Welcome to today's blog, TK here with a very special interview!
Though I am not a visual artist myself, I find great inspiration in the visual medium, particularly in the illustrative and animation fields. It was to this end that I discovered the work of Zeragii, a young artist whose body of work reaches thousands of readers a week with messages of love and encouragement through her fan-comic "DeeperDown." I was privileged to be able to interview her by email and gain some insight to how she works and how her faith impacts her art. TK: When did you start drawing? Zeragii: Hmmm. This is a good question. I can remember way back, when I was four or five years old, that I was given this draw Barbie kit that came with tracing paper. Basically it was a trace-to-make-Barbie-new-outfits deal, and I remember LOVING it. It wasn't until I was nine years old though that I really started to draw and realized that I liked it. I even remember where I was and what I drew. I was at our home school group, all of us kids down in a church basement playing together while the adults had a quick meeting. I'd had enough of the other activities and had set myself down at a table to draw in a sketchbook I had recently been given. Being in a church, I thought I'd draw Jesus. But, um. Let me tell you. While at the time I thought it was amazing, it stands, to this day, one of the ugliest things I have ever drawn. But it sparked what eventually became my passion!
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By T.K. Wilson My mother’s own doll collection was a curiosity to me as a child. She had such interesting and lovely dolls, crafted with much more care and ingenuity than many of the ones I had! Best of all was Beautiful Crissy, the famous doll with the growing hair. Manufactured by the Ideal Toy Company starting in 1969, Beautiful Crissy stands at 18 inches tall, and was one of the first doll lines to offer African American dolls. (Barbie’s African American friend Christie hit the market in 1968, by comparison. “Black Barbie” herself wouldn’t arrive until 1980!) Crissy was an instant hit in the USA and around the world. Crissy came in a box emblazoned with mod art and adorable mod fashions were available for purchase. Ideal improved on Crissy with every passing year, adding new gimmicks and gadgets, not to mention several family members and friends, including Kerry, a friend from Ireland (I believe that she was inspired by Twiggy, the popular British supermodel) and cousins Brandi, Velvet, and Cinnamon. Recognizing the popularity of the Crissy family, enterprising crafters sought out patterns for making Crissy’s mod wardrobe. Official patterns from McCalls and Simplicity were produced by 1969, crochet and knit fashions for the “it” dolls were especially popular in Australia, where many Crissy dolls were made. Below, you can see my mom’s original Crissy and a Velvet I purchased off Ebay. The halter top dresses are ones I made from an original pattern. What about Crissy today? Crissy collectors are still very much around and Crissy dolls are actually quite easy and fairly inexpensive to come by on Ebay. Less easy to come by are authentic Crissy fashions, which is where crafters can come in. There are resources where the enterprising craftsperson can find period produced patterns for both 18 inch Crissy and 15 inch Velvet. First, many libraries may have vintage pattern books for doll clothes, so you should always check there. Online, the tireless efforts of collector Beth Colvin have brought forth a treasure trove of patterns for sewing, crochet, and knitting. You can check that out here: http://crissyandbeth.com/Sew.html
You may be asking yourself: Why would you bother with a doll that was made literal decades before you were born? For the simple reason that I hate to think of toys ending up in landfills when they could still be saved and loved. Plastics take YEARS to decompose into the environment, and quite frankly, it’s a shameful waste. Crissy dolls are so well made they could easily make another generation of children happy, if the right artisan tends to them. That’s why I’m here. Doll dress and restoration is an art, one I’m happy to do for all who ask. Cabin fever is going around on Facebook. Those of us still dealing with the Winter cold, snow, and ice need a bit of cheering. So T.k. Wilson and I thought we’d share some spring patterns for home and family. Just to remind us that Spring is coming. :)
