Belinda Dolly Pattern

This dolly is inspired by my daughter's love of the Lalaloopsy dolly. I hope you enjoy her.

Belinda Dolly Pattern

Leg
Working in rounds make 2
Chain 5
2sc in second ch from hook, sc 2, 3sc in last chain. Working in the other side of foundation chain, sc 3. Do not join. (10)
Sc, 2sc in next st, sc 2, 2sc in next st, sc 2, 2sc in next st, sc, 2sc in last st. (14)
Sc, 2sc in next st, sc 4, 2sc in next st, sc, 2sc in next st, sc 4, 2sc in last st. (18)
Sc around (18)
Sc around (18)
Sc3tog, sc, sc3tog, sc around (14)
Sc2tog, sc, sc2tog, sc 4, sc2tog, sc 4 (12)
Sc around for 14 rows. Stuff foot, lightly stuff leg

Arm
Working in rounds make 2.
Magic ring sc 6
2sc in each st around (12)
Sc around (12)
Sc around (12)
Sc around (12)
Bobble (yo, ins hook, yo, pull through, yo, ins hook, yo pull through, yo, ins hook, yo pull through, yo pull through all 4 loops on hook), sc around (12)
Dec, sc 4, dec, sc around (10)
Sc around for 14 rows (10) stuff hand, lightly stuff arm

Body
Work in rounds
Magic ring sc 6
2sc in each st around (12)
*Sc 2sc* around (18)
*Sc 2, 2sc* around (24)
*sc 3, 2sc* around (30)
Flatten leg sc through both layers of leg and next st for 6 st repeat for 2nd leg continue sc around. (30)
Sc around (30)
Sc around (30)
Sc around (30)
*sc 3 dec* around (24)
Sc around (24)
Sc around (24)
Sc around (24)
*sc 2 dec* around (18)
Sc around (18)
Sc around (18)
Sc 15 flatten arm thumb forward sc 5 through all thicknesses (as leg), sc 4, flatten arm thumb forward sc 5 through all thicknesses (as leg) sc around. stuff
*sc dec* around (12)
Dec around (6)

Head
Work in rounds
Magic ring sc 6(6)
2sc around (12)
*sc 2sc* around (18)
*Sc 2, 2sc* around (24)
*Sc 3, 2sc* around (30)
*Sc 4, 2sc* around (36)
*Sc 5, 2sc* around (42)
Sc around (42)
*Sc 6, 2sc* around (48)
*Sc 7, 2sc* around (54)
Sc around for 2 rows (54)
Sc 3 bobble stitch, sc around (54)
Sc around for 6 more rows (54)
*Sc 7, dec* around (48)
*Sc 6, dec* around (42)
*Sc 5, dec* around (36)
*Sc 4, dec* around (30)
*Sc 3, dec* around (24)
*Sc 2, dec* around (18) stuff
*Sc, dec* around (12)
Dec around (6)

Finishing
Stitch head to body using matching color.

I use a hard cover book to wrap hair yarn around then cut away from book. This will give you pieces of a consistent length. Attach hair to head using a crochet hook to pull a loop through stitches then pulling ends through the loop pull tight.

Etsy OWLs Spring Cleaning Sale

We're having a Spring Cleaning Sale beginning Saturday March 20, running through Saturday March 28!

Check out the Etsy OWLs blog for more details of what will be on sale in these great shops.

Now listen closely, here's a secret, the team will be having a sneak peek on Friday night March 19 beginning at 6PM Eastern time running throughout the evening showing you all the great things on sale. Just go to the Etsy Community Chat boards and look for the room called SALE Sneak Peek.

http://www.etsy.com/chat_main.php

Come, meet people on the team and see what great deals will be offered. (Hint - you might get some additional discounts just for being at the sneak peek chat.)

What Do You Think?

I recently had a shop critique and the recommendation was to use natural lightling. I took some test shots of my latest yarns with this type of lighting. What do you think? Comments appreciated.







If you want to see more photos to compare check out my shop at http://hooksandeyes.etsy.com .

Interview with Jamie from Suenosdejmi

Here's the next amazing fiber artist in my regular feature. She is another one of my fellow Etsy Off the Wall Ladies so you never know what you'll hear from her next.

Meet Jamie of SuenosdeJmi

Blue-Green Knitted Cowl

Where are you from and where are you now?

I'm actually from where I am now, small town east Tennessee. I was born in the same city I'm living in now, but I grew up about 2 hours north of here near the VA border.


How did you get started working with yarn?

There's always been someone in my life who works with yarn. My mom and my paternal grandmother both crocheted when I was little, so I've known how to crochet for as long as I can remember. I crocheted randomly through my childhood and teenage years, and then picked it back up again about 4 years ago. I was in college at the time, and two of my weekly classes were at night, so I started making scarves in class. And before I knew it I was knee deep in yarn and scarves, and I found my way onto Etsy from there.


