Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Blog Nobber

Does everyone else read this blog? Of course of course of course you do! I am really thinking I need to make a cute piggy hat now.

Friendly suggestion/helpful tip: do not wear piggy hat if you have a piggy face.

Monday, September 28, 2009

UO Designer?

So I admittedly get a lot of ideas from stores like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie. But I promise you I never saw this beanie before I made mine!

Whoaaaa, I should totally be a designer of hat wear at UO. This is the BDG Ribbed Slouchy Beanie; buy it here.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Rainy Day Woman #1

Just wanted to share some TeaBeans on the street! I am so excited about this hat, which I guess is why I wore it already! I didn't realize until later that it is definitely too warm for hats and sweater stockings, even on a rainy fall day. I wore it to visit Iron Martin at work, and his co-worker complimented me on it. When I said I made it, he remembered Iron Martin telling him I crochet, and he requested a blanket for his son on the spot. Ha! What a nice compliment. Too bad blankets are the world's most boring crochet project, but his son is little so I might squeeze it on the project list.

If you have a pic of you wearing TeaBeans, please send so I can post it in my blog!

Off to work on another gifty! Hopefully will be done today so I can post some pics.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Cardigan Babies


This is what I am doing tonight after tennis, beers, and free pizza at the Croc!
Yeah, hoodie cardigan, let's do ittttttt!

Crochet Necklaces: The Good & The MEJOR Ugly

Just got my new issue of Crochet! Magazine, and behold the horror that lay within: Ideal for those times you want to look like your head is not attached to your body! I do love getting this mag, but, let's face it, it's not for the young, urban, and wannabe fashionable, like Katiebeans here. I guess I shoulda realized that when I saw they size everything to XXXL and the "trendy" styles just involve making your top cropped and adding more frills.

I really want to make another crochet necklace when I get a chance. Here are some cooler looking ones: Source: unknown
Source: CreativeYarn

Monday, September 21, 2009

Mustard's Last Stand

Oh, the Battle of Little Bighat. Say hello to the Mustard's Last Stand beanie! You might recall, I was really jonesin for a yellow slouchie beanie. Oh yeah, I made it happen!

I can't wait til it is actually cold enough to wear this out on the town! I used a K hook (my favorite and first hook!) and added fpdc and bpdc in rounds to 81. Once I hit a desired length, I tapered back to 63 alternating fpdc and bpdc for a ripped edge. Oh oh oh I love it!!! Currently working on another slouchie beanie for an awesome friend with some cable stitch. I can't get enough of cabling and frontposts!

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Four-wheelers. Floves.

Just wanted to share with you some TeaBeans in action! One of the very first projects I ever tried to make besides a blanket were these floves! While they didn't show up in TeaBeans until early 2008, they were conceived and begun in 2007. I still love them, and they still fit great! Pink & orange is a killer colorway don't you think?

This weekend I celebrated three years of dating Iron Martin with ATV four-wheeling and beer tasting in the Poconos! Above is a pic of me giving the thumbs up on my four-wheeler and below are a couple close-ups of me grippin the handlebars.
Just finished another awesome hat tonight, and many more hats on the way! Plus the cardigan is still trucking along! Hooray for fall & crochet projects! I hope you had a great weekend. Did everyone enjoy the amazing weather??

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Gagmo!

This just in -- I am now currently styling celebrities on the red carpet. See Cate Blanchett in one of my creations:

Um... Just kidding. Is this fashionable? Because if it is, I will soon be a multimillionaire, selling my styles to all the celebs. Read a review of her stylinly unstylish crochet dress here.

For reals, yo, what is happening??? I have never seen a more egregious frock of crochet in my life. I am here, working TeaBeans, rocking crochet, trying to make it fashionable, trying to break free from gramma blankets and baby hats, and here Cate Blanchett goes, ruining all my hard work.

