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Mix & Match – Ginantsilyo

Though the air is still chilly specially in the morning, most of us look forward to summer vacation. Ginantsilyo offers a stylish mix to match the summer heat!

Summer Get Up – Blue Ginantsilyo

So, what’s on the shelf? The crocheted skirt is up as a “made to order” item. Small – medium size costs 1,200Php. Add Php200 per size increase.

Blue Crocheted Skirt

The skirt is made of cotton blend on soft blue tone. The hipline is accentuated with a square motif with adjustable “drawstring” belt.

Another up for grab is the very stylish owl crochet earrings

Blue crochet owl earrings

This pair is a smaller version of the Big & Chunky Earrings offered last month. The earrings are made from embroidery cotton thread with sapphire blue class A stones and kidney earring hooks

The earrings are currently available for Php 250. The owl is approximately 1″ (not including the hook and the bead)

* (Bikini top is not available for sale)

**Shipping fee not included.

Calla Lily – Crocheted Earrings

I love the book 100 Flowers to knit and crochet by Lesley Stanfield. My only problem with this is almost all the lovely flowers I would love to crochet is given as “knit instructions”.

100 Flowers to knit and crochet by Lesley Stanfield

But fortunately, I have taken the instructions given in the book as guide to hacking my crochet instructions of the calla lily. If you are a knitter, proceed to following the instructions given in this page. If you are a crocheter like me, I have a decent hack of the said pattern:

100 Flowers to knit and crochet – arum lily

Note that I do not claim to have an exact translation of the knit-crochet pattern. Also I am not very good in writing instructions.

This is my crochet version of the motif:

The trick is use embroidery threads instead of yarn, 0.70mm hook and White Glue to make the earrings stiff after crocheting

Tools for creating tiny earrings

You will need three colors of thread: Yarn A (white), Yarn B (green), Yarn C (yellow)

Use Yarn C:

The spathe is crocheted using 6 strands of thread.

ch 10. Fold in two. (set aside)

—

Special stitches:

2sc cluster: 2sc in 1 st, equivalent to 2sc count

2sctog: 1 sc in 2 st, equivalent to 1 sc count

(n)sc: where (n) is number, 1sc on 1st (n) times;

The lily:

Use two strands of Yarn A:

Foundation ch 6, (crochet in rounds, with sl st to close each round)

round 1: 9 sc around

round 2: sc, 2sc cluster (around) make 15 sc

round 3 – 6: 15 sc around

Fill the cavity with excess thread

round 7: sc, 2sctog around (makes 9 sc)

crochet in rows, start each row with ch

row 8-9: 9sc

row 10: sc, 2sc cluster for the remaining 8 st, (17 sc)

row 11: sc, 2sc cluster for the remaining 16 st (33 sc)

row 12-13: 33sc

row 14 – 17: *2sc, 2sctog* (repeat * til end of row)( make 25sc, 19 sc, 14sc, 11sc)

row 18-23: *2sctog, 2sc* (repeat * til end of row) (make 8sc, 6sc, 4sc, 3sc)

row 24: 2sctog, sc (2 sc)

row 25: 2sctog (1sc)

row 25: sc (1sc)

cut off yarn

——

Use two strands of Yarn B.

attach yarn to the tip of the lily (foundation ch)

9sc (three rows)

Insert the spathe inside the lily.

Cover the earrings with white glue then let it dry.

Attach pearl/bead to the end of the lily using jewelry wire

—-

Final Product:

Dangling Crocheted Earrings – motif: Arum Lily
from 100 flowers to knit and crochet by Lesley Stanfield

Second attempt:

Calla Lily White

Yarn Hoarding – not good when you have just woken up

After my first yarn frenzy at https://facebook.com/onlineyarnstore, I told myself I would not do it again, but I am really curious about the other yarns. One time, while browsing her page, I saw a post that tells she would be posting new yars for sale!!!! And yes, I did wait for the yarns to come, until I was overcome by sleepiness. When I woke up, the novelty cottons and basic cotton I was expecting to get are already taken but these bulky acrylic still had loads of left overs. Disappointment plus excitement lead me to a whopping P1,900 worth of Yarn Purchase.

I immediately concluded – YARN HOARDING. Not Good, when you have just woken up. The problems of facebook online buyers and the frenzy over getting the items first (without having the chance to browse first then decide later) leads to not able to afford what you bought, or more of you did not expect you have bought that much! With no shopping cart to indicate your shopping expense progress and no (remove this item) from your list because you respect their regulations of “touch move”, I ended up not knowing what I actually purchased, if I have hoarded too many of the same colors or if you are still within reasonable amount of spending.