What inspires you? What inspires your work?

I'm inspired and uplifted by a lot of things. Sunsets, a gorgeous cloud-filled sky, wind, rain, snow...music, poetry, those life insurance commercials where there's a chain of people helping each other. When it comes to crafting, color inspires me more than anything. I love to get the brightest colors I can find, and then mix them together to see what happens. I really enjoy mixing colors that others wouldn't mix, and it's rare that I'm displeased with the results. I often find myself trying to capture color patterns I see in other places, like a fall centerpiece or a colorful set of summer plates.


What pieces in your shop are you most proud of and why?

Lately I'm really proud of my knitting. I only learned in August after several unsuccessful attempts over the last few years, and I've had a blast exploring this new craft. I recently used colorwork to put text in a pair of gloves, which was really neat! I only have a few knitted items right now, but there are several more coming.


What handmade items do you admire or want to try making?

I really lust over yarn that's handspun or handdyed. Spining is still quite a scary concept to me, but I have plans to experiment with my first overdyes in the next few weeks. Those yarns will find their way to my shop as something soft and rainbow colored, and I'm really excited about that. Eventually, I would like to have a small line of handdyed yarns for sale, but I'll have to get tired of keeping it all first, and that might take a while!

I also really admire people who are skilled seamstresses, because I'm definitely not one, and I love some of the gorgeous sewn things I find on Etsy!

Rainbow Wool Fingerless Gloves

Here's the next amazing fiber artist in my regular feature. She is one of my fellow Etsy Off the Wall Ladies so you never know what she'll come up with next.

Meet Gini from happyKATT

Chicago Triangle scarf/neck warmer

Where are you from and where are you now?

I'm originally from Iowa and I still have a good deal of family there but my immediate family moved right after I was born. I still like to say I'm from Iowa though. Somehow it seems more interesting than saying I'm from here. "Here" happens to be the great city of Chicago, where I have been for the last 20 years, right down the street from Wrigley field, which is both good and bad!

How did you get started working with fiber/yarn/fabric?

Well, I started knitting when I was five. I always say my mom taught me to knit to get me out of her hair! She denies it. I've been knitting off and on ever since but it wasn't until about ten years ago when I walked into a local yarn shop that I became addicted. Until then, believe it or not, I didn't know really nice yarn shops existed. I had never worked with alpaca, silk, mohair or anything other than cotton or wool/acrylic blends. Once I discovered really lovely yarns I just could never get enough.

As for fabric, that was a totally different story. My mom and my sister were both amazing seamstresses but I never had the patience for it. I didn't understand the whole concept of sizing patterns to make them fit but, when I started knitting cardigans like a mad woman, I began to get really frustrated that I couldn't find the right clothes to go with them so I started looking at patterns and eventually became a much better seamstress. It wasn't until I read an article on Amy Butler, in a knitting magazine, that I really fell in love with the fabrics. Now it's almost always about the fabric for me-the color, the drape, the sheen.

What inspires you? What inspires your work?

Inspiration is a difficult thing to define but I think I'm always inspired by color. Color brings so much life to a person's face. I can honestly say there isn't a color I don't like. I don't like solid black but I'm not sure that counts as a color.Style wise I'm inspired by old vintage things. I love anything old! (Yes, Grandpa, that includes you!) I love the swingy, feminine styles of bygone years and I think we're missing that in our society sometimes. You know, now it seems like women's wear is either completely functional or completely sexy and that leaves a huge void. I think there's something really awesome, sweet and even subtly sexy about the idea that my grandmother did the laundry and grocery shopping in a dress!

What pieces in your shop are you most proud of and why?

As corny as it sounds I'm actually really proud of everything in my shop! I'm a Virgo which means two things 1) I'm highly self critical and 2) I'm a perfectionist about my work. The sewn items are probably my favorites right now, just because it's been a bigger challenge for me. I like a challenge (that Virgo thing again) and I like being able to expand my range of creativity. It took me twenty years to learn to crochet and finally one day I just sat down with a book and said "I will learn this, I cannot be beaten by crochet!" That's how it was with sewing too. I just couldn't stand not being able to do it right.

What handmade items do you admire or want to try making?

I really admire jewelry-all sorts of jewelry. I don't understand the process there and I find it fascinating that people can pick out tiny little beads and bobs and vintage bits and mix it all together and come up with something really beautiful and unique. I love that-but, no, I don't think I would want to try it myself, I'm obsessed enough as it is and there isn't room in my house for one more stash!

retro early 60's full skirt-blue stained glass print

February OWLS team Challenge Vote

So this is my official get out the vote blog post. The Etsy OWLS team is having a February Challenge with the theme Love Gone Wrong. Why? Because we're Off the Wall Ladies!

