You’ve heard it before: you need to buy patterns from you favorite indie designers or else they might not exist anymore. We’ve all heard that, right? Okay, good. I don’t need to say it, then. This post isn’t about money. This post is about what you can do to support indie designers- in ways that […]
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How to attach a folded ear to two rounds
Happy Tip Tuesday! Today, I’m going to talk to you about an instruction that pops up in Flavia the Unicorn: Flatten ear and then fold ear in half, and attach to the head (at rounds 6-7) so that the opening of the fold faces forward. The potentially tricky bit in this instruction is that you’re […]
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Color Theory 101: selecting yarns that go together
A lot of patterns going around at the moment feature stripes: two or three colors that go together perfectly. You could follow the colors suggested in the pattern sample… but you want to try something a little different. But how in the world do you pick a colors that go together? Color theory. That’s how! […]
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Spreading the Love of Crochet Design
I teach people to crochet. More specifically, I’m very keen on teaching folks how to crochet adorable stuffed animals. I also teach crocheters how to create their own stuffed animal designs. This last aspect of my chosen career has raised some eyebrows. I’ve been asked, “Aren’t you diluting your brand by teaching others to crochet […]
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Is a premium shipping service right for you? Review of Endicia.
Today, I’m going to chat about shipping, and the pros and cons of upgrading to Endicia, a service which allows you to print your own shipping labels. It costs a monthly fee and has some downsides, but it has capabilities that are unavailable on free sites (like the USPS site or PayPal). I can’t tell […]
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How to crochet standing legs for your amigurumi (video)
I’m a big fan of the ‘standing legs’ amigurumi shape. It’s a newer addition to my design repertoire, but I love it! You can spot it in a number of my designs: Flavia the Unicorn, Forrest the Gnome, Roosevelt the Monster and my newest (coming out this month!) leprechaun. Joining the legs together, when you’re […]
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Do you need sharp-tipped knitting needles?
I’ll level with you. I don’t like sharp-tipped knitting needles. Do you know why? I’m a pusher: That means that I push on the tip of the needle as part of executing my knitting stitch. A sharp tip means a major ouchie. But, even I’ll admit: there are times when you need a sharp-tipped knitting […]
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4 easy tips for crocheting a giant amigurumi!
It’s easy to crochet a giant amigurumi by using a thicker yarn and a larger hook! The result is a super-large animal, with the same amount of crochet work! Want to give it a try? Here are some tips. Use multiple strands if a thicker yarn isn’t available Super-bulky yarns can be pricey and have […]
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How to crochet a ruffle on a completed amigurumi (and attach a slug foot!)
Today, I’m going to show you how to crochet a ruffle onto a (nearly) finished amigurumi. For those of you who are participating in the slug-a-long, you’ll find that this is exactly how you attach the slug’s foot! Step 1: Attach a new length of yarn For attaching a ruffle to an almost-finished piece, you’re […]
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Does it count as stash? A chat about sock yarn & review of Sock Yarn Studio.
A minimalist’s take on stash If you’ve been following me, you’ll know I’m not a huge stash-er. I have about 2 medium-sized boxes of personal yarn (work yarn doesn’t count!), and to be honest, a fair chunk that was given to me by a de-stashing friend. I always get a lot of strange looks when […]
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