Crochet Pillows

Working hard pays off. These are just a couple of the crochet pillows i made. You don't see it in this photo, but they're all backed with vintage fabrics!

Pillows in progress

Crochet pillows in progress. I promised myself to make some more, and i'm actually doing so. Still have to finish the actual round pillows and attach the crochet tops to them. But that is the least of the work, so i'm expecting to get them done soon!

Vintage Crochet

Since i'm doing some crochet again lately it is fitting to show some pages of one of my vintage craft books filled with crochet pictures. These are from an old German Burda craft book.


I really love all these crochet tablecloths. Should try and make some. If i ever have time for new craft projects again. Why do i always feel like i have too much unfinished projects laying around and even more in my mind that i want to start?

Crochet Flower

Doing a little bit crocheting to get back into that vibe again. I'm planning to make some more crochet pillows, but it has been awhile. I had never really made a crochet flower before so that was my project to get back in the swing of things and get used to the crochet hook again. Pillows soon to come!

Crochet pillow

Those of you who have been readers of my blog for a while now might remember the large crochet circles i made before. Never got around to actually doing something with them. I sat down, picked my favorite and turned it into a pillow! Do you like? I do. I will keep this one for myself, but maybe will make some in the future to sell if people like them. I'm just wondering since i didn't turn it into a cushion cover, could i wash it? Could i throw it in the machine and have it come out in decent shape? The fabric used for the pillow and the crochet top have been pre-washed, but what about the fiberfill? Not sure. And scared to try in case it would ruin it. Keep it fresh with frebreze? ;) It's more decorative anyway, so i doubt i will actually have to wash it a lot. But if i would make them for sale they should be able to be washed right?

Vintage Crochet and a Queen

I found this amazing Phildar hobby book on a market where my mom took me when i was in the Netherlands. There was this lady selling a lot of great vintage craft magazines and i bought a couple but wished i could take them all. Don't be greedy, leave some for someone else. That, plus the fact i couldn't bring all of them and bring all back with me to NY with everything i still had in storage. Okay, i admit, if i could have, i would have taken them all...

Look at how relaxed this lady looks. Just finished crocheting her new table cloths, poured fresh squeezed orange juice, watered the plants, placed some decorative shells on the table and made herself comfortable petting her dear cat. Probably waiting for some amazing guests to appear any time soon.
Not only this photo is like this, all project photos in this print are so wonderfully propped!

And this is the new Queen in the house. Okay, she is basically a very pretty big eyed girl in a sort of clowns costume, but the painting is so big and has a gold painted frame and she is just too adorable, so we are calling her the new Queen of the house. O no. That would be me. I'm the Queen of the castle. hihi. She is the Queen of all my big eyed vintage art pieces. My collection is starting to grow and i enjoy looking at them every day. Now that Queen has arrived i have to rearrange all my other pieces to go around her. Will make a picture and show soon. There are more there that i haven't shown yet.

We found Queen last weekend in Park Slope. I lured my Love to come along, i wanted to stroll around and check out some stoopsales. Love was not excited. Buy honey, there will also be sales with a lot of old records. Score. He went along. And we did find a bunch of great records and this painting. Glad Love was there to convince me to give her a new home and to carry her all the way back.

Work in progress - crochet

i've been working on some this and thats here and there. yes i'm actually getting crafty creative again. makes me really happy and i didn't have the change to do it a lot the last couple of months. missed it.

working on some crochet bracelets. do we love?

this is the start of an oversized pillow for the new apartment. i know i had to get more yarn so maybe it will end up as just a large pillow instead of really oversized like i intend. we'll see how far the yarn i got will take me.

Ooops...

This is what happens when you get all your clothing out of storage and dump it all in the laundry without realizing your yarn and crochet needles are still in there somewhere.

I couldn't fix the needles, but did manage to untangle all the yarn.

don't try to wash your crochet needles in the laundry. the machine survived but i don't think it's to be recommended.

Crochet in progress

Haven't done any crochet-ing in a while. Getting back in to it with some basic stitches. Planning on making something not so basic with it. Well, maybe, but at least something i never did with crochet before.
Keep tuned.

Ever tied a tie?

It had been a looong time ago since i last tied a tie. When i was a young kid someone showed me once. I must admit i fumbled around a bit at first. But when you figure it out, it's not that hard.

I made these three kids' neck ties and i think they came out real cute! I think i will be putting some labels on the back and get them ready to be put up for sale one day. For the light blue tie i made an applique of a flower that i drew in Illustrator, printed on felt with some vliesofix on the back, and ironed&sewed on the bottom front. Gonna make some more pretty appliques! You could wear the ties as an adult, but then they are verrrry short! A bit weird. But possible. but weird. hehe.

The crochet hat was very much a trial project. Size is for kids around 2 years or so. I used yarn i had laying around which i wasn't going to move with me. That explains why the colors are all mixed up and not really color coordinated. Frugal thinking! Use what you got. Maybe i will pretty it up with a flower brooch or something that i first still have to make. ;) Now that i've at least figured out how to do it, i have already put some pink yarn aside to take as carry on luggage. I should be able to make another during the 7,5 hour flight!

