What else can you do with a unicorn pattern?

Wjat else can you o with a unicorn pattern? Show & Tell from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

When I published Flavia the Unicorn, I thought I was being quite clever in suggesting you could use the same pattern to make both a unicorn and a horse!

adorable crochet unicorn with rainbow mane
amigurumi crochet horse

And then you guys got your creative juices flowing…

But my ideas are nothing compared to what happened when you guys got your hands on the pattern!

Horses and unicorns are child’s play! You started making donkeys and zebras!

Chloe made an adorable donkey:

crochet donkey using horse pattern

And Nikki used the same pattern to crochet a zebra:

crochet zebra from a horse pattern

So creative!

I’ll bet that if you crochet this guy in pink, and leave off the hair, you’ll have pig!

What else can you think of doing with this pattern?

Best,
Stacey

 

Suggestions for skin color yarns!

It can be hard to find a nice skin-tone yarn. So, I’ve compiled a few suggestions for you!

sskin color yarn suggestions

Keep in mind that it’s going to be hard to find a yarn that’s exactly like a skin tone… remember you’re crocheting a toy, not painting an exact likeness! Keep your mind open, and you’ll find a yarn that’s at least close!

Doll Day is tomorrow!

Don’t forget, tomorrow is the release day for my new, super-exciting doll patterns! I think you’ll love them!

And… now I know you’ll be able to pick the perfect color for your doll!

Crafts in Vietnam

I saw oodles of great crafting on my trip to Vietnam! I’m going to give you an overview of some of the most popular crafts, as well as some resources and tips (whether you’re looking to purchase finished crafts or materials to do your own crafting!)

In general, Vietnam is a very poor country where the average worker doesn’t earn very much per hour. This means that you will be able to purchase incredibly beautiful handmade works of art, for much less than you would in the US or Europe (which have higher labor rates).

Vietnam is also a place where counterfeits and cheap imitations (both of finished items and materials) are abundant. So, use your best discretion when shopping.

Lacquerwork

Lacquerwork (or Lacquer Work/ Lacquerware) is an art form where a high-gloss lacquer is applied to wood, typically with a decorative mother-of-pearl inlay.

mother of pearl lacquer work in Vietnam

While the mother-of-pearl inlay is most popular, we visited a studio which created inlays with duck egg shells:

Lacquer work in vietnam egg shell

Bits of eggshell are applied, with tweezers, piece by piece to create the intricate design. After the design is completed, layers of lacquer are applied until a smooth finish is achieved.

lacquer work vietnam

To Visit

  • Tay Son Lacquerware: 198 Vo Thi Sau, Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh. Studio and showroom.

Embroidery

Vietnam is home to stunning Silk Embroidery, where fine strands of silk are embroidered onto a canvas to create amazingly intricate designs:

Silk Embroidery vietnam

A piece can take months to complete, and since silk absorbs dye brilliantly, the final piece of work can be jaw-dropping.

Across the country, you’ll be able to find embroidery of varying levels of detail. There are many places selling embroidery pieces created with silk, but lacking the fineness of the top-notch silk embroidery studios.

Embroidery in action vietnam

For a low-priced souvenir item, you will also be able to find simple embroidery pieces. These are typically created with a thicker thread, featuring a less-intricate design and made for function:

embroidery in vietnam

While I discovered one little cart selling white silk thread, I was not able to find a shop that sold the lovely silk (already dyed) for personal crafting.

To Visit

  • XQ Siagon Silk Hand Embroidery: 37 Donk Khoi Str, Dist. 1, HCMC Studio and showroom for fine silk embroidery.
  • Da Lat Su Quan: 110 Hang Gai, Hanoi Studio and showroom for fine silk embroidery.
  • Tran Gia Huy: 66 Ton Duc Tang, Dong Da, Hanoi. Showroom for fine silk embroidery.

Sewing

If you’d like a tailor-made garment sewn for you, then Vietnam is your place. Particularly in cities like Hoi An, you can find a tailor that will custom-make clothing to your specifications in under 24 hours.