Kids Spring clothes are super cute. As a mom I looked forward to being able to put my kids in fresh, crisp spring styles. Free Crochet Pattern: Summer Cheer Dress and Kerchief Set http://www.woolandstitch.com/2016/08/mini-kids-open-work-top-free-crochet-pattern.html http://www.woolandstitch.com/2016/08/mini-kids-summer-skirt-free-crochet-pattern.html One of my favorite Spring/Summer activities when I was a kid. A trip to the fishing pond! https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-school-of-fish-blanket/RHC0202-019483M.html?cgid=rh-20150420-57-knit-and-crochet-patterns-for-boys#sz=12&start=27 How about a fishing hat to match? https://mymerrymessylife.com/crochet-toddler-boy-sun-hat-free-crochet-pattern/ This little knit baby dress is WAY too cute for words and it’s FREE! https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/clementine-15 No Spring collection would be complete without a pattern or two from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days: The All in one dress is among my favorite knit dress patterns https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2016/03/lazy-daisy-all-in-one-baby-dress_ 31.html Also from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days a unisex sweater. Perfect for chilly Spring days. https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2019/04/kinzie-baby-cardigan-with-long-sleeves.html Sweet pattern for a boy in multiple sizes. An easy knit pattern https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2017/11/easy-baby-sweater.html Looking for a crochet blanket pattern for the Spring baby? https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2018/01/little-hexagon-blanket.html I really love this! Fantastic unisex baby blanket pattern with a lovely texture https://mariannaslazydaisydays.blogspot.com/2018/11/milk-and-sugar-baby-blanket.html I love the light, airy look of a dressy Spring scarf, shawl or Hat. Knitters and crocheters have the benefit of being able to make beautiful accent accessories! One of my very favorite designers is the very lovely Olga Poltava. I’ve been following her blog for a few years now and her work has done nothing but improve spectacularly. Some of her designs are paid patterns. Worth every penny. You can find her women’s designs here: https://www.olgapoltava.com/home?category=Crochet+for+Women Free patterns include: http://lacycrochet.blogspot.com/2017/11/simply-caron-lace-scarf-free-crochet.html Lovely soft scarf made with Caron Simply Soft yarn. “April showers bring May flowers”, says the old adage. With this scarf you can have flowers any time you want! Olga Poltava’s tutorial for the flowers scarf https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBd3yC1Wb2I&feature=youtu.be I absolutely could not choose between the knit scarf patterns collected by In the Loop Knitting. Check out these amazing patterns for yourself! https://intheloopknitting.com/easy-fashion-scarf-knitting-patterns/ Spring touches to the home sweep away the cabin fever feeling. I’m looking forward to March. I’m rather hoping that the whole month is meek as a lamb. From the nursery to the living room, baskets brighten up the look of a room. Not to mention the added benefit of helping to organize the room! https://www.yarnspirations.com/patterns?prefn1=patternSkillTypeString&prefn2=patternProjectType&prefv1=Knit&prefv2=Baskets Yarnspirations has a lot of great knit basket patterns from which to choose. Out with the old and in with the fresh new look of spring with these blanket patterns from All Free Knitting. https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knit-Afghans-and-Blankets/Year-Round-Comfort-Knitted-Blanket-Patterns-for-Every-Season TK, here everyone! When I think of spring one of the first things that comes to mind is Easter, one of my favorite holidays in the year. And what’s one animal to come to mind when we’re talking about Easter? Bunnies? This is my all time favorite Bunny amigurumi pattern: https://www.allaboutami.com/springbunnies/ This one’s great if you’re in a hurry: https://thegreendragonfly.wordpress.com/2013/03/05/nibble-nibble-hop-hop/ And then, just for fun. I found this “Tokidoki” inspired Unicorn: https://www.redtedart.com/crochet-unicorn-pattern/ Lovely, airy crochet scarves and wraps abound for the spring season. I especially love spring accessories, all the soft lines and bright colors make me happy. I just finished one of these and it’s BRILLIANT: https://crochetdreamz.com/one-skein-crochet-shawl-pattern/ Olga Poltava strikes again! https://lacycrochet.blogspot.com/2019/03/lacy-leaves-spring-scarf-free-crochet.html?fbclid=IwAR2vN6ll18ghuqNJarIPzYCPwLh0_iKiOQhVjNu2RVfBDIZdvCW2t3vjwVU Sweet Softies (whose amigurumis live up to the name for sure) offers this GORGEOUS scarf: https://www.sweetsofties.com/2019/03/jade-pool-scarf.html And this lovely kimono top. https://www.sweetsofties.com/2019/04/beach-breeze-kimono-top.html We hope you enjoy this link Spring link share-o-rama! What fun T.k. and I had looking through these patterns. I know I’m looking forward to Spring knitting and crocheting! Stay tuned this month for more link sharing blog posts. Yes, these round-up type blogs are very popular in our circles however we hope we’ve shared some links you have not yet seen! Good day to everyone reading this week’s blog! T.K. here to talk about Yarnspiration’s Pattern Round Ups. Since Yarnspiration’s acquisition of Red Heart, they have been drawing on the latter’s pattern archive to bring out only the very best for their customers. Part of this has been their “Round Ups”, a way of categorising projects into sections to make searching easier. For instance, under kids and baby you can find:
This little monkeys blanket: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-monkey-around-baby-blanket/RHC0202-019747M.html?cgid=rh-20150420-57-knit-and-crochet-patterns-for-boys Flower power makes a comeback: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-stripes-flowers-throw/RHC0502-019722M.html?cgid=rh-20150506-57-patterns-for-girls A Manly sweater: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-rugby-pullover/RHC0329-021318M.html?cgid=rh-20150420-57-knit-and-crochet-patterns-for-boys OH MY BUG, I love this dress: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-childs-chevron-dress/RHC0314-019094M.html?cgid=rh-20150506-57-patterns-for-girls The classic newsie hat: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-surplus-hat/RHC0316-021987M.html?cgid=rh-20150420-57-knit-and-crochet-patterns-for-boys Owls have been big for a while now: https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-hootin-owl-hat/RHC0316-018373M.html?cgid=rh-20150506-57-patterns-for-girls In home decor, we have a variety of lovely throws and decorations. These handy baskets are great for the desk: https://www.yarnspirations.com/lily-sugarn-cream-crochet-nesting-baskets/SCC0504-001845M.html?cgid=071519-jonhas-faves-patterns Another handy BIG basket: https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-bulky-crochet-basket/BRC0504-010145M.html?cgid=071519-jonhas-faves-patterns So pretty and lacy! https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-bulky-crochet-basket/BRC0504-010145M.html?cgid=071519-jonhas-faves-patterns A very easy throw in a bulky yarn https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-easy-vee-sy-crochet-throw/BRC0502-012613M.html?cgid=021419-texture-mix We’ve all been there… a friend lets you know in passing that you are invited to a baby shower on Saturday, leaving you 5 days to put together that one of a kind gift. The pattern round-ups at Yarnspirations.com should be one of your first stops on your quest for that perfect gift. Whether you are a customer or a maker, round ups are a curated life preserver on the sea of the urgent. T.k. Wilson has covered crocheting patterns in her portion of the blog today. I’ll be discussing knitting pattern round-ups. The Yarnspirations pattern round-ups are divided into various categories then pared down into smaller collections. Some of the collections have both knit and crochet patterns, others are specific to each craft. Since I both knit and crochet, I find this system particularly handy. I love knitting for babies and kids as most of our readers know from past blog posts. It’s always fun to surf through patterns to find JUST the right project choice for my customers or a gift for a friend! Here are some of my favorite knit patterns for infants whether you are working for a charity or gifting these patterns are great. Blankets are a lovely keepsake. It is always a privilege to knit a blanket for a child that will be used to decorate their first nursery or used at their christening. This blanket would be perfect as a thoughtful gift. https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-rocking-waves-blanket/RHK0502-016840M.html?cgid=rh-20170419-15-crochet-and-knit-patterns-for-bouncing-babies#sz=12&start=15 Hat and sweater sets are popular gifts but babies grow quickly. This set from Red Heart yarns is sized 3 months. Always good to have room to grow. https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-star-bright-baby-cardigan-and-hat/RHK0238-020387M.html?cgid=rh-20170419-15-crochet-and-knit-patterns-for-bouncing-babies#sz=12&start=13 This sweater is so cute. I love the mixture of stitches! (and it’s one piece!) https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-quick-stitch-cardigan/BRK0229-003943M.html?cgid=061019-quick-and-easy-patterns#sz=12&start=14 No matter what style of home decor is popular, knitting offers a plethora of projects to create a cozy look. Yarnspirations is the parent company of several major yarn brands including Bernat, Caron and Patons. They’ve been helping people create cozy for years! This blanket is knit in squares to make it a perfect take along project. https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-diagonal-squares-throw/RHK0502-016817M.html?cgid=rh-20170405-super-colorful-patterns-with-super-saver-yarn#sz=12&start=6 Nothing like a couple of throw pillows to brighten up a room. This pillow is made with bulky weight yarn so it’s quick to knit