Geometric Peyote Stitch Bracelet

I actually made this bracelet in January, but I've waited to post about it because I was planning to write a pattern and create a chart for it. Since that hasn't happened, I decided to post the pictures, and if I do write up the pattern later, I'll post it then.

This actually has an even longer history than the 11 months it's been waiting for me to post about it. Before that a friend commissioned me to make a bracelet to go with a necklace he already had. My first creation was this netted bracelet (there is more information on it in my old blog).

It broke soon after I made it, so I repaired it. It broke again. I blamed the way I'd attached the clasp and repaired it, adding a beaded clasp in the process. It broke again. I thought maybe the  hematite beads were cutting the Nymo I normally use for netting, so I remade it altogether using Fireline instead. It broke again. I howled in frustration and decided it was time to go back to the drawing board for a whole new design.

And this was the result. I used Toho Treasure Japanese cylinder beads in matte black and gun metal and used the same bicone hematite beads from the original design. I've found peyote stitch to make very sturdy bracelets in the past, and this one has held up well also. Just in case the hematite beads do have a sharp edge, I used Fireline again to make this.

I used a sterling silver slide lock clasp with bars for attaching the beading. I absolutely love these for peyote stitch bracelets, since it allows for attaching a metal clasp very securely by wrapping part of the body of the bracelet around the bar and stitching it closed.

I'm pleased to report that this design seems to be more durable and has held up to repeated wear. While I was pretty frustrated with the original bracelet, it worked out in the end, since this design suits the style of the wearer and the inspiration bracelet much better. It was also fun designing a peyote pattern, working out how to include the bicone beads, and working in odd count peyote for the first time. I've been pretty intimidated by it for a long time, but it turned out to be easier than I'd thought. So, this was a great learning project in a lot of ways.

Wedding Waves Blanket

I worked on other projects throughout working on it, but even so this blanket took quite a while. I started it this summer as a gift for some friends who got married in October. It's my first blanket or afghan, so I chose a relatively simple pattern that uses only basic stitches in rows.

I used the Scrumptious Scraps Afghan pattern by Dot Matthews, which I found on Ravelry, and worked the pattern using I Love This Yarn! in Stonewash, Dark Country Blue, and Coffee. While I thought of the project as an afghan or couch blanket, I decided to make it in twin size, as my friends are both tall and I personally like a nice big blanket when I'm on the couch.

I chose the colors because this combination is a favorite of the bride's. I've also been told that the groom has napped under it, and I've been furnished with photographic evidence that the true head of the house has claimed it as her own.

With such feline approval, I consider my first afghan project a success!

Fairy Treasure Necklace

Fairies are one of my things; I love fairy mythology and art. So, when I traveled to Minneapolis for business this summer and saw this pendant in a bead shop, I had to have it.

Once I had the pendant (which is also available online, for example here or here), it took a while for me to build a necklace around it because I wanted to do something special with it. Ultimately, I decided to use brass chain and metal components along with Czech glass leaves and flowers, which are some of my favorite beads to work with.

This is the result. I threw in some glass and aventurine beads to round things out, and, unusually for me, laid them out in an asymmetrical design.

I really love the final necklace; it's one of my favorite things that I've made for myself. It's also turned out to be one of the most attention grabbing, as I've gotten lots of compliments and questions about it. One of the questions I often am asked is what's inside it. The truth is, I haven't decided to put in there. I've thought about putting in a few drops of some of my favorite essential oils or thoughts and meditations on small pieces of paper, but I haven't hit on the right idea this yet. I'm open to suggestions if anyone has any thoughts.

His Birthday It Is

Some good friends' son turned one recently, so I wanted to make him something to mark the occasion. Since his parents and I share a love for sci-fi and fantasy, I decided to make him the same Yoda Baby Hat that I made for my nephew some time back. I used the same pattern and materials that I used for the one for my nephew to create this one.

While the young recipient of the hat was a little reluctant to keep it on (it was a pretty warm day to be wearing a crocheted hat), his mom told me that she saw a few adults cast an admiring glance its way.

Updated Hand Cream Recipe

Since posting my DIY Hand Cream recipe, I've continued to refine the formula. I like the original recipe, but it feels a little oilier than I'd like when you first put it on. So, I've tried using different combinations of oils and butters. After a few more attempts, I've landed on what I consider my final (ok, let's be honest, final for the moment) recipe:

1 tbsp shea butter
1 tbsp mango butter
1 tsp beeswax
2 tsp jojoba oil
1/2 ml vitamin E oil
2 ml essential oil (optional - for fragrance)

Melt the first four ingredients in a double boiler. Remove from heat, and add the final two ingredients. Pour into container.