Sewing in Vietnam

For the crafter, there are ample supplies of fabric and notions in local markets (particularly in Hanoi and Saigon):

Fabric in market in Vietnam

However, you should take care when purchasing your fabric. I’m suspicious that the ‘Versace Wool/Cashmere blend’ I saw for a few dollars a yard was the real deal. Many of the fabrics and notions are imported from China, and you’ll need to stay on your toes to ensure that what you’re purchasing is actually a good deal. After all, you’d like your fabric to hold up after a few washes, right?

buttons

Knitting and Crocheting

Although I happened upon a few women knitting/crocheting on the streets, Vietnam is a very hot country… so you can imagine that the demand for scarves is rather low.

Yarn in Vietnam

I found yarn for sale in markets in major cities, but almost everything was acrylic (they even stocked Caron Simply Soft!). Even the ‘Advanced Cashmere’, after closer inspection, was actually acrylic.

Dyeing and Weaving

The ethnic minorities in the Northern Highlands grow hemp, spin it, dye it with indigo and weave it into fabric. Here’s a photo of some indigo I saw growing:

Indigo plant Sapa Vietnam

The ‘Black Hmong’ minority is named for the indigo-dyed clothing that they make and wear:

black hmong clothing indigo vietnam

At first, I was curious if the local women really made their own clothing… but then I spotted oodles of women spinning hemp into thread:

black hmong woman hemp

And a loom in a local home:

Loom in Vietnam

Isn’t it lovely to see such crafting at work?

You can purchase locally-made products from the minorities at markets in the hill-country around Sapa. As with much in Vietnam, use your best judgement when purchasing. I saw a vast amount of identical-looking pieces being sold for super-cheap that I predict were mass produced (elsewhere) for tourists). However, after a little shopping around, you can find some more genuine articles.

To Visit

  • Indigo Cat: 046 Fansipan Str, Sapa. Shop featuring locally-made crafts.
  • Indigo Store: 47 Hang Gai, Hanoi. Shop featuring ‘modern’ Indigo clothing.

Stonework

Ever seen those giant stone lions outside of an Asian temple? They have to be carved somewhere, right?

stone carving in vietnam
carving

We happened upon a place that carves huge carvings on the drive from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay. If you aren’t looking to purchase an 8-foot-tall Budda, you’ll still be able to find lots of pieces of stone carving in shops around Vietnam.

If you’re lucky, you may even find a shop with works-in-progress!

Stone carving in progress

Cross-Stitch

Hands down, the most popular craft (judging my what I observed most often) is cross-stitch.

cross stitch in vietnam

I saw no completed cross-stitch pieces for sale, so it seems like the craft that women do for fun and use for personal display in their home (and not for selling).

I spotted a few cross-stitch kits at markets, so if that’s your craft, keep your eyes peeled!

So many crafts!

I found Vietnam to be lovely and really inspiring from a craft perspective. It’s a great chance to purchase a beautiful work of art for a reasonable price.

In terms of raw-materials to use for your crafting, supplies abound, but you’ll need to keep a keen eye out to make sure you’re getting quality materials.

I hope you’ve enjoyed my crafty-view of Vietnam… and take a peek at a few of the websites (or add some stops to your itinerary if you’re visiting!)

Best,
Stacey

New to crocheting? Try an animal!

New to Crochet? Try a Stuffed Animal! It's a surprisingly easy way to start. Tips from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

Want to learn how to make adorable crocheted stuffed animals with an easy online workshop – totally free?

Sign up for Let’s Make Amigurumi here. You’ll learn how to get started, the tools and supplies you’ll need, and how to make an easy amigurumi from start to finish using simple crochet stitches.

It’s a fun, inexpensive, and totally portable craft. You can do it!

I honest-to-goodness think the easiest way to learn to crochet is to make an animal. But of course, I design crochet animal patterns, so maybe you don’t want to take my word for it!

I reached out to my readers and asked for folks whose first crochet project was a stuffed animal! Responses came pouring in!

Why are animals easy?

There are a few reasons:

  • They’re small (compared to an afghan), so changes in tension as you learn to crochet aren’t a big deal
  • They’re mostly single crochet… easy!
  • They’re crocheted in the round, so they avoid those oh-so-tricky turning stitches

How to get started

If you’re interested in crocheting an animal, I recommend beginners take my Let’s Make Amigurumi free video class or Stacey’s Amigurumi Woodland Animals class on Craftsy. They’re both geared to complete newbies.

