I Love being able to join in on blog hops, especially ones created by amazing designers! When Nicole from Nicki's Homemade Crafts announced she'd be hosting a hop right around Halloween time, I just had to join in! This pattern is apart of her Leap Into Fall Blog Hop. Make sure you don't miss out on the other great designs!
I absolutely LOVE Fall! Growing up in New England, there's nothing better than the crisp autumn air, wearing your hoodies and boots, and having warm apple cider and apple cider donuts. Just gives you such a nice, warm fuzzy feeling. Fall is also home to my favorite holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving. With my love of all things that go bump in the night, I decided it'd be a good time to revisit an old pattern and give it a little face lift.
Knowing that there's a Huge fandom for all things Tim Burton, I knew that bringing my Glaring Jack Beanie back to life was the right pattern for this blog hop! This pattern is listed as Intermediate, but don't let that deter you, only basic stitches are used in an unique way to shape them to make Jack's facial features. With the photo tutorials, and video tutorials for special techniques in the pattern, you'll fly through making your beanie. With the endless possibilities of facial expressions, I can't wait to see your version of Jack!
◇ Add this pattern to your Ravelry Favorites and queue by clicking HERE
My daughter and I showing off our Jack Skellington Beanies
Click the blue button below to have the pattern automatically added to your cart with the coupon code.
Next, click "use this coupon" to process!
Make sure the code was applied before checking out, and it shows as free ($0.00), then click Check Out Now. Code is Only valid for Oct 31st, 2019 until 11:59pm EST!
Refunds will not be issued for an improperly applied coupon code. If you have trouble with the coupon code working correctly, then please contact me before you check out, so I can help you!
What colors will you use to make your Jack Skellington? I'd Love to see your beanies; so please share them! Follow me onInstagram and use hashtag #glaringjack and #loopingwithlove when posting your photo(s). Or request to join my Looping with Love's Crafting Community on Facebook where you can stay up to date on exclusive promotions and sales for members only, plus a community full of crafters to share their knowledge and life experiences with; it's a community that's for sharing your love for your craft, whether it be yarn/clay/wood/vinyl related, or just your daily life and thoughts.
I had so much fun participating in Nicole's Valentine's Day month long pattern hop, that I jumped quickly to join in on the Splash into Summer! I hope you've been following all the other amazing designers up until now!
I can't believe it's half way through summer already! I hope y'all are enjoying your summer, and jam packing it with fun! I on the other hand have been packing up our house to move across country. Needless to say, I'm hot, tired, and just want our household goods to magically pack themselves and float into the moving truck. Wishful thinking I know, but I was hoping!
So after doing a hard day of work, enduring a long summer day, or enjoying a bbq or bonfire, most will want to grab a nice ice cold drink to relax. But who likes it when your drink "sweats" and you end up with a cold, wet ring on the table? Not to mention, your hand is now cold and wet?! I'd bet a lot of people wouldn't say, "I do," unless it's an outdoor event and it's super hot out. So that got me thinking about koozies, and how most of them are geared towards men, and generally just plain foam holders. To modernize and make a koozie/cozy more "girly," I decided to make one to look like a dress.
Even though the pattern name suggests to use a bottleneck, this cozy will also fit on soda cans or bottles, along with bottled water. Or leave the strap off to make a strapless dress. The color options are endless to customize your dress cozy!
For today only, July 30th, 2019, you can get a Free copy of this advanced beginner pattern, full of photo tutorials, by clicking on the download button below!
Make sure you check out the other great pattern designers that are participating in Splash into Summer!
Thank you Nicole from Nicki's Homemade Crafts for putting together another wonderful blog hop!
Please share your dress cozy with me! I can't wait to see them!
If you prefer to add this pattern to your Ravelry library, then click on the link below, and it'll automatically bring you to the pattern with the free pattern code. IF the pattern doesn't show up as FREE in your cart, then type in SPLASH19 to the coupon code section. (If you buy the pattern without using the free coupon code on 07/30/19, then I can't issue a refund due to the automatic download feature of Ravelry.) https://www.ravelry.com/redeem/ashley-bower-designs?code=SPLASH19
I've decided that 2019 will be my year that I focus in more. More on blogging, more on designing, more on being creative, and more being plugged in with my social media accounts. I'm Super Excited to push my boundaries, get out of my comfort zone, and grow as a person and business woman!
