Monday 10/28: Wish I Was Styx

When I was a kid, one of my favorite songs was 'Too Much Time on My Hands' by the Styx.  This is still a song I like, but I wish it applied to me at times.  As is, I don't have enough time on my hands.  With midterms finally over, I feel behind.  This is wonderfully evident in the lack of any work I've done on my rainbow panel since my last post.  I'm  beginning to believe my goal of completing it by December is wishful thinking.  I've decided to pause from the rainbow panel for a time, and begin working on the pillow that will be for sale on my Etsy shop.

The pattern I've made is of Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.  I haven't decided if I will need to outline the design once it's done or not.  So far, this has been one of the more challenging patterns I've created, which surprised me.  The patter is based on straight lines, yet when I made a pillow from Princess Luna's cutie mark which dealt with circles it was much easier.  Eventually, I want to have patterns for all of the main cast, and even some of the background cast.  Starting out with a challenge will make the others easier in the long run I suppose.

Based on the time it took me to make the last pillow, I should have it completed by the end of November.  This of course depends on how many mistakes I make along the way and if the initial final product looks good enough to sell.  It's rare that a prototype is looks perfect.

Monday 10/7: Rainbow Connection

I've decided that my next project shall in fact be a pillow.  I am currently working on the pattern and will start it as soon as a) the pattern is created and b) I complete the first panel of the blanket I'm working on.  This picture is a little out-dated, seeing as I've been working on it since the picture was taken.  It is now about twice as long.  I have noticed a slight problem with the pattern.  At the beginning of the panel, some of the stripes aren't as thick as the others.  This alone isn't the issue, but overtime these thinner stripes have about disappeared.  Personally, I think that it looks a lot better with the thicker stripes.

Later down the line this might be a big problem.  Since this blanket will be done in panels, I need to make sure that the thinner stripes in the beginning match up.  I don't think that it overall looks bad, if anything, it gives the blanket a little bit of character.  I don't want to have to take everything out just to fix a mistake at the very beginning.  To be honest, I don't know if I can make some of the stripes thicker in the beginning without adding stitches to the base chain.  I guess we'll just wait and see.

Is anyone else working on anything at the moment? Blanket or not?

The scarf is still for sale at my Etsy shop here: Mystic Yarn Creations

Saturday 9/28: Cutting the Ribbon

The Bavarian scarf is complete and Mystic Yarn Creations is officially in business! I have posted my first piece for sale at my new Etsy shop.  I think the scarf turned out wonderfully.  I added yet another round to not only make it fuller, but to add some more color as well.  The tassels are also something I added at the end; you can never go wrong with tassels.

Considering this has been the first official scarf I've made, I'm very pleased.  It could have turned out much worse.  Hopefully others will feel the same and it will sell on Etsy.


So, the next project will be either a hat or a pillow.  It will depend on witch pattern I find or create first.  I have started the blanket I would like to complete by the end of the year.  There will be an update on that with the next post.

Feel free to visit my shop on Etsy: Mystic Yarn Creations

Monday 9/23: Bavarian Rhapsody

One of the biggest problems I've found with patterns, online or in book, is the language.  This can be from a lack of experience reading patters, but there is always a least one sentence in every written pattern that makes me pause.  This wasn't always the case.  Easy patterns don't have this problem.  The Bavarian crochet I've been working on is not in the "easy pattern" category.  At least not at first.

After the second round, I stopped short.  Even with the picture I couldn't figure out why it wasn't looking right on the third round.  Thankfully, the wonderful world of technology came to the rescue.  Crochet Geek on YouTube has some great tutorials when you get stuck.  So, after seeing what to do, I realized the angle I was holding the stitches was wrong.  Of course it was.  With every mistake there is room for growth and learning.

Here's the Bavarian scarf I'm working on so far.  I'm using Lily Sugar'n Cream Hot Pink and Caron Simply Soft Plum Perfect yarn.  This helps the center have a stiffness to keep the shape of the pattern and the simply soft feels great against the skin. You have to be careful with the gauge with these two yarns however.  I've used a metal F hook for the hot pink and a wooden H hook for the plum.  I also felt that the scarf itself was too thin.  This was what the pattern called for, but patterns are just a guide after all.  I have started adding another round to the scarf to help bulk it up a bit.  I think it looks a lot better with the added round so far. 

Tell me what you think.  Would you have added another round or kept it thin? Is there a better yarn to use that you like?

Sunday 9/22: Blog Cherry

It may seem odd to some, that in my twenty some odd years of internet experience, I have yet to blog.  Sure, I’ve written and posted fan fiction in my teen years, but that’s far from a blog.  The time has come for this to change.  “Create a blog,” I was told in class one day, “one about something you enjoy.”  Of course there’s a much higher lesson to be learned here.  No assignment in an entrepreneur class is just for the fun of it.  So, here I am blogging about something I enjoy; crochet.  I’ve been crocheting for around seventeen years now, and I’m still finding new stitches to lean and techniques to use.  What better way to help spread my knowledge and solidify my new knowledge than sharing it on the World Wide Web.

The other day I went into a craft store for a new afghan hook.  Sadly, at least for my wallet, I walked out with more than a hook.  I came across two project books that were too awesome to pass up.  The first book that caught my eyes was on Bavarian crochet.  This pattern looks like a square Catherine’s Wheel and is beautiful.  It reminds me of the elegance found in antique pieces.  So, my next project shall be a scarf from this pattern.  This scarf will be for sale on my Etsy shop once complete.

The second book that I found was a collection of 101 different stitches and edgings.  I was very excited to see the star stitch inside, seeing as that’s currently my favorite stitch.  I did find a fun pattern stitch that would make an excellent rainbow blanket.  I hope to have that complete by December.

Updates on projects with pictures will be posted at least once a week.  What projects is everyone else working on?