Yummy Pinks!

Good thing two friends came to the rescue. Gina, who willingly bought part of my stash (I told her to get anything she likes so long as my bill will go down) and Ian, who is too willing to buy yarns for me as birthday gift (which was last year, mind you). Hence, I ended up not paying anything. The last part of my stash would be paid by the seller, herself as our agreement for the images I will be doing for her.

And though I immediately regretted my action during that morning, I am super duper happy for the yarns that have arrived on my doorstep today! Yippee!!! Thanks to my friend, Ian.. I promise to make a bonnet for him 😀 hehe.. but look at the colors I’ve gotten?! Would he like a fuschia bonnet? hehehe..

Will work for yarn

I am closing a deal with the owner of Yarn Source Manila as an image provider and would be designer of her multiply page, if (I managed to learn how to do it). Here’s my peg – will work for yarn.

Hehehe..

I really do love that I finally found the yarns I’ve been wanting to buy in Baguio but can’t ever since I crocheted this:

Psychedelic Shell using Baguio Cotton Yarns – Free Pattern Available Here!

The yellow and black yarn used here are soft cotton yarns which are actually cotton threads wound together to form a thicker strand:

Yellow soft cotton yarn from Yarn Source Manila

It was a good opportunity that the owner launched a photo contest which I joined and she later contacted me to outsource some images she would use to promote/enhance her multiply and facebook page.

And I am quite happy drawing for her I love drawing and I love yarns Not a bad deal for me

Some sneak peak:

Hopefully the images would be accepted

Sneak Peak: New YSM Images

Incoming – Ginantsilyo on sale

I have four projects (for sale) I am currently working on, two bags and two clothes. Since I am really a dressmaker by heart, I really prefer working on clothes even though the bags are almost done. So here they are:

White and Blue Crochet

The two projects are a blouse and a skirt. This is my courageous attempt to remake my white crocheted cover up, which I swore I won’t do again, ever, because of the tedious stitches used for the lace. But the design is really lovely and eye candy, so I mustered the courage to post it on my facebook page as an incoming for sale, and lo and behold, I received an order for this blouse.

The blouse retails at P2,000 crocheted using a 1.60mm hook and cotton yarn. I must say I like this rendition better than what I was able to make for myself, because the yarn I used is softer and thinner. The lace came out the way I wanted it, full and clean.

Circular Motifs

And here is the skirt, which is my mom’s first project but I have taken over to add the rectangular motifs around the waist.

Lace and Motif

The skirt retails at P1,200 crocheted using 2.10mm hook and cotton blend yarn.

I modified the original design because I cannot rest on just seeing the same pattern for the whole skirt. Our initial plan is to create a monochrome effect by changing to a different lighter colored yarn but it did not work out, so I have to plan for a better effect. I have tried several motifs and finally found the right one.

It’s kinda nice, that I can spend my weekend at home with my family and while watching some tv, I am crafting while dreaming for the stuffs we will put in our new house with a prospect of getting some money out of my crocheted projects.

Single Crochet-sc poem

I think that I shall never see
A stitch as lovely as sc

A stitch which forms a lovely mesh
Against crochet chain’s simple lace.

A stitch that looks so firm yet light
In a fabric crocheted from left to right

A stitch that may in summer wear
Become crocheted bandeau in one’s hair

Upon whose hands I shall crochet
The intricate woven filigree

Crocheted stitches make fools like me
But only sc makes a full amigurumi

-Lorelie Dazo (January 18, 2013)

Amigurumi Bunny

*SC -> Single Crochet

Amigurumi – crocheted stuff toys

When you make amigurumi the stitches are all single crochet

I have confirmed! I used SC 😀

Hooray for today – thank you Yarn Source Manila

I received the yarns from Yarn Source Manila. She was very happy with the image she requested, and I was more than willing to do it! 😀

Hooray for today!

Hooray for mornings and things that make them good
Hooray for beaming smiles that make my day
Hooray for stops and gos
Hooray for colors and quick hellos
Hooray for surprises that walk my way
Hooray for friends I’ll make, oh hey…hey!
Hooray for treats that make me smile,
Like magic stripes that fill the sky
Hooray for days that make me say,
Oh Hooray for today!

[Theme song McDonald’s commercial]

My mom is currently inspecting each yarn

Then she decided, she likes the yarns

Louie discovered the commotion and is taking his pick

Will he choose the black one?

