I’ve been an admirer of Amy Butler’s designs for years but since interviewing her for my upcoming book Craft Corps, I’m also a big fan of Amy herself. Upon hearing that I was pregnant, Amy was kind enough to send me a copy of, Little Stitches for Little Ones: it was love at first stitch! The book offers sewer-friendly instructions, well executed patterns and beautifully photography, to “ooh and ahh” at. This week on I Love to Create, I’m typing while my wee baby sleeps on my chest–likely dreaming of all of the adorable things I’ll be making for her, inspired by this book…the Cutie Booties (p.72), Imagination Book (p. 144), and the Easy Empire Waist Top (p. 75, see below).
Here’s a peek at just a few of the wonderful, Little Stitches projects:
I’ve been asked before, if one’s truly being creative if they’re simply following someone else’s pattern. I say, absolutely! Creativity is a state of mind and if you’re making something with your hands it’s almost impossible not to simultaneously go into a mental, crafty zone. The best way to take it a step further though, is by infusing your own personal style into an existing design. This can be done by tailoring a pattern, adding embellishments, or for the purposes of my version of Amy’s Cuddle Kitty Toy, using a piece of the “Grease Lightening” fabric I hand-dyed a couple of weeks ago for this column. The result: part AB goodness + a little VH funkiness= LighteningCat! (a possible descendent of the 1980’s Thundercats ;-))
In Progress
LighteningCat (Front)
LighteningCat (Back)
Until next time, happy stitching. Lightening, lightening, lightening, LighteningCats!
I LOVE your lightening cat!! I seriously need to crack open that sewing machine I’ve got stashed in the closet and figure out how to use it. There is just too much cute stuff to be made.
I’ve legit been waiting for @ikeausa to have this glass case in-stock since mid pandemic. I wanted a happy little place for projects of YarnYAY! Past to live. I love a knitwear stack. 😍 It’s the little things, people!
(Oh, and patterns for every thing in this curio are available in my shop at YarnYAY.com ✔️)...
Today's the day we kick off the Crochet-along for the @pompommag Overprint Bag, in partnership with designer @juliamadill
We've put together Montoya Merino Light kits in my YarnYAY! shop, but no matter which yarn you use (the called-for yarn is rad, but a little harder to get here in the states -- see Julia's great post about yarn substitutions), we'd love for you to make yours along with us!
Psst...YarnYAYers get a special 20% off the digital issue pf Pom Pom. See our kit page (tap or go to yarnyay.com) for details!
Join the YarnYAY! Facebook Group and/OR Ravelry Group to follow along. Hope to see you there!
The March YarnYAY! Box crochet project is 𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘵, a crochet, boomerang shawlette. The shape is more commonly seen in knitted pieces, but I love it because if you want the piece to be larger, you just keep working it in the established pattern.
𝘍𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘵 is worked with a sweet, as-to-go edging and optional, appliquéd, chain-florets. I designed it to be worn as shown here, scarf-style, but with the option to go full-shawl. You do you!
𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘆𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 — 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗝𝗮𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿 — 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗬𝗔𝗬! 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗕𝗼𝘅 (𝘁𝗮𝗽, 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗶𝗼, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗬𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗬𝗔𝗬.𝗰𝗼𝗺)
MODEL FUN FACT:
The gorgeous human modeling this shawlette, Kat Roberts, was the main featured young woman (swipe to see) in the infamous 1992, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog video “Nothing But a G Thang”. That video didn’t age well, but man, she sure did! 🤩
#yarnyay #crochetersofinstagram...
I LOVE your lightening cat!! I seriously need to crack open that sewing machine I’ve got stashed in the closet and figure out how to use it. There is just too much cute stuff to be made.
Lightening cat is so cute this looks like a fun must have item.Hugs Darcy