

Happy week end : )

Ayala Bar

I have only just discovered Ayala Bar quite recently.

If you haven't heard of her (like me a few months ago) she is one of Israel's leading costume jewelry designers and is know in particular for her beautifully coloured mosaic style.
My friends Sam and Emma introduced me to her work while visiting us at the end of last year, after a trip to Israel.

The thing I love the most about the jewelry of Ayala Bar is her use of textiles.

I've been looking around on the internet (not always the most reliable source of information) and this is what I've found out.

Ayala Bar was born and still lives in Israel.
She went to art school and later worked in theatre and interior design.
It was not until the late 80's that she became a jewelry designer starting her own company Ayala Bar Design in the 90's.

Her jewelry is all designed by the artist herself and is all hand made.
It includes elements such as embellished jeweled pendents, hand-sewn embroidered beads, fabric, tassels, simple metals, glass beads, mineral stones, crystal rhinestones ... the list goes on.

She seems to put out a few collections per year (I think it's four this year) each with a different concept and within these are earrings, brooches, necklaces and bracelets. These collections are never repeated.

Her advise to new designers is:
"Never ever stop playing, and not to be limited with concepts. The actual process is the way, whether it is successful or not, whether it turns up popular or not. If and when the creativity does result in accomplishment and/or critical acclaim, one should not surrender to the feeling of comfort. Such an attitude may result in loss of creativity".

Crochet Ball

Above is a diagram showing the pattern to crochet over a 13mm ball ...
but for this design I think that it's easier to follow the written instructions rather than the diagram, as you could go insane trying to keep count of all those single crochets!

For me crocheting over a bead is quite an organic process. Basically I do the same thing every time no matter on the size of the bead, just adding single crochets here and there as needed.

The Pattern

You will need

Crochet hook (I use a 1mm)
Thread (I have used Anchor Pearl 12#)
Bead (in this case it has a diameter of 13mm more or less)
sewing needle to sew in ends

To Make
Ch 6, join. (when the chain is joined you want the circle to be just big enough so it's comfortable to work in no more).
Row 1. ch 1. 8sc around in a circle. join to first sc.
Row 2.Ch1. {2sc in next sc} repeat 7 more times. Join to first sc.
Row 3. Sc in each sc around the circle.
Row 4. {2sc in the next sc. sc in both next sc} repeat 4 more times. 2 sc in next sc.
Row 5. sc in each sc around the circle.
Row 6. Repeat row 5.
Row 7. Repeat row 5.
Row 8. Repeat row 5.
Row 9. Repeat row 5.
Row 10. Repeat row 5.
Row 11. Repeat row 5.
Row 12. Repeat row 5.
Row 13. Repeat row 5.
Row 14. Repeat row 5.
(as you go fit the bead into the little basket which is forming checking its size. When it looks more or less like in the image below, thread the beginning thread through the hole in the centre of the bead)

Row 15. (with the bead inside) Sc in first sc. {skip one sc. sc in next two sc}. repeat this around the circle.
Row 16. SC in first sc. {Skip sc. Sc in next sc}. Repeat around circle until the hole in the top is quite small (see below).

Lastly sew in ends, further closing the hole at the top.

Note: Use this as a basic pattern to start with and then when your comfortable with it just add or subtract single crochets where necessary.

After the first one it's very simple.

enjoy : )

Inspiration

I came across this beautiful crochet lamp shade yesterday on the blog NICE by Caitlin Holcomb
It is made from a mix of new and old crochet doilies and hung from a timber frame, which looks like it has a flower pattern or five circles cut into it.

I really like it! It's such a great idea and it looks as if it gives off a really lovely light!

She also has an etsy shop here with lots more lovely things.

Burnt Orange Flowers

I'm really loving small crochet balls at the moment!

Here are some new crochet earrings and matching necklace inspired by the colours in the photo of the gypsy girls and some new burnt orange flower beads.

The Elephants

Here are a couple of little things I made as presents before Christmas using the tiny screen printed elephants.

2010

Hello 2010!

I'm back after the long Spanish Christmas (that lasts from the 24th Dec to the 6 Jan!), completely stuffed and over indulged ... ready for detox and exercise, please.

I've posted the two image above of the Spanish Gypsy girls and woman (taken from the National Geographic Magazine March 1917) as I've been using them as a colour reference.
I find these images so beautifully fascinating, the colours remind me of the tiles in the Alhambra.

Some new things.

my first time

Last night I finally bit the bullet and made Croquetas.

It wasn't as difficult as I'd imagined, even though I made the bechamel a little too runny and the majority of them ended up looking like chicken nuggets.
At least now I think I understand the concept and feel confident to try them again.

I used recipe number 66 from 1080 recetas de cocina (I think this is like the Spanish equivalent to Stephanie Alexander's The Cooks Companion).
I have also seen it around in english with very cool illustrations.

To half the batch I added blue cheese and the other bacon (I know, sacrilege!!).
The finished result was very yummy (especially the ones with the blue cheese), if a little too bready (as in too many bread crumbs on the outside).
Mari Carmen's tip for this is to use some flour, as in dunk them in flour then egg then bread crumbs (this is when your making the bechamel into little balls). Instead of dunking in bread crumbs then egg then back in bread crumbs like the recipe says.

One of my 2010 new years resolution will be to cook more from this book.

yum.

Snowing

This morning we woke up to snow.
I can't get used to it snowing outside of my window, I still get so excited!

These sparrows were playing in the fig tree in the courtyard next to one little confused fruit.

Screen Printing

Yesterday I printed some more t'shirts with the Loggerhead turtle.

As I've been using a paper stencil I had to cut out another one, as each time I wash the screen the stencil is ruined.
Luckily in the end cutting a stencil never takes as long as I think.

The dye worked out really well ... a great yellow and really even.

I also finished off these two beaded brooches.

yellow

A new brooch ready to be beaded with small brass beads.

T'shirts in the pot being dyed yellow for more Logger head turtle prints.

The yellow centre of my first crochet rug .... I'm still working through the blue.