Winter-ized

Winter is finally here in Oregon, and Jack Frost can't do diddly squat while I'm in this hat. It took me three days from start to finish and it is like wearing a down comforter on my head. In fact, I took Linc to the neighborhood communities' Christmas Craft Bazar , and I think I lasted 15 minutes indoors with it on. I had to whip it off, just so I could stop sweating.

Looking at craft bazars is so interesting to me, I long to be in one again, but I feel like I would have to start preparing in spring just so I could have the kind of inventory I would want. Would it be worth it? Did you do or go to a craft show this holiday? What was the best thing you saw there? I saw the cutest little crocheted bunnies, I wish she had made them into ornaments. Who could have resisted having a bunny hanging from one's tree.  

BTW, my son did not like the craft bazar at all, except for the marshmallow shooters and sparkly spider magnets he tried to rush me through every room as fast as his legs could go. At one point we walked past a bench full of young boys and dads all playing some sort of game on their phones. Just biding their time until mom was done.=)

Speaking of being done, once I was done with this hat I decided to add braids. Love it! I've always wanted a hat with braids on it. I don't know why but I feel like it completes the hat. By the way, I'm just now realizing that the color's of this hat and my banner are very similar.

I want to say a quick hello to the newest followers. First off, I'm honored to have you at my blog. Second, it will be fun to get to know you and if you have blogs yourself, I will be stoping by yours to check out what your up to. 

Here at Hookable Designs I will be sharing my love for crocheting, sewing, and do it yourself health and beauty stuff.

I have finally been able to do a decent photo shoot of my niece in her newest hat that i've made for her. It originally was suppose to be the lamby hat, But I loved the vintage vibe I was getting from the design that I just left it as is.

I bought her a prop (aka the soft spiky ball)  and she LOVED it. It was mostly in her mouth the whole time she had it, I finally had to take it away so I could get some decent photo's in. I honestly think I could only get maybe 15-20 minutes in with trying to take good pictures. She was wiggly, distracted and cared more about touching grass and putting bark chips in here mouth.

Can you tell she loves to swing?

I love the fact that you can easily dress up the hat with a clip on flower. Instant Glam. I'm going to be working on the crochet pattern for the hat soon, I'm making a big girl one too (for myself of course!) You can find the pattern for the flower in my shop here.

The Perfect Setting. Learning lessons in taking better pictures Part 1

One thing about being a small online business owner is that I've had to try on and wear many hats. Two of these "hats" have been photography and modeling. I've been slowly learning this for the past 3 years, and I've had growing pains around this skill of point and shoot. Because a good photo is beyond point and shoot.
 I've finally gotten to the place of not complaining about it and just embracing it. So what if you are your own model and have to rely on other people to take your photos? What do you do? What if you have to take your own picture?

Here's what I'm talking about:

After many attempts of trying to take a picture of myself in the scarf I made, I finally caved in and asked one my neighbors, who had been walking by, to take a picture. This picture. Its not the guys fault. I could tell he didn't know much about camera's by the way he was holding the camera. His finger was over the flash( good thing my flash wasn't on). Lesson learned. Don't ask random neighbors (or strangers) to take a picture of you. Unless you are at Disneyland.

Here I am trying to take a picture of myself in a crocheted headband I made. Its pretty hit or miss for me when it comes to taking my own picture. I personally don't like it because I have to overcome certain obstacles like outstretched arms, awkward posing and little boys playing in the background. I could ask my husband, but I know he doesn't like to do it, so I just let it be. Note to self: buy a tall tripod.

Here's what I do 

Luckily I have a couple of family members that know how to work a camera, but I still try my hardest to make the picture as best as possible from the modeling side of the camera. I have to be knowledgeable in both photography and modeling in order to set the stage for a picture I want to display in my shop. Here are some pictures of a recent photo shoot at the beach. Amazingly perfect weather for picture taking. Over cast yet very bright because we were on the sand. 

I feel silly in saying this because I'm not a professional in any of the arenas of photography or modeling, but I do take posing seriously. So I think that counts for something. I know that I look good in some angles and better in others. It all about making the picture as visually interesting as possible without taking away from what I am trying to show off, which is, my crocheted headband. This is the beach setting on my Cannon, edited by iPhoto.