Open message to Ms. Blanket Blancett, next time you want to hit the town in some crochet duds that are actually cute, hit me up.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

I Heart Crochet

Once upon a time, I posted things I hate about crochet. Today, on a positive quote note, I thought I would share with you why I love crochet! I love adorable accessories and clothing, and I love to have unique style. Crochet appeals to me because (a) I enjoy the challenge of making my ideas reality, and (b) ultimately I end up having something adorable and totally unique. I prefer to embellish on patterns (or create my own) because (a) usually I have to in order to get the desired finished product, and (b) then my project is entirely unique. Plus, crochet is less popular and trendy than knitting, and more challenging because there are less options for patterns.

I guess you could say I do not enjoy crocheting for the sake of crocheting. I don't feel relaxed or anything. In fact, I am a very impatient person, and often I feel quite anxious (knots & losing count and all that).

I wonder if anyone out there reading this loves crochet??? I would love to know if you do and why!

Photo courtesy Moline.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Crazy Cat Lady

Um yeah... I went from hating cats to being borderline obsessive. Case in point, I actually purchsed this bag above from Modcloth.com because it so strikingly resembled my Mr. Kitten.

As you may or may not know, there is a lot of underground crocheted catness happening. While I am not really into crocheting household knick-knacks like the kitties pictured below, I definitely could see myeslf making this hat, a la the owl hat of last winter. Adorable, no? Hmm... maybe not.... seeing as I am not a cute 15 year old Japanese girl or a baby. Source.

Source.

Unknown Source.

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Zoidberg Sunday

Happy Sunday! I was watching the first Anthology of Interest last night during our cartoon bedtime stories, and I noticed a crossroads of two of my favorite things: yarn crafting and Zoidberg! In this scene, Leela has just killed some characters and she is trying to act normal. As she walks by, a knitting Zoidberg says, "Alright, so you're nonchalant, quit rubbing our noses in it!" After I searched for images of Zoidberg knitting online, I came across something even more awesome: CROCHETED ZOIDBERGS!! Even better, this was a post was in the Free People blog, and Free People is one of my favorite clothing stores. (You may remember in this post, I drew inspiration from a dress in a Free People catalog.)
This crocheted Zoidberg was inspired by a crocheted Zoidberg here on Craftster.org.

I mean... can I meet you on the corner of Zoidberg & Crochet Street?! It's the nexus of things Katiebeans loves.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Why My Posts are so Infrequent


Haha, indeed. Crafting takes forevs!

Reminder: I do not knit. I crochet. This comic is about knitting, hence the two needles. When you crochet, you use one hook. This has been a public service announcement for the Coalition to Punch You in the Face for Not Knowing the Difference.

More comics here.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Sneak Peak!

Hey-hey ho-ho, I am back with some crochet! Here is a sneak peak of the crochet project that won out in my poll: a crocheted hoodie! This project is providing me with an opportunity to do my faaavorite crochet stitch, the elusive and awesome cable stitch. I love how it looks, and I am still thrilled to know that cable stitches aren't just for knitters. One of my favorite stitches is a front post treble. One of my least favorite stitches is the back post treble. BUT to have a bangin cable stitch, you needs to take the good with the bad when it comes to post trebles.

I am really working to perfect this hoodie. It is giving me some troubles (heh, and some trebles), but I am holding out hope that it will be cool and wearable.

xoxo
Katiebeans

Monday, September 7, 2009

M.I.A.

Hi! I am thankful to all of you who actually read my blog! I am sorry I have not had much to post lately. I have crocheted quite a few things, but I can't seem to finish anything. I am very close to completing a hoodie cardigan, but I have to admit, I don't love it. So sorry for the hiatus; I am not going to lie, my injured foot has done a number to my motivation and my over all happiness. It sure is a bummer to not be able to run, walk, play tennis, or even wear cute shoes!

Hopefully I can get this cardigan looking good, and maybe get some mojo back. Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy the pic of how I have spent the majority of my time over the past four months!