up. https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-down-the-line-knit-pillow/BRK0520-011914M.html?cgid=061019-quick-and-easy-patterns#start=11 I like placemats (well I like glassware and it follows that I’d like placemats) Anything that makes a table look inviting and keeps the cleanup to a minimum is alright by me! These placemats are knit with bulky weight Bernat “Maker” yarn. https://www.yarnspirations.com/bernat-easy-life-knit-placemats/BRK0537-002216M.html?cgid=061019-quick-and-easy-patterns#prefn1=patternSkillTypeString&prefv1=Knit&start=2 Now for a little random miscellaneous. I’m usually in need of small gifts for my husband’s workmates, stocking stuffers at Christmas, or the gift of thanks for kindness shown. I thought I’d share some small, quick, knit gifts. This mason jar cover is beautiful! I think it would add an attractive touch to any room https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-snowdrop-mason-jar-cover/RHK0518-024493M.html?cgid=rh-20160811-15-quick-projects-to-crochet-and-knit#prefn1=patternSkillTypeString&prefv1=Knit&start=5 Cup cozies are fast, easy gifts that are fun to knit up in team colors or birthstone shades. They also keep your cup clean and your fingers from getting burned! https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-lacy-knit-cup-cozy/RHK0511-024534M.html?cgid=rh-20160811-15-quick-projects-to-crochet-and-knit#prefn1=patternSkillTypeString&prefv1=Knit&start=3 This is a cute gift with a serious meaning. This is the mustache mug hug… a gift to give during “Movember” (my husband participates). Movember brings attention to men’s health. This little gift may truly be a lifesaver in every sense of the word. https://www.yarnspirations.com/red-heart-mustache-mug-hug/RHC0111-020198M.html?cgid=rh-20150206-quick-projects-for-a-quick-month#start=2 Yarnspirations has created a real boon for makers with their round ups. As Mom mentioned, this should be a first stop for anyone with that last minute gift that they need as well as anyone who wants to make something new for themselves, the home, the kids, whatever! I am very pleased with the selection of very different items, so many, we had a tough time choosing what to do. I hope this has given you a little look into this new resource and I hope to see more like it in the future.
Saffron spice is harvested from the threadlike growths of crocus flowers known as stigmas. It blooms for one week of the year and must be harvested by hand. This means that saffron is quite rare and hard to find, even in this day and age when you can find almost anything. Saffron was much too valuable to be used for dying garments, so it’s unlikely that my ancestors used actual saffron, and more likely they used safflower, as it is more common.
When garment makers, corporations, sports teams and even forensic scientists need some color advice they go to the source of color intelligence, Pantone! Every year the Pantone Color Institute chooses a color for the year. It’s sort of the guide to all things fashionable. As such color is SERIOUS business. The Color Institute works very hard to choose just the right color. Today my daughter @T.k. Wilson and I will be sharing the blog… about blue :) This year’s color is 19-4052 Classic Blue. https://www.pantone.com/color-intelligence/color-of-the-year/color-of-the-year-2020 In 2019 the color of the year was Living Coral and in 2018 the color of the year was Ultra Violet. Both fabulous colors. To be honest Classic Blue didn’t “Wow” me. It wasn’t a color that my inner self yelled; “YES! This color is “Pantone-mine”” if-you-will. However, since the announcement I’ve “warmed” to the color and have started to incorporate it into my plans for my business and for my clothing choices (yes that means new clothes LOL) From favorite jeans to hats and scarves, Classic Blue is where it’s at. I have a few favorite patterns in knit and crochet that feature gorgeous blue yarns:
T.K. here! I must admit, I shared my Mom’s less than enthusiastic reception of “Classic Blue”, since I naturally am drawn to brighter colors like pink and red. But also like her, I’ve warmed up the idea. In addition to being a fabulous color, classic blue is also associated with several of my favorite charities and awareness causes. The blue awareness ribbon is for anti-bullying, child abuse awareness, Free Speech, Foster Care Awareness (and is in particular associated with my favorite nationwide foster care charity Together We Rise) Crime Victim’s rights, because blue is associated with police, and Dysautonomia, all causes near and dear to my heart. Because of the high instance of bullying in the news, I want to especially focus on that, and especially on lesser-known causes of bullying. For instance, according to a 2018 NPR article, 32 percent of children with food allergies have been bullied using their allergen at least once. A further