Monday, November 3, 2008

Election Antics and Appliques


Note: Updated patterns now available for free at Ravelry:

Eagle Applique

Elephant Applique

Donkey Applique



Election Day tomorrow here in the US. It's a biggie. Historic, popular and oh so partisan.

Red states, blue states, right wing, left wing, does that make the "middle-of-the-bird people" purple? Apologies Pat Paulsen.

Apparently it does!

As one of the borderline apathetic that actually bothers to vote regularly - and often ;-) I became curious enough to peruse the pre-election e-info out there and for the first time saw that there are indeed such things as "purple states". Inspiration struck hard and dragged me 50 feet.

In honor of the highest voter turn-out in decades and the discovery of an official color for indecision, I present a few election-inspired appliques (complete with chart):

Enjoy!

Note: Updated pattern for Eagle applique is available for free at Ravelry.






Eagle Applique C. A. Lira 2008

See Revised Pattern

Note: crochet thread sz 10, hk size 9 (1.75mm), finished width 2.5”

1) ch10
2) ch5, sl st, sc & hdc next st, sc
3) ch15, sl st 5, sc 20, sl st
4) ch6, sl st 7
5) ch5, sl st 5
6) sc 18, sl st
7) ch 5, sl st 6
8) ch 5, sl st 6
9) sc 4, hdc, dc, hdc, sc 8, sl st
10) ch 5, sl st 5
11) ch4, sl st 5
12) sc 6
13) sl st, (ch3, sl st2, sl st next st) 3 times
14) sc 4
15) ch4, sl st5
end off



Note: Updated pattern for Donkey Applique free at Ravelry.












Democratic Donkey Applique C. A. Lira 2008

See Revised Pattern

Note: crochet thread sz 10, hk size 9 (1.75mm), finished height 1.25”

1) ch 6
Back
2) ch3, dc in same ch, hdc, sc2, hdc, 2dc next st, slst into side of last dc, slst in beginning ch
Ears
3) ch4, dc (hub dc) in 3rd ch from hook, ch3, slst, sc, slst into top of hub dc , dc in same ch as hub dc, ch3, slst, sc, dc in same ch as hub dc
Nose
4) ch4, dc, hdc, dc, slst to bottom of last dc in hub
Neck/Chest
5) dc into free ch (remaining from nose ch4), hdc into side of dc (last dc of step), 2sc in next st (beginning chain)
Front Legs
6) ch6, sc, slst, ch2, sc & slst in next ch, hdc next ch of ch6, hdc2, slst to body in same st as ch6
Belly
7) ch1, hdc4
Back Legs
8) ch6, sc & slst in next ch, slst, sc, hdc2, slst to body,
9) ch1, slst2, ch5, sc & slst in next ch of ch5, slst, sc4, slst to body
Tail
10) ch6, slst 2, 2 slst next ch, slst2, sl st to body
Rump
11) sc in next st on body, 2sc next st
Back & Back of Neck
12) slst 5 along back, (2slst in next st) twice, slst, slst under ear
end off



Note: Updated pattern for Elephant Applique free at Ravelry.





Republican Elephant Applique C. A. Lira 2008

See Revised Pattern

Note: crochet thread sz 10, hk size 9 (1.75mm), finished height 0.75”

1) ch6, ch1, sc in same ch, sc4, 2sc in next ch, ch2 turn
2) sc same st as turning chain, sc6, 2sc next st, ch2 turn
3) sc same st as turning chain, sc8, 2sc next st, ch2 turn
4) sc11, ch2 turn
5) sc11, ch2 turn
6) sc3, ch2 turn
7) sc3, ch2 turn
8) sc3
9) ch1, sl st into side of same sc, sl st 5
10) sc3, ch2 turn
11) sc3, ch2 turn
12) sc3
13) ch1, sl st into side of same sc, sl st 2
14) ch6
15) sc, sc dec next 2 sts, sc2
16) hdc into side of next st, sc, sl st to beginning ch
end off

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Halloween charts

I've always wanted to produce charts to go with my patterns because I find they help me understand instructions better. So here are the charts for the Halloween themed fridgies I posted last time. Oh and please note I lost a few stitches while typing up the witch pattern. I've corrected that. sorry.