My mom picks up a yarn for him

Nope, he likes colorful yarns

I have influenced my mom to crochet again

I have influenced my mom to crochet again. And she has crocheted a lot ever since. Now she is helping me with my business.

She is also taking orders from my facebook page as well.

Here is her current product:

Mint Green Crocheted Skirt

I am more than amazed on her finished skirt. She has been indulging me since last Christmas that she’ll make something for me. And here it is. I really really like how the crocheted skirt turned out.

As soon as I published the skirt on facebook, we had an order for this design. And my mom started it right away, she can crochet so long as my little kiddo won’t play around the yarn.

My mom starting out on her next order

The open lace work pattern we used for the skirt is very nice. I really like the stripes and the lace combined

closeup stitches

Crochet to earn

One of the things people mostly asked me is how much can you earn from crafting?

I have been a crafter since I was a kid. My mom takes time to prepare me lunch and gives me around five pesos (if I am a bit luckier, she will give ten) as “baon” to school. That will be enough to buy me a cupcake and an orange juice in foil pack.

But since I want to do a lot of things and cannot afford them, I often sell the things I can do,like pencil drawings of famous cartoon characters in a sheet of bond paper, crocheted purse at P2.00 to P5.00 each, homemade polvoron and pastillas my mom cooked, pad papers transformed into notebooks. I know ever since that crafting actually earns me money. And whenever I want something, I do not hesitate to think of a craft I could sell.

So how much have I earned from crafting? I am unable to count. The most memorable earnings I can remember was from creating beaded accessories which helped me afford half of the money I needed for a conference trip in Bohol during college. That is saying something. The only “accounting” I remembered doing was that for a thousand pesos worth of materials that could supply me accessories for a month, I can earn twice as much in a week.

Take my friend, Cherry, as an example. She has a facebook page that showcases her amigurumi projects.

Crochet Bags and Souvenirs

She sells amigurumi as souvenirs.

Crocheting is very hard despite the popular belief that it is the most convenient needlework craft. When doing amigurumis, you have to be very, very, very, very patient.

I have no patience doing amigurumi.

Amigurumi couple by Crochet Bags & Souvenirs

Imagine doing this a hundred times more:

Crochet Bags and Souvenirs – married couple

And with a number of different designs:

Different Amigurumi by Crochet Bags & Souvenirs

The best thing about Cherry is that she creates her own designs with no patterns to follow. She is humble enough to admit she can’t read and understand patterns and instructions, hence she improvises, with only Monaco cotton thread as her material and a single sized hook.

This year, like Cherry, my mind is full set to sell and earn. I am crocheting carefully as to make each stitches neat and uniform. And I am trying to create new designs as well. This time around, since I am no longer crocheting for myself, I am very patient with each project. Do not crochet when you are tired and do not continue when your hands hurt. Each misgivings I will feel for a project might contribute to the total effect of the finished product, so I will only do so when I am eager. And since I have a goal in mind, I know I will never run out of eagerness.

Selling would not limit me to what I can do, but would bring enough challenge for me to make more beautiful and neater crocheted items. I hope too that this would help me earn enough money to buy curtains for our new house

Yarns take up space.

Yarns take up space. In my case, it’s worth one whole room.

One messy room full of yarns

I recently made some sinful purchases despite the pledge to lessen them. My excuse? I am now going to sell and I need materials. Pardon me for being this eager beaver, but since I am focusing on bags, I just have to have these wonderful bag handles!

Faux Leather Bag Handle

Bamboo circular handles

Metal Bag Handle and Frame

Bag Metal Frame

Metal Bag Frame

and so I told myself, I have to make sure I can sell something!

But before I can make something, I have to have the yarns to use. And I made a recent discovery. These yarns are awesome for bags. They are strong and durable. Though crocheting them is very painful for my hands, but I love them!!!!

Nature Cotton Yarn

I have two incoming bags made from these yarns and I haven’t used the bag handles I bought from www.aliexpress.com

I have to repeat my bag hack because I ran out of yarn.

Miu miu Bag Hack Round Two

And then this other bag, which I designed myself ( I do love the design, mind you) is almost done! but I cannot move a finger to finish this. I’m sick of doing dc’s!!! hehehe..

Incoming Ginantsilyo Bag

The handles and the base are made from the Nature Cotton Yarn:

Mercerized Cotton – (bought in Saudi Arabia)

But the body is made from wool, which makes the whole thing quite expensive.

Anyway, back to the room. I have to tidy this one more time, which will lead me to another purchase – a decent shelf.

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