Four shades of brown - mobile phone pouch

Hi there everyone. Its again a lovely Sunday, not so bright, but not grey too.

This week I almost had the hang of working on granny squares. My brother has asked me to make two cushion covers for him. He has asked to include much bright colours. So I started working on that side by side with my tablecloth project too. I am halfway through the cushion cover work, that I wanted to have a diversion from the work. I couldn't continue my table cloth as I ran out of white yarns too. So was thinking of what to do that suddenly an idea struck me to make a mobile pouch for myself. That too in the granny square pattern.

Yeah, its again the same pattern that I am going to work on, I know, but for me, I decided to choose only pale/pastel/dull colours. I like them very much. My yarns were lying scattered on the sofa so that it will be easy to choose the colour combos. I am not a kinda person to have a pre defined colour combo ready in hand. I like to choose colours on the go.

As I was going through the yarns on the sofa, these four brown coloured yarns were accidentally lying together. I really liked the combo. I felt like these yarns were ready for the mobile pouch to be crocheted and hence, so ready to be picked up. Since I made up my mind already to choose some pale / dull colours I didn't have to think twice. I just picked them up and started working on the pattern.

It took only an evening time for me to finish off this entire thing, in a single go. I used Join-As-You-Go (JAYGO) technique to join the pair of squares . Then I made an outline for each pair and finally joined the two pairs in the back loops only (BLO) of the first side and the front loop only (FLO) of the other side, keeping right sides together so that I can get a ridge along the three sides. and yes, I got a sturdy, cute, fashionable mobile phone pouch.

 

The mobile pouch can be provided with a long strap to hang on the shoulder, some embellishments, a button strap etc but I liked to leave it as such.

So how do you feel this one is. Please leave your comments. I would love to hear from you.

BTW, do you remember I made my very first summer crochet top in royal blue colour. My friend received it today. Hope it has suited her.

Ok, now its time for me to wind up this session here. Meet you soon next week, until then bye from Kala.

My first crochet summer blouse

Hello lovelies... Good to see you...
 
This post features on my first attempt of crocheting a summer blouse. Yeah, its spring - summer here, though Glasgow in very far for it. Still need jackets to put on.. However, a very good friend turned customer of mine has asked me if I could crochet her a summer blouse. Yikessss!!! I was thrilled when she asked me that, but I haven't ever crocheted a blouse till now. So I ask her if I should take a chance and she said YES.. Wow, that's indeed a good sign. Also someone has trusted me for the purpose.
 
I then intimated in my group that I will be suspending my current tablecloth work for a while as we get very less sunshine here in UK. All of them supported it. Thanks to everyone. I started diving in the google for a good pattern for the summer blouse. Took a couple of days to find out an apt pattern for me. There were loads of it and confused me to choose. I then finalised with the pattern posted in http://www.girliescrochet.com as I felt the instructions were so simple and easy to understand. And as a beginner like me, there were enough of instructions and photos. 

     

My first attempt
 

I started understanding the pattern reading the instructions first and making pics of my own to understand it well. Heyyy no no, I am not yet a pattern writer. Hardly designed  my own for the table cloth. But one day I will.

Yeah, so after understanding the instructions well, I started making my first summer top and finished it. The top looks a bit dense, which would be more suitable during fall-winter season, I felt. Its my understanding, however.
 
I published it in my group and everyone liked and appreciated. I thanked God that he has given me the ability to this extent. My friend who is running a boutique in India immediately asked me to make her three tops for her. What should I say? I was so happy to see my creation and I instantly posted it for my friend.
 
Little I knew about the crochet dresses. So I asked my friend to give me feedback after trying it.
 
The feedback was good, but the dress turned small for her. I was sad, but was confident enough that I can alter it. So asked her to post it back to me, so that I can work on it. I was pondering where I went wrong. Everything were like the pattern. Then I realized I misinterpreted the stitches mentioned. I was supposed to follow the instructions in the brackets provided, but somewhere, at some point of time, I misread the instructions. I didn't bother to unravel the stitches as I feared the original yarn would have been lost. Also to find the stitches weaved in is a herculean task too. So I kept aside the top and decided to unravel the stitches when I get free time and use it for my personal purposes.

The altered one

I then started crocheting the new one. But this time. though I followed the same instructions, for the body, I decided to put my own design. Since I felt the first one has denser stitches, I wanted to avoid those instructions and use only the double crochet stitches along the body length. I increased the number of stitches for the body as it was from there I went wrong. The stitches I increased did not produce much change to the original pattern. I felt it would be snug enough. I ensured in each and every step that the stitches were correct. And in no time I found the top growing and growing. I measured the length too this time as that was also a requirement.
 
I then decided to use the same neck pattern for the border part, so that the look will be identical and lo, it turned out to be a frilled type one. I was so thrilled to see the outcome. I didn't know that it will come out like that, and it has its own beauty.
 
I have posted my first picture in the girliescrochet website too. Am yet to publish my second one.
 
I learnt few things in this project.
 
1. Pay proper attention to the work whatever be the pattern level, easy or difficult. Not always is it possible to spare time for rework.
 
2. Always measure the stiches length and breadth wise according to the requirements.
 
3. It is better to seek permission from the customer if the dress can be put on for a model or at least for self for the photo shoots.
 
4. The more we get involved in the work, the more we get knowledge and understand it better. I understood my mistakes, came up with my own design and a new outcome of the work.
 
5. I got a hang of trying new tops too, this time for my little one. 
 
Fingers crossed, I am awaiting for my friend's response. Hope this time it is exactly as she wanted.
 
Apologies for the post being too lengthy, but I wanted to share my experiences with this very new project. I would like to know about your feedback, so please post your comments too. Until then its bye from Kala.

Popcorn - an inspiration to make a Popcorn bracelet / banglet

Hello friends... This post is about the new stitch I learned - popcorn stitch. In fact, I wanted to post it last week, but my sons were unwell, and vacation started, they were curling up in the bed. I felt so sad as the house wasn't that noisy as I expected and my very little daughter was getting bored.

They wanted me beside them always, and I wanted to use the time learning something new. Thought it would be good time...hehehehe... I started learning about popcorn stitch watching a video tutorial. I felt it to be quite easy and simple.

It was evening and I was having popcorn for my coffee, that suddenly an idea struck me why not I try making something using the popcorn stitch I learned.. Yeah, something should be made.... and I started thinking what would be better... any table cover or jewellery or hair accessory etc. Finally, I settled with making jewellery, but not earrings , so whipped up a bracelet...

I scaled down the hook than mentioned in the yarn so that the bracelet would be stiff enough. I sued DK yarn and 3.00mm hook instead of 4.00mm hook. I used single crochet stitches, then used the popcorn stitches and to match the bottom row, I used the same single crochet stitches above the popcorn stitches, then, added a loop using chain stitches on one end, continued single crochet along to other end added few rows of single crochet to fix button and yes!!! , the bracelet is ready to wear.

The bracelet measured 8"*1". I added a brown button to match the colour. It moves along my hand easily. I was really excited on the outcome. Its indeed a chunky bracelet and you know, I really adore this creation. It is indeed a bracelet or banglet, you can say, but no noise of the bangles, and with all prettiness of both bracelet and bangle. It goes well with any modern outfit, I should say, especially with jeans and top or churidhars....

I think I would take this as a reason now to make more bracelets like this or something similar type with different patterns... Need to check for more good stitches....