When Nicole from Nicki's Homemade Crafts was looking for designers to be apart of her Countdown to Valentine's Day blog hop, it was Just what I needed to kick my butt in gear!
Each designer has chosen different items perfect to make for you Valentine! Immediately I wanted to push out a hat design that has been in queue for quite some time, but I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone. So I started browsing my old design books for inspiration, and I found it! A legwarmer pattern that I messily jotted down as I worked up a pair for my daughter.
So there I was staring at a pattern with no gauge, weight of yarn, or hook used to create the pattern. Luckily, I was able to dig out the legwarmers from my daughter's closet to start piecing the puzzle together. Once I dived in, I realized Why I never published this pattern years ago. That's because there isn't much information (charts) out there for measurements for a person's ankle to knee. So I had to resort to looking at charts for knee socks and compression socks to create my own length chart for legwarmers.
The Greatest thing about the Lovebug Legwarmers is that you Only need to know how to make a half double crochet, and a slip stitch to create these beautiful textured legwarmers! Which can be reversible, thanks to how they're joined together with working the slip stitch a certain way. This pattern gives you my legwarmer chart to create your own custom legwarmers, along with photo tutorials to guide you through how to work in the 3rd loop to create a wonderful textured item.
What colors will you use to make your legwarmers? I'd Love to see your legwarmers! Follow me onInstagram and use hashtag #lovebuglegwarmers when posting your photo(s). Or request to join my Looping with Love's Crafting Community on Facebook where you can stay up to date on exclusive promotions and sales for members only, plus a community full of crafters to share their knowledge and life experiences with; it's a community that's for sharing your love for your craft, whether it be yarn/clay/wood/vinyl related, or just your daily life and thoughts.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from Leisure Arts to complete my review, but was not financially compensated in any way to write a favorable review. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.
I'm beyond thrilled and excited that I was able to be apart of Marly Bird's Blog Tour of her New book called Yarn Pooling Made Easy! How could you pass on the opportunity to review a book that is full of "new craze" patterns that are very easy to follow, by none other than the spokeswoman for Red Heart Yarn, follow blogger, hosts the Yarn Thing Podcast, and has many publishings under her belt, the one and only: Marly Bird?! Can't think of anyone? Ya, me either!
Guess what else???
You can WIN a copy of this book for yourself on my blog, one of the other bloggers apart of this tour, or through Marly's YouTube channel. (I'll go into more detail about how to enter towards the end.)
What is Yarn Pooling?
Yarn Pooling, or also known as planned pooling or color pooling, is a technique used with variegated yarn to achieve different color variations to form a pattern, mainly an argyle one. This "craze" hit the crochet world a little over a year ago, and it definitely peaked my interest. So being very green to the whole process, I researched just a tad on how to do it, and then set out to try to make something that would look argyle. Now my first attempt was a Huge failure! I thought I was doing pretty good with my 2nd attempt, until the pattern went wonky and was no longer argyle (see photo on left below). This was BEYOND frustrating to me, and I'm not one to give up on something, until I achieve the goal I was after! So I was some what satisfied with my final product (see photo on right below), but I knew it still wasn't right. I then pushed planned pooling in the back of my mind, until Marly made a mention of her new book she was releasing.
Yarn Pooling Made Easy Review:
After my previous failed attempts, I was so pleased to see how Marly broke it down in the book to achieve the perfect argyle look, Every time, with different variegated yarns! She took the guess work out of how to create stunning visual items; and for that, I'm thankful.
I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when the mailman dropped off my copy of Yarn Pooling Made Easy! In fact I was so excited, I ripped open that package while I was walking to pick up my oldest daughter from school.
As I thumbed through the book, I was instantly drawn to the TWO baby item patterns in the book, since I'm in the final stretch of my pregnancy to welcoming our 4th bundle of joy! Right off the bat, I decided I wanted to tackle either the Baby Cocoon on page 17 or the Car Seat Cover on page 13.
Aren't those the cutest designs ever?!