But, not everyone takes my advice! Melanie L. dove straight into Nelson the owl!

She says: “I had no idea how to crochet and just grabbed a hook from my mum – I didn’t even know there were different sized hooks! So, using your pattern, the kit materials, and your videos, I got started on Nelson (of course I chose a more difficult one – with a colour change!). I watched some of the videos about 10 times each, I swear! But eventually I got through it, and Nelson the First was born. He’s affectionately known as a ‘special needs’ Owl due to the resulting product, but he has pride of place on my shelf. “

When there’s a will, there’s a way!

caterpillar2

Chloe confirms that the first project isn’t always the cutest: “In just a few words, last April, I wanted to do something crafty and I came across the Crocheted Softies on the Book Depository. It was love at first sight with those cuties on the front page! I knew I wanted to make them myself, it just happened to be crochet! My very very first project was the owl from that book. It was really chaotic at first. I didn’t know how to begin, I had to look up every stitch (and more than once), I wasn’t sure which were the back loops, I didn’t use stitch markers and kept losing count, I did a very clumsy work in attaching parts etc. It took me several days, but after that I was really hooked! I haven’t stopped crocheting since then!

So, don’t get discouraged if your first one seems a bit crooked… it’s your first one! We’ve all been there, and your skills will improve as you practice. Both Melanie and Chloe started crocheting about a year ago, and they’re putting out fabulous pieces, now!

Don’t give up!

It’s unanimous. The first project is the hardest!

And not only that – the first two rounds are the hardest. Once you finish round two you’re cruising. So don’t give up!

What’s important is to not be too hard on yourself, and find what works for you.

Melanie M. says that “By far the most difficult part for me was learning how to hold the yarn in order to achieve the right tension. I watched a lot of videos of people crocheting and tried out each of their methods for wrapping the yarn around their fingers until I found one that was comfortable for me.”

crocheting holding hook like a pencil

Nikki agrees, Don’t give up! Like any craft, learning something knew takes time. You’re not going to pick up the hook and yarn and know exactly what to do… start small and work your way up. I highly recommend Howie. (Click here for the free Howie the Penguin pattern.) It gives you all the necessary tools to begin crocheting. The best part about crocheting is there is always room to learn more; you will never be done learning.”

Are you ready to start?

Okay, I’ll warn you… it might be addicting!

crocheting

Melanie L. says, “I am definitely a convert! Crocheting plays a few roles in my life now – it’s a form of relaxation, enjoyment, and productivity. I love being able to hand-make a unique gift for my nieces or my friends’ kids, or even my adult friends and family! I can’t pass a yarn store now without buying a few balls of wool and I’m always trawling the internet for pattern ideas. I’ve even started to design a few things of my own. It’s a great hobby!”

Are you going to join us in loving crochet? If you do, be sure to stop by the Shiny Happy People group and say ‘hi’! We love newbies!

Best,
Stacey

Try our newest crochet pattern! Get the Merrick Monster pattern here.

How to overdye yarn!

tiptues

Admit it. You have a skein of yarn in your stash that isn’t your favorite color. You might not even be sure how it got there…

What’s a girl to do? Overdye it!

How to Overdye

I’m a huge fan of Kool-Aid Dyeing yarn, but when you’re trying to cover up an existing color… Kool-Aid just isn’t strong enough.

Dyeing yarn with Rit Dye

To overdye yarn (which basically just means dyeing over a color), you’ll need a fabric dye like Rit. You can see my not-favorite-color skein above as well as a package of black dye.

The dye needs heat to set and can be abrasive, so you don’t want to use your normal cooking pots. I used the saucepan that I use for making soap (which I don’t use for food!).

To dye your yarn, follow the instructions on the packet (which are basically: add yarn, water and dye to a pot and heat):

dyeing with Rit

If you’ve dyed with Kool-Aid before, you’ll notice that the Rit dye takes a little longer. The package says up to a half hour… but I got the results I was looking for in about 10 minutes.

And it’s that easy! Take out your yarn, rinse, and hang to dry! And you’ll have a newly-colored skein of yarn!

Best,
Stacey

My favorite tool: a 9" circular knitting needle

Hi there folks! Welcome to day 6 of Knitting and Crochet Blogging Week!

