Great Big News!

I’m in a book! An actual, physical book 🙂 I have two patterns in Crochet Critters and Bugs:

The Great Big Aphid and the Great Big Scorpion are both very pleased to be in a book 🙂

The book came out in January, but it’s been in the works for a long time. I was contacted in 2012 and asked to contribute with two patterns, and of course I said yes 🙂 Last spring I crocheted up the two bugs to get new progress photos and the bugs and the patterns were shipped off to the publisher (Stackpole Books) in May. After that I could only wait… And it was definitely worth the wait 🙂 I picked up the package with my two bugs and my copies of the book yesterday, and I’m super excited to finally have the book in my hands. It’s only two patterns of 22, but to me it’s still a huge deal. And I’m really honored to be chosen along with a bunch of other awesome designers 🙂

Even if you already have these two patterns, I still recommend very much to get the book, because there are so many other great designs. I’m definitely going to try some of the other critters soon 🙂

Well. I’m going to shut up now, but the book is available on Amazon, where you can get a look inside to see what else is in there 🙂

Crocheted needle case

The other day I went into a craft store just too see if they had nalbinding needles. I didn’t think so, but they did! Pretty cheap, too 😀 I bought a pack of three needles. They look really fancy, like wood, bone or horn, but I believe they’re plastic. That would explain the price. But I love them 🙂

Anyway, now that I have more needles I need something to store them in and keep them safe so they don’t break during travel or anything. So once again I crocheted one of the pencil-shaped pencil holders I’ve made two times before, only I made this one a lot smaller. Great for keeping my big sewing needles as well 🙂

Not used to working with worsted weight yarn anymore! I used a 3.5mm hook, and my hands and fingers were aching. But it was a quick project, so I didn’t suffer for long 😛

Birthday presents :)

Yesterday was my birthday (turned 30, yikes!), and this is what my boyfriend got me:

A nalbinding needle, a crochet hook and six dice. All in bone, and all (I think) replicas of real, old items, seeing as they all come from the museum gift shop 🙂 So yay, I finally have a nalbinding needle! I want to try and make myself a pair of slippers. Bought the yarn on Friday, but I waited to start them to see what yesterday would bring 🙂

After the presents in the morning I went to work, where there was cake, and many of my colleagues had gotten together and got me a gift card for the craft store. So excited 😀 After work the boyfriend took me out to dinner, and then we spent the evening with some friends, wine and Warhammer. And I finished assembling a critter, so a new crochet pattern is right around the corner 🙂

Book of beaded bugs

I have a new beading book, and it’s awesome 😀 Beaded Bugs by Nicola Tedman.

There are thirty patterns in the book, for making moths, butterflies, dragonflies, beetles and caterpillars, all based on actual species.

I absolutely love this Tiger moth!

And the fuzzy caterpillars! 🙂 One thing that’s very cool about this book, and that other beading books don’t do, is that every pattern says exactly how many beads you’ll need for every critter. Usually only the length of wire is listed, and maybe the amount of beads in weight. So this is good 🙂 I hope there will be more beading books like this.

Distracted by crochet

I guess I was supposed to be finishing up some projects this summer, but I was distracted and went and tried a new craft again 😀 Well, not a new craft, exactly, but a new crochet technique. Hairpin lace 🙂 My aunt gave me a magazine page with intructions for hairpin lace, and of course I could not resist trying it. I was online to order some yarn for another project, and then I found this thing and had to order that too:

What do you even call this tool? “Hairpin lace tool” seems a bit awkward… In Norwegian we call it a “fork”, but I haven’t found a good name for it in English.

The technique is surprisingly simple. It’s basically a chain of single crochet stitches with loops wrapped around two rods. Very neat 🙂

First finished item:

Don’t know what it is yet… A bookmark, perhaps? The edge was made by chain stitches and a single crochet stitch into three loops at the same time. Very simple, but looks quite fancy 🙂 I imagine that you have lots of different ways to weave and twist the loops before crocheting them together, making lots of fancy patterns. Will definitely be experimenting more with this technique 🙂