But after wrestling with my gauge and going up quite a few hook sizes then what is recommended in the book to achieve the correct size for the item, I decided to go with the Baby Cocoon on pg 17.
I love that each design in the book provides the pattern's skill level, a finished item size, shopping list of materials needed, gauge information, stitch guide, the pattern, plenty of notes, and finishing/edging sections. If you're curious to what colorways were used in the book, then simply turn to page 32 for all the yarn information for all 10 patterns in the book.
When shopping for some variegated yarn to complete my review, I fell in love with Red Heart's Wildflower.
But I was weary because this colorway wasn't used in the book. So I figured, oh what the heck, and got it anyways for my project. Thankfully, Marly goes over yarn pooling on herYouTube channel, as well as on herblog,since I needed it broken down for me.
I honestly don't know if it was pooling correctly while attempting to make the Baby Cocoon. It just seemed kind of "off" to me. You can be the judge (see the photo below). I ultimately think that my color pooling stitch counts were off, or my tension was way off somewhere. Either way, I wasn't happy with how it was turning out.
So I frogged it all :-( and decided to revisit the gauge section and try another pattern from the book. Honestly, planned pooling is all about the numbers in your color sequence. You have to really pay attention to your sequence number, the hook size you use, what kind of yarn, and then write it all down. Once I did that, I was able to successfully apply my numbers to the Full Scarf pattern on page 3 with the colorway Wildflower.
The pattern layout looks MUCH better! Don't you think?
Remember that yarn pooling has a learning curve, and it's OK to keep trying until you get it right! I know for me personally, it was really tough to change my tension in the middle of a row in order to make my colors fall where they needed to - but that's how planned pooling works.
You're probably saying to yourself, all this info about your journey discovering yarn pooling is great, BUT how do I WIN my own copy of the book???
Giveaways:
Not Only do you have the chance to be entered to win a copy of the book on my blog, but you can also stop by any of the other blogs on the tour for a chance to win, or stop by Marly's YouTube channel to win. [Giveaway available to persons 18 years or older, living in the US.]
If you can't wait to get your copy of the book, then click HERE.
BONUS - Red Heart Yarn is getting in on the fun too!
Watch Marly's video ~ 1 lucky winner will receive a copy of the book PLUS all the yarn needed to make Every single pattern in the book! That's pretty amazing!
Blog Tour:
Make sure you stop by the other lovely ladies apart of this blog tour for more chances to win, and to see what their journey was with yarn pooling!
*NOTE: Winners will be chose at the discretion of each blogger host, and by their rules. All winners will be notified within one week of the last tour date. All winners will need to respond to the host with their information by 9/25/17 or they will forfeit their prize. All books will be sent at the same time at the end of the tour, regardless of when the winner was chosen. Winner must have a US address.
I can't wait to see what you make! Please share with me on my Facebook :-)
It's been awhile since I've been punching out patterns to be tested - yes, multiple patterns ;-)
Maybe it's the crazy pregnant hormones kicking in, or me starting to nest, and realizing I only have 7 weeks left to get everything in order before our bundle of joy arrives! Either way, I have 1 pattern that is being released today, another that is still being tested until Sunday, and then 2 more patterns currently being typed up from my chicken scratch into my pattern format, and then I have about 5 or 6 more designs floating in my head that I need to work out on paper and in yarn - then of coarse type them up to share with you :-)
Summer may be coming to an end, but that doesn't mean that this isn't the perfect time to start making some oversized dishcloths/washcloths! Especially with Christmas *gasp* only EXACTLY 4 MONTHS AWAY from Today!!! That's seriously not even that far away from a crafter's perspective.
This pattern uses the wonderful texture of the Blanket Stitch; which is great for gently exfoliating your face, or acting as micro scrubbies to get your dishes sparkling clean.
Can you keep a secret???
Keep your eyes out for my Next pattern to be released, because the pattern being released today, the Oversized Dishcloth, along with mynext pattern release, Not Knit Soap Saver, will be perfect to pair together with a nice lavish soap, fizzy bath bomb or warm sugar scrub, maybe a scrumptious candle, all in a pretty woven basket to create relaxing spa gift basket. A quick, easy, elegant present to stock up on for potential holiday gifts that are around the corner ;-)
Now until 11:59pm EST, the Oversized Dishcloth is HALF OFF, No Coupon code needed!
