Archive for Crochet
Life’s a Masquerade
Photo by Stitch Diva
I really have to learn how to crochet. How alluring is this Hairpin Lace Crochet Mask by Jennifer Hansen? (It reminds me of Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette, a film so delectable I was sorely tempted to lick the screen.) Get the free pattern—well, more of a “recipe” than a by-the-numbers tutorial—from Stitch Diva.
Obama & McCain Finger-Puppet Face-Off
Photo by Lion Brand Yarn
Now that the presidential debates are over, recreate the bluster and the fluster of those heated exchanges with your own crocheted Commander-in-Chief hopefuls right in your own living room. Download the free crochet patterns for Obama and McCain finger puppets over at Lion Brand Yarn.
Weekend Project: Crochet a Coral Reef
Photo by Lion Brand Yarn
You can grow your own coral reef with a free crochet pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. (May require free registration.) Use scrap yarns left over from larger projects, or draw inspiration from one crafty lady who knit a colony of underwater invertebrates with strips of used plastic bags.
Mahar Dry Goods
Photos by Mahar Dry Goods
Do crocheters have more fun? The local artisans at Mahar Dry Goods are making me think so. Although some of the above cuties are crafted from petroleum-derived acrylic yarn, in my book they’re greener than noisy toys with questionable fiddly parts mass-manufactured in some sweatshop in China. Oh to have really, really tiny hands and feet again. (From $30, Mahar Dry Goods)
Related article:
1. The Make-Believe Gourmand
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Handwoven Rag Rugs
Photos by KarenInTheWoods at Etsy.com
I’m quite besotted with the wonderfully nubby textures of KarenInTheWoods’ handwoven rugs, which she weaves from surplus cotton or surplus sock loopers (I had to look that one up) on her 60-plus-year-old rug loom (!) They look so squishy and absorbent I wish I could knead them with my bare feet right now. (Top: Plum Gay Day, $26; bottom: Wisconsin Homestead, $36; KarenInTheWoods at Etsy.com)
If you know how to crochet, here are instructions for making a rag rug of your own. You can make a braided rug out of rags, too—KarenInTheWoods even provides a photo tutorial—a utilitarian and frugal way to dress up a bare floor in 19th century Americana fashion. Lots of inspiration here, as well. Another item on my veddy long to-do list.
Say It With Recycled Flowers
Flowers crocheted with grocery bags, by Arbel Egger
Everything Old is New Again
Aaron Kramer, an artist from California, said, “Trash is the failure of the imagination.” And imagination is surely what the emerging market of recycled, virtually zero-footprint goods is all about. Here are some of my favorite recycled bags, proving that keeping waste out of the landfill has never been so chic.
Pictured above, Re:Modern’s Eco-Messenger Bags are made from recycled feed and rice bags from Southeast Asia according to fair-trade practices. You can also get the matching wallet and tote bag. ($48, Re:Modern)
 SalvationSacks: Goods from the Past Redesigned for Our Future is the brainchild of San Francisco artist Margaret Prodanov, a former corporate attorney. Made from salvaged, vintage and recycled materials, her bags are one-of-a-kind creations that she imbues with style, spunk, and sass, “using creative design to breathe new life into items that we so easily reject in today’s disposable society.”($160-$180, SalvationSacks) |
 This metallic clutch by Escama, one of many created by women’s cooperatives in Brazil, is hand-crocheted using nylon thread and over 200 recycled aluminum tabs. Escama means “fish scales” in Portuguese, which couldn’t be more appropriate. If you’re interested in dipping a toe into the world of soda-tab crafting, try your hand at making a bracelet using this tutorial. ($30, Escama) |
 Progressive e-tailer Hip & Zen has a black-white-and-yellow tote bag made of woven recycled phone directories that have been laminated to make them smearproof. The bags are made by cooperatives in the Philippines according to fair-trade policies. The owners of Hip & Zen blog, too! (Psst, blog readers get a 5 percent discount. See their site for details.) ($90, Hip & Zen) |
 Gaia Goods Trading Co. recycles plastic bags by turning them into fabric sheets, which they then stitch together to create elegant bags and accessories like these. Handmade by artisans in India, Nepal, and Colombia without the use of additional colors or dyes, these recycled products “help clean up the urban environment while providing income for the urban poor.” ($26.50, Gaia Goods Trading Co.) |
 Unusable UPC codes are woven together in a herringbone pattern to create a trendy urban tote, available at VivaTerra, an e-tailer dedicated to “living in harmony with nature for a healthier life now and for future generations.” Recycled leather handles with pod and bead adornments clinch the deal. Be sure to check out the candy-wrapper clutches and bags made from the recycled inner tubes of large trailer trucks. ($198, VivaTerra) |