Find a interesting background. Now when I say interesting I mean "not distracting".You don't want your backdrop to steel your thunder, good or bad. Something that has texture is nice. I chose this green foliage because I knew that it would really complement my hair, eyes, and sweater shrug.  I used my foliage setting on Cannon and edited it on iphoto.

Can you tell the difference between the Beach setting and the Foliage setting in these pictures? 

Links to help and learn

Being photogenic

Taking better outdoor photos

Pose a little better

If you know of a good link on posing or photo shooting. Please share! via comments.

Playing with bugs

Bug brooches that is. When it comes to brooches, I have a thing for bugs. Not just any kind of bugs though, mostly beetles. Something that would most likely be considered as tiny, yucky, pesky and well, buggy in real life is now brilliantly gold encrusted, rhinestone adorned and has a new life as a brooch. Me likey.

Miss Priss Ladybug on her very own fern leaf.

I crocheted this fern leaf a while back. I wanted to experiment with making a leaf that had some detail. I like how well these two go together. A pretty ladybug on a leaf is what you would find in real life. I've been playing around with concepts of what I can make it into. Like:

Now it can become a pretty headband. It gives just a touch of whimsy, which is perfect for the hair.

Its was the most windy day of the season in these pictures.  It was literally raining dried pine needles. And yet I remain calm and collected ( pat me on the back someone). 

Or sew it to your shirt collar for a pretty faux necklace.

I really like the concept of using crochet to accessorize ready to wear clothes. A little extra detail here and there doesn't hurt. Plus it means I can use crochet in a fashionable way.

How would you wear this little leafy accessory?

Danielle

This Little Lamby Hat

This little lamby does not like to eat grass, or be in it much less.

I tried my hand at attempting a lambs hat for my good friend Jules and her newest edition to her flock. In my mind I had envisioned bouncy, soft, curly lambs wool for the bod, with cute little lambs ears. I think I can pretty close to what I was thinking of. 

This is my niece trying it on for size. I made it for a 3-6 month's old head. Which, apparently, also fits a 8 month old premie head (aka my niece). 

This little lamby prefer's playgrounds as her source of nourishment.

Can I just say this hat is sooooooooo soft.  Nothing hard and scratchy going on here. I used Bamboo yarn for the lamby part and corn silk yarn for the border. Have you ever played with cornsilk yarn? Its silky soft and feels like a mix between bamboo and cotton. Very nice, and a little expensive, so I'm using it carefully.

Little Lamby with Shepard Boy

Putting on the ears seemed to take more time then the actual crocheting of the hat. It was the only part of the hat that wanted to take advantage of its cuteness. The smallest part became the hardest part. Go figure. Fickle ears, its not like I was trying to tag you. In the end I won by covering my knee with the hat and sewing them in place, so maybe it was like tagging ears, in a crochet kind of way.

Soak in the softness via the computer screen.

I will be writing the pattern soon for this. It will look a little different than this one. Here are the stat's for now.

Stats

Yarn: Bamboo and Corn Silk

Technique: crochet, puff stitch,dc and sc stitch

Hook: 6mm and 3.75 mm

Completed time: two days (easy peasy)  

Danielle

Simple crochet goes a long way.

I wanted to share with you how I transformed this cute but shrunken and felted sweater into a super cute cap sleeve bolero, with crochet edging to give it a sweet detailing.

I was given this sweater a while ago from my sister with the request to cut it up and make it new. It belongs to her eldest daughter and because it is so cute they wanted to extend the life of it some more. So who am I to say no, especially when there is no sewing involved. That's right, no sewing.Oh the beauty of felt!

So I capped the sleeves saving the rest thinking we were going to make chic gloves or leg warmers or something striped and fashionable, but alas, we lost those left over sleeves and they have not made their re-appearance.

I also cut the sweater at the waist and shaped the edges. Then cut right down the middle.Easy peasy. I could have left it as it was, but I felt like it needed a extra more detailing to make it look more complete. So I crocheted a simple edging all the way around and around the capped sleeves too. 

On my niece, the proud owner of this cute piece. Great for fall and spring.

Have you tried crochet? It is a craft that I truly love to create things with.  Even if you know the basics you can still do so many things with it. Like, ahem, cutting up a sweater and making a cute bolero.

Cheers,

Danielle