Head on over to Ravelry for this pattern, while it's still Half Off!
(Just click the colored word above: Ravelry, and you'll be redirected to the pattern listing.)
As always, I'd LOVE to see your finished items that you make from my patterns! So please make sure that you add your items to the "Project" section of the pattern. I can't wait to see what colorway you choose!!
Now that I'm no longer working a 8-4, Mon-Fri, for over the past year and a half, I'm EXCITED to be back in Full swing with Looping with Love!
Facebook now has the option to link a group you admin to your business page. So I thought, what better way to share Exclusive pattern codes, giveaways, and CALsthen with my very own Looping with Love Crochet Group on Facebook!
To really get the group up and running and active, I thought a giveaway would be the perfect opportunity to kick off the group!
Here's how it works:
- If you're not a member of Looping with Love's Crochet Group, then join HERE!
- Once you're a member, add all of your crochet and knitting friends to the group! (Please make sure that said friend actually wants to be added to another group.)
Giveaway will run until 11:59pmEST on Fri, July 21st, 2018.
So you're probably asking yourself - what do I get for adding members?
There'll be 2 winners from this: a first place winner and
a runner up!
First Place Winner: is the member that ADDS the MOST new members to the group, please check with the person first that they'd like to be added, will win a choice of 2 free pattern from my Ravelry shop OR a free polymer clay handle covered hook ($15 value for free, but winner would be responsible for the shipping cost, if they're not local to the Western Mass area)
Second runner up: is the member that adds the 2nd most members to the group, and will receive a choice of 1 free pattern from my Ravelry shop OR 20% Off a polymer clay handle covered hook, and winner would also be responsible for shipping as well, if they're not local to the Western Mass area.
Soooo who's gonna win???
Disclaimer: Facebook is in no way affiliated with this giveaway.
It's been awhile since I've been blogging - and a LOT has happened since last time I've posted....
but what better way to kick off blogging again then diving head first into a competition?!
Yup, that's right - I'm in a contest! A designing contest - against 4 other awesome crocheters!
Sooo, you may be curious who are the competitors? Well, they are all members of the Hodge Podge Crochet Group on facebook ~ who was created by none other Tanya Naser of Hodge Podge Crochet. So I'm in a HODGE PODGE SHOWDOWN! Round 5 to be exact. The designers competing are: ~Myself (of coarse!) ~Shelly Jo of Tangled & Tied ~Michelle Wulf of Magic Mommy's Yarning
~Betty Margaret Johnson of Betty Johnson's Crochet Shop
~Daile Rois of Dragon Fey Designs
What an exciting round it has been so far!
I approached this design just like any other design - scribbling ideas down, charting stitches out, working them up, frogging out what I didn't care for, and starting over and over again; as I'm sure my competitors did the same! I mean, just look at what I'm up against:
^^ So there's ALL 5 Entries!^^ Aren't they Fantastic?! So now to get down to the nitty gritty.... The designers need Your VOTES!!! Here's how you can vote:
It'll redirect you to a board on Pinterest that was created for this competition.
Then you'll need to sign into your Pinterest. If you don't have one, then sign up for one - It's Free!
Next "Heart" (like) AND"Repin" (save) your Favorite Baby Blanket Design:
Just use your mouse to hoover/hold your finger on the picture on your cell phone over your favorite baby blanket design:
Pinterest App View
Pinterest Desktop View
OR
Each Heart and Repin count as 1 Vote EACH! So make sure you give your favorite design 2 Votes! You can repin your favorite to Any board you wish. Just make sure you Save it once you select the board you want it in ;-) Voting ends: Sat, Sept 24, 2016 @ midnight PST
So GET YOUR 2 VOTES IN! Then Share with all of your family, friends, yarn lovers, etc. to help your fav Baby Blanket design Win!
#HPShowdown5
All pattern designs will be available on Ravelry on Sun, Sept 25, 2016. But stay tuned for your chance to win my pattern once the competition is over!!!