Seven members of the team have posted items in our shops with the monthly theme. Our team blog has photos and links to each entry along with a poll to vote for your favorite.

So for goodness' sake do your civic duty and go over there and vote today!
http://etsyoffthewall.blogspot.com/2010/02/love-gone-wrong-valentines-day.html

Hint, be sure to read the item descriptions over on Etsy, I think my description is the bomb.

Fiber Artist Interview - Involution

I've met some amazing artists on Etsy and what better idea than to share them with the followers of my blog. I'm introducing a regular feature of interviews with some great fiber sartisans from Etsy and beyond.


To begin this feature, I interviewed one of my favorite fiber and jewerly artists on Etsy. In the process of interviewing I found out we're practically neighbors!

Let me introduce Jessica from Involution.

Before you read on check out these amazing earrings.

All the Tea in China Earrings

Where are you from and where are you now?

I grew up on a sleepy, beautiful island off the coast of Maine. Since I am something of a quiet, stay-at-home-and-make-cookies type, I may find myself back there some day. But for now I am in my beloved city of Durham, North Carolina. My boyfriend and I have just finished renovating a historic house there that had been abandoned for decades, and I'm very excited to be there.



How did you get started working with fiber and jewelry?

Like all my best ideas, it sort of swept me away before my logical side had a chance to protest. Although I've always loved the arts, starting a crafting business had never, ever occurred to me. But one day I happened to see a beautiful, hand felted throw, and something in me said, "I'm going to do that now." So I threw myself gleefully into it, and one thing led to another--I couldn't have seen it coming, but here I am making fiber jewelry.


What inspires you? What inspires your work?

Boldness and audacity in every form. I've held a lot of limiting beliefs in my life about what can and can't be done (which is probably why it never occurred to me to do something like this for a living). So when I see people doing outrageous things because they simply refuse to believe it's not a good idea, I get excited. I think every last one of us has unspeakably beautiful and unique things inside us, and if we would only trust ourselves enough to express them we'd all be a lot happier. So that's what I try to do, and when I manage to pull it off, it feels like flying.


What pieces in your shop are you most proud of and why?

Hmm, that's a hard one. I like the All The Tea in China earrings and the Molecular Bond pendant, just because I particularly love the way they turned out. But I love them all...answering this is like picking a favorite child (not that I would know--I have no children and only one dog. He's definitely my favorite).


What handmade items do you admire or want to try making?


Right now I have a fascination with handmade shoes. There's an almost unlimited creative potential there! But such a demanding practical aspect to their construction also, because few other fashion accessories are repeatedly slammed against the pavement. I plan to try making some prototypes this spring, and I'm very excited about it!

Molecular Bond

Be sure to check out more of Jessica's work at
Involution.etsy.com

New Friend for the Craft Room

I've made a few of these guys. They make me smile and help me keep track of the ever elusive tape measure while I'm sewing.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Happy New Year everyone!


I just posted some of my crocheted hats on HooksandEyes Esty shop. I've been sitting on these for awhile now (not literally don't worry) . I finally got off my backside and took some photos this weekend.


These are part of my overall plan for HooksandEyes to include crocheted, sewn and handspun items. To share all the things I love to do the best with all of you.


Here's a peek:
Natasha, Elaina, and Claire



Now, to post some scarves I've been working on....

Happy Dance

Yay! I had two sales on Etsy today! I am doing a happy dance. Just when things were feeling kind of slow since the craft fair this weekend was a bummer I get a great pick-me-up.

Thank you shoppers! You are in my happy thoughts tonight as I head off to dream land.

Craft Fair Saturday

Well, I was at the 2nd Annual Brooks Avenue Church of Christ Craft Fair today. It was slow but steady traffic. I think that things went fairly well. My coffee cozies and button brooches went well, which is funny since they were a last minute add.

Next Saturday I'll be in Garner at the Civitan Center. I hope that there will be a large turn out looking for a great Christmas gift, or gifts even.

Other news, I've been updating the appearance of the shop. I hired a fellow Etsy artist to work on my banner and create an ad for me. She has been great to work with! If you find yourself in need of graphic design work check out kngo.etsy.com. Thank you kngo for your great work so far.

Santa's Planning Something Special

I have it on good authority that Santa is planning to bring me a drum carder for Christmas. He and I have been discussing the possibility of a purchase for awhile now and it seems like he's warmed up to the idea. I'm excited by that idea since that opens a whole new world of fiber craft for me. I'll be able to make my own batts!

In the short term I received some beautiful superwash wool from Sheep Shed Studio this weekend and began spinning some of it. I posted some new yarns yesterday so you might want to check them out at the shop, but here's a sneak peek.