4th Annual knitting and crochet blog week

Today’s topic is ‘a tool to covet’… so I’m going to talk about my favorite tool: my 9″ circular knitting needle!

Why a 9″?

Most people think I’m crazy when I say that my favorite knitting needle is a 9″ circular. But I can’t help it. I’m in love.

Toe-up socks knitting

I’ve already chatted about how I like knitting socks… and 9″ circular needles are a fabulous way to knit them! When you knit with other techniques (double point needles, two circulars or magic loop), there’s always a join that creates the potential for laddering (those icky loose stitches) as well as costs you some time maneuvering them around.

With the 9″ circular, there’s none of that! You just knit around and around!

My favorite one is the *Hiya Hiya 9″, because the tips of the needles aren’t too pointy. Clover makes a 9″ needle that’s made from bamboo with pointier tips. It’s just a matter of personal preference which one you choose.

What are the downsides?

I can’t report many… I love not losing a double point needle under an airline seat (oy, what a mess!) and not having to worry about finding multiple needles to get a sock done.

However… the 9″ is small… and too small for a number of people.

knitted socks

The only way to know if a 9″ will work for you is to give one a try.

Another downside is that they haven’t really ‘taken off’ yet, and they can be a bit difficult to find in stores. For example, even though big box stores carry the line of Clover needles, I’ve yet to see the 9″ available with his needle-buddies. Some LYSs carry them, so it’s worth giving your local shop a call to see if they have them!

Give ’em a try!

bright socks 9" circular

I’ll be honest, if you have big hands or like a lot of ‘space’ when you knit… the 9″ probably isn’t for you.

But if you like to knit socks, and are tired of losing a double point, getting ladders in your work or having trouble tossing your knitting into your bag and going… then you might love these guys! Try them!

Best,
Stacey

This post contains affiliate links. That means I make a little commission if you buy something after clicking through. All affiliate links are marked with an *.

 

My favorite relaxing knitting projects…

It’s day two of Knitting and Crochet Blogging week!

4th Annual knitting and crochet blog week

Today’s topic is to write about a project inspired by your mascot. If you read yesterday’s post, you’ll remember that I’m a Manatee, because I love to knit projects that are fairly simple and relaxing.

So today, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite patterns for relaxing knitting!

What is relaxing knitting?

Relaxing (or mindless) knitting usually means that you’re knitting slightly below your skill level. For example, if you just learned to do cables, then a cabled sweater isn’t going to be relaxing. However, if you’ve been knitting cables for 20 years, then a lovely cabled sweater might be very relaxing for you!

I’m accomplished at knitting cables and lace and sweaters… but with these skills, I still find myself checking the pattern often, so they aren’t relaxing to me, yet. Projects that are relaxing to me are typically ones with an easy-to-memorize pattern or repeat, simple colorwork or short rows are allowed.

For me, relaxing knitting doesn’t mean boring knitting. Sure, I could do a blanket in garter stitch… but what’s the fun in that? To be fun, a project needs a little bit of interest!

I’m going to show you some of my faves… feel free to check them out for yourself! Who knows… you might find these patterns either too complicated or boring… but I highly recommend that you find your own collection of relaxing patterns for yourself!

Wingspan

Wingspan by Maylin is a simple-to-memorize and beautiful shawl pattern. I’ve knit two!

Wingspan knitting

Although the pattern is easy once you get it, you have to do a repeat or two to internalize it. I’ve written some tips for knitting Wingspan to help!

Stripe Study

I’ve knit three shawls from Stripe Study by Veera Valimaki… because it’s such a pleasure to knit!

Stripe Study Shawl by Vera Valimaki

The pattern uses simple colorwork (changing colors every couple of rows, with the yarn carried up the side), an easy-to-remember short row pattern and increasing (placed at stitch markers) to create this delightful shawl!

The main downside is that it’s asymmetrical, and so is tricky to wear. It’s the only thing that’s stopped me from knitting a fourth!

Pogona

Pogona by Stephen West is another fabulous shawl. I’ve knit two!

Pogona by Stephen West

It’s a little bit of effort to start up (you’re placing quite a few stitch markers!), but once you get going, it’s just stockinette and reverse-stockinette with regular increases at the stitch markers. Love it!

