Lark Crafts

We’re so enjoying celebrating the release of Heart-Felt Holidays… and we’re continuing the fun today with a bunch of soft, squeezable sewn bunnies, just in time for Easter. We’re sharing a few free projects from the book, plus a few other bunny projects from past posts. Best enjoyed with a handful of Easter candy!

We can’t get enough of this bunny (from Heart-Felt Holidays), created by super crafty Cathy Gaubert. Download the instructions here: Bunny Pal

Talk about bunches!?! What’s not to love about this adorable bunting, made by the seriously talented Dana Willard. Download the instructions here: Bunny Bunting

Join us this month as we celebrate the release of Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World, a new book and series curated by Martha Sielman. We’ll share from the book, chat with a few artists, and feature a few giveaways …. so check back often!

Part of what we love so much about the Art Quilt Portfolio series is that you really get the best of both worlds: plenty of beautiful quilts and in-depth information and creative insights from the featured artists. Sometimes it’s easier to appreciate the artistry of a quilt if you have a deeper understanding of the quilt’s story or the quilt’s maker. And we sought to provide you with that in these beautiful pages. In case you want more, here’s a full list of the featured artists in The Natural World with links to their websites – happy exploring! And see below for more information about the giveaway!

Judith Trager

Paula Chung

Ginny Smith

Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird

Ginny Eckley

Sally Dillon

Karen Illman Miller

Cassandra Williams

Betty Busby

Annie Helmericks-Louder

Dominie Nash

Katherine K. Allen

Annemieke Mein

Melani Kane Brewer

Ruth B. McDowell

Elaine Quehl

Dottie Moore

Nancy G. Cook

Barbara Barrick McKie

Patricia Gould

Inspired yet? Just wait until you take a peek inside the book! To enter for a chance to win a copy of Art Quilt Portfolio: The Natural World, please leave a comment on this post by 9 p.m. EST on Monday, April 2. Any comment is fine, but we’d love to hear about an art quilter who inspires you. One winner will be selected at random from among all eligible entries and notified by Tuesday, April 3. Click here for the official rules.

Comments are now closed for this giveaway. Thanks to everyone who entered and shared their inspiration!

We spoke with Dora Ohrenstein about her recently released Custom Crocheted Sweaters: Make Garments That Really Fit to learn more about her approach to the book and her design process. And do be sure to check out the upcoming podcasts (listed below) for even more Dora!

When I had the opportunity to do another book with Lark, I decided to do one that I knew crocheters really needed: a book about sweater construction and fit. There was nothing available specifically for crochet on this topic. Over the last several decades, crochet had been promoted primarily as a craft for home dec, and many aspects of garment-making had fallen out of use. Even people with top-notch stitching skills are often out of their element when it comes to necklines, armholes, and the like.

When I took up crochet a few years ago, I only made garments, as fashion is my passion. But I too had to rely on knitting books to get the information I needed about sweaters, and some of it had to be “reinterpreted” to work for crochet.  So this book reflects everything I’ve learned about how to make gorgeous-looking, well-fitting sweaters using your hook.

The book has ten sweater patterns, using a variety of constructions, including Dropped Shoulder, Raglan (in pieces), Top Down one piece, Circular, and Set-in Sleeves.  The sweaters are meant to be wearable in everyday life, and most go great either with jeans or a skirt.  I’ve been thrilled with the response to these sweaters: people are saying they are stylish and very “New York.” I have to say I love them all and have been wearing them myself!
 
To those who yearn to make sweaters but are fearful, I urge you to take the plunge. The information you need is in this book, though it may take a while to absorb all the lessons here. It’s definitely a one-step-at-a time endeavor. The book covers how to measure yourself, how to read schematics, breaking down patterns into manageable sections, blocking and finishing, choice of yarn and hook, gauge and math, and how to apply the latter to alterations. There are alteration lessons for each sweater and detailed explanations of each sweater construction.

I know many women face the issue of not being a “standard” size. For example, your bust size may fall into the large or 1X range of measurements, but the rest of you – shoulder width, arm length, etc. – is a small or medium. If you pick a sweater size based on your bust size, the likelihood of having it fit is slim. It will need alteration. The good news is, once you understand this alteration, it will be very similar from one sweater to the next.  You can become a master of fit for your body, and be assured that any garment you undertake will be made to your dimensions, not a mythical standard-sized person who doesn’t really exist.
 
For those who want to delve more deeply into the topic, I also offer classes via my website, Crochet Insider.  You can find more info about the classes here . Feel free to write to me at doraoh (at) earthlink (dot) net if you have further questions or thoughts to share!

Tune in for more Dora on these podcasts!

Planet Purl – Tuesday, March 20th at 8pm EST – Sign up early!

The Yarn Thing – Tuesday, March 27 at 12pm EST Click to listen!

It’s the middle of March and you know what that means–it’s the holiday season! Well, maybe not THE holiday season. But it is certainly full of fun and festive occasions.

Amanda noticed it while putting together Heart Felt Holidays: There’s just so much excitement from March to May as things warm up. To help you celebrate, we’re giving away a copy of Heart Felt Holidays along with its sister book Fa La La La Felt and a bundle of felt!

Here’s a brief look at some of the things you could make. If you’re excited about St. Patrick’s Day, there’s the Leprechaun Finger Puppet you saw last week. Of course there’s also Easter, so you may want to make the Bunny Bunting, some Easter Egg Tree Ornaments, or even the Bunny Pal you see on the cover. And specific holidays aside, you may want to celebrate the joy of April showers and May flowers–perhaps something like the Mushroom Love Brooch, the April Showers wall hangings, or the May Flowers Garland is up your alley!