Oh yeah, i'm also working on a sew along with Nico. Had i mentioned that already? I think we both had planned to have it finished by now, but both of us had to re-prioritize! My version of the cape is almost ready!

round and round

I couldn't take my eyes of the beautiful projects in the old craft magazines i thrifted not too long ago.
Pretty obvious sign to me that i had to up my game and learn some additional crochet stitches. And lucky me, my favorite yarn was on special discount this week! Ooh, lots of colors!

These circles were certainly for practice. Can you pick out the one i started with? Yep. Top left corner. Ohoh reality check - i GOT to start counting my stitches better. And look at me go, i counted and it worked, the circles stayed flat. hehe, correct counts really work.

Except for the first one, the others will be turned in to round pillows.
But that's for a later date. I think i will make another!

crochet inspiration

Ooh!! I've found some wonderful vintage (early 70's) crafty magazines while thrifting last weekend! (huge indoor fleamarket at the outskirts of Amsterdam)
Many great pictures and ideas for new creative projects. I'm especially inspired by all the lovely crochet pictures. I do need to up my game. Learn more variations. I could do this. I have put it on my work in progress list so it will get more priority in the following week.
For now, let's just look at the great pics from the magazines.

New friend at the playground

Well, hello there.
I'm Geanny and I'm having fun at Ismoyo's Playground.
They say I'm shy, but I'm not. I just don't use a lot of words. I'm more of an observer. Maybe that's why i have those big round eyes.
I don't run around and get into mischievous trouble, i like to sit in my corner and play quietly. Mostly by myself, but if i want some company there are many friends around in the playground who i can play with.
Note: Freestyle crochet, approx 6 inch high.

Half of a personality

Help! I've got half a personality!

As you see, i still haven't had enough of crochet. It takes a lot of time if you want to end up with a decent sized figure, but luckily i seem to find little moments in time that would otherwise be waisted and now can be filled with my hook and some yarn...

Soup and such

Going for soup and such.
Edit: posted her on Craftster too!

My crochet efforts

Things I'm learning about crochet:
- The importance of good light. Crochet efforts done in dim nightlight don't always look good in the morning.
- Count. Keep track. You can love to 'wing' it, you can love to freestyle. It won't come out as good as when you would have counted.
Promise to myself: work with more light and count all the way through.

The pink one was the last one i did and i think it's nearing what i wanted them to look like. Cute and a bit mischievous.
My hubby made up a complicated "will-leave-you-confused" story of the smallest one being the cousin of the brown one, whose mother was the sister of the white one, making her the mother of the smallest one, the pink one being her sister, or not, because she's not the mother of the brown one but being the pretty cutey, thus sometimes even causing a bit of jealousy amongst the others, but not in a bad way since it was like, well all family, so there is love first.
All knowing being the prettiest one is only a temporary thing; the next prettiest one is always in the future.

Current wip

Can't start fresh and anew (like 2007) when i still have lots of catching up to do... I have some work in progress and a couple of finished projects to show still.

Getting 'hooked' on crochet, figuring out all the possibilities it brings me. Working hard and learning a lot. Got to stop myself when my fingers start to hurt...

Working on cute characters with soft yarn. Body parts still have to be finished and attached, but then the most fun part starts, giving them their own personalities. Can't wait to show the final results!





Working on a yellow felt giraffe, have some cute ideas for the final details.

Updates will follow soon!

Crochet learning update

Some might have already read it, but I'm working on learning how to crochet. As a little girl i have picked up a crochet hook maybe once or twice, but didn't get any further then making circles. Then somewhat over a year ago i tried again. Didn't get any further than this friendly little purple pea. hihi.
Since three times is a charm, I'm giving it another go. This time i even picked up a book to show me the basics from where i can go on and freestyle on my own. And since it's true that you have to start simple and work your way up to more complicated projects, I've started simple. Some sort of yellow egg warmer and a square creature of which a version was in the book shown as a pincushion.
i might be funny like that, but i can not stick pins in anything that has a face.

Currently i'm working on a couple of bunny friends. Not in the book. Ah... who needs a book anyway? Oh yeah, i remember, to learn. I'm getting there. Stay tuned for a next crochet update.

Oh I've just read that beyonce and jay-z bought a 40.000$ crochet chair! Wow that's a lot of money. It's made by a Dutchy, designer Marcel Wanders. My crochet 'skills' are nothing compared to his. The chair is gorgeous!

Learning to crochet: A purple pea?

This little project really made me laugh.

Getting inspired by reading other crafty blogs and seeing some of the cutest crochet crafts. I thought lets see if I can figure out how to do it. I was kinda searching for something creative which was portable already. Something more portable than bringing my laptop or sewingmachine everywhere I go. Crochet only requires the crochet needle and some yarn! That will fit in my bag!

Ok, so I decided to give it a try. Bought what I needed and sat down with a cup of tea. Hmm. I vaguely remember having crochet a kind of string of yarn at school when I was very young. But how?
In the store picking up some cheap try out yarn I ofcourse went for the cute purple color. If you can Cutify something, there is no reason not to.

I didn't use a pattern. Did look some crochet patterns up on the net, but that is still out of my league. I couldn't find any logic in it which I knew of I would be able to pick up on easily by myself. So I forgot about the patterns and just flowed with it.

After a while I ended up with this round, well, what is it, thingy. Next to each other I've put two buttons on. And now the purple pea can see!
Like I said before, if you can Cutify ...