Celebrate the Etsy 2014 Craft Party

On June 6th Etsy is celebrating her fifth annual worldwide Craft Party. People will gather to craft and meet in many places around the globe. For the first time there's a party in Deventer too and of course I'm going. Would you like to come too? You can still join here.

Theme of the party this year is Recapture - bring new meaning to your photographs. All participants will bring photo's, crafting material and something to eat or drink and together we'll have a crafty afternoon. I'm excited to see what will be made and already gave it a try.

On Flickr you can see photos of previous Etsy Craft Parties. And here is some great inspiration for this years party. Hope you'll join the fun in Deventer or wherever you are.

Retro crochet coaster pattern for free

Thrifting sometimes brings me little treasures. Like these cotton coasters in colors that are so seventies. I love the pattern and I was planning to figure it out some day. Last night I did and today I've written my first ever crochet pattern.

Here you see the whole retro set with my new one swimming towards them. Besides the written pattern I made a chart picturing the stitches. I had to get a new math compass to be able to do this and hope you don't mind my drawing.

Would you like to make these coasters too? Look in the upper right hand corner under free patterns. Have fun and show me your coasters if you like.

Ultrafine needlework from Hungary

One striking stall at craft fair Hip and Handgemaakt in Deventer last week was Hungarian based Ribisli. With ultrafine yarn and needles they knit, crochet and embroider the most delicate items.

These crochet pebbles caught my attention and I asked the size of the needle. "Eighty", the lady said. It takes a day to make one and each one is adapted to the size of the pebble.

Then I saw these knitted towels with crochet borders. They're made of hemp and dry quickly after use. They're thin but very sustainable - according to the lady they last decades.

Also very pretty were these starched stars. You can hang them against a window to see the light fall through or you can sew them on a dress, purse or pillow as decoration.

Photos on the website show how delicate this work is. Ribisli's aim is to help female needlework regain its old-time social recognition and a fresh place in our modern living. I'm impressed.

Grannys are great

With an abundance of colors or only a limited number, granny squares are always spectacular. Stephanie Göhr, Melanie Sturm and Barbara Wilder made a wonderful new book about it: Häkelideen mit Granny Squares.

I just got the Dutch translation. In English the book is called Granny Squares: Over 25 Creative Ways to Crochet the Classic Pattern. It gives patterns for several types of squares and a great variety of projects. For beginners even the stitches are explained.

From bags to a cushion cover, from a beanie to a wrap and from pouches for glasses or a phone to bowls and a mug cozy. I particularly love the slippers and how they're constructed.

Granny Square Wreck Room, Come Up To My Room
© Allyson Mitchell with Paul Campbell, 2005

Once you get the hang of it, you can go on forever. Be careful not to go overboard.