LaToya Must Be Hard Up

She seems to have been auctioning off her old wardrobe from the 80's. Or else she's gotten too fat to ever hope to fit in them again.

I was procrastinating this morning and found this:

It's a weird photo, with the pants legs all squished at the bottom, but she got something like $250 for it! Not as much as she paid, but a lot more than I would have thought someone would pay for something this dated. It was called the Double Padded Shoulder Sequined Jumpsuit and was a very popular look with my stagey clients back in the early 80's.

Mermaid's Net

All the fish were knitted first, with a modular sweater in mind. After sewing some together, I decided I wasn’t happy with the lack of drape in the resulting fabric. Put them away for about a year. When I revisited them, I had a new vision. I took them apart and started crocheting them together with a selection of different textured yarns. Then I added the beads and pearls. This shawl actually used every single fish I had knitted and over all took about 2 1/2 years to finish!

Contemporary Crafts Market is Over

...and I think I have survived.





I have a lot of photos to post of projects I held back until after the show, but I don't have the time today.

I just opened an etsy shop and will be selling yarn from my stash. I need to reclaim my hallway. There are 9 huge tubs of yarn out there that won't fit into my studio. I think my yarn has somehow been multiplying while I sleep.

It would be nice to have a manageable stash once again.

Today I put up some Ozark Handspun. Love the yarn so much but I will never use the huge amount I managed to accumulate. I decided to sell it at a deeply discounted price so if you want it - here it is - come and get it!

Free Style Lace Shruggity Shrug

Myra is working on the sequel to her book, Creative Crochet Lace. The new one is about Creative Knitted Lace or Creative Lace Knitting. She explained the difference to me - one is when there are yo's only on the right side, the other has yo's on both sides, but I can't remember which is which.

Anyway, she inspired me to work up a new Shruggity Shrug, using a diagonal free style lace pattern for the body and a reversible eyelet rib I 'invented' for the sleeves and collar. There are about 20 different yarns in this one.

It is very frothy and feminine and cheerful! I loved making it and zipped it out in 2 days! Click on a photo to see the yarns more clearly.

Flower and Leaf Cropped Sweater

I started this one last summer while sitting by the 3-toed sloths at the La Brea Tar Pits waiting for Eden, who was taking an art class. I almost finished it and in my own typical way, put it aside, already knowing what it would be like, not sure if I liked it, and worried that I didn't have enough yarn to finish it.



But since I am trying to finish things up for the show and this is a very summery top, I decided to turn it into an FO. The yarn is Blue Moon Fiber Arts Silkie Socks that Rock colorway Sherbet
and Lightweight Lemongrass

All the flowers have lime green fire polished crystals in their centers. I just love my linking flower technique.

The leaf border didn't work as dangling fringes, which was why I put it away for nearly a year, but I got the idea to crochet aroung each leaf and link them together and now I am pleased.

Flower Shoulder Sweater

This one was actually finished a long time ago but I never got around to photographing it. Since I am including it at CCM and hoping it will sell, I decided I better get some shots of it before it's too late.

I bought the yarn from Loopy Ewe and made the sweater immediately! The colors just knocked me out. It is from Scarlet Fleece, fingering weight, and the three colors are named Hibiscus, Sunflower and Bird of Paradise. Initially, there was a bird of paradise flower in the center panel, but it didn't look right, so of course, I sewed a lot of crystal and beads on, too. But it still didn't please me so I took it off and decided to leave the center panel plain.

I am happy with the hibiscus on the right shoulder



And the sunflower on the left shoulder.

Weaving in the Ends

I finally finished the display dolls for Claudia and got them shipped off to her. If you are planning on attending TNNA in Columbus, stop by her booth, (I believe it's 115) and give her a hug from me!


In honor of my completion of the daunting task, I decided to indulge in some mindless fun and chose this adorable little gauntlet by Dora Ohrenstein. The pattern is free on Crochet Insider

And while you're there, don't miss this great interview with my long lost separated before birth sister, Myra Wood.



The blue ones are from Claudia Hand Painted Fingering Weight in Blue Jeans colorway on a Size B hook, as called for in the pattern.
They came out too tight for my small hands, so I just considered them a swatch and made the brownish pair on a C hook. I believe that color is called Desert Dusk. They fit perfectly except for the top edge, which gaps on the palm side.

The next pair will be Just Right! cuz now I know how to tweak it. But I have lost the mood for making them since it was freakishly hot here. I actually stopped knitting last night! Me, the one who never just sits...actually watched a movie with nothing at all in her hands. Well, a cat noticed so there technically was a cat under my hands.