third of the pool of respondents reported repeated bullying. (https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/06/05/613933607/parents-schools-step-up-efforts-to-combat-food-allergy-bullying) Furthermore, serious food allergies are qualified as a disability in the eyes of US law. Add to that, many food allergic children also have comorbid mental health or learning issues, such as ADHD and Autism. In order to fold all forms of bullying into one awareness project I would like to emphasise #HatnotHate, a cooperative project instigated by Lion Brand Yarns to distribute handmade blue hats to schools across the country to spread the message of anti-bullying in what is known as “craftivism”. You can find out more here: https://hatnothate.org/
2020, wow, as a kid in the year 19… something (like just after the earth’s crust cooled) you never really think that you’ll see the year 2020. Now, here I am making plans for what I will learn to do this year! Amazing! To that end, I do have a beautiful loom that I would really love to learn to use with more efficiency. It’s a double loom by Kblooms. I want to use this to make hats, scarves, maybe even strips of loom knit fabric for blankets.
As a family we have a subscription to BluPrint. This I plan to use to help me improve skills like learning better techniques for finishing projects. Perhaps making accessories for adults like shawls. As part of a more concerted effort to offer more choices in the way of accessories for those wishing to participate Christian worship. More about that at another time Of course we can’t forget the two charities that function out of this house. Northern Adirondack Hats of Hope and Bangwe Babies Mission are vital to both our own community and the community of Bangwe in Blantyre District Malawi. --Lyn
For myself, I’m looking forward to expanding my skills as a sewist. Using BluPrint classes, I want to learn how to create clothes for humans, not just my established dolls. Seeing what’s trending on markets such as DressLily, I can see things that I could make if I had the required skills. I’ve started small, some skirts for myself, but hey, progress is progress.
Another skill I want to learn is making custom dolls. With the variety of lovely things on the market and the number of customisers out there, I’ve gotten so much inspiration for things I’d like to try. It may only extend to making custom outfits, but that’s enough for me. The third thing I want to try is making costumes and experimenting with makeup. I’ve always loved costumes and stage makeup and the art of making them, so it’s something I’ve been dying to try. I’ve always been a bit “chicken” about it, to be honest, but I have it in the blood, Mom is quite a hand with makeup and clothes. She gave me the push I needed to explore my interest in that area. Here’s to a great new year! -T.K.
We’re almost to the end of another year again. This is the time when people typically become nostalgic; looking at the past and all the things that have changed, not only in their lifetime but in the lifetimes of their forebears. We take comfort in the fact that some things really will never change. While clothing styles and tastes in decor may change with the generation or even the year, some things will always be a constant. Knitting will always be knitting; crocheting will always be crocheting; wood carving will always be wood carving.
Well, it’s time once again for the annual Winter Wonderland Craft Fair at Davis Elementary. The Winter Wonderland Craft Fair is a benefit event for the Emmaus soup kitchen, which helps underprivileged people throughout the Malone area. It’s a good charity, and we’re happy to support it. This year, I’ll be bringing my famous wood crafts. I’ll, of course, be bringing my pyrographed boxes, which are an ever-popular item, my hand-carved walking sticks, figurines, wood signage, pyrographed spoons, and a few new items which I’m sure you’ll be interested in seeing soon. For the Winter Wonderland Craft Fair, my sister, TK, decided to set my sights a little lower. She usually brings a load of her famous repaired toys, but she finds that that much stuff overwhelms people with all the other tables around, so she changed my tactics. She focused instead on her bags, which are popular for stocking stuffers, and some new bedding items. She has a selection of handmade blankets and character pillows in bright colors for the little ones. She believes in making things for kids that are visually stimulating to look at, lots of bright colors and patterns. But don’t take my word for it, come out and see for yourself! It’s sure to be a good time for everyone, and I’d love to see you there. If you can’t make it, don’t despair; any items left from the sale will be posted on Bonanza! But we’d still really like to see you all there.
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