Basic Sock

The Basic Sock by Churchmouse Yarns is my default knitting project. Take any sock yarn, and you’re guaranteed to get a great pair of socks!

Basic sock pattern knitting

A sock isn’t relaxing the first (or second time), but once you’ve knit a few pairs, you get the ‘formula’ of the sock. I cast on, knit the cuff for a while, check the pattern for the heel-turn instructions, knit the foot and then decrease for the toe. That’s a lot of relaxing knitting in there!

I’ve knit 6 pairs from this pattern!

$5 in Paris

$5 in Paris is a fabulous top-down sweater pattern… I’ve done two with plans for more!

$5 in Paris by Anna Peck

A sweater isn’t usually very relaxing, because there’s lots of shaping and seaming, but this one is different! Starting at the neck, you increase regularly until it’s time to separate the sleeves, then the body is plain and simple knitting! The color changes of the stripes keep it from being mundane.

Because they’re 1/2-length sleeves, there isn’t even any shaping, there! Easy!

Citron

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis is another fabulous, but simple shawl. I’ve made two!

Citron Shawl Knitty

The cute little ruffles are made by increasing and decreasing quickly… and the remainder of the shawl is made by regularly-spaced increases. Cute and easy!

And you?

What are your faves? What’s your ‘go-to’ relaxing knitting project?

Any of my faves that you’re looking to try?

SHARE THIS

Simple wrist exercises for knitters and crocheters (video)

Simple Wrist Exercises for Knitters and Crocheters - a video from FreshStitches and Shiny Happy World

My wrist exercises for knitters and crocheters blog post has been super-popular… and some folks have asked me, “Can we see the exercises in action?”

Well, sure!

So, here’s a video of some little stretches and exercises you can do to keep your wrists happy!

Click ‘play’, then the rectangle in the lower right corner to see it big!

Here are handy links to all the crochet troubleshooting posts. . .

Return to the main table of contents for Let’s Learn to Crochet Amigurumi.

Happy stitching!

SHARE THIS

Stuffed Animals: the must-have sewing book of the year!

Oh, I know. It’s only April. How can I make such a bold claim?

Because this book is that good.

I’ve been waiting for this one…

Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction is a fabulous new book by stuffed animal designer (and buddy of mine), Abby Glassenberg.

Stuffed Animals design book by Abby Glassenberg

As she was writing the book, I could tell that Abby was really excited about it. She’s an incredibly passionate designer, and pours her heart into not only designing adorable stuff, but also teaching others how to make things. So, I knew this book would be good.

But now that the book is out, and I have my hands on a copy… I can tell you that this book is fabulous! Whether you’re new to sewing stuffed animals, or you’re a sewing pro who wants to get deep into designing, there’s oodles of information in this book that you’ll love!

Stuffed Animals: From Concept to Construction

Have a peek at this trailer for the book:

Stuffed Animals Book Trailer from Abby Glassenberg on Vimeo.

Squee! Doesn’t it look like so much fun?

What’s inside

Stuffed Animals contains 16 projects (complete patterns for sewn stuffed animals) and 52 lessons (designed not only to give you tips to complete the projects, but also to help you design your own pieces).

inside stuffed animals by Abby Glassenberg

The book also contains a hefty introduction, so that even if you’re a newbie to sewing, you’ll be set to start on the easier projects in the book! Some of the topics covered in the introduction are:

  • Basic materials needed (including a big secret… using hemostats!)
  • Using freezer paper for making sewing patterns
  • How to draw/mark/edit a pattern
  • Tips for using your fabric, including considering the grainline
  • Notes about seam allowance in patterns
  • How to adjust/correct your sewing machine tension
  • Various techniques for sewing stitches, by machine and hand
  • Step-by-step details on clipping curves, basting, turning & stuffing
  • Info about the proper finishing of your animal

And that’s just some of the topics covered in the intro!

The book continues… and features adorable patterns and oodles of great tips.

sewing camel pattern

And… (this book is almost 200 pages!) the pattern pieces are included in their actual size! That means that you can trace the pattern pieces without running to a copy shop to do fussy enlargements (as you need to do with some books).

pattern pieces in sewing

Each pattern and lesson contains step-by-step photos, so even if you’re not too confident about your sewing skills, you’ll be able to follow along! Love that!

inside1

What am I going to do?