Olivia - Superwash wool and nylon 2 ply Bulky Weight.

Melon Salad - Superwash Wool single, Aran/Bulky Weight

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope everyone is having a lovely day with family and friends. I posted a few sister skeins this week and did a tiny bit of spinning so I'll be doing photography again this weekend.



If you are doing some Etsy shopping on Monday check out my showcase spot on the Supplies main page. I'll be up there all day.



Next weekend December 5th I'll be at the 2nd Annual Craft Fair at the Brooks Avenue Church of Christ in Raleigh come see me there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Photography Weekend

I didn't do a whole lot of spinning this weekend. Instead I worked on a cowl for a Christmas gift, took photos of my sister skeins and went to the Renaissance Festival. We had a wonderful time. The weather was beautiful and there were some amazing vendors there so it was like a giant party for art/craft-0-philes.

I've been wrestling with how to post sister skeins. Skeins that are spun from the same dye lot, batt, etc. . I don't want the shop to look boring and even considered not posting them at all. In the end I think that I'll post them. Enough times I've liked a handspun yarn only to find that it doesn't have enough yardage for me to use. I hope that knowing there is a bit more yardage available might be useful for some shoppers.

I'm planning to post these lovelies throughout this week so keep an eye on the shop.

I put a new gadget up on the blog today too so you can get a mini view of what's up in the shop and link right to the shop if you find something irresistible.

If you have any special requests for colors, spinning styles, etc., please comment, I'd love to hear them.

New Fiber More Spinning

I received some awesome batts this week from one of my favorite Etsy shops Crystal Creek Fibers so what did I do? I sat right down at the wheel spun them right up. I figured you might like to take a quick peek.



Forever in Blue Jeans - Merino wool, Alpaca, Angora and Silk
















June Wedding - Rambouillet wool, Silk and Angora


Both of these yarns are super soft and squishy. Don't you just love the shine from the silk.

Lazy Sunday

I had great intentions for today but I didn't accomplish much. The weekend wasn't a total loss, I managed to squeeze out 2 skeins which are drying as I write this post. I posted a few more skeins this weekend on Etsy. http://hooksandeyes.etsy.com/

Here is some "yarn porn" to drool over.

Hot Cocoa - Merino wool and silk

It's made up of a lot of different colors but mixed together the color makes me thing of hot cocoa.

Have a great week everyone!

Spin, spin, spin

After spending too much time window shopping on Etsy.com I have been dying to order more batts and roving. That, combined with the opening of my shop and selling a couple skeins of yarn, has the potential for some serious plastic abuse. So, to combat that, I've resolved to spin up a good portion of my growing fiber stash before I go out and shop until I drop.

I guess I needed the motivation so I've been spinning like crazy lately. In the last 3 days I spun 6 skeins, which is a lot considering I have work and kids to manage too. One skein was a total flop, but I learned a lot. This one will be kept in a safe place so as not to hurt anyone. Four of other 5 will be photographed for posting in my shop and one will be made into something nice for an upcoming craft fair.

I'll be posting photos of some of these beauties once I get my light box and camera out for a photo shoot.

Shop is Up and Running!

So I got a kick in the pants this weekend and measured my yarns for WPI (Wraps per Inch) and yardage. I even started a spreadsheet!

I know, how organized was I?! Anyway, I finished the exercise of measuring so that I could begin working on my write ups for listings. The little blurbs you read that describe the yarn are harder to write than I thought. How does one sound clever and interesting while describing yarn?

Well, I did some preliminary write ups and then I was feeling saucy so I went for it. I posted a small sample of yarns up for sale in my shop, 4 to be exact. I was so pleased with myself I had to do a little dance. While I was admiring my work, I checked email only to find, you guessed it, I sold a skein!

Yep, I sold a skein of yarn in the first half hour of existence. I received a note from my first customer requesting a center pull ball winding and offered her a chance to purchase a matching skein I hadn't had time to list yet. She said she'd take it!

So, day one was a complete success in my new little corner of the internet marketplace! Okay, I can't retire just yet, but it is a great feeling to sell something I made. I am going to go right out and list some more!

A sample of the various photos for a single yarn.

What to do with handspun yarns...

I spent the first part of this year learning how to spin yarn on a wheel and wondering what in the world I could make with small amounts of yarns. I've decided to give a hat a try. Okay, I tried a lot of hats and mittens and scarflets and other small projects. I'm glad to say I have a new found love of my handspun yarns by making a bunch of satisfying small projects.

Today I completed a hat that I think came out pretty. I love the colors of this handspun and I'm planning to spin some more in this colorway. I was especially happy to find this yummy chocolate taffeta ribbon.

I entered it into a raffle swap over at Craftster, I can't wait to see what I get back in the swap.