This recipe yields 2 oz. of hand cream. I've been doing my experiments in small batches, but I'll be scaling this recipe up when I start working on Christmas gifts later this month.

I also created a new essential oil scent blend that I've been really enjoying:

3/4 ml lavender
3/4 ml orange
1/2 ml bergamot

This makes for a fairly light, but soothing scent in the 2 oz. hand cream recipe. And since I don't have any new pictures of the cream to share, here's a picture of a butterfly that I took at the Minnesota Zoo this summer:

Roller Derby Babies Pattern

I created these hats for a friend who plays roller derby. One of her teammates was expecting twin girls, and she wanted a gift to get these new derby girls off to the right start.

For those unfamiliar with roller derby, these designs are the helmet covers worn by the jammer and the pivot, two critical positions on the team. In real life, they look something like this:

Image from Molly's Skivvies, purveyor of derby goods

To make my hats, I looked for a basic baby hat pattern to give me roughly the right proportions. I decided on Bev's Newborn Roundie by Beverly A. Qualheim because it's simple and the instructions are easy to understand.

From there, I made quite a few modifications, so here is my final pattern:

Materials
Approximately 50 yards worsted weight yarn for hat. I used Caron Simply in Soft in White.
Approximately 15 yards worsted weight yarn for embellishments. I used Red Heart Shimmer in Red.
G Hook
One safety pin style stitch marker
Yarn Needle

Round 1: Create a magic circle. Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 14 dc into loop (15 sts)
Starting with round 2, mark the first stitch of each round with a stitch marker, moving the marker up as you work.
Round 2: 2 dc into top of ch 3 from previous round, [dc into next st, 2 dc into next st] around (23 sts).
Round 3: Repeat round 2 (35 sts).
Round 4 - 9: [2 dc, dc] around. (This leads to an increase of one stitch per round. Round 9 = 41 sts).
Round 10: Dc around (41).
Round 11: [Sc into next 5 sts, sc 2 tog] five times, 6 sc. Slip stitch into first stitch in the round, finish off (36).

For the pivot hat stripe embellishment:
Ch 13.
Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook, dc across. Ch 3 and turn.
Row 2 - 21:  Dc across, ch and turn.
Pin the stripe down the center of the hat to find the correct placement. Stitch the stripe on using the stripe color and a yarn needle.

For the jammer hat star embellishment:
This star is based on the Simple Little Star pattern by Melissa Trenado, with just a slight modification.
Make 2.
Round 1: Ch 2. 5 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
Round 2: 2 sc in each st around.
Round 3: [Sc, ch 5, sc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc, dc in next 2 ch. Skip next sc from round 2. Sc into next sc from round 2.] five times to create five points.*
Round 4: [4 sc up first side of point, 3 sc in top stitch, 4 sc down remaining side] five times. Sl st into first sc. Fasten off.
Pin one star to opposite sides of the hat to find the correct placement. Stitch the stars on using the star color and a yarn needle.

*I initially found this row a little confusing. To add a little clarity, you are working the point of each star over three stitches of row 2. First, you do a sc, then ch 5. This chain becomes a base over which you work 1 flat row that forms a triangle due to increasing the height of the stitches. Finally, you attach your new triangle back to round 2 by skipping the 2nd sc and doing a sc into the 3rd sc from round 2. I'm sure this is still pretty confusing, but it makes sense once you do the first one!

Luggage Tags

I recently traveled to Minneapolis to present at a professional conference, so I decided to make some crocheted markers for my luggage. I just wanted to make it easy to spot mine out of a crowd, so I grabbed some brightly colored yarn and went to town

They're just simple strips of double crochet five stitches wide. I have no idea how many rows I did; I just went until they seemed long enough to tie in a good knot. The yarn I used is SMC Select Rosas in turquoise. It was on clearance when I visited the yarn store and met my "distinctive enough to be easy to spot" criteria.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I'm working on a big project right now, so my posting pace may continue to be a little slow. I am doing a few small side projects, so I won't completely disappear. After that, I have several projects lined up for Halloween, new babies, Christmas gifts, and...well, I can't even think of all of them at the moment.