June Contemporary Crafts Market

First off, I want to thank the readers who left me supportive comments regarding my stepping away from the wig-gig. I just can't tell you how free and strong I have felt since making the decision. And how much I have accomplished! I've actually checked off 5 things from my to do list since Monday morning! 5 things that wouldn't have gotten started, let alone completed, if I were working on the big wig!

And one of those things was putting together my postcard for the CCM at the Santa Monica Civic on June 6-8. Here it is:


This time, in addition to my one of a kind wearable art pieces, I will be offering my patterns and kits. If you would like to come as my guest, please go here to print a free pass for 2!

Staying on Target

This weekend I had a big revelation and made a decision! I guess I have been leading up to this for a while, but something happened this weekend that put it all into perspective.

The revelation - that I am preventing myself from reaching my goals by scattering my assets (meaning my time, talent and creativity) Like many creative people, there are so many things that interest me and so many skills I have developed over the years. But there is only so much time in the day and all of the things I love take lots of time.

I wish I could mention the names involved, but that would be indiscreet. But what happened is I went to listen in on a consultation with a Big Star for a wig project. This Big Star is a gorgeous woman for whom I used to make clothes back in my past life. She is still gorgeous, even more of an icon, and getting ready to do another fabulous 'thing' (could I be any more vague?) So here I am, reconnecting with her about 20 years later, and this time, not as a costume designer, but as a sub-contractor wig ventilator.

Meanwhile, I was intending to put aside work in both pattern writing and getting ready for a wearable art show at the beginning of June so I can meet the excruciatingly close deadline for this wig. The prospect of 10 days of intense, extreme boredom lies ahead. About 100 hours of tying double knots in individual hairs lies ahead. Meanwhile, my show will be getting closer and closer. Meanwhile, my stress level will be rising higher and higher.

For what? The $, while impressive, is only $. The 10 days will be gone and I'll never get them back.

So I walked away - not just from this particular job, but from wig-making all together. And I felt that instant sense of relief that comes from being put back into my proper place in life and is a validation of a correct decision.

I made an agreement with myself that I will stay on track from now on. After my first priority (family) I am committed to devoting myself to the 2 businesses that really interest me - wearable art being #1 and pattern publishing as #2.

This is Foot Fetish. It is the 2nd sock design for DRG Publishing Tops and Toes, which will be out next February. The sample and pattern should be finished this afternoon. I am feeling so liberated, so relieved, and looking forward to the future once again!

And very grateful that my reconnecting with Big Star illuminated to me that I want to go forward, not backward!

Giant Doilies

This one is the cover design from Doris Chan's Amazing Crochet Lace. I used 16 balls of ggh Aspen and a size J hook. It took one day to complete.


I enjoyed the fast results from the large hook so much that I decided to make something else along the same lines. Since I only had 10 balls of this Berroco X-Press, I decided to make a Doily Vest of my own design, and needed to upsize to a Size L hook to get a fabric that had a little drape to it.

Man, this one went so fast I could hardly believe it - about 6 hours! I would be making a lot more of these if it wasn't so hard on my hands.

Shruggity Shrug Pattern is Ready!

I forced myself to finish this pattern today! Now I am so happy to say:
Shruggity Shrug Pattern Now Available Here!

Now I am going to tackle Flower Box.

Flower Box Sweater

I absolutely love this sweater! It fits so beautifully and was so fun and easy to make. I just love when everything comes out exactly the way I envisioned it in my mind before I started.


The knitted squares have crocheted borders and then are sewn together.


The lace edging is crocheted.


Random crocheted and embroidered flowers with crystal centers inspired the name. The hand made porcelain buttons couldn't have been more perfect if I had made them myself!

The sweater is for sale on my Yarnartist's site and I am considering writing the pattern, too.

Mo' Flower Power

Mo as in mohair!

A little story: When my son was in elementary school, I started an art and needlework program at his school. One year I taught everyone in grades 2-5 how to knit. The unit began with me bringing in samples of many different types of fiber and explaining how yarns were made. We talked about where the fiber came from - plants, animals, chemicals, etc. In summary, I asked "Where does wool come from?" "Sheep!!!" the children yelled. "Where does cotton come from?" "Plants!" the children responded. And where does mohair come from?" One little voice replied uncertainly "Moles?"

Anyway, the above scarf is Flower Power made up in Claudia Handpaints Mole hair, I mean Mohair! See the crystals on the fringes? One skein made this entire very long scarf! I will be putting up the pattern, yarn and beads as a kit on my site later today or tomorrow.

I Guess You Could Say...

... that Berroco makes some of my favorite commercially produced yarns. When I saw this yarn I just had to have some.