To see full size click on image and then on "all sizes".



Monday, October 27, 2008

Halloween Fridgies/Appliques



Love love love Halloween. The candy, the costumes, the mystery, the Great Pumpkin - my own Heaven on Earth!


Here are a couple of crochet projects to celebrate the season. Enjoy! :





"Scaredy Cat"


Halloween Cat Silhouette Fridgie/Applique C. A. Lira 2008

Note: crochet thread sz 10, hk size 9 (1.75mm), finished height 1.75”

ch 26
Rear Leg
sl st, sc, sl st, sc 6, hdc, dc
Tail
ch 14, sl st, (2 sl st next ch) 3 times, (sk1 ch, sl st in next ch) 4 times, sk1 ch, sl st into top of dc
Back
dc in same ch as last dc, 2 trc in next ch, 2 dtr in next ch, trc & dc in next ch, dc & sc in next ch
Head
ch5, sl st to 1st ch from hook, sc in next ch,
2 dc into same (hub) sc as ch5,
ch2, sl st to 1st ch from hook, sc into side of dc,
dc in hub sc,
ch2, sl st in hub sc,
sc into side of hub sc, sc into same st as hub sc
Front Leg
sc in next ch, sc 6, sl st, sc, sl st, end off






"Witch Silhouette"



Witch Fridgie/Applique C. A. Lira 2008

Note: crochet thread sz 10, hook sz 9 (1.75mm), finished height 3”

Hat
1) ch3, dc in beginning ch, ch3, turn
2) dc in same ch as ch3, 2dc in next st, dc, ch3 turn
3) dc 3, ch3 turn
4) dc 5, do not turn
Brim
5) ch4
6) sl st in next 3 chs, turn, sl st in next 6 sts, do not turn
7) ch4
8) sl st in next 3 chs, turn, sl st to sc, do not turn
9) sc 4
Nose
10) ch4
11) sl st, sc dec next 2 chs, turn, sc 3, slst, do not turn
Hair
12) ch8, sl st, ch1 turn
13) sc 9
Chin
14) ch2, turn, 2 sc next st, sc in next 8 sts, do not turn
Hair
15) ch5, sl st, sc 4, (2sc next st) twice, 3sc next st, sc 2, ch1 turn
Neck
16) sc 3, do not turn
Cape
17) ch15, trc in 4th ch from hook, trc 2, dc 3, hdc 2, sc 2, sl st 2, turn
Back
18) sc 3, 2sc in next st, ch2 turn
19) sc 5, ch2 turn
20) sc 5 , 2sc in next st, do not turn
Arm
21) ch8, turn, sc 14, 2sc in next st, do not turn
Boob
22) ch2, sc 9, ch1 turn
Boob/Butt
23)sc dec next 2 sts, sc 5, 2sc in next st, ch1 turn
Broomstick
24) sc 7, ch7, sl st 2 joining to arm at last 2 sts, ch7, do not turn
25) sl st 6, turn, sl st 9, sc 7, ch 14, do not turn
Bristles
26) ch3, trc 3, hdc, sc, sl st 3, sc 5, turn, sc 7 to end of row, ch1 turn
Skirt
27) sc dec, sc 8, sl st, ch1 turn
28) sc 8, sl st, ch1 turn
29) sc 7, sl st, ch1 turn
30) sc 6, sl st, ch1 turn
Feet
31) sc, ch3 do not turn, 2 sl st, dc in sc, sl st into side of dc, sl st in sc, sl st next 2 sts, do not turn
32) sc, ch3 do not turn, 2 sl st, dc in sc, sl st into side of dc, sl st in sc, end off

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Odd days.

A week later and Hurricane Ike's presence still lingers. We personally fared well -no damage and adequate supplies. We were fortunate and grateful - many of our neighbors were not so lucky.