We’re celebrating this month’s release of One + One: Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs, the first book of a new series that focuses on two-skein projects. Talking with us today is design contributor Laurie Kimmelstiel.

Ruffled Collar Capelet

Tell us about the Ruffled Collar Capelet.  

It is a romantic and very feminine piece. I envisioned it as the perfect cover-up for any dressy outfit to add a bit of whimsy and romance to a simple sleeveless dress. Perfect too, as an addition to a wedding outfit (it would be stunning knit in white to wear over a sleeveless wedding dress for the ceremony) or to add some charm to bridesmaid outfit. It has a Peter Pan beaded collar that ruffles slightly to mimic the similar, slightly wavy, ruffled body of the capelet.

How did you choose your yarn combination?

Actually, [author Iris Schreier] made the final decision on the yarn, but I knew it had to have some silk and sparkle.

How did you adapt your creative process to the two-skein limit?

This was not really a problem. The yardage for Artyarns’ Ensemble is quite generous and I had plenty for my design.

Did you enjoy working with a limit? 

I love working with a limit. I can more easily calculate what I’ll use – because I am limited but also because there is always “an end in sight!”

What is your approach to design? How would you define your design style?

I look for designs everywhere and often see garments worn on others or in magazines or newspapers that inspire me. I get some sort of idea in my head and then I often play with several yarns and stitches before deciding which ones work best. I like more “feminine” designs that have beautiful drape on the body and I also love designs that are somewhat dramatic, so that they make a statement and draw positive attention to the wearer. I keep my knitting journal handy so that I can write down what I am doing – much easier to erase than to try to remember the pattern design after I’ve completed most of the project.

Learn more about Laurie and her work at whiteridgecrafts.com, Laurie’s blog, and on facebook.

By the time St. Patrick’s Day rolls around each year (especially after a rough winter), I am ready to bring on the green! Bring on the tulips, the first buds on the trees, the songbirds…. and this little leprechaun finger puppet, made by Cathy Gaubert and featured in Heart-Felt Holidays.

Download the project instructions here: Leprechaun Finger Puppet

Even better, enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Heart-Felt Holidays and a prize pack of felt – perfect for leprechaun crafting! – from our good friends at Felt on the Fly (thanks so much, Janet!).

To enter, please leave a comment on this post by 9 p.m. EST on Monday, March 12. Any comment is fine, though we’d love to hear why you like working with felt or about a favorite felt creation you’ve made. One winner will be selected at random from among all eligible entries and notified by Tuesday, March 13. Click here for the official rules.

This giveaway is now closed! Thanks to everyone who left a comment…. the winner will be announced shortly!

We’re celebrating this month’s release of One + One: Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs, the first book of a new series that focuses on two-skein projects. Talking with us today is design contributor Andrea Jurgrau.

Elegant Cashmere Triangle

What is your approach to design? How would you define your design style?

I would say I am usually a “concept” designer. I begin with a concept, which could be a place, a mood, a mythical figure, a story, something in nature, that has inspired me. It could be something as simple as the play of light through the trees. In fact, my Elegant Cashmere Triangle was inspired by light filtering through trees, deep in the woods where I was hiking. The colors reflect the moss, bark, shadows, with just the tiny glimpses of light reflecting from the beads. My process is very organic and grows as I work through a new piece, from the initial concept, to the swatch and yarn selection, to the finished sample, and I allow myself the freedom to let the project lead me rather than the other way.

How did you choose your yarn combination?

I was totally drawn to this lace weight cashmere. It is a single ply, which is very unusual for cashmere, and surprisingly strong and smooth. The yarn is so elegant I decided to keep the design clean and simple and let the yarn say it all. I selected earthy greens with only modest contrast and used the two colors together to get the appearance of more than two shades.

Tell us about your shawl, the Elegant Cashmere Triangle. 

This piece was designed for the yarn I selected. It is very understated, but has some lovely details. There are tiny metallic beads in the eyelets, which you might miss on first glance. The stitch gauge is quite fine and so the fabric has lovely drape. The colors shade from one to the other gently. It is not “in your face” and really waits for the knitter to take a closer look…

How did you adapt your creative process to the two-skein limit?

It was a little challenge, having rules placed on my design process. It is not how I usually work (which is much more about design first, selecting the right yarn second.) I had a good time trying to really showcase the yarn.

Did you enjoy working with a limit? 

Yes, and actually the yarn I selected has quite a lot of yardage, so I didn’t feel limited by that at all.

Learn more about Andrea at her blog, Ravelry page, and Ravelry pattern shop.

We’re celebrating this month’s release of One + One: Scarves, Shawls & Shrugs, the first book of a new series that focuses on two-skein projects. Talking with us today is design contributor Judith Rudnick Kane.

Infinity Twist

How did you adapt your creative process to the two-skein limit? Did you enjoy working with a limit?

Adapting the creative process to the two-skein limitation allowed me to be creative and expressive at the same time. I love combining textures and colors that may seem unusual and be a bit unexpected.

How did you choose your yarn combination?

I chose the combination of Artyarns Silk Rhapsody Glitter Light (#1015) with Artyarns Ultramerino 4 (#297), because together they offer a balanced complement of texture and color.

Tell us about your cowl, the Infinity Twist.

The Infinity Twist Cowl was created using one of my color designs (#1015) for ArtYarns.

What is your approach to design? How would you define your design style?

I would have to say that my design style is a little quirky in that I approach designing in yarn the same way as I approach my paintings. I combine color and texture – and I am never sure how it will come out until it is completed.

I loved working on this design for [author Iris Schreier's] book, and I look forward to her next book, which will have one of my hooded scarf designs.

Check out Judith’s Vermont yarn store at yarnsforyoursoul.com.