Yarn: Berroco Sox
Colorway: 1425 John Moores
Pattern: My own basic toe-up with short row heel and stretchy bind-off on 58 sts, Size 1 needles.

Secret for getting the stripes to match: Before beginning, pull out yarn and start at a place where the color/pattern is clearly beginning to change. Measure long tail if using long tail cast-on. This is much easier to find than a random beginning point when you are ready to start the second sock.

Love the way these socks look - really enjoyed knitting with the yarn as the color and pattern changes were so pleasing to my aesthetic sense. However...they itch. So into the gift bag they go, waiting for the perfect owner to be revealed.

More on socks: I finished writing up the pattern for the Electric Flower Socks for Tops and Toes, due out next February.

I am proud to say that for once I didn't procrastinate and actually sent the pattern and sample off more than a week ahead of the due date!!!

Could this be a new trend? I sure hope so. I love the sense of freedom I feel now, except there are a few more deadlines and promises I must keep before I am really free of pressure.

Flower Power

Finally, I completed the pattern for this scarf.

I can't believe that this goes back to last August!!!

I guess that I don't need to mention that I like making things better than I like pattern writing.

The name has changed from Lucky Scarf to Flower Power. The pattern is available via download here. Enjoy!

Okay, I'll Show You...

...what I've been working on.

Yes, it is Shruggity Shrug Revisited in Claudia Handpaints Mohair. The lightest most lovely soft mohair, a little heavier than Kidsilk Haze but sooo much softer. My plan is to kit this pattern but it takes 3 skeins, so I am stalled, wondering if it would be too pricey.

This one will not be kitted, just the pattern will be available. You might recognize my snowflakes, crocheted from my sick bed. This was what I had planned and I am so happy with both the sweater and the snowflakes. It is called "Snowflakes in Summer" and Eden says it looks Japanese. I am so flattered! I adore the Japanese pattern books and have no doubt been influenced by them, but where did he see Japanese knitting? He definitely doesn't look at my books.

But he studies Japanese in school and collects anime films and Japanese graphic novels, so I suppose there is some crossover in design sensibilities.

And those of you who know me know that cannot be all. There are several other things that haven't been photographed yet..

16 Years Ago

16 years ago this day, I was sent home from the hospital with a tiny, helpless 6 pound boy who now tops 6 feet and weighs in at over 270 pounds! He is no longer helpless, but still rather clueless.

No one warned me that the sweet little bundle of joy was going to turn into a hairy refrigerator emptying machine.

As I was patiently enjoying him saying his first little words, no one warned me about the words that would someday be coming out of his mouth.

Or that those sweet little feet would become huge, size 16 things that would be itching to walk out the door.

I should have known. After all, I was once a teenager myself.

I admit it, I never thought beyond carrying him around in a little basket, reading him stories and singing lullabies, and then playing childhood games with a sweet little boy who I would help mold into the kind of man who would have all the strength of character and gentleness of spirit I saw in my dreams.

Ha, ha!

But still, I am glad I have him and I believe, in my deepest heart, that he will grow up into that man I described above, and even more than that.

In the mean time, I have my knitting...

Alfie's Blankie Update

A good fit and a good color match. And isn't he the most bee-yoo-ti-ful kitty?

Other Projects From the Sickbed and a Contest!

I have been working through Sasha Kagan's Crochet Inspirations. I just love this book!

Playing around with little motifs made from some tapestry wool from my stash. I have big plans for these, once I am able to count past 10 again.

One of these is from my own mind, not the book. Let's make a contest. The first person who can tell me which one I made up will receive a nice selection of my tapestry yarn stash to make their own motif samples.



Here is the prize!

14 little skeins of wool tapestry yarn! No germs included!

Still Sick

But does that stop me from needing to create?

Nooooo!!! But what I'm creating is not too great! Well, maybe it will be considered great by one (now fully grown) rag doll kitty named Alfie, my catphew.


How could anyone not fall in love with this little face?


Or the little toe tufts?


I made him this blanket to set off his beautiful blue eyes. It is a section of the Lion Brand free pattern called Circles to Squares
from Vanna's Choice yarn. I admit to being a yarn snob and never work with acrylic yarn, but a kitty blanket needs to be washable and basically indestructible. I have been listening to Lion Brands' podcast and they interviewed Vanna White recently, and were so complimentary about her yarn that I slunk out of my flu-bed and took advantage of Michaels $2 a ball yarn sale.

I also really appreciate that she is donating a part of her share to a children's charity, although I am still foggy and can't remember which one.

The yarn was fine for the purpose, but if I were ever to make an afghan for myself (don't hold your breath on that one) I would want it to be made from something real, even if it had to go to the dry cleaner's. But that's just me.