Thoughts and prayers with them all.

C

Friday, September 12, 2008

Mother Nature is in a mood.




This is a picture of how the weekend is shaping up for us in Houston (and the entire Gulf of Mexico coastal population).

Fun times.

Seriously, the storm is still about 5 hours from landfall and already the wind is beginning to rage (not quite howls yet - but close).

We're as prepped as we're going to get and now we are just sitting here waiting for the power to go out.

It's a good thing I can crochet by the warm flourescent glare of my beloved Coleman lantern.

Here's hoping for a safe siege with no body count.

Safe passage, everybody.

C

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Dragons and the stubborn hooker.


"Forest Tea"



I'm involved with a weekly challenge called Textile Tuesday and the theme was dragon. I don't usually make dragons. I gravitate toward cats



obviously. :-)


I've made a dragon before out of curiosity (to see if I could)




and a lovely couple for a cyber-friend that is a dragophile. (hmm, probably not a real word that).




Both projects were 3D and for some reason I had that dimensionality locked into my brain. Sooo when this particular challenge was presented at TT, I decided on a type I hadn't done yet and started on the tail of a winged European style dragon.

I work in thread - size 10 crochet cotton almost exclusively. Which in itself is odd - I love to experiment, try new things but not in my art - I stick to the one medium - thread crochet. I enjoy it and like the idea of subverting the domestic context to my casual whim. Bwa ha ha. Oops. TMI there.

Doing 3D in crochet results in some fun objects, but is a pain in the gluteal adjacent orifice in that I use single stitch for the sculpting and it takes forever to make anything. I slip in some longer (ie faster working) stitches as well but sc gives me a tighter matrix, better control over subtle changes and a stable end product that practically stands on its own when stuffed without always needing a wire armature.

... and I have to be in the mood to put forth all the effort required in making a 3D object. Fickle muses + somewhat lazy artist = moodiness. ;-) Especially since I wanted the dragon to be elegantly sipping tea - was thinking an English European- style dragon.

Do you know how long it took me to realize I could just go ahead and make a flat dragon scene? Much too long. Sometimes the brain just goes away on vacation and doesn't bother to leave me a note. So I ripped the tail (moody yet frugal) and started on senor dragon in my flat pseudo-applique/ stacked images style of crochet "drawing" (for lack of a professional term) and am quite happy with the scene.

The kicker? I've been doing a lot of scene work lately and am really drawn to it right now. Aw. Man! I did not just type that. Honestly, that particular pun was unintentional (but I am leaving it in). :-D

So sometimes I lock an idea into my head and refuse to waver in my determination to do it that one and only way until I get the cosmic slap acorss the back of the head to try a different approach and just monkey with the entire concept.

And I wonder why things take me so long to accomplish.

sigh

;-)

Always
C

Monday, August 18, 2008

Day 2 - 8 months later

As I was saying... ;-)

The time does get away from me. I like to tell myself I took so long to get back to this because I wanted to finish crocheting the title banner first. And of course, I only just did that last week.

Like most things I photograph, the actual thing looks better. My "skill" with a camera is laughable and I apparently live in some sort of light-obliterating cave. Alas. :-)

I had toyed with an even more photo-shopped version:



but I really wanted to add the yarn ball/pillow - and, you guessed it, I suck at photoshop.

It may be difficult to tell, but I am serious about my work. I'm just not serious about my life and have consequently developed an attention span that can barely be measu...

oooo. pretty.

Oh! Where was I?

Sorry. Old, bad joke. But it still makes me laugh.

So I guess I'll start posting some (crappy) photos of my (fabulous) art and then blather on a bit trying to figure out such esoteric ideas as motivation, inspiration, voice - all the things I didn't learn at art school (which I didn't go to at all) and which were considered questionable practices at grad school (which trained me in the biological sciences but I opted instead for a life in art and craft obscurity).

Ooo. Now where to begin? Well that's a dilemma to sleep on.

Always,
the Cecinatrix