Well… the first thing I’m going to do is re-read the entire book, cover to cover, because it’s just chock-full of so much inspiration!

Then… this sheep is pretty darn irresistible:

ram stuffed animal pattern

(and get it? I knit and crochet… so he’d be sorta like a mascot!)

Or… I’m pretty drawn to these monsters that can be made up with scraps:

monster pattern abby glassenberg

(you know I love using leftovers!)

Can you tell I’m inspired?

Ready to get sewing?

If you’ve been looking to sew some adorable stuffed animals, then grab yourself a copy… you’ll love it!

I think this is the sort of book that’ll last your whole sewing life: from starting out as a newbie to designing your own adorable animals. What better value is there than that?

And if you’ve already snagged a copy… let me know what you think!

(To read Wendi’s review of the same awesome book, click here.)

Best,
Stacey

disclaimer

How do you know if a design is original? Follow your gut!

Especially after last week’s Wingspan debacle, there have been a lot of questions about originality and copyright. How can you tell if your new design is ‘different enough’ from someone else’s?

This is a really tricky question, and frankly, I’m not going to talk about the legal side at all, because I’m not qualified to do so. But, today I’m going to talk about some questions to ask yourself when you’re wondering if your new design is original and suited to publish.

What’s the source of your inspiration?

I’m going to use the shawl that I knit last week as an example.

SpaceCadet shawl

I originally began knitting Mrs. Tumnus by Eskimimi, but the lace pattern on the edging was too thought-intensive for my current knitting brain, so I decided to simplify the pattern.

In the end, I used the short-row shaping from Mrs. Tumnus, but enlarged the entire shawl and added a garter stitch border (with its own short-row shaping).

Would I consider publishing this shawl as a new pattern? No. Because I clearly used the Mrs. Tumnus shawl as an inspiration and made modifications.

But now, let’s look at the interesting case. What if I had designed the shawl completely from scratch… would seeing Mrs. Tumnus prevent me from publishing my new pattern? Probably not.

shawl knit from spacecadet creations

Mrs. Tumnus isn’t the first shawl to use short rows, and if I had come up with the ‘Stacey Shawl’ completely on my own, I wouldn’t look at Mrs. Tumnus and say, ‘geesh, that’s mine in a different size with a different edging’. I would probably publish the pattern, and it would be a case of two designers having similar ideas.

Do you see the difference? If you just ‘tweak’ an existing design, that’s not as original as coming up with the concept yourself.

Is the design your own style?

Creating an original design is tricky because we’re all using the same components. I didn’t invent crocheting in the round, increasing or crocheting through the back loop. But I use these components to create my own style of patterns.

You want to make sure that a design you publish is in your own style, as well.

Some students of my Design Your Own Monster class have done an amazing job of creating patterns in their own style. Take a look at this Mallard designed by Hollie:

Mallard duck designed by Hollie

It’s crocheted through the back loop, in the round… but whoa! It doesn’t look like a FreshStitches pattern… this little duck has some fabulous shaping and color changes that represent Hollie’s own style. That’s fabulous!

What if you took my cow pattern and changed the ears so it looked like a pig? You see… that would look like another FreshStitches pattern, and isn’t really developing a different style.

A note about working from ‘inspiration photos’

It’s very tempting to look around online for cute photos… and with a little bit of skill, it’s possible to ‘reverse engineer’ a cute design: that is, crochet it without a pattern.

Is this your own design? Not really. If you’re crocheting an item that was designed by someone else (whether or not it’s an existing pattern), then you also aren’t creating your own design.

Follow your gut…

In the end, it’s up to you. While there are copyright laws in place, in practice, there isn’t much of a ‘copyright police’ going around that are going to investigate your pattern.

It’s up to you to only publish patterns that are original and uniquely your own.

This blog post isn’t an ‘answer’ to how to decide that for yourself, but I hope I’ve at least given you a starting point of some questions to ask yourself!

Meet an adorable Teddy Bear!

I’m happy to announce that Teddy, the Bear from my Woodland Animals class is now available as an individual pattern!

amigurumi crochet teddy bear

So, if you didn’t sign up for the class, but still want to make an adorable bear… now you can!

Don’t you want to crochet a cuddly bear, today? Grab your copy of the pattern!

Best,
Stacey